On My Kindle #8

Instead of cluttering up my Book Haul/IMM's with books for my Kindle, I've decided to do a separate post,  hosted by Totally Bookalicious.


This week On My Kindle:

Booking Through Thursday

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Booking Through Thursday and a different question is posted every week.  

Who taught you to read?


My Mum, Dad, Uncle and primary school teachers.  Before I even started school my mum, dad and uncle would read to me and I would follow the words as they read, and I just fell in love with story telling.

To Turn Full Circle by Linda Mitchelmore

Received for review

• Paperback: 356 pages

• Publisher: Choc Lit (7 Jun 2012)

• Language: English

• ISBN-10: 1906931720

• Set in Devon the first novel in a trilogy.
  
  Life in Devon in 1909 is hard and unforgiving, especially for young Emma Le Goff, whose mother and brother die in curious circumstances, leaving her totally alone in the world. While she grieves, her callous landlord Reuben Jago claims her home and belongings.
  
  His son Seth is deeply attracted to Emma and sympathises with her desperate need to find out what really happened, but all his attempts to help only incur his father’s wrath.
  
  When mysterious fisherman Matthew Caunter comes to Emma’s rescue, Seth is jealous at what he sees and seeks solace in another woman. However, he finds that forgetting Emma is not as easy as he hoped.
  
  Matthew is kind and charismatic, but handsome Seth is never far from Emma’s mind. Whatever twists and turns her life takes, it seems there is always something – or someone – missing.
  
  Can Seth persuade Emma that they can overcome their past?
• Cover: A nice simple, relevant cover.
• I really enjoyed To Turn Full Circle, it's a light, quick, perfect summer read.  
• I couldn't believe how people treated Emma after she was orphaned, they were so cruel and I became indignant on her behalf.
• The romance was sweet, and when the book starts out both Emma and Seth are young and innocent, but through the book we see them really grow up and develop as characters which gave the book a rich kind of depth.
• The romance was so drawn out and was going back and forth, constant misunderstandings and Seth went off to be consoled by another woman (this was the part of the book that I had the most problem with) when they should have just SPOKEN to each other.  This seriously frustrated me.
• Emma as a character really annoyed me at some parts.  Her constant repetition of what people tell her, and she was kind of a snob, not wanting to be in a service trade- and while I understand that may not have been ideal she was hardly in the position to turn her nose up at it.
• Sometimes I was left a tad confused, feeling some of the writing was disjointed.  For example Emma starts talking to someone, and I was like woahhh hold up! Who's this?  Is it the doctor's wife?  Daughter?  Sister? What???  Then ten pages later she meets her again and it's all 'the doctor's housekeeper'  and I just thought that should have been clarified ten pages previous.
• Over all I give To Turn Full Circle 3.5/5 stars.  I really enjoyed it, read it quickly, but some parts really frustrated me.  I definitely recommend this for historical romance fans this summer.

MIRA Ink Paranormal Sampler‏

MIRA Ink have just released a new digital Paranormal sampler including four free chapters and video content from bestselling authors Rachel Vincent and Julie Kagawa and up and coming paranormal stars Michelle Rowen and Kady Cross. The whole thing is absolutely FREE - enter a dark and thrilling world of dangerous magic and unforgettable romance…

You can get it here from Kindle (with video): http://amzn.to/KKl8Vv

Here from Kindle (without video): http://amzn.to/MmN429

And here from google: http://bit.ly/MqMiPC

The Liebster Blog Award

Author Shawn Keenan and Young Adult Critic Blog nominated me for the Liebster Blog Award! Thanks so much guys!!





Rules


1. Each person must post 11 facts about themselves.

2. Answer 11 questions the tagger has given you and give 11 questions for the person you tag. 


3. Choose 11 people and link them to your post.


4. Tell them you've tagged them.


5. Remember, no tag backs.


11 Facts About Myself


1. I am an amazingly avid reader (obviously-A run a book blog!)


2. My favourite movies include Ever After: A Cinderella Story-NOT the one with Hilary Duff in people, Under Siege and The Mummy.


3.  I don't watch Horror Movies, I just can't do it, much to the annoyance of my best friend who loves them.


4. After watching Paranormal Activity because said best friend says it wasn't scary I actually became afraid of doors.


5. I can't choose a favourite book, I have too many.


6. I can become very obsessive over something if I like it, for example if I liked a book I will then go buy every book by that author etc.


7. I'm considering a tattoo with a quote by one of my favourite authors.


8. I don't like hugs.  They make me feel awkward.


9. I think I'm in love with Richard Castle from the show Castle.


10.  I think my ideal job would be to work as an editor or marketer for a publishing house.


11. I run my blog purely for fun because I enjoy reading so much and so appreciate everyone who takes the time to come check it out.


11 Questions the tagger has given me


Shawn was the first to tag me so I'll answer his questions.

1.  What was the first book that made a lasting impression on you?

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine.  The Cinderella re-telling hooked me at a young age and really inspired a love of reading that's still very much there.

2.  What was the most recent book that made a lasting impression on you?

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.  This is from my review, 

"It's the most beautiful piece of literature I have ever read and I know that it will resonate with me for years to come, it made me proud to be a nerdfighter, a reader, and a human being."

3.  Have you ever slammed a book closed and thrown it across the room like in The Never Ending Story?

No I don't think I could do that do any book.

4.  Do you think trees are secretly behind the growing popularity of e-books?

While they may be happy they're not being killed to meet the demand for e-books, I just think it's simply our need for technology that is fueling it although for me personally the physical book will always be better.

5.  What’s in my pocket?

I currently don't have any pockets as I'm wearing a skirt.

6.  What author do you suspect is in the business just for the groupies?

I couldn't possibly answer that!!

7.  If Edward were tragically the Creature from the Black Lagoon instead of a vampire, do you think Jacob would have had a shot?

Nah because he would still be super sexy and Bella would still be the Mary-Sue character still stupidly drawn to him despite the danger.  I would like to say at this point that I am still a Twilight fan even thought this is no longer cool lol.

8.  Are you past the point of having to look words up in the dictionary when you’re reading a book?

Most of the time, although some still stump me.  For example if I'm reading Charles Dickens or something there is still the odd few words that I can't understand so I go to trusty google.  

Although I am thinking of getting this awesome bookmark that I've seen that's electronic and IS i dictionary.

9.  Why do bookmarks have tassels on them? 

To distinguish them from random pieces of cardboard that may be hanging around my room.

10.  I have a really mean looking cat with your address here who wants to know “Are you a cat or dog person?”  Answer carefully.

Dog person. I laugh in the face of mean!  I'm allergic to cats so nature decided that one for me I'm afraid.

11.  What’s your favorite time of day for curling up with a good book?

In the evening.  Normally between 7-10pm are my optimum reading hours.  Don't know why, just seem to read more at that time.

People I Tag
Pssst, originally this tag is meant to be for blogs with 200 followers or less but I just couldn't narrow it down.  Liebster means favourite, love, nivest, kindest etc and I simply couldn't narrow it down to those with only 200 followers just because blogs I love have more than that.  Sorry :P

Lisa T. Bergren

Bella Street

Cindy C. Bennet

Cherie Schmidt

Debra Anastasia

Chelsea Fine

BelleBooks

Best Books

Bumbles and Fairy-Tales

The Reader Room

A Cupcake and a Latte

My Questions For those I tagged

1.  Is there a book at the moment that you've heard about but unsure if you want to try it?

2. If you could only ever recommend one book to someone, what would it be and why?

3. Do you have any irrational fears?

4. What is the most times you have re-read a book?

5. Favourite book to movie adaptation?

6. What is a quote you find inspiring?

7. Are there any fictional characters that you've fallen for?

8. When you're browsing for books, what makes you pick one book over another?

9. Which genre would you like to live in: dystopian, paranormal, historical or just contemporary?

10. If you could talk to ANY author, current or from history, who would it be?

11. Favourite fairytale?

Burn Mark by Laura Powell

ARC received for review
Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC (7 Jun 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1408815222

Glory is from a family of witches and lives beyond the law. She is desperate to develop her powers and become a witch herself. Lucas is the son of the Chief Prosecutor for the Inquisition—the witches’ mortal enemy—and his privileged life is very different to the forbidden world that he lives alongside.

And then on the same day, it hits them both. Glory and Lucas develop the Fae—the mark of the witch. In one fell stroke, their lives are inextricably bound together, whether they like it or not . . .

Cover:  I like this cover.  Fire plays a significant role in this book so I was pleased to see it on the cover, but the girl I take to be Glory on the cover, I don't see why she's there and not Lucas as well, they are both equal protagonists and I think he should be on there as well as they both narrate.

I was so excited for this book but I was left sorely disappointed.

The over all premise of the book was great 'Ancient witchcraft. Modern World.' but it took AGES for me to get into the book.  Too long.  I couldn't sit and read 50-100 pages at a time, I was lucky if I could get through 20.  It took me over two weeks to read.  This was not normal for me, especially for a book that's only 416 pages.  It was just so slow and drawn out for me.

While I enjoy books with dual perspectives I didn't really warm to either Glory or Lucas as characters.  I felt the first half was repetitious info-dumping that stagnated- the plot wasn't driven forward.

The idea of mixing the criminal streets of a lower class London with magic and covens, the historical 'inquisition' still in place was great, and really unique.

The last 50 pages really picked up, and I wish the other 350 had been like that because then it would have been really enjoyable.

There was also no love interest- I feel that if there had been it may have endeared the book to me that little bit more but there was no romantic spark to draw me in and keep me interested.

Lucas and Glory are supposedly 15 but they way they act and speak comes across as much older, which just bugged me.

Over all I give Burn Mark 2/5 stars because while the premise was great and I liked the setting it was just too slow and at some points I honestly felt like it would go on forever.

If you're looking for a really different supernatural come dystopian read with zero romance this might be one for you to try but it was not for me.

Snow White & The Huntsman - Movie Thoughts

I finally saw Snow White & The Huntsman this week.  Me and my bestie had been looking forward to seeing it for a while, and to be honest it surpassed what I had been expecting.  I thought it looked good anyway but I got so much more.

Visually it's stunning to watch- the creepy Queen, the magical forests and Chris Hemsworth! *swoon*

The plot was interesting, I loved the dark twist on it, definitely no Disney movie here.

Some of the acting wasn't...great.  I think Kristen Stewart did better in this than Twilight but I'm not convinced she was the best person for the part.  It lacked something.  One of the dwarves acting was also particularly wooden.

I did find myself laughing.  There was some expected comedy that really worked but I think I laughed at some parts that were not supposed to be funny, for example a dwarf saying 'I see an end to this darkness'- this was mostly because of the wooden acting previously mentioned, and that's a part where the Queen writhes on the floor and she just reminded me of a fish out of water, it looked kind of ridiculous.

Also it lacked a romance.  I needed a romantic element in it to just top it off, then it would have everything.

Over all I really enjoyed this film and definitely recommend seeing it.

Gideon (Nightwalkers #2) by Jacquelyn Frank

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 491 KB
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0749955449
• Publisher: Hachette Digital (5 Jan 2012)
• They're called the Nightwalkers——proud, ancient beings who live in the shadows, existing just beyond the human world. But there are also dangerous humans who hunt them——necromancers who use the blackest magic to manipulate them. And for a Demon named Gideon, the battle against these evil forces will soon be all too personal.
  
  AS A HEALER, HE KNOWS HER BODY.
  BUT IT'S HER HEART HE WANTS.
  
  For a thousand years, Gideon has healed his people. And as the oldest surviving male of his race, his wisdom has always been respected without question. But Gideon knows that even he is vulnerable to the powerful, primitive desires that befall his kind during Hallowed moons——and nine years ago that truth was hammered home when he found himself claiming Magdelegna, the Demon King's sister, in a wild embrace. Horrified by his lack of control, he left her wanting and furious——and then exiled himself for the better part of a decade.
  
  Now, with necromancers threatening his people——and Magdelegna nearly their victim——Gideon must face another truth. He and the beautiful, stubborn Magdelegna are destined to be together, to share a love as deep and old as time itself. But first he needs to regain her trust. Then he'll have to save her life.
  
  Every night holds secrets.
• Cover:  Again I think that the plotlines and characters mean they could have done so much more with these covers.  Looking at a guys naked, sweaty back is just boring and doesn't really show off the paranormal elements that it could.

After I finished and really enjoyed book 1-Jacob, I couldn't wait to get stuck into book 2.  But unfortunately I didn't love this one as much.  Gideon is the oldest Demon still alive and he can come across as cold.  Mating with Legna is supposed to break this down.  But I feel he didn't change enough, didn't become possessive and loving like Jacob did.  At times I felt the only thing that he liked/loved about Legna was her 'beauty', like he felt she was one of his collectibles to be acquired,seemingly not liking her feisty personality.

I did enjoy getting to see more of the other characters- we still see Jacob and Bella, Noah as well as other Night Walker species such as the Lycanthropes and Vampires which I am looking forward to seeing in the next books.

Over all this book didn't live up to the first book.  I was left wanting and disappointed.  I will continue with the series and hope Elijah's book is better.

I give Gideon 3.5/5 stars.  I liked it, but compared to book 1 is wasn't as good.

Booking Through Thursday

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Booking Through Thursday and a different question is posted every week.   


Do you have a favorite quote from a book?




This was tough to narrow down because there are just so many great quotes out there but in the end this stood out as my favourite:


“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.”
― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars


Not only did this book make me feel everything that it is possible to feel but that quote is so true to passionate readers, it shows real insight into how a reader can truly love, and be affected by a book.

"In Your Pants" TAG

Waiting On Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is all about sharing the books that I'm eagerly waiting to be released.


This week the book I'm waiting on is Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins released June 26th.

This sounds like a perfect, light, fluffy romantic read which I'm in the mood for at the moment.

Jacob (Night Walkers #1) by Jacquelyn Frank

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 492 KB
• Print Length: 385 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0821780654
• Publisher: Hachette Digital (5 Jan 2012)- this edition, previously published in 2006

Since time began, there have been Nightwalkers - the races of the night who live in the shadows of the moonlight. Love with humans is absolutely forbidden, and one man makes certain to uphold this ancient law: Jacob, the Enforcer. For 700 Years, He has resisted temptation. But not tonight...
Jacob knows the excuses his people give when the madness overtakes them and they fall prey to their lust for humans. He's heard every one and still brought the trespassers to justice. Immune to forbidden desires, uncontrollable hungers, or the curse of the moon, his control is total...until the moment he sees Isabella on a shadowy New York City street. Saving her life wasn't in his plans. Nor were the overwhelming feelings she arouses in him. But the moment he holds her in his arms and feels the soft explosion of her body against his, everything changes. Their attraction is undeniable, volatile, and completely against the law. Suddenly everything Jacob has ever believed is inflamed by the heat of desire...Bring on the night.

Cover:  This cover doesn't really do anything for me.  I feel with the plot, there could have been a much better cover.

A friend has been telling me to read this for ages, so I finally got around to reading it and I'm really glad that I did.

As you guys know I enjoy both YA and Adult Paranormal Romance and this is the first in an adult series.

I really enjoyed this book and I don't know why I put off reading them for so long.

Night Walkers are the creatures of the night, werewolves, vampires and Demons.  Jacob's book centre's solely round demons (who are actually the good guys) and necromancers (magic wielders that want to destroy demons).

The romance was really sweet and I enjoyed it a lot.  Jacob is used to being isolated and alone because of his job enforcing the rest of his kind, and Isabella is the typical bookworm that feels left out.

Some parts were a little draggy BUT overall I loved it.  I recommend this for fans of Kresley Cole's Immortals After Dark Series, J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series or Lara Adrian's Midnight Breed Series.  

I give Jacob by Jacquelyn Frank 4/5 stars and can't wait to check out book 2 soon. 

Book Haul/In My Mailbox 17/6/12

Booking Through Thursday

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Booking Through Thursday and a different question is posted every week.  


Have you ever bought a book, started reading it and then realised you have already read it? If so, how far did you get? (Can you tell this happened to me for the first time ever this week!?!)


 I haven't done I can honestly say that I haven't done this...yet.  I have a good memory for what I've already read.  I'm sure that one day with constantly changing a book's title and cover I will duplicate.  But as of yet, I haven't.

Waiting On Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is all about sharing the books that I'm eagerly waiting to be released.








This week the book I'm waiting on is My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick released 14th June.

We Love Books TAG

On My Kindle #7

Instead of cluttering up my Book Haul/IMM's with books for my Kindle, I've decided to do a separate post,  hosted by Totally Bookalicious.


This week On My Kindle:

BLOGTOUR: Saving June by Hannah Harrington + Q & A

Paperback: 336 pages

• Publisher: Mira Ink (1 Jun 2012)
• Language English
• ISBN-10: 1848450958
• ISBN-13: 978-1848450950

‘If she’d waited less than two weeks, she’d be June who died in June. But I guess my sister didn’t consider that.’

Harper Scott’s older sister has always been the perfect one so when June takes her own life a week before her high school graduation, sixteen-year-old Harper is devastated. Everyone’s sorry, but no one can explain why.

When her divorcing parents decide to split her sister’s ashes into his-and-her urns, Harper takes matters into her own hands. She’ll steal the ashes and drive cross-country with her best friend, Laney, to the one place June always dreamed of going, California.

Enter Jake Tolan. He’s a boy with a bad attitude, a classic-rock obsession and nothing in common with Harper’s sister. But Jake had a connection with June, and when he insists on joining them, Harper’s just desperate enough to let him. With his alternately charming and infuriating demeanour and his belief that music can see you through anything, he might be exactly what she needs.

Except June wasn’t the only one hiding something. Jake’s keeping a secret that has the power to turn Harper’s life upside down again.


Cover:  I'm not overly fond of this cover, preferring the US cover.  If I went into the bookstore this cover wouldn't jump out at me as something I'd want to pick up which is a shame because the book itself is awesome.


I loved this book- definitely an emotional read.  We start out at June's wake, where we see Harper's family has fallen apart and no one saw June's suicide coming as she was always considered the 'perfect sister'.  But Harper realises she needs to do one thing for June- needs to take her ashes to California where she always wanted to go but her parents wouldn't let her.  
Sometimes Harper can be a difficult character to like as she can border on the cruel but you see where this stems from- Harper believes she's always been written off by her parents, that she can't compare to June's perfection.
The emotion in this book always feels real.
There is a romance element to the book but it doesn't develop until well into the book and is in no way the focus.  And I loved Harper and Jake's love/hate relationship.
Hannah Harrington takes you on an emotional roadtrip along with Harper, you really feel Harper's anger, confusion and guilt-  at her family, June and herself.
Music is an important theme in this book.  The musician Jake has a passion for music and I found myself pausing and looking up the music he was playing at the time.  This really set the tone and mood of the characters at the time and really helped make you feel as if you were there with them.
The end really surprised me.  There's no really H.E.A. but an acknowledgement that in life there's pain but instead of running from it, you know you're alive and when I thought about it I thought this was a great way to end the book.  It doesn't contradict the rest of the book but you still feel there's a future for Harper and Jake.
4/5 stars.  I definitely recommend this for contemporary YA fans, especially for John Green fans, as the emotions this book provokes reminded me strongly of how I felt when reading The Fault In Our Stars.


Q & A with Hannah Harrington

Erin:    What is your ideal road trip?

Hannah: A few of my closest friends, a nice car, summer weather, and maybe a drive out to the east coast since there are some states there I haven’t been to that I would love to see!

Erin:  If you could collaborate with anyone who would it be and why?

Hannah: There are a ton of writers I deeply admire! But I’d say Fran Lebowitz. I love how her brain works.

Erin:  Do you have any writing quirks or routines?

Hannah: Not really! I do usually have a music playlist set up to get me in the mood.

Erin: What do you think most appeals to readers?

Hannah: Honesty. Regardless of genre, I think readers want to be able to connect to characters and see parts of themselves in those characters, and to do that you have to write characters with emotional honesty so they feel real.

Erin:   What was your favorite book when you were a child/teen?

Hannah: I had so, so many favorites growing up. The first that comes to mind as a favorite is The Giver by Lois Lowry.