ARC Review: Fins Are Forever by Tera Lynn Childs

SPOILER ALERT: If you have not read Forgive My Fins, there are spoilers ahead.

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (July 1, 2011)
ARC: 320 Pages
Genre: YA Fantasy (Mermaids)
Series: Fins #2
Book from Around The World ARC Tours (click link for more reviews)
Tera Lynn Childs's Website | Blog | Twitter
My Review of Forgive My Fins

From Goodreads. On Lily Sanderson’s eighteenth birthday she’ll become just a girl—still a mer girl, true, but signing the renunciation paperwork will ink Princess Waterlily of Thalassinia out of existence. That leaves plain old Lily living on land, dating the boy she loves, and trying to master this being human thing once and for all.

Now that Lily and Quince are together, mer-bond or not, she’s almost content to give up her place in the royal succession of Thalassinia. But just when she thinks she has everything figured out, Lily’s father sends a certain whirlpool-stirring cousin to stay with her on land. What did Doe do to get herself exiled from Thalassinia and stuck in terraped form, when everyone knows how much she hates humans? And why why why is she batting her eyelashes at Lily’s former crush, Brody?

The seafoam on the surf comes when a merboy from Lily’s past shows up. Tellin asks Lily for something that clouds her view of the horizon. There’s a future with Quince on land, her loyalty to the kingdom in the sea, and Lily tossing on the waves in the middle. Will she find a way to reconcile her love, her duty, and her dreams?

Review by Kate
FINS ARE FOREVER, by Tera Lynn Childs, is the anticipated sequel to Forgive My Fins (My Review). With Lily and Quince together and Lily willingly giving up her place in succession you would think they could live happily ever after right? Wrong! Once again we are thrown overboard into the deep sea full of troubles for Lily.

It is rare that I like books in a series equally. Usually one book holds prevalence over the other but for once this is not the case! I was wholly impressed with this book just as I was the first. I enjoyed jumping back into the story of Princess Waterlily and experiencing Childs' fantastic world under the sea.

Yay for Lily and Quince! I was so happy to read about their relationship once more, and in this book it was a more positive one for sure. With the whole Lily being obsessed with Brody thing over, I was excited to sit back and watch this relationship grow and blossom. But as with any good book, nothing stays perfect for long. Doe, Lily's snobby little cousin, shows up in human form and creates a whirlpool of insanity.

I liked the journey that Childs created for her characters. There were so many twists and turns I did not know what Lily would ultimately do with herself. And with the intrusion of Doe and Tellin in her life, the lines became even more blurred for our heroine.

Fans of the first book will love this one. Childs brought back all of the beloved characters from the first with a few more introduced into the mix. Her talent for creativity flourished once again in her amazing visuals of Lily's home in the water. I am not sure if there are current plans for more books in this series but Childs definitely has a new huge fan!!

ARC Review: Crush Control by Jennifer Jabaley

Publisher: Razorbill (June 9, 2011)
ARC: 318 Pages
Genre: YA Contemporary
Book from Publisher*
Jennifer Jabaley's Website | Blog | Twitter

From Goodreads. Willow has spent most of her life as her mother's sidekick in a popular Las Vegas hypnotism show. So when she and her mom move back to their sleepy southern hometown to start over, she thinks she's in for a life of quiet normalcy. Except that her new life turns out to be anything but, when she kinda sorta hypnotizes Quinton, the hottest guy on the football team, to fall madly, deeply, head over heels in love with her. But what started out as an innocent way to make her best friend, Max, jealous soon gets way out of hand, and Willow begins to wonder if the mind - and more importantly, the heart - is something you can really control.

Review by Kate
CRUSH CONTROL, by Jennifer Jabaley, is an adorable book about love and the lengths you will go to hold onto it. Willow takes a dangerous step toward the unknown when she hypnotizes a popular boy to get her real crush to notice her. Chaos ensues and Willow needs to make things right again even if the consequences will not be in her favor.

I had a lot of fun reading this book. I immediately loved Willow's 'voice' and I was interested to see what her relationship with Max would turn out to be. The first chapter shows their friendship as children and then Willow moves away to Las Vegas with her mother. Years later she returns and finds her Max has himself a girlfriend and she is stuck in the friend zone.

What wouldn't I do for the talent to hypnotize, especially back in high school. Willow plays with fire and the stakes rise each time she performs a hypnotism to her new friends. I thought it was hilarious how Quinton acted when under a trace, Willow should have picked up on the warning bells a bit sooner then she let on.

Jabaley created really awesome chemistry between Willow and Max. Knowing (almost) everything about a person is really a great basis for a relationship and I was anxious to see if these two could make it after everything was said and done.

This is a nice and fun read that I think anyone will enjoy, because seriously who hasn't thought of how your life could change if you had the ability to control minds?
*FTC Disclosure: I received this ARC from the publisher. I do not receive payment of any kind in exchange for a review. I do not receive monetary compensation from any book links in my review.

Book Cover News: The Body Finder #3 by Kimberly Derting

I am so excited for this annoucement. Kimberly Derting has a title, cover, and synopsis for her third Body Finder book

Check out her BLOG for more details.

Violet kept her morbid ability to sense dead bodies a secret from everyone except her family and her childhood-best-friend-turned-boyfriend, Jay Heaton. That is until forensic psychologist Sara Priest discovered Violet’s talent and invited her to use her gift to track down murderers. Now, as she works with an eclectic group of individuals—including mysterious and dangerously attractive Rafe—it’s Violet’s job to help those who have been murdered by bringing their killers to justice. When Violet discovers the body of a college girl killed by “the girlfriend collector” she is determined to solve the case. But now the serial killer is on the lookout for a new “relationship” and Violet may have caught his eye....

How pretty?! I always loved these covers, and now there is another one to add to my collection!!

True Blood Episode 4.01 Recap: "She's Not There"

Sookie In Fairyland
For those who have fallen off the planet for the past few weeks and have not seen the first eight minute preview of the season finale...Sookie and Claudine arrive brightly into Fairyland. Light-filled fruit is passed around and Sookie notices the humans are eating the fruit a bit more hungrily then necessary. She meets up with Barry the Bellboy and he attacks the fruit as well. Sookie sees her Grandaddy Earl who thinks he's only been there for a few hours but in reality its been 20 years (keep that in your mind for a moment). Sookie questions her surroundings until Queen Mab shows up and tries to force Sookie to eat the fruit. Pretty Mab's face turns to ugly Mab-face intermittently and Sookie now knows something is up. Mab reveals the fey are collecting humans and Sookie shoots light from her hands to prevent the fey from force-feeding (alliteration what?) her the fruit. Pretty Fairyland turns to barren Fairyland along with the actual fey turning pretty hideous themselves. Earl and Sook run for the hills (literally) while crazy/deadly fairy light attacks them. Claude (not pretty like the books suggest) helps them and tells Sook she needs to jump in a very high up and rocky ravine before Fairyland is shut forever. She wants Earl to come but he can't since he had the fruit, but he jumps with her. They land in a graveyard and Earl gets old really fast. Sook takes him to their family graves and he dies with a poof (literally).

Sookie Returns
Sad Sookie heads back to her house and is astonished that there is no trace of Maryann's destruction on her property. She wanders around the house until a disgruntled worker calls the poh-leese on her, which turns out to be Jason with some strange different facial hair. He tells her she has been gone for a year, when she thought it had only been minutes. He sold the house to some company (foreshadowing) because everyone thought she was dead. Right when nightime hits, Sook goes outside to see Bill who is close to crying over seeing her. Not a fan of the new Bill haircut, btw, kinda looks douchy. Then Eric swoops in (swoon) and tells Sookie he never gave up on her like everyone else did. Yay Team Eric!

Eric is forced to leave by Bill (umm...what?!) and Andy Bellfleur shows up to scream at Sookie for disappearing. He is hopped up on V and looking for his next fix when Jason shows up to stop the ruckus. Bill informs Andy that Sookie was working for him secretly for a year.

Sookie goes to Merlotte's where everyone is happy to see her, except sulky-Sam (boo!). After getting back on the schedule, Sookie meets Portia Bellfleur (Andy's lawyer sister) in the attempt of getting her house back.

Sad/Angry Sam
We learn that he is in 'anger management' with other shifters. Tommy comes in with Hoyt's mom (WTF?) and his leg is all braced up. He apparently became a pre-Jessica Hoyt with his cute haircut and button-down. I can't wait to see that explanation.

Tara/Toni (...?)
I was anxious to see the hott mess of a haircut on Tara again but dayum she looks gorgeous with her slick straight hair now. And...she is a cage fighter, and apparetly fights the girl she is sleeping with...yes...girl. Apparently between the drugged out Eggs and possessive Franklin, Tara moved off the guys and onto (or under in her case) a girl. She also changed her identity and is now "from" Atlanta.

Lafayette and the Witches
Jesus takes Lafayette to a circle of witches. There they meet Katie (new character) and Holly (waitress from Merlotte's). In the middle of the room is Marnie, the head witch, who is seemingly possessed by Eddie the vampire. Lafayette is not pleased with Jesus, thinking he told the witches about his time with the vamp.

Later in the episode, the witches experiment with some darker magic (Marnie tricked them into it) and brings back to life a dead bird. Now if they can bring back a dead bird, what else can they control that is dead…?

Demon Baby?
Arlene had her Rene-baby (who is the cutest btw), Mikey. She walks in to see the baby with a bunch of Barbie heads (not with the bodies) around him. Terry tries to talk some sense into Arlene about freaking out, but she is still worried about the half of him that is serial-killer Rene.

Trouble on the Home Front
Hoyt and Jessica are working on more personal issues of that being food. Raw eggs fly and so does the screaming but eventually they make up (whew). Later in the episode, Hoyt takes Jessica to Fangtasia for Date Night and her eyes start to wander to a fangbanger. Her instincts are kicking in and she has some girl-talk with the unsympathetic Pam.

Vampire/Human relations
Nan Flanigan is working on making humans feel comfortable with vampires after the Russell debacle. Eric does a public service announcement and Bill participates in a ribbon cutting with the mayor. I'm interested to see how that pans out.

Poor Jason
Over the past year Jason has been helping the families at Hot Shot. But that night, he is tricked and locked in a freezer by a mysterious person. Hrm….

King Bill?
New girl from the witch circle, Katie, turns out to be a spy for King…Bill?!? Apparently the scuffle with Sophie Ann went bad for her and I am anxious to see what happened there.


Sookie/Eric
This episode culminates in my favorite TB couple. Sookie comes out of the shower and throws her robe behind her, into the hands of Eric Northman. He informs her that he was the one who bought the house and says, "Sookie. You. Are. Mine." FANG FLASH!



Can't wait for next week!



What did you think of the episode? What are your guesses for the way the season will go? Comment below!

eGalley Review: Eat Slay Love by Jesse Petersen

Spoiler Alert: If you have not read Married With Zombies or Flip This Zombie, there may be spoilers ahead.

Publisher: Orbit (June 28, 2011)
eBook: 320 pages
Series: Living with the Dead #3
Genre: Adult Horror (Zombies)
Book from Netgalley*
Jesse Petersen's Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

From Goodreads. Sarah and David have survived the zombie apocalypse. They stood side by side and fought the undead, mad scientists, and even bionic monsters until the unthinkable happened. A zombie bite. But not even that could stop them. Now, with a possible cure in hand, they're headed east, looking for a safe zone behind the rumored "Wall." They're feeling pretty optimistic.

That is until Dave stops sleeping and starts lifting huge objects.

Eat. Slay. Love.

Because they haven't got a prayer.

Review by Kate
EAY SLAY LOVE, by Jesse Petersen, is the continuation of the Living with the Dead series following Sarah and David's journey to the "Wall" to (hopefully) get the only known zombie-cure to government scientists to end the zombie/human war. But as usual nothing is easy for this once-almost-divorced couple, they are faced with cults, David's strange new bitten-related behaviors, teaming up with a TMZ-like stalkerazzi, a druggie rockstar...and of course BRAAAAIIN eating zombies.

I have been dying to read this next installment of one of my favorite horror series's, and I have to say I was very pleased!! My favorite still-together (why are there not more of those in fiction?) couple is back with another huge adventure on their hands. I love the relationship between Sarah and David. They truly are my hero couple and I always get nervous when things (zombies, other cute men/women, zombie escape routes involving splitting up) threaten to tear them apart.

I liked how Petersen developed the cure senario with David. He was cured but subtle differences in his behavior suggested he became some sort of zombie/super human hybrid. And Sarah found tooth and nail to keep her once nerd, now buff husband by her side.

The other main characters, Nicole and McCray were annoying at first (probably because I thought they were going to get Sarah and David killed) but they grew on me as the book wore on. A big theme in this book was secrets. Sarah kept the cure a secret, and as I slowly learned more about Nicole and McCray I knew that all kept secrets would blow up in the characters faces at some point.

One thing (of many) that I love about this series is that there are multiple layers to each book. The overall one being to survive, but I love how Petersen makes little adventures and journeys (physically and mentally) for her characters. It really makes this series enjoyable to read. Definitely pick this one up!



 *FTC Disclosure: I received this egalley from NetGalley. I do not receive payment of any kind in exchange for a review. I do not receive monetary compensation from any book links in my review.

#TBWithdrawl: Season 4 (Awesome Clips)

Awesome (extended) clips from Season 4 of True Blood. Only 3 more days!!!

ARC Review: Forgotten by Cat Patrick

Publisher: Little Brown (June 7, 2011)
ARC: 288 Pages
Genre: YA Contemporary
Book from: Publisher
Cat Patrick's Website | Facebook | Twitter

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

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

Review by Jess
FORGOTTEN, by Cat Patrick takes you on a journey through 16-year-old London Lane's life of forgetting and predicting. One big roller coaster ride with great writing and even better characters.

I liked London a lot, she was an incredibly likable character. Her condition was explained a little in the beginning with the necessary background information coming in later in the novel. The idea of her remembering nothing from her past, but getting glimpses of the future was really cool, and makes me appreciate my memory a lot!

I really felt for London, having to write notes everyday, so the next day you aren't completely lost, I can't imagine that, and I felt that Cat Patrick really captured what London was feeling throughout her journey of not knowing what happened the day before and 'remembering' a grim funeral in her future.

I loved how London would react to Luke, seeing him everyday was like for the first time and Patrick's writing was so cute about it. I couldn't help but smile whenever London saw Luke! Though I liked this book, I felt there was a lack of antagonists/villians/bad guys, but I don't think it took away from the book. I recommend this book, especially if you like contemporary and want a little bit of paranormal without the actual entities.

*FTC Disclosure: I received this ARC from the publisher. I do not receive payment of any kind in exchange for a review. I do not receive monetary compensation from any book links in my review.

eGalley Review: Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz

Publisher: Harlequin Teen (June 28, 2011)
Format: ebook
Genre: YA Fantasy/Supernatural (witches)
Book from Netgalley*
Cara Lynn Shultz's Website | Twitter

From Goodreads. What's a girl to do when meeting The One means she's cursed to die a horrible death?

Life hasn't been easy on sixteen-year-old Emma Conner, so a new start in New York may be just the change she needs. But the posh Upper East Side prep school she has to attend? Not so much. Friendly faces are few and far between, except for one that she's irresistibly drawn to—Brendan Salinger, the guy with the rock-star good looks and the richest kid in school, who might just be her very own white knight.

But even when Brendan inexplicably turns cold, Emma can't stop staring. Ever since she laid eyes on him, strange things have been happening. Streetlamps go out wherever she walks, and Emma's been having the oddest dreams: visions of herself in past lives—visions that warn her to stay away from Brendan. Or else.

Review by Kate
SPELLBOUND, by Cara Lynn Shultz, is a story about a girl with a deeply troubled past moving to Manhattan with her aunt and trying to start anew. In the process, she meets Brendan who she is inexplicably attracted to with no hope for shaking off this mysterious boy from her head. Secrets begin to reveal themselves and Emma finds herself stuck in a dangerous predicament and fights to stay alive with the boy she loves.

Goodness I wanted to like this book, I really did, but it just didn't cut it for me. I loved the beginning and getting to know back story about Emma, but as I went on I increasingly became more and more bored with it. I had issues with the 'teen talk' and the swoon-at-the-sight-of-him connection that Emma had with Brendan. I think in the younger YA bracket will love this book. I remember as a teen how I swooned at a cute boy in a book, but the cutesy factor was too overwhelming for me. The way the teens spoke (especially Kristen) seemed circa Clueless times and I felt I was reading from the perspective of an adult writing YA, trying to get inside their heads.

Also, I just have issues with the whole past-lives thing. I don't know if it is just getting overdone with me  in its predictability or what but I found myself rolling my eyes at anytime where Emma swooned at the sight of Brendan and he would ignore her some more.

I didn't connect with Emma at all, which is a big deal for me while reading. If there is no connection with the main character, I find myself wandering toward the bookshelf for another book.

Overall, this book did not cut it for me. The witches thing was interesting but not enough to make me like this book. I do think that teens and fans of the past-lives connection will like this book so I would recommend picking it up if you like that sort of reading, but unfortunately it was not my cup of tea.

*FTC Disclosure: I received this book from Netgalley. I do not receive payment of any kind in exchange for a review. I do not receive monetary compensation from any book links in my review.

ARC Review: Witches of East End by Melissa de la Cruz

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion (June 21, 2011)
ARC: 320 Pages
Series: The Beauchamp Family #1
Genre: Adult Fantasy (witches)
Book from Publisher*
Melissa de la Cruz's Website | Twitter

From Goodreads. The three Beauchamp women--Joanna and her daughters Freya and Ingrid--live in North Hampton, out on the tip of Long Island. Their beautiful, mist-shrouded town seems almost stuck in time, and all three women lead seemingly quiet, uneventful existences. But they are harboring a mighty secret--they are powerful witches banned from using their magic. Joanna can resurrect people from the dead and heal the most serious of injuries. Ingrid, her bookish daughter, has the ability to predict the future and weave knots that can solve anything from infertility to infidelity. And finally, there's Freya, the wild child, who has a charm or a potion that can cure most any heartache.

For centuries, all three women have been forced to suppress their abilities. But then Freya, who is about to get married to the wealthy and mysterious Bran Gardiner, finds that her increasingly complicated romantic life makes it more difficult than ever to hide her secret. Soon Ingrid and Joanna confront similar dilemmas, and the Beauchamp women realize they can no longer conceal their true selves. They unearth their wands from the attic, dust off their broomsticks, and begin casting spells on the townspeople. It all seems like a bit of good-natured, innocent magic, but then mysterious, violent attacks begin to plague the town. When a young girl disappears over the Fourth of July weekend, they realize it's time to uncover who and what dark forces are working against them.

Review by Kate
WITCHES OF EAST END, by Melissa de la Cruz, is the first in an adult series about a family of witches. We briefly met Freya in de la Cruz's Blue Bloods series so I was very excited to learn more about this mysterious girl and where she came from.

I liked the witch lore that de la Cruz created for this series. The three women were immortal but due to what powers they possessed, they always looked a certain age. Ever since their powers were restricted, these women had to deal with their pent up magic in different ways. Imagine not being able to use gifts you were born with? Tough break. But in the effort of helping those in need in their small town, these women slowly and carefully use their magic that lead to disasterous consequences for their secluded lives.

I really enjoyed the witch characters in this book. Freya is a free spirit who is engaged to a rich and very kind man, Bran, but to her dismay she finds herself dreaming about her fiance's brother, Killian. Freya's sister, Ingrid, is a shy librarian who keeps to herself normally, but fights for what she believes in. Joanna is the mother of these two girls, who carries many burdens for her girls and guilt about her husband and missing son. I liked getting to know these women's relationships with people in the town, those characters brought a lot of life to the book too. Also, a cameo from Oliver and Mimi from the Blue Bloods series was very exciting to read, I'm hoping for more overlapping in the future.

There is a bit of Norse mythology in this book as well. I am not too familiar with a lot of the myths but it was definitely interesting to read about.

As much as I wanted to LOVE this book (because I love her Blue Blood series), I found myself just liking it. There were times I found myself getting bored waiting to get to the exciting points. I enjoyed the overall story but I wish all the excitement I found in the last few chapters was built up a bit better from beginning to end.

Also, the Norse mythology seemed to be thrown in at the end. It was a quick and startling revelation that I just felt should have been introduced gradually. I felt this book was more of an introduction to this family then anything, but that could have been the point! Those minor things aside I have to say that I am happy with the beginning of this new series and I am excited to dig into the next one.

*FTC Disclosure: I received this ARC from the publisher. I do not receive payment of any kind in exchange for a review. I do not receive monetary compensation from any book links in my review.

Blog Tour Review: Mistwood by Leah Cypess

Publisher: Greenwillow Books (April 27, 2010)
Hardcover: 304 Pages
Series: Mistwood #1
Genre: YA Fantasy (Shifter)
Leah Cypess's Website | Twitter

From Goodreads. The Shifter is an immortal creature bound by an ancient spell to protect the kings of Samorna. When the realm is peaceful, she retreats to the Mistwood. But when she is needed she always comes.

Isabel remembers nothing. Nothing before the prince rode into her forest to take her back to the castle. Nothing about who she is supposed to be, or the powers she is supposed to have.

Prince Rokan needs Isabel to be his Shifter. He needs her ability to shift to animal form, to wind, to mist. He needs her lethal speed and superhuman strength. And he needs her loyalty—because without it, she may be his greatest threat.

Isabel knows that her prince is lying to her, but she can't help wanting to protect him from the dangers and intrigues of the court . . . until a deadly truth shatters the bond between them.

Now Isabel faces a choice that threatens her loyalty, her heart . . . and everything she thought she knew.

Review by Kate
MISTWOOD, by Leah Cypess, takes you far away on a fantastical journey of intrigue with a hint of the supernatural. Isabel is the coveted Shifter, bound to help the king whenever the kingdom is threatened, but the only problem is that Isabel does not remember her previous time as Shifter and why she left the kingdom all those years ago. Cypess creates a world where loyalties are challenged and the threat against a prince is lurking around every corner with only the Shifter to protect him.

I had this book on my shelf for a while and after reading it, I deeply regret not getting to it sooner. I was thrust into Isabel's world without a shred of back story about her or the Mistwood. At first I was quite frustrated but I think that was the intent. The reader follows along and only knows just as much as Isabel does in her journey of self-discovery, which I think has an added element of anticipation for the reader.

I enjoyed learning about the characters in this book. I loved when Isabel was able to shift, the lore of Cypess's Shifter was really intriguing to read. As each new character was introduced, my mind added another person to be wary of, just as Isabel was. With her memory loss, she did not know who to trust within the castle except for Rokan, and there were times when I didn't even trust him.

Overall, this is a really great fantasy book, fans of the genre will want to pick this one up!

Blog Tour This Or That & Giveaway: Original Sin by Lisa Desrochers

Today I have Lisa Desrochers on the blog today for her Original Sin Blog Tour This or That post:

Book or Ebook? Can I plead the 5th? Much of my reading is ARCs, and I’m not on Netgalley, so those are paper. I also get a lot of manuscripts from writer friends and I transfer those from my hard drive to my Nook, so…
Green eyes or blue eyes? Green.
Chinese food or pizza? Pizza. Anchovy to be exact.
Dog or cat? Cat.
Email or letter? Letter? What’s that.
Goat or pig? Seriously…?
Sneakers or flip flops? Neither. Sandals (I can’t stand shoes) but not flip-flops, because I also can’t stand anything between my toes.
Original Nintendo or Sega? Nintendo.
Cold or hot? Hot. Which is good, because it will be 115 degrees at my house soon.
Shower or bath? Shower. Who wants to sit in a puddle of their own filth?
Chocolate or vanilla? Is this a serious question? Chocolate!
Shaken or stirred? Neither, but I’ll take James Bond. ;p
Inside or outside? Outside.
To be or not to be? To be. Or maybe not ;p

Thanks for stopping by Lisa!

Also, be sure to enter below for a chance to win an Original Sin Signed Galley!

From Goodreads. Luc Cain was born and raised in Hell, but he isn’t feeling as demonic as usual lately—thanks to Frannie Cavanaugh and the unique power she never realized she had. But you can’t desert Hell without consequences, and suddenly Frannie and Luc find themselves targeted by the same demons who used to be Luc’s allies.

Left with few options, Frannie and Luc accept the protection of Heaven and one of its most powerful angels, Gabe. Unfortunately, Luc isn’t the only one affected by Frannie, and it isn’t long before Gabe realizes that being around her is too…tempting. Rather than risk losing his wings, he leaves Frannie and Luc under the protection of her recently-acquired guardian angel.

Which would be fine, but Gabe is barely out the door before an assortment of demons appears—and they’re not leaving without dragging Luc back to Hell with them. Hell won’t give up and Heaven won’t give in. Frannie’s guardian exercises all the power he has to keep them away, but the demons are willing to hurt anyone close to Frannie in order to get what they want. It will take everything she has and then some to stay out of Hell’s grasp.

And not everyone will get out of it alive.

Blog Tour Review: A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young

Publisher: Balzer and Bray (June 21, 2011)
ARC: 268 Pages
Genre: YA Paranormal
Book From Publisher*
Suzanne Young's Blog | Twitter

From Goodreads. Charlotte’s best friend thinks Charlotte might be psychic. Her boyfriend thinks she’s cheating on him. But Charlotte knows what’s really wrong: She is one of the Forgotten, a kind of angel on earth, who feels the Need—a powerful, uncontrollable draw to help someone, usually a stranger.

There have been others before who’ve felt the Need, but they’re gone—erased from the memories of everyone whose lives they had touched. It's as though they never existed. This is the fate that awaits Charlotte. But the last thing Charlotte wants to do is disappear, to be Forgotten. She wants to stay with her best friend, whose life is spiraling out of control. She wants to lie in her boyfriend’s arms forever. She wishes she could just ignore the Need, but she can’t. And as everyone important in her life begins to slowly forget her, she has to decide if she’ll fight the Need in order to remain herself—no matter how dark the consequences.

Review by Kate
A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL, by Suzanne Young, is a brilliant story of a girl whose past is a mystery and her once normal idea of a future is anything but. Young created a fascinating story about understanding faith and fate.

Young throws the reader right into Charlotte's life and her increasingly insistent pull toward the Need. At any moment an overwhelming urge to go to someone takes over her body and fighting it makes the painful symptoms worse. I, along with Charlotte, was kept in the dark for some time about the reason for the Need. The feelings came more frequently, causing Charlotte to lie to her friends and family more often about what was going on in her life.

I loved Charlotte's friends and family. Young created dynamic and interesting characters that it made me extremely sad when they started to forget her like her Seer said they would. Charlotte and her best friend, Sarah, were an unlikley pair in coming from different socital classes, but their friendship went deeper than that.

Overall, fantastic and unique book that will keep you glued to the pages until the very end!

*FTC Disclosure: I received this ARC from the publisher. I do not receive payment of any kind in exchange for a review. I do not receive monetary compensation from any book links in my review.

Audiobook Novella Review: Summer's Crossing by Julie Kagawa

Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises, Ltd (June 9, 2011)
Format: Audiobook
Length: 1 hr and 53 mins
Series: The Iron Fey #3.5
Genre: YA Fantasy (Fey)
Narrated by Josh Hurley
Julie Kagawa's Website | Blog | Twitter
My Reviews of The Iron King, The Iron Daughter, Winter's Passage, The Iron Queen

From Goodreads. A Midsummer's Nightmare? Robin Goodfellow. Puck. Summer Court prankster, King Oberon's right hand, bane of many a faery queen's existence—and secret friend to Prince Ash of the Winter Court. Until one girl's death came between them, and another girl stole both their hearts.

Now Ash has granted one favor too many and someone's come to collect, forcing the prince to a place he cannot go without Puck's help—into the heart of the Summer Court. And Puck faces the ultimate choice—betray Ash and possibly win the girl they both love, or help his former friend turned bitter enemy pull off a deception that no true faery prankster could possibly resist.

Review by Kate
SUMMER'S CROSSING, by Julie Kagawa, is the second novella in The Iron Fey series, but this time we get Robin Goodfellow's/Puck's  POV instead. Ash enlists Puck's help to find Grimalkin but someone requests the fulfillment of a favor from Ash. Puck and Ash have to take something from the Summer Queen, Titania, and make it out alive...somehow.

I really loved getting Puck's POV in this novella. His sarcasm and wit always made me smile, but getting into his head showed that his personality is much deeper than being a jokster. The internal struggle for him after a visit from the Summer King, Oberon, amped up the tension and suspense in what Puck would ultimately decided to do with the prince who stole the heart of his beloved Meghan. Definitely a heart-pounder!

Josh Hurley did an awesome job narrating Puck. His voice was smooth and perfect for the pranking Puck. Also, he did a really great job voicing the other characters too.

Overall, this is definitely a must-read for fans of The Iron Fey series. It is full of adventure, suspense, and opens up the story for the highly anticipated next full book of the series, The Iron Knight.

ARC Review: Trial by Fire by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

SPOILER ALERT: If you have not read Raised by Wolves, there may be spoilers ahead.

Publisher: EgmontUSA (June 14, 2011)
ARC: 368 Pages
Series: Raised by Wolves #2
Genre: YA Fantasy/Supernatural (werewolves)
Book from Publisher*
Jennifer Lynn Barnes's Website | Blog | Twitter
My Review of Raised by Wolves

From Goodreads. Bryn is now leader of the Cedar Ridge pack of werewolves and she's convinced that her pack is different - it's democratic and fair. Then Bryn finds a battered teenage Were, Connor, bleeding on her front porch. He begs Bryn to protect him from an abusive leader; Bryn takes him into her pack.

But Bryn's Were partner Chase doesn't trust the new boy, and the more time she spends helping Connor, the more aggressive Chase becomes. Bryn is not sure if it's jealousy, or Were possessiveness but for the first time she starts to feel suffocated by the bond she and Chase share.

Filled with action, unlikely allies, and deadly conspiracies, Trial by Fire will change Bryn forever. She is soon to realise that to lead a pack of werewolves, she must give in to her animal instincts and become a little less human. And as hard as it's going to be, Bryn is going to have to do it alone.

There can only be one alpha.

Review by Kate
TRIAL BY FIRE, by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, strattles the line of YA and adult fantasy/supernatural. As an avid reader of both levels of this genre, this book really takes YA up a notch and brings the gritty truth of the dangers of the supernatural world to light.

I really enjoyed Raised by Wolves so I was thrilled to receive an early copy of Trial by Fire. The first book highlighted the manifestation of Bryn's abilities, but this book put her to the test over and over in her new Alpha status. I really like how Barnes steps outside the box of the typical supernatural wolf, and keeps Bryn as a human girl while still being a part of the pack. I think it's extremely creative and adds a unique element to the series. I think Bryn is a great example of a strong female YA lead.

Even though Bryn is the obvious lead, I felt this book was more of an ensemble piece. More of the secondary characters were fleshed out and I really enjoyed getting to know about all of them. My favorites of course are still Chase (swoon), Devon, and Lake. I loved the dynamic of the pack how they were very close as friends, but when the pack was threatened they still stuck together in their instinctual mind-set as well.

Overall, this was a great sequel for this series. With the added action and suspense, this book is definitely a contender for my favorite YA fantasy/supernatural book this year. Fans of the series will love it!

*FTC Disclosure: I received this ARC from the publisher. I do not receive payment of any kind in exchange for a review. I do not receive monetary compensation from any book links in my review.

Blog Tour Character Interview: Stupid Fast

Today I am hosting a character interview with Cody from Stupid Fast, by Geoff Herbach. 

Hi Cody! Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Yeah. I’m the quarterback for the Bluffton football team (that’s Felton’s high school team). I’m all-conference in baseball (pitcher). My dad’s a cop. My mom works at the bank. I don’t have any brothers or sisters. I always wanted a little brother. We live just outside of town and I ended up throwing rocks at old pop cans half the time, because there was nobody else out there to play with. It’s pretty nice out there, too. Lots of steep hills and ravines to walk through. My dad likes it quiet.

What is your favorite thing to do outside of school?

I like to golf and fish, I guess. I just started grilling, too. I like brats and steak. My dad boils the brats in beer for fifteen minutes before we grill them. It’s really good. All the alcohol boils off, so I don’t break any conduct codes or anything. Next summer, I want to throw a party out at the house and grill for everybody.

What is your relationship to Felton Reinstein?

That’s a weird question. I really like him. I always thought he was kind of a freak or something. He was, too. He used to talk to himself in class and at recess, sometimes, he’d stand in the corner of the middle school courtyard with his head stuck in there, in the corner, and he wouldn’t look at anybody for the whole half-hour. I sort of felt bad for him, but he couldn’t sit still in class and talked to himself, and stuff, and I couldn’t help it, I told him to shut up sometimes. I didn’t push him around like some people did (they are sorry now, or at least scared, because he could definitely kill them if he wanted to). Since he got into sports, we hang out a lot, and I know he doesn’t have it easy at home. I know what happened to his dad. I feel bad about how we all treated him. He is such a good dude, too. Makes me not want to treat anybody bad, because you don’t know what they’re dealing with.

A little personal here, who is your current crush?

I don’t know if I’d call it a crush. I’m going out with Erin Bellmeyer. She’s cute and pretty nice, too. Me and Jess Withrow went out for about two years, but she’s a good friend and we never spent anytime alone and then we went to homecoming last year, and afterwards everyone was at Karpinski’s house all coupled off and we were both like: you are the last person in school I want to kiss. She’s more like my sister. Erin and I go to Dubuque, Iowa, about twenty minutes away, to see movies and crap. It’s cool to hang with her.

What is your best quality? What do you think is your worst?

I will not let you down. Never. That’s my best thing. I will not.


Worst? I guess I get pissed at people too easily. Karpinski is my best friend and he pisses me off so much I can’t even talk to him for like a week sometimes. Jason Reese is a good friend, and half the time I think he’s an idiot. Sort of like a little kid. Felton is the only dude who actually doesn’t annoy me. I shouldn’t get pissed, but I don’t like it when people act stupid.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I hope I’m playing college football and baseball someplace. At a smaller school. I’m not big enough to play any place big. I might stay in Bluffton. There’s a pretty good college, here. It’s my town, too.

Thanks Cody! 

For your chance to win this book, check out the giveaway below!

From Goodreads. Fifteen-year-old Felton Reinstein has always been on the smallish side, but in his sophomore year he starts growing...and growing.

During gym one day he smokes the football jocks in a 600-yard race. Felton has never been interested in sports, but there's no doubt-he is "stupid fast." As he juggles his newfound athletic prowess, his mom's sudden depression, an annoying little brother, and his first love, he discovers a shocking secret about his past which explains why he's turning out the way he is.

The Hunger Games + "I Wanna Go" (Music Video Parody)

This video totally made my Monday morning. I love how 'Peeta' always had a baked good in his hands…LOL!!

Check it out!

#TBWithdrawl: First 8 Minutes of True Blood (Ep 4.01)

The final preview of the first episode of Season Four came up on HBO GO. In the extra two minutes, Sookie and Grandaddy Earl are running from the fey and Queen Mab. We (possibly) meet Claude, Claudine's brother (not as hot as the books convey…). And it ends on such a cliffhanger (pun intended). Can't wait for June 26th!!

Season 4: The 8 Minute Sneak Peek

Video updated to HBO.com version 6/14/11

#TBWithdrawl: 6 Minute Preview & Trailer

A friend of mine got me hooked on the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris and also True Blood. I am catching up on all the books and I bought all the seasons of TB thus far. I am in love with both stories and I am dying for Season 4 of TB to start on June 26th.

I decided to do episode recaps as they come out so please join me Mondays after each new episode and discuss your thoughts about each episode. Obviously there will be spoilers, just to warn you.

For those suffering from TB Withdrawl like me, check out the first six minutes of Episode 4.01 and a TB trailer.

Enjoy!!

P.S. Waiting Sucks

Season 4: The 6 Minute Sneak Peek

Season 4 Trailer

eBook Review: Codename Dancer by Amanda Brice

Published: April 14, 2011
Format: eBook
Series: Dani Spevak Mystery #1
Genre: YA Mystery
Book from Author*

From Goodreads. Aspiring ballerina Dani Spevak is thrilled when hit TV show Teen Celebrity Dance Off comes to the campus of her performing arts boarding school. She trades the barre for the ballroom and gets set to cha-cha-cha to stardom with Hollywood wonderboy Nick Galliano.

At first their partnership is awkward, because Dani is in awe of her longtime teen idol crush. But soon their chemistry is heating up the dance floor and the attraction moves into real life.

Her excitement is short-lived, because someone wants her off the show. Bombs, poisoning, arson… Will Dani’s 15 minutes of fame be over before she reaches age 15? Dani and her friends are suddenly at the center of some serious sabotage. And if she doesn’t find out who is behind it, her next pirouette could be her last.

Review by Kate
CODENAME: DANCER, by Amanda Brice, is a young adult female detective story with a bit of class and dance mixed in. I am in no way a dancer, but in this book I completely understood the world of dancing (at least a little bit). Brice's prose helped me visualize the dance scenes seamlessly, and there is also a reference of the dance vocabulary in the back of the book.

I think teens will definitely enjoy this book. There are many pop culture references that helped me 'see' Dani in my mind and really understand her. Dani is definitely a young and modern Nancy Drew and I love the idea of putting girls back into that role. Along with the mystery, I feel that girls will identify with Dani. She does face clique issues at her new school along with trying to figure out where she wants to be.  She is a star-struck girl who has the chance of a lifetime to dance with a super cute teen celebrity, who wouldn't love to be in her ballet shoes right?

I don't want to ruin too much of the plot, but I think anyone who is a fan of mystery and/or dance will definitely love this one. Also, be on the lookout for the continuation of this series with Pointe of No Return releasing November 2011.

*FTC Disclosure: I received this ebook from the author. I do not receive payment of any kind in exchange for a review. I do not receive monetary compensation from any book links in my review.

Book Review: Queen of the Dead by Stacey Kade

SPOILER ALERT: If you have not read The Ghost and the Goth there may be spoilers ahead.

Publisher: Hyperion Book CH (June 7, 2011)
Paperback: 288 Pages
Series: The Ghost and the Goth #2
Genre: YA Paranormal
Book from Author*
Stacey Kade's Website | Blog | Twitter

From Goodreads. After being sent back from the light, Alona Dare - former homecoming queen, current Queen of the Dead - finds herself doing something she never expected: working. Instead of spending days perfecting her tan by the pool (her typical summer routine when she was, you know, alive), Alona must now cater to the needs of other lost spirits. By her side for all of this - ugh - “helping of others” is Will Killian: social outcast, seer of the dead, and someone Alona cares about more than she’d like.

Before Alona can make a final ruling on Will’s “friend” or “more” status, though, she discovers trouble at home. Her mom is tossing out Alona’s most valuable possessions, and her dad is expecting a new daughter with his wicked wife. Is it possible her family is already moving on? Hello! She’s only been dead for two months! Thankfully, Alona knows just the guy who can put a stop to this mess.

Unfortunately for Alona, Will has other stuff on his mind, and Mina, a young (and beautiful) seer, is at the top of the list. She’s the first ghost-talker Will’s ever met—aside from his father—and she may hold answers to Will’s troubled past. But can she be trusted? Alona immediately puts a check mark in the “clearly not” column. But Will is - ahem - willing to find out, even if it means leaving a hurt and angry Alona to her own devices, which is never a good idea.

Review by Kate
QUEEN OF THE DEAD, by Stacey Kade, is the highly anticipated sequel to The Ghost and the Goth. We last left Will and Alona dealing with the start of their new relationship between ghost-talker and spirit-guide…with the addition of some romantic feelings too.

I loved TGATG and I absolutely loved this book too. I sat down with it and 2 hours later I was finished! I am highly invested in this series and I loved getting to explore the world that Kade created for her characters. For as much as I despised the blonde cheerleader-type in real life, I really enjoy Alona. She was all appearances in real life but she is very intelligent and has quite the sense of humor. Her fatal flaw with being obsessed with her image and rank in the human world comes to light in this book with disastrous consequences.

Will's journey in this book was a bit different. He stumbles upon the mysterious Mina and wants to understand more about their similarities. I'll admit I never once liked this girl and I probably never will. She has a 'tude and cockiness problem that I just couldn't get over. But I did find interesting the revelations she brought to light for Will and his talents, I am curious to see where that goes in the next book.

Overall, great read! I really enjoy reading this series and watching the crazy and budding relationship between Alona and Will and the exploration of ghost-talking. Definitely pick this one up!

*FTC Disclosure: I received this ARC from the author. I do not receive payment of any kind in exchange for a review. I do not receive monetary compensation from any book links in my review.

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As of 10/18/11, I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read's Contest Policy is as follows:

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Blog Tour Author Interview: A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young

Today I am hosting Suzanne Young for an author interview to talk about her newest book!

Which character came to you first before writing the book? Who was more difficult to sculpt?

My first character was Warren—one of the Needs who Charlotte goes to. He sort of encompassed the whole idea of the book to me. But as for difficult, Monroe Swift, the doctor, was very hard to write. It was tough to show how he felt while still leaving him a bit mysterious.

What are one or two songs that you feel represent your book the best? Or parts of the book?

Iris by The GooGoo Dolls and The Scientist by Coldplay (although I didn’t listen to either while writing it).

Did you base any physical or emotional traits of your characters from anyone you know? Who would you cast for your characters if the book became a movie?

Emotionally I definitely draw from my own experiences when writing characters, but I didn’t use any real life people in this book. As for a movie, I’m not sure! I would love to see some fresh-faced actors who haven’t given dumb interviews talking about their tattoos, haha.

If you were in the same situation as Charlotte would you have accepted it or fought it? What do you hope that readers gain from reading A Need So Beautiful?

I would have sacrificed. But I hope readers just see the love from the light in the book, the accepting, beautifully pure love that is around us—no matter what religion you believe in.

From Goodreads. Charlotte’s best friend thinks Charlotte might be psychic. Her boyfriend thinks she’s cheating on him. But Charlotte knows what’s really wrong: She is one of the Forgotten, a kind of angel on earth, who feels the Need—a powerful, uncontrollable draw to help someone, usually a stranger.

There have been others before who’ve felt the Need, but they’re gone—erased from the memories of everyone whose lives they had touched. It's as though they never existed. This is the fate that awaits Charlotte. But the last thing Charlotte wants to do is disappear, to be Forgotten. She wants to stay with her best friend, whose life is spiraling out of control. She wants to lie in her boyfriend’s arms forever. She wishes she could just ignore the Need, but she can’t. And as everyone important in her life begins to slowly forget her, she has to decide if she’ll fight the Need in order to remain herself—no matter how dark the consequences.

Book Trailer & Giveaway: Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Thanks to Macmillian Children's Publishing Group, I have another spectacular book trailer to show off and also a giveaway in celebration of the release of 'Ruby Red', the first book in the 'Ruby Red' Trilogy.

Please visit the Macmillan page about Kerstin Gier, including excerpts, book cover, reviews and audio

Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!

Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

Blog Tour: Nightspell Fives List by Leah Cypess

Today I am hosting Leah Cypess, author of Mistwood and Nightspell, for the Teen Book Scene Tour. She has listed her top five authors:

My list of “top authors” wouldn’t stop near five, or ten, or fifty; but most of them were authors I discovered after I was already an avid fantasy reader. These are the authors from my childhood who got me started:

[1] E. Nesbitt – especially Five Children and It and its sequels. I don’t remember how old I was when I first read these books, and I have only a vague memory of what was in them – a sand fairy, and wishes, and a magic carpet. But I completely remember my sense of enchantment. After that, I wanted to read any book that had magic in it.

[2] Edward Eager – Years later, I found out the plot of Half Magic, one of Edward Eager’s books, was inspired by the premise of Five Children and It. Edward Eager wrote a series of books that all involved magic that came with some sort of catch. I scoured the library until I found every single one.

[3] Diana Wynne Jones – I know, I know; me and every other fantasy writer in existence. But nobody wrote mid-grade fantasy like Diana Wynne Jones! I think I read Charmed Life about 15 times. And I recently reread The Ogre Downstairs, and it’s just as good 15 years later.

[4] David Eddings – The Belgariad was my introduction to epic fantasy. Gods and quests and heroes whose destiny is to save the world! Also random sledding incidents and political humor. There was a time when I could recite segments of these books from memory.

[5] Dave Duncan – And finally, my introduction to awesome and original worldbuilding; how you can set up a world, or a magical system, or a theology, and then stun the reader with revelations about that system you’ve created. Ever since reading the Man of His Word quartet, my favorite fantasy novels been not the ones in which the characters Save the World, but the ones where they Discover the Truth About the World.

From Goodreads. A stand-alone companion novel to the much-acclaimed MISTWOOD. When Darri rides into Ghostland, a country where the living walk with the dead, she has only one goal: to rescue her younger sister Callie, who was sent to Ghostland as a hostage four years ago. But Callie has changed in those four years, and now has secrets of her own. In her quest to save her sister from herself, Darri will be forced to outmaneuver a handsome ghost prince, an ancient sorcerer, and a manipulative tribal warrior (who happens to be her brother). When Darri discovers the source of the spell that has kept the dead in Ghostland chained to this earth, she faces a decision that will force her to reexamine beliefs she has never before questioned - and lead her into the heart of a conspiracy that threatens the very balance of power between the living and the dead.

Book Review: Crusade by Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguié

Publisher: Simon Pulse (September 7, 2010)
Hardcover: 470 Pages
Genre: YA Fantasy
Series: Crusade # 1
Nancy Holder's Website|Facebook|Twitter
Debbie Viguié's Website|Twitter|Facebook

For the past two years, Jenn has lived and trained at Spain’s Sacred Heart Academy Against the Cursed Ones. She is among the few who have pledged to defend humanity or die trying. But the vampires are gaining power, and the battle has only just begun.
Forced to return home after death takes a member of her family, Jenn discovers that San Francisco is now a vampire strong-hold. As a lone hunter apart from her team, Jenn is isolated — and at risk. She craves the company of her fighting partner, Antonio: his protection, his reassurance, his touch. But a relationship with Antonio comes with its own dangers, and the more they share of themselves, the more Jenn stands to lose.

Then Jenn is betrayed by one who was once bound to protect her, causing her to doubt all she had held as true. To survive, Jenn must find the courage to trust herself — and her heart.

Review by Jessica
CRUSADE, by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguié brings you an action packed world where vampires are taking over and human life is dwindling. The characters are strong and defend the necks of mere humans after training hard.

I LOVED this book. In the very beginning I was a little confused because it does drop you into the middle of a battlefield but things quickly become clear. The characters are kick-butt and fun to read to see what they are going to go through.

The vampires in this book are old as time, literally, sun will turn them to dust, holy water will burn them and crosses repel them. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the traditional vampires and vampire hunters out to get them. I could see the book playing out like a movie as I read. The vampires taking over the world was really such a great idea, because usually they lurk in the shadows, but these vamps are ready to come out and eat you.

Jenn and Antonio are awesome! I wish more happened between them, but the tension made me want more and more and I am so excited to see what is going to happen in the next novel between them because of the way the book left off. They are like the new Buffy and Angel, almost.

If you like lots of action, sticky situations and tension that will make you want to explode then read this book immediately! Bravo Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguié!

Movie Trailer: Breaking Dawn Pt. 1

I get upset sometimes when there are 'teaser' trailers because they literally tell you nothing (hence tease), but this one….HOLY EDWARD was exciting and full of a lot of action and steamy (bed breaking…oh yah it's in there) romance. Check it out and let me know what you think!

So excited for November!!

Book Trailer & Giveaway: Everlasting by Alyson Noel

Hey Immortals Fans! Available June 7th from St. Martin's Press is the final book in Alyson Noel's beloved Immortals Series, Everlasting. Below is the official book trailer and the opportunity to win a copy of the book!

Alyson Noel's Immortals Website

Macmillan Publishing's Alyson Noel site

From Goodreads. Everlasting is the sixth and final installment of the epic love story that has enchanted readers across the world. Ever and Damen have spent centuries facing down bitter rivals, jealous friends and their own worst fears-all in the hope of being together forever. Now in Everlasting, their destiny is finally within reach.

Will they be united-or torn apart forever? Readers will finally discover the truth in this anxiously awaited conclusion!

Welcome BEA Visitors!

Hello and Welcome to I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read!

This *sticky* post will be up for the next 2 weeks to help new visitors navigate my blog. For all new posts, please scroll below this one.


About Us

My name is Kate and books are my passion! I love to read no matter what I am doing (eating, working out, etc.), and here is my outlet to express my love for all bookish things. I hope to one day become an author so I can spread the joy that I experience everytime I crack open a book!

I've been blogging here since January 2010, and since then I've had an amazing time getting to know fellow bloggers and book junkies.

This January, I asked my cousin Jessica to join me on the blog. She is currently a co-reviewer and I'm so happy to have her!

For more info about us and how to contact via email, check out the About Us Page

Blog Content

Most of the posts on this blog are reviews and blog tour posts (including interviews, giveaways, guest posts, etc.) Currently we review all young adult (YA), as well as adult paranormal/supernatural, fantasy, and chick-lit. For more information check out my Review Policy. And a comprehensive list of all my book reviews.

So have a look around and enjoy yourself! If you like what you see please follow me through Google Friend Connect, add me on Twitter, LIKE me on Facebook, and/or Subscribe to my blog. All necessary links are on the right sidebar. And please do not hesitate to contact me with any comments, questions, or requests.

Thanks for visiting! :)

BEA 2011 - Wrap Up

After finally recovering from BEA I am now energized enough to re-live it for all of you! I don't have the patience to attempt to go through any of the drama that other bloggers went through during these three very stressful but fun days. I kept drama-free the whole time and that's what I plan on sticking with for my post!

Monday
Monday was not an official BEA day but I was invited to the Simon and Schuster luncheon at their offices in NYC. I was so excited to get the week started and I was so happy and surprised to see so many bloggers! There were presentations/readings by Elizabeth Miles (author of The Fury) and Ellen Hopkins. Elizabeth Miles gave a fantastic presentation and I got a lot of great writing advice from listening to her. And Ellen Hopkins really needs no introduction, but she read a few excerpts from her newest book, Perfect. It was such a great time and a lovely kick-off to the week!

The lovely ladies of Simon and Schuster did a great presentation of upcoming books and asked us bloggers some questions for feedback, which I thought was awesome. They also surprised us with free admission to the Top of the Rock, but  even though the clouds skewed our view it was still really fun!

Tuesday
LET THE GAMES BEGIN!

9:00AM BEA time = Mad rush into Exhibit Hall

I have to say I was happy there was no trampling going on, and I did manage to stay on two feet! Go me! I managed to pick up a lot of books in the mad dash but since there was so much I wanted to do, I stuck to my handy dandy schedule and started for the signings I most wanted.

Here are a list of all the authors I met that day with corresponding book I got signed:

Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey
Crusade by Nancy Holder (such a nice woman!)
Angel Burn by L.A. Weatherly (I was so excited to meet her since she came across the pond for BEA)
Blood Bound by Rachel Vincent
If I Die by Rachel Vincent (My top book to get at BEA!)
The Darkest Secret by Gena Showalter (always a sweetheart!)
Lord of the Vampires by Gena Showalter
Fateful by Claudia Gray
The Mephisto Covenant by Trinity Faegen
Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber (a lovely woman and so great to bloggers)

I left a bit early that day due to some personal issues but I covered all the ground I had hoped for!

Wednesday
This was another big signing day for me, so I was excited for it to start. I went to part of the BEA Adult Author Breakfast, it started way late so I only got to see Mindy Kaling (HILARIOUS) and Diane Keaton. They are both amazing speakers and I am excited to read their books! I missed Charlaine Harris but I am going to make an effort to get to one of her NYC signings.

Mindy Kaling

Diane Keaton

I got a ton of books I've been looking forward to reading in addition to meeting the authors!! Everyone was really great and that day I was so glad I made the effort to be there!

Undercurrent by Tricia Rayburn

The Lying Game by Sara Shepard

Crossed by Ally Condie

Twisted by Gena Showalter

Outside In by Maria V. Snyder

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Steifvater

The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa
The Christmas Wedding by James Patterson

  

Sara Shepard                                                      James Patterson

Tricia Rayburn

Thursday
LAST LEG!

Thursday was pretty low key compared to the rest. 9:10 AM I got into line for Melissa Marr and parked my butt there until her 10:30 signing. After that I was so done with waiting in lines. It really does take a toll! But I had one more long line and that was for Frost. After I was finished with that line I took a break then finally spent time going up and down the rows of the exhibit hall until it closed. 

Here are the signed books I got on my last day at BEA:

Blood Rights by Kristen Painter

The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann

Enthralled and Darkest Mercy by Melissa Marr

Frost by Marianna Baer

After BEA closed up, I trucked through the subway system with some bloggers and some very heavy suitcases. I never knew how unfriendly the subway system is to people with luggage, will remember that next time! We arrived at the awesome This Is Teen Event put on by Scholastic. There was a reception with bloggers, publicists, and press. Maggie Stiefvater, Libba Bray, and Meg Cabot were in attendance as they are the YA authors kicking off this awesome program. I got to meet Meg Cabot and she is such a sweetheart!

Meg Cabot

After the reception, these three lovely ladies talked about their books and answered questions from those in attendance. It was really a great ending to this fabulous week!

  

Maggie Stiefvater, Meg Cabot, Libba Bray

Bloggers
I met so many bloggers during BEA it is impossible to keep track of all of them, sorry if I forget to mention you below, be sure to comment and remind me if I did. I was so pleased to (finally) meet in person, Lynsey from Narratively Speaking, wish she didn't live so far away :( . Katherine from The Lady Critic's Library who I shared the 1.5 hour wait for James Patterson. Tori from Book Faery in the Harlequin Teen Hour, so great to finally meet her! Noa from Paperback Dolls via Karen from For What It's Worth (so nice meeting her and her husband again!). Trekked through NYC with heavy bags with Amy and Austen from Reading Teen. I spent a majority of my time with Angela from Dark Faerie Tales, Tania from Literary Cravings, and Gaby from Starting Fresh. And last but so not least, it was fabulous seeing Susan from Wastepaper Prose <3 her!

Overall, I had an amazing time and I am excited to go again next year since it's in NYC once more!! :)