[Review] A Shade of Vampire - Bella Forrest

A shade of Vampire - Bella Forrest

       

I was given the opportunity by the Author to read this in return for an honest review.

Let me start off by saying, I LOVE this cover. I think it’s so beautiful.  I’d like to admit, I’ve been shying away from any vampire novels, simply because I just need a break from paranormal. Don’t get wrong, I love me some paranormal.  This novel definitely got me interested in the paranormal again. Even though this was a quick read, it still had so much heart and genuinely held my interest. 

I think I’m really a sucker for a dual POV.  I love hearing both sides, at the same time. Especially Derek, the male POV.  Bella Forrest really nailed the angst between the main characters of Derek and Sofia. Derek,  a Vampire Prince from the royal Novak family has been sleeping for 400 years.  Derek only wanted to escape his doom. However, fate and his family had other plans for him.  Now Sofia, she considers herself a ‘nobody’.  Facing death kind of  brings out the kick-ass I don’t give a shit sassy persona in someone though.

I really liked the romance in this novel. Derek was captivated by Sofia.  Sofia made Derek earn her trust, slowly.  I absolutely loved the whole aspect of how they live. So new and refreshing.  I literally stopped reading a few times just to take a mental tour of the beautiful  scenery I imagined. Bella Forrest did an amazing job with the imagery and this novel was extremely well written. The only qualm I have is that it was short. 

I definitely can’t wait to read more about Derek and Sofia's future, in the sequel coming out.  I would recommend this to anyone who loves a good paranormal romance.  Don’t be worried about the whole Vampire cliché either.  This is charmingly different.  Again, even though it was short, it really did hold my interest and I found myself wanted to turn the page just to find out what happens next. Yes… I’m so guilty with that! Then I get mad at myself when I read it, because I have to backtrack.  As short as this novel was, it definitely gave me a book hangover. I don’t want to wait to read the next installment… Let me have it nowwwwww!!!!

Review: Ruining Me by Nicole Reed

Title: Ruining Me
Published: Sept. 26, 2012
Author: Nicole Reed
Pages: 149
Rating:


From Goodreads:
Eighteen year old Jay Stevenson is living a horrible nightmare.

Two years ago, she had the world in the palm of her hand, but in one moment, it was ruined. Secrets, lies, and the worst imaginable betrayal haunt her new reality. Burying her problems under a cold façade seems to be the only way to cope until it all catches up with her. Soon, she loses control of the lonely world she built around her, and the past, present, and future collide.

Three guys are there when it all comes crashing down: JT, the perfect boyfriend she never wanted to give up; Rhye, the local bad boy “rock star” who made her forget the past; and Kane, the funny and sweet tattooed bartender who wants her future.

Secrets must be kept. Choices must be made. Is it possible to move forward while still chained to the wicked vices of the past?


MY THOUGHTS:

It's disappointing when I get such great recommendations for a book and it ends up being forgettable. I read Ruining Me a few weeks back and I hardly remember the characters or plot, so I had to do a quick skim through. The characters were bland and the plot could have used some fleshing out. I think it was a good idea that was maybe just a bit too rushed, but there was definite potential. I think that with a little more time and character building this story could have been much better. I will say that I think I'm in the minority with my feelings on this book.

Jay had a rough two years. After a traumatic event[you figure it out pretty early on] she spends two years pushing away her friends and perfect boyfriend. She becomes a local at the bar, where even though they know her age they serve her. She has a few hookups[which qualifies her to be a slut apparently]. Then when a new hot bartender, Kane, comes in he's unable to resist her. Suddenly Jay's popular football boyfriend, JT, is interested in her again. Then there's Rhye, a guy she fooled around with, who is back in her life again. It was just a little bit too much.

“Look at me, Jay. If I could walk away, I would. I need to walk away, but I can't. Nothing in this world could make me. Shit, it's only been twenty-four hours since we met. This is crazy. You don't know me, but I know you feel this.”

Insta-love, I'm not a fan. And it's not that it's not possible, but there's just something so overdone about it. And this love was definitely instant. There's instant new love and there's instant renewed love. It seemed almost forced in some parts, I just couldn't feel the chemistry between Jay and any of the three guys who were fighting for her affection.

Everything about this story seemed to happen so fast, including the ending. While I was connected enough to at least feel something for the characters, it still fell flat. The one thing I really liked about this book is the potential. The story was there, the characters were there, but it wasn't put together that well. I'm still interested in what will happen next so I will read the next book, I've actually already bought it.

ARC Review: Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire

Title: Walking Disaster[Beautiful #2]
Published: April 2nd, 2013
Author: Jamie McGuire
Pages: 448
Rating:
 

From Goodreads:
Finally, the highly anticipated follow-up to the New York Times bestseller Beautiful Disaster. Can you love someone too much?
Travis Maddox learned two things from his mother before she died: Love hard. Fight harder.

In Walking Disaster, the life of Travis is full of fast women, underground gambling, and violence. But just when he thinks he is invincible, Abby Abernathy brings him to his knees.

Every story has two sides. In Beautiful Disaster, Abby had her say. Now it’s time to see the story through Travis’s eyes.

MY THOUGHTS:

“I finally found the girl worth having and she's too good for me.”

If you loved Beautiful Disaster, you probably can't wait to get your hands on Walking Disaster and Travis “Mad Dog” Maddox.

Travis Maddox, what is there to say that hasn't already been said? Probably nothing, but I'm going to try. Travis Maddox is not perfect. At all. Reading Wallking Disaster I realized that being in his head is almost traumatizing. There are so many reasons to avoid Travis. He has anger issues and commitment issues and a drinking problem and who knows what other issues. So why do I love him? Because he's real! I'm not a huge fan of the “perfect man” type characters. I like the flawed men who need a little work. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of good things about Travis. He's extremely passionate in multiple way[ahem...], he's driven, he's protective, he loves his family, and he's freaking gorgeous[I can't leave that one out, call me shallow]. I wanted to punch Travis, I wanted to kick him, but mostly I wanted to reassure him that he deserves to be loved.

“When you're around, I don't need booze or money or the fighting or the one night stands... all I need is you. You're all I think about. You're all I dream about. You're all I want.”

The thing I love about Travis' relationship with Abby is the true to life feeling it gives me. A lot of relationships are explosive. People become driven by jealous and run from their feelings. It's human nature. The passion between the two is almost palpable.

The relationship between Travis and Shep is hilarious. I loved the banter between the cousins. Shep is amazing. He's willing to listen to Travis when he's upset, and he doesn't hesitate to call him out when he's being ridiculous[which is a lot, let's face it].
One of my favorite Shep/Travis lines:

“The day you appeared on our family tree, I wanted to cut it down.”

It was so weird seeing the story from Travis' side, I kept going back to certain parts in Beautiful Disaster to see what Abby was thinking. I have to say, I liked BD a little better. I just found it easier to connect to Abby's story because I can relate more the the woman's side of the relationship[obviously].

“For the first time, I felt like a normal, whole human being instead of some broken, angry man.”

I loved finding out about gaps in time when we didn't know what was going on with Travis. There were a few things I wasn't too crazy about. I was a little sad that a certain part was left out of the book. I was really hoping that this scene that isn't in BD would be in WD. I was also a little put off by the epilogue. I liked it, but I didn't love it. I'm not a big fan of those types of epilogues in general.

Overall I really liked this book. It was awesome to get another glimpse into Travis and Abby's life. There's also been talk of a third book, from the POV of Trent, Travis' brother. I can't wait. Jamie's writing is definitely like the best kind of drug.

[Review] Torched - Andrea Lynn Colt

Torched - Andrea Lynn Colt

       

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

When I first started reading this, I was hesitant. The first few chapters leading up to everything were kind of lull for me. I only say that because no matter how much I want to say I’m not bias, I am.  I’ve gotten out of the whole High school phase reading.  Occasionally, I don’t mind - which was this case. I thought this book was going to be one of those easy light reads about a girl in high school who gets wronged. BOY was I wrong! Andrea Lynn Colt definitely spun me for a loop in this novel, and did SUCH an amazing job at that!

The main character Rose is needless to say, in everyone eyes … Perfect.  Having the hottest boyfriend, and a best friend who basically owns the school, what else could you want?  Nothing.  Unbeknownst to Rose, she has quite a few people who dislike, maybe even hate her.  She never realized her wrong doings unto people until she spent the night in jail. Rose is being framed for arson and ends up in her losing everything she holds dear to her.

Torched has so many great qualities for a read. Mystery, Romance, Humor, and yes... even angst and sadness. The synopsis doesn’t give this book enough credit.  Andrea makes it incredibly easy for you to relate personally with the characters.  I completely devoured this book in one sitting. I had to know how it ended. There was so many questions that needed to be answered! [And they were] I really enjoyed reading this novel and look forward to Andrea’s next works.

I would definitely recommend this book. While the characters were in high school, you can still relate to them even if you’re not.  I didn’t feel like I was reliving high school either. Being the backdrop, you know where you are but there is so many other things going on that you don’t even care. Which, I loved.  Oh, and just saying… #Team Paxton <3 

Author Links:

Amazon

Goodreads

[Waiting On Wednesday] #2

Kait's Pick -This sounds awesome! I love stealthy mission type stories, so this is right up my alley.

The Rules - Stacey Kade

Hardcover, 416 pages
Expected publication: April 23rd 2013

1. Never trust anyone.

2. Remember they are always searching.

3. Don’t get involved.

4. Keep your head down.

5. Don’t fall in love.

Five simple rules. Ariane Tucker has followed them since the night she escaped from the genetics lab where she was created, the result of combining human and extraterrestrial DNA. Ariane’s survival—and that of her adoptive father—depends on her ability to blend in among the full-blooded humans in a small Wisconsin town, to hide in plain sight at her high school from those who seek to recover their lost (and expensive) “project.”

But when a cruel prank at school goes awry, it puts her in the path of Zane Bradshaw, the police chief’s son and someone who sees too much. Someone who really sees her. After years of trying to be invisible, Ariane finds the attention frightening—and utterly intoxicating. Suddenly, nothing is simple anymore, especially not the rules… 

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Beth's Pick -
Omfg. I can't even deal with this series. I'm SO in love with Ellie, Cam, and Javier. I can't even imagine how amazing this is going to be.

Shooting Scars - Karina Halle
Expected publication: May 13th, 2013

A second chance at first love. 

There are a few things worth risking everything for - even your life. For Camden McQueen, this is one of them.

Shooting Scars is the second book in The Artists Trilogy and is told from the dual POV of Camden and Ellie.

Cover Reveal: Frigid by J. Lynn

We have a HUGE surprise! We signed up for the cover reveal of Jennifer L. Armentrout's Sentinel. Jennifer, that sneaky wonderful woman, surprised us with the cover reveal for Frigid instead! And I assure you, we are not complaining.

So, here it is.....









Cover design: Okay Creations
Photographer: Jennifer Rush

For twenty-one-year-old Sydney, being in love with Kyler isn't anything new. They'd been best friends ever since he pushed her down on the playground and she made him eat a mud pie. Somewhere over the years, she fell for him and fell hard. The big problem with that? Kyler puts the 'man' in man-whore. He's never stayed with a girl longer than a few nights, and with it being their last year in college, Syd doesn't want to risk their friendship by declaring her love.

Kyler has always put Syd on a pedestal that was too high for him to reach. To him, she's perfect and she's everything. But the feelings he has for her, he's always hidden away or focused on any other female. After all, Kyler will always be the poor boy from the wrong side of tracks, and Syd will always be the one girl he can never have.

But when they're stranded together at a posh ski resort due to a massive Nor'easter, there's nothing stopping their red-hot feelings for each other from coming to the surface. Can their friendship survive the attraction? Better yet, can they survive at all? Because as the snow falls, someone is stalking them, and this ski trip may be a life-changer in more ways than one.

Frigid will be available in digital formats on July 30th 2013
Print release of Frigid will be November 5th 2012
Goodreads



J. Lynn, also known as Jennifer L. Armentrout, is a # 1 New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author. She lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russel Loki.
Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen.
She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.
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[Top Ten Tues] Books I Recommend The Most

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke & The Bookish.

This weeks Top Ten Category

Books I recommend the most

Kait's Picks

Slammed
By: Colleen Hoover


The Fault In Our Stars
By: John Green


The Book Thief
By Markus Zusak


The Jessica Darling Series
By: Megan McCafferty


Unwind
By: Neal Shusterman


Beth's Picks
Can I just say how HARD this is? Picking my most favorites? GAAAAH. I mean I feel like I'm leaving SO many out. As it is I'm doing a few series! Shhh. Don't tell on me. ;)

The Hollow Trilogy
By Jessica Verday
The Hollow, The Haunted, The Hidden


The Vampire Queen Series
by Rebecca Maizel
Infinite Days, Stolen Nights


The Tiger's Curse Series
By Colleen Houck
Tiger's Curse, Tiger's Quest, Tiger's Voyage, Tiger's Destiny


Hopeless
By Colleen Hoover


To Stand Beside Her
By B. Kristin McMichael


Tasting Never Series
By C.M. Stunich
Tasting Never, Finding Never, Keeping Never

Music Monday #1

Music Monday is an awesome blog hop hosted by Megan at The Book Asylum that highlights songs that remind us of a certain book.

I'm usually the one in charge of the Music Mondays around here, but Beth came across this song and she just HAD to add a song this week. :]  -Kait

Beth's Song:
Just Give Me a Reason - Pink ft. Nate Ruess



Reminds Beth of:






My Song:
Coldplay - The Scientist




Reminds me of:





What are your picks this week?

[Review] On Every Street - Karina Halle

On Every  Street – Karina Halle

Review:

"It's funny what love can do to a person. It strips them of everything, even their instincts. It creates a new reality for you to adhere to, a new world where you break the rules just to keep the love intact."

"Any love that starts out under a lie is bound to kill you." 

I adored On Every Street. Holy fucking shit. I read the first 30 % before I met Karina Halle. Regretfully I didn't pick it back up for quite a few days. Then I picked it back up and DEVOURED it. This is one of those books where YOU. CAN'T. PUT. IT. DOWN. I do however strongly recommend that you read Sins and Needles before you read On Every Street, even though it is a 0.5 Novella.

Javier... Oh Javier. You're possessive, obsessive, kind, loving, controlling, and completely SEXY. I wanted to continue to hate him, after Sins and Needles. I still kind of do. The hurt, and anguish Javier caused... for what? However, I have a soft spot for him. Underneath the monster and beast that Javier is... There are moments of pure and beautiful love.

I love Eden. When Ellie Watt stepped into the roll of Eden White for the con, she completely engulfed herself in the con. Ellie had all the right intentions when starting out. Having no idea the effect her "mark" would have on her. Would you give up everything you're working for, for love??

There is a thin line between love and obsession. I do believe that Javier and Eden love each other, but it was an unhealthy love."Mistaking obsession for love is one of the greatest mistakes you'll ever make." 

Karina Halle, You outdo yourself every damn time. I've not read an author yet who can do a complete twist in a novel with such ferocity and stealth as you can. I can't even be mad at you when you write such painstakingly HEART WRENCHING plot twists! I'm still emotional over On Every Street. Being able to physically feel the characters emotions... nothing can compare to that.

I can't wait. I just can't! What the hell is going to happen next!? I'm overwhelmed with excitement and I'm delirious with anticipation!