Monthly Wrap-up + Winners

I can't believe it's the end of my first month as a blogger. I had so much fun writing reviews, participating in memes, hosting giveaways and visiting other blogs. Though, it saddens me that I only decided to blog just recently when I've been lurking around the blog-o-sphere for over a year! I feel like I missed so many things. But anyway, I still have my whole life ahead of me to read books and procrastinate, so get ready for more procrastination, future!

Here's a summary of I've accomplished this month:

Number of books read: 10
Number of words read: 3218
Top 3 best book of the month:

FreefallFalling UnderVesper: A Deviants Novel

Top 3 cuties of the month:  
Seth McCoy (Freefall)
Haden Black (Falling Under)
Patrick (Vesper)

Reviews:

The Year of Secret Assignments - Jaclyn Moriarty (5/5)
Afterlife - Claudia Gray (3/5)
Wake Unto Me - Lisa Cach (5/5)
Demonglass - Rachel Hawkins (5/5)
Desires of the Dead - Kimberly Derting (4/5)
Timeless - Alexandra Monir (5/5)
The Boys Next Door - Jennifer Echols (3/5)

Reading Challenge(s): The Dystopia Reading Challenge

I plan to do so much more in April. I want to do author interviews but I'm kinda shy to contact authors. What do I tell them if I want to interview them? I'm afraid I'd say something wrong. :( Anyway!!!


WINNERS!



Katelyn chose Timeless by Alexendra Monir and Wither by Lauren Destefano. I sent you both an e-mail. You have 5 days to reply or else I'll choose new winners. Congrats!

Waiting on Wednesday (4): Tris & Izzie


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


My WoW:
Tris & Izzie
by Mette Ivie Harrison
October 11th 2011

Summary:

(UNOFFICAL description, subject to alteration)

A modern retelling of the German legend "Tristan and Isolde", "Tris and Izzie", is about a young witch named Izzie who is dating Mark King, the captain of the basketball team and thinks her life is going swimmingly well. Until-- she makes a love potion for her best friend Brangane and then ends up taking it herself accidentally, and falling in love with Tristan, the new guy at school.

Light, contemporary romantic fantasy for teens

Why am I waiting for Tris & Izzie?  I admit I'm not that into the summary, but oh, look at that cover! I don't know of any book called Tristan and Isolde, but Tris & Izzie totally had me when I first saw its cover.

Book Review: The Boys Next Door by Jennifer Echols

The Boys Next Door
by Jennifer Echols
317 pages - Paperback
Published June 26th 2007 by Simon Pulse
ISBN: 1416918310 (ISBN13: 9781416918318)

Summary:

Cute, available, and one cabin over....

Lori lives for summertime on the lake. She spends all season wakeboarding, swimming, and hanging with her friends—including the two hotties in the house next door. With the Vader brothers, Lori's always been one of the guys.

But while Lori and the "baby" brother, Adam, are inseparable friends, she can't deny a secret crush on Sean, the older Vader boy. This year Sean's been paying Lori a lot of attention, and not in a brotherly way.

But just as Lori decides to prove to Sean she's girlfriend material, she realizes that her role as girl friend to Adam may be even more important. And by trying so hard for the perfect summer romance, she could be going way overboard....

Review:

After 15 years of being treated as one of the boys, Lori McGuillycuddy has had enough. At 16, she decided that it was time to girl up and maybe, snag Sean Vader, the boy whom she has been pining after for more than 10 years. But with Adam Vade, the youngest of the Vader brothers, and his ex-girlfriend on the side, Lori’s summer was about to get more awkward than she already thought it was.

I wasn’t too fond of Lori’s character in the beginning. I know the whole point of girling up was for Sean to finally notice her, and maybe, for him to realize that she was a girlfriend material and finally, to hook up together. But I thought Lori’s obsession with this was a little too annoying. Most especially when I found out why she has liked Sean all those years.

Adam, on the other hand, was very adorable. Excuse my weirdness, but having ADHD and refusing to take medications because it would make you feel dead is adorable in my opinion. And he also bounces on his feet! He also never backs down on any dare even if it breaks every bone in his body. He was really adorable and brave, if not stupid. I guess he strikes me as adorable in the little-baby-brother sort of way.

One thing I never understood in the book though was how Lori (and even Mrs. Vader!) often mistook Sean for Adam and vice versa. Even though they have the same hairstyles and facial features, surely, there’s a way to tell them apart? Especially when they’ve been together since they were kids. It gets annoying whenever Lori mistakes one for the other.

I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I enjoyed Echols’s Forget You and Going Too Far. But nevertheless, The Boys Next Door was still an enjoyable read and definitely worth a go.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Book Review: Timeless by Alexandra Monir

Timeless (Timeless, book 1)
by Alexandra Monir
304 pages - Hardcover
Published Jan 11th 2011 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 0385738382 (ISBN13: 9780385738385)

Summary:

When tragedy strikes Michele Windsor’s world, she is forced to uproot her life and move across the country to New York City, to live with the wealthy, aristocratic grandparents she’s never met. In their old Fifth Avenue mansion filled with a century’s worth of family secrets, Michele discovers a diary that hurtles her back in time to the year 1910. There, in the midst of the glamorous Gilded Age, Michele meets the young man with striking blue eyes who has haunted her dreams all her life – a man she always wished was real, but never imagined could actually exist. And she finds herself falling for him, into an otherworldly, time-crossed romance.

Michele is soon leading a double life, struggling to balance her contemporary high school world with her escapes into the past. But when she stumbles upon a terrible discovery, she is propelled on a race through history to save the boy she loves – a quest that will determine the fate of both of their lives.

Review:

Ah, this book was a breath of fresh air! – Not in the sense of being light and hilarious, but in the sense of being utterly good that even if it made me cry, it still managed to put a smile on my face. Timeless was my first ever time travel romance novel and I loved it! I am so, so happy that I gave this a try.

After Michele Windsor’s mother died, she was forced to live under the custody of her grandparents in a very huge mansion in New York. Surrounded by wealthy kids and family secrets, her life was bound to get more than complex when she discovered the diary of an ancestor who lived a hundred years ago. And by some unexplainable event, Michele suddenly had the ability to travel back through time. There, she met the handsome young pianist from the Windsors’s rival family, Philip Walker. But how will their romance work out if they live 100 years apart?

It was easy enough to connect with the characters; Michele and Philip. Their romance was extremely sad that it was almost palpable. I felt sympathy for them at the unfairness of their fate. Michele’s time travels did not revolve around Philip, however. The travels seemed random at first, but later, it became apparent that who or whatever triggered them wanted Michele to learn something from or about her ancestors. She wasn’t visible to all people in the past. Whoever she was visible to were chosen and these were the people who have an important part to play in her life.

The ending was quite predictable. But though I was somehow expecting it, it still surprised the heck out of me. But I'm also bummed by it because cliffhanger? I almost died!

If you haven’t picked up Timeless yet, go to your nearest bookstores now and grab a copy! And pay for it, of course. You will not be disappointed!

Rating: 5/5 stars

Waiting on Wednesday (3)


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

Waiting on Wednesday:
Hourglass
by Myra McEntire
May 24, 2011

Summary:

One hour to rewrite the past . . .

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

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

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

Full of atmosphere, mystery, and romance, Hourglass merges the very best of the paranormal and science-fiction genres in a seductive, remarkable young adult debut.

Why am I waiting for Hourglass? (1) The cover. Is. Gorgeous. (2) It has an average rating of 4.40 in Goodreads. (3) The summery piqued my interest. (4) Myra McEntire is a debut author.

Teaser Tuesdays (3): Freefall


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
  • Grab your current read.
  • Open to a random page.
  • Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.
  • Be careful not to include spoilers! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away!) You don't want to ruin the book for the others!)
  • Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they liked your teasers.
Teaser:

Freefall"We sat in a silence that can only be described as uncomfortable. Rosetta chewed her bottom lip and watched the couch cushion between us like she was worried it was going to come to life and attack her. I flipped the magazine to a random page to keep up with my fake reading." - Freefall, Mindi Scott

This book is so good! It's different from the other contemporary books I've read because the narrator is a boy. I love, love, love the protagonist. He seems so real and his voice is very refreshing.

Book Review: Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting

Desires of the Dead (Body Finder, book 2)
by Kimberly Derting
368 pages (Hardcover)
Published Feb 15th 2011 by HarperCollins
ISBN: 0061779849 (ISBN13: 9780061779848)

Summary:

The missing dead call to Violet. They want to be found.

Violet can sense the echoes of those who've been murdered—and the matching imprint that clings to their killers. Only those closest to her know what she is capable of, but when she discovers the body of a young boy she also draws the attention of the FBI, threatening her entire way of life.

As Violet works to keep her morbid ability a secret, she unwittingly becomes the object of a dangerous obsession. Normally she'd turn to her best friend, Jay, except now that they are officially a couple, the rules of their relationship seem to have changed. And with Jay spending more and more time with his new friend Mike, Violet is left with too much time on her hands as she wonders where things went wrong. But when she fills the void by digging into Mike's tragic family history, she stumbles upon a dark truth that could put everyone in danger.

Review:


Desires of the Dead! Finally! If you haven't read The Body Finder yet, then you wouldn't understand how much I suffered waiting for this book. But if you have, I hope we share the same sentiment.

The Body Finder was one of the most gripping and breathtaking books I've read in 2010 so my expectations for Desires of the Dead were rather high. So, did DotD live up to my expectations? Sadly, no. I am afraid that the intensity of TBF was barely present in DotD. Were there more Jay and Violet romantic scenes? Fortunately, yes! I'm a very big fan of this couple, and there were more than a handful romantic scenes between them in DotD. Was Violet being annoying like in TBF? Oh yes, she was. The same reasons why she annoyed me in TBF were also the same reasons why she annoyed me in DotD. I also didn't like how she kept doing things on her own. She kept doing the same mistakes over and over until it got tiring and very old. So, were there new characters? Yep. 5, actually. All play a significant role. 2 of them we'll see in the next books.

All in all, is DotD worth reading even after it didn't live up to your expectations? Oh, yes. Even though TBF was undoubtly superior to DotD, it still has some level of intensity to it. Besides, the new characters are worth getting to know. Really, you just can't miss it.

Rating: 4/5

In My Mailbox (2)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

I didn't get that many books this week like last week. But anyhoo, here they are:

ClarityFreefall

Clarity by Kim Harrington
Freefall by Mindi Scott
Of Witches and Warlocks by Lacey Weatherford

And at least I've got Clarity! I've been dying to read this book! Thanks also to Lacey Weatherford for the free e-book! You may also avail free e-book of Of Withces and Warlocks by clicking the coupon below.


What's in your mailbox this week?

Book Review: Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins



Demonglass (Hex Hall, book 2)
by Rachel Hawkins
359 pages (Hardcover)
Published March 1st 2011 by Hyperion Books

Summary:

Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch.

That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (aka witches, shapeshifters, and fairies). But that was before she discovered the family secret, and that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth.

Turns out, Sophie’s a demon, one of only two in the world—the other being her father. What’s worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will destroy her powers.

But once Sophie arrives she makes a shocking discovery. Her new friends? They’re demons too. Meaning someone is raising them in secret with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they’re using Archer to do it. But it’s not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she?

Review:

Demonglass was awesome! I thought Hex Hall was an okay book, so I didn’t expect Demonglass to be that good. But oh, boy did it proved me wrong!

After causing so much mayhem in Hecate Hall, Sophie’s father aka the Head of the Council, sent her to a safer place in London for a vacation to learn more about the Council as her father’s successor. Along with Jenna, Cal – throw in two demons, a bitchy ghost and a sort-of ex-boyfriend, Sophie’s vacation isn’t as lovely as she would have dreamed of. And as she discovers that the person who has been raising demons in the grounds in Hex Hall is in London, maybe London is not a safer place for her after all.

With new characters, new setting, bigger revelations and more complicated problems, Demonglass couldn’t be even more interesting. Sophie was as snarky and hilarious as ever, and Archer as hot. The pace was a little slow at first, but gradually picked up speed as the story moved forward. I really, really liked that about Demonglass. Once the story picked up its pace, it continued to move faster and faster until you’d find yourself out of breath. If you have read and liked Hex Hall, you will not be disappointed with Demonglass. It was intense, gripping, and hilarious! It was sooo good.

Rating: 5/5 stars

The Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway Hop


The Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway Hop is hosted by Books Complete Me and I Am A Reader, Not A Writer. More than 250 blogs are participating in this giveaway hop which will run from March 17th - 20th EST.

 A Touch MortalAfterlife: An Evernight Novel Vesper: A Deviants NovelDesires of the Dead (Body Finder)
TimelessWither (The Chemical Garden Trilogy)WarpedDemonglass (A Hex Hall Novel)

THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED.


One lucky winner will win 2 of these books! All you have to do is fill out this FORM to enter. Giveaway is open to US/Canada residents only. Sorry international peeps!
**Requirement(s): Must be a follower to enter.
Winner will be announced at the end of the month.

Links for extra entries:
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