We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han - Review

Title: We'll Always Have Summer (Summer #3)

Author: Jenny Han

Series: Summer

Hardcover, 288 pages

Published April 26th 2011 by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Source: Galley Grab

Plot:

It's been two years since Conrad told Belly to go with Jeremiah. She and Jeremiah have been inseparable ever since, even attending the same college-- only, their relationship hasn't exactly been the happily ever after Belly had hoped it would be. And when Jeremiah makes the worst mistake a boy can make, Belly is forced to question what she thought was true love. Does she really have a future with Jeremiah? Has she ever gotten over Conrad? It's time for Belly to decide, once and for all, who has her heart forever.

My Thoughts:

If you haven't read the first two books stop here!
OMG, you guys. That's all I have to say about the final book in this series. I liked the first book, really liked the second book and absolutely LOVED the third. The third book was so emotional. Jeremiah had moments where I wanted to punch him in the face (you'll find out why about 20-30 pages in), which took me off guard because I never thought I'd feel that way toward him based on the previous novels. Jeremiah was always sweet and caring, and I found what he did was totally out of character for him, but I think it was a necessary evil that had to be done to help the story along, even the best guys flubbed up some times. That being said I loved the drama this novel brought. It was very real. Struggles real couples go through all the time, which makes for an awesome contemporary novel in my eyes.

The ending was bitter sweet. I think Belly made the right choice in the end. The last 10 chapters were the best in the whole book. Gah! They were so good I re-read them three times. Loved them!

If you are a YA contemporary fan or YA romance fan you'll love this series, especially this book! Awesome read! It'll hook you.

Easter Blog Hop Winner!

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Random Number picked you as my Easter Blog Hop Winner! Congrats! Check your inbox for details.

Thanks to all who entered! Wish I had gifts for you all!


PS. My blog is about to have it's second birthday, so you know what that means...MASSIVE giveaway time! Check out the books that I am giving away:

 I'll be throwing that post up May 1st and it will run through the entire month of may to give more people chances to enter to win some of my favorite books, so be sure to check back for that. Also I am listed on the Spring Carnival Blog Hop and that one runs May 1 through the 8th. I have a few goodies to hand out for that one as well.

Happy Reading! And Welcome new friends. :)

Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Blog Hop--Book Giveaway!

Welcome to Reading, Writing & Waiting! I'll get right to the point because I know there are a TON of blogs to get through.

What's up for Grabs:

How to Enter:

Leave a Comment with your email address (entries valid during blog hop only: April 20th @ 12:00am through April 25th @ 11:59pm). I will contact the winner via email then announce it here once I have conformation from the winner. You DO NOT HAVE TO BE A BLOG FOLLOWER, however I can't tell you how much I love making new friends. Contest Ends April 25th at Midnight! US ONLY--No International entries please (I'm kinda poor at the moment). I'm doing two HUGE Giveaways in MAY (see the pic on the top left), so be sure to check back next month!!

GOOD LUCK!!!!

Bumped by Megan McCafferty -- Review

Title: Bumped
Author: Megan McCafferty
Hardcover, 336 pages

Expected publication: April 26th 2011 by Balzer + Bray
Series: Bumped #1

Plot:

When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents are forced to pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society.


Sixteen-year-old identical twins Melody and Harmony were separated at birth and had never met until the day Harmony shows up on Melody’s doorstep. Until now, the twins have followed completely opposite paths. Melody has scored an enviable conception contract with a couple called the Jaydens. While they are searching for the perfect partner for Melody to bump with, she is fighting her attraction to her best friend Zen, who is way too short for the job.

Harmony has spent her whole life in religious Goodside, preparing to be a wife and mother. She believes her calling is to bring Melody back to Goodside and convince her that “pregging” for profit is a sin. But Harmony has secrets of her own that she is running from.

When Melody is finally matched with the world-famous, genetically flawless Jondoe, both girls’ lives are changed forever. A case of mistaken identity takes them on a journey neither could have ever imagined, one that makes Melody and Harmony realize they have so much more than just DNA in common.

My Thoughts:

I need the next book!! I really liked this one. So different! Preggin' For Profit!

This book took me a few pages to get into, but once I did I was hooked. I enjoyed Melody's voice far more than Harmony's, but I loved Harmony's story more. Each chapter alternated between Melody and Harmony, twins that couldn't be more different. I like books with different points of view like that. Keeps things interesting.

If you are looking for your next dystopian fix give Bumped a shot!

Darkest Mercy By Melissa Marr -- Review

Title: Darkest Mercy
Author: Melissa Marr
Hardcover, 327 pages

Published February 22nd 2011 by HarperCollins
Series: Wicked Lovely
Source: ARC

Plot:

The Summer King is missing; the Dark Court is bleeding; and a stranger walks the streets of Huntsdale, his presence signifying the deaths of powerful fey.


Aislinn tends to the Summer Court, searching for her absent king and yearning for Seth. Torn between his new queen and his old love, Keenan works from afar to strengthen his court against the coming war. Donia longs for fiery passion even as she coolly readies the Winter Court for battle. And Seth, sworn brother of the Dark King and heir to the High Queen, is about to make a mistake that could cost his life.

Love, despair, and betrayal ignite the Faery Courts, and in the final conflict, some will win . . . and some will lose everything.

The thrilling conclusion to Melissa Marr's New York Times bestselling Wicked Lovely series will leave readers breathless.

My Thoughts:

Everything was tied up neatly at the end of this series and it left me feeling completely content. I finally got to know what Seth is and who Aislinn picked.  The story of Nail  completely captivated me. I couldn't asked for a better ending to this series, although I will miss it terribly.  Thank you Ms. Marr for a breathtaking series.

Must Read for fans of Wicked Lovely!

 .

FREE Amazon YA Kindle Books!!!

Download ALL of these YA books for free right now on AMAZON!!! Thought I'd share my little discovery with you guys!!

Lure by Stephanie Jenkins

Title: Lure
Author: Stephanie Jenkins
Source: Ebook
Kindle Edition
Published March 29th 2011
Series: Siren's Lure

Plot:

Charlotte Brewer is sure she's crazy when she hears singing drifting from the ocean-normal people don't have arias playing on repeat in their head. When she gets wasted at a party and investigates the ethereal tune, she almost drowns. Charlotte comes to with an overwhelming thirst for salt water, a new desire to eat fish, and a heartbeat of only seven beats a minute. She wakes up by the sea almost every day and dead men wash up hours later.


But then Charlotte meets Lorelei, a siren. Lorelei reveals she saved her from drowning with the "Siren's Kiss"-a curse that made Charlotte a soulless immortal. Her role as a siren is simple: guide the souls of the dead at sea. Too bad taking care of the dead means being stuck in the middle of a war between a fertility goddess and the sirens . . . and losing her soul. If Charlotte wants to regain her mortality, she must find love with a mortal. And if she fails to secure it, she risks becoming a puppet to the gods.

My Thoughts:

I've read a ton of books, and I have to say Lure surpasses a lot of the books I've read lately. Charlotte  makes you root for her. Her story is so addictive. I literally couldn't put it down. The voice in the first paragraph hooked me right away and told me this was a girl I could totally be friends with. She isn't afraid to call someone out on their crap, which in my eyes makes for an awesome female lead character. She will keep you on your toes.


I was captivated by the first chapter. I just had to find out what/who was singing and putting Charlotte in a trace where time would literally be sucked away from her. The Siren's song that calls to her hypnotizes her and causes her to do some crazy things.

The other characters in the novel were also well written. It's so hard to make secondary characters lovable, but Jenkins has done an awesome job of making me care for them and interested in their stories as well.

If you want romance in a YA novel, this one is for you. Wyatt sizzles and I can see why Charlotte is attracted to him. Hooray for hot boys in YA!! LOL This really kept the read going too. I wanted to know more about him and I rooted for him and Charlotte to hook up.

There is plenty of mystery and suspense in this novel, so if your looking for a YA fantasy novel to read that rocks and still doesn't break the bank, give LURE a shot!! I love, love, loved it and would totally recommend!!

Get it Here for only 99cents!!!:

Shift by Jeri Smith-Ready Review

Shift by Jeri Smith-Redi

4 out of 5 stars

Expected Publication Date: May 3rd, 2011 by Simon Pulse

My thoughts:

For all of you waiting to continue the journey with Aura, Logan and Zachary, have no fear! Your wait is almost over and well worth it! The sequel was simply awesome! I could not put this book down.

Favorite Quote from the novel:

Even as my cheeks flooded and my chest ached at the unfairness of it all, part of me wondered:

Had Zachary seen a ghost? Had the Shift made our parents sick?

Could a kiss really change the world?

Non-stop from beginning to end. This sequel filled in just as much information as it opened new avenues to explore. Such an eye opener to the real workings of the DMP. More revelations on the connection between the Last and the First as well as Aura's parentage.

I will say that the threesome love triangles popular in novels today has begun to wear pretty thin. The heroines are full of angst as they try to decide between love interests. This story takes that question to a whole different level with quite a new spin. So, hang on for an intoxicating ride!

Plus, an amazing CLIFF HANGAR!!!! I am so anxious for the next book!

Plot:

Aura’s life is anything but easy. Her boyfriend, Logan, died, and his slides between ghost and shade have left her reeling. Aura knows he needs her now more than ever. She loves Logan, but she can’t deny her connection with the totally supportive, totally gorgeous Zachary. And she’s not sure that she wants to.

Logan and Zachary will fight to be the one by her side, but Aura needs them both to uncover the mystery of her past—the mystery of the Shift.

As Aura’s search uncovers new truths, she must decide whom to trust with her secrets…and her heart.

Review By Michele

Griffin Rising by Darby Karchut - Review

Quick Review:

Paperback, 174 pages

Expected publication: June 28th 2011 by Twilight Times Books
http://www.darbykarchut.com/
Setting: High Springs, Colorado, 2011

Griffin Rising by Darby Karchut


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


My Thoughts:




This novel really grew on me. I've read a lot of angel books this year, but GRIFFIN RISING was unlike any of the other angel YA novels I've read lately. The main character suffered throughout a lot of abuse from his first mentor Nicopolis in the beginning of the novel. Basil couldn't have come into the picture soon enough and saved Griffin from his current situation. It kind of reminded me of the 3rd Karate Kid movie for some reason, where the mentor was out to purposely hurt his pupil and the good mentor comes in and saves the kid.

The love story between Kate and Griffin was totally sweet. Romance makes or breaks a book for me and this adventurous story had just the right balance for this plot. The moments between Kate and Griffin were some of my favorite in the whole book.

The other thing I enjoyed about this novel was the presents of parents, which rarely happens in young adult stories. Most of the time the parents are non-existent.

Read this one if you want an angel book with a different spin.


More Reviews: Reading, Writing and Waiting


View all my reviews

Plot:
 
For Griffin, it's time to angel up.


For centuries, rumors have abounded of a lowly caste of supernatural beings known as the Terrae Angeli. Armed with the power to control Earth, Fire, Wind and Water, these warriors secretly serve as guardians for mortals in danger.

But for one young angel-in-training, Griffin, life is hell as a cruel master makes his apprenticeship a nightmare. On the verge of failing, a new mentor, Basil, enters his life and changes it forever. It is their father-and-son relationship, sometimes turbulent, often hilarious, always affectionate, that sings through the story like a pure note.

Masquerading as the average teen next door, Griffin struggles to learn his trade, navigate the ups and downs of modern life among humans (including falling in love with the girl next door), and prepare for the ancient trial-by-combat every apprentice must pass at sixteen or be forced to become mortal.

Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country by Allan Richard Shickman - Review

Quick Review:

Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country by Allan Richard Shickman


My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This is the second novel in the ZAN-GAH Series. It picks up about three years after the first story, which means our characters are a little more mature in this one. I really liked the character growth in this one. It was much darker than the first book and geared toward, what I felt, was a higher audience. The emotional baggage the characters have resulting from the struggles they went through in book one and during the next three years really drew me into this book.

If you are looking for a quick read, be sure and pick up this prehistoric adventure.

For More reviews: Reading, Writing and Waiting

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Plot:
The prehistoric saga continues in Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country, the sequel to the award winning Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure. In this story, Zan s troubled twin brother, Dael, having suffered greatly during his earlier captivity, receives a ruinous new shock when his wife suddenly dies. Disturbed and traumatized, all of his manic energies explode into acts of hostility and bloodshed. His obsession is the destruction of the wasp men, his first captors, who dwell in the Beautiful Country. When he, Zan-Gah, and a band of adventurers trek to their bountiful home, they find that all of the wasp people have died in war or of disease. The Beautiful Country is empty for the taking, and Zan s people, the Ba-Coro, decide to migrate and resettle there. But the Noi, Dael s cruelest enemies and former tormentors, make the same migration from their desert home, and the possibility develops of contention and war over this rich and lovely new land.

Zan-Gah by Allan Richard Shickman - Review

Quick Review:

Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure by Allan Richard Shickman


My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Fast paced read set in a prehistoric setting. This isn't the typical book I like to read, but I was surprised at how much I liked it. It kept me hooked. I put this one off for a while because, honestly I thought I wouldn't like it at all, but I'm glad I finally gave it a try. When I sat down with an open mind I flew through this book in about four hours. I would recommend this one to the younger YA audience, though--ages of 9-12. So if you are in the market for a fast read that is truly different from everything else out there in the YA market, give this novel a try.




More Reviews: Reading, Writing and Waiting




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Plot:

Zan-Gah, seeking his lost twin brother in a savage prehistoric world, encounters adventure, suffering, conflict, captivity, and final victory. In three years hero passes from an uncertain boyhood to a tried and proven manhood and a position of leadership among his people. Themes include survival, brotherhood, cultures, gender roles, psychological trauma, and nature's wonders and terrors. This is the electronic version of Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure, which has been awarded Mom's Choice Gold Medal for Series, the Eric Hoffer Notable Book Award, and was a finalist for ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year.

Stolen by Lucy Christopher - Review

A quick review:

Stolen: A letter to my captor by Lucy Christopher


My rating: 3 of 5 stars

My Thoughts:  Very Creepy, but it kept me hooked. It's crazy to think this could really happen...

View all my reviews

Plot:
Sixteen year old Gemma is kidnapped from Bangkok airport and taken to the Australian Outback. This wild and desolate landscape becomes almost a character in the book, so vividly is it described. Ty, her captor, is no stereotype. He is young, fit and completely gorgeous. This new life in the wilderness has been years in the planning. He loves only her, wants only her. Under the hot glare of the Australian sun, cut off from the world outside, can the force of his love make Gemma love him back? The story takes the form of a letter, written by Gemma to Ty, reflecting on those strange and disturbing months in the outback. Months when the lines between love and obsession, and love and dependency, blur until they don't exist - almost.

Queen of the Dead by Stacey Kade

Title: Queen of the Dead
Author: Stacey Kade
Hardcover, 288 pages

Expected publication: June 7th 2011 by Hyperion Book CH (first published May 31st 2011)
Series: The Ghost and the Goth #2
Source: ARC Tour

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


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

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

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

My Thoughts:

I really liked Ghost and the Goth--stories from mean girls points of view rock, but I have to say I think I actually enjoyed the sequel, QUEEN OF THE DEAD, more than the original story. Will's voice and personality made this story for me. Guy first person perspectives are rare, and when done well they can totally put a fresh spin on a story. Alona and Will's feelings really come through in this novel, which is so important to me because I am a romance junkie. If there's no romance in a story, it kinda fizzles for me.

Now I won't tell you what happens, but let's just say it'll be interesting to see how they deal with the outcome of the problem of the book in the next installment. Seriously, it was a brilliant twist. Hooked me and now I just have to know more. Kudos Ms. Kade for another rockin' book!

Blogoversery Giveaway @21 Pages

OMG You guys, you know you wanna win these kick ass ARCs!! Hurry and enter. Giveaway ends May 1, 2011!

http://21pages.muggle-born.net/2011/03/25/blogoversary-giveaway-win-cofa-divergent-where-she-went-and-more/

Good Luck!

Fool For Books Blog Hop Winner!

Myspace Comments, Myspace Congratulations Comments at Funmunch.com

Our winner: LadyVampire

I just emailed you to let you know! Congrats! A big thank you to all who entered! I wish I was rich and could give you all a prize. :) 

Free ebook for Review: LURE by Stephanie Jenkins

When I find a great novel that no one knows about, I totally feel obligated to help spread the word about it so others can enjoy it as much as I have. Which brings me to the topic of the post today: LURE by Stephanie Jenkins. This novel was recently e-pubbed and I gotta say I'm in love with it. I mean, look at the cover! Gah so freakin' beautiful (makes me think of a dark Little Mermaid). It makes me wanna live in Charlotte's world. I would totally recommend this novel to anybody who is a fan of YA Urban Fantasy or Paranormal books.

To help show my support, I'm shouting out to all my blogging friends and fellow book reviewers. I have some ebooks of LURE to give out for review!! Interested in reviewing? Just leave your email and blog address and I will be in-touch with you about the novel!

Plot:

Seventeen-year-old Charlotte Brewer is sure she’s crazy when she hears singing drifting from the ocean—normal people don’t have arias playing on repeat in their head. When she gets wasted at a party and investigates the ethereal tune, she almost drowns. Charlotte comes to with an overwhelming fetish for salt water and a heartbeat of only seven beats a minute. She wakes up by the sea almost every day and dead men wash up hours later.


Then Charlotte meets Lorelei, a siren. Lorelei reveals she saved her from drowning with the “Siren’s Kiss”—a curse that made Charlotte a soulless immortal. Her role as a siren is simple: guide the souls of the dead at sea. But taking care of the dead is difficult after Charlotte discovers she’s stuck in the middle of a war between a fertility goddess and the sirens. If Charlotte wants to regain her mortality, she must find true love. And if she fails to secure it, she faces losing her existence to the gods.

                                            

                                          
About The Author:

Stephanie Jenkins lives in Tennessee with her husband and two small children. When she's not writing young adult fantasy or cleaning Crayola off walls, she enjoys going to the gym and over-indulging in old musicals. She may or may not be slightly addicted to Disney princess films and sour gummy worms.

Also available on Smashwords:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/50384

  Add it to your Goodreads!