Oh My Books!

Stacking The Shelves # 5

2012-05-26T09:45:00.000-04:30

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, where people like me can showcase our new books of the week and make you jealous!

Free for Kindle:

Dog Nanny by Ann Whitaker

Secrets of Midnight by Miriam Minger
Eden by Keary Taylor

Only ~~two~~ three books this week, but free :). What did you get?

Book Review: Three Wishes by Stephanie Bond

2012-05-24T15:07:00.000-04:30

Title: Three Wishes

Author: Stephanie Bond

Release Date: November 7th 2011

Publisher: NeedtoRead Books

Age: Adult

Be careful what you wish for...

When a lowly antiques dealer who's in love with the governor's girlfriend releases a genie from a magic lamp, he unwittingly wishes himself into a hole the size of the Grand Canyon!

I downloaded Three Wishes for free a couple of weeks ago and started to read it, but then decided to leave if for later. I picked it up last weekend and devoured it in just a couple of hours.

Laddin, an antique dealer, finds an antique rug and lamp on an estate sale. When he cleans up the lamp, an 'earthquake' destroy his shop and suddenly appears a homeless crazy man. It seems weird, but it's going to become weirder when suddenly his wished are becoming real.

Laddin likes Jasmine, one of his costumers, but she's already dating someone, a very important man. But Jasmine is having feelings for Laddin too, and just when she's about to stop these feelings, there are suddenly giant billboards saying how crazy he is for her...

Three Wishes is a fun light 'Aladdin' romance, quick to read and very sweet. At first it was a little bit slow, but I enjoyed it.

More about this book at www.stephaniebond.com, Goodreads, Amazon.

Waiting on Wednesday # 100 - Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

2012-05-23T07:27:00.000-04:30

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

My pick: Falling Kingdoms (Falling Kingdoms #1) by Morgan Rhodes

In a land where magic has been forgotten but peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest is simmering. Three kingdoms grapple for power—brutally transforming their subjects’ lives in the process. Amidst betrayals, bargains, and battles, four young people find their fates forever intertwined:

Cleo: A princess raised in luxury must embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of a magic long thought extinct.

Jonas: Enraged at injustice, a rebel lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country impoverished—and finds himself the leader of a people’s revolution centuries in the making.

Lucia: A girl adopted at birth into a royal family discovers the truth about her past—and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.

Magnus: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, a firstborn son begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword...

The only outcome that’s certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?

December 11th 2012 by Razorbill

Wicked Wildfire Read-a-Thon (June 20-24)

2012-05-22T19:16:00.000-04:30

'The Wicked Wildfire Read-A-Thon is a time when we all get together to dedicate the days of June 20-24 to as much reading as possible. You read as much as you can in order to get yourself a little further through that huge to-read pile! We know real life gets in the way and even if you can’t participate more than one day, you’re welcome to join in on the fun!'

Hosted by Rebecca @ Kindle Fever and April @ My Shelf Confessions

More info and sign up here!

Book Review: Third Grave Dead Ahead (Charley Davidson #3) by Darynda Jones

2012-05-20T09:30:00.000-04:30

Title: Third Grave Dead Ahead

Author: Darynda Jones

Series: Charley Davidson #3

Release Date: January 31st 2012

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Age: Adult

Charley Davidson—grim reaper extraordinaire, private investigator . . . meh—is practicing her profession under the influence, caffeine and copious amounts of it, due to an extreme desire to induce insomnia. Every time she closes her eyes, Reyes Farrow, the part-human, part-supermodel son of Satan, is there. Only thing is, he’s a tad peeved. She did bind him for all eternity, so it’s hard blame him. But 13 days without a wink is bound to bring out the crazy in a girl. So, when a man hires her to find his wife, Charley accepts the job with one goal in mind: Put the man behind bars, and not the wet kind. She can sense the guilt waft off him and vows to find the woman’s body and prove he’s a murderer.

In the meantime, Reyes is back in prison and none too happy about it . . . so Charley thinks, until she is carjacked by the dark-haired rake, who swears the very man he went to prison for killing is not only alive, but close by. And he wants Charley to find him.

While a visit to her old friend Rocket sheds no light on Reyes’s situation, Charley finds out the man’s wife is still alive and time is running out. Finding her before she dies would be a miracle, but she has to try. Together with the help of a fashion-impaired receptionist named Cookie, Charley sets out to bring the bad guys to justice. She just hopes Reyes is not one of them. And that she’s not hallucinating from her self-induced bout with insomnia.

It's difficult to say something different from a series you already said you love, but yes, I loved this book and the Charley Davidson series is one of my favorites!

This time I wasn't too crazy about Reyes Farrow, Charley's sexy and powerful 'boyfriend'. Actually, I think I disliked him. He was too rough and I can't believe he hurt Charley the way he did, I felt really bad for her. I don't know if in the next book he will redeem himself, but right now I don't think Charley should care about him. (too hard, maybe?)

But in this book there is much more information about Reyes' past and his human 'father'. It's very dark, darker than I thought. Also, there is a little bit of more info about other supernatural beings, and what's probably going to happen at Charley's future.

Overall, read the Charley Davidson series if you want to read something fun. Now I have to wait for the next book of the series, Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet, which is going to be released October 30th 2012.

More about this book at www.daryndajones.com, Goodreads, Amazon, The Book Depository.

Stacking the Shelves # 4

2012-05-19T08:10:00.000-04:30

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, where people like me can showcase our new books of the week and make you jealous!

I've been super busy and I barely read read this week, but I got some great books :)

NetGalley:

Almost a Scandal (Reckless Brides #1) by Elizabeth Essex

Drop Dead on Recall (An Animals in Focus Mystery #1) by Sheila Webster Boneham

Kindle freebies:

- not free anymore :/

Tangled Tides (The Sea Monster Memoirs #1) by Karen Amanda Hooper

Always the Designer, Never the Bride (Emma Rae Creation #3) by Sandra D. Bricker

Have a nice weekend!

Book Review: A Ravishing Redhead (Wedded Women Quartet #2) by Jillian Eaton

2012-05-18T15:00:00.000-04:30

Title: A Ravishing Redhead

Series: Wedded Women Quartet #2

Author: Jillian Eaton

Release Date: April 15th 2012

Age: Adult

On her wedding night Margaret’s husband took something infinitely precious from her before he disappeared to parts unknown… no, not her virginity. Her dowry! Now she is stuck at his rundown estate without a penny to her name and enough time on her hands to think up a thousand different ways to get revenge against the man who duped her and dumped her.

Henry saw only one way out of his family's gambling debts: to marry a wealthy heiress. Now after nearly a year spent abroad recouping his losses and building a new fortune, he can only vaguely recall what his wife looks like. He remembers her as a sweet, shy girl with beautiful auburn hair and lovely blue eyes. Who then is this entrancing red haired hellion that dresses like a man and swears like a sailor?

Greed and secrets tore them apart. Now fate has brought them back together. Can two strangers find love after marriage? Or will their differences prove too difficult to overcome despite their sizzling chemistry?

A Ravishing Redhead is a sweet short romantic story. Margaret's husband was drunk at their wedding and then took off with her whole dowry. That was 8 months ago, and now Margaret is trying to save their house and the staff with the little money she can get selling her dresses.

But then Henry comes back and doesn't find the sweet woman he married, but a woman dressed as a man and working as one too. She's angry and practically wants to kill him, but he wasn't expecting to care so much for her....

This is one of these short stories I wished it would have been longer. I really enjoyed the author's writing, and the characters had personality. But it was too short and lacked more plot, and although it has a HEA ending, I wanted more.

More about this book at www.jillianeaton.webs.com, Goodreads, Amazon.

Picture Book Review: And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson, Peter Parnell

2012-05-17T06:29:00.000-04:30

Title: And Tango Makes Three

Authors: Justin Richardson, Peter Parnell

Illustrator: Henry Cole

Release Date: April 26th 2005

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Age: Children

In the zoo there are all kinds of animal families. But Tango's family is not like any of the others. This illustrated children's book fictionalizes the true story of two male penguins who became partners and raised a penguin chick in the Central Park Zoo.

And Tango Makes Three is such a cute book!

Roy and Silo are two male penguins, and they do everything together. But when it comes the moment to take care of an egg (like all the other penguin couples), they can't. But by luck, they have the opportunity to take care of an extra egg from another couple, Tango.

If you want to teach your kids about family and love, this is your book. It's very sweet, the illustrations are beautiful and it has a real message. I was very excited to discover this was a true story. It doesn't matter your species or gender, love is real.

Personally, I'll be sharing this story with my niece and my kids (when I have them hehe).

More about this book at Goodreads, The Book Depository, Amazon.

Waiting on Wednesday # 99 - Dark Star by Bethany Frenette

2012-05-16T07:21:00.000-04:30

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

My pick: Dark Star by Bethany Frenette (October 23rd 2012 by Hyperion)

Audrey Whitticomb has nothing to fear. Her mother is the superhero Morning Star, the most deadly crime-fighter in the Twin Cities, so it’s hard for Audrey not to feel safe. That is, until she’s lured into the sweet night air by something human and not human—something with talons and teeth, and a wide, scarlet smile.

Now Audrey knows the truth: her mom doesn’t fight crime at night. She fights Harrowers—livid, merciless beings who were trapped Beneath eons ago. Yet some have managed to escape. And they want Audrey dead, just because of who she is: one of the Kin.

To survive, Audrey will need to sharpen the powers she has always had. When she gets close to someone, dark corners of the person’s memories become her own, and she sometimes even glimpses the future. If Audrey could only get close to Patrick Tigue, a powerful Harrower masquerading as human, she could use her Knowing to discover the Harrowers’ next move. But Leon, her mother’s bossy, infuriatingly attractive sidekick, has other ideas. Lately, he won’t let Audrey out of his sight.

When an unthinkable betrayal puts Minneapolis in terrible danger, Audrey discovers a wild, untamed power within herself. It may be the key to saving her herself, her family, and her city. Or it may be the force that destroys everything—and everyone—she loves.

I like the cover and sounds amazing, her mother a superhero? Cool!

Book Review: The Bride and the Brute by Laurel O'Donnell

2012-05-15T07:24:00.000-04:30

Title: The Bride and the Brute

Author: Laurel O'Donnell

Release Date: December 13th 2011

Publisher: O'Donnell Books

Jayce Cullen has been fighting her fear of thunder and lightning ever since she was a child, but nothing could have prepared her for the fury of her new husband. Feeling deceived and betrayed into a loveless marriage, Lord Reese Harrington wants nothing to do with his new wife. Trapped in a marriage with no escape, the beautiful young bride must battle the demons of her husband's past and hope that she can weather the storm his brutish behavior unleashes.

The Bride and the Brute is a short medieval romance novella. Jayce Cullen is suddenly married to Lord Reese Harrington, and he's furious. She doesn't understand why feels that way, but she's trapped with him...until he sends her back!

Jayce not only accepts her rushed marriage, but she's willing to make it work. But Reese doesn't give her a chance. And now she's absolutely alone...

I really liked this story, but I wish it would have been longer! Jayce and Reese romance was so emotional, Jayce is very innocent and Reese is just angry trying to save his sister and escaping this loveless marriage. Reese was too hard with her sometimes, but he definitely had potential.

Overall, The Bride and the Brute is a great novella to read on a short afternoon. The ending was too rushed, I was expecting more story, but still enjoyed their romance.

More about this book at www.laurel-odonnell.com, Goodreads, Amazon.

Stacking the Shelves # 3

2012-05-12T07:33:00.000-04:30

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, where people like me can showcase our new books of the week and make you jealous!

The Last Boyfriend (Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy #2) by Nora Roberts Currently reading it!
Bitterblue (Graceling Realm #3) by Kristin Cashore
And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson, Peter Parnell (thanks to Dana @ Lets Book It)

Freebies:

Trouble in Mudbug (Ghost-in-Law #1) by Jana Deleon

Almost a Bride by Patricia McLinn

The Cat Manual by Michael Ray Taylor

What did you get this week?

Book Review: The Siren's Song (Romancing the Pirate #3) by Jennifer Bray-Weber

2012-05-11T15:20:00.000-04:30

Title: The Siren's Song

Author: Jennifer Bray-Weber

Series: Romancing the Pirate #3

Release Date: May 14th 2012

Publisher: Carina Press

Age: Adult

Gilly is fleeing from the man who murdered her lover. When her boat goes down and she's rescued by a pirate crew, she may have found herself in more trouble than she bargained for. The Captain, Thayer Drake, is fascinated by Gilly and can't help but try to protect her even though he suspects she is keeping too many secrets. When she is kidnapped and given into the custody of Drake's arch nemesis, Drake has to act fast. But can he trust Gilly? Will he be able to save her when the stakes are high?

More pirates!

A few weeks ago I read A Kiss in the Wind by the same author, and really liked it. The Siren's Song is the third book from the same series, but it isn't necessary to read the other books to enjoy this one.

Gilly is running from the man who murdered her lover, and against all odds, she's saved by Captain Thayer Drake. What I liked more about her is that she isn't the perfect female protagonist, she has some serious issues and lots of secrets, and knows nothing about the pirate's life.

Thayer is a pirate who is just living his life, drinking to forget his life story and just hanging there. But he's captivated by Gilly's voice and curious by her secrets, and he can't accept leaving her behind when some strange men are searching for her.

I really enjoyed their love story, because both of them have serious issues and are far from perfect, but they managed to compliment each other and got their HEA ending.

Also, the story never slowed down! Between fights and romance, there were some twists that maintained me entertained and made me enjoy the book even more.

Overall, The Siren's Song is a must read if you're looking for some action, strong but vulnerable characters and sexy pirates!

More about this book at www.jbrayweber.com, Goodreads, Amazon.

Book Review: The Marriage Bargain (Marriage to a Billionaire #1) by Jennifer Probst

2012-05-10T15:32:00.000-04:30

Title: The Marriage Bargain

Series: Marriage to a Billionaire #1

Author: Jennifer Probst

Release Date: February 13th 2012

Publisher: Entangled Publishing

Age: Adult

A marriage in name only…

To save her family home, impulsive bookstore owner, Alexa Maria McKenzie, casts a love spell. But she never planned on conjuring up her best friend’s older brother—the powerful man who once shattered her heart.

Billionaire Nicholas Ryan doesn’t believe in marriage, but in order to inherit his father’s corporation, he needs a wife and needs one fast. When he discovers his sister’s childhood friend is in dire financial straits, he’s offers Alexa a bold proposition.

A marriage in name only with certain rules: Avoid entanglement. Keep things all business. Do not fall in love. The arrangement is only for a year so the rules shouldn’t be that hard to follow, right?

I discovered The Marriage Bargain at and the synopsis interested me. Romance between a billionaire and his sister's childhood friend? I'm in!

Alexa McKenzie needs money and fast, so the best solution is to find a rich husband. Nicholas Ryan needs a wife and fast, so when Maggie, his sister, recommends him to marry Alexa (and pay her in advance), he accepts. They haven't seen each other in years, but he still remember their first kiss.

They have both grown up and their life are very different, but they can barely keep their hands off each other. After all, they are married. But sex leads to feelings, and this is only a business arrangement.

Alexa is fun! I loved her attitude toward her family and Nick, and her sweet heart to save dogs from the shelter. Nick is different, he didn't have a good childhood and doesn't believe in love, but he found in Alexa a person who was strong enough to give him time and space and who actually could love him.

I loved The Marriage Bargain. Alexa and Nick were a sweet couple, they had their hot explosive moments, and I enjoyed the author's writing. I read it in just one day, and even when it didn't have the surprise factor, I really want to read the second book from the series, The Marriage Trap, which is going to be released June 15th 2012.

More about this book at jenniferprobst.com, Goodreads, Amazon.

Waiting on Wednesday # 98 - The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna

2012-05-09T07:00:00.000-04:30

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

My pick: The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna (August 28th 2012 by Balzer + Bray)

Eva’s life is not her own. She is a creation, an abomination—an echo. Made by the Weavers as a copy of someone else, she is expected to replace a girl named Amarra, her “other”, if she ever died. Eva studies what Amarra does, what she eats, what it’s like to kiss her boyfriend, Ray. So when Amarra is killed in a car crash, Eva should be ready.

But fifteen years of studying never prepared her for this.

Now she must abandon everything she’s ever known—the guardians who raised her, the boy she’s forbidden to love—to move to India and convince the world that Amarra is still alive.

Doesn't it sounds amazing? It kind of reminds me the movie 'The Island'.

Book Review: A Week to Be Wicked (Spindle Cove #2) by Tessa Dare

2012-05-07T07:38:00.000-04:30

Title: A Week to be Wicked

Series: Spindle Cove #2

Author: Tessa Dare

Release Date: March 27th 2012

Publisher: Avon

Age: Adult

When a devilish lord and a bluestocking set off on the road to ruin…Time is not on their side.

Minerva Highwood, one of Spindle Cove’s confirmed spinsters, needs to be in Scotland. Colin Sandhurst, Lord Payne, a rake of the first order, needs to be…anywhere but Spindle Cove.

These unlikely partners have one week to

• fake an elopement

• convince family and friends they’re in “love”

• outrun armed robbers

• survive their worst nightmares

• travel four hundred miles without killing each other

All while sharing a very small carriage by day and an even smaller bed by night.

What they don’t have time for is their growing attraction. Much less wild passion. And heaven forbid they spend precious hours baring their hearts and souls.

Suddenly one week seems like exactly enough time to find a world of trouble. And maybe . . . just maybe . . . love.

The first book of this series, A Night to Surrender, is one of my favorites, but I think A Week to be Wicked is even better!

Minerva Highwood is a geologist and her biggest dream is to be recognized for her work. Even if she has to fake an elopement with Lord Payne, the worst rake. So when he refuses to help her, she doesn't let her dreams end, but she decides to go to Scotland by herself.

Minerva is one of my favorites female characters. She isn't the most beautiful lady (as her sister), but she's actually very smart. I was impressed by her discoveries and her decision to be heard, even as a woman. Lord Payne, or Colin, started as a rake, but of course, he has a good heart. He just couldn't let Minerva go alone, but he isn't going to make this trip easy. He's very funny and was enchanted by Minerva's 'transformation', but he had his own transformation too.

I wasn't sure they were compatible at first, but they not only were attracted but respected each other and found reasons to laugh at the most rare moments. It's important to laugh when you're getting robbed, or have to act like a mistress...

Overall, I really enjoyed A Week to be Wicked. It had everything without becoming overly dramatic or extremely sweet, it never bored me, and I easily I fell in love with the characters. Historical romance readers, this one is a must read!

More about this book at tessadare.com, Goodreads, Amazon, The Book Depository.

Random Reads #5 - The Rent-A-Groom by Jennifer Blake

2012-05-05T16:51:00.000-04:30

Random Reads is a meme by I'm Loving Books. It's about choosing a book by random once a month and reading it! It's perfect for people like me, who has tons of books to read and it's kind of lost. So... Want to join in on Random Reads?

If you’re on Goodreads enable sorting to your to-read shelf (you should see numbers next to each book now).
Go to Random.org and type in the Min as 1 and the Max as how many ever books are on your to-read shelf.
Scroll down to the book matching the number Random.org picks.
Link up to your Random Reads post.
Read and be merry.

My Random Read last month was To Catch a Highlander by Karen Hawkins, here is my review!

This month random.org picked number #112 : The Rent-A-Groom by Jennifer Blake

Even though Gina cancels her wedding mere days before the ceremony, she’s determined to keep her reservation for a famous honeymoon suite in Dallas.

Enter Race, a Texas cowboy who cleans up rather well, and who declares himself her substitute groom for the week.

Thinking her best friend hired Race, Gina goes along with the fun – at first. But is Race really who he seems? Why is Gina’s ex-fiance staying at the same hotel? And just how far is Gina prepared to go with Race and that model-worthy face of his on their "honeymoon"?

Stacking the Shelves #2

2012-05-05T13:11:00.000-04:30

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, where people like me can showcase our new books of the week and make you jealous!

Hi guys! This week I only got one book, A Ravishing Redhead (Wedded Women Quartet #2) by Jillian Eaton, which I won at Bitten by Paranormal Romance. (Thanks to the author and blogger!) I already read it and my review will be posted some day soon :P

I'm trying really hard to not buy many books each week. My bookshelf needs some serious work but the main reason is that I'm trying to save money for my vacation trip :P

Anyway, that's all. What did you get this week?

Book Trailer: A Long Way from You by Gwendolyn Heasley

2012-05-04T08:19:00.000-04:30

I just discovered the book trailer of A Long Way from You by Gwendolyn Heasley (which is going to be published June 5th 2012 by HarperTeen) and really liked it, so I wanted to share it with all of you.

Between navigating the subway and the New Yorkers—namely, the Art Boy who has a nice trick of getting under her skin—Kitsy knows that this summer is going to be about a lot more than figure drawing.

For too long, Kitsy has had to satisfy her dreams of becoming a real artist by giving her friends makeovers before prom. So when her best friend Corrinne's family offers to sponsor her for a summer art course in New York City, Kitsy bids a temporary good-bye to Texas to say hello to the West Village.

www.gwendolynheasley.com

Reading Romances May Challenge

2012-05-04T06:49:00.000-04:30

I failed last month and didn't read the book for the challenge :/ But this month I'm going to 'Read a futuristic or sci-fi romance':

A Million Suns (Across the Universe, #2) by Beth Revis

Wish me luck!

Waiting on Wednesday # 97 - Seven Nights in a Rogue's Bed by Anna Campbell

2012-05-02T05:50:00.000-04:30

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

My pick: Seven Nights in a Rogue's Bed (Sons of Sin #1) by Anna Campbell

Will a week of seduction...

Desperate to save her sister's life, Sidonie Forsythe has agreed to submit herself to a terrible fate: Beyond the foreboding walls of Castle Craven, a notorious, hideously scarred scoundrel will take her virtue over the course of seven sinful nights. Yet instead of a monster, she encounters a man like no other. And during this week, she comes to care for Jonas Merrick in ways that defy all logic—even as a dark secret she carries threatens them both.

...Spark a lifetime of passionate surrender?

Ruthless loner Jonas knows exactly who he is. Should he forget, even for a moment, the curse he bears, a mere glance in the mirror serves as an agonizing reminder. So when the lovely Sidonie turns up on his doorstep, her seduction is an even more delicious prospect than he originally planned. But the hardened outcast is soon moved by her innocent beauty, sharp wit, and surprising courage. Now as dangerous enemies gather at the gate to destroy them, can their new, fragile love survive?

September 25th 2012 by Forever

Oh, sounds good and it's the first of a new series!

Book Review: Out of Sight, Out of Time (Gallagher Girls #5) by Ally Carter

2012-05-01T15:30:00.000-04:30

Title: Out of Sight, Out of Time

Author: Ally Carter

Series: Gallagher Girls #5

Release Date: March 13th 2012

Publisher: Hyperion Book CH

Age: Young Adult

The last thing Cammie Morgan remembers is leaving the Gallagher Academy to protect her friends and family from the Circle of Cavan--an ancient terrorist organization that has been hunting her for over a year. But when Cammie wakes up in an alpine convent and discovers months have passed, she must face the fact that her memory is now a black hole. The only traces left of Cammie’s summer vacation are the bruises on her body and the dirt under her nails, and all she wants is to go home.

Once she returns to school, however, Cammie realizes that even the Gallagher Academy now holds more questions than answers. Cammie, her friends, and mysterious spy-guy Zach must face their most difficult challenge yet as they travel to the other side of the world, hoping to piece together the clues that Cammie left behind. It’s a race against time. The Circle is hot on their trail and willing stop at nothing to prevent Cammie from remembering what she did last summer.

The Gallagher Girls is one of my favorite series. Spies are cool! I was very curious about the fifth book, because now Cammie knows more about the Circle of Cavan and what was her father's mission when he disappeared.

If you read the fourth book, you know Cammie decided to 'run away'. But this book it totally different from what I expected, because Cammie wakes up and she doesn't remember anything that happened last months. So she's now trying to remember, with the help of her friends and family, and get surprises every time they discover something new.

This book was darker. Cammie was in real danger, there are some murders and torture, but nothing explicit. I wanted more about a certain spy boy, but I know it wasn't the time...

I think this series is changing and for good. Now the characters are older and it's logic they now face real dangers. Sometimes Cammie's abilities surprised, I can't believe she's the same girl from the previous books, but still, I can't wait to discover what the author have in mind for these characters (I really hope there is a next book!).

More about this book at www.allycarter.com, Goodreads, Amazon, The Book Depository.

Unspent Time Launch Party / Guest Post from Graham Parke

2012-05-01T07:48:00.002-04:30

Hi guys! Here is Graham Parke having a Launch Party for his book, Unspent Time :)

Unspent Time Launch Party

Get free books and win a Kindle Fire or a Kindle Touch

Warning: reading this novel may make you more attractive and elevate your random luck by about 9.332%*
(* These statements have not been evaluated by any person of consequence!)

From the award winning author of ‘No Hope for Gomez!’ comes a collection of impossible tales. Permeating the cracks between the past and the present is the realm of Unspent Time; time that was allotted but never spent. This is where we find the stories that could have been true.
Read how to enter below.

Excerpt
It is not uncommon for writers to have a keenly developed interest in their fellow man. For them to spend hours looking at people, listening to them, discovering all the little synchronicities and ambiguities that make them unique.

But I don’t have that.

In fact, I can’t stand people. And there’s so freaking many of them. They’re like huge, overblown ants, crawling all over the world and getting in my way.

So it came as a big surprise to me when I met a fellow human who didn’t immediately piss me off. Who didn’t make me want to take a ten minute detour just to avoid eye-contact, or feel that disgusting little disturbance in the air that inevitably occurs when people come close.

This is rare.

This man, let's call him John, has a very interesting day job. One I didn’t even know existed. Apparently, he’s the guy who designs the colors for the insides of shoes.

Bet you didn’t know that. Bet you never realized there was a guy out there who spent the better part of a year deciding on the exact shade of tan to use for the inside of the shoes you are wearing right now. Or that weird off-white color in your sneakers that you wouldn’t call egg-shell – not just because it’s not exactly egg-shell, but mostly because you never actually noticed the color of the inside of your sneakers.

And that’s also part of John’s brilliance; the way he manages to let his work blend into the background. John is at the top of his profession and he’s one of the few people in the world who can create that all important balance between the inside color of your shoe and:

1. The outside color of your shoe (obviously designed by hippies and no good marketing managers without a subtle bone in their bodies.)

2. The odd lighting conditions created inside your shoe by the shape of the nose and the height of the heel.

3. The mood a specific shoe-shape induces.

This balance is needed to create a perfect blend of unobtrusiveness. Now, I would normally interject a few words here about what the world must’ve been like before John began this valiant work. I’d give examples of the kind of accidents that occurred when people became distracted by the color of the insides of their shoes as they were putting them on. How it destroyed their lives and the lives of the loved ones they fell on. But I won’t do this. I don’t have the data at hand to back it up and, to be honest, I think it would be reaching a bit. I’m sure things weren’t that bad. We survived somehow and we’ll probably continue to survive long after John retires. Nevertheless, this doesn’t make John any less interesting.

... continued in Unspent Time

How to enter:
For the launch of the new novel I decided to discount it to $0.99 for today (PC and eBook), give away some exclusive content, and raffle off two Kindles. All entrants will get:

An exclusive spin-off novelette (not available for purchase anywhere!)

Making of Gomez: behind the scenes eBook

Signature for their paperback or kindle edition

Chance to win a Kindle Fire or a Kindle Touch

(Prizes can be traded for Amazon gift certificates if you already own them.)
Just email your receipt to nohopeforgomez@gmail.com to enter.
Each purchase counts, so stock up on birthday presents (for people you don't like that much, for instance) The discount ends today, but be sure to send the receipts no later than June 1st.

(Or order the books from any bookstore.)
Coupon code for today: ZB77D

And then get by ing about your purchase and another by mentioning it on facebook

Sound bites from Unspent Time:

“I'm looking into my past lives. I'm convinced some of them still owe me money.”

“I'm very polite by nature, even the voices in my head let each other finish their sentences.”

“I didn’t actually want to do it,” Kiala told the boy. “The universe just kind of conspired to force me to make a fool of myself. It does that quite a lot, actually.”

“Sadly, my socks are like snowflakes, no two are exactly alike.”

Here's what reviewers had to say:

"A veritable page turner of nonstop laughs!" -- Reader Views
"An unputdownable read. a Coens Brothers' film in book form." -- BookReview.com
“Extremely witty and clever writing.” -- California Chronicle
"A Party for your Brain!" -- Warren Baxter

Bio:

Graham Parke is responsible for a number of technical publications and has recently patented a self-folding map. He has been described as both a humanitarian and a pathological liar. Convincing evidence to support either allegation has yet to be produced.

www.grahamparke.com
www.grahamparke.blogspot.com
GoodReads
Facebook

Now Stacking The Shelves!

2012-04-29T10:43:00.000-04:30

I have been trying to stay away from the whole plagiarism issue with The Story Siren. I don't support plagiarism or bullying, etc. I haven't had time to read all the posts with your opinions and thoughts, I'm actually just having some extra time to read comments on my already scheduled and published posts...but I discovered this great new meme by Tynga's reviews, Stacking the Shelves!

Isn't that a cool banner? :) It's kind of refreshing!

Anyway, this was a slow week for me. I almost didn't read, mostly because I've been busy with work and planning my vacations, but I still got some great book for review:

Shift by Kim Curran

A Long Way from You by Gwendolyn Heasley

Intangible by J. Meyers

What do you think? All of them sound good, I hope I can read them as soon as possible :P Ohh, and what did you get this week?

Book Review: Article 5 by Kristen Simmons

2012-04-28T11:00:00.000-04:30

Title: Article 5

Author: Kristen Simmons

Series: Article 5 #1

Release Date: January 31st 2012

Publisher: Tor Teen

Age: Young Adult

New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned.

The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.

There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don't come back.

Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren't always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it's hard for her to forget that people weren't always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It's hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different.

Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow.

That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings—the only boy Ember has ever loved.

Dystopias are pretty popular right now. I like some of them, but my problem is that I get tired pretty fast. That's why I wanted to read Article 5, it sounded different. I was curious, it wasn't about a natural disaster or a disease, but a past war and a new 'government'.

Ember lives in a world of soldiers and articles. If you don't follow them, you're punished. So she's keeping a low profile to live a peaceful life, but when her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes, her life changes forever.

I really liked this book. It has a little bit of everything, and I think it was realistic. Ember is obliged to attend a 'reformatory' for girls like her...Articles 5. They treat her badly, hurt her and practically abused of her. It was pretty bad (but not as bad as it could have been). When she's about to receive the worst punishment, she's 'saved' by her ex-boyfriend, Chase Jennings, who now is a soldier. She can't trust him, so why is he helping her?

I liked Ember, but sometimes she was too naive. I had an idea of what happened to the other girls at the reformatory when the soldiers decided to punish them, but I can say she was very strong. I liked her love for her mother, she really wanted to find her, but again, she thought they could live a normal life after being arrested?

Chase was a great character, and I think he kind of stole the story. I wanted to know more about him, his suffering and what was on his mind when he decided to help Ember. Also, I liked their 'romance'. I wouldn't call this a romance book, but it's definitely there. But it was realistic (yay!), not ridiculously sweet but more like 'I love you and I will save your life not matter what'.

But, I wished there were more explanations, like why The Bill of Rights has been revoked and why people accept this new regimen. There was bits of explanations, a war from the past, but nothing full. Also, I didn't like Ember's actions sometimes. It was like she was acting exactly as they expected...there was some kissing (not with Chase) that I didn't understand...she was playing with fire.

Overall, I enjoyed Article 5 and definitely recommend it for someone who wants to read a book full of action. It's a great debut, and as I believe it's the kind of thing that could easily happen in our world.

More about this book at www.kristensimmonsbooks.com, Goodreads, Amazon, The Book Depository.

Giveaway at GoneReading!

2012-04-27T07:30:00.000-04:30

Hi everyone! I just wanted to let you know that GoneReading is celebrating Mother's Day with a huge giveaway!

You can win $100 in Gifts from GoneReading, plus $25 from Amazon....sounds good right? :)