Books read in 2012

This year is half over and I have really slacked on my reading. So far only 21 books compared to last years 63 books. I honestly don't see how people read so many in a year.

• Arena One (I only read 3 chapters because I didn't realize when I got the ebook it wasn't the whole story which kind of pissed me off.)
• Dark Mirror by M.J Putney (review)
• Never eighteen by Megan Bostick (review0
• Fast Tracked by Tracey Rozzlyn
• Insurgent by Veronica Roth
• Spellbound by Rachel Hawkins
• Turned by Morgan Rice (review)
• All Hallows Moon by S.M Reine (review)
• A Touch Morbid by Leah Clifford (review)
• Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schroeder
• The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
• Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
• The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa
• Half Blood by Jennifer Armentrout (review)
• Vampire Kisses 1 by Ellen Schrieber
• Wither by Lauren DeStefano
• The Golden lily by Richelle Mead
• The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter
• Breathe by Sarah Crossan
• Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Denard
• Pushing the limits by Katie McGarry

Reading right now

• Matched by Ally Condie
• The Scorpio Races by Maggie S.
• Scored by Lauren Mclaughlin
• Bumped by Megan Mcafferty
• In the path of falling objects by Andrew Smith
• Wild Ink by Various people
• From fame to shame by Veronica Blade

Covers Revealed: The story continues

Guess what time it is? That's right I've collected more awesome book covers that have been revealed in the past month or two (maybe 3 I can never remember) Sorry if you've already seen them, but I like to do a post with more then just one that way we can love them all at once. :)

To learn what series they belong to just hover over the picture. :) Along with that I added my own little thoughts. I can be clever when I want. :)

I hope in doing this I'm able to bring you some covers you may have not seen.

So what do you think of all these covers? I know most of these have been out quite some time, but I'm just now getting back into the swing of things here.

Book Cover Reveals: Main

This is where I will share all my links to book covers that I've revealed.

It looks like I may do this as a once a month thing, and then again a certain book cover may along that I absolutely love and want to share by itself. We shall see. :)
Book Covers Revealed in November (2011)
Book Covers I revealed in October(2011)
Book Covers Revealed in July (2011)
Book Covers revealed in June (2011)
More Book Covers revealed in June (2011)
Book Covers Revealed in July 2012
Book Cover Revealed June (2013)
Book Covers Revealed in April (2014)



Book Covers I like so much they're alone:
As bad as it gets Cover and Title Reveal (Bad Girls Don't Die Book 3)
In a handful of Dust by Mindy Mcginnis (Companion Novel to Not a drop to drink)

I miss my blog

Alright, I know it hasn't actually gone anywhere, and for the most part I haven't either. I've been lazy and just not up to doing much on it. If you look back the past couple of months it kind of shows. The most I've posted in a month is 9 posts, and compared to last year that sucks. Today I was really able to sit down in my "junk" room and think and write some of the posts I have sitting as drafts. Like this discussion one "When is to many...too many?" or some reviews like Dark Mirror and Half-blood. I realized that I miss doing these things and I miss working on my site. I miss the interaction I get to have with everyone. So the next couple of days I'm going to try and put up some reviews that I have sitting in draft form and maybe do a cover reveal post with some covers that have been out and about that I never got to show but think need to be shown.

There's actually one post I have ready to publish, but I'm kind of iffy on it because it's not really book-related. It's more of a personal post dealing with something I think not many people know about, but would really mean the world to me if people would take the time to read. It's dealing with a genetic disorder. Let me know what you think. Should or shouldn't I post it?

Also I was thinking about changing my design again either to something new, or back to the old blue layout I use to have because I actually liked that one. i would like something new and easy on the eyes, but still sticking to the theme of bookaholics anonymous. The whole group around a table with books or something. last time Small Review helped with the banner and I adored it.

Much love my bloggers and readers. <3

Discussion: When is too many...too many?

There's a few reasons why I decided to write this post.


Reason # 1
I was relaxing in the tub reading yet another book, and after you read this post you'll understand why I worded it like that, I hope. Anyways, I was reading Matched by Allie Condie and it hit me (not the book...the thought) this is like the fourth or so book that I've started in the past few weeks. It's not that I don't like the books I start it's that I have this bad habit about starting a book, and then getting the fever to read something a little different. When that happens I put down the book I was reading, and start a new one. I hate that I do this, but honestly I don't know what to do about it. I mean am I the only one who does this? Do any of ya'll pick up another book just because you want something different, even though you still have one that's not even half way through. I can understand it if I have a problem with the book, and it doesn't catch my attention most of the time though I'm enjoying the book. I'm not talking like two books. I'll lay out what I have started right now just because of my weirdness, and to give you an idea of what I'm rambling about.
1. The Scorpio Races (This one I can kind of understand because I couldn't get into it)
2. Matched (I really do enjoy this and want to know the outcome, but I keep switching to others)
3. The Golden Lily (I can't complain to much because I just started and I love it. I'm actually rooting for Adrian and Sydney.)
4. Scored (It's another dystopian that I enjoy so far.)
5. Bumped (I think I started this because at one point I couldn't find where I had placed Matched or scored and was in the mood for a dystopian.)
6. In the path of falling objects (I'm usually not much into books that aren't paranormal, but I wanted something different at the time I started this and a friend said it's really good. She's usually pretty good about what I would like.)
So do you see my dilemma? I'm so tempted to start others too. I have to tell myself Ashley finish the ones you have going first.

So that was the first reason.

Reason #2
Do you really ever have too many books?  I mean yeah sure you may not get to read all of them in your lifetime, unless of course you read super fast. It still amazes me how some people can read 2 to 3 hundred books in a year if not more. I can barely read 100. I feel like such a horrible reader sometimes. It really doesn't matter though if I never get around to reading them because I still continue to buy. These pictures I have on here are just some books. You can barely see the stacks behind, and then all of them I still have yet to get out of my trunk and backseat because I don't want to carry them down stairs and then upstairs. What's worse is I'm pretty bad about getting read of any. If I have a duplicate it or something I'll usually give it away, but that's rare that I do.

Having so many books to read it's always hard for me to decide what I'm going to read next. As stated in the above paragraphs where I have boocoos of books started. How do I narrow it down to what I want to read? I've tried thinking ok this month I'll read these type of books. For the most part I'm doing pretty good. I'm trying to read dystopians right now, but sometimes you have that itch to read a paranormal or contemp. So what do you do. Sorry this is going back to reason one it seems. I've tried putting myself on book buying bans until I can read a good number of books, but it doesn't really work out to well for me. I haven't the strength to say NO to a book that has a pretty cover, or one that's been sitting on my wishlist for awhile.

Let's discuss....

Book review: Half Blood by Jennifer Armentrout

AUTHOR: Jennifer Armentrout
PUBLISHER: Spencer hill press
PAGES: 281
STAND ALONE/SERIES: Series (book1)
SOURCE: Bought
OUTLINE:
The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi-pure-bloods-have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals-well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures. Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden. Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck

MY THOUGHTS:

I didn't read any reviews to this before I went and read it. All I know is a lot of readers enjoyed it, and now that I read it I can understand why. It wasn't horrible by any means. There was one problem I had with it, and I'm not sure whether I see it as a big problem or not. It didn't help the way I rated it on goodreads though. It was just way, WAY to similar to another series to give it any higher then 3 stars. I mean the first couple of pages I could tell. I know this may sound ridiculous, but I even made a list of the similarities. (I may or may not put it up. I don't wanna be that person.) Also, it seemed a bit predictable after reading further along in it. You knew Alex was different from what the daimon said and when you met some of the others characters, and learned some of the history it clicked. (at least it did for me) So with this being said I did enjoy the few things that were different. I loved that it had to do with the gods and those type myths. I personally haven't read many dealing with the gods yet. I do own a few books though.

Aside from the similarities with the characters/plot. I enjoyed the characters. I suppose any characters that can pull off a Rose/dimitri thing I'll enjoy.

Alex was definitely that kick-butt heroine that I've grown to love in other stories such as Vampire Academy, Divergent, and others. She has that I'll hit you now and think about it later personality which most the time will get her in trouble, but it really doesn't seem to bother her. She's strong when she needs to be. She's got that snarky attitude. She one of those characters that I would love to see grow in the next book.

I'm hoping with the next book it'll be different so that I can appreciate it more.

Book Review: Dark Mirror by M.J Putney

AUTHOR: M.J Putney
PUBLISHER: St. Martin's Press
PAGES: 304
SERIES/STAND ALONE: Series (book 1)
SOURCE: Bought
GENRE: Historical Fiction
PUBLICATION: March 1, 2011

OUTLINE:
Lady Victoria Mansfield, youngest daughter of the earl and countess of Fairmount, is destined for a charmed life. Soon she will be presented during the London season, where she can choose a mate worthy of her status. 
Yet Tory has a shameful secret—a secret so powerful that, if exposed, it could strip her of her position and disgrace her family forever. Tory’s blood is tainted . . . by magic.
When a shocking accident forces Tory to demonstrate her despised skill, the secret she’s fought so hard to hide is revealed for all to see. She is immediately exiled to Lackland Abbey, a reform school for young men and women in her position. There she will learn to suppress her deplorable talents and maybe, if she’s one of the lucky ones, be able to return to society.
But Tory’s life is about to change forever. All that she’s ever known or considered important will be challenged. What lies ahead is only the beginning of a strange and wonderful journey into a world where destiny and magic come together, where true love and friendship find her, and where courage and strength of character are the only things that determine a young girl’s worth.

IN MY WORDS
When Lady Victoria has a decision to make that can  ruin her social status and shame her family or save a family members life. She opts to ruin her life and be shamed by her father to save that of her nephews. It's a big price to pay, but she'd rather see her nephew alive. After her secret is revealed her father sends her away to Lackland Abbey in hopes that they can turn her around, and repress the magic in her. At first it seems that it might be possible, but when she meets a group who shows her that there's more to magic she can't deny who she is. Maybe, she was meant for more then just being a Lady.

IN A NUTSHELL
Whenever you can put magic into a storyline, along with time travel that just makes for an even better read in my opinion. I mean it's like sour patch kids: a two for one. First it's sour then it's sweet. Yes, I know odd comparison. I have a bit of a sweet tooth right now. :) I don't read to much historical fiction because it's not really my forte , but for some reason I was browsing through ebooks on my phone, and Dark Mirror was there for 2.99. I always have my phone on me, and figured what better way to read and have something for when I go on break (and don't feel like carrying books around) I mean it's been on my TBR list for sometime anyways. This was a total mistake not because it sucked, but because I couldn't put the darn phone down. (Even though I have the paperback on my shelf) I was mesmerized by the story and characters and I wanted to see what happened with Tori and the Irregulars and the others from the 1900's.

Magic, time travel, rebels, dukes, witches equals an interesting time.

I read in some reviews where they didn't like the time traveling part but I did. If anything that was a highlight in the book for me. Meeting the characters in 1940 and reading about 2 different eras, and seeing them interact with one another was fun for me. Having Tori describe what was different from her time was fascinating. She called the cars...monsters and the airplanes something, I can't remember what. (Sorry I'm use to writing things down and didn't)

CHARACTERS
There were quite a few characters in the story so to name them all and why I liked them would be a bit. Instead, I'll just say that I enjoyed all of them even Cynthia who started off as one of those snobby rich girls.
Tori being the main character I have to say something about I loved her. Even though she was well off and could have been sitting a pretty life had she kept her secret. Still helped her nephew and then being sent to Lackland Abbey she could have left well enough alone and maybe gotten out of there in a year or so, but instead she went with her heart.  I love characters that follow their heart and don't do things to just because it would be easier on them.

Oh, I suppose I should mention the few guys that were involved. It seemed to me like Tori had at least 3 love interests in the story, and for me two of them were worthy and the other one I just didn't care for to much. I don't know if it was because he was so stand-offish at first or what, but he didn't have my heart.

ALL IN ALL
I had high doubts that I wouldn't like this story at all. I try and stay away from the historical fiction even in YA because I feel like half the time I don't understand it, and I hated history when I was in school so why put myself through it. In the end, I'm glad I decided against my prejudices of these types of books because I enjoyed it. It just may have opened up another genre for me. :) I guess you never know what you really like until you've tried it.