tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9021648203405987672024-03-13T14:58:23.800-04:00My Enchanted BookshelfA young adult book blog for the hopelessly obsessedLaura @ My Enchanted Bookshelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08858584587774975098noreply@blogger.comBlogger165125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-902164820340598767.post-85658121254019634902012-06-22T10:17:00.001-04:002012-06-22T10:17:19.849-04:00i have to delete my blog because of hacker :(( very sad day. new blog will be: http://thelittlepinkbookboutique.blogspot.com starting 7/1 pls visit me there!!Laura @ My Enchanted Bookshelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08858584587774975098noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-902164820340598767.post-84748582983752205052012-06-20T00:00:00.000-04:002012-06-21T13:06:15.935-04:00Save the Date {1} Dark Water by Tricia Rayburn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">Hey!</span> Welcome to my new weekly feature; Save the Date! Save the Date is similar to Waiting on Wednesday. I feature an upcoming book that releases within the next 30 days that I am excited for and think you should mark your calendars for as well! Hope you enjoy and feel free to create your own Save the Date posts!<br />
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<em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12925333-dark-water">Dark Water</a></em><br />
Siren #3<br />
Tricia Rayburn<br />
Other Books in the Series: <em>Siren</em>, <em>Undercurrent</em><br />
Release Info: July 10th 2012 by EgmontUSA; hardcover, 368 pages<br />
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Summary: <em>When seventeen-year-old Vanessa reunites with her biological mother, she faces the dilemma of a siren's existence, that in order to survive she must endanger the lives of those she loves most.</em><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zEAaINqlOyc/T7gHgoU0jQI/AAAAAAAAA-A/96-Ga-528Ag/s1600/My+Thoughts.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rca="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zEAaINqlOyc/T7gHgoU0jQI/AAAAAAAAA-A/96-Ga-528Ag/s1600/My+Thoughts.png" /></a>After <em>The Little Mermaid</em>, <em>Siren</em> was my first book about creatures living below the waves. I fell in love with Vanessa and her story from page one and have been anxiously awaiting the release of book three! With lots of info unloaded on us in the second book, I'm sure the third will be as action-packed and emotion-charged as the others!!</div>
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Happy Reading,</div>
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<br /></div>Laura @ My Enchanted Bookshelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08858584587774975098noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-902164820340598767.post-81341012784587157002012-06-19T00:00:00.000-04:002012-06-19T00:00:06.263-04:00Top Ten Tuesday {7}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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For more info on Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, head <a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/p/features.html"><span style="color: #b6219c;">HERE</span></a>. </div>
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<strong>Today's Topic:</strong> <em>Top Ten Books on my Summer TBR List</em></div>
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I'm not the type of person who really breaks up book themes according to seasons (I.E. I don't really do what people call "Beachy Reads" those light, fluffy romance and chick lit books. I read them, just not only in the summer and at the beach.) I don't really frequent the beach, and half the time I cannot even read out on my back porch because I live in an urban setting and have uber annoying neighbors. Le Sigh. So with that being said, here are the ten books that I plan to read this summer, most likely in the comfort of my own home, in no particular order...</div>
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<li>1. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9182478-hourglass"><em>Hourglass</em></a> by Myra McEntire</li>
<li>2. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8100422-timeless"><em>Timeless</em></a> by Alexandra Monir</li>
<li>3. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10429045-shatter-me"><em>Shatter Me</em></a> by Tahereh Mafi</li>
<li>4. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12400425-blood-red-road"><em>Dust Lands: Blood Red Road</em></a><em> </em>by Moira Young</li>
<li>5. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/256683.City_of_Bones"><em>City of Bones-</em>The Mortal Instruments #1</a> by Cassandra Clare</li>
<li>6.<em> </em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8709523-the-golden-lily"><em>The Golden Lily-</em>Bloodlines #2</a> by Richelle Mead</li>
<li>7. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6905534-raised-by-wolves"><em>Raised by Wolves</em>-Raised by Wolves #1</a> by Jennifer Lynn Barnes</li>
<li>8. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5287473-hex-hall"><em>Hex Hall</em>-Hex Hall #1</a> by Rachel Hawkins</li>
<li>9. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11861062-starters"><em>Starters</em>-Starters #1</a> by Lissa Price</li>
<li>10.<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6487308-fallen"><em> Fallen</em></a>-Fallen#1 by Lauren Kate</li>
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What are your Top 10 Summer reads? Let me know in the comments!<br />
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Happy Reading,<br />
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</div>Laura @ My Enchanted Bookshelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08858584587774975098noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-902164820340598767.post-37557122524981772322012-06-18T20:32:00.000-04:002012-06-18T20:32:00.355-04:00Update on my Stupid Computer situationSo I posted last week that my computer had gotten a nasty virus; and that it was out of service. Currently I am using Boyfriend's work laptop. A few weeks ago Google Chrome was giving me a message whenever I tried visiting my blog that the website Shabby Blogs, where I got my layout from, was infected with malaware. Not truly understanding what that meant from a blogger utilizing their content meant, I didn't do anything more than remove the background from my blog - assuming that was fine.<br />
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Now I am on Boyfriend's computer, posting away like usual, and bam! it shuts off on me in the middle of composing a post. I am TERRIFIED. If Boyfriend's work computer gets infected, well I might as well move to Zimbabwe because I'm screwed. I deleted my header now, and am not going to use my signature anymore in posts but I can't say if this was the cause, or if it will solve anything if it was. Many people have posted on Shabby Blogs asking what this means that they used their content. Is it safe to continue? Are we at risk for viruses or infecting other peoples computers? I don't know. They haven't responded. I've posted as well, asking what it means. Hopefully they address this soon because I am FREAKED OUT. <br />
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If anyone has any advice or knows anything about the Shabby Blogs issue please let me know... if anything happened after you visited my site, I'm SO SORRY. I literally have to delete most of the stuff on my blog right now because it was all from Shabby Blogs. URGH.<br />
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Happy Reading,<br />
LauraLaura @ My Enchanted Bookshelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08858584587774975098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-902164820340598767.post-77482992445228840772012-06-18T18:48:00.000-04:002012-06-18T22:27:35.406-04:00Cover Lovin' {3} Breaking Point by Kristen Simmons<div style="text-align: justify;">
The cover has been revealed for the second book in the Article 5 series by Kristen Simmons. <em>Breaking Point</em> is due out February 5th 2013. I purchased <em>Article 5</em> the week it released - and if you can believe it, I still haven't read it. I know, it's a travesty! But with 8 months before the second book releases, I guess I'm safe to wait a little longer! </div>
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So, without further ado... here's the cover for <em>Breaking Point </em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13188615-breaking-point">(And don't forget to add it on Goodreads!)</a></div>
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<a href="http://s1097.photobucket.com/albums/g344/myenchantedbookshelf/Book%20Covers/?action=view&current=13188615.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/g344/myenchantedbookshelf/Book%20Covers/13188615.jpg" /></a></div>
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I think the cover is wonderful, as it definitely is keeping in the same theme as the <em>Article 5</em>. I love when the covers for the entire series all meld together, and are not changed before the release of the entirety of the series. Let's refresh our brains on the <em>Article 5</em> cover, for comparisons sake, shall we?</div>
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<a href="http://s1097.photobucket.com/albums/g344/myenchantedbookshelf/Book%20Covers/?action=view&current=Article5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/g344/myenchantedbookshelf/Book%20Covers/Article5.jpg" /></a></div>
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So what do you think of the covers?? I'm a sucker for very muted, neutral colors with the title or a main symbolic image in color; which is exactly what is achieved on the covers for this series. I pretty much love them!</div>
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Happy Reading!Laura @ My Enchanted Bookshelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08858584587774975098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-902164820340598767.post-88042682017980341172012-06-16T23:11:00.001-04:002012-06-18T22:29:46.289-04:00The Buzz {5}<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0xBpBiqroZs/T1PuxRZG4VI/AAAAAAAAAtg/OlOGovKmgqo/s1600/buzzbee.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0xBpBiqroZs/T1PuxRZG4VI/AAAAAAAAAtg/OlOGovKmgqo/s1600/buzzbee.gif" /></a><br />
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Oh man, it feels so good to be back...kind of! I was able to post just to let everyone know my computer is on the fritz... so my dear, sweet boyfriend has left his work laptop for me to use while he is in Ireland. Yep, you just read it - he's in Ireland... I'm so jealous! But this gives me ample book reading and blogging time, which isn't too shabby!</div>
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So what's been up in the past week and a half since I've been unable to post? Eh, not too much! But a few things....</div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">On My Bookshelf</span></u></b></div>
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I WON! <i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11861062-starters">Starters</a></i> by Lissa Price </div>
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thanks to
<a href="http://www.bookishthingsandmore.com/">http://www.bookishthingsandmore.com/</a> </div>
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<b><i>*From The Library*</i></b></div>
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<i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12988002-transcendence">Transcendence</a></i> by C.J. Omololu </div>
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<i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12387704-mirage">Mirage (Winter Haven #2)</a></i> by Kristi Cook</div>
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<i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12246929-the-vicious-deep">The Vicious Deep</a></i> by Zoraida Cordova</div>
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<b><i>*Bought*</i></b></div>
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<i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9297774-eve">Eve (Eve #1)</a></i> by Anna Carey</div>
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<b><i>*Currently Reading*</i></b></div>
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<i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12829446-fated">Fated (Soul Seekers #1)</a></i> by Alyson Noel</div>
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<i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11595072-arcadia-awakens">Arcadia Awakens (Arkadien #1)</a></i> by Kai Meyer</div>
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<b><i>*Up Next...*</i></b></div>
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<i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12814540-the-last-princess">The Last Princess</a></i> by Galaxy Craze</div>
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<i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6087756-white-cat">White Cat (Curse Workers #1)</a></i> by Holly Black</div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Mindful Musings</span></u></b></div>
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So I've been kind of compiling a bunch of different daily memes into one conglomeration that I call The Buzz. I like it, but I feel like I need more. I've been perusing other book blogs in the YA World and am seeing a few different memes that have piqued my interest... so let me know what your favorite memes are, and which ones that I should (consider) partaking in... if anyone does the TGIF post hosted by GReads let me know if you like it and why... thanks in advance :))</div>
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So that's it for me... for now!! </div>
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Let me know how everything is in your world, and what you're reading or just finished/anticipate reading!</div>
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<br />Laura @ My Enchanted Bookshelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08858584587774975098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-902164820340598767.post-83820608706653824502012-06-13T10:37:00.002-04:002012-06-18T22:30:39.978-04:00Eeeep....Stupid computer. Boo.Hey everyone! I just wanted to apologize for the lack of posts lately... unfortunately our computer got a super nasty virus and I just managed to log in and jump online long enough to post this before it crashes again. Hopefully boyfriend will get it fixed ASAP so I can get back to my blog that I miss so dearly!!!<br />
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Hope to see everyone again very soon!<br />
LauraLaura @ My Enchanted Bookshelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08858584587774975098noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-902164820340598767.post-31162200327083130522012-06-05T13:12:00.001-04:002012-06-18T22:31:12.186-04:00Cover Lovin {2}: Shatter Me by Tahereh MafiSo some big news today from YA author, Tahereh Mafi, on her blog! Her debut novel, <i>Shatter Me</i>, gets a new cover for it's October 16th paperback release; which, conveniently is the same day that the second book in the series, <i>Destroy Me</i>, is released! Check out the cover below, and the full post on Mafi's<a href="http://stiryourtea.blogspot.com/2012/06/new-shatter-me-cover-ahhhh.html"> blog</a>.<br />
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Here's the <b>OLD</b> cover...<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hJnIqNEWwZM/T849Zrg2kmI/AAAAAAAABDs/5523Wl5PaMo/s1600/shatter+me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hJnIqNEWwZM/T849Zrg2kmI/AAAAAAAABDs/5523Wl5PaMo/s400/shatter+me.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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And the <b>NEW</b> cover: <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AuoeXyNOQ_k/T849j_kaYPI/AAAAAAAABD0/tEZbOW4nH6g/s1600/NewShatterMecover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AuoeXyNOQ_k/T849j_kaYPI/AAAAAAAABD0/tEZbOW4nH6g/s400/NewShatterMecover.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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So what do you think??? I think that the new is cover is absolutely beautiful!!!! I like both of them, but the new one is just <span style="color: #3d85c6;">unbelievable</span>!! The colors used are so vivid - great palette choice! I have to say this is probably going to be one of my favorite book covers of all time!<br />
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<br />Laura @ My Enchanted Bookshelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08858584587774975098noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-902164820340598767.post-64240528271267777322012-06-05T10:57:00.004-04:002012-06-18T22:31:55.974-04:00Top Ten Tuesday {6}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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For more info on Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, head <a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.com/p/features.html">HERE</a>.<br />
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<b>Today's Topic:</b> <i>Top 10 Books I Feel Everyone Has Read But Me</i><br />
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<i>1. Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James</i><br />
This book is <b>everywhere</b> these days, and I am not on the bandwagon. I don't think I will ever read it either - smutty Twilight fanfic I guess just isn't my type of book. I've heard so many mixed reviews too - from <i><span style="color: lime;">OMG Amazing!</span></i> to <i><span style="color: red;">OMG what did I just waste my time reading</span></i>? I think I'll just play it safe and stick to my tried-and-true Young Adult and Adult Historical Fiction.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z0pY4Ql1YiQ/T84S7553nAI/AAAAAAAABCM/l7cUHY1KzIE/s1600/TheBookThief.MarkusZusak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z0pY4Ql1YiQ/T84S7553nAI/AAAAAAAABCM/l7cUHY1KzIE/s200/TheBookThief.MarkusZusak.jpg" width="128" /></a>2. <i>The Book Thief</i> by Markus Zusak<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AQQ36uBeGGo/T84T0O1Ij2I/AAAAAAAABCU/uUkRTzSq-jw/s1600/Outlander.DianaGabaldon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AQQ36uBeGGo/T84T0O1Ij2I/AAAAAAAABCU/uUkRTzSq-jw/s200/Outlander.DianaGabaldon.jpg" width="136" /></a> I am very curious about this book, and every time I see it at the library I scold myself for not just grabbing it and reading it - because everyone who has read it; says it Ahhmazing!<br />
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3. <i>Outlander (Outlander #1) </i>by Diana Gabaldon<br />
Historical Fiction. Time Travel. Hot Scots. Oh my! So why have I not read this freakin' book yet?! Well, technically I've tried. 3 times. And each time I struggle - yet my best friend <u>DEMANDS</u> I read this series because it will knock my socks off - and besides, it has all of my favorite things in it (See the first paragraph again...) so what is my prob?! Not sure - but I grabbed it when I was at the library last so I better like it...er, fourth times a charm? I hope?<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ak_JtV83qqc/T84V1py76-I/AAAAAAAABCc/gIw9lF3Q3rA/s1600/CityofBones.CassandraClare.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ak_JtV83qqc/T84V1py76-I/AAAAAAAABCc/gIw9lF3Q3rA/s200/CityofBones.CassandraClare.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
4. <i>City of Bones (Mortal Instruments #1)</i> by Cassandra Clare<br />
With five books out, a sixth due in 2014, tons of e-book extras and a spin-off series...how have I not read this one?! Well, I own it. And it's going to be a movie. So I guess I need to just read this one - especially since it was recommended to me by a dear friend who I trust would not steer me wrong!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9EQwdBiDEM0/T84XFeGSvoI/AAAAAAAABCk/lW0JksuOjEw/s1600/TheHost.STephenieMeyer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9EQwdBiDEM0/T84XFeGSvoI/AAAAAAAABCk/lW0JksuOjEw/s200/TheHost.STephenieMeyer.jpg" width="128" /></a>5. <i>The Host </i>by Stephenie Meyer<br />
<i> The Host</i> was Meyer's first adult novel following the success of the Twilight Saga. Due out this summer in movie format starring Saoirse Ronan (Susie Salmon from The Lovely Bones movie; Briony Tallis from Atonement; and Lina Mayfleet in City of Ember) I haven't read this one yet; and have found it to have very mixed reviews ranging from, <i>"Couldn't get past chapter one."</i> to <i>"You HAVE to read it!"</i> With my waning feelings for Meyer, I really can't say I have all that much interest in reading this, nor anything else she will probably publish in the future. But who knows, I may change my mind sometime in the future, I've done it before.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K_WuuDwujSE/T84ZceGN2YI/AAAAAAAABCw/hCUEwBBJimg/s1600/LookingForAlaska.JohnGreen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K_WuuDwujSE/T84ZceGN2YI/AAAAAAAABCw/hCUEwBBJimg/s200/LookingForAlaska.JohnGreen.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
6. <i>Looking For Alaska</i> by John Green<br />
I haven't jumped on the John Green bandwagon yet, since contemporary YA isn't really my genre of choice. But the amounts of praise and awards that Green's books receive, it makes me think I need to bump this (or <i>The Fault in our Stars</i>) up on my <span style="color: #674ea7;">Need To Read</span> list.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qPkTGm2MO1M/T84aFUFI5XI/AAAAAAAABC4/GlK_7yZm9S0/s1600/Marked.HouseofNight1.PCKristinCast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qPkTGm2MO1M/T84aFUFI5XI/AAAAAAAABC4/GlK_7yZm9S0/s200/Marked.HouseofNight1.PCKristinCast.jpg" width="133" /></a>7. <i>The House of Night Series </i>by P.C. & Kristin Cast<br />
OK, technically I suffered through the first book in the series, Marked, but had to call it quits on the series when at their school, the main character was observing other students engaged in sexual acts in the school hallways. I'm 28 years old, and no, I am not a prude, but really, this took it too far, and in a very un-classy way. Maybe it's just me, and maybe most people overlook it, or even laugh at it, which I suppose I could do as well, but yeah, I gave up on the rest of the books after finishing book one.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8o2OSGzwdhI/T84brKDCzfI/AAAAAAAABDA/jvz2Czu2r5k/s1600/Fallen.LaurenKate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8o2OSGzwdhI/T84brKDCzfI/AAAAAAAABDA/jvz2Czu2r5k/s200/Fallen.LaurenKate.jpg" width="124" /></a></div>
8. <i>Fallen (Fallen Series)</i> by Lauren Kate<br />
When I first saw the cover of this book, I fell in love with it. I love all of the covers on the books in this series, but I have yet to read any of them. Granted, I do own Fallen, the first book, just haven't gotten around to reading it yet. I seem to be having that problem a lot lately...<br />
9. <i>The Chronicles of Narnia</i> by C.S. Lewis<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4-5rMg_H8MU/T84eL-Wb6hI/AAAAAAAABDQ/rOEqPvschss/s1600/Eragon.ChristopherPaolini.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4-5rMg_H8MU/T84eL-Wb6hI/AAAAAAAABDQ/rOEqPvschss/s200/Eragon.ChristopherPaolini.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dQs7ymvBuxA/T84ch3RBjPI/AAAAAAAABDI/EVLDEvIiWlU/s1600/TheChroniclesofnarnia.CSLewis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dQs7ymvBuxA/T84ch3RBjPI/AAAAAAAABDI/EVLDEvIiWlU/s200/TheChroniclesofnarnia.CSLewis.jpg" width="133" /></a> I know, you are in complete, total, and utter disbelief that I have not read this series yet...am I right? Well, I have the book (all-in-one) and I always say I need to just read it, considering I love the movies! But I just haven't gotten around to it yet. Boo.<br />
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10. <i>The Inheritance Series</i> by Christopher Paolini<br />
Well, I saw Eragon the movie, but haven't picked up the books to read. Enjoyed the movie a lot - maybe I should read them?<br />
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<br />Laura @ My Enchanted Bookshelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08858584587774975098noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-902164820340598767.post-33631622455293214092012-06-04T15:14:00.001-04:002012-06-18T22:32:27.721-04:00Review {38} Until I Die by Amy Plum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r1UHGXF6pZo/T8jYTByi6cI/AAAAAAAABB4/3R9F7cNGGKE/s1600/untilidie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r1UHGXF6pZo/T8jYTByi6cI/AAAAAAAABB4/3R9F7cNGGKE/s320/untilidie.jpg" width="204" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Until I Die</i></span><br />
Revenants #2<br />
<b>By:</b> Amy Plum<br />
<b>Other Books in Series: </b><i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9462812-die-for-me">Die For Me</a></i><br />
<b>Published:</b> <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">May 8th 2012 by HarperCollins Publishers</span></span><br />
<b>Obtained:</b> Library<br />
<b>Categories: </b><i>Young Adult, Immortals, Zombies, Paranormal Romance</i><br />
<b>Rating: </b>Did Not Finish<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12908877-until-i-die"><img src="http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/g344/myenchantedbookshelf/blog%20layout/addMyBookbutton.jpg" /></a><br />
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Kate and Vincent have overcome the odds and at last they are together in Paris, the city of lights and love.</div>
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As their romance deepens there's one question they can't ignore: How are they supposed to be together if Vincent can't resist sacrificing himself to save others? Although Vincent promises that he'll do whatever it takes to lead a normal life with Kate, will that mean letting innocent people die? When a new and surprising enemy reveals itself, Kate realizes that even more may be at stake - and that's Vincent's immortality is in jeopardy.</div>
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In Die for Me, Amy Plum created a captivating paranormal mythology with immortal revenants and a lush Paris setting. Until I Die is poised to thrill readers with more heart-pounding suspense, spellbinding romance, and a cliff-hanger ending that will leave them desperate for the third and final novel in the series.</div>
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So unfortunately I did not finish the second installment in the Revenants series. This really bothers me because 1 - I hate not finishing books, and 2 - I enjoyed <i>Die for Me</i> a lot, so I was excited to jump back into Kate's life in Paris. The main reason why I ended up bailing on this book over halfway through it, is because it was just unfolding too slowly for me. There was very little action since the numa are currently in hiding, and no attacks had been made against the Revenants since the events of the first book. <i>Until I Die </i>follows Kate as she searches for answers to questions she has about the history of the revenants and numa, and whether there will ever be a way for Kate and Vincent to be together, and live in a way that Vincent isn't causing himself pain by not fulfilling the urge to die, and that they can age and live together without denying one or the other in any way.</div>
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I don't really have any problems with Plum's writing style. I find it acceptable, easy to read, flowing, and pleasant. I think my main issue with the book was the pace. There weren't many problems with settings, or events that were occurring either; though I am pretty sure I have figured out how the book ends without having actually finished it. I was finding Vincent and Kate's relationship kind of annoying too; as was Georgia, Kate's party-girl sister. I also could just be in the mood for something more fast-paced and action-packed, and it's just the wrong time for me to have picked up this book; which happens to me from time to time.</div>
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I know that I bring this up often in reviews of series, but I again fall back on my formula for a trilogy; where book 1 is the setting up of the series, book 2 is the action, and book 3 is the conclusion. In my opinion, it seems like book 1 & 2 could've almost been combined to be one longer introduction to the series, since <i>Until I Die</i> deals with so much background and info. I have a feeling that I will end up picking this book up again in the future to finish, or buy it when it's cheap before the final book comes out. Overall, I think the premise is unique, and interesting and a fresh take on a growing "zombie" genre in Young Adult.</div>
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<br /></div>Laura @ My Enchanted Bookshelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08858584587774975098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-902164820340598767.post-56637371886228504582012-05-30T17:13:00.001-04:002012-06-18T22:32:45.715-04:00The Buzz {4}<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0xBpBiqroZs/T1PuxRZG4VI/AAAAAAAAAtg/OlOGovKmgqo/s1600/buzzbee.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0xBpBiqroZs/T1PuxRZG4VI/AAAAAAAAAtg/OlOGovKmgqo/s1600/buzzbee.gif" /></a>Welcome to The Buzz, my weekly wrap-up of all things books!<br />
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<u><b><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: large;">On My Bookshelf</span></b></u><br />
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<i>This week's new books are:</i><br />
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<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Purchased E-Books:</span></b><br />
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<i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10215349-the-immortal-rules">The Immortal Rules</a></i> by Julie Kagawa<br />
<i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9378297-anna-dressed-in-blood">Anna Dressed in Blood</a></i> by Kendare Blake<br />
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<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Borrowed from the library:</span></b><br />
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<i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12829446-fated">Fated</a></i> by Alyson Noel<br />
<i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7740142-the-frenzy">The Frenzy</a></i> by Francesca Lia Block<br />
<i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6249838-pretty-dead">Pretty Dead</a></i> by Francesca Lia Block<br />
<i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12432229-struck">Struck</a></i> by Jennifer Bosworth<br />
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<u><b><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: large;">New Release Books Out This Week</span></b></u><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12995284-dreamless"><i>Dreamless</i> </a>- Starcrossed #2 - Josephine Angelini<br />
<i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12872080-darkness-before-dawn">Darkness Before Dawn</a></i> - J.A. London<br />
<i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12988106-changeling">Changeling</a></i> - Order of Darkness #1 - Philippa Gregory<br />
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<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Kobo E-Book Hot Deals - $2.99/each</span></b><br />
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<a href="http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Evermore-The-Immortals/book-313F4oQQD0K4-RDjC3zadA/page1.html"><i>Evermore</i> - Immortals Series #1 - Alyson Noel</a><br />
<a href="http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Dark-Mirror/book-S6Jh9jVXHkShDew1y6WyMw/page1.html"><i>Dark Mirror</i> - Dark Mirror #1 - MJ Putney</a><br />
<a href="http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Prophecy-of-the-Sisters/book-GVabbtCWzUyw-c86bwr-ZA/page1.html"><i>Prophecy of Sisters</i> - Prophecy of Sisters #1 - Michelle Zink</a><br />
<a href="http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Cracked-Up-to-Be/book-d2omrLe0oUOLoawH3haFGw/page1.html"><i>Cracked Up To Be</i> - Courtney Summers</a><br />
<a href="http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Marked-A-House-Night-Novel/book-yqpFRoo6U0CUZ4ynUhtSeQ/page1.html"><i>Marked</i> - House of Night #1 - Kristin & PC Cast</a><br />
<a href="http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Sweet-Valley-Confidential-Ten-Years/book-ZKMLD0FIDEqE6oTHaepowQ/page1.html"><i>Sweet Valley Confidential: Ten Years Later</i> - Francine Pascal</a><br />
<a href="http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Once-Full-Moon-Bonus-Material/book--PVW5V18-kKdr0eE2Mc8Uw/page1.html"><i>Once In A Full Moon with Bonus Material</i> - Ellen Schreiber</a><br />
<a href="http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/The-DUFF-Designated-Ugly-Fat/book-FFhTDrXUrUqX0shA1z9LWQ/page1.html"><i>The DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend)</i> - Kody Keplinger</a><br />
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<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">What I'm Currently Reading:</span></b><br />
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<i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6527740-last-sacrifice">Last Sacrifice</a></i> - Vampire Academy #6 - Richelle Mead<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12908877-until-i-die"><i>Until I Die</i> </a>- Revenants #2 - Amy Plum<br />
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<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">What I'm Reading Next:</span></b><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8709527-bloodlines"><i>Bloodlines</i> </a>- Bloodlines #1 - Richelle Mead<br />
<i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11595072-arcadia-awakens">Arcadia Awakens</a></i> - Kai Meyer<br />
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<br />Laura @ My Enchanted Bookshelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08858584587774975098noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-902164820340598767.post-34262988604037731342012-05-25T12:47:00.001-04:002012-06-18T22:35:21.165-04:00Review {37} Insurgent by Veronica Roth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iwCUVGrLl6g/TnPrKYoFGGI/AAAAAAAAASY/YrVv_qL0NC4/s1600/Insurgent_212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iwCUVGrLl6g/TnPrKYoFGGI/AAAAAAAAASY/YrVv_qL0NC4/s1600/Insurgent_212.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Insurgent</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>by:</b> Veronica Roth</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Series:</b> Divergent #2</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Published:</b> May 1, 2012 by HarperTeen</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Obtained: </b>Library <i>(but NEED to buy & ASAP!)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Challenge(s):</b> None</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Categories:</b><i> Young Adult, 2nd book in series, Dystopian, Romance, Betrayal, Non-stop Action,</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Other Books in the Series:</b> <a href="http://myenchantedbookshelf.blogspot.com/2011/12/review_14.html">Divergent</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DivergentSeries?v=app_276313732461376">Free Four</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Rating: 5 Cupcakes - <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Positively Enticing!</span></i></span><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11735983-insurgent"><img src="http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/g344/myenchantedbookshelf/blog%20layout/addMyBookbutton.jpg" /></a>
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">One choice can transform you - or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves - and herself - while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable - and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><b>*Please note that there may be spoilers if you haven't read either Divergent or Insurgent. Proceed at your own risk!*</b></span></div>
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I have been dying to read this book since I closed the cover of <i>Divergent</i> way back when. I was hoping to reread <i>Divergent</i> before picking up <i>Insurgent </i>buuuut, I couldn't wait. I think that did a disadvantage to me, unfortunately. I loved <i>Divergent,</i> even though in my review I claimed that the beginning was slow, and didn't hold my attention well. This is why I wanted to reread it, because I think I missed stuff in the first half of the book due to my impatience. Bah! Anyway, when I first cracked open <i>Insurgent </i>(at midnight, saying I'd only read one chapter... ha ha yeah, as if <i>THAT</i> was possible!) I was fully engrossed in the story immediately. There is something about Roth's writing that just grabs me and doesn't let me go. I think I would read anything she has written because I love her style that much. She doesn't give superficial thoughts and emotions from her characters. Several times in the book it is referenced that people have 'layers' to them. I completely agree, and with her writing she peels layer upon layer away, giving you an in depth, personal look into their minds, their lives, and their very essence. This gives us the ability to relate and understand the characters like I've never before had. It's absolutely incredible, and on a scale of 1-10 for writing, I would give Roth an 11!</div>
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While I still desperately adore Tris and Four, I really did not like their interactions and relationship in the second installment of the series. Let me clarify. Both characters go through intense emotional experiences in <i>Insurgent</i>. Tris is reeling from the death of her parents and dealing with the guilt of shooting Will. Four is still holding a grudge against his abusive father, and finding himself trusting his mother, Evelyn, whom he believed abandoned him as a child. Four had told Tris that his mother was dead, and so begins the first in a line of lies and betrayals between the two. Both are harboring secrets, and half-truths are told, leaving each of them wary of the other. This eventually leads them to two different goals in the end; with Tris teaming up with Four's father, Marcus, to help reveal the information that Erudite leader Jeanine Matthews was so desperate to keep hidden; and Four teaming up with his estranged mother, Evelyn, who has formed a union between the Factionless and the loyal Dauntless to storm Erudite headquarters, kill Jeanine, and form a new Factionless society, with her as the leader; unbeknownst to Tori, who's hand kills Jeanine. I also feel that the resolution of their relationship at the end will not last. I believe that part of the first half of book three is going to still deal with Tris and Four figuring out exactly what they want from each other, what they will need to keep their relationship strong and continuing into the future, and they will need to figure out if they can put past hurts and betrayals behind them. If not, there may not be a Tris and Four in the future.</div>
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This book, to me, fit perfectly as a second novel in the series. I didn't write the review immediately after finishing it, because if I had, I probably would've given it a two- or three- cupcake rating, and most of my followers would probably want to rough me up for that! LOL But I slept on it, mulled it over while drinking my coffee, again while I was in the shower, some more while doing my hair, and now again as I'm writing the review. For a series to be successful, namely a trilogy, the first book needs to set up the scenario, book two gives you the conflict, and three will be the resolution. With that formula, <i>Insurgent</i> is genius for a second-in-a-series book. It slams you with information and action from page one and never really gives you a break. There were nights where my eyes were literally half-closed, my body begging me to put the book down and go to sleep; but I couldn't. I had to keep reading, even though as I was reading I was telling myself that I didn't really care for the book as much as the first. </div>
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But then morning came after the night I finished the book, and the clouds parted, the sun shone down, and I realized that I did like the book. I did like it, because it was exactly what it was supposed to be. I did figure out what the secret was that Jeanine was hiding however; but it didn't really change anything as far as my enjoying the book. The ending left you with one ginormous cliff-hanger, and I believe that the final book will give us all the answers to questions that were left over from both <i>Divergent </i>and <i>Insurgent.</i> I think I figured out what was going on, after thinking <i>'wait a minute, why is there no "history" to the factions? It's the characters we are reading about now, and their parents. That is as far back as the lineage goes.' </i>After viewing the video that the Erudite were so desperate to keep hidden, more questions are left hanging in the balance, and leaves Tris wondering just what her part (and her family's part) is in all of this. Luckily, there is nothing more that she can keep hidden from Four at this point, since everything is public knowledge now.</div>
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There is a lot more than just Tris and Four's relationship that will need resolution in book three. We will need to see Four deal with his parents; either working with or against one or both (assuming he'll team up with one of them, since they both have different visions of the future of the factions.) We will need to see all of the characters deal with the loss of loved ones - whether it be friends or family, because Roth takes no liberties in killing people off. </div>
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I believe that Roth has an incredibly talented, and successful writing career ahead of her, and I am eagerly anticipating the release of book three next year. This series could <i>easily</i> be made into a movie, as the whole time I was reading the book, the scenes flashed through my mind like stills from a video. Overall, this series is absolutely mesmerizingly incredible!</div>
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<br /></div>Laura @ My Enchanted Bookshelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08858584587774975098noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-902164820340598767.post-63868123696745799962012-05-23T00:00:00.000-04:002012-06-18T22:37:54.515-04:00The Buzz {3}<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0xBpBiqroZs/T1PuxRZG4VI/AAAAAAAAAtg/OlOGovKmgqo/s1600/buzzbee.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0xBpBiqroZs/T1PuxRZG4VI/AAAAAAAAAtg/OlOGovKmgqo/s1600/buzzbee.gif" /></a><br />
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Welcome to The Buzz - a weekly post that showcases new books on my shelves, any bookish news that is share-worthy, and anything else I feel like adding: book trailers, release dates, cover reveals, etc. </div>
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<b><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;"><u>On My Bookshelf</u></span></b></div>
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So, it's kind of been awhile since I've updated new books so I guess we will start there!</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=dreaming+anastasia"><img src="http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/g344/myenchantedbookshelf/blog%20layout/addMyBookbutton.jpg" /></a> <span style="font-size: large;"><i>Dreaming Anastasia</i> & <i>Haunted</i> </span>by Joy Preble<br />
<a href="http://s1097.photobucket.com/albums/g344/myenchantedbookshelf/Book%20Covers/?action=view&current=DreamingAnastasia1JoyPrebel.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="200" src="http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/g344/myenchantedbookshelf/Book%20Covers/DreamingAnastasia1JoyPrebel.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="http://s1097.photobucket.com/albums/g344/myenchantedbookshelf/Book%20Covers/?action=view&current=Haunted2JoyPrebel.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="200" src="http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/g344/myenchantedbookshelf/Book%20Covers/Haunted2JoyPrebel.jpg" width="133" /></a>
I won these *signed* books during the YA Scavenger Hunt way back when (yes, I'm THAT far behind!) Big thanks to Joy Preble for signing these and offering them up as a prize! I cannot wait to read them, and the third book of the series, <i>Anastasia Forever</i>, releases August 1, 2012<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6599342-the-girl-with-the-dragon-tattoo"><img src="http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/g344/myenchantedbookshelf/blog%20layout/addMyBookbutton.jpg" /></a> <i><span style="font-size: large;">The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo</span></i> by Stieg Larsson<br />
<a href="http://s1097.photobucket.com/albums/g344/myenchantedbookshelf/Book%20Covers/?action=view&current=TheGirlWithTheDragonTattooMillenium1StiegLarsson.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="200" src="http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/g344/myenchantedbookshelf/Book%20Covers/TheGirlWithTheDragonTattooMillenium1StiegLarsson.jpg" width="129" /></a>This one actually just showed up at my doorstep one day after I completed a survey on Goodreads. I am so not arguing with free books! While this really isn't my *type* of book, its received rave reviews so I will most likely give it a whirl. This is the first book in the Millenium Series.<br />
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And then I went on an (Kobo) E-Book buying spree....<br />
<span style="color: red;"> [Click the title to go to the Goodreads page]</span><br />
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<i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9462812-die-for-me">Die For Me(The Revenants #1)</a> <i>with Bonus Material</i> by Amy Plum<br /><i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9462795-starcrossed">Starcrossed #1</a></i> <i>with Bonus Material </i>by Josephine Angelini<br /><i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12690572-illuminate">Illuminate(Gilded Wings#1)</a></i> by Aimee Agressi<br /><i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/518848.Sabriel">Sabriel(Abhorsen#1)</a></i> by Garth Nix<br /><i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13076222-darkest-powers-bonus-pack">Darkest Powers Bonus Pack: Dangerous, Divided, and Disenchanted</a></i> by Kelley Armstrong<br /><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11250671-above"><i>Above</i> </a>by Leah Bobet<br /><i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9802066-the-borgia-betrayal">Borgia Betrayal(The Poisoner Mysteries #2)</a> </i>by Sara Poole<br /><i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7664735-flawless">Flawless</a></i> by Lara Chapman<br /><i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10174795-glow">Glow(The Skychasers #1)</a></i> by Amy Kathleen Ryan<br /><i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11836518-halflings">Halflings #1</a></i> by Heather Burch<br /><i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7823524-monster-high">Monster High #1</a></i> by Lisi Harrington<br /><i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7373274-poison">Poison(The Poisoner Mysteries #1)</a></i> by Sara Poole<br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;"><u><b>On My Radar</b></u></span><i> - June Edition (Part 1)</i><br />
<i>Here are some of the June 2012 releases that are on my radar.</i><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nja7oUcmCVA/T7rQcBfPKWI/AAAAAAAAA-s/3jM7GtKphcA/s1600/ThisIsNotATest.CourtneySummers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nja7oUcmCVA/T7rQcBfPKWI/AAAAAAAAA-s/3jM7GtKphcA/s200/ThisIsNotATest.CourtneySummers.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
<i>This Is Not A Test </i>by Courtney Summers<br />
<span style="color: #8e7cc3;">Expected Publication: June 19th 2012 by St. Martin's Griffin</span><br />
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"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 - insude. When everything is gone, what do you hold on to?"<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mU6bvycALMo/T7rRrcWEJxI/AAAAAAAAA-0/PIcIKcDf-sc/s1600/ForDarknessShowsTheStars.DianaPeterfreund.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mU6bvycALMo/T7rRrcWEJxI/AAAAAAAAA-0/PIcIKcDf-sc/s200/ForDarknessShowsTheStars.DianaPeterfreund.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
<i>For Darkness Shows the Stars</i> by Diana Peterfreund<br />
<span style="color: #8e7cc3;">Expected Publication: June 12th 2012 by Balzer+Bray</span><br />
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Generations ago, a genetic experiment gone wrong - the Reduction - decimated humanity, giving rise to a Luddite nobility who outlawed most technology.<br />
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"Elliot North has always known her place in this world. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family's estate over love. Since then the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jumpstarting the wheel of progress, and Elliot's estate is foundering, forcing her to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that include renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth - an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliot wonders if this could be her second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she let him go.<br />
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But Elliot soon discovers her old friend carries a secret - one that could change their society . . . or bring it to its knees. And again, she's faced with a choice: cling to what she's been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she's ever loved, even if she's lost him forever.<br />
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Inspired by Jane Austen's <i>Persuasion, For Darkness Shows the Stars</i> is a breathtaking romance about opening your mind to the future and your heart to the one person you know can break it."<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v3rHdWQJbgs/T7rUjOHHIHI/AAAAAAAAA_E/LjQ_JLqN_P0/s1600/LiesBeneath.AnneGreenwoodBrown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v3rHdWQJbgs/T7rUjOHHIHI/AAAAAAAAA_E/LjQ_JLqN_P0/s200/LiesBeneath.AnneGreenwoodBrown.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
<i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10479750-lies-beneath">Lies Beneath</a></i> by Anne Greenwood Brown<br />
Expected Publication: June 12th 2012 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers<br />
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"Calder White lives in the cold, clear waters of Lake Superior, the only brother in a family of murderous mermaids. To survive, Calder and his sisters prey on humans, killing them to absorb their energy. But this summer the underwater clan targets Jason Hancock out of pure revenge. They blame Hancock for their mother's death and have been waiting a long time for him to return to his family's homestead on the lake. Hancock has a fear of water, so to lure him in, Calder sets out to seduce Hancock's daughter, Lily. Easy enough - especially as Calder has lots of practic using his irresistible good looks and charm on unsuspecting girls. Only this time Calder screws everything up: he falls for Lily - just as Lily starts to suspet that there's more to the monsters-in-the-lake legends than she ever imagined. And just as his sisters are losing patience with him."<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-35Th0vMTzDI/T7rWNaMZZZI/AAAAAAAAA_M/6QfJjFxH1lg/s1600/MyLifeNextDoor.HuntleyFitzpatrick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-35Th0vMTzDI/T7rWNaMZZZI/AAAAAAAAA_M/6QfJjFxH1lg/s200/MyLifeNextDoor.HuntleyFitzpatrick.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
<i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12294652-my-life-next-door">My Life Next Door</a></i> by Huntley Fitzpatrick<br />
Expected Publication: June 14th 2012 by Dial Books for Young Readers<br />
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"A gorgeous debut about family, friendship, first romance, and how to be true to one person you love without betraying another.<br />
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<i>"One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time."</i><br />
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The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy, affectionate. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen-year-old Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them ... until one summer evening Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything. As the two fall fiercely in love, Jase's family makes Samantha one of their own. Then, in an instant, the bottom drops out of her world and she is suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?<br />
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A dreamy summer read, full of characters who stay with you long after the story is over."<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ylv6C2MRqeY/T7rYTDn5n0I/AAAAAAAAA_U/fcCBpGj106U/s1600/ShadowsCastByStars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ylv6C2MRqeY/T7rYTDn5n0I/AAAAAAAAA_U/fcCBpGj106U/s200/ShadowsCastByStars.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
<i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6931234-shadows-cast-by-stars">Shadows Cast by Stars</a></i> by Catherine Knutsson<br />
Expected Publication: June 5th 20120 by Atheneum<br />
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<b>"Old ways are pitted against new horrors in this compellingly crafted dystopian tale about a girl who is both healer and seer.</b><br />
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Two hundred years from now, blood has become the most valuable commodity on the planet - especially the blood of aboriginal peoples, for it contains antibodies that protect them from the Plague ravaging the rest of the world.<br />
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Sixteen-year-old Cassandra Mercredi might be immune to the Plague, but that doesn't mean she's safe - government forces are searching for those of aboriginal heritage to harvest their blood. When a search threatens Cassandra and her family, they flee to the Island: a mysterious and idyllic territory protected by the Band, a group of guerilla warriors - and by an enigmatic energy barrier that keeps outsiders out and the spirit world in. And though the village healer has taken her under her wing, and the tribal leader's son into his heart, the creatures of the spirit world are angry, and they have chosen Cassandra to be their voice and instrument.<br />
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Incorporating the traditions of the First Peoples as well as more familiar stories of Greek mythology and Arthurian legend, <i>Shadows Cast by Stars</i> is a haunting, beautifully written story that breathes new life into ancient customs."<br />
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<u><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">WISH LIST</span></u><br />
<i>*Wish List is a list of books that are already released that I want and do not own.</i><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/9858517-all-these-things-i-ve-done">All These Things I've Done (Birthright #1) by Gabrielle Zevin</a><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13496.A_Game_of_Thrones">A Game of Thrones - A Song of Ice & Fire Series by George R.R. Martin</a><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7696564-unraveled">Unraveled - Intertwined #2 - by Gena Showalter</a><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7791997-crescendo">Crescendo - Hush, Hush #2 - by Becca Fitzpatrick</a><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;"><u>BOOKS 'TBR' THIS WEEK</u></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12908877-until-i-die">Until I Die - Revenants #2 - by Amy Plum</a><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8709527-bloodlines">Bloodlines - Bloodlines #1 - by Richelle Mead</a><br />
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<u><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">Book Trailers</span></u><br />
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Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock<br />
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Insurgent - Divergent #2 - by Veronica Roth<br />
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<br /></div>Laura @ My Enchanted Bookshelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08858584587774975098noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-902164820340598767.post-43793122768903854632012-05-21T12:27:00.001-04:002012-06-18T22:41:49.111-04:00Book Stole My Look {8}<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-47Kk9hNdeQc/T149L_jN7tI/AAAAAAAAAyA/e2GMCVMUl6Q/s1600/heartcloudrainbow.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-47Kk9hNdeQc/T149L_jN7tI/AAAAAAAAAyA/e2GMCVMUl6Q/s1600/heartcloudrainbow.gif" /></a>Welcome to Book Stole My Look! Here I take two (or more) book covers that are coincidentally similar and discuss them!<br />
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Today's Books Are:<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9015663-dark-angel"><img src="http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/g344/myenchantedbookshelf/blog%20layout/addMyBookbutton.jpg" /></a> <i>Dark Angel</i> (Dark Angel #1) by Eden Maguire<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7497552-the-vespertine"><img src="http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/g344/myenchantedbookshelf/blog%20layout/addMyBookbutton.jpg" /></a><i>The Vespertine </i>(The Vespertine #1) by Saundra Mitchell<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KL7XVh3Zbsw/T7pdqa6GE_I/AAAAAAAAA-g/YZvaqukxBeo/s1600/BookStoleMyLook8" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KL7XVh3Zbsw/T7pdqa6GE_I/AAAAAAAAA-g/YZvaqukxBeo/s400/BookStoleMyLook8" width="400" /></a></div>
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At first glance it's not easy to pick up the similar theme because the color palettes used for the two books are vastly different. <i>Dark Angel's</i> bold red is harsher compared to the muted neutral tones of <i>The Vespertine</i>. However; if you look more at the model on the covers rather than at the cover as a whole, you can see why these two covers look alike: both models are running. And not even are they just running, but they are both looking over their right shoulders while each hand is pulling up the fabric of the dress's skirt. Oh, and the dresses? Yep, they're identical, just different colors. So let's compare, shall we?</div>
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<i>Dark Angel</i> is a Young Adult Paranormal focusing on Angels and Demons. The summary on Goodreads says, <i><b>"Tania's heart belongs to Orlando. Nothing can rip them apart. Until the seduction begins in a flurry or glamour and magic, music and parties all orchestrated by the mysterious and mesmerizing Zoran, an iconic rock star who has retired to a remote ranch in the nearby mountains. And there Tania meets the dark side. Can she resist temptation?"</b> </i>I have not read this book, but what I've encountered in my love of all things Angels & Demons, is that depending on the main themes, they tend to range from subdued cover colors(i.e. <i>Unearthly</i> by Cynthia Hand), to screaming bold cover colors. <i>Dark Angel</i> is taking on the latter of those two. This is a smart choice in my opinion because it seems that Tania, the main character, is going to be dealing with a lot of the "Dark Side", which in my mind Demons = red or black in colors. What are the main colors of the cover? Yessir, red and black! And the white to me would represent the Angel part of the book, with the white feather splayed across the mid-lower half. </div>
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I absolutely love the layout of this cover! I believe that the abundance of red and the fact that the cover model is "running away". Since her dress is red, my thoughts are this: She is trying to run away from the 'demon(s)' but cannot get away because they are entwined/wrapped around her/her life. Again, these are all assumptions considering I haven't read the book, but just winding together the summary and the cover art. I love the way that the top half is the 'action' part of the cover, and then it's abruptly split by the white feather with black font (which I LOVE!) and then the red around it with the author's name in white. I would say that if I were in a bookstore I would pick this book up based on the cover alone.</div>
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Now... on to <i>The Vespertine</i>. Again, I haven't read this book so I am going to be basically giving my own opinion based on the summary and the cover art. Per Goodreads, the summary for <i>The Vespertine</i> is this: <i><b>"It's the summer of 1889, and Amelia van den Broek is new to Baltimore and eager to take in all the pleasures the city has to offer. But her gaiety is interrupted by disturbing, dreamlike visions she has only at sunset - visions that offer glimpses of the future. Soon, friends and strangers alike call on Amelia to hear her prophecies. However, a forbidden romance with Nathaniel, an artist, threatens the new life Amelia is building in Baltimore. This enigmatic young man is keeping secrets of his own - still, Amelia finds herself irrepressibly drawn to him. When one of her darkest visions comes to pass, Amelia's world is thrown into chaos. And those around her begin to wonder if she's not the seer of dark portents, but the cause."</b> </i>Okay, I feel like I'm grasping at straws on this one... I feel like it's harder for me to tie in the cover art and the summary. The easiest element to choose to analyze is the model. Yet again, we see her 'running away' so I will have to assume that she is running away from her visions, since they've turned dark. The colors are so subdued that the only link I feel I can make is that they are more 'Victorian Era' colors. The color yellow from the website <a href="http://crystal-cure.com/">Crystal-cure.com</a> states that <span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: large;">"yellow, like the energy of a bright sunny day brings clarity and awareness....Clean, light yellow clears the mind, making it active and alert. Yellow is great if you are looking to sharpen your memory and concentration skills." </span>Ok, so this helps me some. The font on the cover is in yellow (and in a "Victorian-ish" style) which would fit in well with what someone with visions of the future would need in their life: clarity, awareness, concentration skills.. yep! We have a winner! Now, the main overall cover color is brown. Utilizing the same website, <span style="color: #4c1130; font-size: large;">"Brown can mix into many surroundings. It is a mixture of red, blue, yellow, and has many shades and tones - each of which produce a different effect. Brown can be a stabilizing color. The red in brown gives it a practical energy, while the yellow and blue add mental focus energies. Too much brown can make a dull effect. Brown gives a feeling of solidity, and allows one to stay in the background, unnoticed. Brown is good for creating a solid, wholesome feeling; to blend with the background; to connect with the natural earth and the stability it brings; and for orderliness and convention." </span>Ok, again this is so helpful! Let's discuss: So it's easy to see why the brown of the cover would give a very grounding, earthy feel to the book. Also, if you are able to see the future, you would want to keep it kind of a secret right? By "blending into the background". Check. Again we are given the ability to enhance mental focus, which again a seer would want/need. However, I do have to agree with "too much brown can make a dull effect". I think the cover has too much of it. But in fact it does enhance the meaning of the cover, I suppose. There are several different shades of brown in the cover art as well, which means varying tones of the "mix colors" (red, blue, yellow...) can help to encourage certain themes and aspects of the book. </div>
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In my opinion, <i>Dark Angel</i> is the cover winner here if we are judging on the summary and cover art representing the overall theme of the book.</div>
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What are your thoughts on the covers? Have you read either book, and enjoyed or disliked it? Let me know in the comments!!</div>
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<br />Laura @ My Enchanted Bookshelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08858584587774975098noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-902164820340598767.post-79399960274838781172012-05-19T17:47:00.001-04:002012-06-18T22:43:12.369-04:00Review {36} Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EkkPk_8Zqvo/T7gEJW9qyyI/AAAAAAAAA9s/X7FaOVhrh2c/s1600/spiritbound.vampireacademy5.richellemead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EkkPk_8Zqvo/T7gEJW9qyyI/AAAAAAAAA9s/X7FaOVhrh2c/s320/spiritbound.vampireacademy5.richellemead.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Spirit Bound</i>; Vampire Academy #5</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>By:</b> Richelle Mead</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Published:</b> May 18th 2010 by Penguin/Razorbill</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Edition:</b> Hardcover, 489 pages</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Obtained:</b> Library</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Challenge(s):</b> None</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Categories:</b> <i>Vampires, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Young Adult, Magic/Spells/Incantations/Curses, Vampire Academy Series, Action, Kick-Ass Heroine</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Rating: </b>4 Cupcakes - <i>Simply Delectable!</i></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6479259-spirit-bound"><img src="http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/g344/myenchantedbookshelf/blog%20layout/addMyBookbutton.jpg" /></a>
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<b>Salvation has it's price.</b></div>
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The words stunned Adrian for a moment, but he kept going. "You're lying. What you're describing is impossible. There's no way to save a Strigoi. When they're gone, they're gone. They're dead. Undead. Forever."</div>
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Robert's next words weren't directed at Adrian. They were spoken to me. <i>"That which is dead doesn't always stay dead..."</i></div>
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<b>After a long and heartbreaking journey to Dimitri's birthplace in Siberia</b>, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vladimir's - and to her best friend, Lissa Dragomir. It's graduation, and the girls can't wait for their real lives outside of the Academy's cold iron gates to finally begin. But even with the intrigue and excitement of court life looming, Rose's heart still aches for Dimitri. He's out there, somewhere.</div>
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She failed to kill him when she had the chance, and now her worst fears are about to come true. Dimitri has tasted her blood, and she knows in her heart that he is hunting her. And if Rose won't join him, he won't rest until he's silenced her... <i>forever</i>.</div>
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But Rose can't forget what she's learned on her journey - whispers of a magic too impossible and terrifying to comprehend. A magic inextricably tied to Lissa that could hold the answer to all of Rose's prayers, but not without devastating consequences. Now Rose will have to decide what - and <i>who</i> - matters most to her. In the end, is true love really worth the price?</div>
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Fall in love with Rose and Dimitri all over again in <i>Spirit Bound</i>, the eagerly awaited fifth novel in Richelle Mead's enthralling <i>Vampire Academy</i> Series.</div>
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<span style="color: red;">*As always - please proceed with caution if you have not yet read this book or the preceding books of the Vampire Academy Series*</span></div>
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<b style="text-align: justify;">Initial Reaction</b><span style="text-align: justify;"> </span><i style="text-align: justify;">(Upon finishing the book)</i><span style="text-align: justify;">: Hot diggity dog, Richelle Mead! You've done it again with your insane-crazy-roller coaster of nonstop emotions!</span><br />
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<b>Characters:</b> So we've been around the Academy Crew for a year now (in the book's world...) so I wanted to review the character development and how they've grown and changed since book #1. I think for the most part each character has maintained their initial personalities and beliefs with growth and maturity for each in different areas. The biggest changes, not surprisingly, have been within Rose herself. While she still embodies the traits we first admired her for - strong-willed, determined, loyal, stubborn, blunt, and devoted - she has grown emotionally over the course of the series. She's experienced true love, lost her virginity to said true love, lost true love to the Strigoi, gained love in the form of Adrian Ivashkov, set out on a mission to kill first true love, dropped out of school, re-enrolled in school, graduated and passed her trials, became an official Guardian, learned who her father is, broke a criminal out of jail (and lost said criminal in Las Vegas), am I forgetting anything else?!?! </div>
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<b>Plot:</b> I rarely do my own plot summaries but for this one I wanted to because so much happens in this book that I feel it is necessary to bring us into book #6. In the fifth installment we find Rose and Lissa (and Christian and Eddie...) graduating from St. Vladimir's and moving on to life at Court. Rose is still hung up on finding out that Victor Dashkov's half-brother, Robert, has successfully brought back a Strigoi by staking them with a spirit-charmed stake. Determined to find out if this is true so that there is hope of Dimitri being reestablished as a Dhampir, Rose brings Lissa and Eddie along on a trip to Alaska, to break Victor out of Tarasov prison. With the hopes of freedom, Victor goes along with the trio to Las Vegas where they meet up with Robert - and then get attacked by Strigoi Dimitri. In all of the chaos, Victor and Robert are lost, and Adrian shows up since he thinks Rose and Lissa are just enjoying a "girls trip" before they begin their lives in the real world. Defeated, Rose and her entourage return back to Court hoping nobody will figure out that she, Lissa, and Eddie are the ones who released Victor.<br />
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Back at Court, Queen Tatiana is hellbent on keeping Lissa and Rose apart by sentencing Rose to punishments such as filing, and building courtyards. Eddie is not speaking to Rose, which is tearing Rose apart as she always valued Eddie's friendship. Lissa goes on a trip to Lehigh University to ensure that is where she wants to attend school. Since Rose has been forbidden to join her, Lissa takes Christian with her along with Guardians Serena and Grant, and Priscilla Voda. Lissa and Christian practice staking, so that when Lissa is finally able to charm a stake with spirit, she can go after Dimitri and turn him back from the undead. After dinner one night, the group is attacked outside of the restaurant by a group of Strigoi and are held captive in a warehouse by Strigoi Dimitri. He "Talks" to Rose through Lissa, since he knows about the bond, and is pretty sure she is in Lissa's head at that moment (Which, conveniently, she is.) A group is established back at Court to go after the Strigoi, and Rose goes too. In the warehouse a battle between Strigoi, Guardians, and Moroi breaks out. Lissa and Christian, a fire user, team up to trap Dimitri so that Lissa, after many, many attempts, can stake him with the spirit-charmed stake. Unbeknownst to Rose, Lissa was successful in doing so.<br />
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After staking Dimitri, his soul is "healed" by Lissa and returns to his body, declaring him a Dhampir once more. He then clings to her as his "savior". Everyone returns to Court.<br />
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Dimitri heartbreakingly decides he does not want to see, speak to, or have anything to do with Rose because he cannot forgive himself for any of the things that he did to her while holding her captive in Siberia while he was Strigoi. Rose is willing to forgive and forget, but Dimitri tells her to go on with her life and her relationship with Adrian because he no longer loves Rose and will never love her again. These words finally slam into Rose's head and heart, and she decides then and there that Adrian is who she loves and will be with (even if she planned to end things this summer since a Dhampir and Moroi Royal cannot truly be together forever...) Back in her room, things get pretty hot and heavy between herself and Adrian but the lack of protection brings the events to an end... almost... Rose lets Adrian drink from her.<br />
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Another huge story line is that the Queen and the Council decide to lower the age of Dhampir's becoming Guardians from 18 to 16; much to the chagrin of all Dhampirs - namely Rose. Rose's outburst during the Council hearing ends with her being removed - and hurtling a threat at the Queen. The next morning Rose is arrested and charged (and falsely accused) with high treason for killing Queen Tatiana. Adrian has the family lawyer agree to represent Rose, but just as the hearing begins, Abe - Rose's father - shows up to be her counsel. Abe promises he will not allow Rose to be convicted and executed - but Rose's outburst about how "IF she had been the murderer she would've done X, Y, Z..." doesn't help her case and she is sentenced to go to trial and placed in the same cell that Dimitri was held in. While on the way out of the hearing, Ambrose give Rose a note supposedly from Queen Tatiana herself - telling Rose that Lissa is not the only Dragomir - that Eric Dragomir had an illegitimate child, and that it is up to Rose to find this child so that Lissa can be placed on the Council. Due to an ancient Moroi law, a member of a royal family cannot gain their place on the Council unless there are at LEAST 2 members of the family.<br />
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And that is where we end with book five.<br />
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<b>Last Words:</b> I initially gave this book a 3-cupcake rating after I finished the last page. After giving myself 24-hours to digest everything, I did decide to bump it up to a 4. Here's why - the intense emotional content of this book really did something weird and funky to my heart! A lot of times I try to "put myself" in the shoes of the characters in order to truly gauge my rating. After doing this, I realized that the book didn't deserve just an "I liked it." While I cannot say "I loved it" I will absolutely agree with "I really liked it". Mead has no problem serving up heavy helpings of pure, raw emotions and that is something I truly love about her writing. There is something very simplistic but deep about her writing style. It's almost like you read the words on a superficial level, but your mind goes into overdrive deciphering the depth and meaning of them. It's incredible, and it's what made me change my rating. Based on her writing style alone I had to rate the book higher.<br />
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What I didn't really like, is that everything is hard for the characters, but the solution sometimes seems too easy. I am basing that statement on this event; Lissa staking Dimitri. So when Lissa leaves Court for Lehigh, we know she is trying to charm a stake with spirit so she can bring Dimitri back. As far as we know, she hasn't succeeded yet. We don't learn that she has, until she literally stakes him. It doesn't seem like there was too much struggle for her to figure it out, even though she's grappled with her spirit powers since learning of them. (Dream walking like Adrian, for example). So I think it felt a little easy to me for her to have figured it out. I do love how Christian teamed up with her to help her stake Dimitri though; however I feel that was a bit easy too? Maybe I'm just being too critical. Overall, the book was great, and I'm happy to see Lissa and Christian rekindling their relationship and also happy Rose did/is give/giving Adrian a fair-and-square chance. I'm very eager to get into the meat of book #6 because I really cannot guess what will happen with all of the loose ends needing to be tied up in this last, final installment in the series.<br />
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Check out Spirit Bound on:<a href="http://www.shelfari.com/books/5871034/Spirit-Bound"><img src="http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/g344/myenchantedbookshelf/blog%20layout/shelfariedit.jpg" /></a></div>
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Next Read: Bloodlines by Richelle Mead<br />
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<br /></div>Laura @ My Enchanted Bookshelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08858584587774975098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-902164820340598767.post-53745920912516709222012-05-19T15:16:00.000-04:002012-06-18T22:44:50.398-04:00Let's chat about a little website called...Shelfari<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sIYIV_eb4VI/T7frc-iS_9I/AAAAAAAAA9g/l4hLy0SgplA/s1600/shelfari.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sIYIV_eb4VI/T7frc-iS_9I/AAAAAAAAA9g/l4hLy0SgplA/s1600/shelfari.jpg" /></a></div>
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Show of hands... how many people use this site and revel in its awesomeness? The point of this post?? To see how many people actually <span style="color: orange;">USE</span> it. Most people are very active on <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/">Goodreads</a></span>, which I am as well. But <span style="color: red;">Shelfari</span> has some pretty awesome points that <span style="color: blue;">Goodreads</span> doesn't. First off, they notify you when anything has been added to your "favorite" series, or a book you've read has been updated. Say you like the Sookie Stackhouse series and choose it as a favorite. Well, if the next book is coming out and the release info has been added, they tell you so you can add it to your <span style="color: purple;">'Plan To Read'</span> shelf! Pretty neat, huh? It gives you all of the books in the series in the correct order, which is really helpful, and it also gives you a lot of information about the book, characters, setting, summary, and <span style="color: lime;">ALL</span> of it is editable! So you can freely add any information about the book that you want!</div>
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I utilize <span style="color: red;">Shelfari </span>so feel free to follow me - <a href="http://www.shelfari.com/myenchantedbookshelf">My Shelfari</a>. It is powered by <a href="http://www.amazon.com/">Amazon</a> so if you have an account on <span style="color: yellow;">Amazon</span>, which I think everyone does, you can log in with that username and password. I really think everyone should check it out because it's definitely a nice tool to use alongside <span style="color: blue;">Goodreads</span>!</div>
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Let me know what you think of <span style="color: red;">Shelfari</span> in the comments below!</div>
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<br /></div>Laura @ My Enchanted Bookshelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08858584587774975098noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-902164820340598767.post-63239267338044049402012-05-18T00:00:00.000-04:002012-06-18T22:46:42.712-04:00Review {35} Blood Promise by Richelle Mead<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Everytime I Miss You'; font-size: 16pt;">Blood Promise<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b>Series:</b> Vampire Academy #4<br />
<b>By:</b> Richelle Mead<br />
<b>Published: </b>August 25th 2009 by Razorbill<br />
<b>Edition: </b>Hardcover, 503 pages<br />
<b>Obtained: </b>Library<br />
<b>Challenge(s):</b> None<br />
<b>Categories:</b> <i>Vampires, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Young Adult, Paranormal, Magic/Spells/Incantactions/Curses, Vampire Academy Series</i><br />
<b>Rating:</b> 3.5 Cupcakes (Rounded up to 4 Cupcakes) - <i>Simply Delectable!</i><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5996153-blood-promise" target="_blank">Add it on Goodreads</a><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0jHndfQgEHU/T7QT27CehtI/AAAAAAAAA8g/WnZg8whhu3U/s1600/BloodPromise.VampireAcademy4.RichelleMead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0jHndfQgEHU/T7QT27CehtI/AAAAAAAAA8g/WnZg8whhu3U/s320/BloodPromise.VampireAcademy4.RichelleMead.jpg" width="211" /></a><br />
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Rose Hathaway's life will never be the same.</div>
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The recent attack on St. Vladimir's Academy devastated the entire Moroi world. Many are dead. And, for the few victims carried off by Strigoi, their fates are even worse. A rare tattoo now adorns Rose's neck, a mark that says she's killed far too many Strigoi to count. But only one victim matters ... Dimitri Belikov. Rose must now choose one of two very different paths: honoring her life's vow to protect Lissa - her best friend and the last surviving Dragomir princess - or, dropping out of the Academy to strike out on her own and hunt down the man she loves. She will have to go to the ends of the earth to find Dimitri and keep the promise he begged her to make. But the question is, when the time comes, will he want to be saved?</div>
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Now, with everything at stake - and worlds away from St. Vladimir's and her unguarded, vulnerable, and newly rebellious best friend - can Rose find the strength to destroy Dimitri? Or, will she sacrifice herself for a chance at eternal love?</div>
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<b><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: 'Everytime I Miss You';">***Careful </span>–</span></b><b><span style="font-family: 'Everytime I Miss You';"><span style="color: red;"> there are spoilers if
you haven’t read books 1-4!***</span></span><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Everytime I Miss You'; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="color: purple;">My Thoughts</span></span></b><b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="color: purple;">:</span> </span></b>I liked the fourth installment of the famed Vampire Academy series, but I'm not in love with it. While reading it, I enjoyed each page and every trial and tribulation that Rose faced; however after finishing it and picking up book #5 ... I don't know, it felt like a filler book. What I mean by that is... Rose had to do what she did - she had to go after Dimitri and kill him. She had to leave the Academy. I understand all of that. But back in Montana, Lissa was left in the hands of Avery Lazar, who happened to be a spirit user as well ... who was using her influence to turn Lissa into a rebel so that she could kill her, and bring her back as her own minion. I just feel like that wasn't a necessary story line minus the chasm now formed between Lissa and Christian. </div>
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Don't take that as me saying I didn't like the book as a whole, because I did. It's got the same gut-wrenching, heart-string pulling, action-packed insanity that the first three books have. Those are all of the factors that kept me engaged and not willing to put the book down so that I could get some sleep! With each book Rose continues to grow, and become someone that surprises even her at times. She spent a lot of time in the first three books giving to others, giving herself for the benefit of those she loves and cares about - which is what a Guardian should do. But now we find Rose doing something for herself, and in a sense for Dimitri as well, as she is going to carry out a promise that she had made to him. Rose has to get closure for her relationship with Dimitri. She needs to finally realize he is gone, close the book, and begin a new chapter. Of course, nothing goes that easy for our dhampir heroine. Oh no. First she has to become Dimitri's blood whore, take on a houseful of Strigoi, and finally face the facts - she has to stake Dimitri once and for all ... or face death or worse - Dimitri turning her into a Strigoi like him.</div>
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While in Russia, Lissa spends time with Dimitri's family and watches scornfully as they celebrate his memory at the memorial service in which they all gain closure - everyone except for Rose. Rose also meets Sydney, who is an Alchemist, as well as Abe "Zmey" who turns out to be Rose's father. I'm not sure if it's just me, but I figured that out the second I saw his name. But that really didn't change my feelings on the book, I just happened to have put those few pieces together from the previous book(s). I am hoping that we get to see more of Oksana as well, because I really enjoyed her character as well as her husband. The fact that a dhampir and Moroi can be married and living together while bonded gives us hope that when Rose gets back to the Academy and keeps her promise to Adrian, that just maybe they can figure out how to work their forbidden relationship.</div>
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Overall, I think for a mid-series book this one gave us enough of what we needed, wanted, and craved and is carrying us over to book five just fine. As I've said prior, I'm happily surprised at how much I've come to love this series and feel like the characters are friends I go to school with (if only I were a kick-ass dhampir!!)</div>
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If you've read the first four books, let me know what you thought!</div>
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<br />Laura @ My Enchanted Bookshelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08858584587774975098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-902164820340598767.post-17430625084164669512012-05-17T00:00:00.000-04:002012-06-18T22:51:45.236-04:00Book Stole My Look {7}<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Book Stole My Look: The Darkest Powers Edition</span></div>
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I have read all three books in this trilogy, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves witches, ghosts, werewolves, necromancers, you name it - this series has it! They are wonderful, addicting, and there is now a spin-off series, The Darkness Rising Series, that as far as I believe are supposed to somehow eventually tie into the Darkest Powers trilogy as they are set in the same world.</div>
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The covers aren't the most amazing that I've ever seen; however I do enjoy that the theme continued throughout the series on all three books. When you read them, you see that the amulet that Chloe, the main character, is holding on the cover has a very significant meaning. Also, the fact that they have different colors on the covers plays into the plot of each book. The half-cut-off face is something that is pretty popular in YA books. I feel like the first book, the model "Chloe" has her head turned as if she isn't confident in herself - which she isn't. In book #2 she faces the camera head-on, and in the book Chloe is coming into herself and owning who she is, gaining confidence. But then book #3 kind of trips me up. I feel like if her head was tilted up a teensy bit more it would feel like she was ultra-confident, even with her head turned away from the camera. I get that vibe still, but not to the degree that I feel it should be conveyed.</div>
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I have not yet read the new series but I do own the first book. The covers are different, as you can clearly see, opting for a muted, limited palette of blues, grays, and blacks. It's easy to tie them into the first three books, as they have similar layouts, fonts, and title/author name placement; but still stand on their own as their own "spin-off" series. Choosing to use only a couple of colors lends an air of mystery and intrigue to the books, whereas the first three books, while also using only several colors, seem to represent more going on in the story line. </div>
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What do you think?</div>
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<br /></div>Laura @ My Enchanted Bookshelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08858584587774975098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-902164820340598767.post-976577297330349592012-05-16T14:53:00.002-04:002012-06-18T22:55:25.600-04:00Review {34} Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Grave Mercy</span></i><br />
<u>Series:</u> His Fair Assassin #1<br />
<u>By</u>: Robin LaFevers<br />
<u>Published:</u> April 3rd 2012 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt<br />
<u>Edition:</u> Hardcover, 1st Edition, 549 pages<br />
<u>Obtained: </u>Library<br />
<u>Challenges:</u> None<br />
<u>Categories:</u> <i>Historical Romance, Magic/spells/incantations/curses, Young adult, 4 Cupcakes, Action, Fantasy, Kick-Ass Heroine, Forbidden Love, Betrayal</i><br />
<u>Rating: </u>4 Cupcakes - Simply Delectable!<br />
<u>Where you can buy it:</u> <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/grave-mercy-robin-lafevers/1104512967?ean=9780547628349&r=1&cm_mmc=AFFILIATES-_-Linkshare-_-GwEz7vxblVU-_-10%3a1&" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> | <a href="http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Grave-Mercy-Book-His-Fair/book-PIBKH_6PFUWZUtUIE8eLAw/page1.html?s=vlBNr5CXDEiRNviY1jSWpQ&r=2" target="_blank">Kobo</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/054762834X?ie=UTF8&tag=httpwwwgoodco-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=054762834X&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2" target="_blank">Amazon</a><br />
<u>Author Info:</u> <a href="http://www.rllafevers.com/Home.html" target="_blank">Website</a> | <a href="http://rllafevers.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Blog </a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/RLLaFevers" target="_blank">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9565548-grave-mercy" target="_blank">Add it on Goodreads</a><br />
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<i>Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf? </i></div>
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Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the gods of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts - and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.</div>
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Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany - where she finds herself woefully under prepared - not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death's vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?<br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span> This book came at the perfect time for me as I was desperately craving some historical fiction. Mix in a bit of fantasy and romance, plus a kick-ass heroine and holy moly! I was hooked from page one! Ismae is such a refreshing female lead. She is strong, devoted, dedicated, yet emotionally flawed and confused. With no plans to ever do anything with her life besides serve Mortain through the abbess, when she finds herself falling in love with Duval, she feels that she is betraying her duty. </div>
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I am thankful that LaFevers chose to include a list of characters at the beginning of the book because there were so many players in this novel, that it would've been difficult to keep track of them otherwise. The mix of history and fantasy was seamless and brilliant. At no time did the writing or settings/characters feel forced or unrealistic. I think I would've liked to have seen more of Ismae at the convent learning the poisons and training and less of the time meddling in court politics with Duchess Anne, only because I found some of the time Ismae was at court to feel slightly dragging, even though it fully held my attention and kept me engaged. </div>
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Each page was full of action, adventure, love, and deceit. It was amazing! To see Ismae fully evolve into who she became in the end was wonderful. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction, fantasy, and heroines who can take of themselves! I'm very excited to delve into book two in this trilogy which will focus on Sybella's story. </div>
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<br />Laura @ My Enchanted Bookshelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08858584587774975098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-902164820340598767.post-65571780253796858402012-04-30T17:31:00.000-04:002012-04-30T17:31:12.606-04:00A Word To My FollowersHi everyone! I know its been very slow posting for me this whole month of April, and I apologize. Unfortunately, I have decided to put My Enchanted Bookshelf on indefinite hiatus for now. I do not anticipate this being the end of my book blogging career; however at this time I cannot devote the time and attention that it deserves. It saddens me that I must do this, but it is the best option for me at this time. I will be back, no worries there, I just do not know if it will be in a few weeks or a few months. Thank you to all of my kind, loyal followers I really appreciate you sharing in my site with me. This has been a wonderful experience so far, and I hope that when I come back it will be to open arms in the book blogging community.<br />
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Until next time... So long :))Laura @ My Enchanted Bookshelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08858584587774975098noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-902164820340598767.post-14155075951931556572012-04-24T16:35:00.000-04:002012-04-24T16:35:41.987-04:00The Buzz {2}<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">Hi! Welcome to The Buzz! Here you can find random, new bookish news and goings on around the book world and book blogosphere! If you come across anything buzzworthy - let us know!!</span>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><u><b>My Statement on the Plagiarism Controversy</b> - <i>And why you can just call me Switzy!</i></u></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">I'm sure by now EVERYONE (and their mother, haha) knows about everything going on with The Story Siren having been accused of plagiarism, and her subsequent unaccepted apologies. Well, I've read everything out there, I've read her apologies and I've looked through all of the proof and evidence against Kristi, and here's my take on everything...</span></span></span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">I'M STAYING OUT OF IT. Yep, that's right. I'm as neutral as Switzerland. I'm not siding with the accusers, the victims, nor The Story Siren. It is what it is, it's not my business to get involved in, or discuss more than this paragraph that I'm going to give it. If people feel they cannot trust her any longer, and will no longer read her blog - that's their prerogative. I do not agree with anyone plagiarizing anyone or anything, but I also do not agree with people attacking Kristi personally. This is something between Kristi and those accusing her of plagiarism, and I do feel more people have gotten involved than need be, and that they are attacking Kristi personally. Not fair. It is bullying to create a #Stopthestorysiren trend on Twitter. We are dealing with such a horrible epidemic of bullying in the country right now, and telling our kids NOT to bully others - yet here we have grown adults doing it to other adults. Come on, guys. Grow up. Practice what you preach. And now, that is all I will say on the matter - feel free to agree or disagree as you see fit.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b><u>Free Four - Gimme More!</u></b></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">Oh Veronica Roth, how I love thee! So there is now a free Four POV story out there as we rapidly approach the release of Insurgent. Go read it <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DivergentSeries?v=app_276313732461376" target="_blank">HERE</a> - Now!!! - and let me know what you think! </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b><u>Dreamless Widget </u></b></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">- Get it <a href="http://www.josephineangelini.com/blog/2012/04/writing/the-dreamless-widget-is-finally-here/" target="_blank">here</a>! (Sorry, having major HTML issues and it's not letting me post the stinkin' widget! Grrr....)</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">Well, that's all for me today! </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></span></span>Laura @ My Enchanted Bookshelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08858584587774975098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-902164820340598767.post-34639766601173307852012-04-18T10:48:00.000-04:002012-04-18T10:48:47.642-04:00Book Stole My Look {6}<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-47Kk9hNdeQc/T149L_jN7tI/AAAAAAAAAyA/e2GMCVMUl6Q/s1600/heartcloudrainbow.gif" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #dd66bb; float: left; font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-47Kk9hNdeQc/T149L_jN7tI/AAAAAAAAAyA/e2GMCVMUl6Q/s1600/heartcloudrainbow.gif" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: transparent; border-left-style: solid; border-right-color: transparent; border-right-style: solid; border-top-color: transparent; border-top-style: solid; border-width: initial; border-width: initial; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; position: relative;" /></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">Welcome to Book Stole My Look! Here I take two (or more) book covers that are coincidentally similar.</span>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">Today's Theme is: Masks</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">I love masquerade masks! I don't know what the appeal is, or what it is that draws me to them, but I adore them. They are all so individual and ornate. Here's a couple covers adorned with masks:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;"><i>Remembrance</i> by Michelle Madow</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;"><i>Incarnate</i> by Jodi Meadows</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;"><i>Masquerade</i> by Melissa de la Cruz</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;"><i>Cross My Heart </i>by Sasha Gould</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;"><i>Aurelia</i> by Anne Austerland</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;"><b>My Thoughts: </b>I think each of the covers above are beautiful in their own way. Of the five, <i>Incarnate</i> is the most colorful one, beautiful in its own right. <i>Aurelia</i> and <i>Cross my Heart</i> both have black as the dominant background color, while <i>Masquerade</i> and <i>Remembrance</i> use it more subtly. I've only read two of the books above; <i>Masquerade</i>, which most definitely includes a masquerade ball; and <i>Incarnate</i>, which symbolically the butterfly "mask" plays a big part of the main character, Ana. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">I've always loved the <i>Masquerade</i> cover, and it is initially what drew me into the Blue Bloods series. Keeping in the tradition of very muted, neutral colors on paranormal YA covers, <i>Masquerade</i>'s cover balances well with the porcelain whites, metallic grays, and the black bridge/cityscape across the bottom. Font placement is great as well. All of the covers share the title and author names across the bottom, giving the model and masks the full use of the top half of the color which is great. I love the full on view of <i>Incarnate</i>'s model too, where <i>Cross My Heart</i> and <i>Remembrance</i> choose side or 3/4 views. I believe this plays into the symbolism that is being displayed as well. For <i>Incarnate</i>, the full on view with the model's eyes making eye contact with the reader gives an air of confidence and strength. <i>Aurelia</i>'s cover, with the models eyes downcast and the mask held just below her chin gives a sense of maybe betrayal? Like her identity has been found out, but she refuses to let her mask fall away completely. Her eyes down means she's still trying to keep herself hidden. The model's look on the <i>Remembrance</i> cover gives off a flirtatious feel, like come on, follow me! Then again this book is supposed to be based on Taylor Swift's song, "Love Story" so maybe that's exactly what it's supposed to convey! I'm sure we've all heard the song so it's easy to piece together.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">What I love about covers having masks on them, is that it gives off an air of mystery, of hidden identity and secrets. I haven't read three of the books but judging them by the cover, you can assume that they will probably encompass one or more of the above. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">What are your thoughts?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Josefin Slab'; font-size: x-small; line-height: 24px;">*Find covers that would be great for a Book Stole My Look post? Let me know, and see your name credited in the post! <a href="mailto:Myenchantedbookshelf@Gmail.com">Myenchantedbookshelf@Gmail.com</a>.</span>Laura @ My Enchanted Bookshelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08858584587774975098noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-902164820340598767.post-30397571226092496702012-04-17T10:17:00.000-04:002012-04-17T10:17:43.735-04:00Review {33} Frostbite by Richelle Mead<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Frostbite</i></span><br />
<u>Series:</u> Vampire Academy #2<br />
<u>By:</u> Richelle Mead<br />
<u>Published:</u> April 10th 2008 by Razorbill<br />
<u>Edition:</u> Paperback, 327 pages<br />
<u>Obtained: </u>Library<br />
<u>Challenges:</u> None<br />
<u>Categories:</u> <i>Vampires, Magic/Spells, Paranormal Romance, Suspense, Mystery, Urban Fantasy, Action</i><br />
<u>Rating:</u> 4 Cupcakes - <i>Simply Delectable!</i><br />
<u>Where you can buy it:</u> <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/frostbite-richelle-mead/1100363169?ean=9781595141750&r=1&cm_mmc=AFFILIATES-_-Linkshare-_-GwEz7vxblVU-_-10%3a1&" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1595141758?ie=UTF8&tag=httpwwwgoodco-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1595141758&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2" target="_blank">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Frostbite-A-Vampire-Academy-Novel/book-o2nqr_3AdUmi_5_6Hb4WhA/page1.html?s=yLLea_Rt5kmhFK71tvqo4Q&r=2" target="_blank">Kobo</a><br />
<u>Author Info:</u> <a href="http://www.richellemead.com/" target="_blank">Website </a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/RichelleMead" target="_blank">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/richellemeadfanpage" target="_blank">Facebook</a> | <a href="http://blue-succubus.livejournal.com/" target="_blank"> Blog</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2282133.Frostbite"><img src="http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/g344/myenchantedbookshelf/blog%20layout/addMyBookbutton.jpg" /></a>
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Rose loves Dimitri, Dimitri might love Tasha, and Mason would die to be with Rose...</div>
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It's winter break at St. Vladimir's, but Rose is feeling anything but festive. A massive Strigoi attack has put the school on high alert, and now the Academy's crawling with Guardians - including Rose's hard-hitting mother, Janine Hathaway. And if hand-to-hand combat with her mom wasn't bad enough, Rose's tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason's got a huge crush on her, and Rose keeps getting stuck in Lissa's head while she's making out with her boyfriend, Christian! The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy's not taking any risks... This year, St. Vlad's annual holiday ski trip is mandatory.</div>
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But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only create the illusion of safety. When three friends run away in an offensive move against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. But heroism rarely comes without a price...</div>
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<b><u>My Thoughts:</u></b><br />
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Why did it take me so long to read this series?! I really enjoyed <i>Vampire Academy</i>, and when people started telling me that <i>Frostbite</i> was even better, I was psyched to read it... which I did immediately after finishing book 1, and I'm currently reading book 3 right now! The most appealing aspects of these novels are the incredibly abundant amounts of action, and the insane emotion you feel from Rose. Rose is such a complex character, even though you seem to get her at face value and you think there's just maybe 2 sides to Rose, you then finish book 2 and you are like, Nope! Rose is Rose, regardless of who she's interacting with; but she handles situations so differently. Every reaction that Rose has is so emotionally charged, and when she's put to the test she always manages to kick butt! Everything about this book was addicting and delicious, and I can see myself adding the entire series to my personal library and will be rereading these too, because the re-readability is very high.</div>
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The story line as well is so captivating, and it literally grabs you and won't let go. Like I would literally find myself doing things with the book clutched in my hands - cooking dinner, cleaning the house, etc. I did not want to put it down. There are moments where I just was literally shocked at what Rose was put through, and awed at how amazing she handles things. If you haven't read these books and you love Vampires - you need to go get it right now. Like, Right. Now. Immediately. Go.</div>
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Have you read <i>Vampire Academy</i> & <i>Frostbite</i>? What did you think of them?!</div>
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<br /></div>Laura @ My Enchanted Bookshelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08858584587774975098noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-902164820340598767.post-73143864846330934692012-04-16T11:43:00.000-04:002012-04-16T11:43:25.936-04:00Blog Tour - The Socialpunk Trilogy by Monica Leonelle<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Monica Leonelle</b></span><br />
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Books:<br />
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<li>Silver Smoke</li>
<li>Tin Soldier</li>
<li>Socialpunk</li>
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<a href="http://socialpunktrilogy.com/blog-tour" target="_blank">Twitter </a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/monicaleonelle" target="_blank">Facebook</a> | <a href="http://proseonfire.com/" target="_blank">Blog</a> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4398121.Monica_Leonelle" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://proseonfire.com/free-writer-toolkit" target="_blank">Free Writing Toolkit</a><br />
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Purchase the book here: <a href="http://monicaleonelle.com/SocialpunkA" target="_blank">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://monicaleonelle.com/SocialpunkB" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>Synopsis:</b></u></span> Ima would give anything to escape The Dome and learn what's beyond its barriers, but the Chicago government has kept all its citizens on lockdown ever since the Scorched Years left most of the world a desert wasteland. When a mysterious group of hooded figures enters the city unexpectedly, Ima uncovers a plot to destroy The Dome and is given the choice between escaping to a new, dangerous city or staying behind and fighting a battle she can never win.
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Excerpt #1 </u></b></span></div>
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<i> Twelve cups of water sat on the table, four for each of them. Next to each cup sat a pill - yellow for fat, red for carbs, blue for protein, and green for vitamins. Vaughn took the red pill, ripped it in half like a pack of sugar, and poured it into his cup. He set his cup into a contraption on the table and it whirled and hissed. When the machine finished, the cup had a pink, swirly liquid inside.</i></div>
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<i>Nahum looked at the four cups in distate.</i></div>
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<i>"Not up to your standards?" Vaughn asked, shooting his drink. He swallowed the mixture in one large gulp. "I would get you something else, but we're rebuilding our hash. We can't afford real food, plus it's bad for you anyway. Extremely difficult to maintain a balanced diet."</i></div>
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<i>"Synthetic food can't cost that much," Nahum countered. He grinned. "We had it in our little fake world, at least."</i></div>
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<i>Vaughn chuckled. "Synthetic food is even worse for you than real food. Shortens your life. We stopped eating that stuff at the turn of the century. It gave people long-term hyperactivity, which can kill you. LTH took out a lot of the population, kind of like cancer in your day, except a bigger deal because the population has dwindled so low already. Plus, people live indefinitely now."</i></div>
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<i>Nahum's nose twitched as he laughed. "People don't live indefinitely."</i></div>
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<i>But Vaughn looked genuinely surprised. "Of course we do. Have you seen anyone who looks over the age of twenty-five to you?"</i></div>
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<i>"What does that mean, though?" Ima asked out of curiousity. "How could you live indefinitely? You may not look older, but you still age."</i></div>
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<i>Vaughn grinned. "Like I said before - there's a lot you don't understand about this world."</i><br />
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Monica Leonelle is a well-known digital media strategist and the author of three novels. She blogs at Prose on Fire and shares her writing and social media knowledge with other bloggers and authors through her free writer toolkit.</span><a class="rafl-powered" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/" id="rpow-55757a2" style="color: #999999; display: block; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify; width: 100%;" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<noscript>&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://rafl.es/enable-js"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;You need javascript enabled to see this giveaway&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;.</noscript>Laura @ My Enchanted Bookshelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08858584587774975098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-902164820340598767.post-58642810341451201392012-04-12T10:26:00.000-04:002012-04-12T10:26:08.761-04:00Think Out Loud {2}<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">What's in a Name?</span></b></div>
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I've been thinking a lot about character names recently, and how the YA market is bombarded with such interesting, unique, or retro-traditional names. Gone are the days of Amandas, Lauras, Jessicas (sorry if I offended anyone - I included my name too. I was, at one point, 1 of 3 Laura B's in my grade in school.). Today we get to know Arias, Clarys, Vasilisas, and Havens. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that this is a bad thing. In fact, I think I feel the complete opposite! I love the uniqueness and individuality that these names give the characters.</div>
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Here are just a few of the names in today's hottest YA books:</div>
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<i>Embrace</i> by Jessica Shirvington - Violet Eden</div>
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<i>The Hunger Games</i> Series by Suzanne Collins - Katniss Everdeen</div>
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<i>The Demon Trapper's Daughter</i> Series - Riley Blackthorne</div>
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<i>The Immortals</i> Series by Alyson Noel - Ever Bloom</div>
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<i>Under the Never Sky</i> - Aria</div>
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<i>The Mortal Instruments</i> Series by Cassandra Clare - Clary Fray</div>
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<i>Vampire Academy</i> Series by Richelle Mead - Vasilisa "Lissa" Dragomir</div>
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<i>Illuminate</i> Series by Aimee Agresti - Haven Terra</div>
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<i>Shade</i> Series by Jeri Smith-Ready - Aura</div>
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And the boys:</div>
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<i>The Hollow</i> Series by Jessica Verday - Caspian</div>
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<i>Divergent </i>Series by Veronica Roth - Four</div>
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<i>Nevermore </i>Series by Kelly Creagh - Varen Nethers</div>
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<i>Hush, Hush </i>Series by Becca Fitzpatrick - Patch</div>
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<i>Halo </i>Series by Alexandra Adornetto - Xavier Woods</div>
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What do you think? Do you prefer unique names to common ones? Which are your faves (either on this list, or ones I've forgotten?) I would love to know :))</div>
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<br /></div>Laura @ My Enchanted Bookshelfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08858584587774975098noreply@blogger.com0