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Book Hauling It Up (68) |
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August 2013 Wrap Up/ September 2013 TBR |
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Countdown by Michelle Rowen |
3 seconds left to live. Once the countdown starts, it cannot be stopped.Going into Countdown, I hadn't heard too many things about it and I didn't know what to expect. I was not expecting it to be so fast paced right from the start. From the very beginning of the book we had a lot of tension, drama, and action. I thought the whole idea and levels of the 'countdown' was an interesting thing to read about. The intensity of it made for a really great read. I found myself not being able to put the story down because of all the things happening within the story. One thing after another happened to the characters who are fighting for their live.
2 pawns thrown into a brutal underground reality game.
Kira Jordan survived her family's murder and months on plague-devastated city streets with hard-won savvy and a low-level psi ability. She figures she can handle anything. Until she wakes up in a barren room, chained next to the notorious Rogan Ellis.
1 reason Kira will never, ever trust Rogan. Even though both their lives depend on it.
Their every move is controlled and televised for a vicious exclusive audience. And as Kira's psi skill unexpectedly grows and Rogan's secrets prove evermore deadly, Kira's only chance of survival is to risk trusting him as much as her instincts. Even if that means running head-on into the one trap she can't escape.
GAME 0VER
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Wishlist Wednesday (50): I Am Forever by Wynne Channing |
Against an army of vampires, Axelia fought and survived. Once fated as the destroyer of the vampire race, she is now welcomed into the immortal empire and revered as a god. But she is not safe. The empire is rife with danger and deceit, death and war — and Axelia and her companion, Lucas, are caught in the crossfire.
The fight for survival has new meaning now — everyone's life is in Axelia's hands.
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Shadows by Paula Weston |
It's almost a year since Gaby Winters watched her twin brother die. In the sunshine of a new town her body has healed, but her grief is raw and constant. It doesn't help that every night in her dreams she fights and kills hell-beasts. And then Rafa comes to town. Not only does he look exactly like the guy who's been appearing in Gaby's dreams, he tells her things about her brother and her life that cannot be true, things that are dangerous. Who is Rafa? Who are the Rephaim? And who is Gaby? The truth lies in the shadows of her nightmares.I've never really been that into angel books for some reason so I'm always skeptical going into one. This book was a pleasant surprise and I honestly didn't think I would like it as much as I did. The first few chapters of the book didn't quite catch my attention, but after continuing on I found that I was really enjoying the story. This was a fast paced read for me and I breezed threw the story. I definitely hope to continue on with this series. I received a review copy from Netgalley. All thoughts are my honest opinion.
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Cover Reveal: After the Fall by L.G. Castillo |
There’s a Spanish proverb that says, “From the thorn and the pain, a flower is born.” Naomi Duran never really understood what that meant until she became an archangel.
Finally reunited with the love of her life, Naomi thought she had everlasting love and happiness in Heaven. Even with the rebellious Lash by her side, she learns that life as an archangel isn’t easy.
When secrets of the past are finally revealed, tempers flare, brother is pitted against brother, and Naomi and Lash face the greatest threat to their relationship: choosing among love, family, or duty.
In the end, can this family of broken angels forgive past mistakes, or will they carry the thorn in their hearts forever, ripping their family apart?
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Book Hauling It Up (67) |
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Northern Bites by Nikki Jefford |
Love bites.This was so, so good! I must admit that I enjoyed the sequel, Northern Bites, a whole lot better than book one. Book one, was great, but Northern Bites surpassed all my expectations :) It was action packed and kept me on edge the entire book. The characters were also really fun and entertaining. I can't wait to get my hands on the third installment. Thanks so much Nikki for providing me with a review copy!
Probation sucks.
Thanks to Dante’s recklessness, Aurora is now partners with Valerie: the redheaded, backstabbing vixen.
Dante is in full flirt mode. Fane’s tactics are more ruthless. Something carnal has awakened in Aurora and neither boy is helping tame her cravings.
When a member of the unit’s team is found dead, Aurora and Valerie are sent after a vampire in Sitka, but Aurora suspects the killer’s much closer to home.
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Wishlist Wednesday (50): Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira |
It begins as an assignment for English class: Write a letter to a dead person. Laurel chooses Kurt Cobain because she thought he’d understand since he died young just like her sister, May, did. Soon Laurel is writing letters to lots of dead people—Janis Joplin, Amy Winhouse, Ameilia Earhart, Heath Ledger, and more—although she never gives a single one of them to her teacher. She writes about what it’s like going to a new school, meeting new friends, falling in love for the first time, how her family splinters apart after May dies. She even writes about the abuse she suffered—while May was supposed to be looking out for her. Only then, once Laurel has written down the truth about what happened to herself, can she truly begin to accept what happened to May, and to see her as the person she was: lovely and amazing and deeply flawed.
Trained as a poet at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, Ava Dellaira brings a lyrical, haunting beauty to her prose.
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Article 5 by Kristen Simmons |
New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned.Article 5 was definitely something that I wasn't expecting to enjoy that much. I've been putting off reading this for quite sometime and am angry with myself for waiting so long to pick it up! It was a fast paced read that kept me wanting to know more and more. I didn't expect there to be so much action from the start of the book! I am a big fan of action packed books so that was a major plus for me. I will definitely be continuing on with series because I found it very interesting, the characters were enjoyable, and so was the romance :)! I can't wait to get my hands on book 2, immediately, to find out what happens next.
The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.
There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don't come back.
Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren't always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it's hard for her to forget that people weren't always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It's hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different.
Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow.
That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings—the only boy Ember has ever loved
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Cover Reveal: Retribution by Amy Thompson |
Regan Edison has just moved from California, to enter her first year at Georgia Liberty College, the place where jacked up Chevy trucks and hunting are a way of life. Regan hopes to start a new life for herself and she thinks that Georgia is just the place to do it. That is until she meets an unexpected stranger.
Colter Hayes is a member of the Collectors, a group of wrongfully punished lost souls. Colter and the rest of his team, Finn, Kaiden and Devon, work for the Requiem Council who pass judgment on those souls that are neither tagged for Heaven nor Hell. The Council has charged the Collectors with finding the lost in exchange for a chance at redemption.
When an ex-councilmember known to pass Retribution on lost souls sets his sights on Regan, the Requiem Council dispatches the Collectors to Georgia to work as protectors for Regan. The Collectors must fight to save Regan from a fate they know all too well, but can they work to earn back their chance at redemption or are their fates sealed forever?
Who is meant for Heaven?
Who is meant for Hell?
And who is just lost?
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Book Hauling It Up (66) |
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Bout of Books 8.0 Goals! |
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Mini Reviews: Fade Out by Rachel Caine and Stern by Brenda Jackson |
Without the evil vampire Bishop ruling over the town of Morganville, the resident vampires have made major concessions to the human population. With their newfound freedoms, Claire Danvers and her friends are almost starting to feel comfortable again…I would definitely recommend this series if you like fast paced books that involve vampires. This book was a quick read for me. I listened to the audio of it and flew through. There was so much action involved within the story and I was actually happy to see some tension with the four! Usually they're always on good terms, but it was nice to see that ever thing wasn't so happy with them all the time. It made things feel a bit more realistic. The characters are pretty good within this book there was no annoyances besides Kim and Eve. Eve really got to me in this book because when Kim came along she left Claire hanging and that's not how someone should treat their friend. All she kept saying was that 'Kim is so cool', but she really wasn't. I didn't like her from the start and I also didn't like how Eve treated Michael. I felt really bad for him. I don't see why any of them would question his judgement even though he's a vamp. He's never gave them reason not to trust him. But overall, the book was good and entertaining :) Also fast paced and that is always a plus!
Now Claire can actually concentrate on her studies, and her friend Eve joins the local theatre company. But when one of Eve’s castmates goes missing after starting work on a short documentary, Eve suspects the worst. Claire and Eve soon realize that this film project, whose subject is the vampires themselves, is a whole lot bigger—and way more dangerous—than anyone suspected.
From New York Times bestselling author Brenda Jackson, comes a new trilogy starring three Westmorelands who are impossible to resist: Zane, Canyon and SternI enjoyed Stern as a romance and as a character. Stern was very caring when came to his best friend JoJo and always wanted to protect her in anyway possible. I loved the friendship that they had from the start. JoJo was also a pretty great character. I liked that she was strong minded and wasn't an easy push over. Soon the two realized that they had feelings for each other, but didn't want to other to know. I liked the transformation JoJo went through in this book and really liked how she stayed the same and didn't become a different person. Seeing characters from previous books in this Westmoreland series always makes me happy :) I love Thorn and hearing about him briefly was awesome since he is one of my favorite Westmoreland male character. The one thing I have to say was that the romance was a bit cheesy, for lack of a better word. The characters didn't really argue that much and they went along with certain things a little to fast with no hesitation. But overall, I definitely enjoyed this addition in the series.
Stern Westmoreland never makes mistakes—until he helps his best friend Jovonnie "JoJo" Jones with a makeover…for another man. Now Stern wants JoJo for himself. Their attraction is undeniable and there's only one way to test it: one long, steamy night together as much more than friends!
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Blog Tour: Solstice High by Ardash Vartparonian - Review + Excerpt |
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It's the first day of school at prestigious Solstice High. Seniors Matt, Rochelle, Daphne and Jonas each have a big surprise waiting for them. When the four friends undergo a freak accident, they begin to develop superhuman abilities and come to realize that all is not as it seems within the bleak walls of their high school. While dealing with the day-to-day challenges of being teenagers, they must also confront their sinister principal, Mr. Devlin, who seems to have more than just education on his agenda.My Likes
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Wishlist Wednesday (49): Secret by Brigid Kemmerer |
Nowhere is safe. Not even home…
Nick Merrick is stretched to the breaking point.
Keep his grades sky-high or he’ll never escape his hometown.
Keep his brother’s business going or the Merricks will be out on the street.
Keep the secret of where he’s going in the evenings from his own twin—-or he’ll lose his family.
Keep his mind off the hot, self-assured dancer who’s supposed to be his “girlfriend’s” partner.
Of course there’s also the homicidal freak Quinn has taken to hanging around, and the Elemental Guide counting the hours until he can try again to kill the Merrick brothers.
There’s a storm coming. From all sides. And then some.
Nick Merrick, can you keep it together?
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Rory by Ciye Cho |
Far beyond heaven, earth and hell is a city known as Palladino, a place ruled by ghosts and filled with demons, magic, and all sorts of darkly beautiful things. A city where no one can ever escape.
Eighteen-year-old Rory is a cake decorator who makes stunning confections. But no amount of frosting or miracles can save her when a demon kidnaps her—and carries her to Palladino. Here, Rory ends up in a deadly charm school where young women are forced to become companions for the Ghost Lords. And for her to survive, Rory must become everything that she isn’t: graceful, elegant... and perfect.
But nothing is what it seems in Palladino. Not the magic. Not the ghosts. And definitely not Martin Marius, the bizarre Ghost Lord-slash-inventor who is drawn to Rory. For amid a thousand machines and a hundred cats, Martin holds a secret that could change everything. A secret that could either free Rory... or destroy her.
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Guest Post - Meredith Towbin |
Eighteen-year-old Anna has lived her whole life in shame, losing herself in books to cope with crippling panic attacks triggered by her abusive parents. Forced into a psychiatric hospital, she can’t imagine a future that’s anything but bleak—until she meets Caleb, a gifted, 19-year-old artist who insists he’s an angel.
He swears his mission is to help Anna break free from her parents’ control and fulfill a destiny that she can only dream of. The doctors, however, are convinced that Caleb is delusional.
Anna doesn’t want to be that girl who’s in love with the crazy guy, but when she sees his stunning portraits of her and the way he risks everything to keep her safe, she can’t help but imagine a new future for both of them, filled with hope. But just when it seems they’ve created heaven on earth, Caleb’s past emerges full force, threatening to destroy their tiny, blissful world. And Anna has to decide if she should follow her heart, or if Caleb’s really as troubled as his doctors say…
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Book Hauling It Up (65) |
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Dancing with the Devil by Keri Arthur |
Private Investigator Nikki James grew up on the tough streets of Lyndhurst and believes there's nothing left to surprise her. All that changes the night she follows teenager Monica Trevgard into the shadows-and becomes a pawn caught in a war between two very different men. One fills her mind with his madness, the other pushes his way into her life-and her heart. Nikki knows how dangerous love can be, but if she wants to survive, she must place her trust in a man who could easily destroy her.
Michael Kelly has come to Lyndhurst determined to end the war between himself and another brother of the night. For 300 years he has existed in life's shadows, gradually learning to control the life from death cravings of a vampire. Nikki not only breaches his formidable barriers with her psychic abilities, but makes Michael believe he may finally have found a woman strong enough to walk by his side and ease the loneliness in his heart. But will his love be enough to protect her from a madman hell-bent on revenge? Or will it drive her into his enemy's deadly trap?
Only together can they overcome the evil threatening to destroy them both. But the secrets they keep from each other might prove to be the greatest threat of all.
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Carpe Corpus by Rachel Caine |
In the small college town of Morganville, vampires and humans lived in (relative) peace-until all the rules got rewritten when the evil vampire Bishop arrived, looking for the lost book of vampire secrets. He's kept a death grip on the town ever since. Now an underground resistance is brewing, and in order to contain it, Bishop must go to even greater lengths. He vows to obliterate the town and all its inhabitants-the living and the undead. Claire Danvers and her friends are the only ones who stand in his way. But even if they defeat Bishop, will the vampires ever be content to go back to the old rules, after having such a taste of power?
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Bout of Books 8.0 Readathon! |
The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 19th and runs through Sunday, August 25th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 8.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team
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Wishlist Wednesday (48): The Offering by Kimberly Derting |
True love—and world war—is at stake in the conclusion to The Pledge trilogy, a dark and romantic blend of dystopia and fantasy.
Charlie, otherwise known as Queen Charlaina of Ludania, has become comfortable as a leader and a ruler. She’s done admirable work to restore Ludania’s broken communications systems with other Queendoms, and she’s mastered the art of ignoring Sabara, the evil former queen whose Essence is alive within Charlie. Or so she thinks.
When the negotiation of a peace agreement with the Queendom of Astonia goes awry, Charlie receives a brutal message that threatens Ludania, and it seems her only option is to sacrifice herself in exchange for Ludanian freedom.
But things aren’t always as they seem. Charlie is walking into a trap—one set by Sabara, who is determined to reclaim the Queendoms at any cost.
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