Breathless Reads Tour Mini Challenge

Matched;Across the Universe;Nightshade;The Replacement;The Eternal Ones

On February 25th, the Breathless Reads Tour is making a stop in Raleigh, N.C. With it being only about an hour and a half away, and on a Friday, there is no way I'm not going! The only problem is, I've been an absolute complete slacker, and have not read any of these fantastic books yet, though all of them were on my 2011 tbr list. I can't in good conscience go to a book signing (and my very first one at that!) and not have read the books by all the attending authors, thus my "mini-challenge" was born.

My goal is to read all five books by all five attending authors by February 24th. This should theoretically give me about two and a half days per book. I'm confident I can get this done, and maybe even have time to spare! I'm going to use this little challenge to also have some stocked up book reviews to post, in case I'm running a little low. And, lucky me, a couple of these fill other challenges I've signed up for. I'll be reading them in this order (decided at random):

• Matched by Ally Condie (started 2/11/11; finished 2/13/11)
• Across the Universe by Beth Revis (started 2/13/11; finished 2/14/11)
• Nightshade by Andrea Cremer (started 2/14/11; finished 2/16/11)
• The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff (started 2/17/11; finished 2/20/11)
• The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller (started 2/20/11; finished 2/24/11)

I'll be posting links to reviews on this post once they're written, as well as start and finish dates. Wish me luck!

Visit the Breathless Reads site at http://breathlessreads.com/.

Book Hop & Follow Friday (6)

Happy Friday! This week I'm participating in a few memes. Book Blogger Hop is hosted over at Crazy for Books. Follow My Book Blog Friday is hosted by Parajunkee's View.

Tell us about one of your posts from this week and give us a link so we can read it (review or otherwise)! 
I just realized, I haven't posted a review this week! I feel so bad about that, lol! I'll definitely get one up tomorrow. If I have to pick one from this week, though, I guess I'd probably pick my IMM post from Sunday. I cannot stress how awesome library book sales can be. If you're on a budget, it's a great way to go in and get a whole bunch of books for what the price of one or two new ones will cost you at the bookstore. Ask around at your local library to see if they have a sponsoring "Friends of the Library" program, and see if they're interested in hosting a book sale! My library earns anywhere from $15,000 to $20,000 extra a year from our book sale weekend, and it's all made off of books donated from the community.

What is your favorite romance-hero type? Stereotype wise. Do you like the strong silent type or the brute macho man?

I have to admit, I like the cocky smartass, with a little bit of that brutish manliness thrown in. Muscles, long hair, and an accent are definitely a bonus as well. I love the hero that knows what he wants, and just goes for it, no questions asked. No wimpy whining. No "But you're better without me!" speeches. Just good ole "I love you, I want you, I'll have you" from all those cheesy romance novels I secretly devour. ;D

 

Waiting on Wednesday (5)

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Eona

by Alison Goodman

(April 19th, 2011)

Eon has been revealed as Eona, the first female Dragoneye in hundreds of years. Along with fellow rebels Ryko and Lady Dela, she is on the run from High Lord Sethon's army. The renegades are on a quest for the black folio, stolen by the drug-riddled Dillon; they must also find Kygo, the young Pearl Emperor, who needs Eona's power and the black folio if he is to wrest back his throne from the selfstyled "Emperor" Sethon. Through it all, Eona must come to terms with her new Dragoneye identity and power--and learn to bear the anguish of the ten dragons whose Dragoneyes were murdered. As they focus their power through her, she becomes a dangerous conduit for their plans....

Eona, with its pulse-pounding drama and romance, its unforgettable fight scenes, and its surprises, is the conclusion to an epic only Alison Goodman could create.

This book seriously needs to hurry up. I absolutely loved Eon. I read it in one sitting - I wanted to read a bit before I hopped in the shower, and ended up staying in bed all day to finish it. I've been waiting for this sequel for what feels like forever.

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

In My Mailbox (6)

So this week I definitely shouldn't have, but I totally did. I went to another library book sale. I spent a little too much probably, but I found a couple of great books. It wasn't as good as my library's sale...but what can I say? I'm biased! I would have done another vlog post this weekend, but with being sick, I'd sound like a stuffy frog, and no one needs to hear that. XD

{Booksale}

• Dracula by Bram Stoker
• Edgar Allan Poe: Complete and Unabridged Fiction and Poetry by Edgar Allan Poe
• Russian Winter by Daphne Kalotay
• The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova
• Avalon High by Meg Cabot
• The Bitten by L. A. Banks

(I bought Dracula because it was such an awesome old edition, full of illustrations. I was really happy to find Swan Thieves too! I love Elizabeth Kostova. And The Bitten is actually the fourth in a vampire huntress series, so I'm going to have to find the first ones. :-P)

• Devices and Desires by K. J. Parker
• Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith
• Wuthering Bites by Sarah Gray
• The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters, Volume 1 by Gordon Dahlquist
• Harry Potter and Philosophy by David Baggett
• Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

(Pride and Prejudice and Zombies! I can't believe I haven't read this yet. I also found a Wuthering Heights remix, Wuthering Bites. The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters was a series I read a while ago, and really loved, so now I'm going to have to find Volume 2 to match. Harry Potter to fuel my addition of course, and Sarah Addison Allen is a local NC author that was recommended to me by a friend.)
 

• Valiant by Holly Black
• Faeries by Brian Froud
• Song of the Sparrow by Lisa Ann Sandell
• Marked by P. C. Cast
• Inkspell by Cornelia Funke
• Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke

(I was so excited to find Valiant since I found Tithe at the first book sale I went to. I absolutely love Brian Froud, so I couldn't pass his up. I also managed to find the first House of Night book, Marked. I've been meaning to try the series at some point. I also found Inkspell and Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke. Only Inkheart wasn't there! Now I'm going to have to hunt down a library binding of it to complete the collection.)

{Bought & Borrowed}

• Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
• New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
• Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
• Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
• The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer
• Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

(I had a few awesome coupons for Barnes & Noble, so I finally bought the Twilight series, in a lovely box set. And I borrowed Wicked Lovely from the library this week as well.)

-------------------------------

So that's what I got this week. What's in your mailbox?

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren

Book Hop & Follow Friday (5)

Happy Friday! This week I'm participating in a few memes. Book Blogger Hop is hosted over at Crazy for Books. Follow My Book Blog Friday is hosted by Parajunkee's View.

What are you reading now, and why are you reading it? 

I'm currently reading Lady Chatterley's Lover by D. H. Lawrence. This is my first selection for the Wordsworth Classics Challenge. I've been totally slacking on getting to this one. :-P But, I'm currently 44 pages in, and I'm loving it.

What is the book you are currently "pushing"? 

Hmm...I'm really not much of a "pushy" person. I tend to just mention if a book was really, really good. I did just make my mum read the Hunger Games trilogy, though. But, otherwise, I'd have to say I really push the Mortal Instruments series, or Harry Potter. Working in a library, you really just have to be an advocate for books in general. Every patron's taste is different, and you have to roll with it when suggesting items, even if you don't like their favored genre.

 

Review: Splendor

Title: Splendor
Author: Anna Godbersen
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Category: Young Adult
Page Count: 391 
Release Date: October 2009
Series: Luxe, Rumors, Envy
Source: Library
Challenge: none 
Quick Rating: 2/5

New beginnings.

Shocking revelations.

Unexpected endings.

As spring turns into summer, Elizabeth relishes her new role as a young wife, while her sister, Diana, searched for adventure abroad. But when a surprising clue about their father’s death comes to light, the Holland girls wonder at what cost a life of splendor comes.

Carolina Broad, society’s newest darling, fans a flame from her past, oblivious to how it might burn her future. Penelope Schoonmaker is finally Manhattan royalty - but when a real prince visits the city, she covets a title that comes with a crown. Her husband, Henry, bravely went to war, only to discover that his father’s rule extends well beyond New York’s shores and that fighting for love may prove a losing battle.

In this dramatic conclusion to the bestselling Luxe series, New York’s most dazzling socialites chase dreams, cling to promises, and tempt fate. As society watches what will become of the city’s oldest families and newest fortunes, one question remains: Will its stars fade away or will they shine ever brighter?

Thank God that’s over with. I have finally finished the Luxe series, and I’m so happy I don’t have to suffer through all these characters’ depressing lives a second more. I found Splendor to be a very weak installment of the series, though not quite as rage-inducing as Rumors. It seemed slow, and yet rushed, all at the same time. It was a whole lot of muck to sift through for a very lackluster, unsatisfying ending.

Even the prologue, which I’ve always found to be one of the best of it’s predecessors, wasn’t as good. It didn’t hook me like the others - I didn’t feel compelled to keep reading until I found out all about the cryptic beginning. At least the dresses didn’t disappoint.

Follow the jump for more!

Waiting On Wednesday (4)

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

The Near Witch

by Victoria Schwab 

(August 2nd, 2011)

The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.

 

If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.

And there are no strangers in the town of Near.

These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.


But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.

The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.

As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab’s debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won’t soon forget.

I'm definitely excited to get my hands on Near Witch in August. And not only that, but if you head over to Victoria Schwab's blog, you can enter for a chance to win a really awesome prize pack! 

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?