Reading List: 2012

Book Goal for 2012: 36 books
Total Count for 2012: 36 books

Goal ACCOMPLISHED!

1. Significance by Shelly Crane
2. Sweetly by Jackson Pearce
3. Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey
4. Destined  by Jessie Harrell
5. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
6. Entwined by Heather Dixon
7. Sleeping Handsome by Jean Haus
8. Black Waters by Maija Barnett
9. Bait: The Angler Series Book One by Annie Nicholas
10. Reckless Magic by Rachel Higginson
11. Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause
12. Cornerstone by Misty Provencher
13. Hopeless Magic by Rachel Higginson
14. Madly by M. Leighton
15. Wings by Aprilynne Pike
16. Glimpse by Stacey Wallace Benefiel
17. Wildly by T. Swanepoel
18. Prince of Wolves by Quinn Loftis
19. Blood Rites by Quinn Loftis
20. Madly & Wolfhardt by M. Leighton
21. Madly & the Jackal by M. Leighton
22. Inescapable by Amy A. Bartol
23. Intuition by Amy A. Bartol
24. The Juliet Club by Suzanne Harper
25. Enigma by Aimee Ash
26. Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce
27. Keystone  by Misty Provencher
28. Kindred by Erica Stevens
29. On Fallen Wings by Jamie McHenry
30. Flutter by Melissa Andrea
31. The Ivory Prison by Ashlyn Daube
32. Wildflower by Amy Jones
33. Unenchanted by Chanda Hahn
34. Fairest by Chanda Hahn
35. The Pearl Savage by Tamara Rose Blodgett
36. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Review: UnEnchanted by Chanda Hahn

Genre: Fairy Tales

Synopsis:

Mina Grime is unlucky, unpopular, and uncoordinated; that is, until she saves her crush's life on a field trip, changing her high school status from loser to hero overnight. But with her new found fame brings misfortune in the form of an old family curse come to light. For Mina is a descendant from the Brothers Grimm, and has inherited all of their unfinished fairy tale business, which includes trying to outwit a powerful Story from making her it's next fairy-tale victim.

To break the fairy tale curse on her family and make these deadly occurrences stop, Mina must finish the tales until the very Grimm end.

Review:

I LOVE this book!

Those who know me personally know about my obsession with fairy tales. I even focused my thesis in college on the darker aspects of the original tales. The grimmer (pun intended) the tale, the better.

When I read the summary I was a little skeptical. It sounded like the plot of the Grimm series on NBC. But it was free, so I downloaded it. It sat in Nook Wonderland for about two months before I decided to read it. After the end I was left wondering why did I not read this earlier?! 

I immediately bought the second book, Fairest, and I will be starting it after I finish this review.  

Now, I want to be clear on several aspects concerning this wonderful, amazing, brilliant, fantastic novel. Twitter is probably mentioned six dozen times, the tales are not like a Disney movie, it is a YA book so many of the characters are petty and shallow, and if you don't like the Disney "and they lived happily ever after" endings then I will metaphorically get tickled to death by your reaction to this book. For me, the ending was the best part. The foreshadowing made it a little obvious, but that's peachy-keen for me. I won't spoil it, but know that it is grand. 

I loved how the tales took on a twist based on how Mina lived it. The stories would change based on the decisions she made. Mina experienced great character growth and became mentally stronger as the plot progressed. Brody's sweet but come on, Jared is fae. Enough said. 

Chanda's spin on the classic fairy tales is creative and exciting. I have no doubt that I will be reading this series over and over again.

Rating: 5 out of 5 owls

Twitter | Author | Nook | Kindle

The Wildflower Blog Tour and Giveaway

Love can be tragic.

17th Century America:

A Shaman's daughter falls in love with an Englishman, 

only her hand has been promised to a warrior. 

Tears falls. 

Promises are broken. 

Rage is unleashed.

Souls are bound or shattered.

Present Day:

Laney Stillwater dreams about a boy she has never met,

but she longs for the attention of the ever popular and gorgeous Jordan Stone.

Time tempts change. 

Destined souls awaken.

Love gets a second chance.

Souls are bound or shattered. 

What will destiny offer this time?

Reconciliation or more despair?

Review:

When I first heard about Amy's novel Wildflower, I was very enthusiastic to see what kind of approach she would take in regard to the culture and beliefs of the Wampanoag tribe. After reading her novel, all I can say is that Wildflower is beautifully written. I love how the syntax changes between time periods, and the problems translate beyond the past. I also really appreciated that the couples fell in love without knowledge of their past lives. They aren't together just because they were in past.

Soulmates Laney and Joshua have been reincarnated and now have the chance to love one another again after their tragic parting in the past. The flashbacks/dreams of the past are full of emotion and give enough detail to explain how the characters are feeling in the present. Tossing Jordan in the mix heightens the tension. He wants to be with Laney so badly, but his efforts are thwarted at every turn. The reader can really feel the desperation each character feels to just move past the blockades and be with their one true love. But scorned lovers and bitter jealousy just can't let that happen.

Wildflower has all the drama, angst, and romantic language every YA reader craves in a sweet love story. What I liked most was the realization at the end that everything is not as it seems. Wildflower is truly a delight.

Rating: 5 out of 5 owls

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GIVEAWAY!
Enter your name and email in the entry pad below for a chance to win an ebook copy of Wildflower and a swag pack from author Amy Jones.

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Make sure to stop by all of the other blogs on the tour:

Nov 13- Globug and Hootie Need a Book and Books Complete Me

Nov 14- A Diary of a Book Addict

Nov 16- Britt Reads Indie

Nov 19-  I Read Indie

Nov 20- The Autumn Review

Nov 21- Live to Read

Nov 22- My Pathway to Books 

Nov 23- Wrathsqueen's Books

Nov 26- An Owl's Book Nook &  Literati Literature Lovers

Nov 27- Fantasy Book Chic

Nov 28- Kimberly's Cozy Korner

Nov 29- Intoxicated by Books & Insane About Books

Nov 30- Amy Jones Young Adult Fantasy Fiction

Monday Mania: Southern Charm

Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen

Mermaids in the Basement by Michael Lee West

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Beautiful Creatures by
Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by
John Berendt

Breaking Down Fiction Sub-Genres

I decided to write this post because I have noticed that some books are being called "supernatural" when they are really "paranormal," while others are being called "science fiction" when they are in fact "fantasy." Perhaps this mistake happens because some do not have any certain qualities in mind when differentiating between sub-genres of fiction. Many just lump sub-genres together and just call it fiction. So, for your convenience I have provided a list of genres with a few general details about each sub-genre that set them apart from the others.

Romance

• Contemporary: Set in a modern setting with true-to-life characteristics.
• Historical: Action takes place in a recognizable historic period. The culture and language is also true to the era. 
• Romantic-Comedy: Humor is the order of the day with quick wit and silly antics. 
• Christian: Religion is the driving force behind the action and character decisions. Sex is reserved until after marriage  and he heroes are devout Christians. 
• Erotica/Romantica: Sex. Lots of sex. This has a range from mild to hardcore. Fifty Shades of Grey is a prime example. 

Science Fiction

• Dystopian: Portrays a bleak futuristic world.
• Cyberpunk: Captures the influence of technology on a society of people. Robotics. 
• Steampunk: People of the Victorian era have access to 20C technology. 
• New Age: Aliens, psychics, astrology, UFOs, and spiritual healing. Basically covers all the cult stuff. 
• Post-Apocalyptic: Think Hunger Games for this one. These books portray the world after either a major ecological disaster or a brutal world war. The characters are struggling to survive. 
• Alternate History: These are what-if scenarios. The author chooses a significant event in history and makes inferences on what would happen if the course of history was altered. 

Fantasy

• Mythic: The story and characters are representative of a type of mythology (Greek, Celtic, Chinese, etc.). The Iron King or Percy Jackson and The Olympians series.  
• Fairy tales: These aren't the sweet Disney tales you've come to love. Many of these reworkings of classics have more violent imagery than their Disney counterparts. 
• Arthurian Legend: Features tales of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. 
• Heroic: Fantastical stories of heroes saving the day. 
• Epic: One young hero (or a small group of heroes) must battle the ultimate evil to protect an entire society from destruction. 
• Urban Fantasy: Magical beings bring their conflicts to a normal, modern human society. 

Supernatural

• Vampires: Features humans who have become creatures that must feed off the blood of humans to survive. This genre has a wide range from romantic interpretations to violence and gore. 
• Werewolves: Features creatures that must change their shape to that of wolves. They are governed by the moon spirit. Range from soft to gory violence. 
• Shapeshifters: These stories have creatures that can change their shape at will. Some interpretation restrict the change to animals, while others allow the human like creatures to shift to inanimate objects or even other people. 
• Witchcraft/Sorcery: Characters engage in witchcraft or sorcery. May be for good or evil. 

Horror

• Comic-Horror: These are usually spoofs of conventional characteristics of the genre. Over-dramatization is found in the Scary Movie franchise. 
• Gothic: Ranges from the Middle Ages to 18C with images of decay and ruin, as well as imprisonment and persecution. Frankenstein. 
• Psychological: Features characters suffering from a disturbed mental psyche. These books explore asylums and insanity. 
• Religious: Gory/horrific battles between angles and demons. 
• Dark Fantasy: Combines elements of the supernatural with scary and violent imagery.
• Paranormal: Includes possessions and hauntings by unfriendly ghosts or poltergeists. 
• Zombie: The violent, blood-thirsty undead terrorizing humans. 

Mystery/Crime

• Detective: A detective solves the mystery of a crime. 
• Cozy: The suspect is one of a group that is familiar to each other. It may be a member of a family or one in a group of friends. This mystery typically happens in one location where all are present and the only outsider is the detective.
• Dark Thriller: The crime is described in gory details. 
• Espionage: Think 007 here. This is a spy novel that is heavy with action scenes and deals with terrorists and corruption in politics.
• Psychological Suspense: Focuses on motivation rather than how. 
• Courtroom Drama: The central mystery takes place in a courtroom. 

Click here for a more detailed list of genres.

Here is a visual map with a broad overview of the genres and sub-genres.

Review: Flutter by Melissa Andrea

Genre: Supernatural | Shapeshifters

Wow...I haven't read a decent book about shapeshifters in a long time. I had no idea which branch of supernatural lore Flutter would encompass when I began reading it, but I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. I admit that I chose to read it almost solely based on the cover and the fact that it was in the Paranormal/Urban Fantasy genre.

The plot moves at a very fast pace, which I greatly appreciate, and the characters face ample amounts of drama, which engages the reader and makes them develop attachments towards the characters. Adan and Sara's interactions with each other include fire hot chemistry, moments of sweet affection, and sheer adoration.

The only reason I'm not giving Flutter a 5 star review is due to the grammar mistakes and the tiny bit of confusion that I felt at the end. In my opinion, when creating a new world, an author should take care to develop it fully in the first novel, instead of throwing in details at the end. Don't get me wrong, I like Melissa's original interpretation of this type of lore, but I wish she hadn't waited until the very end to make it epic. Despite that, Melissa has created a new dynamic for the Urban Fantasy genre, and I'm looking forward to finding out what happens next.

Flutter is a must-read.

Rating: 4 out of 5 owls

Author | Facebook | Twitter | Nook | Kindle

Book Trailer:

Book Release: Flutter By Melissa Andrea

I know they say you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, but my goodness this one is pretty. I recently caught wind of Flutter through a couple of friends online, and I have to say I am definitely looking forward to reading it. Flutter  is scheduled for release on October 30--tomorrow. Apart from the lovely cover, I'm intrigued by the mystery of the synopsis. It alludes to a fantasy/paranormal world, but maintains a nice level of mystery. Which fantasy world is it? I'm hoping faeries. The leaf/wing imprint in the model's makeup on the front would make it seem so. Whatever the case, I can't wait to pick this one up. Look for the review soon. 

Synopsis:

Sara

Sara's life is forever changed-

Waking up, buried & hidden deeply in the last place anyone would want to be, will do that. She is determined to find out how she ended up there and why, but when the only person who can help her continuously lies to her, she finds herself forced to suffer alone. She can't ignore the strange things that begin to happen to her, nor can she hide from the nightmares that haunt her sleep. And when her world collides with Adan--the mysterious boy whom she can't seem to stay away from, literally--she is consumed bu the familiar flutter that sparks whenever he is around, and she is desperate to discover the reason why. But the biggest discovery will come from the secret of what she is...

Adan

Adan's mission to find Sara has finally approached. 

It seemed simple to bring her back to the enchanted world that lives, breathes, and survives because of her, but he quickly finds himself faced with an entirely new challenge. Immediately, Adan realizes that staying unknown to Sara is a task he will fail before even attempting. The pull to her is far too strong to refuse, and being with her will defy the very reason he existed. he was the key to her survival and loving her was not part of the plan that he had been born to follow. Can he find it in himself to resist the urge to be with her and follow through with their destiny or will he destroy everything that had been left to Sara to protect and defend. 

And the kingdom she is unaware she rules...

Flutter

Sara and Adan struggle to overcome their own separate battles, there is a far more determined evil that is stalking the shadows and waiting to annihilate them both. Sara will figure out that not everything is what it seems and knowing what she can and cannot trust will be the key to finding out the truth to what happened to her, the reason why she had been buried alive and who she really is...

Sara and Adan will discover the hidden meaning to why she was the reason he existed and why he would be the reason she survived, and together they will fight to change the rules and rewrite their fate. 

Nook | Kindle

Review: On Fallen Wings by Jamie McHenry

Genre: Fantasy | Faeries

I decided to give myself a week before reviewing On Fallen Wings, simply for the fact that I didn't want to eviscerate it on a whim. During the last week, I have frequently replayed the story over and over in my mind and come to the conclusion that while I don't hate it, there are many areas that, with improvement, could be stronger. What first appealed to me about this novel is that it seemingly incorporated Fae mythology. Now, I happen to be writing a book about the Fae, so I have been doing a serious amount of research on the topic. You could say that I wanted to get a look at what other authors are writing about my subject. I was also intrigued by the fact that the author is a man and the lead character is a heroine. 

Unfortunately, On Fallen Wings left me disappointed on so many levels. The Fae-lore that originally attracted me to the novel was briefly mentioned and then quickly forgotten. There was no magic and the "faeries" were typical humans. I'm sorry, but the Fae are not humans and therefore do not look, think, or act like humans. I can overlook the author taking liberties with the mythology, but it took backstage too much for my liking. Either make it a prominent feature or leave it out. 

The characters had very little depth, despite the entire book being full of supposed character development. Enough said. 

What I enjoyed about McHenry's writing is his prose. The man can write some beautiful prose. So, in terms of style Jamie McHenry has it down, but he needs to work on plot development. The names were also very lovely and satisfied my pickiness over character identity. I feel that On Fallen Wings needed a better editor. I saw lots of potential, but it just didn't have any plot devices in place to really grab the reader's attention. Now, having expressed my negative feelings for this book, I just want to add that this review is merely my opinion. I have read other reviews on this novel that raved about how good it is. If at the end of the day you enjoyed it, then it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. Feel free to give this novel a chance if you feel so inclined. You may like it.

Rating: 2 out of 5 owls

Nook | Kindle

  

Monday Mania--Zombies

Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry

The Forest of Hands & Teeth
by Carrie Ryan

The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

Monday Mania--Masquerade

Remembrance by Michelle Madow

Aurelia by Anne Osterlu

Vengeance by Michelle Madow

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr

Transcend by Christine Fonseca

Review: Kindred by Erica Stevens

Genre: Supernatural

Synopsis:

What do you do when the one you love is also you worst enemy?
Trapped in a destiny she does not want, Cassie finds herself lost and adrift, until he walks into her life, turning it upside down and awakening her in ways that she never dreamed possible.

Cassie is stunned and devastated to learn that she belongs to a long line of vampire slayers known as The Hunters. A murderous rampage by a group of elder vampires has left the Hunter line decimated and the remaining Hunters scattered around the world. With her friends Chris and Melissa's aid, Cassie struggles to rid the world of the monsters that murdered her parents. Though Cassie knows it is her fate, she chafes against her heritage, and is resentful of the shortened lifespan that has been placed upon her by the circumstances of birth. Struggling to get through every day, Cassie finds herself simply going through the motions of living. That is, until Devon arrives. Tall, dark, and mysterious his arrival turns the school, and Cassie's life, upside down. Fighting against her fierce attraction to him, and the chaos he represents in her carefully ordered days, she is irresistibly drawn to him. Though worried that what she truly is will place Devon in danger, she is unable to fight her feelings for him. He is the one light, and the only source of hope she has in a world that revolves around death and fear. What she does not know is that Devon has some dark secrets of his own, secrets even more frightening and dangerous than hers. Secrets that threaten to tear them apart forever.

Review:

It seems like it has been forever since I've read a good vampire book. Since the whole Twilight craze started, I've been avoiding  vampire novels. However, I have to say that Erica Stevens does a great job at describing the soul searing connection between Cassie and Devon. I do wish there had been more interaction between the love birds, but it suits the needs of a YA reader. What I liked most was how despite Cassie's seemingly careless attitude towards her classmate's social hierarchy, once her status falls she feels hurt. There are so many novels out where the heroine doesn't care about what her peers think of her, but Cassie has a realness about her that is very relatable. I was left wanting more development between Cassie and Devon. Hopefully I will read that in the next installation. 



Rating: 4 out of 5 owls



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Monday Mania--Classics Revamped

Books in order from left to right, top to bottom:

Animal Farm by George Orwell

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

These covers were designed by Mikey Burton for his thesis at Kent State.  

Review: Destined by Jessie Harrell

Genre: Mythology

Synopsis:

When Psyche receives a prophecy gone horribly wrong, she learns that even the most beautiful girl in Greece can have a hideous future. Her fate? Fall in love with the one creature even the gods fear.

As she feels herself slipping closer into the arms of the prophecy, Psyche must choose between the terrifyingly tender touch she feels almost powerless to resist and the one constant she's come to expect out of life: you cannot escape what is destined.

Destined is a fresh and heart-achingly romantic retelling of the Cupid & Psyche myth from debut novelist, Jessie Harrell.


Review:

Destined is an original twist on the myth of Cupid and Psyche. In Jessie Harrell's version Aphrodite actually asks Psyche to marry her son. However, after meeting the selfish jerk Psyche refuses. Aphrodite then manipulates the couple, with a "mother knows best" attitude, and the couple falls in love in typical myth fashion.

When I was a young girl of only 8 years old (cue sappy elevator music) I found a beautifully illustrated book about the mysterious and fantastical Greek Pantheon. Greek mythology quickly became an obsession and I studied the characters and stories for years. This love for Greek mythology followed me to college, where I took multiple mythology classes for my English degree. During those classes I realized that while I knew the myths backwards and forwards, the humanistic flaws that plagued the gods, along with the symbolic tie to moral and principles (much like in fairy tales), still appealed to my love for lore. During my student teaching earlier this year, I had the privilege of reading Destined.

Honestly, I was afraid Destined would read like fanfiction, but I was pleasantly surprised. I loved Psyche's spunky attitude and Eros was, as expected, a heartbroken swoon-worthy sexy hunk of man-flesh.  Jessie Harrell incorporated aspects of the actual myth while adding some spice and sass. It was the perfect book to read on Valentine's Day. I look forward to reading more from Jessie.

Rating: 4 out of 5 owls

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Book Trailer:

Book Release: Fathomless by Jackson Pearce

Fathomless was released on 9/04 this month and I can't wait to read it. Jackson Pearce's novels Sisters Red and Sweetly are amazing, so I have high expectations for the third installation in the series. 

Synopsis: Celia Reynolds is the youngest in a set of triplets, and the one with the least valuable power, Anne can see the future, Jane can see the present--therefore essentially read minds--and all Celia can do is see the past.

Lo doesn't know who she is or who she was. Once a human, she is now almost entirely a creature of the sea--an undine, a nymph, a mermaid; all terms too pretty for the soulless creature she knows she's becoming. The other ocean girls, her "sisters," tell her there's only one way for her to earn her soul and humanity back--convince a mortal to love her, and steal his.  

Lo thinks a soul is within her grasp when she saves a guitarist, Jude, from drowning. When Celia intervenes, she accidentally reads Lo's past, calling out Lo's long-forgotten human name. The two forge a friendship, meeting by the shore to remember Lo's old life, to talk, to share secrets they'd never tell their "real" sisters.

Yet, remembering makes Lo more desperate than ever for a soul--and despite Jude's blossoming romance with Celia, she can't resist longing for his. Straddling the line between humanity and darkness, Lo struggles to find her place on either side, while Celia wonders just what she and her power have unleashed. But the sister you choose can be more powerful than those you're born with--in a fight against Lo's sisters and the waves themselves, Jude and Celia risk their lives to save Lo from her own darkness. But it is a soulless, wanting existence better than none at all?

Read my review here

Jackson Pearce's website

Follow Jackson on twitter

For your Nook

For your Kindle

Monday Mania--Fairies

Wings by Aprilynne Pike

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Tithe by Holly Black

Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston

Bones of Faerie by Janni Lee Simner

Monday Mania--Vampires

Immortal Embrace by Charlotte Blackwell

Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber

Midnight Predator by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

The Silver Kiss by Annette Curtis Klause

Once Burned by Jeaniene Frost

Biting Cold by Chloe Neill

Review: Keystone by Misty Provencher

Genre: Paranormal | Teen Romance

Synopsis

Book Two in the Cornerstone Series.

There's a man-made storm coming, like a rip in the world, and it's called the Cusp.

Struggling to fit into the destiny she's accepted, Nalena Maxwell has been left with one objective: she must find her murdered grandfather's Memory. Stolen and hidden away by her own father over seventeen years ago, the Memory could be the key to ending the Cusp and destroying the Ianua's rival community, The Fury.

Driven by each individual's selfish desires, The Fury has always lacked the loyalty and organization it needs to be an actual force of power.

Until now.

Someone masterminded the Fury's massive attack on the Ianua, slaughtering twelve of their thirteen community leaders, the Addos. Now there are rumors that the 13th Cura, to which Nali belongs, has gone to the Fury, manipulating the last Addo in order to control the other 12 Curas.

As the Cusp brings the Fury and their own communities against them, Nalena's Cura must preserve the Ianua, but finding the key to the Cusp isn't as simple as it seems.

Review:

It takes a lot to make me cry when reading a book. I had legit tears streaming down my face when Nali had to say goodbye to her mother. Misty has a real talent at making her readers feel every emotion that the characters experience.

Keystone is everything I had hoped for and much more. It is everything a sequel should be. At one point I was afraid Misty was bringing Zaneen and Milo in as new love interests, but I was so pleased when Garrett and Nali stayed true to each other. I love the inner strength of these characters, and I appreciate that Misty left room for them to grow. Zane was a wonderful comic addition and I love him almost as much as Garrett.

The action scenes were intense, and Misty maintained a level of mystery that prevented me from figuring everything out right away. I honestly have no complaints and suggestions of things to change. Everything was written with such care and thoughtfulness.

Great job, Misty! 

Random Quote:
I wince. "Yeah, sorry I stink."
"Oh honey," she laughs. "I have four boys. You don't even know what stink is."

Rating: 5 out of 5 owls

Nook | Kindle | Twitter |  Author

My review of Cornerstone, the first book in this series.