Saturday, June 30, 2012

Review: Annie's Song by Catherine Anderson

Again, this is not a YA book. warning. This is also not a new book (oh darn) but i read it and i loved it, so here it is.

The Gift

Annie Trimble lives in a solitary world that no one enters or understands. As delicate and beautiful as the tender blossoms of the Oregon spring, she is shunned by a town that misinterprets her affliction. But cruelty cannot destroy the love Annie holds in her heart.

Alex Montgomery is horrified to learn his wild younger brother forced himself on a helpless "idiot girl." Tormented by guilt, Alex agrees to marry her and raise the babe she carries as his own. But he never dreams he will grow to cherish his lovely, mute, misjudged Annie, —her childlike innocence, her womanly charms and the wondrous way she views her world. And he becomes determined to break through the wall of silence surrounding her;to heal...and to be healed by Annie's sweet song of love.


My Thoughts:
OK. I read this book, then made Kevin read it. We both LOVED it. oh man. Yes, there is a small rape scene. thankfully, it is not really graphic at all. I can not even begin to describe to you how wonderfully the author put this book together. The main focus throughout the book is that Annie is Deaf (because of the deafness, mostly mute). Because of this, most of the story is told in her mind. Since she became death through an illness, she already has a basic understanding of some things. \Her parents, however, kept her away from all of the other people in town so she was rarely seen except running through the woods and just being an overall free spirit. No one realizes she is Deaf. They all thing she is the town Idiot. Alex takes her in as his wife temporarily when she is pregnant and he still believes her an idiot. (his intentions to take the baby and raise it as his own so it isn't put up for adoption by Annie's parents.) The longer he spends with Annie, however, the more he feels like keeping her. He realizes she understands way more than she lets on. He is th one who discovers that she is actually deaf. From that moment, he tries to open up the world to her and show her all the things she grew up without. he buys her everything he can think of that she felt deprived of because her parents didn't believe she had a use for nice things. He is so in love with her and he tells her and showers her with his love and understanding. Oh man, this book almost made me cry near the end. there were some trials with this couple. I will say, however, that one of the reasons i LOVED this book so much is because of the unique take on the heroine. I loved both of the lead characters. Neither one grated on my nerves too much. Annie was a constant source of amusement for me. When he tried to explain to her she was pregnant...she thought she was going to have an egg. She was much like a big child and i absolutely LOVED her story. you should seriously consider reading it. <3  rating: 5/LOVE!

Friday, June 29, 2012

Review: My Life Next Door by Huntly Fitzpartick

A gorgeous debut about family, friendship, first romance, and how to be true to one person you love without betraying another

“One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time.”

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy, affectionate. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen-year-old Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything. As the two fall fiercely in love, Jase's family makes Samantha one of their own. Then in an instant, the bottom drops out of her world and she is suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

A dreamy summer read, full of characters who stay with you long after the story is over.

My Thoughts: 

I have been waiting to read this book for a while, so when i finally got a hold of it, i devoured it in one sitting. (which i do with all my books..well..the good ones). It has taken me a while to review this. sorry. I had to sort through it in my mind. then i waited too long and it's not too fresh in my mind but i am going to tell you what i though. 

I know that in order to have a story, any story, there has to be some kind of conflict. Whether it be internal or external or whatever. I was surprised by what the actual main conflict in this book turned out to be. I am not exaggerating when i tell you I DID NOT EXPECT THAT AT ALL. 

You go into this book thinking it is only going to be a lighthearted love story with a Romeo and Juliet vibe. The Author, however, has other plans for you. 

I am going to focus on the Romeo and Juliet angle first. I love love loved Jase Garrett. He was not a bad boy. He did not play games. he was a GOOD GUY. He loves animals. He is like Shrek. The kid has layers. ( I feel awkward calling him a man..because i am nineten and ...he seems like a kid. i dunno. kid sound weird too.. eh) The boy has layers. (better). He sees his beautiful recluse neighbor watching his family from her tower (couldn't help it) and just decides to go for it. 

Samantha is a very like-able character as well. She knows her mom doesn't like the Garrets. Her perfect mom who always drilled into her and her sister to do the RIGHT thing. Samantha can't help herself and hangs out with the neighbors and finds herself falling in love- with the entire family. As her relationship with her mother deteriorates, she becomes closer and closer to the wild family she had seen for so many years, but never really known. 


In other news, this book BROKE MY HEART. I am not going to divulge what did it. But let me tell you this. Samantha is put into a desperate situation that no one should EVER be in. My heart hurt for her . I mean, she is seventeen and her whole world is turned on it's head. She has to question everything she had been taught. She has to be more courageous than any seventeen year old should ever have to be and she has to make a choice- one that is no where as easy as you might think.


This story has certain elements in it that you would not expect to find in a book written for a young adult audience. I mean, wow. The depth of heartache and the Politics were like... a slap in my face. A carefree, lighthearted, romeo and Juliet puppy love story? Oh, Ryan, if only. You are so naive. 

If you are in the mood for a book full of animals, sweet teenage boys, and more than one family full  to the brim with family drama....this is the read for you. I loved this book.

Thursday, June 28, 2012

{Review} Raised by Wolves (Raised by Wolves #1) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Adopted by the Alpha of a werewolf pack after a rogue wolf brutally killed her parents right before her eyes, fifteen-year-old Bryn knows only pack life, and the rigid social hierarchy that controls it.  That doesn't mean that she's averse to breaking a rule or two.  

But when her curiosity gets the better of her and she discovers Chase, a new teen locked in a cage in her guardian's basement, and witnesses him turn into a wolf before her eyes, the horrific memories of her parents' murders return. Bryn becomes obsessed with getting her questions answered, and Chase is the only one who can provide the information she needs.

But in her drive to find the truth, will Bryn push too far beyond the constraints of the pack, forcing her to leave behind her friends, her family, and the identity that she's shaped?



 My thoughts:

This was very different than other werewolf books that I've come across. It took me a while to get into this one and that’s saying a lot for me b/c I LOVE werewolf books. I didn’t click right away with Bryn and had a hard time in the beginning with figuring out what was going on. I started to really like it at some point and then it started to get on my nerves. I did not like all the “mine” crap. Is it really necessary to sat it a thousand times? I got it the first time you said it. It really freaked me out. I usually like different takes on werewolves but this one just did not do it for me. I had high hopes for this book. Will I continue with this series? Yes, b/c hopefully it will get better and like I said I like werewolf books. This is probably not the best or longest review I will do, so don't judge me by this review :D. I’m also leaving a lot of things out of this review b/c the book  really aggravated me when I wrote this review like a month ago LOL Have y’all read this book or series yet? If so leave me comments on how you liked it.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Wishlist Wednesday # 3


Wishlist Wednesday is a book blog hop hosted @ Pen to Paper where we will post about one book per week that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added (it's entirely up to you), that we can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto our wonderful shelves.

No Peace for the Damned by Megan Powell
Publication Date: July 10, 2012

From Goodreads:

 Magnolia Kelch is no stranger to pain. Beautiful and powerful, she's spent her entire life at the mercy of her sadistic father and the rest of the Kelch clan, who have tortured her and tested the limits of her powers. After one particularly heinous night that leaves Magnolia nearly dead, she finally sees her chance for escape? But this first taste of freedom is short-lived when she collides with Thirteen, head of the Network ? a secret organization dedicated to fighting supernatural criminals ? who recruits her into the group. Even as she's coming to grips with this new life and the horrific memories that still haunt her, she's conflicted by her growing attraction to fellow team member Theo and the emergence of new, untested abilities. After months of grueling training, her loyalty to the team is tested when she learns her target is the Network's most wanted: the Kelch family. Revenge may course through her veins, but so does the blood of the Kelches. And opposing her family may cost her the thing she treasures most. After all, Magnolia is still a Kelch. And the Kelch are damned.

 
 This book sounds so cool. oh, and the cover has me wondering certain things. Does she shoot blue fire form her hands? Does she change into anything....hey it could happen. She looks like she could be trying to keep herself under control. Anyways can't wait till July. I really hope this is a good book. What's on your Wishlist the week? Link us up in the comment section below. :D


Snyder's Wishlist Wednesday:

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1)
by Sarah J. Maas


Celaena Sardothien is a daredevil assassin with unrivaled fighting skills. After a year’s hard labour in the salt mines of the kingdom of Adarlan, Celaena is offered her freedom on one condition—she must fight as handsome Prince Dorian’s champion in a contest sponsored by the king, facing the deadliest thieves and assassins in the land in a series of set-piece battles in the country’s stunning glass palace. But there is more at stake than even her life—for Celaena is destined for a remarkable future..




I am dying to read this darn book. You can ask Tiffany. I have entered like 9 giveaways to win the freaking thing. I NEED it. I am about ready to just pre-order it on Amazon. I love chick assassins and this seems to be a promising read. It is mocking me for my inability to read it. D: Mocking me, I tell you!
I put both covers on here because -hey, why not. :)





Watch the book trailer here:













Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Liebster Blog Award :D




Books-Marks the Spot has actually been awarded two liebster awards one from Lisseth @Read-A-holicZ and the other one from Kit @Kitty Korner Library. How cool are they, if you haven't checked out there blog, do so. The real question what is a Liebster Award, it is given ti blog that have under 200 followers. What does Liebster mean, it is a German word which means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing and welcome. I feel so loved :D

What you have to do:

  1. Each person must post 11 facts about themselves.
  2. Answer 11 questions the tagger has given you and 11 questions for the people you tag.
  3. Tag 11 more bloggers!
  4. Tell them you tagged them.
  5. No tag backs!!!
Since we got two awards Snyder will do one set of questions and I'll do the other. Unfortunately we will only be tagging 11 bloggers together, 22 blogs is just too many :P

11 facts about moi (Tiffany)

  1. I do not have my Driver's License and I am 19 years old (sad, I know)
  2. I am currently standing at 5'4, I'm not getting any taller :(
  3. I read every single day unless I go to a friends house AKA Snyder's house.
  4. My favorite color is Sky Blue.
  5. I am the proud aunt of my two nephews
  6. My favorite movie is Gladiator ( I love Russel Crowe)
  7. I am deathly afraid of cockroaches ( I actually had to kill one this morning, it took me forever to calm down. I got a little sick afterwards).
  8. I am a cat LOVER ( but I will not be the crazy old cat lady)
  9. I plan on becoming a librarian in the future :D
  10. I don't like to do anything unless it is all planed out. I have to know the details. ( I don't like winging it)
  11. I'm afraid to be alone. ( I can't do anything by myself, I'm working on it now and I have progressed)

Review of Kiss Me, I'm Irish by Bella Street

 On Goodreads
Emily Musgrave is heading a direction she never wanted to go in Regency England--namely a convent to turn her from her waywardness. But it's more loneliness than rebellion that motivates her to escape her certain fate.

Liam Jackson is going nowhere fast in modern-day Tennessee. Playing his Dobro in seedy bars and backward dives along with his fiddling sister, Tinker, is doing nothing for his music career--and even less for the dark places in his soul.

Pixie dust and thieving mischief can not only change time-lines, it can change hearts--because a girl can only get so far without a little magic in her life



 I want to start by saying that i won an ebook copy of this book from a giveaway. I lost the link or I would share it with you. oh wait! I saved the email! muahaha. The blog is Disincentive ReviewsThank you for the giveaway! And thank you Bella Street for the copy of your wonderful book. ;)

Thoughts

Emily Musgrave has a problem. She has kissed one too many Irishmen and now her uptight great aunt is sending her to a convent to mend her "wayward ways". Before arriving at the convent, however, she escapes and runs into the woods- right into the path of Liam and his sister, Tinker. But Liam and Tinker like in present day Tennessee in the year 2011. Emily lives in England- in the year 1813.  When she suddenly finds herself sucked through time and on an entirely new continent, you can only imagine how she reacted. Thinking her a "touched" girl in need of help, the wayward sibling take her in- and that's where the fun starts. :)


OK. This book was so entertaining. I laughed so many times. Between Emily's struggles to take in all the new and wondrous things around her and the siblings reactions to her ignorance, i was struggling not to wake everyone up in the house with my giggling (read this last night. finished at 5:29am).

I loved the language Mrs. Street used in the book. They are from different countries and different ages, so of course they are going to have trouble communicating. [“You're speaking English but I still don't get it,” Tinker muttered.”] The siblings, being modern people and all ;), do not believe her time travel story but help her anyway. 

She and Tinker are fast friends, but her relationship with Liam can be described as tentative at best. He things she is a loon and she thinks he has the most bewitching grin. But is her attraction to him real? He is, after all, the first male she has met in 2011 (haha). And of course, he had to be a bloody name like Liam. She had a particular weakness for Irishmen with bewitching grins. 

While trouble and mayhem erupt as a result of unknown circumstances (muahaha. no spoilers for you) the trio find themselves becoming closer... only to reguard each other with suspicion.

Now i want to talk about the emotions this bloody book made me feel. At a certain junction in this book, my heart went all....achy. lol. I didn't cry. I'm no pansy. (plus, i like, have no soul. so yeah ;D) I didn't cry but i felt like a certain person not so much as ripped my heart out...but my chest started to ache and i was like....WHY! So i just wanted to share that with you guys. ;) And, oh yeah, if you are into time travel, laughing, heartache, adventure, regency talk (which i'll admit i love. historical fiction is fun!) and piskeys (haha), then you definitely need to read this book. Kiss Me, I'm Irish

(Did i mention that i have the same affinity for Irishmen as Emily does? Oh i didn't. :D well i do. I LOVE those accents. And if you know me, you know i always wanted to go to Ireland.)

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Stacking the Shelves #2




Stacking The Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews in which we share the books we are adding to our shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

 Received for review from NetGalley:

Blade Song by J.C. Daniels
The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clark



 Won: Books/Swag
                               
                                                                                                                   

Be Careful What You Wish For by Gladys Quintal                      
    The Man of My Dreams by Gladys Quintal




 Rainshadow Road by Lisa Kleypes won at Goodreads First Reads
First Love, Last Dance by Nancy Rossman won at Goodreads First Reads
Signed Flight bookmark , Beckoning Light bookmark, and a little card w/her After Glow Trilogy won @Bookshelf confessions

Sorry guys for this post being late, Saturday was crazy....the good crazy LOL. OK, just to clarify Snyder got everything except Blade Song from NetGallery. She is on a roll, but i am very excited to read Blade Song. :D I think we did pretty cool this week. What did y'all get? Link me up in the comment section below!!! 

Review of The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke

from Goodreads:

Ananna of the Tanarau is the eldest daughter of a highly-ranked family in the loose assortment of cutthroats and thieves in the Pirate's Confederation. When she runs away from the marriage her parents have arranged for her, they hire Naji the assassin to murder her.

When a mysterious woman in a dress shop offers her magical assistance for dealing with the assassin, Ananna accepts. She never went in much for magic herself -- she lacks the talent for it -- but she's not quite ready to die yet, either. Unfortunately, the woman's magic fails.

Fortunately, Ananna inadvertently saves the assassin's life in the skirmish, thus activating a curse that had been placed on him a few years earlier. Now, whenever her life is in danger, he must protect her -- or else he experiences tremendous physical pain. Neither Ananna nor the assassin, Naji, are pleased about this development.

Follow Ananna and Naji as they sail across the globe, visiting such mysterious places as the Court of Salt and Waves, in their desperate effort to lift the curse. Soon they will discover that only by completing three impossible tasks will they be able to set themselves free.




My Thoughts: 

received ebook/arc from netgally. YAY! so glad i got to read this. I am kind of bloodthirsty so the title and description were like....Ashley...read me!!!! moving on

where to start? ok, i will start by saying that i loved this book. I loved being inside ananna's head. I think what mad me love is so much was her grammar. I loved how she says "aint" all of the time. She is a pirate, so there is no need for he to have proper grammar. Naji, however, was educated in order to become an assassin (yes, assassin's go to school. everyone knows THAT :P) she would say something like: I aint a child. and he would go:....no, you aren't. haha. i felt like he may have been making fun of her, but i don't care. because i love them both. Ananna is a strong heroine who can take care of herself and ends up saving Naji more than he saves her. haha. i love it! This book had me laughing really hard quite a few times. When the guy gives Naji his three impossible tasks to break the curse, he says: (not exact words) Good luck with THAT, murderer. haha. i about died. For them to be so isolated, the magic people sure do like to make fun of/ hurt people. Like that one moron i will not name. gosh, i HATED her. and so did my girl, ananna (we have good instincts like that. pirate's instincts. oh yeah. ;D) Another part i loved was when she was freaking out and thought that Naji had turned into a fern. classic. haha. "I thought you had turned into a fern!" and his reaction? "oh" haha. he is so clueless.

 I hope we can learn more about him in the second half of the duology (which i have to wait FOREVER to read. D:) We learn a little about his character. He is like shrouded in mystery, which i like in a love interest/ leading man ;). I HAVE to know how he got his scar. He kind of broke my heart a little when he was mooning over SHE who will not be named. the..slimeball. (moving on) He is so self- conscious which is so ADORABLE, because he is this awesome BA bloodthirsty assassin hottie magic shadow man! (pardon my grammar. I'm a pirate)He hates the ocean. She loves it. He likes the desert. she hates it. this book ended on a clifffhanger, which i do not appreciate since i have to wait until the end of 2013 to find out what happens. 0.o. not cool, lady. not cool. I have no idea if you will enjoy this as much as i did. I am kind of weird. I have a strange sense of humor (i thought you turned into a fern!. haha)and i have an affinity for both Pirates and assassins. but i will highly recommend you read it when it comes out. I cannot wait to buy this sucker. I'll put it next to Graceling, my other favorite assassin book. seriously, the sequel needs to hurry up and find its way to my bedroom. i am just saying. Oh! and i hope to see people from the first book again in book 2. And i too wonder what it would be like to kiss an assassin. :D i bet its WONDERFUL. (i already told you guys i was weird) (well, a sweet Adorable awesome BA bloodthirsty hottie magic shadow man assassin, anyway. ) ;)

Friday, June 22, 2012

{Excerpt} Darkness Come This Way by Pixie Lynn Whitfield







Hi Peeps, this is my first ever blog tour and I’m so excited to be doing this. I want to thank Pixie for allowing me to be a part of the blog tour. Today I will be giving a little excerpt from Darkness Comes This Way. I hope you enjoy it.
Add it to Goodreads


Zarah Duncan is a Guardian. It’s an elite job that protects humans and the untainted vampires from the real monsters: those lost to the bloodlust. Rogues infest the city. Missing humans, unsolved cases…Zarah knows what the real cause is and she’s been trained since childhood to destroy them.

But she has a haunting past that catches up one day. Zarah was Rogue once, and until her, no one else has ever cured from the poisoned state of mind before. She’s been labeled a miracle, and the mystery only builds. She gets the awful feeling there’s more to it than just a lucky magical come-back. There are deep, dark secrets being kept. Maybe her boss Nathanial knows something? When she gets paired with a partner, Draven Kinsley, it only adds more difficulty. He hates her and swears that with a single look, she’ll poison him. To make matters worse, her Rogue brother has to show up, and he brings with him a shocking announcement. What Zarah learns from him rocks her entire world upside down. She not only begins to question who and what she is anymore, but it can possibly change the Vampire race forever.

The scary part: someone else knows too…and they’ll do anything to get her special blood, spelling disaster for the humans that Guardians have secretly been protecting for decades.

Vampires, fallen angels, war, betrayal, and romance fill this Paranormal/Urban Fantasy debut, the first book to a high-action trilogy.


About Pixie

  

Pixie Lynn Whitfield uses three names because she likes to be a little extra spunky. Not really. Underneath it all, she’s just a little short dork who loves to always have a nose in a book or learning about history. She’s lived in Texas her entire life, and despite her fear of flying, is determined to visit Ireland one day because it’s where all of her ancestors are from. Her father taught her how to read at the age of four, and it was all over from there. She’d known from that first “I do not like green eggs and ham” line that all she wanted out of life was to be a writer one day too. And when she started learning about ghost stories and other creepy things not much longer after that, she fell in love with the paranormal.

Pixie writes YA--Paranormal/Urban Fantasy, Dystopian, and some Horror. She used to write news articles, but never liked it much because she had no freedom to write to her heart’s desire.

Outside of writing and reading, she loves all things baseball and tennis, music, and blogging. She adores the book blogging community, having been a part of it herself for over a year now as well. Be sure to drop by her blog--she always enjoys making new friends and following others too!
 

 

 
Now that you know a little more about pixie, how about we get to know her book a little more with an excerpt (just to let you know I cannot say that word I’ve tried)

 Excerpt

Thoughts of Draven drifted into her mind as she fought her way through the numbers furiously. Where was he? Was he hurt? She couldn’t see him, and it began to set her nerves on edge. There were so many of them. What if he had been bit? Her partner couldn’t lose his life that way and there was absolutely no way Zarah would bring herself to kill him if it came to that. Draven and she never got along before, but this mission had changed something between them drastically. He was now something she’d call a…friend. Something clicked, though, that sent a flood of relief through her. Draven couldn’t be hurt. He was alright. He was there somewhere amongst the fight, unable to be seen, but she knew he had to be fine. She remembered the Bonding Pact. If something happened, she’d know on instinct through that connection.
Distractions of her thoughts threw her off balance. Glass Eye, as she had already nicknamed the Rogue, grabbed her from behind and slammed her against a nearby wall. The force of the impact caused her to drop her knife.
As Zarah struggled against Glass Eye, he hovered above her. His fangs glinted against moonlight, dripping with blood and saliva, and his breath was raspy and foul. She feared the worst. She was going to get turned Rogue again. And if she did, would she be so lucky to cure a second time?
He was strong. It was a trait that any Rogue would have. More strength due to the powerful bloodlust they were lost to. She couldn’t move much under his intense grip as he held her arms pinned above her head against the stone wall. Her legs tried to kick at him, only to slip on the rubble beneath her feet. Glass Eye was smiling something nasty and headed right for her throat.
Then things began to happen in a flash.
When Zarah thought she was going to lose her life again, Glass Eye pulled back with a screech and blood splattered out onto her face. His grip released and she looked up to see a metal rod protruding from his chest, Draven standing behind him with a smug smile. He was still holding the rod behind the Rogue.
“Let’s have some fun.”
Zarah pushed away from the wall and shook her head at Draven’s remark, picking her knife up from the ground. She looked around, seeing Thomas and Alyssa fighting together nearby. The number of Rogues were finally dwindling. The battle was becoming easier, but she could tell that they were all beginning to tire out. The sun was going to be up soon, too.
With still-shaky hands, she brought her knife up to Glass Eye taking one last look at him. So close he had come to getting her. He was struggling against the rod, trying to remove it with no luck. He curled up his lip with a growl as she approached him. Furiously, she bared her fangs and glared at him in his good eye.  
“You lose.”
At that, she took her blade and dug it deep into his heart. When Draven let his body fall, it slumped against the same wall that he’d held her against. The silver poison worked quickly and within a matter of seconds, the rabid was only an empty shell. His one red eye stared blankly up at the ceiling, and his mouth went slack.
She turned back to Draven.
“Come on, we have to get out of here. Thomas has—”
But before she could finish her sentence, another Rogue had descended upon them, this time coming up on Draven behind his back. Zarah froze. Something flashed in the Rogue’s hand. She regained her senses and tried to move forward.


 
Well I hope you liked what you just read, if you did click on the links below to get your own copy. You can also read my review HERE and Snyder's review HERE








Thursday, June 21, 2012

Review: Rainshadow Road by Lisa Kleypas

Lucy Marinn is a glass artist living in mystical, beautiful, Friday Harbor, Washington, with a boyfriend, Kevin, who she believes is her soul mate. She has always had a magical side - a gift that finds its way into the breathtaking glasswork she creates - and she struggles to keep it contained. But when Lucy is blindsided by the most bitter kind of betrayal, she questions many of her choices. Her boyfriend leaves her and his new lover is none other than Lucy's own sister. Lucy's bitterness over this devastation is multiplied buy the fact that she has constantly made the wrong choices in her romantic life.

Meanwhile, facing the severe disapproval of Lucy's family, Kevin asks his friend Sam Nolan, a local vineyard owner on the San Juan Island, to "romance" Lucy so that she can more easily move on. But when Sam and Lucy begin to feel real sparks between them, Lucy must ask herself if she can easily risk her heart again.

As Lucy questions her beliefs about love, loyalty, and old patterns, mistakes, and new beginnings, she explores the possibility that some things in life - even after are being broken - can be re-made into something beautiful. And that is the only by discovering who you really are that you can find the one who truly deserves you

My Thoughts:
Let me start by saying that i won this in a giveaway on Goodreads. i was so incredibly super psyched. This book was actually better than i thought it would be. The whole sister stole my man thing is such a cliche, but Mrs. Kleypas gave an entire back-story telling us how her sister became a... conceited...thing. (Moving on). I love how there was a magical element in this story. Lucy has a hard time trusting people because of her secret. She is not a witch or a worlock or even a vampire or some such. she just.......has a little bit of extra magic that comes from inside her. Let me tell you. This book was such a sweet read. She is not really interested in romance and neither is Sam, but fate- definately fate:)- has other plans for the troubled couple. Sam finds himself liking her after she is literally thrust into his home for him to care for. He tries everything he can to keep from becoming too attached. After all, he tells Kevin (the man who left her for her sister! The JERK) that any woman would be toxic after what he did to her (paraphrasing, of course. but along those lines) However, the more time she spends with him, the more he realized that Kevin is a complete and utter freaking idiot. What SMART man wouldn't want a little bit of magic in his life. And who knows, maybe he is the one person who can overcome her defenses. Maybe he has a little secret of his own..? that is all. I loved this book. I hated her sister, though. I have two sisters, one 12 years older than me and the other 364 days older. I would NEVER do anything to hurt them. I mean, Jesus, they are my family. Who DOES THAT TO THEIR SISTER! sisters are like...one of the most important relationships a girl can have. i mean, seriously! (sorry. like i said..i love my sisters. kind of disappointed i don't have brothers, though. oh well. moving on) to conclude....
 You guys need to read this. No, it is not YA. It is contemporary and Lucy is in her late 20s-maybe 30. But i Loved it. Some parts were sad and some people made me mad, but a story needs conflict in order to have resolution in order to be interesting. (run- on sentence...)

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Wishlist Wednesday #2


Wishlist Wednesday is a book blog hop hosted @ Pen to Paper where we will post about one book per week that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added (it's entirely up to you), that we can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto our wonderful shelves.


 
                                                                           Torn Souls by Crystal Cattabriga
                                                                           Release Date: October 12, 2012
                                                                           Add it to Goodreads

 From Goodreads:

This book is dedicated to all the children who have lost their lives from being bullied and the one who will find the strength and courage to continue on.....
The unspeakable acts of bulling can destroy a life. So many children are affected in the world and together we can make a difference. Let’s be the change we want to see in the world.

Julia Stone’s life has been turned upside down ever since her parents decided to move out of the country and into the city. The life she knew was gone and starting over was something she wasn’t prepared for. The thought of a new school, new teachers and even new friends was terrifying, but after a few weeks things didn’t seem all that bad. Julia had met a boy and his name was Alex. He wasn’t a jock, he wasn’t even the smartest kid in school, but he was nice and he made her laugh. Alex and Julia hung out all the time, eventually becoming best friends. They even made a pact never to keep secrets from each other, but for Julia it was harder than she thought. She had a secret that was destroying the very cord of her soul. Her life as a teenager was being ripped apart by the kids in her school. Julia was being bullied mentally and physically. The thought of going through the next three years in high school being bullied continuously wasn’t something she was prepared to do. The choice was simple, and she wasn’t about to do it alone.

I found this a couple of days ago and I absolutely loved it. Sounds very interesting, I can’t wait to see what happens. I don’t know what I would have done if I was being bullied at school. I probably would have let it continue b/c I’m such a nice person and I don’t like being mean. So I’m looking forward to see how she overcomes it, well if she does I have no clue b/c I haven’t read it :) Now on to the cover, it speaks to me. There is no other word for it. It draws the eye, very appealing. Looking very forward to October, it can’t come soon enough.

SNYDER: Goodreads


Ananna of the Tanarau is the eldest daughter of a highly-ranked family in the loose assortment of cutthroats and thieves in the Pirate's Confederation. When she runs away from the marriage her parents have arranged for her, they hire Naji the assassin to murder her.

When a mysterious woman in a dress shop offers her magical assistance for dealing with the assassin, Ananna accepts. She never went in much for magic herself -- she lacks the talent for it -- but she's not quite ready to die yet, either. Unfortunately, the woman's magic fails.

Fortunately, Ananna inadvertently saves the assassin's life in the skirmish, thus activating a curse that had been placed on him a few years earlier. Now, whenever her life is in danger, he must protect her -- or else he experiences tremendous physical pain. Neither Ananna nor the assassin, Naji, are pleased about this development.

Follow Ananna and Naji as they sail across the globe, visiting such mysterious places as the Court of Salt and Waves, in their desperate effort to lift the curse. Soon they will discover that only by completing three impossible tasks will they be able to set themselves free.


Ryan:
I read an ARC of this book yesterday and i loved it. This book doesn't come out until October of this year. And while, i will purchase this when it comes out (pre-order on amazon. muahaha), My real wishlist book is the sequel to it. There is no Cover or description yet, but i cannot wait for it to come out next year. It is called The Pirate's Wish. I can't wait to see what happens with Ananna and Naji! heck, i have to wait for the first one to even come out before i can purchase it. i have to wait FOREVER tor the second half of the duology. *sigh* (I will be posting a review of this, by the way. haven't had a chance to write it yet.)

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Entered. another share giveaway. enjoy

TAKEN FROM ACTUAL SITE OF GIVEAWAY. NOT MINE. JUST SHOWING HOW AWESOME IT IS

Win an awesome J.L. Armentrout Covenant Gift Pack!

Here at I Love YA FIction, we love our readers. No, I mean we really really love you.  And just as much as we love you, we equally love JL Armentrout, fabulous author of ObsidianHalf-Blood, and Pure.  Guys, get ready for it: we got some nice swag at Book Expo (BEA) and we want to pass it on to you! So in honor of our visit to BEA, JL Armentrout, and the fact thatwe’re just uber-nice people, we’re giving away a cool JL Armentrout Covenant gift pack for one lucky reader.
This gift pack includes:

1 copy of Daimon, 1 copy of Half-Blood, 1 copy of Pure and 1 Covenant T-Shirt (caption: Got Titanium? Black, size XL. Sorry, that’s all I’ve got!).
All of this is for you! Well if you’re the winner that is.
Now in order to win, all you have to do is one of the things listed below and then leave a comment on this giveaway post letting us know which you did. You can do all 5 and have even more chances to win (if you already follow us on either twitter or facebook or have signed up to receive emails, you can use those as entries when you comment):


TO ENTER TO WIN GO TO THE WEBSITE HERE

Monday, June 18, 2012

The Espressologist by Kristina Springer


What’s your drink of choice? Is it a small pumpkin spice latte? Then you’re lots of fun and a bit sassy. Or a medium americano? You prefer simplicity in life. Or perhaps it’s a small decaf soy sugar-free hazelnut caffe latte? Some might call you a yuppie. Seventeen-year-old barista Jane Turner has this theory that you can tell a lot about a person by their regular coffee drink. She scribbles it all down in a notebook and calls it Espressology. So it’s not a totally crazy idea when Jane starts hooking up some of her friends based on their coffee orders. Like her best friend, Em, a medium hot chocolate, and Cam, a toffee nut latte. But when her boss, Derek, gets wind of Jane’s Espressology, he makes it an in-store holiday promotion, promising customers their perfect matches for the price of their favorite coffee. Things are going better than Derek could ever have hoped, so why is Jane so freaked out? Does it have anything to do with Em dating Cam? She’s the one who set them up! She should be happy for them, right? With overtones of Jane Austen’s Emma and brimming with humor and heart, this sweet, frothy debut will be savored by readers.

My Thoughts
wow. this felt surprisingly short. hmn. I have been waiting to get a hold of this book for a while (just ask tiffany/kevin).Finally read i t today. here it is, people:

I think it is really cute how the character matches the people up based on their coffee preferences. Well, it's not like she says: eh, those two flavors seem okay together. match em up! no, she has been writing down peoples personalities as she observes them for months. I am not, nor have i ever been, someone who can drink coffee, so all the jargon threw me off a bit. The story is mostly set in the Coffee shop where Jane and her best friend EM work. Jane is a little bit of a slacker when it comes to school and college. she is a senior, but attends some community college classes. the story mostly centers on how she matches the people up and what personalities go with others. she becomes famous and most of the book is people asking her to hook them up. there was only a little romance on her part, for this to be a book dripping with it. (i do not believe that last sentence made sense, but i am moving on) we meet a love interest, and supposedly he is really into her. however, there isn't really a building up to love in this book. how to explain..hmn. The characters: Jane, Will, Cam, and Em are not really full characters. Or rather, i felt like they weren't fully developed. I wanted to learn more about them, but i was stuck with what Jane was thinking. She did not know a lot about Will or Cam, therefore, i did not know much about them. i felt like it was a good story (even if people's coffee preferences aren't really based on their personality types. they are based on what tastes good. but darn it, the author made me believe it and had a good premise so it worked)all in all, it was an enjoyable, but quick read. I just wanted to get to know the characters better, but that is just me. If the author has more books, i think i will check them out. i mean. the book was pretty cute. :)

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Did you Know?



I
I don't know id y'all have heard b/c this is the first I am hearing of it but it's the 2nd Annual Crush Tourney 2.0. I just wanted to let you guys know. You can vote HERE. But before you do the Kilt Pi Team needs your help. I not making you vote for any one but it would be nice if you voted for LOGAN, ZACK, and MARTIN from shade. All voting ends on the 19th, so you better hurry. You want to know why I choose to be Team Kilt Pi, Go to Jeri Smith-Ready's blog HERE. ALSO on the sign up form it says something about Recruited by and that would be yours truly Tiffany Webb. I'd really appreciate if you put my name :)

Have y'all ever heard of this? Leave me comments below.

I want to thank anyone who helps and supports!!!!!!


Saturday, June 16, 2012

Stacking The Shelves #1




 
Stacking The Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's reviews in which we share the books we are adding to our shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!


Hi, peeps, so I’ve been lazy and haven’t been posting the books and swag that I’ve received or bought.  This post may be a little long w/ me and Snyder posting what we got. It won’t be like this every time :)

 
Received for review from NetGalley:

 
Moonglow By 

Won: Books/Swag




 
Bought:


Obsidian by


So that’s everything that I’ve received in the last month. LOL If you can’t read everything in the pictures let me know and I’ll tell you what’s all in it. What did you get this week? Link me up in the comment section.