Waiting On Wednesday (13)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. The book I chose this week is:

Illuminated
by Erica Orloff

Paperback: 256 pages
Publication Date: December 8, 2011

An epic romance full of mysteries that transcend time—fans of Romeo and Juliet and The Time Traveler’s Wife will rejoice! 

Some loves are not made to last . . . Like Romeo and Juliet, Heloise and Abelard were doomed from the start, and their romance was destined to pass into history. Yet when sixteen-year-old Callie Martin discovers a diary hidden within an antique book, their story—and hers—takes on another life. For the diary leads Callie to the brilliant and handsome August, who is just as mysterious as the secret the diary hides. Their attraction is undeniable. As the two hunt down the truth behind the diary—and that of Heloise and Abelard’s ancient romance—their romance becomes all-consuming. But Callie knows it can’t last . . . love never does. Will their love that burns as bright as a shooting star flame out, or will these star-crossed lovers be able to defy history?

So the summary pretty much had me at epic romance haha. This is being compared to Time Traveler's Wife and Romeo and Juliet? Wow! That does sound epic! I'm there!

Follow Friday (11)

Follow Friday is a weekly event hosted by Parajunkee where you can discover great blogs and make some new friends while you're at it. Happy Friday!

This week's question:

Q. Do you have anyone that you can discuss books with IRL (In Real Life)? Tell us about him/her.

Yes, I do! I have cousins and a younger sister who also love reading young adult books. We discuss and recommend books once in awhile, but it's hard because we all have such different tastes! There's only a few series that we all have in common, but we initially all bonded over our love of the Twilight series back in 2005 when it first came out. Haven't been able to find one we all love since then, sadly.

Waiting On Wednesday (12)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. The book I chose this week is:

The Carrier of the Mark
by Leigh Fallon

Paperback: 352 pages
Publication Date: September 13, 2011

A move to Ireland is about to introduce Megan to her destiny, her real destiny, can she embrace it and will she survive it?

A tragedy in Megan’s past set her on a predetermined course. A chain of events has been set in motion that brings Megan to Kinsale, a small town in the south of Ireland where her destiny awaits her. Her life starts to fall into place as she makes new friends and settles into her new school. However, the reclusive and distant Adam DeRís calls to her body and soul.

She finds herself increasingly drawn to Adam and his strange family. Adam knows a secret from her past and he and his family hold the key to her future. A future that binds her to Adam and his world, a world of power, mystery and ancient orders. A world that unbeknownst to her, she very much belongs in.

This one's starting to get more buzz around the blogosphere. I heard that this is the first book to be discovered and published from a website called inkpop.com. Sounds pretty impressive. I already knew I wanted to read this because of the cover, but the summary sounds even better! Can't wait!

Review: Die For Me

Die For Me (Revenants #1)
by Amy Plum

Hardcover: 352 pages
Publication Date: May 10, 2011

My life had always been blissfully, wonderfully normal. But it only took one moment to change everything.

Suddenly, my sister, Georgia, and I were orphans. We put our lives into storage and moved to Paris to live with my grandparents. And I knew my shattered heart, my shattered life, would never feel normal again. Then I met Vincent.

Mysterious, sexy, and unnervingly charming, Vincent Delacroix appeared out of nowhere and swept me off my feet. Just like that, I was in danger of losing my heart all over again. But I was ready to let it happen.

Of course, nothing is ever that easy. Because Vincent is no normal human. He has a terrifying destiny, one that puts his life at risk every day. He also has enemies . . . immortal, murderous enemies who are determined to destroy him and all of his kind.

While I'm fighting to piece together the remnants of my life, can I risk putting my heart—as well as my life and my family's—in jeopardy for a chance at love?

My Review / Rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was my first zombie book and I have to admit I've never liked the idea of them. I mean, zombies? No offense to anyone who likes them, but they've just always creeped me out. I decided to give this a chance and I'm glad I did. All in all, I did like this book. It was fast-paced and written in a way where the story just flows. I also appreciated Amy Plum's use of vocabulary. Glad I read this on my NookColor because the built-in dictionary feature came in handy!

I only had a couple small problems with this one. Vincent and Kate's relationship for starters. I felt like their whole relationship was really rushed and not that well developed. I didn't really understand why they liked each other so much. I guess it was just a case of "instant love" that some books suffer from. Vincent also uses the word "obsess" in part of the book to explain his feelings and maybe it's just me, but  I found that creepy. Then there was the plot. Every book has a conflict. It's that climax that the whole story builds up to. I didn't really notice that the conflict was missing for awhile because I was getting caught up in the story, but about 3/4 of the way through the book I started to wonder, "where is this story  going?" The conflict did finally come, but only to be resolved about 30 pages later.

These weren't deal breakers for me - just things that I noticed. I really did enjoy reading this one. Its premise is completely different than any other paranormal book I've read. This story's definitely more romance driven and I'm not complaining. Looking forward to reading the next installment!

Follow Friday (10)

Follow Friday is a weekly event hosted by Parajunkee where you can discover great blogs and make some new friends while you're at it. Happy Friday!

This week's question:

Do you judge a book by its cover?

Have to admit, I do. A cover that draws my attention makes me want to read that book more, but I'll also give books with less appealing covers a chance too.

Waiting On Wednesday (11)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. The book I chose this week is:

Forgotten
by Cat Patrick

Hardcover: 304 pages
Publication Date: June 6, 2011

Each night when 16 year-old London Lane goes to sleep, her whole world disappears. In the morning, all that's left is a note telling her about a day she can't remember. The whole scenario doesn't exactly make high school or dating that hot guy whose name she can't seem to recall any easier. But when London starts experiencing disturbing visions she can't make sense of, she realizes it's time to learn a little more about the past she keeps forgetting-before it destroys her future.

Part psychological drama, part romance, and part mystery, this thought-provoking novel will inspire readers to consider the what-if's in their own lives and recognize the power they have to control their destinies.

I love this cover! The summary reminds me of the movie 50 First Dates, but sounds a lot more intriguing.

Review: Demonglass

Demonglass (Hex Hall #2)
by Rachel Hawkins

Hardcover: 359 pages
Publication Date: March 1, 2011

Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch.

That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (aka witches, shapeshifters, and fairies). But that was before she discovered the family secret, and that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth.

Turns out, Sophie’s a demon, one of only two in the world—the other being her father. What’s worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will destroy her powers.

But once Sophie arrives she makes a shocking discovery. Her new friends? They’re demons too. Meaning someone is raising them in secret with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they’re using Archer to do it. But it’s not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she?

My Review / Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Such a fun read! This is the kind of book you should read if you're looking for a light read that'll put you in a good mood. The characters personalities are really what made this book so great. Each one has their own quirkiness that just makes them so likable.

Sophie is a riot. She's completely fluent in sarcasm and always quipped with a witty comeback. I had a lot of laugh out loud moments when I was reading this. And then there's Archer. Oh, Archer. This mysterious, funny guy that seems too perfect to be true. But then there's the fact that he tried to kill Sophie at the end of the first book, so maybe he's not so perfect. Can't forget about Cal. With his stoic personality and how he never says more than a sentence at a time, he's still so lovable.

Not to downplay the storyline, which is pretty awesome. Sophie's spending some quality time with her father and getting in touch with her demon side. Things don't exactly going as planned, especially when she's going to London - the same city where Archer's been spotted. Dealing with Archer, running from The Eye, and discovering that someone's creating demons? Sophie's got a lot to handle and somehow she can still be sarcastic through the whole thing.

This series is only getting better, but the cliff-hangers are killing me!