Friday 29 April 2011

Review: To See (What You See Is What You Get #2) by Nicole Zoltack

Source: Received eBook from author for an honest review.
Publisher: Echelon Press
Release Date: Already Released

To See is the second eBook in the What You See Is What You Get Series. After reading Seeing For the First Time, I was anxious to read about what would happen to Ana next, and To See takes off right where the first part of the story left off. In this series, each Seer can see one type of paranormal being, and only one type. For example, Ana's grandmother can see fairies, while other Seers can see creatures like unicorns, werewolves, or selkies.

Once Ana gets back, she tells her Gram about what she can see and goes to the Eye Building to register herself as a seer and to let them know what she can see. Ana's family is quite well known, and we got a taste of some of their renown when she went to the building, and while she's there she also meets a boy named Eric, he knows a lot more about Seers than she does, and I have a feeling that their partnership will end up being similar to that of her parents. ;)

I thought that To See was a great continuation from Seeing For the First Time, it was a quick read, and I really liked Eric. I can't wait to see what crazy situations he and Ana get into!
Other Links:
Nicole's Twitter
Nicole's Blog


Does this sound like something you'd like to read? Get your copy from: Smashwords,or
Amazon/Kindle

What do you guys think?? :)

Happy Reading!!!

♪♫ Ambur

Wednesday 27 April 2011

Review: Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

Source: Netgalley
Publisher: HarperCollins / Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: Already Released

Just reading blurbs about Angelfire, you get the sense that it is packed full of action. I can honestly tell you, those blurbs were right! Angelfire is action-packed, intense, and emotional...maybe not as emotional as I, or Ellie, would have liked, but still emotional. ;)

Courtney did a fabulous job weaving this story together, it’s fluid and so realistic. From the graphic fighting scenes to the raw emotions, Angelfire takes its readers on a roller coaster ride of an adventure. The folklore and all the bad guys in Angelfire were so hardcore! This book seriously had me on my toes constantly, and I wasn’t bored for a second. Plus they had crazy names, and I am a bigtime sucker for crazy names! haha

Along with the nonstop action and wonderful writing, I loved the characters in this story. Ellie’s progress was remarkable, and as the reader, we see her transform from someone who seems a little spoiled and slightly wimpy to someone so strong. Someone who would do anything to save the people she cares about and to fight against evil. And Will...oh Will, I think that most people who have read Angelfire will agree with me when I say that Will is simply delicious, and he fits mysterious, brooding, and sexy to perfection. His relationship with Ellie was one of my favourite parts of the book, their banter was awesome, and his devotion to her was probably one of the most beautiful things ever. I also loved the fact that he knew so much about her, their past went back so far, and I loved discovering little bits about it through Ellie’s flashbacks. :)

While Angelfire does revolve around Angels, I think that it is definitely one of the most unique interpretations of Angels that I’ve read in a long time. It didn’t have a cookie cutter plot, and while I was able to make guesses about what would happen next, it wasn’t in an obvious way. Angelfire was a fresh and exciting take on Angels and Demons, and I simply cannot wait to read the next book, Wings of the Wicked! :D
 
Goodreads Links to the rest of the series:
Wings of the Wicked --- 2nd book in the series.
Hymn to the Fallen --- 3rd book in the series.

You can get your own copy of Angelfire here:


Angelfire's been out for a while now, have you read it yet? If not, why haven't you? :)

Happy Reading!!!

♪♫ Ambur

Tuesday 26 April 2011

Teaser Tuesday (24)

Teaser Tuesdays at Should Be Reading

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of 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 and author too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teasers:
"I slowly worked my fingers inside the wide sleeve of my Dragoneye robe, checking the placement of the folio against my forearm. After Rilla had dressed me, I tried to unwind the pearls and find a place to hide the book, but there was nowhere secure and the pearls would not loosen their grip."

- Eon by Alison Goodman, p.290

Well that’s what I’m reading, so what are you reading?

Happy Reading!!!

♪♫ Ambur

Monday 25 April 2011

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (24)

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? at One Person's Journey Through a World of Books

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?, is a bookish meme hosted by One Person's Journey Through a World of Books, where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It’s a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list. So hop on over to Journey and join in...and leave a comment here so I can check out what you are reading. All links go to Goodreads. :)


Books I Read Last Week:
I absolutely loved Demonglass! It was amazing, and while I really liked Hex Hall, I liked Demonglass even more! Demonglass had me hooked, and was definitely a huge distraction while I was still writing finals. :P
I read this one for a blog tour, and I thought that The Guardians of the Hidden Scepter was a pretty awesome story. It was full of adventure, a touch of mystery, some cool archaeological information, and biblical lore. It had me on my toes, and made me want to read more. :)
I just recently read Backstage Pass, and so I decided to download a sample of Rock Hard from the Kindle store...and once I read that sample, I just couldn't resist buying the ebook! I thought Rock Hard was awesome, I definitely was a bigger fan of Brian and Myrna in Backstage Pass, but I enjoyed Jessica and Sed's story too. I can't wait to read Jace's next!!!! :D Oh and again, I should warn that this is definitely an adult type story, so if that's not your thing, you probably wouldn't enjoy it. :)
I have been waiting for my copy from B and N to arrive for forever...or at least it feels like it has been that long. :P But it came this week, and I devoured it in one night...I'm still actually reeling from this book. I can tell you I enjoyed it, as I always enjoy Cassie's books, but I'm still definitely sorting through how this book made me feel. I think I'm going to reread it sometime soon if I have time. The thing I'm most relieved about with CoFA though is the fact that I don't have to avoid spoilers anymore...yay! haha
Since it's either impossible or ridiculously expensive to get a hard copy of Angelic, I bought a copy for Kindle. It was worth every penny! I love Kelley's books, and I always enjoy her novellas, I love getting a small glimpse of what's going on in the Otherworld, and I really enjoyed Haunted, the book that Eve narrated in the Women of the Otherworld series, so it was awesome to get to read something from her POV again. :D

Reading Now:
I love dragons, and I'm definitely enjoying Eon, I think I would've made more progress if I hadn't still been reeling from City of Fallen Angels all weekend though. :P I'm loving the intricate back story and legends within Eon though, it's pretty cool. :)

Books I Want to Read This Week:
Jessica sent me a copy of Flat-Out Love to review, and I'm going to push aside some other books and make sure that I get to it! I've heard some amazing things, and I'm really excited to get to read it myself! :D
Eric sent me a copy of his book, Textual Healing, a while ago, and I'm excited to start it. It sounds like a funny book. :)
Eeeek! <---can you tell I'm excited to start this one? :) I used  the older version of the cover because I'm still a bit attached to it, plus the ARC Penguin Canada sent me has this cover, and I absolutely love it! :D
------------
 
So, that was my week, and a couple books that I hope to get to this coming week, how about you?? It's Monday, What Are YOU Reading?

Check out One Person's Journey Through a World of Books to see what other people are reading. :)

Happy Reading!!!
♪♫ Ambur

Girls Without a Bookshelf: Giveaway: A Royal Wedding Treat!

Girls Without a Bookshelf: Giveaway: A Royal Wedding Treat!

Hey Everyone! I know I love a good giveaway, and I think lots of you do too, so I thought I'd share this awesome one from Girls Without a Bookshelf which is being held in honour of the Royal Wedding!

They're giving away:
Tris & Izzie (Mette Ivie Harrison)
Chain Reaction (Simone Elkeles)
Love Story (Jennifer Echols)
Epic Fail (Claire La Zebnick)
The Vampire Stalker (Allison Van Diepen)
Lola and the Boy Next Door (Stephanie Perkins)
Illuminated (Erica Orloff)
Winter's Shadow (M.J. Hearle)
Jessica Rules the Dark Side (Beth Fantaskey)
Ripple (Mandy Hubbard)

There will be 2 winners---5 books to each winner! :)

It's INTERNATIONAL and it ends May 10th.

Either click the above link or THIS ONE to go to the giveaway post on Girls Without a Bookshelf!

Good Luck if you decide to enter, and Happy Reading to everyone!

I also hope that everyone had a fantastic and Happy Easter/Long Weekend, depending on if you celebrate it. :)

Friday 22 April 2011

Blog Tour: The Guardians of the Hidden Scepter by Frank L. Cole (Review)




"Amber never dreamed her archaeology class would turn into a top secret mission that would take her across the globe, but when her teacher goes missing, Amber realizes it's up to her to protect the Hidden Scepter or risk unleashing an ancient power too terrifying to imagine. This guaranteed page-turner from the bestselling author of the Hashbrown Winters series is perfect for the adventurer in your family."

My Review:

I've had finals over the last week or so, and The Guardians of the Hidden Scepter was a very welcome distraction from studying. It drew me in with all of the archaeology talk, and the crazy terms that I'd never heard of. I was eager to know more, and to see where the story went. The further I got into the story, the more I wanted to know, and thankfully, since the main character Amber was extremely curious and liked to dig for answers, I usually got to know more. :)

The characters in this book were fantastic! Amber with her photographic memory, and crazy problem solving skills. Trenton with his high tech gizmo's, and hacking skills. I thought that if they were adults they would have had massive skills, but considering they were fourteen, they were even more impressive. Along with Amber and Trenton (seriously, how cool is that name??), were a wide variety of other characters. From Dorothy, their Archaeology teacher, to Mr. Jasher, the notorious villain of the cast. For a book under 300 pages, I felt that the characters were very well developed, even the secondary ones.

The mythology woven into this story was extremely fascinating, and I'm not very well versed in biblical texts, but it seemed pretty plausible to me. That plausibility and attention to detail made this story even more fascinating, plus I'm a huge fan of paranormal twists on everyday life, especially when it seems real. The Guardians of the Hidden Scepter is a story that made me believe in magic again, after all isn't magic just science that we haven't figured out yet. ;)

The Guardians of the Hidden Scepter is a quick read, it draws you in, and makes you want to go on a quest of your own...hopefully one much less dangerous than Amber's. :P

Book Websites:
Hashbrown Winters Facebook Page

 Ways to Follow Frank:
Facebook Page
Goodreads

-----

Does this sound like your kind of story?? I'd love to hear your thoughts. :)

Happy Reading!!!

♪♫ Ambur

Tuesday 19 April 2011

Teaser Tuesday (23)

Teaser Tuesdays at Should Be Reading

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of 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 and author too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teasers:
"My heart, which only seconds ago had been racing, suddenly seemed to stumble in my chest. I immediately dropped his arm and moved ahead of him"

-Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins, p.257

That's my teaser for this Tuesday, do you have one to share?

Happy Reading!!!

♪♫ Ambur

Monday 18 April 2011

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (23)

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? at One Person's Journey Through a World of Books

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?, is a bookish meme hosted by One Person's Journey Through a World of Books, where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It’s a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list. So hop on over to Journey and join in...and leave a comment here so I can check out what you are reading. All links go to Goodreads. :)


Books I Read Last Week:
I finished listening to this audiobook this week! Yay! :D I have to admit though, this one was definitely not one of my favourite Nicholas Sparks books. I didn't really like the altering POV's. I might have liked them more if I'd read it, but while listening to it on audiobook, I wasn't a fan. It was weird hearing a guy's thoughts be narrated by a girl, and the one guy's thoughts were really weird too...I don't wanna ruin it for anyone by saying who the character is though, it's better if you're surprised.
I am so sad that it took me this long to read Past Midnight! I've had this book on my shelf for months now, and I should have read it right away! It was awesome! It wasn't very long, so it was a really quick read, and the story just totally compelled me. I loved the characters, and I loved the whole paranormal aspect it had, this was just an awesome book. I'll definitely be reading the novella, Raising the Dead, and then the next book, 100 Hundred Candles, really soon! :D
I finished this one! :) This was another really crazy story, it was just so different, I've never read a story like it, and I thought it was fantastic. It was a little hard to follow at times because of the slang that was used, but I think I got the hang of it, and I actually even used some slang that I read in it the other day. haha Now I'll have to read the next book Cha0s...I love series, but at the same time I hate the wait in between getting books, but at least this one's out already. :P
I read a couple of sample chapters of Backstage Pass a few months ago and I was so hooked, but I waited because I had no time for books anyways, and I got lucky, it was for free on Kindle for a little bit and I got myself a copy! This book is most definitely of the adult variety...that right their is your adult content warning by me. ;) If I didn't already find musicians and rock stars super sexy, I would now! I definitely recommend Backstage Pass is you like adult romances! ;)
This was a short novella that an author sent me a while ago, and I picked it up this weekend. It was a really quick read, and left me wanting more. Nicole has definitely created a really unique and interesting world of paranormal...the only thing I wish that had been different about this book...I wish that it was longer! ;)

I was a little late in starting this series, but when I read The Body Finder back in October I was totally hooked, and when I picked up Desires of the Dead this weekend, I was drawn back in completely! I love how Kimberly Derting mixes paranormal, mystery and high school all into one awesome package in this series, and I absolutely love love LOVE her characters...especially Jay. ;) haha Kimberly Derting's Body Finder series is amazing and if you haven't started this series yet, you definitely should! :D


Reading Now:

Eeek! I am absolutely love love loving this book! Ok...now that I have that little freak out of the way, I just have to say that I am so hooked on this book, it has been very hard to put it down to study since I started...I should have waited until I was finished finals, but I didn't. Fortunately, I only have English today, so it's not one that you have to study too much for. :)
I started this one this week, but I haven't gotten very far. I read a couple of pages and then went to bed, and I didn't really pick it up again because I started it on the day I had two finals. 've been bad with starting books and pushing them to the side :P I'm going to seriously try and stop it soon! lol

Books I Want to Read This Week:

I'm gonna try and finish books first, so no plan this week. :P haha


And what are you reading???

Check out One Person's Journey Through a World of Books to find out what other  people are reading. :)

Happy Reading!!!
♪♫ Ambur

Friday 15 April 2011

Review: Seeing For the First Time by Nicole Zoltack

Source: Received eBook from author for an honest review.
Publisher: Echelon Press
Release Date: Already Released

Seeing for the First Time is a short eBook, at only 17 pages, however, after those 17 pages you're left wanting to read more. Just like the main character, Ana, you're introduced to the world of paranormal by her grandmother, and together you learn that there are different types of seers, each type being able to see a different breed of paranormal beings. From fairy seers, to werewolf seers, and Ana's Gram even mentions unicorn seers. I'm not going to mention any other types though because then I'd ruin the mystery. ;)

This story is short, fast-paced, and leaves you craving more! If you like paranormal stories and love seeing them reinvented in different ways, then you should definitely check out Nicole's What You See Is What You Get Series! :)

Other Links:
Nicole's Twitter
Nicole's Blog


Does this sound like something you'd like to read? Get your copy from: Smashwords,or
Amazon/Kindle


Happy Reading!!!

♪♫ Ambur

Review: The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

Source: ARC copy from Zoë at In the Next Room
(Thanks for sharing your extra copy with me Zoë! :D)
Publisher: Doubleday Canada / HarperCollins
Release Date: Already Released.

After hearing that Kelley would be writing a new YA Trilogy after the Darkest Powers, I wasn't sure what to expect, I was a little sad that I wouldn't get to read more about Chloe, and Derek, but I was excited for a new group of characters. I'm also pretty sure I read in a couple of places that Kelley plans on merging the two groups of characters in the future, and I am so excited for that! :D

Anyways, onto my review for the Gathering. I absolutely loved it! I thought that the characters were fantastic, and completely different than the ones in the Darkest Powers (DP) trilogy, which probably made me like them more because they didn't remind me constantly of the others. :) Also, the characters were just plain awesome on their own. I thought the main character, Maya, was awesome, and her love of animals was something I could definitely relate to. Her best friend Daniel, I'm just gonna say "woof" and let you interpret it however you want. ;) But I will clarify that I want him for myself, not Maya. :P haha The other characters were awesome too, some were super mysterious. I won't say which ones though because when you read it, you'll know which ones soon enough. :P

I loved that the setting and scenario were completely different from DP's, from big city to small town. As a side note, I'm from a small town and Salmon Creek made my small town seem huge. :P haha I think that fans of the Darkest Powers will definitely love this one, and I think they'll like that they already have some insider knowledge about some of what's going on. I'm not sure how someone new to Kelley's books would take it though, but I definitely think it's an amazing story that pulls you in and keeps your reading! :)

Here's the Goodreads page for the next book in the series:


Any fans of the Darkest Powers Trilogy out there?
Have you read it yet??
Thoughts anyone?

Happy Reading!!!

♪♫Ambur

Tuesday 12 April 2011

Teaser Tuesday (22)

Teaser Tuesdays at Should Be Reading

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of 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 and author too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teasers:

"It was strangely simple the way that one thing suddenly defined you to other people. One day you're a normal person and the next you're that girl whose parents hunt ghosts. "

- Past Midnight by Mara Purnhagen, p.


That's a teaser from what I'm reading, what about you?
Do you have a teaser you'd like to share too? :)

Happy Reading!!!

♪♫ Ambur

Monday 11 April 2011

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (22)

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? at One Person's Journey Through a World of Books

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?, is a bookish meme hosted by One Person's Journey Through a World of Books, where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It’s a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list. So hop on over to Journey and join in...and leave a comment here so I can check out what you are reading. All links go to Goodreads. :)


Books I Read Last Week:

While I didn't love this one as much as I loved Ella Enchanted, I still thought it was a really awesome story, and I definitely didn't want to put it down. :)
I watched bits and pieces of the movie version of Coraline on TV before, and I've heard amazing things about this book, so I just had to read it, and I wasn't disappointed, it was an awesome story, it definitely had a bit of the creep factor what with the whole other mother and button eyes and stuff, but it was an awesome story nonetheless.
The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes is a series that I have been reading for years, and every once in a while I pick one up and just dive right in. I just got this one a while ago, so I hadn't read it yet, and I still absolutely love reading about Abby. I'm still partial to the earlier books though, back when the purple ink in her journal was actually purple! :D
I have loved everything that I have ever read by Elizabeth Scott, and Love You Hate You Miss You was no exception! It was completely different from the other ones that I've read (Perfect You, Something Maybe, The Unwritten Rule), but I still loved it so much! It was an intense story and sad at times, but it was so powerful. I got really caught up in this story and I wholeheartedly recommend it! :D


Reading Now:
I really like this one so far! I've had it on the shelf for a while, but haven't picked up until now and I realy wish I'd read it sooner! :D
I totally forgot this book in my backpack when I went home for the weekend, so I didn't finish it yet, but I definitely would have if I'd remembered it! This story's a bit different, but I'm really enjoying it, and I'm excited to read some more. :)


- I'm also still listening to Safe Haven, and reading Running From Secrets. Both kind of got pushed aside this weekend for the Read-a-Thon I participated in, but I hope to finish both soon. :)


Books I Want to Read This Week:
So I didn't get to this one last week, but hopefully I'll get some time for it this week. :)
This is one that HarperCollins Canada sent me a while back, and I'm pretty excited to read it, it sounds like a great story. :)

And what are you reading???

Check out One Person's Journey Through a World of Books to see what others are reading. :)

Happy Reading!!!

♪♫ Ambur

Sunday 10 April 2011

Dewey's 24-Hour Read-a-Thon: Results Post

I ended up going to bed at about 1:30 am last night, so I stopped reading with about 7 hours left. I ultimately decided that since I have my Russian Oral final and an English final on Wednesday I needed to sleep because I won't have time to catchup in the week.

Dewey's Read-a-Thon

Even though I stopped early I did managed to finish:

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes: All That Glitters Isn't Gold by Anne Mazer

Love You Hate You Miss You by Elizabeth Scott

and I started reading:

Past Midnight by Mara Purnhagen

I hope that all of the participants had fun with the Read-a-Thon, and I'd like to say thanks to all of the other participants (readers, cheerleaders, challenge hosters) who stopped by my blog and encouraged me! Thanks everyone! :D

Happy Reading!!!

  ♪♫Ambur

Saturday 9 April 2011

Dewey's 24-Hour Read-a-Thon: Check-In!

My progress so far:

Finished: 
Coraline by Neil Gaiman 
All That Glitters Isn't Gold by Anne Mazer


Just Starting:
Love You Hate You Miss You by Elizabeth Scott
 

So, it's been a bit of a slow start, but hopefully I'll get through at least this one and maybe another one. :)

Happy Reading Everyone! :D

♪♫ Ambur

Dewey's 24-Hour Read-a-Thon: Just Starting and First Book!

Good morning (or afternoon in some cases) everyone! :D

My start time was six, but me and six in the morning do not get along, so I'm starting at 8:30 am (mountain standard time), which is in under 15 minutes now!

I've decided I'm gonna start on Coraline, and I'll go from there! :)



Good luck to all the other participants and Happy Reading to everyone! :D

♪♫ Ambur

Dewey's 24-Hour Read-A-Thon Booklist!

Hey everybody! :D

I've decided on a few books that I want to read for the 24-Hour Read-a-Thon! I'll add more if I'm ahead in my reading too! ;) I'll keep you posted!

So...here's my list: 

Number of Pages: 162
I've been wanting to read this one for a while and I found it super cheap on a bookstore on campus the other day and I just had to have it! I'm pretty excited to start this one. :D

Number of Pages: 276
I love the Elizabeth Scott's books that I've already read, so I'm pretty excited to try this one out too. :D

Number of Pages: 123
I absolutely loved this series when I was younger and it's one I still cling onto! I have every single one of the Abby Hayes books...including the bonus ones. I ♥ Abby Hayes! I always feel like an amazing reader when I read these books too because I read them so fast. ;)

Number of Pages: 234
This book sounds hilarious! I almost read Bloodthirsty a couple months ago...but school got in the way and I put it back on the shelf...but now I'm going for it, and I am soooo psyched! :D

Number of Pages: 216
I bought this one months ago, and I figured I could easily read it on a weekend because it's pretty short, but something has always came up...no more putting it off though, I'm reading it! :)

Number of Pages: 290
 I think I'm most excited to read Wings! I've heard amazing things, and I am so excited to start this series! :D

------------------------

 I included the page numbers so that you guys could see how long each of these books are. You might have noticed that all of the books that I picked have lower page counts, I did that because on Dewey's FAQ page someone recommended using shorter books so you don't get bored, so I'm gonna try that out, and then maybe I'll finish with a longer one...we shall see. :)

I also included all of the books' Goodreads pages in case there were any that you guys wanted to check out. :)

Wish me luck guys...it's gonna be a long (but awesomely book-filled!) 24-hours...I'm not starting for a while though, I'm gonna get some sleep first. ;)

I'll post again once I get started! :D

Happy Reading!!!

♪♫ Ambur