Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases we can't wait to get our hands on.

My Pick This Week:

Title:  Original Sin (Personal Demons #2)
Author:   Lisa Desrochers
Release Date:  July 5th 2011

Luc Cain was born and raised in Hell, but he isn’t feeling as demonic as usual lately—thanks to Frannie Cavanaugh and the unique power she never realized she had. But you can’t desert Hell without consequences, and suddenly Frannie and Luc find themselves targeted by the same demons who used to be Luc’s allies.


Left with few options, Frannie and Luc accept the protection of Heaven and one of its most powerful angels, Gabe. Unfortunately, Luc isn’t the only one affected by Frannie, and it isn’t long before Gabe realizes that being around her is too…tempting. Rather than risk losing his wings, he leaves Frannie and Luc under the protection of her recently-acquired guardian angel.


Which would be fine, but Gabe is barely out the door before an assortment of demons appears—and they’re not leaving without dragging Luc back to Hell with them. Hell won’t give up and Heaven won’t give in. Frannie’s guardian exercises all the power he has to keep them away, but the demons are willing to hurt anyone close to Frannie in order to get what they want. It will take everything she has and then some to stay out of Hell’s grasp.

And not everyone will get out of it alive.

~I have been waiting since last summer for this one.   I loved the whole storyline and the characters.  Lisa is a really creative writer and her book Personal Demons had me hooked from page one.  I'm not too thrilled about the cover but this is a case that I know I won't care because I will be waiting for what's inside.  The first book was so good and I can't wait to see what happens in the sequel... so hurry up July and get here already!!~

Feel free to comment cause I love them and read every single one of them. I'd also love to see what you are waiting for...Leave me a link for yours so I can check it out.



Don't be afraid to follow either, cause I will gladly return the favor. Just let me know if you are a new follower in your comment;)

Review: The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder

Title: The Day Before
Author: Lisa Schroeder
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: June 28th 2011
Source: ARC e-galley from Simon and Schuster


Description from Goodreads: 


Sometimes there's no turning back.


Amber's life is spinning out of control. All she wants is to turn up the volume on her iPod until all of the demands of her family and friends fade away. So she sneaks off to the beach to spend a day by herself.


Then Amber meets Cade. Their attraction is instant, and Amber can tell that he's also looking for an escape. Together they decide to share a perfect day: no pasts, no fears, no regrets.


The more time that Amber spends with Cade, the more she's drawn to him. And the more she's troubled by his darkness. Because Cade's not just living in the now--he's living each moment like it's his last.

My Thoughts:

Amber was switched at birth.  Now that her biological parents know about the mix-up, they are awarded shared custody with each set of parents getting  the 15 year old for six months at a time.  It is the day before she leaves to meet her birth parents.  She decides that she wants to spend her last day in Oregon at the beach alone.

While she is looking at the jellyfish in an aquarium, she meets a boy, Cade.  He suspects who she is from all the news reports in the media, but they agree not to ask each other their problems cause Cade has something that is bothering him on his mind too.

They spend the day at the beach building sandcastles, talking about their interests and lives, going to dinner and falling for each other.  Now that she's met Cade, she doesn't want to leave to go to Texas to meet her biological parents.   When it comes down to leaving, will she be able to leave her family, friends and Cade or will she run away?

This was an easy read for me.  It was written in verse, as all of Lisa Schroeder's books are that I've read.  It took me less than two hours to read the whole book.  Once I started, I was drawn into the characters' lives and didn't want to stop until I concluded their story.

I can't imagine being switched at birth.  Amber's life is turned upside down when her biological parents start fighting for shared custody.  Through their letters to Amber, we see that they really are loving and caring people whom are devoted to make Amber happy when she comes to stay with them.  Sure, it might be a little scary at first, leaving everyone behind in Oregon, but Amber needs to see where they're coming from and at least give them a chance.  It's not their fault there was a mix-up at the hospital.

Overall, I really enjoyed the story.  The romance between Amber and Cade was really sweet.  They both had something happening the next day and were able to bond over what was going on in their lives as well as comfort and understand each other.   I was in suspense wondering what Cade's big secret was the whole time I was reading.  So if you like moonlit campfires on the beach, family drama, kissing, and suspense that keeps you guessing the entire time- then look no further because this is the book that you're looking for.  It's a fast and purely enjoyable read with a storyline that pulls you in and won't let you go and even days after you are finished, you will still be thinking about it.

5 Stars

Review: Chime by Franny Billingsley

Title: Chime
Author: Franny Billingsley
Release Date: March 17th 2011
Publisher: Dial
Source:  ARC for Review (Thank you!)  and bought a copy for my kindle


Goodreads Description:


Before Briony's stepmother died, she made sure Briony blamed herself for all the family's hardships. Now Briony has worn her guilt for so long it's become a second skin. She often escapes to the swamp, where she tells stories to the Old Ones, the spirits who haunt the marshes. But only witches can see the Old Ones, and in her village, witches are sentenced to death. Briony lives in fear her secret will be found out, even as she believes she deserves the worst kind of punishment.


Then Eldric comes along with his golden lion eyes and mane of tawny hair. He's as natural as the sun, and treats her as if she's extraordinary. And everything starts to change. As many secrets as Briony has been holding, there are secrets even she doesn't know.


My Thoughts:

We know from the start that Briony is a witch and she is to be hung.  The story is what leads up to trial of her hanging and the events that precede her revealing her secret all the while falling for a boy, Eldric. 

Briony isn't your typical witch that you think of with a black hat, black cat, and a cauldron.  She is a girl who can see spirits, The Buggy Mon, and many other unique creatures and horrors (some of which are naked- which really made me laugh while reading that scene) that will try to get you in the while you are in the swamp unless you carry a bible ball, a piece of paper with a script written on it, with you.
Briony must find a way to save her sister and she will do whatever she has to do, including revealing her true identity. 

Chime is filled with secrecy, betrayal, mysterious creatures, and even some romance. The pages take you to another world entirely filled with monsters and something that you would read out of a Grimm's fairy tale. It is surprisingly different than what I was expecting it to be and it's definitely something different than what I usually end up reading.  If you're ready for a unique cast of characters along with an original storyline, then this is a book that you should get your hands on. 


3 1/2 Stars

Follow Friday

Hi everyone!  Welcome to all my new and old visitors.  It's Follow my book blog Friday hosted by Parajunkee's View and this is my first time participating. 

This week's question comes from My Keeper Shelf 

Q.  Do you judge a book by it's cover?

A.  I am gonna be honest and say yes, I do.  I tend to notice the cover first while searching through books.  If the cover is pretty or eye catching, then I immediately go and look at the description.  If the description doesn't interest me, then I won't even worry about how pretty the cover is.  The only times that I don't judge a book by it's cover is when I have heard fantastic things about the book or if it is by an author that I really love to read. 

Feel free to comment cause I love them and read every single one of them.  I'd also love to hear your answers...Leave me a link for yours so I can check it out.

Don't be afraid to follow either, cause I will gladly return the favor.  Just let me know if you are a new follower in your comment;)

Winner of the " ARC of Chime by Franny Bilingsley" Giveaway

I just want to say a quick thanks to everyone who entered!  I am already thinking of a bunch of ideas for the next giveaway, but still not sure what it will be yet.  Thanks to everyone who helped spread the word about the blog so I could make my 25 follower goal.  I think my next goal is gonna be a bit bigger the next time around but I'll also make the prize bigger as well:)  OK- enough of my rambling...I tend to go on and on and on about absolutely nothing.  I don't know why, but I do and y'all don't care about that do ya?    You just want to know who the winner is.  So you are all thinking "just shut up and tell us already!!!"  Ok, ok, sorry.  Here we go...Drum Roll Please! 

Katie

Katie will have 48 hours after I email her to claim her prize and confirm her address for me.  Thanks again to everyone who participated and I can't wait to do this again!!

Thanks again to Penguin Young Readers Group for sending me the ARC of Chime!!  I will post my review tomorrow.

25 Follower ARC of Chime by Franny Billingsley Giveaway Update - Ends Tomorrow at Noon

Congrats everyone!  We reached our 25th follower this evening!   Go ahead and get in any extra entries that you need to get in by noon tomorrow on 4-7-11 because the winner of Chime will be announced tomorrow evening.  All extra entries can be left in the comments below if you have already filled out the form.  1 extra entry will be awarded for any extra mentions of the giveaway from now until noon tomorrow.  Leave me links cause I will check:)

Good Luck to everyone who entered!!

For those of you who haven't filled out the form yet.  The post is here explaining all the details.

Waiting On Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases we can't wait to get our hands on.

My Pick This Week:

Title: Wildefire
Author: Karsten Knight 
Release Date:  July 26th 2011

Ashline Wilde is having a rough sophomore year. She’s struggling to find her place as the only Polynesian girl in school, her boyfriend just cheated on her, and now her runaway sister, Eve, has decided to barge back into her life. When Eve’s violent behavior escalates and she does the unthinkable, Ash transfers to a remote private school nestled in California’s redwoods, hoping to put the tragedy behind her. But her fresh start at Blackwood Academy doesn’t go as planned. Just as Ash is beginning to enjoy the perks of her new school—being captain of the tennis team, a steamy romance with a hot, local park ranger—Ash discovers that a group of gods and goddesses have mysteriously enrolled at Blackwood…and she’s one of them. To make matters worse, Eve has resurfaced to haunt Ash, and she’s got some strange abilities of her own. With a war between the gods looming over campus, Ash must master the new fire smoldering within before she clashes with her sister one more time… And when warm and cold fronts collide, there’s guaranteed to be a storm.

~I can't wait for this title to come out!  It sounds amazing.  I love the cover and that is what first caught my attention.  After reading the description I realized this is an original idea for a plot and it actually sounded really good.  So soon after, I started going to the author's blog and found that he is so incredible.  Not only is he hot -don't tell my hubby I said that- but he is hilarious, super smart, and talented (seriously - just check out his dancing) and if he can interpret all that into his writing style, then we will have a major hit on our hands and a hot new author to watch out for!!







 

Review: Born at Midnight (Shadow Falls #1) by C.C. Hunter

Title:  Born at Midnight (Shadow Falls #1)

Author:  C.C. Hunter

Release Date:  March 29th 2011

Publisher:  St. Martin's Griffin

Source: Bought


Goodreads Description:


Don’t miss this spectacular new series that will steal your heart and haunt your dreams, Welcome to Shadow Falls camp, nestled deep in the woods of a town called Fallen…

One night Kylie Galen finds herself at the wrong party, with the wrong people, and it changes her life forever. Her mother ships her off to Shadow Falls—a camp for troubled teens, and within hours of arriving, it becomes painfully clear that her fellow campers aren’t just “troubled.” Here at Shadow Falls, vampires, werewolves, shapshifters, witches and fairies train side by side—learning to harness their powers, control their magic and live in the normal world.

Kylie’s never felt normal, but surely she doesn’t belong here with a bunch of paranormal freaks either. Or does she? They insist Kylie is one of them, and that she was brought here for a reason. As if life wasn’t complicated enough, enter Derek and Lucas. Derek’s a half-fae who’s determined to be her boyfriend, and Lucas is a smokin’ hot werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past. Both Derek and Lucas couldn’t be more different, but they both have a powerful hold on her heart.

Even though Kylie feels deeply uncertain about everything, one thing is becoming painfully clear—Shadow Falls is exactly where she belongs…


My Thoughts:


Kylie Galen heads to a party one night after her grandmother's funeral and learning of her parents' plans to divorce.  She doesn't drink like her friends but is still put into custody when the police bust up the party. 

Her mom sends her to Shadow Falls Camp.  She soon learns the summer camp is inhabited with freaks when she steps on the bus and finds people that are nothing like her.  They are kids who look like the real troublemakers wit their multicolored hair, piercings, and tattoos.  Kylie finds out after she arrives that the camp is not for ordinary kids, but for supernaturals such as vampires, werewolves, and shapeshifters and that she is actually a supernatural.

She spends her summer making new friends and learning about their special gifts all the while searching her history trying to find out if she truly is a supernatural and what kind she might be.  She knows that she can see a ghost, was born at midnight, and can feel when people try to touch her and change her state of emotion so now she begins her journey to discover what she is and if she happens to meet a couple of cute boys along the way- all the better.  What Kylie discovers just might change her entire life.

First of all, let me say that the beautiful colors on the cover are what drew me to Born at Midnight in the first place.  It's creepy and mysterious all at the same time.  Bravo on the cover!

This is wonderful.  I was immediately drawn into Kylie's life from the first page.  Her home life was really believable and I can imagine the tension between Kylie and her parents that are separating.  What I can't believe is that she would be sent away after one minor screw up to a summer camp. 

My favorite scene is when Perry, a shapeshifter, transforms to a kitten and Kylie takes it in to keep it safe.  I'm not gonna say what happens, but let me tell you that it was a non-stop, laugh out loud funny sort of moment.  I was laughing so hard that I started getting tears in my eyes.  Towards the end though,  I actually did shed a few tears, so have a tissue handy just in case you need one.

Born at Midnight is the start of a new series by C.C. Hunter.  It is a really addicting story so once you start, you'll use every free minute you can to continue Kylie's journey.  The author creates a world where supernaturals exist and rogues want Shadow Falls shut down.  This story is filled with humor, sadness, and romance along with mystery and a little drama among friends.  So those of you who want a breath of fresh air from your original paranormal romance, go grab C.C. Hunter's debut title, Born at Midnight, cause it has it all.

4.75 STARS

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases we can't wait to get our hands on.

My Pick This Week:


Title: Ripple
Author: Mandy Hubbard
Release Date: July 21st 2011

Lexi is cursed with a dark secret. Each day she goes to school like a normal teenager, and each night she must swim, or the pain will be unbearable. She is a siren - a deadly mermaid destined to lure men to their watery deaths. After a terrible tragedy, Lexi shut herself off from the world, vowing to protect the ones she loves. But she soon finds herself caught between a new boy at school who may have the power to melt her icy exterior, and a handsome water spirit who says he can break Lexi's curse if she gives up everything else. Lexi is faced with the hardest decision she’s ever had to make: the life she's always longed for - or the love she can't live without?

~ I was browsing through Goodreads and came across this awhile back.  I saw the cover and said "Oooh, what is this?"  I went to the description and after reading it, I knew it was something I would be anticipating cause it just sounds Yummy! Don't ya think?  I can't wait to get my hands on a copy of this!!  Unfortunately, its gonna be a long wait:(

Review: Overprotected by Jennifer Laurens

Title:  Overprotected

Author:  Jennifer Laurens

Release Date: February 9th 2011 

Publisher:  Grove Creek Publishing

Source:  Bought

Description from Goodreads:

Ashlyn:A lonely society princess living in NewYork City.

Daddy hired you to be my bodyguard.


Colin: Childhood enemy, now her protector.


Daddy thought I’d be safe. He thought I’d never fall in love. He thought he could keep me forever.


Charles: obsessed with keeping her safe, keeping her his, he hires the one person he knows she could never fall in love with: Colin.


Daddy was wrong

My Thoughts:


I loved it!  Everytime I read one of Jennifer's works, I am hooked from the start.  She is one of my favorite authors.


Ashlyn Adair was kidnapped by her nanny when she was 5 years old because the nanny wanted to be with Ash's father.  She never hurt her but only threatened to if he didn't leave his wife for her.  Ashlyn's father decided that she needed protection from then on.


Ashlyn hasn't seen Colin in 5 years since she moved from California to New York.  She never liked him cause he use to torment and pick on her.  Now, he's in New York and has been hired by Ashlyn's dad to be her new bodyguard.  Her old bodyguard, Stuart, fell in love with her and had to be fired since Ash was uncomfortable around him.  At first, she doesn't like him and gives him a hard time.  Later she realizes that he has grown up and changed alot (emotionally an physically.)


Ashlyn soon starts developing feelings for Colin.  He's able to see her life from the inside and they are able to bond when she is in need of a friend.  With Ashlyn being a job, will he be able to resist her advances and protect her when she really needs it?


Overprotected took being a protective father to a whole new level.  He goes to great lengths to keep his "princess" safe, but what he doesn't realize is that its pushing her away and even putting her in more danger.


I love forbidden romance and I felt that is what this was, in a way.  Colin is supposed to be Ashlyn's protector, but through her eyes we are able to see little signs here and there that he is starting to like her more than a bodyguard should.  The only problem is that Ashlyn's father might fire him if anything is acted upon.  Daddy doesn't want her to fall in love and leave.  He wants to keep an eye on her always to keep her safe from being kidnapped again.


So, overall, this is a book I really recommend reading.  Danger, a HOT guy in shades with you 24/7 -yummy!,  romance, family drama, and oh- did I mention a HOT guy in shades yet?  This story has it all so you won't be bored.  What more could a reader ask for?  So go grab a copy.  I bet you'll love it too.

5 Stars

Review: Thank You, God For Mommy by Amy Parker

Title: Thank You, God, For Mommy

Author: Amy Parker

Release Date: April 5th 2011

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Source: NetGalley

Description from Goodreads:

Mommies do so much for us!

It's time to thank God for the blessing they are.
In this adorable board book,
a little panda thanks God for his wonderful mommy-a mommy who gives hugs and cuddles,
who takes great care of him, and most importantly, who offers love and guidance for her precious panda cub.
Thank You, God, for Mommy,
And lullabies so sweet-
The beating of her great,
big heart
Sings me right to sleep.
The love and sacrifices of mothers everywhere will be celebrated by mother and child as they snuggle up together and say Thank You, God, for Mommy.

My Thoughts:

What a sweet story!  It tells of the special little thing that mothers can do to mean so much to their children.
We learn through the prayers of the young that actions can really show a child how we feel about them.  Things such as caring, being patient, fixing boo boos, simple interactions and playing together can show them how much they're loved.  I think the purpose of this story is to show parents that simple little gestures can make a true difference in a child's life.  If you are a mommy, you should really take the time to read this to your little one.  It just might change your relationship with your child and bring y'all a little closer to each other. 


5 Stars

Review: Thank You, God, For Daddy by Amy Parker

Title: Thank You, God, for Daddy
Author: Amy Parker
Release Date: May 10th 2011
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Source: NetGalley

Description From Goodreads:

Daddies do so much for us! It’s time to thank God for the blessing they are.
In this adorable board book, a little lion cub thanks God for his wonderful daddy—a daddy who gives big hugs and piggy back rides, who takes great care of him, and most importantly, who offers love, guidance, and encouragement.
Thank You, God, for Daddy;

He scares monsters away.
When Daddy says, “Don’t be afraid,”
I know that it’s okay.
The love and sacrifices of fathers will be celebrated by children everywhere each time they snuggle up to read Thank You, God, for Daddy. 

My Thoughts:

This is a super cute story that shows what a dad can do to show he cares.  He can encourage a child to be the best he can.  He can teach them to work hard and play with them to show he cares.  He can be a hero just by doing little things such as playing together, fixing things that are broken, or a simple good night hug.  This story tells us that the simplest little things a dad can do is what will impact the children the most growing up.  I personally think that all dads out there should read this.  It's a great example of how fathers should interact with their kids and show them that they don't have to be a real superhero to be a hero in their child's eyes.

5 Stars






 

25 Follower GIVEAWAY!! ARC of Chime by Franny Billingsley

Win an ARC of Chime by Franny Billingsley

  I received an ARC copy of Chime by Franny Billingsley to review.  Since it comes out today, I bought my own copy and will  give this one to ONE Lucky Winner.  I would also like to reach 25 Followers at the same time so it is a win-win for everyone!  Once I reach 25 followers, by the end of the next day, I will pick a winner and contact them via email.


I have started reading this already and the pages take you to another world entirely filled with monsters and something that you would read out of a Grimm's fairy tale.  It is surprisingly different than what I was expecting it to be. 

I will finish reading and then review this book later on the blog.
Giveaway is open to US residents only please. 
Winner must respond back to me via email within 48 hours of being contacted


Enter by filling out the form   Here
Requirement:  You must be a follower to enter



Release Date: March 17th 2011


Goodreads Description:


Before Briony's stepmother died, she made sure Briony blamed herself for all the family's hardships. Now Briony has worn her guilt for so long it's become a second skin. She often escapes to the swamp, where she tells stories to the Old Ones, the spirits who haunt the marshes. But only witches can see the Old Ones, and in her village, witches are sentenced to death. Briony lives in fear her secret will be found out, even as she believes she deserves the worst kind of punishment.


Then Eldric comes along with his golden lion eyes and mane of tawny hair. He's as natural as the sun, and treats her as if she's extraordinary. And everything starts to change. As many secrets as Briony has been holding, there are secrets even she doesn't know.


A Special Thanks goes to Penguin Young Readers Group

Review: Falling Under by Gwen Hayes

Title: Falling Under

Author: Gwen Hayes

Release Date: March 1st 2011

Publisher: New American Library

Source: Bought

Description from Goodreads:

Theia Alderson has always led a sheltered life in the small California town of Serendipity Falls. But when a devastatingly handsome boy appears in the halls of her school, Theia knows she's seen Haden before- not around town, but in her dreams.

As the Haden of both the night and the day beckons her closer one moment and pushes her away the next, the only thing Theia knows for sure is that the incredible pull she feels towards him is stronger than her fear.


And when she discovers what Haden truly is, Theia's not sure if she wants to resist him, even if the cost is her soul.

My Thoughts:

Theia awakes to a burning man falling from the sky.  She doesn't realize that from this moment on, her life will never be the same.

Theia lives with her father- a strong businessman who believes in raising his daughter in the most stern and strict way so she acts like a real lady.  She basically never gets to let loose and have any fun.

She dreams of a boy and later sees him ,in the flesh, in her school as the new kid.  All the girls want him, including Theia.  He seems to know her from the dreams too, but still tries to make her jealous.  Could he possibly be the same boy that she keeps meeting in her dreams or is it just a coincidence that he looks the same?

Haden, the new boy at school, is unlike any guy that Theia has ever met.  He makes her want to forget all her father's rules and go have fun.  He is sometimes nice to her, but also times he is short coming, mean and angry with her.  When he is in a good mood around her, she'll receive the sweetest comments from him.  When he is angry...watch out cause he could be sending people to the hospital if he can't control his temper.

Theia feels this connection to Haden and finds out that it is no dream and they really are meeting at night.  She'll go to great lengths to learn more about who he is and to be with him.  Once she discovers who Haden is, will she be willing to risk her own soul to be with him?

I think the plot of this story is really interesting.  It does have a bit of Twilight feel to it and even goes as far as talking about a sparkling vampire. 

The writing is what threw me off a bit.  I felt dumb as I was reading the book.  I kept getting stumped.  Gwen kept using big words that I had no idea what they meant.  I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, but I'm not the dumbest either.  I'm glad I was reading on my Kindle because the built in dictionary sure got some use during this book.

My favorite part was when Haden showed up in a big pickup truck.  He took Theia stumping which consists of " muddy logging roads, 4 wheel drive, and holding on to the 'oh shit handle' above the door."  It reminds me of when we use to go mud boggin' aka Muddin'.  We used to ride around in lifted trucks with huge tires and go splashin' mud all over the trucks.  I was always holding on to the "oh shit grip"  and can picture the adventure that Haden and Theia had from my own personal experiences.  What a great scene to imagine while reading!

The cover is what drew me to this story first and then I read the description and knew that it was something that I would enjoy.  Overall, I loved the chemistry between Theia and Haden and envy the feelings that they have toward one another.  The story was romantic, humerous, mysterious, and at times, just plain fun.  I was pulled in from the first page and wanted to read at any free time I found.  I can't wait for the sequel to see if they are together or not.

4 Stars

Review: Wither (Chemical Garden Book 1) by Lauren DeStefano

Title: Wither (Chemical Garden Book 1) 

Author: Lauren DeStefano
Release Date: March 22nd 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Source:  Simon & Schuster (Thank you!)


Description from Goodreads:


Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home.

But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limited time she has left.


My Thoughts:


What an amazing book!  This book takes you into a world where there is a time limit on how long a person lives.  The girls live to 20 and the boys live till the age of 25.  This is all because of a virus that was created when the first generations tried to cure things like cancer.  The first generations are the ones that were born before the virus was created, therefore they live as long as they can, which means they live to become elders.


Rhine Ellery is 16 years old and she has 4 years left to live.  Her and her twin brother, Rowan, lost their parents in a lab explosion and are left to fend for themselves and keep an eye out for any Gatherers that try to take Rhine or orphans who are desperate for food and shelter and will do anything to get it.

Rhine is kidnapped and later sold to a wealthy man that is getting his son, Linden, some wives.  Rhine is not the only girl to be married to Linden.  She now has 2 sister wives- Cecily and Jenna.  Cecily is 13 and Jenna is 18.  Rhine marries Linden against her will and decides the only way to escape is to earn his trust and become a first wife and earn all the extra privileges like parties and social gatherings. 


What can be so bad about living in a mansion anyway?  Rhine has her own domestics, servants, and attendants that will do whatever she needs them to do.  She even starts to fall for her own personal attendant, Gabriel.  This leads her to want to escape even more back to her brother and take Gabriel along on her so they can both live the rest of their short lives in freedom.  Rhine does get to know Linden and sees that he really has no idea that his father, Housemaster Vaughn, is the reason she is there and that it's against her will.  They grow closer and she starts to care for him as he cares for her, but she realizes that she wants freedom more.  Instead of all the fancy dresses, meals, parties, and riches- Rhine wants freedom.


Her older sister wife, Jenna, tries to cause distractions and help Rhine through her journey to escape.  She even steals a lighter from a servant and sets the curtains on fire, just so Rhine can see Gabriel and make sure he's ok. What a brave girl!  Cecily on the other hand, wants to be there.  She is young and doesn't really know what real freedom is and wants to please her new husband in every way possible.


This truly makes you stop and think while reading this. What if the world really did become like this? It would be a scary place to be, I know that. To have to watch your back all the time and try not to get kidnapped and sold would be horrible and terrifying. Not to mention losing your freedom and having to "please" a man you don't want to "please" but have to if you want to survive.


Rhine is such a sweet and polite character that is full of determination.  She is always friendly to the staff and never complains about anything, unlike Cecily.  She is always willing to help out her sister wives when they need her.  Rhine finds out a lot of hidden secrets in the mansion and what she finds out only makes her want to leave more.  She realizes that it isn't as safe and honest as Linden believes.  He truly is clueless in this book.  He doesn't know as much of what goes on around the mansion as what he thinks.  His father is dishonest to him and tells him lies or does something because its more convenient than for Linden to know the truth.  Basically, (and I apologize for saying this) his father is an ASS!


I really love the storyline, but was kinda hoping that it would have a different ending. I'm not gonna tell you what I was hoping for cause I don't want to give anything away.  Lauren really created a masterpiece with this book.  I was really drawn into the cast of characters and their situations they were put in.  I can't wait to see what happens next in Rhine's journey!

5 Stars

Just an Update

Just want to let anyone know who happens to read my blog that I haven't posted recently cause I have been sick...well not sick- lets just say ill cause it wasn't a cold or the flu .  I had to actually spend my Valentines Day evening in the hospital with an IV in my arm and had a catscan and other different stuff done. That was not fun!! I am feeling better now, so I am back to reading and will be posting a new review by the weekend:)  It will probably be of Wither by Lauren DeStefano which is the book I am currently reading.

Review: Timeless by Alexandra Monir

Title: Timeless
Author: Alexandra Monir
Release Date: January 11th 2011
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Source: Bought


Description from Goodreads:

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.

My Thoughts:

Michele Windsor and her mom, Marion are not only daughter and mother but are also like best friends.  She tells her mother everything from her song lyrics she writes to the dreams she has of a mystery guy that keeps appearing in her dreams.  They may come from a wealthy, high-class family in New York, but are perfectly happy with their simple way of life away from the well known family name.  It is just Marion and Michele and she is content that way.

  Michele is supposed to be picked up at school to go out to lunch with her mother, but Marion never shows.  A police man pulls in and tells Michele of the accident that took her mother's life.  Michele's world is turned upside down.  In her will, Marion stated that her daughter's new guardians will be her parents in New York.  So Michele has no choice but to move across the country to live with her grandparents, whom she has never met and live the life of the rich and famous.

  This is where the story gets addictive.  Michele is alone in her mother's old room (which also belonged to the previous Windsor daughters that resided in the house) trying to write lyrics that just wouldn't come to her since Marion's death.  She uses a magic skeleton key from her dreams that she now has in reality, thanks to her going through her mother's personal belongings, to open a locked drawer in which she finds an old journal.  When she opens it, she is soon transported back in time to 1910.  From then on, Michele is able to travel back in time to see the way life was back then and also meet her Windsor ancestors.  She also meets the boy she's been dreaming of her entire life.  They connect with each other instantly but how can they be together when they live 100 years apart.  Michele will try many ways to be with him but there could be consequences to her actions if she messes with the past.

  The cover is what attracted me to this book.  It is a beautiful cover.  If you look closely, you will see the skeleton key hanging as a necklace on the girl's neck.  The colors are very eye catching and soft which blend perfectly together.
 
  At the beginning of the story, I was already drawn in to the characters' lives.  I actually got emotional and teary-eyed when Michele found out about her mom's accident.  It was heart breaking to learn that she would no longer have her mother and would have to live with her grandparents.  She couldn't even continue to stay with her best friends and that having to start off brand new in a new place with a new school, she knew it wasn't gonna be easy but she moved anyway to start her new life.  It would have made it a little easier on her if she would have known that this new life would bring her the answers to a lot of unanswered questions.
 
  Michele is a strong character.  She tries to give up a future with her mystery guy when she learns the consequences of them being together.  She is also very brave.  She travels back in time not knowing what she is going to encounter when she gets there.
 
  Timeless is breath taking!  It is beautifully written with a unique and creative storyline.  There was a lot of thought put into the writing of the plot and the author's imagination took the story to somewhere I've never been while reading a book. 
 
  After reading the last page, you will be anticipating the sequel and counting down the months till the story can be continued.  If you like reading stories containing romance, family secrets, heart break, time travel, and love that will stand the test of time (literally), then this is definitely the book for you.

5 Stars

Thursday 13 (2)

The Thursday 13 is a weekly meme with a simple theme: each Thursday you blog a list of 13 things. What kind of things? Any kind! Just come up with a list theme and run with it. More information can be found here.

13 Books that are on my I Can't Wait To Read List: (it was hard to name just 13 of them)

You can click on the title to be taken to the Goodreads description of the book:)

1. Passion -  Lauren Kate

2. The Hidden - Jessica Verday

3. Ripple - Mandy Hubbard

4. Forever - Maggie Stiefvater

5. Wither - Lauren DeStefano

6. Entwined - Heather Dixon

7. Fins Are Forever - Tera Lynn Childs

8. Clarity - Kim Harrington

9. Original Sin - Lisa Desrochers

10. Entangled - Cat Clarke

11. Secrets and Shadows - Shannon Delany

12. A Touch Mortal - Leah Clifford

13. Wildefire - Karsten Knight

 

I'd love to hear your thoughts so feel free to leave comments and a link to your Thursday 13:)