Review: Shadow and Bone (The Grisha Trilogy #1) by Leigh Bardugo

Shadow and Bone (The Grisha Trilogy #1) by Leigh Bardugo

Published: June 5th 2012
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co
Page Count: Hardcover, 358
Source: Bought
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Find the Author: Website, Good Reads, Twitter, Blog
Buy This Book: Amazon, Book Depository
Add It To Your Good Reads Shelf

Alina Starkov doesn’t expect much from life. Orphaned by the Border Wars, the one thing she could rely on was her best friend and fellow refugee, Mal. And lately not even that seems certain. Drafted into the army of their war-torn homeland, they’re sent on a dangerous mission into the Fold, a swath of unnatural darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh.
When their convoy is attacked, all seems lost until Alina reveals a dormant power that not even she knew existed. Ripped from everything she knows, she is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling. He believes she is the answer the people have been waiting for: the one person with the power to destroy the Fold.
Swept up in a world of luxury and illusion, envied as the Darkling’s favorite, Alina struggles to fit into her new life without Mal by her side. But as the threat to the kingdom mounts, Alina uncovers a secret that sets her on a collision course with the most powerful forces in the kingdom. Now only her past can save her . . . and only she can save the future. - Good Reads

This book started out and I was rolling my eyes. That's to be expected: there are A LOT of mistakes made regarding Russian culture and it honestly did bother me (Again! Her "inspiration" research reminded me a lot of...ahem, Richelle Mead!). Besides the lack of the a at the end of Starikov that would imply she was female and not a male... one of the male characters had a feminine surname. But I think what bothered me the most is how the author represented kvas. Which, by the way, is not a hard alcoholic drink that burns going down. Though my husband and I have been having fun pretending it is every time we drink some since reading this book. That was good for some laughs. 

Putting all of that aside though, which I was able to, I really started to enjoy the book. The world was fascinating and it really caught me. I found Grisha to be interesting, even though that is the name of my 3 year old brother in-law. 

The romance! It was GOOD! I was in loooove! And then Leigh Bardugo pulled a fast one. And I mean... a fast one! I was left with my mouth open and wondering where the hell THAT came from. I know I'm being cryptic here as I don't want to ruin the surprise, but I was sadly left disappointed in how the romantic development twisted towards the end of the book. Though I can't bring myself to believe that'll be the end of it and I want to see what happens, so I will definitely be awaiting the next book! With no patience. 

                                                           3 out of 5 Stars!

Review: Underworld (Abandon Trilogy #2) by Meg Cabot

Underworld (Abandon Trilogy #2) by Meg Cabot

Published: May 8th 2012
Publisher: Point
Page Count: Hardcover, 318
Source: Bought
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Find the Author: Website, Good Reads, Twitter, Blog
Buy This Book: Amazon, Book Depository
Add It To Your Good Reads Shelf

Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back.
Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera isn’t dead.
Not this time.
But she is being held against her will in the dim, twilit world between heaven and hell, where the spirits of the deceased wait before embarking upon their final journey.
Her captor, John Hayden, claims it’s for her own safety. Because not all the departed are dear. Some are so unhappy with where they ended up after leaving the Underworld, they’ve come back as Furies, intent on vengeance…on the one who sent them there and on the one whom he loves.
But while Pierce might be safe from the Furies in the Underworld, far worse dangers could be lurking for her there…and they might have more to do with its ruler than with his enemies.And unless Pierce is careful, this time there’ll be no escape. - Good Reads

I read Abandon last year and if you read my review, you’ll know I was a little disappointed in it. I cannot tell you how much I adore Meg Cabot. I think she’s a really good writer and I’ve enjoyed all of her books. This series though… not so much. When I read, I gravitate towards romance. I adore a good love story. I look for it in a book and it is important to me. I love the stepping stones that lay out a love story that gets me all a flutter  - cocky heroes who appear a little jackassy, but are pure sweetness on the inside. All that unrealistic bs. Looking back at my review of Abandon, my mind is a little fuzzy on the details of what went on, but I seemed to feel that I was rooting for them towards the end in my review. Scratch that. It seems as if Pierce just throws herself into loving him and even seems to cater to him way beyond what she should. And there are a lot of convienent misunderstandings. And I just wasn’t feeling any of it. I hate saying that considering the author, but it’s what I feel and I like to be honest. I’m not sure if I’ll be reading the third book. I might just to see what happens and hope for some improvement, but I’m very doubtful, just because the love story isn’t working for me. I’m just not feeling it! 

                                 2 out of 5 Hello Kitties!

Another Update!

On the 23'rd of June I had a son! His name is Tikhon (pronounced Tee-han, for those who are curious) and he's lovely! I'm now relaxing in Russia and enjoying the summer! I've  been reading a lot and trying to catch up. Breastfeeding and my kindle = magic! I've also been working on a bunch of reviews and if anyone has some recommendations on what to read -- shoot them my way!

With the past few months and all the stress I've been going through and travel, it'll be nice to be back in the book blogging world! I really, really miss it!

I've been MIA, I know!

I know I've been MIA for quite a while... The photograph below explains why!

And on top of that work was crazy and I've been getting ready to move to Russia and ahhhh! Life is CRAZY!

Anyway, I just want to say............

IN LESS THAN 10 MINUTES IT WILL BE THE 1ST OF MAY AND I'M FREAKING EXCITED BECAUSE SHINE IS GOING TO COME OUT AND I NEED TO SQUEE LIKE A MADWOMAN ABOUT IT! I just re-read Shade and Shift this past week and I'm soooo ready for it!



I LOVE YOU, JERI SMITH-READY!

If you haven't read the Shade series: GO FORTH AND DO IT NOW!

Crossroads Blog Tour: Guest Post and Amazing Giveaway: E-book & Kindle Fire!

The amazing J.J. Bonds and Parajunkee asked me to be included in the Crossroads Blog Tour and I'm very excited to bring you a guest post as a part of my stop. You can also enter to win an e-book by commenting and every comment automatically gets entered for the BIG prize at the end of the tour: a Kindle Fire!

For my stop I have a character profile of Nikolai Petrov... Ooooh, smoldering!

Hey there, beautiful. Haven’t seen you around here before. New at Crossroads? I figured as much. There’s no way I’d forget a face like yours.  What? Tall, dark, and handsome doesn’t get it done, huh? Guess I’ll have to try a little harder to impress you with my boyish charm and stunning good looks. Alright, how about this? I’m a Sagittarius, I like long walks on the beach, and I enjoy romantic candlelight feedings.Wait! Don’t go. I’m just teasing. I can see that approach isn’t going to work though. You’re not like the other girls here. Most of them are rather superficial… and mind-numbingly boring.  What? Is there a nice way of saying they’re vapid, shallow, social mongers? No? Well, the truth hurts, doesn’t it? Besides, you can’t blame the kids. Byproducts of their elitist parents if they’re anything like mine. We may have some of the oldest and purest bloodlines in the world at Crossroads, but it doesn’t come without a price.You on the other hand, well, I’d be willing to bet you’re different. Don’t look so skeptical. I have a feeling about you and my instincts are quite good. I don’t want to brag, but I’m hardly ever wrong.Nikolai Petrov, by the way. And you are? Come on. Don’t be shy. I won’t bite. Not today, anyway.  We’re just getting to know one another after all. The real me? I’m only at Crossroads because it’s the furthest I can get from my parents and their conniving political aspirations. If I never saw them again, it might be too soon. I have a sister I love more than life itself and I’d do anything for her. My real passion is martial arts and I can’t wait to see the look on my parents faces when they find out I want to serve the Elder’s Council, not become a member. No way in hell am I going to spend my life being a political pawn. My future lies with the Linkuri brotherhood. I was born to hunt, to punish, to deal in justice. And if I get paid to kick a little ass in the process? I’ll consider it a bonus. After all, I’ve got a wicked spinning back kick. Relax. I may like to throw down, but I prefer to limit my training to the gym. I’m actually a teaching assistant in a couple of the MMA and self-defense classes. Surprised? I’m actually a pretty decent guy.Look, I get it. You probably think my friends are a bunch of tools and I don’t blame you. But if you knew them like I do, you might actually like them. They’re not so bad. And they’re loyal which is a trait I value above all else.Come on. That’s got to be enough to get us on a first name basis? Might as well tell me. It’s a small school and I’ll figure it out eventually. Besides, I’m not one to give up easily.

J.J. Bonds is an independent author who writes young adult and speculative fiction. Her debut novel, Crossroads, was released in fall of 2011. It is the first in the Crossroads Academy series. J.J. lives in Carlisle, Pennsylvania where her love of all things paranormal keeps life interesting. She lives with her husband and two rambunctious dogs and is expecting a new addition to the family in March. 

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

1. Comment to win!

2. One random comment will be selected to win a digital copy of JJ Bonds Crossroads

3. All comments will be counted to win a KINDLE FIRE with a Crossroads Gel Cover

4. Collect Clues along the tour for a chance to win

5. Comment at each tour stop for extra chances to win

6. Tweet and use #crossroadsbooktour for extra chances to win along with random drawings to win digital copies of the book

6. Collect clues to find the final entry to win the Kindle Fire

7. Winners will be selected January 31st

CLUE CLUE CLUE... :)

Find Crossroads

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Review: Vanish (Firelight #2) by Sophie Jordan

Vanish (Firelight #2) by Sophie Jordan

Published: September 6th 2011
Publisher: Harper Teen
Page Count: Hardcover, 294
Source: Library
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Find the Author: Website, Good Reads, Twitter
Buy This Book: Amazon, Book Depository
Add It To Your Good Reads Shelf

To save the life of the boy she loves, Jacinda did the unthinkable: She betrayed the most closely-guarded secret of her kind. Now she must return to the protection of her pride knowing she might never see Will again—and worse, that because his mind has been shaded, Will’s memories of that fateful night and why she had to flee are gone. 
Back home, Jacinda is greeted with hostility and must work to prove her loyalty for both her sake and her family’s. Among the few who will even talk to her are Cassian, the pride’s heir apparent who has always wanted her, and her sister, Tamra, who has been forever changed by a twist of fate. Jacinda knows that she should forget Will and move on—that if he managed to remember and keep his promise to find her, it would only endanger them both. Yet she clings to the hope that someday they will be together again. When the chance arrives to follow her heart, will she risk everything for love? 
In bestselling author Sophie Jordan’s dramatic follow-up to Firelight, forbidden love burns brighter than ever. 

I liked Firelight enough, but was a little disappointed with the love story. I wasn't feeling it as much as I felt I should, but the ending had a good cliffhanger and I knew I'd have to read Vanish. 


In Vanish we find Sophie back in the pride with some major problems. Everyone basically hates her and there are plenty of people out to get her. Sophie's attitude in this installment irritated me a lot and I felt hope that the love story might turn in a good direction, but ended up sorely disappointed. This series has a major love triangle and unfortunately, as usual, it looks like the heroine is taking the turn in the wrong direction. I felt Sophie was ignoring all the right signals and using her rebellious nature to make her romantic decisions rather than her heart. Unfortunately I think that if the author goes in the direction I'd want her to go it would somewhat go against what she worked for in this first book, which didn't exactly work for me anyway... 


I am curious to see what happens in the next book --- I need more Cassian! 


                                3 out of 5 Hello Kitties!

Hushed Blog Tour Stop: Kelley York Interview

Hello everyone! I am happy to be apart of the Hushed blog tour hosted by Entangled Publishing! Today Kelley York is stopping by my blog for an interview! 

He’s saved her. He’s loved her. He’s killed for her. 
Eighteen-year-old Archer couldn’t protect his best friend, Vivian, from what happened when they were kids, so he’s never stopped trying to protect her from everything else. It doesn’t matter that Vivian only uses him when hopping from one toxic relationship to another—Archer is always there, waiting to be noticed. 
Then along comes Evan, the only person who’s ever cared about Archer without a single string attached. The harder he falls for Evan, the more Archer sees Vivian for the manipulative hot-mess she really is. 
But Viv has her hooks in deep, and when she finds out about the murders Archer’s committed and his relationship with Evan, she threatens to turn him in if she doesn’t get what she wants… And what she wants is Evan’s death, and for Archer to forfeit his last chance at redemption.

1. What inspired you to write this story?

Archer. I wanted to write about a boy who killed people for the girl he loved. I don’t know if there was something in particular that sparked the idea for Archer, but he was what came first. I abandoned all the other projects I had going at the time and threw myself completely into HUSHED.

2. Which character do you relate to the most in Hushed?

Probably a combination of Evan and Archer. I spent a lot of time in high school being the friend who was the voice of reason, trying to get others out of bad relationships and situations. I was also the friend who got used a lot, who people ran to when it was convenient for them.

3. Do you have any other novels in the works?

I have another contemporary book with a male/male romance. I don’t want to say too much more than that, especially since it’s still in its early stages!

4. Which 5 books would you say are your absolute favourites?

(1) HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE by Diana Wynne Jones

(2) MRS. FRISBY & THE RATS OF NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien

(3) A MONSTER CALLS by Patrick Ness

(4) GONE, GONE, GONE by Hannah Moskowitz

(5) WARM BODIES by Isaac Marion

Hard narrowing it down like that, but those were the first ones that came to mind.

5. Your house is ON FIRE and you only have time to grab three things, what are they??

Assuming my family doesn’t count... MY PETS!! Do they count as one thing? (Growing up, when Mom tried to talk to me about what to do in case of a fire, she always worried I’d end up dying because I insisted I would not leave the house without my animals.) Computer. Probably my sketchbooks.  

Kelley was born adn raised in central California, where she still resides with her lovely wife, daughter, and an abundance of pets. (Although she does fantasize about moving across the globe to Ireland.) She has a fascination with bells, adores all things furry - be them squeaky, barky or meow-y - is a lover of video games, manga and anime, and likes to pretend she's a decent photographer. Her life goal is to find a real unicorn. Or maybe a mermaid.
Within young adult, she enjoys writing and reading a variety of genres from contemporary with a unique twist, psychological thrillers, paranormal/urban fantasy and horror. She loves stories where character development takes center stage.

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