Friday, May 21, 2010

Torment Sneak Peek!


Lauren Kate, being the wonderful author that she is, has posted a sneak peek of her new book, Torment, on her blog. I've read it -- and I must say it's a slight torment in itself to end with just the prologue for now. ;) It IS really good though, and if you're a fan of Fallen, I would suggest going ahead and checking it out.

Read the Prologue »here«.


Thursday, May 20, 2010

Review: The Van Alen Legacy, by Melissa De La Cruz


Title: The Van Alen Legacy (Blue Bloods, Book 4)
Author: Melissa de la Cruz
Pages: 369
Publisher: Disney/Hyperion
Release Date: October 1, 2009

Genre: Young Adult
Keywords/Themes: angels, blood war, mythology, true love, vampires.


With the stunning revelation surrounding Bliss's true identity comes the growing threat of the sinister Silver Bloods. Once left to live the glamorous life in New York City, the Blue Bloods now find themselves in an epic battle for survival. Not to worry, love is still in the air for the young vampires of the Upper East Side. Or is it? Jack and Schuyler are over. Oliver's brokenhearted. And only the cunning Mimi seems to be happily engaged.

Young, fanged, and fabulous, Melissa de la Cruz's vampires unite in this highly anticipated fourth installment of the Blue Bloods series.

Additional Info: Never read the Blue Blood series? A little hesitant? Why not check out the first chapter of The Van Alen Legacy » here. «

My Review: Typically, when a new series comes out ... I tend to wait for more than one book to come out. This was an exception. I heard so many good things about it, I had to get the first as soon as it came out -- and I've been patiently waiting for each book after to be published. The Van Alen Legacy has proven to be definitely worth the wait.

Sometimes, when people mix different paranormal creatures - this case being fallen angels and vampires - I cringe. It was the opposite with these books, I actually love the mythology that de la Cruz created in her Blue Bloods world. It's absolutely delightful!

The secrets of Schuyler Van Alen and the other Blue Bloods of Manhattan are slowly but surely being revealed, as well as how Jack truly feels about Schuyler. I must say, Jack Force was starting to become a lost cause for me. I don't know why, I just didn't think he'd prove to be nothing other than what Mimi described him as. In the latest installment, he proves me wrong. If he was a real person, I'd humbly apologize to him.

The story is divided between three alternate points of view: Schuyler, Mimi Force, and Bliss Llewedlyn. Honestly, I know some people think that alternating the POV can get confusing ... but, I don't think Melissa could have told the story any other way because there's so much going on in the story, and it's not all happening in the same place. Plus, it adds to the drama to be able to read what Mimi's fighting with her new love interest, and how it feels for Bliss to be possessed.

New relationships are formed and destroyed, old relationships are rekindled and/or broken, bonds are being tested, angels are breaking codes, the world is going to Hell in a hand basket and it seems as though Schuyler and her family are the only ones that know how to keep that from happening.

The Van Alen Legacy ended on a very happy and promising resolution, and I hope that the happiness continues into the next. I'm extremely eager to find out what happens in the next installment!

Rating: - I rarely give out a five rating because I seem to find flaws in everything I read, no matter how incredible the story is. Can't do it with this one - it's simply too good to give it anything other than a perfect score.

Other Books By Author: Melissa de la Cruz has close to 40 published works including the Blue Bloods series, The Au Pairs series, The Ashleys, and many other works. To see a complete list of her works, please visit melissa-delacruz.com

Source: Gift

Review of the Series: Blue Bloods | Masquerade | Revelations | The Van Alen Legacy

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Review: Generation Dead, by Daniel Waters


Title: Generation Dead (Generation Dead, Book 1)
Author: Daniel Waters
Pages: 392
Publisher: Hyperion
Release Date: May 6, 2008

Genre: Young Adult
Keywords/Themes: being different, crush, high school, social acceptance, zombies



All over the country, a strange phenomenon is occurring. Some teenagers who die aren't staying dead. They are coming back to life, but they are no longer the same. Termed "living impaired" or "differently biotic," they are doing their best to blend into society again.

But the kids at Oakvale High don't want to take classes or ear in the cafeteria next to someone who isn't breathing. And there are no laws to protect the differently biotic from the people who want them to disappear-- for good.

With her pale skin and goth wardrobe, Phoebe Kendall has never run with the popular crowd. But no one can believe it when she falls for Tommy Williams, the leader of the dead kids: not her best friend, Margi, and especially not her neighbor Adam, the star of the football team. Adam has realized that his feelings for Phoebe run much deeper than just friendship. He would do anything for her-- but what if protecting Tommy is the one thing that would make her happy?



Additional Info: If you like Generation Dead, then I strongly suggest checking out Tommy Williams' blog on being a zombie @ www.mysocalledundeath.com

My Review: When it comes to paranormal, I think the furthest thing down on my list of interests would be zombies. I like them, especially in Romero's movies, but reading about them has never been something that I've caught on to. Then why, oh why, did I pick up this book? Easy ... the cover. I seriously think it was the boots the cheerleader was wearing - I kind of have a fetish for boots that look like that. Guilty pleasure.

Phoebe and her friends held their breath as the dead girl in the plaid skirt walked past their table in the lunchroom. Her motion kicked up a cool trail breeze that seemed to settle on the skin and catch in their hair. As they watched her go by, Phoebe could almost tell what everyone was thinking. Everyone, that is, except for the dead girl.


From that first paragraph, I was absolutely hooked. There were a few slow places, but it always managed to pick back up and hold your interest. I was absolutely enthralled by the characters. They were developed brilliantly -- especially Adam, who you could see changing practically right before your eyes. He was an absolute delight. But Adam's not the only one ... I like that Phoebe was not concerned about what people thought and actually gave the zombies (or "differently biotic") a chance. Karen was also a great character, evolving as the story went. She made a true effort to become more like the living than some of the other characters. Tommy was the unofficial spokesperson of the living impaired, and he really had a way of teaching you about them, as well as gaining your empathy. The character that I didn't think developed enough was the token bad guy, Pete, but I think that's just because we don't really know enough about his past ... so, his actions seem a little extreme. I'm not a huge fan of the ending. I know there's a reason for it and it just seemed inevitable when you read closer to the ending, but I didn't want it to happen.

Overall, this is a wonderful read. I'm really glad that I picked it up at the library and I look forward to reading the sequel ... which looks like I'll have to purchase since our library system doesn't have a copy. The writing is wonderful, the plot is good -- except for the ending -- and it's a pretty decent read. Not the quickest read out there, being almost 400 pages, but it honestly doesn't seem like it's that long.

Rating: - There were slow parts, and I don't know if all of the dialogue was essentially necessary ... but, this is definitely a great read for YA bookers.

More Books By Author: The sequel to Generation Dead, Kiss of Life, was published May 12 of last year and I'm desperately looking forward to picking it up. The third book in the Generation Dead series, Passing Strange, is set to come out June 1, 2010.

Source: Library

Waiting on Wednesday


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

Want to participate?
Go here!

My Choice:



Torment (Fallen, Book 2)
By Lauren Kate
Published by Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Release Date: September 28, 2010



How many lives do you need to live before you find someone worth dying for? In the aftermath of what happened at Sword & Cross, Luce has been hidden away by her cursed angelic boyfriend, Daniel, in a new school filled with Nephilim, the offspring of fallen angels and humans. Daniel promises she will be safe here, protected from those who would kill her. At the school Luce discovers what the Shadows that have followed her all her life mean - and how to manipulate them to see into her other lives. Yet the more Luce learns about herself, the more she realizes that the past is her only key to unlocking her future...and that Daniel hasn't told her everything. What if his version of the past isn't actually the way things happened...what if Luce was really meant to be with someone else?



I know I mentioned this earlier in the week, but I am too excited about this book coming out. I mean, I try to be nonchalant about these things, but I NEED this book to come out soon. I have to know what's going to happen between Daniel and Lucinda. On top of that, my soft spot for bad boys is kicking in and I need to know what Cam is up to. Honestly, I'm hoping he'll turn into a semi-good guy. I mean, I want him to stay a bad boy ... just a nicer bad boy. So, September needs to be here like ... now! ;)

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

The Book List


The Book List is just a short and fun meme that allows you to share books and make a list of books! Who doesn't love lists?!?


This Week's Topic is:

The 3 Books that Have Been on Your TBR List the Longest


So here is my personal list:


1. A Lion Among Men, by Gregory Maguire

Honestly, I've been trying to get to this, but other books distract me. I honestly want to read it because I am absolutely in love with Wicked and Son Of A Witch, but reading this series takes my full attention -- it's something that I can't give it right now. Not with the distraction of finding a job, running errands, and taking care of the house.





2. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, by Susanna Clarke

I want to read it. My husband read about the first three chapters and put it down. My best friend bought it and put it down without finishing it - which is rare for her. With all the other books I want to read on my TBR list, I'm afraid this one has gone down in priority.






3. The Bad Mother's Handbook, by Kate Long

I don't have a good excuse for not reading this. I want to read it so I can watch the movie (love me some Robert Pattinson!), but I just haven't gotten around to it. Maybe I will someday soon, but with a TBR list of 170+, I don't know when that will happen.




Teaser Tuesdays!


Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB @ Should Be Reading.

· Grab your current read.
· Open to a random page.
· Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.
· BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)
· Share the author and title, too, so that the other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!


Generation Dead, by Daniel Waters


She turned. All she could see of Tommy was a pale shimmering outline and his eyes, two pale disks of moonlight, about fifteen feet away.
"I think," he said, his voice soft and flat, more like the memory of sound than sound itself, "you are brave, too."

Monday, May 17, 2010

Musing Mondays


Musing Mondays is a weekly event hosted by Just One More Page...

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post:

What happens when you see a movie based on a book/story, especially one you’ve not read? Do you feel the need to track it down and read it?


This question is a little hard for me answer with just a simple yes or no! I used to be one of those people that would wait to watch the movie based on a book before actually reading the book (if I haven't already read it) to see if it was worth my time or not. If the movie was horrible, I typically wouldn't waste my time with it ... unless the plot actually intrigued me enough to read how the story actually went because we all know that movies can't quite fit all the details of a 200+ page book. If it was horrible acting or graphics, but the story was really good ... then I'll track down the book and read it.

Now days, I typically tend to read a book before the movie. I find that, as a book fiend, I can actually judge it for what it is a lot better when I go in knowing the actual characters and the plot of the story.

Having said that, I can say that reading the book before seeing the movie based upon it can definitely have its side effects. For me, I absolutely FLIP if I go into a movie knowing the book and they completely butcher the storyline and make it something that it's not. That's one thing I wish they would get right. I can deal with horrible acting and even more horrific graphics, but if you mess with the true story and/or give it a new ending ... I'm not going to be a happy camper. I don't care if the author signed over the rights or whatever - if you're going to use someone else's ideas and fan base to profit off of, then you need to remember why exactly people are going to see that movie ... to see their favorite book being brought to life AS IT IS.

If I'm going to see a movie specifically based on a book I've read for that reason ... I go with a clear mind, just keeping plot and characters as references. Usually afterward, if it was really good ... then it makes me want to go into Fan Girl mode and re-read said story and discuss it with my husband and/or my friends. I go a little crazy, actually.

Coming Soon: Love Bites, by Ellen Schreiber



Love Bites (Vampire Kisses, Book 7)
by Ellen Schreiber

Released TOMORROW, May 18, from HarperCollins.


As a mortal girl dating a vampire, Raven knows that love isn’t always easy. Now that Alexander’s parents have returned to Romania, Raven and her dreamy vampire boyfriend are happy to resume their cryptic romance.

But soon another visitor comes knocking: Sebastian, Alexander’s best friend, arrives for a stay at the mansion. At first Raven is wary, and then thrilled – this is the perfect chance to learn more about her darkly handsome boyfriend and his past. Raven has been wondering whether Alexander will ever bite her and make their love immortal, and Sebastian could be her guide to the love habits of Alexander and his kind. But when Sebastian falls for a particular Dullsvillian, will another mortal beat Raven to the bite?

With suspense, danger, and a fabulous vampire party, this seventh book in the bestselling Vampire Kisses series continues the exciting nocturnal romance of Raven and Alexander.

Can't wait until tomorrow? Need something NOW?? Read some of the new novel here. Enjoy!!

Review: The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove, by Lauren Kate


Title: The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove
Author: Lauren Kate
Pages: 248
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: November 12, 2009

Genre: Young Adult
Keywords/Themes: death, deception, high school


A steamy Southern beauty makes one fatal mistake

Natalie Hargrove would kill to be her high school’s Palmetto Princess. But her boyfriend Mike King doesn’t share her dream and risks losing the honor of Palmetto Prince to Natalie’s nemesis, Justin Balmer. So she convinces Mike to help play a prank on Justin. . . one that goes terribly wrong. They tie him to the front of the church after a party—when they arrive the next morning, Justin is dead.

From blackmail to buried desire, dark secrets to darker deeds, Natalie unravels. She never should’ve messed with fate. Fate is the one thing more twisted than Natalie Hargrove.

Cruel Intentions meets Macbeth in this seductive, riveting tale of conscience and consequence.


My Review: I'm one of those people that, once I discover an author that has a great book, I like to read what ever else they have available. I had read Fallen a while back, and looked up on Lauren's website to see if she had any other books available. When I saw The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove and read the blurb ... I hesitated.

I'm not a huge fan of the "popular" people, or people that do harmful things to get ahead in life - it's never been my thing. So, I guess it was a blessing in disguise when I won an ARC of The Betrayal... through a blogger contest.

I have to admit, I enjoyed the book than what I thought I would. Lauren Kate made sure that we got glimpses into Natalie's past to show why she acts the way that she does, and I think that helped to make Natalie a more real character that you could actually relate to and empathize. In the end, I still thought Natalie's actions were horrible and definitely something that could have been avoided all together. But, then again, I guess we wouldn't have had a great YA book to read if that would have happened.

Overall, the plot was good. The characters were very real, though I have to say the only one I actually liked was Mike. The writing was wonderful, as it was in Fallen and the ending was kind of expected, but I was still surprised even when I fancied the idea of the ending before I actually read it. Lauren Kate is a wonderful author and I look forward to reading more books by her in the future.


Rating: ½ - I am definitely more of a fan of Fallen, but this one was better than what I expected. I'm not a huge fan of the cover, it's not an attention-grabber like others. The plot is a twist on something we've seen many times before, but it's definitely different enough to keep you reading through the end.


More Books By Author: Lauren Kate is the author of Fallen, who's sequel [Torment] will be released September 28th of this year - which I am too giddy about!


Source of Book: Won via blog contest.


Etc Etc: Read my review on Fallen here.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? [3]


It's Monday! What are you reading? is a weekly event - hosted by the wonderful Sheila - to share what we are reading this week, as well as what we read the previous week. Feel free to share in on the fun, or just click on the link to see what others are reading!


Last Week:

Oh. My. Gods., by Tera Lynn Childs
Dead In The Family, by Charlaine Harris
The Vampire and The Virgin, by Kerrelyn Sparks


Currently Reading:

Goddess Boot Camp, by Tera Lynn Childs
Need, by Carrie Jones
Captivate, by Carrie Jones


This Week:

Into The Dark, by Gena Showalter
Grave Secret, by Charlaine Harris
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