Review: Steel by Carrie Vaughn

GoodReads Description:
Sixteen-year-old Jill has fought in dozens of fencing tournaments, but she has never held a sharpened blade. When she finds a corroded sword piece on a Caribbean beach, she is instantly intrigued and pockets it as her own personal treasure. The broken tip holds secrets, though, and it transports Jill through time to the deck of a pirate ship. Stranded in the past and surrounded by strangers, she is forced to sign on as crew. But a pirate's life is bloody and brief, and as Jill learns about the dark magic that brought her there, she forms a desperate scheme to get home—one that risks everything in a duel to the death with a villainous pirate captain.

My Review:

There is something you all should know about me. I am OBSESSED with pirates…I completely adore them. I have been a pirate at least one of the days of Halloween (I’m a college kid…we have at least 3 days of Halloween every year) for the last 3 years :D I saw all of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies multiple times in theatres and countless times once they came out on DVD. I once bought what looks like an authentic (sort of ) pirate sword, and hung it on my wall over my bed…talk about conversation starter in the dorms ahaha. So I was SUPER excited to find this book and I was glad I did.

Where I got this book: Library…My library is fantastic. It‘s one of the best in the state and probably one of the best in the country…and they are super nice to me by frequently disregarding my outrageous late fees and  seem to always be putting in new requests for books all because of me . I have been waiting to read this book and was ecstatic when I found it on the shelves.

Things I liked: I really enjoyed the underlying fencing analogies and references. I have read a few different books whose main character was into fencing, but I could never quite grasp what they were talking about. Ms. Vaughn is the first author to allow me to actually understand things like foils and how to fight while fencing.  In addition, Jill isn’t this ultimate champion fencer chick. She is just a normal kid and finds out quickly that fighting for prizes and trophies is nothing like fighting for blood. The book also remained true to the period it was (mostly) written during. Though unlikely that all of the pirate kings and queens that we know and love would be having a pint together in Jamaica, it was cool to see them in action outside of their own stories.

Unfortunately, there were a few things that didn’t sit well with me. I was really irritated by Jill’s character. After losing a fencing match in the first chapter, she is moping for almost the entire book. Even before she was transported back into the world of pirates, she couldn’t appreciate a vacation in the Bahamas because she lost one match, a MONTH ago? Wow….what a total brat. Then once she get’s onto the pirate ship, she is STILL whining and continues to do so until pretty much the last chapter where she has some character development. Some…but not a lot.  Also, the actual transition between the modern world and 17th century Pirate-ville is confusing and weird. Sooooo… she falls overboard and when she surfaces its 300 years earlier? I actually had to backtrack just to make sure that I didn’t skip a page or something where all the magic happened, so I had a hard time suspending my belief and was a little jarred by the transition.  And finally, the romance between Jill and Henry felt contrived and weak. You could sort of tell that Henry cared for Jill, but you were actually inside Jill’s head and you didn’t get that she felt anything for him and then all of the sudden they are kissing are you are all like…what the eff???

All in all, it was a good book, the plot was interesting even though it stole a few elements from the other books and movies in the pirate cannon. I love how detailed everything was. She describes pirate behavior, sword fighting, and sailing very well, though it doesn’t even come close to the detail in the Bloody Jack series, but that is understandable because it is a standalone book. I really enjoyed all the character development that occurred in the last few chapters. Jill, Henry, Captain Conner, everyone it seems like is growing as a person. I really liked the final fight scene as well, though I guess I am used to bloodier scenes than that so it was a little tame. I believe I will give this book 7 and 1/2 swords out of ten! A piratical adventure full of fun and swords :D

Later,
~Andra~

My Book Boyfriend (Etienne St. Clair)

My Book Boyfriend is a weekly meme hosted by Missie of The Unread Reader. Its a chance to pay homage to the hotties that haunt the pages of the novels we love. The men who stay in our thoughts late at night, who cause us to stare off into the night and sigh, because we want them here with us. Yes ladies, its the Book Boyfriend. 

Mkay so for this week's MBB, I thought I would share with you a delectable French/English/American that I have recently fallen in love with. He is the dashing hero of Anna and the French Kiss (Seriously, if you haven't read it yet, drop what you are doing, go to your nearest book store, buy it, then commence reading delectable and fantabulous story of awesomeness) That's right people. The dashing, the charming, the one and only, Etienne St. Clair is this week's Book Boyfriend!!! For those of you who haven't read the book, here is the initial description in the book:

He shakes his head, a little dazed. The first thing I notice is his hair--it's the first thing I notice about everyone. It's Dark brown and messy and somehow both long and short at the same time. It's artist hair.Musician hair. I-pretend-I-don't-care-but-I-really-do-hair. Beautiful hair.And he's English...Seriously, I don't know any American girl who can resist an English accent. The beautiful boy gives an amused grin. "Etienne," he says. "I live one floor up....Well. I'll see you around then, Anna." Eh-t-yen says my name like this: Ah-na .

Yumm....who can resist a hottie like that? Great hair, great smile, and an English accent.Plus the name Etienne is just so... Perfect.and French...lol it's so cute.

Then, this gorgeous, fabulous French boy says things like THIS: "You're the most incredible girl I've ever known. You're gorgeous and smart, and you make me laugh like no one else can. And I can talk to you. And I know after all this I don't deserve you, but what I'm trying to say is that I love you, Anna. Very much."AWWWWWWWW :D (made even better because he says this whilst they are both on top of Notre Dame :D)

Anyways, here is the tasty boy that I feel would be a fantastic choice to play the delicious

 Etienne St. Clair!!!!!

Ok..now believe it or not, I actually KNOW this gorgeous hunk of Hottie McHotterson. I lived in the international dorms during my Sophomore year of college, and I was fortunate enough to make the acquaintance of this beautiful creature. His name is Marc. He is seriously from France...therefore, my friends and I call him French Mark...It also makes him ideal to play Etienne St. Clair, as does his exceptional hotness.  Right now I'm praying to God, Allah, Krishna, and every other god in the history of the world that French Mark never finds this site, because...well....To be honest I'm being a total creep right now. I stole his pictures from facebook, and even though we were pretty good friends while he was studying abroad here in the US, I bet he wouldn't like me talking about how much of a sex god he is (not that I would know...lol)

tehe...well, now I miss French Marc...I'm gunna go call him or skype him or something just to hear his cute accent again....

Ciao Bellas,
~Andra~

Review: House of Dead Maids by Clare B. Dunkle

GoodReads Description:
Tabby Aykroyd has been brought to the dusty mansion of Seldom House to be nursemaid to a foundling boy. He is a savage little creature, but the Yorkshire moors harbor far worse, as Tabby soon discovers. The ghost of the last maid will not leave Tabby in peace, yet this spirit is only one of many. Why do scores of dead maids and masters haunt Seldom House with a jealous devotion that extends beyond the grave? As Tabby struggles to escape the evil forces rising out of the land, she watches her young charge choose a different path. He is determined to keep Seldom House as his own. Though Tabby tries to befriend the uncouth urchin, her kindness cannot alter his fate. Long before he reaches the old farmhouse of Wuthering Heights, the boy who will become Heathcliff has doomed himself and any who try to befriend him.

My Review:
The House of Dead Maids was a random library find for me. I mean...just look at that cover! Definitely something that caught my eye and gave me a chill, even in that brightly lit stack of book shelves.

To be honest, I didn't even know it was a prelude to Wurthering Heights until the very end when the "rogue" takes on the name Heathcliff, though if I would have read the acknowledgement page at the beginning I would have found that out. The novel was chilling and creepy, detailed and morose. It wasn't the most exciting story, or the most interesting, but it had a relatively good degree of depth.The end had the most interest as a lot of action was packed into the last chapters as we find out the mystery of Seldom House and the two main characters deal with the surrounding village...It was a quick read, despite how slow the plot moved. The book was made up of only about 100 pages and it was about 3/4 the size of a regular book, so there really wasn't a lot there for me. Though it was rather slow, I still really enjoyed the plot. It was original and really interesting once you actually got into the story. If the chain of events would have flowed a little better and had a little more action, it would have been fantastic

The characters weren't very well fleshed out or well illustrated. There was virtually no physical description other than clothing and stature. Tabby, the main character is confusing and kind of thick.She makes irrational decisions and can be really vague and boring at times.  Almost all of the characters in the book fall flat in both depth and description. Rogue (later Heathcliff) at least has a personality, though it is annoying and exasperating, and he is the only character to feel like an actual person.

Overall, it wasn't a bad book or anything. House of Dead Maids fell short in quite a few categories, but not short enough to make me hate it. I just won't be reading it over again. It did make me finally want to pick up Wuthering Heights though. My recommendation is to go to the library and check this out or borrow from a friend, especially if you are a Bronte family fan. I give it 2.5 stars out of 5.

XOXO,

~Andra~

It's Monday, What are you Reading? and In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox: Nothing...it is truly a rare occasion where I don't get ANYTHING during a whole week...maybe that Canadian Post strike is affecting me more than I thought...I will have to settle on getting my books from the library and diving into my TBR pile instead of salivating over shiny sparkly new book goodies...

It's Monday, What are you reading? is a weekly event hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through a World of Books. The whole point of this meme is to list the books you completed last week, the books currently being read, and the books to be finished this week...As for me, I lump the last two into one caterogy...I always hope that the books I'm currently reading will be finished this week...

I was pretty dang productive this week. I wasted the first half of the week struggling to get into Chime by Frannie Billingsley, I was just kind of getting into it, when I decided that it was just not for me and gave up. I then managed to read four books in four days lol. 

Counterfiet Magic by Kelley Armstrong

The House of Dead Maids by Claire B. Dunkle

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Steel by Carrie Vaughn

This week coming up, I have a tall order. My man is working nights, so I won't be distracted by all THAT fun stuff (tehe)...so I figured I would really crack down on my TBR pile. This pile happens to be huge at the moment due to my obsessive compulsive library habit where I can't seem to leave without at least ten books. Right now on my Library account I have 42 items out...yeah...I'm kind of a fail-boat lately...lol anyways, this week I hope to read:

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

Sandry's Book by Tamora Pierce

Night Runner by Max Turner

Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Need by Carrie Jones

Anyway, that is what came in the mail last week, and what I plan to read this week. How about you? Anything fabulous that I absolutely MUST go find NOW? That was definitely Anna and the French Kiss for me last week. If you haven't read it, do it now!

See ya,

~Andra~

Winners!

Sorry It took me so long to post the winners, but I was on vacation for the last few days and didn't really wanna try to tally all the entries till today. Thanks to all fabulous people who entered! I have gained a ton of new followers and hope to keep the community growing! I have the winners of the Midsummer's Eve Giveaway Hop!!!

And the winners are.....




SpadesHigh and Mickey @imabookshark!!!!


Congratulations you two! I will be contacting you via email shortly and if I don't hear back within 72 hours I will pick a new winner! If you didn't win, don't worry I will be having a fantastic(at least I think so) giveaway when I reach 150 followers so just sit tight :)

Thanks again for stopping by!

XOXO
~Andra~

Review: Counterfeit Magic by Kelley Armstrong

Goodreads Description:
The first rule of a supernatural fight club? Don’t kill your opponent. When the fighters come with lethal spells, werewolf strength and half-demon powers, that can be a lot tougher than it sounds. It’s hard to attract talent if they know they might not leave the ring alive. So when fighters at a California club start dying … it’s bad for business. Witch detectives Paige Winterbourne and Savannah Levine take the case. Going undercover in the power-heavy arena of the fight club is a welcome change of pace for Paige, relegated to the role of The Wife as her husband struggles to find his place in his family’s Cabal—the corporate Mafia of the supernatural world. As Paige is drawn deeper into new and dangerous corners of her world, she quickly discovers the greatest threat isn’t the killer in her sights. It’s something much, much closer to home. And this is one fight she can’t afford to lose


My Review:
This was a quick but satisfying read. A lot of times when authors make novellas, they piss me off royally, because either the plot stinks, or the novella is really just one scene that could have been(or will be) a full book. The conspiracist in me seems to think that the evil publishers just want to make me pay more of my hard earned cash for not as good of a book. But of course, I am just paranoid...especially in the case of Counterfeit Magic.

Somehow, Kelley Armstrong managed to cram a good plot, a mystery, cute quips, occasional flirting, and a resolution in under 100 pages. That seems like quite a bit to most people, but it is a little less than 1/3 of Kelley's normal books. I really enjoyed the glimpse into the lives of the characters that I love. As always, whenever I read a Kelley Armstrong book, I want to re-read the whole series...and maybe I will since I finished the series before I started blogging so I don't have any of their reviews up...The only thing that rubbed me the wrong way was the illustrations before every chapter. A lot of them were really sex-hyped and I felt like they belonged more in a mens magazine than a book whose readership is probably mostly women. (See:picture of a boxing Savannah with belly out, back arched, boobs heaving, thong showing, and "I want you NOW" bedroom eyes...

Characters: As much as I love the characters, you probably should read the rest of the series before you pick up this novella. The characters are still well-rounded and fully developed, but you won't get a lot of the background info and there are a lot of details a new reader wouldn't understand because they are built upon by the rest of the series. I LOVED seeing older Savannah. Her first tentative, or should I say explosive, steps out into the investagative world were fun to watch. I have liked her character ever since she was introduced as a girl in Taken, and I kind of wanted to hear her story even while she was a teenager. I was hoping that we would hear from her as the MC before this,but Kelley wanted to wait until she was an adult before using her in her own book. The newest ACTUAL book in the Otherworld series, Waking the Witch, was about Savannah and was fantasticly amazing and I am SO excited for the next book, Spellbound, to come out! Kelley is one of the authors I will go out and buy the day they come out, and I will drop everything in my TBR pile in order to read it...come to think of it, that is probably why my TBR pile is so huge...lol

Plot: OMG I practically had an attack when I read the premise and realized that this was about a SUPERNATURAL FIGHT CLUB. How freaking sweet right??? One, Fight Club is one of my favorite movies, Two, this is one of my favorite series, and Three...Hot Supernatural Boys fighting each other?? HOT. The plot was interesting and kept you guessing, despite being so short. I wanted more detail and more description, but I suppose that is to be understood with such a short novella.

Rating:
I wish I could give it a 10/10 but there just wasn't enough story, depth,and general length to warrant that. I think I will give it an  8 1/2 out of 10 boxing gloves. It was an excellent read for any fan of Kelley Armstrong's Otherworld series. :)

Well, I am happy to say that I am taking a long weekend away from work and heading out to my lake house. Or...my parent's lake house, but since my dad has to work until Friday evening, I will be alone with my books and blog for two whole days! I should be able to get a TON done :) SO excited! Therefore, you will probably seeing a lot more of me and quite a few changes to the blog as I learn more and more HTML and such.

XOXO,
~Andra~

Pottermore!

Well, In case you all didn't see me freaking out on twitter today, JK Rowling decided to share that she and sony are launching a site called Pottermore


From the Press Release:

For this groundbreaking collaborative project, J.K. Rowling has written extensive new material about the characters, places and objects in the much-loved stories, which will inform, inspire and entertain readers as they journey through the storylines of the books. Pottermore will later incorporate an online shop where people can purchase exclusively the long-awaited Harry Potter eBooks, in partnership with J.K. Rowling’s publishers worldwide, and is ultimately intended to become an online reading experience, extending the relevance of Harry Potter to new generations of readers, while still appealing to existing fans. As the Pottermore Shop develops, it is intended that it should include further products designed specifically for Harry Potter fans, offering a potential outlet for Sony products and services related to Pottermore. In keeping with Harry Potter’s international appeal, the site will launch in English, French, Italian, German and Spanish, with more languages to follow.

In the new website, the storyline will be brought to life with sumptuous newly-commissioned

illustrations and interactive ‘Moments’ through which you can navigate, starting with the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s (Sorcerer’s) Stone. On entering, you choose a magic username and begin your experience. As you move through the chapters, you can read and share exclusive writing from J.K. Rowling, and, just as Harry joins Hogwarts, so can you. You visit Diagon Alley, get sorted into a house, cast spells and mix potions to help your house compete for the House Cup.

As you all know. I am pretty psychotic about HP. Like, when I heard about this I literally CRIED in excitement. Here, watch this fabulous video talking about the site. 

SQUEEEE!!! <3

I've been trying to submit my email since 6:00 this morning and have so far been unsuccessful...but as Mad Eye Moody would say. "CONSTANT VIGILANCE!!!!" I WILL be one of the ones allowed in on July 31, my favorite day of the year !

XOXO, 

Andra 

Review: Hit List by Laurell K. Hamilton

Amazon Description:
A serial killer is hunting the Pacific Northwest, murdering the victims, were-tigers, in a gruesome and spectacular way. The local police suspect "monsters" are involved, and have called in Anita Blake and Edward, U.S. Marshals who really know their monsters, to catch the killer.

My Review:

Why I read this book: Ok...You might know that I have a little Author Angst with Laurell K Hamilton right now.I have gotten a little upset with her and I'm not being shy about it. So maybe you're wondering why in the world I am still reading her books...but I'm going to try to review this book with an open mind without judging the book too harshly by my current opinion of the author. Because no matter how irritated and upset I am with this series, I am in love with the characters almost as much as my two favorite series in the world Harry Potter, and Bloody Jack.

Hit List was a much appreciated return to the Anita I fell in love with (no homo lol) before. She isn't quite the same, but you see Anita as a woman secure in her relationships etc. She is almost as strong as girl she used to be before all this metaphysical crap went down, but it isn't quite there yet. Hit List was well written, like all of Laurell's works. You get a setting, plot, and description so crystal clear that it is near impossible not to enjoy it. I always get a movie-picture in my head of books as I read, but most of them have fuzzy vague descriptions that can alter and change throughout. Anita's world is fantastic with a diamond sharp focus on the details. I especially enjoyed the new medical procedures that they were talking about for those with lycanthropy. It is really cool to see science, even if it is like...imaginary science advance along with the mysticism. Downside? The cover was AWFUL. I liked the rather risque covers of the first books in the series. Then the industrial and kind of creepy torture covers were ok too...but this cover fits neither. Is that a naked lady? I can't tell because the artwork is craptastic and she looks like she's peeking out between rust-colored scratches on the cover. Not good. AT ALL.

Characters: Olaf is Back! He is probably one of my favorite allies/villains of all time! I would LOVE to be his serial killer pinup! Lol well, not really...actually he creeps my out in the most delightful way. Him and Bernardo were two beacons of hope in all of the muddle of princes and were-tiger sex and all that jazz. Olaf was a little confusing at first and I loved the tension surrounding his and Anita's introduction. It brings back really good memories of Obsidian Butterfly. Olaf succeeded in creeping me out again by not flinching at all when is wrist is broken, seeming to glorify in the pain. And in the end when he leaves with an even more dangerous card up his sleeve it actually gave me hope for the next book :D Bernardo was fun to bring back also, and Lisandro is an underrepresented hottie for me so I enjoyed him getting some screen time. I can barely keep all of Anita's Were-Cat lovers straight, especially the Tigers so when her body guards showed up the only one I was happy to see was Merle. The old wererat gives me comfort, maybe because he's one of the only ones not sleeping with Anita.I will say that when it comes to the ardeur, I do like how Anita's powers draw the men in not with just sex, but the promise of home. She collects broken boys like an eight year old collects Pokemon cards. It's like shes playing a game of hide and seek with all the emotionally disturbed and abused were-animals so that when she wraps them under the spell of her ardeur they can never leave. Of course my favorite of favorites, Edward was back. You can't have Bernardo and Olaf without him. I really enjoyed his reflections about family and I enjoyed seeing how his and Anita's relationship has changed to become what it is today. That is one relationship where the character development hasn't been lost. Loved it!




WARNING THERE ARE SPOILERS AHEAD! If you haven't read this far in the series and don't want me to give it away, don't read past this point.




The Mother of All Darkness. Marmee Noir. Mommy Dearest. The most original evil on the planet. She was the first vampire, the first shape shifter, and has been around since before the time when men could think for themselves. She is darkness come to life...and then she is destroyed in a battle that takes less than two pages to write...REALLY?? The battle that is 8 books and like... TEN YEARS in the making is two pages long?? I was so thoroughly disgusted by this ending that I had to stop reading for a while. Well, not too long cause I only had a few chapters left and I wanted to finish the book. But seriously? SERIOUSLY??? If you've read the Harlequin or Narcissus in Chains or almost ANY of Laurell K. Hamilton's other books, you know that Laurell is capable of amazing fight scenes complete with horrors unimaginable. This is supposed to be the battle to end all battles! And Anita faces it with two "NEW" cats of hers...she isn't with Jean Claude and Richard, she isn't with Micah and Nathaniel, She isn't even with Jason and Damian...she is with two of her newest cats that we know nothing about and have virtually no connection to...I was so sorely disappointed. It really makes me want to cry because I thrive on this series and the Merry Gentry Series. I will never stop reading either of them because the characters are so close to my heart for bringing me out of my book-lull, but that doesn't stop me from being upset by the departure from how amazing the books used to be. It's like these characters are my children, and now that they have grown up they have changed into different people from who I thought they were. I still love them no matter what, but I am kind of disappointed in the way they turned out...

Rating: I am fighting with myself because it is still a good book, with a good plot and excellent imagery and descriptions...but it still fell quite flat for me. I'm going to give it 7 and 1/2 Were-Tigers out of 10. It was good. And I loved seeing Edward in action. He is fantastic, as is Bernardo and Olaf. This rating is mostly for their sake.

And I think I will leave it on that note.
Always,

~Andra~

The Mid-Summer's Eve Giveaway Hop!

Introducing... The Mid-Summer's Eve Giveaway Hop!!! 

This amazing event is being hosted by I Am A Reader Not A Writer and it looks like this hop will be a great one! This is a fantastic opportunity to find new blogs, check up on old ones, and most importantly (for some) a HUGE opportunity to win some fabulous books :) The rules are simple. Hop from blog to blog, entering contests, commenting if you wish (which is always nice), and that's it!

SO What am I offering for my giveaway!Not one but TWO ARC's!!!! :) I am offering up a copy of Fade to Blue by Sean Beaudoin AND a copy of Beneath a Starlet Sky for two lucky followers!!! Both are very different books, one kind of light, but fun and FULL of fashion, gossip, and general fabulousness, the other is dark, quirky, very odd and also full of fabulousness...Here's a short description of each :D (taken from Amazon.com)

Beneath a Starlet Sky

Lola Santisi—CEO of a struggling fashion line, reformed Actorholic and daughter of Hollywood Royalty—is now not only bicoastal, she’s Bi-Lolar: That is the condition which causes her to swing like a pendulum between the opposing poles of the fashion world in New York and the real world with her Doctor Boyfriend in Los Angeles. She hardly knows which shoe fits her anymore: the Louboutin stiletto or the Croc. As Lola tries to launch Julian Tennant’s new dress line, it looks like they’re about to get their next big break: his wedding dresses have been chosen to feature in the top film at the Cannes Film Festival. And suddenly Lola is staging a full-blown couture show on a yacht – in the middle of the Med.  Think those super models had trouble walking down the catwalks at Fashion Week?  With an unexpected finale twist, this time it’s Lola who’s tumbling off the runway.

Fade to Blue

On Sophie Blue's 17th birthday, a nurse at her father's lab gave her a mysterious injection and her father disappeared, leaving behind a swirl of rumors about what really happened to Sophie, who has gone Goth. A year later, she has strange dreams that involve being smashed by a Popsicle truck, hears a constant hum, and copes with her comics-obsessed and increasingly obese younger brother O. S., as well as her out-to-lunch mom. Kenny Fade, basketball star and school heartthrob, also hears and sees bizarre things and, like Sophie, fears for his sanity. And his mother is a nurse! Fade to Blue takes off with a crunch and careens wildly to a thought-provoking screecher of an ending in a manic rampage of plot twists, crazy characters, dark comedy, and virtual reality taken to the extreme. A fast, highly entertaining read, this novel will appeal to graphic-novel enthusiasts, techies, and anyone looking for a cleverly written, inventive romp in which every detail counts.

SO do you wanna win? AWESOME! All you have to do for your initial entry is to become a GFC follower and leave a comment on this post with your email address and the name you follow under. That's it!! I wanna keep it simple so that you guys can keep hopping, after all there is over TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY BLOGS participating in this hop!!! OF course there are ways to earn extra entries into the contest :D

+2    Follow me on Twitter- @Andra_Lyn ... I recently switched from my personal twitter account to one made specifically for the blog, but now I have no followers, and barely any followees so I need some twitter love!!!

+2    Leave a MEANINGFUL comment on any of my reviews. They are lonely... a lot of them haven't gotten much attention and it hurts their feelings...

And THAT is it... Please leave all entries in one comment (follower name, twitter handle, links to the review where you commented, etc) Alright? Alright. Now Get HOPPING!!! <3

  XOXO
~Andra~

Review: Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich

GoodReads Description:

Seven Stones of Power. No one knows when they were created or by whom, each said to represent one of the Seven Deadly Sins. For centuries, treasure hunters have been eager to possess the stones, undeterred by their corrupting nature. The list is long -- Genghis Khan, Alexander the Great, Napoleon, to name a few. Now the Stones have found their way to Salem, Massachusetts, and so has Gerwulf Grimoire, adding himself to this rogues' gallery of power seekers. He's an uncommonly dangerous man, with a hunger for the forbidden, and a set of abilities that are way beyond ordinary. Abilities that he feels entitle him to possess anything he might desire. That would include Elizabeth Tucker, the woman he needs to find the Stones. She's freshly transplanted from New York City to Boston's North Shore. With a new job as pastry chef at Dazzle's bakery and an old house inherited from her Aunt Ophelia, her life is pretty much on track …until it's suddenly derailed by a guy named Diesel, a rude monkey, and a ninja cat. Lizzy can handle the monkey and the cat. She's not sure about Diesel. He's offering up his own set of unusual talents, promising to protect her from Grimoire. The kind of protection that Lizzy suspects might involve guarding her body day and night.

My Review:

Janet Evanovich Strikes again! And this time she's dabbling in the paranormal!! :D I have been a long time fan of Ms. Evanovich's Stephanie Plum Series. It is a cute, light-hearted mystery series involveing an old and semi-senile grandma, various pet animals, and two Hotties named Ranger and Morelli. Now, any of you who are at all familiar with me know that that is WAY far outside my normal genre range...I tend to stick to Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, or YA titles. However, a friend of my parents heard that I loved to read and literally would not leave me alone until I at least gave the first book in the series, One For the Money, a try. I was HOOKED (literally...there is a hooker named Lula that is perhaps one of my favorite people of all time). 

Wicked Appetite is a spin-off of the Stephanie Plum series. Deisel, the male lead, shows up in several of Stephanie's adventures and (maybe) possesses supper powers. In this new series, Deisel takes the reigns alongside a new female main character Lizzie Tucker. Lizzie makes cupcakes...REALLY GOOD cupcakes. I'm not going to lie...I definitely had a hard time getting through this book. Not because it was in any way boring or bad...but the with the main character talking about making delicious cupcakes on every other page, YOU try to restrain yourself from running out to the store. In fact...I was about halfway through before I was unable to resist the pull of sugary goodness anymore and I ran out to the specialty cupcake place by my house Just Baked Cupcakes and puchased two of the deicious confections...German Chocolate Cake and Carot Cake cupcakes...omg yum!!! I might have to go out and get some more the next time I read a book...they might have to become like caramel macchiattos as my item that I need in order to read a book comfortably. At the very least when I read the next book in this series I will have to invest in some cupcake stock.

I enjoyed this book almost as much as I have Evanovich's other books. The storyline of the new series was a litte simplistic, but it was fun. The paranormal element was pretty original, but it was kind of odd the way that everyone just accepted that one of the girls in the book just up and decided to start casting spells one day. I mean, the story is set in Salem Massachusetts, SO I suppose a certain acceptance of the supernatural is implied...but when a random girl with no apparent magical ability is able to cast a gibberish spell and no one freaks out, that’s a little sketchy. The witty banter between Deisel and Lizzie was pretty cute and flirty and there were a few parts involving paddles and chains that had me laughing out loud. Lizzie seems to be a Stephanie Plum clone, except for the difference in hair color. From the plot of this book, I am pretty sure that there will be at least 6 more books in the series and I will probably read them all. They won't be MUST reads...but when I see them on a random shelf, be it library or other, I will be sure to get a copy. What I like about Janet's books, is that she makes every one kind of a stand alone novel. Sure the relationships progress and change throughout the series, but each book you can read and be satisfied that it's over. Some series drive me crazy, because its almost like each book is a smaller chapter of a larger book...I would rather read 1000 pages of a complete story than get books of 150 or so pages every year or 8 months...

I read this book as part of Rubys Read's Vacation Reads Challenge. I'm sorry if it is a day early, but I just couldn't wait! This is a fabulous challenge and I wanted to talk about the setting of Wicked Appetite! I would absolutely LOVE to visit the east coast, and more specifically, Salem, Massachusetts where the book is set. The combination of rich American history and a slight tinge of supernatural, coupled with the tragic history of Salem itself has had me wanting to visit since I was a little girl and read The Witch of Blackbird Pond and The Crucible

My Rating:
I enjoyed this book. It was a very light, easy read that was hilarious at times. I think I will give it a delicious 7 Cupcakes out of 10...I would say that it is a tasty beach read :D

Adios Muchachos,

~Andra~

Review: The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting



Goodreads Description:
Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes that the dead leave behind in the world... and the imprints that attach to their killers. Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find the dead birds her cat had tired of playing with. But now that a serial killer has begun terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, she realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

My Review:
I can't believe I waited so long to give this book a shot! It was SUCH a good read!! :)When I first read about it, I think it was on Tynga's reviews...it seemed kind of bland and a little too tame for my eclectic taste...I was SO wrong. The concept is actually really original. The main character Violet is able to sense the dead, not by some weird psychic ability, but by the imprints that the bodies leave behind. These imprints can be anything from the taste of garlic, to flashing lights, to the sound of bells ringing. And guess what else? Whoever killed the person/animal also has that exact imprint on them as well...talk about being caught red handed...

Plot: The plot was fantastic. The story had so many twists and turns, so many uncertainties! The paranormal element was understated, just important enough to reference, but there wasn't a boring exploration of the powers or a long winded description or anything. I found that there was just enough focus on the emotional and relationship elements of Violet's life to balance out the mystery involving the dead girls. The focus is almost always revolving around the main action of the story, but everything is colored by the possibility of a romance, and sometimes the romance becomes mixed up in the main mystery plot. There were quite a few times of heart-stopping panic for me, first when I thought Violet was going to get into the killer's car, then several tense moments when you aren't sure who is going to live or die and you are pretty certain that you are in love with the one who died...I am SO glad I found this book. When you truly feel for the characters, what they are going through, who they are talking to, all of that, it is truly an amazing experience.Kimberly Derting gives much more than a mystery, she brings the people and actions on the pages to life.

Main Characters: Jay and Violet! Violet and Jay! Jaylet! Violay!! Ok...I'll stop with the obnoxiousness now, but I have some definite reader love going on for this relationship...I absolutely am in LOVE with them both! Jay is SO protective of Violet and its easy to see how much he cares about her and she him. They are best friends and have been for life, so the simple comfort they have with each other (however complicated by Violet's growing feelings)is so sweet. The relationship they have is so authentic, built up by thousands of memories, shared experiences, and boring moments...it isn't contrived like a lot of romances in the genre lately. I am SO over the plot of "Mysterious (possibly paranormal) Hot guy meets average girl in small town, Hot Guy and Average girl are inexplicably drawn to each other then fall in love immediately without preamble"...This is especially annoying when the romance happens before you really get to know the characters. It worked in Twilight(actually, I feel like Bella and Edward's relationship develops quite well in the book...it's just that the movie didn't really capture the intricacies and subtlety in their romance, making it come off unrealistic and...kinda lame...) but I feel that too many books have a central plot revolving around that exact model. In The Body Finder, I felt that Jay and Violet's friendship/relationship could happen anywhere, and it was so perfectly normal that it had its own delicious brand of originality and sweetness. Kind of like being caught in a hailstorm of honey and kittens...lol

Secondary Characters: I loved how every character, no matter how unrelated to the story, had at least a little depth. The story and characters really came to life trough Violet's interactions with her friends and family. Her friend Chelsea is loud, obnoxious, and has basically no filter...exactly who I was in high school. Literally, my friends would have to tell me to turn on my filter if we were going anywhere important cause I just couldn't figure out what wasn't socially acceptable to say out loud. As you can imagine, this totally endeared Chelsea to me. Even though she is brash and can come off rude, she really cares for violet, As do all of their group of friends. Violet has a good relationship with her parents, and they are believably protective of her when other girls start to go missing. In some books you will find parents that just bumble around the obvious and are either annoyingly protective or so blasé about having a kid that its like they don't care that they have one at all. These parents were way more three-dimensional, though I would liked to have known their names outside of "Mom and Dad".

Rating: I give this book 9 Dead Bodies out of 10! I really enjoyed reading it. I will be reading the next book immediately, and keeping an eye out for anything else that the author has to offer :D

That's it for me!
~Andra~

New Challenge: Accepted :D

I am now a participant in the Vacation Reads Reading Challenge!!! 

TThis fantastic event is co-hosted by Ruby of Ruby's Reads and Julie from Manga Maniac Cafe and is specifically designed for those readers who like to travel throughout the books the read. This describes me to a tee! I would rather be anywhere in the world than Mount Pleasant Michigan...though the town can be quite hopping during the school year since we are home to Central Michigan University, during the summer, the only place I see actual human beings is at the line for McDonalds...Anyway...THE RULES!

Participant Information: 

• Those who decide to participate in the reading challenge will strive to read six Vacation Reads. Six is the number we've chosen for the challenge, but you can always read more.  
• Anyone can participate, even non-bloggers. Non-bloggers can post their reviews on LibraryThing, Goodreads etc.
• Because of the short time the challenge is going to run, the deadline to join is June 21. The challenge runs from June 21 to September 23.

Qualifying Books:

• Any books in any genre, as long as the setting is somewhere you'd like to visit.
• The setting may be fictional, fantastical, or historical, so long as you explain in your review why you want to "visit" there.

Good? Good. Now run on over to Ruby's or Julie's place and sign up! Quick because the last day to enter is June 21st!!!

Review: Murkmere by Patricia Elliot

Goodreads Description:
Aggie's life in the village is as normal and dull as any girl's; she has never questioned the rule of the Ministration or the power of the divine beings-the birds. Then, the crippled master of the nearby manor, Murkmere, sends for Aggie to become a lady's companion to his ward, Leah. Aggie accepts and even starts to befriend the wild and strange girl who seems to want nothing but to escape Murkmere and its powermongering steward, Silas. As preparations begin for the ball celebrating Leah's sixteenth birthday, Aggie finds herself further and further enmeshed in the sinister plots that surround Murkmere, Leah, and the mysterious Master. Suspenseful and haunting, Murkmere pulls the reader into an unforgettable world between history and myth.

My Review:

Why I read this book: I got the book at the library, because for a split second there I wasn’t getting any books from publishers or contests or anything like that, so I decided to hit up my library on a Wednesday (everyone in the Library Business will tell you that is the best day to find books…something to do with low traffic at the library and a high return from the weekend)Then, according to my hit and miss policy…I randomly pulled books off the shelves based on title and cover and went from there. I have no clue why this book caught my eye…it is grey, kind of shabby, and the title is “Murkmere”…I believe subconsciously I was thinking “Ohhh something weird” and then of course I had to read it. If a cover is weird/different enough I am bound to at least pick it up and give it a look-see. They say don’t judge a book by its cover, but who are “they” and why exactly do they have the authority to tell me what to read?? Freedom of speech people! The cover is eye-catching and different, in that it isn’t very eye-catching or different… It isn’t explosive or seductive like a lot of YA fiction covers right now. I think the reason this one caught my eye was because it was so very plain, yet interesting.

The Story/Imagery/Characterization: The fact that this was a Dystopian book crept up on me, I suppose that I could have realized that from about halfway through, but it wasn’t until I was at the end that I realized the history that the “forbidden books” were talking about was actually history as it is right now. The story was dark and twisted, detailed without being boring and lyrical without being too corny sounding. I found the religion in the book to be fascinating. I am always interested in how religion is dealt with in other societies, particularly Dystopian. This religion was almost entirely dedicated to birds as gods, with a kind of weird Judeo-Christian concept of one Almighty Father…who was an Eagle. I liked how the story played with the brain-washing that some people and societies have when it comes to religion. They follow blindly, or with faith, and if they question the set order they are blasphemers and can be punished horribly. I liked how this religion was completely made up, and though you could draw comparisons to today’s religions, no one could honestly be offended because of the religion in the book. It takes the pressure off the discussion of brainwashing faith and all that, while still allowing everyone to discuss the book with clarity. The characterization was alright. Not amazing, but not bad either. If the characterization was a painting, it would be a water color: you can see what it is, but it’s kind of wavering and undefined. I ended up identifying with Aggie (the main character) and Miss Leah in the end, but at the beginning I thought Aggie was just a stupid sheep-like creature. Miss Leah was rude and disrespectful and occasionally crazy…it is only as you get deeper into the book that Aggie starts thinking for herself and you start to like her. Also, you can catch a glimpse into why Miss Leah is so crazy so you begin to understand her more and her ways don’t seem so odd. That is always the best kind of character development to me, because it reminds me the most of real life situations.

Comparisons: I really don’t think that there are too many books out there like this one. It draws some similarities to the myths about Selkies, or seal-people that can shed their skin and come on land as people, but will forever be tied to the Sea. Many times in selkie stories, the selkie’s lovers hide their partner’s seal skin so that they can never leave them or in the worst case scenario, the lovers burn the seal skin with disastrous results…though somehow that’s always seemed a little control freak and misogynistic to me…’No Honey, you can’t go out and swim with your family and friends…and to make sure you stay with me I’m going to literally maim you with fire”…sounds like a fabulous relationship to me. This book was also quite gothic in the old-school sense of the word.

Rating:

I am having a hard time rating this book. It was truly original, but it irritated me in a lot of parts. It was well written, but some of the characterization was sloppy and vague. I think I’m going to give it 7 and ½ feathers out of 10….A good read, but be prepared to be left with a little feeling of disappointment and dissolution as the book closes.

Giveaways around the Blogosphere!

I just wanted to let you know that you all better get lost in the wastelands! Paranormal Wastelands has been up for about 2 months now and to celebrate their aquisition of 200 followers they are having a FAB-U-LOUS giveaway :) Just click on the link to check it out and you will be sure to have a blast!

ALSO Turning Pages is having Two giveaways!! One giveaway for reaching 50 followers! Be sure to stop by because there are 3 awesome prizepacks up for grabs! The other giveaway is for a copy of Keeper by Kathi Appelt. Kathi also gave a really cool interview so check it out!

~Andra~

Follow Friday (3)

Today is Follow Friday hosted by the Fabulous Parajunkee :)

Q. Genre Wars! What is your favorite genre and which book in the genre made it your favorite??

I have been leaning heavily towards Dystopian for a while now. The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins was this earth-shaking experience for me that lead me down the destructive, depressing, occasionally hopeless path of Dystopian novels. I also really enjoyed Maria Snyder's Inside Out/Outside In books. I don't know what exactly speaks to me about them...There is always this underlying threat that what is happening in the novel could come to pass if we aren't careful. Most Dystopias are deeply pensive commentaries on our society and I am such a nerd that I adore that...it makes me feel all intellectual and stuff :D But seriously....why read cheesy, happy love stories when you can read about oppression, senseless death, and revolution??

What do you think? Love/Hate the Genre? Not enough romance? Too much Violence??? Leave a comment and let me know :) I will be sure to follow you and comment on your post too!

~Andra~

Booking Through Thursday(1)

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly Meme about books and such that just kind of keeps you going..THIS week's question is:

With the advent (and growing popularity) of eBooks, I’m seeing more and more articles about how much “better” they can be, because they have the option to be interactive … videos, music, glossaries … all sorts of little extra goodies to help “enhance” your reading experience, rather like listening to the Director’s commentary on a DVD of your favorite movie.

How do you feel about that possibility? Does it excite you in a cutting-edge kind of way? Or does it chill you to the bone because that’s not what reading is ABOUT?

Well, I have a tough time dealing with ebooks. I LOVE having a Nook and Kindle ( I won the Kindle in a contest after I bought my Nook and just kind of...kept both) lol. Living in the middle of nowhere, the closest book store is like 30 minutes away, and the library is literally 50 ft by 30 ft of random books...the most recent additions being sometime in the mid eighties...Having an e-reader allows me to read books instantly and I don't have to waste all that time going to the store. The interactive stuff is pretty cool, but it's all extra...you can probably find the same things online somewhere. The actual thing you want is the book. I get SO irritated when the ebook costs as much if not more than the print book. Really? An electronic file that has no concrete physicality is costing me 17 dollars? In that case I definitely go with print books. There is just so much more character that a book can possess when it...actually exists in a physical sense...ebooks will never totally replace print books for me. I have a copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone that was an original print. It is so well read that the spine is bent in half, and my brother shot it with a paintball gun so pages 30-100 or so have an orangeish tint to them. Every time I curl up with it, the book isn't just a book...it is full of memories from when I was younger and I think that is the best thing about print books. They can take on a life of their own. 

Thats it for me!

~Andra~

Review: Elixir by Hillary Duff

GoodReads Description:

 Clea Raymond has felt the glare of the spotlight her entire life. The daughter of a renowned surgeon and a prominent Washington DC politician, she has grown to be a talented photojournalist who takes refuge in a career that allows her to travel to the most exotic parts of the world. But after Clea’s father disappears while on a humanitarian mission, Clea’s photos begin to feature eerie, shadowy images of a strange and beautiful man—a man she has never seen before.

When fate brings Clea and this man together, she is stunned by the immediate and powerful connection she feels with him. As they grow closer, they are drawn deep into the mystery behind her father’s disappearance, and they discover the centuries old truth behind their intense bond. Torn by a dangerous love triangle and haunted by a powerful secret that holds their fates, together they race against time to unravel their pasts in order to save their lives—and their futures.

My Review:
Why I read this book: I read it for Ruby Reads' Vacation Challenge. The majority of the novel takes place in Paris,London, and other various cities around Europe. Currently, going to Europe is nothing other than the deepest desire in my heart. I had the good fortune to live with two girls from France and Spain when I was a sophomore in college, and the experience was life changing. I immersed myself in all the other cultures and found better friends that I could have possibly imagined. Now, an entire ocean separates me from (almost) all of the people who I hold dear. I am really trying to save up enough money to go visit at the end of the summer, however, my book buying habit tends to deplete my savings account...badly...perhaps I should implement a book-buying ban...anyways. I REALLY want to visit Europe, namely Paris where my best friend Laureline (Lolo) lives so that I can hit up the night life, meet a French boy named Pierre (or Armand, Jean-Claude, or Francois...I'm not picky), fall in love under the Eiffel Tower...you know, that whole Chestnut...

I wasn't expecting much from this book. It had a beautiful cover...nothing really original, but I adore flowers and the color purple so I thought it was a gorgeous cover...then I noticed that it was written by Hilary Duff...I grew up in the Lizzie McGuire generation...reading a book written by Dizzie Lizzie did not really seem like something I wanted to do...however, since I love the genre and the cover...I decided to give it a try. I am VERY glad that I did...Surprisingly, I think Ms. Duff is at least as good of a writer as she is an actor, if not better. She really got the depth of characterization and story down in a way that was enjoyable, lyrical, and just fun. I loved all of the names that she came up with...well for the most part...Clea and Rayna are both amazing names. I love that they are just slightly different from more popular names, but because of one or two letter switches they become something cool and original. In fact, and this isn't because of this book, but I have had my first daughter's name picked out for years and it is REALLY close to one of the two names above...I'm not going to tell you what it is though...if I'm still blogging when she pops out of me then you can know...till then you can keep guessing :D

The one name that was kind of off for me was the male lead Sage...Sage seems to well...pretty for an awesome hunky guy...especially one who was supposedly born in the 15th century Italy...please someone tell me who would be named sage then? other than gypsys and such...I feel like his name should be like...Cesare, or Giovanni...something like that....but the BIGGEST problem I have with his name, is that Sage is the name of a Fairy that is WAYYY too into BDSM for me to be comfy with the hero of this book having the same monicre...Not to mention...Sage is a green fairy that has wings...and changes size...so I kept picturing THAT sage and it wasn't really working well in the story....

Imagine trying to get into the passenger-seat-sex scene and seeing THAT...only with antenna, and I believe he was green...lol

Comparisons: This book was very similar to The Eternal Ones...That being said, I enjoyed Elixir one SO much more. The characterization is the biggest thing that determines how much I like a book and it affects my judgement of everything else. In The Eternal Ones, the main character is stupid, waffles back and forth between the main love interest and being true to herself, and then the author basically spells out what the "real" plot in the story is so that you can't try to figure it out for yourself. In Elixir, Hilary Duff creates an amazing cast of characters that are smart and make normal descisions...not stupid ridiculous one...sorry...in case you can't tell...The Eternal Ones REALLY bugged me for some reason...But I did like the concept of past selves in both books. The thought that you really might have a soul mate out there that tries to find you in every generation. It is really romantic, and of course that is what I am at heart... :D

Rating: I read this book quickly and enjoyed almost of all of it. It is slightly, very slightly, childish but the writing is captivating and flows well over the pages. The story was interesting and had some plot twists and interesting insights. Like many YA novels today there is the "instant" connection of average American girl to random hot guy, but I still enjoyed it. The ending was a cliffhanger and it ended way to abruptly for my liking. I feel like it could have kept going for a good long while more without being too much...I am giving this book a nice 8 irises out of 10

Follow Friday (3)

Today is my THIRD Follow Friday Hop put on by the fabulous Parajunkee. I thought this weeks question was great :D

Q. The magic book fairy pops out of your cereal box and says "you and your favorite character (from a book of course) can switch places!" Who are you going to switch with?

OMG! What a hard question!!! There are SO many characters I would LOVE to live in their worlds! But…I would also kind of want to live in their worlds WITH them…not as them, but as kind of an awesome added in sidekick that is there throughout all of their adventures…Ok..well, If I HAD to replace a character, I would chose either Merry Gentry or Anita Blake from the imagination of Laurell K Hamilton. I identify more with Merry, because she is more sure of herself and her bevy of hot men…but Anita’s men seem to be evolving a lot and that is really interesting to me. Also, while Merry has a handle on her powers for the most part, Anita’s are still developing, changing, and evolving…however…Merry has a group of about 6 men that she has regular sex with…I lost track of Anita’s a long time ago…there are so many threesomes, triumvirates, and lycanthropic sex that I seriously can’t keep track of who is who in any form…I am not one to sleep around..and I believe that Anita’s constant drive for sex with random people would drive me crazy…too bad…I would have liked a chance to raise the dead and to fight the Mother of All Darkness…but the gratuitous sex chased me away…I will stick with the “fathers of my children” and my awesome hands of power and wild magic as Merry Gentry, sometimes heir to the throne of the Unseelie Sidhe.

I will now take the opportunity to show you a few of the hotties that I will be spending time with as Merry :D

This is gorgeous hunk of hotness, Jared Padalecki of Supernatural fame,  is who I picture for Galen...The only thing missing is the greenish tint to the skin and he needs to be a little blonder...other than that...A+. *drools over Jared's Abs...

Now THIS man...I have no Idea who it is, but it is a very pretty picture...this guy could be Doyle, my all time favorite character in the series. He is exactly what Merry needs, when she needs it, and he has his own weaknesses and character flaws that totally endear him to me. Anyways, who wouldn't wanna spend some time with them hmm???

Happy Follow Friday!!!

XOXO Andra

Review: Once in a Full Moon by Ellen Schreiber

GoodReads Description:
Celeste Parker is used to hearing scary stories about werewolves—Legend's Run is famous for them. She's used to everything in the small town until Brandon Maddox moves to Legend's Run and Celeste finds herself immediately drawn to the handsome new student. But when, after an unnerving visit with a psychic, she encounters a pack of wolves and gorgeous, enigmatic Brandon, she must discover whether his transformation is more than legend or just a trick of the shadows in the moonlight.
Her best friends may never forgive her if she gives up her perfect boyfriend, Nash, for Brandon, who's from the wrong side of town. But she can't deny her attraction or the strong pull he has on her. Brandon may be Celeste's hero, or he may be the most dangerous creature she could encounter in the woods of Legend's Run.
Psychic predictions, generations-old secrets, a town divided, and the possibility of falling in love with a hot and heroic werewolf are the perfect formula for what happens . . . once in a full moon.

My Review:

Pardon my being so blunt....but I have removed my "socially acceptable" filter and now let any words that hit my brain to immediately leak out of my mouth as soon as I think them...that being said...I absolutely abhor the name that the author gave the main character: Celeste. Why doesn't she just call herself Luna? Or Lycana or "Dances with Wolves"...or something equally as obvious...Though the name does kind of conjure up moon imagery and all of that, it was frighteningly cliche...It was almost as bad as naming a vampire character Vlad, Bram, or something resembling Dracula. There are books where this type of cliche naming works. They tend to be comedic, or satirical, but in no way take themselves seriously...Once in a Full Moon however was obviously NOT a funny book. It attempted to take the concept of werewolves too seriously for the level at which it was written.

Overall, this book really threw me. The dialogue, especially between minor characters was immature and sparse. I felt that ALL of Celeste's friendships, save with Brandon, were superficial and very poorly created. Her friends offer Celeste no reason to be friends with them: They don't seem to care about her, they are bratty, mean , and prejudiced towards anyone not in their group, they try to force her to get together with a guy that she obviously doesn’t want to be with. Celeste is terrified that her friends will abandon her half the time...all because she is talking to a guy that they don't like? Friends don’t DO that...especially friends who have been together from elementary school like these friends are supposed to be. Celeste often considers dating her ex-boyfriend Nash just to please her friends, despite the fact that she really loves Brandon...I'm sorry, but if my friends behaved that way in high school, we would NOT have been friends. There is also a disproportionate view of problems in the story. Celeste was deadly serious about things that I wouldn't take issue with at all and things that I would have found hard to handle are just casually accepted. There was one point when she was doubting her relationship with Brandon and said "I'm not sure I could be with a guy who is scaring my friends." Um...what? Replace scaring with "eating" and THEN we would have a real problem. And then there was the Psychic...Celeste and her friends automatically believe in her cheesy predictions. Naively Celeste allows them to color her love life and trusts this random woman that she had never met before. We find out later that the psychic was a fake and here I am thinking...um...duh...

Most of the characters, including the most important, Celeste and Brandon, are all talk and no action. You don't get to clearly see who they are...more like their characters and morals are roughly crammed down your throat...Even when you are supposed to be picking up Brandon's goodness and courage on your own, you are later blatantly informed of it by Celeste, making you feel like an infant who can't understand that when a boy selflessly defends you from wolves at great personal risk, he is being brave. Mostly this lack of action and unrealistic behavior made the characters seem like simple cardboard cutouts of the characters that the could be. They are stereotypical, dull, carbon copies of other characters in the genre, and leave you without a sense of attachment to who they are. I absolutely LOVE it when I find a character that I can relate to, who seems to just jump out of the pages into my life. This was NOT one of those books...

I know,I know...I'm coming off like a total hater on this book, but the truth is I did enjoy it. I wouldn't re-read the series over and over again like some books, but I would read the sequel if I happened to see it on sale or in the library somewhere. The book is kind of light and fluffy...I would say it is a good beach read, or something to take you away from yourself for an afternoon. One thing I really thought was interesting was the fact that you get no actual were-wolf perspective. Sure Brandon gets bitten and we get to experience his transition into werewolf-hood, but there is no guide for him, no one to show him all that is good and furry in the world. Usually with paranormal books, you get this long slow drivel explaining away werewolf (or whatever creature the character is) history and myth. Though interesting sometimes, the histories can get repetitive and dull, especially for a reader like me who goes through paranormal books like Buffy goes through stakes, or Barney Stinson goes through the ladies, or Edward Cullen goes through bottles of glittery body lotion...hehe (sorry if any of you are Twi-hards lol) But my point is...Brandon is figuring out this werewolf stuff at the same time you are. You aren't being told what is, but are experiencing the newness and bizarrity of his experience right along with him.

Altogether I give the book a 3/5 review...maybe a 2.5/5

That's it for me :)

XOXO

~Andra~

Follow Friday(2)

Yay! My second Follow Friday! I am still verrrrryyy new to blogging, but this is one of my favorite memes :) I love chatting with other bloggers and seeing their responses and what not.

For those of you who don't know me(which is probably almost everyone ever) I am a brand new baby blogger. My blog is celebrating it's 3 week anniversary on Sunday...Yay! lol ( so what, I take joy in the small things). I really love talking about books and meeting new people so this is a GREAT experience for me. Please follow or leave a comment or something, cause I will really appreciate it *smiles nice-like and friendly so you will all love me back!!!*

Q. What are you doing to prepare for an upcoming zombie apocalypse and/or the return of Mel Gibson to the silver screen? (Both of which could be terrifying.)

Well, I will have you know, that I am ultra-prepared for the zombie apocalypse. I have detailed escape/defense plans for every area that I live in (i.e. my parent’s house, my apartment, my old dorm room etc.) The best would be my apartment because we share a parking lot with a strip mall that contains a Dunham’s (the perfect place to stock up on guns, and baseball bats, as well as the unusual weapons of choice for zombie dismemberment like ice skates (their blades are excellent chopping tools, and are also silent so as not to attract more of the zombie horde like some weapons such as guns)). The same parking lot also is shared by a Wal-Mart…this is a bitter sweet reward, because though it has much needed food, it is sure to attract other human survivors and in turn attract more zombies…also, you never know if a human has been bitten or infected unless you inspect them yourself…chances are that people at the end of the world aren’t going to be in a touchy feely mood or allow you to see them naked so as to be SURE they aren’t bitten.

Mode of Transportation: This is a very important issue. You will need to be faster than the zombie horde…depending on the type of zombie…i.e. dawn of the dead shamblers or 28 Days Later’s crazy demented speed demons, you will still need a speedy getaway in case of infection in your city. I feel that any type of vehicle that needs gas is a liability. You will have to stop for gas frequently, and you never know what you will encounter at the gas stations. Animals are another option…more notably horses. If you can ride a horse, and have one handy, feel free to ride it away from danger. Not only will you look like a total badass cowboy(girl), but if the zombies do catch you unaware, there is something that they can eat first… So now you know…fabulous I hope I have prepared you a little better for the apocalypse. :D

As for Mel Gibson returning to the Silver Screen? I think I would rather face the zombie apocalypse…

To join the fun and make now book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list
2. (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers - backseatreader.net
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. LINKY TOOLS IS BACK! I paid for the subscription - finally so now you can add the links to your own post!!! To add the code to your own post click on GET THE CODE here under the list of names.
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers

All that up there was copied from the host site, Parajunkee :) she is amazing for starting this meme!

Peace,

~Andra~