Mini Review: Kiss of Death by Rachel Caine

Series: The Morganville Vampires #8
Pages: 241 (paperback)
Published: April 27, 2010—Signet
Source: Borrowed

Vampire musician Michael Glass has attracted the attention of a big- time producer who wants to cut a demo and play some gigs-which means Michael will have to enter the human world. For this, he's been assigned escorts that include both a dangerous immortal as well as Michael's all-too-human friends. And with that mix of personalities, this is going to be a road trip from hell...

Review
Firstly, I'm sorry I've been so absent lately! Between reading for fun, and reading and taking notes for my summer course and life all around I haven't been on the computer much. Reviews might be a little random but they will be here!
~~
So much has happened in this series that I don't want to say too much in case I give anything away. Going by the summary, Michael and friends Eve, Shane and Claire are granted passes to leave Morganville, Texas to go to Dallas so Michael can record some demos. No one, and I mean no one, leaves Morganville, ever, so this is a huge deal. What should (in theory) be a fun road trip, ends being, well, a road trip from hell lol.

If you're a fan of the series, you can insert your *swoon* here. I looove Michael almost as much as I loooove Shane. I pretty much looove everyone! Eve's funny, Claire is smart and brave as heck, Michael is a musician and also super protective and romantic, and Shane is tough and sweet and all around yummy ;D

If you haven't read this series, please do!! These books might be cheesy at times but I don't care! I've loved every single book. They're short, they're sweet, and best of all, they're super entertaining and fun to read. There's always plenty of action and aww worthy romance, and some vampire butt kicking to boot. Awesome!!

Bottom Line
Kiss of Death and all the previous books in the Morganville Vampires series are a must read! They're not only quick reads but they're super fun too, and if you're like me, you'll devour them in hours lol.

Rating

Review: Rampant by Diana Peterfreund

Series: Killer Unicorns #1
Pages: 432 (paperback)
Published: August 18, 2009—HarperTeen
Source: Borrowed

Forget everything you ever knew about unicorns...
Real unicorns are venomous, man-eating monsters with huge fangs and razor-sharp horns. Fortunately, they've been extinct for a hundred and fifty years.
Or not.

Astrid had always scoffed at her eccentric mother's stories about killer unicorns. But when one of the monsters attacks her boyfriend—thereby ruining any chance of him taking her to the prom—Astrid finds herself headed to Rome to train as a unicorn hunter at the ancient cloisters the hunters have used for centuries.

However, at the cloisters all is not what it seems. Outside, the unicorns wait to attack. And within, Astrid faces other, unexpected threats: from the crumbling, bone-covered walls that vibrate with a terrible power to the hidden agendas of her fellow hunters to—perhaps most dangerously of all—her growing attraction to a handsome art student ... an attraction that could jeopardize everything.

Review
I was really looking forward to reading Rampant. It’s about killer unicorns. I mean, it sounds like it will be an awesome read! Whatever images of unicorns you have, white, fluffy, innocent creatures frolicking over clouds and rainbows? WRONG. They’re bloodthirsty creatures with poisonous horns and teeth that want to rip into you. Yep. But some reason, I had a really hard time getting into this book. It took me about a week to finish, which is long for me. Everytime I picked it up I was so easily distracted by anything around me—the tv, my school book, voices outside the window. There were interesting parts, there were—the battle scenes and unicorn scenes for me—there just weren’t enough to really grab me.

The main character Astrid is pushed into unicorn hunting by her mom Lillith, who I immediately disliked. Lillith, as I interpreted it, was disappointed in not being able to hunt herself (since one has to be a virgin apparently) that she becomes totally blind to her daughter’s feelings or wishes or thoughts on the matter. It was her daughter for pete’s sake! She frustrated me so much, especially when she would outright ignore what Astrid, or anyone else for the matter, had to say something that went against her ‘vision’.
Astrid was a normal teenager to happened to be descended by a great unicorn hunter and thrown into the action. She had some questionable moments for me and seemed to flip-flop on how she felt about being a hunter. I wanted her to either, I don't know, hate it the whole time, or gradually accept it but she always seemed in the middle to me.

The other characters were likeable for the most part. I liked Astrid’s cousin Philippa, but though she had a lot of objections about unicorn hunting, she didn’t ever just leave. Taking advantage of free accommodation in Rome? I wanted to like the other hunters introduced, but I found myself getting confused with characters. I wasn’t able to distinguish them. They became just names and associations for me: the girl that came with the unicorn head, the mean one, the one that plays piano etc. Cory, the niece of the don and expert of unicorn history came across as kind of stuck up, but after learning more about her past, her actions became justified. I ended up feeling sorry for her--the situations she was in seemed to poke at an open wound. Not fun. I liked her more as the story went on. Actually, I think she was my fave! She seemed the most real of everyone.

The history of the unicorns was really interesting. It goes back to the days of Alexander the Great and his war horse (unicorn?) Bucephalus. All the facts got a little mushed up in my mind, maybe too much too soon. And the different kinds of unicorns were also cool to read about but 1) I felt I wanted to learn more about them and 2) I found it really hard to picture them. A unicorn the size of an elephant? Just...unfathomable!

I enjoyed reading about the battles, though they were gorier than I imagined, but it was good! Like some epic gladiator battle. A part of me was feeling really bad about the killing of these animals, but at the same time they are ferocious and extremely violent. I wasn't sure how I stood on the matter.

Bottom Line
Rampant has a lot of great pieces but I think they weren't put together right. The idea is super cool and for the most part it's a good read. The battles are pretty epic, the romance is sweet, the history is complex and vivid, and the unicorns are out of nightmares. While I didn't love Rampant, now that I'm caught up in the unicorn lore, I think I'll like the second one better. There seem to be mixed reviews for this one, so I'd say read it. Killer unicorns!

Rating

WoW: Why We Broke Up

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

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler, Maira Kalman (Illustrator)
Release Date: January 2, 2012

I'm telling you why we broke up, Ed. I'm writing it in this letter, the whole truth of why it happened.

Min Green and Ed Slaterton are breaking up, so Min is writing Ed a letter and giving him a box. Inside the box is why they broke up. Two bottle caps, a movie ticket, a folded note, a box of matches, a protractor, books, a toy truck, a pair of ugly earrings, a comb from a motel room, and every other item collected over the course of a giddy, intimate, heartbreaking relationship. Item after item is illustrated and accounted for, and then the box, like a girlfriend, will be dumped.

I'm so curious to see the stories and significance behind the items in this box. A protractor? Even though it's about a breakup I think it'll be a sort of happy-sad read. Does that make sense? Plus there'll be pictures--even more interesting!

What books are you waiting on?? Leave your links :D

Review: Inifinite Days by Rebecca Maizel

Series: Vampire Queen #1
Pages: 310 (paperback)
Published: August 3, 2010—St. Martin's Griffin
Source: Borrowed

Lenah Beaudonte is, in many ways, your average teen: the new girl at Wickham Boarding School, she struggles to fit in enough to survive and stand out enough to catch the eye of the golden-boy lacrosse captain. But Lenah also just happens to be a recovering five-hundred-year-old vampire queen. After centuries of terrorizing Europe, Lenah is able to realize the dream all vampires have -- to be human again. After performing a dangerous ritual to restore her humanity, Lenah entered a century-long hibernation, leaving behind the wicked coven she ruled over and the eternal love who has helped grant her deep-seated wish.
Until, that is, Lenah draws her first natural breath in centuries at Wickham and rediscovers a human life that bears little resemblance to the one she had known. As if suddenly becoming a teenager weren’t stressful enough, each passing hour brings Lenah closer to the moment when her abandoned coven will open the crypt where she should be sleeping and find her gone. As her borrowed days slip by, Lenah resolves to live her newfound life as fully as she can. But, to do so, she must answer ominous questions: Can an ex-vampire survive in an alien time and place? What can Lenah do to protect her new friends from the bloodthirsty menace about to descend upon them? And how is she ever going to pass her biology midterm?

Review
Lenah's lover Rhode has just sacrificed himself so that she could become human again. His dying wish is that she live her life fully, and that starts with her attending Wickham, the best boarding school money can buy.

I thought Infinite Days was a really easy novel to like. Lenah, while completely vicious as a vampires (yes, scary vampires!) as a human, she's mostly clueless. She doesn't know how to drive, know what a prom is, or had a meal that wasn't blood. She's feeling things for the very first time, emotions beside anger and hate, and actually feeling what grass feels like, or another person's skin. It's all new to her and it gives her such a likeable innocence.
Even though we don't get to see much of him besides flashbacks, I definitely loved Rhode. He loved Lenah since he set eyes on her centuries ago and was willing to die so she could be happy and experience life as a human again. It was so tragically beautiful! Because of how I felt about him I wasn't too overjoyd with Lenah's feelings for Justin, especially since she gets all googly eyed first time she sees him. And Justin lost even more points because while he liked Lenah and outright flirted, he did it when his girlfriend wasn't around. *Shakes head* They were cute though, and the drama leads to some better moments.

As a human, Lenah was noticeably different than as a vampire. As a vampire she took great pride in being the most powerful and cruel female, but as a human she's, like I said, innocent and sort of lost. It was a great contrast to see her adjusting to her new life. But her coven is looking for her and as soon as you reach a point in the story, you're just waiting for that moment to arrive. And then BAM. It all comes rushing in. I definitely did NOT expect the ending but I loved it! It ends on such a cliffhanger and I was bouncing in my seat with anticipation for the next book, which you get a little peek at, but nothing that satisfied.
Unfortunately, the sequel Stolen Nights has been pushed back as Ms. Maizel makes it just right, so it could be coming out next year instead of this fall :(

Bottom Line
Infinite Days gives an intriguing new perspective on vampires, when Lenah is transformed back into a human and has to adjust to her new life while trying to hide away from her Coven, who will look for their leader. There are a few surprises and plenty of interesting scenes, past and present, and you'll be hooked. Read this one!

Rating

In My Mailbox (10)

 In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by the Story Siren where bloggers post about books they've received/borrowed/bought.

Got some suprises this week  :]

Borrowed

The Iron Daughter (Iron Fey #2) by Julie Kagawa

The Iron King was great and everyone gushes about this series!

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

Baby switched at birth? Creeeepy.

Kiss of Death (Morganville Vampires #8) by Rachel Caine

I LOVE this series! Can't wait to see what could possibly happen next. And why is Claire's hair pink?

The Iron Thorn (Iron Codex #1) by Caitlin Kittredge

I missed this hold the first time around--not this time!

Infinite Days (Vampire Queen #1) by Rebecca Maizel

Sounds interesting and the cover is gorgeous

Rampant (Killer Unicorns #1) by Diana Peterfreund

Killer. Unicorns.

For review

  ARC-The Power of Six (Lorien Legacies #2) by Pittacus Lore

ARC-Eve (The Eve Trilogy #1) by Anna Carey

+ Cute bookmark  ;D

Thank you so much Shannon & HarperCollins Canada! Eve was actually unexpected and I really appreciate the generosity. And we're in the middle of a postal strike so I'm not even sure how it got on my doorstep! Can't wait to start them!

What about you guys? What books did you get this week?
And Happy Father's Day to everyone (or, er, your dad's I guess!)

300 Follower Giveaway Winners!!

Ahh that was fun :]  The winners are announced so quickly cuz I have nothing better to do past midnight and all I had to do was push a button xP
So first I'd like to say a huge thanks for everyone who followed <3 I appreciate you all.

133 people entered the giveaway! And if you're curious like I was:

• Any book/unsure-6 people
• Bloodlines-22 people
• Carrier of the Mark-7
• Glow-10
• Dearly, Departed-5
• Eve-8
• Forever-14
• The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer-28
• The Pledge-18
• Wildefire-6
• Silence-13
• The Space Between-2
• Sweet Venom-9
• Didn't answer-7 (party poopers xP )
• And, um, one person said ShadowFever... -_-

Ok it doesn't add up but a lot of you picked more than one lol

#93-Maurielle!

#62-Alexandra C.!

and #13 Frosy!

Winners have been emailed and will have 48 hours to get back to me!

Follow Friday & Book Blogger Hop!

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Rachel at Parajunkee's View

This week's question is:

Genre Wars! What's your favorite genre and which book in that genre made it your favorite?

It's gotta be a tie between Paranormal/Fantasy and Dystopian, thanks to The Mortal Instruments and The Hunger Games. Those books stand out so much in my mind.

Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Jennifer at Crazy for Books.

This week's question is:

How many books are currently in your To-Be-Read (TBR) Pile?

Umm if it's the books that I have and need to read it's about a dozen. But the list of books I want to read is pushing 700 @_@

Review: Stay by Deb Caletti

Series: None
Pages: 313 (hardcover)
Published: April 5, 2011—Simon Pulse
Source: Borrowed

Goodreads Summary: Link
Clara's relationship with Christian is intense from the start, and like nothing she’s ever experienced before. But what starts as devotion quickly becomes obsession, and it's almost too late before Clara realizes how far gone Christian is—and what he's willing to do to make her stay.
Now Clara has left the city—and Christian—behind. No one back home has any idea where she is, but she still struggles to shake off her fear. She knows Christian won't let her go that easily, and that no matter how far she runs, it may not be far enough....

Review
At first I really didn't think I'd love Stay as much as I did. The beginning for me was a bit slow and you're not told much about why Clara's headed to a remote town. But after reading the first few pages that feeling just melted away. Deb Caletti has a fantastic way with words. At the risk of sounding really cheesy it's like they float around you like butterflies and draw you in. It became so easy to get lost in this book.

Clara and her father have relocated to the small town of Bishop Rock in an attempt to distance Clara from her obsessive ex-boyfriend Christian. I immediately liked Clara and her dad. They had a great relationship and were both really funny and joked around with each other. I really grew to love all the characters, even the ones you don't think you will, but they all have significance in Clara's life and helping her move forward. There were also these little footnotes dispersed throughout the book with little additions or comments on people or places. It gave you that little extra something; cute and interesting.

The book's written in Clara's POV but it also alternates between present and the past, when she first met Christian. I wasn't keen on it at first since I felt I wasn't getting enough information but after finishing it I can't imagine it being any other way. You get to see Clara and Christian's relationship from the start--Clara's excitement and happiness--to the point where it is in the end--ugly and overbearing. If you're like me you'll probably think 'why would Clara stay through that? Why not leave?' Well Clara brings that up too. She questions herself, admits she made a mistake. Her thoughts and feelings were so realistic that you would probably fall for Christian too and her actions made sense, even if you disagreed with them.

The writing of Stay is incredible. There are so many meaningful metaphors, passages and quotes, heartfelt and funny and sad. Every chapter I was marking a page to go back to. Here's just one:

We're supposed to hate violence, and we do hate violence...And yet the truth is...that words like Finn's...When you feel small and there is someone large and brave standing beside you, baring his teeth, ready to protect...Even when you know you wouldn't want him to, and even though you know he's not even the type...Well, here's what you do, then. You squeeze his hands. You look into his eyes. You let yourself, for a moment, anyway, feel safe. Page 153.

Bottom Line
Stay is a fantastic book. The writing just comes off the page. The emotion you get from Clara puts you right there with her and her love and fear and confusion as she struggles to move past such a difficult part of her life and not let it keep her from experiencing a normal life and love again. The book has its dark moments but there are also bright ones, and it all felt so real. Just so, so good. Contemporary fans, Sarah Dessen fans, Deb Caletti fans, definitely read this one.

Rating

Cover Crazy: Amy Saidens and The Simon Romantic Comedies

Cover Crazy is hosted by Tawni at The Book Worms, a weekly post of a cover that's caught your attention and why.

By the time you're probably reading this I'll be at Canada's Wonderland with friends riding a roller coaster and screaming like a little girl. Awesome! So I wanted some cute, happy covers and these books immediately came to mind, cover and story-wise, all designed by Amy Saidens.
So this week I'm crazy for the covers of The Simon Romantic Comedy books.


These covers always stand out to me. They're just super cute and bright and quirky. Did I say cute?! And I like the tag lines even though they're kinda cheesy. Like the one for Drive Me Crazy is "Destination: True Love" *groan*


I love the style the artist has, and you can automatically recognize her work. They're simple but they all have some relevance to the story. These are (to me at least) the epitome of teen chick-lit. You want cute-sy romance, look no more. These are cute bordering on cheesy and I love them lol. They always make you smile in the end :D


Have you read any of these books? Like/dislike the covers? Leave your inks to your Cover Crazy posts too!

Also...OMG I'm going on this!

In My Mailbox (9)

 In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by the Story Siren where bloggers post about books they've received/borrowed/bought.

I'm super happy about my mailbox this week!

Bought
Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton - read this, loved it, review here
The Maze Runner by James Dashner - also read this, also loved it!
Nightshade by Andrea Cremer - been on my wishlist forever, finally bought it; the cover's so pretty ^_^

Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari - bought this on a whim, dystopia calls to me :P
Impulse by Ellen Hopkins - this is my fave of her books, I finally bought a copy, and only for $5!

For review

Ashfall by Mike Mullin

Another dystopia, this one about what happens when Yellowstone National Park erupts. It's a totally realistic possibility so it'll be even more eye opening.








Won
Legend by Marie Lu

There was a contest going on at the Legend Facebook page. The first 20 people to comment at a certain time won an advance copy. I was lurking monitoring the page with my fingers poised over F5 and Ctrl-V. And I ended up being number 14 or something! It should be mailed out next week; I'm so psyched!! Thanks to Marie Lu and CBS Films for the contest.
And make sure to check the FB page, they'll be giving away hundreds of ARC's up until Legend's release in November.

What books did you guys get this week? Please share!

Review: Hollowland by Amanda Hocking

Pages: 216 (ebook)
Published: October 1, 2010—pubit!
Source: Own

Goodreads Summary: Link

"This is the way the world ends - not with a bang or a whimper, but with zombies breaking down the back door."

Nineteen-year-old Remy King is on a mission to get across the wasteland left of America, and nothing will stand in her way - not violent marauders, a spoiled rock star, or an army of flesh-eating zombies.

Review
I was aware of the very popular independent author Amanda Hocking but this was the first book of hers I read. And if her other books are as good as this one she deserves all the praise and recognition she's gotten. Hollowland was awesome!

Really the only zombie books I've read have been the Forest of Hands and Teeth series and The Dead but I'm thinking I should read more. Yes they're gross and dirty and can be scary as hell but they make for some great action scenes and Hollowland is pretty much one giant action sequence from beginning to end.

Remy is a 19 year old survivor living in a quarantine after the world's been hit by a virus that turns people into, duh, zombies. When the zombies manage to breach the safehouse, Remy makes a run for it, along with 13 year old Harlow, to try to find her little brother Max, who was evacuated earlier. Along the way they join up with Blue, a pre-med student and nice guy, and Lazlo, a former rock star who'd been in hiding and has pretty much zero experience killing zombies. Then there's Ripley. I. Loved. Her! You will too, but you have to read it see why.
They're a pretty random group and realistically they don't always get along. Remy for one gets into lots of arguments with Harlow, who acted like a typical young teen who whined and complained and I still liked her, and Lazlo, who she teased at first but gradually came to care about. Their interactions and relationships came across as genuine and it was so easy to follow along, so thank you Ms. Hocking!

There was never a dull moment here either. They're on this sort of epic journey across the country trying to get to another quarantine where Max might be at and so much happens along the way. New people come into the picture, people die, and they kill a hell of a lot of zombies. And I loved the zombie killing parts haha. It was violent and graphic but not overkill to me. Enough to get a picture in my mind but not enough to cringe and skim the words. It makes you want to jump into the fray and kick some undead butt right along with Remy.

Remy was such a great character to read about. She was tough and had this mission to get to her brother and nothing was going to stop her. But she's still a teen and I'm glad that came across. She could be moody and confused about her feelings for Lazlo, and she wasn't a pro fighter or anything like that. She was making do with the cards she'd been dealt, so to speak, and was doing her best. And though she started off wanting to journey alone, not wanting anyone to hold her back, she does come to care and worry about the group with her and would do anything to keep them safe.

Hollowland ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. So much culminates into this big action plan and when it gets underway the book ends!! Thank goodness the sequel is scheduled to come out Fall of this year, I'm dying to find out what will become of Remy and the others.

Bottom Line
Hollowland is such a balanced book. There's so much action and fighting and surviving, but there's also room for a little romance. And not the insta-love kind either :P  It makes for a thrilling read. This was just so good! And it's on sale for $0.99 on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Read this one!

Rating

WoW: Eden

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

Eden by Keary Taylor
Release Date: June 21, 2011

Eve knew the stories of the Fall, of a time before she wandered into the colony of Eden, unable to recall anything but her name. She’s seen the aftermath of the technology that infused human DNA with cybernetic matter, able to grow new organs and limbs, how it evolved out of control. The machine took over and the soul vanished. A world quickly losing its humanity isn’t just a story to her though. At eighteen, this world is Eve’s reality.

In their Fallen world, love feels like a selfish luxury, but not understanding what it is makes it difficult to choose between West, who makes her feel alive but keeps too many secrets, and Avian, who has always been there for her, but is seven years her senior.

The technology wants to spread and it won’t stop until there is no new flesh to assimilate. With only two percent of the human population left, mankind is on the brink of extinction. While fighting to keep Eden alive, Eve will discover that being human is about what you will do for those you love, not what your insides may be made of. And even if it gets you killed, love is always what separates them from the Fallen.

Ooooooooh! I wanna jump up and down this sounds so cool! Kinda Terminator Salvation-ish with the robot humans. And omg I LOVE the cover! I'd buy it based on that alone, it's so deliciously creepy with the metal on the sides of the eye.

Would you want to read Eden and what books are you waiting on?? Leave your links :D

Review: The Everafter by Amy Huntley

Pages: 272 (paperback)
Published: September 16, 2009--Simon Pulse
Source: Borrowed

Goodreads Summary: Link

Madison Stanton doesn't know where she is or how she got there. But she does know this—she is dead. And alone, in a vast, dark space. The only company she has in this place are luminescent objects that turn out to be all the things Maddy lost while she was alive. And soon she discovers that with these artifacts, she can reexperience—and sometimes even change—moments from her life.
Her first kiss.
A trip to Disney World.
Her sister's wedding.
A disastrous sleepover.
In reliving these moments, Maddy learns illuminating and sometimes frightening truths about her life—and death.
This is a haunting and ultimately hopeful novel about the beauty of even the most insignificant moments—and the strength of true love even beyond death.

Review
The Everafter is one of those books that sticks with you after you read it. You turn the last page and go 'huh, that was interesting!'.

The story is told from the point of view of Madison. Madison's dead. She doesn't know how she died, or where she is, or even who she is at first. She just is. She's not a body or a person but more like a ball of energy. As she explores the endless space-like place she's in, she encounters objects she's lost in life. When she touches one, she's sucked back to that moment in her life where she lost it. The items vary from keys to jewelry, homework to a rattle. Since the items vary with age, we're brought back to different moments in Madison's life in no order. She goes from toddler to teenager to adolescent, even baby (which is kind of creepy to read!)

The concept isn't something I've ever read and it's so intriguing just to think about. Death and what comes after is such a huge mystery and this version is almost...wistful. You can feel Madison's longing as she remembers what it's like to be alive and how much she misses her parents, best friend and boyfriend. All she's got is these rare moments that she lost something, and though they weren't important in life, they're so meaningful in death. On top of that, she's trying to find out how she died and she's so confused. It was just so sad!

Madison's death isn't revealed until the end (and it's a shocker), so you're constantly thinking of all the possibilities along with Madison. She comes into contact with other people who are also dead that give her direction in terms of discovering what she can do with her 'lost memories' and how she can unlock the moment of her death. Until she does that, she can't move into the Everafter, a mysterious place that sounded beautiful, where you're happy and everyone you love is with you.

Beautiful is how I'd describe this book. Beautiful and imaginative and intriguing and sad but in a 'smile-through-your-tears' sort of way. It's one that makes you wonder. I'm absolutely terrified of death and what comes after, but The Everafter makes it seem not so scary. It makes you hope that maybe this is what'll be there on the other side.
At the end, there's also an extra page or two from another character (2 actually!) that played an important role, and you find out their actions had a huge impact in how Maddy's and this person's life played out, and it's one of those smiling-tears scenes again *Sniff* so sad  )':

Bottom Line
The Everafter's a hopeful glimpse into what the afterlife could be. Madison's trying to figure out how she died and learns a lot about herself and others along the way. It's definitely got its sad moments but there are also moments of joy and in the end you really just hope for the best for Maddy and her loved ones. If you're a fan of ghost stories or mysteries or any sort of speculative fiction please check this one out, it's fascinating!

Rating

Cover Crazy: Elemental Reality

Cover Crazy is hosted by Tawni at The Book Worms, a weekly post of a cover that's caught your attention and why.

I had a couple covers in mind but I went with this one because it makes me happy, and I'm in a happy mood ^_^
This week I'm crazy for Elemental Reality by Cesya Cuono.

Ahh doesn't it remind you of summer! The warm colours, the rainbow, the sky and the sun, the girl's position and her dress

The light of the title reminds me of when you wave sparklers around and it leaves those light trails behind and you try to write your name :P

It's like I can feel the wind on my face. Makes me want to go outside and lie on the grass :]

Do you like this cover? What covers are you all crazy for this week? Leave your links so I can check them out!

300 FOLLOWER GIVEAWAY!!

Oh. My. Gosh. Guys!! I've reached 300(+)  followers, woo! I appreciate every single one of you for sticking it out with me :P

Though I wish I had ARC's (which I don't) and cool signed swag (which I also don't) to give away, what I do have is access to the awesomeness that is the Book Depository. *Cheers*

Behold the goodies!!

Super-Awesome Upcoming Releases  

Silence-Becca Fitzpatrick
The Pledge-Kimberly Derting
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer-Michelle Hodkin
Dearly, Departed-Lia Habel
Forever-Maggie Stiefvater
The Space Between-Brenna Yovanoff
Sweet Venom-Tera Lynn Childs
Eve-Anna Carey
The Carrier of the Mark-Leigh Fallon
Glow-Amy Kathleen Ryan
Wildefire-Karsten Knight
Bloodlines-Richelle Mead

Prizes:

• There will be 3 winners! And each will get one pre-order of the books above. Sweet!
• All books will be hardback with the exception of The Carrier of the Mark (no hardback available) and After Obsession (paperback comes out sooner)
• Also please keep in mind the release dates from the Book Depo might be different than the Goodreads dates. I don't know why!

Rules:

• This giveaway is international as long as the Book Depo ships to you!
• Winners will be picked using random.org, contacted by email and have 48 hours to get back to me or a new winner will be chosen
• I can't be held responsible for items lost/damaged in the mail, once I order the books they're out of my hands
• Giveaway ends June 17

To enter:

• Open to everyone! Though following would be much appreciated
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Review: Skinwalker (Jane Yellowrock #1) by Faith Hunter

Pages: 336 (e-book)
Published: May 22, 2009—Roc
Source: Own

Goodreads Summary: Link
Jane Yellowrock is the last of her kind-a skinwalker of Cherokee descent who can turn into any creature she desires and hunts vampires for a living. But now she's been hired by Katherine Fontaneau, one of the oldest vampires in New Orleans and the madam of Katie's Ladies, to hunt a powerful rogue vampire who's killing other vamps...

Amidst a bordello full of real "ladies of the night," and a hot Cajun biker with a panther tattoo who stirs her carnal desire, Jane must stay focused and complete her mission...or else the next skin she'll need to save may be her own.

Review
Skinwalker's been on my to-read list for some time. I'm fascinated by shifters books, but this one goes one step ahead by featuring Jane Yellowrock, a Cherokee woman who is a Skinwalker. She can turn into any animal. How freaking cool!

Jane is a truly kickass heroine. She sort of reminds me of Mercy from the Mercy Thompson series or Elena from the Women of the Underworld series. Seriously strong women who take no crap from people and can stand up for themselves. In Jane's case, she also has a motorcycle and a huge arsenal of weapons and charms to take down some vampires. She's funny and has a reply for everything and also nicknames people as soon as she meets them. Like, there's The Twins, Bruiser, and The Joe.
Jane's also really unique in that she shares a soul with a panther she calls Beast. Beast and Jane share the dialogue, which at first was a little confusing to follow, but that goes away quickly. It was really amusing to have Jane in a situation and then Beast would pipe up with her opinion, usually something about hunting and using her 'killing teeth'. Then when Jane would shift into an animal (usually a panther, Beast's form), it was described like Jane would move to the backseat, and Beast was now the narrator and protagonist. Her voice was very straightforward, mostly thoughts or feelings but it was cool to get a different perspective from such an impatient, cut-to-the-chase wild animal :P

There's this mystery surrounding, not only who the rogue vampire Jane's hunting is, but also on Jane's past. Jane doesn't remember where she came from, where she grew up, or how she and Beast became fused together. With all the native history and language and flashbacks it was a little too much information at times and the words started blurring in front of me. What totally made up for those parts were the hunting scenes though. Mainly the parts where Jane did her sleuthing or she turned into an animal/Beast to track down the rogue. And then there were the fighting scenes and the vampire scenes and, ugh, it was all just exhilarating. I think True Blood needs someone like Jane around lol.

One thing I found myself wanting more of was deeper relationships. There was interaction, and a hell of a lot of teasing and attraction and hormones, but nothing beyond that. Not even kissing, and there is definitely the potential for some steamy scenes, especially when Beast is making her thoughts on the matter very clear. So hoping for some of that in the sequel  ;D

Bottom Line
I love reading about strong, independent female characters, and Jane Yellowrock makes my top list. She hunts vampires for a living with her co-soul-inhabitant Beast, which makes for a dangerous, interesting and very fun read. If you're a fan of Mercy Thompson, Women of the Underworld series, shifter books or just urban fantasy, read this for sure!

Rating

Major crush!

Review: Between by Cydni Tefft

Pages: 224 (e-book)
Published: April 21, 2011—Createspace
Source: Author for review

Goodreads Summary: Link
It just figures that the love of Lindsey Water's life isn't alive at all, but the grim reaper, complete with a dimpled smile and Scottish accent.

After transporting souls to heaven for the last 300 years, Aiden MacRae has all but given up on finding the one whose love will redeem him and allow him entry through the pearly gates.

Torn between her growing attraction to Aiden and heaven's siren song, Lindsey must learn the hard way whether love really can transcend all boundaries.

Review
Between was a lot of fun to read. Lindsey Water’s in a car with her boyfriend when he tells her he loves her. Seconds later, they’re in an accident and Lindsey dies, finding herself in a sort of limbo with Aiden MacRae, a transporter, like a grim reaper, to guide her to heaven. And, like the blurb says, let the attraction begin!

Aiden’s a Scotsman from the 18th century and it was a pleasure reading about him. As he spoke it was like he came right off the page to me and I could hear his Scottish accent floating through my mind. I loved it! He came complete with kilt and the urge to protect, and knew all the right things to say to make you go ‘aww’. As we got to know more about him and the life he led I really came to like him as a character. Visits into his past let us see what a good guy he was, but one mistake got him to where he was at.
I liked Lindsay, though most of the time I was feeling sorry for her and sympathizing with her. She was really upset that when she died her divorcee dad wouldn't be able to deal with the grief. And then she would never be able to get married, or have kids, etc. Even as the story progressed, though, I felt I never really got to know much about her, and she spent a good chunk of the story pining for Aiden, which brings me to my next point.

Insta-love. Oh boy is it rampant. Time in the in-between is different than on earth, so I didn't really know how much time Lindsey and Aiden spent together. In my mind I'd guess no more than a week but they act like it's been months. You know, how one glance sets your body on fire, the lingering touches, the almost kiss, and then you start imagining what is really under that kilt..that kind of stuff..in like the first chapter. Mind you, it was fun, but in general it all feels like an adult novel minus some of the racier adult scenes (though there are some steamy ones). It was a bit...over the top dramatic sometimes.

Without trying to give too much away, Between is essentially made up of two parts: Lindsey and Aiden trying to stay together, and Lindsey and Aiden trying to get back to one another. Besides those two themes, I wondered a lot of the time if anything else was going to happen. The two would revisit a memory, ok, sleep some, ok, visit somewhere else. The second half was similar in terms of not much happening, but there was a lot of introspection and acceptance for multiple characters. The exciting parts came in the middle, and the end.
And I really liked the end. A part of my mind thought what happened was going to happen and then when it did I sort of wanted to jump up and clap my hands with glee it was so cute!

One last point I want to mention is the religious aspect. There are a lot of mentions of God, heaven, hell, angels, and the like. It's clear in Between that God plays a very important role in terms of dying, actions and consequences, his love for everyone etc. I'm not very religious and the themes in the book didn't come off as 'preacher-ish' as I've seen it described. It was a very clear religious theme yes, but it was more in the sense of thought provoking than the sort of 'change your ways or you'll go to hell' of the extreme. I liked how God wasn't portrayed as a power wielder of sorts, but as a warm presence within the characters, and later as a comfort. It felt real, that in times of grief, people might reach out to a higher power for solace.

Bottom Line
Mrs. Tefft brought a cute Scottish guy to life in my head. Is that not enough? The writing was very descriptive, and the visions of Scotland she described were beautiful. The pace is not the quickest, and there's not much action, but the warmth and intensity between Lindsey and Aiden kept me eager to read more about them. And with the way the book ended I'm going to be super excited to read the sequel because a door has been opened, literally. I'd say read this one on your downtime for some YA romance. Huge thanks to Cyndi for letting me read & review her debut novel!

Rating

Crush worthy!