Book Review: Luminosity

Luminosity (Raven Chronicles #1) 

by Stephanie Thomas 

My name is Beatrice. When I was born, I was blessed with the Sight. I was immediately removed from my parents and enrolled in the Institution. At the age of twelve, I had my first true vision, earning my raven’s wings. And when I turned seventeen, one of my visions came true. Things haven’t been the same since.

The Institution depends on me to keep the City safe from our enemy, the Dreamcatchers, but I’m finding it harder to do while keeping a secret from everyone, including my best friend Gabe. It is a secret that could put us all in danger. A secret that could kill me and everyone close to me.

But the enemy has been coming to me in my dreams, and I think I’m falling in love with him. He says they’re coming. He says they’re angry. And I think I’ve already helped them win.

Paperback, 282 pages

Published November 13th 2012 by Entangled Teen  

First off I like to say Thanks to Jaime who was so kindly enough to send me Stephanie's book, I know I've talk with Stephanie over multiple occasion however I was dealing with blogger guilt because I haven't read her book and I really really wanted to read her book eventually. Now I'm patiently waiting for the second book now and seeing a glimpse of the cover is temping enough. 

Review

Once you have a vision, you earn your raven marks. Beatrice visions predicted number of things that keepers are deemed to protect . . . themselves.

Every vision is different and every visions has different meanings, but when Beatrice starts dreaming and having a vision about someone who says that she need to save him and he has to save her. Nothing made sense and with the rising fear of Dreamcatchers, every vision is consider important.

So when the institution starts changing things up, after a vision Beatrice has the reality sunk in . . . Beatrice is going to have to make a stand.

Beatrice also struggle with her dreams of the young boy that she has no idea who he is and why they both have to save each other but when another seer see a unclear vision of Beatrice could she be seen as a traitor?



This is 5 Cat's Tails Up, Newly fresh for me as a reader and having the gift of Sight will take you on unforeseen adventures and what the future may become. 


MEOW . . . MEOW . . . MEOW

I've been wanting to read this book so badly and now I can't wait for book two! I love anything where the SIGHT plays a main component of a character and it's nice to read something different from vampires, werewolves or anything else I've been reading. 

I do sense a little love triangle between Echo (dreamcatchers) and Gabe (Seer) for Beatrice, I know that Echo says that she will have to choose one or the other not just for herself but for the future. So I'm curious to see how things are played out. They're both handsome and care for Beatrice but only Beatrice's heart can give her the answer. 

The keepers have done a pretty good job keeping all the growing seers in the dark but when it comes to Life or Death, that how much fear was embedded into the Seers. Outside of the institution, it's a dangerous world out there and they are completely defenseless.  So when the Dreamcatchers are ready to attack, everyone is in a whirlwind. 

The ending when Echo finally acknowledge Beatrice at the right time and facing the top Keeper, turns out that the keeper been keeping more secrets from Beatrice. A tale that may destroy the Keepers reputation and it's up to Beatrice to save the city and save not only the seers but the Dreamcatchers as well.

So I'm really anxious for book 2 and catching a glimpse of the cover makes it even more taunting . . .

Kitty Blitz: White Hot Kiss

One kiss could be the last.

Seventeen-year-old Layla just wants to be normal. But with a kiss that kills anything with a soul, she's anything but normal. Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities no one else possesses.

Raised among the Wardens—a race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe—Layla tries to fit in, but that means hiding her own dark side from those she loves the most. Especially Zayne, the swoon-worthy, incredibly gorgeous and completely off-limits Warden she's crushed on since forever.

Then she meets Roth—a tattooed, sinfully hot demon who claims to know all her secrets. Layla knows she should stay away, but she's not sure she wants to—especially when that whole no-kissing thing isn't an issue, considering Roth has no soul.

But when Layla discovers she's the reason for the violent demon uprising, trusting Roth could not only ruin her chances with Zayne…it could brand her a traitor to her family. Worse yet, it could become a one-way ticket to the end of the world.

Amazon Barnes and Noble Kobo iTunes

Excerpt 

“I don’t think of Zayne that way!” 

She laughed. “What man-parts-loving female in this world doesn’t think of Zayne that

way? I can barely keep myself breathing when I see him. All the guys in school have squishy

waists. I can tell Zayne doesn’t. He’s the awesome sauce with extra sauce.”

That he was and he so didn’t have a squishy waist, but I tuned Stacey out at that point. I

really did need to cram for this test and I also didn’t want my fantasies involving Zayne to

occupy my mind right now. Especially after I’d woken up this morning, carefully tucked under

the covers. The bed had smelled like him: sandalwood and crisp linen. 

“Oh, sweet baby Jesus in a manger,” Stacey murmured.

I clenched my jaw, cupping my hands over my ears.

She jabbed me in the side with her elbow. At this rate I’d be covered in bruises before

lunchtime. “Our bio class just got a billion times more interesting. And hotter, lots and lots

hotter. Holy mother, I want to have his babies. Not now of course, but definitely later. But I’d

like to start practicing soon.”

The cell wall is a thick and rigid layer covering the plasma something, something plant

cells… 

Stacey stiffened all of a sudden. “Oh my God, he’s coming—”

              Composed of fat and sugar—

Something slender and shiny fell from who knew where, landing in the middle of Sam’s

notes. Blinking tightly, it took me a couple of seconds to recognize the faded and half peeled

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sticker covering the back of the silver cell phone.

My heart slammed against my ribs. Gripping the edges of the notebook, I slowly lifted

my gaze. Unnaturally beautiful golden eyes met mine.  

“You forgot this last night.”

Now that you have a taste for this fabulous new series, here are the details for the AMAZING international giveaway!!! Harlequin Teen is giving away a large Harlequin Teen Tote. Tote Includes: • Harlequin TEEN branded tote • The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa (trade) • Pawn by Aimee Carter (hard cover) • Crash Into You by Katie McGarry (hard cover) • Through the Zombie Glass by Gena Showalter (hard cover) • 2 copies of White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout • 1 pair of black harlequin branded socks (they are so comfy!)   a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

About Jennifer L. Armentrout: # 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV.   She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.    

Links:   Series Website: http://www.thedarkelementsseries.com Website: http://www.jenniferarmentrout.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/jlarmentrout Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferLArmentrout Jennifer L. Armentrout Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4476934.Jennifer_L_Armentrout WHITE HOT KISS Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17455585-white-hot-kiss?bf=500&from_search=true

Book Review: The Forbidden Side of Nightshade

Captive: The Forbidden Side of Nightshade (Forbidden Side of Nightshade #1) by A.D. Robertson

 

The first adult novel set in the world of the New York Times bestselling Nightshade series, Captive delivers a steamy, forbidden romance between sworn enemies drawn together by an irrepressible desire.

Twenty-five-year-old Tristan Doran enjoys a life of incredible power and privilege. As a direct descendant of the Keepers—witches who have embraced dark magic—he defers to no one but his overlord, Lord Bosque Mar. For most of his life, Tristan has been kept out of the centuries-old Witches War, his bloodline too valuable to risk in battle.

But when a beautiful, young human Searcher named Sarah is captured and made a prisoner in his Irish castle, Tristan’s infatuation with her flings him headlong into the fray. Captive and captor, unable to contain their longing, embark on a passionate, forbidden romance together—only to learn that their love is at the heart of a prophecy predicting the downfall of the Keepers’ ages-old reign.

Captive explores the darker side of the richly imagined Nightshade universe, a fantasy world of powerful dark witches, shape-shifting wolf warriors, and fascinating history. The first of three erotic novels, Captive delves deeply into the fiery, illicit romance of two young lovers whose very desires invite their doom.

Hardcover, 320 pages

Published October 22nd 2013 by Dutton Adult 

REVIEW

The first ever adult book set in the Nightshade world!!! I'm always excited for popular YA books to convert or have an adult world perspective. There's a lot more you can roam around in . . .

Tristan have dealt with being secluded from the outside world, his family's blood is deemed like royalty and a prophecy that he might be a part of. 

Sarah is a searcher on a mission to figure out the Keepers (her enemies) their secrets anything about their weakness and their plans. 

Sarah is in someway taken from her mission when she is capture, but what she didn't expect was to have some hidden passion and desires for Tristan.

Tristan doubtfully play games towards Sarah but he too starts to feel something, but can he fall for someone that's suppose to be his enemy?

A.D present a new taste of the Nightshade world and  prophecy that could change everything.

I give this Five Cat's Tails UP, I've been looking forward to this book for awhile and meeting new characters is a huge PLUS! Tristan and Sarah has instant connection and the love that's so forbidden could change everything. 

MEOW . . . MEOW . . . MEOW

Wow believe it or not, I really really enjoy this book . . . I was really worry for some reasons that I wouldn't like the adult version of Nightshade but the plots oh my god how insane! 

I like the fact that it was a dual Point of View, you could follow Sarah's point of view very clearly as well Tristan's these two have insane chemistry from the beginning although Sarah was a little expose due to a wicked person wanting to embarrassed her. 

Sarah is a very ambitious searcher, she took a stand alone mission because she the most trained and experience person facing the dangers. But her biggest threat is not Tristan . . . but it's her heart. Tristan is the same way except he's has to be more careful because of the prophecy that he never believe in until he realizes that it was happening right in front of him.

Now I'm not going to title "Let talk about S-E-X" but really it was very well written, nothing was ever forced to made the characters have the "NEED" and force the scene. The passion grew gradually as one thing lead to another, what I found so cliche was the whole virgin thing and Tristan being a jerk walking away but don't worry I forgave him sort of . . .

Sarah never thought in a million years that she would fall for her enemy or "supposed" enemy but she just couldn't believe that Tristan was bad or evil. Lord Mar was worry about people finding out about Tristan bloodline and use it against him. 

They will stand for their love for each other even if they are the prophecy but the battle between the Keepers and Searchers have only just begun.  

Meowing Meow: Star Crossed Episode 1

The Meow Meowing is a formative discussion! Not like my "The Cat's Meow" because that is where I talk solely about books and or what my pile is and such. The Meow Meowing is an open discussion and today I want to widen my blog and talk about TV shows!

Now I didn't really hear about Star Crossed until a few of my friends started talking about it, now as far I know that it's based on a book or something? Well I have no idea so but I'll get there . . . so now let's discuss.

What would you do if Aliens have landed in your hometown or town . . . and you realizes that there's is another species and now in the future have to co-exist?

  You look familiar . . .


So in the beginning we saw a little girl and alien boy bond a short friendship, the little girl Emery watch her friend be zapped by something even when he was protecting her. The thing about young kids, they are not judgmental and for the most part they can't understand what's going on in the world around them. So when the military barge in the shed and was pointing guns at both kids. Somehow no matter how young an alien kid may be, the military will do anything to take it down.

Stand up against your own kind



Now it's no secret that there's one alien or "tattie" that hates humans but I can't hate him (yet). I mean Greg Finley is so freaking HOT especially in that white shirt. The whole "Program:" about combining the tatties and humans together starting at the high school.

Parent Pressured


It's clear that Roman's dad has big plans for him but the first goal is to be able to co-existed at the high school. While Roman does what he can to not get in trouble or face conflicts but he will stand up for what's right. 

The ending for the first episode will change dynamic for Roman and Emery, a friendship that only just starting may be broken again . . .

So right now for Star Crossed it got me interested enough to watch the next episode . . . how about you?

Book Review: Twenty-Nine & a Half Reasons

Twenty-Nine and a Half Reasons (Rose Gardner Mysteries #2) by Denise Grover Swank

When Rose reports for Fenton County jury duty she figures she’s lucky to get out of a morning working at the DMV. Instead, despite a disastrous encounter with the new assistant district attorney, Mason Deveraux, she’s picked as a juror on a murder case. As the trial progresses, she realizes an ominous vision she had in the men’s restroom proves the defendant is innocent. And there’s not a cotton picking thing she can do about it.

Or is there?

As if things weren’t bad enough, Rose’s older sister Violet is going through a mid-life crisis. Violet insists that Rose stop seeing her sexy new boyfriend, Arkansas state detective Joe Simmons and date other men. Rose is done letting people boss her around, but she can’t commit to Joe either. Still, Rose isn’t about to let the best thing in her life slip away.
 

Kindle Edition

Published June 26th 2012 by Bramagioia Enterprises 

 First off I would like to thank Denise for giving us all new readers a chance to have one of her book Ebook version. Initially I told her that I would love to read twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes but when I saw she sent me book 2 I thought, did I write that right? But it's turns out that the first book was FREE on Amazon (Score!!!) So I sort of got two birds with one stone. 

Review

After ending a drag stint with her undercover cop boyfriend, life is looking up for Rose . . . She enjoying her newly define life with Joe and identify herself as a person. But her visions still wound her into trouble. 

Being serve for Jury Duty, Day One . . .  bad start off and a vision that shows the man on trial is innocent, but how can she prove it?

Determine to save the innocent man, she goes digging for trouble but will that trouble get her kill? 

Rose will fights against the clock but she will also fights for the innocent against all odds

Can she do it? Can she solve this case or will she fail that might cost her, her life.

I give this 4.5 Cat Tails Up, Twenty-Nine and a Half Reasons brings Reasons of doubts and difficult choices that Rose has to make in order to make herself happy but also maintain her new found freedom. 

MEOW . . . MEOW . . . MEOW 

Wow from Rose being a people pleaser to being her own woman in her own skin, she has her new life in hands having dates and a little hot and sexy romance with her boyfriend Joe, plus her dog Muffy life couldn't be more perfect. However her relationship with Joe is somewhat long distance because he works in Little Rock but visit/stay with Rose during the weekend. That was about the only thing that was imperfect. 

After the case with her Mom's murder and with Joe's undercover stint being to an end, Rose thought she would have a break from law enforcement. But instead the next thing is that she is served to Jury Duty.

[I actually was in that position as well last summer, but thankfully there was no trials plus it had fell just short around the time I was actually going on a trip as well. Hopefully I'll never be served Jury Duty ever again, I just can't stand the thought of being in a court room} 

Rose's first day started with being late, overhearing someone in the men's room about getting away with Murder and running into uptight ADA Mason Deveraux. Then to top it off, she get a vision about the man on trial . . . he is innocent! But of course thankfully she pass out like she does when a vision strikes that no one really heard her. 

But her vision still haunts her and can't really stand to be responsible for a man's sentence, so she tells her boyfriend but even he can't help her! In fact he seems more against it than trying to help Rose figure out whose the real culprit. So she admittedly went to the ADA who seems to hate her gut or really just everyone all together but she believes that maybe he could help. But during the mist of defending the man's innocent, the Judge put her in contempt of court and there Mason was willing to listen to her story.

What I love about Rose is her determination toward this case, but I really can't believe she would step into a world of unfamiliar surroundings trying to find answers but thankfully Mason, yes Mason came to her rescue when a friend of her couldn't meet her but Mason made the mistake of calling Rose by her real name when she had used an alias and that put her on target.  

Rose also deals with her relationship with her sister which been strained since their mom murder and the drug stint that Rose got in the middle of when helping with Joe. Violet grows more annoyed of the fact Rose has her newly perfect life full of adventures but she also wanted Rose to date someone else . . . . anyone beside Joe. But then Rose learns about her sister's growing strain marriage and while she had weight about moving to Little Rock, she couldn't leave her sister behind. 

The trial heats up and Rose is finally with the madman that was going to get away with Murder, perhaps even her own as well. But thankfully that Mason picked up on something was wrong when Rose didn't show up for her meeting and knew danger was around. It ended up at Rose's front yard and Mason and Joe are there to the rescue.

Rose face many difficult choices and now I would like to discuss her Twenty-Nine Reasons list for Little Rock (pg 321-322)

1. Waking up with Joe every morning
2. Having someone to kill bugs
3. He cooks really well
4. He's sweet to Muffy
5. He's a good cuddler
6. He's a wonderful man
7. He helps me wash dishes
8. He believe in me more than I do sometimes
9. He puts gas in my car
10. He mows the lawn for me
11. He helps me paint and says he likes it
12. He likes to try new things with me
13. He's content to just be with me
14. He likes to play with Ashley and Mikey
15. He holds my hand when we go for walks
16. He doesn't snore
17. He rubs my feet
18. He gives me backrubs
19. He's thoughtful
20. He's a very handsome man
21. He thinks I'm beautiful
22. He helps me figure out problems
23. He thinks I'm intelligent
24. He's not embarrassed by my vision
25. He loves me
26. He misses me when we're not together
27. He wants to have a family one day
28. He makes me happy
29. I'm miserable with out him

Thus ending with I'm not ready . . . 

Now this time her list isn't about what she wants to do, it was about her relationship with Joe. Having a long distance relationship can be tough and Rose was feeling the weight of that, not just because her sister is deems to say that her relationship with Joe isn't genuine or true . . . Rose believes what she has with Joe is as real as it gets. 

I think moving in with someone would be a hard decision to make for either side, Joe wasn't technically living with Rose, it was more like a temporary guest that is there every weekend. I know that horrible for me to say but it's the truth.

But as the story and the relationship evolves it was clear that Joe was still in some way controlling Rose, for the sake of her safety but also he can't imagine life without her. But in the end they mutually decided to take a break from each other because of insane they drive each other but it was also a break up. She couldn't commit to moving to Little Rock and he couldn't commit to Rose because of his family name and maybe some of his own personal conflicts.

I'm still hoping for Joe and Rose again but I'll have to wait and see what happens once I get book 3 and book 4 plus Book 5?  I got a lot more books to go for Rose Gardner

Cover Reveal

It's Cover Reveal of Heather Hildenbrand's Clone Chronicles Series, Book 2 Deviation

About Deviation . . .

Deviation, book 2 in the Clone Chronicles

Protect. Obey. Sacrifice.

These words are the mantra of my existence. I’m not sure if it’s Titus Rogen inspiring my desire to go against what I am or my own DNA deviating. All I can think is how Titus will look when he meets his end. It trumps even my wish for freedom. In this moment, I want nothing more than to watch the life bleed from Titus’s body. And I want it at my own hands.

Titus. The Creator.

I stare at my palms. Strength aside, I wonder if I’m capable of taking a life. A human life; one with a soul. And I wonder if that isn’t easier than taking the life of an Imitation. At least humans have souls that live on. What do I have after this? Where will I go? Back into a syringe? Will Titus recycle me? Or will I be lost forever down a lab drain?

We don’t deserve that.

We don’t deserve him.

Deserving and receiving are so very different here. And I am beginning to understand, to beat someone in this world, I‘ll have to play in it.

COMING March 12, 2014

Are you ready to see the cover?

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I must say this is exactly what comes to mind, I was rooting for a theme with white blonde hair and those huge blue/teal eyes. This is even better than what I'd imagine . . . 

Also Heather got a new book out! The Girl Who Wasn't. and it is free! So get it while you can!!!
It's a newly form of Imitation (while its getting a facelift) and is an NEW ADULT version of the story alongside the YA version!!!

So comment on about the cover! I really like it and can't stop looking at it :-) 

Book Releases: MUST READ

This week I'm sharing my semi-regular Book Releases but this time I'm pick out the one you MUST READ!!!

Fire & Blood (Fire & Blood #1) 

by Victoria Scott 

A modern day thrill ride, where a teen girl and her animal companion must participate in a breathtaking race to save her brother's life—and her own.

Tella Holloway is losing it. Her brother is sick, and when a dozen doctors can't determine what's wrong, her parents decide to move to Montana for the fresh air. She's lost her friends, her parents are driving her crazy, her brother is dying—and she's helpless to change anything.

Until she receives mysterious instructions on how to become a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed. It's an epic race across jungle, desert, ocean, and mountain that could win her the prize she desperately desires: the Cure for her brother's illness. But all the Contenders are after the Cure for people they love, and there's no guarantee that Tella (or any of them) will survive the race.

The jungle is terrifying, the clock is ticking, and Tella knows she can't trust the allies she makes. And one big question emerges: Why have so many fallen sick in the first place?

Hardcover, 320 pages

Expected publication: February 25th 2014 by Scholastic Press 

 

Check out my Review of Fire & Blood

I can't leave out the UK edition because it's so pretty that it made onto my Foreign list must have . . . I'm book obsessed and it's get worst when I want the foreign edition that I must wait until I have a few extra $$$ to purchase it on one of the site I had order some of my Soul Screamers Foreign editions.   

 

 

 

 

 

White Hot Kiss (The Dark Elements #1) By Jennifer L. Armentrout

 

One kiss could be the last

Seventeen-year-old Layla just wants to be normal. But with a kiss that kills anything with a soul, she's anything but normal. Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities no one else possesses.

Raised among the Wardens—a race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe—Layla tries to fit in, but that means hiding her own dark side from those she loves the most. Especially Zayne, the swoon-worthy, incredibly gorgeous and completely off-limits Warden she's crushed on since forever.

Then she meets Roth—a tattooed, sinfully hot demon who claims to know all her secrets. Layla knows she should stay away, but she's not sure she wants to—especially when that whole no-kissing thing isn't an issue, considering Roth has no soul.

But when Layla discovers she's the reason for the violent demon uprising, trusting Roth could not only ruin her chances with Zayne…it could brand her a traitor to her family. Worse yet, it could become a one-way ticket to the end of the world.

Paperback, 400 pages

Expected publication: February 25th 2014 by Harlequin Teen 

 

Check out my review of White Hot Kiss 

How about that? Gargoyles are making a comeback! Now call me a geek but I am a huge fan of the TV series Gargoyles and sometimes I'll got and watch some of the old episode, even to add to my geeky I have toys of all the characters although I'm missing one somewhere in the mess I have in the basement (the basement is nearly the whole length of our house so being an only child . . . you do the math) and I got some larger figures of Goliath and Demona. 

Grim by Various Authors

Inspired by classic fairy tales, but with a dark and sinister twist, Grim contains short stories from some of the best voices in young adult literature today:

Ellen Hopkins
Amanda Hocking
Julie Kagawa
Claudia Gray
Rachel Hawkins
Kimberly Derting
Myra McEntire
Malinda Lo
Sarah Rees-Brennan
Jackson Pearce
Christine Johnson
Jeri Smith Ready
Shaun David Hutchinson
Saundra Mitchell
Sonia Gensler
Tessa Gratton
Jon Skrovan

Two things:

New bleed setting so you need to add more to the top and bottom.

No copy in Joint.

Hardcover, 480 pages

Expected publication: February 25th 2014 by Harlequin Teen 

 

 

So pick these up at your local store when they released, or pre-order it now!