As You Wish by Chelsea Sedoti

Synopsis: What if you could ask for anything- and get it? In the sandy Mojave Desert, Madison is a small town on the road between nothing and nowhere. But Eldon wouldn’t want to live anywhere else, because in Madison, everyone gets one wish—and that wish always comes true. Some people wish for money, some people wish for love, but Eldon has seen how wishes have broken the people around him. And with the lives of his family and friends in chaos, he’s left with more questions than answers. Can he make their lives better? How can he be happy if the people around him aren’t? And what hope is there for any of them if happiness isn’t an achievable dream? Doubts build, leading Eldon to a more outlandish and scary thought: maybe you can’t wish for happiness…maybe, just maybe, you have to make it for yourself.

Publication Date: January 2nd, 2018
Imprint: Sourcebooks Fire
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Genre: Teens & YA/Sci-Fi
Received From: Netgalley in exchange for honest feedback
My Rating: 4/5

I would like to provide a trigger warning for attempted suicide in the content of this book.

As You Wish is based on such an interesting concept, one that I'm sure we've all considered, being able to wish for our hearts desire and have it come true. But how many of us have truthfully followed the ideas of our wishes all the way through to consider how they might have come out? That maybe it won't turn out exactly how we hoped? That maybe you should be careful what you wish for?  We're safe in our musings because there is no magical way for those wishes to happen so we're not bound by the consequences of just daydreaming.  Not so for the people of Madison.

Just like in life trying to decide what to do with your life,  go to college, start working immediately?  Are you really ready to make that life-changing to decision at 18?  Yet that is when you must make your wish, and live with whatever it brings.  I enjoyed the examination of the different wishes and how they turned out.  Many were selfish and short sighted, but we're human after all, and at 18 most of us are not equipped to be able to craft a wish that covers all the bases, that plans for every outcome that needs to be avoided. 

I was wary going in from the other varied reviews I was seeing, people either seemed to love it or hate it, and I was pleasantly surprised at how thoroughly and thoughtfully this story covered the premise of wishing and all the ways it might come out.  Our main character Eldon is flawed, as we all are, and struggling with what he wants, vs. what his family wants, a true trauma, and with just being a teenager growing up and all the social pressures that come along with that.  He doesn't make the best decisions, many of the characters don't, and the final outcome is not necessarily the best one for all involved, or in the mind of the reader, but it certainly provides a lot of food for thought. 

Overall I thought it was a well told and interesting story that made me think and pulled on my heart strings.  I appreciate the opportunity to review it!

My TBR List - November - The Upside of Unrequited - a not review

Book Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Molly Peskin-Suso knows all about unrequited love—she’s lived through it twenty-six times. She crushes hard and crushes often, but always in secret. Because no matter how many times her twin sister, Cassie, tells her to woman up, Molly can’t stomach the idea of rejection. So she’s careful. Fat girls always have to be careful. Then a cute new girl enters Cassie’s orbit, and for the first time ever, Molly’s cynical twin is a lovesick mess. Meanwhile, Molly’s totally not dying of loneliness—except for the part where she is. Luckily, Cassie’s new girlfriend comes with a cute hipster-boy sidekick. Will is funny and flirtatious and just might be perfect crush material. Maybe more than crush material. And if Molly can win him over, she’ll get her first kiss and she’ll get her twin back. There’s only one problem: Molly’s coworker Reid. He’s an awkward Tolkien superfan with a season pass to the Ren Faire, and there’s absolutely no way Molly could fall for him. Right?

This sounded really cute, but I just couldn't get into it right now, it was too much OMG cute boys, and so many crushes but never acting on them for me right now, which is exactly what it is supposed to be.  The problem for me on this one is that I don't want to live any of those things again, so I've put it aside to try some other time maybe, or maybe not.  It's all me, no reflection on the book. Hopefully I'll have better luck in December!

Coming Soon - House of Ash by Hope Cook - release date 9/26/17

Description: After hearing voices among an eerie copse of trees in the woods, seventeen-year-old Curtis must confront his worst fear: that he has inherited his father’s mental illness. A desperate search for answers leads him to discover Gravenhearst, a labyrinth mansion that burned down in 1894. When he locks eyes with a steely Victorian girl in a forgotten mirror, he’s sure she’s one of the fire’s victims. If he can unravel the mystery, he can save his sanity . . . and possibly the girl who haunts his dreams. But more than 100 years in the past, the girl in the mirror is fighting her own battles. When her mother disappears and her sinister stepfather reveals his true intentions, Mila and her sister fight to escape Gravenhearst and unravel the house’s secrets—before it devours them both.

Publication Date: September 26th, 2017
Imprint: Amulet Books
Publisher: ABRAMS Kids
Age Group: Teen & YA
Received From: Netgalley in exchange for honest feedback
My Rating: 4/5

I feel the need to give a couple of trigger warnings here for suicidal thoughts and fire.

With that out of the way, I thought this was a solid haunted/possessed house story that is perfect for your upcoming Fall/Halloween reading!

Mila and Curtis are separated by time, but have many things in common.  They both have younger sisters that mean the world to them.  They both have unreliable parents for various reasons that leave them feeling the weight of the world on their shoulders and having to take on a much more adult role than they should have to.  They are both trapped by Gravenhearst, a house with an evil past that has a life of it's own.

I am fascinated by sprawling mansions with hidden pathways and rooms that seem to have their own personality, that seem to watch you and be alive.  There is just something about an old house that makes it seem like an entity unto itself, whether thought to be haunted or not, they just have more personality that most of the structures we build today.  Maybe that's just a function of time and changes in trend, or maybe it's that the house takes on some characteristics of it's previous owners that make it feel like more than a building.  Gravenhearst is certainly a great example of the latter, and had been infused with evil intent by the family that lived there.  Like a spider at the center of it's web, the house still exerted it's influence on the town and Curtis, even years later, and destroyed to it's foundations.

Curtis believes he's going crazy, like his father.  Mila is fighting for her and her sister's lives. A magical mirror lets them find each other, and recognize a kindred spirit.  Helping each other and escaping the grasp of the house is harder.  Both have so much working against them it seems that there is no possible way out.  Curtis doesn't know who he can trust. Mila knows she can trust no one. It seems like everything goes wrong for them.

This was an exciting and exhausting, escape the house, time traversal story that will keep you on the edge of your seat while hoping for Mila and Curtis to get a happy ending!

As a side note, for those interested in older houses, here are a few I have visited that may help you imagine the scene! ;)

The Piatt Castles in Logan County, Ohio

Miramont Castle

Coming Soon! - The Epic Crush of Genie Lo by F. C. Yee - release date 8/8/17

Description: The struggle to get into a top-tier college consumes sixteen-year-old Genie Lo's every waking thought. But when her sleepy Bay Area town comes under siege from hell-spawn straight out of Chinese folklore, her priorities are suddenly and forcefully rearranged. Her only guide to the demonic chaos breaking out around her is Quentin Sun, a beguiling, maddening new transfer student from overseas. Quentin assures Genie she is strong enough to fight these monsters, for she unknowingly harbors an inner power that can level the very gates of Heaven. Genie will have to dig deep within herself to summon the otherworldly strength that Quentin keeps talking about. But as she does, she finds the secret of her true nature is entwined with his, in a way she could never have imagined…

Publication Date: August 8th, 2017

Imprint: Amulet Books

Publisher: ABRAMS Kids

Age Group: Teen & YA

Received From: Netgalley in exchange for honest feedback

My Rating: 4/5 
The Epic Crush of Genie Lo is a modern day twist on characters from Chinese Folklore. While reading I found myself very interested in what elements were actually found in the old tales and what were new from the author, and after some checking, I discovered that the history or backstory if you will, for Genie Lo is actually from 16th century tale, Journey to the West. The modern translation by Arthur Haley is called Monkey, and I'm very interested in reading it now that I've read Genie Lo.

While the story wasn't as smooth as I might have liked, it does have a lot to recommend it, chief among those to me was getting me interested in the mythology it is inspired by.  It is not a retelling of Journey to the West, instead it takes some of those characters, gives them modern personalities, and with a new conflict, goes to town!   It is action packed, with interesting fight scenes that are unique in the problems faced to overcome each enemy. It is humorous in that Genie is dealing with an invasion of demons and trying to get into college at the same time, a tall order for any teenager, even one with heretofore unknown super powers.

I enjoyed the story line, and the use of mythology, and most of the characters, except for Genie herself.  I don't dislike her, but I had a hard time bonding with her.  I am okay with all the other characters but her, and I wonder if that's because it's written in first person narrative, with Genie telling us the story as it's happening. She grows as the story unfolds, but it's hard to overcome that initial discord for me.  I didn't feel like the times she swears in the beginning of the story are really merited by the events taking place, and some of the expletives chosen really turned me off.  I'll admit this is potentially more of a pet peeve of my own than a flaw, but it was jarring and didn't add to the story for me.

Overall The Epic Crush of Genie Lo was a fun read and got me interested in learning more about the mythological characters it showcased.  I would recommend it to those who enjoy that mesh of modern and myth, like myself!

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

From Goodreads: For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human… until the cold makes him shift back again. Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human—or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

The Raven Cycle was my first encounter with Maggie Stiefvater, and it made her an immediate favorite author.  She is talented in so many different ways, writing, art, music, cooking, she just constantly amazes me.

Going back to Shiver, which was not her first novel, but at least one of her earlier ones, I was interested to see how it compared to The Raven Boys, and while TRB is a much more complex story, there is plenty in Shiver to like.  I actually ended up listening to this one, and the voice for Grace just seemed too young to me, but then it's been quite awhile since I was that age.  Yes, it is an angsty teen werewolf story, there is romance, and friend troubles, but the main characters are well done, with back stories and family challenges that add depth to their story.  The method of becoming a werewolf is traditional, being bitten, but there's more.  Grace herself is an anomaly, having been bitten in her childhood, but never turned.  Turning isn't moon driven in this story, it's based on temperature, but they can still only hold it off for so long, and there comes a time when they may not turn back, so there is the tragic aspect of losing your humanity forever. While some revel in the wolf and never want to turn back, Sam wishes he could stay human, to be with Grace.

I can definitely see Maggie has matured and grown as a writer over time, but I feel like whatever she does, she adds a unique spin, and I'm looking forward to the rest of this series, and catching up on everything else she has done, and will do!  In fact, I had to pre-order  All the Crooked Saints because she was offering to draw doodles on a limited number and I couldn't resist! Here is artwork she made for the Raven Cycle books, along with music she wrote for The Raven King, which I believe they used in the audiobook:

I may just be a little bit of a Stiefvater fan girl. ;)

My TBR List - March 2017 Winner: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

 And the winner is...

From Goodreads: For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human… until the cold makes him shift back again. Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human—or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

You all were clearly into werewolves this time!  I'm really looking forward to any and all of Maggie's books, so here we go!  Check out this blog post from Maggie herself talking about what it's like to be on her side of the signing table.

9 votes

4 votes

2 votes

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

From Goodreads: A coming-of-age tale of fan fiction, family and first love. Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan... But for Cath, being a fan is her life—and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving. Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere. Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to. Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words... And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone. For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

Fangirl was my first Rainbow Rowell novel and I'm definitely in for more! What attracted me to this one was the fan fiction aspect, while I never published anything I wrote online, I have many many pages about one of my favorite bands that I wrote in college and beyond, so I totally get it. I could really identify with her reasons for writing, and also her trouble at writing something original. As an adult still interested in writing, I want to move away from fan writing and make something original all my own, and it is hard! Writing within an established world that you've taken so much joy in is comforting, stepping out of that zone and trying to create something new is terrifying, and initially kind of sterile. I believe now that I wrote because I was depressed and stressed, for many reasons, and that was my escape.

Past the writing aspect, I really enjoyed the character development and the relationships.  I loved Cath's roommate and Levi, who is such an unbelievable sweetheart.  I was angry at Cath's sister Wren and just felt so much for Cath's struggles and the hard time her Dad went through. This was a great coming of age story, and now I'll also have to read Carry On, which is Cath's fan fiction.  I think that's awesome that Rainbow Rowell went ahead and wrote that too!

This one gets a definite recommend from me, and I'm looking forward to more!

My TBR List - March 2016 - Faery

Welcome to my March 2016 edition of My To Be Read List, hosted by Michelle @ Because Reading. This is a monthly meme where we offer up 3 choices from our TBR pile for our readers to pick from to help us make the super hard decision of "what do I read next?" a little easier and to whittle away at the ever growing TBR Mountain! 

Theme: Faery, I thought that was an appropriate March idea! ;) Feel free to leave me a comment and tell me which you chose and why.

The poll will stay open through Friday 3/11 , and I'll update this post with the winning book on Saturday 3/12, then post a review on the 4th Saturday of the month, 3/26. (I may be a little late this month, unless I can get it read early!)

If you think this sounds fun and would like to join (the more the merrier, because we love voting!) please head on over to Because Reading where Michelle lays out the rules for us!

And the choices are...

From Goodreads: Sixteen-year-old Deirdre Monaghan is a painfully shy but prodigiously gifted musician. She's about to find out she's also a cloverhand—one who can see faeries. Deirdre finds herself infatuated with a mysterious boy who enters her ordinary suburban life, seemingly out of thin air. Trouble is, the enigmatic and gorgeous Luke turns out to be a gallowglass—a soulless faerie assassin. An equally hunky—and equally dangerous—dark faerie soldier named Aodhan is also stalking Deirdre. Sworn enemies, Luke and Aodhan each have a deadly assignment from the Faerie Queen. Namely, kill Deirdre before her music captures the attention of the Fae and threatens the Queen's sovereignty. Caught in the crossfire with Deirdre is James, her wisecracking but loyal best friend. Deirdre had been wishing her life weren't so dull, but getting trapped in the middle of a centuries-old faerie war isn't exactly what she had in mind . . . Lament is a dark faerie fantasy that features authentic Celtic faerie lore, plus cover art and interior illustrations by acclaimed faerie artist Julia Jeffrey.

From Goodreads: Swept away into a court of magic and beauty, she discovers she is Tania, the lost princess of Faerie: the youngest daughter of Oberon and Titania. Since Tania's mysterious disappearance on the eve of her wedding five hundred years before, Faerie has been sunk in darkness and gloom. The courtly Lord Gabriel Drake, who Tania was once to marry, has found her and brought her back. With Tania's return, Faerie comes alive again as a land of winged children, glittering balls, and fantastic delights. But Tania can't forget Anita's world, or the boy she loved there. Torn between two loves and between two worlds, Tania slowly comes to discover why she disappeared so long ago. She possesses a singular magical ability and she must use it to stop a sinister plan that threatens the entire world of Faerie.

From Goodreads: Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined. Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home. When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change. But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil, no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

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Wishlist Wednesday #2: Library of Souls (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children #3) by Ransom Riggs

Wishlist Wednesday is a book blog hop where we will post about one book per week that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added (it's entirely up to you), that we can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto our wonderful shelves. It is hosted by Pen to Paper, just click on the button to the left if you'd like to join us!

From Goodreads: The adventures that began with Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and continued with Hollow City comes to a thrilling conclusion with Library of Souls. As the story opens, sixteen-year-old Jacob discovers a powerful new ability, and soon he’s diving through history to rescue his peculiar companions from a heavily guarded fortress. Accompanying Jacob on his journey are Emma Bloom, a girl with fire at her fingertips, and Addison MacHenry, a dog with a nose for sniffing out lost children. They’ll travel from modern-day London to the labyrinthine alleys of Devil’s Acre, the most wretched slum in all of Victorian England. It’s a place where the fate of peculiar children everywhere will be decided once and for all. Like its predecessors, Library of Souls blends thrilling fantasy with never-before-published vintage photography.

This is such a different series, combined with the vintage style photography.  I'm on the audiobook list for this one at the library, so I hope I'll be listening to it soon!  I recommend them, and also taking a look at the hard copy if you can for the photos, so strange, and intriguing!

What books are on your wishlist?

The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron

The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was deeply drawn into this amazing and secret world that Katherine found herself in. Almost immediately I became attached to Uncle Tully and his toys, and completely sympathetic to Katherine and her plight. The dark richness of the grand but decaying house and complex grounds, and the family secrets which came to light all gave vivid depth to the world. An interestingly set teen mystery with a gothic feel and a satisfying resolution, though with an open end that leads to a second book which I'm definitely looking forward to! I definitely recommend to the historical, steampunk, mystery fan.

View all my reviews

Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard

From Goodreads: The year is 1876, and there’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia… Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper— The Dead are rising in Philadelphia. And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother. Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.

I checked this out as an e-book from our local library because I saw it on many lists of various meme's I was participating in. I thought the cover was pretty, and was told it was a good zombie book for those who aren't real excited about zombies, and I have to agree with that. It's American historical, some steampunk, fighting the undead.  I liked Eleanor and Daniel and how she forced the Spirit Hunters to take her seriously.  It was an entertaining story and I'm looking forward to more! 

Susan Dennard's Website

Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann

From Goodreads: Kendall loves her life in small town Cryer's Cross, Montana, but she also longs for something more. She knows the chances of going to school in New York are small, but she's not the type to give up easily. Even though it will mean leaving Nico, the world's sweetest boyfriend, behind. But when Cryer's Cross is rocked by unspeakable tragedy, Kendall shoves her dreams aside and focuses on just one goal: help find her missing friends. Even if it means spending time with the one boy she shouldn't get close to... the one boy who makes her question everything she feels for Nico. Determined to help and to stay true to the boy she's always loved, Kendall keeps up the search--and stumbles upon some frightening local history. She knows she can't stop digging, but Kendall is about to find out just how far the townspeople will go to keep their secrets buried....

Lisa McMann has become my go to author for a Dewey's 24-hour Read-a-thon read. I had saved this one for the next Dewey's just this past April, and I wasn't disappointed. The print style and large spacing makes it easy to read, but the stories are far from simple, and they are enthralling, which is what makes them perfect for a read-a-thon. This story is so much more than the basic blurb above. Kendall's life is complicated by having OCD. She needs to have things just so, or be able to complete certain tasks in a certain way or she doesn't feel right. I disagree with the last statement of the blurb above because it makes it sound like the townspeople are working together to hide something, and I didn't really get that impression at all. There is an element of paranormal, and McMann is really good at striking that just right note of creepy and suspense that keeps you turning pages until you find out what's going on. The Dream Catcher trilogy, Wake, Fade and Gone were my first reads of this author, and still my favorite, but Cryer's Cross was a good stand alone that I highly recommend.

I've just picked up the Unwanteds, which is a little heftier than the others of hers I have read, but looks to be more in the fantasy genre. I absolutely love the cover of it!




Check out Lisa McMann's website for more information. I think the Visions trilogy and Dead to You both sound great!

Giveaway: US Kindle copy of Wild at Heart Vol. I and II Benefitting Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge

Dewey's Read-A-Thon is just around the corner, and the Wild at Heart Anthologies would be perfect for it! Even if you don't participate in read-a-thons, these are enjoyable reads and even better, their purchase benefits the Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge near Eureka Springs, Arkansas.


Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge

The refuge is dedicated to providing a forever home for abandoned, abused and neglected big cats. Being the big softies they are, there are other animals there as well, including, you guessed it, several bears, probably so that we could all say "Lions and Tigers and Bears! Oh My!" when we visit. They have recently performed a rescue of 32 big cats from another location that needed to close down, taking 28 of the animals into their own fold, a massive undertaking to say the least. Their goal is to eventually be able to provide large habitats for all the animals so that they can run and play and enjoy the grass beneath their feet and just have room to move around in. Much of the work is provided by interns and volunteers, including the building of the habitats which can cost around $25,000 each. As you can imagine food and veterinary care for that many large animals is also very expensive.

My husband and I visited the refuge last year and were very impressed. We actually stayed there for two nights in one of the several different housing options they have so that we could listen to the lions caroling to each other, as a big cat lover, I thought it was very cool. If you're looking for an interesting vacation idea and love big cats, I highly recommend giving them a visit, and scenic/historic and maybe haunted town of Eureka Springs is close by, so there is plenty to do!


Wild at Heart Anthologies

(paraphrased from the descriptions of the two anthologies) These are available for Kindle on Amazon at $2.99 each or in paperback for $8.99 each. These two volumes of short stories were produced by the Diamond State Romance Authors, and showcase the plight of large wild creatures and their need to have safe homes and/or freedom. They are a mixture of paranormal and contemporary stories. Volume II is specifically young adult stories. All profits from this collection will go directly to the refuge to help with the care and feeding of the rescued animals.

Wild at Heart Vol. I
Wild at Heart Vol. II


The Giveaway

I am going to give away one copy of each for the US Kindle. I'll have two separate giveaways since one is for young adult specifically so be sure to enter both if you are interested in both. I'll choose winners Thursday April 25th so that I can try to get it sent out in time for Dewey's Read-a-thon on April 27th if the winners are interested in that. Good Luck!

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Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

From Goodreads: WORLDS KEPT THEM APART. DESTINY BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER. Aria has lived her whole life in the protected dome of Reverie. Her entire world confined to its spaces, she's never thought to dream of what lies beyond its doors. So when her mother goes missing, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland long enough to find her are slim. Then Aria meets an outsider named Perry. He's searching for someone too. He's also wild - a savage - but might be her best hope at staying alive. If they can survive, they are each other's best hope for finding answers.

I participated in a read-a-long for Under the Never Sky hosted by On a Bookbender and Books with Cass. They had some questions for us to answer about it, so I think I will let those serve as my review, and tease you a bit! I really enjoyed this book, and am looking forward to Through the Ever Night, and also getting a hold of the short story about Liv and Roar.

1. What do you think of Aria’s adjustment to living outside the Realms?

It seemed almost too easy for her, compared to what was happening when others were cut off from the realms, but we later found out why! Not that it was a piece of cake for her, I was impressed by her fortitude. She was so determined, and not going to be bested by the elements, her own condition, or Perry. She was a very strong character.

2. These two worlds are so different from each other, which would you want to be in?

This is a tough one because the realms have a lot of appeal, but you just can't beat Mother Nature and the peace it brings to be outside among the trees and the sky. I think the realms would eventually pale in comparison to reality, so if I can't have both, then I'll have to pick outside the domes.

3. If you had a Smart-Eye, what would you do? Where would you go?

Archaeological sites for sure! Egypt, Mexico, Greece, all those places I can't afford to go to right now. I think it would be a lot of fun to have the fantasy realms as well.

4. Who was your favorite character and why?

I have to go with Perry, I'm a softie for the tortured heroes. Though again, I was very impressed with Aria, she was a strong girl, and got through all the nasty surprises that were thrown her way. I think Perry must have had a little more admiration for her when he got to walk a bit in her shoes through the Smarteye. I'm also looking forward to getting to know Roar better!

5. Make a few predictions about what you think will happen in Through the Ever Night.

Without being spoilery... I think they will find what they're looking for, I think there will be hurt feelings over information held back, but I think they'll "win" out over the dwellers, or find a way to to "win" for everyone. I'm all optomistic like that!

Check out Veronica Rossi's Website for more info!

Read-a-long: Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

From March 1st - March 29th On a Book Bender and Books with Cass are hosting a Read-a-long of Under the Never Sky and Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi. I will take part by reading the first book (pictured at left), I rarely read 2 books by the same author back to back, I have to skip around. Click on either blog link above to be taken to the sign up page for the schedule and the first round of questions. There is also a Twitter hashtag #UTENreadalong for updates, come join us! I've only read the first 10 pages and I'm already sucked in! So far it feels like this might appeal to you if you liked The Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld, or Divergent by Veronica Roth. I'm intrigued to see where it goes.

Midnighters #1: The Secret Hour by Scott Westerfeld

From Goodreads: Nobody is safe in the secret hour. Strange things happen at midnight in the town of Bixby, Oklahoma. Time freezes. Nobody moves. For one secret hour each night, the town belongs to the dark creatures that haunt the shadows. Only a small group of people know about the secret hour -- only they are free to move about the midnight time. These people call themselves Midnighters. Each one has a different power that is strongest at midnight: Seer, Mindcaster, Acrobat, Polymath. For years the Midnighters and the dark creatures have shared the secret hour, uneasily avoiding one another. All that changes when the new girl with an unmistakable midnight aura appears at Bixby High School. Jessica Day is not an outsider like the other Midnighters. She acts perfectly normal in every way. But it soon becomes clear that the dark creatures sense a hidden power in Jessica . . . and they're determined to stop her before she can use it.

A very interesting idea, a 25th hour where only certain people are awake and aware, and a whole different set of creatures are in existence. I liked the storyline the most, I couldn't really get in touch with the characters. I did really like Dess and her Polymath talent, and the names she would give to her weapons, that was a fun idea. I'm actually glad I read this one after having read Westerfeld's Uglies and Leviathan series. His character development has really gotten amazing, and while I enjoyed this one, I'm not sure I would have pursued more of his books if this had been my first one, and he's become one of my favorite authors. He's extremely versatile, each series I've read by him has been a completely different idea, in no way related to the others, so you never know what you're going to get, only that it will be great! I do recommend this one, the premise alone is worth it!

Scott Westerfeld seems very in touch and accessible to his fan base, and often features fan art and photos that have been sent to him on his blog and on Twitter. There are some recent Midnighter ones on there from last month. ScottWesterfeld.com

I can't wait to see what he comes up with next! In the meantime I have these older books to catch up on.

Dewey's 24 hour Read-a-thon October 2012 Edition

Good morning, afternoon, evening or dead of night to you, wherever you are! It's time again for Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-thon!

This will be my 6th Dewey's Read-a-thon, it's hard to believe, and while my excitement is tempered now by familiarity, I'm still looking forward to it and ready to go!  I've tried a bunch of different methods of tracking, this time I think I'll keep updating one post with my progress and add comments to the end throughout the day.

I'm sitting out on cheering this time around because I've had several things pop up during the day that I must do, so instead I've donated a prize for the first time, a trilogy of books that I think are perfect for a read-a-thon, and I can't wait to see who chooses them!

I do have a giveaway going on for The City's Son by Tom Pollock, teen urban fantasy, 1 US Kindle copy so please have a look!

I'm going to work on reading some short stories in series that I like, also some kids books that I want to move along through wild release at Bookcrossing.  I don't have a particular goal, I'm just going to read as much as I can amongst my errands and projects for the day!  Good luck to everyone taking part, and if you aren't, why not?!  Join us!  You know you want to!

Here is my TBR Pool for the day:

Pages:18 Finished: 12:15 AM	Pages: Finished:	Pages:28 Finished: 2:30 PM	Pages: Finished:
Pages: Finished:	Pages:105 Finished: 8:30 AM	Pages: Finished:	Pages:152 Finished: 11:19 PM
Pages: Finished:	Pages:155 Finished:  Nope!	Pages: Finished:	Pages: Finished:

8:30 AM: 1 book down and the Introductory Meme

I just finished my first book, Aquamarine by Alice Hoffman, a super fast little fantasy about two girls who discover a mermaid on their last summer together before one of them moves away.  It's a dreary day here, so perfect for reading!


1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today? Kansas
2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to? Midnight Alley by Rachel Caine
3) Which snack are you most looking forward to? Not sure yet, I haven't planned them out, but I'm hoping for some decadent dessert, we'll see!
4) Tell us a little something about yourself! I like waterlilies, so I've started keeping them in giant pottery pots on my patio in the summers, with shubunkin's (koi-looking goldfish) in their to keep the buggies at bay.  Makes for nice patio scenery while reading!  I know, kind of strange, but I was looking for something more interesting than "I like cats, and I like to read!" LOL!
5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?  I think this is my 6th actually, and I'm trying putting all updates in one post, we'll see how that goes.  There's no way I can actually stay up for 24 hours anymore and still be functional, so the last couple read-a-thons I've started going to bed when I get tired, and making sure I get up a few hours before the end, it's worked pretty well, I love being there as the finish line arrives!

And now I'm staring in on Midnight Alley, but since it's the longest of the books I've set aside today, I'll probably work on it throughout, and read other things as breaks in the middle!  See you later!

10:30 AM: Read-a-thon on the run

Time for the running around, not much read in Midnight Alley yet, but it's going with me of course!


3:30 PM: Still Read-a-thon-ing on the run

I finished up Curran POV #1 while walking through CostCo! I'm about 60 pages into Midnight Alley, and also started on Wild & Steamy on my phone since it will be too dark to read in the car soon (as we are still running around).  I hope to be able to catch up on reading and do some visits later tonight.  I'm not getting as much reading done as I'd like, but I'm trying!  Hope everyone is having a good day so far!

9:30 PM: Ready to get busy and the Mid-Event Survey!

I've a got a fresh Salted Caramel Mocha in front of me and I'm settled in and ready to read!  Think I'll pick up a quick looking one to get back in the groove, Haunted Waters by Mary Pope Osborne looks like a good choice. 

1) How are you doing? Sleepy? Are your eyes tired? With a fresh coffee I hope to be awake for awhile, haven't had a chance to read as much as I'd like today!
2) What have you finished reading? So far only Aquamarine by Alice Hoffman and the first Curran POV by Gordan Andrews
3) What is your favorite read so far? Curran POV #1, and Midnight Alley that I'm working on now.
4) What about your favorite snacks?  Apparently coffee, since this is my second one today!
5) Have you found any new blogs through the readathon? If so, give them some love!  Sadly I haven't had much time to visit anyone this time around, I hope to do that soon!  But if you read this, my friend Noumena is willing to pay some money to charity for the books WE read as well if you sign up on her registration form!  Check it out!

11:30 PM: Finished my second book and the Challenge Your Brain While Reading Challenge

I just finished Haunted Waters which was an eerie little story based on a German fairy tale.  Perfect for an October read-a-thon!

My Seryniti has a challenge for us with two parts:

1. Choose a challenging book outside your normal tastes (I'm paraphrasing here): Biographies/memoirs are pretty far out of my normal taste range, but there is one that I'd like to get a hold of, it is In the Pleasure Groove by John Taylor, the bass player for Duran Duran, one of my favorite bands of all time from when I really started discovering popular music.

2. Share any words that are unfamiliar to you that you come across in the read-a-thon, and share any of your favorite words.  Well, I haven't really come across any unfamiliar words so far, but I'll share some that I like from today:

Piscine: Of, relating to, or characteristic of a fish or fishes. (Haunted Waters)
Prestidigitation: Performance of or skill in performing magic or conjuring tricks with the hands; sleight of hand. (I thought I saw this in Midnight Alley, but can't find it again!)

which led me to this one that I didn't know what it meant until now:
Legerdemain: Sleight of hand.

2:00 AM: Book Sentence Challenge

I've never done one of these before because nothing ever struck me, but I'm kind of proud of this one!

A Book Dragon Ain't Myth-Behaving Playing with Fire!

3:00 AM: I'm out!  See you next time!

I've decided that sleep is the better part of valor, and that there's no way I'm going to get my current book finished soon.  Good Luck to anyone who is still awake and reading!  I managed about 458 pages, not bad considering how much time I was out and about today.  Thank you to the hostesses and the cheerleaders and all the other read-a-thoners for make this such a fun and connected event!

Giveaway: The City's Son by Tom Pollock

From Amazon: Running from her traitorous best friend and her estranged father, graffiti artist Beth Bradley is looking for sanctuary. What she finds is Filius, the ragged and cocky crown prince of London’s mystical underworld. Filius opens Beth’s eyes to the city she’s never truly seen—where vast spiders crawl telephone wires seeking voices to steal, railwraiths escape their tethers, and statues conceal an ancient priesthood robed in bronze. But it all teeters on the brink of destruction. Amid rumors that Filius’s goddess mother will soon return from her 15-year exile, Reach, a malign god of urban decay, wants the young prince dead. Helping Filius raise an alleyway army to reclaim his skyscraper throne, Beth soon forgets her old life. But when her best friend is captured, Beth must choose between this wondrous existence and the life she left behind.

I received my copy of The City's Son from Ann Aguirre, another author whom I greatly admire who was so impressed with this book that she wanted to share it. Any time an author that I'm a fan of is excited about another book, I want to check it out. I figure if I enjoy their writing, I'm definitely interested in what they enjoy. I was not disappointed!

I've read quite a few books in the Urban Fantasy genre now, but this one actually puts the urban in the fantasy!  I loved how Pollock creates living creatures out of every day inanimate objects and machines, the streetlamps, spiders that run the telephone wires, the living statues, and the railwraiths, even Reach's minions, who are frightening in their mindless devotion to bring him to life.  The dialogue is fun and sarcastic, but underlying that is a dark and desperate story with a bittersweet ending.

Filius is an anomaly to this world, with his concrete grey skin but otherwise human features, he is unlike any of the creatures who belong to his goddess mother, Mater Viae.  Beth is artistic, brave and daring, though often rash, she takes to Filius and his fantastical London right away, jumping in to ally herself to his cause.  There are many other wonderfully done characters throughout, and I am totally on board for the next book, The Glass Republic which features Beth's best friend Pen, who is far from traitorous here, and who sacrifices so much for her friend.

This story is so imaginative and interesting, I don't think I'll ever look at a streetlight or a construction crane without thinking about it!  Check out Tom Pollock's Website.

Giveaway:

Since I received my copy as a giveaway from Ann Aguirre on Twitter, I'd like to pay it forward and offer it up for someone else to enjoy as well!  This is for 1 US Kindle Copy of The City's Son, so please make sure you are able to accept that format before entering, and make sure to leave me a way to contact you!  This giveaway will stay open through Midnight Oct. 31st Eastern time, and it's my first time using Rafflecopter so I'm keeping fingers crossed!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway - Destiny Binds by Tammy Blackwell

Synopsis from Amazon: Scout Donovan is a girl who believes in rules, logic, and her lifelong love of Charlie Hagan. Alex Cole believes in destiny, magic, and Scout. When Alex introduces Scout to the world of Shifters, men who change into wolves or coyotes during the full moon and Seers, women who can see your most private thoughts and emotions with a mere touch, the knowledge changes everything and everyone Scout thought she knew.

I read Destiny Binds this past weekend for the Indie Read-A-Thon I took part in.  I'm still pretty wary of self-published works, and rely on the recommendation of friends and the ratings of Goodreads to help me out.  This one has high ratings there, and I was not disappointed!

Of course it was the idea of Shifters that drew me, and I really like the eerie night time forest cover.  The story is told in first person by Scout, the main character, who I was really able to connect with and feel for.  The secondary characters are well done too, and I found myself torn for Scout between love interests because I liked both of them, for different reasons.  Alex is intelligent and sweet, and can really engage Scout's intellect, but Charlie is funny, and someone she's held a lifelong affection for.  Many of the exchanges are enjoyably sarcastic, which is a tone I love in reading.  I will say reader beware, the ending is a bit harsh, but I'm not convinced yet on what happened.  Luckily, there is a second book, Time Mends and as of  today, a third, Fate Succumbs!

Giveaway: I would love to share this with some people, so I am going to give away 5 Kindle copies to randomly chosen winners who comment on this post, and tell me what you're reading right now, I would love to learn about some other great self/Indie published novels if you know of any.  You must be able to accept US Kindle books to enter.  I will leave this contest open until September 30th, please be sure to leave me a way to contact you.

Also, if you don't want to wait, the Kindle Edition of Destiny Binds is only .99 on AmazonIt is now at it's regular price of $2.99 so you could start reading it right now!

You can check out Tammy's blog Miss Tammy Writes or follow her on Twitter using @Miss_Tammy

Winners so far:

Carole -- need to get e-mail address
Jezebelsk -- Sent!
Michelle -- Already receiving from me on another website
Book Savvy Babe -- Sent!

Fated by Alyson Noel

I received my copy of Fated (Soul Seekers #1) by Alyson Noel through LibraryThing Early Reviewers. I was attracted to this one for a couple of reasons, first I had already read and enjoyed Evermore (the Immortals #1) by the same author, and I was intrigued by the Native American mythology aspect of the story.

Daire Santos is 16 and has started experiencing disturbing visions that are becoming more and more frightening and extreme.  Finally after one of these visions leads to a violent breakdown, they can no longer be ignored.  In desperation, her mother arranges for Daire to live with a grandmother the girl has never met, hoping that the old woman will be able to help her, giving her a stable environment instead of the transient existence of traveling from movie set to set for her job.

Enchantment, New Mexico is anything but enchanting, and at first Daire feels abandoned and alone, as her attempts at leading a normal life going to high school fail as she becomes a target for the popular crowd.  Her grandmother is able to help her understand and control her visions, once Daire stops fighting against them and accepts her calling as a Soul Seeker who can travel between the worlds of the living and the dead. She also meets Dace, literally the boy of her dreams, but unfortunately his brother is his polar opposite, and Daire's enemy in the much deeper world she has come to know.

I enjoyed this one, I liked Daire and Dace (I seem to like D names a lot), the spirit animal guides, and her time in the cave learning about her ancestors.  Also Daire's difficulty with her spirit animal, like a teacher you think should be good, but seems to have a perverse torturous streak until you finally understand what they're trying to tell you.  I would like to see what challenges are in store for Daire, since I'm sure she hasn't seen the last of her nemesis Cade and his family.

There are 3 more books to come in the series, Echo, Mystic and Horizon.  For more information on the author and her work, check out her website alysonnoel.com