Fool for Books Blog Hop

I am so excited to once again be a part of a great blog hop! The Fool for Books blog hop is being hosted by  I am a Reader not a Writer and The Bookish Snob. I think anytime is a good excuse to do a giveaway! This time I am giving away an advance copy of Clarity by Kim Harrington. Here's the cover an description:

When you can see things others can't, where do you look for the truth?
This paranormal murder mystery will have teens reading on the edge of their seats.
Clarity "Clare" Fern sees things. Things no one else can see. Things like stolen kisses and long-buried secrets. All she has to do is touch a certain object, and the visions come to her. It's a gift.

And a curse.

When a teenage girl is found murdered, Clare's ex-boyfriend wants her to help solve the case--but Clare is still furious at the cheating jerk. Then Clare's brother--who has supernatural gifts of his own--becomes the prime suspect, and Clare can no longer look away. Teaming up with Gabriel, the smoldering son of the new detective, Clare must venture into the depths of fear, revenge, and lust in order to track the killer. But will her sight fail her just when she needs it most?

To Enter (US only):
**You must be a follower**
Post a comment and leave your follower name along with your email address.
+1 entry also friend me on goodreads and leave your goodreads name in your comment. I can be found as Brob


Also Check out the A Dragon Forsaken Giveaway!

Ghost Huntress 5: The Discovery by Marley Gibson

I was so excited to see this book in the Amazon Vine newsletter. I reviewed the fourth book in the series pre-release last year and was waiting on the fifth installment. The only bad thing about reviewing pre-release is sometimes I have to wait that much longer for the next installment if I don’t get it early. I really love the story between Kendall and Patrick in the fourth book and was looking forward to seeing what kind of situations two psychics could get into. Here’s the description from Amazon.com:

After some time off, Kendall’s ready to begin ghost hunting again. But her life is still in flux. She misses Patrick, her new love. She needs to find a photographer to replace Taylor. Plus, she may have discovered who her real father is, but to be sure, she has to convince his family she’s not a fake.

And then there’s a certain doll that seems to be out to get her and her friends. Adoll? How could that be? Unless, perhaps, it’s not just a doll. Maybe it’s a vessel containing the soul of a man so evil in life, not even death could stop his reign of terror. This could be Kendall’s most terrifying and deadliest encounter yet.

This book was full of paranormal events. The Ghost Huntress team winds up investigating some pretty creepy stuff. There will not be a boring narration in this book. Personally I have always had a closet fear of chucky and the doll in this book has a similar creep factor to my childhood fear. Dolls are just creepy in general to me though.

Kendall and Patrick continue to make a cute couple. Although, I am waiting for the shoe to fall with them. Reading each other's thoughts and feelings will not always result in a "happy couple" but they are still in that cute honeymoon phase. I think it will be interesting to see what happens with them especially after the way the book ended.

One of the reasons I enjoy this series so much is Celia's character is so scientific. She is always trying to find concrete evidence that can't be explained any other way. All of the characters in this story bring something to it in their own unique way. While it is narrated by Kendall you don't get a lot of the angsty teenage girl voice because she is busy interacting with her friends and family.

I also love all the research that Marley has done in the Ghost Hunting area. She uses real equipment and procedures that make you feel as though you are there. It also doesn't feel like it is being stretched thin for paranormal explanations.

I was so glad to see that Kendall pursued the search for her father. I think that was a really interesting side story. I won't say how it turns out but there were some surprises in that area.

The ending to this book is really interesting. It's not a huge cliffhanger but it has left me waiting to see what will happen in book 6! I give this book a 4/5. It was a quick fun read, definitely worth picking up.

A Dragon Forsaken by Krystal Mclaughlin

I reviewed Krystal’s first book The Witches Lottery a few weeks ago and was really excited that she asked me to review her next book. Krystal is also doing a guest blog and giveaway starting April 1 and ending April 5. Krystal is an indie author and with a husband that is a musician those people that pursue their art without contracts are dear to me. Here’s the description from Amazon.com:

In a world of mystery and magic, Daphne is unique.

Unlike her friends, who have awakened to the magic inside of them, Daphne was born with it. Daphne was born a Dragon.

When her past begins to resurface, forcing her into a web of lies and deception, she is forced to accept unexpected alliances and risk everything for the sake of love. Something that she swore she would never let into her life.

As the newest installment of The Enchanted Island Series unfolds, she'll learn that nothing is ever what it seems, and when webs get this tangled, everyone's fate hangs in the balance, and nothing is coincidence.

Ok here’s the good stuff. The story was well written. The plot is very interesting and isn’t predictable. I felt like the logical points in the story were there but with a twist. I did not at all see the ending or some of the later events coming in this story. Kudos for surprising me.

The one negative thing I have is that, for me, Daphne was a really hard character to identify with and get into. I found this book to be not quite as easy of a read as The Witches Lottery. I think that happens in a series like this though. I got really attached to the characters in the first book and then had trouble leaving them behind. Daphne is also a really tough independent character so we don’t get to see as much of her personality because she is putting up a front for everyone. There are vulnerable moments but for the most part she does have some of the cold unmoving heart that dragons are known for in mythology.

With that said, I really liked with Krystal did with the love story! I won’t give it away but it really made me happy to see some old characters getting to find that special person.  I am currently trying to figure out who the next leading character will be in the next installment or if she will revisit some of the older ones.

Overall I really feel like this book was a 3.5 for me. All in all this is a really good buy for 2.99 and it will keep you entertained. It is definitely one of the good buys from the independent side of amazon. The writing was great but I just had some trouble getting into the story at first. Check back on April 1 for a guest blog from Krystal and a giveaway of 3 copies of A Dragon Forsaken.

Inspiration on Monday (3)

So this week I was inspired by 700 students giving up their weekend to do math. Being a math teacher it is rare to see the hard work that I put into my job come to bear fruit. It isn't until much later I hear from students. This weekend I got to see all of these students excited about math competitions and about math in general. I got to network with a bunch of teachers that love math as well. It was truly inspiring for me. My Calculus II team also came in 4th. This is my first year with a group at the highest level and they worked so hard to come in that high. Their dedication is inspiriting. What is inspiring you this week?

Clarity by Kim Harrington

Clarity was my first jaunt into the world of murder/mystery paranormal. While there was some romance it was definitely more of a paranormal book with a murder/mystery twist. Here’s the description from Amazon.com:

When you can see things others can't, where do you look for the truth?

This paranormal murder mystery will have teens reading on the edge of their seats.

Clarity "Clare" Fern sees things. Things no one else can see. Things like stolen kisses and long-buried secrets. All she has to do is touch a certain object, and the visions come to her. It's a gift.

And a curse.

When a teenage girl is found murdered, Clare's ex-boyfriend wants her to help solve the case--but Clare is still furious at the cheating jerk. Then Clare's brother--who has supernatural gifts of his own--becomes the prime suspect, and Clare can no longer look away. Teaming up with Gabriel, the smoldering son of the new detective, Clare must venture into the depths of fear, revenge, and lust in order to track the killer. But will her sight fail her just when she needs it most?

I read this book straight through. With it being my first read with a murder/mystery twist I kept trying to figure out who the murderer was and would get frustrated that I was wrong. In fact, I didn’t see the ending coming at all. Major points to the author for that. My husband kept laughing at how I would put it down all frustrated and then talk to myself to piece the puzzle together.

The writing in this story is great. Teenage phrases are overused and the dialogue really is suited to the characters and the YA genre without being overdone. I really like that the paranormal is well done and well researched. There are also definite limitations to what they can do so it is not as if they are superhuman.

Clare is a great protagonist. She is strong and yet we get to see her vulnerable side throughout the story. She is fiercely loyal to her brother and that is something that I admire in this book. The whole family is very tight and you get to see a lot of each character. I don’t like when a book only centers on one character.

The love triangle is interesting. Although I will say that I personally am on team Justin. I think he really is a good guy and love that he accepts Clare for who she is. I think that for most YA readers that are actually teenagers this is what they are looking for in a guy.

The ending was a definite twist that was not predictable. However, I feel there might be an opening for future books. There isn’t a big cliffhanger at the end and really this could be the only book with the way that it is written. I do think that it would work if it was expanded into a series though.

I really enjoyed this book and found it to be a great read. It is a little shorter than most of the books I usually read but it is a great book if you are looking for a quick read. I give it a 5/5.

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

As a kid I always really enjoyed reading about Greek Mythology. I read every book on the topic in my elementary library and took a few history classes that focused on the time period in college. I even read the Iliad and the Odyssey. So I am loving the resurgence of Greek mythology in the paranormal genre. When I saw this title on Netgalley I wanted forever to be approved and couldn’t wait to get it and it truly did not disappoint. Here’s the summary from Amazon:

How do you defy destiny?

Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

I really like the cyclic take on history in this book. Lucas and Helen are names from the original story Helen of Troy. That’s the first thing I picked up on when I read the summary. I thought it was interesting that it was a Greek story with those names. Thus, throughout the story I was rooting for a happier ending than that of the original. The mythology was spot on and even some aspects were added to the standard mythology. This always worries me when I read something that I have already studied but Josephine did an amazing job of making sure that the paranormal twists really fit in with the history and mythology that she used.

My thoughts on the characters were that it did remind me a little of the set up in Twilight. The girl is a loner with her dad and she becomes a part of this big family. However, I think that prior to Twilight there were a lot of stories out there like this and books are just being typecast after that. In all honesty after that point there weren’t any other similarities to any other story. The characters were fresh and new. I didn’t feel like I read anything that I could compare this story to.

Helen was a great leading female character. She is stubborn and strong. I really enjoyed seeing her stand her ground and make decisions throughout the book. I also really enjoyed the fact that both characters were levelheaded for the most part. They weren’t this crazy rash couple.

The concept of destiny wasn't overplayed. You don't even really find out the full story on their destiny until close to the end of the book. Even then, it doesn't eclipse the storyline. I really don't enjoy it when destiny is made to be the biggest component of the story. I believe that we all have free will including Helen and Lucas.

Helen's best friend is also one of my favorite parts of the story. Her threats to hurt people on behalf of Helen are really funny. Also her general demeanor cracks me up. She is practical and brutally honest. Then when she starts to get wrapped up in the story, the side story line between her and one of Lucas' family members becomes intriguing also. I wouldn't mind seeing another book centered around those two. 

The storyline was exciting and intriguing all at the same time. I really think the resurgence of mythology in the YA genre is going to be a big market in the near future. I am looking forward to the next installment in this series. I would recommend this read for anyone even if you don’t have a background in mythology. The author does a great job of explaining things in the story without making it like you are sitting through a lecture.

Blog Silence

Just an explanation on why I haven't been around in the blog world. I was busy running a state math competition for 700 students. Crazy right? I have had about four hours of sleep each night since Weds. I have some reviews I am working on right now. If they are a little crazy it's because my brain hasn't rebooted!

Giveaway!

Hey everyone just a reminder that Mandy over at Embrace your Oddities still has her 100 follower giveaway going on. She is giving away an awesome prize pack. Click on the icon below to follow her and enter yourself to win the prize pack.



Thanks!

Fang Me by Parker Blue

 I have been waiting for what seems like forever for the next book in this series! I was so excited when I checked Parker’s facebook page and found out that Fang Me had been released. There wasn’t an exact date so I drove myself crazy checking the facebook page. If you haven’t read my read my reviews of the earlier books here

Here’s the description from Amazon.com:

“The vampires want it. The demons want it, too. And someone is willing to kill Val for it.

Val and Fang have to find the powerful Encyclopedia Magicka before either of San Antonio's warring underworld factions locate it or the consequences will be deadly for the entire city. As usual, Val's vampire enemies (they still call her The Slayer) want her dead. Even some of her fellow demons may be less than trustworthy, since they'd like to grab the legendary book of spells before she does. Val has a personal claim to the Encyclopedia--her demon father left it to her when he died--but someone stole it recently. And that can't be good.

Battling vamps and dodging demons, Val struggles to unravel the mystery and find the thief. At the same time, she's fighting her attraction to sweet, sexy Shade--her favorite shadow demon. Rumor has it that Val will lose her part-demon, vampire-fighting powers if she gives herself to him.

With a crowd of vamps and demons out to trick her or kill her, it's not a good time for her to risk her job as the city's best vampire hunter by falling in love. The stakes are high and aimed right at her heart. But Lola, Val's hungry little lust demon, doesn't like being denied. Will Lola finally get her way?

What's a part-lust-demon-teen supposed to do? Whatever it takes.”

Wow I didn’t sleep at all last night. I stayed up reading Fang Me. There is so much going on in this book you will not be disappointed. A new character is introduced in this book and he’s a sketchy character but so interesting. Parker does a great job with making you very curious about him and his motives and what he is. I spent half the time reading looking for clues about whether he was good or bad.

The action is constant in this book. There is one conflict after another as everyone rushes to find the books that were lost. I think if you are a fan of Chloe Neill’s Chicagoland Vampires (this is definitely more YA geared than hers) then you would really like this book. There is a lot of fights and some writing to keep you interested in between.

I love Shade and Val. They are likely one of my favorite couples. I like that they work for each other. Val is a really strong female but she still needs someone that will challenge her. At first I was afraid Shade wasn’t going to be up to the task but he really grows a lot in this book and looses some of that innocent exterior. I also think Val grew and learned a lot about herself in the process. They both make some life altering decisions (won’t disclose what) and I am excited to see what the future holds for them in the next installment due out Spring 2012.

I am so glad that this book did not end on a massive cliffhanger. I am getting tired of waiting for a year on a new book in a series with a major cliffhanger. The conflict is not totally resolved so it left room for the next book, however, it isn’t a crazy cliffhanger that will make you go crazy.

On a side note: I am really interested in Micah. I would love to see something with his back story or even a side storyline with him. I am really interested in the male point of view of a lust demon. 

This is an incredible book I give it a very high recommendation!

Inspiration on Monday (2)

So I made a new graphic for my meme and am very excited! But enough of that. Things that inspire me today:

1. Friends. I have been really stressed out with a lot of stuff going on in my life. However, I took some time out this weekend to just hang out with my friends. It was one of the best decisions I have made. Friends are truly an inspiration. Take some time this week to appreciate the friends in your life!

2. I have been in church all my life and was inspired by the message our preacher presented this Sunday. He spoke from Mark and pointed out that Jesus' family didn't believe in Him. I found it inspirational that He did so much even without the full support of his family. I am blessed to have a family that supports me and found inspiration in this story.

What's inspiring you this week?

Winner Winner!!

The winner of the Lucky Leprechaun Hop is slehan!!


Congrats!


Thanks to everyone that entered. I had so much fun doing this hop. Check back in April for the Fools for Books Hop!

Awakened by Ednah Walters

I struck gold with this read! I came across Ednah on Book Blogs while she was looking for reviewers. I have fallen in love with this series! Here’s the summary posted on Amazon:

Most teens turn sixteen and get the license to drive, but Lil Falcon gets the license to kill demons. Orphaned as a child and raised by an eccentric grandfather, Lil is concerned with surviving high school and is unaware that she's a Guardian-a being with super powers charged with killing demons and protecting humanity. When she meets Bran, a mysterious boy with amazing abilities, his psi energy unlocks her latent powers. But Bran has a secret that can ruin their growing relationship, and the truth she discovers may destroy everything she believes in unless she finds the right balance between love and sacrifice.

This book was absolutely amazing. It is balanced with action, love and personal relationships. Lil is an amazing lead character. She is strong and yet also vulnerable. She was raised to be proud of who she is no matter what. She would be a great role model for any teen as she dresses how she wants and is always herself. I loved that she didn’t try to become someone else or whine throughout the story. She always adjusted and took things in stride after she acclimated to the circumstances.

Bran is a great male love interest. He is protective of Lil but the typical dynamic of protect the female takes a backseat to the story. He doesn’t’ try to constantly try to shove her behind him. It is refreshing to see a male lead that allows the female to be herself. He is also strong in his own right and cares about others.

Izzy, Kim, Sykes, and Remy make excellent supporting characters. They accentuate the story but also come to the forefront of the story. Their personalities are really developed and that is also really refreshing. Most of the books that I have read recently have two main characters and the supporting characters don’t interact with the leads as much. This made Awakened stand out among the other books that I have read.

The back story is very well done. At first I had a few reservations that I had stumbled upon something that might be more science fiction. However, as the story unfolded I found it wasn’t science fiction and the details were nicely worked out.

I give this book a

I am eagerly awaiting the release of the next book in the series! 

The Friday Five (3)

1. The Lucky Leprechaun Hop! I have been having so much fun participating in this Hop! I have been furiously trying to enter as many of the contests as possible and have really enjoyed some of the blogs that I have found. It is such a neat thing to be able to connect with people that have similar passions through the internet. If you haven’t already make sure you enter my contest here

2. The 100 follower giveaway has closed because I finally reached 100 followers! Yay! I think this is a major mark for me and my blog! Also you will note that there will be a lot of changes going on over the next week. Some of these I have already started. I spent a lot of time working on the new rating system on the left hand side. I also have a new background, banner and button that will go up next week courtesy of the lovely Tammy (see last week’s blog for more info on Tammy and her awesome designs).

3. This week was particularly exciting because my son has landed a role in a MOVIE! He is a double in the new Bruce Willis flick Looper. He is doubling for one of the kids. So this week for the first time in my life I have been on a movie set. He will be filming for about the next two weeks! This is his first paying acting job and I am so proud of him for working so hard over the past few months! Saturday we are also going to another audition to possibly go to LA over the summer for a workshop called ipop with his acting school. It is a competitive environment and he would get a lot of exposure there.

4. Sara-Rachelle has started talking A LOT this week! So that is also really fun as a parent. She is going through the parrot phase where she will repeat just about anything that you say. She still isn’t walking but she is more than making up for it with talking.

5. I am thinking about adding a tab to this blog called “A Graduate School Survival Kit.” It wouldn’t be a regular thing but maybe I would post once a week. I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel for myself and was wanting to impart some tips/funny stories to those that are considering or are currently in graduate school. I have learned a lot from my journey but am glad to see the end of it. Thoughts? Would you be interested in reading something like this?

100 Follower Giveaway Winner!!!

We hit 100 Followers!! YAY!!! In celebration I have used random.org to pick a winner for the 100 Follower Giveaway and Lucky number 3 Sheila won a copy of Bite Me!

Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway Hop!

It's a Giveaway Blog Hop!

Win:

A group of genetically enhanced kids who can fly and have other unique talents are on the run from part-human, part-wolf predators called Erasers in this exciting SF thriller that's not wholly original but is still a compelling read. Max, 14, and her adopted family–Fang and Iggy, both 13, Nudge, 11, Gazzy, 8, and Angel, 6–were all created as experiments in a lab called the School. Jeb, a sympathetic scientist, helped them escape and, since then, they've been living on their own. The Erasers have orders to kill them so the world will never find out they exist. Max's old childhood friend, Ari, now an Eraser leader, tracks them down, kidnaps Angel, and transports her back to the School to live like a lab rat again. The youngsters are forced to use their special talents to rescue her as they attempt to learn about their pasts and their destinies. The novel ends with the promise that this journey will continue in the sequel.

And for fun here's a chick lit favorite from Simon Pulse:

Laine barely has enough time for herself, much less for romance. But she's always hungry for more projects -- so she signs up to teach a cooking class at her local community center. As it turns out, the guy co-teaching the class with her, Seth, is not just cute, but downright delicious! When Seth offers her a waitressing job at his family's restaurant, Hype, Laine can't resist.
Just as Seth finally warms up to Laine, she finds out that Callie, another waitress at Hype, is cooking up a plan to steal Seth for herself. But tensions really reach their boiling point when Laine's restaurant critic mother writes a scathing review of Hype! Will Laine have to put love on the back burner again?

TO ENTER:

1. YOU MUST BE A FOLLOWER TO WIN

2. LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW ANSWERING THE QUESTION: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT ST. PATTY'S DAY?

3. US RESIDENTS ONLY (SORRY)

Happy Hopping!

**Contest closes at 11:59 PM on March 20th
Winner will be posted March 21st so check back!** 


Check out the other Blogs with Giveaways Below!

It's Giveaway Season

My friend Mandy over at Embrace Your Oddities is doing a 100 follower giveaway too! She has really interesting meme's and is a very cool chick (no favoritism or anything :) ). Click the link below to follow her blog and to enter the giveaway.

 

Inspiration on Monday (1)

I find that on Monday we are all in need of a little inspiration to make it through the week. Thus each Monday I will post things that inspire me and maybe it will help someone else along the way.

This week's inspiration is indie author Amanda Hocking. I know there is already a lot of buzz on the internet about her, but frankly I find her story to be inspiring, even though I don't write or aspire to be an author.

I started following Amanda's blog just after she released My Blood Approves. It was a recommended read on Amazon and I took a chance and bought it since it was really cheap. Amanda was my first experience reading an indie author. I started following her blog and reading the books that she published. I even had the opportunity to beta read a few things for her (You can check out some of my reviews of her work on the archived reviews tab).

The inspirational part happened for me when she decided to leave her job to pursue a career in writing. I think it takes a lot of courage to make that transition. Through reading her blogs during her transition time (I think I started about three weeks before she blogged about quitting), I was able to feel the same nervousness for her as she decided to take the leap. Now she is supporting herself pretty successfully with her writing and getting to do what she loves and that is pretty inspirational. Check out her page here.

100 Follower Giveaway

So since I am approaching the 100 follower mark I thought I would mark this with a giveaway. It is only open to people in the US (sorry!). When I reach the 100 follower mark, I will be giving away a copy of:

To enter: You must be a follower of my blog and you must comment on the thread below. The winner will be chosen randomly from the comments using a random number generator. The comment associated with that number will receive a slightly used copy of the above book. The winner will be posted on the blog so check back to see if you won!

Here's the amazon description via Amazon: Mississippi teen AJ works hard to ignore her vampire side, focusing on fitting in at school by getting good grades and staying out of trouble. Even so, the 17-year-old's problems are beginning to pile up. Her boyfriend has just become her stepbrother, and though she and Ryan are still strongly attracted to one another, their parents have broken them up. Worse, she may have created a truly evil vampire during an ill-advised night of drinking. In order to protect herself and her family, she must explore her vampire heritage while discerning who among her friends and acquaintances she can trust.


100 Followers Here We Come!

Friday Five (2)

1. I am currently on the road to Dallas. Sadly my grandpa passed away this week and we are headed to Dallas to spend some time with the family and go to his memorial service. Thus there may be some blog silence for the next few days depending on the schedule of things. Although I sadly did not get a chance to find some new books to upload to my phone to read so I may have to content myself with reading old stuff. Sadly brining a book is a clear indicator that I do not plan to drive so I must bring books on my phone so that it is not obvious to the husband that I plan to ignore him during the drive :)

2.    2.  I am very excited that my blog is going to be under construction in the next few weeks. I have the lovely Tammy with visions expressed graphics working on a new background, banner and button for my blog. I am very excited about the changes that are coming. I will also be changing some things with ratings and features on the blog. Check back as the changes get implemented!

3.   3.  Mardi Gras break is the best thing in the world as a teacher. The week off was sorely needed as the kids all have spring fever and senioritis. I was able to relax and get a lot accomplished during my week off. My house is somewhat more picked up, errands have been run that were on the back burner, etc. I have also just about caught up on my DVR shows that my husband doesn’t let me watch with him around (Greek, Vampire Diaries, etc) Now you see why I teach high school :)

4.  I was very disappointed with GLEE this week. Not only did I feel that the show did some bashing on the abstinence issue but the song choices were terrible. After talking to my husband we have decided that they are experiencing a bit of a sophomore slump as they are trying to find topics. There have been several episodes that I really liked this season but I think the stance on abstinence early on was a complete turn off as far as the dialogue went and the song choices were really obscure. I also want to take a moment before people bash me with the sex ed idea. I believe that kids need to make an informed choice. However, I think that choosing abstinence is not in fact “lame” or unrealistic as the show claims. On a personal note I chose abstinence and it worked for me. Thus, I don’t think it is completely unrealistic or lame.

      5. The ipad 2 intrigues me. However, I can’t seem to find one viable reason to get the darn thing. I am the kind of person that will spend money on a big purchase but I need some sort of justification even if it is flimsy. I already have a MacBook Pro so I already have the processor blah blah blah. I also have an iphone. So I can’t figure out why I would need an ipad other than it looks cool…? My husband on the other hand has a pc and has been wanting a mac and is now saying that it could be his mac computer. I find this interesting since all he does is yell at my computer because it doesn’t work like his. Maybe I will get him one and see if I can find any other use that a HUGE kindle… Any ideas??

Blog Hop & Follow Friday (4)

It's time for the weekend Hop again!

"If I gave you £50 (or $80) and sent you into a bookshop right now, what would be in your basket when you finally staggered to the till?"


Oh Geez. Let me visit my amazon wishlist....

Luckily I have an educator discount so I am able to pick up a bit more. Several of these are pre-orders I am waiting on that I should be able to get through after my TBR pile is reduced...

Just like Ashley said (love it) "Ashley the girl..." who are 

You the Boy/Girl, instead of You the Blogger?

I am a mother of two beautiful children, a teacher, a wife, a photographer enthusiast and a New Orleans resident. Whew that's a lot to be!

Die For Me by Amy Plum

All I have to say is WOW! My friend over at Embrace Your Oddities did a review on this book and it really got me interested in the book. It wasn’t at all what I first thought it was going to be. I had originally thought that based on the back cover it was going to be a tragic story where the boy died to save the girl. However, it was definitely not tragic and it was fully amazing. I requested a galley after reading the review Mandy posted. Here’s the description from NetGalley:

Kate Mercier’s wonderfully normal teenage life comes crashing down when her parents are killed in a car accident. Suddenly, she and her sister, Georgia, are forced to leave everything they’ve ever known in America and move to Paris to live with their grandparents. For Kate, the only way to survive is by sealing off her heart and escaping into the comforting world of books and beautiful art. Until she meets Vincent.

Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate’s guarded heart with just his smile. He also happens to be one of an elite race of paranormal beings known as revenants—undead creatures who exist to sacrifice themselves over and over again in place of other humans whose time to die has not yet come.

As Kate’s attraction to Vincent grows, she must choose between the shattered life she was trying to rebuild, and the risks of loving again. But when she learns that her sister has become involved with a group of evil revenants who exist solely to murder and betray those around them, Kate is thrown into the midst of a centuries-old battle which threatens the lives of everyone she loves.

Die for Me is an exceptionally good book. The setting in Paris brings such a wonderful aspect to the love story and brings so much culture to the story. After reading about many of the places it makes me want to take a trip over there.

I really liked Kate’s character. Instead of falling into the traditional head over heels roll she is very cautious as she decides whether it is a good idea to start a romance with the dangerous and mysterious Vincent. She also has a great relationship with her sister and grandparents. She does not isolate herself with her love interest and that is definitely a plus in my opinion.

Vincent is a great character in the sense that he realizes the complications and comes to a compromise so that Kate might accept to be with him. He doesn’t expect her to change everything for their potential relationship in the story. I know writers don’t usually like being compared to twilight but for those that enjoyed the relationship between Bella and Edward ,but were looking for a little more maturity in the relationship, you will love the story between Kate and Vincent.

I am desperately hoping that Die for Me is a series as I can’t wait to see more of what Amy Plum has come up with. The idea of renevants is a new one for this genre and I find it to be really interesting and different. They are ordinary and yet they aren’t. I give this book a 5/5 and highly recommend it to lovers of this genre. You will not regret this purchase!

**Also on a side note I love what publishers are doing with come of the covers lately. The cover for Die For Me is absolutely gorgeous!**