New book cover

This is a new book cover for Kristin hannah's latest book due out late march 2011. It's called Night Road.

Read More

Coast Road by: Barbara Delinsky

Title: Coast Road
Author: Barbara Delinsky
Pages: 365
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published Year: 1998

Blurb: Where Life's greatest gifts come to us by accident. Rachel Keats and Jack McGill were artists, deeply in love when they married, until the rush of life took it's toll. After 10 years of marriage, they divorced and went their separate ways. Jack stayed in San Francisco. Rachel moved with their two daughters to Big Sur. 

Six years later, an alarming middle-of-the-night phone call demands that Jack put aside his own busy life and career as a leading architect to rush to his ex-wife's hospital bed. While she lies lifeless. Jack maintains a bedside vigil and finds himself getting to know Rachel better than he ever did--through her friends, their daughters and even more revealing through her art.

Read More

Follow My Book Blog Friday

A new follow Friday type thing from Parajunkee


To join the fun and make now book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list
2. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
3. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
4. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can
5. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
6. If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!

Read More

It's Monday what are you reading?

Hosted by Sheila at One Persons Journey Through A World Of Books

This is a meme to list the books completed last week, the books currently being read, and the books to be finished this week.

Completed Last Week:

Dead as a Doornail by: Charlaine Harris

Cold Lonely Courage by: Soren Paul Petrek

Currently Reading:

Definitely Dead by: Charlaine Harris

Untamed by: P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

Shadowbound by: Erin Kellison

Gonna Read Next:

Evermore by: Alison Noel 

Eat, Pray, Love by: Elizabeth Gilbert

Plum Blossoms in Paris by: Sarah Hina

Past Sins (Miranda Queen of Argyll) by: Julia Phillips

Read More

All I Ever Wanted preview 1st Chapter from FSB Media

Chapter One
by Kristan Higgins,

Author of All I Ever Wanted

As the man I loved approached my office, the image of a deer being hit by a truck came to mind. I was the deer, metaphorically speaking, and Mark Rousseau was the pickup truck of doom.

But here's the thing. The deer always freezes, as we all know, hence the expression like a deer caught in the headlights. The deer and I (Callie Grey, age thirty as of 9:34 this very morning) are well aware that the pickup truck is going to hit us. But we just stand there, waiting for the inevitable, whether it's a pickup truck (in the deer's case) or a man walking athletically toward me (in mine), perpetual smile in place, his brown hair carelessly curling, those gorgeous, dancing dark eyes. I waited, doe-eyed. It was all really too bad, because outside of Mark's influence, I was not at all a deer about to be run down. I was much more of an adorable, perky hedgehog or something.

"Hey." Mark grinned.

Bam! We have impact. The sunlight streamed through the windows of the old brick office building in which Mark and I worked, illuminating him so that he looked like something painted by Michelangelo. To make him even more appealing, he was wearing an old sweater vest his mom knitted for him years ago, shapeless and faded but something he just couldn't part with. A good son and a sex god.

It was as if there were two Callies . . . the smarter, more sensible self (I pictured her as Michelle Obama), and the dopey, in love part . . . Betty Boop. Would that Michelle could give Betty Boop a brisk slap, followed by some vigorous shaking. Alas, Betty just sat there, enthralled, as the First Lady snorted in disgust.

"Hi," I said, feeling my face warm. You'd think that four years of seeing him almost daily would have built up some tolerance in me, but no. My chest prickled with longing and love, my throat turned Saharan, my feet and fingers tingled. Though I was trying hard for Intelligent Coworker, my expression was probably somewhere around Pathetic Adoration.

Mark leaned against my desk, which meant his crotch was, oh, let's see, about a foot and a half from my face, since I was seated. Not that I noticed, of course. "Happy birthday," he said, making it sound like the most intimate, most suggestive phrase in the world.

Face: nuclear. Heart: racing. Callie: half inch from orgasm. "Thanks."

"I got you a present, of course," he murmured in that voice . . . God, that voice. Low and soft and velvety . . . the same voice he used in the bedroom, as I well knew. Yes, Mark and I had been together. For five weeks. Five wonderful weeks. Almost five and a half, if you really analyzed it. Which I had.

From his back pocket, he withdrew a small, rectangular package. My heart flopped as my brain raced with contradictory thoughts. Jewelry? Betty squealed. That means something. That's romantic. So romantic! Oh! My! God! On the other hand, Michelle advised caution. Calm down, Callie. Let's just see how this plays out.

"Oh, Mark! Thank you! You didn't have to," I said, my voice breathy.

On the other side of the glass-bricked wall that separated our offices, Fleur Eames slammed a drawer. The wall only went up ten feet; the ceilings were twelve, perfect for eavesdropping, and I guessed she was trying to snap me out of my daze. Fleur, a copywriter here at the firm, knew about my crush. Everyone did.

Clearing my throat, I reached for the package in Mark's hand. He held onto it for a minute, grinning before he let go. It was wrapped in cheerful yellow paper. Yellow is my favorite color. Did I tell him that once? Had he filed away that little fact the same way I filed away everything he ever told me? I mean, really, it could hardly be coincidence, right? He smiled down at me, and my racing heart stuttered, stalled, then revved into overdrive. Oh, God. Could it be? Did he finally want to get back together?

I'd worked at Mark's firm for the past four years. We were the only advertising and public relations agency in northeastern Vermont. Our staff was small -- just Mark and me; Fleur; the office manager, Karen; and the two pale computer geeks in the art department, Pete and Leila. Oh, and Damien, Mark's personal assistant/receptionist/willing slave.

I loved my job. Excelled at my job, as proven by the large poster on my wall, which had very nearly won a Clio, the Oscar of advertising. Said Clio ceremony took place eleven months ago out in Santa Fe. And in that beautiful, romantic city, Mark and I had finally hooked up. But the timing wasn't right for a serious relationship. Well, at least that's what Mark had said. Honestly, has a woman ever said that? Not a lot of twenty-nine-year-old women truly have timing issues when it comes to being with the man they love. No. It had been Mark's timing that wasn't right.

But now . . . now a gift. Could it finally be that the time was right? Maybe now, on the very day that my thirties began and I entered into that decade where a woman is more likely to be mauled by a grizzly bear than get married . . . maybe today really was the start of a new age.

"Open it, Callie," he said, and I obeyed, hoping he didn't notice my shaking fingers. Inside was a black velvet box. Squee! I bit my lip and glanced up at Mark, who shrugged and gave me that heart-stopping smile once more. "It's not every day my best girl turns thirty," he added.

"Oh, gack," sniped Damien appearing in the doorway. Mark glanced at him briefly, then turned his eyes back to me.

"Hi, Damien," I said.

"Hi." He stretched the word into three syllables of contempt . . . Damien had once again broken up with his boyfriend and currently hated love in all its forms. "Boss, Muriel's on line two."

Something flickered across Mark's face. Irritation, maybe. Muriel was the daughter of our newest client, Charles deVeers, the owner and founder of Bags to Riches. The company made outdoorwear from a combination of plastic grocery bags and natural fiber. It was our biggest account yet, a huge deal for Green Mountain, most of whose clients were in New England. I'd only met Muriel once, and then only briefly, but Mark had been flying back and forth to San Diego, where Bags to Riches was based. As part of the package, Charles had asked Muriel to come to Vermont and work as the account exec, so he could have someone close to him keeping tabs on things. And, since Charles was paying us gobs of money, Mark had said yes.

Mark didn't answer Damien, who was quivering with the joy of running Mark's day. "Boss?" Damien said, a bit more sharply. "Muriel? Remember her? She's waiting."

"So let her wait some more," Mark answered, tossing me a wink. "This is important. Open the damn box, Callie." Damien sighed with the heavy drama that only a gay man can pull off and hustled down the hall.

Cheeks burning, I opened the velvet box. It was a bracelet, delicate silver strands that twisted and turned like ivy. "Oh, Mark, I love it," I whispered, running my finger over the intricate lines. I bit my lip, my eyes already misting with happy tears. "Thank you."

His expression was soft. "You're welcome. You mean a lot to me. You know that, Callie." He bent down and kissed my cheek, and every detail was immediately seared into my brain -- his smooth, warm lips, the smell of his Hugo Boss cologne, the heat of his skin.

Hope, which had been lying in ashes for the past ten months, twitched hard.

"Think you'll make it to my party later on?" I asked, striving for perky and fun, not lustful and ruttish. My parents were throwing me a little bash at Elements, the nicest restaurant around, and I'd invited all my coworkers. No use pretending: I was turning thirty; might as well get some presents.

Mark straightened, then moved a pile of papers from the small couch in my office and sat down. "Um . . . Listen, I need to tell you something. You met Muriel, right?"

"Well, just that once. She seems . . . very . . . " Hmm. She'd worn a killer black suit, had great shoes . . . kind of intense. "Very focused."

"Yeah. She is. Callie . . . " Mark hesitated. "Muriel and I are seeing each other."

It took a few seconds for that to register. Once again, I was that stupid deer, watching mutely as the pickup truck hurtled down the road. My heart slammed to a halt. For a second, I couldn't breathe. Michelle Obama stood by, shaking her head sadly, her fabulous arms crossed in regret. I realized my mouth was open. Closed it. "Oh," I heard myself say.

Mark looked at the floor. "I hope that doesn't cause you any . . . discomfort. Given our past involvement."

There was a white, rushing sound, like a river engorged with snowmelt and hidden debris. He was seeing someone? How could that be? If the timing was okay for Muriel . . . why not . . . Oh, crap.

"Callie?" he said.

Here's the thing about being hit by a truck. Sometimes those deer keep running. They just bound into the woods, sort of like they're saying, Whoo-hoo! That was close! Good thing I'm okay. Um . . . I am okay, right? Actually, you know what? I'm feeling a little strange. Think I'll lie down for a bit. And then they wake up dead.

Mark's voice lowered. "The last thing I want to do is hurt you."

Say something, the First Lady commanded. "No, no!" I chirruped. "It's . . . just . . . no worries, Mark. Don't worry." I seemed to be smiling. Smiling and nodding. Yes. I was nodding. "So how long have you been . . . together?"

"A couple of months," Mark answered. "It's . . . it's fairly serious." He reached out and took the bracelet out of the box, then put it on my wrist, his fingers brushing the sensitive skin there, making me want to jerk away.

In the many years I'd known Mark, he'd never dated anyone for a couple of months. A couple of weeks, sure. I thought five was a record, quite honestly.

Ah. My body was catching on to the fact that I'd just been slammed. My throat tightened, my joints buzzed with the flight response to danger, and a sharp pain lanced through my chest. "Right. Well. You know what? I have to get my license renewed! I almost forgot! You know . . . birthday. License. Renewal." Breathe, Callie. "Okay if I zip out for lunch a little early?" My voice cracked, and I cleared my throat again, studiously avoiding Mark's dark and now sorrowful eyes.

"Sure, Callie. Take all the time you need."

The kindness in his voice made me feel abruptly murderous. "I won't be long," I chirped. "Thanks for the bracelet! See you in a bit!"

With that, I grabbed my oversize pink hobo bag and stood up, excruciatingly careful not to brush against Mark, who still sat on my couch, staring straight in front of him. "Callie, I'm sorry," he said.

"No! Nothing to apologize for!" I sang. "Gotta run. They close at noon today. See ya later!"

Thirty minutes later, I stood in line at the Department of Motor Vehicles, and the effects of being emotionally run down by the man I loved -- and now hated -- but still loved -- were catching up with me. Michelle Obama had abandoned me, regretfully acknowledging that I was beyond help, and Betty Boop was clamping her lips together and blinking back tears. Trying to keep the choo-choo train of despair at bay, I glanced around. Gray, grimy tile floors. Dingy white walls. I stood in the middle of a line of about ten people, all of us listless and lifeless and loveless . . . or so it seemed.

The whole scene was like something out of some French existentialist play . . . Hell is not other people. Hell is the DMV. Robotic clerks shuffled behind the counter, clearly hating their lot in life and contemplating the easiest form of hari-kari or embezzlement so they could leave this grim place. The clock on the wall seemed to taunt me. Time's a'wastin', kid. Your life is passing you by. Happy fucking birthday.

My breathing started to quicken, my knees felt like a hive of angry bees. Tears burned in my eyes, and on my wrist, my stupid birthday present tickled. I should just rip it off. Melt it down into a bullet and kill Mark. Or myself. Or just swallow the bracelet whole and let it get tangled in my intestines and require emergency surgery and then have Mark come to the hospital and realize just how much he really loved me after all. Not that I would have him now. (Yeah, sure, Callie, said Mrs. Obama, making a reappearance. You'd eat a baby if it meant having him.)

Well. Maybe not a baby. But the idea that Mark was with someone . . . for a couple of months, fairly serious . . . ah, shit! Panic loomed like the jaws of a great white shark, terrifying and unexpected. Stupid Muriel with her black hair and white skin, like some vampire in fabulous shoes . . . when the hell had they started dating? When, dammit?

Oh, crap. Should I go? No. I had to get my license renewed. Today was the last day I could do it without incurring a fine. I'd picked out this wicked cute outfit, too -- red-and-white printed blouse, short red skirt, big gold hoops, and my hair was perfect today, all shiny and swingy . . . Besides, what could I do? Sit in my car and wail? Kick a tree? Strangle a moose? I really wasn't the type. The only idea that held any appeal was that of sitting in my rocking chair and eating cake batter.

A dry sob raked my throat. Shit. Shit on a shingle. Shit on rye.

"Next," called one of the DMV drones, and we all shuffled forward six inches. The man behind me heaved an audible sigh.

Without another thought, I fumbled in my purse for my cell phone. Where was it? Where was it, dammit? Tampon . . . no. Book on CD . . . no. Picture of Josephine and Bronte, my nieces . . . even their beautiful faces failed to cheer me. Where was the phone? Ah. Here. I scrolled down to Annie Doyle. Damn! I got her voice mail. Somehow, it felt like a personal insult. How could my best friend be unavailable in my time of need? Didn't she love me anymore?

Clearly the choo-choo was chugging faster now, so I scrolled down for backup. My mom? God, no . . . this would just be confirmation that the Y chromosome should be erased from humanity. My sister? Not much better. Still, it was someone. Mercifully, Hester answered, even though I knew she was at work.

"Hester? Got a minute?"

"Hey, birthday girl! What's up?" My sister's voice, always on the loud side, boomed out of my phone, and I held it away from my ear.

"Hester," I bleated, "he's seeing someone! He gave me a beautiful bracelet and kissed me and then he told me he's seeing someone! For a couple of months and it's fairly serious, but I still love him!"

The above is an excerpt from the book All I Ever Wanted by Kristan Higgins. The above excerpt is a digitally scanned reproduction of text from print. Although this excerpt has been proofread, occasional errors may appear due to the scanning process. Please refer to the finished book for accuracy.

Copyright © 2010 Kristan Higgins, author of All I Ever Wanted

Author Bio

Kristan Higgins, author of All I Ever Wanted, combines real life, true love and lots of laughs in her stories. Her books have received praise and accolades from readers and reviewers alike. Kristan won a Romance Writers of America's RITA® Award in 2008 for Catch of the Day, and received a 2010 nomination for Too Good To Be True. Called "one of the most honest and creative voices in contemporary romance," Kristan is hard at work on her next book. She lives in a small Connecticut town with her heroic firefighter husband, two lovely children, one devoted dog and a regal cat. Kristan loves to hear from readers! Visit her Website at www.KristanHiggins.com

Follow the author on Facebook.

Read More

Dead as a Doornail

Dead as a Doornail

By: Charlaine Harris

This book takes off where Dead to the World ended. Sookie is taking her brother Jason to Hotspot as he prepares to turn for the first time with the full moon. Just when we thought the mystical world would get a break from everything, someone is starting to hunt shifters, and were’s it looks to all like it’s Jason doing this. Which we find out is far from the case. He’s embracing his animal side. Sookie also faces much sadness as someone burns half her house down. So she ends up staying in one of Sam Merlotte’s properties in town. Sookie is also faced with saving her friend Tara from Mickey. We learned in Club Dead that Tara had been dating Franklin, but he has since passed her on to a really nasty vampire named Mickey. Mickey very much disapproves of Sookie. Sookie ends up asking for favors left and right.

Also we see more about how the were packs acquire their head master, which is unique to say the least. We also see more of Claudine and Claude the two fairies. Claudine who’s Sookie’s fairy godmother, and her twin brother Claude (who’s attitude is very different to say the least).

There seemed to be more bloodshed in this one, more so then the others. As the were’s are getting picked off, it seems like they will never catch the sniper, but in the end Sookie and Sam figure it out.

I rate this story 5 tea cups. As I have said I really enjoy this series, as it shows that Sookie can endure a lot. She overcomes many things that are thrown her way. And Sookie can still keep her humor even in bad situations. Can’t wait to read the next one.

What do you think of the Sookie Stackhouse series?

Read More

Cold Lonely Courage

This was sent to my via BOOK VIRTUAL BOOK TOURS for a honest and fair review so here goes:

This book takes place in the world war II era. A young solider is wounded leading to his death. His sister arrives to visit him, and only barely makes it in time for his death. She brings her brother back home, and begins trying to put the tragedy behind her. She spends time working in her parents restaurant. Where German soldiers are over taken Provence, France. One of the soldiers violates her and warns her if anyone finds out death will come to her and her family. She goes to her father for help. Where she is warned if she goes down this road, she will have to train to be a assassin. One she gets revenge over the violation she joins with others who train to kill Germans.

Madeleine Toche finds herself having mixed feelings about Jack Teach the man who has brought her to the training facility. They spend a night with heated passion and agree to meet up when all is said and done. In a world full of fighting they are able to find love among it all. On the flip side of this the ss is trying to figure out who this Angel of Death is who keeps targeting Germans.

This story was great, especially if you are big into action and history. If you are like some people who wish German soldiers had suffered more justice forced on them. And what the female character Madeline went through was very good considering it was a male author writing about her. You could really relate with how she felt.

I rate this book 5 cups as it is a great read, lots of action and makes you feel like a victory is happening when German's meet their end.

This book was written by Soren Paul Petrek who is a practicing trial attorney. He had a passion for studying WWII. He lived in France and England and listened to the stories many told about WWII. This is his debut novel, and was inspired by a young Belgian woman, who helped numerous Jewish Children escape from the Nazi Regime terror. Soren lives with Renee (his wife), and his sons Max and Riley in Minnesota.

Read More

Daughters of the New World

My boyfriend knew I was looking for a book I had seen on television back in the late 90's it was made into a miniseries thing.  So he went and found a 1st edition 1st copy of it.  I was so excited when it showed up today.  So here we go:

Title: Daughters of the New World
Author: Susan Richards Shreve
Pages: 471

Amazon Description: Shreve creates four generations of strong, daring, unconventional women who become successful individuals, keepers of the family, and recorders of an age. Anna begins this tale in 1890 when she comes to America from Wales as a servant to one of Washington, D. C.'s wealthy physicians. Her unacceptable marriage to his son finds the couple ostracized and in Wisconsin administering on Bad River Reservation to the Chippewa Indians. But it is Anna's daughter, Amanda, who is the central figure in the novel. She is raised in the wilderness, and goes to Europe during World War I as a photographer. Using photography as her mother had used letters, she captures the world around her and attempts to find her place in it. Amanda and her daughter, Sara, travel through the Dust Bowl and document the plight of the poor. Sara's daughter, Eleanor, shows readers the concerns of the liberal '60s, while her children understand that their great-grandmother's photographs and her mother's letters not only record the family's evolution but also the important events through which they lived. This is a wonderful story that will capture the imagination of young adults.

Read More

It's Monday what are you reading?

It’s that time when everyone shares what they have been reading and what they finished reading last week.  This meme is hosted by One Persons Journey through a World of Books.   

Read Last Week: 

Betrayed-P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

Chosen- P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

The Summoning-Kelley Armstrong

The Reckoning-Kelley Armstrong

Dead to the World-Charlaine Harris

Currently Reading: 

Cold Lonely Courage by: Soren Paul Petrek

Untamed by: P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

Dead as a Doornail by: Charlaine Harris

Planning To Read Next:

Hunted by: P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

Hush, hush by: Becca Fitzpatrick

The Iron King by: Julie Kagawa

Bitten by: Kelley Armstrong

What are you reading this week?

Read More

HON: Chosen by: P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast

This is the third in the series which follows, Zoey, Erik, Erin, Shaunee, Damien and Jack as they are adapting to their time at House of Night. Zoey spends so much time keeping things from her friends, for fear of their safety and acceptance. Erik has a feeling something is up but she keeps reassuring him that is not the case. Zoey also finds common ground with Aphrodite, the girl she had de-throwned in the first book Marked. Who knows Zoey is making mistakes but also knows what it is like to have things you can't tell everyone. Someone is killing the adult vampyre's. Neferet has decide to launch an attack against the humans. Meanwhile Zoey become subject to a nasty affair and imprinting that backfires on her. What she thinks is love is anything but. Crushed and hurt she finds herself with two allies Aphrodite and Stevie Rae. Everyone else has abandoned her due to her choices.

I enjoyed this book, and it felt more real. I really felt bad for Zoey in certain parts of this story. Like they were my friends mad at me. It was really emotional this story. Definitely a great story and series. I think Kristin adds a touch too it by being younger author. To allow the teen angst to be so real, and so painful. I rate this 5 stars as the series goes on I'm more and more hooked and wondering when the bad guy will get theirs. Great job Girls keep it up! You never cease to amaze me.

Read More

HON Series~Betrayed by: P.C Cast & Kristin Cast

This book takes off where Marked left off. Having Zoey showed the true colors of Aphrodite, and getting her de-throned. Zoey is now the head of the Dark Daughters and Sons, as well as a high priestess in training. Of course Zoey didn't desire to be head of the Dark Daughters and Sons so she is feeling some guilt about taking that away from Aphrodite. Her boyfriend Erik is doing a monologue for a good part of the book and is absent from the House of Night, so she ends up meeting Loren Blake who is a part time professor, and he seems very interested in the young fledgling. Zoey finds herself keeping up with three different men, Loren, Erik and of course Heath, her human boyfriend/ex-boyfriend. One of the main characters doesn't adapt to the change well and Zoey spends much time feeling horrible over it and like her life can't continue. Her friends try to cheer her up, even though that seems impossible. And Zoey starts to question her mentors true intentions.

I really enjoy this series as it's refreshing to have a main character who deals with hurt and pain, to know that not everything is fun and games. Really gives a depth to her. Although I wish at least on the man front that she would pick on or at least if she is having so many issues to dump them all and go back to scratch. I rate this book 4 cups as it has some slow parts and then picks up when you find yourself at the end of the story.

Read More

The Reckoning by: Kelley Armstrong

This is the third book in the series, we find Chloe, Simon, Derek and Tori have been on the run for what seems like forever. They have thought allies are that allies and now it turns out there were just different levels of backstabbing. Chloe and the others are becoming more in control of their super powers. There was a lot more action in this story then the others. Finally certain people are able to get their payback to the Edison Group like Tori, who's mother is a big part of the Edison Group. The boys get reconnected with their father. I really enjoyed this book, and series so far. Showed that the pretty girl didn't have to wind up with the cute boy, and that sometimes not everything is what it seems. And to not underestimate the power of kids.

I can't wait to see what comes next. I rate this 5 cups cause it left me running through the book to see how it ended. Definitely held my attention for great lengths. I totally recommend this book to anyone and everyone. Anyone would be able to connect with any of the main characters.

Read More

The Awakening by: Kelley Armstrong

When we left Chloe she had been caught by the Edison Group, and so much has been learned. We found out that Chloe, Simon, Tori, Rae and Derek were part of kids that were experimented on and given unusual powers. Most of this book is spent with Chloe, Simon, Tori and Derek on the run from the Edison Group with the help of Liz, who's now a ghost at the hands of the Edison Group. Having been betrayed by Rae, who seems to accept the stories she's been sold. The other four aren't, and they are angry.

This book was good as you learned more about what these kids are having done to them. The adults seem well slow at best for catching the kids, these kids are always one step ahead of them. They also find a semi-ali in Andrew who was a ex-worker of the Edison Group who's formed a group to go against the Edison Group. Of course the kids are skeptical of what Andrew's plan or intention really is.

Lots of action and of course with Chloe lots of dead people rising. I can't wait to read the next one in the series.

I rate this four cups, as it would be nice if they could get along a little better with each other. And I can't help but wonder what Tori's true intention is. What did you think of this one?

Read More

Marked by P.C. Cast

What happens when you are marked and now that you can't live a normal life? Well Zoey knows that her only rescue of being marked is to get to the house of night. Of course that is easier said then done. As she goes home and her stepfather prepares to have religion shoved down her throat to some how save her. So she runs to her Grandmother who knows what Zoey needs. She takes her to the House of Night. Where Zoey will get guidance, loving friends, and the education she needs while she waits to see if her body will accept the change or not.

I really liked this book as it went beyond the typical vampire book, which doesn't deal much with the change that happens when one gets marked, or in some stories bitten. I like how she had to overcome some obstacles. If it was too easy for her to fit in then what kind of story would it be?

There really wasn't much I didn't enjoy about the book you had your bully, and your hero, and of course there is always a cute boy to attract the heroine. I especially like Zoey's mentor. There are times she sounds like a mentor that a lot of people wouldn't mind calling mom.

I think P.C. Cast hit on something and I think what makes the series extra special is that she wrote it with her daughter Kristin Cast, which must be such a great thing. Cause many years from now they will be able to sit back and recall when they wrote a series that caught an audience.

I give this 5 cups. It's great and even adults can read it and can recall identifying with atlas one character if not more. I can't wait to start Betrayed.

Read More

Nook Review

While I have had some time I've reviewed the kindle's opponent Barnes and Noble nook.  Now I have both and there are things about the Nook I really like for example it's easier to change the font and size in it.  When reading some books it seems easier on the Nook then the Kindle.  While it looks like the window for the story is smaller, it really isn't we held them up to each other.  The Nook has the ability to do somethings in the lower area then the kindle does.  

You can look at wallpapers, documents, music etc.  Barnes and Noble allows for lending of a book to someone else while Kindle you have to have your friends login info.   Things like that are nice.  And just like Amazon they offer free books to download to your device.  The Nook has a nice on off button at the top to push where the kindle it's a slide button and I don't know how many times I've slid the button and it didn't catch to shut down.  The Nook seems thinner than the kindle which can be nice as well.  Overall they are both fabulous devices, it all falls under personal preference.  I will be doing some reviewing of books from both the Kindle, Nook and Ipad.  And look for my ipad review I will be working on later this week.

My rating for the Nook is 4 stars (would get 5 if it allowed for color, and worked better with pdf books).

My Kindle rating is 4 ( don't like the one and off feature text issues, the width is tad big for me)

What device do you prefer?

Read More

Dead to the World by: Charlaine Harris

This is the fourth book in the series. At this point Sookie has locked out Eric and Bill. Sookie is angry at both of them, and this is different from Sookie because up to this point she has been anything but really angry. When she drives home from Merlot's she finds a confused Eric wandering around half naked. She knows something is up but doesn't want to be dragged into the vampire's business as all it has caused is her in a lot of pain. But someone has wiped Eric's memory, and she knows he's not safe roaming around on his own. Her brother Jason strikes a very fruitful financial arrangement with Pam and Chow for Sookie to keep an eye on Eric until the Witches who have cursed him can undo the curse. Then to add to matters Jason Stackhouse goes missing. What is a girl to do?

I really enjoyed this book as it showed a very angry and moody side to Sookie. What we have known about Sookie Stackhouse is definitely changed in this book. She's mad with good reason. For the first time Sookie is alone without Bill attached to her. And I think it helps people who read the series get to know Sookie better. She's not the bubbly Sookie that we have seen up to this point. An overall great read.

Alot happens to Jason which is new, as in my opinion Jason has always been a kind of eye candy to the story. You never knew too much about him, other than the tomcat flirt that he is, but here he has his own demons to deal with. I thoroughly enjoy what Charlaine Harris offers us with this story line. I am going to be hopefully doing a review on Dead as a Doornail this week as well.

Read More

It's Monday what are your reading

It’s that time when everyone shares what they have been reading and what they finished reading last week.  This meme is hosted by One Persons Journey through a World of Books.   

Read last week: 

Marked by: P.C. Cast

Currently Reading: 

Dead to the World by: Charlaine Harris

Cold Lonely Courage by: Soren Paul Petrek

The Thyssen Affair by Mozelle Richardson

Betrayed by: P.C. Cast

Shadowbound by: Erin Kellison

Next to read: 

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

The Summer I Dared by Barbara Delinsky

Siren by Tricia Rayburn

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

Plum Blossoms in Paris by Sarah Hina

Dead as a Doornail by: Charlaine Harris

What are you reading this week?

Read More

In My Mailbox

Welcome to In My Mailbox! You can find out how to participate and the "official" details on the IMM page.

IMM is a meme I started here at The Story Siren with some inspiration from Alea of Pop Culture Junkie.

The idea behind IMM was not only to put new books on your radar but to also encourage blogger interaction. IMM explores the weekly contents of my mailbox & books bought. And sometimes other fun goodies.

Anyone can participate in IMM and you are not limited to only sharing books that arrive via your mailbox. You can also share books that you've bought or books that you've gotten at the library.

This week was crazy with the things I got from my mailbox,   so here goes:

Products for Review: 

Ipad

Nook

Books I won: 

Plum Blossoms in Paris (author signed)

Books via Bookmooch: 

The Summer I Dared by Barbara Delinsky

Lake News by Barbara Delinsky

Coast Road by Barbara Delinsky

Books for Review: 

Miranda Queen of Argyll: Past Sins (author signed)

Miranda Queen of Argyll: Unlikely Saints

Cold Lonely Courage by Soren Paul Petrek

So it should be an interesting reading what did you get in your mailbox?

Read More

Cold Lonely Courage

Title: Cold Lonely Courage
Author: Soren Paul Petrek
Publisher: Black Rose Writing


I will be reviewing this book in August and we will have all sorts of fun things for this going on to help promote the book. So keep your eyes open!


Thank you to Pump Up Your Books Virtual Tour for this great opportunity!

Read More