Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Book Review: Astoroth: Her Final Sin by Stella & Audra Price

Review: Astoroth: Her Final Sin
Author: Stella Price; Audra Price
No of Pages: 14
Release Date: 15 June 2010

***I received this book free of charge from the publisher through my association with Book Lovers Inc***

Meet Astoroth, high duke of hell. When a woman at the end of her bucket list meets him in a bar in Las Vegas, he sees the possibility for some harmless fun with a human just at her expiration date. What he doesn't count on is deciding to keep her...


My Thoughts:

I always find it hard to review short stories, purely because there simply can’t be the character development that a longer novel can achieve. Short stories however can create intense emotions and I found that Astoroth succeeded in creating those emotions.

Sarah is dying, she has a list of things she wants to do while she still can, one of those things being to flirt with a fallen angel. But Astoroth wants to do more than flirt, and with Sarah’s lack of inhibitions he quickly goes about getting her alone, naked and screaming for more.

For fourteen pages, the Price’s sure packed a lot into them, and after the first couple of pages, definitely found a beautiful relationship between words and actions. I got a glimpse (if only brief) into how and why Sarah is doing what she is doing even though the sex felt a little fast and awkward when it began, by the end it was smooth and flowing.

As I said, the first few pages, in the lead up to the coupling were awkward, not everything made sense and some of the dialogue felt forced and unnatural, but it was quickly reconciled when the couple got their gear off.

The only other thing that seriously took away from the experience of being lost in the affair was the somewhat severe spelling and grammatical errors. It wasn’t easily overlooked and sometimes needed a backtrack to be understood.

Astoroth: Her Final Sin was seriously sexy, and left me somewhat hot and bothered. It is a simple, easy read that makes for a perfect quick fix of sinfully, angelic fun.




Monday, June 28, 2010

What I've Been Doing Lately...

Close to NOTHING!!!

I am on holidays from tech until July 19th. So the only thing keeping me busy is work and my boyfriend.

Here is what I had planned to do:
  • Start a new novel idea
  • Make a dent in Mount TBR
  • Write the 7 or so reviews that I have been putting off FOREVER
  • Schedule another months worth of posts 
What have I done? Jack...

I have recently rediscovered....computer games.

Ever heard of Wedding Dash? It's done by PlayFirst and sold through Big Fish Games.


In a week I have finished all three currently released games, and reached expert level on every level. As well as topped my high score for the Endless Reception about five times each. So if my maths is still functioning that's 150 weddings planned and accomplished plus the obsessive need for each wedding to be at expert level so really 300 weddings...

That is what I have been doing for a week. I haven't even been reading much! I stopped myself from reading during study time and haven't really picked up again. Sure I read at work, late at night sometimes but it isn't the nagging need it usually is until I get into the book again.

I really think it's only because I can work under stress. Unless I have a billion deadlines and no time to do anything I won't do anything...which is so dumb, and yet so me.

So although I have been posting regular reviews...they were all written in May. I will have to drag myself away from time management games for tonight and get my reviewing butt into gear.

After that though....Diner Dash here I come!!!


Saturday, June 26, 2010

Book Review: Burned by PC Cast & Kristin Cast

Review: Burned
Series: House of Night – Book 7
Author: PC Cast; Kristin Cast
No of Pages: 323
Release Date: 27 April 2010

Y’all need to get yourselves together. Here’s a newsflash from the only High Priestess you have left at this dang school: Zoey isn’t dead. And believe me, I know dead. I’ve been there, done that and got the fricken t-shirt.

Zoey Redbird is the youngest High Priestess in the House of Night history and is the only person – vamp or fledgling – that can stop the evil Neferet from raising all kinds of immortal trouble. And just she might have a chance if she wasn’t so busy being dead.

Well, dead is too strong a word. Stevie Rae knows she can bring her BFF back from her unscheduled va-cay in the Otherworld. But it’s going to take a lot more than hoping to bring Zoey back. Stevie Rae might have to give up a few secrets of her own...

My Thoughts:

The seventh instalment in the House of Night series has somehow kept me intrigued in continuing on in Zoey’s journey.

Continuing directly on from Tempted, Burned launches straight into the predicament that Zoey’s soul has been shattered and Aphrodite must work with the nerd-herd and Stark to get her back. We also have Stevie Rae’s ongoing struggle with her feelings for Rephaim, the raven mocker.

I did like that Burned didn’t focus wholly (it ended up being rarely) on Zoey and all her “me, me, me”. We got a good insight into the other characters, Stevie Rae especially. It felt like nearly the whole story was flipping back to Stevie Rae whenever it could. It wasn’t entirely bad, but in the middle of Burned, it became extremely tedious to hear her stuff up and summoning evil beings by accident.

I think my favourite character, apart from Stark and Zoey (yes, I like her even if she is self-centred), is Aphrodite. She is continuing to grow into what it really seems Nyx has planned for her. Everything that is thrown at Aphrodite she completely takes in her stride, whilst also managing to keep everyone else together as well and still successfully pulling off her “I’m a bitch” routine.

It was Aphrodite that kept Zoey’s body safe, Aphrodite who figured out how to help her and ultimately, Aphrodite who saved the day, which was really cool on her part considering her lack of Vampyrness now.

Although I do love the Cast ladies writing style, I am really starting to get over the language. It’s not bad or vulgar; it just seems to try way too hard now. Before it was cool, unique and well done. Now it’s just overused and really tiring to think you just read someone speaking terrible English and having to go back and confirm that the House of Night doesn’t teach grammar lessons.

Aside from the characters voices, the only other thing that is puzzling me is how on earth they are going to drag this out for another five books...I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, Kalona and Neferet are only so evil, there isn’t too much more that they can do.

Aside from those things though, Burned kept me intrigued for the most part, and I think we’re in for Zoey, Stark, Aphrodite and especially Stevie Rae to do some major maturing in the next couple of books because it looks like Zoey is going to be taking on some pretty big roles in the next instalment, one in which I am looking forward to reading.


Others in this series:
Marked
Betrayed
Chosen
Untamed
Hunted
Tempted
Awakened

Friday, June 25, 2010

New Cat & Bones Coming soon!

OMG OMG OMG OMG!!!!! Squeeee!

Jeaniene Frost has announced the name of the fifth Cat & Bones book!

The next Cat & Bones book in the night huntress series is going to be called:

THIS SIDE OF THE GRAVE

You do not even realise how immensely excited I am right now. This Side of the Grave is set to be released on the 22 February 2011.

Yeay!!! The title could change but still...it just makes the next book seem that much closer now that I know what it is called.


If you are wondering why I am so schoolgirl excited over this news...here are my reviews of the previous four books...I suggest you read them...then go buy the books.


Reviews By Rating

5 Feathers
At Grave's End (Night Huntress #3) - Jeaniene Frost

Bloodthirsty - Flynn Meaney
Bloody Bones (Anita Blake #5) - Laurell K. Hamilton
Bloody Jack (Bloody Jack #1) - L. A. Meyer

Circus of the Damned (Anita Blake #3) - Laurell K. Hamilton

Dead as a Doornail (Sookie Stackhouse #5) - Charlaine Harris
Destined For An Early Grave (Night Huntress #4) - Jeaniene Frost

Earth Blend (Blend Troligy #2) - Lori Pescatore
Emblaze (Violet Eden Chapters #3) - Jessica Shirvington
Enticed (Violet Eden Chapters #2) - Jessica Shirvington
Eternal Kiss of Darkness (Night Huntress #2) - Jeaniene Frost

First Drop of Crimson (Night Huntress World #1) - Jeaniene Frost
Forbidden - Tabitha Suzuma
Frostbite (Vampire Academy #2) - Richelle Mead 

Gilded Tarot, The - Barbara Moore
Going Too Far - Jennifer Echols
Guilty Pleasures (Anita Blake #1) - Laurell K. Hamilton

Halfway To The Grave (Night Huntress #1) - Jeaniene Frost 
Hush, Hush (Hush, Hush #1) - Becca Fitzpatrick

If I Stay (If I Stay #1) - Gayle Forman

Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy #6) - Richelle Mead
Laughing Corpse, The (Anita Blake #2) - Laurell K. Hamilton
Lover Awakened (Black Dagger Brotherhood #3) - J. R. Ward
Lunatic Cafe, The (Anita Blake #4) - Laurell K. Hamilton

Nice Girls Don't Date Dead Men (Jane Jameson #2) - Molly Harper
Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs (Jane Jameson #1) - Molly Harper
Nice Girls Don't Live Forever (Jane Jameson #3) - Molly Harper

One Foot In The Grave (Night Huntress #2) - Jeaniene Frost
Once Bitten, Twice Shy (Jaz Parks #1) - Jennifer Rardin

Perfect Chemistry (Fuentes Brothers Trilogy #1) - Simone Elkeles

Random Magic - Sasha Soren
Running Blind (Time Keepers #1) - Nicki J. Markus

Sacred Circle Tarot: A Celtic Pagan Journey, The - Anna Franklin
Spirit Bound (Vampire Academy #5) - Richelle Mead

Taste of Apple, The - James Laidler
Tempest Rising (Jane True #1) - Nicole Peeler
Tempest's Legacy (Jane True #3) - Nicole Peeler
This Side of the Grave (Night Huntress #5) - Jeaniene Frost
Tracking the Tempest (Jane True #2) - Nicole Peeler
Twenties Girl - Sophie Kinsella

Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy #1) - Richelle Mead

Wizard's First Rule (Sword of Truth #1) - Terry Goodkind
Wondrous Strange (Wondrous Strange #1) - Leslie Livingston 

4 Feathers
13 to Life (13 to Life #1) - Shannon Delany

A Ghostly Menage - Eve Langlais
Accidental Werewolf, The (Accidental Friends #1) - Dakota Cassidy
All Together Dead (Sookie Stackhouse #7) - Charlaine Harris

Bargains and Betrayals (13 to Life #3) - Shannon Delany
Birthmarked (Birthmarked #1) - Caragh M. O'Brien
Bitten (Women of the Otherworld #1) - Kelly Armstrong
Blood Bound (Mercy Thompson #2) - Patricia Briggs
Bloodfever (Fever #2) - Karen Marie Moning
Bro Code - Barney Stinson 
Burned (House of Night #7) - PC Cast; Kristin Cast

Can You Keep A Secret? - Sophie Kinsella 
City of Bones (Mortal Instruments #1) - Cassandra Clare
Cleopatra's Men - Eve Langlais
Club Dead (Sookie Stackhouse #3) - Charlaine Harris
Cry Wolf (Alpha & Omega #2) - Patricia Briggs 

Darkfever (Fever #1) - Karen Marie Moning
Dark Lover (Black Dagger Brotherhood #1) - J. R. Ward 
Dead and Gone (Sookie Stackhouse #9) - Charlaine Harris
Dead to the World (Sookie Stackhouse #4) - Charlaine Harris
Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse #1) - Charlaine Harris
Definitely Dead (Sookie Stackhouse #6) - Charlaine Harris


Embrace (Violet Eden Chapters #1) - Jessica Shirvington

Fire (Graceling #2) - Kristen Cashore
From Dead to Worse (Sookie Stackhouse #8) - Charlaine Harris

Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood - Eileen Cook
Graceling (Graceling #1) - Kristen Cashore

Hex Hall (Hex Hall #1) - Rachel Hawkins
Hourglass (Evernight #3) - Claudia Gray
Human Blend (Trilogy Blend #1) - Lori Pescatore

Kiss of Midnight (Midnight Breeds #1) - Lara Adrian

Living Dead in Dallas (Sookie Stackhouse #2) - Charlaine Harris
Lottery, The - Alexandra O'Hurley
Lover Eternal (Black Dagger Brotherhood #2) - J. R. Ward
Lover Revealed (Black Dagger Brotherhood #4) - J.R. Ward
Lover Unbound (Black Dagger Brotherhood #5) - J. R. Ward
Lucifer's Daughter (Lucifer's Daughter #1) - Eve Langlais

Magic Study (Study #2) - Maria V. Snyder 
Man Within, The (Breeds #2) - Lora Leigh
My Big Nose and Other Natural Disasters - Sydney Salter
My Invented Life - Lauren Bjorkman

One Grave at a Time (Night Huntress #6) - Jeaniene Frost

Poison Study (Study #1) - Maria V. Snyder

Shadowfae (Shadowfae Chronicles #1) - Erica Hayes
Shadow Seer, The (Ellesnessia's Curse #1) - Fran Jacobs
Snowballs In Hell (Lucifer's Daughter #2) - Eve Langlais
Stray (Shifters #1) - Rachel Vincent
Succubus Blues (Georgina Kincaid #1) - Richelle Mead
Swan Kingdom, The - Zoe Marriott

Taken By Storm - Angela Morrison 
Tempted (House of Night #6) - PC Cast; Kristin Cast
They Call Me Death (Shapeshifters #1) - Missy Jane
Thicker Than Water - Carla Jablonski

Vampire Queen's Servant, The (Vampire Queen #1) - Joey W. Hill

White Cat (Curse Workers #1) - Holly Black

3 Feathers
Astoroth: Her Final Sin - Stella Price; Audra Price 
Blood Prophecy - Stefan Petrucha
Blood Song (Blood Singer #1) - Cat Adams
Born Into Fire (Shadow Elements #1) - KyAnn Waters; Tarah Scott
Breaking Down (Papercut Slices #2) - Maia Kinney-Petrucha; Stefan Petrucha
Comfort Food - Kitty Thomas
Crazy - Eve Langlais
Evernight (Evernight #1) - Claudia Gray
Fire Study (Study #3) - Maria V. Snyder
Glass Houses (Morganville Vampires #1) - Rachel Caine
Iron King, The (Iron Fey #1) - Julie Kagawa
Jump - Jen Wylie
Last Stop: A Survivor's Story - Tommy McInnis; Nelson Velez
Midnight Pearls: A Retelling of "The Little Mermaid" - Debbie Viguie
Moon Called (Mercy Thompson #1) - Patricia Briggs
Nightlight: A Parody - The Harvard Lampoon
Paramour - Margaret Ethridge
Rosemary's Baby (Rosemary's Baby #1) - Ira Levin 
Sasha's Calling - TC Archer
Short Second Life of Bree Tanner, The (Twilight Saga) - Stephenie Meyer
Stargazer (Evernight #2) - Claudia Gray
Tempting the Beast (Breeds #1) - Lora Leigh 
Touch the Dark (Cassandra Palmer #1) - Karen Chance
Twilight: The Graphic Novel Vol. 1 - Stephenie Meyer
Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure (Zan-Gah #1) - Allan Richard Shickman


2 Feathers
A Blue So Dark - Holly Schindler
A Season of Eden - J.M Warwick
Blue Bloods (Blue Bloods #1) - Melissa De La Cruz 
Defense Against the Dark - Emily Carlin
Elizabeth's Wolf (Breeds #3) - Lora Leigh
Embers (Embers #1) - Laura Bickle
Enchanted Inc. (Enchanted Inc.) - Shanna Swendson
Fatal Embrace - Aris Whittier
Hush: An Irish Princess' Tale - Donna Jo Napoli
Living Dead Girl - Elizabeth Scott
My Love Lies Bleeding (Drake Chronicles #1)  - Alyxandra Harvey
Secrets and Shadows (13 to Life #2) - Shannon Delany
Strange Familiar - Cassidy Hunter 
Sweet Dreams, Miss England - Iris Blobel


1 Feather
Accidentally Dead (Accidental Friends #2) - Dakota Cassidy
Beautiful Creatures (Caster Chronicles #1) - Kami Garcia; Margaret Stohl
Catcher in the Rye, The - J.D Salinger
Demonic Persuasion (Prophecies Implied #1) - Mahalia Levey 
Fallen Star, The (The Fallen Star #1) - Jessica Sorensen
Leaving Paradise (Leaving Paradise #1) - Simone Elkeles
Mark of the Vampire Queen, The (Vampire Queen #2) - Joey W. Hill
Revving Her Wild Engines - Cassandre Dayne
Talon, come fly with me (Talon #1) - Gigi Sedlmayer

I bought some books!

I just had to tell someone that! I haven't bought any books since the 28th of April! That is massive for me. Two months of no new books :(

So I kind of went a little crazy....

20 new books are on their way lol.


Here's what I bought:
  • Stolen by Kelly Armstrong
  • The Taken by Sarah Pinbourough
  • The Vampire Queen's Servant by Joey W. Hill
  • Thicker than Water by Carla Jablonski
  • Bloodfever by Karen Marie Moning
  • Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison
  • Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin
  • The Birthing House by Christopher Ransom
  • A Season of Eden by JM Warwick
  • Bloody Jack by L. A. Meyer
  • Lover Revealed by J. R. Ward
  • If I Stay by Gayle Forman
  • Bloodlines by Lindsay Kendal
  • A Blue So Dark by Holly Schindler
  • Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma
  • Dark Beginnings by Gena Showalter
  • 13 to Life by Shannon Delany
  • Blood Song by Cat Adams
  • Tracking the Tempest by Nicole Peeler
  • Shadow Bound by Erin Kellison

Thursday, June 24, 2010

It's Over!!! I'm Free!!!

I am free for a month!!! And I hope that I never have to go through that again!


In bribing myself to study I earned the following books...yeay!!!
  • Dead in the Family (Sookie Stackhouse #10) by Charlaine Harris
  • Shadowglass (Shadowfae Chronicles #2) by Erica Hayes
  • Lover Revealed by J.R. Ward
  • Accidentally Dead by Dakota Cassidy
  • Rules of Attraction (Perfect Chemistry #2) by Simone Elkeles
  • Bloodfever (Fever #2) by Karen Marie Moning
  • Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma
  • Harmonic Feedback by Tara Kelly
  • The Master & the Muses by Amanda McIntyre
  • Shadow Marked (Demon Bound #1) by Anna J. Evans  
  • The Vampire Queen's Servant by Joey W. Hill
Yeay! I will definitely be ordering those very, very soon! And I'm free!! Which means I will be around for a while! 

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Book Review: Lover Awakened by J.R Ward

Review: Lover Awakened
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood – Book 3
Author: J. R. Ward
No of Pages: 434
Release Date: 5 September 2006

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there’s a deadly turf war going on between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other – six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Of these, Zsadist is the most terrifying member of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.

A former blood slave, the vampire Zsadist still bears the scars from a past filled with suffering and humiliation. Renowned for his unquenchable fury and sinister deeds, he is a savage feared by humans and vampires alike. Anger is his only companion, and terror his only passion – until he rescues a beautiful aristocrat from the evil Lessening Society.

Bella is instantly entranced by the seething power Zsadist possesses. But even as their desire for one another begins to overtake them both, Zsadist’s thirst for vengeance against Bella’s tormentors drives him to the brink of madness. Now, Bella must help her lover overcome the wounds of his tortured past, and find a future with her...

My Thoughts:

This series just keeps getting better.

Lover Awakened opens with the frantic search for Bella, the high class citizen who was abducted by the Lessers at the end of Lover Eternal. Zsadist is acting way out of character in the fact that he actually seems to care about something for once.

He is lethal in his quest to find her not leaving any stone unturned. His brothers don’t know what has gotten into him, and neither does her. But his relentless search finally comes to fruition when another civilian that Bella manages to free tips of the brotherhood as to her whereabouts.

When Bella gets to the compound, it becomes a game of cat and mouse. She wants Zsadist, but it seems that he doesn’t want her, even though he is fiercely protecting her from anyone and everyone. Zsadist doesn’t think he is worthy of such a female, and he has reason to back up that claim. He was a blood slave, forced into service for a hundred years by his Mistress after he was stolen from his home as an infant. Zsadist carries the scars and the memories of his time, and he sees himself as too dirty, too broken to love.

But Bella won’t have it. Zsadist’s transformation throughout Lover Awakened is absolutely amazing, in tiny little steps he starts believing in himself again, and the way Ward writes his healing as such is tear jerkingly powerful.

Bella doesn’t fully understand what she asks of Zsadist at times, and in a way that is what helped him the most, not having someone treading on eggshells around him for once helped him come back to himself. But it’s not all easy going from there, Zsadist still doesn’t see himself as worthy and every chance he gets tries to push Bella away, until he succeeds.

When I realised Lover Awakened was about Zsadist, I was wary of reading it purely because he had been so unpleasant in the previous books, but seeing how such a broken and lost soul could come back was absolutely amazing. Zsadist is not only physically strong, but mentally as well, he learnt to deal with his pain and although it may not have made him the nicest person around, it becomes completely understandable why he is the way he is.

Bella has become one of my favourite females as well, although she grew up living a high life, she is very grounded after living by herself. She takes in her stride the trauma of what happened to her at the Lessers holding cell, being obsessed over by O the new fore-lesser. Although it takes a little bit of time and quite a bit of TLC from Zsadist in the beginning, she became stronger.

I also love the fact that she didn’t just cower behind the males, but was smart enough to know when to back down. When she felt that she could do something at a crucial moment, she did it and didn’t rely on someone to do it for her, no matter how grisly the task.

Zsadist and Bella’s story has become one of my favourites in the Black Dagger Brotherhood, and considering the pattern we are currently following, these books are only going to get better.



Others in this series:
Dark Lover
Lover Eternal
Lover Revealed
Lover Unbound
Lover Enshrined
Lover Avenged
Lover Mine
Lover Unleashed


Tuesday, June 22, 2010

It's my birthday!



Happy Birthday to me! As my own personal birthday present that must have been gifted to me by God himself, I am officially on one month's holiday from tech! My last exam was yesterday...yeay!!!!

Tonight I'm looking forward to the closest people in my world coming together over pizza and ice-cream to celebrate the awesome day that I graced the world with my presence (Ha!). And hopefully it will finish off with a rowdy game of pass the parcel - yes, that is how I celebrate my birthday.



Wow, all my life my birthday has kind of signified the middle of the year, winter and well...my birth.



This year has gone so quickly that I barely even feel like it's my birthday. I'm 19 years old today. Wow. I remember when I was about thriteen and I used to wish that somehow I could made immortal at nineteen because it seemed such a cool age. Old enough to drive, drink and vote (not at the same time obviously) and yet not really a bonafide adult. Still technically a teenager. Nineteen, fun, frolicking, the perfect age.

And now that I'm here...24 seems like such a better age to be made immortal at...

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Book Review: Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles

Review: Leaving Paradise
Series: Leaving Paradise – Book 1
Author: Simone Elkeles
No of Pages: 303
Release Date: 1 April 2007

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE PERSON WHO DAMAGED YOU FOR LIFE...

Caleb Becker spent the past year in juvenile detention.

Maggie Armstrong spent the past year in hospitals and physical therapy.

Two teens who were scarred one fateful night are going to have to face their greatest challenge yet – meeting up with each other again.

...BECOMES THE PERSON YOU TRUST THE MOST?

My Thoughts:

I am so glad that I didn’t read this before I read Perfect Chemistry, or it would have put me off Elkeles altogether.

Leaving Paradise was one big selfish teenage whinge. Yes these kids have problems, but they don’t do anything about it and they don’t take any of the blame themselves, everyone else is at fault.

Maggie was hit by a car driven by Caleb a year ago, resulting from that is a mangled leg that Maggie refuses to use. What I couldn’t stand about Maggie was her lack of courage and willpower. She refused to put any pressure on her leg and expected everyone to treat her special because of it.
When the elderly Mrs. Reynolds refuses to give her special treatment Maggie doesn’t like her. It showed a lack of character. Sure there may be people out there like Maggie, but it doesn’t set a good example.

Caleb on the other hand is fresh out of gaol and expects everyone to just accept him and go back to normal after he has mutilated one of the townsfolk. It grated on my nerves how much of a chip on his shoulder he had, I wanted to punch him the face for most of the book and tell him to wake up.

I know teenagers can be stupid, but did these two have to be that stupid?

Then there was the romance, Maggie fell in love with the guy that crippled her...there was a complete eye-roll moment as soon as I read the sentence. That whole part of the story was completely far-fetched.

The only thing I did like about Leaving Paradise was Mrs. Reynolds, she taught the pair to wake up and get over themselves. She had a world of wisdom that I could have listened to for hours and a wit that only an old lady can get away with saying out loud.

There was thankfully a change in Maggie toward the end when she hardened-up, the way it came about though and her sudden change in thinking was another complete eye-roll moment.

Elkeles is a masterful writer and it shows in this book, this just wasn’t one of her better ideas.


Also in this series:
Return to Paradise

Others who reviewed this:
Sarah's Book Reviews

Friday, June 18, 2010

Blog Award: Bodacious Blogging Book Reviewer Award

Considering I have been so lazy in passing along blog awards recently I thought I would do this one straight away, just because I'm so excited to still be considered for one :D








First and foremost I would very much like to thank K from The Lady Critic's Library, for passing this award onto me. Naturally I have to thank my mummy and my peers for making it all possible, and of course I would like to pass this award on to the following five people.


The Last Five Books that I read:

  1. Tempest Rising - Nicole Peeler 
  2. Burned - PC Cast & Kristen Cast 
  3. Lover Awakened - JR Ward 
  4. Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure - Allan Richard Shickman 
  5. Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country - Allan Richard Shickman



Five Blogs I'm Pasing this award onto: I chose these blogger because I'm reminded of them when I read these books, some of them are even the reason I read them.
  1. Parajunkee's View
  2. Book Chick City
  3. Paranormal Haven
  4. Cherry Mischevious
  5. Teen's Read and Write
If you are given this award you must first accept it by leaving a comment on the post you were nominated on. Then copy and paste the post and add it to your own blog. Make a list of the last 5 books you read and pass the award on to 5 other bloggers (no backsies!). Please also identify the blog from which you got the award and don’t forget to tell your picks that they have a blog award!

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Book Review: Lover Eternal by J. R. Ward

Review: Lover Eternal
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood – Book 2
Author: J. R. Ward
No of Pages: 441
Release Date: 7 March 2006

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there’s a deadly turf war raging between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other – six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Possessed by a deadly beast, Rhage is the most dangerous of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.

Within the brotherhood, Rhage is the vampire with the strongest appetites. He’s the best fighter, the quickest to act on his impulses, and the most voracious lover – for inside him burns a ferocious curse cast by the Scribe Virgin. Owned by his dark side, Rhage fears the times when his inner dragon is unleashed, making him a danger to everyone around him.

Mary Luce, a survivor of many hardships, is unwittingly thrown into the vampire world and reliant on Rhage’s protection. With a life threatening curse of her own, Mary is not looking for love. She lost her faith in miracles years ago. But when Rhage’s intense animal attraction turns into something more emotional, he knows that he must make Mary his alone. And while their enemies close in, Mary fights desperately to gain life eternal with the one she loves....

My Thoughts:

Lover Eternal was even better than Dark Lover.

I knew that I would love Rhage ever since he was first described in Dark Lover. He’s movie star gorgeous, but Butch put it even better: “...the vampire was flat-out drop dead gorgeous. Even to a certified hetero like Butch. The son of a bitch actually bent the laws of physics, he was so attractive...that face made Brad Pitt look like a candidate for The Swan.”

I love Rhage’s intensity, he comes across as an easy going ladies man, but for him it’s a constant struggle between him and his beast. Rhage has a beautifully intricate tattoo on his back that almost looks alive. That’s because it is...

Rhage was cursed by the scribe virgin over a hundred years ago for offending her, his punishment? An uncontrollable beast that is only subdued with violence and sex, if he can’t stay in control, Rhage transforms into a dragon.

So when Mary comes onto the scene and they attracted to each other, all should be well and good, right? Wrong! Rhage’s dragon has taken a likening to Mary and every time he touches her let alone has sex with her, he nearly loses control.

I think that is what makes Rhage and Mary’s romance so sweet, they can’t just rip their clothes off whenever they like so they talk, or just lie together. I loved how they met, Rhage had transformed the day before so was temporarily blind and he heard her voice. He was so drawn to the sound that he cornered her and told her to just keep talking. “About what?” Mary asked, “Anything” she was reduced to repeating the word ‘nothing’ over and over again. After another transformation when she was living at the mansion she pulled down a Harry Potter book of all things and read to him.

With both having an ailment they understood each other, how to calm each other. Lover Eternal felt deeper than Dark Lover probably because we could focus so much more on the story rather than the world building.

Lover Eternal also gave us glimpses into the lives of John Mathew, Vischous, Butch and Zsadist, and although I couldn’t wait to get back to Rhage and Mary’s story I loved the parts they played as well, it added yet another layer to this story letting us see the whole picture and not just focusing on the main characters.

Once again we delved into the world of the Lessers; again it grated on my nerves and patience. I don’t like the Lessers and it is quite confusing trying to keep track of all of them because they are only referred to by letters.

Overall, Lover Eternal was another exciting adventure into the world of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, sweet romance, heart-stopping action and hilarious interaction from the brothers.

Also in this series:
Dark Lover
Lover Awakened
Lover Revealed
Lover Unbound
Lover Enshrined
Lover Avenged
Lover Mine
Lover Unleashed

Others who reviewed this:
Sarah's Book Reviews


Wednesday, June 16, 2010

What Should I read Next? - The Votes Are In!

Thank you to everyone who voted on "What I should Read Next", I had such a good response that I might make it a regular feature.

And the winner is: STRAY BY RACHAEL VINCENT

2nd: Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice
3rd: Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz

So this is what will be coming up soon.

Thank you for your participation.

Droolworthy Covers: Aquamarine by Alice Hoffman

This is really more of another Celebrity spotted post...who was it this week?
JoJo

The one on the right (red head) looks a lot like Jojo in my opinion.

And the one on the other side looks like Claire Holt from the Australian tv show about mermaids, H2O: Just Add Water.


or Emma Roberts...

And then I just googled the movie I remembered about a mermaid and I was right!! But I think it's a bit of a cop-out to use the actresses in the movie on the cover of the book. I prefer covers to be unique, not movie replicas, which is why I will not by the new Twilight versions.




Tuesday, June 15, 2010

In which I defend my crappy team...



So I read an American blog today that said Australia played crappy in their opening match against Germany. Well, excuse me but I would like to see you do better against the favourites to win the whole thing!

Usually I don't get my knickers in a twist over much, but to say that Australia is crap at soccer just because we got smashed by Germany and that we "gave up" after Germany scored two goals is a little bit unfair.

Australia is okay at soccer, we are best on the football field, the cricket pitch and in the pool. Excuse us for trying something out that we also like doing, no need to tell us that we're crap just because we lost. What is this, primary school?

Yes we're crap, but that's only ok when we say it.

Thank you and goodday.

PS: I did my first exam this morning and it went great!!!


Secret by The Pierces - Music Video

After reviewing Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella, I thought of this song, and I think it is a perfect theme for the book (and I just love this song). This is the music video used in Gossip Girl because this is my favourite version.



Monday, June 14, 2010

Book Review: Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella

Review: Can You Keep A Secret?
Author: Sophie Kinsella
No of Pages: 374
Release Date: 1 March 2005

Meet Emma Corrigan, a young woman with a huge heart, an irreplaceable spirit and a few little secrets:

Secrets from her boyfriend:
I’ve always thought Connor looks a bit like Ken. As in Barbie and Ken.

Secrets from her mother:
I lost my virginity in the spare bedroom with Danny Nussbaum while mum and dad were downstairs watching Ben-Hur.

Secrets she wouldn’t share with anyone in the world:
I have no idea what NATO stands for. Or even what it is.

Until she spills them all to a handsome stranger on a plane. At least, she thought he was a stranger...Until Emma comes face-to-face with Jack Harper, the company’s exclusive CEO, a man who knows every single humiliating detail about her...

My Thoughts:

I loved this so much! It was such a cute, light, entertaining read.

Can You Keep a Secret follows the story of Emma Corrigan a woman of many secrets. Emma is a marketing assistant who is extremely ditzy and on her first big assignment that could earn her a promotion, she sprays the client with Cola.

On her way home from that meeting she has to catch a plane, Emma isn’t a good flyer. After about three vodka and tonics and a glass of champagne, she racks up the nerve to fly. Things even seem to be looking up when she gets upgraded to first class. Seated next to a handsome man in jeans Emma is attempting to sleep through the flight, until the plane starts going down...Thinking she’s about to die, Emma spills all her secrets to the man sitting next to her, everything.

Jack takes a liking to Emma when he recognises her at the office. He feels that he can talk to her properly without the worry of being buttered up because of who he is. From there the drama ensues, Jack teaches Emma that some secrets are ok to be shared by sharing them in a round-about way. But when someone has all of your secrets, something is bound to go wrong...horribly wrong.

I love Emma, she has the whole in the head dialogue going on which is absolutely hilarious, so not only are her quips to her workmates, roommates and family entertaining, but we also have part of what she’s really thinking to go by as well, which makes it laugh out loud funny.

I also liked Jack as a leading male; he was definitely not what you expect of a founder of a company. He was also quick witted with the comebacks and very good at making things happen on the sly. Even after being left by Emma on a date he managed to be the perfect gentlemen by getting the bus driver to drop her straight at her door, which was so romantic.

What I love about Kinsella’s writing is that for being a light-hearted read, she doesn’t skimp on the details and also fleshes out the other characters, namely, Emma’s roommates Lissy and Jemima.

Lissy is the hard hitting lawyer who is a quiet homebody when she isn’t in court and Jemima is a spoilt brat who wants everything, has everything and is constantly sharing her wisdom of how you have to treat a man to get a ring on your finger.

Kinsella is a master, and definitely the go to girl if ever you need a pick me up on a bad day. Can You Keep a Secret is yet another keeper by her and I am definitely looking forward to what wok of hers I can get my hands on next.



Sunday, June 13, 2010

My Reason To Study...

I am going to waste a little bit more time by creating a check list of the things I should do to study. Every task on the checklist I succeed in rewards me with a new book that I will buy for myself. Henceforth taking me off book buying strike (because I happen to be broke). So no matter how broke it leaves me, there could be a stack of new books for me...yeay!!!

As another incentive to study I have not started a new book. The last I read was Zan-Gah and the beautiful country, the book I want to read next is Dead Until Dark (Sookik Stackhouse #1) I have been feeling like re-reading that series for a while now. So on top of new books I will be able to read guilt free on Wednesday if I can get to Tuesday and be ready for my first two exams.

For Tuesday's Exam/s:

Financial Reporting (Accounting) I DID THIS EXAM THIS MORNING AND IT WENT GREAT! I BARELY EVEN USED THE CHEAT SHEET AND COMFORTABLY DID EVERY QUESTION IN THE TIME ALLOTED :D
  • Write up two sided "cheat sheet" to be taken into the exam with me (yes it is allowed) I just earned myself a new copy of Dead in the Family (Sookie Stackhouse #10) by Charlaine Harris
  • Complete practise exam and check answers.
  • Work on Tax Effect accounting problems with little difficulty
  • Revise class exams and identify problem areas
  • BECAUSE I FELT SO GOOD ABOUT THIS EXAM I'M GOING TO GET MYSELF ANOTHER BOOK - Shadowglass (Shadowfae Chronicles #2) by Erica Hayes
Business Maths:
  • Learn the work (LOL, yes I am serious) I just earned a new copy of Lover Revealed by J.R. Ward
  • Use practise test from Thursday night class I just earned myself a new copy of Accidentally Dead by Dakota Cassidy
  • Practise at least 3 questions I still don't feel ready for this test but I have done what I can and will continue practising this afternoon. If I feel good about the test tonight I may get another reward :) 
  • I felt really good about this exam! Every thing kind of flowed and I remembered what I needed to apply and where so, in light of that: Rules of Attraction (Perfect Chemistry #2) by Simone Elkeles

For Thursday Exam:
  • Make sure to have learnt all of the topics (once again, yes I am serious) I just earned a new copy of Bloodfever (Fever #2) by Karen Marie Moning
  • Go through the practise exam I just earned a new copy of Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma
  • Go through the answers to the practise exam and make sure to memorise all necassary calculations I just earned a new copy of Harmonic Feedback by Tara Kelly
  • Once again I felt really really good about this exam! So as a bonus I think I'll have The Master & the Muses by Amanda McIntyre

For Monday's Exam: Finished!!! Hoping for a pass, not really confident...but not worrying about it either!!! And for that and fighting off the panic attack just before the exam I have earned Shadow Marked (Demon Bound #1) by Anna J. Evans
  • Download as many past papers with answers as possible I just earned a new copy of The Vampire Queen's Servant by Joey W. Hill
  • Somehow find a way to bluff through the exam with a pass
  • Make sure to mark the Tax Act with as many needed tabs as possible (a plus would be them all making sense)
  • Do at least three exams and get a pass
So there is my list for the next week...for each check point I cross off, I get a reward of my choosing.

Wish me luck!

Really...why do I do this to myself?

This is really more of a personal ranty whinge rather than a bookish related post...I just needed to get this out of my system.

I promised myself halfway through May that I would temporarily hiatus from my blogs throughout June so that I could study for my exams....and yet I am here.

Sometimes I really wonder why I do things like this to myself...I really, really do. Because really I am not doing anything constructive with my time, because to be honest with all the time I have spent trawling the web and watching episodes of Top Gear that I have already seen, I haven't done any Book Reviews OR study so I have absolutely nothing to show for the time I have wasted today.

Granted I did do an hours worth of an exam...but really...that's not much.

I used to be able to get away with doing crap like this, but I really can't anymore, and I know I am going to be a quivering mess on Tuesday, Thursday and Monday...I am going to feel guilty for blowing people off to "study" and then procrastinate.

What's worse is that, June is chockers as far as posting goes...I have reviews scheduled that will take me all the way through to the 29th so it's not like I won't be around in a way, my reading will just be hoarding unread posts.

So really....why do I do this to myself? It's not school anymore, where I didn't have to try, and it didn't matter regardless, I am paying for college, this is my career AND it's my final year. I want to be the 19 yr old fully qualified, experienced accountant...but I am probably going to end up being the 20 yr old fully qualified accountant that failed a subject before she made it through...at this rate, I could fail all of them.

It is times like these when I really don't know why I started a blog this year, I mean yeah it has been fun and yeah it is an awesome outlet for my restlessness and it has led me to meet a great community of people who show me awesome new books everyday and have an actual opinion about literature....but sometimes I wonder...why did I stress myself out this year by taking on something else?

And then I come up with an answer...because I would have wasted time somehow regardless...and at least this way I have something to show for it...

But still, I have a massive exam on Tuesday and another one that night that is my key to passing the course and actually getting to the final exam on Thursday. Plus an exam on Monday that I am really bad in the subject at so I really need to pull together and work hard for, and yet I am telling you this and taking 10 minutes of my time that I could have used to study.

Why do I do this to myself???

I think it might be because i really don't care anymore....but that is not a good enough reason.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

2010 Romance Reading Challenge


COMPLETED


The Romance Reading Challenge is courtesy of Royal Reviews - click here to go directly to the challenge page!!!

I am going for the Obsessed level which means I'm trying for 20 books!!!

I will continue to update as I read.

  1. Hush, Hush - Becca Fitzpatrick - click here for review
  2. Halfway to the Grave - Jeaniene Frost - click here for review
  3. One Foot in the Grave - Jeaniene Frost - click here for review
  4. At Grave's End - Jeaniene Frost - click here for review
  5. Destined for an Early Grave - Jeaniene Frost - click here for review
  6. Wondrous Strange - Lesley Livingston - click here for review
  7. Dark Lover - J.R Ward - click here for review
  8. Going Too Far - Jennifer Echols - click here for review
  9. The Accidental Werewolf - Dakota Cassidy - click here for review
  10. Shadowfae - Erica Hayes - click here for review
  11. Hourglass - Claudia Gray
  12. First Drop of Crimson - Jeaniene Frost - click here for review
  13. The Iron King - Julie Kagawa - click here for review
  14. They Call Me Death - Missy Jane - click here for review
  15. Taken By Storm - Angela Morrison - click here for review
  16. Midnight Pearls: A retelling of "The Little Mermaid" - Debbie Viguie
  17. Perfect Chemistry - Simone Elkeles - click here for review 
  18. Sweet Dreams, Miss England - Iris Blobel - click here for review
  19. Can You Keep a Secret? - Sophie Kinsella
  20. Lover Eternal - J. R. Ward

    Friday, June 11, 2010

    Book suggestions wanted: The scariest book you have ever read...



    I know its extremely weird, but I want to be scared by a book. It takes a lot to scare me. I love horror movies, but have never really gotten into horror as a reading genre. So, I would like some suggestions please. Give me the book that has been the scariest you have ever read.

    Being the sadistically abnormal person that I am, I want a book that will give me nightmares, have me checking over my shoulder every two minutes and afraid to walk through my house without the lights on.

    Please and thank you,

    Thursday, June 10, 2010

    Book Review: The Man Within by Lora Leigh

    Review: The Man Within
    Series: Breeds – Book 2
    Author: Lora Leigh
    No. Of Pages: 236
    Release Date: 28 October 2004

    He had protected her as a child, filled all her teenaged fantasies, and as a woman, he stole her heart. Only to break it.

    Now fifteen months later, the news has released. The man she loves is one of the genetically altered Feline Breeds who have shocked the world with their presence. He’s also her mate. The mark on her neck attests to that. The fire that rages in her heart and body further proves it. But he hadn’t wanted her then; does he really want her now?

    Deceit and treachery, born in the past, now haunt the present as Taber and Roni fight to make sense of a sudden bonding. The mating of heart, body and soul as the man and the beast within merge; both battling the forces raging against the union and dominance over the woman he claimed.

    My Thoughts:

    The Man Within had its good points, but it resembled Tempting the Beast a little too much.

    I will say now that I think that I enjoyed The Man Within even more than I did Tempting the Beast but if Leigh continues on in this current pattern, I am going to find it very boring by the time I get to Book 21.

    The Man Within continues on mere days after Tempting the Beast ends. I think it was more interesting because we now have the world building out of the way and most of the story behind the breed’s creation as well, although not their own personal stories.

    This chapter of Breeds surrounds the story of Roni and Taber. Taber is a panther breed and Roni has been his friend and he her protector since she was eleven. They work together, confide in each other and each use the others company to spur them on every day, until Taber leaves.

    It’s pretty obvious at the start that the break-up letter was a fake, just as the pair were about to begin a relationship – and also take the crown of first mated pair – a trick from the psychopathic cougar Dayan sees their barely begun romance come to an abrupt halt.

    The story then picks up fifteen months later after the breeds have revealed themselves and Roni realises why the mark Taber left on her shoulder isn’t fading. Roni has the mark of a mate, and she doesn’t like it one bit.

    Roni has grown up in a tormented childhood with an uncaring and often violent father. He never hit her, but was constantly threatening her and using her for money. Taber is a breed, a hard, traumatic lifestyle no matter how strong the victim may be.

    I think why I like The Man Within so much was because Roni was a strong female lead not just because she was stubborn like Merinus but because she knew the pain of betrayal and how hard it can be to trust. It’s what makes it so hard for her to accept the situation she’s in because of her previous lack of trust issues and then Taber's supposed betrayal on top of that.

    The similarities between the two books then are a little too obvious to ignore. Female gets trapped in Breeds household with insatiable lust, male is reluctant to tell all of the secrets behind his true nature, female finds out that the only way to cure the lust is to conceive a child, they fall in love, female coaxes male to lose control of his beast therefore proving that she really loves both of his natures, they conceive, get married, bob’s your uncle.

    I will continue on with this series because I am hoping that alongside the really, really hot sex we will also have the beginnings of a really good story now that it has been established that this is how mates will meet and be attracted to each other. With the war between the Council also starting to take shape we are going to be in for a really hot, interesting ride.

    Also in this series:
    Tempting the Beast
    Elizabeth's Wolf
    Kiss of Heat
    Soul Deep
    The Breed Next Door
    Megan's Mark
    Harmony's Way
    Tanner's Scheme
    Wolfe's Hope
    Jacob's Faith
    Aiden's Charity
    In a Wolf's Embrace
    Dawn's Awakening
    A Jaguar's Kiss
    Mercury's War
    Christmas Heat
    Coyotes Mate
    Christmas Kiss
    Bengals Heart
    Lions Heat


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