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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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,

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

Droolworthy Covers: The Other Side of the Island by Allegra Goodman

This isn't so much a Droolworthy Cover as it is a Celebrity spotted. Although the cover is really nice.

For all of the Home & Away fans out there....do you think that the girl looks like Rabbit?

I reckon it does...

May Releases

The titles I personally want are bolded

• 1: Soulless (The Parasol Protectorate #1) - Gail Carriger (Australian Release)
• 1: Changeless (The Parasol Protectorate #2) - Gail Carriger (Australian Release)
  
• 1: Hard Magic - Laura Anne Gilman
• 1: The Wish List - Gabi Stevens
• 1: The Reckoning (Darkest Powers #3) - Kelley Armstrong 
• 1: Feed - Mira Grant
• 1: The Princess and the Snowbird - Mette Ivie Harrison
• 1: Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi
• 1: The Deadly Sister - Elliot Schrefer 
• 1: Girls in Love - Hailey Abbott 
• 1: Hunted by the Others - Jess Haines
• 3: Jekel Loves Hyde - Beth Fantaskey
• 3: Alex Van Helsing: Vampire Rising - Jason Henderson
  
• 4: Tall, Dark and Wolfish - Lydia Dare
• 4: Love in the Time of Dragons - Katie Macalister
• 4: Shadow Marked: A Demon Bound Novel - Anna J Evans
• 4: Kiss of Death - Rachel Caine
• 4: The Demon in Me - Michelle Rowen
• 4: Vampire Mistress - Joey Hill
• 4: The Red Pyramid - Rick Riordan
• 4: Line of Fire - Jo Davis 
• 4: Shade - Jeri Smith-Ready
• 4: Stormwalker - Allyson James
• 4: Magic on the Storm - Devon Monk
• 4: The Curse Workers: White Cat - Holly Black
• 4: Spells - Aprilynne Pike
• 4: Running Scared (Sentinel Wars #3) - Shannon K Butcher
• 6: To Defy a King - Elizabeth Chadwick 
• 6: The Glass Demon - Helen Grant
• 11: Raised by Wolves - Jennifer Lynn Barnes
• 11: Shadow Walker - LA Banks
• 11: Moonshine: A Novel - Alaya Johnson
• 11: For the Win - Cory Doctorow
• 13: Wintercraft by Jenna Burtenshaw 
• 13: Restoring Harmony - Joëlle Anthony 
• 13: God is in the Pancakes - Robin Epstein 
• 13: Faithful - Janet Fox 
• 13: Somebody Everybody Listens To - Suzanne Supplee
• 13: The Best and Hardest Thing - Pat Brisson
• 18: Spirit Bound (Vampire Academy #5) - Richelle Mead 
• 18: Shade - Jeri Smith-Ready
• 18: Love Bites - Ellen Schreiber
• 18: Claire de Lune - Christine Johnson 
• 18: The Demon's Covenant (Demons Lexicon #2) - Sarah Rees Brennan
• 19: Forgive My Fins - Tera Lynn Childs
• 25: Unholy Ghosts - Stacia Kane
• 25: No Werewolves Allowed - Cheyenne McCray
• 25: Moon Sworn - Keri Arthur 
• 25: Magic Bleeds - Ilona Andrews
• 25: The Devil She Knows - Diane Whiteside
• 25: Close Contact - Katherine Allred
• 25: Beast Behaving Badly - Shelly Laurenston
• 25: Masked by Moonlight - Nancy Gideon
• 25: Daemons Mark - Caitlin Kittredge
• 25: Early to Death, Early to Rise - Kim Harrison 
• 25: The Necromancer - Michael
• 25: The Time Weaver - Shana Abe
• 25: Dane (Lords of Satyr #5) - Elizbeth Amber
• 25: The Lighter Side of Life and Death - C. K Kelly Martin
• 25: The Summer of Moonlight Secrets - Danette Haworth 
• 25: Perchance to Dream (Theatre Illuminata #2) - Lisa Mantchev 
• 25: The Gardener - S.A. Bodeen
• 25: Endless Summer - Jennifer Echols
• 25: Enemy Lover (L.O.S.T #1) - Karin Harlow
• 25: Glimmerglass - Jenna Black
  
• 27: Dead in the Family (Sookie Stackhouse #10) - Charlaine Harris 
• 27: The Invisible Girl - Mary Hanlon Stone

Some info about me...

I found this questionnaire over at Book Crazy





First off are the top 5-10 favourite books.

1. Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead - Cliche I know, but hey, they rekindled my love of reading.
2. Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost - I cannot rave about this series enough, Night Huntress is really a tie for first.
3. Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols - This is the only Jennifer Echols book I have read so far, I have another of her books ready to go, but it doesn't have the same pull as Going Too Far did/still does. 
4. Robin Hobb - No this is not a series, it is an author BUT I think I can safely say that is the only author I have ever read that I am not afraid to go out and buy entire series by her because I know I will not be disappointed. Robin Hobb is a master, I have been reading her books since I was 13 and will continue to re-read and love everything she does.
5. Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer - I feel kind of embarrased to admit this, but Twilight is just one of those things you really hate to love. The books were fabulous, the franchise ruined it for me. Twilight was a year before Vampire Academy for me and kick started my reading after a long long lapse.
6. Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella - this was my first journey into the world of Sophie Kinsella, it started something...I think though that a lot of people write Sophie Kinsella off as playful chick lit that is very light and entertaining. Sure Twenties Girl was entertaining but it held a lot more meaning for me about cherishing those around us while we can.
7. Queen Cat, Carmel and St Jude Get a Life by Maureen McCarthy - I can still remember this book after all these years, it's one that definitely stuck. It's an Australian novel about three country girls who move to the city.
8. Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles - PC did something to me, I'm not entirely sure what, but I definitely changed me.
9. Next of Kin by John Boyne - Everyone knows Boyne for The Boy in the Stripped Pyjamas, that never really caught my eye.
10. Harry Potter by JK Rowling - who hasn't read Harry Potter, I was ten when it all started, and I still get the urge to go back and re-read every once in a while.

Now, on to some about me, I saw this over at My Overstuffed Bookshelf and it looked like fun, so before I head to the Book Festival....

1. Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed?
hehe, my closet doors are a constant source of fuel for my mum to yell at me, I never ever shut them, I just can't be bothered or I'm late.
2. Do you take the shampoos and conditioner bottles from hotels?
Yes and the soap and the tea and coffee and the biscuits.
3. Do you sleep with your sheets tucked in or out?
Another source of fuel for my mum. I don't know what I do when I sleep, but I go to bed with everything nicely tucked in and I wake up covered only by my blanket with the doona on the floor and the sheet as a pillow.
4. Would you rather be attacked by a bear or a swarm of bees?
Ummm...a bear I suppose...I could pretend to be dead or something couldn't I?
5. Do you have freckles?
Lol, I used to, they have kind of faded now and are only visible on my face if I spend a lot of time in the sun, but even then...it's not nearly as bad as it used to be.
6. What is your biggest pet peeve?
I hate people controlling me, but I suppose that's a little too deep...ummm, not flushing the loo
7. Have you ever peed in the woods?
Of all the places I have peed, never in the woods/bush.
8. Do you ever dance if there’s no music playing?
Yes, I still do those neener neener dances eg "I beat you at racing" or "I've got some ice-cream" complete with the bum wagging hip shaking actions. Happy dances are also in the mix, and when I am taking someone off/mocking them.
9. Do you chew your pens and pencils?
Hmm, I chew straws...no pens though I hold them between my teeth when I need to do something with both hands though. Pencils...never..hello! lead poisoning
10. Is it okay for guys to wear pink?
Depends what kind of pink, and where. I am very rugged guy action. Pale pink work shirts are awesome...hot pink t-shirts are a no-no
11. What do you dip a chicken nugget in?
I don't eat chicken nuggets much, but whatever is handy mostly, mayonnaise, coca-cola, tomato sauce.
12. What is your favorite food?
Lasagne, swear on anything that I could live on it. The first person that ever persuaded me to eat Lasagne was Garfield...I have idolised him ever since.
13. What movies could you watch over and over and still love?
Pirates of the Caribbean, The Devil Wears Prada, Ratatouille, Cars, Finding Nemo and Annie Get Your Gun
14. Were you ever a boy/girl scout?
Yes, Girl Guides...worst years of my life...
15. Would you ever strip or pose nude in a magazine?
Depends on how much they were paying me, where it was being sold and if I still held onto my dreams of being published.
16. Can you change the oil on a car?
I know how to - just haven't needed to yet. I know how to check everything is ok as well.
17. Ever gotten a speeding ticket?
Never, which really isn't saying much because I have only been a P for 3 months and a driver for 2 years. I do speed quite a lot though.
18. Ever ran out of gas?
I nearly did last week. I was praying to God, refused to turn on any demisters or even the radio and only accelerated when absolutely necessary.
19. Are you lazy?
Yes and proudly so. I pay my brother to clean my room considering that's usually $20 a pop..nuff said.
20. When you were a kid, what did you dress up as for Halloween?
Didn't have halloween in Australia when I was a kid. They do now though. For fancy dress parties though I once went as a Pirate and Jasmine from Aladdin. I really want someone I know to throw a fancy dress now though, would be so much fun.

21. How many languages can you speak?
Hmm, I am fluent in English and Australian (we really do speak a different language down here), I am learning Greek (thanks to having a Greek boyfriend) but can currently only say types of food, I did basic Italian and French in school and am learning more French, little bit of sign language but nowhere near enough to be able to have a full conversation. I can swear in 9 different languages though including sign language...that is an awesome feat by my standards lol.
22. Who is better…Leno or Letterman?
err, I don't like either..nor do I watch them because they are on at 11pm here. I don't watch much tv. I have watched David Letterman a couple of times though...he was ok i guess.
23. Do you sing in the car?
Yes! When I am alone though...I refuse to sing in front of other people because I'm really bad.
24. Ever eat a pierogi?
I don't know what that is...I just googled it and yeah...I've eaten them. I tend to eat a lot of mystery food, it's a benefit of not having allergies.
25. First concert?
Now every one is going to point and laugh...I have never been to a concert.
Not only have I never had anyone to go with, I also have never seen the point. Lots of sweaty people screaming and what once was a good singer after lots of sound editing being really bad. No thanks.

Guest Post: To Reveal, or Not to Reveal? by Renee from Notes in the Margin

In my Creative Writing class, we have been talking about "big reveals" in books, and how writers should handle them. For example, if you are reading a story about a killer, or some other type of suspense-plot, should the writer let the readers know early on, or save it for the end? The arguments on both sides are pretty convincing. If the reader knows early on, then they can be "in" on the joke/scam, and feel more involved in the story. However, if you wait until the very end, there is more suspense and incentive for the reader to try and figure it out. I think of books like A Series of Unfortunate Events or Atonement, where the author "hides" certain things from the reader until the end, and I just think, "Wow! That ending was so powerful! Definitely not what I saw coming." On the other hand, there are books like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, where the author tells you fairly early on what the "secret" is, and I love catching subtle references and jokes because I know what's "going on."

I guess it's just a matter of opinion -- both strategies obviously have their merits and great examples to back them up. If I had to choose though, I think I prefer when the author saves the reveal for end, with a last-minute WHAMMY! Sometimes I've been frustrated with stories that took too long to clue me in (hence the reason I gave up watching Lost around season 2), but I usually prefer to be surprised. I like figuring things out as the characters do. I like the speculation and forming my own theories and looking for clues in a book; then, when it finally comes out, I like going back and seeing the hints that I missed. (But I like to re-read books... If you only read books once, I guess it could be annoying...) I mean really, think how boring Harry Potter would have been if J. K. Rowling just told us from the beginning whether Snape was good or bad?!!

What are your thoughts? Do you prefer when writers do a little dramatic irony and let the reader (or viewer) in on a secret that the other characters don't know yet, or do you prefer to wait for the big surprise at the end?


Renee
http://notes-inthemargin.blogspot.com/

Thank you so much Renee for taking the time to share with us.
If anyone else would like to do a guest blog, please feel free to email me or use the sign up for on the left-hand side bar.

Book Review: Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning

Review: Darkfever
Series: Fever – Book 1
Author: Karen Marie Moning
No of Pages: 342
Release Date: 31 October 2006

My Name is MacKayla, Mac for short. I’m a sidhe-seer, one who sees Fae, a fact I accepted only recently and very reluctantly.

My philosophy is pretty simple – any day nobody’s trying to kill me is a good day in my book. I haven’t had many good days lately. Not since the walls between Man and Fae came down. But then, there’s not a sidhe-seer alive who’s had a good day since then.

When MacKayla’s sister was murdered, she left a single clue to her death – a cryptic message on Mac’s cell phone. Journeying to Ireland in search of answers, Mac is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to master a power she had no idea she possessed – a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae....

As Mac delves deeper into the mystery of her sister’s death, her every move is shadowed by the dark mysterious Jericho...while at the same time, the ruthless V’lane – an alpha Fae who makes sex an addiction for human women – closes in on her. As the boundary between worlds begin to crumble, Mac’s true mission becomes clear: to find the Sinsar Dubh before someone else claims the all powerful Dark Book – because whoever gets to it first holds nothing less than complete control of both worlds in their hands...


My Thoughts:

This is the first book I have read in a while without a strong romantic theme, and I absolutely loved it.

Darkfever is like a massive flashback which is new for me. MacKayla Lane is a sidhe-seer, which means she sees the Fae. Darkfever tells the story of how she got to where she is now, and the running commentary is not only hilarious but is almost spoilery, but in a good way. It took the edge of mystery and human stupidity out of the story and it was masterfully done.

Instead of us following through the eyes of Mac stumbling where she stumbled and not knowing what was going on although we weren’t told everything seeing Mac stumble we were accompanied by present Mac telling us that past Mac didn’t really know how stupid and naive she was. Like when she walked into an abandoned warehouse present Mac admitted that she didn’t really know what on earth was going through her mind that day.

After the death of her sister, Mac travels to Dublin, Ireland to investigate her murder because the local police didn’t do enough as far as she was concerned. It is in Dublin that Mac watches her life as she knows it completely unravel.

After her first encounter with an Unseelie (an extremely ugly, alien-looking Fae) she runs into Barrons’ Books and Baubles run by Jericho Barrons. He is a man of many words, and many secrets. Even though throughout the tale Mac tells us that they end up working together it is still a mystery as to whether or not she can fully trust him.

Mac is innocent, but also extremely smart and very resourceful...and stubborn. She listens to Barron’s only when she feels the need to, but if he says something that sounds a little off, she will go and do things her own way regardless. Sometimes that gets her into trouble, but it’s not that stupid “oh my god, why did you do that” trouble that makes you want to shake her. You fully believe it’s going to work as well...until it doesn’t.

The secondary characters are well formed, we can catch glimpses into their lives and are told part of their histories without being bored or it feeling like a complete information dump. Malluce the “vampire”, Rocky O’Bannion the mobster, Barrons the mystery and even Alina her dead sister are all very intriguing characters that make me hope that we continue to learn about them in the future.

There are some unsolved mysteries that run throughout Darkfever. Especially revolving around the other characters. Who Fiona is, if Malluce is really a vampire, is V’lane evil and what on earth the Lord Master is. It keeps a very strong sense of “I must find out” which one can only hope will be revealed in the next book.

Although I’m not entirely sure where Moning is going with the series, it’s obvious Mac will still be searching for OOP’s (Objects of Power) I am interested to see what else comes of discovering the world of the Fae.

Also in this series:
Bloodfever
Faefever
Dreamfever
Shadowfever

What should I read next?

Ok, so I'm trying to figure out what to read next, and I have narrowed it down to the following five choices. I need you guys to help me pick what to read next please...because for once, I'm kind of at a loss.

So here is what you have to choose from:

Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice

Stray by Rachel Vincent

Original Sin by Allison Brennan

Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz

Bleed for Me by Michael Robotham

So there are your choices...I will also put up a poll to make it a bit easier.

Thanks guys

Friday 56: 4/6/2010

Lover Awakened by J.R Ward
Page 56, 5th Sentence


Heart pounding in his chest, sweat blooming all over him, he looked for Bella and saw only inanimate objects.

Man, if only you knew what some of those inanimate objects were...







 

Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of Storytime with Tonya and Friends.
*Post a link along with your post back to Storytime with Tonya and Friends.
* Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Book Review: Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

Review: Spirit Bound
Series: Vampire Academy – Book 5
Author: Richelle Mead
No of Pages: 489
Release Date: 18 May 2010

SALVATION HAS ITS PRICE...

The words stunned Adrian for a moment, but he kept going. “You’re lying. What you’re describing is impossible. There’s no way to save a Strigoi. When they’re gone, they’re gone. They’re dead. Undead, Forever.”

Robert’s next words weren’t directed at Adrian. They were spoken to me. “that which is dead doesn’t always stay dead...”

After a long and heartbreaking journey to Dimitri’s birthplace in Siberia, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vladimir’s—and to her best friend, Lissa Dragomir. It’s graduation, and the girls can’t wait for their real lives outside of the Academy’s cold iron gates to finally begin. But even wit the intrigue and excitement of court life looming, Rose’s heart still aches for Dimitri. He's out there, somewhere.

She failed to kill him when she had the chance, and now her worst fears are about to come true. Dimitri has tasted her blood, and she knows in her heart that he is hunting her. And if Rose won't join him, he won't rest until he's silenced her...forever.

But Rose can’t forget what she learned on her journey- whispers of a magic too impossible and terrifying to comprehend. A magic inextricably tied to Lissa that could hold the answer to all of Rose’s prayers, but not without devastating consequences. Now Rose will have to decide what – and who – matters most to her. And in the end, is true love really worth the price?


My Thoughts:

I am always at a loss for words when it comes to trying to express my love for this series.

Spirit Bound kicks off a couple of months after Rose gets back from Siberia at the end of Blood Promise.

Rose is about to take her trials to finally become a guardian, which is the only thing she has been able to focus on ever since the beginning. We are thrown straight into the fray of her fighting off imaginary strigoi on a bridge and watching her come up with something completely unexpected to get out of the situation, like cutting the bridge.

But after her wonderful success of completion and finally getting out of St. Vladimir’s Academy, Rose’s world comes crashing down after she goes off on a last hare-brained attempt to save her ex, Dimitri, from being a strigoi.

Rose and two friends manage to spring Victor Dashkov, the evil guy that tried to enslave Lissa and use her spirit powers, from one of the most heavily guarded prisons in the vampire world. Even as I say it, it sounds so completely far-fetched, but Mead’s writing leave us believing every single word.

After freeing Dashkov and finding out that they might have a chance at saving Dimitri, they go back to The Royal Court to face the consequences. This is where life for Rose starts to unravel, she may have been able to get away with her schemes at school, but the Court doesn’t want her risking Lissa’s life, even if she proves to be more than capable of keeping her safe.

Ironically enough, when Lissa leaves Court to look around her new university and Rose gets left behind, Lissa gets snatched...by Dimitri.

After witnessing the attack we see how much Rose has really grown over the last couple of books, instead of going on a rescue mission by herself, she stops, and asks for help.

I love Rose so much, and I love how much she has grown, especially in Blood Promise and Spirit Bound. She is still the impulsive, vulgar, bad ass chick that we met in Vampire Academy, but she has matured into so much more without losing those qualities.

We also see a lot into Lissa’s mind through her and Rose’s connection, we see more how she feels and how she thinks and it comes across effortlessly how much Lissa has also grown, and become so much stronger. We also see how she thinks in regards to Christian now, since their breakup a couple of months ago it has become a battle of wills that Rose has been put in charge of resolving. The quips and comments that come out of Lissa and Christian lighten the whole mood of the story.

Another who also lightens Spirit Bound’s mood is Adrian, ah Adrian *drools*, Adrian and Rose’s budding relationship is funny, unique, mature and yet so innocent. We see the softer side to Adrian, how much he truly cares for Rose, how much he is willing to endure for her and from her whilst she struggles to get over Dimitri. They have that innocence of young love, and yet they also act on occasion, like an old married couple.

I will have it known freely, that I am whole-heartedly on Team Adrian, although I can anticipate what is probably going to happen, I am still on Team Adrian all the way.

Mead’s writing was provocative, thought inducing, emotional and almost too powerful. What she does with words is absolutely magical, and the feelings she stirs in you as you’re reading Spirit Bound are absolutely intense.

Spirit Bound is yet another perfect instalment to this absolutely fabulous series. Mead has left us with a massive cliff-hanger that was extremely cruel, but also has me eagerly anticipating Last Sacrifice, the final instalment in this epic series.

Also in this series:
Vampire Academy
Frostbite
Shadow Kiss
Blood Promise
Last Sacrifice

Monthly Wrap-Up: May 2010

May was a good reading month, but a bad life month life wise. I got sick, had to take time off work, billions of tests and still, they don't know what's wrong. Unfortunately that sickness impacted on Vampire Academy week and it didn't go completely as planned. BUT on the other hand whilst I was off for a week and a bit, with no Tech I had the opportunity to read to my hearts content, and so I did. Reviewing, facebooking, reading and crocheting were big on my list of to-dos this month.

My Favourite book for the month would have to be: Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead (big surprise there)

BUT this month I would like to give honourable mentions to both Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning and Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler both were absolutely fanastic and both would have won Month's favourite had Spirit Bound not come along...but it did.


In May I read 11 books.

• Beautiful Creatures - Margaret Stohl & Kami Garcia
• Bitten - Kelly Armstrong
• Lover Eternal - J. R. Ward
• Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood - Eileen Cook
• Leaving Paradise - Simone Elkeles
• Tempting the Beast - Lora Leigh
• The Man Within - Lora Leigh 
• Darkfever - Karen Marie Moning 
• Birthmarked - Caragh O'Brien  
• Spirit Bound - Richelle Mead 
• Tempest Rising - Nicole Peeler

I reviewed 10 books.

• Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
• Shadowfae by Erica Hayes
• Sweet Dreams, Miss England by Iris Blobel
• Bitten by Kelley Armstrong
• Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
• Frostbite by Richelle Mead
• Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood by Eileen Cook
• Hourglass by Claudia Gray
• Tempting the Beast by Lora Leigh
  
• Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien

Technically I only bought 3 books this month!!! The others I received I had bought in April.

I received 4 books (won a prize from Cherry Mischievous and a gift from my boyfriend, and two for review)

My TBR Pile at the start of the month was 1,018 At the end of the month it is 981

TBR Drawer: June

At the start of June:

• Just After Sunset by Stephen King
• The Host by Stephanie Meyer
• Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs
• Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs
• Enchanted. Inc by Shanna Swendson
• Night Rising by Chris Marie Green
• Water Song: A Retelling of the Frog Prince by Suzanne Weyn
• Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs
• Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice
• Darkborn by Alison Sinclair
• Lament by Maggie Stiefvater
• The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson
• Need by Carrie Jones
• Born of Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon
• Claimed by Shadow by Karen Chance
• Jessicas Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey
• Original Sin by Allison Brennan
• Blood Magic by Eileen Wilks
• Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz
• Bleed for Me by Michael Robotham 
• Elizabeth's Wolf by Lora Leigh 
• Tempting Danger by Eileen Wilks 
• Once Bitten, Twice Shy by Jennifer Rardin
• Stray by Rachel Vincent
• The Laughing Corpse by Laurell K Hamilton 
• Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K Hamilton
• Circus of the Damned by Laurell K Hamilton
• Glass Houses by Rachel Caine
• What's a ghoul to do? by Victoria Laurie
• Soulless by Gail Carriger
• Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead
• The Boys Next Door by Jennifer Echols
• Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs by Molly Harper
• Burned by PC Cast & Kristin Cast
• Kiss of Midnight by Lara Adrian 
• Shades of Midnight by Lara Adrian
• Lover Awakened by J.R Ward
• Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure by Allan Richard Shickman  RC
• Zan-Gah: and the Beautiful Country by Allan Richard Shickman  RC

June Arrivals:

• Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris

 

2010 Impossible Reading Challenge - Post your JUNE Reviews

This post is for bloggers to post their JUNE reviews for the 2010 - Impossible Reading Challenge . Please DO NOT put your blog's URL in below. Put the link to your review.Click here to sign up for the challenge.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Name: Title of the Book (author optional)
Your URL: The Link to Your Review

NON-BLOGGERS:

You can post your titles in the comment section.

Posting reviews is optional.

2010 Paranormal Reading Challenge - Post your JUNE reviews

This post is for bloggers to post their JUNE reviews for the 2010 - Paranormal Reading Challenge . Please DO NOT put your blog's URL in below. Put the link to your review.Click here to sign up for the challenge.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Name: Title of the Book (author optional)
Your URL: The Link to Your Review

NON-BLOGGERS:

You can post your titles in the comment section.

Posting reviews is optional.

2010 SAB Challenge - Post your JUNE Reviews

This post is for bloggers to post their JUNE reviews for the 2010 - Stand Alone Book Reading Challenge. Please DO NOT put your blog's URL in below. Put the link to your review.Click here to sign up for the challenge.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Name: Title of the Book (author optional)
Your URL: The Link to Your Review

NON-BLOGGERS:

You can post your titles in the comment section.

Posting reviews is optional.