Review: Awakened by Ednah Walters

Ednah Walters Paperback, 272 pages Published August 22nd 2010 Pill Hill Press

" I'm a Guardian, not a Hermonite, or a nature-bender,

or a light bearer. No matter where I live, I'll always be a Guardian"

Most teens turn sixteen and get the license to drive, Lil Falcon gets the license to kill demons, but no one told her she is not supposed to fall in love with one. Orphaned as a child and raised by an eccentric grandfather, Lil is concerned with surviving high school and is unaware she's a Guardian—a being with super powers charged with killing demons and protecting humanity. But when she meets Bran, a mysterious boy with amazing abilities, his psi energy unlocks her latent powers. But Bran has a secret that can destroy their growing relationship. He's part demon. But in her heart, Lil knows Bran is not evil. So when her grandfather is kidnapped by a powerful nature-bender and Bran is the only one who knows where he's being kept, Lil convinces the other Guardians to trust him, not knowing her grandfather is just the bait. And the truth that she discovers in the demonic enclave may just destroy everything she believes in, unless she makes the right choice—love and sacrifice. ( Goodreads.com)

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First of all, let me start off by saying WOW... I loved this book. From the very first page I was sucked in and not let go until the very last page.

The Awakening is a fast pace page turner that had me guessing until the very end. With many unexpected twists that had me gasping and extremely surprised.

Lil has just turned 16 and is just coming in to her powers. If she wasn't enough of an outcast, Lil now thinks she is a freak. But maybe this new found birthright isn't such a bad thing. She joins 4 other trainees and is finally starting to fit in.

Lil is such a strong character. She has her own style and is not afraid of turning heads or saying whats on her mind. You could call her sassy, but she is always there to protect the ones she cares most about. Now as a Guardian Lil has powers even she can't explain. As she learns to control them, she grows stronger and into her own. With a deep love for her Grandfather and a very strong bond to a boy who is looking for her help, Lil is thrust into a world she never knew existed.

Awakened has such a wonderful cast of characters. Bran the sexy, half demon is both an extremely likable character and has such a great personality. He is funny and a bit cocky. I really loved the way he got into Lil's head and had her head tied in knots.

The trainees were also great characters, each had such a likable personality and each had there own little story that made them so much more then supporting characters.

Ednah had such an amazing way of writing details that I felt as if I was in the story instead of reading it. I could picture every little detail that was happening and it just made the story that much better.

Overall I give it 5 Hoots! Awakened is an amazing read and I can not wait for the second book in the series Betrayed. This book has it all, action, adventure, romance and many unexpected twists and turns. If you haven't read it yet... What are you waiting for!

Waiting on Wednesday: Delirium

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -the deliria- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy. But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

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"my heart is drumming in my chest so hard it aches, but it's the good kind of ache, like the feeling you get on the first real day of Autumn, when the air is crisp and the leaves are all flaring at the edges and the wind smells just vaguely of smoke - like the end and the beginning of something all at once." — Lauren Oliver ~Delirium

My Thoughts: I can't wait for Delirium. This book has such a unique idea. It is something that we have never read before which is the way Lauren writes her books. With such a different perspective into the world of love, Delirium is at the top of my TBR list.

I Have Been Tagged!!!

I have been TAGGED! This is an international game of tag and I've been tagged by Misha from My Love Affair With Books I must answer some questions about myself so you can get to know me better and then I tag four other bloggers so we can learn about them.

• 4 Things in my Purse:

-Ipod

-The book I am currently reading

-Chap-stick

-Hair ties

• 4 Things in/on my Desk:

- My Laptop

- Sticky notes

- My Ihome

- Pens

• 4 Favorite Things in my Bedroom:

- My bed

- My books

- My Fish

- My owl rug

• 4 Things I Always Wanted to Do (but haven't yet):

- Go to Egypt

- Sky Dive

- Learn a different language

- Own my own bakery

• 4 Things I Enjoy Very Much at the Moment:

- Making a book filled with all my favorite poems.

- Book Blogging

- Watching Vampire Diaries :)

- Making Jewelery

• 4 Songs I Can't Get Out of My Head:

- Saltwater Room by Owl City

- Lay Me Down by The Dirty Heads

-Dog Days Are Over by Florence And The Machine

- A Whole New World form Aladdin

• 4 Things you Don't Know About Me:

- I love to dance around my house... If there is music playing, I'm dancing!

- I am the most impatient person ever... I even leave for work like 20 min early so I don't have to wait to leave.

- I love poetry, I have tons of favorite poems all over the place.

- I'm scared of the ocean, I don't like what I can't see swimming beneath me.

• 4 Bloggers who I am tagging:

- Cass @ Words on Paper

- Lexie @ Book Lover - Book Chicks

- Jenn @ Book Crazy

-Anna @ Books to Brighten your Mood!

September Spectacular giveaway #5

This is it, The final challenge in the September Spectacular!!! YAY

I have thought long and hard about what I wanted to giveaway. I want it to be good sense it's the last giveaway. So what is it you ask???

So if you win, you get to pick $25 worth of stuff from Books A Million, and I'll send it your way!

So link your last review to Mr. Linky and cross your fingers!

Good luck and Happy Reading!!!

Contest Closed!!!

Winner!!

Congrats to Cass @ Words on Paper

You won The September Spectacular giveaway #4

Thanks to everyone who entered!

Are You Following Me? (5)

To join the fun and make now book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules: Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list Follow our Featured Bloggers - http://bookcouture.blogspot.com/ Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments Follow Follow Follow as many as you can If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post! If your new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog! Happy Follow Friday!

RULES: Your blog should have content related to books, including, but not limited to book reviews. 1. Enter your book blog link in the Linky List below In your link, please state the main genre that you review: eclectic, contemp. fiction, ya, paranormal, mystery, non-fiction, etc. Please do not list every genre you review - if you are review a variety, please put eclectic! The Hop gets jumbled up if the title is too long, so please limit to one genre. I will be limiting the number of characters in the title to ensure the Hop doesn't look messy! Thank you! This week's question comes from Elizabeth who blogs at Silver's Reviews. When you write reviews, do you write them as you are reading or

wait until you have read the entire book?

My Answer: I always write my reviews right after I finish the book, while its fresh in my mind. I do have a little notebook that I carry with me wherever I go to write down notes and quotes that I want to include in my review.

"Do" Judge a Book by it's Cover (7)

"Do" judge a book by its cover is a weekly meme hosted here. Have you ever picked up a book because of its cover? Of course you have. Well here we get to look at some of the outstanding covers that are coming out soon! To participate, just link back here and grab the pic, and let everyone know what your favorite cover of the week is! This weeks fantastic cover is:

Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out. When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home. But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant she trusts, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limited time she has left.

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My Thoughts: I absolutely love this cover. I love the way the girl has an almost plant-like appearance, which I think goes with the title very well. I also really like the bird cage. It gives the cover a antique look. I think that the way the title and author name is all connected with lines and circles. It is a very unique way to display it and I like it. Wither looks like a very unique book and I can't wait to read it!

Wither comes out March 22, 2010 from Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.

Check it out on goodreads HERE!

That's my judgement, Whats yours?

ARC Review: Nightshade

Andrea R. Cremer
Hardcover, 528 pages
Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
October 19, 2010

  "My fingers trembled in his grasp; unwelcoming sering liquid pooled in the corners of my eyes. Tears streamed down my face, blinding me. 'Why is he still touching me? doesn't he understand?' "


Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything--including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?

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OK so I have been struggling with this review for about an hour. I wanted the review to portray my feelings correctly, and I wasn't sure how to do that. So here it goes.

First of all I really like this book. I love the idea of Calla being a wolf. She is already in the world that so many other books are just being introduced into. I love that she is strong and a natural born leader. I was really intrigued by the story and the Keepers and Guardians. It was really interesting learning about there pasts and the way there lives intertwined.

Calla is the leader of her pack and as so has certain responsibilities and obligations but when she comes across Shay, she is forced to choose between everything she has ever known and an unknown attraction to a human boy who could change everything. I really got sucked in to all of the information that Calla and Shay stumbled on, How they got sent on this journey to find out the truths about there lives. I can't wait to find out what happens and who is telling the story correctly. I also really liked all the pack members. Ansel is so cute. I really love his personality, he reminds me of my own little brother, spunky and a bit of a sarcastic. I also really like Calla's beta, Bryn. She always has Calla's back and she is a great friend. She always knows what to say and when to say it.

In Nightshade we are introduced to the recurring theme of the love triangle that has been present in so many novels out there right now. I'm not saying it's such a bad thing I just feel that it would be nice to see a bit of variety once in a while. With this particular love triangle, Calla has been mated with Ren, a alpha male who is the leader of the Bane pack. They are set to unite in order to align the two newest packs. Then there is Shay, the human boy Calla saved from the forest.

I had trouble with this part of the book because, without giving too much away, I liked the wrong guy. I had a suspicion of who Calla was going to end up with and it made me a little disappointed with Calla when she wasn't going with what I wanted. Silly I know, but I did get frustrated with her and some of her choices. It doesn't mean I didn't like the book, I just wish the choice was a little more thought out. I was hoping that the writing made me love the "Chosen one" lets call him, so much that there is know way I would be disappointed in her choice.

Don't get me wrong, I mean I read this book in one day. I was so impatient and I just wanted to know what Calla would do next. 


Overall I give it 4+ Hoots. Nightshade is a fast pace, page turner that was a really good read. For the first book in the series, It was well written and had a very good story. I think it will turn in to a great series that I am very much anticipating.

Check out my interview with Andrea Cremer HERE!

 

September Spectacular giveaway #4

Well its week 4 in the September Spectacular and I am loving the turn out. I have been having so much fun reading all of your reviews. So by now you know the drill... Link your review to Mr. Linky and you will be entered to win this weeks prize pack. What is it you ask. Well this week one lucky reader will win Firelight, a very pretty butterfly bookmark and a book holder! So have fun reading and link your review! Happy Reading!

Contest Closed

And the winners are...

Hey guys, so another week has gone by and that means that its time to announce the winner of the September Spectacular giveaway #3.

The winner is:

Ashley!!

Check out her review of Hunger Games here

I also made some bookmarks and thought I would share some!

So here are the 4 winners of that giveaway:

Keitra

Lexie

Angelique

Cass

Congrats to all the winners!!!

Author Spotlight: Maurissa Guibord!

Look who

stopped by:

Maurissa Guibord

author of

Warped!

1) Could you tell us a bit about yourself.

Maurissa: I live on the coast of Maine with my family and a wicked black cat. My favorite weather is a cold, blustery when I can curl up in front of a fire with a good book. Or scribble down ideas for one!

What was your inspiration in writing Warped?

Maurissa: This is going to sound silly but I was in the library and browsing through the craft section of nonfiction, looking for instructions for crocheting granny squares. (I warned you!) Instead my fingers fell on this book about tapestry. It was The Oak King, The Holly King and the Unicorn: Myths and Symbolism of the Unicorn Tapestries by John Williamson. This book is a brilliant, scholarly exploration of all the folk-lore and religious meanings behind the symbols in the famous Unicorn Tapestries.

Every plant even has a meaning! One of the things he delves into is that the unicorn is sometimes used to symbolize sacrifice- specifically, that of Jesus Christ. In my head, that idea gradually melded into the unicorn actually being a man, trapped in a tapestry. Then I had to work out how that could happen... My book of course, is not deep or scholarly or symbolic. It's more of a romping (or galloping) romantic adventure. But that's where the idea came from. Granny squares.

3) Were there any personal experiences that went in to writing Warped?

Maurissa: Experiences? No not really, but my main character lives in Portland, Maine which is not far from where I live. I got a lot of inspiration from Portland's beautiful seaside location and cool downtown area.

4) Was Tessa's character based on anyone or was she a purely made up character?

Maurissa: She's an independent minded, funny, caring girl- so she's like quite a few teens that I know. But she's just herself.

5) Do you plan to have Warped as a series or a stand alone novel?

Maurissa: Warped is a stand alone story. But there are a couple of loose ends that I may return to in the future. I love the characters, so it would be a pleasure to visit with them again and have another adventure!

6) How did you come up with the cover art for Warped?

Maurissa: The cover art was designed by Trish Parcell, the amazingly talented art director for Delacorte. Originally I had kind of hoped for a unicorn on the cover. But I think this cover is beautiful and intriguing- I love it!

  7) What do you plan on doing in the future?

Maurissa: Right now I'm working on another paranormal story. This one is set on an island off the coast of Maine, with sunken treasure, dangerous reefs, handsome fishermen and sea monsters!

8) What are you reading right now?

Maurissa: I'm reading White Cat by Holly Black.

9) Who are a few of your favorite authors?

Maurissa: So many! I really love and draw on the classics of romantic suspense and mystery that I read as a teen like Mary Stewart, Agatha Christie and Georgette Heyer. Those ladies have taken up permanent shop in my brain and influence everything I do. More recent authors I adore are Suzanne Collins, Preston and Childs and Elizabeth George.

10) Anything you would like to add?

Maurissa: Just good wishes and happy reading! Thanks so much for being interested in Warped. I truly hope you enjoy it.

 By warp and weft I bind thee..." Tessa Brody doesn't believe in magic. Or Fate. But all that changes the day she discovers a dusty unicorn tapestry in a box of old books The wild, handsome creature woven within it draws Tessa, and frightens her too. When she pulls a silver thread from the tapestry, Tessa accidentally releases a terrible secret-one that has been contained for centuries. She also meets William de Chaucy, a young sixteenth-century nobleman with gorgeous eyes, an odd accent and haughty attitude to spare. His fate is as inextricably tied to the tapestry as Tessa's own. Together with Will, Tessa must overcome a crafty, ancient enemy. That is, if she can get along with "his lordship" long enough. And do it before her whole life unravels.

Bookmarks! + Giveaway!

Hey Guys, So I was in a crafty mood today and I decided I wanted to make some bookmarks. I think I went a bit crazy because I made a whole bunch. What do you think? You like? So sense I made so many I thought I would share a few. Want one? Well I'm going to give away 4. So just leave a comment with your email and let me know which one you want! I will pick 4 at random and let you know on Monday! Happy Reading!!!

Contest Closed!

"Do" Judge a Book by it's Cover (6)

"Do" judge a book by its cover is a weekly meme hosted here. Have you ever picked up a book because of its cover? Of course you have. Well here we get to look at some of the outstanding covers that are coming out soon! To participate, just link back here and grab the pic, and let everyone know what your favorite cover of the week is! This weeks fantastic cover is:

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what it is, though, isn't easy. Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place--and out of place, at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side. As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make--between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?(goodreads)

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My thoughts: I really like this one. I really like that the cover is in all purple tones. The girl is very pretty, I like the way it looks like she is walking on the rocks and looking down. I also think the title is really neat, how it is curling around the cover. All in all I think this is a beautiful cover and It definitely makes me want to read it.

That's my judgement, Whats yours?

September Spectacular giveaway #3

Hey guys, so its that time again. This is week 3 in the September Spectacular!!! I am having a blast with this reading challenge and I wanted to say a quick thanks to everyone who has joined up. I also wanted to say a big Thank you to all the authors who have so generously donated to the giveaways! So you know the rules, post a review with Mr. Linky below and you are entered to win the following:

• Other by Karen Kincy
• Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë ( one of my favorite books ever)
• A SIGNED Thirteenth Chime poster, Bookmark & Card
• A Signed Before I Fall bookmark
• A Shadow Hills bookmark and button

There you have it! So link your review and cross your fingers!!!

Good luck and Happy Reading!

Contest Closed!

Winner of Hunger Games!!

Congrats to Ashley @ http://ashleybook.blogspot.com/ who won Hunger Games and matching Key chain. Thank you to everyone who entered!!!

Author Spotlight: Cathy Clamp

Look who stopped by:

Cathy Clamp Co author of
Blood Song!

1) Could you tell us a bit about yourself.

Cathy: Well, "yourself" should probably be "yourselves". Cat Adams is a pen name for C.T. Adams (call her "Cie") and Cathy Clamp (I'm the "Cat", she's the "Adams") We've been writing together in the paranormal romance genre for about ten years. We have a number of books out under our real names, including the "Tales of the Sazi" series, the "Thrall" trilogy and several stand-alone novels. But Blood Song is our first book on the urban fantasy shelves, and we couldn't be more thrilled with the reader response to it.

2) What was the inspiration for Blood Song?

Cathy: Celia Graves sort of appeared in Cie's head when she purchased a photo at fantasy convention art auction. It was one of those strange things. The second she picked up the picture, the character was born. She had a life and a past. Cie told me on the spot where she lived and how she got her fangs and why it annoyed her. It was VERY cool. At the time, we had no contract on the book, so we had to get the editor just as excited about the story. Thankfully, we have a terrific editor who can see what we intend before we write it and viola! Celia, and Blood Song, were born.

  3) Were there any personal experiences that went in to Blood Song?
 Cathy: Not many, in reality. Thankfully, we live vicariously through our characters. While angst and drama makes for great books, it wouldn't be a great way to live for the author. We can happily say that none of Celia's life is based on our personal lives. (Thank heavens!)

  4) Do you plan to have Blood Song as a stand alone novel or a series?

  Cathy: Blood Song is the first in "the Blood Singer" series. The second book, SIREN SONG hits the shelf in October, and the third book, DEMON SONG comes out in March. We're very excited that the publisher is so anxious to get the books into the readers' hands and we know people are going to LOVE them!

  5) What do you plan on doing in the future? 
Cathy: At the moment, we're contracted for another three books after DEMON SONG, so we'll be busy for some time. We do have other projects in the wings, but it's hard to think beyond 2013, when we're contracted through.

  6) What are you reading right now? 
Cathy: I'm anxiously awaiting the final book in the Vladimir Tod series by Heather Brewer, and I just finished RED PYRAMID by Rick Riordan. I do love YA novels as much as adult ones. But YA has always had a special place in my heart. :)

  7) Who are a few of your favorite authors?
Cathy: Gosh, there are so many! I just named two, but some other favs are: Jim Butcher, Laurell K. Hamilton, Charlaine Harris, Rachel Caine, P.N. Elrod, Clive Cussler, Barry Eisler and a thousand others. Lots and lots of others. I really like to read. Thank you so much Cathy! You're very welcome! Feel free to drop us a line anytime. We also have a newsletter about upcoming things with occasional games and stories if you want to mention it to your readers. There's a box to sign up for the newsletter on our website, at: http://www.catadams.net 

Are You Following Me (5)

To join the fun and make now book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules: Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list Follow our Featured Bloggers - http://readingangel002.blogspot.com%20/ Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments Follow Follow Follow as many as you can If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post! If your new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog! ***********************************

RULES: 1. Enter your book blog link in the Linky List below In your link, please state the main genre that you review: eclectic, contemp. fiction, ya, paranormal, mystery, non-fiction, etc. Please do not list every genre you review - if you are review a variety, please put eclectic! The Hop gets jumbled up if the title is too long, so please limit to one genre. I will be limiting the number of characters in the title to ensure the Hop doesn't look messy! Thank you!Example: Crazy-for-Books (literary fiction)NOTE: You no longer have to enter the length of time you've been blogging, but do let us know if this is your first time hopping with us!2. Post about the Hop on your blog. Spread the word about the book party! The more the merrier! In your blog post, answer the following question (new question each week!). If you have a suggestion for a future HOP question, click here to fill out the form! Thanks! This week's question/topic comes from: Anne @ My Head Is Full of Books Post a link to a favorite post or book review that you have written in the past three months.

My Favorite post from the last few months would have to be An Author Spotlight with Andrea Cremer. I am currently reading NightShade and I loved having Andrea on Book Junky! Check it out Here!