Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine.

For 'Waiting on Wednesday' everyone posts their most anticipated book. So, my most anticipated book right now is:
Dead Reckoning
by Charlaine Harris
Release date: May 2011

With her knack for being in trouble's way, Sookie witness' the firebombing of Merlotte's, the bar where she works. Since Sam Merlotte is now known to be two-natured, suspicion falls immedately on the anti-shifters in the area. But Sookie suspects otherwise and she and Sam work together to uncover the culprit-and the twisted motive for the attack. But her attention is divided. Though she can't 'read' vampires, Sookie knows her lover Eric Northman and his 'child' Pam well-and she releases that they are plotting to kill the vampire who is now their master. Gradually, she is drawn into the plot-which is much more complicated than she knows. Caught up in the politics of the vampire world, Sookie will learn that she is as much of a pawn as an ordinary human-and there is a new Queen on the board...

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Genre: Young Adult

Paperback: 336 Pages

Publisher: Razorbill

ISBN-13: 978-1-59514-174-3

My Rating: 5/5

Lissa Dragomir is a Moroi princess: a mortal vampire with an unbreakable bond to the Earth's magic. She must be protected at all times from the Strigoi; the fiercest and most dangerous vampires-the ones who never die.

The powerful blend of human and vampire blood that flows through Rose Hathaway, Lissa's best friend, makes her a Dhampir. Rose is dedicated to a dangerous life of protecting Lissa from the Strigoi, who are hell-bent on making her one of them.

After two years of illicit freedom, Rose and Lisse are caught and dragged back to St. Vladimir's Academy, hidden in the deep forests of Montana. Rose will continue her Dhampir education. Lissa will go back to being Queen of the elite Moroi social scene. And both girls will resume breaking Academy hearts.

Fear made Lissa and Rose run away from St. Vladimir's-inside the Academy's iron gates, their world is even more fraught with danger. Here, the cutthroat ranks of the Moroi perform unspeakable rituals, and their secretive nature and love of the night creates an enigmatic world full of social complexities. Rose and Lissa must navigate through this dangerous world, confront the temptation of forbidden romance, and never once let their guard down, lest the Strigoi make Lissa one of them forever...

Even though I gave 'Vampire Academy' a 5/5 rating, this is going to be a short review. It's Christmas time and I'm spending it with my family, but I finished my book so I had to hop on here to do a review.

I LOVE this book. I liked everything about it. I didn't find any overly annoying or played out characters. There was nothing I really disliked about this book. It could have had a bit more action than it did but it was still an amazing read! It has a really well developed plot as well as excellent character development. And, it literally has a little bit of everything I love! Fights, love, forbidden romance, vampires, you name it!

The story is told from Rose Hathaway's point of view. She's a rebellious teenage girl with no real family and nothing to loose, except Lissa. Lissa is her best friend. They share this bond and Rose knows how Lissa's feeling all the time! The kind of connection they share has been lost among the Dhampir and Moroi people. So no one is really sure (at first) how they got this connection. Rose is a beautiful girl who falls for her mentor and Guardian coach, Dimitri. I couldn't wait to read about the next "romantic'" moment between Dimitri and Rose. I don't know why, or what it was, but I like the whole relationship that Dimitri and Rose have.

All in all, this was an excellent read. Amazing story line and wicked characters makes Vampire Academy one of my favorite books so far! It is definitely worth the read so, if you haven't read it yet, you better get it! And if you have read it, what did you think? I liked it so much, I'm reorganizing my TBR pile so I can read 'Vampire Academy Frostbite' next!

Happy Reading!! : )

Friday Book Hop/Merry Christmas!!

I just want to wish all my fellow bloggers and blog followers a Merry Christmas! I hope every one of you has a fantastic holiday!! : )

Now, Parajunkee is hosting the Friday Blog Hop! So make sure you check it out!! : )




This Week's Question is:

What are your plans for this fabulous day?

Well, today (Christmas Eve) I'm planning on going to my parents house. Which means I have to drive across the border and through all the Christmas traffic, EEK! I spend Christmas Eve with my family and watch Christmas movies! It's wonderful and I can't wait to get there. : )

Happy Reading and Merry Christmas to everyone! : )

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer

Genre: Young Adult

Hardcover: 192 Pages

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

ISBN-13: 978-0-316-12558-1

My rating: 5/5

Bree Tanner can barely remember life before she had uncannily powerful senses, superhuman reflexes, and unstoppable physical strength. Life before she had a relentless thirst for blood...lfe before she became a vampire.
All Bree knows is that living with her fellow newborns has few certainties and ever fewer rules: watch you back, don't draw attention to yourself, and above all, make it home by sunrise or die. What she didn't know: her time as an immortal is quickly running out.
Then Bree finds an unexpected friend in Diego, a newborn just as curious as Bree about thei mysterious creator, whom they know only as her. As they come to realize that the newborns are pawns in a game larger that anything else they could have imagined, Bree and Diego must choos sides and decide whom to trust. But when everything you know about vampires is based on a lie, how do you find the truth?


If you are a fan of Stephenie Meyer and the Twilight Saga, then you will definitely love this book! It's rather short book but it is only a novella. It takes you to the other side of Twilight and the vampire covens. It gives you a close look into the world of Victoria's newborn army through the eyes of Bree Tanner. At first, I didn't want to read this book. I was annoyed that Stephenie Meyer had written a book about Bree Tanner instead of some other notable character. But I'm glad she did and I have a better understanding as to why.


Bree Tanner is a newborn vampire. She is only three months old. The book starts out when she is on a hunt with some stupid vampires. One is Kevin and the other is some blond kid whose name Bree doesn't know. But then, there is also Diego. She follows Diego and they quickly form a bond. If you are familiar with the Twilight Saga, then you'll know what I mean when I say they get that vampire connection. Diego is an eleven month old vampire and is smarter then the rest of Riley's and Victoria's idiotic "coven." She hides behind a skilled vampire named Fred so that she won't get killed by Raoul and his gang or Kristie and hers.

I don't want to give too much away in my review in case some people haven't read this novella yet. The thing I liked most about the book, was that you finally get to see what life is like for someone besides Edward or Bella. You get to see how careless and stupid newborn vampires are. You get to hear Bree explain how bad it burns when you need to feed. You get to hear about the irrationality of a newborn vampire when they're hungry and how hard it is to pull away from someone they are already on the hunt for. It's good to finally get someone else's perspective on changing from a human to a vampire besides from Bella. Bella's experience was fairly mild compared to what we were told would happen. I think 'The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner' is definitely worth the read! Make sure you check it out!

Happy Reading! : )

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Hardcover: 563 Pages

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

ISBN-13: 978-0-316-04267-3

My Rating: 3/5

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps, and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.
Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.
In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.


I have to say that I was dissapointed with 'Beautiful Creatures.' It's not that it was poorly written I just found it exceedingly difficult to get into. It was like I couldn't connect with the characters and, for me, the story development wasn't that great. I heard a lot of people ranting and raving about how good both 'Beautiful Creatures' and 'Beautiful Darkness' were. So maybe I over hyped the book and that's why I was so disappointed. No matter how hard I tried to, I just couldn't stay in the book.

The story is told through Ethan Wate. Your typical high school jock. Except that he knows how to read and he actually does. Then, after asking for a change, a strange girl moves to town. It's assumed she's strange because she's new and she dresses different. And he instantly is attracted to her on some unknown level. Not being a very loyal friend, he rather quickly dismisses all of his old friends for a girl he hasn't even spoken to. It's a weird story, but it works. It's your typical, boy meets girl, opposites attract, love story. Of course it's got a couple of twists and turns, like any good book, but nothing too major.

For me, when I read a book, I usually get completely involved. I laugh at happy moments, or smile. I tear up when something heartbreaking happens, and I gasp at shocking events. But this book didn't do that for me. That's not to say I was never into it, it definitely had its moments. I was hoping, from something a friend said, that the ending would...change my whole perspective, but I was sadly mistaken. I forced myself through the book, chapter after chapter. I'm sure everyone has a read a book at some point or another where they are into it, not into it, then into it again, then not into it. 'Beautiful Creatures' was very slow for me. I'm happy I had the opportunity to read it, but I'd probably never read it again.

Has anyone else read either 'Beautiful Creatures' or 'Beautiful Darkness'? I would love to hear other peoples perspectives on the two books. And, if you prefer one over the other.

Happy Reading! : )

Amazon-Best of 2010 Reading Challenge

Over at Reading with Martinis they are holding the Amazon-Best of 2010 Reading Challenge.

This is my first ever challenge and, I'm excited to do it! Amazon releases a list of Editor's Picks books and Customer Favorites. There are 100 books in each list and the point of the Challenge is to pick 10 books from Editor's Picks and 10 books from Customer Favorites. We have to have all 20 books read by November 30th 2011. 

My Amazon Editor's Picks are:

1. The Heroes of Olympus, Book One: The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

2. Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

3. Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris

4. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

5. Let's Take The Long Way Home: A Memoir of Friendship by Gail Caldwell

6. Super Sad Love Story by Gary Shteyngart

7. Blind Descent: The Quest to Discover the Deepest Place On Earth by James M. Tabor

8. The Night Fairy by Laura Amy Schlitz

9. Unbroken by Laura Hillenboard

10. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson

My Customer's Picks are:

1. The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer

2. Spirit Bound (Vampire Academy Book 5) by Richelle Mead

3. Twilight: The Graphic Novel, Volume 1 by Stephenie Meyer

4. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

5. The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson

6. Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks

7. Room: A Novel by Emma Donoghue

8. The Necromancer (The Secrets of the Immortal Life Nicholas Flamel) by Michael Scott

9. Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern

10. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

11. Life by Keith Richards

I know I picked 11 for the Customer's Picks but there were a few books I couldn't decide between and a couple people keep telling me to check out Life by Keith Richards. So, I'll just read an extra from that list.

It was actually really difficult to choose 20 books out of 200. There were a lot of other books I wanted to read but I needed to narrow it down. And there were a lot of books that I won't read. Like cook books lol. There were a TON of diet books and cook books on the Customer's Picks list.

Has anyone read any of these books yet? What did you think of them? And, are there any you would recommend that I do or do not read?

Book Hop & Follow My Blog

Book Blogger Hop is hosted at http://www.crazy-for-books.com/ so make sure you swing by and check it out!

This weeks question is:
"What do you consider the most important in a story: the plot or the characters?"

For me, this is an exceedingly difficult question to answer! I love to be able to relate to the characters in and a book and I think it's crucial to have excellent character development. You need to really know who you're reading about and why. If I read a book about some unknown person, the whole time I'd be wondering who the person is and eventually stop reading. But, what's a story without a good plot? So, for me, it's both! I love character development, but no one wants to read a story that doesn't have a good plot!








Follow my Book Blog Friday is hosted by parajunkee @ http://www.parajunkee.com/
This weeks question:"What did you study in college, or are currently studying and did it lead to your current 9 to 5 or are you doing something totally different?"
I am not in College yet so I can't really answer this question. Although I will say that I've been applying to Colleges in NY where I live for Nursing because I want to be a Nurse. So, when I'm in school or done, I can better answer this question!
Thanks for stopping by! Happy Reading! : )

Fallen by Lauren Kate

Hardcover: 468 Pages

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

ISBN: 978-0-385-73893-4

My rating: 5/5

There's something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.
  Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price's attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at Sword & Cross boarding school in Savannah. He's the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are screwups, and security cameras watch every move.
  Except Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce-he goes out of his way to make that very clear. But she can't let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, Luce has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret....even if it kills her.
  Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic, FALLEN is a page-turning thriller and the ultimate love story.


I was bored with about the first few words of this book and then, I was hooked! What an incredible story. I literally could not put this book down. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it. When I wasn't thinking about it, I was reading it. 'Fallen' by Lauren Kate is an amazing novel! There is something going on in every chapter, every couple of pages. It's incredible.

The story is told from Luce Price's point of view. She is forced into reform school after an accident with her now boyfriend. she sticks it out at Sword & Cross and endures the onslaught of attacks. Both verbal and physical. Getting into a fight her first day and meeting a self proclaimed psycho in her first five minutes. She attracts the eye of a few different guys but is particularly drawn to one; even though he goes out of his way to be mean to her. On top of that, she is threatened by one of the meanest girls in the school to stay away from him, which is what (I think) intrigued her even more!

I don't know what to say about Fallen other then, INCREDIBLE! This is an absolute must read! I am so excited to go out and pick up Torment by Lauren Kate, the second part in the Fallen series. Everyone NEEDS to pick up this book and read it. I swear, you will not be disappointed!

What I'm reading

Now that I finished Beastly by Alex Flinn I decided to start reading Fallen as Torment was just realeased in September and I have heard some amazing things about both books!

Beastly by Alex Flinn

Hardcover: 320 Pages

Publisher: HarperTeen

ISBN-13: 978-0060874162


My rating: 5/5




I lived in darkness now. I started sleeping during the day, walking the streets and riding the subways at night, when no one could really see me. I knew now what it was to be desperate. I knew what it was to sulk in darkness, looking for some little bit of hope and finding nothing. I knew what it was to be so lonely you could kill from it.
I wished I had an opera house. I wished I had a cathedral. I wished I could climb to the top of the Empire State Building like King Kong. Instead, I had only the anonymous streets of New York with their millions of stupid, clueless people...I scared me.


This book has been one of the best books I've read in a while. I love the fact that it's like a fairy tale for adults. It's a grown up version of beauty and the beast but told from the beast's POV. The story is told through Kyle Kingsbury. A stuck up, rich jock at Tuttle high school. He treats everyone disrespectfully that looks or acts different at all. He looks down his nose at the poor and unfortunate people at his school because he feels they don't belong there. Kyle Kingsbury is arrogance at it's finest.


At first, you are repelled by Kyle. Disgusted by his attitude and sickened by his words. But as he progress' through his transformation, and what the consequences of his actions have done to him, you become attached. Always hoping for more. No matter how hard he fights to stay the same, you still like him in some weird way. And his emotional and mental transformation is so close to reality, although the cause of it is not. I think that if someone were to go through something similar-but not as extreme-the emotional evolution would be the same as Kyle's.


I love books that you can laugh at while reading. Getting giddy when something good happens. Or that feeling in your stomach when the romance between two characters begins. This book has all that and more. If you were a fan of Disney movies as a child or any fairy tale for that matter, then you will LOVE Beastly. I highly recommend it and I, for one, can not wait to see the movie adaptation!


Happy Reading!! : )

What I'm Reading

Alright, so I went to the library the other day and I picked up a couple of books that I've really wanted to read. And I picked up some ones I just heard about! So, my next book is

Beastly by Alex Flinn

I've wanted to read this book for a long time but I never got the opportunity to until now. I figured that it's a good time to read it and post a review since the movie is coming out on March 18, 2011!

I haven't started it yet because I just finished Copycat by Erica Spindler but I'll probably be starting it in the next couple days!

Happy Reading!!! : )

Copycat by Erica Spindler

Paperback: 480 pages

Publisher: Mira

ISBN-13: 978-0-7783-2445-4

My rating: 4/5

Five years ago, three young victims were found murdered, posed liked little angels. No witnesses, no evidence left behind. The Sleeping Angel Killer called his despicable acts "the perfect crimes." The case nearly destroyed homicide detective Kitt Lundgren's career-because she let the killer get away.

Now the sleeping Angel Killer is back.

But Kitt notices something different about this new rash of killings-a tiny variation that suggest a copycat killer may be re-creating the original "perfect crimes." Then the unthinkable happens. The Sleeping Angel Killer himself approaches Kitt with a bizarre offer: he will help her catch his copycat.

Kitt must decide whether to place her trust in a murderer...or risk falling victim to a fiend who has taken the art of the perfect murder to horrific new heights.

I finished 'Copycat' by Erica Spindler last night. I have to start off by saying that this book is full of tension! You can feel it through the whole read. The story is told from 3 people's Point of view. It's more told from Kitt Lundgren's then anyone else. None the less, the story is shared by Detective Kitt Lundgren, Detective Mary Catherine Riggio (M.C.) and the SAK (Sleeping Angel Killer).

Erica Spindler does an awesome job of building the tension up in this book! It's the first one that I've read by Erica Spindler and I have to say, I was not disappointed. There are some classic scenarios in 'Copycat.' Good vs Evil, being the most prominent. Kitt Lundgren and M.C. are like the complete opposites of each other. They hate having to work together but because the SAK has personally chosen Kitt to lead the investigation, they are forced to. They try not to bond and build a relationship but it's inevitable! They are both constantly pulling back and trying to push each other way. 

The only bad thing I have to say about this book, is that the ending was not what I expected. I definitely think that it's worth a read, don't get me wrong! I just had high expectations for the end and it didn't turn out to be as good as I thought. I think one of the main things that people love about books and movies like this, is the guessing. Everyone always makes their own speculations as to who the killer is and why. Then a new piece of evidence pops up, and you come up with a new speculation! I loved reading this book, even with the ending not being that great. Like I said, I think it's definitely worth a read so make sure you pick it up and check it out! Tell me what you think of it and the ending!

Happy Reading!! : )

What I'm Reading

I'm going to try and keep track of what I'm reading on here.

Right now I am reading Copy Cat by Erica Spindler. This is an old one. I think it was released in 2007. I stumbled across it in a bargain bin and thought it was worth a read.
I don't want to give too much away right now but I will say that it's been fairly good so far. I'll be sure to (try to) give it a good review when I'm finished! : )

Happy Reading!

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Soft Cover: 485 Pages


Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry


ISBN-13: 978-1-4169-5507-8


My Rating: 5/5

When Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder. Much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with odd markings. This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons-and keeping the odd werewolves and vampires in line. It's also her first meeting with gorgeous, golden-haired Jace. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attaked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in an ordinary mundane like Clary? And how did she suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know...

This is the first installment of a three book series. It's about a young girl named Clary Fray who is not you ordinary girl. She has an odd look complete with frizzy red hair and green eyes. Despite her odd demeanor she is beautiful in her own right. She is one of the main characters in the City of Bones.

I was skeptical about reading this novel as I have never really been into the Fantasy genre. I was suprised to find how much I enjoyed the first installment of 'The Mortal Instrument' series. I found it easy to relate to the main character in the novel. Partly because she isn't your normal, overzealous, blond, blue eyed girl. She enjoys music, fights with her mom and comes from a torn family just like most people now a days. The novel takes unexpected twists and turns throughout as you get to join Clary on her crazy adventure into another world. when Jace is thrown into the mix, things get more and more intense and weird. He takes Clary to numerous places, dangerous or not. And his "hot and cold" attitude always leaves you wondering.

Amidst all the craziness in 'City of Bones' there is a love story development. This book has just got it all, kindred spirits, vampires, paranormal creatures, romance, and action. 'City of Bones' pulls you in from the first chapter and keeps you there. Never a dull moment or a chance to catch your breath puts this YA fantasy  near the top of my list.

The Book Angel

My first blog post. It's a nerve-wracking but exciting process all at once. The hundreds of questions that flood through your mind are overwhelming. Will people read my blog? Will they like it? Of course there are always haters, but with hate comes love. So, hopefully, for every 5 haters, I'll get 1 person who at least likes my blog! : )

So I am the blog's only writer. I love to read, which is the focal point of my blog. Book reviews. I love every type of book and every type of author. I love every genre, every cover, every page, and every word. I feel like the beautiful world of books has been drowned out of near existence by the endless onslaught of video games, computers, and TV. Technology is taking over the world but, hopefully, there are still some book lovers out there. So who am I, you ask? Well let me tell you.

I'm at a good age in life. Not old but not young. I'm an old lady to kids, a cougar to teens, the perfect age to friends, and a young blood to those older then myself. How funny it is that our perception of age changes as we do. The older you get, the higher the number gets that you consider old. As I said, I'm not old but I'm not young. I'm at the near perfect age of 25. Maybe in 5 years, I'll be 25 again lol. I'm not a professional blogger by any means and I will not pretend to be. I may not have the best grammatical skills or perfect English. But I love to share my opinion with everyone. What better way then in a blog? I have a cat named Bella, she is a rescue cat. And I hope to one day own a house with a spare room that I can turn into the world's largest personal library.

I am blogging for different reasons. I guess the main reasons are boredom and curiosity. Boredom because there isn't much to do. I don't enjoy watching TV and I can only clean so much. And I'm curious. Aren't we all? I've read many and many of blogs but I never thought about trying my own until recently. I'm curious about how well or horrible it will be. Do that many people read blogs? The most I saw on one persons blog was 500, which is a lot to me.

So, if you're interested in books and book reviews, I hope you'll give me a shot to build some repertoire and hang in there with me as I attempt to perfect the art of blogging. Hopefully I can build some blogging skills as I go and make a friends along the way. Thanks for reading my first blog! And if I haven't blabbed you into boredom by now, hopefully you'll become a follower and endure my book review attempts! : )

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