Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Revoew - Sisterhood Everlasting (The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants #5) by Ann Brashares

Sisterhood Everlasting (The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, #5)Title: Sisterhood Everlasting
Author: Anne Brashares
Series: 5th (The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, The Second Summer of the Sisterhood, Girls in Pants, Forever in Blue)
Pages: 349
Published: June 14th 2011 by Random House 
ISBN: 9780385521222
Source: Personal
 






Description: Despite having jobs and men that they love, each knows that something is missing: the closeness that once sustained them. Carmen is a successful actress in New York, engaged to be married, but misses her friends. Lena finds solace in her art, teaching in Rhode Island, but still thinks of Kostos and the road she didn’t take. Bridget lives with her longtime boyfriend, Eric, in San Francisco, and though a part of her wants to settle down, a bigger part can’t seem to shed her old restlessness.  Then Tibby reaches out to bridge the distance, sending the others plane tickets for a reunion that they all breathlessly await. And indeed, it will change their lives forever—but in ways that none of them could ever have expected.

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Having read all 4 previous books in this series, I was excited to learn that there was a 5th book coming out.  And even more so when I learned that it was going to take place later.  I really wanted to see were the friends were in there adult lives.

I was both happy and sad to learn that they are exactly how I left them.  It seems 10 years hasn't done much for any of them.  They may be in different places, but it seems they haven't grown up any.  At first I wondered if that's how I would want people to see me.   But, no!  I would hope I am not the same person I was at 22.  A glimpse of her maybe, but not EXACTLY the same.    I think the only person who seemed to have changed at all was Tibby.   Lena hasn't moved on from Kostos, which has left her basically living in the past.   Carmen is still unsure of herself and her own self worth.  And Bridget frustrated to me to know end.  I can forgive the wandering tendencies.  But what she did was way beyond that.  

I was shocked at what happens in the story.  My gut reaction was this can not be how this happens.  I kept thinking there was something more to the story.  Some key point that the friends were missing.  I can not tell you how happy I was to learn that I was right.  I liked how despite what happens, it brings the friends back together.  I think for once they will be able to move forward and not forever stuck in the same place.  They all have a purpose now.  Plus, I think they are all were they need to be.

The first half of the book left me seriously doubting why I even picked it up.  The ending made up for it.  I'm still not sure though if I should have left the story were it ended after book 4.  But, it can be unread so it is what it is. 


 

Monday, July 30, 2012

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?


What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list. Click on the picture to be taken to Sheila at One Person's Journey Through A World of Books!
 
Read Last Week:
 
 
Insurgent (Divergent, #2)Souled
  • Insurgent by Veronica Roth
  • Souled by Diana Murdock
Currently Reading:

Seeds of Rebellion (Beyonders, #2)
  • Seeds of Rebellion by Brandon Mull

Up This Week:

The Far Out CafeCaribbean Romance
Far Out Cafe by Stuart Chambers
Caribbean Romance by Leigh  Morano




Sunday, July 29, 2012

In My Mailbox!

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Stacking The Shelves is all about the books we are adding to our shelves each week, sharing with you our excitement for our newest titles and maybe have you discover a new book in the process!  It's hosted by Tynga's Reviews!


In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren and she was inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie!



For Review:

Tempest's Fury (Jane True, #5)Caribbean Romance
Savage (Daughters of the Jaguar #1)House on Plunkett Street
  • Tempest's Fury by Nicole Peeler
  • Caribbean Romance by Leigh Morano   
  • Savage by Willow Rose
  • House of Plunkett Street by Lorena Bathey

Swapped:

Eye of the Tempest (Jane True, #4)Bloodrose (Nightshade, #3)
  • Eye of the Tempest by Nicole Peeler
  • Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer

Friday, July 27, 2012

EARLY REVIEW - Poison Princess (The Arcana Chronicles #1) by Kresley Cole

Poison Princess (The Arcana Chronicles, #1)Title: Poison Princess
Author: Kresley Cole
Series: 1st
Pages: 384
Published: October 2nd 2012 by Simon & Schuster 
ISBN: 9781442436640
Source:  Around The World Tours







Description: Sixteen-year-old Evie Greene thought her horrific apocalyptic hallucinations were a sign that she was slowly losing her mind. But when her visions come true, decimating the world around her and killing everyone she loves, Evie is forced to accept that she was seeing the future.  Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she turns to wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate, the gorgeous and dangerous Jackson Deveaux for help. As Jackson and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have got the same call and discover that Evie is not the only one with special powers. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and as the battle between good and evil intensifies, it is not always clear who is on which side…


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I was really looking forward to this book.  The cover caught me and the description reeled me in.  I'm always excited at the chance to read a book early, so I had high hoped for this one.

I think my main problem was this book is that half of it is completely unnecessary.  I can usually understand the back story when it has a purpose.  I "think" the purpose is to introduce us to Jackson and why he is such as unlikely character for Evie to team up with.  But, I just don't think we needed as much as we got.  When Evie's telling her story, she insists that she start at the beginning.  I think she went beyond that.  I almost decided to put the book down.  In honesty, I'm really glad I didn't.  The story gets significantly better after the apocalyptic event and when Jackson comes back to rescue Evie.

When Evie is forced to leave her home and face the unknown, we learn that the voices she been hearing all her life are actually real people.  And they are all special in more ways than one.  They are all directly connect to the tarot cards her grandmother religiously tried to teach her as a child.  I don't know much about Tarot cards, so I found this subject to be extremely fascinating.  We only meet 4 of the tarot's in this book, but that fact alone will drive me to read the rest of the series.  We also know about Death even though we never actually meet him.  I found grandma's prophecy about what Evie must do to be interesting.  Especially since some of these people representing the tarot's are going to end up being friends.

I liked Evie and Jackson a lot.  Their chemistry is really interesting.  Evie is the good girl.  She's miss popular, head cheerleader, you know the drill.  Jackson is the bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks.  It's completely stereotyped, but it really worked for these two.   I never disliked either one of them (will maybe Evie a little when she refused to leave the farm when Jackson came to tell her what was coming).

The tarot card aspect saved the story for me.  I don't think I've ever read about it in literature this way.  I've seen it mentioned when people go have their cards read, etc.  But, this was great.  Now that the beginning of the story has been told, I'm hoping the rest of the series will be much more interesting.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Review - Blue-Blooded Vamp (Sabina Kane, #5) by Jaye Wells

Blue-Blooded Vamp (Sabina Kane, #5)Title: Blue-Blooded Vamp
Author: Jaye Wells
Pages: 352
Published:  May 22nd 2012 by Orbit
ISBN:  9780316178457
Source: Publisher via Netgalley






Description: Sabina Kane is on the hunt. Her prey: Cain, the father of the vampire race and the one who murdered her family and her friends. Unfortunately, Cain is hunting Sabina, too.  The one man who holds the key to defeating Cain is, of course, Abel. A mage with secrets to spare and, hopefully, the power to match it. Unfortunately, for Sabina, he's in Rome and may not want to be found.  Sabina sets out for Italy with her friends, Giguhl and Adam Lazarus, to track down the only man who can get her the revenge she hungers for. But will he help her or oppose her? And just who is Abel, really? Worst of all, when Sabina figures out the goddess Lilith has a plan for her-she realizes this trip is getting deadlier by the minute. As they say: when in Rome-SURVIVE.


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I have to say it's nice to see the end of a series.  I no longer have to wait until the next book nor do I have to worry that the author is going to carry out a series to long.  I will miss Sabina, Adam, and the gang.  But, I'm more that satisfied with how this series ended.

Sabina really takes a pounding in this book.  In order to become The Chosen One, she must literally give up everything she isAnd while her friends are allowed to accompany her in the Underworld, she alone has to make the sacrifices.  The Sabina we met in book one would not have even considered any of the options she willingly endures throughout this book.  She truly embraces her destiny even when people walk away from her telling her there is no way that it can be done.

I liked the chain of events the happen though out this book.  I enjoyed how they have to track down Abel and the kink it throws into the story when we discover who he really is.  I liked the journey into and through the underworld.  I liked the mythological elements that were brought into the story.  I liked how each races occupies a space and how each one has a different feel.  I liked how the story ended even though I felt it lost a little bit of it's edge in that moment.  The only thing I could have done with out....mischief demon babies.  That was a bit much.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Review - Pitch (Death Day, #1) by Jillian Eaton

Pitch (Death Day, #1)Title: Pitch
Author: Jillian Eaton
Series: 1st 
Pages: Novella as Ebook only
Published: May 19th 2012 by Bay Horse 
ISBN: B0083XVMFS
Source: Author sent for honest review








Description: Sixteen-year-old Lola is a daredevil. She likes playing hooky, making out with bad boy Everett James, and stealing cars. The reason behind all of her rebellious antics? Because she can. But what can one girl do against a horde of murderous vampires?  Aided by her sometimes sober father, her best friend Travis, and Maximus, the mysterious stranger who appeared out of no where to save her life, Lola must accomplish what the rest of the human race has failed to do in the aftermath of the world wide massacre: survive.  But how do you survive when everything you know has been destroyed... and the one person you thought you could trust ends up being the most dangerous person of all?

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I wasn't sure about this book at first.  In the book world saturated with vampire books, I didn't find much that made this book stand out.  But, since it was short I kept reading.  I am so glad that I did!

I think the biggest thumbs up for this book is Lola.  She's a sassy lead female character.  She doesn't even bat an eye when she uses that against a vampire who is bent on killing her.  I think it saved her life.  She's fiercely loyal to her best friend and her father.  It may have been a lack of judgement to leave Travis at that house at first but I admired the fact that she went back for him.  I liked that she didn't trust Maximus.  It ok to admit you might be attracted to him, but I never felt it was an instant connection.  

There were a couple things about this book that stood out for me.  First, I thought it was interesting that Lola was bitten but it didn't turn her.  She could be tracked because of it though.  I think the drove the vampire crazy because Lola always seemed to outsmart her.   Second, I like the reasoning behind the complete attack on the town.  It intrigues me and makes me think there's a lot more to the story.  

So, another one of those books that really probably about a 3 1/2 rating, but I'll round up!   I liked it and look forward to the next one!.


 

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

When I'm Not Writing Frost Tour




Back in the day when being a published author was just another line on my bucket list, I used to daydream about what it’d be like and what I’d do, but I can’t remember thinking much beyond the actual holding-my-own-book-in-my-hand part. I guess I probably imagined that when they weren’t actually writing, authors sat around in their own personal libraries, wearing brown sweaters with patches on the elbows and sipping tea while they pondered Very Important Thoughts or read James Joyce or did something something equally intimidating.

 Truthfully, though, it’s nothing like that.

I quit my job last year to pursue my career as an author, so I now stay home and write full time. And by “write full time” I mean I spend most of my time answering emails, handling review requests, tracking down editors for my latest projects, writing blog posts, arranging guest posts or interviews, and a myriad of other mundane business aspects of being an independent author. It’s mostly very boring (but also very necessary). I do manage to squeeze some writing time in there, too!

When I’m not writing or doing a thousand writing-relating things, lately I’ve been completely engrossed in one of my other favorite activities—art. I spend a lot of time practicing my photography or making photo manipulations (like my book covers). I’ve even recently started drawing again. (You can check out my artist profile on deviantART here: http://werekat12.deviantart.com/gallery/)

I’m also an avid lover of games—video games, card games, and board games, particularly of the German strategy game variety, like Settlers of Catan. My husband and I like to get together with friends and spend long evenings intensely strategizing around someone’s kitchen table. Yes, we are total geeks.

The most predictable (and useful) thing I do when not writing? Reading! I’m always trying to keep up with what’s happening in the genres I write in (young adult and fantasy, mostly), as well as stay up to date with all my favorite authors’ new releases and any must-read books of the year. I also try to read five or six books on writing every year to continue to improve my craft. The TBR pile never seems to get any smaller, but that isn’t such a bad thing.

So—nix the visions of the personal library for my couch and a couple of lazy kitties, replace the brown sweater with pajamas and the tea with coffee and the Very Important Thoughts and James Joyce novel with a funny blog about cats or the latest young adult bestseller, and it’s about right. All in all, it’s not quite the glamorous life I might have expected, but I love it!


Frost cover.jpgIn the icy, monster-plagued world of the Frost, one wrong move and a person could end up dead—and Lia Weaver knows this better than anyone. After monsters kill her parents, she must keep the family farm running despite the freezing cold and threat of monster attacks or risk losing her siblings to reassignment by the village Elders. With dangers on all sides and failure just one wrong step away, she can’t afford to let her emotions lead her astray. So when her sister finds a fugitive bleeding to death in the forest—a young stranger named Gabe—Lia surprises herself and does the unthinkable.  She saves his life. Giving shelter to the fugitive could get her in trouble. The Elders have always described the advanced society of people beyond the Frost, the “Farthers,” as ruthless and cruel. But Lia is startled to find that Gabe is empathetic and intelligent…and handsome. She might even be falling in love with him.  But time is running out. The monsters from the forest circle the farm at night. The village leader is starting to ask questions. Farther soldiers are searching for Gabe. Lia must locate a secret organization called the Thorns to help Gabe escape to safety, but every move she makes puts her in more danger.  Is compassion—and love—worth the risk?

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Monday, July 23, 2012

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?


What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list. Click on the picture to be taken to Sheila at One Person's Journey Through A World of Books!
 
Read Last Week
 
Nyphron Rising (The Riyria Revelations, #3)Poison Princess (The Arcana Chronicles, #1)Kissing Shakespeare
  • NYPHRON RISING by Michael J. Sullivan
  • Poison Princess by Kresley Cole 
  • Kissing Shakespeare by Pamela Mingle

Currently Reading:

Insurgent (Divergent, #2)
  • Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Up This Week:


Seeds of Rebellion (Beyonders, #2)Souled
  • Seeds of Rebellion by Brandon Mull
  • Souled by Diana Murdock

 

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Stacking The Shelves

Stacking The Shelves is all about the books we are adding to our shelves each week, sharing with you our excitement for our newest titles and maybe have you discover a new book in the process!  It's hosted by Tynga's Reviews!


For Review:


Poison Princess (The Arcana Chronicles, #1)Anastasia Forever (Dreaming Anastasia, #3)
The Forsaken (The Forsaken, #1)Emerald Isle (A Fascination Island book)
  • Poison Princess by Kresley Cole (Around The World Tours)
  • Anastasia Forever by Joy Preble (Sourcebooks)
  • The Forsaken by Lisa M. Stasse (author provided)
  • Emerald Isle by Kate Hinderer (author provided)

Purchased:


RosesThe Russian Concubine

Roses by Leila Meacham (library sale - that makes sale #3!)
The Russian Concubine by Kate Furnivall (library sale)

Friday, July 20, 2012

Review - 15 Seconds by Andrew Gross + Giveaway

15 SecondsTitle: 15 Seconds
Author: Andrew Gross
Series: Stand Alone
Pages: 336
Published: July 10th 2012 by William Morrow
ISBN: 9780061655975
Source: Sent for arranged tour







 Descrption: Henry Steadman is a successful Florida plastic surgeon on his way to deliver a keynote address at a conference when his world falls apart. Stopped by the police for a minor traffic violation, the situation escalates and he is pulled from his vehicle, handcuffed, and told he is under arrest. Several other police cars arrive and the questioning turns scary, but after it subsides, and Henry is about to move on, the officer is suddenly killed in his car and there is only one suspect: the very person he was about to arrest not ten minutes before. Henry! When a second friend turns up dead, Henry realizes he's being elaborately framed. But in a chilling twist, the stakes grow even darker, and he is unable to go to the police to clear his name. 


 I Give This ....

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I thought it was interesting that when I featured this book in my mailbox post, nobody knew who Andrea Gross was.  Now, I understand that I'm primarily a young adult reviewer so my audience is likely not familiar with the genre that Andrew Gross writes.  But, this use to be my everyday reading until I branched out.  I'm very familiar with Andrew Gross although I've not read anything he's written on his own.  I wanted to see how his work stands without the name James Patterson attached to it.


I was impressed with how fast this book opened up.  Our lead character, Dr. Steadman, seems like a stand up guy.  He's trying hard to stay active in his daughter's life.  He does charity work (Doctors without Borders seems like an awesome program!).   But, when things progress from bad to worse, I began to wonder if there was something hidden in his past that would make somebody want to completely dismantle his life.  Nothing he did seemed to help the situation, yet I couldn't see how anything else he did would make it better in anyway.  


The culprit behind the entire setup was an interesting twist to the story.  I felt for the guy at first.  He went straight up the line and managed to gather a lot more information than even the police can do it seems.  I think the problem in the end was, he couldn't directly pin his problems on Dr. Steadman.  He just happened to be the first person he latched on to.  I think from this point on, he reached a new dimension of delusional.  It no longer was about revenge and what he thought was justice.  It was about destruction and righting the wrong he thought he had been dealt in life.  I was pleased to see there really were no skeletons in Dr. Steadman's closet.


The book is not as fast paced as I would have thought.  For a title of 15 seconds, I thought it would proceed forward at breakneck speed.  I think the title was more in reference to the car accident at the beginning and how this in turn effected the rest of the story.   Still, an impressive read for Mr. Gross.  I'm pleased to see an author step up from underneath James Patterson. 





I'm also happy to have a copy of 15 seconds up for giveaway!  All you have to do is enter the form below!   Open to US residents 13 and older.
 
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Thursday, July 19, 2012

Early ARC Review - Level 2 (The Memory Chronicles, #1) by Lenore Appelhans

Level 2 (The Memory Chronicles, #1)Title: Level 2
Author: Lenore Appelhans
Series: 1st
Pages: 288
Published:  January 15th 2013 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 9781442441859
Source: Around The World Tours







Description: Since her untimely death the day before her eighteenth birthday, Felicia Ward has been trapped in Level 2, a stark white afterlife located between our world and the next. Along with her fellow prisoners, Felicia passes the endless hours downloading memories and mourning what she’s lost—family, friends, and the boy she loved, Neil.  Then a girl in a neighboring chamber disappears, and nobody but Felicia seems to recall she existed in the first place. Something is obviously very wrong. When Julian—a dangerously charming guy Felicia knew in life—comes to offer Felicia a way out, she learns the truth: a rebellion is brewing to overthrow the Morati, the guardians of Level 2.  Felicia is reluctant to trust Julian, but then he promises what she wants the most—to be with Neil again—if only she’ll join the rebels. Suspended between Heaven and Earth, Felicia finds herself in the center of an age-old struggle between good and evil. As memories from her life come back to haunt her, and as the Morati hunt her down, Felicia will discover it’s not just her own redemption at stake… but the salvation of all mankind.


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I think I had this built up in my head as what might be the perfect book.  It's written by a fellow blogger who knows what the constant complaints are in young adult books.  My expectations were high, but I forgot the most important rule.  Not everyone can like it.  I struggled with my thoughts while reading it, for a few days after, and now while writing this review.  It's still a good book.  I just wasn't blow away by it.  And I really wanted to be.

I think what I liked most about this book is our lead character Felicia.  She's lead a very interesting life as the daughter of a US diplomat.  She's smart, friendly, and has traveled the world over. When we meet her she's already dead and we learn about her life through the memories she accesses in the pods of Level 2.  It was intense watching her life spiral out of control.  As we learn what really happened before she died, it's not wonder why she doesn't trust Julian when he shows up to rescue her from her mundane afterlife on Level 2.

I really enjoyed the flashbacks (or memories I guess) in this story.  But, I just did not get into the storyline that revolved around Level 2.  I came to concluded it was a sort of purgatory level.   People are forced to relieve their lives over and over, but nobody moves on.  I just didn't get this world of whitewashed room after room with nobody understanding what was really going on.  What the purpose was of having the people trapped in this level on how it got back at God.  Was Felicia the only one with the power to overthrow what the Morati was doing?  What made her so special, because she could remember and function longer before she had to plug in?

It was a fascinating concept that I really wanted to like.  I felt like I should like it.  But in the end, the book just didn't do it for me.  I think many will enjoy this though!  I might give the squeal a try. 
 

 

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Deleted Scene from Dreaming Anastasia by Joy Preble

I'm pleased to be a part of Sourcebooks Deleted Scenes Tour for the Dreaming Anastasia series by Joy Preble.  The following deleted scene is from book 1 Dreaming Anastasia. 


Dreaming Anastasia (Dreaming Anastasia, #1)

“It occurs after Anne and Ethan have found Professor Olensky murdered in his office. They are desperately trying to figure out what to do and being chased by Viktor's henchman Dimitri. And my initial impulse was that I very much wanted them to share their first kiss on that El train platform. It felt like the perfect moment -- the classic 'everything is going crazy and this is the person I've been running from but really he's exactly the right person for me' passionate kiss... followed by danger looming and breaking them apart.”

And then, we’re alone.
The wind’s whipping our hair and Ethan’s still holding my hand, our fingers lacing together. Neither of us says a word. The wind swirls a piece of newspaper around on the track and a couple of pigeons peck at the platform across the tracks, looking for bits of food.
“I’m sorry,” Ethan says as a twenty-something guy wearing an unzipped grey hoodie over his green scrubs plops himself down on the bench across the tracks and the pigeons, startled, fly off to search for other crumbs. He lets go of my hand and thrusts both his hands in his jacket pockets.
“You’re right. It is your battle. Probably as much as it is mine.” He blows out a breath.
“We were all so certain after the assassination that at any moment we could find a way to fulfill the prophecy. Get Anastasia back. Restore the Romanovs to power through her. But we didn’t. Ten years passed, then another ten. Then – well, it’s easier than you think for the years to slip by. Each time I though I’d found the girl who could do this, it turned out I was wrong. And each time, I think I just slipped a little farther from the person I used to be. The person who was so clear of his purpose. I never gave up, but I think I stopped trying as hard.”
Ethan stops. Looks down the track for a bit. There’s no train in sight. Across the way, a tall girl in a denim mini and black leggings joins scrub suit guy on his bench. She’s bobbing along to whatever is playing in her headphones. Everywhere I look, it seems, the world is going on like normal. Except I know it’s not.
Ethan’s gaze holds mine, his blue eyes so tired and sad that I feel like crying except I think I’ve used up my quota of tears today. “If Viktor’s betrayed us,” Ethan says, “it’s because I let him. Because I just stopped paying attention. And that part, I do have to bear alone.”
I’m not sure what to say to him. In fact, I’m pretty sure this is one of those times where I probably don’t need to say anything. But he’s standing there in such pain that I start talking.
“We’ll find her, Ethan,” I say, even though I’m not at all sure that’s ever really going to happen. “I mean, you found me, didn’t you?”
And then we just stand there. The wind dies down for a bit, although I can tell from the clouds that it’s going to pick up again soon. Underneath my feet I can feel a slight vibration. Far down the track, our train is coming. Ethan steps closer to me. My heart beats harder: thump, thump, hop in my chest.
I study his face. Those blue eyes. That shaggy chestnut hair all tousled from the wind. 
He’s going to kiss me. And I guess it should be weird or whatever. But it’s not. It’s just me and him – and okay, the two strangers across the way – and all the other stuff just sort of drops away. Because when you’re going to kiss someone – really kiss someone – it’s got to be just about that and not anything else.
And then he does. Kiss me, I mean.
He bends down a little, cause he’s taller, and presses his lips to mine. And it’s way better than the kiss on the forehead. And way, way better than the dream kiss since this time he’s just kissing me, not trying to suck the life out of me. His lips are warm and full and sweet, and they feel good against mine.
So I kiss him back.
 “I almost lost you, too,” Ethan whispers against my lips. His breath tickles and little sparks tingle their way down my spine. “Here, I’ve just found you, and I almost lost you.” We kiss some more. I reach up and wrap my arms around his neck. I rest one hand on his shoulder – right where he’s got that lion tattoo etched into his skin.
In novels, you always read phrases like ‘they kissed and time stood still.’ And until now, I’ve always thought what a load of crap that was. Cause even when I was making out with Adam Greene, time was marching right along.
And maybe it’s because Adam was a sort of slurpy kisser. And that’s why my mind kept wandering to images of Buster lapping water from his dish. 
Or maybe he just wasn’t the right one.
But right now, time is still. And Ethan’s lips, and his hands that are resting against the small of my back, are filling my head so completely there’s no room for anything else.
But then our train pulls up to the platform. The doors open, and I let Ethan take my hand and lead me inside. We settle into our seats as the train gives a lurch and starts up again, headed downtown. I’m sitting next to the window. Ethan’s looking at me like I’d always hope someone who’d just kissed me would look at me.
And then he’s not. Looking at me, that is.
Because he’s looking out the window beyond me. Back over, I realize as I turn my head, to the staircase that leads up the platform we just left. Watching as the familiar figure of Dimitri rushes into view, just as the train picks up speed and carries us away.
 
I've previously reviewed the first two books in the series...
 


Please come back August 28th for a guest post from Joy Preble, a giveaway for the entire series, and my review of Anastasia Forever!

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Review - The Unquiet by Jeannine Garsee

The UnquietTitle: The Unquiet
Author: Jeannine Garsee
Series: Stand Alone
Pages: 388
Published: July 17th 2012 by Bloomsbury 
ISBN: 9781599907239
Source: Publisher via Netgalley
 







Description: When Rinn Jacobs moves to a new town she hopes it will be a fresh start—a place where nobody knows about her past. At first, everything goes according to plan. She falls in with the popular girls at her new school and falls for the very cute boy-next-door Nate. But River Hills High School has a secret. The ghost of a girl who died back when Rinn’s mom was a student supposedly haunts a hallway. Rinn’s not sure she believes it, but when strange things start happening to her friends, Rinn decides there’s only one way to know for sure. She needs to ditch her bipolar meds and see what the voices are really trying to say…

I Give This ...
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I admit, I added this to my to read list with very little thought.  The cover seemed cool and the description was just enough to peek my interest.  I was thrilled when I was approved for review through Netgalley.

I wish I had read this sooner!  I was nothing like I expected.  Rinn is unlike any other lead character I've had the pleasure reading about.  For lack of a polite term, she's crazy.  As the book opens, we learn she's bipolar and currently heavily medicated.  We know something really bad happened previously and she needs a fresh start (and maybe a little bit of space).  I was completely engrossed in learning her story.  From her hallucinations to the role she really played in her grandmother's death.  


The psychology background in me honestly loved watching her as she went off her meds.  Her bipolar cycle was spot on.  Her lack of sleep, manic talking, and loss of time was just awesome.  I loved when her mother came in and she has torn a giant hole in the wall and hadn't realized it.  I think getting a first hand looks and what happened when she was off her medication showed how things spiraled out of control the first time.  It did an excellent job of showing both the manic episode along with the depressive episode.

I like a good ghost story as well.  This was one was crafted very nicely.  A ghost who haunts a specific hallway and pool.  I thought it was intriguing that those who had some sort of psychiatric medication could not see or hear the ghost.  I also liked the connection between Rinn, her mother, and the ghost.  It might have been convenient, but it worked with the story really well.  


I was really impressed with this book.  I will be looking for this author again!

  

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