August In Review

So Its been a slow month for me
58: Hallows Every Which Way But Dead -Kim Harrison (Aug 10th)
59: Nightshade - Andrea Cremer (Aug 13th) ARC
60: Hallows A Fistful of Charmes - Kim Harrison (Aug 17th)
61: Heist Society - Ally Carter (Aug 25th)
62: Jealousy - Lil St. Crow (Aug 31st)

Challenge updates.
62books read out of my 100 goal
10 Debut Novels out of 12 is the goal.

Goals for September.

1. Mockingjay
2. Clockwork Angel
3. Raised By Wolves
4. Another Faust & Another Pan
5. Fire
6. Speak
7. The Dead Tossed Waves
8. Kisses From Hell
9. Kiss Me Deadly

Wish Me Luck.

Monday in Opposition (2)

Ever read two books at once and the details blend together until you can't seperate them? Scribing Shadows, Twisted Fates Cafe and myself, Mondays in Opposition to solve that problem. Two or more contrasting books that work well to read simultaneously are Featured for those ravenous readers out there.

So I missed my last monday due to life.

So this week I chose. Two books that are very high on my book shelf.

Cut by Patricia McCormick
Fifteen-year old Callie is so withdrawn that she's not speaking to anyone including her therapist at the residential treatment facility where her parents and doctor send her after discovering that she cuts herself. Her story unfolds primarily through dramatic monologues, gradually revealing the family turmoil that led to her self-destructive behavior. Her little brother, Sam, is ill he nearly died in her care. Since Sam's illness, Callie's mother has become so worried and fragile that she rarely leaves the house. Her father has responded to the psychological and financial stress of Sam's illness by disappearing into his work, and when that doesn't work, into his drinking.

Callie's efforts to understand herself and her family illuminate her process of recovery honestly and with hope. Cut provides an insightful look at the psychology of cutting a form of self-abuse an estimated 2 million teenage girls inflict on themselves. (GOODREADS)







Hiest Society by - Ally Carter

When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip to the Louvre...to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria...to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own--scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving "the life" for a normal life proves harder than she'd expected.

Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring her back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has good reason: a powerful mobster has been robbed of his priceless art collection and wants to retrieve it. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat's father isn't just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat's dad needs her help.

For Kat there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it's a spectacularly impossible job? She's got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in history-or at least her family's (very crooked) history.

GOODREADS

Now if you have been paying any attetion to my blog you can tell that I am in love with Heist Society, its a cute fun read. Which is exactally what Cut is not. Cut is deep-dark-and-depressing If you want two books that you wont get confused while reading simultaneously these two are the books for you.

book buying ban september

As many of you know I have had a min book buying ban going on with Catie at Book Bound. So when I found Bella's blog I jumped at the idea of a book-buying-band. I have been down to one book a month unless it is for book signing (which there is a big one in september which I am all cought up for) But My probleam is I was at close to 70 books! in April and I have donated 30 (so that I have already read others not) to the library, I have read a fair bit 40 books. (see that math reaches up exactally there has been some library trips as well). So I have 5 books on my shelf left and 2 library books out, and two audio books out with 3 books on the way. So i have 10 books to last me all of september. SO once I find my carmar cord I will take a picture for this challange.

I am sure 10books is enough to get me throught this challange. (and I have books coming in the mail that was pre-planed that I can not stop)

Whatever reason you think you should be on a Book Aquiring Ban or you want to be on one, then join me.

Okay onto the "guidelines":
1. I am not setting the limits, you are! I know some people have pre-orders they want, or book club books, so you can set your own guidelines. Whether it be limiting yourself to one new book, or no new books, just let us all know in your sign up post.

Here are my personal guidelines to give you an idea:
(a) No purchasing of new books, regardless of reason, for myself. I can purchase books for other people, as gifts etc;
(b) NO Library I have become a library junkie the reason my tbr shelf isnt done is because of the library


Find out more from Bella's blog (link above)

in my mailbox

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she’s made it out of the bloody arena alive, she’s still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what’s worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss’s family, not her friends, not the people of District 12.

Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins’s groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year. (Amazon).

Jealousy by Lili St. Crow

Synopsis

It’s a good thing Dru Anderson is fast. Because the sucker chasing her isn’t slowing down—and he won’t rest until he has tasted her blood and silenced her heart . . .

Dru’s best friend, Graves, and her strange and handsome savior, Christophe, are ready to help her take on the ultimate evil. But will their battle for Dru’s heart get in the way of her survival? (Amazon).

both books from the North Bay Public Library

Heist Society by Ally Carter

Title: Heist Society
Author: Ally Carter
Publisher: Hyperion (imprint of Disney)
Page Count: 287 pages

Any other student might have flinched in that bright spotlight, but from the moment Katarina Bishop had set foot on the Colgan campus, she'd been something of an enigma. Some said she'd gained her last-minute slot because she was the daughter of an incredibly wealthy European buisnessman who had made a very generous donation. Some looked at her perfect posture and cool demeanor, rolled her first name across their tongues, and assumed that she was Russian royalty--one of the last of the Romonovs.

Some called her a hero; others called her a freak.
Everyone had heard a different story, but no one knew the truth...


Read set steal. Because this elegant read will steal your time away.

Heist Society is a fast past read that will keep you guessing from page to page and the twist you think you have all sorted out before hand has you hoping you are wrong. 

Story: I found the story fun, and serious at the same time, Kat has retired from the Heist Society, but she is brought back in because a very bad man thinks that her father has stoled something from him, Kat believes other wise. But everyone think that there is only a handful of people who could pull of that job and Bobby Bishop is at the top of the list.

This book had a nice historical aspect, though as pointed out in the back that the works of arts were fictional that in the time of World War Two that the Nazi did steal many paintings from houses, and these were the spoils of war.

Characters: Kat, fun is the greatest thief of em all, it would seem and no wonder after she ‘retired’ that she is welcomed back with mostly open arms. She is loved by all, and so is her father so when it comes time to put a team together there is little problem.
W.W Hale the Fifth amazing, got to love a name like that, he’s too rich. Also he is funny and sweet, and a great con. He really cares for Kat, and it is painfully clear to everyone but Kat. Next Gabrielle: The sexy, taller, prettier version of Kat, and Kat hates it. Gabrielle is the girl you hate to love. I would love to see more of her in future books.

So over all a great fun fasted paced read. I give it 4 stars. which is the highest you will see from me unless its award winning.

Changing Covers (2)

So last week I tried this new feature. So I am going to try and post a changing cover every week. The idea is inspired buy the wonderful book publishers that decide that a book cover isn't good enough. Sometimes this is for the better, and sometimes for the worst. Find out my take on the changing of covers every week here.
SO last week I did The Demon Lexicon with the verdict that the original was better, but the UK covers are the best.

This week I decided to do Forest of the Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan.

So thought I like the original cover for The Forest of the Hands and Teeth, the covers for The Dead Tossed waves is perfect, and same goes for The Dark And Hallow Places. The covers are done in a way where the original matches the original cover. The only thing that bugs me about this redesign is that the sides don't match up. Although the paperback does.

That is my biggest pet peve when the sides of books don't match up. I can deal with paperback and then hardcover but not if the sides don't match up.

SO The Forest of The Hands and Teeth is an amazing read the the cover redesign was a success!

Waiting On Wednesday - Matched Ally Condie

n the Society, Officials decide. Who you love. Where you work. When you die.

Cassia has always trusted their choices. It’s barely any price to pay for a long life, the perfect job, the ideal mate. So when her best friend appears on the Matching screen, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is the one . . . until she sees another face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she’s known and a path no one else has ever dared follow—between perfection and passion.

Matched is a story for right now and storytelling with the resonance of a classic.


Why this?
I want this because of Melissa Marr's Post on Rath&Ruins

What I told the editor: "I like to cheer good books. I might do the writing thing these days, but I was a lit teacher first—and of course, I am the mother of two critical readers. My 16 yr old daughter read Matched last night, and pronounced it “amazing” and “one of the best dystopians (aside from Brave New World!)” and “on par with Forest of Hands and Teeth.” She’s a picky beast, so I was thrilled to hand her one she loved.


This book is out in November of this year

Followers Giveaway / Smart Chick Giveaway!

So Heres the deal. Theres this huge book signing in a month. And I am selfish and want followers and Comments but you want signed books! So it's win win for every one!

So regardless I am going to give away an copy of Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Marg Stohl's

Maybe some swag if I can snag it.

And after that Here is how it breaks down. For every 50 followers I am going to add another signed book. So here is the list of authors who are atteneding the Smart Chick Kick It stop in Brampton.

So if I get 100 Followers the winner can pick from the list of authors for a signed copy of there book. If I get 150 followers then I am going to give away 3 books in total, and so on.

Alyson Noel, Kelley Armstrong, Melissa Marr, Melissa de la Cruz, Jeri Smith-Ready, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Please fill out this form


And the winner of Warrior Princess or Goddess Game is Tawni please email me at shadowxkissed@gmail.com in the next 36hours. if Not I will draw another winner

In My Mailbox

This week in my mail box I got and I am so pumped for this.

Any other student might have flinched in that bright spotlight, but from the moment Katarina Bishop had set foot on the Colgan campus, she'd been something of an enigma. Some said she'd gained her last-minute slot because she was the daughter of an incredibly wealthy European buisnessman who had made a very generous donation. Some looked at her perfect posture and cool demeanor, rolled her first name across their tongues, and assumed that she was Russian royalty--one of the last of the Romonovs.

Some called her a hero; others called her a freak.
Everyone had heard a different story, but no one knew the truth...

Changing Covers

So I am going to try a new weekly feature in which I talk about covers that have been redone and what my opinions on both covers are. Whether or not I think it was good for the series or not.To start with the Demon Lexicon.

Don't you just LOVE how some covers get remade and others don't? Well I do, they are lots of things to talk about with the changing of the covers, some are pure gold and others are pure tin.

The Demon Lexicon. Those books went from Bad to worst. I like the books but the whole idea of the covers made me not capable of finishing the second one at this moment in time.

Now the first cover was not to bad. I could deal with it. The model looks enough like nick to do so and it FITS the book. The second cover is just bad. I think it looks cheesy. the coat and the sword, and the ridiculous stance. I don't care if is how Nick stands I don't like this. The Demon Covenant Wow. It looks good on line I will give you that. But in person, the fire looks beyond fake the dress is horrible, you really don't know whats going on with the clouds or the smoke and the look on the model's face.
Over all I think changing the cover was a total fail should of stuck with the old style.

I love the UK covers
This is beautiful. Clean lines, eye catching, cool font, black not everywhere with the colour. No poses that make me want to laugh. And as someone who is afraid of birds I would be able to pick this up because the birds do not over power the picture. OMG cool beyond cool it looks like there are Ninja fighting in the back ground, cool structure in the back ground. Mae's hair is vibrent but it also goes with the blue, the font has changed a little but for the better, the other font was too wild, but they did not change the base of the font.

Nightshade Andrea Cremer

Title: Nightshade
Author: Andrea Cremer
Publisher: Philomel (imprint of Penguin)
Page Count: 454 pages

Goodreads

While other teenage girls daydream about boys, Calla Tor imagines ripping out her enemies’ throats. And she wouldn’t have it any other way. Calla ...more While other teenage girls daydream about boys, Calla Tor imagines ripping out her enemies’ throats. And she wouldn’t have it any other way. Calla was born a warrior and on her eighteenth-birthday she’ll become the alpha female of the next generation of Guardian wolves. But Calla’s predestined path veers off course the moment she saves the life of a wayward hiker, a boy her own age. This human boy’s secret will turn the young pack's world upside down and forever alter the outcome of the centuries-old Witches' War that surrounds them all.

Review:

I have been having a reading funk. I have had 5 or 6 books on the go for the last three weeks and the only one I have finished has been NIGHTSHADE. I got an ARC from Catie @bookbound. (Thanks Catie!)

I am a werewolf junkie. I am obsessed with them. I like vampires but werewolves are just better. Any who. This book is a real page turner. 464 pages of pure goodness. There is enough in this book to keep you guessing, everything may seem perfect but you know you are moments away from everything going all cockeyed.

Now the part that you are all waiting for. Guys. This book like most books the main character (Calla) has two romantic interest’s. And this is one of the few books where I am “team I have no flipping clue who I like more.” Ren and Shay are both great. Ren is Calla’s mate, her Alpha her equal, they were literally made to be together. There parents were matched up so that they could start there own pack. Now Calla has always took this fact as it, she can’t be selfish, she needs to do what is best for her pack and that means being with Ren. Until Shay moves to town, and everything Calla does somehow Shay gets involved into it.

Shay’s involvement around page 300 of the ARC made me go watch Doctor Who for three hours, donate books to my local library, re-orgnized my beloved book case, and eat an hungry man (eww, they normally arnt that gross.) and ride seven roller coasters. Okay maybe that last one wasn’t because of the book. I am glad to say that my original thoughts of “that was to easy, as if that happened... did Andrea really just do that.” Were sorta wrongish. Sure it was easy but in the end it was anything but.

I am having a hard time talking about this book. It was so great, and I don’t want to ruin anything for you. So I will leave you with this. Expect the unexpected, if it seems to simple, you didn’t figure it out. And if you did. You are wrong about how it plays out.

And fyi. Team REN!

Read YOur Own Books Athon

Thanks to The Bibliophilic Book Blog for hosting the Read Your Own Books Read-A-Thon which is taking place August 13-August 16. This is a chance to read books that you bought or own, versus review books.

I am excited for the break from review books. I mean obviously I love my review books but I feel like my other books are being neglected. I will hopefully be updating throughout the weekend so keep an eye out for that!

TBR List (tentative)

1. Nightshade (Finished)
2. Magic Bites
3. Fire
4. Raised by wolves
5. Another Faust
6. Another Pan

Princess For Hire - Lindsey Leavitt

Title: Princess For Hire
Author: Lindsey Leavitt
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Page Count: 201 pages

When a well-dressed woman steps out of a bubble and wants to know if you'd like to become a substitute princess, do you
A) run
B) faint
...more When a well-dressed woman steps out of a bubble and wants to know if you'd like to become a substitute princess, do you
A) run
B) faint
C) say yes?
For Desi Bascomb, who's been longing for some glamour in her Idaho life, the choice is a definite C). Desi has a rare ability: with the help of "Royal Rouge," she can temporarily transform into the exact look-alike of any princess who needs her subbing services. Dream come true, right?
Well, Desi soon discovers that subbing involves a lot more than wearing a tiara and waving at cameras.... In this winning debut, one girl's dream of glamour transforms into the desire to make a positive impact. And an impact Desi makes, one royal fiasco at a time

Some times you just need a fast read. A funny read. A all around fun read. and that is what this book is. Its fun. Its a good time. I don't really have much more to say other then its great.

A wonderful read where you can let your self go. Desi has a normal life where everything changes when a "fairy-god-mother" comes into a bubble in her bathroom. Its quite wonderful.

Her "Fairy-god-mother" tells her she has "magic" that allows her to apply for a job, to be a princess for hire.

Like all good books Desi is not the Princess for Hire that she breaks the rules, she thinks she helps the princess doing things that they could not do for them selfs for whatever reason.

I loved this book. It was so much fun to read.

Shade - Jeri Smith Ready

Title: Shade
Author: Jeri Smith Ready
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Page Count: 401 pages

Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura kno...more Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last.

Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone.

Well, sort of.

Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan's violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost.

It doesn't help that Aura's new friend Zachary is so understanding--and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit.

As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart...and clues to the secret of the Shift.

Oh my good God, I honestly don't know what to say to this book, besides I can not wait for shift and to met Jeri in September. This is a debut YA novel for 2010. This book had given me a lot to think about. Ghost, Guardian Angels, Spirits whatever you call them. In this past year I have lost a couple of people, and have heard 100 time from my K-bear. "The ghost did it." So this book is really great for me. Gave me a lot to think about.

Any ways. this book has not one but two perfectly jaw dropping men. Logan. (now one, Logan one of those name crushes.) Now Logan dies on his birthday, and the Main Character. Aura, was the first person born after "the shift" now she and everyone younger then her sees ghosts. and then there is Zachery, who was the last person born before the shift nobody sees ghosts any more who is older then him. He and Aura are teamed up for a science project and things between then start to heat up as they see things about each other.

This is a extremely original plot, everything kept me guessing. the world building is great. To top everything of, it was beautifully woven together to make everything seem so really and makes me want to put my red bedsheets back on my bed.

Once Dead Twice Shy

Title: Once Dead Twice Shy
Author: Kim Harrison
Publisher: Harper Teen
Page Count: 368 pages

My name is Madison Avery, and I'm here to tell you that there's more out there than you can see, hear, or touch. Because I'm there. Seeing it. Touching it. Living it.

Madison's prom was killer—literally. For some reason she's been targeted by a dark reaper—yeah, that kind of reaper—intent on getting rid of her, body and soul. But before the reaper could finish the job, Madison was able to snag his strange, glowing amulet and get away.

Now she's stuck on Earth—dead but not gone. Somehow the amulet gives her the illusion of a body, allowing her to toe the line between life and death. She still doesn't know why the dark reaper is after her, but she's not about to just sit around and let fate take its course.

With a little ingenuity, some light-bending, and the help of a light reaper (one of the good guys! Maybe . . . ), her cute crush, and oh yeah, her guardian angel, Madison's ready to take control of her own destiny once and for all, before it takes control of her.

Well, if she believed in that stuff.

So I liked this book. I read it fairly fast. During the YA Reads read-a-thon a couple weekends ago. It was a good fast read, but it was a book that I could put down at any second. There was noting that was really pulling me into it.

This book had a lot of world building. If you like world building (creating a wonderful world) then this is the book for you. My problem was that Harrison had wrote a short story in "Prom Night From Hell" so I already semi knew the world. I knew Madison, and having a refresher was great, but it all so got old. The start was fast pasted but afterward there wasn't a lot that kept me reading other then I love Kim's adult series, and I also had a hard time with the her first adult book "Dead Witch Walking" the world building was great and now I can not get enough of the Hallows.

So I look forward to Early to Death Early to Rise. but I think I will wait for paperback.

three out of five stars

If I had all day to read

If I had All Day To read:
This is a meme from Kristin at Bookworming In The 21st Century. Every month we pick a few books we hope to read during the month that we would read if we had all day to just read.

So 5 books that If i had all day to read would be at the top of my list at the moment for Aug.


Update from July. I read 13books. and two of them were on my list.

Goals for Aug.

1) The Demon Covenent - Sarah Rees Brennen
2) Tales of the Otherworld- Kelley Armstrong
3) The Dead Tossed Waves - Carrie Ryan
4) Envy - Anna Godbersen
5) Another Fralk - Daniel Nayeri, Dina Nayeri

Books Read in July

45: Theatre-Illuminata Eyes Like Stars Lisa Mantchev (July 2nd)
46: The Dark Divine- Bree Despain (July 3rd)
47: Twilight The Short Second Life Of Bree Tanner Stephenie Meyer (July 4th)
48: Morganville Fade Out- Rachel Caine (July 7th)
49: Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Time Of Your Life - Joss Whedon (July 9th)
50: Vampire Academy Spirit Bound - Richelle Mead (July 10th)
51: Blue Bloods Keys to the Repository - Melissa De La Cruz (July 13th)
52: Bleeding Violet - Dia Reeves (July 15th)
53: Shadow Hills - Anastasia Hopcus (July 16th)
54: Princess For Hire - Lindsey Leavitt (July 16th)
55: Shade - Jeri Smith Ready (July 16th)
56: Once Dead Twice Shy- Kim Harrison (July 18th)
57: The Demon Lexicon - Sarah Rees Brennan (July 22nd)


Challenge updates.
57books read out of my 100 goal
9 Debut Novels (5 in July) 12 is the goal.

13books read six reviewed.