HAUNTED

*Dreaming Anastasia #2*

Source: ARC from Stars Book Tours

Author: Joy Preble

Published: February 1st 2011

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Length: 320 pgs

ISBN: 1402244681 (ISBN13: 9781402244681)

CLICK LINK TO PURCHASE HAUNTED

 
Anne is trying her best to live a normal life, but she's still got some power sparking inside her. She's hearing and seeing things that she tries her best to ignore-like being haunted by a Russian sea nymph that claims the princess Anastasia is still alive.
That's when Ethan Kozninsky-he of the stunning blue eyes, thick brown hair, and former immortal status-returns. Anne soon realizes that everything she's been trying to forget might be impossible to bury.
********************************************************

MY REVIEW

Mistake number 1, I received Haunted from Star Book Tours and much like a previous review I have done, I did not read the previous book to Haunted. I was completely lost at the beginning of Haunted, all of which was my own fault for not reading Dreaming Anastasia first, but with the beautiful cover that it has, how could I resist!

Anne is a young girl caught between the paranormal and the real world, the love she wants and the love she has,  being a normal girl and a mysterious wanderer. From reading Haunted I gathered that Anne's powers should have ceased to exist after they freed Anastasia, however that does not seem to be the case. Anne is being stalked daily by a  Russian Mermaid called a Ruskula at her local pool and nightly in her dreams by a witch named Baba Yaga. Anne just can't seem to catch a break when it comes to trying to go back to being an ordinary teenage girl.

She has a super cute lifeguard boyfriend, but who her heart truly longs for is Ethan. Her best friend is trying to understand Anne and help her as best as she can, but how can someone help you who has no clue what it is that you're going through?

Annes mother is no help at all....she has mysterious "appointments" that make her late or absent  for work at the jewelry shop that she and Anne work at, leaving Anne to try to explain away her mothers weirdness to the shop keeper.

I have to say that I did enjoy the folklore in Haunted and it kept the story extremely intriguing, I just wish I had chosen to read Dreaming Anastasia before I had embarked on this reading adventure.

I believe there is supposed to be a third book in this series, for which I am glad because many things in my mind are still left unanswered at the conclusion of Haunted.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a unique pairing of folklore with YA Paranormal Fantasy. It's  a nice read , but please be sure and read Dreaming Anastasia first so you can get the most out of Haunted!

COVER:  Beautiful! Love the purple and blue hues!

CHARACTERS: Well written, funny and serious at the same time.

IMAGERY:  Nice descriptive qualities, but wouldn't hurt to add more.

PLOT:  Unique take on folklore, history, gossip, and Ya Paranormal Fantasy.

PACE:  A little slow for me.

OVERALL:***********DUSTING***************

LITTLE BEE(Paperback)

Source: Purchased

Author:Chris Cleave

Publisher:Simon and Schuster

Published:February 16th 2010

Length: 266 pgs

ISBN: 1416589643 (ISBN13: 9781416589648)

CLICK LINK TO PURCHASE LITTLE BEE

We don't want to tell you what happens in this book.
It is a truly special story and we don't want to spoil it.
nevertheless, you need to know enough to buy it, so we will just say this:

           This is the story of two women. Their lives collide one fateful day, and one of them has to make a terrible choice, the kind of choice we hope you never have to face. Two years later, they meet again - the story starts there ...
           Once you have read it, you'll want to tell your friends about it. When you do, please don't tell them what happens. The magic is in how the story unfolds.

*********************************************************

MY REVIEW

Oh Little Bee, how I wanted to love you. I really went into this book with an open mind, but it just dissapointed me on so many levels. I picked this book up as one of my book clubs first reads and I wanted to put it down just as quickly.

The back of the book really doesn't really give you much of a synopsis to go one so I was sure to check out all the reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, and Borders. There was a mixing of the reviews, some good, some bad, a few in the middle. So with a leap of book faith I took the plunge and invested $9.00 in Little Bee.

The story itself, which you hve no clue what it is until you've finished it, is good on paper, however it was not executed in the best fashion.

The relationship between Little Bee and Sarah is both beautiful and tragic at the same time. The overall story is one of decsions both moral and ethical and how those decisons will forever effect your life. I found the beach scene in Little Bee to be both to graphic and unessesary, however it was proably the most interesting and emotinally charged part of the book.

For me it is very easy to tell that Little Bee is written by a man vs a women. Although Chris Cleave does his best to speak through a womens voice it ultimatley, for me fell short.

All in all I would not reccomend Little Bee to anyone and unfortunetly it has not earned any fairy dust.



HEXBOUND

* Dark Elite #2*

Source:ARC from Star Book Tours

Author:Chloe Neill

Publisher: Mass Market Paperback

Published: January 4th 2011

Length:246 pgs

ISBN:0575095431 (ISBN13: 9780575095434)

CLICK LINK TO PURCHASE HEXBOUND

Lily Parker is new to St. Sophia’s School for Girls, but she’s already learned that magic can be your best friend…or your worst enemy.

They say absolute power corrupts absolutely. Turns out, even a little magic can turn you to the dark side. That’s why Lily has to learn how to control her newly discovered paranormal abilities, on top of avoiding the snobs who think they run her school, nursing a crush on a cute sophomore with a big, werewolf-y secret, and fighting the good fight with her best friend Scout as they take on Chicago’s nastiest nightlife—including the tainted magic users known as Reapers.

Then Lily’s invited to a private meeting with Sebastian. He’s hot, powerful, and offering to help her harness the magic flowing in her veins in a way no one else can. He’s also a Reaper. Lily can’t hide her suspicions. But she’ll soon find out that the line between good and evil isn’t always clear.....

*********************************************************

MY REVIEW

First things first, I was able to review Hexbound thanks to the ARC tour hosted by Star Book Tours. Although, I hadn't read Firespell something( more than likley the beautiful cover), made me want to read Hexbound as soon as I could get my hands on it. I'm usually not a person who reads a series of books out of order, but I figured what the hey I'll give it a try. Needless to say Hexbound was a pleasent surprise.

There were a few places here and there where it would've been nice if I had read Firespell first, but by no means did I feel "lost" while reading Hexbound. Chloe Neill did a wonderful job of "recaping" the major events that had happend in Firespell at the begining of Hexbound. The recap was a great help to someone like me, and I think it's a real plus for those who may not have read Firespell or for those who just want to jump forward in the story without feeling left behind.

I loved the friendship between Lilly and Scout, you could feel that their friendship was genuine and in no way contrived. Between boys, the snob squad that is Veronica, Mary Katherine, and Amie, to learning when and how to use the power within you the girls of St. Sophia School for Girls will keep your attention page after page.

While Hexbound answers several questions that seemed to have been left undone in Firespell, it also opens some new wounds.....

As backwards as it sounds, I now want to go back and read Firespell to see how it all began word for word, page by page.
Does Lilly find out what her parents are really hiding? Why is sebastian a super sexy, but deadly reaper following her around? What will become of her and her werewolf boyfriends love? I guess you'll have to read Hexbound if you want to find out.....but don't worry you will not be dissapointed!

I reccomend this book to anyone who loved Twilight, Harry Potter, or Pretty Little Liars.Hexbound is a quick read that stays on your brain long after you read the last page.

COVER:  Gorgeous cover!!! The model looks so much like Lucy Hale,who stars as Aria Montgomery in the ABC family show Pretty Little Liars.

CHARACTERS: Cute, Fun, nicely developed.

IMAGERY:  Great description, but not over done.

 PLOT:  Reminded me of Harry Potter meets Mean Girls, Sprinkled with a bit of Angelfire.

PACE:   Mid-tempo, fit the story well.

OVERALL:***********DUSTING***************

THANK YOU!!!!!

I'm back! January has been a terribly busy time at my job, and has forced me to neglect my blogging duties:) However, now I'm back in action. What a better way to get back into the groove then with some new books?! Today, much to my surprise, I recieved; The Secret Lives Of Dresses, The Good Sister, and Rescue courtesy of  Hachette Book Group! Here's a huge thank you to them for the wonderful books, I can't wait to read them!

THE GOOD SISTER

Author: Drusilla Campbell

Received: Publisher, For Review

Published: Sept 11th 2010

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Length: 324 pgs

Author Info: Drusilla Campbell

Purchase: AMAZON

Roxanne Callahan has always been her younger sister's caretaker. Now married, her happiness is threatened when beautiful and emotionally unstable Simone, suffering from crippling postpartum depression, commits an unforgivable crime for which Roxanne comes to believe she is partially responsible.
In the glare of national media attention brought on her sister, Roxanne fights to hold her marriage together as she is drawn back into the pain of her troubled past and relives the fraught relationship she and Simone shared with their narcissistic mother. At the same time, only she can help Simone's nine year old daughter, Merell, make sense of the family's tragedy.
Cathartic, lyrical, and unflinchingly honest, The Good Sister is a novel of four generations of women struggling to overcome a legacy of violence, lies and secrecy, ultimately finding strength and courage in their love for each other.

THE SECRET LIVES OF DRESSES
Received: Publisher, For Review

Published: January 6th 2011

Publisher: 5 Spot

 Length: 294 pgs

Author Info: Erin McKean

Purchase:AMAZON
Dora is in love with a man who barely notices her, has a job she doesn't care about, and dresses entirely for comfort, not style. All a far cry from her vivid, eccentric childhood, growing up with her beloved grandmother Mimi.
However, when disaster strikes, Dora knows she has no choice but to return to her childhood home and take over running Mimi's vintage clothing shop. And there she makes a surprising discovery - Mimi's been writing stories to accompany every dress she sells. Romantic, heartbreaking tales about each one's secret life before it got to her shop...
dora starts to matchmake these lonely frocks with new owners, but can the stories help her as well? Trading her boring high street clothes for vintage glamour is one thing. What she needs to know is whether she can trade her safe old life - and love - for something better too?

 RESCUE

Received: Publisher, For Review

Published: November 11th 2010

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Length: 288 pgs

Author Info: Anita Shreve

Purchase:AMAZON

A rookie paramedic pulls a young woman alive from her totaled car, a first rescue that begins a lifelong tangle of love and wreckage. Sheila Arsenault is a gorgeous enigma--streetwise and tough-talking, with haunted eyes, fierce desires, and a never-look-back determination. Peter Webster, as straight an arrow as they come, falls for her instantly and entirely. Soon Sheila and Peter are embroiled in an intense love affair, married, and parents to a baby daughter. Like the crash that brought them together, it all happened so fast.

Can you ever really save another person? Eighteen years later, Sheila is long gone and Peter is raising their daughter, Rowan, alone. But Rowan is veering dangerously off track, and for the first time in their ordered existence together, Webster fears for her future. His work shows him daily every danger the world contains, how wrong everything can go in a second. All the love a father can give a daughter is suddenly not enough.

Sheila's sudden return may be a godsend--or it may be exactly the wrong moment for a lifetime of questions and anger and longing to surface anew. What tore a young family apart? Is there even worse damage ahead? The questions lifted up in Anita Shreve's utterly enthralling new novel are deep and lasting, and this is a novel that could only have been written by a master of the human heart

***DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU HAVE READ THE IRON KING***

 

 

 

THE IRON DAUGHTER

*Iron Fey #2*

Source: Purchased

Author: Julie Kagawa

Publisher:Harlequin Teen

Released: July 27th 2010

Length: 359 pgs

ISBN: 0373210132 (ISBN13: 9780373210138)

CLICK LINK TO PURCHASE THE IRON DAUGHTER

Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.

Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.
****************************************************

MY REVIEW

It's no surprise that I loved The Iron Daughter, as the Iron Fey series is one of my favorite. The Iron Daughter picked up right where The Iron King left off, literally! A lot of books start off around the same point that the previous one left off, but The Iron Daughter was like a T.V show in the sense that the cliff hanger they ended at last week is the same spot they picked up at this week.

Meghan has grown so much from The Iron King to The Iron Daughter and she continues to grow by leaps and bounds through out the book. If you thought there was drama in The Iron King be prepared for, "Jersey Shore" sized drama in The Iron Daughter.

Meghan is forced to deal with the fact that Ash has abandon her, Puck is no where to be found and the winter queen is watching her every move. No one believes Meghan about the Iron Fey, how could any fey stand to be around iron let alone be made of iron!? Can Meghan convince the courts that they Iron Fey are real and a threat before it's to late?

I wanted to punch Ash in the face for the entire first half of the book, but by the end I wanted to cry and tell him I understand. Some how Meghan has managed to contribute to the war between courts, but now she has to try to stop it. The Iron Daughter does answer many of the questions left from The Iron King such as; Puck or Ash, Winter or Summer, Mortal World or Faery, and be who you were or who you need to be.

New characters are introduced and old ones say goodbye. There is a vast amount of backstabbing and as they say in Faery not everyone or everything is what it seems. Family drama is evident in both the Summer and Winter courts, but you'll have to read the book to find out if it tears them apart or brings them closer together.

Love is proclaimed and love is denied,people are lost and people are found, promises are made and doors are closed forever....or so it may seem. The Iron Daughter is an excellent book and even better than The Iron King. I would recommend this to anyone who loves a great YA book. I can't wait to read the Iron Queen to find out what other twists and turns Meghans story takes.

 

COVER:  Gorgeous, love the variations of blues, purple and white.

CHARACTERS:  Realistic to the core, it may be the world of the faery, but their stories and feelings are very real.

IMAGERY:  Description is key, I could feel the cold winds of the winter court and smell the iron of the iron fey.
PLOT:  More twists and turns than your mind could imagine. Everything is not what it seems.

PACE:   Mid-tempo, perfect. 

 

 

 

OVERALL:***********SHOWER***************

 

 



UNEARTHLY

*Unearthly #1*

Source:ARC from Publisher

Author: Cynthia Hand

Publisher:HarperTeen

Released: January 4th 2011

Length:435 pgs

ISBN: 0061996165 (ISBN13: 9780061996160)

CLICK LINK TO PURCHASE UNEARTHLY

 
 
In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.
Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.
As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?
Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart.
*****************************************************

MY REVIEW

Where do I begin? I feel like I've missed the punch line of some insanley hilarius joke. Every review I read is filled with terms like; "wow, not your typical angel book, can't wait for book two, amanzing". However, for me Unearthly just fell flat.

This is my first less than steller review, but I want to stay true to why I started this blog, honest reviews of books I have read, being honest however doesn't require tearing apart an author or their work. Unfortunetly, for me Clara turned me off from the very begining. I found her to be a bit annoying. Her voice, her thoughts, everything about her made me dissconnect from her.

Unearlthy, although it had beauitfuly written imagery,was a one note story.I found myself wanting to strangle the whole family and start screaming at them," who cares about the visons of  a forrest fire. Who cares about another teenage love triangle of good vs less than." Needless to say I had to put Unearlthy down about half way thorugh the book. I would at some point like to pick it back up again and try to "find" what everyone else seems to have found with this novel. I'm not sure if reading Unearthly immediatly after Angelfire,which I loved, had anything to do with it, but Unearthly was not the book for me. I would reccomend this book to anyone looking for a  debut author to take a chance on.

On a side note I chose this Australian version of the cover becasue I like it better than the US released cover.

***What did you think of Unearthly? ***

ANGELFIRE

*Angelfire #1*

Source:ARC from Publisher

Author:Courtney Allison Moulton

Publisher:HarperCollins

Released: February 15th 2011

Length:464 pgs

ISBN: 0062002325 (ISBN13: 9780062002327)

 

CLICK ON LINK TO PURCHASE ANGELFIRE

This debut, the first novel in a trilogy, is achingly romantic, terrifying, and filled with blistering action.

When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers - monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell - she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul.

A mysterious boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Now that Ellie's powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her - an assassin who has already killed her once.

While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper-hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to ignite the End of Days and to destroy Ellie's soul, ending her rebirth cycle forever. Now, she must face an army of Bastian's most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives - including truths that may be too frightening to remember.

*********************************************************

 

MY REVIEW

 

When I received Angelfire for review I wasn't sure what to think. From the synopsis it was about a hard edged girl who hunts reapers.....not exactly my "type" of book. I usually don't read books with extremely tough female characters nor have I ever read a book involving a reaper hunter. For me zombies, reaper hunters, ghouls..those are all books that teenage boys usually read that don't involve a lot of love story lines or soft edges.I know that my original view was a bit gender bias, but we like what we like and we don't what we don't..or so I thought.

From the very first page of Angelfire I couldn't put it down! I couldn't believe that this was a debut novel, it was written like that of a seasoned writer.Ellie,the main character, was both strong and soft. Ellie reminded me of a kiwi, a little rough and bitter on the outside, but sweet on the inside. This review is very hard to write and not give away any spoilers, but the love stories,action,angst, and revelation that happens in Angelfire will have your mind spinning.

There were so many times were I would burst out in laughter because of Ellies typical teen comebacks. There were  a lot of "flashback" sequences in the book and sometimes that would through me off, however that is exactly the way Ellie felt when they would all of a sudden happen to her .

The way Angelfire is written really makes you invest your time and emotions in it. you want to punch people who make Ellie cry and give her a high five when she's starting to come into her own.

Toward the end of the book a massive surprise happens that answers a few questions but replaces them with  new ones. I would recommend this book to everyone with eyes and ears, this is a 2011 MUST read! Fall in love with Ellie as I did and let her take you on her unexpected journey come hell or high water!

 

****Let me know what you think of Angelfire once you read it!****

 

 

COVER:  Beautiful, but boyish and deceiving.

CHARACTERS:  Well developed and strong.

IMAGERY:  Description is key in Angelfire,at times it is a bit lengthy, but it doesn't ruin the story

 

PLOT: Not your typical angel story, keeps your interest and leaves you begging for more. 

PACE:   Mid-tempo, fit the story well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

OVERALL:***********SHOWER***************

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blogging Resolution List

I thought that since this is my first post of the New Year, that a "blogging" resolution list would be fitting. Whether your an old pro or a newbie, everyone has improvements that they can make to their blog, how they run their blog,or how they will keep active in the blogging community. So without further delay here is my official 2011 blogging resolution list:

1. Read More

• I love reading and I love blogging, however I would like to find a more balanced way to read more of the books I love, while still maintaining my blog.

2. Make New Friends

• In 2011 I will be commenting more on others blog post, get more involved in challenges, and become more involved in online blogging communities.

3. Under The Radar

• Finding the "hot,anticipated" book or author is the easy part of blogging. I want to dig deep and find the diamonds in the rough. Whether they be published or self published I want to search for "hot" books that are still under the radar.

4. Get Original

• I love my layout and it really works, but I want to find a layout designer to help me customize The Fiction Fairy in 2011.

5. Stop Procrastinating

• Stop staring at my unfinished manuscript and actually finish it!

So, these are my goals, what are your 2011 blogging resolutions?!