Books, books, and more

OMG! Okay so I ordered like 12 books from two book clubs like a month or 2 ago, and never got them. Well guess what I finally received them today. I'm thinking my apartment people had them in the office and just nver told me they were sitting in there. I had no idea and the only reason I found out was because i had an amazon package from UPS that they had to, and the UPS guy left a note at my apt. Anyways enough ranting I'm just thrilled to have actually gotten them. So I got 14 books all together today. I'll post which ones on Sundays In my mailbox. That is going to be one big freakin' mailbox post I'll tell you  because I also bought some at HPB. Just thought I'd share that little bit of info with all you booklovers.

FYI: If I don't responded or post like I have been it's because my damn internet is acting up so just letting you know I didn't go anywhere.

Ash

Follow Friday (5) Blog Hop (4)

Book Blog Hop

"If you find a book that looks interesting but is part of a series, do you always start with the first title?"

I would like to say that I do, but on a few occasions I've kinda gone out of order. Maybe just once I did and it was on Always a witch. I read that first which wasn't too bad. It actually made me buy the first one online because I liked the second one sometimes it works. Most the time though i'll start with the first book. I have a few series that I have random books for that I'm not going to read until I can get the other books because it kills me to read a book and then not have the second book to find out what happens. Although in some cases I still read the series. LOL so was that confusing for you like it was for me. Hummm.

 I commented alot over at Attack of the books. I found that their reviews are alot different from others I read. I enjoy reading them to see their perspective on books that everyone else raves about. :)

Follow Friday-
What is your usual monthly book budget?
This is a hard question for me to answer because I just spend whatever on books. I know I shouldn't because I have other adult bills I need to pay, but they call to me whenever I go to HPB and walmart and target. Now I'm hooked on Amazon too. Then I also have to book clubs I'm in Science Fiction Club and Rhapsody. Yeah like I said I spend alot usually though if I had to put a number on it maybe 50 dollars. Oh wait that's a week for me. Wow I do spend alot.

So let me know what you think? Comment on me and I promise I'll comment back. I might take awhile cause my interent is being nutty the past 2 days. :)

Nightshade Review

AUTHOR: Andrea Cremer
PUBLISHER: Philomel (divison of penguin young readers group)
PAGES: 454
STAND ALONE/SERIES: Series (book 2, wolfsbane out 2011)

OUTLINE: Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything--including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?

STARTED: 11-01-10
FINISHED: 11-10-10

MY THOUGHTS:
Wow that's all I have to say. I absolutely loved this book it brings a whole new perspective to wolves. I know that's probably been said tons of times before, but it truly does. It shows the different ways one can become a "were"wolf rather then it just being in the genetics. It takes it ahwile, but it does tell more of the Guardians and Keepers history. It was fun to learn about the worlds that Andrea Cremer made. Where the Keepers are pretty much the Guardians masters whether they see that or not.

The whole time I was reading this I'm like I have to finish it now. I want to know what happens with the whole love triangle between Calla, Ren, and Shay. This book really does have everything though. The romance, action, high school drama, hot guys, bitchy girls just the normal stuff.

Calla was an excellent main character, the alpha of the Nightshades, strong willed but at the same time she knew where her loyalities lied. (okay most of the time). She had her moments of being a smartass. I actually felt kind of bad for her having two guys that liked her, and her loyalities pulling her one way and her heart pulling her the complete opposite way.

Shay he is by far my favorite character in the book. Who would have thought right? I figured after I read the whole book maybe it would swap to Ren, but it didn't my loyalities lie with Shay. :) I love what happens to him in the book too. I was ecstatic. Yeah I'm just trying to use fancy words. LOL I was happy though. If you haven't read then too bad you won't know why, but if you have Who was happy about it?
Ren my love for his character comes and goes. One minute he's super sweet to Calla, the next he's ready to bite her head off. He's like an emotional rollercoaster, a trainwreck waiting to happen. I know he's the alpha male of the Banes, but he was to "she's mine only mine" type thing. Possessive that's what you call it. LOL. I guess only because they were meant to be together, and sometimes it didn't quite seem like she was feeling that. Still though he had some moments.

As for the other characters like the Banes Keepers, Efron and them I disliked them. They were creepy which I guess is how they were suppose to be. Nightshade pack Bryn, Ansel, Mason, Fey very good supporting characters. Mason was a diverse character and I liked that. You're starting to see more and more of that in these books like the HoN Series, Hex Hall, My Blood Approves, and a few others I can't remember.

So I'd say all in all I liked it very much. It never did have a really slow part in it. You know how some books take a few chapters or half the book to get going and get into the actual story. I definitely can say this one did not have that problem. Which for me is a good thing because that's one thing I'm not fond of.

MEMORABLE QUOTES:
-Finess, my ass. I'm a warrior, not your child bride. (Calla)
-I respect ren. He's my friend. We'll be fine together. A friend....sort of ren watches me like I'm a cookie jar he wouldn't mind being caught wit his hand in. And he's not the one who'd pay for that theft. (Calla)
-Whoa hurrican Naomi strikes, leaving no survivors. (Ansel)
-Just because wearing panty hose gives you a death wish. Doesn't mean I have one too. (Ansel talking about Calla's driving )
-They're just clothes Cal. It's not like mom made you go out and get a boob job. (Ansel)
-I'm not just another one of your groupies Hefner (Calla to Ren)
-Every girl I know says Pride and Predjudice. Or some other jane austen tale of class-obstructed love, conflict and---insert longging sigh here, marriage. (Shay talking to Cal about their favorite books)
-Are you insane? What did you want to do with it---grab the bear skull and try to teach it to play fetch? (Shay)
-Oh God, Cal. It's spreading; I can see it happening. It's eating away at you. (Shay)
Thanks for the update I feel much better. (Calla)
-Just add it to your list of things you weren't suppose to do but did anyway. it's starting to get long. (Shay)
-Do you have another order for me, O great Alpha? (Shay)
Don't be a jerk. We have enough work to do without you turning our research sessions into a soap opera.(Calla)
-Ansel, I'm not the sun; stop orbiting and get in here. (Calla)
-And you look beautiful (Bryn)
I look like a cake (Calla)
But a beautiful cake (Bryn)
-*SPOILER QUOTE*I didn't realize I had to point out that if we are attacked by a fire breathing bitch you can change forms. (Calla)
Check, fire breathing bitches make Shay a wolf boy. (Shay)
-Shay strolled alongside me, humming Here comes the bride, until I punched him in the kidney. (Calla)

Well that's it tell me what you thought. Have you read the book? If so what'd you think about it? Leave me a message and I will probably reply. :)

I Heart You You Haunt Me Review

AUTHOR: Lisa Schroeder
PUBLISHER:  Simon Pulse
PAGES: 227
SERIES/STAND ALONE: Stand Alone

OUTLINE: Girl meets boy.

Girl loses boy.

Girl gets boy back...

...sort of.

Ava can't see him or touch him, unless she's dreaming. She can't hear his voice, except for the faint whispers in her mind. Most would think she's crazy, but she knows he's here.

Jackson. The boy Ava thought she'd spend the rest of her life with. He's back from the dead, as proof that love truly knows no bounds.

STARTED: 11-07-2010
FINISHED: 11-10-2010

MY THOUGHTS:
Bought at HPB

FYI- I love the book cover.

The story starts off with Ava at Jackson's funeral, and continues on with her fighting her guilt with what happened to him. Then she starts to notice a presence, things happen around her at her house like the music player turns on, candles flicker, cabinets open, the smell of sandlewood cream. At times it seems like he's actually a real person and not ghost with the tantrums he throws, the way he gets jealous, and being overprotective. A little creepy for a ghost right?
I just finished this book, and I have to admit at first I didn't think I would like it because it was written in versus. I actually had never seen a book written in poem like form (no rhyming involved though) beause it was written like that I looked over it at the bookstore, but everytime I went back there it was. I finally decided I would get it because I had seen good reviews about it. I'm very glad I did. It was beautifully written. I loved the way it just went together. Sorry can't think of a word for that. It's a good book to show how someone can hold on to something that's no longer there, and feel the guilt. It's about how to let go of that person/guilt and move on because holding on to it doesn't make life any easier and it won't bring them back.

I liked Ava as a character I had that kind of connection with the character that's good to have because it makes you understand them and to feel what they're feeling. I wasn't thrilled with her ex-boyfriend I didn't really see any point in him being it, but that's just me. I did however, like the other boy that showed up during it Lyric (I like that for a name). You'll have to read to find out about him. Then there were Ava's friends Jessa, Zoe, and Cal. I figured as friends they would've tried being there a little more for her even if she didn't want them.

One thing that I was a little disappointed about was how long it took for us to find out what happened to Jackson.  All we know is that Ava thinks it was her fault, but we don't know why she thinks that until almost the end. I guess I just like to know things sooner, but that just makes you want to read it quicker.

I'm definitely going to get some more books from this author. I actually watched a book trailer fan made for Chasing Brooklyn. It sounded like a good book.

QUOTES:
- Alone we were good, together we were fantastic (Ava)
- As we pull away, my eyes stay glued to the casket. It's proof that sometimes life does not go on. (Ava) 
- If I sacrifice my heart for Jackson, will I be dead too? (Ava)
- Not as hard as holding on to something that wasn't real. (Nick)

Well that is my diagnosis. Let me know what you think.

Vampire Academy Review

AUTHOR: Richelle Mead

PUBLISHER: Razorbill
PAGES: 332
STAND ALONE/SERIES: Series (6 books)
BOOKS:  Frostbite (2),Shadow Kissed (3), Blood Promise (4), Spirit Bound (5), Last Sacrifice (6 comes out Dec 6 2010)

OUTLINE: St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger. . . .

STARTED: 2008

FINISHED: 2008

MY THOUGHTS:  I have to start off by saying this is my favorite series ever. I have read each book at least 3 times, and it seems to get better every time. I found this series after having read all the Twilight books. I was hooked the whole vampire thing. Yeah yeah I know kind of sad. Seriously though I just kind of stumble upon it while I was looking in the book section at Walmart (You'll notice alot of books I get come from 1 of 3 places. Walmart being 1 of them) I don't know what really pushed me over to the section I guess I just wanted more twilighty stuff. Who would have thought?  FYI: This probably will be a long review.

The story is told n Rose's POV she's a dhampir (human/vampire), a guardian, whose job is to protect the Moroi (living vampires) from the Strigoi (dead vampires). Her best friend Lissa is the last in the line of the Royal Dragmoirs. After a car accident claimed Lissa's family and almost Rose's life they've been inseperable. Seriously Rose and Lissa have a bond like no one's seen. (It's only one way though Rose can get in Lissa's mind but not the other way. It does take her awhile to get the hang of it.) They start their journey out in the world as regular teenagers, but soon are captured and taken back to the school they were trying to get away from by some guardians the main one being Dimitri. *dreamy sigh* Back at school Rose is threatened by the headmistress to be expelled but before that can happen our lovely Dimitri steps in. Thus earning him title of rose's new instructor. Throughout the book you learn about Rose and some of her Guardian friends like Mason and Eddie, and also Lissa and some of the other Royal Moroi like Christian (he shows up alot...kinda the bad boy type/outcast), Mia, and a few others. Sorry I can't remember all of them. :)

I don't want to go into more detail (I totally could though. I could easily tell the story. :)) During the book Lissa starts getting harassed by someone. Them telling her they know her secret. In the end things get explained alot more, but you'll have to read to find out.  It's basically your whole high school scene: crushes, backstabbing among each other, teachers. All the drama we loved in high school only theirs more twisted. :)

I absolutely loved the characters. I loved Rose I think she's an asweome MC. She doesn't put up with anyones crap, she's loyal to her friends (well Lissa anyways). Dimitri I loved his character too. The way he was described by the students and all. Who could resist him? Lissa's the all american girl, the one everybody (besides Mia) wants to be friends with (maybe it's just her compulsion. Who knows.) Mason, the goofy sidekick to Rose, and Christian the one everyone loves to hate.

I know sorry I couldn't explain it more. I want too really, but like I said I would give things away. I gave it four stars because it wasn't my fave out of the series, but like I said it is my favorite books series.

MEMORABLE QUOTES: Ok with this book I have tons of quotes I like so I'm just going to put some not all because I have like 4 small pages worth of VA quotes.

- Who the Hell are you anyway? Outsourced help? (Rose to Dimitri)

- You got cheap, foreignl labor to protect Lissa? (Rose about Dimitri)

- Hey Mason wipe the drool off your face if you're gonna think about me naked do it on your own time. (Rose)

-Ah, I'm guessing you used the Hathaway-glane-around-when-you-remember-to-method. (Stan,Rose's teacher)

-Forcing 5 year olds to spell Vasilisa Dragomir and Rosemarie Hathaway was beyond cruel and we'd, I'd rather responded appropriately. I chucked my book at our teacher and called her a fascist bastard. I hadn't known what those words meant, but I known how to hit a moving target. (Rose)

-So am I. I love pity parties. I'd wish I'd brought the hats. (Christian)

-I don't think it's fair to keep me away from umm religious beliefs. (Rose)

I wasn't aware you had any religious beliefs (Kirova)

I found Jesus while I was gone. (Rose)

Isn't your mother an Athiest (Kirova)

And my dad's probably muslim, but I've moved on to my own path. (Rose)

-Go find your pacifier and shut the hell up! (Rose to Mia)

- I don't what's crazier: what you're actually telling me or the fact that you actually read something to find all this out. (Lissa)

Hey I know how to read. (Rose)

-Yeah well we all have to do things we don't like. That's life (Christian)

What are you an after school Special? (Rose)

Tell me what you think. I know it's kind of a crappy review. Have you read the book? What was your first thoughts?

If I Stay Review

AUTHOR: Gayle Forman
PUBLISHER: Penguin Young Readers
PAGES: 288
STANDALONE/SERIES: Series (Book 2 is titled Where she went)

OUTLINE: What if you had everything:

A gorgeous boyfriend who was madly in love with you?
Quirky hip parents who totally got you?
A musical talent that could take you anywhere?
What if your biggest problem in life was choosing which path to take?
Follow your first love--music-- to New York City?
Or stay with your boyfriend, friends, and family?

STARTED:  End of October
FINISHED: 11-7-10

MY OVERVIEW;
The story is about Mia who seems to have an awesome family a younger brother and both parents. Yes it's a story with both parents in it, and they're both equally involved.  Although they die early on Mia has flashbacks to when they were alive. Making them a big part of the book I think. Also in the story are Mia's boyfriend, Adam and her best friend, Kim. Among others are her grandparents/family and friends of her parents.

If I Stay starts off with Mia's family waking up to find it snowing and schools canceled. They decide that it would be nice to go and visit Mia's grandparents. That is when the wreck happens. That is when this family's lives change forever. Mia wakes up in a ditch thinking everything is fine, but as she comes up from the bankment and sees her parents lying on the ground she realizes it's not all ok. She goes to find her brother Teddy and finds much more in the way of the car like herself. How could that be, she was standing there and she seemed fine. Her first thoughts are am I dead. Which she already knows the answer too. From then on she's in the hospital wondering the halls watching and listening to everyone: the nurses, doctors, her family, her friends. All while having flashbacks of happier times.

MY THOUGHTS:
This is kind of a hard review for me to write. I'm not sure why exactly I think it's just that this book really does bring out alot of emotions in people. It makes you stop and think, what if something like this happened to me, or to someone I cared deeply about. How would I react in that situation? Honestly I don't think I'd know. Just the first couple of pages that described what happened and everything is surreal. The whole book takes course in a 24 hour period so it's not really a chapter book. It's kind like a diaryof that day. It had time frames that broke it down, and then if didn't have a time over it. It was Mia's flashbacks.

I loved this book it had so many "make me wanna cry parts in it."There's one part where Mia's grandpa goes into her hospital room and talks to her, telling her it's ok to let go. *He looks like he's about to leave, but then he doubles back to my bedside, bends so that his face is level with my ear, and whisper in to it. It's okay, he tells me. If you want to go. Everyone wants you to stay. I want you to stay more than I've ever wanted anything in my life. But that's what I want and I could see why it might not be what you want. So I just wanted to tell you that I understand if you go. It's okay if you have to leave us.  It's okay if you want to stop fighting. (Grandpa) This was the first time today that anyone has acknowledged what I have lost. (Mia)*  I'm telling you just typing that little bit made my eyes tear up.I mean how hard would that be to tell someone you loved that it's ok to move on to somewhere better. That you understand it's their choice. I also loved the realtionship between Mia and Adam when she flashbacks to it. Even though their different except for their love of music. Adam genuiely cares about her, and that shows up numerous times.

There were a few things at first I thought I wouldn't like. The whole flipping from the hospital back to older memories would usually annoy me. I'm not really a fan of that kind of thing, but it worked well for me in this book because it showed us Mia's feelings towards her family that's no longer alive. It showed us the kind of interaction that they normally would of had. It let's us see her realtionship with Adam. Mia's fondness of her little brother, and a little bit of her friendship with Kim.

Also it kind of reminded me of the movie Awake. The whole out of body experience and being able to see yourself lying there and then walking around the hospital ghostly like. Not the surgery and backstabbing parts. That's just me though.

The ending could have used more I think I wasn't thrilled with it. I would have like to known a little bit more of what happened afterwards. There is another book coming which is set 3 years after the accident so will see. :0)

MEMORABLE QUOTES:

-But the you who you are tonight is the same you I was in love with yesterday, the same you I'll be in love with tomorrow. I love that your fragile , tough, quiet, and kick-ass. (Adam to Mia)

-If you turn into one of those girls, I'll shoot you (Kim)
If I turn into one of those girls, I'll hand you the gun (Mia) (Talking about the kind of girls that talk boyfriends nonstop)

-Adam eyed me with furrowed brows, like I was a math problem on a black board that he was trying to figure out (Mia)

-Whoever decides these matters, when the decider is too confused to choose between the elevator and the stairs. (Mia)

-I'm not sure this is a world I want to live in anymore. I'm not sure that I want to wake up. (Mia)

-I just think that funerals are alot like death itself. You can have you wishes, your plans, but at the end of the day it's out of your control (Mia's dad)

BOOK TRAILER:

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

Sorry this review was a little longer than anticipated, but that's what a good book does to me. Tell me what you think about the review, or the book if you've read it. Leave some comments.

Reviews are coming (random)

I know I don't have many reviews up yet, and I promise I am working on that. I just seem to be really bad with putting words together. I know stupid for someone who has a blog and all huh? So even though my reviews maybe a little bouncy with what I'm trying to say just know that...that's the way I write.

In other news, my whole not buying books...not working. I actually went to HPB to get some of their 3 dollars movies because I like watchin those as I fall asleep at night and I'm tired of all of them that I have. Well we know how well that works when I go in there.  Oh I got some movies to watch three actually well two the other was tv show season. I got Popstar (has Aaron Carter), Zoom, and Gilmore Girls season 7 (it was 3 dollars. Is that not awesome? It has all the dvds and in fine condition). This is not the point of this rant though. The point is I winded up with 5 books. *sighs* I had more in my hands, but I had to say no at some point. Those will be shown on in my mailbox next week. I also got 3 books I ordered from Amazon. I'm super excited about those too. I'm so overwhelmed with books, and I wanna read them all now. I don't know which one to start after I finish Nightshade. I think I have a pretty good idea though because I love books about paranormal/academy settings.

I did start I Heart You, You Haunt Me.

I did finish If I Stay tonight so that review should be up soon.

I'm like 3/4 finished with Nightshade and I have to say I loved the twist in it.
*SPOILER* Shay becoming a werewolf awesome. It makes me like him even more. I'm just hoping he stays like that.. To see the spoiler just highlight it with your mouse. I thought this was a cool way to do spoilers. I saw someone else did it this way on their site (sorry I can't remember who)

That's really about it for now.
Happy reading and blogging :0)