Juliet, Naked ~ Nick Hornby

Juliet, Naked was a completely different book than I'm use to reading.  I read it in about 4 days even though it was only about 400 pages. 

Annie's boyfriend, Duncan, is completely obsessed with a former rock star named Tucker Crowe.  Tucker releases an acoustic album of his most popular album.  Duncan, of course loves the new album and Annie not so much.  Deciphering the album causes Annie and Duncan to reevaluate their relationship all together.  Something kind of cool happens to Annie during this time but I don't want to give it away because it was the highlight of the book for me and I don't want to ruin it for you. 

The beginning of the book was semi-boring and didn't really suck me into it until the kind of cool thing happens to Annie.  From that point on, I just wanted to see how everyone ended up.  There was a lot of banter, joking, sarcastic dialogue which was interesting to read.  The book had a nice ending that I was satisfied with.

I read this book for free from my library.  I noticed that the ebook version at B&N was running a little high, at $12.99.  Personally, I would have been disappointed in this book if I paid money for it.  Also, you have to keep in mind that this was my first Nick Hornby book so the fans out there may love it. 

For the hardcover click here.  For the B&N ebook click here and for the paperback click here.


In my Opinion: C

The Girl Who Chased the Moon ~ Sarah Addison Allen

The Girl Who Chased the Moon was such a cute book! I actually read the whole thing last night.  It's magical and lovely.

Emily moves in with her grandfather who lives in a quirky small southern town that her mother grew up in.  The town residents look at her strange and treat her differently because her mom was the mean popular girl in school. Her mom was involved in some drama that went down when she was a teenager and no one will tell Emily exactly what happened.   Emily begins seeing strange lights coming from the woods behind her house and crazy things happen in her room.   The story is about Emily's journey in figuring out the secrets the town holds and her family's history.

I suspect there will be a sequel but I don't know anything about it.  I will be adding Sarah Addison Allen's other 2 book to my to-read list!


To purchase the B&N ebook click here and for the hardcover click here.


In My Opinion: A

New Stephanie Meyer Book

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner will be released June 5th!
This is an Eclipse novella that tells the story of Bree, a vampire from Victoria's clan that she converted.  Bree appeared in about 10 pages of Eclipse though I don't seem to remember her.

I had no idea that book was in the works until this afternoon.  I'm pretty excited about it!

Now I feel like I need to reread the Twilight Saga to get myself ready for this book!

Lover Avenged : Black Dagger Brotherhood Book 7 ~ J.R. Ward

Lover Avenged was just an ok book for me.  It actually took me a week to read it instead of 2 days because I just couldn't really get into it.

This book is based around Rehvenge.  He is not a Brother, but the brother of one of the Brother's shellan (wife).  Rehvenge is a species of vampire called a symphath.  Symphaths were banned to a colony long ago but Rehvenge has been living with humans, civilian vampires, and the Brothers without anyone, not even his sister, knowing his true identity.  He meets a female civilian vampire who changes his world.  Also in the book, Wrath and John Matthew deal with their own new problems.

Lover Avenged isn't quite a cliffhanger but doesn't quite conclude all the storylines.  If you've not read the previous 6 books, there is no way you'll be able to understand half of what goes on in book 7.  Book 8, Lover Mine, will be released April 27th, 2010. 

To purchase the Barnes and Noble ebook click here.  For the paperback click here and for the hardcover click here.

In My Opinion:  B+

The Body Finder ~ Kimberly Derting

The Body Finder is such an amazing book!! From page one, I couldn't put it down.  This is Kimberly Derting's first book and what a great one it is!  Desires of the Dead, the sequel to The Body Finder, doesn't come out until 2011 and I'm upset I have to wait that long.

This book is about a girl named Violet who has been surrounded by death since she was born.  She has a way of sensing dead bodies (animal and human) and it bothers her until they are put the rest respectively.  She also gets "echos" from people who are killers or have been around death.  There is a serial killer on the prowl in her town who preys on young girls and she sets out to find him when a friend of her's becomes one of his victims.  Violet also finds herself falling in love with her long time friend, Jay, who also comes to her rescue more than once.

I instantly fell in love with Violet and Jay and the relationship they share.  For me, this book was not predictable.  Some of the chapters left me hanging so I had to keep reading which caused me to stay up late hours of the night.  The Body Finder is about 330 pages so it's a quick read.   I'm looking forward to Desires of the Dead!

In My Opinion: A+

Shiver ~ Maggie Stiefvater

Shiver is one of those books that everyone around me was reading so I felt like I needed to jump in but it wasn't spectacular for me.  Fortunately, it was a quick read.  I had it done in about 2 days while reading 2 other books. I was able to read this book for free since I borrowed it from a fellow Nook owner. 

Shiver is about a girl, Grace, who falls in love with a werewolf that she has known since she was a little girl.  Sam, the wolf, changes from wolf to human depending on the weather.  The book is about Grace protecting Sam from the cold weather so that he doesn't turn back into a wolf.  Other events unfold while this is happening involving Grace's friends and Sam's wolf pack. 

This book just didn't have enough action and drama for me but it wasn't necessarily boring either.  It had an interesting concept.  I felt like the characters were not well developed at all.  Throughout the whole book I had lots of questions that never seemed to get answered to my liking.

Despite the fact that I wasn't blown away by the book, I will be picking up the sequel, Linger, that is due to be released in July.

In My Opinion:  B-

Lover Enshrined : Black Dagger Brotherhood Book 6 ~ J.R. Ward

Lover Enshrined so far for me is my least favorite of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.  It really didn't pick up and hold my full attention until the last 1/4 of the book. 

Lover Enshrined is Phury's story.  It's about him battling being the Primale and a drug addict.  John Matthew's story is also discussed quite a bit in this book.

I'm going to take a short break from the sexy vampires and read Shiver and The Body Finder.  The Body Finder was released today and I was able to get the ebook for $2 at Barnes and Noble.  Shiver I borrowed from a fellow Nook owner.


In My Opinion: A-

Covet (Fallen Angels #1) ~ J.R. Ward

Covet is book one in another series by J.R. Ward.  It took me about 100 pages into this book to really get into it, but it was worth the read in the end.

Covet reminded me of the whole six degrees to seperation theory.   In the beginning of the book, it goes back and forth between the main characters in the book.  It makes you feel like they'll all eventually come together...and they do.  Jim, the main character, becomes a fallen angel who must help 7 people who are at crossroads in their life.  Book one is about the 1st person he is assigned to help so I assume there will be at least 7 books in the Fallen Angels series.

This book didn't have as much adult content as her other series, Black Dagger Brotherhood.  I think this series is more of a drama.  Jim is not a completely developed character, but I'm sure it will gradually unfold as the series continues. 

Don't give up on this book right away.  Give it about 100 pages and you'll be hooked.  Fans of BDB won't love it as much as those sexy brother vampires, but it's worth a read.

In My Opinion:  A-

What Are You Reading?

I'm always on the lookout for good books! My ewish list on the Nook gets longer everyday!
Checkout my goodreads.com list and feel free to add me as a friend.  I'd love to see what you're reading!

Maximum Ride ~ James Patterson

First of all, I didn't finish this book.  I only read about 40 pages and just couldn't get into it at all.  This book received such great reviews from others that I have a lot of books in common with so I don't get it!

It may be because I must have read the synopsis way before I got the book and forgot what it was really about.  I was under the impression that this book was about angels, but it's not.  It's about humans that were genetically altered in a lab to be half human half bird and half human half wolf.

It also may be because I've been reading a lot of adult fiction (sexy vampires) the last couple weeks and Maximum Ride is a kiddie book compared to those. 

I got this book on loan from the library so I'm not out any money.  I may eventually give it another shot.  Right now I have many other books that I can't wait to read and Maximum Ride was just getting in my way. 

In My Opinion: TBD

Lover Unbound : Black Dagger Brotherhood Book 5 ~ J.R. Ward

I finished another sex book this evening, Lover Unbound.  That's unfair of me to say! It's not just a sex book, it's an amazing vampire book that belongs in a series I can't get enough of!


Lover Unbound is the story of Vishous of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.  It's hard for me to review this book without giving too much away, especially to those who have just started the series.  I was warned that the story of Vishous gets a little raunchy but I didn't think it was that bad. 

I'm becoming a huge fan of J.R. Ward.  She has a series about angels that has been getting mixed reviews, but someone I trusted has told me that it's worth reading once you get past the first 80 pages.  I also have been loaned Guilty Pleasures: Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series #1.  I may give this book a shot tonight.

I'm still working on The Angel Experiment.

In My Opinion:  A+ 

Lover Revealed : Black Dagger Brotherhood Book 4 ~ J.R. Ward

Oh Lover Revealed how I love thee.  This was another page turner for me!

Lover Revealed is about Butch, the human who has been loyal to the Brotherhood.  Like the others in the series, the story is about the ups and downs of Butch's relationship and the reader also learns about his family and his past.  There is a HUGE surprise at the end that I won't give away.

I started #5 of the series today which is about Vishous.  From what I've heard, this one is a little more...umm...graphic?

I'm also currently reading Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment.  The beginning has been a little slow so it's taking me a little longer to read.  I think once I get #5 of Black Dagger Brotherhood finished I may focus on other books for a while as I'm sure y'all are sick of hearing about sex craved vampires :)

In My Opinion: A+

Lover Awakened: Black Dagger Brotherhood Book 3 ~ J.R. Ward

Bring on the vampire sex! :-) 

Lover Awakened is my favorite of the Black Dagger Brotherhood books so far....and not because of all the sex talk!

This book focuses on Zsadist, the scarred face brother who is known for being the mean and unsocial one.  Zsadist has a good reason for being the way he is because he had been tortured in the past.  He meets Bella, a civilian vampire, who breaks down his walls and opens up his emotional side.  He saves her life and they begin a life together while continuing to fight with the Lessers.  Lover Awakened brings in all the brothers introduced in the previous books as I suspect all the books will and also brings in a few new ones.

As soon as I finished book 2 and I had to jump right into book 3 because there was somewhat of a cliffhanger and I couldn't wait to see what happened.

J.R. Ward does an amazing job with character development in all the books in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.  I love that it is a romance book with an actual plot.  It's interesting to see how all of these books tie together.


In My Opinion:  A++

Everlost ~ Neal Shusterman

After reading Unwind by Neal Shusterman I became an instant fan of his so after reading a few reviews I decided to pick up Everlost. 

Everlost is the 1st book in the Skinjacker trilogy.  This book is about 2 kids who are in a car accident who don't cross over to either heaven or hell...they are left in Everlost.  Everlost is full of "ghosts" who don't cross over into the afterlife.  They are on Earth, but not on Earth as they once knew it.  There are good guys and bad in Everlost and these 2 kids are trying to figure out the ways of their new world, making enemies and friends along the way.

I wasn't absolutely hooked on the book but it did keep me somewhat interested.  The book was kind of so-so for me until the end.  The ending is what made me like this book and want to continue on to the 2nd book, Everwild.  So don't read the first few chapters and give up on it!


As far as the characters, they weren't totally developed and I have some unanswered questions, but I have a feeling that will continue in the following 2 books in the trilogy.  I genuinely cared for these kids and was curious to know if they complete their journey to cross over to the afterlife.  The plot was interesting and made me wonder if that really happens to our souls....


In My Opinion: A-

Update

I'm alive..just have had a crazy schedule the last few days!
Reviews coming tomorrow night on Everlost by Neal Shusterman and Lover Awakened, the 3rd book of Black Dagger Brotherhood.

Until then,
E

Lover Eternal: Black Dagger Brotherhood Book 2 ~ J.R. Ward

Lover Eternal is just as good as Dark Lover! Another page turner that caused me to take a cold shower after reading!

This book is the 2nd in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series and begins the story of another brother, Rhage (book 1 was about Wrath). To me, book 2 is about making sacrifices for the one you love whereas book 1 was more about the things you do for love.

I have to stress again that the Black Dagger Brotherhood books are not for young readers. Book 2 has even more sex than book 1.

I like the way that each book is about a different brother but still touches on what is going on with the other brothers. Each character is very well developed and the plot will keep you interested and wanting more. Dark Lover has some cheesey dialogue but I didn't seem to notice it as much in Lover Eternal.

Can you start this series in the middle? Well, I've just started book 3 and the series so far has 8 books. I think that I could start at book 2 and not be completely lost but I would recommend starting from the beginning. It's good to have that background knowledge.

I'm about 150 pages into book 3, Lover Awakened, which is about Zsadist. I think J.R. Ward was very cleaver with naming the characters.

In My Opinion: A

Oh. My. Gods. ~ Tera Lynn Childs

Oh. My. Gods. did not make me scream omg at all. I only finished it just so I could do a review.

Boooorriiiinnnggg. This book is about a girl who is thrown onto an island of descendants of mythology Gods because her mom got engaged to one of these descendants. SPOILER: At the end of the book, she finds out she is also a descendant of the Nike god.

This book is completely predictable, the plot was not developed well. There was no climax, no adventure, no mystery, no comedy...nothing.

I will not be reading the sequel, Goddess Boot Camp, because I just can't sit through anymore. Although, I do have Tera Lynn Childs' upcoming book Forgive My Fins, on my to-read list so we'll see how that goes.

In My Opinion: D

Dark Lover: Black Dagger Brotherhood Book 1 ~ J.R. Ward

First of all...I have to say that this book is NOT for young readers! I didn't know a lot about this book before reading it and I'll admit that I was shocked at the sex parts. After I began reading it, I realized it's categorized under Romance. That could have been my first clue.

Even though it's a romance novel, this book has an excellent plot that kept me interested and wanting to read more (and not just for the sex parts!).

Dark Lover is nothing like the Twilight Saga. Actually, I didn't find one similarity except for the fact that it's about vampires surviving in a human world.

Dark Lover is about a girl named Beth who finds out she is half vampire but up until now, has lived her life as a mortal. Now that she is approaching the age of 25, she is going through the change of living as a vampire. In this book, vampires are born vampires, they are not former humans. Vampires do not feed off humans, they feed off vampires of the opposite sex. There is group of Lessers who are out to kill vampires. A few more humans are thrown into the mix to make it a great story.

I will say that some of the dialog is a little cheesy and screams ROMANCE!! Dark Lover is a romance novel with an actual plot and developed characters.

I really enjoyed this book and I'm anxious to start reading #2, Lover Eternal.

In My Opinion: A-

32AA~ Michelle Cunnah

Total chick book. After reading all of the immortal/paranormal books lately, I decided to relax with a total girly book and I can say I picked a pretty good one.

32AA is about a skinny flat chested 30 year old New Yorker who just got dumped by her boyfriend. It's about losing love, falling in love and the meaning of friendship.

I enjoyed this book. I can't say that I'll be adding it to my list of favorites, but it was a good and quick read. I found myself laughing out loud a few times. It was a believable book and could totally see one of my friends going through her troubles.

In My Opinion: B+

Next up....Dark Lover by J.R. Ward.

Beautiful Creatures ~ Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Where do I begin with Beautiful Creatures....

I've read a lot of other reviews on this book before I decided to read it and 98% of them were of people raving about it.
Me? Well, I'm not going to rave about it. It was a good book. It was worth reading but I was able to put it down.

Beautiful Creatures has an interesting storyline. Basically it's about a girl who on her 16th birthday, will be chosen to go to the Dark Side of the Light Side (sorry about the Star Wars pun). This girl, along with her boyfriend, discovers her families past and tries to save herself from becoming Dark.

The characters were well developed. I had empathy for them. The end of each chapter made me want to continue onto the next.

The book has a conclusion and doesn't leave you hanging but does lead you to believe there will be a sequel....and there will be. This will be a 5 book series and I've also read that it will be turned into movies by Warner Brothers to fill the revenue void after the Harry Potter movies come to an end in 2011.

In My Opinion: B+

Hush, Hush ~ Becca Fitzpatrick

How many times can I say LOVE without being annoying? I could not put this book down and stayed up until 4am to finish it.

Well...I LOVED this book and cannot wait for #2, Torment, to be released September 2010.

If you liked Twilight, than you'll enjoy Hush, Hush. The storyline is very similar to Twilight, but insert fallen angel where it says vampire.

Patch, one of the main characters, it just as yummy as Edward Cullen and Jacob Black.

Hush, Hush was my first fallen angel book and after finishing it I googled for fallen angel books. I'm hooked.

This book is totally worth buying at the bookstore. If you can get it for free or at a discount price as an ebook...go for it!

In My Opinion: A++

Old Magic ~ Marianne Curley

It took me a bit to get into Old Magic. The story didn't grab me until the last 7 or so chapters. Honestly, I only finished the book to see how it ended. Although, after reading the ending, I could have predicted it.

Old Magic is about a new kid in town who befriends the grand daughter of a witch. The new kid has powers that he is not aware of having. The plot is about these two figuring out the source of his powers and ultimately changing the future of his family.

The characters take turn narrating, which at first was a little annoying but I got use to it.

As I said before, this book didn't grab me from the beginning. If I paid money for this book, I'd feel like I wasted it. I don't feel as if the characters' relationship was developed very well. I didn't feel like I should empathize with any of the characters. When I read, I like to feel invested in the people and story.

I'd recommend picking this book up at the library or borrow it from a friend. Don't spend $15 on the hardcover.

In My Opinion: C-

Dewey: A Small Town Library Cat Who Touched the World~ Vicki Myron

Beautiful true story that made me want a cat.

Dewey is a furry little cutie that was found by the library staff in the middle of winter. He made his home, and life, in the library. He was happiest in the library. He made the library guests happy and brought people together.

I feel like the book could have been shortened by about 70 pages. I didn't care to read about the history of the Iowa town. I just wanted to read about Dewey.

It's a short read. I had it done in about 4 hours. Actually, I read it on a plane flying home from New York.

Overall it's a heart warming shory that cat lovers will enjoy. You can skip over the town history parts and it won't take anything from the story.

In My Opinion: B

Unwind ~ Neal Shusterman

Let me start off by saying that I was completely hooked on this book. An indication of a great book to me is when you put it down right before you go to bed, you continue to think about it and you have to talk yourself out of picking the book back up.

This was the first book I've read by Neal Shusterman. If all of his books are as good as Unwind, than he is my favorite author.

Unwind is about a group of kids caught up in a new set of laws called The Bill of Life. The Bill of Life states that human life may not be touched from the moment of conception until a child reaches the age of thirteen. After the age of thirteen, parents have the option of sending their child to a harvest camp where the child's life doesn't "technically" end.

Unwind made me think about the value of life and what it means to really be alive. The story is compelling and disturbing. There are twists in the plot and surprises you didn't see coming.

I highly recommend this book to all ages, not just young adults.

In My Opinion: A+

Bookmark Me!

I read....a lot. To keep track of my reads and to inform others what is worth reading..in my opinion, I figured I should start a blog!

I'm going to start with what I've read in the last week which has included:

• Unwind by Neal Shusterman
• The Hunger Games/Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
• Old Magic by Marianne Curley
• Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
• Dewey by Vicki Myron

Last night I started Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.

My reviews will vary...some will be short, others long but I will always give an overall rating.

Stay tuned for my review of Unwind by Neal Shusterman.