Zombie Blondes by Brian James

ZOMBIE BLONDES
Author: Brian James
Source: Publisher
*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Square Fish; First Edition edition (May 12, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312573758
ISBN-13: 978-0312573751

SUMMARY:

From the moment Hannah Sanders arrived in town, she felt there was something wrong.

     A lot of houses were for sale, and the town seemed infected by an unearthly quiet. And then, on Hannah’s first day of classes, she ran into a group of cheerleaders—the most popular girls in school.

     The odd thing was that they were nearly identical in appearance: blonde, beautiful, and deathly pale.

     But Hannah wants desperately to fit in—regardless of what her friend Lukas is telling her: If she doesn’t watch her back, she’s going to be blonde and popular and dead—just like all the other zombies in this town...

MY THOUGHTS:

I really wanted to like this book.  I loved the Barbie-like cover and honestly, that is what interested me in it.  Add on the appeal of zombies and I was ready to sit down and enjoy an action packed book!  However, once I started reading it, I knew this was not going to be one of the better zombie books on the market right now.


Hannah was annoying and shallow.  All she cared about was fitting in and she didn't have much self esteem in my opinion.  I know every teenage girl wants to fit in with the popular crowd, especially if you are the new girl.  Yet, what made me dislike Hannah so much was the snotty attitude that she had towards the kids that tried to be her friend and were not a part of the popular crowd.  Heck, if I was new to school and worried about having friends, I would take what I could get!


Lukas was quirky and fun even if Hannah did think he had a few screws loose.  He tried to warn her about the people in town, but she refused to listen.  I felt bad for Lukas because no matter how hard he tried and no matter how mean Hannah was to him, he kept coming back for more.  At times I wanted him to just walk away from Hannah and stay away. 


The first few chapters have an air of mystery to them making the reader wonder what Hannah's dad did that was so bad that he no longer wants to be a cop like he originally was.  While it was interesting at first, the small hints about it in every chapter started to get on my nerves because it is so repetitive with no reveal. I also expected some Zombie action in this book, and their wasn't much Zombie thrill until the last few chapters of the book.  To me that was a complete let down. 


If you are looking for a zombie book to capture your interest, then look elsewhere. 


MY RATING:

 
I did not like this book at all! 1 STAR

Velvet Haven by Sophie Renwick

VELVET HAVEN
The Immortals of Annwyn: Book One
Author: Sophie Renwick
Source: Personal Purchase

Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: NAL Trade (March 2, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0451229185
ISBN-13: 978-0451229182

SUMMARY:

Hidden from mortals for eternity, Annwyn, the Otherworld, is home to shapeshifters, wraiths and dragons. On the border with the mortal realm stands a nightclub called Velvet Haven. The shapeshifter king of Sidhe, Bran, comes there searching for his brother, Carden, who's ensnared in a centuries-old curse. He looks to Mairi, a mortal woman with an unusual aura, for help. He usually just uses humans for sexual pleasure in order to restore his magic energy, but Mairi's lush curves and teasing caresses inflame him like no Sidhe ever has. He has no idea that the woman he's falling for holds the key to his destruction-or his salvation.

MY THOUGHTS:

Where do I begin with this review?  Let's start with the cover, because that seemed to be about the only thing I really enjoyed about this book.  Hubba-Hubba! Look at that man on the cover!  Tattoo's, long hair, drool worthy ab's and tight leather pants!  Eye candy that you can drool over for hours!  I loved the blue and black misted background as well.


Unfortunately, that is where my thrill of excitement for this book ends.  The author created so many different characters in this book that I was left with a feeling of dizziness! The main character of Bran was sexy, but tortured as most hero's are in books.  He is cursed and he must pimp his body out to please women in order to receive his magical gifts when needed.  Please! What man wouldn't want this curse? Every man would jump on the chance to get to have sex as much as possible.  So, I will move past this point in the book.


We have Mairi as the heroine and she wasn't much at that.  She is suppose to be a bookworm, but she also is suppose to be mated with Bran according to fate.  The author had Mairi coming across as wimpy and boring.  I am a bookworm, but I sure as heck have a lot more excitement to offer than Mairi! I couldn't even stand to read about her character being with Bran as it felt to forced.


I actually had to force myself to finish this book and I have no desire to read the rest in this series. Would I ever read another book by this author? The answer is yes, but it would have to really knock my socks off in reviews to get me interested.  I understand that this is the first book in a series, and maybe the author was trying to set up the scenes with all of the characters, but to me it was overload that could have been better paced with more books.  


MY RATING:

 
I did not like this book at all! 1 STAR

WOW: Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. WOW spotlights forthcoming titles that we absolutely can't wait to read.

 

 

 

 

Everneath

By: Brodi Ashton

Expected Release Date: 1/3/2012

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

SUMMARY:

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's...

Dead Girls Are Easy by Terri Garey

DEAD GIRLS ARE EASY
Nicki Styx #1
Author: Terri Garey
Source: Personal Purchase

Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Avon (August 28, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9780061136153
ISBN-13: 978-0061136153

SUMMARY:

There's something about almost dying that makes a girl rethink her priorities. Take Nicki Styx—she was strictly goth and vintage, until a brush with the afterlife leaves her with the ability to see dead people. 

Before you can say boo, Atlanta's ghosts are knocking at Nicki's door. Now her days consist of reluctantly cleaning up messes left by the dearly departed, leading ghouls to the Light . . . and one-on-one anatomy lessons with Dr. Joe Bascombe, the dreamy surgeon who saved her life. All this catering to the deceased is a real drag, especially for a girl who'd rather be playing hanky-panky with her hunky new boyfriend . . . who's beginning to think she's totally nuts. 

But things get even more complicated when a friend foolishly sells her soul to the devil, and Nicki's new gift lands her in some deep voodoo. 

As it turns out for Nicki Styx, death was just the beginning.

MY THOUGHTS:

After reading Devil Without A Cause by this author, I just knew I was going to have to purchase the previous books written by this author.  Ms. Garey has the ability to keep me stitches with her writing and characters while enjoying a story that is fun and quirky.  The author's writing reminds me of Lynsay Sands and her Argeneau series.  Fun writing and characters that are memorable make wonderful stories to sit down with.

In the first book of a series, Nicki Styx has a near death experience.  Dr. Joe Bascombe declares her dead, but Nicki surprises him by not taking death lying down!  When she awakes from her experience, she finds herself seeing dead people and not understanding why. While trying to get these spirits to go into the Light, she quickly falls for the handsome Doctor as well.  As the two start to develop a relationship though, an evil Voodoo worshiper decides to have fun with Nicki as well.  Add on the juicy gossip that Dr. Joe might be married in name only to Nicki's long lost twin sister, and you have the makings of a Soap Opera in one book!

I loved Nicki and her rebel attitude.  She is fun and witty with enough spark in her to light off an army of fireworks!  I absolutely fell in love with her long time gay friend, Evan.  He was a riot and one I wouldn't mind having around for 'girl talk' time!  The steamy romance between Joe and Nicki was great.  The author didn't force their relationship and let it build at its own pace which can be tricky in a book.  I also liked the fact that the steamy scenes didn't go overboard because this book was fun and carefree! I know you are shaking your head at me because you know I like the steamy romance scenes, but with this book it wouldn't have worked out as well. 

If you are looking for a fun and laugh-out-loud dialogue, then I recommend you getting your fanny in gear to get this series! I, for one, cannot wait to start the reading the rest of the series! 

MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading! 5 STARS

IMM: In My Mailbox (41)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren

Here is what showed up in my mailbox this week!

This is going to be a quick post as I am just now trying to get back into the swing of things for blogging. The funeral is over now and the family is starting to get a routine down again, but again I want to apologize for the lack of posts the last few days.  Hopefully now I can get back to normal in the blogging world as I have missed you all!

CLICK ON PHOTO FOR LARGER IMAGE

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Cryptic Cravings by Ellen Screiber

-from Paper Back Swap-

Pleasure Bound by Opal Carew

-contest from Princess Bookie-

Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

-Around the World Tours-

Between by Jessica Warman

-Around the World Tours-

Original Sin by Lisa Desrochers 

*OMG!OMG!*

-Tor Books-

Overbite by Meg Cabot

-HarperCollins-

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So that is what I got this week.

What did everyone else get?

Announcement

I just wanted to make an announcement to all the readers of My Overstuffed Bookshelf.

Recently their was a death in my family.  It has been a hard and stressful time these last few days.  As the family gets things settled, plus dealing with the children being home for summer vacation, I ask my readers to be patient with me on review posts for a few days.

The reviews will be slow going for a few days, but I will try my best to get things going again once the routine around my house has calmed down.  Hopefully this will only take a few days, but be prepared for the posts to be maybe one a day instead of a few I usually do.  I have a ton of reviews to post, and after not being able to get Windows Live Writer to work on my computer, I am doing them the old fashioned way.

I hope you all will stick around a few more days until things settle down on my end.  Thank you to everyone who has continued to stay and read my blog! I appreciate each and every one of my followers and friends!

WOW: Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. WOW spotlights forthcoming titles that we absolutely can't wait to read.

 

 

 

TWISTED (Intertwined #3)

BY GENA SHOWALTER

Release Date: August 30th 2011 by Harlequin

 

-------------------------------------------

SUMMARY:

SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD ADEN STONE HAS HAD A HELL OF A WEEK. HE’S BEEN:

Tortured by angry witches.
Hypnotized by a vengeful faery.
Spied on by the most powerful vampire in existence.
And, oh, yeah. Killed – twice.

His vampire girlfriend might have brought him back to life, but he’s never felt more out of control. There’s a darkness within him, something taking over . . . changing him. Worse, because he was meant to die, death now stalks him at every turn. Any day could be his last.

Once upon a time, the three souls trapped inside his head could have helped him. He could have protected himself. But as the darkness grows stronger, the souls grow weaker – just like his girlfriend. The more vampire Aden becomes, the more human Victoria becomes, until everything they know and love is threatened.

Life couldn’t get any worse. Could it?

 

---------------------------------------------------

REASON I CAN'T WAIT:

Another installment of the Intertwined series by fabulous author Gena Showalter.  Enough said!

Falling Under by Gwen Hayes

FALLING UNDER
Author: Gwen Hayes
Source: Gifted

Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: NAL Trade (March 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0451232682
ISBN-13: 978-0451232687

SUMMARY:

Theia Alderson has always led a sheltered life in the small California town of Serendipity Falls. But when a devastatingly handsome boy appears in the halls of her school, Theia knows she's seen Haden before- not around town, but in her dreams.

As the Haden of both the night and the day beckons her closer one moment and pushes her away the next, the only thing Theia knows for sure is that the incredible pull she feels towards him is stronger than her fear.

And when she discovers what Haden truly is, Theia's not sure if she wants to resist him, even if the cost is her soul.

MY THOUGHTS:

I have no idea where to even start with the review of this book!  There were countless times I felt confused in this book.  There were many Oh My Gawd moments as well.  I felt as though the author had me trapped on a roller coaster with this book. I was pulled in many directions, and at times it didn't make sense to me.


Theia for me was not much of a character.  She was distant and weak in my opinion.  Yes, she gets stronger near the end, but for the first half of the book I couldn't stand to read much about her.  Her Father was a piece of work as well!  Talk about a distant Dad!  The rules he makes Theia follow were pretty strict and I didn't think she deserved to have them.  She was talented in music and did well in school, but her family life was disappointing.  


Her friends on the other hand were great!  I loved Donny and her attitude.  She was one who would speak her mind and didn't care what you thought about it!  Ame was more of a nut case spiritual friend that would make you want to grab all the organic stuff you can find!  Together they are a riot when they bicker and carry on around Theia.  Varnie was my favorite character by far in this book! I seriously hope we get to see more of him in future books!  A surfer dude in drag was definitely the funny character this book needed since there is a lot of dark and demon things going on in the book.


Overall not a bad book to read if you are looking for a dark young adult book instead of a light romance in this genre.  Definitely not a cutesy book, but one that will keep you guessing!


MY RATING:

Very Good! I would recommend this book! 4 STARS

Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn

JUST LIKE HEAVEN
Author: Julia Quinn
Source: Publisher
*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Avon; Original edition (May 31, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 006149190X
ISBN-13: 978-0061491900

SUMMARY:


Honoria Smythe-Smith is: 

A) a really bad violinist 
B) still miffed at being nicknamed "Bug" as a child 
C) not in love with her older brother's best friend 
D) all of the above 

Marcus Holroyd is: 

A) the Earl of Chatteris
B) regrettably prone to sprained ankles
C) not in love with his best friend's younger sister 
D) all of the above 

Together they: 

A) eat quite a bit of chocolate cake
B) survive a deadly fever and the world's worst musical performance
C) fall quite desperately in love

It's Julia Quinn at her best, so you know the answer is . . .

D) all of the above

MY THOUGHTS:

Not only do I love this author, but I fell in love with this cover at first glance!  It is so romantic and the blue/cream/red color combination was gorgeous! 

The author is back with her usual witty and graceful writing that I have come to love!  Each character in the book came to life in my mind and each one had a special reason for being in my heart as I read it.  Honoria  was a great character that I loved reading about. Marcus was charming and I found him to be swoon worthy in this book.  While I enjoyed the story and the characters very much, I was a little disappointed in the lack of WOW factor in the book.  It was a fun and easy read, but their wasn't much climatic points to surprise the reader.  It went at a leisurely pace and filled the void between other reads.

While it wasn't my favorite book by this author, it was one that left me remembering the characters and their personalities.  If you are a fan of the author then you need to add this one to your reading line-up.

MY RATING:

 
Okay book, but it left me wanting more! 3 STARS

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELENI!!!!!!

Today is Eleni's birthday! She is an awesome blogger and everyone should be a follower of her blog!  Go stop by her blog, LA FEMME READERS and wish her a Happy Birthday!

Hope it is a great one Eleni and best wishes on your day!

IMM: In My Mailbox (40)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren

Here is what showed up in my mailbox this week!

It started out slow, but then bam! I got a huge amount of books on Friday from HarperCollins and from my book fairy Anna on Saturday!

CLICK ON PHOTO'S FOR LARGER IMAGE

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FOR REVIEW:

Thanks to HarperCollins/Avon Books, Scholastic, Sherryl Woods and Sourcebooks!

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FROM ANNA:

 From Anna @ Anna's Book Blog! Thank you so much for the books Anna!

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So that is what I got this week.

What did everyone else get?

FROM WILLA, WITH LOVE by Coleen Murtagh Paratore

FROM WILLA, WITH LOVE
Author: Coleen Murtagh Paratore
Source: Publisher
*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 208 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Press (July 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0545094054
ISBN-13: 978-0545094054

SUMMARY:

It's a surprising, sparkling summer for Willa!

It's August on Cape Cod and Willa has a lot to look forward to. Soon, JFK will return home from baseball camp, and Willa has an idea for an exciting new project that will challenge her to dream big! But life throws Willa some unexpected twists and turns: Ruby has bad news, a beloved friend leaves, a dear friend returns, her brother Will has something he doesn't want to talk about, and of course, there's a wedding to plan! There's also a cute boy who likes Willa . . . a lot, and Willa thinks she might like him too. It's a summer full of romance and surprises!

MY THOUGHTS:

This was a really hard book to review for me.  While I didn't hate the book, I didn't thrill in it either.  I loved the reading concept and the quotes at the beginning of each chapter.  I liked how the author had a character who seemed to have a brain in her head, though at times I wanted her to use it more.  I liked the family feel to the book as well.

What didn't work for me was how young the book felt.  I see this book geared more for the younger teens and the older teens becoming bored with it before the ending arrives.   It was cutesy and nice, but nothing dramatic enough to really talk about.  I don't know if this is the norm for this authors writing, but it moved at a slow pace and drag in quite a few places.  Having never read any of her previous books, maybe I am missing key factors in the story, but it did feel like it could be read as a stand alone.

If you are a fan of the series, then by all means continue on with Willa's adventures.  I am going to leave this series though for the younger teens.

MY RATING:

 
  If the library doesn't have it, don't worry about reading it! 2 STARS

Devil Without A Cause by Terri Garey

DEVIL WITHOUT A CAUSE
Author: Terri Garey
Source: Publisher
*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Avon; Original edition (May 31, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0061986399
ISBN-13: 978-0061986390

SUMMARY:


Idle hands are the devil's workshop 

Temptation and seduction are the tricks of the Devil's trade, and when offered the chance to regain his wings by playing guardian angel, he's hell-bent on doing things his way . . . 

Faith McFarland is in need of a miracle. So desperate to save her sick child, she's willing to make a deal with the Devil: steal a ring worn by Finn Payne, the bad-boy rockstar who long ago sold his soul for rock 'n roll. Temptation and seduction become necessary evils, yet Faith's salvation means Finn's damnation . . . because the ring is all that stands between him and Hell. Falling in love was never part of the bargain, but now that they've tasted heaven in each other's arms, can they convince the Devil to give up his due?

MY THOUGHTS:

I have never read any previous books by this author even though the character of the Devil is in a previous series.  This book branches off the Nicki Styx series that the author created, focusing on the Devil's story of betrayal and love.  That being said though, I didn't have a hard time figuring out what was going on since this book was set as a separate story series.  Yes, there was mentioning of the character Nicki, but it left me with no confusion and actually had me interested in buying that series as well.

The Devil is portrayed a little differently than usual in this series.  Yes he is still the fallen angel Lucifer, but he goes by different names and he is sexy as hell.  He dresses with the current fads, and he even likes mingling with humans as well.  While I enjoyed his conversations with Gabriel the Angel, and his devious nature of lies and seduction, the character of Finn was my favorite by far!  A rock star who has sex appeal and a heart of gold is perfect for the single mother Faith.  They had chemistry and he stole the focus of the book!  While Faith seemed a little wishy-washy to me, I still liked her enough to keep reading the story! When she makes a deal with the Devil to save her son from cancer, she has no idea the task he set her on will lead to love and completion.  When Finn figures out what is going on, he has secrets of his own that he needs to tell Faith so they can defeat the Devil at his own game. 

What I enjoyed the most is how the author made you feel sympathy and empathy for the Devil even though he is suppose to be a bad guy.  He actually seemed to be in the gray area instead of always black and white.  Pretty bad when you fall for the bad guy in the story and start cheering for him!  I wanted the Devil to have a happy ending as well.

All in all, a great new series by a great author.  The story building was great and paced nicely.  The romance was nice, even though it felt a little rushed at times.  The characters held my interest for the entire story. I also found an author who I am thrilled to add to my auto buy list!  I have even ordered the Nicki Styx series now so I can get more of the back history on the Devil!

MY RATING:

Very Good! I would recommend this book! 4 STARS

The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide

THE TWILIGHT SAGA:
The Official Illustrated Guide
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Source: Personal Purchase

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 524 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (April 12, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316043125
ISBN-13: 978-0316043120

SUMMARY:

Fans of the #1 New York Times bestselling Twilight Saga will treasure this definitive official guide!

This must-have hardcover edition--the only official guide--is the definitive encyclopedic reference to the Twilight Saga and provides readers with everything they need to further explore the unforgettable world Stephenie Meyer created in Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn. With exclusive new material, character profiles, genealogical charts, maps, extensive cross-references, and much more, this comprehensive handbook is essential for every Twilight Saga fan.

MY THOUGHTS:

The Twilight Saga is the series that captured my interest in reading again.  I am a huge Twilight fan and own the whole series mainly because of that fact.  When the Official Illustrated Guide was set to release, I new I would have to own it to add to my collection.  Even though I purchased the book on release day,  I just recently had the chance to sit down and read this installment in the series.


I loved all of the illustrations by the talented artists that was within the pages of the book.  They were greatly detailed and fit the descriptions given perfectly.  If you are not a fan of the characters in the movies, the pictures in the book give you a better understanding of the images within the authors mind.  I also enjoyed the details that author provided with each character in the series.  We got so much more back story for each character than what was given in the original books.  For example, the author shares Alice's life before turning into a vampire and how it came to be.  It showed us her family in descriptive words that made the characters come to life in my mind. We also get to read a thorough timeline that involves important events through out history.  We begin with the original vampires and eventually end up at the end of Breaking Dawn.  I loved how the author was also interviewed in the beginning by a fellow author and touched on questions that I have wondered about myself.


The book has certain sections that separate things as well.  We have a section about vampire lore, the Cullen Coven, all other vampires mentioned in the book, The Wolves' and their family trees, The Humans and The Volturi Coven, and even a section on most asked questions to the author.  If that is not enough, we also get to enjoy fan art that was submitted at the end of the book from fans all over the world.  


I was very pleased with this Official Guide for the series.  I am not usually a fan of these, but the author included almost everything you could imagine in the book.  If you are a Twilight fan then you are definitely going to want to add this to your series collection!


MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading! 5 STARS

Upcoming Releases: Week of June 12th, 2011

Here is a list of upcoming releases for the week:

6/13/2011

MY MISADVENTURES AS A TEENAGE ROCK STAR by Joyce Raskin

6/14/2011

ALL THE THINGS YOU ARE by Courtney Sheinmel
BELLADONNA by Mary Finn
CALIFORNIA SCHEMIN': NANCY DREW GIRL DETECTIVE by Carolyn Keene
THE CHAMBER OF FIVE by Michael Harmon
COUNTESS NOBODY by Lynn Kiele Bonasia
THE DEAD: AN ENEMY NOVEL by Charlie Higson
DEAD END by Jason Myers
THE DEMON'S SURRENDER: THE DEMON'S LEXICON TRILOGY by Sarah Rees Brennan
FROM BAD TO CURSED: BAD GIRLS DON'T DIE by Katie Alender
A FUNNY THING ABOUT LOVE: DANCING QUEEN/PROM CRASHERS/DRIVE ME CRAZY
by Erin Downing
HOURGLASS by Myra McEntire
IMAGINARY GIRLS by Nova Ren Suma
THE LOST CROWN by Sarah Miller
THE LOST HEIRESS: RELIC MASTER by Catherine Fisher
MISSION (UN)POPULAR by Anna Humphrey
MISTRESS OF THE STORM by M.L. Welsh
THE MISTAKEN MASTERPIECE: THE RED BLAZER GIRLS by Michael D. Beil
NEVER SIT DOWN IN A HOOPSKIRT AND OTHER THINGS I LEARNED IN SOUTHERN BELLE HELL by Crickett Rumley
ORDINARY BEAUTY by Laura Wiess
PAPER COVERS ROCK by Jenny Hubbard
PASSION: FALLEN by Lauren Kate
THE REVENANT by Sonia Gensler
SHARK WARS by EJ Altbacker
TIME FOR KIDS ALMANAC 2012 by Time for Kids Magazine
TRIAL BY FIRE: A RAISED BY WOLVES NOVEL by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
UNLEASHED: MONSTER SLAYERS by Lukas Ritter
WEIRD BUT TRUE! 3: 300 OUTRAGEOUS FACTS by National Geographic Kids
WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU O.J. by Erica S. Perl
THE WIKKELING by Steven Arntson
WISHES FOR BEGINNERS: FOURTH GRADE FAIRY by Eileen Cook
YOU'LL LIKE IT HERE (EVERYBODY DOES) by Ruth White

NIGHTSHADE by Andrea Cremer (pbk)

6/15/2011

YEAH! by Peter Bagge

6/16/2011

THE DAMAGED by Adrian Tilley

Be sure to get your TO BUY list ready for the week!  Feel free to list any others that release this week in the comments for others to add as well!

 

IMM: In My Mailbox (39)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren

 

Here is what showed up in my mailbox this week!

CLICK ON PHOTO'S FOR LARGER IMAGE

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FOR REVIEW:

 

 

 Warrior Betrayed by Addison Fox (ARC)

The Vampire Next Door by Ashlyn Chase (ARC)

Everlasting by Alyson Noel

Want To Go Private by Sarah Darer Littman (ARC)

Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey (ARC)

Tomorrow Girls: Run For Cover

Thanks to Penguin, Sourcebooks, St. Martin's Griffin, Scholastic, Walker Books

 

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So that is what I got this week.

What did everyone else get?

 

Venomous by Christopher Krovatin

VENEMOUS
Author: Christopher Krovatin
Source: Library Loan

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing/Atheneum;
                  1 edition (September 2, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9781416924876
ISBN-13: 978-1416924876

SUMMARY:

Locke Vinetti is a high school junior, disenchanted and more than a little hostile. In fact, for years he's had a lousy social life because of a problem he has with his anger--a force he calls "the venom." Ever since he was eight years old and bit off a piece of a classmate's nose, he's been something of a loner. But all that is about to change when he goes out with his one friend, Randall, to meet some of Randall's crew hanging out at Riverside Park. Because in addition to meeting his kindred spirit, Casey--who has his own problems with his own kind of venom--Locke meets the spikey blue fairy-haircut Goth girl of his dreams. And if their relationship is going to work, he knows he has to rid himself of the venom once and for all. Interspersed with comic book adventures of the fantasy anti-hero alter-ego Locke has invented for himself, VENOMOUS is a fast-paced, funny, and ferocious read about one teenage boy's struggle with his inner demons.

MY THOUGHTS:

First of all let me say one thing about this book--this is definitely a book for the older teens!  I almost couldn't believe that this book would even be considered a young adult book.  It touches on subjects that could possibly be in a young adult book, but the whole context and style of writing would lead you to believe that it is better suited for the adult genre.  There is a huge amount of cursing within the pages, subjects involving extreme violence, gay relationships, mood disorders, and overall anger.  All of this I could have handled fine, but the way it was written was not what I was expecting.


It starts out okay and actually holds your interest for the first chapter or so.  Then the story seems to fall apart and starts to get really out there. It also has a little comic book within the story as well including comic illustrations between each chapter.  Honestly, I was not a fan of the comic book sections of the book.  To me they gave no real substance to the book.  It was more like filler pages just to make you feel like the book was longer.  I never really bought the whole "Venom" classification that Locke used. Everyone has a dark side and anger issues, we just all have deal with it in different ways.  We learn to control our moments of anger, but Locke calls it Venom and that was suppose to give him justification for biting someone's nose off.  I don't think so.


I can see this book being better suited for older male teens than for the women.  It has the appeal that the male's would like better especially with the comic book feel inside of it.  However, I would not recommend this book for the younger teens.  It may be too dark for the younger ones to handle.


MY RATING:

 
I did not like this book at all! 1 STAR

 

Sweet Valley Confidential: Ten Years Later by Francine Pascal

SWEET VALLEY CONFIDENTIAL
Ten Years Later
Author: Francine Pascal
Source: Library Loan

Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press (March 29, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312667574
ISBN-13: 978-0312667573

SUMMARY:


Now with this striking new adult novel from author and creator Francine Pascal, millions of devoted fans can finally return to the idyllic Sweet Valley, home of the phenomenally successful book series and franchise. Iconic and beloved identical twins Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield are back and all grown up, dealing with the complicated adult world of love, careers, betrayal, and sisterhood. 

MY THOUGHTS:


I remember back when I was in high school, the Sweet Valley High series was the series of choice for teen girls.  I was addicted to them and whoever had the most books in the series was the ultimate fan in our town.  Everyone knew who Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield were even if they were just characters in a book.  At that time in my  life, Sweet Valley High was my drug of choice.  I couldn't get enough of them!  I had to see what scheme Jessica was going to come up with next and what drama would unfold on the pages between the covers.  Then as I got older, I got involved with other things and lost the addiction to the series.


When this book came out, I was thrilled to be able to recapture that feeling I had whenever a new book in the series came out!  I finally got my hands on a copy and dived into the drama and angst that this author likes to create for her characters.  So many things have changed in the lives of the Wakefield twins.  I couldn't believe that Todd was not with Elizabeth anymore! Jessica and Elizabeth are not speaking to each other as well.  Instant conflict within the first few chapters. The author provides flashbacks to fill in the gaps that we have missed, but it still didn't feel right to me.  For some reason I just couldn't picture the character developments that the author gave to us.  After reading so much of the series earlier in life, I had in my mind a perfect picture of what the out come should have been.  Then with this book, the author throws my fantasy away and creates another one. 


While it was nice to reminisce with the Wakefield series and friends,  this book was just okay for me.  It wasn't what I was expecting and at parts it seemed to drag on.  While it had a nice ending that was sweet and romantic, as a long time reader of the series, it wasn't the one I was wanting.


MY RATING:

 
  If the library doesn't have it, don't worry about reading it! 2 STARS

Time for Kids Big Book of How

TIME FOR KIDS BIG BOOK OF HOW
Author: Editors of TIME For Kids
Source: Goodman Media
*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

Reading level: Ages 9-12
Hardcover: 192 pages
Publisher: Time For Kids (June 7, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 160320184X
ISBN-13: 978-1603201841

SUMMARY:


TIME For Kids The Big Book of How presents kids 8-12 years old with answers to the kinds of intriguing questions that appeal to their sense of curiosity. Colorful graphics, spectacular photos and clear, engaging diagrams will help answer such questions as: How does a chameleon change colors?; How can a person survive in the jungle?; How do you build a teepee?; How do diamonds form?; How do light sticks work?; How are 3-D movies made?; How do astronauts train for a space mission?; How do we get cavities?; How does solar energy work? 

Divided by subject area-from animals, the human body and technology to sports, food and green issues-kids will discover the background behind the questions through the book's photos, diagrams and art as well as its clear text. Of course, TIME For Kids goes beyond just answering the question, and engages kids with hands-on activities at the end of each chapter that bring life to a topic or idea they just read about. For example: If in the technology chapter kids learn how an airplane flies, the "How to" spread might include step-by-step instructions about how to fold a paper airplane or create a rotating helicopter. TIME For Kids The Big Book of How is a must-have book to satisfy the most curious of kids.

MY THOUGHTS:

I know that this is a book out of the norm for this blog, but every once in awhile a book comes along for review that I just have to read!  With a curious six year old in the house, my ears are constantly being flooded with questions on who, what, when, where, how and why.  When I simply don't know, it frustrates my child to no end.  So when reading this book, I marked a bunch of the pages for those questions that I know are on the horizon.

One of the best things about this book is the rich in color photographs and special attention to detail that is present on each page.  For instance, my child wanted to make a paper airplane.  Now it has been years since I have made a paper airplane and I couldn't even remember how.  I looked in the index and sure enough it had it listed.  I turned to the correct page and it gave me step by step instructions to make one.  I must say, it helped tremendously and my airplane actually flew through the air!  Score one for Mom and TIME For Kids!

Then with all of the news coverage of the recent NASA launch, my child had to keep asking how that rocket made it in the air.  I grabbed my copy of this book and looked it up again.  Sure enough, there was a page on how to launch a rocket!  We looked at the explanations and diagrams and figured out how and why a rocket launches.  Now, we didn't try this out because I didn't have the time that day, but I see a future Science Fair Project!

This book was amazing and my child can't stop looking through it.  If you are a regular reader of TIME books, or if you are just wanting a great way to explain those curious questions your child likes to ask, then you need to get this book.  Everything is discussed with a child's understanding in mind and explained easily for them to understand.  Now if you will excuse me, we are going to go and test out the theory on what makes Popcorn Pop and enjoy our treats!

MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading! 5 STARS