A Book Obsession..

Waiting on Wednesday (7)

, by KT

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights an upcoming release we are greatly anticipating.

My pick this week:

This Side of the Grave - Night Huntress #5

by Jeaniene Frost

Publication Date: February 22, 2011

Amazon Pre-Order: This Side of the Grave (Night Huntress, Book 5)

Danger waits on both sides of the grave…

Half-vampire Cat Crawfield and her vampire husband Bones have fought for their lives, as well as for their relationship. But just when they’ve triumphed over the latest battle, Cat’s new and unexpected abilities threaten to upset a long-standing balance…

With the mysterious disappearance of vampires, rumors abound that a species war is brewing. A zealot is inciting tensions between the vampires and ghouls, and if these two powerful groups clash, innocent mortals could become collateral damage. Now Cat and Bones are forced to seek help from a dangerous “ally”—the ghoul queen of New Orleans herself. But the price of her assistance may prove more treacherous than even the threat of a supernatural war. …to say nothing of the repercussions Cat never imagined.

Jeaniene Frost is my favorite author, and the wait for this book is agony, especially since I am currently re-reading the series yet again. I love all the characters, Bones especially. Mmm.. Bones..

100 Followers Contest Winners!

, by KT

Well, its time to announce the winner of my 100 followers contest. I ended out with 164 followers, not enough for the special signed giveaway, but I did give an extra book as a bonus anyway. Just as a reminder here are the book choices:

Before I announce the winner, I wanted to post a run down of the choices for favorite Heroines and the first book they are introduced in:

5 Rachel Morgan (Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison)
5 Mercy Thompson (Moon Called by Patricia Briggs)
3 Rose Hathaway (Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead)
3 Anita Blake (Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K Hamilton)
3 Katniss (The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins)
3 Elena Michaels (Bitten by Kelley Armstrong)
3 Kate Daniels (Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews)
2 Mac Lane (Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning)
2 Georgina Kincaid (Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead)
2 Katsa (Graceling by Kristin Cashore)
Bella Swan (Twilight by Stephenie Meyer)
Elena (Angel Blood by Nalini Singh)
Lisbeth Salander (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson)
Hermione Granger (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling)
Clarie Danvers (Glass Houses by Rachel Caine)
Sookie Stackhouse (Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris)
Evie (Paranormalcy by Kiersten White)
Morgan Le Fay (The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley)
Corine Solomon (Blue Diablo by Ann Aquirre)
Maliha Crayne Dark Time by Dakota Banks)
Jess Mastriani (When Lightning Strikes by Meg Cabot)
Phedre (Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey)
Alanna (Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce)
Buffy (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Its a pretty varied list, and I have to say that I definitely agree with the choices that got the most votes. I think the only "top" choice of mine that didn't get picked would be Cat from Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress series. Otherwise, I think all of my favorites are there.

Now onto the part you all have been waiting for the winner is:

Smash from Smash Attack Reads!
She picked Rachel Morgan from The Hollows Series as her favorite. I have to say I agree as Rachel is definitely one of my top picks. Congrats to Smash!

This bonus book choice goes to the person with the most entries. So congratulations to latishajean!
She picked Rose Hathaway from The Vampire Academy Series, another of my top favorites.

The winners must contact me with their book choice and address at kclapsadl@gmail.com within 3 days, otherwise I will pick a new winner.

Thank you so much everyone for making my first contest a successful one! I look forward to hosting many more in the future!

It's Monday! What are you Reading? (7)

, by KT

It's Monday! What Are You Reading, hosted by Book Journey, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

Here's what I read this week:

Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost (Re-read)
One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost (Re-read)

Reviews posted:

Blood Magic by Eileen Wilks (Review)
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (Review)
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (Review)
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (Review)

This was definitely a slow week reading-wise. My classes are keeping me pretty busy. I decided to re-read my favorite series to make sure I didn't get too caught up in a new series to distract me too much from the schoolwork I need to do. I also want to say thank you to Addicted 2 Novels. I won the mega prize pack from her Ultimate Reviews Challenge. So exciting!!

Here is my list for the upcoming week:

At Grave's End by Jeaniene Frost (Re-read)
Destined for an Early Grave by Jeaniene Frost (Re-read)
Chosen by Jeanne C Stein

Another short list, but as I said before, this semester is pretty demanding. I have to give a speech on Wednesday, so wish me luck!

Follow Friday & Book Blogger Hop (7)

, by KT

Before I get to the hop, I just wanna say Happy Birthday to me!! :) Okay, now back to our regularly scheduled Friday hop.

On fridays I participate in both Follow Friday and the Book Blogger Hop.

Follow Fridays is hosted by Parajunkee's View, and is just Fridays.

The Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Crazy-for-Books, and runs Friday to Monday. There are new rules for the hop, so make sure to check out Crazy for Books for the details.

This week's hop question is:

Do you judge a book by its cover?

Unfortunately, I have to say I am guilty of this, even though I don't want to be. Cover that are really eye catching, well they catch my eye and I usually add them to my list first. If I don't care for a cover, I usually don't give the book a second thought unless another blogger has given it a good review. I try to not do this, but that's the way it always seems to work out.

This week's question from Parajunkee:

What is your favorite Brick and Mortar Bookstore?

I'm going to have to pick a small bookstore in my town called The Readers Cafe. They have a nice collection of premium coffees and a nice loft to read in. The atmosphere is really nice. The only downside is that it really isn't a place to take little ones, so I haven't gotten in there in a long time to just relax and read.

Don't forget to check out my 100 Followers Contest

Wating on Wednesday (6)

, by KT

Don't forget to enter the 100 Followers Contest!

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights an upcoming release we are greatly anticipating.

My pick this week:

Harvest Hunting - Sisters of the Otherword #8

by Yasmine Galenorn

Publication Date: October 26, 2010

Amazon Pre-Order: Harvest Hunting (Sisters of the Moon, Book 8)

We're the D'Artigo sisters: sexy, savvy operatives for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency. But being half-human, half-Fae means our supernatural talents can go haywire at any time. My sister Camille is a wicked good witch whose life recently took a drastic turn. Menolly's a vampire who's still getting the hang of being undead. And me? I'm Delilah, a werecat with a very interesting love life. But life isn't all fun and games. We're on the trail of the demon general who has decided that we've become quite a nuisance...

It's Samhain, and the Autumn Lord, has called for my training to begin with the Death Maidens...and I find that I like it. But we've got problems: werewolves are going missing and a new magical drug, "Wolf Briar," is being used as a weapon. My dear Chase and I have come to a delicate crossroads and there's no turning back from our decision. And most dangerous of all: Stacia Bonecrusher has put a bounty on our heads. Now it's a race to take out the demon general before she realizes the sixth Spirit Seal is within her reach...

I love these books! They are told by three half fae sisters in a rotating point of view. Each one's personality is very different, and that makes the series even better. I cannot wait till this next one comes out!

Mockingjay

, by KT

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games Trilogy #3

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she’s made it out of the bloody arena alive, she’s still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what’s worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss’s family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins’s groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year.

In this book, Katniss finds herself yet again as a pawn for someone else. District 13 wants to manipulate and use her to fuel the rebellion. Katniss has had about all that she can stand, but she knows a pawn is only as good as its usefulness. When she sets out to be the Mockingjay, she does it because she feels it is right, but as things go on, she starts to question everyone's motives. District 13 is nothing like she expected and their strict regime and rules are extremely oppressing. Is it really worth it to fight the capital to only pass the chains of bondage to another "master?"

It seems the previous events have finally caught up and we see a much more fragile version of Katniss in this book. When I first read it, I was slightly annoyed at the change in character, but now looking back I can only see it as realistic. The horrors she lived through are not something that you forget easily. They change you, shape you, and eventually break you. Many times Katniss did snap under the pressure, but somehow she still hung on by a thread to her sanity.

I was glad to see more of Gale in this book, as I didn't feel a strong connection to him. By the way Katniss described him, he was always strong and rebellious. However, in this book, after seeing District 12 burn before his eyes, his anger becomes a wildfire. He turns into a calculating, detached soldier, who has lost most of his compassion. He truly believes in the phrase "All's fair in love and war." Even Katniss who is a very calculating rather than emotional person doesn't have the ability to kill mindlessly.

There rarely is a happy ever after when it comes to war, and this book is no exception. I am glad I waited a few days to review this, my review would have been much different if I hadn't. When I first finished the book, all I felt was despair and anger for the shambles the characters were left in. Now, looking back, everything fits, it all has its purpose. War is not pretty, it is not kind, and it spares no one. Even the ones who survive will be irrevocably altered.

I recommend this book, just don't read it expecting a happy ending. It really shows the gritty horrors of war and the knowledge of no matter the outcome, nothing will ever be the same. I would suggest reading the book and then waiting a day or two before making any opinions on it. You will probably find your feelings will change after the despair settles. It definitely did not take the direction I was expecting, but that does not in anyway diminish it. I have a feeling these books will be talked about for years to come.

Rating:

Buy now at Amazon:
Mockingjay (The Final Book of The Hunger Games)

Catching Fire

, by KT

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games Trilogy #2

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

After her defiance to play by the capital's rules in the last book, Katniss knows her days are numbered. So, when President Snow shows up in her house to threaten her, it doesn't come at a complete shock. She allows her puppet strings to be pulled in hopes of saving her family. However, whether she likes it or not, she has become the face of the rebellion. To make matters worse, Katniss and Peeta, as well as 22 other former victors are thrown back into the games. Katniss vows to do everything she possibly can to make sure Peeta survives. He of course has the opposite desire and it will take everything both of them have to survive.

The title is very fitting as this book is at root about the rebellion catching fire. In the beginning there were rumors of rebellion, but the actions of the capital throughout the book really started to add flame the fire. It is assumed that President Snow orchestrated for the victors to have to return to the games, something they were supposed to be safe from. Of course he claimed the creator of the games was the one who set this idea up, but even so he could have overruled it considering his power. I think this was a huge mistake, and only added fire to the rebellion he so very much wanted to squash. Not only did it infuriate the people in the districts, but it also upset the citizens of the capital, his pampered support. The citizens have a certain attachment to the victors, and the districts see them as symbols of hope. He decided to fight fire with fire, not such a wise choice in a situation like this. This mistake had the opposite effect of what he wanted causing the rebellion to gain ground.

The love triangle theme continues through this book even though Gale is absent yet again for most of it. I do wish there had been more time spent on her tie to him. As it was written, we are forced to just accept the history and feel his side even though we are continually bombarded by Peeta's love and determination. It was frustrating to feel so much for Peeta, but not really have enough ground to stand on to care for Gale. This made it really hard to feel Katniss's struggle between the two. For this reason, I am glad that the romance was only a small part of the plot.

I enjoyed this book, but not quite as much as I did the first one, as it would be almost impossible to live up to. The first game's horrors came at such a shock, but this time around I was left with a slight case of deja vu. Even so, I highly recommend this book.

Rating:

Buy now at Amazon:
Catching Fire (The Second Book of the Hunger Games)

Teaser Tuesday (6)

, by KT

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser is from Chosen by Jeanne C Stein. This is the 6th book in the Anna Strong Series. The teaser comes from 2% of the way in according to my kindle. (Sorry, no page number, that's one of the very few downsides to the kindle)

"I can't take my jacket off. I've got a .38 clipped to my belt. Might make the natives restless. Or excited. Shit."

The Hunger Games

, by KT

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games Trilogy #1

Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with every one out to make sure you don't live to see the morning?

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

Set in a futuristic society, this book centers around a 16 year old girl named Katniss who lives in one of 12 districts surrounding a control obsessed capital named Pandem. Each district has a specialty in production, but most cannot reap any of the "fruits" of their labor as everything is claimed by the capital. Katniss keeps her family alive with the help of her friend Gale by hunting outside the district's fence, an offense that warrants an immediate death sentence if they are ever caught. The book starts on the day of reaping, the day where the capital chooses two of each district's children to fight to the death in an arena. By some cruel twist of fate, Katniss's little sister is chosen. Katniss immediately takes her sister's place and has no expectations of survival, as the games show no mercy.

Katniss has many flaws, but it is her underlying strength that captivated me. I admire her courage and determination to survive, which started long before she was thrust into the games. Her depth is amazing as she can be quite selfish at times, but the epitome of selflessness at others. I hated to see her make decisions always in a calculated manor rather than allow herself any emotion. However, this just shows one of the many consequences of survival in such a society. The will to survive at all costs can be such a nasty thing that twists and changes people. The phrase "kill or be killed" just doesn't seem to be quite accurate. Even if someone kills for their own survival some part of you dies anyway. It will irrevocably change them.

I wasn't going to review this series because the book blogger community is seriously overloaded with reviews on the series. However, after reading the books, I've decided that they really do warrant an opinion. I've always enjoyed dystopian books, with some of my favorites being George Orwell's 1984, Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, and surprisingly considering the story centers around the burning of books, Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. Now, I'm not sure if I can really say if The Hunger Games is truly up to the caliber of these books as I have not read them in years, but it did remind me of them. That being said, The Hunger Games is dystopia at its best, or worst depending on how you look at it. I'm not sure why these type of books suck so many people in, myself included, but dystopian books always seem to cause a stir. Perhaps it is that small part of ourselves that would wish for a utopia and these books show the more likely outcome of someone trying to create such a society.

This book was shocking, graphic and shows the cruel side of human nature. It will suck you in almost from the first word, and is probably one of the most thought provoking books I have read in a very long time. You will find yourself rooting for the characters even though they are in a hopeless situation. It is definitely a must read!

Rating:

Buy now at Amazon:
The Hunger Games

Blood Magic

, by KT

Blood Magic by Eileen Wilks

World of the Lupi #6

Lily Yu’s world changed when she met Rule Turner, known to the human world as “that werewolf prince.” It’s been eight months since everyone else’s world changed, too—when the Turning hit. That shifting of the realms has magic seeping back into the world in quantities unseen since the hot news story concerned a pair of human babes raised by wolves who went on to found a new city: Rome.

Lily is a homicide cop turned FBI agent. She works for a special Unit within the MCD—that’s the Bureau’s Magical Crimes Division. Lily became a cop to stop the monsters , though it was human monsters she had in mind at the time. These days, the perps she tracks may be a lot more—or a lot less--than human.

In BLOOD MAGIC, Lily and Rule are faced with their most dangerous opponent yet, one the law can’t touch. One who can’t be killed. One whose like hasn’t been seen in our world since long before those wolves fostered Romulus and Remus.

Oh, one more thing about BLOOD MAGIC: Grandmother is back.

Those of you who haven’t read the previous books in my World of the Lupi series may be scratching your head about now. Someone’s grandmother shows up and you’re supposed to get all tingly? You might be more interested in some of the other characters in BLOOD MAGIC, like the assassin. Or the dragon. Or the ancient, undying enemy willing to wait for centuries to achieve what really matters.

Revenge.

After the ending of the last book, I expected this book to be mostly about the consequences of Lily and Rule getting engaged since marriage is extremely forbidden to the Lupi. However, while that issue does cause tension, it really takes an extreme back seat when there is an almost successful assassination attempt on Cullen. It happens at his and Cynna's baby party of all times. Lily is the only one who saw the mysterious Asian. Since he was able to slip in and out undetected by anyone but her even though there were hundreds of Lupi present, Lily quickly realizes that this assassin must be very powerful, or at least supported by someone who is. She goes to Sam the dragon to beg his help in protecting Cullen. She gets more than she bargained for when she finds out things about herself that she never could have guessed, and finds out about a centuries long feud involving the assassin's powerful lover. and gets locked down by a magical geas. She must rely on Rule to be her "voice" if she is to have any hope at stopping the assassin and his lover from their revenge.

I was glad to have some more insight to the relationship between Lily's grandmother and the dragon, Sam. However, their revelations came as a complete shock to both Lily and me. The geas is one of the hardest things for Lily to deal with considering her personality. She always has to be in control, and she feels ultimately responsible to fix whatever crisis is currently happening. She isn't one to sit idly by while others make the hard decisions, so having to rely on Rule and let him make all the decisions is extremely hard for her. The fact that she was able to handle it at all shows just how much she has grown.

I really love the "love" between each of the two main couples. Both of them had rocky starts and there will still be many bumps along the road I'm sure, but they seem to finally have found some happiness in each other even if everything around them keeps falling apart. I love how Cullen continued to break all the rules when he married Cynna, becoming the only Lupi to ever get married. I thought it was going to be too much to ask for Rule and Lily to get married considering his status and duties to the Lupi, so you can imagine my excitement when he proposed at the end of the last book. Even if the Lupi find a way to prevent the marriage I will still be happy since he was willing to sacrifice everything for Lily.

I really enjoyed this book, and wound up staying up way too late to finish because I just could not put it down. This series has just gotten better and better with each book. The characters are really amazing, will just suck you in. I cannot wait for the upcoming nuptials and for the "little rider" to be born!

Rating: