Review: ARC of Sacrifice (Crave #2) by Laura Burns and Melinda Metz

Title: Sacrifice (Crave #2)
Authors: Laura J. Burns and Melinda Metz
Release Date: September 20th 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Source: ARC egalley from Simon & Schuster
Kindle edition: not lendable

My review for Crave can be found HERE


Goodreads Description:

Gabriel and Shay are convinced that they can make their relationship work. Knowing that Shay is half-vampire, Gabriel thinks that his coven will embrace her as one of their own, but instead they view her as an abomination, a thing that doesn’t belong in either world. And they want her dead. Now Gabriel must make the ultimate decision - watch his love be killed by his coven or defy the people closest to him, the people he has spent centuries with to save her.



Sacrifice starts where Crave left off.  Gabriel had brought Shay to his family and they don't welcome her into the family at all.  They see her as an abomination.  In his family's minds, they shouldn't exist and with Gabriel bringing Shay, that posed a threat of humans finding out about their existence. 

Shay is immediately taken in as a prisoner.  Being half-vampire, Shay won't survive in there without Gabriel's vampire blood.  She's weak and her hands are tied up.  Millie, Gabriel's sister vampire, comes in and unties her hands and then leaves to grab Shay a bottle of water.  While Millie is away, Shay finds her cell phone in her pocket and dials her best friend, Olivia.  She can't tell Olivia where she is or who she's with because she doesn't want to expose the vampires - not to mention that no one would believe her anyway and if they did come to rescue her, they might end up getting killed.  Little does she know, her cell phone is being tracked by Martin and he is gonna show up and cause trouble very soon.

As soon as I saw Sacrifice in my email, I knew right then that I was abandoning all my current reads to start Sacrifice.  I have been dying to read the sequel for almost a year.  Let me say this- I was not disappointed.

I love the way the authors switch between the viewpoints of Shay and Gabriel.  It makes it so much easier to understand what they are really feeling and what they are experiencing while they are apart from each other.  When they finally have the chance to be together, Shay finds out Gabriel's secret and leaves him.  The alternate views help the reader to really understand what is going through her thoughts and why she does what she does.  I, personally, don't agree with her decision though. I would have stayed with him after I found out the truth and would have forgave him instantly. 

The twists and turns throughout the story are unexpected.  I kept finding myself saying "What? You can't be serious!" and "Really?" every time something new came up.  You have to expect the unexpected in this story.

This is the type of book that you read in one day.  The action never stops and flows easily throughout the entire story. I was like a moth to a flame when it came to this book.  I picked it up at every free minute I had. I even stayed up till almost 2am to finish it, knowing I had to get up at 6am.  It was totally worth it!  I love this series.  I can't say enough great things about it.  Not only are the covers striking, but the plots are amazing, the emotions are intense, and the characters are inspirational.  Sacrifice doesn't leave us on a major cliffhanger so we're not left with questions at the end, but it was left with a possible opening for a third book.  If there is, I can't wait to read it!

GIVEAWAY! ARC of Hades by Alexandra Adornetto + Possible extra books

How would you like to read an ARC of Hades before it's released?  Well, one lucky winner is gonna get the chance.  But- that isn't all!  I am also gonna add books to the giveaway as we gain followers.  So here is how it works: 


I will start off with the ARC of Hades.  If we get to 140 followers, I will add an extra book to the giveaway.  For every 20 followers after that, I will add another book and so on until the deadline.  Extra books will be of my choosing.*

So, the rules are simple:


1.  You must follow Guilty Pleasures Reviews to enter. (this one is super easy!)
2.  You can enter only once. (extra entries can be earned closer towards the end of the month for more chances to win- but for now it is just one)
3.  This contest is open to the U.S. only ( I don't personally know how to ship out of  the U.S. and probably can't afford it)  Sorry!  If you are from another country and have an address that you can use here in the U.S. or someone who will ship for you- well, that is ok too. 
4.  After the winner is contacted,  he/she will have 48 hours to send me their address. (that is 2 whole days- surely that will be enough time)
5.  A winner will be chosen via random.org


Contest ends August 12th at 11:59pm (eastern time) so get your form filled out.

Just fill out the form located Here to enter

* The extra books will be of my choosing and they will be related to the YA genre. They may or may not be new,  some or all may be ARC's  (examples include and ARC of Linger by Maggie Stiefavater, ARC of Queen of the Dead by Stacey Kade)

I am not responsible for lost items during shipping.

It is up to y'all on how many books are given away.  This will be based on how well you can spread the word. (Tweet it... Blog it... tell your friends) 

Good luck!! 

New YA Releases this Week - July 11th

I just wanted to let y'all know about some of the new releases that come out this week.  There are so many amazing titles coming out that I was having trouble keeping track of them all.  Well, this is my list and I hope that you find something that you were waiting for!

Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris

 

Someone's been a very bad zombie.

Kate Grable is horrified to find out that the football coach has given the team steroids. Worse yet, the steroids are having an unexpected effect, turning hot gridiron hunks into mindless flesh-eating zombies. No one is safe--not her cute crush Aaron, not her dorky brother, Jonah . . . not even Kate!

She's got to find an antidote--before her entire high school ends up eating each other. So Kate, her best girlfriend, Rocky, and Aaron stage a frantic battle to save their town. . . and stay hormonally human.
 

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

 

The thrilling conclusion to #1 bestselling Shiver trilogy from Maggie Stiefvater

then.

When Sam met Grace, he was a wolf and she was a girl. Eventually he found a way to become a boy, and their love moved from a curious distance to the intense closeness of shared lives.

now.


That should have been the end of their story. But Grace was not meant to stay human. Now she is the wolf. And the wolves of Mercy Falls are about to be killed in one final, spectacular hunt.


forever.


Sam would do anything for Grace. But can one boy and one love really change a hostile, predatory world? The past, the present, and the future are about to collide in one pure moment - a moment of death or life, farewell or forever.


Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore 

Amy Goodnight's family is far from normal. She comes from a line of witches, but tries her best to stay far outside the family business. Her summer gig? Ranch-sitting for her aunt with her wacky but beautiful sister. Only the Goodnight Ranch is even less normal than it normally is. Bodies are being discovered, a ghost is on the prowl, and everywhere she turns, the hot neighbor cowboy is in her face.

Starstruck by Cyn Balog

  Gwendolyn "Dough" X doesn't think she has much going for her—she carries a few extra pounds, her family struggles with their small bakery in a town full of millionaires, and the other kids at her New Jersey high school don't seem to know that she exists. Thank the stars for her longtime boyfriend, Philip P. Wishman—or "Wish." He moved away to California three years ago, when they were 13, but then professed his love for her via e-mail, and he's been her long-distance BF ever since.

At the beginning of her junior year, though, Wish e-mails that he's moving back to Jersey. Great, right? Well, except that Dough has gained about 70 pounds since the last time Wish saw her, while Wish—according to his Facebook photos—has morphed into a blonde god. Convinced that she'll be headed for Dumpsville the minute Wish lays eyes on her, Dough delays their meeting as long as she possibly can.

But when she sees Wish at school, something amazing happens. He looks at Dough like she's just as gorgeous as he is. But Wish is acting a little weird, obsessed with the sun and freaked out by rain. And the creepy new guy working at the bakery, Christian, is convinced that there's more to Wish's good looks than just healthy eating and lots of sun. He tells Dough that a mark on Wish's neck marks him as a member of the Luminati—an ancient cult of astrologers who can manipulate the stars to improve their lives. Is Wish and Dough's love meant to be—or are they star-crossed?

Undercurrent: A Siren Novel by Tricia Rayburn

 After losing her sister and finding out who- or what- she really is, Vanessa returns home for her senior year. Everyone at Hawthorne Prep has questions about her tragic summer, but knowing who to open up to is impossible. As she walks the halls without Justine for the very first time, Vanessa has more to worry about than just making a new life for herself.

Because the sirens are out for revenge. To protect herself and the ones she loves, Vanessa must call on powers she believes she has but does not know how to use. To learn, she'll have to seek help from the only person who truly knows her. But first, she must admit the truth about her real identity.

Wildcat Fireflies: A Meridian Novel (Fensestra #2)  by Amber Kizer

Meridian Sozu is a Fenestra—the half-human, half-angel link between the living and the dead. She has the dark responsibility of helping souls transition safely into the afterlife. If people die without the help of a Fenestra, their souls are left vulnerable to be stolen by the Aternocti

Having recently lost her beloved Auntie—the woman who showed her what it meant to be a Fenestra—Meridian has hit the road with Tens, her love and sworn protector, in hopes of finding another Fenestra. Their search leads them to Indiana, where Juliet, a responsible and loving teenager, works tirelessly in the nursing home where she and several other foster kids are housed. Surrounded by death, Juliet struggles to make a loving home for the younger kids, and to protect them from the violent whims of their foster mother. But she is struggling against forces she can't understand . . . and even as she feels a pull toward the dying, their sickness seems to infect her, weighing her down. . . .

Will Meri and Tens find Juliet in time to save her from a life of misery and illness? And will Meri and Tens' own romance weather the storms of new discoveries
 
Dragon's Oath (House of Night Novellas, #1) by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
 
The first in an enthralling new mini-series of novellas from the #1 bestselling authors of the House of Night, Dragon's Oath tells the story behind the House of Night s formidable fencing instructor the love that will transform him, and the promise that will haunt him.

With almost 12 million books in print, the House of Night is an international publishing phenomenon that shows no sign of stopping! Now, for the first time, the Cast duo will share the back stories of some of the House of Night's most crucial and mysterious characters. And it all begins with Dragon s Oath. Before Zoey is Marked and arrives at the House of Night before she rises in power to confront utter darkness, and the House of Night is divided there's Dragon, and the dark choice that won t let him go.

Long before he's a professor at the House of Night with Zoey and the gang, in the early 19th century, Bryan Lankford is a troublesome, yet talented human teen. He thinks he can get away with anything until his father, a British nobleman, has finally had enough, and banishes him to America. When Bryan is Marked on the docks and given the choice between the London House of Night and the dragon-prowed ship to America, he chooses the Dragon and a new fate.


In 1830's St. Louis, the Gateway to the West, Dragon Lankford becomes a Sword Master, and soon realizes there are dangerous challenges and beautiful perks. Like Anastasia, the captivating young Professor of Spells and Rituals at the Tower Grove House of Night, who really should have nothing to do with a fledgling But when a dark power threatens, Dragon is caught in its focus. Though his uncanny fighting skills make him a powerful fledgling, is he strong enough to ward off this new darkness, while protecting Anastasia as well? Will his choices save her or destroy them all?

Once Every Never by Leslie Livingston

Clarinet Reid is a pretty typical teenager. On the surface. She’s smart, but a bit of slacker; outgoing, but just a little insecure; not exactly a mischief-maker… but trouble tends to find her wherever she goes. Also? She unwittingly carries a centuries-old Druid Blood Curse running through her veins.

Now, with a single thoughtless act, what started off as the Summer Vacation in Dullsville suddenly spirals into a deadly race to find a stolen artifact, avert an explosive catastrophe, save a Celtic warrior princess, right a dreadful wrong that happened centuries before Clare was even born, and if there’s still time—literally—maybe even get a date.


This is the kind of adventure that happens to a girl once every… never.

Dreams of Significant Girls by Cristina Garcia

Brought together each summer at a boarding school in Switzerland, three girls learn a lot more than just French and European culture. Shirin, an Iranian princess; Ingrid, a German-Canadian eccentric; and Vivien, a Cuban-Jewish New Yorker culinary phenom, are thrown into each other's lives when they become roommates.

This is a story of 3 paths slowly beginning to cross and merge as they spend the year apart, but the summers together. Through navigating the social-cultural shoals of the school, developing their adolescence, and learning the confusing and conflicting legacies of their families' past, Shirin, Ingrid, and Vivien form an unbreakable bond.


This story takes readers on a journey into the lives of very different girls and the bonds that keep them friends.

Sometimes It Happens by Lauren Barnholdt

On the last day of her junior year, Hannah's boyfriend Sebastian dumped her. Facing a summer of loneliness, Hannah turns to her best friend Ava for comfort. Ava does what BFFs do: she stays by Hannah's side...until it's time for Ava to head up to Maine for the summer. Also left behind is Ava's boyfriend, Noah, who's such a great guy he gets Hannah a job at the diner he waits tables at. Slowly, Hannah comes out of her funk thanks to Noah's good conversation and their fun times at the diner. But things get complicated when their friendship turns into attraction--and one night, into a passionate kiss.



The novel opens on the first day of senior year; the day Hannah is going to see Ava, Sebastian, and Noah all in one place. Over the course of the day secrets and betrayals are revealed, and alliances are broken and reformed. In the end, everyone is paired up once again, but not the way you might think...


There are so many to choose from.  Feel free to leave me a comment and let me know what you picked up:)   Happy Reading!!

Review: Shimmerspell (book 1) & Limerick (book 2) by Kimberly Spencer

Title: Shimmerspell - A Faerie Tale Girl Novella
Author: Kimberly Spencer
Release Date: April 8th 2011
Publisher: Enchanted Apple Publishing
Source: ebook copies from the author (Thanks Kimberly!!)
Kindle edition is now free on Amazon.


Goodreads Description:

When sixteen-year-old Jensen Meadows finds herself caught in the middle of an ancient faerie war, she soon learns that faeries aren't made of sparkly goodness. They're vicious. And worse, they're after her. With the help of Liam Casey, she delves into their world to find her missing sister and begins to suspect that her whole life has been nothing more than a faerie tale.


But maybe some truths should never be revealed...

My Thoughts on Shimmerspell:

Jensen's life is one big lie and she's about to learn the truth.

Jensen moves around a lot going from school to school since her sister, Lauren, is a con artist and also the one that is responsible for taking care of her.  They are constantly on the move so they don't get caught.  When Jensen makes friends with Zoe at her new school, she realizes that she doesn't want to leave when Lauren tells her that it's time to pack up and move again.  While at school, Jensen is trying to break into a classmate's locker and she starts feeling dizzy and starts seeing things in a whole new way.  She sees Liam, the hottest guy in her school, standing next to her but with her new sight, she notices that he has wings.  Jensen has no idea what is going on, who or what she really is, and that her life is about to change forever.  No one is who they claim to be and she has to figure out who she can trust or she could end up a dead girl walking.

This was a quick read for me.  I, at times, get a bit bored while reading short stories cause they tend to be rushed and leave out a lot of details, but this one had my attention the entire time.  I didn't feel like I was missing parts of the story or what was going on and I like that about Kimberly's writing.  I was never bored reading this story for it was fast paced, and something was always going on. 

The characters are really unique also.  We are introduced to a siren, banshees, elves, leprechauns, and merpeople.  The writing flowed easily while we the readers get a vivid picture in our heads of what's happening from Kimberly's descriptive wording.

When we think of faeries, most of us think of something that is cute and sweet like Tinkerbell.  Well, Kimberly shows us that faeries aren't at all like the cute little pixies we've come to know growing up, but mean and horrible creatures.

So overall, I totally recommend this book.  Once you start it, you'll be pulled into Jensen's mind and when it's over, you'll be begging for the sequel right away.  My only complaint is that I'd have liked a little more romance between Jensen and Liam, so I am hoping that progresses in the books to follow.  It's a unique twist on faeries with a bunch of betrayal, light humor, and even romance.  The twists at the end will leave you wanting more.

4 Stars

Title: Limerick: A Faerie Tale Girl Novella #2

Author: Kimberly Spencer

Release Date: June 30th 2011

Kindle edition is only .99

Goodreads Description:

Jensen hoped she’d never need Shimmerspell again, but now someone is stalking her, someone who claims to be the Lady of the Lake. To make matters worse, witches and dragons have come out to play. And Jensen must figure out how to harness her power and accept her destiny before she ends up losing everyone she loves.

My Thoughts on Limerick:

Limerick continues with Jensen, Zoe, Liam and others from the first title.  Jensen finds out more about herself and her friends.  She and Liam are together until she catches him with his ex, Shelby, and it devastates her.  We are introduced to dragons in the second installment and Jensen's secret is revealed to Zoe when she can't control her glamour and her faerie side shows who she really is.  How will Zoe react when she finds out and what will Jensen do when Zoe reveals a secret about herself?  

Limerick is just as good as Shimmerspell is.  I really dislike writing reviews on sequels cause I am always afraid that I might ruin something for someone, so I am just gonna say that it was really good also.   I like when Jensen is trying to control her new powers and starts using water to do it.  Zoe seems like a really great friend for Jensen too.  I love that she is there for Jensen when Lauren is no where to be found and she has to live with Dermott.  I dislike that he won't let her and Liam see each other though.  What gives him the right to finally come into her life and tell her that she can't see Liam.  That just seems to complicate things further for Jensen.  Her dad may be a wizard, but he was gone for 16 years of her life and I don't think that he should have a say on all the things going on in Jensen's life.  I really liked Luca, the dragon boy.  He always seemed to show up just at the right time to help Jensen. 

There is even more action and secrets revealed in the sequel so you won't be bored of this book.  Still plenty of romance, betrayal and even some dragon slaying and spell casting.  You can't go wrong with that.  Head over to Amazon or your favorite ebook seller and pick up a copy.  It is so worth it and I think that you'll agree with me that Kimberly Spencer is a new author to watch out for.  She is creative and her stories come to life as you read them.

4 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: Bad Taste in Boys

Author: Carrie Harris

Release Date: July 12th 2011

Goodreads Description:

Someone's been a very bad zombie.

Kate Grable is horrified to find out that the football coach has given the team steroids. Worse yet, the steroids are having an unexpected effect, turning hot gridiron hunks into mindless flesh-eating zombies. No one is safe--not her cute crush Aaron, not her dorky brother, Jonah . . . not even Kate!

She's got to find an antidote--before her entire high school ends up eating each other. So Kate, her best girlfriend, Rocky, and Aaron stage a frantic battle to save their town. . . and stay hormonally human.

I was first drawn to this because of the cover.  I really love the cover and how it looks a bit like a frost on her lips and you have no idea just by looking at the cover that it's about zombies.  It sounds really good.  I've only read a couple zombie books and so I am looking forward to this one since I wasn't too fond of the others. I am a vampire and werewolf kind of girl.   I really want to like zombie books too and so I'm hoping that this one will change my opinion on zombies.   

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;)  

ARC Review: Wildefire by Karsten Knight

Title: Wildefire
Author: Karsten Knight
Release Date: July 26th 2011
Source: ARC
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Kindle Lendable: No

Goodreads Description:

Every flame begins with a spark.


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.
 
My Thoughts:
 
I have been eagerly anticipating Wildefire for awhile now and when I was given the chance to read the ARC, I greedily grabbed at the chance.  I came into Wildefire with high expectations, not only because of the synopsis, but because the author, Karsten Knight, and his personality.  I was hoping that his personality would reflect into his story telling ability.
 
I was drawn in from the first page of Ash's story and am still left wanting more, even though I'm finished.
 
The story is original and well written.  Karsten was able to write the scenes so descriptively that I was able to picture the scenes in my mind as if I was actually there.  His personality really shines through to his characters' personalities.  Ash and her friends had me laughing, cringing, and even tearing up and covering my mouth as it was open in an "Oh no! How could that happen?" kind of moment. 
 
My favorite part was the ending.  I never saw it coming and it blew me away after I went back to the pages to see who that character was again.  I don't want to give anything away, but just make sure that you pay attention to all the characters named that way you don't have to go searching at the end saying "Wait, who was that again?" just like I did. 
 
At first, I just thought that Eve, Ash's sister, was a character who was just misunderstood and was only trying to be there for Ash when she was needed.  That just maybe things got a bit out of hand in the beginning, but while continuing their story, I realized she is just a cruel, psychotic girl who obviously needs to be dealt with properly before anyone else gets hurt.
 
The whole idea of Polynesian Gods and Goddesses is what drew me to continue reading.  It's a topic that I've never encountered before when choosing a book, so I wasn't positive whether I would enjoy it as much as I hoped to and if I would start reading and get lost in the adventures the characters were being put through.  Wildefire surpassed my expectations and now I will be eagerly awaiting the sequel, along with everyone else, I'm sure.  How can we not, with a cliffhanger like that?
 
I love when a story also contains romance.  Ash and Colt's romance isn't the "love at first sight" type of romance.  It feels a bit more real since they take their time getting to know each other and becoming friends first, then continue into a light romance.
 
So overall, I really enjoyed Wildefire.  It did have a bit of cussing and violence that might be inappropriate for the younger generation of teens, but as a whole, it's an adventure suitable for anyone mid teens and older.  I would have appreciated a  little more romance throughout the book since there wasn't as much as I like, but was still fulfilled with the remainder of the story and wasn't really even considering the lack of romance due to the other events that were going on.  The humorous banter between Ash and her friends had me laughing out loud.  The creatures that Karsten created had me cringing in fear for Ash and her friends, especially when we are first introduced to the Cloak.
 
Wildefire was a breath of fresh air  and was pure awesomeness that will leave you begging for more.  So if you are ready for a refreshing change instead of the paranormal that you usually read, pick this up because it is a fantastic read full of twists and turns that will have you on the edge of your seat till the end.  With Karsten's unique storyline and cast of characters,  I guarantee that you'll love it too! Karsten is a hot new author to watch out for and I will definitely be reading more of his work as it becomes available.
 
4.75 Stars
 

Review: Beauty's Beholder by Lori Clark

Title: Beauty's Beholder

Author: Lori Clark

Release Date: April 19th 2011

Publisher: FeedBrewer, Inc.

Source: Bought

Kindle/Nook Lendable: Yes and it's currently selling for only $2.99

Goodreads Description:

Sixteen- year-old Trinity is pretty sure life sucks and then you die. First her father leaves to be with his pregnant girlfriend. Then her mother runs off with her newly discovered soul mate. When she's busted for underage drinking, she's sent to live with her Grandma Sarah in the one-horse town of Disappointment Cove.

An expert at self-pity, Trinity is positive no one's problems are as enormous as hers until she meets Logan. He's the new boy at school who has been horribly disfigured. He's rude, arrogant and hard to figure out. Trinity has no idea what caused his scars or his attitude. And from the rumors going around, she's not sure she wants to know.

When the two of them are paired-up on an after school project, Trinity sees a compassionate side to Logan and realizes he isn't the person everyone thinks he is.

My Thoughts:

Trinity Alexander is living with her Grandma Sarah in Disappointment Cove, Missouri since she got in a bit of trouble at her other school and was sent to live there.  What she doesn't know is that this is when her life will change completely and for the better.

Logan Sharpe is the new boy in school that Trinity has been appointed to show around since they are both in the Outreach Program.  Even though she has only been at Disappointment Cove High School for three weeks, she agrees to the task.  She notices that he walks with a limp and also has burns on his body that he tries to hide with a hoodie.  Despite the scars, she still finds him handsome and even jealous of the girls competing for his attention.  Though Trinity has just met Logan, she is drawn to him- his caring side, his mood swings and even his secrets.

This book was amazing!  I was really addicted to this book while reading it.  The way the author describes the people, places, and events that occur, made me feel like I was really experiencing it myself.  I was pulled in from the first chapter and engrossed the whole way till the end.  I love it when a book makes such an impact that you catch yourself thinking about it days later.  That's what this story did for me.

Lori Clark is an author that I have never read before, so I had no idea what to expect when I started Beauty's Beholder. 

The characters of Trinity and Logan are incredible.  Trinity is the type of girl who doesn't hold back, and when she has something to say, she says it.  She has a tendency to put her foot in her mouth, especially when she is talking with Logan.  She is unique, smart, and a lover of animals and that is what makes her irresistible to Logan.  Logan is a real flirt when it comes to Trinity.  When she tries to talk to him about his past, his scars, or even his family life, he just gets all moody towards her.  He realizes that he does it and apologizes for it later, but he knows that he is gonna have to tell her the truth soon before she starts believing all the rumors going around school.  He has an amazing heart when it comes to taking care of all the animals at the shelter and he doesn't let his limp hold him back.  Their love of animals is something that they have in common and they grow from that into something pretty amazing.  I even loved the other characters.  Her BFF, Petrie, her Grandma Sarah (who is a pretty awesome Grandma, btw) and all the other characters  that make this story fulfilling. 

This story was very believable.  It could happen to anyone at anytime and that is what kept me reading.  I will definitely be reading more of Lori Clark's stories when they become available.  The writing was amazing as well as the romance, drama, and secrets.  If you haven't read this, I highly recommend that you do.  I guarantee that you'll love it too.

4 1/2 Stars

Review: Love and Fangs by Stephanie Blough

Title:  Love and Fangs
Author:  Stephanie Blough
Release Date:  March 9th 2011
Publisher:  Xlibris
Source:  Bought
Kindle and Nook Lendable:  Yes

Barnes and Noble Description:

Maddy was just a small town girl living in Cherry Rock, Tennessee. On the first day of her senior year in high school, she meets the mysterious Dylan and fate changes her life forever.

My Thoughts:

Maddy's life is about to take a new direction.  She is now a senior in high school.  When she gets there, she sees this gorgeous boy.  She's never seen him before and is instantly attracted to him.  They lock eyes and he comes over to talk to her.  His name is Dylan and he has just moved to Cherry Rock, TN from Montana.  He is a complete gentleman and even carried her bag to class and is constantly complimenting her.  How sweet is that!  They end up having every class together.  Is it a coincidence or is it fate?

Maddy is the new captain on the cheerleading team.  As she was watching the football players practice, she noticed Dylan and he was on the team.  Maddy has never been about putting boys above her school, until Dylan.  There is just something about him that she can't resist.  He's good looking, pale, cold, and extremely sweet.  Who could resist?

Later on in the week, there is a murder outside the woods at her school.  Maddy and her best friend, Amber, sneak out back to look for Dylan, who had just went outside to his car, to make sure he was ok.  It wasn't Dylan and he left a note for Maddy saying that he was fine.  A few weeks later, there is another murder.  Maddy and Amber go through the same door again and see the killer in the woods.  Soon Amber and her parents end up missing and Maddy can't help but blame herself.  If they had just stayed inside of the school, they wouldn't have seen the killer and became his next targets.  Even though Maddy is falling for Dylan, she can't help but think that this all started when his family came to town.  Is he who he says he is?  Will she be the next target on the killer's list?

I thought this was a really good book.  The writing needed a lot of editing, but I try to overlook that.  This is a debut novel from the author and as soon as I saw the cover and the name, I had to check it out.  The cover is a bit cheesy, but it's so cheesy that it caught my attention, lol.  "Love" would be romance and "Fangs" would obviously be vampires according to the cover picture and I am a sucker when it comes to YA vampire romance.

I love that the setting was here in TN.  Maddy lives about an hour from Nashville, so she's a country music lover like me.  She even gets to meet Kenny Chesney in the book.  How awesome that would be!! 

I found very little of the book to be believable.  Well, obviously we know the book is about vampires and we know those are fiction, but I'm talking about the storyline as a whole.  Maddy develops special powers, hears voices, and can see a ghost.  The story is also very choppy.  I felt that there was so much more the author could have delivered in the plot to make her story a little bit more entertaining and believable.  So many details seem to have been left out.  There is one scene where Dylan wants Maddy to go with him to a school dance and after she turns him down because they don't know each other very well, it is never mentioned again.  Stephanie could have wrote in about them going on dates, more activities outside of classes, and even just a little more detail, in general, of what the characters looked like and what they wore.  So basically, I think that it was just lacking a bit and could have used more storyline.  She really had the potential for a rating of 5 stars with the idea of her book if she just would have extended it a bit and made the reader feel like there wasn't anything missing. 

Overall, I overlooked most of the editing and enjoyed the story.  A little less than what I went in anticipating, but I was still so engrossed in it that I read it all in one sitting.  Love, fangs, special powers, and mystery are all apart of Stephanie's debut and if you can overlook a bit of editing mistakes, I think that you'll enjoy this too.

3 1/2 Stars

Follow Friday 4-29-11

Hi everyone! Welcome to all my new and old visitors. It's time for Follow my book blog Friday hosted by Parajunkee's View  I am running a bit late today because I wanted to watch the Royal Wedding on tv.

This week's question comes from Marla @ Starting the Next Chapter

Q. Keeping with the dystopian and apocalypse theme that seems to be running rampant on parajunkee.com, I have one very hard question for you: If you were stocking your bomb shelter, what books would you HAVE to include if you only had space for ten?

A. Well, I would think that I would have my Kindle with me.  I never leave home without it.  I even took it in the basement when we were under a  bunch of tornado warnings Wednesday night.  It never leaves my side.  With that being said, I think that there would still be electricity in the bomb shelter, like in the movie Blast From The Past but if not, I tried to come up with a list of only 10 (and just let me say- it was sooo hard trying to drop some of my all time favorites from my list) that I would put on my shelf.  My top 10 are as follows in no particular order:

1. Twilight - Stephenie Meyer
2. Evermore - Alyson Noel
3. The Dark Divine - Bree Despain
4. Evernight - Claudia Gray
5. Vampire Kisses: The Beginning - Ellen Schreiber (this is the book that contains the first 3 in the series)
6. Heavenly - Jennifer Laurens
7. Night World Book 1 - L.J. Smith (this is the book that contains the first 3 in the series)
8. Halo - Alexandra Adornetto
9. Shiver - Maggie Stiefvater
10. Hush, Hush - Becca Fitzpatrick

Some that I dropped off my list (even though I didn't want to)
1. My Blood Approves - Amanda Hocking
2. Vampire Academy - Richelle Mead
3. Low Red Moon - Ivy Devlin

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 ;)