Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Book Blast: A Time of Dying by Hailey Edwards

A Time of Dying
Araneae Nation, Book Three
Hailey Edwards

Genre: Fantasy Romance
Publisher: Samhain Publishing

Date of Publication: July 30, 2013

ISBN: 978-1-61921-660-0
ASIN: B00BP5FWN4

Number of pages: 249
Word Count: 75k

Cover Artist: Kanaxa

Amazon   BN  Samhain  

Book Description:

They just might survive…if they don’t kill each other first.

Once the future Segestriidae maven, Kaidi lived a privileged life. Now she spends her nights haunting cities ravaged by the plague. Spade in hand, she stalks rows of freshly dug graves for corpses…and then she takes their heads.

Her new life is caked in blood and spattered with gore, but it’s hers. At least until—to her fury—she’s caught napping.

A plague survivor by the skin of his teeth, Murdoch risks his neck to solve the mysteries left in its wake. Bodies have gone missing. Guards have left their posts and never returned home.

When he rouses a female dozing among the dead, he’s unprepared for the violence of her response. Or his. Beneath the grime, she’s lovely. Too bad the blood under her fingernails belongs to his clansmen.

He has no choice but to follow this alluring creature deeper into her world of winged beasts and flesh-eating monsters. She holds the knowledge he craves, but the price is high—and they may both pay for it with their lives.

Warnings: This book contains one heroine in desperate need of a bath and one hero willing to wash away her sins. Expect threats, swears and general cursing. Love is a slippery slope, and these two are sliding.

About the Author :

Born in the Deep South, Hailey is a lifelong resident of Alabama. Her husband works for the local sheriff’s department and her daughter is counting down the days until she’s old enough to audition for American Idol. Their dachshund, Poochie, helps Hailey write by snoozing on his dog bed in her office.

Her desire to explore without leaving the comforts of home fueled her love of reading and writing. Whenever the itch for adventure strikes, Hailey can be found with her nose glued to her Kindle’s screen or squinting at her monitor as she writes her next happily-ever-after.

She loves to hear from readers. Drop her a line here.

You can also swing by her blog or subscribe to her newsletter for all her latest news.

You can also find her on Twitter and Facebook.







Book Blast: Scent of Salvation by Annie Nicholas

Scent of Salvation        
Chronicles of Eorthe Book 1
Annie Nicholas

Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher:  Samhain Publishing

Date of Publication:  July 30th, 2013

ISBN: 978-1-61921-748-5
Word Count: 98,000

Cover Artist: Kanax

Amazon    BN   Apple 

Book Description:

Love blooms across species, culture, and time.

Chronicles of Eorthe, Book 1

Stranded in another dimension, on a primitive version of Earth, Dr. Susan Barlow needs to find a way to survive. There’s no electricity, no cities, and to her shock, no humans. Instead, she faces a population of werewolves, vampires and incubi. The people are vicious but she must find her place among them. And live.

An illness is killing Sorin’s pack. As alpha it’s his responsibility to save them, but it’s a battle this warrior doesn’t know how to fight. Then a blue light in the sky brings a creature he’s never seen. She calls herself human, but to him she smells like hope.

Sorin offers Susan a safe haven in return for a cure, but she’s not that kind of a doctor. She’s a doctor of physics, not a physician. Yet as they search for a cure to save a dying people, they find something special—each other.

But even with Sorin’s protection, Susan can’t help but wonder how long she can survive in a world without humans…

Excerpt:

Before Susan could explain anything about dimensions and gateways, the door to Kele’s chamber crashed open, and Susan jumped to the balls of her feet, prepared—to what, fight? Was she nuts?

A female blocked the entrance, her muscular physique hinting at enough strength to twist Susan into a pretzel without breaking a sweat. The newcomer flung her black hair over her shoulder.

Rising with grace, Kele straightened her dress before addressing the intruder. “Mother.”

“Daughter, I heard you’ve brought home a stray along with the Apisi alpha.” The female’s stare drilled into Susan, her sneer far from welcoming.

Susan’s breath caught in her throat. Black, soulless eyes ate her gaze. Her fingers clutched the lapels of her jacket as she pulled it closed. She wiped her sweaty palms on her pants and offered her hand. “I’m Dr. Susan Barlow.”

The female shifter narrowed her eyes, nostrils flaring.

Susan withdrew her untouched hand, then hid it behind her back and glanced at Kele. Maybe she should have sniffed her mother instead? She wished someone would give her the Dummies Guide to Shifter Society and a little time to study it.

Kele’s mother crossed the room in two great strides and swung her arm.

Susan did her best impression of a statue. She didn’t budge as the impact of the slap swerved her head to the side and dragged her gaze from mother to daughter. Both of them were flushed with emotion yet at opposite poles of the color spectrum—one dark as an oncoming storm and the other pale as the moonlight.

The back of Susan’s heel caught the edge of the cushion and she landed hard on her back.

The bitter flavor of blood swept over her taste buds. “What the hell?” She rubbed her jaw and glared daggers at the crazy woman looming over her. Just as quickly, she schooled her expression to something less threatening before she insulted the bigger shifter further. With the tip of her tongue, Susan explored her mouth. She didn’t encounter any big gaps, so no lost tooth. A small blessing.

Kele’s crazy mother hovered over Susan’s face and bared her teeth. In beast form, her expression would have appeared fierce, but in human form it seemed terrifying. With an easy grace, she flipped Susan onto her stomach. A bony knee pressed between her shoulder blades, making her kiss the floor. Pain shot across Susan’s upper back and neck.

“How dare you come into my den and not submit to me.”

“She’s not a shifter!” Kele shouted. “You can’t expect her to know how to be polite.”

Something ran over Susan’s hair, and the sound of sniffing followed. She tried to take a deep breath but the weight on her back made it difficult.

The nutjob exhaled in disgust. “What is she?”

“A human.” Kele peered at Susan’s throbbing face as she stroked her hair. “Please, I wanted to teach her how to behave before meeting you and father.”

“Your father.” The bitch snorted. “It’s bad enough he’s entertaining a vampire and dealing with trespassing alphas. We don’t need any more vermin within the den.”

Susan was jerked from the ground by her hair and dragged across the floor. Pain shot into her scalp while she scrambled to support her weight with her legs.

“Let go. Let go.” The shifter world was more brutal than anything she’d ever experienced. Susan slapped at the crazy woman’s hands tangled in her hair.

“My daughter took too many liberties in offering you shelter. You’ll need to find another den to take you in.”

At a loss, Susan yanked and squirmed but only made the pain worse. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kele leap.

The petite blonde used her wiry strength to jump across the room and land on her mother’s back. The collision knocked them both to the ground in a knot of arms and legs.

Untangling her limbs from the struggling shifters, Susan could finally elbow the bitch in the face. The impact made a satisfying crunch. She pulled back her arm for a second shot, but Kele grabbed her and half carried, half dragged her out of the chamber.

“Hurry, we need to reach my father before she beats you into cinders.”

Not needing any further incentive, Susan ran after her new friend. “Your people are crazy.”


About the Author:

Annie Nicholas writes paranormal romance with a twist. She has courted vampires, hunted with shifters, and slain a dragon’s ego all with the might of her pen. Riding the wind of her imagination, she travels beyond the restraints of reality and shares them with anyone wanting to read her stories. Mother, daughter, and wife are some of the other hats she wears while hiking through the hills and dales of her adopted state of Vermont.

Annie writes for Samhain Publishing, Carina Press, and Lyrical Press.











Sunday, July 28, 2013

Finally! I Won One of these Twitter Giveaways!

Ever feel like you are wasting your time entering these rafflecopter giveaways for ARCs, giftcards, books, etc.? Yeah that's me, the girl who wasted an entire day trying to win something from #ARCAPOLOZA.  But look at me now!  Now, granted there were only 9 people who retweeted, but give me something here!



And what did I win?

Review: Uncharted (On the Island) by Tracey Garvis- Graves

Uncharted (On the Island #1.5)Uncharted by Tracey Garvis-Graves

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary: Tracey Garvis Graves - and Anna and T.J. - return in this companion novella to the New York Times bestseller On the Island

When twenty-three-year-old dot-com millionaire Owen Sparks walked away from his charmed life, he had one goal in mind: get as far away as possible from the people who resented his success, or had their hand out for a piece of it. A remote uncharted island halfway around the world seemed like a perfectly logical place to get away from it all. 

Calia Reed wasn't part of Owen's plans. The beautiful British girl - on holiday in the Maldives with her brother, James - made Owen wonder if getting away from it all might be a lot more enjoyable with a carefree girl who didn't know anything about the life he left behind. 

But Owen had no idea how much his carefully detailed plans would go awry. Nor did he realize that a decision he made would have such a catastrophic effect on two passengers who boarded a plane in Chicago. 

And when Owen shows up at Anna and T.J.'s door with an incredible story to tell, everyone involved will learn just how much their lives are intertwined. 

Uncharted includes an early look at Covet, coming September 2013.

Characters: Owen, what an unlucky fellow! He has no family, or at least not what one should be, and no friends.  The poor guy! So, he runs away to go live on a remote island.  If that isn't strange enough, he continues to get supplies flown in and visits the mainland from time to time, showing that perhaps he doesn't want to abandon all people, espically not Calia.  Calia is an awesome character because she is so selfless and aware of the suffering in the rest of the world at such a young age.  Her relationship with Owen is super cute.  I couldn't help but smile when they flirted.  They're very sweet together.  Moreover, her relationship with her brother James  is great.  He is very protective of her, but still cool.  I really like James.  He tells what's on his mind which can be quite entertaining.  T.J., Anna, and Ben make appearances, but their roles are very minimal.  However, it is nice to see that they all get to live happy endings together.

Plot: As expected, the plot of Owen's story on the island years before T.J. and Anna show up is really similar to theirs.  He swam, saw the same creatures. and built shelter too.  Even the element of forbidden romance is thrown in.  Yet, I really enjoyed how Tracey Garvis Graves blended al of the characters into present day, having their stories intertwine.  You get closure seeing them all live happily ever after.

I would recommend reading On the Island prior so that the story makes more sense, but it shan't be necessary.

Would I recommend it to a friend? I smiled so much while reading Owen's story.  It'll make your heart melt.

Trailer Blast: Dare Me by Eric Devine


Dare Me trailer from Patrick Willems on Vimeo.

Summary: When Ben Candido and his friends, Ricky and John, decide to post a YouTube video of themselves surfing on top of a car, they finally feel like the somebodies they are meant to be instead of the social nobodies that they are. Overnight, the video becomes the talk of the school, and the boys are sure that their self-appointed senior year of dares will live in infamy. Every dare brings an increased risk of bodily harm, but Ben cannot deny the thrill and sense of swagger that come with it. The stakes become even more complex when a mysterious donor bankrolls their dares in exchange for a cut in the online revenue the videos generate. But at what point do the risk and the reward come at too high of a price? What does it take to stay true to one’s self in the face of relentless pressure.



a Rafflecopter giveaway


Saturday, July 27, 2013

Book Blast: The Immortal Circus: ACT TWO by AR Kahler

The Immortal Circus: ACT TWO by AR Kahler
Book Blast



Vivienne is almost content with her new life in the Cirque des Immortels. She has moved up from selling cotton candy to telling fortunes, she has a gorgeous, magical boyfriend, Kingston…and no one has been murdered since the clash between the otherworldly Courts. Her life under the faerie big top would be perfect, in fact, if not for the nightmares and visions that compel her to seek and confront her half-remembered past. But for Viv, not knowing her past may well be a blessing. There’s a reason she ran away. But can she truly escape herself?.
The second act of the fantastically evocative Cirque des Immortels series, The Immortal Circus: Act Two draws readers further into a world that’s at once wonderful, seductive…and deadly.
Step right up…

About the Author

Alex is many things, but first and foremost, he’s a Sagittarius.
In the past few years he’s taught circus in Amsterdam and Madrid, gotten madly lost in the Scottish wilderness, received his Masters in Creative Writing from Glasgow University, drummed with Norse shamans, and even spent a few months as the assistant to Holly Black and Cassandra Clare.
THE IMMORTAL CIRCUS, book one in his Cirque des Immortels series, is now available from 47North. ACT TWO will be released June 11, 2013.
MARTYR, the first book in his post-apocalyptic YA fantasy series, THE HUNTED, is set to be published October 28, 2014 by Spencer Hill Press.
When he’s not writing or climbing in the rafters, he’s probably outside, staring at the clouds. And seeing as he now resides in Seattle, there are clouds aplenty.


About the Giveaway:
One winner will get Book One in THE IMMORTAL CIRCUS series
2 Signed Bookplates
1 set of trading cards
Must be 13+ To Enter – Shipping in the US Only


Friday, July 26, 2013

TMI Jewelry

So, new officially licensed jewelry for The Mortal Instruments is being promoted along with the upcoming movie.  I took a look at the site, and I'm a bit disappointed.  The pieces range from $60-80 from what I can see, and they look kinda cheap and ugly.  Sorry if you like them!



These are pretty gaudy, I'm sorry.


However, Hebel Design has cool pieces. I remember when Cassandra had a link to them on her website.  Their jewelry looks a lot nicer and has a better variety,is cheaper, and are more connected to specifics in the books.  Plus, many pieces are handmade.  Quality stuff!  I want these Shadowhunters' bling!!!!!!

Look! You can even add a Swarovski crystal. 



Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Vampire Academy Poster

Here's the official poster for the upcoming movie...


I'll admit that I haven't read the Vampire Acadmey books, but I've only heard good things about them.  However, I can't help but think that this might flop and that the vampire phase died after or maybe a little before Twilight ended.  I promise that I will read the books before it comes out though.  I know I'm going to see it in theaters, even if it means sitting alone in an empty theater, but let's not think that way before it even comes out.

TFIOS CASTING

Did you hear?  Issac and Hazel's mom were cast!  And who are these two being played by?

ISAAC...

I thought that the last time I had seen him was in Nickelodeon's The Naked Brother's Band, but I literally just went,"That looks like the kid from Admission," which I saw a couple days ago (Just a note, Admission wasn't funny.  Big let down.)  I never thought that Nat Wolff could act, and it's not like Admission was great, but I'm excited to see him play Isaac.  If John Green liked him, that's good enough for me.

HAZEL'S MOMMY...
LAURA DERN
I'm sorry to say that I have no idea who this lady is.  I haven't seen Jurassic Park, but yay she got casted!  That means that seeing it's one step closer to seeing it on the big screen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Your thoughts?  Excited to see the movie?


Monday, July 22, 2013

Review: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine, #1)Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summary: A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. And a strange collection of very curious photographs. It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. 

As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children who once lived here - one of whom was his own grandfather - were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a desolate island for good reason.

And somehow - impossible though it seems - they may still be alive.

Characters: So I had the chance to meet Mr. Riggs last month when the paperback of Miss Peregrine was released.  I met him prior to reading the book and I wonder if that contributes to my disappointment.  Jacob is based on Ransom, but Jacob lacks his wit.  Ransom is really funny in a nerdy way like John Green.  Jacob has a few chuckle-worthy lines, but he was disappointing.  However, I do like his transformation, going from that nerdy underdog state to a brave hero.  His relationship with Emma is super cute!  Emma was Abe's girlfriend, so her dating his grandson is kinda weird and violates bro code or whatever, but they're a good pair.  Sweet young, love.  All of the characters are kind to Jacob when he arrives and have sick powers!

Plot: I admit that this book took forever for me to finish because I needed to get into it.  But once I did, it really picked up!  People, including me, think that this is a creepy book from first glance, but this is a mix of historical, adventure, and sci-fi, not scary at all.  Actually, I read that Ransom Riggs was going to write a children's book using some of the photos initially.  Once you read the book, you're going to be amazed at how Ransom  creatively crafted a story around these random photos that he selected to be put together.  

Sequel: Hollow is the name of the sequel.  Thank goodness there exists one because that would have been a crappy ending.

Movie: Tim Burton will be directing the movie.  I can't think of a better person for the job.  I'm anxious to see who gets casted, but I have no idea when casting begins.  But it is going to be a real movie, none of that thinking it will happen because it got "optioned" and then dropped.  Hmm, maybe Ransom Riggs will have a lot of control over the movie since he studied filmmaking before becoming an author.

Would I recommend it to a friend? Yes, this isn't my favorite book, but Ransom Riggs' talent is undeniable.

Left to right: Carly (moi), Tahereh Mafi, Ransom Riggs, my friend Dani

View all my reviews

Catching Fire: The Infamous Sugar Cube Scene


What else is there to say besides," I LOVE YOU FINNICK ODAIR"?


Sunday, July 21, 2013

TMI Soundtrack Track list (Colbie Callait, Jessie J, Demi Lovato...)

I'm so excited for City of Bones to hit theaters August 21!  The track list for the soundtrack has come out to get you extra pumped.  Colbie Caillat's song is one of the film's more important ones, so listen up!


TRACK LIST

1.  Zedd “Into The Lair”

2.  Jessie J “Magnetic”

3.  AFI “17 Crimes (LA Riots Remix)”
4.  Demi Lovato “Heart By Heart”
5.  Youngblood Hawke “Bring Me Home”
6.  Colbie Callait “When The Darkness Comes”
7.  Seven Lions with Myon & Shane 54 featuring Tove Lo “Strangers”
8.  Pacific Air “Bear”
9.  He Is We featuring Owl City “All About Us”
10. Bassnectar “Calling From Above”
11. Jetta “Start A Riot”
12. Bryan Ellis “Strange Days”

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Review: Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Echols

Dirty Little SecretDirty Little Secret by Jennifer Echols

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summary: Bailey wasn’t always a wild child and the black sheep of her family. She used to play fiddle and tour the music circuit with her sister, Julie, who sang and played guitar. That ended when country music execs swooped in and signed Julie to a solo deal. Never mind that Julie and Bailey were a duet, or that Bailey was their songwriter. The music scouts wanted only Julie, and their parents were content to sit by and let her fulfill her dreams while Bailey’s were hushed away.

Bailey has tried to numb the pain and disappointment over what could have been. And as Julie’s debut album is set to hit the charts, her parents get fed up with Bailey’s antics and ship her off to granddad’s house in Nashville. Playing fiddle in washed-up tribute groups at the mall, Bailey meets Sam, a handsome and oh-so-persuasive guitarist with his own band. He knows Bailey’s fiddle playing is just the thing his band needs to break into the industry. But this life has broken Bailey’s heart once before. She isn’t sure she’s ready to let Sam take her there again…

Characters: Bailey is super talented, but was left behind. It's impossible not to feel sorry for her and hate her parents and sister, but Julie's not so bad.  Bailey can be stubborn, but I like that she doesn't hold back and has a unique sense of style.  As for Sam, Jennifer has created another one of her drool worthy boys.  I never thought I'd crush on a guy in cowboy boots.  He is full of witty and cute lines, but he frustrated me sometimes by acting selfish!  I'm glad he realizes that he's acting like an idiot because he and Bailey are great together.  Their childhood memory at the festival is super aww worthy!  Then, the other band members include Ace and Charlotte.  Ace is a cool character throughout.  Charlotte, on the other hand, isn't so friendly in the beginning.  Her drama with Sam and Ace is kinda annoying, but she turns out to be pretty nice.

Plot: The timespan of this book is the craziest!  Sam has a line in which he talks about "these past four days," and this book really does take place over a short, short period of time.  This makes the love story a little less believable, but love can happen in an instant, n'est-ce que pas?  Well, they sorta knew each other at one point.  Regardless, the book was super cute with a little bit of heavy drama thrown in.  I suppose it's a bit predictable or maybe I've just read too many of these types of books.  Yet, I still knocked this book out in nearly one sitting. Summertime is the perfect time for Dirty Little Secret to have been released.

Would I recommend it to a friend?
Yes, I love this woman! Jennifer Echols is the bomb!! She knows how to create awesome characters and sweet romances with tension.
View all my reviews

I was Sorely Missed, Wasn't I?

Hey everyone!

I'm back from my aventures en Europe! I was really busy and really messed up my New Year's resolution of posting everyday.  Oh well:(  I should have done a lot more homework these past days because of the long train rides, but I read instead!

The Atomium, Brussels

Parc du Cinquantenaire, Brussels

Train ride to Interlaken

Interlaken

Port Vieux, Marseille

Chateau D'If, Marseille


Copenhagen
So, more reviews to come... and it's pretty nice to be able to blog on a real computer that doesn't operate on Windows 98.  Boy, that was a nightmare!!! Don't ever rent an apartment from a lady named Monserrat in Barcelona.  She is el diablo!  I wish I spoke Spanish...
Look at this dinosaur!

It's good to be back.  And now to get back to the books.

Lis les livres,
Carly

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Review: My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick



Summary: "One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time."

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, messy, affectionate. And every day from her rooftop perch, Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs up next to her and changes everything.

As the two fall fiercely for each other, stumbling through the awkwardness and awesomeness of first love, Jase's family embraces Samantha - even as she keeps him a secret from her own. Then something unthinkable happens, and the bottom drops out of Samantha's world. She's suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

A transporting debut about family, friendship, first romance, and how to be true to one person you love without betraying another.

Characters: Samantha is actually a pretty cool chick even though she's one of those girls that you know you would be jealous of because she's perfect.  Rich, works hard, gets good grades, hot boyfriend... But she's caring and a good hearted girl.  Speaking of that boyfriend, Jase is great! He's a family man, talented, an athlete, and just super sweet.  And no, I'm not partial to boys named Ja(s)(c)e. :) He's family is fantastic too, very close knit and loving.  The little boy George is blunt and innocent and the comedic relief.  He's hysterical.  The character that grew on my the most is Tim.  Originally, he comes off like a jerk, but he proves to be very loyal and certainly funny in a more crude and mature manner.  On the other hand, Nan was such a disappointment.  Sometimes, girls are so lame.

Plot: It felt like I was reading a Lifetime movie.  But I couldn't stop reading!  If you're a republican, your party gets trashed in this book.  Just be aware of this.  The author must be democratic because Clay and Samantha's mom are awful, but spoiler alert she does the right thing in the end.


Would I recommend it to a friend?
This is a super cute, quick, light read.  I would definitely recommend it as a summer read, as it's a summer love story.  Swoon worthy boy to look forward to...

Friday, July 12, 2013

Review: The Distance Between Us by Kasie West


Summary: Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she’s pretty sure they’re only good for one thing—spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother’s shop.

So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company.

She knows her mom can’t find out—she wouldn’t approve. She’d much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn’t been raised by money. But just when Xander’s attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. And that Xander’s not the only one she should’ve been worried about.

Characters: Oh man, Caymen is one sarcastic girl!! I appreciate this, but I didn't like that she doubted that Xander liked her due to social status.  Frankly, judging someone because he is well off is just as bad as judging because she has financial troubles.  Other than that, she is pretty cool because she works hard, but is able to discover that she can be anything she wants to be...but nothing without the help of Xander. Fangirling over this guy! He's super sweet and can keep up with Caymen's biting comments.  And he's super rich and looks like a Ken doll.  What's not to love?

Plot: Rachel said this was predictable, but honestly I didn't see those plot twists coming at the end! Hello, drama! But yeah, the plot where the girl and guy fall in love though they shouldn't because he's from the "wrong side of the track," then break up, and get back together its original. 

Would I recommend it to a friend? Yeah, I thought this was a really cute book with some awesome characters.  It'll definitely make you laugh too :)

Tuesday, July 09, 2013

TFIOS and Amsterdam


I've been traveling throughout Europe the last couple of days, and I read The Fault in our Stars by John Green two nights ago on my overnight train to Amsterdam.  While the rest of my fellow travelers couldn't sleep out of discomfort in the tiny, hard train beds, I was busy staying up until 2 AM to finish this magnificent book!  Crystal has already done a review, but I have to say that John Green is the man! He creates genuine characters that sparkle and are very witty, placing them into a Nicholas Sparksian book that has a meaningful and thought provoking message.  And who can not succumb to the charm of Mr. Waters?

So, I am currently in Amsterdam.  Ill admit that the city is pretty in that old kind of way.  I guess I'm a weirdo because I had no interest in seeing Anne Frank's house.  I started reading her diary, and I only like it to put me to sleep.  Anne is very immature and annoying, but I feel like I can't say that about her, that she has to be seen as a hero, because of  the guilt or sadness that everyone feels knowing that she was a Holocaust victim.    Why is she so famous?  What did she do to merit her being the most famous victim and seen as an inspiration?  Didn't anyone else write a diary that wasn't as painfully boring to read? And just a note, she didn't die from the gas chambers but of typhus The line was massive, and frankly, John Green's descriptions sufficed.

This city is crazy trying to get places!  I can only imagine Hazel and Augustus running around the city now that Ive seen  that the cars, trams, and bikers don't stop for pedestrians or use turning signals.  The basic rule seems to be to make sure you don't get run over.  There are bikes and motorcycles flying in the pedestrian lane!  
Plus, the coffeehouses sell marijuana so you get that lovely smell walking down every street.
And the people here!! They are so indifferent!  They speak English, but don't offer help.  I've been given the **** you attitude all day.  Yeah people in the tram, thanks for watching me repeatedly press the button to get out when it wasn't possible that way, and then leading me to miss the stop, and then push over an old man in order to shove my way out to avoid missing having to walk back from the next next stop!  You spoke English and told me that you can't get out the entrance after that debacle!  
Yeah, not a fan of the people here.  I have no intention of getting high or interacting with prostitutes so I don't see me returning.  But the tulip museum was pretty!  Ahh, nerdy me.  

Book Blast: Over the Rainbow by Brian Rowe


Zippy Green never meant to fall in love with a girl, but when she does, her ultra-conservative father tries to send her to anti-gay camp. At the Kansas City airport, however, she hides inside a giant suitcase and sneaks onto an airplane headed not to the camp, but to Seattle, where her online love Mira lives. Halfway through the flight, the plane barrels out of control and crashes into the ground, knocking her unconscious.

When Zippy awakens, she finds that most of the passengers have vanished. She doesn’t know what’s happened, but she’s determined to find out. She begins a quest on foot toward Seattle, and along the way, she meets an exchange student with a concussion, a homeless man with a heart condition, a child without a shred of bravery, and a terrier named Judy. Together the group discovers that more than two-thirds of the world’s population has mysteriously disappeared. But that’s only the beginning…

All Zippy wants is to find her Mira, but before she can she has to contend with two outside forces. The first is her homophobic father, who does everything in his power to keep her from the girl she loves. And the second is extinct creatures of all shapes and sizes, including living, breathing dinosaurs, which have replaced the missing population.



Brian Rowe is a writing fiend, book devotee, film fanatic, and constant dreamer. He’s written nine novels, dozens of short stories, five feature-length screenplays, and hundreds of film articles and essays. He is one half of the blog Story Carnivores, where he reviews the latest in books and film. He is currently pursuing his MA in English at the University of Nevada, Reno, and is hard at work on his next novel.

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