In My Mailbox (2)

This is a weekly theme hosted over at The Story Siren.

This week I got a lot of stuff in my mailbox.

Won:
So I won a giveaway on Goodreads.com from Mira Publishing. I won Reckless by Anne Stuart. The publisher noticed that I also read YA books and they also sent me The Iron King by Julie Kagawa! I’m very excited about these books. Big Thanks to Mira Publishing.

Bought:
Ruthless by Anne Stuart
Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Linger by Maggie Stiefvater
The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
White Cat by Holly Black

I purchased The Body Finder and White Cat for when the Smart Chicks Kick it Tour comes to the state where I live.

What did you get in your mailbox this week?

Saturday Surprise (2)

So I thought I would start my own version of a weekly theme!

The point of Saturday Surprise will be to pick a random book off my shelf and give you a few quotes from the book. I will not tell you what book it is, you get to guess. The following Saturday I will reveal the book from the week before as well as give you new quotes to another random book from my shelf.

Last Week’s Book:

Title: Perfect Chemistry
Author: Simone Elkeles
Publisher: Walker & Company
Publication Date: December 2008
Classification: YA Novel

Why you should read this book:
This book is the perfect teen romance book. This book shows you a real relationship, there is no vampires or supernatural beings here. There is no guy with supernatural powers, the main male character could be considered dark and mysterious though. This book will keep your attention from the very beginning and you will want to see the chemistry develope between main characters Brittany and Alex (Alejandro because this is a lot more fun to say!). The combination between the dark gangster from the bad side of town and the beautiful rich princess from the right side of town will leave you wanting more even after you finish this stunning book.
If you possibly need one more reason to read this book it is because not a lot of books impress me enough to get five stars but this book is five stars in my opinion.

This Week’s Book Quotes:
“Together they watched the Warden’s dark angular figure pick a fastidious way through the mouse droppings and hanging webs.”

“Ducking under an arch, she found three tunnels that met, but the key was so hot now, it almost scorched her hand, and she plunged into the left-hand tunnel, racing past cell doors that hung open. The Prison rumbled.”

Be sure to guess this week’s book!

Evermore

Title: Evermore
Author: Alyson Noel
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publication Date: February 2009
Classification: Teen Novel

So for this one instead of posting a summary from another site I’m just going to tell you my thoughts on the book. I have mixed feelings about this book and that’s putting it lightly. I loved the concept for this book and I remember buying it more than a year ago when it came out. I finally got around to reading this book and was shocked most of the way through the pages. I wasn’t shocked because I was enjoying the book I was shocked as all these other books flashed through my head. At the beginning this book plays out like Twilight with the odd girl and the mysterious guy who is running hot and cold. (Anyone remember Edward, I know he was drooled over by many many teenage girls but I don’t think we need a repeat of that character.) Next book that came to mind was The Vampire Diaries series with the way that Damen was similar to a famous character in the Vampire Diaries (cough Damon cough). The final book to flash across my mind was one of the short stories in Night World 2 when we find out about the “soulmate” thing.

Honestly I thought this book was a mix of several other books with a little bit of a twist that Noel threw into the book. I was expecting a lot from this book by the way that some rave about it but I was left with this odd feeling in the pit of my stomach. I wanted to like this book, I really did but I felt that a lot of the ideas were taken from things that were written anywhere from the past few years (Twilight) to over a decade ago (Night World and The Vampire Diaries). I know that other authors have done great works of literature but this book can only at best be called a copy cat. While I enjoyed some parts of Evermore I felt that some were purely repeats of other books that I have sitting on my shelves.
I give this book 3 stars.

Unbridled

Title: Unbridled
Author: Beth Williamson
Publisher: Penguin Group
Publication Date: July 2010
Classification: Adult Romance

Summary from Barnes and Noble:
There’s one sure way for a person to get what they want in this world…
Alex Finley knows the hard life. Her father abandoned her and her dying mother, only to reclaim the family’s Wyoming ranch with a new wife. Alex’s rage drove her away to Los Angeles to live with a man who could never satisfy her.
Ten years later she comes home and hits the town with a vengeance, unleashing her pent-up lust on cowpoke Connor Matthews. She’s shocked to learn that her family ranch is now a resort, and that bucking bronco Connor is running the place.
Now Alex is torn between accepting a lover who can give her everything she needs-or selling out to a smooth-talking neighbor and leaving the past behind her…

I would have to say this book certainly gets your attention right from the start with a steamy sex scene that will leave you wondering what other surprises are in store. The main characters are Alex and Connor, both who have had a rough past and want to find a way to move on with their lives. Alex left home when she was 16 only to come home and find her once farm house turned into a dude ranch (cabin hotels) by Connor. She and Connor are both stubborn passionate people that refuse to fall for each other. Only time can heal these wounded souls and possibly bring them together to heal each other.
I found this story touching and steamy at the same time. The main charcters had real life issues to get through and the relationship was witty, heartbreaking and romantic all at once. If you are looking for a little steam with your sweet romance then this book is certainly for you. Cause we all know a girl can’t resist the sexy cowboy!
I give this book 4 stars.

Saturday Surprise

So I thought I would start my own version of a weekly theme!
The point of Saturday Surprise will be to pick a random book off my shelf and give you a few quotes from the book. I will not tell you what book it is, you get to guess. The following Saturday I will reveal the book from the week before as well as give you new quotes to another random book from my shelf.

Quotes:
“I itch to stick that gun in between his eyes and show him what it’s like for gang members all the time, to feel threatened and unsure of what day will end up being your last.”

“You’ve never seen a guy with his shirt off?”
“Ha, ha. Very funny. Believe me, you don’t have anything I haven’t seen before.”
“Wanna bet?” he says, then moves his hands to the button on his jeans and pops it open.

Forget You

Title: Forget You
Author: Jennifer Echols
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: July 2010
Classification: YA Book

Book Summary from Barnes and Noble:
WHY CAN’T YOU CHOOSE WHAT YOU FORGET . . . AND WHAT YOU REMEMBER? There’s a lot Zoey would like to forget. Like how her father has knocked up his twenty-four- year old girlfriend. Like Zoey’s fear that the whole town will find out about her mom’s nervous breakdown. Like darkly handsome bad boy Doug taunting her at school. Feeling like her life is about to become a complete mess, Zoey fights back the only way she knows how, using her famous attention to detail to make sure she’s the perfect daughter, the perfect student, and the perfect girlfriend to ultra-popular football player Brandon. But then Zoey is in a car crash, and the next day there’s one thing she can’t remember at all—the entire night before. Did she go parking with Brandon, like she planned? And if so, why does it seem like Brandon is avoiding her? And why is Doug—of all people— suddenly acting as if something significant happened between the two of them? Zoey dimly remembers Doug pulling her from the wreck, but he keeps referring to what happened that night as if it was more, and it terrifies Zoey to admit how much is a blank to her. Controlled, meticulous Zoey is quickly losing her grip on the all-important details of her life—a life that seems strangely empty of Brandon, and strangely full of Doug.
I thought this book was very refreshing since it had no paranormal aspects to it at all. I think everything in the teen world now has become about wolves, angels, vampires, and other such characters. There is always some dark lover story going on and they don’t really relate to teens. This book however relates well to teenagers in my opinion. The characters are seniors in high school and they actually act how seniors in high school would act. The author delivers real life problems that anyone could be going through and provides and interesting romance. I would recommend this book to older teens because of some of the sexual scenes in the book. All in all it was nice to get back in touch with the world through an author that kept the storyline real and believeable. You will fall for the characters as if they were your own friends and you will have high hopes for Doug and Zoey throughout the entire book.

I give this book 4.5 stars and the only reason that this book doesn’t get 5 stars from me is because some of the sentences were a little jumbled. I had to reread a few lines every so often to get back on track with the direction that the author was going. My only other complaint is that this book was over so quickly and I wanted it to last much longer because I enjoyed the characters in this book.

In My Mailbox (1)

This is a weekly theme hosted by The Story Siren.

I don’t always get stuff in the mail but when I do I’ll be sure to let you all know what I got.
This week was a good week for me since they were having a sale at Barnes and Noble.
I got…

I’m already reading Forget You because I have heard great things about it. I got The Ghost and the Goth and Generation Dead for a book club that I belong to. I finally broke down and got 13 Reasons Why, I was waiting for this in paperback but it seems that isn’t going to happen. The good thing was I got all of these books on sale so I didn’t have to spend a lot this week!

My TBR pile is going to fall over very soon!
I hope everyone got some great books in the mail today.

The Hathaway Series


Books: The Hathaway Series
Author: Lisa Kleypas
Classification: Adult Historical Romance

So I recently finished the last book in the wonderful Hathaway series by Lisa Kleypas. I was so sad when I heard that this series would be over with the fifth (and final) book. I loved this family and I didn’t want to see it end.

For a quick run down of the books
Book 1: Mine Till Midnight
This book is about the oldest Hathaway sister, Amelia, and the man she falls for, Cam.
This story will win your heart from the very beginning. The Hathaways are introduced as an unconventional family for the time period. This family comes into money when Leo (the only brother to four sisters) inherits a title and thus making this family “new money”. The relationship between uptight, put together Amelia and the loose, open hearted Cam will have you captivated.
Book 2: Seduced Me at Sunrise
This book will show the next eldest sister named Win and her off the charts infatuation with Merripen. Merripen was brought into the family after he was found abandoned (more like left for dead) by a gypsy family. Win has always had feelings for him but because of a medical condition she feels she can never fully show her love for Merripen. After being treated for her illness she still longs for Merripen although she is spending more time than necessary with her doctor. Merripen has to step up to the challenge of winning over the fair, soft hearted Win.
Book 3: Tempt Me at Twilight
The next sister in line, Poppy has her heart set on marrying one man. So what happens when The Harry Rutledge, owner of the fabulous hotel in London, steps in the way? Can Harry steal away the woman of his dreams before it’s too late?
Book 4: Married by Morning
The time has come for the Hathaway brother, Leo, to marry. He must marry asap if he plans to keep his new found money. But can a man who can’t let go of a past love who died due to a series disease and one who drinks himself into a stupor, be counted on to marry?
Book 5: Love in the Afternoon
The youngest sister Beautrix has always been quite unsuitable for the London seasons. She would rather spend her time outdoors with the animals. She could tell you how to train an animal better than she knows how to hold a conversation at a grand ball. Captain Christopher Phelan, who has come home a war hero only wants to marry the girl who has been sending him letters during the war. He thinks he is getting a high society princess named Pru, who he fell for before he left for the battlefields of hell. This man will be in for the surprise of his life upon returning home.

Overall: 4.5 Star rating for the whole series.
I thought this series was great, I was a skeptic about historical romance because I didn’t want to read about uptight girls who where following societies “rules”. This series proved me wrong at every turn, the women are sensational with their wit and charm, and the men are just down right mouthwatering. I think these books show that it’s not always important to find a prince or princess (for those guys out there), but it IS important to find your prince or princess. That person doesn’t have to have the wealth or social standing of a pure blood prince(ss), he/she just needs to be the right person for you. When that person is the right one for you, they will feel like and be like a prince(ss) in your eyes.

I shall leave you with my favorite quote from the whole series because it means something special and personal to me…
“She wanted to be passionately loved….challenged…overtaken.”
Love in the Afternoon page 7

Raine


Title: Raine (Lords of Satyr Book 2)
Author: Elizabeth Amber
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corporation
Publish Date: March 2008
Classification: Adult Romance

My Thoughts:

First off let me say caution, this book is NOT for the faint of heart.

The Lords of Satyr have a unique bloodline from Elseworld and they have special “powers”. Theses three Lords protect the barrier between Elseworld and the human world so that an all out war does not happen between the two worlds. The Lords have a simple life taking care of their vineyard in Tuscany until the Faerie King sends the Lords a letter saying he sired three half faerie-half human daughters onto three different human women. These three daughters are in danger from Elseworld problems and each daughter needs to be bedded and wed to a Satyr Lord. Each Lord must now set out in order to save one of the daughters from danger. In the first book Nicholas by Elizabeth Amber the first Lord sets out to save the first daughter of the dying King. He saves that daughter and makes her his bride, thereby protecting her from harm with his magical Satyr blood and bonds. With one of the daughters being saved, this great task is now the second Lord’s duty.
This second book starts off in Venice where the main male character, the second Satyr Lord, Raine, is out to find his faerie bride. He first sees her when he accidentally goes to the wrong lecture hall and notices the second faerie daughter, Jordan, onstage as a medical experiment. Through a chain of events he meets Jordan and rescues her and heads back to Satyr land in Tuscany. In Tuscany Raine can start to weave his protective bonds around Jordan like the King wanted. Part of these bonds include some love scenes that can only be described in one word, Hot!
The beginning of the story was a lot to take in and almost put me off of the book with the gay priest taking a male prostitute in an alleyway. Also by finding out that Jordan is a hermaphardite, hense the reason for being a medical experiment, and has been living as a male for most of her life until she meets Raine. The sex scenes are unusual with the special qualities of the Satyr men and due to the fact that Jordan has both sex organs. The climax of the book was lacking and the ending of this story wrapped up everything in a clean neat little bow. The ending was abrupt and it felt like there was only a small role of a villian, the man who used Jordan as a medical experiment, involved. Everything was just rushed through in order to get to the HEA (happily ever after). Overall I give this book 3.5 hearts.

Day One

Hi!
So I thought I would give this whole blog thing a shot. I like books and I like to tell people what I think when I read a book. I also love to hear from people about what they are reading and how they are liking or not liking it, whichever the case may be. I love recommendations and also have plenty to share with others! So for now I’m just an ordinary girl trying to make her place in the blogging world.