Blog Tour: Pure - Review

Hi everyone!

Today, I am participating in a blog tour for Pure, which is the second novel in the Covenant series written by the awesome Jennifer L. Armentrout.
You can see the rest of the blog schedule here: http://www.stuckinbooks.com/p/pure-blog-tour.html

Now, just to remind you, you can see my reviews for Daimon - a prequel novella, and Half-Blood, the first novel, here: http://tamarasbookramblings.blogspot.com/2011/07/my-first-review-daimon-by-jennifer-l.html
                  http://tamarasbookramblings.blogspot.com/2011/09/review-half-blood.html

And now, before I start the review, I would just like to say a huuuuuuge thank you to Kate and the rest of the guys over at Spencer Hill Press for sending out an Advance Readers Copy of Pure to me. Thankyouthankyouthankyou! :)

Goodreads blurb:
There is need. And then there is Fate... 

Being destined to become some kind of supernatural electrical outlet isn't exactly awesome--especially when Alexandria's "other half" is everywhere she goes. Seth's in her training room, outside her classes, and keeps showing up in her bedroom--so not cool. Their connection does have some benefits, like staving off her nightmares of the tragic showdown with her mother, but it has no effect on what Alex feels for the forbidden, pure-blooded Aiden. Or what he will do--and sacrifice--for her. 

When daimons infiltrate the Covenants and attack students, the gods send furies--lesser gods determined to eradicate any threat to the Covenants and to the gods, and that includes the Apollyon... and Alex. And if that and hordes of aether-sucking monsters didn't blow bad enough, a mysterious threat seems willing to do anything to neutralize Seth, even if that means forcing Alex into servitude... or killing her. 

When the gods are involved, some decisions can never, ever be undone.


Personal opinion:
Oh boy! Words cannot express how much I am addicted to this series (along with anything else Jennifer writes).
As much as I liked Daimon and loved Half-Blood, Pure was even better. Sometimes novels have that second-book-syndrom or whatever it's called, when the sequel just isn't as good as the first book, but boy oh boy Pure doesn't suffer from it.
In this compelling sequel, Alex is faced with even more danger, new threats and heartbreaking loss, but still she remains brave and kick-ass, with even more snarky feedback.
She is, most definitely, one heck of a main character!

Now, there are, per usual, scenes that make you want to scream till your voice is totally gone, and scenes that will make you almost cry and scenes that you will laugh out loud, but there is something, or rather someone, else I would like to talk here.

Aiden. And Seth.

Aiden, the former love of my life. In Half-Blood I absolutely looooved him. I mean, how could you not like him?

But.
There came Seth. He appears in Half-Blood, and isn't a minor character, but in HB he just doesn't stand out next to Aiden.
But in Pure, he's there. And he's HOT. And I really really love him.
To be clear, I didn't stop loving Aiden, but Team Seth is the team I'm currently on :)

So, to sum up. I adore this series, and it has some of the most gorgeous covers ever, and I seriously can't wait for the third novel, Deity, out later this year.

5 stars

ARC review: The Savage Grace

I won an ARC of The Savage Grace on Bree's blog in October, if I'm correct. Bree received them in November, and from then I waited patiently. Around middle of December I started to panic that it got lost somewhere and that it would never arrive, which made me want to sob. But then, after Christmas, on 27th or 28th Dec, it finally arrived. I was  e-c-s-t-a-t-i-c. And not even the condition of the poor book made my happiness any less (and I gotta tell you, it was obvious the book had been through a lot on the journey overseas).
So here's my review, to hold you over until March 13th when it is released.


Goodreads blurb:
A troubled soul. An impossible choice. A final battle. 

Wrestling with the werewolf curse pulsing deep inside of her, Grace Divine was finally able to find her brother, but it nearly cost her everything. 

With her boyfriend, Daniel, stuck in wolf form and Sirhan's death approaching, time is running out for Grace to stop Caleb Kalbi and his gang of demons. If she fails, her family and hometown will perish. Everything rests on Grace's shoulders. 

The final installment in The Dark Divine trilogy brings Daniel and Grace's love story to a breathtaking conclusion.


Personal opinion:
Soo. This book was pretty much awesome. 
My copy has 488 pages and each and every one was filled with action, suspense, swoony moments and that feeling of not wanting to let it go. (also, there was this one cool typo, but nevermind heh)
And, those 488 pages seemed like a hundred when I was reading. I just kept flipping to the next, and before I realized what had happened, I was on the last chapter, last page, last sentence. 
And it was all over. 
And I wanted to cry. 

Because, reading TSG I realized how much I love Daniel. Realized how strong and fierce Grace is, realized how awful Calbi is, and realized that Talbot is (highlight for spoiler) lying son of a you-know-what
Well, since I don't know what else to write, I'll just say that this is a great ending, and though there are a question or two left unfinished, you get that feeling of finishing a series after reading it. 
And I really think that fans of The Dark Divine are going to be happy with how Bree wrapped it all up.
Soo, as soon as it's out, GO PICK IT UP :D


You can check out Bree's blog (oh, and if you do, there is a contest there, you can vote for your favorite fanfiction - my entry is there too, it's the first of written entries (it's on the second page, scroll a bit down), soo if you like *blink blink* there are prizes for voting ;) )
Make sure to follow her on Twitter
And check out her Goodreads page

Review: Angelina's Secret

Hello everyone! It has been such a long time since I posted, and I feel v-e-e-e-r-y bad about it (one of my New year resolutions is to be a better blogger, so yeah...) Anyway, from now on I will do my best to post at least two reviews every two weeks. And from June to September, I will be blogging full time since I will be on summer vacation then, but till then, I can't blog more than once a week, if even that much.
Today, I have a review of Angelina's Secret written by Lisa Rogers.




Goodreads blurb:

As a child, Angelina spent years in counseling learning that Josie, her imaginary friend, wasn't real, but it turns out her childhood friend wasn't imaginary after all.Now Angelina has to accept she's either (A) crazy or (B) able to see ghosts. Wanting to believe in her sanity, she chooses (B) and welcomes Josie back into her life. But even Josie can't help her deal with Shelly, the spirit of a confused teenager, and things go very, very wrong.When Angelina finds herself in a psychiatric hospital, she faces a choice: she can spend the rest of her life pretending to be someone she isn't, or she can embrace who she is and take a chance that she may never get to go home.

Personal opinion:
Okay, so.
When I signed up for an ARC of Angelina's Secret, I had no idea what to expect, honestly.
And when it arrived, I was anxious to read it.

Angelina is not your typical high-school cheerleader.
She sees and talks to ghosts. Well, either that or she's crazy.

And you know what? You don't quite know which one it is until the very end.
At the beginning, I wasn't hooked to this novel, but I kept going, and to tell you the truth, I'm glad I did.
It was actually a fresh read,with a subject I didn't come across a lot in another novels, and I can honestly say I liked it.
The story hooks you in, makes you flip the pages to finally know what's going on, it's full of surprises, and it makes you relate with Angelina at least a bit (or maybe that was just me).

Plus, the cover is creepy-cool!

Soo, all in all, when Lisa Rogers publishes her next novel, I will definitely make sure to check it out!

5 stars

*thanks to Spencer Hill Press and Kate Kaynak for sending me an ARC*

You can befriend Lisa on Goodreads
Visit her page on Spencer Hill Press site

Review: Shatter Me

Goodreads blurb:

Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days. 

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color. 

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now. 

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior. 

In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting asThe Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel.




Personal opinion:



Short review: Go. Read. This. Book. NOW.


Long(er) review: I read Shatter Me from 9:10 to 11:56 pm. The whole novel. And maybe it's because I'm a fast reader, but the perfection of the novel had lots to do with it, so...


No amount of Oh my Gods would be enough to express how brilliant this book was.
Seriously. Tahereh Mafi, this is your first novel?!? 
She writes so unique, so magical, so poetic and emotional it was such a rush reading it. Once, I stopped reading and I realized my face literally had a pained expression, because I just felt so compassionate to Juliette and so sad for her.
When you're reading Shatter Me, every emotion is there, every. Plus, the writing makes you feel those emotions ten times stronger.


So, all in all, every expectation I had for Shatter Me was achieved, and I wasn't wrong when I thought this one would become one of my all-time favorite.


Rating standards, why only 5 stars? This one deserves a whole nightsky of stars.

Find Tahereh on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4637539.Tahereh_Mafi

Visit her website: http://www.taherehmafi.com/
Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/TaherehMafi

And lastly, buy Shatter Me. You won't regret it.

Double review: Hunting Lila and The Sky is Everywhere

The Sky Is Everywhere
Goodreads blurb:


Lennie plays second clarinet in the school orchestra and has always happily been second fiddle to her charismatic older sister, Bailey. Then Bailey dies suddenly, and Lennie is left at sea without her anchor. Overcome by emotion, Lennie soon finds herself torn between two boys: Bailey's boyfriend, Toby, and Joe, the charming and musically gifted new boy in town. While Toby can't see her without seeing Bailey and Joe sees her only for herself, each offers Lennie something she desperately needs. But ultimately, it's up to Lennie to find her own way toward what she really needs-without Bailey. A remarkable debut novel perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Francesca Lia Block.


Personal opinion:
Have you ever read a book, that made you laugh and cry at the same time, that made you feel the happiest but the saddest person in the world? A book that gave you that special butterflies in stomach feeling? 

Well, I have. And the book is The Sky is Everywhere. 
And I think I just said more with three sentences than with a hundred. 

Definitely one of my new favorites, forever. If there was a ten star rating, this novel would deserve it. 

*Bat. Bat. Bat.*

Hunting Lila

Goodreads blurb:

17-year-old Lila has two secrets she's prepared to take to the grave. The first is that she can move things just by looking at them. The second is that she's been in love with her brother's best friend, Alex, since forever. Or thereabouts.After a mugging on the streets of South London goes horribly wrong and exposes her unique ability, Lila decides to run to the only people she can trust - her brother and Alex. They live in Southern California where they work for a secret organisation called The Unit, and Lila discovers that the two of them are hunting down the men who murdered her mother five years before. And that they've found them. Trying to uncover the truth of why her mother was killed, and the real remit of The Unit, Lila becomes a pawn in a dangerous game. Struggling to keep her secrets in a world where nothing and no one is quite as they seem, Lila quickly realises that she is not alone - there are others out there just like her - people with special powers -and her mother's killer is one of them...

Personal opinion:

Oh, this novel. So freakinglybrilliant. (yes, one word :P) 

For months now, I've been hearing all these things about Hunting Lila, and every one of them was positive, saying that it is such a good novel, you'd never say it's debut. And that is so very true! 

Sarah Alderson's got a way with words that will make you and then break you. 
Hunting Lila is full of suspense, adventures, lies, sercecy, romance, twists and turns that will make your head spin. 
And then there's Alex ;) 

I loved Lila, the main heroine, because she was fierce but vulnerable, and she was determined. 
Alex, oh Alex. He was soo swoon worthy. There was one scene where I was just awww-ing. You cannot not love him. 

BUT, that end was a KILLER. Made me curse a bit hah. Can't wait for Losing Lila! :) 

Big 5 stars

Review: Obsidian

*thank goodness for NetGalley - if it weren't for it, I'd have to wait till Dec 6th to read this one*

Goodreads blurb: 

Starting over sucks. 

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring…. until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up. 

And then he opened his mouth. 

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens. 

The hot alien living next door marks me. 

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. 

If I don’t kill him first, that is.

Perosonal opinion:

Seriously?

This just happened?

Daa-yum.

Okay, after reading first Daimon, then Half-Blood and now Obsidian, I can absolutely certainly say that Miss Jennifer L. Armentrout is a freakin genious!!

Obsidian is a fresh story, nothing like I've read before, filled with humor, butt-kicking, and hawt boys (well there's only one that mattered to me ;) ) and, mostly, it was a fun rollercoaster.

Ups, downs, more ups, more downs… this novel has action, which trough the second half of the novel becomes more and more present, and more dangerous and more exciting.

But, the thing I wanted to ramble about here is DAEMON. Come on, say it with me – Daemon.

A.K.A. total- uber- ultra- damn- hot- bad boy Daemon. That boy spells trouble with a capital T.

He was frustrating, rude, cocky, cold, hot, adorable, sexy. Perfect.

You could say he's a bad boy just like others, but you'd be wrong. Because he's not only a complete ass in the beginning, but stays like that the whole novel ;) But trust me, you want him to be your neighbor.

Next one up is the main character, Katy. 

4 reasons I loved her:

1.) Her snarkiness.

2.) She's bold (the cafeteria scene, anyone ;)?)

3.) She showed Daemon he's not the only one in charge

4.) She's a book-blogger - I mean, how awesome is that? She does Waiting On Wednesday, In My Mailbox,  gets comments on her reviews etc. And it's instantly easier to relate to her :D

To sum up, pick Obsidian up as soon as it's out!

Huuge shining 5 stars!

Review: The Scorpio Races

*first, a huuge thank you to Sarah and Rachel from Scholastic for sending me the novel to review*

Goodreads blurb:

It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die. 

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them. 

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.

Personal opinion:

 Okay, so. When I finished reading The Scorpio Races, I was torn. Torn between loving this novel and hating it. Loving because it is, like all Maggie Stiefvater's novels, written so extraordinarily and beautifully. And hating it, because I just couldn't get into it. At first, at least. 

The pace was a bit slower, and there isn't much romance in the novel, so that, if you are not a fan of this kind of novels, might throw you off of reading it. And, at times, I felt like it would do the same to me.
But I stuck with it and finished it in matter of days, though it's a pretty thick novel. And, everything added up, I do not regret reading it.

The Scorpio Races is different. For one, Maggie's writing is something out-of-this-worldly. She has a way with words that will make you smile and cry at the same time. Little "tricks" she does, like repeating a word two or three times define the atmosphere and mood and it's a perfect touch.
Also, the novel is unlike any novel I've read, with its unusual plot and creatures.

The characters were unique, Puck in her brave and fearless, and Sean in his graceful and loveable way. When they are together, magic begins. 
They work so well together, just fit each other. And now, as I write this and remember the novel, I see more and more how love is in this novel, hidden behind a bush of roses, lurking in silence. But it is there.

So, overall, the good prevails by a lot and I must give The Scorpio Races five stars :)

Lots and lots of short reviews

Hi! Okay, so you might know that I'm sick and spending time at home, so I figured I could write and post a few reviews while I'm here. So,

UNVEILED by Trisha Wolfe
Check it out on Goodreads here
My review:
Short, but fun and intense read. Actually surprised me how much of greatness fit into 30-ish pages! Loved the characters, the story and the kissing parts ;)
Now I'm eagerly awaiting the full novel with characters from Unveiled.
Thanks Trisha for offering me Unveiled to review! :)
5 stars 


SKID OUT (Heavy Influence novella) by Ann Marie Frohoff
Goodreads page
My review:
Okay, so. Jake and Alyssa's story is short, but a sweet one. It portraits love in a usual, but new way. It felt real. The characters, their emotions, the situations they were in. 
And I think you should give it a chance because I'm sure this was only the beginning and the trilogy will be awesome.
4.5 stars

SOPHIE & CARTER by Chelsea Fine

Check it out!

My review: 

"Our moment is over so I slowly release her. She moves away from me and a piece of me dies."

Oh boy *suffers from a total cuteness overload*
I got my copy of Sophie & Carter for review earlier today and started it immediately. *fast-forward a few hours* And here I am now, writing this review with a big happy smile on my face.
117 pages long, this novel had me aww-ing, smiling, feeling sad and sorry all in once.
Sophie and Carter, the two main characters and narratives, had been through hell of a life, dealing with family problems. They live next door, and they know each others' troubles more than their own. And that's what keeps them inseparable.
S&C is a cute, fast read, though I wouldn't say that it's very light, because it talks about some issues. Still, I savoured it quickly and I'm very glad I requested this novel, because it made me in love with love. :)

Definitely 5 stars and I cannot wait for the sequel!

SIX MOON SUMMER & ALL HALLOWS MOON by S. M. Reine

Six Moon Summer

All Hallows Moon

My review:
Oh this books. You know that feeling, when you finish a book and you're literally DYING for more? Yeah? Well, that's how I felt after reading Six Moon Summer.

I loved Riley's story, it captivated me from the beginning. S. M. Reine has that something in her writing that makes you long for more. Also, the parts where she writes the transformations were just... horrifyingly brilliant.

And then I reached the end of Book 1 and I was clicking franticly for more, but there wasn't more. UNTIL, I got All Hallows Moon.

And the sequel was even more heart-breaking and gritty than the first one!

And that's why I really, really love this series. They only get better and better. *Psst, I've found out there will be more books*

5 stars

PEARL by Jo Knowles

Find it -add it- here

My review:

Loved it!
This is a story about Pearl or Bean, however you want to call her, and her not-so-perfect life.
I won't get into the plot, but I will say that PEARL is really a heart-breaking story of loss, friendship, family and love. It was captivating, and I maybe kinda cried a little... not that I would admit.
Anyways, I really liked the bond between Pearl and Henry, and their ways of deeling with some serious stuff.
Definitely a novel worth reading!
5 stars

Okay, this is it for round 1! I'll be posting more soon.

And stay tuned for blog tours and giveaways very soon! :)
Read on :)

Special quadruple review: The Iron Fey Series

Well hello there! Long time no write. Anyway, today I have a special treat for you. It is a review - but not just one review, or double, nor even triple review. But quadruple . That's right. I am reviewing the whole, entire The Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa. The reason why I don't have a single review for each book is because I feel I can exprerss my opinion better like this. So, let's start.

Book 1:
The Iron King

Book 2:
The Iron Daughter

Book 3:
The Iron Queen

Book 4:
The Iron Knight


REVIEW:

Oh my.

That's the reaction I had after finishing this series. It was seriously brilliant.

The story follows the life of Meghan Chase, a 16-year-old (in the first book, at least) girl who leads a pretty typical life.

All until.

All until Meghan finds out that her best friend is actually Puck, yes, The Puck, her brother gets kidnapped by faeries, and everything falls apart.
But then Ash comes along. Along with ooh-s and ahh-s (from me, that is).
I'm getting off the subject. Anyway, this series is fun, fast-paced, but like seriously, one trouble after another, but it works out great! Also, the characters are well defined, some very loveable, some not-so-much. But all of them you just get, know what I mean?
Also, this series is filled with snarky lines - mostly from the hillarious Puck, who we love ;) Don't get me wrong, I'm Team Ash and all, but hey- you gotta give credits to Puck!

Then, Julie Kagawa just has a way of pulling you into the story in a way that you forget about the enemy at the beggining and then at the end, when the enemy reappears, you are left with a big OH. (again, at least that was me)

Next thing - romance. It was oh-so-sweet. Really. :)

Also, the first three books are written from Meghan's POV. And I really liked her as a protagonist, she was fierce, did looots of risky things to save her brother, and really grew to a brave leader.
So, originally, The Iron Fey was supposed to be a trilogy, but since book 3 ended up so mean- what a cliffy, really- Julie wrote a fourth book. Which hadn't come out yet, it will in October, but I read an e-ARC from NetGalley (thanks NetGalley!)

The Iron Knight is written from Ash's POV and it follows him on his journey. I really can't say much due to the spoilers, but I can say that this book was INTENSE.
It took a while to get used to Ash's POV, since I read the books back-to-back, but once in, you can't stop. We learn a lot about Ash, and understand him fully at last. Julie Kagawa completes the story perfectly, and there is sacrifice, love, friendship, and true values of life.
So, there were a few surprises, and at one point I was thinking what the hell until I realized what was happening.
Well, you probably already heard how it all ends, so I'll just say that the ending left me craving for more, but in a way that it was sooo GOOD I
wanted to read more and more.

Definitely one of the best series I've read!!

HUGE 5 stars!

Julie Kagawa's website: http://www.juliekagawa.com/
All The Iron Fey books on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/series/47329-iron-fey
Follow Julie on twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/Jkagawa

You're more than welcome to leave a comment ;)
Hope you liked!
Read on :)

Review: The Girl In The Steel Corset

Hello there! Tonight (well, my time) I'm reviewing a novel by Kady Cross. The one me loved. So:

Goodreads blurb:
In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne has no one except the "thing" inside her. 

When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But no normal Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man with one punch...

Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her that says she's special, says she's one of them. The orphaned duke takes her in from the gaslit streets against the wishes of his band of misfits. Emily, who has her own special abilities and an unrequited love for Sam, who is part robot; and Jasper, an American cowboy with a shadowy secret.

Griffin's investigating a criminal called The Machinist, the mastermind behind several recent crimes by automatons. Finley thinks she can help-and finally be a part of something, finally fit in.

But The Machinist wants to tear Griff's little company of strays apart, and it isn't long before trust is tested on all sides. At least Finley knows whose side she's on, even if it seems no one believes her.
Personal opinion:

Okay, so, short version:
Had this book on my to-read list for a long time, finally got in, and loved it.

The longer version:

Oh em gee!
Ok, before I got TGITSC, I read the prequel novella The Strange Case of Finley Jayne. At first, I was skeptical about the steampunk, because I prefer my books to be in the time that we're in now. BUT, Kady Cross got me over to the dark Victorian side ;)
Finley Jayne is a one cool kick-ass lady!
I actually expected TGITSC to be written in only Finley's POV, but we got inside a couple of other characters too, and instead of killing the story, Kady Cross made it work out very greatly.
And I admit, at first it was a bit hard to keep up with the story and I was confused, and that was around 50 pages in. But then, something just clicked. In that one moment, I understood completely and just knew what would this novel be about. And believe me, if you're confused, don't give up! Because this novel is SO WORTH IT.
There were a few scenes to which I absolutely melted, because they were sooo sweet and beautifully written. But also, the novel had me on the edge of my seat a few times and I just had to know what would happen next.
I read TGITSC in two days, and if it hadn't been for school, I'd read it in one sitting, trust me!
And then was that end. And it left me gaping mouth, begging for more!
So, yeah, this book is a total win! Get it. NOW. :D
5 brilliant stars

And, also, special thanks to Daphne because I won TGITSC from her! xoxo girl :)

Double review: Shade & Shift plus a few #TeamKilt flashbacks

Okay, today I'm doing something new, which is double review.  Why? Because I think I'll tell you a better story if I review both of them together.


SHADE:

Love ties them together. Death can't tear them apart.

Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last.

Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone.

Well, sort of.

Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan's violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost.

It doesn't help that Aura's new friend Zachary is so understanding—and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit.

As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart...and clues to the secret of the Shift.

SHIFT:

Aura’s life is anything but easy. Her boyfriend, Logan, died, and his slides between ghost and shade have left her reeling. Aura knows he needs her now more than ever. She loves Logan, but she can’t deny her connection with the totally supportive, totally gorgeous Zachary. And she’s not sure that she wants to.

Logan and Zachary will fight to be the one by her side, but Aura needs them both to uncover the mystery of her past—the mystery of the Shift.

As Aura’s search uncovers new truths, she must decide whom to trust with her secrets…and her heart.

Personal opinion:

  

Let me start with 'my story' about these books. I have a little confession. I have checked out Shade and Shift on Goodreads twice before, but the whole ghost concept didn't really appeal to me. Still, I put the books on my to-read list, you know, worth giving a shot, aye? ;)

Then came YA Crush Tournament. And those were weeks that the whole literaly world went hazy. Also, this is where I actually learned more about Shade, Shift, the awesome author Jeri Smith-Ready and also Logan and Zach. I'll get back on those two later. So, slowly, I joined #TeamKilt without even reading any of the books or knowing anything. All I knew that that was a team of soo many awesome new people I met who were so united and determined to bring glory to a character. And *that* was exactly what convinced me to read these two. That unity made me realize that this Zachary Moore was so worth it and so awesome that they all joined forces and brought him from the last seed to the finals! The FINALS, people. *That* is power. So, I voted too, not knowing who this Zach is or what he's like. Still, I voted. And boy I'm glad I did.     That final round was the most stresful and the funnest day in my reading/blogging life :)
Reason number one: You guys, my fellow #TeamKilt - ers are The Best!
For example, Brooke.  (This awesome lady) Okay, she's more Team Logan than Team Zach, but I won Shade in her twitter giveaway and I owe her a huuuuuuuge thank you! :)
Then, Kimberly. (This awesome lady) My new Cybermom ;), she sent me Shift after she saw I haven't read it. Can you believe that?!? So, once again, huuuuuuuge thank you to you too! :D

Okay, so here is Brooke's blog: 

http://brooke-reports.blogspot.com/

And here is Kimberly's blog which she shares -works on- with Another awesome lady Britney :)

Also, the two girls that represented Zach sooo good and were so devoted from 

http://fictitious-delicious.blogspot.com/ Amy and Jen - you girls were awesome!

Also, another cool lady is Marissa This one who is also an awesome member of #TeamKilt :)

Now, unfortunately I cannot count all members of #TeamKilt and I'm so sorry about that because all of you are so brilliant! And if I missed someone important, and I'm sure I did, sorry!! I hope you know you're awesome!

Now, look at all this, and I haven't said a word about the books.
So, let me start with Shade.
The first few chapters - three and a half, to be more specific- are fun and, well, as much happy-ish as they can be. I was immediately sucked into Aura's world and emotions, feeling her anticipation and excitement as well. But then came a tragedy. (since it says in the blurb what happens, I won't tag this as a spoiler) Logan died. And then came trouble. And grief. And anger. But, again, I felt the emotions, I felt Aura's saddness. I felt the Keeleys' saddness. Because Ms. Smith-Ready can write. And believe me, Jeri can write.
So now, Logan is a ghost, and not everyone can see him. So here is one part of the story.
Then, we have Aura in school. Enters Zachary, the new student. He is Scottish, in case you were wondering about the #TeamKilt ;). Full of understanding and patience, Zachary slowly becomes more than just a friend to Aura. And that is kinda a problem, since she, you know, already has a boyfriend. And this is where the Logan part and the Zachary part interwine and it becomes something like a love triangle.
But trust me, this one you'll have trouble deciding which boy you'll be rooting for because they are both special for their own something. Like I said for Zach, he's so calm and cute and sweet and polite and everything. But on the other side, Logan is -was- a musician, he's funny, he's cool. And they both have qualities, but also some flaws, which is understood.
And there is this third part of the book, which is related to the ghost element of the story. In Aura's world, people are either born before or after the Shift. The ones born before cannot see ghost, the ones after can. And so, slowly we find out that (Minor spoiler) Aura is the first person born after the Shift and Zach is the last person born before it. Which is a mystery, and has its reasons why, and Aura works with Zach to find out those reasons. Also, Aura discovers parts of her mom's diary which has some secrets in and all... So, that is the third part.
And all together, those three parts form one of the best books I've read this year.

Now, little something about Shift.

 

So, Shift picks up right where Shade ended, with something big happening, and later on Aura and Zach have to discover why that happened. There are betrayals in this book. 

There are definitely things that you will not like, but in a way that you'll be 'Oh em gee, (insert name) did not just do that!' That kind of not-liking something. 

Shift progresses with all three parts of the story. Logan, Zach, and the mystery of Shift. We have new revelations, new problems, but also, things get settled, in a way. Aura and Zach's friendship is not quite just friendship anymore, and Logan has his own plans and some other things. 

I'd like to mention a few scenes. The Prom Scene - which has got to be one of the most talked about scenes in Shift. Of course, there is a reason why. Someone does something, and I, among everyone else, was enraged. Also, another scene I want to mention is the River Scene. I actually cried at that one, it was soo both hot but sweet at the same time. And that is one of those scenes that shows how amazing and talented an author is. Because Jeri achieves that balance which, to me, is an important thing.
Also, there are a few other things. First, emotions I went through during reading these two books. Everything was there, from happiness and joy, to tears and sobbing, Shade and Shift have it all.
Also, one important thing, music.
Logan is a musician, like I said, and he's the lead vocal in the band Keeley Brothers (which, if they had a concert near my town, I'd go!). So understandably, music is an important part of Aura's life. Also, there is this one song mentioned in Shade, by Death Cab For Cutie, called I Will Possess Your Heart. And it is Zach's favorite song. So I youtubed it. And wow, that song is sooo awesome! I didn't take it off my replay for days after! So, thank you Jeri, for introducing me to some very awesome music :)

Lastly, I'd like to say something about Jeri Smith-Ready. There are no words to describe her awesomeness. Really, I don't know where to start. She's sweet, nice, friendly, she raised money for children when the YA Crush Tourney lasted, she gave out bunch of prizes (and I got a Keeley Brothers t-shirt, which should arive any day now *happy dance*). But also, for every 1000 or so votes Zach got, we got a glimpse of Shine, the last installment in the Shade trilogy (expected date of publishing: May 2012).
Some people even got an ARC, and there's only 20 of them and I'm so jelaous at them because they're so lucky :) And, Jeri also had a few more surprises for us, and they were all so fabulous.
So, thank you Jeri!

To sum up: Shade and Shift are a must-read, with a new, unique world, full of surprises, romance, friendship and learning the values of the things we have. Filled with emotional roller-coasters, mysteries, secrets and cute boys, Aura's world is a place I'd love to live in.
If you'd ask me to describe this series in one word, I'd say BRILLIANT.

Now I need to wait till May 2012 to find out what will happen, and the wait is killing me!
Overall, my rating is...

                                            6 stars!                       And this is an exception I am more than willing to make, because THIS SERIES DESERVES it. :)

Also, you can find Jeri on twitter: 

http://twitter.com/#!/jsmithready

Visit her official site: http://www.jerismithready.com/

Visit her blog: 

http://blog.jerismithready.com/

Okay, so, that's all. OH, and, in 10 days, there is this YA anthology coming out, called Enthralled, with Jeri's story about Logan, called Bridge. Just so you know :) And there are lots of other awesome authors in it too!
Read on :)

Review: Half-Blood

First, big thank you to Spencer Hill Press and Kate from it for giving me an e-ARC of this novel! I can't thank you enough! :D




Goodreads blurb: 
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.

Personal opinion:

This book was incredible. Mark my words. Incredible. And okay, I know a lot of people compare it to Vampire Academy, and I could see why, but Half-Blood totally different!

I must say, this is an action-packed, fun and snarky novel!
Like I said in my Daimon review ( http://tamarasbookramblings.blogspot.com/2011/07/my-first-review-daimon-by-jennifer-l.html ), Alex is such a great main character, and her one-liners were brilliant!

Then, Aiden. *melts* *melts* *melts*
Still hot, still awesome, still swoon worthy. Still a dream guy.
Ahem, there was one scene... ahem.

Anywaay, the action is this novel was awesome, and the climax at the end was so unexpected and surprising.
Also, there was this scene at the very end that made me cry, but I'm not sure why. It's not a particulary sad or anything scene but it was just sweet and touching. And Jennifer told me on twitter that it was one of the hardest scenes to write, and I can see why, but I can also say that she nailed it and it was really perfect.

Then, there was Seth. I actually thought that he would be a friend or something, but I didn't expect what actually happened in the book. And Seth was cocky and handsome and god like and just... yum. But okay, maybe it's just me. ;)

So, I'm not really sure I can say anything more, since my memory might trick me with some things, so all I will say is that I CANNOT wait for the sequel, Pure, and that this novel will stay one of my favs :D

5 stars

Read on :)

Ember Blog Tour - Review

Hello! Welcome to the Ember blog tour! :)
Today I have a review for you, so let's start.

Goodreads blurb:

When Candra Ember wakes up in hospital after a dangerous encounter with a red-haired woman, she is shocked to discover that seeing a winged boy wasn’t her imagination. Candra is exposed to a world of rivalry and sacrifice she never knew existed, and the aftermath of a war to save humanity thousands of years ago. Soon she finds herself relentlessly stalked by Sebastian, a beautiful and arrogant Watcher Angel and romantically pursued by his darkly seductive rival, Draven. Ultimately, dubious about her own goodness, Candra’s very existence compromises a tentative peace in the city of Acheron.




Personal opinion:

This book left me crying and dying for more. I actually went to Carol on twitter right away to ask if there will be a sequel, and thank you God, there will be :)

The story is written from two different perspectives, Candra's and Sebastian's. And it works out sooo well.

I loved the story here, I've always liked angel stories and all that, so what was here not to like? Nothing.

The characters were defined great, the story flew along nicely and the romance was soo sweet, and sometimes, so hot. Ahem.

But what was left the strongest impression on me was the emotional rollercoaster. Because, I found myself crying and laughing the same time, and I don't exactly know why. Ember just had that effect. It was full of surprises, and I read this novel literally on the edge of my chair.

And then, the end. Which is bittersweet, I'd say. I don't want to spoil anything, but... just read the whole thing, okay? To the last page.

So, yeah, overall, I give Ember 5 stars :D

Okay, so there you go! Now, make sure to visit all the other stops for interviews, reviews and giveaways ;)

http://yabound.blogspot.com/2011/08/ember-blog-tour-schedule-for-september.html

Also, there will be a grand prize: 

RUNNER UP PRIZE: An EMBER canvas tote and print copy of EMBER. GRAND PRIZE: A silver butterfly necklace, an EMBER canvas tote, and an ebook of EMBER. To enter into the GRAND PRIZE and RUNNER UP PRIZE giveaways, you must comment on ALL blog posts with your email during the tour.

So, what are you waiting for?? 
Go and enter and visit and all!
And read on! :)