The Twisted Window - Review

The Twisted Window

By: Lois Duncan

Published: August 28th 2012 by Open Road Young Readers (first published May 1st 1987)

184 pages

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

Goodreads description--The new guy at Tracy’s school is handsome, intense, and desperately needs her help—but there’s something about him that isn’t quite right.

High school junior Tracy Lloyd is unsure about the new guy in school. Brad Johnson is attractive, smart, and polite, but Tracy can’t help but feel he watches her too closely. Then one day Brad confides in Tracy a horrible secret: His little sister Mindy has been kidnapped by his stepfather, and he needs Tracy’s help to get her back. But even as Tracy commits to a plan to help her vulnerable new friend, details emerge that suggest nothing is what it seems.

Let me first say that Lois Duncan was the 2nd author that I read as a teenager where I knew I could enjoy anything she wrote. And I read many of her books, including the one she wrote about the murder of her own daughter. But I never did read The Twisted Window. Lois Duncan was the first author I read that really surprised me with almost every book. Some twists and turns. Some paranormal. Some mystery. Some relationships. Her books held just a little bit of everything in them.

As I’ve experienced with Lurlene McDaniel’s books (who happened the be the first author I read and decided I could read any of her work ever and love it), going back and reading the writing I loved so much as a teenager doesn’t quite have the same effect on me as it once did. I don’t think that diminishes either of these authors’ work at all. It just means that I’ve grown as a person and specifically as a reader.

All of that being said, I didn’t get surprised at all with The Twisted Window like I imagine I would have had I read this as a teenager. It was a quick read with only 184 pages, and yet I still found myself sucked into this story more than plenty of the other books I’ve started reading lately. Lois Duncan has the hooking-a-reader part down to a science. Throwing information out in just a way that forms specific questions in your head—questions that you cause you to keep reading until you can find or figure out the answers. It’s perfect.

So even though I wasn’t blown away or really surprised by The Twisted Window as an adult, I’m quite sure this would have been a different story had my teenage self been reading this story.

Heidi at Bunbury in the Stacks has a feature she does periodically called “You’re more than just a book to me,” (here's one such post) and well…Lois Duncan, to borrow from Heidi—you are more than just a book to me. Thanks for the wonderful books I read that grew and challenged me as a teenager that I can look back and reflect fondly on as an adult. And don’t worry, I’ll make sure my kids read your stuff too one day.

The Twisted Window gets 3 Stars. Have you read The Twisted Window? If so, what did you think?

Waiting on Hopeless

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Hopeless

By: Colleen Hoover

(Goodreads)

Goodreads description--Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies…

That’s what seventeen-year-old Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder: A guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she’s never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried. Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he’s nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn’t at all who he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life will change forever.

Dying to get my hands on this one! What are you waiting on? Let me know!

Top 10 Most Anticipated Books of 2013

Top 10 Tuesday is a post hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and this week's topic is Top 10 11 Most Anticipated Books of 2013.

1) The Indigo Spell (Bloodlines, # 3) by Richelle Mead – After the way The Golden Lily Ended, I’m very much looking forward to exploring The Indigo Spell. Can’t wait to see where these characters go.

2) Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices, # 3) by Cassandra Clare – Yep. Clockwork Prince was one of my 5 Star reads this year, so I’m about dying to know what’s going to happen between Tessa, Jem, and Will. Oh and to find out the story of Will’s sister.

3) Gameboard of the Gods (Age of X, # 1) by Richelle Mead – New series by Richelle Mead….oh yeah!!!!

4) Dare You To by Katie McGarry – With Pushing the Limits also getting a 5 Star rating from me this year, I’m more than anticipating Dare You To. After reading the first chapter, I’m already liking where Beth’s story seems to be going.

5) Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire – Oh yeah. Beautiful Disaster was a beautiful train wreck that you just couldn’t look away from. Why not come back for me?

6) Fragments by Dan Wells – Partials was a pleasant surprise for me. I have read a good bit of dystopian and post-apocalyptic over the past few years, but this was my first experience with “robots.” I really enjoyed it and can’t wait for the next installment.

7) Inferno (The Chronicles of Nick, # 4) by Sherrilyn Kenyon – Ok so I haven’t read book 3 yet, but I’m getting there.

8) Hopeless by Colleen Hooever – Slammed and Point of Retreat both got extremely high ratings from me. I loved Will and Layken, and I’m looking for some more of the same high intensity, strong emotional connections from Colleen Hoover.

9) Bloodlines # 4 by Richelle Mead - Which is currently untitled and without a cover, but that doesn’t mean I’m not anticipating it more than 90% of other books set to be released in 2013.

10) Daughter of Smoke & Bone # 3 by Laini Taylor– Also currently untitled and without a cover, and I haven’t even read Days of Blood and Starlight yet. But it doesn’t matter. This one will be read!!!!

11) Divergent # 3 by Veronica Roth – Also currently untitled and without a cover. Must have…as…soon….as….possible!

(Can we just note that perhaps my lists need to be Top 11 Tuesday from now on since I obviously can’t keep my list narrowed down to 10? My goodness, what’s wrong with me? Rebellion. It runs through my veins.)

And that ladies and gentlemen is my Top *clears throat* 11 Most Anticipated Books of 2013. What about you? Which books are you anticipating for next year? Let me know!

Undeadly - Review

Undeadly (The Reaper Diaries, # 1)

By: Michele Vail

Expected Publication: November 20th 2012 by Harlequin Teen

272 pages

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

Goodreads description--The day I turned 16, my boyfriend-to-be died. I brought him back to life. Then things got a little weird...

Molly Bartolucci wants to blend in, date hottie Rick and keep her zombie-raising abilities on the down-low. Then the god Anubis chooses her to become a reaper-and she accidentally undoes the work of another reaper, Rath. Within days, she’s shipped off to the Nekyia Academy, an elite school that trains the best necromancers in the world. And her personal reaping tutor? Rath. Who seems to hate her guts.

Rath will be watching closely to be sure she completes her first assignment-reaping Rick, the boy who should have died. The boy she still wants to be with. To make matters worse, students at the academy start turning up catatonic, and accusations fly-against Molly. The only way out of this mess? To go through hell. Literally.

I had a hard time getting into Undeadly. I didn’t particularly enjoy the narration. Molly speaks in “today's” lingo which I don’t particular enjoy, using words like “whatevs” and “squee” (Where did this "squee" word come from? I’ve been seeing it pop up in several books lately and I HATE it! Someone please enlighten me!)—there are others, I’m just too lazy to search for them right now. Anyway. It’s a small peeve of mine when books use popular language of the day and when they name drop brands, TV shows, and such (which was also in Undeadly) because I feel like these books will never be considered classics. They will be forever dated. And with how fast things change (language, TV shows, technology, etc), this is just something that I don’t enjoy when it comes to reading. I’m sure there are some out there that love this. I do not. It’s a matter of opinion.

I guess I was probably 20-30% through the book by the time I got into it. Aside from the narration that was bothering me, there was a lot about the world building that I wasn’t thrilled about. Trying to keep the different gifts that necros have separate in my mind and remember what each one was turned out to be impossible. It was one of the things I just skipped over. Maybe a bit more repetition in the breakdown of what gift goes with which name would help the reader remember.

Also, there are plenty books out there where vampires are known and accepted in society, but I was having a harder time buying the rampant zombies and zombie making being so culturally acceptable. I didn’t dwell on that too much though. Keep in mind, these aren't crazy-eat-your-flesh-kind-of-zombies, though they will do that too. So if you're looking for a typical, post-apocalyptic zombie kind of book, this isn't it.

Once the story got going with Molly and Rick, I was much happier to move along at a better speed. And then Rath of course was an intriguing character. As I said in my review of The Raven Boys, I think Undeadly suffered from SOANS (Start of a New Series) syndrome. And also like I said with The Raven Boys, I usually enjoy the first book in a series very much, but this one had so much world building that needed establishing that it took away from the flow of the story some.

When I finished Undeadly, I was mildly interested in knowing what happens next, but I’m not 100% sure that I’ll follow through and read the others in the series once they release. I just can’t say for sure. I feel like once again this review has come off more negative then I intended it to. It’s just easier to point out the flaws when it’s a middle of the road read than the things you semi-liked. That being said, Undeadly gets 3 stars from me.

Have you read Undeadly? If so, what did you think? Let me know!

In My Mailbox - 30 & Sunday Post - 21

In My Mailbox is a weekly post hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren where bloggers can discuss the books we got in the mail this week.

I've successfully made it through one week without receiving any new books. It wasn't really done on purpose. I have been a wee bit stressed out with my TBR pile that's actually in my possession. But, I didn't intentionally not get any books this week. Either way, I'm satisfied.

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ The Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~this meme was inspired in part by ~ In My Mailbox~ It's a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

Because I already participate in the In My Mailbox meme (above), I'm just going to use this one as way to recap my week.

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of Covet (The Clann, # 2) by Melissa Darnell (4 Stars)

Tuesday: Top 10 Books/Authors I'm Thankful For

Wednesday: Waiting on Walking Disaster

Thursday: Review of Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst (5 Stars)

Friday: I'm participating in the Black Friday Book Bonanza Blog Hop Giveaway. Giveaway ends tonight at midnight. Be sure to enter for a chance to win a $15.00 Amazon or Barnes & Noble Gift Card.

Between being off work for two days, traveling and spending time with family I don't get to see enough, great food, good music, decorating for Christmas, cleaning for a party I'm having next week, and the blog...this has been one great week. Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays (really Halloween all the way through New Years), and this year was no different. I got to see my Nanny and Papa and other family. Also, I don't do Black Friday shopping in the traditional sense, but I did get my entire side of the family bought for from the comfort of my couch and laptop, only my husband's side of the family left to buy for--they're slow with their wish lists.

And one of the most surprising things this week has been the participating in my Black Friday Book Bonanza Blog Hop Giveaway. I can't believe I've never participated in a Blog Hop Giveaway before now and after seeing the participation, I'll definitely have my radar out for more of them to come. Thank you guys so much for participating, for following, for commenting. You guys rock!!!

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of Undeadly by Michele Vail

Tuesday: Top 10 Most Anticipated Books of 2013

Wednesday: Waiting on Wednesday

Thursday: Review of Twisted Window by Lois Duncan

Friday: I'm debating on participating in Feature & Follow. What do you guys think? Would that be too much? Does anyone participate in that one? Any thoughts on it? Let me know!

That's it for my mailbox and recaps of my past and upcoming week. What did you get in your mailbox this week? Any bookish news you want to talk about? Let me know!

Black Friday Book Bonanza Giveaway

The Black Friday Book Bonanza Blog Hop is hosted by Heather from Book Savvy Babe, Jenn from The Bawdy Book Blog, and Lisa from Alive on the Shelves. This giveaway runs from 12:01 am Friday, November 23rd through midnight Sunday, November 25th.

I'm offering a $15 Amazon or Barnes & Noble Giftcard to one luck winner. I thought about picking a specific book or a set of books to choose from, but then it might be a better gift to offer someone a chance to pick out whatever books they might want. I know my TBR list ranges from new release, not yet released, and even some that have been published for quite some time.

Be sure to check out the linky to see what other sites are offering giveaways and be sure to enter those as well!

Happy holidays and happy Black Friday! I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Giveaway is only open to US Residents.

Please refer to my Giveaway Policy for additional rules.

And thanks for participating!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Made to Crave - Review

Made to Crave: Satisfying Your Deepest Desire with God, Not Food

By: Lysa TerKeurst

Published: January 22nd 2011 by Zondervan (first published December 15th 2010)

218 pages

Source: Personal Library

( Goodreads | Amazon )

Goodreads description--According to bestselling author Lysa TerKeurst, craving isn't a bad thing, but we must realize God created us to crave so we'd ultimately desire more of Him in our lives. Many of us have misplaced that craving, overindulging in physical pleasures instead of lasting spiritual satisfaction. For a woman struggling with unhealthy eating habits, Made to Crave will equip her to:

* Break the 'I'll start again Monday cycle' and start feeling good about herself today

* Stop beating herself up over the numbers on the scale and make peace with the body you've been given

* Discover how weight loss struggles aren't a curse but, rather, a blessing in the making

* Replace justifications that lead to diet failure with empowering go-to scripts that lead to victory

* Eat healthy without feeling deprived

* Reach a healthy weight goal while growing closer to God through the process

Made to Crave session titles include: Session 1: From Deprivation to Empowerment Session 2: From Desperation to Determination Session 3: From Guilt to Peace Session 4: From Triggers to Truth Session 5: From Permissible to Beneficial Session 6: From Consumed to Courageous Bonus Session: Moving the Mountain The Made to Crave DVD is designed for use with the Made to Crave Participant's Guide.

Wow, just wow. This book is something special. Just know that this review will not do this book justice.

When I read self-help books (I categorize anything that makes me work on myself to grow and become a better me as self-help), I’m always faced with whether or not I’m going to put the things I read and learn about into practice in my life. And I’ve found that working on myself is not easy. I’ve been on this earth for 26 years and I’ve developed quite a lot of habits in that time. Habits as we all know can be extremely difficult to break. And while I’ve been on a journey to a healthier me that has had highs and lows since 2007, I’ve made progress, lost weight, gotten to a place where all of my numbers (blood sugar, cholesterol, iron, etc) looked great, then gained the weight back plus some, then started the process all over again. I’m not to my goal yet, but this process is never quick, and it’s never easy. And food habits that have been developing for several years have been the major cause of me not reaching reaching my goal.

But this book, Made to Crave, was a real eye opener for me. In all of the years of my journey, I’ve never handed this problem over to God. I’ve prayed about it (some), but I’ve never taken it to the level that Lysa TerKeurst takes it to in this book. Many people avoid anything to do with religion and God these days, but she points out that studies show that willpower alone is not enough to win this battle. And some people will read this book and feel like she’s taken this idea of handing our addictions to food over to God too far. But for me, that’s just not possible.

When I first started Made to Crave, I was in a place where my “want to” had taken a leave of absence. After 10 months of exercising at least 5 days a week consistently and seeing little to no results, I found myself in a place where I just didn’t want to try anymore. But my problem with this journey has always been food. I’ve always been willing to work out as much as necessary, but I want to eat whatever I want. Most experts that I’ve read (Chalene Johnson, Jillian Michaels, etc) will tell you than 80% of weight loss comes from healthy food choices and 20% comes from exercise. Despite intellectually knowing this fact, I still pursue the foods that I crave and hope to work them all off with exercise.

But as I said before, Lysa TerKeurst takes this food thing to a whole new level—a spiritual level. She gave me hope that my “want to” can be fixed again, but I’ll need some help on my journey. This is one of those books that has so much in it that I know I’m going to have to give it a re-read—possibly several re-reads. I cannot even begin to express to you how much this book has changed my thinking on food and the way I approach food.

If you struggle with healthy food choices and you need help on your journey to a healthier you, I highly recommend this read to you. Be forewarned, this book focuses on your spiritual relationship with God as a means to conquering your food addictions. This is a spiritually journey just as much as, if not more than, a physical one. Lysa TerKeurst brought a whole new way of thinking to light for me that I will never be able to forget. Now that I know how much my relationship with food reflects my relationship with my Abba Father, I can’t continue to live life ignorant of this. Made to Crave is not going to be the book for everyone, but it’s definitely one for me.

5 stars for Made to Crave. Have you read Made to Crave? If so, what did you think? Let me know!

Waiting on Walking Disaster

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Walking Disaster (Beautiful, # 2)

By: Jamie McGuire

Expected Publication: April 16th 2013 by Atria Books

448 pages

( Goodreads | Amazon )

Goodreads description--Beautiful Disaster told in Travis point of view.

How much is too much to love?

Travis Maddox learned two things from his mother before she died: Love hard. Fight harder.

In Walking Disaster, the life of Travis is full of fast women, underground gambling, and violence. Just when he thought he was invincible, Abby Abernathy brings him to his knees.

Every story has two sides. In Jamie McGuire's New York Times bestseller Beautiful Disaster Abby had her say. Now it's time to see the story through Travis's eyes.

Ok, seriously I don't want to read every book from both perspectives. That would get old really quickly. BUT, there are a few I'd be all over. This is one. If Stephenie Meyer would ever finish Midnight Sun that'd be another one.

That's what I'm waiting on. What about you guys? Let me know!

Top 10 Books/Authors I'm Thankful For

Top 10 Tuesday is a post hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and this week's topic is Top Ten Books/Authors I'm Thankful For.

I'm loving this topic! I've definitely been in a spirit of thankfulness lately. I've been posting one thing each day (as many others have) that I'm thankful for on FB, but I'm also reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp which focuses on thankfulness. It's been really good for me, so I'm glad I have an opportunity to let this spill over onto the blog.

1) Twilight by Stephenie Meyer - This series re-sparked my love for reading. There are a lot of anti-Twilight people out there. I won't begin to try to convince them that they should love it as much as I do, but I won't be ashamed for loving it either. Thank you Stephenie Meyer for this series, for sparking my passion again--and not just for me, but for so many other new readers out there as well. Thanks to fellow blogger and my sister-in-law, Holly @ Words Fueled by Love for telling me to read this series and for loaning me this book for the first time.

2) Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen - I love this book for so many reasons. It's one of the first stories I read that I came away proud to be female because of how strong Elizabeth Bennet was. Jane Austen also wrote during a time period when female authors weren't in abundance. Thank you to Jane Austen for pursuing her passion and creating some characters that I love to read about over and over and over again.

3) The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan - I fell in love with Carrie Ryan's writing with The Forest of Hands and Teeth, but The Dead-Tossed Waves really blew me away. Being a rules follower myself, I totally connected with Gabry and her fear. Carrie Ryan's writing style is still probably my favorite single style ever. Thank you, Carrie Ryan. Also, thanks to husband for picking The Forest of Hands and Teeth out for me to read in the book store one day.

4) Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater - Maggie Stiefvater has a unique writing style as well. It's so lyrical. And despite not being the biggest poetry fan in the world, she makes me wish I read more poetry. I also fell in love with these characters...Sam and Grace, Cole St. Clair, Isabel. Great characters and an original twist on werewovles. Thank you Maggie Stiefvater.

5) Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead - Richelle Mead has such a talent at storytelling. She knows her entire story from beginning to end before she begins and every piece ties in to each other perfectly. It's more than the events that take place that she's pieced together perfectly, it's the emotions that motivate the characters' actions that are perfectly placed and move the story from one moment to the next as well. Thank you Richelle Mead. Thanks again to Holly for loaning me this book and getting me hooked on this series and Richelle Mead.

6) Harry Potter by JK Rowling - If Richelle Mead has the ability to tie all pieces of a story together and plot the beginning of a story to the end perfectly, JK Rowling is the master. I'd watched the movies and really enjoyed the series, but for some reason, I never actually thought to read these books until a friend told me about JK Rowling's talent in tying everything together so well. So I checked them out. Thank you JK Rowling for never letting Harry go. And thank you Lacy for facilitating my new addiction into the wizarding world of Harry Potter.

7) Stephanie Plum by Janet Evanovich - This series has made me laugh more than any other series that I've ever read. And I can never be too thankful for laughter. Janet Evanovich has something special with this series and these hilarious characters. Thank you Janet Evanovich. And thank you to my sister, Melissa, for insisting that I listen to this on audiobook. Thank you also to Lorelei King for reading these characters in the audiobooks so well.

8) Lurlene McDaniel - I've read so many Lurlene McDaniel books that I don't even know how to bring this down to one book or series. Six Months to Live and The Angels Trilogy are some of my favorites. But I started reading Lurlene McDaniel around 10 years old and I completely loved her books, seeking out any and every book I could find by her. Thank you Lurlene McDaniel for being at the beginning of it all for me. Thank you again to my sister for reading these first, and thank you to Mrs. Godwin for having these in her classroom library for me to devour.

9) Lois Duncan - Lois Duncan was the 2nd author I came across that I felt confident that I would love anything she wrote. I read her books around the age of 13 and they were my first experience with the paranormal. I learned about ESP and astral projection from Lois Duncan. Thank you Lois for opening new doors for me.

10) Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry - This book blew me away. I loved these characters and their stories. And I'm so looking forward to the next book. Thank you Katie McGarry. Pushing the Limits came at a time when I getting really frustrated with the YA genre and Pushing the Limits totally redeemed the genre for me when I needed it the most. Also, thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Teen for allowing me to read this one.

And I'm sorry, but I can't end this list without this last author and book.

11) Slammed by Colleen Hoover - Slammed and Point of Retreat both blew me away. This was another book that I completely loved and connected with these characters. I couldn't put either of these down. Colleen Hoover showcased such emotion in these two books and I can't wait to read her new stand alone book, Hopeless, as soon as I can get my hands on it. Thank you Colleen Hoover. You also redeemed the YA genre for me. And thank you again to NetGalley for allowing me access to these books!

Ultimate thanks goes to the original Author, the Finisher of my faith, my heavenly Father. All thanks goes to Him!

So that's my Top 10 11 Books/Authors I'm Thankful For. Truly there are so many more authors and books that should receive thanks for existing and pressing on through the struggles to make it to print. And thanks to the publishers and everyone who had faith in these stories and authors to bring them to the public. What books/authors are you thankful for? Let me know!

Covet - Review

Covet (The Clann, # 2)

By: Melissa Darnell

Published: September 25th 2012 by HarlequinTeen

488 pages

Source: Publisher via NetGalley

( Goodreads | Amazon )

Goodreads description--Dangerous to be together. Painful to be apart. Savannah Colbert knows she broke up with Tristan Coleman for the right reasons. Most of all, to keep from killing him with her new vampire abilities. But try telling her heart. Now, lost in a sea of hostile Clann faces, Sav tries to come to terms with what she's becoming and what that means for her future. And that someone is doing their best to bully her into making a terrible mistake.

Tristan can't believe Sav won't even talk to him. If being apart is her decision, fine. Just don't expect him to honor it. But even as he prepares to fight for the girl he loves, forces beyond their control take them both in directions neither could have foreseen or prepared for.

A reckoning is coming…and not everyone will survive.

After reading Crave, I have to honestly say that I just wasn’t looking forward to reading Covet. It wasn’t that I thought Crave was bad (you can read my review of it here), I just didn’t think it was overly good either. There was nothing too much about Crave that left me feeling like I needed (or even wanted) to know what happens to Savannah and Tristan next. But, since I requested Covet from NetGalley, I felt a responsibility to read and review it. And so I trudged forth.

And I’m glad I did. Covet was infinitely better than Crave in my opinion. Even from the very beginning of the book, the action and emotion felt more heightened to me. And I generally felt like the writing and plot was better as well. In Crave, nothing really surprised me, there seemed to be quite a bit of angst and some whining. And while you’d think with how Crave ended (with Savannah promising the vampire Council that she would break up with Tristan) along with the beginning events of Covet that there would be even more whining and angst. And while both were present, I didn’t feel like either were overdone or dwelt upon for too long. There was just enough of both for the story to be believable, but not so much that it ruined the story or the characters for me.

I thought the split in the narration between Savannah and Tristan in Covet was smart. In Crave, Savannah and Tristan swap off quite frequently with no one character narrating for any lengthy period of time. That was different in Covet and for me it gave a stronger feeling of the other character being “absent.” Savannah narrates a large portion of the first half of the book, while Tristan narrates a large portion of the last half of the book. It allowed the story to be told properly in both plot and emotion.

I did feel like there was some major Twilight-ish moments in this book, and I hate to say that Twilight was the inspiration because I just don’t know that for sure. But some of the aspects just felt way too familiar. As a side note, I wonder if so many repeat books with such similar aspects is part of why readers have read Twilight, loved it, and then later have found that they don’t like it as much anymore. I can see how other books repeating the themes and aspects of Twilight might lower one’s opinion of Twilight itself. But back to the story at hand.

As for unexpected plot twists, I pretty much saw everything coming in this book. There was one small piece of a twist that I missed, but it wasn’t enough to really throw me for a loop or anything like that. However, I didn’t feel like the story was lacking too much from not having any surprises. I’m not really sure how I feel about the ending, which has led to me not being entirely excited about book 3, Consume. But since I wasn’t thrilled about reading Covet and it turned out to be much better than I expected, I’ll definitely check out Consume once it’s released.

Overall, Covet was a pleasant, surprisingly enjoyable read that I feel comfortable giving 4 Stars. Have you read Covet? If so, what did you think? Let me know!

Why I Love YA...

So....Beth Revis is hosting a MASSIVE giveaway! She's giving away 50 (count them....50) SIGNED books! WHAT? Who's heard of such a thing? Here are the books she's giving away...

And....here is where you go to enter! The giveaway runs for the month of November, but there will only be one winner!

So...I've got to attempt to explain why I love YA now.

You know, I've seen several people do a post about why they love YA in the past, and I've just never stopped to take the time to put it into words for myself. But here goes.

1) The YA genre deals with a time period that is so...awkward for most of us. Teenage years are years of change. Your body does all kinds of weird things, your emotions (especially for females) are on high alert. You feel like no one else in the world gets you, sometimes even your friends. The grass always seems greener on the other side and you're usually so unsure of yourself. Or at least...that's a bit of how my experience was. There were several things I felt confident in myself about, but I also lacked self-esteem in other areas. I've said all of that to say that the YA genre can go in so many directions and deal with so many topics. And since we've all been through those teen years (or might be still going through them for some YA readers), we can all relate.

2) Most teens develope intense crushes and even fall in love for the first time and so the YA genre gets to cover first loves and crushes that aren't quite love as well. I'm a huge girly-girl when it comes to love. I love love. :) And reading about it. And the YA genre allows me to relive falling in love for the first time over and over and over again. And even though most of us have several Mr. Wrongs under our belt before we meet Mr. Right, the fresh feeling of new love is something I want to experience often...and so I do.

3) Studies (and I'm too lazy to research them right now) have shown that the cloud nine feelings you feel at the beginning of a new relationship wear off over time. I think I've seen about 2 years to be a mark for that (don't quote me on that) in a lot of cases. So reading about other people falling in love allows me to continue to experience that feeling even when my own relationship with my husband has progressed past that stage.

4) Add to the almost unlimited options of storyline for this age group and the feelings of falling in love all over again, when you throw in a paranormal, supernatural, dystopian, or post-apocalyptic twist, you've got for real unlimited amounts of possible storylines.

The YA genre is not without it's faults and I've struggled with it at times, but with any true love, you work past the faults of what (who) you love knowing that you have faults of your own.

And maybe as a PS, I'd say that like any book that takes you on a journey to new places and new ways of thinking, YA allows me to relive my own teenage years time and time again but with a completely different outcome each time. Sometimes I'm the cool, hot girl. Sometimes I'm the nerd. Sometimes I'm the outcast. Sometimes I date the gorgeous football player. Sometimes I don't date at all. Sometimes I move to live with my dad and fall in love with a sparkly vampire who originally wanted to drain my body of it's life source. Sometimes I get to fight demons. Sometimes I run from zombies. Sometimes I find out that my parents have lied to me my entire life. Sometimes I get to be a dude too--what! Sometimes I get to be a witch/wizard and go to awesome boarding schools. Sometimes a loved one dies. Sometimes the guy I fall in love with, who also happens to be my teacher, gets carried of and turned into an evil vampire and I have to hunt him down to kill him. Sometimes my best friend becomes a queen. And sometimes I'm the queen. The possibilties are endless (I could seriously keep going here) and I get to journey to each one.

So yeah...as unorganized as this post may be...that's why I love YA!

In My Mailbox - 29 & Sunday Post - 20

In My Mailbox is a weekly post hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren where bloggers can discuss the books we got in the mail this week.

Back to You

By: Priscilla Glenn

Published: October 20th 2012 by CreateSpace

328 pages

Source: Paperback copy via Priscilla Glenn (THANK YOU!!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

Goodreads description--When Lauren Monroe first laid eyes on Michael Delaney back in high school, she had every reason to stay away from him; within minutes of their first encounter, his volatile actions confirmed his notorious reputation. But Lauren saw something in him that caused her to question his bad-boy persona, and against her better judgment, she took a chance. She had no way of knowing that the unlikely friendship they formed would become so important to her.

Or that it would end so painfully.

Eight years later, when Lauren begins her new job at Learn and Grow Day Care, Michael is the last person she expects to see. Refusing to revisit the hurt and confusion of their past, Lauren vows to keep her distance from him. But staying away from Michael proves to be more difficult than she thought, despite her lingering grief and her instincts for self-preservation.

As Lauren and Michael recall the friendship that changed them forever and the events that tore them apart, will they finally be able to heal? Or will the ghosts of Michael’s past prove to be too much to overcome?

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ The Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~this meme was inspired in part by ~ In My Mailbox~ It's a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

Because I already participate in the In My Mailbox meme (above), I'm just going to use this one as way to recap my week.

So the reason I was MIA last week was because I was on vacation with my husband, sister, and nephew to Disney World for my nephew's birthday! We had a blast! Sorry if I still haven't gotten back to you on comments.

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of Making the Cut by Jillian Michaels (3 Stars)

Tuesday: Top 10 Books I Can't Believe I've Never Read

Wednesday: Waiting on Touched

Thursday: Review of Invincible by Sherrilyn Kenyon (4 Stars)

Friday: Mini-Review of Breaking Dawn Part 2

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of Covet (The Clann, # 2) by Melissa Darnell

Tuesday: Top 10 Tuesday: Top 10 Books/Authors That I Am Thankful For

Wednesday: Waiting on Wednesday

Thursday: Review of Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst

Friday: The Black Friday Giveaway Hop kicks off. Come back to enter!

That's it for my mailbox and recaps of my past and upcoming week. What did you get in your mailbox this week? Any bookish news you want to talk about? Let me know!

Breaking Dawn Part 2 - Mini Review

Ok guys, so I'm not going to go into too much detail about the movie because I don't want to give anything away. But I will say that this movie produced some very strong emotions out of the audience. There were cheesy parts (each Twilight movie has them). I actually have a soft spot for romantic cheesiness, but not computer graphic cheesiness which leads me to my next point. There were some unbelievable computer graphics that were decently done and some that were just well...not believable. There were parts that caused the audience to be downright outraged. And there were also parts that were awesome and gave due credit to the series.

I will say that I think this was a nice conclusion to the series and these last two movies are probably my favorite of the series (obs that doesn't go to the first movie). Despite the cheesiness that comes with all of these movies, I love Twilight. I love Stephenie Meyer. I don't overlook the faults, but I still love it despite them. Say what you will, but Twilight will always have special place in my heart.

I want to say so much more, but I refuse to spoil this experience for those who haven't had a chance to see it yet. I'm looking forward to seeing it again tonight with more of my peeps.

Invincible - Review

Invincible (The Chronicles of Nick, # 2)

By: Sherrilyn Kenyon

Published: March 22nd 2011 by St. Martin's Griffin

420 pages

Source: Personal Library

( Goodreads | Amazon )

Goodreads description--Nick Gautier’s day just keeps getting better and better. Yeah, he survived the zombie attacks, only to wake up and find himself enslaved to a world of shapeshifters and demons out to claim his soul.

His new principal thinks he’s even more of a hoodlum than the last one, his coach is trying to recruit him to things he can’t even mention and the girl he’s not seeing, but is, has secrets that terrify him.

But more than that, he’s being groomed by the darkest of powers and if he doesn’t learn how to raise the dead by the end of the week, he will become one of them...

The very first thing I need to address in this review is that the dialect dialogue (say that 10 times fast) that I complained so much about in Infinity was totally not an issue in Invincible. (You can read my review of Infinity here.) It wasn’t completely gone, but it didn’t overwhelm the book. If anything, this was enough to bump the book and Sherrilyn Kenyon’s writing up a notch in my opinion.

Nick’s still only fourteen years old when this story takes place so there isn’t much going on in the romance department. Some…so it’s not quite non-existent, but not as much as I prefer out of this genre. The love story (at this point) definitely is nowhere near the driving force in this novel, and that’s perfectly fine this time.

I really like the play on whether or not we can change our destinies or whether or not everything we do to change our destinies really just leads us all the more close to them. Some aspects of Invincible lead me to believe that Nick has already changed his destiny, but the entire book is really about keeping you guessing on this question.

Other than that, I don’t really have much to say about Invincible. I like the direction this series appears to be headed, and I enjoyed Invincible a heap more than I did Infinity. Giving 4 Stars to Invincible.

Have you read Invincible or The Chronicles of Nick? If so, what did you think? Let me know!

Waiting on Touched

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Touched (Sense Thieves, # 1)

By: Corrine Jackson

Expected Publication: November 27th 2012 by Kensington Teen

343 pages

( Goodreads | Amazon )

Goodreads description--Remy O’Malley heals people with touch—but every injury she cures becomes her own. Living in a household with an abusive stepfather, she has healed untold numbers of broken bones, burns,and bruises. And then one night her stepfather goes too far.

Being sent to live with her estranged father offers a clean start and she is eager to take it. Enter Asher Blackwell. Once a Protector of Healers, Asher sacrificed his senses to become immortal. Only by killing a Healer can a Protector recover their human senses. Falling in love is against the rules between these two enemies. Because Remy has the power to make Protectors human again, and when they find out, they’ll becoming for her—if Asher doesn’t kill her first.

So that's what I'm waiting on this week. What about you? What book are you anxiously waiting for this week? Let me know!

Top 10 Books I Can't Believe I've Never Read

Top 10 Tuesday is a post hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. I just recently did the topic of Top 10 Books I’d Want on a Desert Island, so I’m choosing the next old topic in line for me. So, here’s my Top 10 Books I Can’t Believe I’ve Never Read.

1) Emma by Jane Austen – I own it. I just haven’t gotten around to it. I will I promise. Sometime….

2) Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte – My 6th grade teacher read this one to us, but I think I remember her saying she skipped some parts. Either way, I’ve never personally read it. I have started it and made it to chapter 3, but that’s as much progress as I’ve made.

3) Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte – This is another one I’ve started and I’ve made it to chapter 2. but I’m not actively reading it right now.

4) Cinder by Marissa Meyer – This is on my TBR list, but I’m already two books behind. Seems like everyone else in the world has read it though.

5) Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake – Another one that I think everyone else in the world has read and has said this was great.

6) Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins – Another one I’ve heard great things about but just haven’t gotten my hands on a copy yet.

7) Ten by Gretchen McNeil – I’ve heard great reviews of this one, and some reviews where the reader wasn’t as impressed as they wanted to be. Either way, I’m really excited about this one. Maybe I’ll get it for Christmas or something.

8) This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers – Also heard great things about this one. I just have no idea how I haven’t read it. I’m not made of money. Geez….what do you people expect from me. J

9) The Fault in Our Stars by John Green – I’m getting a copy of this book one way or the other. But still haven’t been able to fork out the money on this one either. Another hopeful for Christmas.

10) Dracula by Bram Stoker – With as many vampire books as I’ve read and I’ve never read the original….*hangs my head in shame*.

So yeah, that’s my Top 10 Books I Can’t Believe I’ve Never Read. There’s only so much time. And only so much money. I’ll get to them…*sigh* one day. What's your top 10 this week?

Making the Cut - Review

Making the Cut: The 30-Day Diet and Fitness Plan for the Strongest, Sexiest You
By: Jillian Michaels
Published: April 10th 2007 by Crown Archetype
288 pages
Source: Personal Library
( Goodreads | Amazon )

Goodreads description--Are you in good shape but struggling with those last ten to twenty pounds that stand between looking perfectly okay and looking knock-their-eyes-out great? Do you have an event on the calendar where you’d love to make jaws drop? Or do you just want to see for yourself what it would be like to have the best body you’ve ever had in your life? Then you need this book.

Making the Cut is a unique, intense thirty-day program from TV’s toughest fitness guru, Jillian Michaels. It has one purpose: to maximize your diet and fitness potential so you’ll get dramatic results at an accelerated pace. The program trains you in three essential ways—mentally, nutritionally, and physically. Making the Cut enables you to:

• identify your unique body type and metabolic makeup (are you a fast, slow, or balanced oxidizer?) and customize a diet plan that is perfect for you

• learn mental techniques that greatly enhance your self-confidence and sharpen your focus on success

• develop your strength, flexibility, coordination, and endurance to levels that exceed anything you ever previously attained—or would have thought possible

Making the Cut takes you further faster than any other fitness program. Ever wonder what secret techniques models and celebrities learn from their high-priced personal trainers when they need to look their absolute best for a shoot or a scene? Jillian shares invaluable info about “peaking”—temporary short cuts you can employ when you have just a few days to get ready for your close-up. And she gets you hip to safe but effective supplements (break out the white willow bark and green tea extract) and tells you how to shed the last drops of excess water weight to put the ultimate finishing touch on the new you.

Other plans get you in shape; this one delivers ripped-up perfection. You supply the commitment and determination . . . Jillian Michaels supplies the astonishing results. Visit www.JillianMichaels.com for more.

I have no doubt that the diet and exercise plan in this book works. I lost 5 pounds in the first week. That’s enough to get anyone super stoked, right? Well…don’t get ahead of yourself. What I found in this book was typical of what I’ve found and struggle with for almost every diet plan ever.

Let’s start with the diet plan. There’s a test that you take to find out whether you are a fast, slow, or balanced oxidizer and the results of this test will determine which diet plan you’re on. While there appears to be a variety of breakfast, lunch, dinner, and side dish recipes in the book, you’re limited to the ones that fit within your oxidizer level—which severally limits your variety.

My next problem with the diet plan is that the grocery list is ridiculous! Here’s an example of the grocery list for one week…

• Kashi Go-Lean Cereal
• Skim Milk
• Eggs (23)
• Low Fat Cottage Cheese
• Cinnamon
• Splenda
• Whole Grain Toast (1 piece)
• Sprouted-Grain Toast (1 piece)
• Apple (1)
• Cashews
• Wasa Crackers
• Natural Peanut Butter
• Raw Almonds
• Pistachio Nuts
• Low Sodium Sprouted-Grain Bread (1 piece)
• Laughing Cow Low Fat Cheese
• Olive Oil Cooking Spray
• Onions
• Fresh Flat-leaf Parsley
• Fresh Basil
• Garlic Cloves
• Plum Tomatoes
• Low-fat Parmesan Cheese
• Wheat Flour
• Nonfat Sour Cream (3 tbsp)
• Smucker’s Sugar-free Jam (3 tsp)
• Broccoli
• Tub Style Light Cream Cheese
• Fat Free Italian Dressing
• Italian Seasoning
• Low-sodium Turkey Breast
• Bottled Roasted Red Peppers
• Lavash Wraps
• Chicken Breast
• 2 Jars Marinated Artichoke Hearts
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Dijon Mustard
• 1 ½ Heads Fennel
• Cherry Tomatoes (6 cups)
• Pitted Kalamata Olives
• Red Onion
• Nonfat Cream Cheese
• LaTortilla Factory Low-carb Tortillas
• Tomato
• Spinach
• Lean Roast Beef
• Yellowfin Tuna Steaks
• Olive Oil
• Fresh Lemon Juice
• Arugula
• Fennel Bulb
• Carb Solution Barbecue Sauce
• Low-sodium Black Beans
• Shredded Reduced Fat Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• Low-fat Sour Cream
• Shrimp
• Bay Scallops
• Mango
• Lime Juice
• White Wine Vinegar
• Cumin
• Ground Ginger
• Ground Cinnamon
• Hot Sauce
• Avacado
• Baby Lettuce Salad Mix
• Asparagus
• Vegetable Oil
• Cannellini Beans
• Vidalia Onion
• Fat-Free Low-Sodium Chicken Broth (only ¼ cup)
• Cider Vinegar
• Dried Oregano
• Allspice
• Ground Cloves
• Near East Wild Rice
• Salmon Fillets
• Prosciutto
• Fennel Fronds
• Fennel Seeds
• Fennel Bulbs
• Lemon
• Cauliflower
• I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spray
• Half & Half
• Eggplant
• Curry Powder
• Swordfish Fillets
• Rosemary
• Red Wine Vinegar
• Lamb Chops
• Dry Red Wine
• Fresh Oregano
• Dry White Wine
• Low-Sodium Vegetable Broth (1 cup)
• Frozen Spinach
• Reduced Fat Feta Cheese
• Oregano Sprigs
• Smucker’s Sugar Free Apricot Preserves
• Orange Juice (only 1/3 cup)
• Smart Start (not to be confused with Kellogs Smart Start cereal)
• Spaghetti Squash
• Cardamom pods
• Carrot Juice (only ¾ cup)
• Rice Vinegar
• Cornstarch
• Sugar
• Fresh Chives

Oh and on top of how many items are on the list, let’s take a look at something like how we use 1 piece of toast for one breakfast. Yet….we don’t use that bread again the entire week. Am I really supposed to buy a loaf of bread so that I can eat one piece? REALLY? Aside from the fact that there's 3 different types of bread that you only use 1 piece in a week. Not to mention that my local grocery store (in central Alabama) doesn’t carry swordfish or lamb chops. So not only does that mean I can’t get these ingredients, but it also means that my recipe options for this diet plan are even more limited than they were before.

Third, have you seen all the things there are to cook? So….I cook eggs for breakfast, prepare lunch to take with me for myself and my husband (because we actually have jobs to go to and do not have the ability to make lunch for ourselves when the time rolls around. Plus packing a snack of some kind. And then I must cook a new meal every night. Aside from the fact that most of the recipes say they serve 4 and there’s just the two of us. So….now I’ve got 7 days worth of leftovers. But don’t expect to use those leftovers next week because you’ve got an entirely different week planned next week.

Now, let’s talk about the exercise plan. Let me be clear about something. In order to follow this exercise plan, you need access to a gym. Nowhere in the description of the book does it mention that you’ll need gym equipment to follow this routine. Personally, I like to workout at home. I’ve got dumbbells, resistance bands, I’ve got a body ball, etc. But know what I don’t have? A treadmill (I do have a Gazelle), a seated hamstring curl machine, a cable and pulley machine, any every other large piece of gym equipment ever. So when I finally got a chance to look over the exercise plan and review the moves, I have to say that I was nothing but discouraged to see that gym equipment was needed for so many of the moves.

My problem is that when it comes to exercise, I tend to be a perfectionist. If I’m not able to follow a plan that’s been prepared by an expert 100% as the way it’s outlined then I tend to freak out slightly. And then if I don’t see the results I’m hoping for, then I feel I can only blame it on not following the plan correctly—which I feel truly sets me up for failure, because how often are you able to stick to a plan or a schedule as defined by someone else 100% without something you can’t help coming up…well it’s just not possible to do 100%.

Anyway, that being said, I didn’t really feel like this was the program or plan for me. After my initial loss of 5 pounds the first week I was up and down between a 2 pound window but never losing more than the first 5 pounds. And while I’ll take every pound I can get toward my goal, it just didn’t live up to the 10 to 20 pounds that the description mentions…for me. I found that the diet plan isn’t sustainable for me and my lifestyle. And the exercises don’t fit in with my desire to work out from home without spending thousands of dollars on gym equipment.

Now here’s the plus side, any plan when followed correctly will work. Plus when boiled down it’s calories in versus calories out, right? Moves can be modified which is what I did. Leftovers can be eaten, which is also what I did. When preparing a dish that serves 4, well it was just my plan to eat one serving for that meal for my husband and myself, and then the next night we’d have the leftovers from that same meal. That cut down on the number of items being purchased at the grocery store, and it also cut down on the number of meals I had to cook each week. While I still believe this plan will work if it’s followed, I wasn’t able to follow it in a way that was satisfactory to me, and thus didn’t get the results I was hoping for.

All in all, I give Making the Cut 3 Stars. Have you tried Making the Cut? What did you think? Let me know!

In My Mailbox - 28 & Sunday Post - 19

In My Mailbox is a weekly post hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren where bloggers can discuss the books we got in the mail this week.

Heartless (Tales of Goldstone Wood, # 1)

By: Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Published: July 1st 2010 by Bethany House Publishers

363 pages

Source: Personal Kindle Library (Got as a freebie here.)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

Goodreads description--The Dragon King Seeks His Princess—

Who Dares to Stop Him?

Princess Una of Parumvir has come of age and will soon marry. She dreams of a charming prince, but when her first suitor arrives, he's not what she'd hoped. Prince Aethelbald of mysterious Farthestshore has travelled a great distance to prove his love--and also to bring hushed warnings of danger. A dragon is rumored to be on the hunt and blazing a path of terror.

Una, smitten instead with a more dashing prince, refuses Aethelbald's offer--and ignores his cautions with dire consequences. Soon the Dragon King himself is in Parumvir and Una, in giving her heart away unwisely, finds herself in his sights. Only those courageous enough to risk everything have a hope of fighting off this advancing evil.

A Tale of Goldstone Wood

Timeless Fantasy That Will Keep You Spellbound

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ The Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~this meme was inspired in part by ~ In My Mailbox~ It's a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

Because I already participate in the In My Mailbox meme (above), I'm just going to use this one as way to recap my week.

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of League of Strays by LB Schulman (3 Stars)

Tuesday: Top 10 Favorite Book Characters

Wednesday: Waiting on Luminosity

Thursday: Review of Seers by Heather Frost (3.5 Stars)

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of Making the Cut: 30 Days to... by Jillian Michaels

Tuesday: Top 10 Tuesday: Top 10 Books I Can't Believe I've Never Read

Wednesday: Waiting on Wednesday

Thursday: Review of Invincible by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Also guys, I'm still a bit MIA. I should be back in full-swing by Tuesday or Wednesday. I'll get to your comments then. And as much as I hate, I think I'm going to have to add captcha back. I've been getting quite a good bit of spam lately. SORRY! I know that's more of a pain for you.

That's it for my mailbox and recaps of my past and upcoming week. What did you get in your mailbox this week? Any bookish news you want to talk about? Let me know!

Seers - Review

Seers (Seers, # 1)

By: Heather Frost

Published: October 4th 2011 by Bonneville

330 pages

Source: Personal Kindle Library

( Goodreads | Amazon )

Goodreads--For Kate Bennet, surviving the car wreck that killed her parents means big changes and even bigger problems. As she begins to see auras and invisible people, Kate must learn to trust Patrick O'Donnell, a handsome Guardian, or risk her life being overrun with Demons. She soon realizes that both she and her heart are in big-time trouble.

Apparently, my YA funk is still hanging around. I’ve read a few in the mix recently that have broken through the funk and allowed me to see hope in the genre, but more often than not recently I’m left feeling so entirely frustrated with the books I’ve been reading. That being said, Seers wasn’t so bad. It didn’t break into the realms of a book that I could claim to redeem the genre, but it didn’t leave me feeling as entirely frustrated to the point of beating my head against a wall either.

Kate develops “the sight” after being nearly killed in the same car accident that took the lives of both of her parents. This near death experience is what allows her to see into other realms and to see the feelings and emotions of others via their auras. Sometimes “the sight” doesn’t stick with a person after they recover from their experience, but it does stick with Kate. Because of that, she’s been assigned a Guardian or well two Guardians. The Guardians are there to protect her from demons, but more than anything they’re there to make sure Kate stays on the team for good and not evil because demons are just as interested in Seers as Guardians are.

Kate has to come to terms with the new world she’s apart of while trying to fit into her old world (pre-parental death). She tries to force things to go back to normal with her long-time boyfriend, Aaron, but things just aren’t clicking. It doesn’t help matters that her assigned Guardian, Patrick, is HOT! And well of course that’s not the only thing that draws Kate in, but that’s what’s important, right?

I enjoyed the relationship building between Kate and Patrick as well as the natural decline of her relationship with Aaron. I also loved Kate’s best friend, Lee. Lee totally keeps it real and like any worthwhile best friend, forces Kate to confront feelings she’d rather leave buried (at least for the time being).

What I didn’t really enjoy was one of the things I’ve been finding repetitive in the paranormal YA genre lately. Girl finds out about secret world around her and freaks out (I can’t believe this is my life). Then said girl wants in on the action despite the fact that she can hardly defend herself against these otherworldly creatures. Yet, girl will not be deterred by such a mundane thing as safety. EXCEPT when the safety of her family is involved. Enter said girl doing ridiculously stupid acts of heroics and selflessness.

I’m just saying, if you can’t handle the heat get out of the kitchen. If you play with fire, you’re going to get burned. Crazy stupid girls who refuse to sit at home where all is safe in the world, who insist on being part of the action, and the crazy stupid otherworldly men in their lives who refuse to say no to said girls….well they all deserve to get abducted and whacked in the head as so often happens in this genre. Unless you’re a Rose (Vampire Academy), Katsa (Graceling), Katniss (Hunger Games), Tris (Divergent—though she had her moments), or any other kicking butt and taking names kind of female character, then please do all of us readers a favor and sit your tail at home. My gracious!

Aside from that slightly annoying aspect, I actually enjoyed Seers and moved through it rather quickly. I’d rank it higher than several of the other books I’ve read in this genre lately, but I still can’t allow it into the 4 Star category. So Seers gets 3.5 Stars from me. Have you read Seers? What do you think? Let me know!

Waiting on Luminosity

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Luminosity (Raven Chronicles, # 1)

By: Stephanie Thomas

Expected Publication: November 13th 2012 by Entangled Teen

296 page

( Goodreads | Amazon )

Goodreads description--My name is Beatrice. When I was born, I was blessed with the Sight. I was immediately removed from my parents and enrolled in the Institution. At the age of twelve, I had my first true vision, earning my raven’s wings. And when I turned seventeen, one of my visions came true. Things haven’t been the same since.

The Institution depends on me to keep the City safe from our enemy, the Dreamcatchers, but I’m finding it harder to do while keeping a secret from everyone, including my best friend Gabe. It is a secret that could put us all in danger. A secret that could kill me and everyone close to me.

But the enemy has been coming to me in my dreams, and I think I’m falling in love with him. He says they’re coming. He says they’re angry. And I think I’ve already helped them win.

I do love a bad boy! Sounds like this is right up my alley! What are you waiting on this week? Let me know!

Also, today is the last day to enter my giveaway for an autographed copy of Starflower by Anne Elisabeth Stengl.

Top 10 Favorite Book Characters

Top 10 Tuesday is a post hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and this week's topic is Top Ten Freebie. So I chose Top 10 Favorite Book Characters.

1 & 2) Elizabeth Bennet & Fitzwilliam Darcy from Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen

3 & 4) Rose Hathaway & Dimitri Belikov from Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

5) Michael Hosea from Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

6) Will Cooper from Slammed by Colleen Hoover

7) Cole St. Clair from The Wolves of Mercy Falls by Maggie Stiefvater

8) Gabry from The Dead Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan

9) Tyrion Lannister from The Song of Ice & Fire by George R R Martin

10) Harry Potter from Harry Potter by JK Rowling

Honorable Mentions: Sean from The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater; Sydney Sage from the Bloodlines series by Richelle Mead; Will Herondale from the Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare; Jace Lightwood from The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare; Arya Stark from A Song of Ice & Fire by George R R Martin; Daenerys Targaryen from A Song of Ice; Fire by George R R Martin; and Lula from the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich.

Also, wanted to throw in a reminder that there's just over 1 day left in my giveaway for an autographed copy of Starflower by Anne Elisabeth Stengl. Please check it out and enter!