Smart Girls Read

Unfolding the Covers (36)

2012-01-26T09:51:00.001-06:00

The Syndicate by Shelena Shorts. New Series!

A Midsummer´s Nightmare by Kody Kpelinger

You liked them?

Waiting on Wednesday (99)

2012-01-25T10:04:00.001-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Waiting on Wednesdays (WoW) spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This Is Not a Test by Courtney Summers

Expected publication: June 19th 2012 by St. Martin's Griffin

It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self. To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live. But as the days crawl by, the motivations for survival change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life—and death—inside. When everything is gone, what do you hold on to?

Tempest GIVEAWAY!!!

2012-01-24T08:00:00.002-06:00

Tempest by Julie Cross GIVEAWAY!!!

Another Giveaway, YES! You can win a copy of Tempest by Julie Cross!!!!

The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.

Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler. Recruit… or kill him.

Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.

What do you have to do? Fill out the Rafflecopter form!!!

Open to US/ Canada Until Frebruary 3rd

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks to Tara from Zeighost Media!

In my mailbox 57

2012-01-22T12:08:00.001-06:00

In My Mailbox (IMM) is a meme hosted by Kristi, The Story Siren, based on Alea´s idea @ Pop Culture Junkie. IMM is about the books you get in a weekly basis, bought, borrowed, swapped, etc.

Keysha

La Huella de un Beso by Daniel Glattauer
Blood Red Road by Moira Young
The Morganville Vampires Vol. 3 by Rachel Caine
The Morganville Vampres Vol. 4 by Rachel Caine

AudioBooks (Audible.com)

(Click on the image to see the book description)

Kindle Books

(Click on the image to see the book description)

What did you get in your mailbox this week?

Unfolding the Covers (35)

2012-01-21T13:26:00.000-06:00

The Alchemy of Forever by Avery Williams (Book Trailer)

2012-01-20T10:53:00.000-06:00

The Alchemy of Forever by Avery Williams

Incarnation #1

Synopsis

Published: January 3rd 2012

Incarnation Series

Waiting on Wednesday (98)

2012-01-18T10:04:00.001-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Waiting on Wednesdays (WoW) spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

The Académie by Susanne Dunlap

Expected publication: April 10th 2012 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens

Eliza Monroe—daughter of the future president of the United States—is devastated when her mother decides to send her to boarding school outside of Paris. But the young American teen is quickly reconciled to the idea when—ooh, la-la!—she discovers who her fellow pupils will be: Hortense de Beauharnais, daughter of Josephine Bonaparte; and Caroline Bonaparte, youngest sister of the famous French general. It doesn't take long for Eliza to figure out that the two French girls are mortal enemies—and that she's about to get caught in the middle of their schemes.

Loosely drawn from history, Eliza Monroe's imagined coming of age provides a scintillating glimpse into the lives, loves, and hopes of three young women during one of the most volatile periods in French history.

Fracture Review

2012-01-17T10:00:00.000-06:00

Fracture by Megan Miranda
Release Date January 17, 2012

Eleven minutes passed before Delaney Maxwell was pulled from the icy waters of a Maine lake by her best friend Decker Phillips. By then her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly finedespite the scans that showed significant brain damage. Everyone wants Delaney to be all right, but she knows she's far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney finds herself drawn to the dying. Is her altered brain now predicting death, or causing it?

Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who recently emerged from a coma with similar abilities. At first she's reassured to find someone who understands the strangeness of her new existence, but Delaney soon discovers that Troy's motives aren't quite what she thought. Is their gift a miracle, a freak of nature-or something much more frightening?

For fans of best-sellers like Before I Fall and If I Stay, this is a fascinating and heart-rending story about love and friendship and the fine line between life and death

I hadn't known that a light could be a feeling and a sound could be a color and a kiss could be both a question and an answer. And that heaven could be the ocean or a person or this moment or something else entirely.

Opinion

Fracturewas one of the books that I had mixed feelings about in this case there aremore positive than negative.

Theplot is pretty simple Delaney goes to the lake to play manhunt with her bestfriend Decker and others friend they are not supposed to go to the lake becausethe ice it still not strong same way they go and Delaney falls through theice and she’s not able to go to the surface and ends up under the water for 11minutes. Decker is able to pull her out and when she wakes up in thehospital she knows that something must be wrong because a normal personwouldn't have survive being under water so much time or at least they should bein a coma. But her coming back to life comes with a price she now can sensewhen someone is going to die or nearing death, which she describe as a pull orher finger start shaking or like she’s having a seizure. When Delaney wasgoes back to her house, everything and everyone around her change and in herdesperate need to understand her new "gift" she find Troy Vargas, ayoung man that has the same ability but can we trust this guy? Does he have thebest interest for Delaney

MeganMiranda in an exceptional writer, her way of describing the emotion thatDelaney was going to through were beautiful and haunting, she really gets intodeep of the human emotion and the life and death concept too. I think myproblem with the book was Delaney herself, I couldn't relate nor feel for thisgirl, she was very cold toward everyone and not only after the accident alsobefore the accident and is kinda hard when you cannot relate in any level withthe protagonist of the story, yes she changed but I thought her journey throughher emotional recovery would be different. Her relationship with Decker was socomplicated, they were both stubborn even though they have been for each otherand were developing feelings for each other and I guess it got me frustratedbut I guess how Mrs. Miranda wraps everything make up for all the frustration

Troyin the other was a very interesting character, he was dark, dangerous and hehad an attraction for Delaney and I have to say it he was a very controversialcharacter and I liked that the author wasn't afraid to write about thedecisions he took in the book. The other characters of the book were goodI guess the background story about Delaney's mother was very interesting and Ithink she depicted her reaction toward what happened to Delaney was veryreal and it was one of my favorite part of the book.

Imust confess that the book was a bit slow for me at first but after Troyappeared the dynamic of the book totally changed and the plot twists keep youwondering what would happen next.

Thisis a very interesting book, like I said it has it flaws but it has strengthstoo but is totally worth it, you only need a bit of patience and you would getthere. A strong debut and I would be glad to read her next book.

Plot 4/ 5

Characters 3.5/ 5

Writing Style 5 / 5

Finale 4/ 5

Cover 4/ 5

Total 4/5

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood (Book Trailer)

2012-01-16T10:46:00.000-06:00

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

The Cahill Wich Chronicles #1

Synopsis

On sale: 2/7/2012

Read the first pages

Unfolding the Covers (34)

2012-01-15T19:59:00.000-06:00

Great New Covers! Check Them Out!

First Giveaway of 2012: Cinder

2012-01-15T12:41:00.002-06:00

Hello everyone, we are glad to post our first giveaway 2012 thanks to St. Martin's Press. Is a hardcover copy of Cinder by Marissa Meyer:

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .
Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

You would have until January 27, 2012 to participate and you have to fill out the Rafflecopter form.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hallowed - Cynthia Hand (Review)

2012-01-13T09:42:00.000-06:00

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand
(Unearthly #2)

January 17th 2012 by HarperCollins Publishers
416p
CONTAINS SPOILERS OF UNEARTHLY
For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought. Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

Clara did not fulfill her purpose and thing did not came out as they were expected to, but life must go on and Clara needs to find answer to all her questions. Unfortunately a lot of things get complicated and that just adds confusion to Clara´s life. There´s Tucker and there´s Christian who apparently hasn’t given up on her, Jeffrey´s acting strange and her mother ´s is still avoiding her questions… but there´s something else, something awful about to come…and Clara does not know how will she manage to overcome it.

In hallowed we can see a way more human Clara (ironic, right) because she´s struggling with a lot of issues, her heart tells her one thing and her mind another, and there is a lot she does not know and is just frustrating for her not to know what to do or not being able to do what she wants without creating a big mess.

It was a great second part, with more action, way more drama, more mystery (kind of, with all the things her mother´s hiding from her) and I think it was better than Unearthly in a lot of aspects. The writing is awesome, I loved to know more about other characters, I loved how my favorite characters grow up and got more mature and it was great to find a new twist (I was certainly not expecting THAT) in the story without taking the essence away, because it still is about Clara´s purpose but is also about her family, about herself, about Tucker and Christian and Jeffrey, I really liked that.

I don’t know if it was just me but I found Hallowed way more touching than Unearthly, I cried, I laughed and I really empathized with Clara and I just kept wondering what was really happening, making guesses and it was great to be submerged that much in the story.

The ending was just so sad…in a lot of aspects and I seriously hope things work out and that will have a lot a Tucker and Christian as well in book three.

I really like Unearthly (as you can see here); it was something refreshing… the whole angel, purpose thing and especially because it was a girl. I love the writing and it was a great book for me. So, yes, I was very excited to read more about Clara, Tucker, Christian and angels and purposes and was really hoping Hallowed did not disappoint. I didn´t…and a loved it.

Hallowed was definitely a wondrous read, a gripping thrilling sequel that I’m sure you´ll want to read.

Plot 5/ 5

Characters 4.5/ 5

Writing Style 5 / 5

Finale 4.5/ 5

Cover 4.5/ 5

Total 5/5

We Recommend you: Tempest

2012-01-12T10:18:00.002-06:00

Tempest by Julie Cross is out!!!

The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps– it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future. Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler. Recruit… or kill him.

A success in the making: Pre-empted by Summit Entertainment (producers of Twilight) for feature film, with foreign rights sold in more than a dozen countries, Tempest, on sale January 17, is the first book in the buzzed about Tempest series by Julie Cross.

If you want to read the 4 first chapter go HERE

Review coming soon

Waiting on Wednesday (97)

2012-01-11T10:03:00.001-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Waiting on Wednesdays (WoW) spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Breathe by Melanie McCullough

Expected publication: February 29th 2012

Life's hard. People make it harder. They tether you to them. Make it difficult to breathe, and damn-near impossible to leave...

Seventeen year-old Abby Rhoades knows this all too well. Born to a mother who could never love her and who vacillates between a sloppy drunk and a suicidal maniac, Abby's never had it easy. But Abby can swim. And Abby has a plan--win the state championship, earn a free ride to Penn State, and leave her small town and suffocating mother behind.

But then the body of Tom Ford, her mother's latest boyfriend and a man Abby adored, washes up along the shore of the Susquehanna River. His injuries suggest murder and suspicion quickly falls on Abby then on her best friend Garrett Scott, both of whom saw Tom the night he died.

They both know what happened that night, but neither one is talking. There's too much at stake and the truth could tear them apart.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight Review

2012-01-11T10:00:00.000-06:00

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
Release Date January 2, 2012

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18B. Hadley's in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it

"He’s like a song she can’t get out of her head. Hard as she tries, the melody of their meeting runs through her mind on an endless loop, each time as surprisingly sweet as the last, like a lullaby, like a hymn, and she doesn’t think she could ever get tired of hearing it.”

The statistical probability that I wouldn't like this book were almost slim to none but I'm the kind of the girl that I have to first read before judging and oh well I'm glad that I bought this book on kindle because I think i would have been mad if I would have to waited a week to read such treasure.

Hadley misses her flight to London to go his father second wedding which she's not to happy to go since she doesn't know her new stepmother and her dad didn't leave in very good terms. Now she has to wait for three hours for the next plain and in those three hours she meets Oliver, a British boy who studies in U.S. but is going home to do a family thing to, the probability that hanging in the airport and then all the flight (because their seats are almost next to each other) to london will change their life is not that big but they are up to a surprise.

Do i believe in love at first sight? Not really but this book makes me believe that one moment can change your life forever, for better or worse. This book was certainly about love but also about family, and also about forgiveness. Hadley is a young woman, just like you and me who is having big issues with his dad after he went to work in London for just 4 monthsa and ended up never coming back. She's mad and hurt with all the good reasons and the way Mrs. Smith describe her feelings is almost heartbreaking you feel for this girl and though personally I haven't been in such situation I can imagine myself feeling the same way if something like that would happen to me. The flashback when she's remembering momen with her father, when she was little, when she meet him after he left for london were really touching, the author does a wonderful job convey her emotions like I said you feel for Hadley and you want nothing more but for her to get her resolution. Oliver in the other part was *sighs* was sweet, and thoughtful and all charming with his british accent and all that (I could almost hear in my head talking all british), he was the knight in shiny armor but with flaws. He was also going through his own ordeal which later revelead later on the book and it was describe beautifuly, sad but beautifuly.

This is the perfect example of a very well developed relationship between the two main character eventhough all the book happens in a span of 24 hours. Their scenes together were beautiful put together, how they realized they like each other and those hours in the air were changing them and how they were helping each other to be ready to confront whatever was going to happen in London were well thought and well written and it wasn't the suffocating as I see you and I NEED YOU NOW... but more I see you and I like being with you. They were both seen the potential of being together in a long term.

This book is only 236 pages (at least in kindle edition) is a short read yes but a sweet and good one. It makes you wanna cry, it makes you feel for both character but the good thing is that in the end it makes you hope, hope that what you read there you can find it in the real life.

So the statistical probability of me no recomending you this book? ARE NONE. This is a must read and I'm glad it was my first book of ther year, what good way to start the year right?

Plot 5/ 5

Characters 5/ 5

Writing Style 5 / 5

Finale 5/ 5

Cover 5/ 5

Total 5/5

I just HAD to post it

2012-01-10T21:09:00.000-06:00

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Trailer

Sinopsis

Top Ten Tuesday (2): I Wish They Would Write Another Book

2012-01-10T13:14:00.000-06:00

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Top Ten Authors I Wish Would Write Another Book

JK Rowling: No comments, I just NEED more of her writing.
Louisa May Alcott: Just because, Little Women is a very special book for me.
Barry Lyga: I really like the way he writes, Boy Toy was really good.
Sarah Dessen: I have not read all of her books but the idea of another book of hers coming out soon is just wonderful.
Laurie Halse Anderson: Because she´s a great author and has no fear in telling thing the way they are, would love to read a new book by her.
Diane Setterfield: The Thirtheent Tale is one of my all time favorites, so... why not another book? I´d definitely devour it.
Suzanne Collins: I know a lot of you will agree on this one. We just need more.
Gayle Forman: Well I know she has a book coming out on 2013 but I cant wait! I loved If I Stay and Where She Went, touching books. I want to read that kind of thing again.
Anastasia Hopcus: Because I´m dying to know what happens now with Shadow Hills.
Angela Morrison: Sing Me to Sleep was just beautiful... I don´t need to say more, do I?

Are any of these authors on your list?

Late In My Mailbox (56)

2012-01-09T21:17:00.000-06:00

In My Mailbox (IMM) is a meme hosted by Kristi, The Story Siren, based on Alea´s idea @ Pop Culture Junkie. IMM is about the books you get in a weekly basis, bought, borrowed, swapped, etc.

Mariana

Netgalley:

Keysha:

Hi, here's the second part of what I got for Christmas (a Kindle Touch) and all the kindle books I've bought from October to December of 2011.

What did you got in your mailbox this week?

Unfolding the Covers (33)

2012-01-09T08:54:00.000-06:00

It seems to be that there are a lot of awesome covers around. Check these out!

Remembrance - Michelle Madow (Review)

2012-01-08T12:21:00.001-06:00

Remembrance by Michelle Madow
Transcend Time Saga #1

Published July 27th 2011 by Dreamscape Publishing
314p

New Hampshire high school junior Lizzie Davenport has been reincarnated from Regency Era, England ... but she doesn't know it yet.

Then Drew Carmichael transfers into Lizzie's school at the beginning of the year, and she feels a connection to him, almost like she knows him. She can't stop thinking about him, but whenever she tries talking with him about the mysteries behind her feelings, he makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with her. Reaching him is even more difficult because she has a boyfriend, Jeremy, who has started to become full of himself after being elected co-captain of the varsity soccer team, and her flirtatious best friend Chelsea starts dating Drew soon after his arrival. So why can't she seem to get him out of her mind?

Even though Lizzie knows she should let go of her fascination with Drew, the pair of them soon find that fighting fate isn't going to be easy.

Lizzie Davenport is like any other girl (or so she thinks). Blonde and gorgeous, popular and she has a boyfriend that other girls would love to be with. She has a normal life. But the Drew comes to her life and things just… change.

She knows he´s different, she feels like she knows him and she thinks there might be something in him…but he despises her and dates her best friend, and she´s with Jeremy, right? Then why can’t she shake the feeling, the need to be around Drew, out of her heart and most important, her heart?

Remembrance is a very interesting story. The plot is not really original, talking about reincarnation and girl falls for boy immediately but Michelle manages to twist the story into something different with a great writing, nice characters and a great pace that will draw you into the book.

I must admit that I wasn’t drawn to it immediately and at first it just seemed so typical, but then it got so interesting that I could not stop reading. I really liked Lizzie not accepting Jeremy’s treatment but sometimes I wish she applied that to Drew´s even when later they fix things.

It was a very good book, I have not read too many books about reincarnation (talking about just reincarnation, not angels/demons/vampires or anything involved) and I liked it. I love the whole Jane Austen thing and the costume and the mask, those were some details I loved were incorporated and that made the story richer.

The ending was good and I think it conclude the story in a good way. I know there were some unfinished issues but I am content with what happened, that means I’m not so sure about the next book, but that´s just because I loved Lizzie and Drew as a couple and I think they deserved to be happy, after all.

In conclusion, Remembrance is a very good book, with a really interesting plot and development that I’m sure you´ll enjoy.

Plot 3.5/ 5

Characters 3.5/ 5

Writing Style 4 / 5

Finale 4/ 5

Cover 4/ 5

Total 3.5/5

Buy the Book

Thanks to Michelle for letting us read her book.

Firelight- Sophie Jordan (Review)

2012-01-06T09:34:00.000-06:00

Firelight by Sophie Jordan

Published September 7th 2010 by HarperTeen
323p

A hidden truth.
Mortal enemies.
Doomed love.
Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki—a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.
Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will's dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away—if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She'll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.
Mythical powers and breathtaking romance ignite in this story of a girl who defies all expectations and whose love crosses an ancient divide.

Jacinda is a draki. She´s part of a Dragon descending clan that can shift to human form. But even among these mythical creatures, Jacinda is different. She´s the only fire drake in years, there were supposed to be extinct… but there she is. And now things may get a little dangerous for her.

After an unfortunate incident, Jacinda’s life turns around and then she has to give up everything she knows for a new life, a safe life her mother tells her. But Jacinda can’t understand why all the trouble, why is her mother putting her through all of that, killing her nature. Tamra, her sister, could not be happier with the new life, a human life with school and friends; even Jacinda´s mother seems to be happy. But they don’t know that Jacinda feels like dying, except when she´s around Will. But Will is more than he shows and Jacinda could be in danger if she gets too close to him.

Firelight is a really different and original book. It presents marvelous, ancient creatures, dragons, or more likely, drakis a dragon variation that can shift to human. With a very interesting plot that plays with danger and difficulties of being a teenager, having a family that does not understand you, the author narrates Jacinda´s story and her time in the human world, trying to keep alive her draki part even when it means risking everything.

I really liked reading about draki´s nature and history and I certainly hope to find out more in the upcoming books. Jacinda is an awesome female character, full of personality, a girl of decisions, full of strength. Will is adorable, I love him <3. Tamra was not bad but I didn’t quite like her but the mother I could not stand, you´ll see why.

The book has a fluid pace, the writing is enjoyable and you end up reading the book really fast and wanting more. The ending makes you eager to devour the next book, Vanish. What I liked the most about the story is that is actually believable (I mean for being a fantasy book) and you know that there is material for another book and you don’t mind because it was really good and the first book had action, love, drama and great twists that keep you in the story. It´s actually one of the few books I´ve read lately that I don´t care they are a trilogy. However I’m not so sure about the movie but I am curious, especially about the transformation and the drake form, I´d love to watch that.

Firelight is, without doubt, a surprising, gripping, fantasy book that has a lot of potential and that you must read if you love fantastic stories with a touch of romance.

Plot 5/ 5

Characters 4.5/ 5

Writing Style 4.5 / 5

Finale 4.5/ 5

Cover 4.5/ 5

Total 4.5/5

Book Trailers: Books I want to Read

2012-01-05T10:51:00.001-06:00

Today I want to show you two book trailers I just watched. These books are on my whishliust because they sound just awesome.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth

The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe

Dont you want to read them?

Paradise- Jill Alexander (Review)

2012-01-04T15:59:00.000-06:00

Paradise by Jill Alexander

Published July 5th 2011 by Feiwel & Friends
256p

Paisley Tillery is the drummer for a country rock band. If they can make it to the stage at the Texapalooza music fest, then Paisley will be closer to her dream of a career in music and a ticket out of her small Texas town.
Drumming and music are what Paisley has always wanted. Until the band gets a new lead singer, the boy from Paradise, Texas. With Paradise in her life, what Paisley wants, and what she needs, complicate her dreams coming true.

Mariana:

Paisley´s dream is not what her mother wants for her, she´s a talented drummer in a country rock band and she has to hide it. She wants to play, she wants to be in the band and she wants to win Texapalooza, she wants to do what she likes but her mother would never approve.

Secret rehearsals and gigs and a couple of lies is what it takes to keep everything under control, to keep playing. But when Paradise, the new vocalist, comes into scene, things get more complicated.

Paradise is a very lovely book telling us Paisley´s story, a teenager with dreams and problems that´s exploring new territories, like love. Is a very different story, inspired by music and with a Latin-American touch -which I loved (the male character, Paradise is Colombian and plays a squeezebox). Is a very emotional book, captivating and a very fast read that allows us to enjoy a bittersweet (in a good sense, of course) story.

Paisley is a very unique character. Determined, direct and badass, I really liked her. On the other hand Paradise was awesome and also Lacey and the boys were great I liked knowing more about the secondary characters and not just focusing on Paisley, it was also nice to read Cal´s lyrics and to know that other part of the story, at the end it was one of the parts that left my with hope.

Is a very nice, enjoyable book, the pace is good and even when you read it very fast it makes you think and feel. Is the first book I read by Jill and I love the way she expresses and builds characters and the feelings she transmits through the letters.

My only problem with the book was the ending, not because is not a typical happy, perfect ending, I actually don’t like those, but I do think it was a bit abrupt and maybe it could have worked out other way around.

In conclusion, Paradise is a really nice book that will captivate you, that will make you feel, a really good book, easy to read and that you will surely enjoy.

Keysha
R

Plot 4/ 5

Characters 4.5/ 5

Writing Style 4.5 / 5

Finale 4/ 5

Cover 4.5/ 5

Total 4/5

Waiting on Wednesday (96)

2012-01-04T08:15:00.001-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Waiting on Wednesdays (WoW) spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

When the Sea is Rising Red by Cat Hellisen

Expected publication: February 28th 2012 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux

In sixteen-year-old Felicita’s world, magic is strictly controlled—or so those in power like to believe. After her dearest friend, Ilven, kills herself to escape an arranged marriage, Felicita chooses freedom over privilege. She fakes her own death and leaves her sheltered life as one of Pelimburg’s magical elite behind. Living in the slums, scrubbing dishes for a living, she falls for charismatic Dash while also becoming fascinated with vampire Jannik. Then something shocking washes up on the beach: Ilven’s death has called out of the sea a dangerous, wild magic. Felicita must decide whether her loyalties lie with the family she abandoned . . . or with those who would twist this dark power to destroy Pelimburg’s caste system, and the whole city along with it.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer (Book Trailer)

2012-01-03T14:56:00.000-06:00

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Book One in The Lunar Chronicles

Even in the future, the story begins with Once Upon a Time…. Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth's fate hinges on one girl. . . . Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She's a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world's future.

Lunar Chronicles on Facebook

Marissa Meyer's Blog

Facebook

Twitter

Unfolding the Covers (32)

2012-01-03T12:37:00.000-06:00

Today we have just two covers, but they are very pretty, aren´t they?

Top Ten Tuesday (1)

2012-01-03T12:15:00.001-06:00

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Hello Everyone! Today we have our very first TTT. I know, shame on us! But here we´re!

Top Ten Books I'm Excited To Read in 2012

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver. Im dying to read this one, I cant wait to know what happens with Lena and how things are gonna be after what happened.
Crown of Embers by Rae Carson. I loved The Girl of Fire and Thorns and I Loved Elisa so... I cant wait to read more about that fascinanting world!
Dreamless by Josephine Angelini. Starcrossed was one of my favorite reads last year and Im eager to know what comes now for Helen and Lucas.
A Want So Wicked by Suzanne Young. Charlotte´s life changed completely in A Need So Beautiful, I really want to know what happened to her.
Until I Die by Amy Plum. Die For me was great, I love the setting and I cant wait to know what other challenges Kate and Vincent must confront.
Insurgent by Veronica Roth. Because Divergent was awesome and that end.... gosh I just need to know more.
Fever by Lauren DeStefano. Another one with a cliffhanger ending, what more can I say?
The Fault in our Stars by John Green. One of my Favorite authors, I miss so much reading his books that Im dying to have this one.
The Story of Us by Deb Caletti. Because I really liked the books I read by Deb, I love her writing.
Slide by Jill Hathaway. I´ve heard great things about this one, the plot´s very interesting and I really want to read it.

Which books are you dying to read?

In My Mailbox (55)

2012-01-01T10:00:00.000-06:00

In My Mailbox (IMM) is a meme hosted by Kristi, The Story Siren, based on Alea´s idea @ Pop Culture Junkie. IMM is about the books you get in a weekly basis, bought, borrowed, swapped, etc.

Welcome to our first IMM of 2012! Here´s what we got, mostly during the holidays (and thanks to the fact that we went a little crazy buying kindle books xD)

Mariana

Bought:

Swapped:

Gift:

Keysha

A lot right? I know but is being a while since I haven't done a IMM and well this is accumulation of almost 4 months. I didn't put it in any specific order but here is a mix of bought, gifts and for review books.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T21:03:00.001-06:00

We wish you a year full of happiness, joy... and books!

2011 Best Reads

2011-12-30T13:59:00.004-06:00

TOP 5
The Girl of Fire and Thorns, Rae Carson

Between Shades of Gray, Ruta Sepetys

Chasing Brooklyn, Lisa Schroeder

Maze Runner, James Dashner

Starcrossed, Josephine Angelini

Best Female Character

Elisa (The Girl of Fire and Thorns) y Lina (Between Shades of Gray)

Best Male Character

Charlie (The Perks of Being a Wallflower)

Most Surprising Book

Forgotten, Cat Patrick

Best First Books

The Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Laini Taylor

A Need So Beautiful, Suzane Young

Starcrossed, Josephine Angelini

Firelight, Sophie Jordan

Matched, Ally Condie
The Girl of Fire and Thorns, Rae Carson
Divergent, Veronica Roth

Waiting on Wednesday (95)

2011-12-28T09:59:00.001-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Waiting on Wednesdays (WoW) spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Intangible by J. Meyers

Expected publication: January 2012

Twins Sera and Luke Raine have a well-kept secret—she heals with a touch of her hand, he sees the future. All their lives they’ve helped those in need on the sly. They’ve always thought of their abilities as being a gift.

Then Luke has a vision that Sera is killed. That gift they’ve always cherished begins to feel an awful lot like a curse. Because the thing about Luke’s ability? He’s always right. And he can’t do anything about it.

Irises by Francisco X. Stork

Expected publication: January 1st 2012 by Arthur a Levine

Two sisters discover what's truly worth living for in the new novel by the author of MARCELO IN THE REAL WORLD.

TWO SISTERS: Kate is bound for Stanford and an M.D. -- if her family will let her go. Mary wants only to stay home and paint. When their loving but repressive father dies, they must figure out how to support themselves and their mother, who is in a permanent vegetative state, and how to get along in all their uneasy sisterhood.

THREE YOUNG MEN: Then three men sway their lives: Kate's boyfriend Simon offers to marry her, providing much-needed stability. Mary is drawn to Marcos, though she fears his violent past. And Andy tempts Kate with more than romance, recognizing her ambition because it matches his own.

ONE AGONIZING CHOICE: Kate and Mary each find new possibilities and darknesses in their sudden freedom. But it's Mama's life that might divide them for good -- the question of *if* she lives, and what's worth living for.

IRISES is Francisco X. Stork's most provocative and courageous novel yet.

2012 YA Contemporary Challenge

2011-12-27T22:51:00.000-06:00

So, yeah Im signing up for another challenge. I was analyzing what I read this year and I noticed something that shocked me: I did not read enought contemporary books. This challenge will be my chance to read plenty of Contemporary books on 2012. So here´s my list:

Welcome, Caller, This Is Chloe by Shelley Coriell
Life Is But a Dream by Brian James
Gone, Gone, Gone by Hannah Moskowitz
Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley
Try Not to Breathe by Jennifer R. Hubbard

Im just chosing 5 books but I hope to read more. Im planning to read more Contemporary books but not exactly published on 2012 ;)

The Girl of Fire and Thorns - Rae Carson (Review)

2011-12-27T12:51:00.000-06:00

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
(Fire and Thorns #1)

Published September 20th 2011 by Greenwillow Books
432 pages

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.

Elisa is the chosen one.

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can’t see how she ever will.

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he’s not the only one who needs her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do.

Elisa is a princess and even when she´s The Chosen One, her life is far from perfect, SHE is far from perfect, she knows it. How can she be the one chosen by god? What does she have to do? Her life changes when her father gives her hand in matrimony to a king from another land and that´s when Elisa´s journey begins.

War, death, hunger, danger… that´s what awaits and Elisa will have to gather all of her strength to survive and maybe, just maybe to fulfill her destiny.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns is an amazing book. It shows us a very well thought, nicely built story. A story from another land, from another era. I loved how Rae Carson intertwined Latin and Hispanic elements to the story, that was seriously wonderful for me, because the Hispanic culture is not often used to built the plot of a story and I really think, and not just because am a Latin girl, that it is a very rich culture and the author managed to add that to a riveting story. It was wonderful to read all the names of the characters, the food. The world was wonderfully built. Is a great story, the pace is great and the characters are lovely.

Elisa was amazing, a kick-ass heroine, perfectly not perfect! I loved her, she was strong, determined and she acknowledged her decisions and suffers the consequences. She had big self-esteem issues but she didn’t let that stop her, she embraced her true self and rose from where she was. She sacrificed a lot of things but we never saw her crying in the corners like other female characters in books not worth to be mentioned in this post.

I liked Elisa right from the start, she was a very different female main character, she wasn’t skinny, she wasn’t considered the prettiest and that is just REAL, because I am tired of the perfect girl starring wonderful stories. Anyway, as the story comes to life and as Elisa learns and gets more matures you get to love her, I seriously loved her. Of course I loved Humberto and even Hector!

The story provided a perfect combination of action, drama and some romance, making the story complex and just beautiful.

The developing of the story was really good, there were a lot of things happening, some made me sad, some made me bite my nails. There were a lot of unexpected twists and I think the way things developed at the end was just what was supposed to happen.

Is actually one of my favorite books of this year, I really enjoyed reading and getting lost in this marvelous world. I can’t wait to know what happens now!

The Girl of Fire and Thorns is a gripping, vibrant and unforgettable story that will definitely captivate you.

Note: I really like the cover but I think the UK cover represents the book better ;)

Plot 5/ 5

Characters 5/ 5

Writing Style 4.5 / 5

Finale 4.5/ 5

Cover 4.5/ 5

Total 5/5

Unfolding the Covers (31)

2011-12-27T08:36:00.000-06:00

'Unfolding The Covers' is a meme where we´ll show you recently revealed covers for books we're interested in.

Today we want to show these awesome covers, what you think?

Happy Holidays

2011-12-23T16:10:00.000-06:00

Have a wonderful Christmas full of joy and love! We hope Santa brings you a lot of books ^.^

Trylle Series by Amanda Hocking - Book Trailer

2011-12-21T14:36:00.001-06:00

Trylle Facebook PageAdd to Goddreads

Waiting on Wednesday (94)

2011-12-21T08:59:00.000-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Waiting on Wednesdays (WoW) spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

ExtraNormal by Suze Reese

ExtraNormal, #1

Expected publication: January 2012

Mira Johns is pretty much like any other teenage girl. Except that she knows how to harness electro-magnetic energy to communicate without words. And she's really, really far from home. Her assignment as an emissary to Earth sounds fairly simple: blend in, observe, and stay away from the planet’s primitive males. But after she finds one mysterious boy too irresistible for stupid rules, she realizes the real reason she's supposed to keep her distance: mates from her world can die if separated. But a series of serious accidents make it clear that someone wants to force her return. Mira decides her only hope is to uncover the truth to why she, the most mediocre of candidates, was actually chosen for this assignment—before the agency discovers her secret and sends her back home.

Stand Alone Reading Challenge 2012

2011-12-20T17:37:00.002-06:00

There's a challenge for Debuts, there's a challenge for Sophomores, why not a challenge for Standalones?

So what's the challenge?
To read 15 standalone YA books in 2012!

What books count towards the 2012 Standalone Reading Challenge?
Any Young Adult standalone book that is released between December 27, 2011 and December 31, 2012. Any format (paperback, hardcover, e-book, ARC) counts, but they must be read during the time period mentioned above.

To know MORE

My List:

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
The Fault in our Stars by John Green
This Is Not a Test by Courtney Summers
Fracture by Megan Miranda
Don't Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala
Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler
When the Sea is Rising Red by Cat Hellisen
First Comes Love by Katie Kacvinsky
Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson
Someone Else´s Life by Katie Dale
The Story of Us by Deb Caletti
Where It Began by Ann Redisch Stampler
A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger
In Too Deep by Amanda Grace
Try Not to Breathe by Jennifer R. Hubbard

In My Mailbox (54)

2011-12-18T19:51:00.000-06:00

In My Mailbox (IMM) is a meme hosted by Kristi, The Story Siren, based on Alea´s idea at Pop Culture Junkie . IMM is about the books you get in a weekly basis, bought, borrowed, swapped, etc.

Hello Everyone!

We hope you´re having alovely day! Let us show you what we got this week :)

10 Things I Hate About You and A Wal to Remember DVD

A Bunch of Free Kindle Books (I don´t have a Kindle but I have Kindle for PC ^^)

All thanks to Netgalley :)

What did you get this week?

Sophomore Reading Challenge 2012

2011-12-12T23:07:00.003-06:00

Sophomore Reading Challenge

Sophomore Reading Challenge is Hosted by Chic Loves Lit

What books count towards the SRC?

Any second YA or MG book published by an author in 2012 counts – it can be the second in a series, a new series, or a standalone. The only requirement is that it is the SECOND book the author has published in the YA or MG realm.

What are the guidelines of the challenge?

Your challenge is to read 10 sophomore YA/MG novels in 2012. To officially participate, you need a Goodreads account or blog where you post reviews in English.

Join!

My List:

Dreamless by Josephine Angelini
The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson
Arise by Tara Hudson
Fever by Lauren DeStefano
Until I Die by Amy Plum
Perception by Kim Harrington
Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard*
Daughter of Smoke and Bone Book 2 by Laini Taylor
Revived by Cat Patrick
New Girl by paige Harbison*

*Have Them
~~Read~~
Reviewed

Reading on Mondays (41) + Hallowed Trailer

2011-12-12T15:53:00.000-06:00

Is Monday, What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Book Journey

Another Monday, What are we reading?

Mariana
I´m Reading Cut by Patricia McCormick and Im about to finish it. Yesterday I finished Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor and I really, really liked it.

What are YOU reading??

BTW, I just watched Hallowed´s UK Trailer and couldn´t resist posting it. I already read the book and I loved it!! So, here it is:

Unfolding the Covers (30)

2011-12-08T10:40:00.002-06:00

'Unfolding The Covers' is a meme where we´ll show you recently revealed covers for books we're interested in.

Today we have a couple of pretty good covers for some pretty interesting books. What you think?

The Perks of Being a Wallflower- Stephen Chbosky (Review)

2011-12-06T10:55:00.003-06:00

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Published February 2nd 2009 by Pocket Books (first published February 1st 1999)
232 pages

Charlie is a freshman. And while he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it. Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mixed tapes, family dramas and new friends; the world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite. But Charlie can't stay on the sideline forever. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a deeply affecting coming-of-age story that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller-coaster days known as growing up.

“Enjoy it. Because it's happening.”

Charlie is not the coolest or most popular boy in school, but he´s not a nerd or a total weirdo either. He´s quiet, he listens, he thinks and he´s learning how things work in this life and around him. With his new friends, Sam and Patrick he learns about music, books, love, drugs, sex and how hard and complicated life can be.

Charlie is such a peculiar character, he´s really smart but also kinda weird, he doesn’t know how to act around others. He hasn’t had a girlfriend either, but when he meets Sam he knows he´s feeling something but is not quite sure what. Charlie is s boy trying to figure out what life really means and he screws it up several times, but that´s what learning is about.

It´s been a while since I read this book, but it was difficult to write what I thought about it. I loved it, yes. I loved Charlie, I loved the story, the writing style, the characters and I think the ending was just how it was supposed to be.

But I can’t say it wasn’t a very different book because it REALLY DIFFERENT and it has its own voice. Chbosky does not fear to say things the way they are and he deals with tough subjects like sex, drugs or abuse but he talks about them they way they are, they way they happen, in everyday life, even when the story is set in the 90´s, these problems are still happening now, and they happened years ago as well.

I think it was a poignant story, it wasn’t hard to read, but some moments were a little bit harder than others. It was beautifully written, the characters felt real and so was the story and I believe is very inspirational they way Charlie thinks, and of course the way Stephen expresses and makes you feel and think about life through the story and Charlie´s eyes.

My book is full of marks of the quotes I liked, there are several of them and if I looove something about books, is that, that I can find good quotes that made me think and say wow.

As you see it is hard for me to tell what the book really is and what it was for me, but I have no problem saying that I loved it, that is one of my favorites and that young boys and girls and adults should read it, because it speaks and it´s different and great and is not easy to find that kind of book anymore.

Plot 5/ 5

Characters 5/ 5

Writing Style 5 / 5

Finale 4.5/ 5

Cover 4.5/ 5

Total 5/5

Unlovable by Sherry Gammon INTERVIEW + GIVEAWAY

2011-12-03T19:55:00.000-06:00

Unlovable by Sherry Gammon

Port Fare, New York, has fallen into the clutches of true evil. The Dreser brothers have arrived with a scheme to increase drug sales in the area by whatever means possible. Seth Prescott is part of MET (Mobile Enforcement Teams) a branch of the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration). He's been assigned to work undercover at Port Fare High, and things aren't going very well, until senior Maggie Brown enters the equation. He's harbored a secret crush on her from day one, and now that she is in the center of the case, he's trying to stay clear and objective while walking the line between business and unrequited love.
Maggie is truly the poster child for Heroin Chic, complete with jutting bones and dark-ringed eyes, but is she an addict, or is there another reason for her appearance? She struggles with her feelings for Seth, fearing he is just another person who will eventually let her down, as everyone in her life has done thus far.
Maggie has spent her life caring for her alcoholic mother. A task that has left her heavily burdened and alone. Before long, her mother's health takes a turn for the worst, sending Maggie's life into a tale-spin.
While Seth works relentlessly to inject fear into the dealers and flush them out into the open, Maggie fights to stay alive as the hunt turns deadly.

Seth and Maggie's romantic journey is one of humor, heartbreak, and self-discovery. Goodreads

INTERVIEW

Welcome Sherry, and thank you for answering these questions about UNLOVABLE

1. Where did they idea to write Unlovable came from?

I had originally written Unlovable as a fantasy novel. Me, being the genius that I am, NOT, decided to remove the fantasy element, thinking the market was too flooded. Needless to say, Unlovable was a long drawn-out process!

2. Could you describe the book in three words?

Heart-breaking, encouraging, romantic

3. Your book talks about drugs and dealers, do you think that reflects the present situation in some places?

Sadly, yes. I feel drugs have torn the vital fabric of our world, sending it in a direction that will enslave us if we don't put a stop to it soon. So many young people seem to be developing an addiction that has the potential of ensnaring them for a lifetime before they have even begun to enjoy life. Although it is not just young people, it seems to be people of all ages anymore. We only get one shot at life, we need to stop wasting it and start living it!

4. How would you describe Maggie, the main character?

Maggie is a tough kid. She feels very responsible for the care of her mother, and for her own survival. She loves her mother despite what she has put her through. Maggie desperately wants her mother's love and approval.

5. What was the biggest challenge while writing this first book?

Editing. Wow! That was tough. I am now part of an awesome writer's group, consisting of 3 other published authors: Cindy Bennett, Camelia Miron Skiba, and Jeffery More. We critique and review each other's work, and that has help exponentially.

6. Who is your favorite author?

Victor Hugo! He is amazing!

7. Which is one of your favorite books?

Les Misérables, by Victor Hugo. I would LOVE to write a story like that!

8. If you were a book character, who will you be?

Honestly, I have NO idea!! Whomever it is, they would have to be extremely clumsy!!

9. Can you tell us three things we should know about you?

I love chocolate! I enjoy interior decorating, and I'm not afraid of using lots of color in a room. I am a terrible typist! You should see all the mistakes I make when I am typing my books!

10. Where can we find your book?

Amazon has an e-version, and a paperback version. And Barnes and Noble.

Follow Sherry on her Blog

GIVEAWAY!!!

Win an EBOOK of Unlovable
Fill out the Rafflecopter Form. Being a Follower and commenting on this post is required. Open Internationally, Ends 12/20

Waiting on Wednesday (93)

2011-11-30T10:17:00.001-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Waiting on Wednesdays (WoW) spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

(The Cahill Witch Chronicles #1)

Expected publication: February 7th 2012 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young

A Great and Terrible Beauty meets Cassandra Clare in this spellbinding fantasy

Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they're witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word . . . especially after she finds her mother's diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family's destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren't safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other.

My Blood Approves - Amanda Hocking (Review)

2011-11-29T14:48:00.000-06:00

My Blood Approves by Amanda Hocking
(My Blood Approves #1)

Published March 17th 2010 by Lulu
261 pages

Teenager Alice Bonham's life feels crazy after she meets Jack. With his fondness for pink Chuck Taylors and New Wave, he's unlike anyone she knows. Then she meets his brother, Peter. Even though he can't stand the sight of her, she's drawn to him. Falling for two guys isn't even the worst of her problems. Jack and Peter are vampires, and Alice finds herself caught between love and her own blood.

One night, Alice meets weird and enigmatic Jack. Jack saves her life and even when Alice likes him, she does not react the same way the other girls do around him. While the get to know each other, Jack life and personality become even more enigmatic and mysterious, but Alice patiently waits until Jack tells her the truth, she trusts him, she knows he won’t hurt her… or at least that’s what she hopes.

When i started Reading My Blood Approves I found a story i know pretty well and that I really don’t like. Im kinda sick of the girl falls just because for hot guy that is mysterious and has a horrible secret….and the first part of the book was just like that, not a good start.

Nonetheless, thanks to Alice´s personality (that I didn’t quite understand but that was different from other protagonists) and thanks to Jack and his charm and effervescence, I got to end up really enjoying the book.

Milo and Mae are great characters as well and I really liked them being an active part of the story. The dialogues and conversations are great, I loved the expressions, you can relate to them. The pace is fluid, but like I said, the first half of the book is very regular. However, the second half is super fluid, intense and really interesting. I read that part in a very short time and was definitely hooked and I’m very curious to know what´s coming know. I really liked the author not restraining from talking about things the way they are, about Jack condition and what implies and provokes on Alice and the whole Peter deal. I think My blood Approves is a unique vampire story that finds its own spot in the YA world.

Plot 4/ 5

Characters 4/ 5

Writing Style 4 / 5

Finale 3.5/ 5

Cover 3.5/ 5

Total 4/5

2nd Blogaversary Winners!

2011-11-27T13:22:00.000-06:00

The Giveaway has ended, and we have the winners!! Thank you so much for participating!

10 Gift Certificate from Book Depository: Jasmine1485

Swag: Lisa Richards & Suz

You have 48hrs to reply the email we sent you to claim your prize. Congrats!

Unfolding the Covers (29)

2011-11-27T13:10:00.000-06:00

'Unfolding The Covers' is a meme where we´ll show you recently revealed covers for books we're interested in.

Today we want to show this amazing new covers. What do you think?

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

2011-11-24T09:15:00.000-06:00

Debut Author Challenge 2012

2011-11-23T12:53:00.002-06:00

Yes, Im signing up... again. This would be my third time :)
This is my list so far:

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows*
Tempest by Julie Cross*
Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi*
Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood*
Fracture by Megan Miranda*
Slide by Jill Hathaway*
Someone Else´s Life by Katie Dale*
The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker
The Vicious Deep by Zoraida Córdova
What She Left Behind by Tracy Billen
Where It Began by Ann Redisch Stampler
Everneath by Brodi Ashton*

*I own (ebook or arc)

~~Read~~

Reviewed

Don´t forget to check the DAC 2012!

Waiting on Wednesday (92)

2011-11-23T10:17:00.001-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Waiting on Wednesdays (WoW) spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Expected publication: February 7th 2012 by ATOM

Exiled from her comfortable home, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland – called the Death Shop – are slim. Violent energy storms can strike suddenly, and even the very air she breathes might kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He’s wild, dangerous – a savage. He’s also her only hope.

Because Aria alone holds the key to his redemption, Perry needs her, too. Their unlikely alliance will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

Debut author Veronica Rossi is accumulating fans from all over the globe—the book has already sold to more than twenty countries. It’s not surprising that foreign rights for this title have been flying off the shelf. It’s a tantalizing romance in any language.

Between the Sea & Sky Review

2011-11-22T10:11:00.003-06:00

Between the Sea & Sky by Jacklyn Dolamore
Release Date: October 25, 2011

For as long as Esmerine can remember, she has longed to join her older sister, Dosinia, as a siren--the highest calling a mermaid can have. When Dosinia runs away to the mainland, Esmerine is sent to retrieve her. Using magic to transform her tail into legs, she makes her way unsteadily to the capital city. There she comes upon a friend she hasn't seen since childhood--a dashing young man named Alander, who belongs to a winged race of people. As Esmerine and Alander band together to search for Dosinia, they rekindle a friendship . . . and ignite the emotions for a love so great, it cannot be bound by sea, land, or air.

Opinion

Is my first book of mermaids so I didn’t know exactly what to expect but I was pleasantly surprise with this book. So here’s the scope: Esmerine is a mermaid, since she was little wanted to be a siren like her sister Dosia. You see not all mermaids can be siren but Esmerine had the gift in her and earn her siren belt. The things gets complicated when Dosia confess to her sister that she has been talking to humans and for a mermaid that’s a big no no, since it has been say that men treats theirs mermaid as slaves and the siren always died of despair missing the sea. Then things get even more complicated when Dosia disappears and their family is left in despair and Esmerine goes into the city to look for her and also for her friend Alander, winged boy, she met when she was little, who taught her to read and write but after a while Alander had to go away to study and the good moments she had with this boys are only memories now but she wished nothing more but to see him again.

After all the explanation, sorry if I spoil you a bit, like I said I was pleasantly surprise with the outcome of this book. It’s sweet, it almost told as you were reading a children fairy tale but is neither annoying nor slow reading all contraire it keeps you entertained and curious about what’s going to happen. Also I loved that she created three worlds and merged the sea where all the merpeople lived, the city where humans are, and the Floating City where the winged people live

The author does a wonderful job narrating the story from Esmerine point of view and I must say I loved her character she was loyal to her family and would do anything for them but she was different since she was a little girl, her friendship with Alander made her realize that she wanted to know more about the world itself because of the books and tales he used to read for her and after a few days in the city she realized that even though she had a duty as a siren and love for her family she also had to think about herself and the person she wanted to become. The author does a wonderful job conveying all the emotions she’s passing through and even feel for her that things would get better.

And so is Alander, our winged boy who is not a boy anymore. At first I must admit I wasn’t into him because of how cold he was being with Esmerine but then I couldn’t help to warm up to his character because as the story goes by he let all those walls fall down and finally give in to his joy and happiness of having her around once again. Like Esmerine he was different since he was a little boy, he’s only childhood friends were Esmerine and Dosia and he prepared to live in the city with humans than with his own people or with his father. He was more into developing and opinion and not always go in the reasoning and science and like Esmerine he was in a predicament of doing what he was expected to do or doing what he wanted. The development of their relationship is deliciously written and is very welcoming the fact that they didn’t want to jump each other bones the exact moment they see each other but it takes time to realize that they have feelings for each other and I love when author takes their time to develop a relationship between the main characters. Also was the conflict of both falling in love with each other and not being of the same kind, and what they would have to sacrifice if they actually have something more than a friendship.

The only complain that the end was a bit rush, yes is a happy ending but I wish it would there would have more into the finals moments of the book. I can keep praising the book and give you more details but I don’t want to spoil it for you but what I can say is that this a very sweet book with merges three worlds in one and the book also conveys a message of being true to yourself even if your decision is not what other people like or expect.

Hopefully my next experience with Mer books would be pleasant as this one.

Plot 4/ 5

Characters 4/ 5

Writing Style 4 / 5

Finale 4/ 5

Cover 5/ 5

Total 4/5

Waiting on Wednesday (91)

2011-11-16T12:16:00.001-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Waiting on Wednesdays (WoW) spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Torn by Cat Clarke

Expected publication: January 5th 2012 by Quercus

Four girls. One dead body. A whole lot of guilt.

Alice King isn’t expecting the holiday of a lifetime when she sets off with her classmates on a trip to the Scottish wilderness, but she’s not exactly prepared for an experience beyond her darkest nightmares…

Alice and her best friend Cass are stuck in a cabin with Polly, the social outcast, and Rae, the moody emo-girl. Then there’s Tara – queen of mean. Powerful, beautiful and cruel, she likes nothing better than putting people down.

Cass decides it’s time to teach Tara a lesson she’ll never forget. And so begins a series of events that will change the lives of these girls forever...

A compelling story of guilty secrets, troubled friendship and burgeoning love.

Unfolding the Covers (28)

2011-11-12T15:00:00.002-06:00

'Unfolding The Covers' is a meme where we´ll show you recently revealed covers for books we're interested in

What do you think about these covers?

Guest Post: Gaby from Oh My Books!

2011-11-11T11:09:00.009-06:00

Guest Post

Gaby

Congratulations to Smart Girls Read for their 2nd Anniversary! And thank you for inviting me to their celebration! I'm Gaby from Oh My Books! and this time I'm going to share with you a review of one of the last book I read and really liked:

Title: Sweet Venom

Author: Tera Lynn Childs

Series: Medusa Girls #1

Release Date: September 6th, 2011

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Age: Young Adult

Grace just moved to San Francisco and is excited to start over at a new school. The change is full of fresh possibilities, but it’s also a tiny bit scary. It gets scarier when a minotaur walks in the door. And even more shocking when a girl who looks just like her shows up to fight the monster.

Gretchen is tired of monsters pulling her out into the wee hours, especially on a school night, but what can she do? Sending the minotaur back to his bleak home is just another notch on her combat belt. She never expected to run into this girl who could be her double, though.

Greer has her life pretty well put together, thank you very much. But that all tilts sideways when two girls who look eerily like her appear on her doorstep and claim they're triplets, supernatural descendants of some hideous creature from Greek myth, destined to spend their lives hunting monsters.

These three teenage descendants of Medusa, the once-beautiful gorgon maligned by myth, must reunite and embrace their fates in this unique paranormal world where monsters lurk in plain sight.

***

I love Tera Lynn Childs's books, because of her strong heroines, funny characters and fast paced stories. Sweet Venom was on my wishlist since I discovered it, specially because it's about Greek Mythology.

The story starts with Gretchen and Grace. Gretchen is a hunter, she hunts monsters while going to school and training at nights. She doesn't have a live, except for the hunting. She's strong and very independent, but very lonely.

Grace is just moving to San Francisco and starting a new school. She's the typical insecure girl, not very independent and a computer geek, but everything in her changes when she suddenly start seeing monsters, and is kidnapped by a girl who look just like her!

Obviously Grace and Gretchen are sisters, and not only share their look but their abilities to kill monsters. But why there are so many monsters? And where is Greer, the other sister?

I really liked the way Sweet Venom story is told, alternating the sisters point of views, because we get to know each one of them very closely and understand how their lives have been and their different personalities. It would be easy to relate to one of the sisters, or at least like one of them. My favorite right now is Gretchen, she's a total kick ass!

I love Greek mythology and I think the author did an amazing job creating a different story using the popular Medusa myth. She's always the bad, but I think she could have been misunderstood all this time! It was cool to read about the girls using their Medusa-powers without being bad.

Overall, I enjoyed Sweet Venom. It has action, myth and possibly romance coming in the sequel. If you like strong girls and monsters hunting, then this one is for you!

More about this book at teralynnchilds.com, Goodreads, Amazon, The Book Depository.

Thank you Gaby!!!! We´re so happy to have you here!.

You can find Gaby here:

Don´t forget to enter our 2nd Blogaversary Giveaway. A comment on this post will give you an extra entry!!

A Beautiful Dark Review

2011-11-10T09:30:00.000-06:00

A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies
Release Date September 27th, 2011
Published by Harper Teen

On the night of Skye's seventeenth birthday, she meets two enigmatic strangers. Complete opposites;like fire and ice;Asher is dark and wild, while Devin is fair and aloof. Their sudden appearance sends Skye's life into a tailspin. She has no idea what they want, or why they seem to follow her every move only that their presence coincides with a flurry of strange events. Soon she begins to doubt not just the identity of the two boys, but also the truth about her own past.
In the dead of a bitingly cold Colorado winter, Skye finds herself coming to terms with the impossible secret that threatens to shatter her world. Torn between Asher, who she can't help falling for, and Devin, who she can't stay away from, the consequences of Skye's choice will reach further than the three of them could ever imagine.

Opinion

A beautiful dark was a very entertaining reading for me even though itwasn’t great I think that this series has potential growing into somethingoutstanding and you would notice it in the book when Jocelyn leaves yourwanting for more.

At first the book was a bit slow for me and was falling into a lotof clichés “as the girl is in the center of an ancient battle and suddenly twomysterious boys comes into school and from out of nowhere she had mixed andvery strongs feelings for each boy” but after the mythology of the bookis introduce you get to see a clearer picture of the plot and the book pick upand leaves you wanting more and more.

Skye wasn’t my favorite female character at first I was gettingfrustrated because I was like another “girl” like that but the good thingthere’s a lot of growing in terms of her character and liked that she reallysurprises me at the end of the book making her own mind of what she wanted todo, kudos for Jocelyn for giving us girl power!

As for Asher & Devin I wasn’t into them as much as I thought Iwould be. Each had their special qualities but they didn’t blew my mind awayfor almost all the book but I can tell you that Asher really surprised me atthe end and well Devin breaks my heart of all people never thought he would dosomething like that. The secondary characters the one I must mention was Ian, I’m team Ian, Imean the guy was so adorable and he noticed that Skye was special and acceptedfor who was. Could it be possible we see more of him in the next book? Would atleast he would be an option for Skye. I hope so,

I love the mythology that Mrs. Davies introduce in the book, is veryoriginal the twist that she gives to the story. The good aren’t that goodbecause they have a hidden agenda with Sky and the one you thinks that are thebad aren’t that bad either but also they have their motives to have Skye attheir side. There’s no black and white in this book making the premise evenmore interesting.

The end was the best part, everything things comes together anddecisions must be made and oh boy that cliffhanger killed me I almost felt frommy bed when I read it. I can’t wait for the sequel.

Like I said in the beginning these is a good book but it missed a fewthings that could had make it exceptional but don’t fret I would definitelywould look forward for the sequel hoping that Mrs. Davies would make itawesome!

Plot 4/ 5

Characters 4/ 5

Writing Style 4 / 5

Finale 5/ 5

Cover 5/ 5

Total 4/5

Waiting on Wednesday (90)

2011-11-09T11:15:00.001-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Waiting on Wednesdays (WoW) spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Fracture by Megan Miranda

Expected publication: January 3rd 2012 by Walker Books for Young Readers

Eleven minutes passed before Delaney Maxwell was pulled from the icy waters of a Maine lake by her best friend Decker Phillips. By then her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly fine

-despite the scans that showed significant brain damage. Everyone wants Delaney to be all right, but she knows she's far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney finds herself drawn to the dying. Is her altered brain now predicting death, or causing it?

Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who recently emerged from a coma with similar abilities. At first she's reassured to find someone who understands the strangeness of her new existence, but Delaney soon discovers that Troy's motives aren't quite what she thought. Is their gift a miracle, a freak of nature-or something much more frightening?

For fans of best-sellers like Before I Fall and If I Stay, this is a fascinating and heart-rending story about love and friendship and the fine line between life and death.

Deadly Little Voices (Touch Novel)

Expected Publications: December 6th 2011, by Hyperion Book CH

High school junior Camelia thought her powers of psychometry only gave her the ability to sense the future through touch. But now she’s started to hear voices. Mean voices. Berating her, telling her how ugly she is, and that she’d be better off dead. It’s a troubling development that has Camelia terrified for her mental stability, especially since her deranged aunt with a suicidal history has just moved into the family house. More torturing, ex-boyfriend Ben, who has similar psychometric abilities, has been spending more time with their classmate Alejandra.

With the line between right and wrong fraying, Camelia turns to pottery to get a grasp on her emotions. She begins sculpting a beautiful figure skater, only to receive frightening premonitions that someone’s in danger. But who is the victim? And how can Camelia help them when she is on the brink of losing her own sanity?

Guest post (2): Bettina Restrepo

2011-11-08T10:11:00.001-06:00

Guest Post &Interview

Bettina Restrepo

Illegal

Her German mother, her Colombian father, and big brother migrated from place to place with the US Army. She received her BS in Communications from the University of Texas at Austin – where she marched in the band, made a “D” in math, and slept through economics. But, she still graduated in three years with an unquenchable lust for learning and reading.

Bettina spent many years being a frustrated Internal Auditor, while writing at night, far away from the eyes of the corporate world. She now writes full time near Dallas, Texas with her husband, son, and dog

What inspired you to write the story?

This story evolved from my professional life as an Internal Auditor with the grocery store Fiesta Mart in Houston, Texas.

Many of the ethnic customers spent their entire financial lives in the store. They cashed a check, sent money home via Western Union, paid their bills in installments, and bought a bus pass. With whatever was leftover, they bought food. One week later, the process repeated.

One neighborhood, Quitman, grew in my heart. I watched the people, and one day, by the side of the road, I saw a young girl. I wondered what her story was and she grew into Nora, my main character.

Somewhere in the middle of my first draft, a terrible incident occurred in South Texas and was widely reported on the news. A truck driver smuggling over seventy illegal immigrants thought he was about to be arrested by the police. He dropped his metal trailer in the middle of a field in the middle of July where the average temperature was 101 degrees F.

19 of the people inside the trailer cooked to death before the doors were opened, including a child. I’ll never forget the pictures I saw in the newspaper. It spurred me to finish the book and tell an individual’s story… rather than just a story of border crossing.

Did you talk with people who have lived in a similar situation?

Yes. Many people have told me their personal stories on immigration – and why they risked coming to America illegally. Each story was unique and compelling.

The main story line is about Nora and her mother coming to America illegally in hopes of being reunited with her father, but you also have some really interesting characters.

Can you tell me a little about Flora, Tessa, or Mr. Mann and how their stories will become a part of Nora’s life?

For many years, Flora was only a girl at the pool wearing lipstick. But, when I realized how young Keisha was – she didn’t know enough to help Nora. That’s when I picked Flora out of the lineup of my fringe characters, and she bloomed right before my eyes. While Nora’s story is complete – if there were a sequel (and so far, there isn’t one) – I would want to tell Flora’s story.

Mr. Mann. The Salvation Army is located in the Quitman area. I often saw characters pushing shopping carts. I like the idea of “the unseen society” – people who others discount. While I’m sure that Mr. Mann is mentally ill – probably schizophrenic – he seems to speak a truth louder than words.

In Illegal you write about some pretty gritty things like racial slurs and gang violence. What was it like putting that in print and what are your thoughts on how readers will respond to it?

I wanted to tell the truth – as nasty as it is – that racial slurs go in every direction. White to Black to Brown. I wanted people to see and feel the abrasiveness that exists in all sectors of life. Believe me when I say, I feel for my characters. I cried while writing the chapter inside the truck because I wasn’t sure what was going to happen at the end or if they would survive. As to the gang’s – I morphed several gang identities into one. The violence in the Quitman area is real, but it also seems like a natural progression of the story. I am always appalled how humans can prey upon each other.

5 Things about teen you:

Favorite outfit: I once bought a man’s tailored shirt and a grey pinstriped vest – very Annie Hall.

Best summer memory: Summer of 1988. I spent the summer attending my old school in Bogota, Colombia and met a lovely boy who became my first love.

What was your favorite song: I remember singing loudly to INXS or Def Leopard, but I don’t remember a song really speaking to me.

First Job: McDonald’s. I worked there for 3 years on Kemp Ave in Wichita Falls making 3.35 an hour.

First Crush/Love: See above. While we only spent one summer together, we wrote to each other for over eight years. Our lives moved in different directions and being a continent apart didn’t help things either. But, he was a lovely boy and treated me like a queen. I’m really fortunate to have had such a nice 1^st boyfriend… because I had my fair share of not-so-nice-boys.

Author links: www.bettinarestrepo.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/bettinarestrepo
Twitter: bettinarestrepo
Goodreads: bettinarestrepo

Thank you so much Bettina for the Guest post & Interview

Our Review of: Illegal

Unfolding the Covers (27)

2011-11-07T09:00:00.006-06:00

'Unfolding The Covers' is a meme where we´ll show you recently revealed covers for books we're interested in

What do you think about these covers? Aren´t they gorgeous?

In My Mailbox (53)

2011-11-06T15:21:00.000-06:00

In My Mailbox (IMM) is a meme hosted by Kristi, The Story Siren, based on Alea´s idea at Pop Culture Junkie . IMM is about the books you get in a weekly basis, bought, borrowed, swapped, etc.

Hello everyone!

I hope you´re having a nice day. Let me show you what i got this week. There are some books I was dying for ^.^

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Touch of Power by Maria V Snyder

All Thanks to Netgalley!

2nd Blogaversary Giveaway!!!

2011-11-05T16:20:00.002-06:00

So, here it is! Our 2nd Blogaversary Giveaway. We´re gonna keep it simple, you can win a $10 Gift Certificate from The Book Depository (make sure it ships to your country) and two other lucky bookaholics will get the chance to win a swag pack.

We´re gonna use rafllecopter again and here are de rules.

Open to wherever the Book Depository Ships to. Deadline November 25th.

You have to be a follower and leave a comment on this post.

Extra entries for

-Tweeting (you can do it daily!)

-Liking our Facebook Page

-Commenting on any of our Guest Posts.

Thank you all for following us. Good luck!!!

Turned - Morgan Rice (Review)

2011-11-05T09:15:00.000-06:00

Turned by Morgan Rice
(The Vampire Journals #1)

Published January 24th 2011
150 pages

Eighteen year old Caitlin Paine finds herself uprooted from her nice suburb and forced to attend a dangerous New York City high school when her Mom moves again. The one ray of light in her new surroundings is Jonah, a new classmate who takes an instant liking to her.

But before their romance can blossom, Caitlin suddenly finds herself changing. She is overcome by a superhuman strength, a sensitivity to light, a desire to feed--by feelings she does not understand. She seeks answers to what’s happening to her, and her cravings lead her to the wrong place at the wrong time. Her eyes are opened to a hidden world, right beneath her feet, thriving underground in New York City. She finds herself caught between two dangerous covens, right in the middle of a vampire war.

It is at this moment that Caitlin meets Caleb, a mysterious and powerful vampire who rescues her from the dark forces. He needs her to help lead him to the legendary lost artifact. And she needs him for answers, and for protection. Together, they will need to answer one crucial question: who was her real father?

But Caitlin finds herself caught between two men as something else arises between them: a forbidden love. A love between the races that will risk both of their lives, and will force them to decide whether to risk it all for each other…

Caitlin just moved out… again. She has lost count of how many cities she´s lived in. different school, different friends. The only thing that remains is that she has her brother’s support. But she has a terrible relationship with her neglect mother and her father abandoned them while ago. When she arrives to her new school in New York things don’t start well, but then she meets Jonah and she instantly feels good around him. Suddenly they are weird things happening and even when she knows there something more, something wrong…she can’t bring herself to remember until a mysterious man appears looking for her and takes her to a dangerous place where Caitlin will found out the truth about certain things. There is s whole new world for her and it is not good… What is she?

Turned tells us Caitlin´s story and the way she discovers the secrets in her life and her inner self… with terrible consequences. In the middle of a vampire war, with no one to explain, not knowing anything of her father she does not know what to do… and there´s no one to help her… or maybe there is. But things are not that simple.

Turned is a very short and fast paced book about vampires. You might think is a little too common nowadays to read about these creatures but being merely an introduction to this world it´s actually interesting. The story is not really deep but is ok for a first book, nonetheless, I think it needs a little more building. Caitlin is a nice character and Jonah is very sweet, but I´d have like to know more about them and more about Caleb. In the romantic aspect it was not really believable for me, but if we talk about what Caitlin feels and thinks I felt it was very real.

Turned is definitely a great option for a light, interesting read that might surprise you.

Plot 3.5 / 5

Characters 3 / 5

Writing Style 3.5 / 5

Finale 3.5 / 5

Cover 3.5 / 5

Total 3.5 /5

Guest Post: Yelania from The Itzel Library + CONTEST

2011-11-04T15:54:00.000-06:00

Guest Post

Yelania

Wallflower by Holly Jane Rahlens

Paperback, 150 pages Published September 15th 2010 by Berlinica
Wallflower is four hours in the life of Molly Lenzfeld, sixteen-year-old New Yorker in Berlin. It's Thanksgiving Day 1989, two weeks after the fall of the Wall. Molly, the daughter of a German-Jewish mother who fled the Nazis in 1938, is off to her mother's birth house in East Berlin. On the subway trip from West to East wallflower Molly meets East German wildflower Mick Maier, nineteen. It's love at first sight, and for both, a journey into an unknown land, into the labyrinth of Berlin's underground world, a terrain in which they discover each other, the absurdities of the divided city, and, of course, the wonder of love.Goodreads

When I heard my fellows blogger friends Keysha and Mariana were planning their Blogoversary I got excited on their behalf. You know, the blogoversary means giveaways! So when they asked me whether I would like to stop by "Smart Girls Read" and do a guest post I knew what I wanted to talk to you, so here I am.

A few months ago I got a book for review, was released on 2010 but I loved so much! I really want you all to know you.

Molly lives in East Berlin because her father, a chemist, works there. About to return to New York, she decided to visit the house where her mother spent their childhood and relive those old stories she told. In the subway ride meets Mick, a spontaneous guy who takes Molly to make the great journey of her life in the Berlin subway.

After the death of her mother, at an age that hard, Molly struggles to find her place in the world. She thinks about herself as "the girl who lives in a crack." Her sadness, grief and low self-confidence is reflected in the pages of this book. With the first-person narration we see the world through her eyes, full of vivid details, insecurities and hopes. And Mick, one of those nice guys that we ended up falling in love for his sense of humor and because it seems that for him there is nothing more important in the world, that what we have to say or show.

Wallflower is a fun book, with narration smooth and full of life, of emotions. It is difficult to put down, it was hard not to laugh out loud with Molly and Mick talks, it was hard not to fall in love with them and with them, and I could not in any way prevent cry with some scenes. The finish is fresh, sweet and promising.

I think Mrs. Rahlens has done a great job, still being only four hours in the life of two teenagers, shows that require very few moments in our lives to transform. Wallflower is a poignant novel, a must read and absolutely unforgettable.

Thank you so much for having me with you today.

CONTEST TIME!!!

I’ll be giving away a copy of STOLEN MAGIC by Evelyn M. Byrne. The winning commenter gets a lot of swag donated by The Itzel Library as well. So cool! You only need live on US, CAN, Mexico, Panama or Puerto Rico.

See you later!

Thank you Yel, for this guest post! Don´t miss the CONTEST!!
You can find Yel here:

Waiting on Wednesday (89)

2011-11-02T13:09:00.000-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Waiting on Wednesdays (WoW) spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Pure by Julianna Baggott

Expected publication: February 8th 2012 by Grand Central Publishing

We know you are here, our brothers and sisters . . .

Pressia barely remembers the Detonations or much about life during the Before. In her sleeping cabinet behind the rubble of an old barbershop where she lives with her grandfather, she thinks about what is lost-how the world went from amusement parks, movie theaters, birthday parties, fathers and mothers . . . to ash and dust, scars, permanent burns, and fused, damaged bodies. And now, at an age when everyone is required to turn themselves over to the militia to either be trained as a soldier or, if they are too damaged and weak, to be used as live targets, Pressia can no longer pretend to be small. Pressia is on the run.

Burn a Pure and Breathe the Ash . . .

There are those who escaped the apocalypse unmarked. Pures. They are tucked safely inside the Dome that protects their healthy, superior bodies. Yet Partridge, whose father is one of the most influential men in the Dome, feels isolated and lonely. Different. He thinks about loss-maybe just because his family is broken; his father is emotionally distant; his brother killed himself; and his mother never made it inside their shelter. Or maybe it's his claustrophobia: his feeling that this Dome has become a swaddling of intensely rigid order. So when a slipped phrase suggests his mother might still be alive, Partridge risks his life to leave the Dome to find her.

When Pressia meets Partridge, their worlds shatter all over again.

Guest Post: Yvonne Prinz

2011-11-02T09:24:00.001-06:00

Guest Post

Yvonne Prinz

(All You Get Is Me / Vinyl Princess)

In 1989, after falling in love with San Francisco over a weekend, I picked up and moved there from Canada. At the time I had more than a passing interest in where my food came from but when I landed one downhill block from the Mission and two sideways blocks from Cesar Chavez Street it was almost immediately clear to me that I had arrived in the land of plenty. I was surrounded by good food and Latin culture in four directions, as far as the eye could see. Once I learned to forage (Best burrito, best produce stand, best coffee, best ice cream), I started to take a keen interest in where my food was coming from and how it got to my table, and not only that, who harvested it? I soon learned that the abundance and variety of produce available to me came at a price. That price was paid by migrant farm workers; the undocumented, mostly Hispanic laborers who risk their lives to cross the border into California to work in the agricultural industry. The more information I gathered, the more I learned about the injustices taking place.

I became interested in “Fair Food”, I joined a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and started supporting family farms whose labor practices tend to be more sympathetic to undocumented workers. All of this information eventually inspired me to write a book. I could not write a book about a culture that is not my own so I wrote a story about a girl, Roar (short for Aurora), who arrives on a bio-dynamic farm far from her home in San Francisco against her will and gets caught up in a human rights crusade in her small town with her father, a lawyer/Idealist/farmer leading the charge. Roar is a photographer who never goes anywhere without her camera hanging around her neck. Her photos start to tell the story of the farm workers and Roar’s life on the farm takes on new meaning.

Since my book, “All You Get Is Me”, was published, things have become even more difficult for undocumented farm workers in California. ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) are conducting daily raids and workers are instantly deported*, often forced to leave the country without their children. Several other states have changed their laws to make it almost impossible for these workers to stay. Meanwhile, the farmers are left with their produce rotting in the fields and no one to pick it.

For my next project I’m working with a friend to collect artwork created by the children of farm Workers. We hope to publish the collection in a book and use the money to further awareness and understanding of the struggles that these families endure. We’re calling it “Un Dia en la Vida de Mi Familia”.

-Yvonne Prinz

www.allyougetisme.com

Thank You So Much for this Yvonne!!!
Chek out our All You Get Is Me Review

2nd Anniversary Celebration

2011-11-02T08:06:00.001-06:00

As you know, last week was our 2nd Blogaversary and we´re celebrating with a lot of reviews and something special. Starting today, we´ll have Guest Posts with latin fellow bloggers and Guest Posts with authors talking about latin characters. We are very proud of being latinamerican girls and we want to embrace our origins by having this special. We hope you liked it and that you find it interesting. Be sure to visit us during the special (it will end until November 25th) because we´ll have some pretty nice contests too!!!

Unfolding the Covers (26)

2011-11-01T18:20:00.000-06:00

'Unfolding The Covers' is a meme where we´ll show you recently revealed covers for books we're interested in

We just posted some covers, but there are some new ones we just have to post!!!

What do you think? Which book are you dying to read?

Reading on Monday (40) + Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T09:04:00.003-06:00

Is Monday, What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Book Journey

Mariana

I finished reading Firelight by Sophie Jordan and I really liked it. I started with My Blood Approves by Amanda Hocking and Im reading Remembrance by Michelle Madow.

We wish a very happy and spooky Halloween!!!

Annexed - Sharon Dogar (Review)

2011-10-28T10:13:00.003-05:00

Annexed by Sharon Dogar

Published October 4th 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
320 pages

Everyone knows about Anne Frank and her life hidden in the secret annex – but what about the boy who was also trapped there with her?

In this powerful and gripping novel, Sharon Dogar explores what this might have been like from Peter’s point of view. What was it like to be forced into hiding with Anne Frank, first to hate her and then to find yourself falling in love with her? Especially with your parents and her parents all watching almost everything you do together. To know you’re being written about in Anne’s diary, day after day? What’s it like to start questioning your religion, wondering why simply being Jewish inspires such hatred and persecution? Or to just sit and wait and watch while others die, and wish you were fighting.

As Peter and Anne become closer and closer in their confined quarters, how can they make sense of what they see happening around them?

Anne’s diary ends on August 4, 1944, but Peter’s story takes us on, beyond their betrayal and into the Nazi death camps. He details with accuracy, clarity and compassion the reality of day to day survival in Auschwitz – and ultimately the horrific fates of the Annex’s occupants.

Annexed is a very different book. It brings together a fiction story with real facts and stories, combining into a touching and heartbreaking book.

I love contemporary books, but is often not that easy to read them or review them. Annexed, talking about such a harsh topic as it´s the Holocaust it was hard to read, but when you find a story like this one you can just put it aside.

We have Peter, the boy who loved Anne Frank, a boy who suffered being trapped in a house and then trying to survive and the camps. This is his story, the one that could have been. Sharon Dogar reconstructs Peter´s point of view from what we know about those days in the Annexed, thanks to Anne´s diary.

The writing is nice, it brings the characters to life and you suffer with them and it breaks your heart to know what happens to them. The pace was a little bit too slow for my taste, I know the story had to be built but it became boring at some points and others were just page turners.

Is a nice book, a very sad but beautiful story that talks about hope and life. It was nice trying to imagine how things were back then from another POV and I think Sharon really accomplished that on the book.

If you like reading about real things and about the holocaust, this is definitely a book you should not miss.

Rating 4/5

Note: Reading Anne´s Diary before this one is not a MUST but I think it would give a better reading experience.

Unfolding the Covers (25)

2011-10-26T11:50:00.001-05:00

'Unfolding The Covers' is a meme where we´ll show you recently revealed covers for books we're interested in.

Today we have a couple of very pretty and interesting covers of some upcoming YA books. What do you think? Are any of these books on your wishlist?

Waiting on Wednesday (88)

2011-10-26T10:32:00.000-05:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Waiting on Wednesdays (WoW) spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Wintertown by Stephen Emond

Expected publication: December 5th 2011 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Every winter, straight-laced, Ivy League bound Evan looks forward to a visit from Lucy, a childhood pal who moved away after her parent's divorce. But when Lucy arrives this year, she's changed. The former "girl next door" now has chopped dyed black hair, a nose stud, and a scowl. But Evan knows that somewhere beneath the Goth, "Old Lucy" still exists, and he's determined to find her... even if it means pissing her off.

Garden State meets Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist in this funny and poignant illustrated novel about opposites who fall in love.

Glow (Trailer)

2011-10-25T17:51:00.002-05:00

Have you watched Glow´s book trailer? Make sure you do!!

What do you think about it?

Today IS the Day!!!!

2011-10-24T18:31:00.002-05:00

Today Smart Girls Read is 2 years-old!!!!! It hasn´t been easy but we´re more than happy to be here. Our celebration starts today!!! We´ll have contests, guest posts and other suprises you shouldn´t miss!!!

Thank you all for following us and reading our posts and commenting, we could not do this without you!!

PS: As you can see, we have new look!!! Do you like it??

A Need So Beautiful - Suzanne Young (Review)

2011-10-24T08:54:00.000-05:00

A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young
(A Need So Beautiful #1)

Published June 21st 2011 by Balzer & Bray
267 pages

We all want to be remembered. Charlotte's destiny is to be Forgotten...

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.

But Charlotte never wanted this responsibility. What she wants is to help her best friend, whose life is spiraling out of control. She wants to lie in her boyfriend's arms forever. But as the Need grows stronger, it begins to take a dangerous toll on Charlotte. And who she was, is, and will become--her mark on this earth, her very existence--is in jeopardy of disappearing completely.

Charlotte will be forced to choose: Should she embrace her fate as a Forgotten, a fate that promises to rip her from the lives of those she loves forever? Or is she willing to fight against her destiny--no matter how dark the consequences.

“I have to live if I want to be remembered.”

Charlotte knows she´s not like the other girls, she does not know exactly what she is, but she´s absolutely sure is not normal. She tries to have a normal like anyway, a boyfriend and a best friend, but they don’t know about her secret, nobody knows… or that´s what she thought.

When the need begins to be incontrollable, Charlotte feels is not a good sign, but… who can help her?

A Need So Beautiful is a very different book with a story I find, besides interesting, beautiful. Charlotte has this feeling, a need, to help people no matter what, even if it means risking her life and even when it puts her nor only in danger but gets her far from the people she loves. Her boyfriend knows there´s something wrong, but she can’t just tell him without him thinking she´s insane and to make everything worst they all are forgetting about her… can she deal with everything happening in her life?

I really liked Charlotte as a character, she was strong and you understand her predicament, I mean who wants to let everything go and to be erased from your loved ones lives? There´s all this good inside her but that does not make things easier for her.

The characters in general feel real, and I think the relationship between her and Harlin was believable and sweet.

The whole need thing and Charlotte´s purpose was just beautiful and very original. It was very nice to read something about things that are not dark, you know? Maybe is just me,

Because I’ve been reading a lot of books about bad guys and demons and people doing bad things that this book felt so refreshing. The writing is very pretty but I think I need more info about the Forgotten.

I really liked it, it doesn’t have a lot of action but the pace is great and things happen very fast at the end.

Overall, A need so beautiful is a beautiful book with a refreshing and different story that I’m sure will captivate you. I definitely recommend it and I´d absolutely read the next book!

Plot 4.5 / 5

Characters 4.5 / 5

Writing Style 4.5 / 5

Finale 4.5 / 5

Cover 5 / 5

Total 4.5 /5

Quicky Book Deals #2

2011-10-20T10:00:00.001-05:00

Hi everyone, as compulsive book buyer that I am, I thought that from time to time we would post a list of books that are in bargain, special price or discount. We would not only post from Amazon but from other sites. Because I know there's nothing cool as getting a good book very very cheap.

In this case take in consideration that Bargain Books and quantities are limited. Bargain books are new but could include a small mark from the publisher and an Amazon.com price sticker identifying them as such.

This time I even bought some for myself :)

The following this list is not in any particular order and the acronym means the following

PE: Paperback Edition

HE: Hardcover Edition

KE: Kindle Edition

MMPE: Mass Market Paperback Edition

LBE: Library Binding Edition

Linger by Maggie Stiefvater HE $7.20
Awakened by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast HE $7.20
Marked by P.C. Cast & Kristin HE $7.20
Betrayed by P.C. Cast & Kristin HE $7.20
Chosen by P.C. Cast & Kristin HE $7.20
The Fledgling Handbook 101 by P.C. cast & Kim Doner PE $5.20
The Vampire Academy Signature Collection by Richelle Mead HE $7.20
Blood Promise by Richelle Mead HE $6.80
Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead HE $6.64
Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead AB $4.00
Pretty Little Liars (TV Tie-Edition) by Sara Shepard PE $3.60
Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld and Keith Thompson HE $8.00
Wings & Spells by Aprilynne Pike HE $6.80 (Each Book)
The Van Alen Legacy (Blue Bloods, Book 4) by Melissa de la Cruz PB $3.60
Revelations by Melissa de la Cruz PB $3.60
Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz PB $3.60
Misguided Angel (Blue Bloods, Book 5) by Melissa de la Cruz HE $6.80
Keys to the Repository by Melissa de la Cruz HE $6.00
Blood Valentine by Melissa de la Cruz HE $6.00
Ghost Town by Rachel Caine PE $4.00
The Morganville Vampires Vol. 2 by Rachel Caine PE $4.00
Dark Flame by Alyson Nöel AB $7.20
Shadowland by Alyson Nöel HE & $7.20 PE & $4.00
Blue Moon by Alyson Nöel PE $4.00
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson HE $7.20
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan PE $4.00
The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong HE $7.20
Rumors by Anna Godbersen HE $7.20
Splendor by Anna Godbersen HE $7.20
Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen HE $7.20
Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick HE $7.20
Hate List by Jennifer Brown HE $7.20
Fragile Eternity (Wicked Lovely, Book 3) by Melissa Mars HE $6.80 PE 3.60
Before I Die by Jenny Downham HE $6.40 PE 4.00
Jealousy by Lili St. Crow PE $4.00
Betrayals by Lili St. Crow PE $4.00
Evernight by Claudia Gray PE $3.60
Stargazer by Claudia Gray PE $3.60
Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers PE $4.00
Fall for Anything by Courtney Summers PE $4.00
Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce HE $6.63
As You wish by Jackson Pearce HE $3.60
13 to Life by Shannon Delany PE $4.00
Secrets and Shadows by Shannon Delaney PE $4.00
The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove by Lauren Kate PE $4.00
The Line by Teri Hall HE $6.80
Love You Hate You Miss You by Elizabeth Scott $3.60
The Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink HE $7.20 PE $3.60
Take Me There by Susan Colasanti PE $3.60
Impossible by Nancy Werlin PE $4.00
The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin PE $4.00
Ghost Girl by Tonya Hurley PE $3.60
Heart At Stake by Alyxandra Harvey PE$4.00
Blood Feud by Alyxandra Harvey PE $4.00
Academy 7 by Anne Osterlund PE $3.60
Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers PE $3.60
Moonlight by Rachel Hawthorne PE $3.60
Full Moon by Rachel Hawthorne PE $3.60
Dark of the Moon By Rachel Hawthorne PE $3.60
Shadow of the Moon by Rachel Hawthorne PE $3.60
Rampant by Diana Peterfruend PE $3.60
Ascendant by Diana Peterfruend HE $7.20
Heist Society by Ally Carter HE $6.80
Night School by Mari Mancusi PE $4.00
Almost to die for by Tate Hallaway $4.00
The Named by Marianne Curley PE $4.00
Shadowspell by Jenna Black PE $4.00
The Demon's Trapper Daughter by Jana Oliver PE $3.90
The Candidates by Inara Scott HE $6.40
The Host by Stephenie Meyer $6.77

Take in consideration this list just include some of the authors we have make reviews if you want to see the whole list please follow the links:

Happy Shopping! :)

Waiting on Wednesday (87)

2011-10-19T10:39:00.001-05:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Waiting on Wednesdays (WoW) spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler, Maira Kalman

Expected publication: January 2nd 2012 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

I'm telling you why we broke up, Ed. I'm writing it in this letter, the whole truth of why it happened.

Min Green and Ed Slaterton are breaking up, so Min is writing Ed a letter and giving him a box. Inside the box is why they broke up. Two bottle caps, a movie ticket, a folded note, a box of matches, a protractor, books, a toy truck, a pair of ugly earrings, a comb from a motel room, and every other item collected over the course of a giddy, intimate, heartbreaking relationship. Item after item is illustrated and accounted for, and then the box, like a girlfriend, will be dumped.

Unfolding the Covers (24)

2011-10-15T14:24:00.000-05:00

'Unfolding The Covers' is a meme where we´ll show you recently revealed covers for books we're interested in.

So, here we have three very interesting covers of upcoming books... which one you liked the best? Are any of these books on your wishlist?

Have a nice Wekeend!!!

Waiting on Wednesday (86)

2011-10-12T10:38:00.001-05:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Waiting on Wednesdays (WoW) spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Expected publication: January 2nd 2012 by Poppy

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18B. Hadley's in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

Teaser Tuesdays (28): Remembrance by Michelle Madow

2011-10-11T11:57:00.001-05:00

"His gaze never wavered from mine as I spoke. The room was silent except for the soft cry of the wind outside, and I could feel electricity crackling in the air"
-Remembrance by Michelle Madow (Chapter 5)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.

What do you have to do?

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
Be careful not to include spoilers! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Between Shades of Gray - Ruta Sepetys (Review)

2011-10-11T11:48:00.001-05:00

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Published March 22nd 2011 by Philomel Books
344 pages

Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.

Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously - and at great risk - documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives. Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart.

“Have you ever wondered what a human life is worth? That morning, my brother's was worth a pocket watch.”

Things were great for Lina and her family, things were normal, until one night they came and took her family away, changing their lives.

She didn’t know that she will never be the same…

She couldn’t imagine so much cruelty….

She didn’t imagine so much suffering…

She didn’t know if she could make it….

Is this heartbreaking and poignant story we meet Lina and her story, a story of a girl being deported with her mom and little brother by the soviet government. She couldn’t understand why she couldn’t understand anything, but she trusted thing will be fine pretty soon… that’s what she hoped. But things turned out to be harder that she ever thought they will and the conditions and situations in her new life push her and her family to the limits. It´s an amazing story and it makes you cry is hard to read about people going through something so harsh and unfair, you can’t avoid to have a huge lump in your throat because you want to help them and because you know this actually happened. It´s such a sad story and it´s harsh but Ruta manages to tell it in a perfect way and there´s a beautiful writing that makes a fluid, solid and honest story develop in front of your eyes.

Lina is a very strong character, even when things don’t go right she speaks her mind and tries her best. Jonas is such an awesome character, I adored him and the way he behaved the whole time, and it’s very sad because he was just a little kid but he acted like a man trying to protect his family.

The ending part is very nice and I liked it, but I’d like to know more about Andrius and Lina´s father.

It was a beautiful book, even when it was an unfortunate story it was written in a beautiful way and the story was so touching and beautiful. The power of love is ever-present and it’s so nice to read that even when things were so dark there was always a shine of light and they always tried to be kind and good to others and they kept true to themselves.

It´s one of the most emotional books I´ve read this year and I loved it for showing real stuff and for creating such a strong story based on things that had to be spoken but mixing it up with real feelings and awesome characters. I think Ruta had a great debut novel and I will read more of her work without a doubt.

If you like true stories, stories that make you feel and you don’t mid crying a little while accompanying Lina, you must not miss Between Shades of Gray.

Plot 5 / 5

Characters 5 / 5

Writing Style 5 / 5

Finale 4.5 / 5

Cover 4.5 / 5

Total 5 /5

Official Page

Watch Author´s Video

Read an Excerpt

In my Mailbox #52

2011-10-09T09:56:00.000-05:00

In My Mailbox (IMM) is a meme hosted by Kristi, The Story Siren, based on Alea´s idea at Pop Culture Junkie . IMM is about the books you get in a weekly basis, bought, borrowed, swapped, etc.

Hello here are the books we have gotten this week, throught Net Galley & Cory Putman Oakes who was kind enough to send the ARC & the ebook for reviewing

Keysha:

Saving June by Hanna Harrington (c)
Life Eternal by Yvonne Woon (c)
The Book of Blood and Shadow by Robing Wasserman (c)
The Butterfly Clues by Kate Ellison (c)
The Veil by Cory Putman Oakes (c)
Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (c)

Audiobook (Audible.com)

Divergent by Veronica Roth and Narrated by Emma Galvin (a)

(a) Bought (b) Gift (c) For Review

So what did you get in your mailbox this week?

Waiting on Wednesday (85)

2011-10-05T09:37:00.001-05:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Waiting on Wednesdays (WoW) spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Try Not to Breathe by Jennifer R. Hubbard

Expected publication: January 19th 2012 by Viking

Ryan spends most of his time alone at the local waterfall because it’s the only thing that makes him feel alive. He’s sixteen, post-suicidal, and trying to figure out what to do with himself after a stint in a mental hospital. Then Nicki barges into his world, brimming with life and energy, and asking questions about Ryan’s depression that no one else has ever been brave enough—or cared enough—to ask. Ryan isn’t sure why he trusts Nicki with his darkest secrets, but that trust turns out to be the catalyst that he desperately needs to start living again.

Jennifer R. Hubbard has created a riveting story about a difficult but important subject.

Eve - Anna Carey (Review)

2011-10-04T10:06:00.002-05:00

Eve by Anna Carey

(The Eve Trilogy #1)

Expected publication: October 4th 2011 by HarperCollins Publisher

336 pages

Where do you go when nowhere is safe?

Sixteen years after a deadly virus wiped out most of Earth’s population, the world is a perilous place. Eighteen-year-old Eve has never been beyond the heavily guarded perimeter of her school, where she and two hundred other orphaned girls have been promised a future as the teachers and artists of the New America. But the night before graduation, Eve learns the shocking truth about her school’s real purpose—and the horrifying fate that awaits her.

Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Arden, her former rival from school, and Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust . . . and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

In this epic new series, Anna Carey imagines a future that is both beautiful and terrifying. Readers will revel in Eve’s timeless story of forbidden love and extraordinary adventure.

“Sometimes it seems like all the things I need to know, I don’t. And all the things I do know are completely wrong.”

Eve is a model student, always responsible and obedient. She´s the valedictorian and is about to become a Graduate, soon she and all the girls are going to be studying interesting and amazing things, Eve wants to become a muralist. But her dreams are shattered when she finds Arden, a very peculiar girl, trying to escape from School and then Arden revels something to Eve, something that changes everything.

Her beliefs and plans for the future and broken and know she must take care of herself in order to survive.

Eve is a dystopian book picturing a world where most of the population died from the plague. There are Schools for girls and that´s all the girls know. But there are a lot of secrets lying underneath what the girls are told and when Eve finds out she knows she must escape. With little help and knowing anything about life in the exterior she just wishes she can make it. Then she fins Arden and then Caleb and things start to change again.

Eve is a very interesting character, she knows nothing besides what she learned in school and that won’t help her outside. She´s especially ignorant about boys so when Caleb comes near her she does not know how to act and what to do.

I think the setting is very interesting (in particular the whole “men are dangerous” thing, which girl wouldn’t like to read about that? xD) and I actually feel a big part of it is not that fictional. The writing is fluid and nice. The characters are well constructed. Caleb is awesome, Eve´s innocence is very important in everything and it might get her more trouble, but you can’t really blame her (well, just a little bit). There were a lot of moments that were breath-taking between Eve and Caleb, it was sweet.

On the other hand, the ending…. I’m not quite convinced it feels abrupt and kinda pressure and even when I can wait to read the next book to know what happens now I’m not that pleased with the finale.

In general it was a very good book, I finished chapter after chapter and keep saying to myself that was the last one I was reading for the night…I couldn’t stop until I finished the book xD. I think it’s a really nice dystopian novel and a very promising series and I think Anna did a great job with the book.

Plot 4.5 / 5

Characters 4.5 / 5

Writing Style 4.5 / 5

Finale 4.5 / 5

Cover 4 / 5

Total 4.5 /5

PS: Eve is becoming a tv series!!!! I cant wait to know more about it and watch it!!!

Watch the booktrailer:

Eve comes out today, be sure to grab a copy!!!