tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56553683635087005252024-03-13T06:03:44.108-04:00Reading, Writing and WaitingA Dreamer's Path to PublicationAnnie McElfreshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14312634754232333138noreply@blogger.comBlogger377125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655368363508700525.post-33149552501446626472012-10-14T19:21:00.000-04:002012-10-14T19:21:02.434-04:00New Books to read after Thoughtless, Fifty Shades of Grey and Beautiful DisasterOkay, so I'll admit it. I've jumped on the Erotica bandwagon. After I read Beautiful Disaster and Thoughtless I was hooked. Seriously hooked. I know a lot of people are with me on this. Here we go with some I've gotten my hands on lately that I HIGHLY recommend!<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15981894-devoured">Devoured by Emily Snow</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13345975-avoiding-commitment">Avoiding Commitment by K.A. Linde</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16062211-the-proposition">The Proposition by Katie Ashley</a> <br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6442717.Kelli_Maine">Taken by Kelli Maine</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16047244-rock-the-heart">Rock the Heart by Michelle A. Valentine</a><br />
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If you guys find any more books like this one let me know so I can gobble them right up! LOL<br />
Happy reading and don't forget to add these books to your TBR list!<br />
Annie McElfreshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14312634754232333138noreply@blogger.com432tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655368363508700525.post-61141154217604885482012-09-25T17:31:00.001-04:002012-09-25T21:28:58.448-04:00ROCK THE HEART by Michelle ValentineRock the Heart <br />
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<span class="by smallText">by </span><span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><a class="authorName" href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/255608.Michelle_Valentine" itemprop="url"><span itemprop="name">Michelle Valentine</span></a></span><br />
<a href="http://authormichellevalentine.blogspot.com/">author's website</a></div>
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<span itemprop="bookFormatType">Kindle Edition</span></div>
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Published <nobr class="greyText"> (first published November 1st 2012)</nobr></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
For the last four years, good girl Lane has regretted breaking up with Noel Falcon. She thought she was sensible when she told him his dreams of being a rock star would get him nowhere, but now that he's a rock god and her career is stagnant, she realizes just how wrong she was. When Noel hires the marketing company where Lane is an intern, she’s forced to see him again. If she wants to land her dream job as executive within the company, she has to win him over and secure his account. Too bad Noel is still pissed at her for breaking his heart.<br />
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When Lane’s company flies her to a Black Falcon concert to gain Noel’s attention, emotions run high the moment she sees him and realizes she’s far from over him. But Noel’s countless trysts with groupies and his cocky attitude make Lane believe he isn’t the same guy she once loved—now he seems to only want her body. Then after Lane discloses she needs him to procure a job, Noel proves he’s a changed man by forcing her to go on the road with him in order to get it.<br />
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After Lane reluctantly takes Noel up on his offer, she becomes willing to do whatever it takes to keep him satisfied, even if it means succumbing to his seductive ways. Lane soon finds deception is a dangerous game and she’s not the only one playing.<a class="actionLinkLite" href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16047244-rock-the-heart#"></a></blockquote>
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Go add this one to your <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16047244-rock-the-heart">Goodreads</a> account! Annie McElfreshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14312634754232333138noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655368363508700525.post-61572509463451040282012-09-25T12:15:00.001-04:002012-09-25T12:15:18.909-04:00Devoured by Emily SnowDEVOURED by Emily Snow<br />
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I CANNOT wait to get my hands on this book!! This cover is to DIE for! Come on OCTOBER 9TH!!!!<br />
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<span id="freeText9780036827208889339"></span><blockquote class="tr_bq">
Sienna Jensen had no plans to return home when she graduated college last spring—after all, her dreams lie in California. But when she discovers her grandmother’s posh Nashville home has been foreclosed, and the new owner has started the eviction process, Sienna has no other choice but go back to Music City. And she comes face to face with the flawed, gorgeous man she never thought she’d see again. The man who now holds the deed to her grandma’s estate.<br /><br />When millionaire rock star Lucas Wolfe finds the outspoken redhead glaring at him from across a courtroom, he’s both infuriated and intrigued. He still can't get the night Sienna almost spent with him out of his mind, and the chemistry between them is as undeniable as it was two years ago. He craves Sienna more than ever. And just like everything Lucas hungers for, he’s determined to have her.<br /><br />Now, Lucas will do whatever it takes to lure Sienna into his bed, even if that means making a deal with her: ten days with him, playing by his rules, and he’ll hand over the deed to her grandmother’s home. Though she agrees to the arrangement, Sienna is conflicted. Because of her duty to her family. Because of promises she’s made to herself and a past that still haunts her. And as Lucas’s game of seduction continues, and Sienna is introduced to his dark, erotic world and even darker background, she realizes that at any moment, she could be devoured.<br /><br />*This novel contains adult situations and content<br />
</blockquote>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15981894-devoured">GOODREADS</a><br />
<br />Annie McElfreshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14312634754232333138noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655368363508700525.post-41437210230896649232012-08-25T23:36:00.001-04:002012-08-25T23:57:52.520-04:00Taken by Kelli Maine<br />
<h2>
Taken <a class="greyText" href="http://www.goodreads.com/series/85037-give-take"> (Give & Take #1)</a></h2>
<h2 class="stacked" id="bookAuthors">
<span class="by smallText">by </span><span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><a class="authorName" href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6442717.Kelli_Maine" itemprop="url"><span itemprop="name">Kelli Maine</span></a> </span></h2>
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<span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><span class="greyText">Published August 2012</span></span></h2>
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Source: ARC Review</div>
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<h3>
Plot:</h3>
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<span id="freeText8155819400948476916">ABDUCTION.<br />You steal me away to a deserted island, to the one place I’ve dreamed of being—the one place I can’t go.<br /><br />SEDUCTION.<br />You’re used to buying whatever you want, but you can’t buy me...how do I resist the magnetism of your body, the longing ache deep inside me? I want you to take me—on my terms.<br /><br />DESPERATION.<br />Every attempt you make to love me only hurts me. How can we go on like this?<br /><br />This is the story of how I was TAKEN. <br /><br /><br />Rachael DeSalvo cares for those she loves with no regard for what she needs from them in return. When her father dies, her mother’s emotional dependency becomes overbearing. Unable to leave her distressed mother, Rachael turns down her dream job with Rocha Enterprises. <br /><br />Billionaire real estate mogul, Merrick Rocha, knows what motivates people and what buttons to push to get what he wants. When the perfect project manager candidate turns down his job offer, it drives him mad. Three months of watching Rachael from afar has him more determined than ever to have her—for much, much more than an employee.<br /><br />Merrick takes what he wants, but can he convince Rachael to give him what he needs?<a class="actionLinkLite" href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15753426-taken#"></a></span><br />
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<h3>
My Thoughts:</h3>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
I loved the story line of TAKEN. The idea of a misunderstood
abduction screamed must read to me. While I admit, at first I was like who is
this <st1:place w:st="on">Merrick</st1:place> creep and why in the heck did he
kidnap her, I grew to understand him—just like the main character, Rachel did.
The idea of a lonely billionaire with a closet full of emotional baggage may
fit the same profile as my beloved Christian Grey, but <st1:place w:st="on">Merrick</st1:place>’s
skeletons were different. They were not as twisted as Christian’s, but that
doesn’t mean <st1:place w:st="on">Merrick</st1:place> doesn’t have major flaws.
The way Ms. <st1:state w:st="on">Maine</st1:state> reveals his dark, dirty
secrets made me understand a little about more about <st1:place w:st="on">Merrick</st1:place>
and the way he ticked. I felt more of a connection with him because his love
and affection for Rachel wasn’t coming from such a dark and creepy place as Christian
Grey. </div>
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I seen some of the other reviewers hated the 2<sup>nd</sup> person
tense the story was written in. I understand how it may seem a little weird,
but if YOU think about it, we speak in 2<sup>nd</sup> person all the time. So,
that’s how I read it. I read it as if Rachel was speaking to me like I was <st1:place w:st="on">Merrick</st1:place> and she was telling me her side of the story. I
rather enjoyed it after a few pages. It made me feel closer and more involved
in the story. To me it was a fresh way to present a cool concept in a book. </div>
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Overall, I loved this novel. It has all the makings of some
of my other favorites in this genre (Thoughtless, Fifty Shades of Grey, Rock
Me, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Backstage</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Pass</st1:placetype></st1:place>, and Beautiful Disaster…) of an
epic love story. I just can’t get enough of these flawed bad boys. And Kelli
Maine has created a new one for me to love. So, kudos Ms. <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Maine</st1:place></st1:state> for an awesome novel!</div>
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Annie McElfreshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14312634754232333138noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655368363508700525.post-19092626700477507062012-08-06T09:00:00.000-04:002012-08-06T09:00:16.344-04:00Populazzi by Elise Allen Goes Paperback!I loved this novel! So glad it's getting a paperback version! Check out my review <a href="http://youngadultbookworm.blogspot.com/2011/08/populazzi-by-elise-allen.html">here</a>!<br />
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<span class="ecxApple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"><b>About POPULAZZI (In paperback August 7)</b><br />What
would you do if you had the chance to erase your past and reinvent
yourself as the person you’ve always wanted to be? Would you grab it?
Would you stick with it, no matter what the consequences? Cara Leonard
always wished she could be one of those girls: confident,
self-possessed, and never at a loss for the perfect thing to say. One of
the Populazzi.</span></div>
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<span class="ecxApple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;">It
always seemed impossible… but now could be her chance. When Cara moves
to a new school just before junior year, her best friend urges her to
seize the opportunity and change her life… with the help of The Ladder.
Its rungs are relationships, and if Cara transforms herself into the
perfect girlfriend for guys higher and higher on the Popularity Tower,
she can reach the ultimate goal: Supreme Populazzi, the most popular
girl in school. The Ladder seems like a lighthearted social experiment —
a straight climb up — but it quickly becomes gnarled and twisted. And
when everything goes wrong, only the most audacious act Cara can think
of has a chance of setting things even a little bit right.</span></div>
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<span class="ecxApple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span class="ecxApple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"><b>About Elise Allen</b></span></div>
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<span class="ecxApple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"><b>POPULAZZI </b>is
Elise Allen’s first solo novel but she previously co-wrote the
bestselling novel ELIXIR with author and actress Hilary Duff and is at
work on the next book in the series with Hilary. She's written for
several television shows from Cosby to Muppets to Dinosaur Train, which
garnered her two Daytime Emmy Awards. Elise Allen has among the most
random television-writing resumes ever, with credits that run the gamut
from Cosby to Dinosaur Train. She recently fulfilled one of her many
life’s ambitions by writing for the Muppets. Another ambition,
anytime-access to Disneyland’s Club 33, is for the moment still a pipe
dream. Elise has a sick penchant for running marathons, and can’t seem
to stop even though fifteen really should be enough already. She lives
in L.A. with her husband, daughter, and insatiable food-hound of a dog,
Riley. For more, visit <a href="http://www.eliseallen.com/" target="_blank">www.eliseallen.com</a><u><span style="color: blue;"> </span></u>or follow Elise on Twitter at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/EliseLAllen" target="_blank">www.twitter.com/EliseLAllen</a>.</span></div>
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<span class="ecxApple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"><br /><b>Praise for Elise Allen’s POPULAZZI</b></span></div>
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<span class="ecxApple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"><span class="ecxApple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">“Fresh,
funny, and sometimes wrenching, POPULAZZI nails what it’s like to try
to find yourself while navigating the crazy world of high school. I
loved it." – Hilary Duff</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="ecxApple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"><span class="ecxApple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="ecxApple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">"In
her first solo novel, Allen offers a smart mix of hilarity and tragedy
in this Macbeth–meets–Mean Girls tale.” - Publisher's Weekly</span></div>
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<span class="ecxApple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="ecxApple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;">“Hilarious,
psychologically chewy, downright Machiavellian, and heartfelt in all
the most satisfying ways. Populazzi had me blazing through pages. Elise
Allen rocks!” – Matthew Quick, author ofSorta Like a Rock Star and The
Silver Linings Playbook<br /><br />“Populazzi is a fresh, fun peek behind
the popularity curtain. If you ever wanted to fit in, wondered how to
climb the popularity ladder, or needed how to figure out which guy was
the best for you- then you’ll love this book. Elise Allen is a welcome
new voice in YA fiction and Populazzi is destined to climb the best
seller lists.” – Eileen Cook, author of The Education of Hailey Kendrick</span></div>
</div>Annie McElfreshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14312634754232333138noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655368363508700525.post-59621101142293585882012-07-18T13:42:00.001-04:002012-07-18T13:44:01.119-04:00Hemlock (Hemlock #1) by Kathleen Peacock Review<h1 class="bookTitle" id="bookTitle" itemprop="name">
Hemlock
<a class="greyText" href="http://www.goodreads.com/series/56113-hemlock">
(Hemlock #1)
</a> </h1>
<span class="by smallText">by</span>
<span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person">
<a class="authorName" href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4124788.Kathleen_Peacock" itemprop="url"><span itemprop="name">Kathleen Peacock</span></a></span><br />
<div class="row">
<span itemprop="bookFormatType">Hardcover</span>, <span itemprop="numberOfPages">416 pages</span></div>
<div class="row">
Published
May 8th 2012
by Katherine Tegen Books
</div>
<span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><span itemprop="name"> </span> </span><br />
<span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"></span><br />
<span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><span class="greyText"></span></span><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<h3>
Plot:</h3>
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<span id="freeText4486784017462809795">Mackenzie and Amy were best friends.<br /><br />Since
then, Mac's life has been turned upside down. She is being haunted by
Amy in her dreams, and an extremist group called the Trackers has come
to Mac's hometown of Hemlock to hunt down Amy's killer:<br /><br />A white werewolf.<br /><br />Lupine
syndrome--also known as the werewolf virus--is on the rise across the
country. Many of the infected try to hide their symptoms, but bloodlust
is not easy to control.<br /><br />Wanting desperately to put an end to her
nightmares, Mac decides to investigate Amy's murder herself. She
discovers secrets lurking in the shadows of Hemlock, secrets about Amy's
boy-friend, Jason, her good pal Kyle, and especially her late best
friend. Mac is thrown into a maelstrom of violence and betrayal that
puts her life at risk.<br /><br />Kathleen Peacock's thrilling novel is the
first in the Hemlock trilogy, a spell-binding urban fantasy series
filled with provocative questions about prejudice, trust, lies, and love.</span></blockquote>
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<h3>
<span id="freeText4486784017462809795">My Thoughts:</span></h3>
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<span id="freeText4486784017462809795">I have never read a werewolf story like this one. This plot has so many twists and turns and I enjoyed experiencing every single one of them. This novel reminded me why I love YA so much! The tastes of first love and crushes as well as betrayal are all present here. </span><br />
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<span id="freeText4486784017462809795">After rereading the above plot, I realize I can't say much without giving away a ton, but can I just say I am team JASON ALL THE WAY. You'll see what I mean when you read it. I know he's not the intended love interest, but he has that same quality that Jacob from Twilight has, you can't help but to notice and love him. Gah! There's just something about him that draws you in. </span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText4486784017462809795">When Mac gets to the bottom of Amy's murder it's like OMG I didn't see that one coming! Ms. Peacock did a great job throwing in a ton of suspicious people to draw my attention away from the real killer, but it wasn't like a blindside when I found out who. It was more like, why didn't I see that? The signs were right there!! </span><br />
<span id="freeText4486784017462809795"><br /></span><br />
<span id="freeText4486784017462809795">Anyway, this is a must read! This is like Veronica Mars mixed with Buffy!!</span><br />
<span id="freeText4486784017462809795"><br /></span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-10TsmqGmNdQ/UAb1VfMPmPI/AAAAAAAAAhg/oeWHUMs9qBk/s1600/ratings+5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-10TsmqGmNdQ/UAb1VfMPmPI/AAAAAAAAAhg/oeWHUMs9qBk/s1600/ratings+5.png" /></a></div>
<span id="freeText4486784017462809795"><br /></span><br />Annie McElfreshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14312634754232333138noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655368363508700525.post-88356120353792328532012-07-18T11:22:00.001-04:002012-07-18T11:22:24.533-04:00Double Take Covers: Taken by Kelli Maine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I had the oppurtuinty to review this novel (review to post closer to release date) and I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVED it!! This novel is due out late summer! If you loved 50 Shades, Beautiful Disaster and Thoughtless, then you will devour this too! Add it to your reading list!</div>
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<a href="http://dawnraemiller.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/takenfinalbig.jpg?w=580" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://dawnraemiller.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/takenfinalbig.jpg?w=580" /></a></div>
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<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div>
<em>ABDUCTION.</em></div>
<div>
You steal me away to a deserted island, to the one place I’ve dreamed of being—the one place I can’t go.</div>
<br />
<div>
<em>SEDUCTION.</em></div>
<div>
You’re used to buying whatever you want, but you can’t buy me…how
do I resist the magnetism of your body, the longing ache deep inside me?
I want you to take me—on my terms.</div>
<br />
<div>
<em>DESPERATION.</em></div>
<div>
Every attempt you make to love me only hurts me. How can we go on like this?</div>
<br />
This is the story of how I was <em>TAKEN.</em><br />
<br />
<div>
Rachael DeSalvo cares for those she loves with no regard for what
she needs from them in return. When her father dies, her mother’s
emotional dependency becomes overbearing. Unable to leave her distressed
mother, Rachael turns down her dream job with Rocha Enterprises.</div>
Billionaire real estate mogul, Merrick Rocha, knows what motivates
people and what buttons to push to get what he wants. When the perfect
project manager candidate turns down his job offer, it drives him mad.
Three months of watching Rachael from afar has him more determined than
ever to have her—for much, much more than an employee.<br />
<br />
Merrick takes what he wants, but can he convince Rachael to give him what he needs?</blockquote>Annie McElfreshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14312634754232333138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655368363508700525.post-66758083333676688712012-07-17T10:03:00.001-04:002012-07-17T10:08:34.512-04:00Slammed (Slammed #1) by Colleen Hoover REVIEW<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
Which bestselling book features slam poetry, The Avett Brothers lyrics and the best characters in YA that I’ve read all year?
</div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
If you’ve been awake in 2012 at all, you’ll know the answer is SLAMMED by Colleen Hoover.
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Slammed-ebook/dp/B006RUJST6" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/Slammed-ebook/dp/B006RUJST6</a></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h1 class="bookTitle" id="bookTitle" itemprop="name">
Slammed
<a class="greyText" href="http://www.goodreads.com/series/79569-slammed">
(Slammed #1)
</a> </h1>
<div class="stacked" id="bookAuthors">
<span class="by smallText">by</span>
<span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person">
<a class="authorName" href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5430144.Colleen_Hoover" itemprop="url"><span itemprop="name">Colleen Hoover</span></a> <span class="greyText">(Goodreads Author)</span>
</span>
</div>
<div class="row">
<span itemprop="bookFormatType">ebook</span>, <span itemprop="numberOfPages">314 pages</span></div>
<div class="row">
Published
January 5th 2012
by Colleen Hoover
</div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1328530463l/13372690.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1328530463l/13372690.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<h3>
<span id="freeText3093537905826403352"><u><b>Plot: </b></u></span></h3>
<br />
<span id="freeText3093537905826403352">Following the unexpected
death of her father, 18-year-old Layken is forced to be the rock for
both her mother and younger brother. Outwardly, she appears resilient
and tenacious, but inwardly, she's losing hope. <br />Enter Will Cooper:
The attractive, 21-year-old new neighbor with an intriguing passion for
slam poetry and a unique sense of humor. Within days of their
introduction, Will and Layken form an intense emotional connection,
leaving Layken with a renewed sense of hope.<br /> </span></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span id="freeText3093537905826403352">Not long after an
intense, heart-stopping first date, they are slammed to the core when a
shocking revelation forces their new relationship to a sudden halt.
Daily interactions become impossibly painful as they struggle to find a
balance between the feelings that pull them together, and the secret
that keeps them apart. </span></blockquote>
<i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></i>
<br />
<h3 class="ecxMsoNormal">
<b><u>My Thoughts: </u></b></h3>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
I emailed Colleen after I read SLAMMED to tell
her that she had just surpassed John Green on my author idol list. She
emailed back to tell me he was her idol too—and you can tell. If you’re a
fan of John Green’s fully-realized characters,
you’ll adore Colleen’s main characters, Layken and Will. But, you’ll
also love the supporting characters just as much!
</div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
Colleen doesn’t write books, she creates people
and populates worlds—alternate realities you’re certain you could find
if you plugged Layken’s address into your Garmin. They’re out there,
Layken and Will, living across the street from each
other with their little brothers. </div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
SLAMMED made me laugh and cry. It made me want
to be a better writer, a better daughter, a better mother, a better
sister, because you just don’t know how long you’ll have the ones you
love. And just when I thought the roller coaster ride
of emotions had ended, there was POINT OF RETREAT, the sequel. </div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Point-Retreat-Slammed-Series-ebook/dp/B007D90ALU/ref=pd_sim_kstore_2?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/Point-Retreat-Slammed-Series-ebook/dp/B007D90ALU/ref=pd_sim_kstore_2?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2</a></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">"Layken
and Will's relationship persevered through hardships, heartache and a
cruel twist of fate, further solidifying the fact that they belong
together.
What they don't expect is that the things that brought them together
may ultimately be the very things that tear them apart.
<br />
<br />
Layken is left questioning the very foundation on which their relationship was built.
<br />
<br />
Will is left questioning how to prove his love for a girl who can't seem to stop "carving pumpkins."<br />
<br />
Once they find answers, the couple faces an even greater challenge. One
that could change not only their lives, but the lives of everyone who
depend on them." </span></i></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
I had about 500 (butterflying*) heart attacks
reading POINT OF RETREAT. Layken and Will’s relationship gets pushed to
the brink and back. You know they’re strong enough to survive the
turmoil and stay together, but does Layken know? Can
she face the issues head-on and hand-in-hand with Will? </div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
*if you’re not sure what butterflying means, go
read POINT OF RETREAT, but only after you read SLAMMED and watch a few
videos of The Avett Brothers on YouTube—start here:<br />
<br />
http://youtu.be/qqZZlL0l5Uk <br />
<br />
Trailer:<br />
<br />
http://youtu.be/VLHwPX-p5cU </div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
This is an author to put on your I’ll Read Everything She Writes list. She’s definitely on mine!</div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="ecxMsoNormal">
~~~Jamie~~~ </div>Annie McElfreshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14312634754232333138noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655368363508700525.post-24108759897341532552012-07-11T09:15:00.003-04:002012-07-11T09:15:59.816-04:00Winner of The Immortal RulesCongrats Jenn B on winning The Immortal Rules!!! ENJOY!!<br />
<br />
<br />Annie McElfreshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14312634754232333138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655368363508700525.post-66897928747996485592012-07-04T15:02:00.002-04:002012-07-05T10:51:44.897-04:00Giveaway and Review of The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1) by Julie Kagawa<h2>
Title: The Immortal Rules
<a class="greyText" href="http://www.goodreads.com/series/63328-blood-of-eden">
(Blood of Eden #1)
</a></h2>
<h2 class="bookTitle" id="bookTitle" itemprop="name">
</h2>
<h2>
<span class="by smallText">Author:</span> <span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><a class="authorName" href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2995873.Julie_Kagawa" itemprop="url"><span itemprop="name">Julie Kagawa</span></a></span></h2>
<br />
<div class="row">
<span itemprop="bookFormatType">Hardcover</span>, <span itemprop="numberOfPages">485 pages</span></div>
<div class="row">
Published
April 24th 2012
by Harlequin Teen
</div>
<div class="clearFloats">
<div class="infoBoxRowTitle">
series</div>
<div class="infoBoxRowItem">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/series/63328-blood-of-eden">Blood of Eden #1</a></div>
<div class="infoBoxRowItem">
Source: ARC </div>
<div class="infoBoxRowItem">
</div>
<div class="infoBoxRowItem">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KHfukD8MlrI/TwO5W0be7-I/AAAAAAAAEic/3oxA1-U0HnM/s1600/the+immortal+rules.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KHfukD8MlrI/TwO5W0be7-I/AAAAAAAAEic/3oxA1-U0HnM/s320/the+immortal+rules.png" width="210" /></a></div>
<div class="infoBoxRowItem">
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<h3>
<b><span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><span itemprop="name"> Plot: </span></span></b></h3>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span id="freeText11134114701960172785">"In a future world,
vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for
the key to save humanity."Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the
outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge
for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.</span><br />
<span id="freeText11134114701960172785"></span><br />
<span id="freeText11134114701960172785">Some days,
all that drives Allie is her hatred of "them." The vampires who keep
humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked--and
given the ultimate choice. Die...or become one of the monsters.</span><br />
<span id="freeText11134114701960172785"></span><br />
<span id="freeText11134114701960172785">Faced
with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To
survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most
important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.</span><br />
<span id="freeText11134114701960172785"></span><br />
<span id="freeText11134114701960172785">Then
Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There
she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend--a possible
cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the
rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.</span><br />
<span id="freeText11134114701960172785"></span><br />
<span id="freeText11134114701960172785">But
it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might
see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what--and
who--is worth dying for.</span><span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><span itemprop="name"> </span></span></blockquote>
<span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>My Thoughts: </b></h3>
<br />
And who says the vampire genre is dead? The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa has renewed my faith in blood thirsty, kick-ass vampires. Finally we have a teenage vampire who isn't afraid to sink her fangs into someone when the time comes.<br />
<br />
Allie begins as a human who hates vampires in the beginning of the novel, which is a great place to start. We find out from her why vampires are so evil. Then later on in the novel when she becomes one, we understand her personal self-loathing at times.<br />
<br />
I did enjoy this novel, however, I will warn you, it took me a while to get into this one. Nearly 150 pages. Things for me didn't pick up until Allie leaves the vampire city and runs into Zeke. I loved reading about the crew of drifter Zeke was with, and how they were on a quest to find a vampire free paradise called Eden. Get past the beginning, and I promise there's vampire action!!<br />
<br />
The picture below I found while looking up book cover images. Apparently, this was a cover outtake, but I admit I love this picture. It's perfect for Allie's character!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
I also read that this novel is in the works to become a movie!! So you better act fast and read this one before the craze hits!<br />
<br />
Check out the amazing book trailer for this novel:<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/KEcskyTyIRo" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
Overall, I say read it if you are a vampire fan, or love I AM LEGEND or just a fan of kick-butt heroines!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tXPjWlHjewE/T_SR0rlkVzI/AAAAAAAAAhU/l_FtFTq9SJ4/s1600/ratings+4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tXPjWlHjewE/T_SR0rlkVzI/AAAAAAAAAhU/l_FtFTq9SJ4/s1600/ratings+4.png" /></a></div>
<br />
Now on to the good stuff! I have ONE copy of THE IMMORTAL RULES to give away. <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Leave a comment below with your email address to enter.</b></span> No, you don't have to be a follower of this blog, but I will love you forever if you are! <br />
<br />
<br />
Contest open today, July 4th 2012 through Monday, July 9th at midnight!<br />
I will announce the winner Next Tuesday and email the winner!<br />
<br />
Good luck!!<br />
<br />
<br />Annie McElfreshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14312634754232333138noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655368363508700525.post-76466106607681084882012-05-25T13:19:00.000-04:002012-05-25T13:24:00.854-04:00Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday Review<b>Title: Deadly Cool</b><br />
<b>Author: Gemma Halliday</b><br />
<div class="row">
<span itemprop="bookFormatType">Paperback</span>, <span itemprop="numberOfPages">303 pages</span></div>
<div class="row">
Published
October 11th 2011
by HarperTeen </div>
<div class="row">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://images.betterworldbooks.com/006/Deadly-Cool-Halliday-Gemma-9780062003317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images.betterworldbooks.com/006/Deadly-Cool-Halliday-Gemma-9780062003317.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<div class="row">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Plot:</b></span><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span id="freeText14317067202936504739">Hartley Grace
Featherstone is having a very bad day. First she finds out that her
boyfriend is cheating on her with the president of the Herbert Hoover
High School Chastity Club. Then he’s pegged as the #1 suspect in a
murder. And if that weren’t enough, now he’s depending on Hartley to
clear his name. <br /><br />But as much as Hartley wouldn’t mind seeing him
squirm, she knows he’s innocent, and she’s the only one who can help
him. Along with her best friend, Sam, and the school’s resident Bad Boy,
Chase, Hartley starts investigating on her own. But as the dead bodies
begin to pile up, the mystery deepens, the suspects multiply, and
Hartley begins to fear that she may be the killer’s next victim.</span></blockquote>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span id="freeText14317067202936504739">My Thoughts:</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText14317067202936504739">The first thing that caught my attention about this novel was the incredible voice. The main character, Hartley, pulled me in right away. Her inner thought process was so sharp and witty. I felt like she was real. The opening paragraphs were great. Hooked me right away and I rooted for her from the beginning to get to the bottom of her boyfriend dilemma. </span><br />
<span id="freeText14317067202936504739"><br /></span><br />
<span id="freeText14317067202936504739">I love mysteries. I haven't read a really good who is the killer one since I read Clarity and The Body Finder series...until now. I love books where the main character turns all Veronica Mars and gets down to the bottom of the story.</span><br />
<span id="freeText14317067202936504739"><br /></span><br />
<span id="freeText14317067202936504739">The only thing I didn't like about this story was the fact that Hartley helped her cheating boyfriend in the first place. I myself would have said sink or swim on your own, baby. But, to each their own I guess and I am glad she did get pissed at him several times over the whole cheating thing. She had every right to HATE his guts. </span><br />
<span id="freeText14317067202936504739"><br /></span><br />
<span id="freeText14317067202936504739">Overall, I recommend this novel. Fans of murder mystery series will love this series.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WFnz4neJz9k/T7-_22UkfWI/AAAAAAAAAgU/lqm2OEYYJ5Y/s1600/ratings+4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WFnz4neJz9k/T7-_22UkfWI/AAAAAAAAAgU/lqm2OEYYJ5Y/s1600/ratings+4.png" /></a></div>Annie McElfreshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14312634754232333138noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655368363508700525.post-11485045778281216272012-05-15T15:00:00.001-04:002012-05-15T15:00:31.662-04:00The Weepers: The Other Life (The Other Life #1) by Susanne Winnacker Review<span id="googleBooksPreview" style="display: none;"><div id="lightbox_content_328561020" style="display: none;">
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<div class="last col" id="metacol">
<h1 class="bookTitle" id="bookTitle" itemprop="name">
<span style="font-size: large;">Title: The Weepers: The Other Life </span><a class="greyText" href="http://www.goodreads.com/series/74817-the-other-life"><span style="font-size: large;"> (The Other Life #1)</span></a></h1>
<div class="stacked" id="bookAuthors">
<span class="by smallText">Author: </span><span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><a class="authorName" href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/91168.Susanne_Winnacker" itemprop="url"><span itemprop="name">Susanne Winnacker</span></a></span></div>
<div class="stacked">
<span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><div class="row">
<span itemprop="bookFormatType">Hardcover</span>, <span itemprop="numberOfPages">352 pages</span></div>
<div class="row">
Published May 15th 2012 by Marshall Cavendish <nobr class="greyText"> (first published February 1st 2012) </nobr></div>
<div class="buttons">
<a class="left inter actionLinkLite" href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12806139-the-weepers#" id="bookDataBoxShow" style="display: none;">more details...</a><div class="infoBoxRowTitle" style="margin: 10px 0px;">
Series: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/series/74817-the-other-life">The Other Life #1</a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nmmpk6bQ0GA/T7KkatrNCGI/AAAAAAAAAf4/r2RuyWuwguU/s1600/The+Other+Life+ARC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nmmpk6bQ0GA/T7KkatrNCGI/AAAAAAAAAf4/r2RuyWuwguU/s320/The+Other+Life+ARC.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span id="freeText6156648287178590569"><strong>3 years, 1 month, 1 week and 6 days since I’d seen daylight. One-fifth of my life.</strong><br /><br />Sherry and her family have lived sealed in a bunker in the garden since things went wrong up above. Her grandfather has been in the freezer for the last three months, her parents are at each other’s throats and two minutes ago they ran out of food.<br /><br />Sherry and her father leave the safety of the bunker and find a devastated and empty LA, smashed to pieces by bombs and haunted by ‘Weepers’ - rabid humans infected with a weaponized rabies virus.<br /><br />While searching for food in a supermarket, Sherry’s father disappears and Sherry is saved by Joshua, a boy-hunter. He takes her to Safe-haven, a tumble-down vineyard in the hills outside LA, where a handful of other survivors are picking up the pieces of their ‘other lives’. As she falls in love for the first time, Sherry must save her father, stay alive and keep Joshua safe when his desire for vengeance threatens them all.</span></div>
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<span>This novel had me hooked from the jump. When we meet the main character, Sherry, in this novel we discover they have been living in this underground bunker in their home for over three years and they have just ran out of food. You can feel the desperation from the pages. Imagine yourself with a family to feed and not having anything to feed them. Desperate times, my friend, desperate times. </span></div>
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<span>Sherry sets out with her father to try and locate food, while the rest of the family stay behind. </span></div>
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<span>The tension is so thick at the beginning because you're not sure exactly what they are going to be up against. We they run into their first pack of Weepers, humans turned into mutated beasts with puss spilling from their eyes, the action takes off. </span></div>
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<span>While Sherry escapes the Weeper attack with help from the mysterious Joshua, her father goes missing. And Sherry is willing to risk anything to get him back. Joshua agrees to help her move her family to a safe haven and try to locate her father in the Weeper ridden city of Los Anglos. </span></div>
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<span>I adored this novel. Ms. Winnacker pounds out the action and kept me hooked the entire ride. The romance element between Sherry and Joshua was just enough to be believable in their crazy world. I can't wait to get my hands on book two and find out what happens to them because there were some twists I didn't see coming!</span></div>
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<span>Read this is you like I AM LEGEND mixed a little HUNGER GAMES.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Lv6jYtE4U5U/T7KnbgfmRvI/AAAAAAAAAgE/bZz9npF-lV8/s1600/reading4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Lv6jYtE4U5U/T7KnbgfmRvI/AAAAAAAAAgE/bZz9npF-lV8/s1600/reading4.png" /></a></div>
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</div>Annie McElfreshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14312634754232333138noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655368363508700525.post-29991601385487295912012-05-08T17:33:00.000-04:002012-05-08T17:33:23.209-04:00Happy Hemlock Release Day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.harpercollinschildrens.com/harperchildrensImages/isbn/large/3/9780062048653.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.harpercollinschildrens.com/harperchildrensImages/isbn/large/3/9780062048653.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
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<br />
Title: Hemlock<br />
Author: Kathleen Peacock<br />
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Plot:<br />
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<span id="freeText14462697692477399892"></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Mackenzie and Amy were best friends. Until Amy was brutally murdered.<br /><br />Since then, Mac’s life has been turned upside down. She is being haunted by Amy in her dreams, and an extremist group called the Trackers has come to Mac’s hometown of Hemlock to hunt down Amy’s killer: A white werewolf.<br /><br />Lupine syndrome—also known as the werewolf virus—is on the rise across the country. Many of the infected try to hide their symptoms, but bloodlust is not easy to control.<br /><br />Wanting desperately to put an end to her nightmares, Mac decides to investigate Amy’s murder herself. She discovers secrets lurking in the shadows of Hemlock, secrets about Amy’s boyfriend, Jason, her good pal Kyle, and especially her late best friend. Mac is thrown into a maelstrom of violence and betrayal that puts her life at risk.<br /><br />Kathleen Peacock’s thrilling novel is the first in the Hemlock trilogy, a spellbinding urban fantasy series filled with provocative questions about prejudice, trust, lies, and love.<br />
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<br />
Buy it on Amazon:http://www.amazon.com/Hemlock-Trilogy-Kathleen-Peacock/dp/0062048651/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336512685&sr=8-1<br />
<br />
And all other book retailers today!! <br />Annie McElfreshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14312634754232333138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655368363508700525.post-31915758111652147382012-04-03T19:17:00.000-04:002012-04-03T19:17:07.123-04:005 Must Read New Adult Novels with College Aged Characters<h2>1. Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire</h2><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bracebooks.com/files/brace/beautiful_disaster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.bracebooks.com/files/brace/beautiful_disaster.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn't drink or swear, and she has the appropriate percentage of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance between her and the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend America, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University's Walking One-Night Stand. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div>Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby needs-and-wants to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the most-eligible college co-ed. Intrigued by Abby's resistance to his charm, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis' apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has finally met his match. <br />
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<br />
<h2>2. Thoughtless by S.C. Stephens</h2><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1299362815l/9436924.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1299362815l/9436924.jpg" width="258" /></a></div><span id="freeText799594414764450909"><blockquote class="tr_bq">For almost two years now, Kiera's boyfriend, Denny, has been everything she's ever wanted: loving, tender and endlessly devoted to her. When they head off to a new city to start their lives together, Denny at his dream job and Kiera at a top-notch university, everything seems perfect. Then an unforeseen obligation forces the happy couple apart. <br />
<br />
Feeling lonely, confused, and in need of comfort, Kiera turns to an unexpected source – a local rock star named Kellan Kyle. At first, he's purely a friend that she can lean on, but as her loneliness grows, so does their relationship. And then one night everything changes...and none of them will ever be the same.<br />
</blockquote><h2>3. Fifty Shades of Gray</h2><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iXxThD6TzBQ/Tf7mn9sNHaI/AAAAAAAAAFw/G5iYLHvd-Qk/s1600/Fifty_Shades_of_Grey_Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iXxThD6TzBQ/Tf7mn9sNHaI/AAAAAAAAAFw/G5iYLHvd-Qk/s320/Fifty_Shades_of_Grey_Cover.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
<span id="freeText12764728687503589575"></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">When literature student Anastasia Steele is drafted to interview the successful young entrepreneur Christian Grey for her campus magazine, she finds him attractive, enigmatic and intimidating. Convinced their meeting went badly, she tries to put Grey out of her mind - until he happens to turn up at the out-of-town hardware store where she works part-time. <br />
<br />
The unworldly, innocent Ana is shocked to realize she wants this man, and when he warns her to keep her distance it only makes her more desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her - but on his own terms. <br />
<br />
Shocked yet thrilled by Grey's singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success – his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving adoptive family – Grey is man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a passionate, physical and daring affair, Ana learns more about her own dark desires, as well as the Christian Grey hidden away from public scrutiny. <br />
<br />
Can their relationship transcend physical passion? Will Ana find it in herself to submit to the self-indulgent Master? And if she does, will she still love what she finds? <br />
<br />
Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.</blockquote></span><br />
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<h2>4. Vicious Little Darlings by </h2><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1312075082l/9583175.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1312075082l/9583175.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">Sarah Weaver wasn't looking forward to starting at an all-girls school. But that was before she met Maddy. Maddy and her best friend, Agnes, are fun and rich and interesting-and for some reason, they seem to really like Sarah. Before long, Maddy and Agnes have moved Sarah into a big house off campus, where they cook together, buy each other presents, and share each other's secrets. So why does Sarah feel like something's bizarrely wrong? As more and more cracks start to show in Maddy's and Agnes's perfect veneers, Sarah notices some strange and disturbing things: Maddy's compulsive lying, Agnes's obsession with Maddy, and the deterioration of their friendship. And just when Sarah begins to question her own sanity, things turns deadly. </blockquote><br />
<br />
<h2>5. The Ivy by <a class="authorName" href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3394452.Lauren_Kunze" itemprop="url"><span itemprop="name">Lauren Kunze,</span></a> <a class="authorName" href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3394453.Rina_Onur" itemprop="url"><span itemprop="name">Rina Onur</span></a></h2><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.harpercollinscatalogs.com/CH/vlarge/9780061960451_0_Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.harpercollinscatalogs.com/CH/vlarge/9780061960451_0_Cover.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="readable stacked" id="description" style="right: 0px;"><span id="freeTextContainer15098065229418736667" style="display: none;">Congratulations! You have been admitted to the most prestigious university in the world. Now what are you going to do? <br />
Callie Andrews may not have money or connections or the right clothes, and she may have way too many complications in her love life, what with <br />
<br />
Gregory<br />
the guy she loves to hate ...<br />
<br />
Evan <br />
the guy she'd love to forget ...<br />
<br />
Cli<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a class="actionLinkLite" href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7786516-the-ivy#">...more</a></span><span id="freeText15098065229418736667">Congratulations! You have been admitted to the most prestigious university in the world. Now what are you going to do? <br />
Callie Andrews may not have money or connections or the right clothes, and she may have way too many complications in her love life, what with <br />
<br />
Gregory<br />
the guy she loves to hate ...<br />
<br />
Evan <br />
the guy she'd love to forget ...<br />
<br />
Clint <br />
the guy she'd love to love ...<br />
<br />
and Matt<br />
the guy she really should love ...<br />
<br />
all vying for her attention. <br />
<br />
But she has three fantastic roommates (best friends or her worst nightmare?) and a wholesome California-girl reputation (oops) and brains and beauty and big, big dreams. <br />
<br />
Will it be enough to help her survive freshman year at Harvard?</span></div>Annie McElfreshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14312634754232333138noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655368363508700525.post-19363027006927920462012-02-28T00:29:00.000-05:002012-02-28T00:29:24.843-05:00The Gathering (Darkness Rising #1) by Kelley Armstrong<h1 class="bookTitle" id="bookTitle" itemprop="name"> The Gathering <a class="greyText" href="http://www.goodreads.com/series/48481-darkness-rising"> (Darkness Rising #1) </a> </h1><span class="by smallText">by</span> <span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"> <a class="authorName" href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7581.Kelley_Armstrong" itemprop="url"><span itemprop="name">Kelley Armstrong</span></a></span><br />
<div class="row"><span itemprop="bookFormatType">Hardcover</span>, <span itemprop="numberOfPages">359</span> pages</div>Published April 12th 2011 by Harper (HarperCollins), New York<br />
Source: Personal Collection<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8fUQtFUHedA/TasdzzYkJtI/AAAAAAAABhE/v1BrR1dIzbk/s1600/The+Gathering.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8fUQtFUHedA/TasdzzYkJtI/AAAAAAAABhE/v1BrR1dIzbk/s320/The+Gathering.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><u><b>Plot:</b></u><br />
<span id="freeText10855880902877333874">Sixteen-year-old Maya is just an ordinary teen in an ordinary town. Sure, she doesn't know much about her background - the only thing she really has to cling to is an odd paw-print birthmark on her hip - but she never really put much thought into who her parents were or how she ended up with her adopted parents in this tiny medical-research community on Vancouver Island. <br />
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<em>Until now</em>. <br />
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Strange things have been happening in this claustrophobic town - from the mountain lions that have been approaching Maya to her best friend's hidden talent for "feeling" out people and situations, to the sexy new bad boy who makes Maya feel . . . . <em>different</em>. Combine that with a few unexplained deaths and a mystery involving Maya's biological parents and it's easy to suspect that this town might have more than its share of skeletons in its closet. <br />
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In <strong><em>The Gathering</em></strong>, <em>New York Times</em> best-selling author Kelley Armstrong brings all the supernatural thrills from her wildly successful Darkest Powers series to Darkness Rising, her scorching hot new trilogy. </span></blockquote><br />
<u><b><span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><span itemprop="name">My Thoughts:</span></span></b></u><br />
<br />
<span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><span itemprop="name">This novel to me just set up book two. I feel like Ms. Armstrong allowed us to dip our toes in the story with this one. I finished this novel with more questions than what I had while I was the middle of the plot. There are so many things I am curious about and I can't go into detail because that would just spoil the book for you guys, but I can tell you the mystery surrounding the town and her biological parents has me hooked. Sure there are parts of this novel that seem just like every other paranormal on the shelf, but this book has more mystery than just the paranormal elements. And that is very refreshing. </span></span><br />
<span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><span itemprop="name"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><span itemprop="name">I loved Maya's ability to get close with animals. It made me curious about her. Also I am still puzzled about the best friend who drowned. She actually start out with the friends death scene, but never get our answers about what really happened to her. Maybe we'll get that in book two...</span></span><br />
<span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><span itemprop="name"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><span itemprop="name">Oh and Rafe. More of him please! He was one hot love interest. He was the token new guy who all the girls wanted but only had eyes for out main character, Maya. That seems to be the formula in YA now-a-days. And Daniel, Maya's closest friend...I'm left to wonder if he is hiding some secrets of his own. I kinda liked him and rooted for him and Maya to become something more. </span></span><br />
<span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><span itemprop="name"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><span itemprop="name">If this series is anything like the Darkest Powers plot line, I know each book is just going to keep getting better. Can't wait for book two! I need these questions answered!</span></span><br />
<span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><span itemprop="name"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><span itemprop="name">Pick this one up if you are into paranormals with animal-like bad boy love interests.</span></span>Annie McElfreshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14312634754232333138noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655368363508700525.post-89704156852783827372012-02-28T00:11:00.000-05:002012-02-28T00:11:37.445-05:00A Beautiful Dark (A Beautiful Dark #1) by Jocelyn Davies<h1 class="bookTitle" id="bookTitle" itemprop="name"> A Beautiful Dark <a class="greyText" href="http://www.goodreads.com/series/67870-a-beautiful-dark"> (A Beautiful Dark #1) </a> </h1><span class="by smallText">by</span> <span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"> <a class="authorName" href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2313312.Jocelyn_Davies" itemprop="url"><span itemprop="name">Jocelyn Davies</span></a></span><br />
<span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><span itemprop="name">Source: Ebook</span></span><br />
<div class="row"><span itemprop="bookFormatType">Hardcover</span>, <span itemprop="numberOfPages">390</span> pages</div><div class="row"> Published September 27th 2011 by HarperTeen </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SYtk5_bggVk/Tml7uqpU3tI/AAAAAAAABlo/mHIXUqM2dlc/s400/A+Beautiful+Dark+by+Jocelyn+Davies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SYtk5_bggVk/Tml7uqpU3tI/AAAAAAAABlo/mHIXUqM2dlc/s320/A+Beautiful+Dark+by+Jocelyn+Davies.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><u><b>Plot: </b></u><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText10648076626708063742">On the night of Skye's seventeenth birthday, she meets two enigmatic strangers. Complete opposites;like fire and ice; Asher is dark and wild, while Devin is fair and aloof. Their sudden appearance sends Skye's life into a tailspin. She has no idea what they want, or why they seem to follow her every move only that their presence coincides with a flurry of strange events. Soon she begins to doubt not just the identity of the two boys, but also the truth about her own past. <br />
In the dead of a bitingly cold Colorado winter, Skye finds herself coming to terms with the impossible secret that threatens to shatter her world. Torn between Asher, who she can't help falling for, and Devin, who she can't stay away from, the consequences of Skye's choice will reach further than the three of them could ever imagine.</span></blockquote><br />
My Thoughts:<br />
<br />
This novel was just okay for me. I enjoyed the story line, but I felt like I'd read it before. There really wasn't any huge shock or twist until the very, very end, so the plot was predictable. Maybe it was because I'd read a crap ton of YA paranormal/fantasy novels in the last few years. Who knows. But I didn't hate the book or anything, it was just an easy read for me. Nothing about it made it stand out.<br />
<br />
What I did love about the novel was the secondary characters. Skye's best friend, Cassie, stole the show. She was funny, spunky, was in a bad. I totally loved her. Oh and I am still a sucker for bad boys, so I was team Asher throughout the whole book.<br />
<br />
So read this one if you need your next angel book fix.Annie McElfreshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14312634754232333138noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655368363508700525.post-36138688170818409752012-02-27T23:34:00.000-05:002012-02-27T23:34:23.947-05:00Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1) by Tahereh Mafi Review<div class="row"><span itemprop="bookFormatType">Title: Shatter Me</span></div><div class="row"><span itemprop="bookFormatType">Author: Tahereh Mafi </span></div><div class="row"><span itemprop="bookFormatType">Hardcover</span>, <span itemprop="numberOfPages">338</span> pages</div>Published November 15th 2011 by Harper/HarperCollins<br />
Source: Personal Collection <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.thereadiacs.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Shatter-Me.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.thereadiacs.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Shatter-Me.png" width="207" /></a></div><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><u><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Plot:</b></span></u><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText6369221382890735629"><strong>Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.</strong> <br />
<br />
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. <br />
<br />
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. <br />
<br />
<strong>Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.</strong> <br />
<br />
In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting as <em>The Hunger Games</em> and a superhero story as thrilling as <em>The X-Men</em>. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, <em>Shatter Me</em> is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel.</span></blockquote><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">My Thoughts:</span></b><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">This novel took me a while to get into it. I would say I struggled through the first 60-90 pages to find the flow of the book and whether I was going to like it or not. I’m glad I stuck with it, because once Warner came into the picture, things really took off for me. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The writing style is very different. It’s not like any other book I’ve ever read, which totally makes it stand out amongst the sea of YA novels out there. And the plot line is strange. Strange in a sense that you don’t really know what’s going on. Which is good. I like to be surprised. The plot just kept twisting and dragging me further and further into the story.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The only thing I would say I didn’t like about the novel was the quick emotional changes of the characters. Love just felt so rushed. I couldn’t see how this love triangle developed so quickly. I know that the MC and Adam have a past, but it was just a little hard for me to buy into a quick love story. They hadn’t seen each other in years, and even at that they never really spoke to each other before they are reintroduced in the current time frame of the novel. <span> </span>But other than that I loved the book. The action was spot on and I enjoyed watching the MC morph into a strong female lead. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I recommend this novel to any YA Dystopian lovers!</div> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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</div>Annie McElfreshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14312634754232333138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655368363508700525.post-31458337355385437222012-02-20T21:01:00.001-05:002012-02-20T21:03:16.219-05:00The Iron Queen (Iron Fey #3) by Julie Kagawa<h1 class="bookTitle" id="bookTitle" itemprop="name"><span style="font-size: small;">The Iron Queen <a class="greyText" href="http://www.goodreads.com/series/47329-iron-fey"> (Iron Fey #3) </a></span> </h1><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="by smallText">by</span> <span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"> <a class="authorName" href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2995873.Julie_Kagawa" itemprop="url"><span itemprop="name">Julie Kagawa</span></a></span></span><br />
<div class="row"><span itemprop="bookFormatType">Paperback</span>, <span itemprop="numberOfPages">358</span> pages</div><div class="row">Published January 25th 2011 by Harlequin Teen </div><div class="row">Source: Netgalley</div><div class="row"></div><div class="row"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.walmartimages.com/i/p/97/80/37/32/10/9780373210183_300X300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i.walmartimages.com/i/p/97/80/37/32/10/9780373210183_300X300.jpg" /></a></div><div class="row"></div><div class="row"></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div class="row"><u><b>Plot:</b></u></div><div class="row"><u><b><br />
</b></u></div></blockquote><div class="row"><blockquote><span id="freeText15641440510506182294">My name is Meghan Chase.I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stand by my side. Drag me into the core of conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it.<br />
This time, there will be no turning back.</span></blockquote><span id="freeText15641440510506182294"><br />
<u><b>My Thoughts:</b></u><br />
<br />
I am absolutely in love with this series. The Iron Fey series is one of my all time favorite series. This series has taken me on a whirlwind journey and I have loved every second of it. Throughout this series there has been tons of actions and stakes that make me hang on to the edge of my seat and forgo nights of sleep just to see what happens next.<br />
<br />
The love story between Ash and Meghan is so epic. Their love for each other shines on every page and I can only pray the next book in the series The Iron Knight continues this pattern.<br />
<br />
The end to the series in Meghan's point of view broke my heart. I so didn't want it to end like that. But I have faith that Ash's story, The Iron Knight, will mend the pieces.<br />
<br />
Kudos Ms. Kagawa on a kick ass series!</span> </div>Annie McElfreshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14312634754232333138noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655368363508700525.post-8426682795114193562012-02-20T20:25:00.000-05:002012-02-20T20:25:55.133-05:00Trickster's Girl (Raven Duet #1) by Hilari Bell<h1 class="bookTitle" id="bookTitle" itemprop="name" style="font-weight: normal;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Author: Trickster's Girl <a class="greyText" href="http://www.goodreads.com/series/55339-raven-duet"> (Raven Duet #1)</a></span></h1><h1 class="bookTitle" id="bookTitle" itemprop="name" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="by smallText">Author:</span><span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><a class="authorName" href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/145129.Hilari_Bell" itemprop="url"><span itemprop="name">Hilari Bell</span></a></span></span><span itemprop="bookFormatType"> </span></h1><h1 class="bookTitle" id="bookTitle" itemprop="name" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span itemprop="bookFormatType">Hardcover</span>, <span itemprop="numberOfPages">288</span> pages</span></h1><div class="row"><span style="font-size: small;"> Published January 3rd 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt </span></div><h1 class="bookTitle" id="bookTitle" itemprop="name" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><span itemprop="name"><span style="font-size: small;">Source: NetGalley </span></span></span></span></h1><h1 class="bookTitle" id="bookTitle" itemprop="name"><span style="font-size: large;"><span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><span itemprop="name"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span></h1><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.preboundbooks.com/ws/image/cover/45766/m?ref=vd" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.preboundbooks.com/ws/image/cover/45766/m?ref=vd" width="213" /></a></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><h1 class="bookTitle" id="bookTitle" itemprop="name"><span style="font-size: large;"><span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><span itemprop="name"><span style="font-size: small;"> Plot:</span></span></span></span></h1><h1 class="bookTitle" id="bookTitle" itemprop="name"><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><span id="freeText8056061771851051651">In the year 2098 America isn't so different from the USA of today. But, in a post-9/11 security-obssessed world, "secured" doesn't just refer to borders between countries, it also refer to borders between states. Teenagers still think they know everything, but there is no cure for cancer, as Kelsa knows first-hand from watching her father die. <br />
<br />
The night Kelsa buries her father, a boy appears. He claims magic is responsible for the health of Earth, but human damage disrupts its flow. The planet is dying. <br />
<br />
Kelsa has the powers to reverse the damage, but first she must accept that magic exists and see beyond her own pain in order to heal the planet.</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><span itemprop="name"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span></h1></blockquote><h1 class="bookTitle" id="bookTitle" itemprop="name"><span style="font-size: large;"><span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><span itemprop="name"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></h1><h1 class="bookTitle" id="bookTitle" itemprop="name"><span style="font-size: large;"><span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><span itemprop="name"><span style="font-size: small;">My Thoughts:</span></span></span></span></h1><h1 class="bookTitle" id="bookTitle" itemprop="name" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><span itemprop="name"><span style="font-size: small;">The concept of this novel sounded really promising and I was excited to dive in, unfortunately I had a little problem focusing on this one. While the plot was fresh, the characters didn't force me to care about them enough to stay engaged in the story. I think the main problem for me was the romance didn't seem to progress, which is what keeps me hooked. I enjoyed the dystopian aspects of the novel and the ungraded technology that was represented in the book though. I just wish I would have been a little more vested into the characters.</span></span></span></span></h1><h1 class="bookTitle" id="bookTitle" itemprop="name"><span style="font-size: large;"><span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><span itemprop="name"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></h1><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y399DMzHlZM/T0LyRi8DsZI/AAAAAAAAAfU/fmuuoNWulO4/s1600/ratings+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y399DMzHlZM/T0LyRi8DsZI/AAAAAAAAAfU/fmuuoNWulO4/s1600/ratings+2.png" /></a></div><h1 class="bookTitle" id="bookTitle" itemprop="name"><span style="font-size: large;"><span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><span itemprop="name"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></h1>Annie McElfreshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14312634754232333138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655368363508700525.post-57317460946292196122012-02-19T16:41:00.000-05:002012-02-19T16:41:14.764-05:00The Vespertine (The Vespertine #1) by Saundra MitchellTitle: The Vespertine <a class="greyText" href="http://www.goodreads.com/series/55408-the-vespertine"> (The Vespertine #1)</a><span class="by smallText"> </span><br />
<span class="by smallText">Author:</span> <a class="authorName" href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1415543.Saundra_Mitchell" itemprop="url"><span itemprop="name">Saundra Mitchell</span></a><br />
<div class="row"><span itemprop="bookFormatType">Hardcover</span>, <span itemprop="numberOfPages">293</span> pages</div><div class="row"> Published March 7th 2011 by Harcourt Children's Books </div><a class="left inter actionLinkLite" href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7497552-the-vespertine#" id="bookDataBoxShow" style="display: none;">more details...</a><div class="clearFloats"><div class="infoBoxRowItem"> <a href="http://www.thevespertine.com/" target="_blank">http://www.thevespertine.com</a> </div></div><div class="clearFloats"> <div class="infoBoxRowItem">Characters:<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/characters/56801-amelia-van-den-broek"> Amelia van den Broek</a>, <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/characters/56802-zora-stewart">Zora Stewart</a>, <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/characters/56803-nathaniel-witherspoon">Nathaniel Witherspoon</a>, <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/characters/56804-thomas-rea">Thomas Rea</a> </div></div><span class="darkGreyText"></span><br />
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</span> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://img2.imagesbn.com/images/113210000/113215337.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://img2.imagesbn.com/images/113210000/113215337.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><br />
<span class="darkGreyText"></span><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-size: large;"><u><b><span class="darkGreyText">Plot:</span></b></u></span></blockquote><blockquote><span id="freeText12822322855847929419">It’s the summer of 1889, and Amelia van den Broek is new to Baltimore and eager to take in all the pleasures the city has to offer. 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. However, a forbidden romance with Nathaniel, an artist, 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. 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.</span></blockquote><br />
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<span itemprop="name"> <u><b><span style="font-size: large;">My Thoughts:</span></b></u></span><br />
<span itemprop="name"><br />
</span><br />
<span itemprop="name">I have to admit, I am not a historical fiction lover. The genre just isn't usually for me. Frankly the line heaving bosom makes me giggle every time. So when I started The Vespertine I had my doubts that I would love it. But after the first ten pages into this novel I found myself pleasantly surprised at how hooking this novel was. Sure it's historical, but the paranormal element and forbidden love plot lines were strong enough to keep me engaged in the story til the end. </span><br />
<span itemprop="name"><br />
</span><br />
<span itemprop="name">Amelia's relationship with the artist, Nathanial was so swoon worthy. He would drop these lines that would cause my pulse to race and, like Amelia, draw me in further to him. The only thing I thought was the relationship felt a little instantaneous, but that was easily forgotten because of the likable characters. </span><br />
<span itemprop="name"><br />
</span><br />
<span itemprop="name">The visions in this story were great. I loved getting glimpses into Amelia's future. The paranormal element was tightly written and had some twists at the end that simply wowed me. I really liked this one.</span><br />
<span itemprop="name"><br />
</span><br />
<span itemprop="name">I recommend this novel to anyone who loves historical romances with a heavy paranormal twist. </span><br />
<span itemprop="name"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K-PnT7PFVwQ/T0FsE6-2I3I/AAAAAAAAAfM/4W31rNyY3Ig/s1600/ratings+4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K-PnT7PFVwQ/T0FsE6-2I3I/AAAAAAAAAfM/4W31rNyY3Ig/s1600/ratings+4.png" /></a></div><span itemprop="name"><br />
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<h1 class="bookTitle" id="bookTitle" itemprop="name"> </h1><div class="stacked" id="bookAuthors"><span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"> </span> </div>Annie McElfreshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14312634754232333138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655368363508700525.post-34938356743959081042012-01-31T13:00:00.000-05:002012-01-31T13:00:03.075-05:00The Devil of Jedburgh<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sS7qxszX_2o/TyQ3XxeCYRI/AAAAAAAABdo/JhUljxMATpM/s1600/13321294.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sS7qxszX_2o/TyQ3XxeCYRI/AAAAAAAABdo/JhUljxMATpM/s320/13321294.jpg" width="202" /></a>This would probabaly be closer to 4 1/2 stars. A hot love interest who wears a kilt and talks with a Scottish accent? Um, yes, please!! <br />
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I've been reading outside my YA genre lately, and since I love historical fiction, I decided to give historical romance a try. Since Breghan is only nineteen in the book, I guess that it isn't far disposed from YA! <br />
<br />
I loved that Breghan was a sassy, spunky woman of the 17th century. Even though she'd heard horrible stories about Arran, she always stood her ground and stood up to him and the patriarchal society she found herself in. Their chemistry was red hot from the first moment they met(even though he didn't know who she was). Of course, her spunk sometimes drove her away from Arran and would have served her a few times to read things between them a little differently. <br />
<br />
Arran's devil reputation was only the product of legends. Instead of being a beast, he's a hottie with a sad past in love that leaves him emotionally stunted when it comes to love. Sure, he wouldn't mind a roll in the hay with Breghan, but he doesn't want to marry her bc he totally separates marriage and love. Plus, he only wants a wife to give him heirs. <br />
<br />
Would totally recommend this to anyone who loves historical romance, and even though I read the eARc, I'll probably buy this one when it comes out. Great steamy scenes, historical tidbits interspersed(had never heard of handfasting, which is where a man would take a woman for a year as a trial marriage. If he liked her, he'd marry her, if not, he'd send her back to her family), and swoonworthy hero....and a sweet romance! <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--j41tR_YjgQ/TyQ3lP-Vp5I/AAAAAAAABdw/YNxWtqIdQzg/s1600/reading4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--j41tR_YjgQ/TyQ3lP-Vp5I/AAAAAAAABdw/YNxWtqIdQzg/s1600/reading4.png" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655368363508700525.post-42683273317614145612012-01-30T05:00:00.000-05:002012-01-30T05:00:04.706-05:00The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DUkBMXLI6Kc/TyRBDF4-hgI/AAAAAAAABeI/UdgpbpjurPM/s1600/8534899.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DUkBMXLI6Kc/TyRBDF4-hgI/AAAAAAAABeI/UdgpbpjurPM/s320/8534899.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
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Hot damn, a book that takes place in Hot-lanta!!! <br />
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<em>Demon Trapper Riley Blackthorne just needs a chance to prove herself—and that’s exactly what Lucifer is counting on…<br /><br />It’s the year 2018, and with human society seriously disrupted by the economic upheavals of the previous decade, Lucifer has increased the number of demons in all major cities. Atlanta is no exception. Fortunately, humans are protected by Demon Trappers, who work to keep homes and streets safe from the things that go bump in the night. Seventeen-year-old Riley, only daughter of legendary Demon Trapper Paul Blackthorne, has always dreamed of following in her father’s footsteps. When she’s not keeping up with her homework or trying to manage her growing attraction to fellow Trapper apprentice, Simon, Riley’s out saving citizens from Grade One Hellspawn. Business as usual, really, for a demon-trapping teen. When a Grade Five Geo-Fiend crashes Riley’s routine assignment at a library, jeopardizing her life and her chosen livelihood, she realizes that she’s caught in the middle of a battle between Heaven and Hell.</em><br />
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<br />
<span id="freeTextreview259171259">So, I'm not much of a demon, YAUF kinda girl. But one of my students brought this book to my attention the other day. She'd gotten it for Christmas, already devoured it, and was reading the 2nd book. When I found out the author lived in Atlana and the sights and sounds of the city were highlighted(5 Points, Oakland Cemetery, and the Tabernacle), I thought, "Okay, I'll give it a chance!"<br /><br />Yep, I gave it a chance by devouring it one night!! It was that good! It was a totally different take on demons and demon trapping. The opening scene in the library was so Ghostbusters almost, and I loved it...I also loved the usage of angels and the spiritual quest for belief/continuing belief that Riley found herself on. <br /><br />As for Riley, I loved her. She was strong and tough and took no shit off anyone--especially Beck. I really loved Saint Simon(somepeople go for the bad boys, I love the goody boys!). At the same time, Beck was pretty hot and tormented and then surprisingly a father figure all rolled into one.</span><br />
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There was some great futristic bits like Necromancers that leased dead bodies to be slaves for rich people. Grieving familes who needed money could rent their deceased loved one! It was crazy!<br />
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Really looking forward to reading Book 2 and more by this author!! <br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com273tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655368363508700525.post-83347123819751179212012-01-28T13:10:00.004-05:002012-01-28T13:10:47.859-05:00The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ayU9AOVvSkc/TyQ5ae6tZ9I/AAAAAAAABd4/hPzhIlGxR3A/s1600/12900174.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ayU9AOVvSkc/TyQ5ae6tZ9I/AAAAAAAABd4/hPzhIlGxR3A/s320/12900174.jpg" width="213" /></a>Wow, gotta love me some hot, Southern YA! Trust me, <strong><em>The Vincent Boys</em></strong> sure does deliver on that note. But the cover could use some serious help to help deliver the note of steamy Southern summer nights. <br />
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Here's a quick summary:<br />
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<span id="freeText12767344066752337009"><em>Being the good girl isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Ashton Gray has grown weary of playing the part to please her parents, and to be worthy of the town’s prince charming, Sawyer Vincent. Maybe That’s why she’s found herself spending time with Sawyer’s cousin, Beau, while he’s away for the summer camping with his family. Beau is nothing like her perfect boyfriend. He’s the sexiest guy she’s ever seen, dangerous in ways she’s only day dreamed about, and the one guy she should stay away from. </em></span><br />
<em>Beau never envied Sawyer his loving parents, his big nice home, or his position as quarterback. He loves him like a brother. Which is why he's tried everything in his power to keep his distance from Sawyer’s girlfriend. Even if he has loved her since the age of five, Ashton is Sawyer’s girl, so therefore she’s off limits. But when Sawyer leaves for the summer, Ashton, the one girl Beau would move Heaven and Earth for, decides she wants to get into trouble. Stabbing the one person who’s always accepted him and stood by him in the back, is the cost of finally holding Ashton Gray in his arms. Is she worth losing his cousin over?.... Hell Yeah.</em><br />
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<span id="freeTextreview265997030">I'll admit that when I saw a typos/grammatical errors on the first page, I got a sinking feeling in my the pit of my stomach. You know the one that self pubbed books are crap? Yeah, that one. <br /><br />Luckily, that feeling dissapated quickly, and I got completely and totally sucked into the book! I totally got Ashton's dilemma of always being what other people expected of her, but at the same time wanting to be a little rebellious. I didn't quite agree with one major rebellious thing she did(baby steps, Ashton!), but at the same time, she'd been so smothered in the small town and being a preacher's kid. She sees her entire life being lived for her by the expectations of her parents, her church family, and Sawyer--sometimes even her group of best friends since their friendships have run deep for many years. <br /><br />I think the beauty of the book is that you fall in love with Beau as Ashton is recognizing her feelings for him. When we first meet Beau, he's your stereotypical drunken, manwhore player. But then we start seeing him differently--that he has a good heart and a caring spirit despite his unfortunate upbringing. There's a particular scene where he really comes through for Ashton that will make you go, "Aw, that's such love!" While a lot of his focus is on Ashton's looks, he's loved and cared about her since they were kids. He loves the fire she has within her--the sassiness that she doesn't show very much. <br /><br />Didn't really root for Sawyer even though I always go for the good boy. He seemed to only want Ashton because she was a trophy girlfriend--what was expected of him. And then he let some not nice things happen that really, really mad me dislike him...not to mention we find out our Golden Boy is a little tarnished. </span><br />
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<span>I can't wait to see what the sequel is like!!! </span><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655368363508700525.post-84155763761990291722012-01-01T22:12:00.004-05:002012-01-01T22:22:19.200-05:00Pretty Crooked review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<strong><em>Pretty Crooked</em></strong> by Elisa Ludwig</div>
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Katherine Tegan Books </div>
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March 13, 2012</div>
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368pgs. </div>
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<i>Willa’s secret plan seems all too simple: take from the
rich kids at Valley Prep and give to the poor ones.<br />
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Yet Willa’s turn as Robin Hood at her ultra-exclusive high school is anything
but. Bilking her “friends”—known to everyone as the Glitterati—without them
suspecting a thing is far from easy. Learning how to pick pockets and break
into lockers is as difficult as she’d thought it’d be. Delivering care packages
to the scholarship girls, who are ostracized just for being from the “wrong”
side of town, is way more fun than she’d expected.<br />
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The complication Willa didn’t expect, though, is Aidan Murphy, Valley Prep’s
most notorious (and gorgeous) ace-degenerate. His mere existence is distracting
Willa from what matters most to her: evening the social playing field between
the haves and have-nots. There’s no time for crushes and flirting with boys,
especially conceited and obnoxious trust-funders like Aidan.<br />
<br />
But when the cops start investigating the string of thefts at Valley Prep and
the Glitterati begin to seek revenge, could Aidan wind up being the person that
Willa trusts most?<o:p></o:p></i><br />
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First of all, love, love the cover!!! Second, I’ve been a fan of the Robin Hood story since I was a child
and watched the animated Disney version. So I was really excited about the
story being set in high school. <strong><em>Pretty Crooked</em></strong> was a totally fast and fun read! <br />
<br />
I loved the fact that Willa is a strong female character with
a great sense of humor. Her voice really brings the story to life. She’s also led a different life than most MC’s. Her mom
is artist, kinda flighty, they’ve moved around a lot, etc. It kinda reminded me
of the mom in <i>Mermaids</i> with <st1:place>Cher</st1:place> and Winona Ryder.
Then the mom sells some paintings for a lot of moola, and that’s when they move
to <st1:state><st1:place>Arizona</st1:place></st1:state>. <br />
<br />Willa gets enrolled in Valley Prep, which has the usual
suspects of spoiled rich kids and Mean Girls in Kellie, Nikki, and
Cherise—although Cherise does have a heart and a conscious compared to the
other two girls. She gets sucked into their Mean Girl world as well as draining
some of her mom’s newly acquired money on fashion. She totally morphs into
someone she isn’t, and fortuantely, she gets a wake-up call and realizes what's going on(plus her mom is superpissed about her spending!). That’s when she has the epiphany to stand up to the Mean Girls by becoming a modern day
Robin Hood. She especially wants to help out the scholarship girls, Sierra and Mary, that Kellie and
Nikki are making fun of because of their poverty through a malicious online blog. <br />
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As for the characters, I totally loved the LI Aidan! He was your typical rich, popular kid,
but at the same time, he wanted to break out the mold. And for him, breaking
out of the mold meant doing crazy stuff to get kicked out of school! I loved how his usual charms didn't work on Willa and that made him work even harder! He kinda
reminded me of <st1:city><st1:place>Logan</st1:place></st1:city> from Veronica
Mars! I also loved the character of Tre—the bad boy turning good who gives
Willa some Robin Hood lessons! Her training sessions with him were great. <br />
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I did wish there had been more of the Robin Hood scenes and a little less of Willa getting settled into Valley Prep and life with the Mean Girls. It was really not until the second half of the book that we got to see the premise acted out in all of its fun mayhem! I'll be interested to see what happens in the second book since there's several lose ends left that I want to see tied up. </div>
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Overall, a really enjoyable read! 4 Stars! <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5655368363508700525.post-66485871547365965232012-01-01T18:55:00.000-05:002012-01-01T18:55:24.188-05:00The Jersey Shore Version of TwilightOkay, I died laughing at this because it combines two of my guilty pleasures. Twilight and Jersey Shore. Check It out!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/mvJRt5uc50M" width="560"></iframe>Annie McElfreshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14312634754232333138noreply@blogger.com0