Neurotic Thoughts on Red by Kait Nolan

Red 
Author: Kait Nolan
Released: August 14, 2011
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Pages: 229 according to my nook
Publisher: Kait Nolan
ISBN: 0013134159
Source: I received this book from Kait Nolan for an honest review.
Summary from Goodreads:

Every fairy tale has a dark side...

Elodie Rose has a secret. Any day, she'll become a wolf and succumb to the violence that's cursed her family for centuries. For seventeen years she's hidden who and what she is. But now someone knows the truth and is determined to exterminate her family line. Living on borrowed time in the midst of this dangerous game of hide and seek, the last thing Elodie needs to do is fall in love. But Sawyer is determined to protect her, and the brooding, angry boy is more than what he seems. Can they outsmart a madman? And if they survive, will they find a way to beat the curse for good?

 Love notes: 

• Elodie is a strong, stubborn character. To "do the right thing" she is willing to die for those that she cares about.
• Sawyer's character is so interesting and complex. He has this desire to protect Elodie without realizing why. 
• The chemistry between Sawyer and Elodie is pretty instant, but the relationship takes a little while to build.
• I really loved the slight bend on Little Red Riding Hood. Very cool without taking over the entire story line.
• It was fun reading a story about a girl that could completely survive on her own in the wilderness if she had to.
• Kait Nolan's fast pace and easy style of writing  is addictive. I didn't want to stop turning the pages.
• The mystery element was wonderful. I think at one time I thought I had figured it out only to second guess myself.
• A great book with a sweet romance and no love triangle.
• There are a few really great emotional moments.
• The suspense at a few points is really amazing. I was gripping my ereader so hard I'm glad I didn't crack it.  
• The cover is really beautiful.

Random thoughts and observations:

• Sometimes it bothered me how quick Elodie would be to think that her death was the way out of her situation.
• Sawyer has some major mood swings! Justified, maybe, but still not one of my favorite qualities in a guy. Luckily, he learns to control his out of control anger.
• I never really had a good feeling about Elodie's dad. He really rubbed me the wrong way.
• Amber! Oh, what a bitch! She has absolutely no redeeming qualities. This isn't a complaint just an observation that I wanted to throw out there.

Initial Reaction:
After finishing this book my first thought was I loved this book! Next, I had to text my daughter to inform her that she MUST read this book. I have a feeling this will make it to my favorites of 2011 book list. A definite read for lovers of paranormal romance!

Readers Beware:
For parents worried about sexual scenes, they are mild and Sawyer works very hard to remain a gentleman. There is some violence there is a madman on the loose after all.

Waiting on Wednesday (9/28/2011) Savor By Megan Duncan

Savor (Warm Delicacy #1)
Author: Megan Duncan
Expected Release Date: October 1, 2011
Summary from Goodreads:

When Claire Miller turned eighteen all she wanted to do was celebrate her birthday, but after a night on the town with her best friend she awakes to a visitor she never expected. The rulers of her region, a vampire royal family, have chosen her to be turned as their new heir and vampire princess. Claire quickly discovers the royal family is not what they seem and that she has secrets in her past, she never knew existed.
Click here to add this book to your goodreads to be read list!

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we (bloggers) are anxiously awaiting. So what book are you excited about right now?

 

Book Lookout: September 27th

My Beating Teenage Heart
Author: C.K. Kelly Martin


Ashlyn Baptiste is falling. One moment she was nothing—no memories, no self—and then suddenly, she's plummeting through a sea of stars. Is she in a coma? She doesn't remember dying, and she has no memories of the life she left behind. All she knows is that she's trapped in a consciousness without a body and she's spending every moment watching a stranger.
Breckon Cody's on the edge. He's being ripped apart by grief so intense it literally hurts to breath. On the surface, Breckon is trying to hold it together for his family and his girlfriend, but underneath he's barely hanging on.

The Mephisto Covenant
Author: Trinity Faegan

Sasha is desperate to find out who murdered her father. When getting the answer means pledging her soul to Eryx, she unlocks a secret that puts her in grave danger—Sasha is Anabo, a daughter of Eve, and Eryx’s biggest threat.

A son of Hell, immortal, and bound to Earth forever, Jax looks for redemption in the Mephisto Covenant—God’s promise he will find peace in the love of an Anabo. After a thousand years, he’s finally found the girl he’s been searching for: Sasha.

With the threat of Eryx looming, Jax has to keep Sasha safe and win her over. But can he? Will Sasha love him and give up her mortal life?

A Beautiful Dark 
Author: Jocelyn Davies



On the night of Skye’s seventeenth birthday, she meets two enigmatic strangers. Complete opposites—like fire and ice—Asher is dark and wild, while Devin is fair and aloof. Their sudden appearance sends Skye’s life into a tailspin. She has no idea what they want, or why they seem to follow her every move—only that their presence coincides with a flurry of strange events. Soon she begins to doubt not just the identity of the two boys, but also the truth about her own past.
In the dead of a bitingly cold Colorado winter, Skye finds herself coming to terms with the impossible secret that threatens to shatter her world. Torn between Asher, who she can’t help falling for, and Devin, who she can’t stay away from, the consequences of Skye’s choice will reach further than the three of them could ever imagine.

My Brother's Shadow
Author: Monika Schroder

As World War I draws to a close in 1918, German citizens are starving and suffering under a repressive regime. Sixteen-year-old Moritz is torn. His father died in the war and his older brother still risks his life in the trenches, but his mother does not support the patriotic cause and attends subversive socialist meetings. While his mother participates in the revolution to sweep away the monarchy, Moritz falls in love with a Jewish girl who also is a socialist. When Moritz’s brother returns home a bitter, maimed war veteran, ready to blame Germany’s defeat on everything but the old order, Moritz must choose between his allegiance to his dangerously radicalized brother and those who usher in the new democracy.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Author: Laini Taylor


Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer
Author: Michelle Hodkin



Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.
It can.
She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.
There is.
She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.
She's wrong.

If I Die (Soul Screamers #5)
Rachel Vincent 

No summary, don't want to give spoilers away to people who haven't read these yet.

~Lots of great books being released today, don't forget your wallet~

Teaser Tuesday (9/26/2011) Red by Kait Nolan

Red 
Author: Kait Nolan
Teaser from page 10:


Closing my hand around the hilt, I could feel the pattern carved into the bone handle where it pressed against my sweaty palm. A howling wolf. The irony. I was sure Dad would never have bought it if he'd known what I was.



Add Red to your to be read list here.

Miz B hosts Teaser Tuesday every week, check her out for the official rules.  I never seem to be able to stick to the rule about only 2 sentences.

I love reading teasers so let me know where I can view yours in the comments.

Queen of the Dead (The Ghost and the Goth #2) - Reviewed

Queen of the Dead (The Ghost and the Goth #2)
Author: Stacey Kade
Expected Release Date: June 7th 2011
Publisher: Hyperion
Pages: 288
Target Age: Young Adult
Source: Received by Hyperion through NetGalley
Summary from Goodreads:
After being sent back from the light, Alona Dare - former homecoming queen, current Queen of the Dead - finds herself doing something she never expected: working. Instead of spending days perfecting her tan by the pool (her typical summer routine when she was, you know, alive), Alona must now cater to the needs of other lost spirits. By her side for all of this - ugh - “helping of others” is Will Killian: social outcast, seer of the dead, and someone Alona cares about more than she’d like.
Before Alona can make a final ruling on Will’s “friend” or “more” status, though, she discovers trouble at home. Her mom is tossing out Alona’s most valuable possessions, and her dad is expecting a new daughter with his wicked wife. Is it possible her family is already moving on? Hello! She’s only been dead for two months! Thankfully, Alona knows just the guy who can put a stop to this mess.
Unfortunately for Alona, Will has other stuff on his mind, and Mina, a young (and beautiful) seer, is at the top of the list. She’s the first ghost-talker Will’s ever met—aside from his father—and she may hold answers to Will’s troubled past. But can she be trusted? Alona immediately puts a check mark in the “clearly not” column. But Will is - ahem - willing to find out, even if it means leaving a hurt and angry Alona to her own devices, which is never a good idea. 

My Thoughts:

I was so excited to read Queen of the Dead after the major book love I had for The Ghost and The Goth, and while I wasn't disappointed in any way I didn't love it quite as much as the first book. It's definitely worth reading, and I think it will tie the first and third book together really well. I think I was thrown just the tiniest bit by how much darker this book felt. 

We learn a lot about Will and Alona separately this time, and get a glimpse of how they are feeling about their particular situations. I was constantly surprised and sometimes shocked by this story. I really enjoyed being thrown into the story without being able to predict the outcome as if I had written the story myself. Stacey Kade really does an amazing job of writing a unique story line with great characters. 

Reader's Beware: 

Queen of the Dead definitely has a darker feel to it than book 1(which is not a bad thing, I just wasn't expecting it) and the ending is quite a cliffhanger. There is no way you will read this book and not wish that you had book 3 in your hands. 

Unruly Magic Giveaway Blitz

Unruly Magic - the second book in the Amazon UK contemporary fantasy Top 10 bestsellling Stella Mayweather series.

A witch on the run.

A quiet little town where everything is far from normal.

A fractured witch council threatening to tear the supernatural world apart.

Life hasn't been easy for novice witch Stella but small town life seems to be agreeing with her. When a frightened young woman appears in Stella's house and begs for her protection, Stella is pulled into a dangerous game where she'll need both her magic and her wits to unravel the secrets that surround her.

Just what is her new home town's big mystery? Is Stella's new charge really on the run from the Council or is she a dangerous murderer ready to manipulate her way to freedom? And with old friends and new seemingly ready to help, who can Stella trust when she's not even all that sure that they don't have their own agenda.

With bewitching friends and two super-sexy mysterious men by her side, Stella must uncover dangerous truths, fast, before she ends up paying the ultimate price.

  

Author bio:
Hi, I'm Camilla and I'm the author of Illicit Magic and Unruly Magic, the first two books in the Stella Mayweather Paranormal Series. The series starts with a lonely young English woman, Stella, who has been caught up in a terrifying witch hunt and is whisked thousands of miles away to what she thinks is safety to learn her craft. The series is a blend of magic and mystery with a splash of romance and a dash of humour - and while the girls really do go all out to save themselves, there's always a hunky guy or two on hand to help them out.
I live in London, UK but I try to travel as often as I can - lately I've been to Paris, all over Denmark, Luxembourg, and several US states. In my day job I'm a journalist and editor so I write for magazines, newspapers and websites throughout the world (my favourite assignment was spending a week riding rollercoasters - if you listen carefully you can probably still hear me screaming).

You can find Unruly Magic at: Amazon   Amazon UK

Smashwords  B&N 

You can check out the book and add it to your lists  Goodreads

You can find Camilla Chafer at: Facebook  Twitter  and you can visit Camilla Chafer at her website to read the first chapter and deleted scenes from Unruly Magic. First enter below for your chance to win an ecopy of Unruly Magic!

Giveaway is open until September 30th at midnight. I will try my best to announce the winner by October 2nd.

Neurotic Thoughts on The Wrong Path

The Wrong Path
Author: Vivian Marie Aubin du Paris
Released: July 2, 2011
Genre: YA contemporary
Pages: 106 on my nook
Publisher: Self Published
ASIN: B00597RF8E
Source: An ecopy of this book was given to me by the author for an honest review
Summary from Goodreads:

Annabelle's life was finally going according to plan. She had the right group of friends. Her childhood crush had finally started to notice her. She was pretty, popular, and in love.

And then one terrible night at a party Will enters her life and everything changes.

Will is the polar opposite of his older brother Trevor—Annabelle’s new boyfriend—the popular, straight-A, quarterback high school star. He's wild, charismatic, and full of secrets. He's completely different from anyone Annabelle has ever known, and soon their accidental run-in becomes a pattern as Annabelle finds herself seeking him out wherever she goes. Despite his open hostility with his older brother, Annabelle is drawn to him, wanting to be with him. Will opens a new world for Annabelle, one where she can shed her carefully constructed mask and be herself.

But being with Will comes at a price. And when tragedy strikes, she has to make a choice between the two brothers.

And the wrong one means losing everything forever.

                                            I REALLY LOVED THIS BOOK!

What I Loved:
Loved: Will! Will is my new book boyfriend. He is one of the most perfect book guys I have ever read! Truly perfect, in my humble opinion.
Loved: Annabelle's parents, she has the most trusting parents I've ever read about. They give her space to make mistakes and to figure out how to fix them.
Loved: Ebony, Will's "friend" what an unexpected, wonderful character.
Loved: The writing style. I flew through this book and wished there had been more. 

Annabelle is the poster child for angst sometimes. She can also be stupidly naive and there were times that I wanted to smack her upside the head; however, I never had that burning desire to be part of the "in" crowd either so maybe that's really how some people are.

The "in" crowd girls are bitchy! Are the "in" girls really like that? I can't imagine actually wanting to hang out with people who had absolutely zero respect for others. Not to mention that the "in" crowd guys are a bunch of jerks and criminals.
  
Trevor, Anna's lifetime crush was such a total sheep! Yep, ba-ba baby. Granted it could be said that he is walking through life pretty numb right now due to what's happening at home but still, ugh!

I absolutely loved how sweet Annabelle is I just wish she had realized sooner that she didn't need those bitchy girls and jerkwad boys to be happy. Of course, that would have made for a really short story and part of the fun of this book is watching Annabelle grow and discover who she really is.

Admittedly, I haven't read many YA contemporary novels but this book has made me realize that I may have been missing out.

Waiting on Wednesday (9/20/2011) My Beating Teenage Heart

My Beating Teenage Heart
Author: C.K. Kelly Martin
Expected Release Date: September 27, 2011
Summary from Goodreads:


Ashlyn Baptiste is falling. One moment she was nothing—no memories, no self—and then suddenly, she's plummeting through a sea of stars. Is she in a coma? She doesn't remember dying, and she has no memories of the life she left behind. All she knows is that she's trapped in a consciousness without a body and she's spending every moment watching a stranger.
Breckon Cody's on the edge. He's being ripped apart by grief so intense it literally hurts to breath. On the surface, Breckon is trying to hold it together for his family and his girlfriend, but underneath he's barely hanging on.
Even though she didn't know him in life, Ashlyn sees Breckon's pain, and she's determined to find a way help him. As her own distressing memories emerge from the darkness, she struggles to communicate with the boy who can't see her, but whose life is suddenly intertwined with hers. In alternating voices of the main characters, My Beating Teenage Heart paints a devastatingly vivid picture of both the heartbreak and the promise of teenage life—a life Ashlyn would do anything to recover and Breckon seems desperate to destroy—and will appeal to fans of Sarah Dessen, John Green, and David Levithan.

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we (bloggers) are anxiously awaiting. So what book are you excited about right now?

Teaser Tuesday (9/20/2011) Drink, Slay, Love

Drink, Slay, Love 
Author: Sarah Beth Durst
Teaser from page: according to the arc on the kobo 59

Vampires were supposed to be all sneaky in the shadows. But the rules had changed. Today she strode down the middle of the street into the arms of the dawn.

Miz B hosts Teaser Tuesday every week, check her out for the official rules.  I never seem to be able to stick to the rule about only 2 sentences.

I love reading teasers so let me know where I can view yours in the comments.

~New Releases~

To Be Released Tuesday September 20, 2011

Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey

When her boyfriend, Danny, is killed in a car accident, Wren can’t imagine living without him. Wild with grief, she uses the untamed powers she’s inherited to bring him back. But the Danny who returns is just a shell of the boy she once loved. more

 Beautiful Days by Anna Godbersen

For the bright young things of 1929, the beautiful days seem endless, filled with romance and heartbreak, adventure and intrigue, friendship and rivalry.  

more

Tell Me a Secret by Holly Cupala

It's tough living in the shadow of a dead girl. . . .
In the five years since her bad-girl sister Xanda's death, Miranda Mathison has wondered about the secret her sister took to the grave, and what really happened the night she died. more

Sacrifice (Crave #2) by Melinda Metz

Gabriel and Shay are convinced that they can make their relationship work. Knowing that Shay is half-vampire, Gabriel thinks that his coven will embrace her as one of their own, but instead they view her as an abomination, a thing that doesn’t belong in either world. And they want her dead. more

Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions with stories by Melissa Marr, Kelley Armstrong, Rachel Vincent, Sarah Rees Brennan, and more


A journey may take hundreds of miles, or it may cover the distance between duty and desire.
Sixteen of today’s hottest writers of paranormal tales weave stories on a common theme of journeying. Authors such as Kelley Armstrong, Rachel Caine, and Melissa Marr return to the beloved worlds of their bestselling series, while others, like Claudia Gray, Kami Garcia, and Margaret Stohl, create new land-scapes and characters. But whether they’re writing about vampires, faeries, angels, or other magical beings, each author explores the strength and resilience of the human heart. more

Happy Book Shopping Day!

Don't Be Alarmed!

 I've been toying with the idea of changing the way I write reviews. Possibly doing away with my current rating system. I'll still be rating the books on an I liked it, didn't like it or WOW this book was amazing.

Assigning a number to every book I read is starting to become tedious and I've noticed that I am putting reviews off more and more lately. I'm thinking that the ratings are partly to blame. I'm also going to start playing around with the way I write the actual reviews as well. Just thought I'd let you know in case you noticed the change and wondered what was up.

Happy Monday!

This Is Pretty Cool! (9/18/2011) Book Necklaces

I love surfing the web for really neat looking book items and today I've stumbled on some pretty cool stuff on etsy. The first ones will be loved especially by Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings fans. 

I really love this one it's just so neat and she hand makes the book locket with clay so each face is different. If you love this and want to take a look you can from right here

I'll be putting this on my wish list!

 This one is called Harry Potter's Firebolt broom

Dementor's Kiss

Once Upon a Time

I really like this one too!!! I'll be adding this one to my wish list too!

Alice in Wonderland inspired pocket watch ring or necklace. 

So cool! 

You can see all of these and more here!

side note: I do not know this person and will receive no monetary gain by you looking at or purchasing items from them. I just found these and thought they were cool!

Crossroads Winner!

Congratulations the winner of the signed copy of Crossroads is the VERY lucky.........

NATASHA

I will be emailing you shortly. Thanks to everyone who entered! 

Neurotic Thoughts on In Blackness

In Blackness
Author: U.L. Harper
Released: July 15, 2011
Genre: Young Adult Sci-fi/Horror
Pages: 286
Published: Booklocker.com, Inc
ISBN: 1614344388
Source: Given to me for review from the author for a blog tour (Thank you U.L. Harper and Rebecca!)
Summary from Goodreads:

In the first book in this three part series, teenagers Lenny and Saline travel independently to their old home in Washington - Saline, with a mysterious Christian group, and, Lenny, desperately in the footsteps of his older sister. What they find on their individual journeys will change not just their lives forever, but the world as they know it. Meanwhile, their stepbrother, Dustin, is about to discover a secret that society can no longer hide, a secret that might cost everyone around him their lives.

                                                  I Really Liked This Book!

The description of this book is so amazing, it gives you just enough information to make you interested in reading it without giving anything away, and I mean ANYTHING! I was totally shocked, I'm still shocked. No wait, make that freaked out, disturbed, and very possibly traumatized. I know that I will be having nightmares for at least a week.

Now, I'm not going to give anything away because I want you to be as shocked as I was when you realize what's going on. Instead I'll tell you why I really enjoyed In Blackness. The first thing that drew me in was U.L. Harper's writing, it wasn't overly descriptive and I was able to learn about the story's surroundings by the characters dialog. I've always found that style of writing really easy and enjoyable to read. Usually when I read a book written in that style the story is a light,  fun read. In Blackness is definitely NOT a light, fun read. Instead it is a very thought provoking and disturbing read. It was great!

I'm so glad that I finished In Blackness during the day because if I had read this book before bed I would never have been able to sleep. I've been talking about this book to everyone I've seen since I finished it. It was just that kind of book. I can't imagine what is store for Lenny, Saline and Dustin in the next two books, but I can't wait to find out.