Monday, December 31

Year in Review: 2012

Year in Review
2012

Curious to know just what I have been up to this last year I decided to tally it all up. Plus I thought it would be nice to face the new year knowing what I had done with my previous 365 days.

Here are the results:
131 Reviews
Review Breakdown
15 Review Requests Accepted and Completed (11%)
21 NetGalley Reads (16%)
28 ARC Reads (Only one was a request the rest I either won or borrowed from a friend.) (21%)

Reveals
11 Covers
2 Excerpts
5 Book Trailers
I h
4 Book Tours or Book Blasts
5 Blog Hops
1 Author Interview
1 Character Interview
1 Guest Post
3 Read-a-Thons
2 Bout of Books

33 Giveaways
8 Challenges

Bloggiesta
Armchair BEA
Spring Blog Carnival
Quote Me Battle Blog Event

Attended 3 Author Events
Started Twitter
Started Facebook
512 Blog Posts
139 Books Read
48,246 Pages Read
16 DNF (11%)
3 1 Ducky (2%)
19 2 Ducky (13%)
56 3 Ducky (40%)
39 4 Ducky (28%)
19 5 Ducky (13%)

Looking back at my reading stats I have come to realize that running a blog cuts into my reading time. The year before I started running this blog I managed to read 205 book over 60,000 pages. Since then I just can't reach those same numbers. I have no way of knowing if any of my blogging actually helps others as I originally intended. I really begin to wonder what will happen this next year. Of late I have felt less enthusiasm for blogging. Less pull to read. My happiest moments this year involve a couple of perfect book recommendations.

If I have any goal this next year it would definitely involve abolishing my TBR pile. The physical and eBook piles just have to go. I miss being able to read a book right when I select it. And wanting to select a book because I had no other to read.

So I hope to regain some of the fun of reading this year whatever it takes. Thanks for sharing this last year with me.

Saturday, December 29

Pile Denial: 14

I am in denial.

It is ugly but it is nevertheless the state of things.

Here I will document my struggle with my book obsession. Behold my denial in all of its glory.

Pile Escalation:
Net Galley:
Wicked Kiss by Michelle Rowen
 
Library:
Faithful by Janet Fox

Purchased:
Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson
A Crimson Frost by Marcia Lynn McClure
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (Sterling Classic Edition)
Existence by Abbi Glines
Cotillion by Georgette Heyer

Won:
Revolution 19 by Gregg Rosenblum
Broken Illusions by Ellie James

Gifted:
Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson  


Pile Reduction:

Read:
Supernaturally by Kiersten White
Endlessly by Kiersten White
Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi 

DNF:
Revolution 19 by Gregg Rosenblum 
Trail of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz


Bottleneck Effect:
Reading:
Bewitching by Alex Flinn
Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Almost steady. Unbelievable or possibly depressing. I really thought Christmas would swell my TBR pile. But it seems I mostly bought books I had already read and wished to own. Two DNFs are really tough for such a short span of time.


Here are the numbers of books hanging out on my TBR pile.

Pile Truth:
Books: 48 (on the rise):(
eBooks: 28 (stable) :|


How about you? Are you in denial?

Share in the comments or even in a post, just don't forget to leave a link, and help me feel a little better.

Oh and don't forget to check out the giveaways running right now.

Friday, December 28

Best of 2012: 10 Best Upcoming Books

Top 10 Books I'm looking forward to in 2013
 Once again these are in no particular order.

Blackmoore
Julianne Donaldson
 
Endless Knight
Kresley Cole
 
Breaking Point
Kristin Simmons
 
Everbound
Brodi Ashton
 
Sweet Peril
Wendy Higgins
 
Siege and Storm 
Leigh Bardugo 
 
Fragments
Dan Wells
 
Goddess
Josephine Angelini
 
If I Should Die 
Amy Plum
 
Through the Ever Night
Veronica Rossi 

This list was a cruel challenge. Their are way more than ten books I want to read next year. I plan to read a hundred books and a good portion of them will be new releases. So this tiny list isn't the best reflection of my plans but it is a tiny tip of the iceberg.

Thursday, December 27

Best of 2012: 10 Best Book Boyfriends

Best Book Boyfriends of 2012

These are not in the order of their greatness. Completely random.

Han
The Crimson Crown 

Logan
Defiance

Phillip
Edenbrooke

Peregrine
Under the Never Sky

Jack
Poison Princess

Chris
Storm

Chase
Article 5

Jack
Everneath

Mal
Shadow and Bone

Kaidan
Sweet Evil

Some of these guys while totally awesome are definitely better left in their books where we can enjoy them in safety.

Some of them have only made their debut and there will be more tasty moments to come.

Some unfortunately have finished their stories and can only be enjoyed in a repeat read. 

Turning Pages: Book Review


Turning Pages

Tristi Pinkston

Inkberry Press
2012
New Adult | Contemporary
Official Blurb - 
With his pride and her prejudice, what could possibly go wrong?

When the arrogant Blake Hansen steals Addie Preston's promotion at the library, he pretty much rubs her nose in it. But Addie, who dreams of being a full-fledged librarian, decides to stick it out. She loves surrounding herself with books and keeping her father's memory alive in the building where they spent so much time together.

Soon, Addie learns that her beloved library will be torn down to make room for a larger facility, and she has to make a choice. Fight, or let go?

To complicate things, she finds herself attracted to Blake, who is engaged to someone else. Will Blake and Addie ever resolve their differences?

I found this interesting more for the chance to see inside the life of a librarian than the story or characters. It sounds fun to be a librarian but not as glamorous as I always thought.

Addie feels very immature for the age she is representing, at least at first. Before long you discover that she is very mature in just about every facet of her life except boys. Her entire life is going through one massive upheaval.

The romance portion of the story felt near non-existent. Specifically between Addie and her chosen swain. He doesn't show any favorable signs of love or even mild interest. Even right before declaring himself I didn't pick up anything amorous. Maybe I was being really dense. He was definitely nice and friendly but he seemed to be that way with everyone. Then suddenly their relationship went from platonic to full blown. Hard to swallow.

At the very beginning of the book I ran across this quote below. I loved it because it reminded me of how I think when I am recommended a book. More often than not the recommendations aren't even remotely close to the type of book I read. My thoughts are so very similar to Addie's. I would rather do a something horrible than read this book. Thank you very much. So very funny to see it written in a book. This moment really set me up to thinking this book was going to be hilarious and great.

I enjoyed the book for the in depth look behind the scenes at a library but wasn't really captivated by the characters or story. It was a decent and relatively quick read.

Moment Divine:
"This is the greatest science-fiction novel of all time. It won the 1966 Hugo, and it received the very first ever Nebula Award. Haven't you read it?"
"No," I hedged, not wanting to say I'd rather stick my pinkie finger into a pencil sharpener. "There are so many books to read--"
"And so little time," he finished for me. "You should give it a try. You might like it.

Tuesday, December 25

Greta and the Goblin King: Book Review

Greta and the Goblin King

Chloe Jacobs

Entangled Teen
November 13th 2012
Young Adult | Fantasy

Official Blurb -

While trying to save her brother from a witch’s fire four years ago, Greta was thrown in herself, falling through a portal to Mylena, a dangerous world where humans are the enemy and every ogre, ghoul, and goblin has a dark side that comes out with the eclipse.

To survive, Greta has hidden her humanity and taken the job of bounty hunter—and she’s good at what she does. So good, she’s caught the attention of Mylena’s young goblin king, the darkly enticing Isaac, who invades her dreams and undermines her will to escape.

But Greta’s not the only one looking to get out of Mylena. An ancient evil knows she’s the key to opening the portal, and with the next eclipse mere days away, every bloodthirsty creature in the realm is after her—including Isaac. If Greta fails, she and the lost boys of Mylena will die. If she succeeds, no world will be safe from what follows her back...

Isaac was my favorite character. Greta was a great heroine. She makes a sweet bounty hunter, and not sweet as in nice. None of her fights leave her unscathed but she doesn't let it deter her. My heart goes out to her on her journey of self-discovery. So set on looking back that she doesn't realize she isn't the same young girl nor is the world black and white.

Upon introduction of the Goblin King I was less than impressed. I think it had something to do with the purple hairy chest. *shudders* I certainly didn't mentally swoon over the image he presented. Pair that with his demand that he be given anything he want and I was definitely ready for him to exit stage. But luckily that particular physical description is never repeated so I was able to re-envision him in my mind. Thankfully there is a subtle shift in the interaction between Isaac, the Goblin King, and Greta. As things continued to progress my view of Issac improved. Sure he was still full of himself and far to manipulative but he had enough good characteristics that I wanted more. When we get to see him in his full glory it is terrifyingly awesome. Realistically part of me wonders how a goblin and a human could ever work out but this is fiction so it just will. Definitely my favorite parts of the book involve Isaac in his moon induced form. In many ways the emotions in this book remind me of those you would find in a werewolf book. No wonder I enjoyed it. I wonder what will come next. 

Great fight scenes and a deadly winter white landscape. Everything I hoped it would be! I definitely recommend this to those who enjoy a good werewolf story.

Content:
Violence: Moderate
Moments Divine:
"If there were trust between us..." He stopped and took a deep breath. "You could have me."
------------------------------------------------------
"I saw the way he looked at you, Greta. It went beyond the eclipse. He looked at you as if he would defy the law, the moons, and the Great Mother herself to-"

Monday, December 24

Merry Christmas to You

I just wanted to wish you and yours a very merry Christmas in book style. Hope to see you after the holiday. I will be celebrating my two year anniversary for the book blog. There will be giveaways and fun little contests. See you soon.

Obsession Confession: Sneak Peek or Extras


Since Christmas is tomorrow I know some of you have been tempted to take a sneak peek at what you are getting. Or perhaps you have done that long since. Being as decade enhanced as I am I know everything I am getting. Not through any abundance of higher intellect but simply as the head female of this tiny household I had my hand in the conception of every present. Heading back to the point of this post I wanted to chat a bit about sneak peeks or extras in the book world.

As I see it there are:

Synopsis - Time was when just being able to read these small paragraphs was enough to entice you. Then the covers got more fancy. Which in turn led to cover reveals.

Extracts - I am not sure I have read an extract that gets me too excited. They are just such a random view into the book. There is a huge possibility of being misled.

First Chapter of Next Book - Only once or twice have I bothered to read the first chapter of the sequel included at the end of a book. Usually this is because there is just too much time left until the sequel is published. Instead of helping tide me through the wait I get really unsatisfied at knowing a smidgen of what will happen next. I guess it is a bit like a sentence of a song stuck in my head. I just want to finish singing the whole song and move on. But instead I am stuck with the same line. The other reason I don't read the extra chapter at the end I that the sequel is already published. Might as well get the next book and read straight through.

Sample Reads - I really do like to charge head first into what I am reading. Once I sat down with ten books and read the first chapter of each before moving on. I finished the books in order of how exciting the first chapters were to read. Surprisingly the overall rating didn't differ much from my opinion of the first chapter. So I can see the wisdom in releasing sample reads. We can taste it before buying the whole cake. It may actually help increase profits when people feel there is some sort of warranty. If you don't like the first five chapters then don't bother buying. Thank you for your time and hopefully one of these other books will catch your fancy. I haven't bothered to read any of these samples yet. Largely I am just to swamped with books already I don't have time to spend on just a few chapters. The time it would take me to read five chapters of five different books would equal a sizable amount of reading in my TBR pile. Maybe someday I will get caught up and will have the time to check out these sample reads.

Novellas - While there have been one or two novellas that I have enjoyed I wouldn't say I found any of them necessary. Which I suppose is the point since otherwise they would have been in the main book. But more to the point I didn't feel they were all that necessary to me. I think it turns out I am not much of a short story lover. There just isn't as much development of character or story in the scant pages. So I usually pass on novellas unless I come across them free.

Extras - I feel there are two main categories to extras.
  • Deleted Scenes - I have favored much of the deleted scenes I have read. It is so nice to get a little more insight into a moment. Sometimes a deleted scene can give us some appreciation for editors and the revision process. To better understand just what is important to the story and pace and what doesn't best reflect the true characters. I recently read a deleted scene for Edenbrooke. I very much enjoyed reading the scene. It was nice to understand why the scene was deleted but to have a extra few minutes inside that world.
  • New POV's - The male POV's are probably my favorite extra. It is so fascinating to be able to see inside their mind. Sometimes it clarifies a suspicion. Hands down I have enjoyed every one of these I have read. My latest favorite was from Sweet Evil. I had some suspicions about the state of his feelings but not any concrete evidence. Being able to read his POV for that scene made a huge difference. It helped me better understand him and get all the more attached to knowing how his future works out.
I feel much like Christmas purists on this. Bit by bit all of this hype feels more like brainwashing to get us to buy the product. So very commercial. Almost like the meaning of books is being lost. The magic of the unknown and the beauty of discovery are slipping. Ever noticed that all these sneak peeks give the impression that if the book didn't warrant these little early reveals it isn't a book worth picking up. Instead of simply using word of mouth to discover a great book we trust the big publishers to tell us what to read. Since when should we trust those who are in the business of selling books? Just because they have published a great one before does not guarantee they will again. Plus it is impossible for any one publisher to get access to every great book being written. I think those who read books and don't stand to benefit by praising a good book that should carry a heavier weight. Anyway this is a topic for another day.What brought me back to reading wasn't some fancy reveal or sneak peek. It was some very high praise for a book by a close friend.

So I guess my questions are these:

Do you feel all these sneak peeks ruin some of the magic of the book?

Do you like to read the sneak peek chapters?

Do you crave extras like little side stories or male POV's?

Do you like any of these extra perks?

Thursday, December 20

The Secrets of the Vanmars: Book Review

The Secrets of the Vanmars

Elisabeth Wheatley

Chengalera Press
Argetallam Saga #2
May 15th 2012
Young Adult | Fantasy
Official Blurb - 
After her adventures with the Key of Amatahns, sixteen-year-old Janir Caersynn Argetallam returns home to find Brevia on the brink of war with a neighboring country, Stlaven. Her foster-father and even Saoven—a brave young elf warrior—think it will be safe at the castle where Janir grew up. However, while trying to unravel a looming mystery, Karile—self-taught wizard and Janir’s self-appointed best friend—becomes certain that there is danger in the mountains surrounding Janir’s childhood home and that it has something to do with Stlaven’s most powerful family, the Vanmars…

I was often confused during this book. For instance, I couldn't understand the relationship between Lucan and Janir. There were some tidbits related but they didn't seem enough to paint a picture. There are several other things that never made much sense to me. Thankfully confusion was the worst I suffered in this book. It is fairly well written especially considering the age of the author. I think this is a good sign of books to come. The story is very imaginative. I did struggle to understand all the strange names and terminology.

Sometimes Janir will think or say the strangest things. It usually left me wondering where the author picked up that particular saying. There is this point where Janir describes the width of a landing in sword lengths. Her character doesn't strike me as a warrior. So why would that be the way her mind measures distance? Another relationship that needed a bit more development was that between Janir and Saoven. Saoven seems to have the emotional abilities of a stick. Then very unnexpectedly he seems to have very strong feelings. What seemed especially odd was that Janir only pages before seemed to come to the same unnexpected bout of strong feelings but then when faced with a return from her swain she acts like it is burdensome. As if she has to turn down some overly friendly admirer. I just felt that a bit more development would have smoothed the transition. Saoven is a complete mystery. There is very little said in this book about his kind, the Elves. I am not really sure what he is capable of and what is not considered proper for him to do. There was almost no time spent getting to know him in this book. As such I wasn't really emotionally drawn to or phased by his revelations. I do think that most if not all of these confusions could have been avoided had I read the first book. Surely they were explained in depth amongst those pages.

I am not sure if Janir is supposed to be something really special but if that is the case she sure needs some more growth. She is too weak both physically and mentally. More steel in her will would go a long way.

Karile doesn't make sense. It seems he is supposed to hold high rank but doesn't act accordingly. He is only fourteen and acts like an out of control little brother. He has an overdeveloped taste for adventure and trouble. Along with no idea of his own mortality and even less respect. It seemed Janir was always babysitting him.

An abrupt ending which wouldn't have worked well without the epilogue. As is it is very daunting and not encouraging as it was doubtless meant to be. I am curious as to how it will work out. But I think there will be hard times ahead for the characters.

Basically it was a good story if a bit confusing. I wouldn't recommend reading this book without having read the first. Too many gaps. I would like to see a smidge more light shone on the characters and their relationships. That way I can build desires for their futures and route for their success.


Content:
Violence: Mild

Moment Divine:
"And. . .you are. . .?" Kenzie prompted. I looked away. "Not interested."
------------------------------------------------------------
"Well, I'm glad this place has the same gorilla-faced morons as my old school," I said, not moving from where I stood."
------------------------------------------------------------
"Hmm, never mind, just give me yours. Something tells me I could tattoo my number on your forehead and you wouldn't remember to call."
------------------------------------------------------------
"If every newscaster got scared off by the threat of violence or kidnapping or death, there wouldn't be any news at all. They have to brave a lot to get their stories. Consider yourself practice for the real world."

Wednesday, December 19

Dreamer: Book Blast Tour and Giveaway






When her plane crashes into the ocean, Zanas is dropped into a brutal world of survival. She soon learns that this is no ordinary place, as the land mutates all that live within its borders. Her sister is kidnapped and taken beneath, thrusting Zanas into the middle of a primitive society, where she will find her death, or her destiny.</ span>
Amazon / BN / Sony / iTunes





Read the first six chapters now!

She was nothing like her sister. Zanas had always been the courageous and dedicated one. Asenya was arrogant, selfish, and demanding. All of the qualities that Dreamers have…
Kidnapped and taken beneath, Asenya fights to find out who she really is, discovering that her potential is far greater than she ever could have imagined. But that destiny may finally be the end of her, and what she once was.
May she make the right choices.
Excerpt:

There was one thing that bothered her after Zanas had left, something that nagged at the back of her mind, until finally she could not dismiss it any longer.

Everywhere she looked, she saw the strong belief that all were allowed to choose. She had been taken below by force, and there was that part of her that wondered if she had been placed in the right clan. She knew that she had received the marks of the Dreamer, and that should be sign enough, but still there was that feeling.

Asenya snuck out in the middle of the night, following the path that she traveled down her first night below. She had been learning enough in antiquities to understand the concept of the pledge temple ,and Falon had already confided in her that he had removed the barrier spells around the hold. She could come and go as she pleased.

Usually anyone wishing to pledge a clan, did so when they believed that they were old enough to leave their families, and venture into the lives of their destinies. This was always done in the pledge temple, by those that were city born, or born within the clan.

There was a rumor that there was a spell on the temple that only allowed the pledger to speak the truth, sometimes to the speaker’s surprise. But the people of the beneath believed in nothing stronger than the tenant that Alwahi knew everyone’s path.

It was chilly in the dark shadows of the tunnel, making it seem as though she really were in the underworld. When she came to the diverging tunnels, she paused, looking up at the circling staircase that led to the temple.

For some reason, she was starting to feel afraid, the quiet of the shadows making her uneasy. Perhaps it had not been the best idea to run here in the middle of the night, when no one knew she was gone.

Shaking herself, Asenya closed her hands into fists, narrowing her eyes as she took one deep breath. She had come here for a reason, and she wasn’t going to give up when she was this close. Asenya began walking up the stairs, higher and higher, until she was pushing open the door that led into the temple.

Three throne chairs greeted her as she ventured inside, the steps of her feet echoing across the long hall. She felt immediately an overwhelming sence of reverence, the building speaking to her very soul.

It spoke of history and awe. I told whispers of the countless feet that had walked the very stone floor that she stepped across. And finally, it hinted at destiny yet to be fulfilled.

Asenya walked into the center of the magnificent building, closing her eyes and inhaling deep once again. She flung her arms outward, letting her head fall back as her eyes opened wide.

“I pledge,” her voice came out on its own. “Dreamer…”

It was like a wind that escaped her lips, traveling past her face and to the room, swirling like a mighty wind around her body, lifting her hair and the hem of her dress from the ground. The air that swirled around her brightened, turning to a shimmering trail, like the loving embrace of some spirit.

Dreamer…

A word spoken, but not, simply a melody on the wind. And then she knew, she knew that she had been placed in exactly the clan that she had belonged to, and deep down inside, she realized that she had always known.




Monique Morgan lives in Utah with her husband and her three children. She writes Action Adventure YA with a sprinkle of "whatever". Her books cross the genres between Scifi, Horror, and Fantasy, with one main element, a main character who kicks butt in any situation.



Giveaway:

Signed copies of both books (US)
E-copy (Int)
Swag (Magnets, and Bookmarks) (US)
Alwahi Shirts (US)
 Alwahi Totes (US)





Tuesday, December 18

Gravity: Book Review

Gravity

Melissa West

Entangled Teen
December 18th 2012
Young Adult | Science Fiction

Official Blurb -

In the future, only one rule will matter:

Don’t. Ever. Peek.

Seventeen-year-old Ari Alexander just broke that rule and saw the last person she expected hovering above her bed — arrogant Jackson Locke, the most popular boy in her school. She expects instant execution or some kind of freak alien punishment, but instead, Jackson issues a challenge: help him, or everyone on Earth will die.

Ari knows she should report him, but everything about Jackson makes her question what she’s been taught about his kind. And against her instincts, she’s falling for him. But Ari isn’t just any girl, and Jackson wants more than her attention. She’s a military legacy who’s been trained by her father and exposed to war strategies and societal information no one can know — especially an alien spy, like Jackson. Giving Jackson the information he needs will betray her father and her country, but keeping silent will start a war.

A watered down version of Romeo and Juliet set in a science fiction scenario. Entertaining but odd. I am not really sure where this all is going. I guess the next book takes us down the crazy old-man's mind. Maybe Hover is more like hovering on the edge of insanity.

A very battle oriented society. Extremely blind in its pride. 'Pride cometh before the fall' So interesting how once that fall happens everything changes. Even the harsh hard-hearted father becomes desperate and soft. Sweet mothers become dragons protecting their young. And protection turns into death.

As is common for me with science fiction it took some time to acclimate to the strange ideas and world. After that the story felt more dystopian. There are so many secrets. Even as the book closes we know so very little. I don't envy the girl. She is penned in by strangers and she knows nothing. I fear she is going to be used as a tool to keep certain people in line. Not very nice. Sort of a "We have your future Commander or I can kill your girl anytime you don't do as I say." Trouble is brewing. At least we might get a better idea of what is going on with the Ancients. Who is Jackson and just what is his life really like?

The ending made me laugh. I had to read it twice because I felt it was missing something. Such a dramatic reveal that it just felt funny instead of crazy scary.

So while there are parts that really don't make sense just yet and I feel sure doom is just around the corner I enjoyed this book. It will be fun to see what happens next.

Monday, December 17

Book Blogger Confessions: Perfect Christmas Wishlist


Question: 

Dear Santa! What would you put on your blogging/bookish wish list if the sky was the limit? A new blog design? A house filled with new bookshelves? Even MORE books?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It is a good thing I don't get everything I want. It isn't healthy for me. Plus, I most certainly don't know what is best for me.
But in the spirit of Christmas here is my letter to Santa.
Dear Santa,
I promise I have been a very good girl this year. Here is a list of things I would like for Christmas.
  • A few pre-orders(Breaking Point, Spirit, The Girl with the Iron Touch, The Rising, Goddess, Requiem, The Eternity Cure, Sweet Peril, Seige and Storm, If I Should Die, Dark Triumph, Blood-Kissed Sky, Fragments, The Indigo Spell, Asunder, Unravel Me, Everbound, Prodigy, ) Hey Christmas should be the gift that keeps giving all year long.
  • An animated header
  • A custom blog design with all the bells and whistles
  • All expense paid trip to ALA Midwinter or BEA
  • More books (The Forsaken, Falling Kingdoms, The Darkest Minds, Reached, actually would you just mind checking my wishlist on Goodreads. I am getting tired of typing.) To be fair these books have been hanging out on my TBR shelf for a long time. On second thought why don't you just get my a massive gift card to Amazon or Barnes so I can save you the trouble of having to pick out all these books for me. I am nothing if not considerate.
  • A pretty bookshelf with a lock, have to keep the books away from tiny sticky fingers.
  • A MacBook from which to  create my posts
  • Another Amazon gift card so I can giveaway my favorite new release or book each month next year.
  • A fancy cover for my Nook and Kindle
p.s. Don't forget all the things on my other list. This is just the book oriented list.

Update:
After reading some other bloggers wishlists I can't help but make a few small additions to this list.
  • A post editor
  • An ARC trading partner
  • An assistant who will answer all those emails, send out emails like requests, keep me social, keep track of all the upcoming books so I don't miss something, and most importantly keep me on track.

Thanks Santa you are the best.

Seriously as if I need more books. I already have more than I can read. But that doesn't stop me from longing to have more. Such a head case. :)

Anyway, thanks for the topic.

Saturday, December 15

Indralas: Free ebook


Indralas

Bridgette Conrow

It's been more than 200 years since the legendary Keral wrought destruction on Aethera, destroying homes and leaving hundreds dead in his wake before the Four struck him down. When fifteen year old Indralas participates in the mandatory Ceremony of Blessing, everything changes.

Exiled from her hometown and hunted by those of the Orders, she struggles to fend for herself in the wilderness. While the Power closes in on her, she discovers she has unusual allies and a timer on her life.

Don't start this SlimBook unless you have an hour or two of free time ahead of you, because you won't be putting it down.

In anticipation of the release of book two in the Indralas series the first book is currently free. You can download the book at SlimBooks.

Pile Denial: 13

I am in denial.

It is ugly but it is nevertheless the state of things.

Here I will document my struggle with my book obsession. Behold my denial in all of its glory.

Pile Escalation:
Nothing to Report.


Pile Reduction:

Read:
Daughter of the Goddess by Rita WebbGreta and the Goblin King by Chloe Jacobs


Bottleneck Effect:
Reading:
Bewitching by Alex Flinn
Supernaturally by Kiersten White

I can't believe it. I didn't get any new books. Must have been crazy busy. Or maybe they are all waiting under the Christmas tree. I did meander through the young adult section at the library. Luckily I was able to talk myself out of getting any books. Feels nice to have complete TBR pile recovery this week. Too bad the pile is so large it will take months to be totally clear. I will take and savor this small victory. I will win the war yet.



Here are the numbers of books hanging out on my TBR pile.

Pile Truth:
Books: 47 (stable):|
eBooks: 28 (went down) :)


How about you? Are you in denial?

Share in the comments or even in a post, just don't forget to leave a link, and help me feel a little better.

Oh and don't forget to check out the giveaways running right now.

Friday, December 14

End of the World: Book Blast and Giveaway

I am lucky to be participating in the The Stone Guardian book blast today. So without further ado. . .

The Stone Guardian

Theresa McClinton

Etopia Press
December 14th 2012
When myth becomes reality, reality becomes a nightmare.



Like any other teenager in America, Ashley just wants a normal life. But growing up in an orphanage for the insane is anything but normal. After endless therapy and increasing medication, her nightmares have only gotten worse.

Probably because they’re not nightmares.

When Ashley’s mysteriously abducted, she finds a reality even less normal than the orphanage. And she discovers something else—she’s no ordinary orphan. Faced with enemies thought to only exist in fairy tales, Ashley discovers she possesses a powerful Maya bloodline. She’s the daughter of an ancient Maya
Guardian, whose duty is to protect the Stone of Muuk’ich, an enchanted relic blessed by the gods. But first she must get it back from Sarian, a power-hungry demigod who slaughtered the last guardian—Ashley’s mother. Without the stone, all will be lost.

When she meets Arwan, a hot Belizean time bender, his delicious olive skin and dark eyes make her feel a little less alone. But his gentle whispers and reassuring touch might not be all they seem. How can she balance love and duty when it’s up to her to prevent the rising of the underworld? Especially when the guy she loves might be its crown prince…
Book Trailer-
About Theresa:

A long time enthusiast of things that go bump in the night, Theresa started her writing career as a journalism intern—possibly the least creative writing field out there. After her first semester at a local newspaper, she washed her hands of press releases and features articles to delve into the whimsical world of young adult paranormal romance.

Since then, Theresa has gotten married, had three terrific kids, moved to central Ohio, and was repeatedly guilt tripped into adopting a menagerie of animals that are now members of the family. But don’t be fooled by her domesticated appearance. Her greatest love is travel. Having stepped foot on the soil of over a dozen countries, traveled to sixteen U.S. states—including an extended seven-year stay in Kodiak, Alaska—she is anything but settled down. But wherever life brings her, she will continue to weave tales of adventure and love with the hope her stories will bring joy and inspiration to her readers.



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