Review: Betrayal by Shields

Betrayal by Gillian Shields

Companion to Immortal

Link goes to and teaser from Goodreads.com

"There are the small betrayals: the unkind word, the petty lies. And there are the betrayals that break hearts, destroy worlds, and turn the strong sweet light of day into bitter dust.

When Evie Johnson started at Wyldcliffe Abbey School for Young Ladies, her life changed in ways she couldn't possibly have envisioned: the discovery of her link with Lady Agnes, her special bond with Helen and Sarah, and their sisterhood in the astonishing secrets of the Mystic Way. Above all, Evie's love for Sebastian has turned her world upside down.
Now Evie returns to Wyldcliffe for another term and more danger. Surrounded by enemies, she lives every day in fear that Sebastian will fall into the darkness of servitude to the Unconquered Lords. The Wyldcliffe coven is plotting to destroy Evie and use Sebastian to secure their own immortality. Evie and her sisters must master the power of the Talisman before it is too late. But could it be Sebastian himself who will ultimately betray Evie?
In this companion to Gillian Shields's dazzling Immortal, magic and sweeping romance cross the bounds of time to deliver heart-stopping emotion and suspense."

**My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars**


*My short and sweet review*

This was a fast paced, adventure filled book. It continues where Immortal left off, and in my opinion, even better than the first book. I love how this story stresses female friendships. I love that Sarah and Helen are there for her and they have open conversations and a close relationship. While this is a love story, I am glad that Evie makes room in her life for other things.

Harriett was an interesting addition. She was well written in that I felt much like Evie- I wanted to like her but something about her just doesn't sit quite right.

She beautifully crafted the ending, and it fits well with the book and its themes.

I would love to hear what you think and if you have written a review, feel free to link it and I will read and comment!

September Spectacular Reading Challenge + Giveaway

 

I'm taking the challenge!  Are you?

It's easy go to Thoughts of a Book Junkie to sign-up.

How does it work?

•It will start September 1st and go on through September 30th.

•There will be a 5 book reading challenge, ( one book a week) that you will have to read. Which books? Any 5 you want. Its your choice... Easy huh. At the end of that week you will post your review on your blog and add your link to the Mr. Linky at the bottom. ( If you don't have a blog you can either post a comment, letting everyone know what you think about the book or sent me an email with your review) * Sep first starts on a Wednesday so you can start your first book on Sunday the 29th if you want.

•At the end of each week a giveaway will be posted. That's 5 giveaways!! The only thing you have to do to enter is, link your review on that weeks Mr. Linky. Plus get an extra entry if you add the September Spectacular button to your post or sidebar! ( Open Internationally)

So go sign-up and Happy Reading!

My Picks (probably will change if I finish early)

Like Forbidden?

Come and join us on Goodreads! There is great conversation going on, and we are poking Tabitha for an alternate ending to suit those of us who really need some version of a HEA for Lochan and Maya. (Sidenote I think that the ending was tragic, but I think that it is fitting of the book and totally within Lochan's personality.)

Discussion about FORBIDDEN with the author Tabitha...

58 members
July 29 2010

Books we've read

Forbidden

by Tabitha Suzuma

View this group on Goodreads »

Review: Blindsided by Cummings

Blindsided by Priscilla Cummings

Link goes to and teaser from Goodreads.com

"In many ways, Natalie O’Reilly is a typical fourteenyear- old girl. But a routine visit to the eye doctor produces devastating news: Natalie will lose her sight within a few short months. Suddenly her world is turned upside down. Natalie is sent to a school for the blind to learn skills such as Braille and how to use a cane. Outwardly, she does as she’s told; inwardly, she hopes for a miracle that will free her from a dreaded life of blindness. But the miracle does not come, and Natalie ultimately must confront every blind person’s dilemma. Will she go home to live scared? Or will she embrace the skills she needs to make it in a world without sight?"

**My rating: 4 of 5 stars**

*My short and sweet review*


I enjoyed this one, as I do most stories of this type. Cummings has a good voice, and she wrote pretty well developed characters. Natalie is a realistic character, and I could understand what she must have felt and gone through. I got to watch her grow, accept, and her desire to overcome shine through in the end.

Some of the events in the book could have been foreshadowed a little less and they would have had a greater effect on me, but that doesn't detract too much. I also wish that I could have gotten to know Bree a little better, but as Natalie said it should be for both her and me maybe a mourning of what could have been.

I felt for her when Meredith was struggling with the friendship, and Natalie just wanted her to be there, but I am glad that they were able to bond more in the end.

Cummings also hinted at two possible relationship interests, and I wish that would have been explored a little more-- then I could have stayed in this universe a little longer, which I would have been happy about. It was over too soon!

I would love to hear what you think and if you have reviewed, feel free to link yours and I will read and comment. :)

Recommend books for me?

I am in need of some more books dealing with tough issues- death and dying, illness, self perception, or books on the darker side (abuse, rape, etc)

Here is a sampling of what I have read and enjoyed:

Lurlene McDaniel (I've read them all)
Girl next door
My Sister's Keeper
Change of Heart
Positively
Blindsided
Dark Song
Cut
Flyaway
Lost for Words
Forbidden
Scars
Dirty little secrets
In a heartbeat
By the time you read this I'll be dead
Purge
After
Hate List
19 Minutes
Willow

ETA- I have also read (and enjoyed)
If I Stay
Go ask alice
A child called it
Speak
13 reasons why
Beautiful
Cracked up to be
Elsewhere
God is in pancakes



tried to read Hopkins but I don't do books written in verse well

Win Matched and Beautiful Darkness

At Alexandra Shostak's blog:  ENTER HERE

below is a repost! (I am only promoting this giveaway- Alexandra is hosting)


You can win a copy of MATCHED by Ally Condie, or BEAUTIFUL DARKNESS by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, sequel to BEAUTIFUL CREATURES.





At Alexandra Shostak's blog:  ENTER HERE

Portal Chronicles Giveaway!

Sparkling Reviews is giving away the Portal Chronicles!! ENTER HERE at her site

Please say that I sent you (brandileigh2003) 

Below is a repost from Sparkling Review's site:

 

She says:

The Portal Chronicle's Giveaway!

As I am sure you have noticed we had a fantastic guest post by Imogen Rose today! Imogen was nice enough to send me extra copies of PORTAL and EQUILIBRIUM to give away to one lucky winner! Did I mention each copy is AUTOGRAPHED? by Imogen herself... I added a ton of ways that you can get extra entries on the entry form. The winner will receive a paperback copy of both Portal and the sequel Equilibrium both are autographed by Imogen Rose... You will also receive 4...that's right 4! bookmarks that correspond with the books! Oh and did I mention that this giveaway is INTERNATIONAL!!!!  Giveaway ends at 11:59pm on Sept 2nd!

ENTER HERE at her site

~:{ENTER HERE}:~

(non)Review: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Mockingjay by Collins. 

So-- I am not really going to review this one right now, I might whenever people have plenty of time to read and process. 

Immb 18

In my mailbox is a weekly meme started at The Story Siren which explores the contents of your mailbox and is designed to put new books on the radar, and encourage blogger interaction.

And here is what I got: (book links go to goodreads.com)

Bought:

Lost for Words by Kuiper- my review is here

Betrayal by Shields (review to come)

Blindsided by Priscilia Cummings (review to come)

Angel Star by Jennifer Murgia (review to come)


From ILL:

Cycler by McLaughlin My review is here


And currently reading:
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins, review to come

I also won a Catching Fire badge from Nayu's Corner

And a signed copy of Beautiful Malice by Rebecca James
courtesy of Daisy Chain Book Reviews
And it was very neat to get mail from Ireland :)


I would love to hear what you think about my books and if you want to leave a link for your IMMB, I will check it out. 

Review: Lost for Words by Kuipers

Lost for Words by Alice Kuipers

Link goes to and teaser from goodreads.com

"

My New Year's resolution: I'm moving on from everything that's happened. I'm not going to talk about it, think about it, let the memory pounce upon me like a waiting tiger, nothing.

All Sophie wants to do is forget. But it's not easy now that everything's changed. The house feels too big, school drags on for too long, lights are too bright, the room spins, and her hands get sweaty for no reason. And she can't remember why she was ever best friends with Abigail, who is obsessed with parties and boys. Only the new girl, Rosa-Leigh, with her prose poems and utter confidence, might understand. But talking to her seems impossible.
Lost in memories of the life she once had, Sophie retreats into herself. But there's only so long she can keep everything bottled up inside before she explodes. Maybe by confronting the tragedy of her past she'll figure out how to fix her future.'

**My rating: 4 of 5 stars**

*My short but sweet review*


This is an emotional book written in journal entry form. In some cases, this is a problem with me for books, but Kuipers writes to where it feels seamless to me. I got the feeling I was peeking into someone's private life, so she was successful getting me in Sophie's mind and world.

The friendships are really unstable in this book, but I think that it reflects real life and the stress these are put under (ed and ptsd).

It is frustrating yet also beautiful how the story unfolds, and finding out more about Sophie and Emily's relationship and how Emily died and how/if Sophie was involved/at fault.



I would love to hear what you think and if you have reviewed, feel free to link and I will read and comment.

Review: Cycler by McLaughlin

Cycler by Lauren McLaughlin

Link goes to and teaser from Goodreads.com

"As far as anyone at her high school knows, Jill McTeague is an average smart girl trying to get her dream date to ask her to the prom. But what no one knows, except for Jill’s mom and dad, is that for the four days Jill is out of school each month, she is not Jill at all. She is Jack, a genuine boy—complete with all the parts—who lives his four days of the cycle in the solitude of Jill’s room. But Jack’s personality has been building over the years since the cycling began. He is growing less and less content with his confinement and his cycles are more frequent. Now Jill’s question about prom isn’t about who she will go with, but who will she be when the big night arrives?"


*My Short but Sweet Review*


The premise and writing was great, it just fell a little flat for me. I think that there were too many twists and that things weren't fleshed out as much as it could have been.
Also, with Jack-- everything went back to sex, and even if guys really think that way- there needs to be more depth for me.

I liked the friendships in this book, and I like that the mom is very involved in Jill's life, even though there are problems, big ones, with her interactions with Jack.

I would love to hear what you think and if you have written a review, I would love if you link it and I will read and comment.

Hospital

 Sorry I have been absent from the blogging world, and will be for a little while longer. I have been in the hospital for renal tubular acidosis and asthma attacks. I am back home now, but its taking a while to get in the swing of things again.
I didn't want to leave my readers hanging.

IMMB 17

In my mailbox is a weekly meme started at The Story Siren which explores the contents of your mailbox and is designed to put new books on the radar, and encourage blogger interaction.

And here is what I got:
Dark Song By Gail Giles My review can be found here
Won from Reading Teen Second Hand Saturday


Penitence By Jennifer Laurens My review can be found here 
Won from Good Choice Reading

Bought:
  Sing Me To Sleep by Angela Morrison My review is here

Rising Shadow by Jacquelyn Wheeler My review is here

Currently reading:
Lost for Words by Kuipers

I would love to hear what you think and what you got- please leave me a link!

Review: Rising Shadow by Wheeler

Rising Shadow by Jacquelyn Wheeler

1st in the Soterians series

Link goes to and teaser from Goodreads.com

" Ashlyn Woods just transferred to one of the most beautiful campuses on the west coast, where she can't wait to start her life over as a normal college ...more Ashlyn Woods just transferred to one of the most beautiful campuses on the west coast, where she can't wait to start her life over as a normal college student. But her plans take an unexpected turn when she discovers that she is a Soterian: a person who develops amazing powers when the balance of good and evil shifts too far in evil's favor. Soon she and the other Soterians are studying martial arts and learning to use their powers to prevent California from being plunged into chaos. But they quickly discover that they're up against a much more dangerous enemy than they anticipated. And when Ashlyn meets Kai, a devastatingly gorgeous guitar player, she realizes she must sacrifice more than she ever imagined."

**My rating: 4 of 5 stars**

*My review*


This is an exciting story with an easy to relate to heroine. Ashlyn has mistakes in her past with no so great boyfriends and moves to a new college, she finds a great guy and a best friend and realizes she has powers to help the balance of good and evil. She still struggles with self esteem a lot and they are doubts that I know I could relate to.

The story itself is well written and well paced. She builds up the supporting characters well, and they all serve a purpose.

I would recommend it, and I am anxious to read the next one!


I would love to hear what you think and if you have written a review, feel free to link it and I will read and comment on yours!

Back to School Giveaway Bash

This contest is hosted at READING TEEN- you must enter on their site or fill out their form

It's Back-to-School time, which means kids are depressed and parents are celebrating, so we thought it was the perfect time to boost your spirits, or celebrate with you!  What better way than to have yet another GIVEAWAY?

So, what are we giving away?  Your pick of one of the following books/ARCs (Advanced Reading Copies)  Many of these titles have not released yet, and all of them are highly anticipated books!

The Duff by Kody Keplinger

The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

Pegasus by Robin McKinley

You by Charles Benoit

Halo by Alexandra Adornetto

Other by Karen Kincy

Grace by Elizabeth Scott

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl

Ascendant by Diana Peterfreund

The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney

Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler

Immortal Beloved by Cate Tiernan

Dark Song by Gail Giles

Kiss Me Deadly Anthology multiple authors

Again-- This contest is hosted at READING TEEN- you must enter on their site or fill out their form

Review: Dark Song

Dark Song by Gail Giles

ARC- Release Sept 7 2010

--Also- I would be willing to trade this book- check out my wishlist post or trade link on sidebar for what I like, but feel free to offer others

Won from Good Choice Reading Secondhand Saturday

Link goes to and teaser from Goodreads.com

"Mark said he heard the dark song when he creeped houses. The song the predator's heart sings when it hears the heart of the prey. I heard it now. Mark said it had always been in me. Lurking. Waiting for me to hear.
Ames is not the person she was a few months ago. Her father lost his job, and her family is crumbling apart. Now, all she has is Marc. Marc, who loves her more than anything. Marc, who owns a gun collection. And he'll stop at nothing--even using his guns--to get what he wants. Ames feels her parents have betrayed her with their lies and self-absorption, but is she prepared to make the ultimate betrayal against them?"


**My rating: 4 of 5 stars**

*My review*

This was a dark and edgy book, and took you on highs and lows with Ames. It was an adventure, and I would recommend reading it. The set-up and relationship are very realistic, and shows how easy it can be to just fall into a predator's grasp-- when you are searching for love and they make themselves so readily available.

I like how the younger sister Chrissy is written- she tells it like it is, and that is really needed sometimes. She is a breath of fresh air, and keeps the novel light at times when it needs a little relief.

Overall- if you like dark and twisting books, you should give this one a read!



I would love to hear what you think and if you have reviewed, feel free to link it and I will read and comment.

I won an award!

Hey Guys, guess what? I got an award! Thank you so much to Steph at The Thoughts of a Book Junky for the great award. Here is how this award works:

1. Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award and his or her blog link.
2. Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered.
3. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

OK so here are the super, fantastic, awesome and of course lovely blogs I have found:

Words on Paper
Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing
Tic Toc
Alison Can Read
I'd So Rather be Reading
Book Sanctuary
Marie Loves Books
Amy Reads
Teens Read and Write (esp Alyssa)
One Book at a Time
Erika Breathes Books
Book Fairy Haven
Another Book Junkie
Romance Book Junkies

Review: Penitence by Jennifer Laurens

Penitence by Jennifer Laurens

Link goes to and teaser from Goodreads.com

"Seeing good and evil spirits is a gift Zoe guards with her life.
Despite her guardian angel’s disappearance, Zoe forces herself to accept that she still has a purpose—but how does she carry the weight of her brother’s drug abuse, the hardship of living with an autistic sister, and a best friend who’s obsessed with a guy who only wants Zoe?

She’s never felt more alone.

When a mysterious spirit appears, Zoe thinks she has a new guardian angel. Instead, her brother’s addiction worsens, her parents are on the brink of separation, and her best friend tries to kill her. The spirit she thinks is her new guardian isn’t there to protect her: he’s out to destroy her family and seize Zoe’s soul. . . for Hell.

Will Matthias’ return mean that he is Zoe’s guardian angel again? Or is their love the reason the jaws of Hell now gape open?"

**My rating: 5 of 5 stars**

*My review*

I devoured this one and am aching for the next! This was more than a placeholder for the next in the series, so much happened and we are forced into a impossible decision!!

I am still trying to reconcile my image of Weston in this book to who he was and what he did in the last book. So I am still wanting her to chose Matthais. But such a different side of Weston comes out in this book, and if it were just another person, I would want for her to have her human love and experiences with him, but I just can't let it go.

The new character in this book is hateful, but he is meant to be, so it is well written. I just want to strangle him! But Matthais' ability to love and forgive really shines in this book, and leaves you in awe.

I really feel for Zoe-- the feelings for Weston are at war with what she feels for and has been with in her experiences with Matthais. Her love for Abria is also realistic- she doesn't suddenly have fake love, but a real and accepting love for her.

I can't really say much more except this is a great series! You should read Heavenly, and this one and then join me in the wait for Absolution!



I would love to hear what you think and if you have written a review, feel free to link it and I will comment and discuss with you!

Chose your book giveaway

This is a repost- you must enter at A Fanatic's book blog HERE

Let me lay it down for you:

There will be 2 winners to begin with!

*Winner #1 will receive their choice of books from Amazon.com up to $25

*Winner #2 will receive a $15 Gift Card to Amazon.com

For each additional amount of followers I have at the end of the giveaway I'll add more winners!

* 400 Followers = another winner of a $10 Gift Card to Amazon.com

* 500 Followers = another winner of a $15 Gift Card to Amazon.com

and if we get here.....

* 600 Followers = another winner of their choice of books from Amazon.com up to $25

What do you think? Excited? I am!

The nitty gritty:

* Each person is allowed only one entry, please do not enter more than once or you will be disqualified.

* You MUST be a follower to enter. I know, harsh, but truly I love my followers and I want to reward them for sticking with me.

* Contest will end September 30th at 12:00 pm PST.

* Winners will be be notified via email and have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.

* Prizes will be fulfilled in order of winner number, starting October 1st.

Open to:

All prizes are open Internationally! 

Note: If an International participant is the winner of a $25 prize, the prize will be sent in the form of a gift card instead of actual books.

To participate:

FILL OUT THE FORM