Jaidi's Book Blog

Pixel Of Ink

2011-10-18T13:40:00.000-07:00

I realize that I have mentioned Pixel of Ink in a couple of my posts, but some of you may not be enlightened on the wonderful world of Pixel of Ink. So I thought I would share with you some of the wonderful things that they bring to me!

POI has a website/blog and a Facebook Page. So here is how it works, on FB you get posts through your news feed throughout the day that tell you about bargain deals on books that the people behind the scenes ot POI have been made aware of. The FB post links to their blog posts which gives a description of the book, the price and links to get it. There are links to the Kindle books or to Nook books. Sometimes they post free Kindle books and sometimes free Nook books. Sometimes you can choose which reader you want to read them in, sometimes they are not free on both. Not all of their posts are on free books. There are bargain books, usually under $5. Oftentimes, authors will put their books on sale right before a new book in the series comes out. Brilliant marketing if you ask me. People 'buy' the book for free or really cheap, love it and then buy the new sequel and others as well. Hook them on the book while it is cheap and you get loyal readers, even if they have to spend more on them to get the next books. Anyway, POI finds about the deals through whatever channels they have and they share the info with their readers. As a result, you get great information on great deals. I myself have 'bought' about 30 books off POI deals all for free without spending a cent. I have read a few of them and am now a loyal reader of the series. (If only money grew on trees right? :) )

You can also (and should) sign up for the daily recap email. At the end of the day they send you an email with links to every book that they have shared on their blog, again, giving you the information about the book, prices and links to get them. Sometimes FB screws stuff up and you miss a view of their posts. By getting the emails, you won't miss any great books!

Now, you may be saying I haven't bought a Kindle or Nook E-reader yet and I won't be for a while. Do not fret, they have free apps for desktops, smart phones, etc that you can download and read the book with. I personally read all my books on my phone or laptop. It is really useful to always have it with you! Here is a link to both: Kindle E-Reader Apps and B&N Nook E-reader Apps. You can't argue with free e-readers and free books!

So jump on over to POI and enjoy the wonderful world waiting for you there! :)

If you have kids, you may want to check out Pixel of Ink - Young Edition as well. Books for the younger generation!

River of Time Series

2011-10-18T13:24:00.000-07:00

Waterfall is another book that I was introduced to over on Pixel of Ink. It looked like a fun story and so I got it, again, when it was free from Pixel of Ink, and devoured the story. I have never been one to enjoy learning history, and I certainly wouldn't have spent time looking into the history of Italy for any reason but a grade. In Waterfall, Bergren takes you into the world and makes you believe you are a part of it. Gabriella, is thrown into the fourteenth century, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, and walking out of a tomb into the middle of a battle field. Whether or not the history the story includes has any accuracy, it was fun to read about the area and the times. The book was great, and I actually want to read it again sometime. Jumpe over to Amazon and grab it, enjoy it and share your thoughts.

Here is the description that Amazon has:

Gabriella has never spent a summer in Italy like this one.

Remaining means giving up all she’s known and loved…

and leaving means forfeiting what she’s come to know…and love itself.

Most American teenagers want a vacation in Italy, but the Bentarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives with their parents, famed Etruscan scholars, among the romantic hills. Stuck among the rubble of medieval castles in rural Tuscany on yet another hot, dusty archeological site, Gabi and Lia are bored out of their minds… until Gabi places her hand atop a handprint in an ancient tomb and finds herself in fourteenth-century Italy. And worse yet, in the middle of a fierce battle between knights of two opposing forces.

And thus does she come to be rescued by the knight-prince Marcello Falassi, who takes her back to his father’s castle—a castle Gabi has seen in ruins in another life. Suddenly Gabi’s summer in Italy is much, much more interesting. But what do you do when your knight in shining armor lives, literally, in a different world?

Cascade is the sequel to Waterfall and was just as much fun to read. It challenges the space-time continuum, much like Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card did. What happens when a girl goes back 600 years into the past, changes the course of history and then returns to present day...You can really see that transition in this story.

In Cascade Gabi's story evolves to include her mother when she and Lia return to present day. It is a great story and really makes you think about choices you would make when faced with similar opportunities.

Here is Amazon's description of the book:

'Mom touched my underdress—a gown made six hundred years before—and her eyes widened as she rubbed the raw silk between thumb and forefinger. She turned and touched Lia’s gown. “Where did you get these clothes?” '

Gabi knows she’s left her heart in the fourteenth century and she persuades Lia to help her to return, even though they know doing so will risk their very lives. When they arrive, weeks have passed and all of Siena longs to celebrate the heroines who turned the tide in the battle against Florence—while the Florentines will go to great lengths to see them dead.

But Marcello patiently awaits, and Gabi must decide if she’s willing to leave her family behind for good in order to give her heart to him forever.

Lastly is the most recent addition to the series, Torrent. Sadly, i have been unable to read this one yet, as our budget is tight and I have to wait for it at the library, the waiting is brutal and I cannot wait to get my hands on it. While you wait for my review someday, you can enjoy reading the description of the book after the image below. But be careful, if you haven't already read the first two, this could give away a little bit.

'“Hold tight,” I said. “No matter what happens, do not let us go.”

“We won’t,” my dad said.

“Never,” Mom added.

And with a look at Lia, we laid our hands upon the prints.'

Gabriella and Evangelia Betarrini are just two normal American teenagers. Normal except for the fact that they time travel to fourteenth-century Italy, where they’ve lived in castles they’ve seen as crumbling ruins, become swept up in historic battles, and fallen in love with handsome knights willing to do anything to keep them alive.

They’ve returned to the present to save their father, just short of his tragic death, and now all four return to the place that holds the girls’ hearts, medieval Italy. But remaining there means facing great risk as the battle for territory wages on and the coming Black Plague looms. Can they convince their parents to stay and leave behind everything they’ve worked so hard to accomplish? And will the girls sacrifice their futures in an uncertain past? Or in facing death head-on, will they discover life as it was always meant to be lived?

Divergent

2011-10-18T13:04:00.000-07:00

Divergent by Veronica Roth is a first novel for the author. When I heard about it I was excited to see what was coming, but didn't have high expectations. Perhaps, I need to adjust my expectations on novels. I LOVED this book.

Okay, to start with, I will throw out the description for the book coming from Amazon:
In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves… or it might destroy her.

Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series—dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

The description sounds great, I don't know what I was thinking having low expectations, like I said, I need to change that. The world that Veronica created sent me on a roller coaster, a good one, I like roller coasters! I grew up in Chicago til the age of 14, so reading about this Dystopian world for me, was like going back 'home' to a place that had completely changed. There was no doubt this world was changed and Roth did an excellent job pulling you and making you want to be there. The story was intriguing and exciting. I look forward to her second novel in the series, Insurgent, and to the possibility of a movie to come. I would definitely say anyone who loves Dystopian novels, like The Hunger Games, would love this and should grab it and read it! It was excellent!

The Amulet

2011-10-18T12:54:00.000-07:00

The Amulet: A Faedra Bennett Custodian Novel
On Pixel of Ink a while back, I came across this book. The Amulet: A Faedra Bennet Custodian Novel by Alison Pensy. When I downloaded it, or 'purchased' it for free off Amazon, I didn't expect much of it. I was surprised when I started to read though, to absolutely love the story.

Here is the description of the novel from Amazon:

To seventeen-year-old Faedra, faeries were nothing more than the figurines she collected and displayed in her curio cabinet. She was in for the surprise of her life.

Faedra had no idea that faeries controlled nature, and with a book no less. Nor did she know that her descendants had protected an ancient fae amulet for thousands of years. An amulet that if ever was reunited with the book would give the wearer power to control the weather, too. She didn’t know all this because the one person to teach her died when she was just six years old. Well, now it was time for her to find out…

A letter from the grave reveals her true identity the day of her eighteenth birthday. But she barely has time to digest the revelation when she is plunged into a fight for her life and that of mankind.

I have enjoyed stories of Faeries recently, and so I decided to read it and see what it was like! I loved the story. I sympathized with Faedra, in the loss of her mother, and I understand the pain that would cause and the sense of loss you would feel. But more than that, the story was really great and explored a dynamic of the Fae world that I hadn't seen before.

It is a great story and for free right now on Amazon. The sequel The Emerald Staffis out and the price is only $2.99. If you enjoy stories of other realms, fairies, or just want a good book to read and escape the insanity that can be the world around us, I would grab the book before the prices change. A third book is in the works as well.

Coming Soon!

2011-08-22T20:21:00.000-07:00

I have slacked off a bit on writing my reviews as I have finished the many novels I have read! Here are some of the books I have finished since Pathfinder (Orson Scott Card).

Divergent (Divergent Trilogy) - Veronica Roth
Waterfall: A Novel (River of Time Series) - Lisa Bergren
Everlasting - The Immortals - Alyson Noel
Radiance/Shimmer - both by Alyson Noel
Awakened - House of Night - PC and Kristen Cast
City of Fallen Angels - Mortal Instruments - Cassandra Clare
Forever - Wolves of Mercy Falls Series - Maggie Stiefvater
Misguided Angel / Bloody Valentine- Blue Bloods - Melissa De la Cruz

On the links:

If it is part of a series I have referenced before the series name is linked to a page with all the posts for that series.
The book titles are linked to the Amazon page.

I have been reading a lot lately and haven't been good at keeping up with everything here...I will have some others to add before too long too, but it will all take some time. Watch for more posts coming soon!

Clockwork Prince ARC

2011-08-10T18:50:00.000-07:00

Okay, so Cassandra Clare the Author of the Mortal Instruments and the Infernal Devices series is holding a contest for ARC (advanced Reader copies) of Clockwork Prince. I so desperately want one!! :)

First of all: you should TOTALLY vote for Jace at this link:
http://ya-sisterhood.blogspot.com/2011/08/grande-finale-jace-vs-zachary-match-24.html

You can jump on over to her page and read more about the contest at this link: http://cassandraclare.livejournal.com/58188.html

Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card

2011-04-14T07:35:00.000-07:00

I was waking through the book section at our local Wal-Mart, when I saw this book and it jumped off the shelf at me. I have only read one book by Orson Scott Card and that was Ender's Game, which I loved. But I haven't really had a chance to get into the rest of that series or the Shadow Series. Or maybe I just haven't taken the time, I am not so sure!

Regardless, I picked up Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card and i thought it sounded interesting. As I read it, I was thrown in to the Space Time Continuum in ways I never thought possible and I loved it. This book totally challenges the Space Time Continuum. You know the thing that says if you go back and change the past you are changing what happens in the future.

In the Acknowledgements section at the back of the book Card says the following: "The games with time travel that I play in this book are in deliberate defiance of the consensus rules of science fictional time travel. I decided that I was not going to avoid paradox, I was going to embrace it, adopting a rule set in which it is causality that controls reality, regardless of where it occurs on the timeline."

He set out to challenge time travel basics, and he won. The book was a great read. I really enjoyed the challenge as I read it. You have to step back as the characters int he book did and understand what is happening to them. The characters in the book literally change their past in such a way that they wouldn't be in the future to come back and send the message, and it is all okay. Confusing at times, but it is all okay.

A little about the book. The book follows Rigg. His father has taught him everything he needs to know to live in every aspect of a possible life he could. But when his father dies telling him only that he needed to go and find his sister he discovers their are secrets his father never told him. Rigg already knows he has the power to see the paths of every person who has ever walked the planet, but he doesn't know the real extent of the secrets his father kept. The book follows his discovery of being a critical individual between t o government factions: one wants him crowned king, one wants him dead. The story explores his discoveries, his fights and his learning.

I was disappointed when I finished the book for one reason only---there is a sequel coming out at some point...I was disappointed only because that means I have to wait to finish the story. It was a great book and really captured my attention. It took me a little while to read only because of my own time constraints. I would recommend anyone taking the time to read the book. It is a fun story and really explores time travel in a way never done before!

And here is a book trailer for Pathfinder.

City of Fallen Angels

2011-03-31T16:45:00.000-07:00

For those keeping track! City of Fallen Angels the 4th book in Mortal Instruments series comes out April 5th! You can preorder on Amazon today and get it on Tuesday!

Don't forget to get your pre-order done! I can't wait!

City of Fallen Angels

(Mortal Instruments, Book 4)

Wolves of Mercy Falls

2011-03-31T15:15:00.000-07:00

I recently read a new book series, referred to me by my good friend Jessica Jeppson. She is great and has introduced me to a lot of new books! This is a series that I had not heard of before. It is the Wolves of Mercy Falls Series by Maggie Stiefvater. If you click on that link it will take you to the authors website where it talks about the series.

Shiver (Wolves of Mercy Falls)
Shiver is the story of Grace, a girl who is attacked by wolves at a young age. She then develops an interesting relationship with the wolves. The story follows the perspectives of Grace and Sam. It jumps back and forth between them.

I really enjoyed Shiver and thought that Maggie did a great with the writing and the story. I found myself hoping for Grace and Sam in whatever way they could be. It is a story that deserves the reading.

Definitely worth the time.

Linger (Wolves of Mercy Falls, Book 2)
Linger continues the story of Grace and Sam and their fight to remain together when their worlds are pulling them apart. It brings in the perspectives of Rachel and Cole. As a result, you are jumping from the heads of the different characters, which at times can be a bit confusing. But if you pay attention to the headings in the chapters and sub-chapters, it all works.

I really liked the story in Linger. But I hated the way it ended. But that is because it carries over heavily into the 3rd book. I thought it was a great story, parts of it I expected, and parts of it I didn't. Parts of it, I wondered when would come and wasn't the least surprised when they finally happened. But, it is a great story. It just really leaves you hanging at the end with Decisions by both Grace and Sam.

Coming July 12, 2011
Forever (Wolves of Mercy Falls, Book 3)
Obviously since it hasn't come out yet, I haven't read this. But here is the summary for the book from the website:
The conclusion to #1 bestselling Shiver trilogy. In Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. In Linger, they fought to be together. Now, in Forever, the stakes are even higher than before. Wolves are being hunted. Lives are being threatened. And love is harder and harder to hold on to as death comes closing in.

I am excited for this one to come out. I really want the story to finish the way I want it. But that isn't much of a surprise. I look forward to when it comes out.

If you read it, or have read it, I'd love to hear your input. Share your comments below. If you are interested in buying it, click on any of the titles above and it will take you right to the amazon page for it!

Judgement Day

2011-03-18T13:08:00.000-07:00

Judgment Day: A Novel
by: Wanda L. Dyson

I received this book as a complimentary review copy. I chose this story because it sounded like a good suspense novel. It didn't disappoint me at all!

A brief synopsis: Suzanne is a journalist who doesn't care to take the time to research the truth of her sources before announcing the info live on her cable news show. As the story develops there are deaths that seem to be pointing their fingers right at her. When one ends up dead in her living room, she is carted off to prison. Out on bond, she tries to uncover the truth and put the real murderer behind bars.

The story jumped point of views a lot. Dyson did a great job keeping you into the story while putting your thoughts in many different peoples head. The story is suspenseful, but at the same time, because there are times when you are in the head of the actual killer, it becomes obvious quickly who the killer is. However, knowing the killer doesn't spare the suspense of the story. I found the story a great book and a quick read. I actually sat down and read it in one day, but I also had a lot of free time today. It pulls your attention from the first couple pages. Just thr prologue leaves you wanting to find out what happened to the girl.

Dyson threw in a couple of comments during the story that seemed almost to be an after thought and didn't really belong. It was as if she wanted some religious aspects to her book, so she had a couple characters throw in comments about being glad they had repented. While I don't see anything wrong with it being part of the book, it just doesn't seem to fit into the story.

In all the book was excellent and I am sure anyone would enjoy it!

Amazon Product Description:
Sensational journalism has never been so deadly.

The weekly cable news show Judgment Day with Suzanne Kidwell promises to expose businessmen, religious leaders, and politicians for the lies they tell. Suzanne positions herself as a champion of ethics and morality with a backbone of steel—until a revelation of her shoddy investigation tactics and creative fact embellishing put her in hot water with her employers, putting her credibility in question and threatening her professional ambitions..

Bitter and angry, Suzanne returns home one day to find an entrepreneur she is investigating, John Edward Sterling, unconscious on her living room floor. Before the night is over, Sterling is dead, she has his blood on her hands, and the police are arresting her for murder. She needs help to prove her innocence, but her only hope, private investigator Marcus Crisp, is also her ex-fiancé–the man she betrayed in college.

Marcus and his partner Alexandria Fisher-Hawthorne reluctantly agree to take the case, but they won’t cut Suzanne any slack. Exposing her lack of ethics and the lives she’s destroyed in her fight for ratings does little to make them think Suzanne is innocent. But as Marcus digs into the mire of secrets surrounding her enemies, he unveils an alliance well-worth killing for. Now all he has to do is keep Suzanne and Alex alive long enough to prove it.

Nicholas Sparks

2011-03-07T13:15:00.000-08:00

I have read most of Nicholas Sparks novels. All of them are really great novels that you should take the time to read. I wish I could sit and write a blog about every one of his books, but I can't, so instead, here is a list of his books and a few of my notes on them.

The Lucky One
This story was really good. It brings up the question of secrets and lies and when is it right to keep a secret. to quote the website: "Filled with tender romance and terrific suspense, The Lucky One is Nicholas Sparks at his best—an unforgettable story about the surprising paths our lives often take and the power of fate to guide us to true and everlasting love."

Dear John Movie: Dear John (Limited Edition Blu-ray & DVD Combo Pack)
This story ties a little into 9/11 and follows the story of a man, John, who re-enlists in the army to help his country, leaving behind the woman he loves, Savannah. While gone, she finds a new love and settles down. John returns home to find Savannah married, and that he has to completely review his life and expectations. The movie based on this book was excellent and did a great job with the story. Read and see both!

The Choice
Follows the friendship and choices of Travis and Gabby, neighbors in Beaufort NC. A great story to read!

The Guardian
This book follows a young women, Julie, whose husband dies and he leaves her with 2 things - a dog, and the promise that he would always watch over her. Julie explores finding another love in her life and this leads her to two men and choosing between which later leads to jealousy and danger!

True Believer

(Prequel to At First Sight) This story introduces Jeremy Marsh who receives a letter about the supernatural happenings in NC. Jeremy is a writer who debunks supernatural stories and rushes down to NC to investigate. While there he meets Lexie who makes him question what he wants out of life.

At First Sight
This book is the sequel to True Believer- make sure you read the prequel first. This story follows Travis doing three things he swore he would never do - fall in love again, leave New York, or become a parent. Its a great story.

The Rescue
The Rescue follows Taylor McAden a volunteer fireman. He finds himself swept into the search and rescue of a boy who goes missing after a car accident with his mother. The search brings Taylor and the boys mother, Denise, close in a way that Taylor has never seen before.

A Bend in the Road

Miles Ryan is a man who lost his wife in a tragic car accident, and vowed to never love again. A Bend in the Road takes you on a journey following a widowed mans decision to fall in love again when he meets Sarah.

There are so many wonderful books by Nicholas Sparks and I have loved everyone that I have read. You can visit Sparks website to see his full list of novels, as well as movies that are based on them. These are some of my favorite here. But really, any one on his list of books will be a great book to sit down and read!

The Last Song

2011-03-07T12:21:00.000-08:00

The Last Song by Nicolas Sparks is a story unlike any other. While it has the typical love story that you see in all of Nicholas Sparks novels, it spends the majority of the story exploring the relationship of father and daughter.

Ronnie is a 17 year old girl, who goes to spend a summer with her dad. Ever since her parents divorced 3 years earlier, she has hated her father and wants little to nothing to do with him. So she and her younger brother, at the request of her mother, travel to Wilmington NC to spend the summer.

In this story you see the love of a father for a daughter. And the way that the love of a daughter for her father can change. You see Ronnie experience her first love. But more than anything else, as the description on Sparks website states the book shows: "The tale that unfolds is an unforgettable story about love in its myriad forms – first love, the love between parents and children – that demonstrates, as only a Nicholas Sparks novel can, the many ways that deeply felt relationships can break our hearts… and heal them."

When you read this story, at the end, you really just want to call your dad up and tell him how much you love him. I did! The story is one that is unexpected in every way (Unless you have seen the movie).

The movie staring Mylie Cyrus did an excellent job with the story. I was surprised how much I felt like the movie stayed true to the book. Mylie did an excellent job playing Ronnie. If you have seen the movie, you know how the story goes, and that will change how the book is read. You notice more in the beginning of the book that you wouldn't know if you didn't know the ending (But I guess that is the way it is with the movie too). But whether you have seen the movie or not, run and get this book and read it. It will really touch your heart, and maybe throw in a healing or two.

Safe Haven

2011-03-07T12:12:00.000-08:00

Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks is an excellent book. It is hard to even describe the story without giving so much away. But I will be cryptic!

Safe Haven follows Katie and Alex. Katie is a new resident in the small town of Southport, NC (I think all of Sparks books are in NC). Alex is a long time resident who is a widowed store owner. Katie develops friendships with both Alex, and a next door neighbor, a woman named Jo. Katie past hides dark secrets and a life that she wants and needs to forget and leave behind. And with Alex, she begins to do just that. This story is wonderful love story of accepting love in your life, and finding the true Safe Haven that love can bring you.

This story is incredible. It is a typical tear jerker, as all of Sparks novels are, but it is a tender and sweet story. It forces you to see the love in your own life, makes you want to take risks!

This is a book that everyone should take the time to read.

Percy Jackson Series

2011-03-07T11:59:00.000-08:00

To break away from the Vampires for a little while, I have switched gears to the Percy Jackson Series by Rick Riordan. This is a great series. My 7 year old daughter has read the first and is currently reading the second! I read the whole series. I started the first one, because I wanted to go see the movie with a friend. I read the rest of the because it was such a great story.

The story centers on Percy Jackson, a demigod (half human - half god). It has a total of 5 books and tells an incredible story. It makes you wonder sometimes...

The books in the series are:

The Lightning Thief

The Sea of Monsters

The Titan's Curse

The Battle of the Labyrinth

The Last Olympian

You can use those links above to buy the individual books, or you can buy The Boxed Set. If you have children that may want to read the series (and they probably will), then I would recommend buying the actual book. It has been difficult to let my daughter read the Sea of Monsters that I bought for my Kindle on IPhone. It would be so much easier if I could have just given her the book! Of course, I guess I could just buy her a Kindle...But I read the first one in book format and the rest on the Kindle for IPhone and loved it!

The story in the Lightning Thief is that someone steals Zeus Lightning bolt and Zeus blames Percy. Since everyone, demons and gods alike, believe that he has Zeus' lightning bolt, everyone tries to attack him. Unfortunately, this is before he knows he is a demigod, or that demigods even exist. He is brought into the Camp Half Blood and trained and then sets off with his new friends to find Zeus' lightning bolt and return it.

Each of the books build off the first as is usually the case with a series. If you saw the movie, there was a lot left out. I would really take the time to read the book as it tells a much better story!

If you are looking for a great book to read, then I would definitely take the time to check this one out. It is an easy read, as it is geared for the younger generation, but it is a great story. And hey, who doesn't love a book without all the drugs, sex and alcohol that seems to run rampant in books these days!

House of Night Series

2011-03-07T11:38:00.000-08:00

I posted previously about the House of Night Series by PC and Kristen Cast. But as you can plainly see from the previous post, I didn't give much information on the series. So here is a new post about the series, and hopefully you can get a better feel for what the series is about.

The series has 8 books so far and I am not sure of plans for additional books. I have read the first 7, and will be reading the 8th soon. The series includes

Marked: A House of Night Novel (special for Marked on Kindle: 2.99- limited time only!)
Betrayed (House of Night, Book 2)

Chosen: A House of Night Novel
Untamed (House of Night)
Hunted (A House of Night Novel)
Tempted (House of Night, Book 6)
Burned (House of Night, Book 7)
Awakened (House of Night)

I have linked the titles of the books to the Amazon pages directly, these are also all available on the Kindle.

As for the series---

Marked starts off with Zoey Redbird, as ordinary 16 year old in high school. Within the first few pages of the book, Zoey is marked as a vampyre and forced to join the House of Night, which is a school for young vampyres (fledglings) to learn to become adult vampyres, so that they can function in the world. The series follows Zoey as she is chosen by the Goddess Nyx as special and through the challenges that she faces. There are a lot of twists and turns in the series, which makes it completely unpredictable, which is excellent in a series, especially a series that goes on for 8 books. the first 7 books tell various aspects of the change from fledgling to adult vampyre. She looses boyfriends, friends and family, not to mention teachers. It is a great story that really takes a different spin on the origin of vampyres and the world that they live in. It is not the typical vampire story and is a completely different story than the others that I have read.

A word on the website for the series---it is phenomenal. It has pictures, videos, all sorts of stuff that really give you a little more to work with in your imagination as you sale through the series. I would highly recommend jumping on over and getting a feel for what they have to offer. The also have excerpts from the series. And yes, as they say over there, they are addictive, so don't start if you have to wait a week for the book...it could be painful!

I am a sucker for a good vampire story. And these definitely are worth the time to read. They do not take very long to read and are a fun story. As always, if you have read the series, post a comment and tell everyone what you thought. It never hurts to have some different perspectives!

Vampire Academy

2011-03-07T11:11:00.000-08:00

The Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead is a fun series. You can visit the homepage for the series Here.

The series follows Rosa and Lissa. Lissa is a member of Vampire Royalty, Rose, her guardian in training. It follows their education and training and eventual graduation and life in the 'real' world. The website gives this introduction for the series:

"Two races of vampires walk our world. One, the Moroi, are alive and wield elemental magical. The other, the Strigoi, are undead and evil--feeding on the innocent to survive. Rose Hathaway--a half-vampire with poor impulse control--is training to be a bodyguard for a Moroi princess. Learning to decapitate and stake is hard enough, but Rose's real danger may lie in an illicit romance with one of her instructors..."

That sums up the beginning of the series nicely. It is different than the Twilight storyline. There isn't a vampire falling in love with a human. But if you like vampire stories along those lines, you would really enjoy Vampire Academy. I do want to be clear though that the story really is not even similar to the Twilight Series. I loved the TWilight Series, but this is a totally different series and I love it too!

Vampire Academy Signature Edition: A Vampire Academy Novel

Frostbite (Vampire Academy, Book 2)

Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy, Book 3)

Blood Promise (Vampire Academy, Book 4)

Spirit Bound (Vampire Academy, Book 5)

Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy, Book 6)

All of the books above are available on the Kindle as well as the regular book. I have links above that will take you directly to the page for Amazon so you can buy it if you want. The books really are a good series. I really think that if you like the vampire genre, you will enjoy the series. The homepage listed above has excerpts from each of the books. That would give you a start to see if you might be interested. You may also be able to access samples for the Kindle. I haven't looked into that much. If you do read them, or have read them, leave your comments below. I am sure people reading would love to hear some other opinions on the books!

Richelle's New Series

Richelle Mead is also starting a new series - Bloodlines. It follows some characters that you see in the VA series, but is a completely different storyline. Here is the info available at the website.

"Rose's story might have wrapped up in the Vampire Academy series, but there's still lots more to tell about the other characters from that world. This spin-off series centers around Sydney the Alchemist, as well as Jill, Eddie, and everyone's favorite heartbroken hero from the last series. More details coming later this year!

Bloodlines is the first novel in this new series (and also the name of the series) and will be released on August 23. It is available for pre-order from most major booksellers.

Read an Entertainment Weekly article about the series here."

It will be interesting to see the new series and what the storyline will be. Hopefully I will be able to get this series going. I look forward to August for the new book!

Immortals By Alyson Noel

2011-03-04T21:19:00.000-08:00

Back in April of 2009, I read Evermore by Alyson Noel. The series has expanded in the last two years to include now 5 books, with a 6 due out in June. Titles are:
Evermore: The Immortals Book 1
Blue Moon (The Immortals, Book 2)
Shadowland (The Immortals, Book 3)
Dark Flame (Immortals, Book 4)
Night Star (Immortals) Book 5
Everlasting (Immortals) Book 6 Out June 7, 2011

The series is an excellent story. I really enjoyed difference that I saw in this story than other YA novels. Alyson Noel explores immortality in a totally different way. You discover charkras, potions, poisons and so much more as you read this book.

Ever is the only survivor of a horrible car accident that took the life of her mother, father, sister and dog. As a result, she is sent to live with her successful lawyer aunt. She discovers that since the accident she can hear other peoples thoughts and see their auras or feelings. It disturbs her until she meets Damen, who she can't hear or read. It compels her into learning more about him. Through twists and turns that aren't expected you see a relationship between them develop into immortality and the challenges that brings. Alyson Noel does an excellent job telling a great story. I can't wait for the next book to come out to see how the story progresses!

I would highly recommend this series. It is griping and exciting. Take a few days and dive into a great book! Any of the links on the titles of the books will take you to Amazon where you can purchase the book, if you are interested!

Mortal Instruments Series Review Part 2

2011-03-04T20:55:00.000-08:00

Back in 2009, I started a series of books called the Mortal Instruments. At the time of This Review, I had only read the first book, and was waiting for the other two in the mail. Those came quickly, I read them, and then forgot to review them. At the time, I thought the series ended at 3 books. Now I have learned there are 6 in that series, plus, a new Prequel series, starting with The ClockWork Angel. But lets start with the first 3 books!

So without further ado, City of Bones (Mortal Instruments), City of Ashes (Mortal Instruments) and City of Glass (Mortal Instruments) are excellent books. The first 3 books in the series are an excellent read. It is gripping and you pick the book up one time and don't want to put them down. Since 2009, I have re-read the series again.

The story follows the life of Clary Fray. In the first book she discovers she is a shadowhunter, a person who keeps balance between our world and the down world, including werewolves, vampires, demons. Their primary function is to hunt and kill demons. City of Bones brings her from human girl with a mother in a coma, to shadowhunter in a world she never knew existed. In City of Angels, she is thrust even further into the world when she discovers her mother and father were both shadow hunters. City of Glass carries the story until a new world, with fighting and enemies, and unexpected love. It is a story that will keep you guessing and turning pages.

This is a great story that really gets into your head. You feel like you are there with Clary as she moves into and through the world of the shadowhunters. It is a world that I would love to see for myself.

Lucky for me, and for all of you too...we will get to see the world...the movie is currently being cast! You can see some cast info here. So far only Lily Collins is confirmed as playing Clary Fray. She looks the part to me!

As a side note, book 4 in the series comes out in 32 days according to the website page. It is coming out in April and I look forward to it!

Lady in Waiting - Susan Meissner

2011-03-04T20:14:00.000-08:00

I recently had the opportunity to read the book Lady in Waiting by Susan Meissner. I received a complimentary copy to review for BloggingforBooks.com When I first selected the book, it was because my book selection was limited and it was the only one that seemed even remotely interesting to me. Apparently there had been a bug in their system and only certain books were showing up. I didn’t expect to enjoy the book, let alone like it.

I was very pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed and liked this story. It is the story of Jane Lindsey, a woman whose husband decided that they needed a break and moved to another job, in another state. She is an antiques collector and in the course of her work, discovers an old 16^th century ring among items purchased a junk sale. Inside the ring is an inscription that ends with her name, Jane.

As a separate story in the book, we read of Lady Jane. The story of Lady Jane is told from the perspective of her dressmaker Lucy Day. This section of the book is actually historical fiction with some creative license pulled in.

As I read the stories of both Jane’s, I became captivated. It was wonderful the way the stories were woven together in a manner that you saw the development of both characters without seeing how it was all going to pan out. While the story isn’t as gripping from the very beginning as some that I have read, it is a very good story and actually leaves you wishing for more. I found myself after finishing the novel wanting to dive into a history of England lecture just so that I could learn more about Lady Jane Grey. It is a beautiful story of love, life and the challenges that come with them both. It explores love and what it is and should be. It explores the process of making decisions and where those decisions should lie. You learn that you have to stand up for your beliefs and your convictions, even when your standing up for it, could mean your death.

In all, the story leaves the reader thinking about their own life and how they can do better. The story was told well and clearly. I think that anyone who took the time to read this story would be surprised at the story itself. Give it a try and take a minute to read a good story with a little bit of history mixed in.

Everything Christmas

2010-12-25T13:44:00.000-08:00

Everything Christmas was a magnificent book for this Holiday Season. It works great as a daily advent reading, or devotional reading. It truly will center your heart and the hearts of your family on the true reason for the season, the birth of Jesus Christ.

Each day has a couple of different items. There are stories, songs and history of those songs, traditions, recipes, typical holiday meals, histories for various holiday events. There are quotes and gift ideas that can take care of all your shopping needs.

My favorite part was the Christmas Eve reading. Along with Twas the Night Before Christmas, it also included a beautiful reading to follow the birth of Jesus Christ.

I would recommend this book as a staple for the holidays in every home.

New Series--The Mortal Instruments

2009-06-05T10:20:00.000-07:00

I found a new series recently. It is called The Mortal Instruments by
Cassandra Cl are It consists of 3 books, and I just read that it is a completed Trilogy! YAY! The books are:

The City of Bones
The City of Ashes
The City of Glass

I have only read the City of Bones so far. It was an excellent read! I am now waiting for my other 2 books to arrive from BarnesandNoble.com. Unfortunately, Wal-Mart was out every time I tried to get City of Ashes. And I didn't feel like shopping around. Because of recent surgery and recovery, it took me a couple days to finally get it read beyond the first 2 chapters, but then I finished in 1 day. It is a really good book and I really enjoyed. I am really looking forward to the next book. Especially after doing what I had said I wouldn't do since Twilight, and I read the Prologue and first chapter included in City of Bones for City of Ashes...Yeah, I can't wait for my next books to come! Anyway, there is some great info on Cassandra Clare's website

I let you know what I think of the other two when they arrive and I finish them next week!

Sorry, I couldn't get the City of Glass image to go any smaller!

Evermore by Alyson Noel

2009-04-03T16:01:00.000-07:00

Evermore is a great story that isn't about Vampires...I think. It is the first book in The Immortals Series. The other books aren't out yet. But it was a good book and I am looking forward to the next book, which I believe comes out in September!

Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz

2009-04-03T15:57:00.000-07:00

The Blue Bloods series was another vampire series that I really enjoyed. The third book came out in October and apparently there will be 9. The series is a long way from being done. But the books that are out are really good. Another quick read, but worth the time! Again, another vampire story, (apparently I like vampires now!). It is kind of along the same lines of Stephanie Meyers vampires---ie no fangs, living among humans...They are really good and I enjoyed them a lot!

House of Night Series by PC and Kristen Cast

2009-04-03T15:53:00.000-07:00

The House of Night Series is a 5 book series that I loved. It includes Marked, Betrayed, Chosen, Untamed and Hunted. They are great books and I really enjoyed them. The language is a little much that I personally didn't feel like reading as much of, but the story itself was really good and gripping. I read them in about 5 days. They are relatively quick reads. The story is an older young adult genre I would say. I think that it is really well written.

Clearly I enjoy the young adult genre of books. But this is a really good story! And another about vampires!

The Host by Stephanie Meyer

2009-04-03T15:51:00.000-07:00

Along with The Twilight Saga, The Host is another winner from Stephanie Meyer.

The book is a great story and I would recommend you pick it up and read it! It is a completely different story from Twilight and I am hoping one day there will be a sewuel!

The Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer

2009-04-03T15:48:00.000-07:00

If you haven't heard of Twilight, then you must live in a bubble. Whether you have read it or not, you have probably heard it. If you haven't read it, give it a try! While I loved the movie, the books were by far superior!

If you have lived in a bubble...you can visit: http://stepheniemeyer.com/twilightseries.html for more information. The Twilight Saga is a great series that tells a great story!

I love me a good book!

2009-04-03T15:43:00.000-07:00

When I was in 6th grade at Farnsworth Elementary in Chicago, Illinois, I had a teacher who encouraged reading more than any other teacher I ever had. Mrs. Kajfes (sorry if the spelling is wrong). In her class we frequently had reading hours where we just read a book. I think that is when my first love of books really hit. I love books. I enjoy reading them and I enjoy talking to others about them. So I decided that I would facilitate a way to recommend books to other people and get some recommendations for myself. If you are interested in sharing some of your favorite books, please email me and I will add you as a contributor! I look forward to many great book recommendations!