What I'm Listening To...Simple Plan #Music

I don't talk about it very often on the blog, but I absolutely LOVE music. I listen to it while I'm doing pretty much everything...even when I'm sleeping sometimes. :P So, I thought I'd start doing these little posts to let you all know what I'm listening to, or the things I like to listen to. I've got an eclectic taste, so don't be surprised if the genres vary a lot. 

This isn't really a meme, just a post I'm going to do every once in a while, I haven't decided if I'll do it every week, but we'll see. 

I'm gonna start off with a band I've loved for years...Simple Plan!

I first heard Simple Plan in junior high, and their first CD, No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls, was the first CD I ever bought. I listened to it over and over, and you know what...I will never forget those songs. They're seriously stuck in my brain now. :P And guess what? I still listen to their songs on repeat. In fact, my best friend and I just went to their concert in Edmonton last month (on Valentine's Day actually ;D), and ever since then I've been constantly listening to my Simple Plan playlist on my ipod! :D

I love so many of their songs that it's going to be hard to pick favourites, but here are a few I love!


Addicted (from No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls)



Welcome to My Life (from Still Not Getting Any...)




Astronaut (from Get Your Heart On ---newest CD)

I was going to post a song from each CD, but none of the ones from their self-titled album can be embedded....weird, anyway, these ones are a few of my favourites! Enjoy!

Ways to follow Simple Plan: Facebook | Twitter | Official Website

So, are any of you Simple Plan fans?
Any song or artist recommendations that you'd love to share??

Happy Listening!

Review: Black Heart (Curse Workers #3) by Holly Black

 Source: Received an ARC from Simon and Schuster Canada for an honest review.

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry

Release Date: April 3, 2012
Number of Pages: 296 (Hardcover)

(Goodreads Link.)

Blurb from Goodreads:

Cassel Sharpe knows he’s been used as an assassin, but he’s trying to put all that behind him. He’s trying to be good, even though he grew up in a family of con artists and cheating comes as easily as breathing to him. He’s trying to do the right thing, even though the girl he loves is inextricably connected with crime. And he’s trying to convince himself that working for the Feds is smart, even though he’s been raised to believe the government is the enemy.

But with a mother on the lam, the girl he loves about to take her place in the Mob, and new secrets coming to light, the line between what’s right and what’s wrong becomes increasingly blurred. When the Feds ask Cassel to do the one thing he said he would never do again, he needs to sort out what’s a con and what’s truth. In a dangerous game and with his life on the line, Cassel may have to make his biggest gamble yet—this time on love.

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I still remember reading White Cat, and trust me I went fangirl over that book! I have always loved the concept behind this series, it's so unique, and it's so remarkably well done! I love Holly's Modern Faerie Tale books...but the Curse Workers, they blow my mind! I absolutely LOVE THEM! And this one...Black Heart is by far my favourite of the trilogy! The perfect ending to an incredible trilogy! :D

I absolutely love Cassel. He just gets better throughout the trilogy, and I always just want to give him lots of hugs. He's had some rough times, and I always feel bad when he's trying to deal with stuff that he's done or thinks he's done when it isn't really his fault. He was awesome in Black Heart though! Seriously clever, and probably at the most honest we've ever seen him...which, let's face it for Cassel is quite the feat! :P

Overall, Black Heart was amazing! There was a lot of relationship/friendship drama, and some extreme stuff (I'm being overly general here, but I don't want to spoil anything :P) that constantly keeps you reading. I barely put this book down, and I only stopped reading because it was late at night and I was falling asleep. If you start it early don't be surprised if you finish this book in one solid read, it's seriously addictive!

If you haven't started this trilogy yet...you need to! It's one of my favourites, and since I've just finished the final book in the trilogy, I can also tell you that this is one of those trilogies that will leave you satisified from the beginning to the end. The ending is a bit open-ended, but it settles everything that you feels NEEDS to be settled, which is always awesome...plus, the ending of Black Heart was perfect! I honestly don't think I could have thought of a better ending than what was there! Holly Black has definitely hit the perfect score with it! I'm seriously so happy that it ended the way that it did, and I hope that everyone else will love it as much as I did! :D

Have you read White Cat, or Red Glove, yet?
Are you anxiously awaiting Black Heart?!
Any thoughts on this series?

Also, I guess with this one you have to mention it...the covers?
What are your thoughts on the cover changes that this trilogy has had?

After the first book, White Cat, there were slight changes to the Red Glove cover, and with Black Heart the entire cover concept has changed. No people, no smoke, nothing that the others had.
I'm not really a fan of the new covers, and I'm still upset that my other two hardcovers will never match this one, but I will tell you that, the book is worth it. Even without the matching covers, it is one heck of a story!

Purchase Links:
Book Depository: UK / US
Amazon: UK / US / Canada
Barnes and Noble

Review: Wolfsbane (Nightshade #2) by Andrea Cremer

Source: Received an ARC from Penguin Canada for an honest review.

Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group

Release Date: Already released.
Number of Pages: 390 (Hardcover)

(Goodreads Link.)

Blurb from Goodreads:

When Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemies, she’s certain her days are numbered. But then the Searchers make her an offer—one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack—and the man—she left behind. Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can endure and still survive.

---

I really love the world that Andrea Cremer has created in the Nightshade trilogy. It's so fascinating, and in Wolfsbane even more mysteries are revealed. We finally get to learn more about the Searchers, and about their side of the Witches' War. I didn't like this one quite as much as Nightshade, but I did still like it. The only thing that bothered me was Shay...I just don't like him, and I don't like how Calla acts around him.

That being said, I absolutely loved everything else...well most of it. :P I could've done with more Ren...and a more positive side of him I might add too. *cough* But, in general Wolfsbane was amazing. The Searchers were fantastic, and I loved how each character that is introduced in this one is so well defined, and I quickly felt like I knew them, even with Calla not quite trusting them yet. :P

The action in Wolfsbane is insane! There are also some incredibly heartbreaking moments. This book seriously keeps you on your toes, and you'll be bounced from some intense action to intense heartbreak to moments of calm...to everything and anything in between those. It's a quick read, and will surely leave you anxious for Bloodrose...although it might also leave you a bit reluctant to pick up the next one. Which is kind of the position I'm in. I definitely want to read the next one...but I'm going to take it slow because I hear it's an even wilder ride than the first two books!

I'd recommend Wolfsbane and the Nightshade Trilogy to fans of magic and wolves. Although if you aren't a fan of love triangles you might not like this one because the triangle and romance is a fairly big aspect of the story. That being said, if you like your heroines to be strong and alpha-like you'll surely get a kick out of Calla. :)

Have you read Nightshade, Wolfsbane or even Bloodrose, yet?
What did you think?(Please no Bloodrose spoilers though, I haven't read it yet. :P)
Shay? Ren? Calla? Anything else you want to mention/comment on/rant about?

And if you haven't read any of them, does it sound like something you'd like?

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (68)

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.

Books I Read Last Week:

• Icebreaker (New York Blades #10) by Deirdre Martin

I didn't like this one as much as I thought I would, but it was still a fun read. Honestly, the only things that kept me from absolutely loving it were editorial mistakes that really should have been caught. For instance, Celine Dion did not sing "I Will Always Love You," and the Muppets are not on Sesame Street....that being said, I really liked Adam and Sinead's chemistry, but they were both so withdrawn, that it was hard to connect with them. I did like it as a quick read in between essay writing last week though.

• Emma by Jane Austen

I finished rereading Emma, and I have to say...I forgot just how much I loved Mr.Knightley. :)

Reading Now:

• Songlines by Bruce Chatwin

 I'm reading this one for my travel writing class. I'm not very far, so I don't have much to say. He's in Alice Springs, too though...I wonder if he and Robyn Davidson ever ran into each other there. :P

Books I Want to Read This Week:

• Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

This is the next book in line in my British Lit class and I can't wait to start it! I've been wanting to read Wuthering Heights for a long time now. Hopefully I like it. :P

• Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star by Heather Lynn Rigaud

I've had this one sitting on my shelf for far to long, and with reading Emma I've been hankering to start this one! If I can't squeeze in time to read Pride and Prejudice, I can at least squeeze in time to read some modernizations. :P

And what are you reading???

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

Random Acts of Kindness - March Edition!

  The beginning of last month was tough for me, so I kind of missed RAK, and then once I remembered it was late in the month, and I just decided I'd wait to sign up again this month, so here's my post for March's RAK! :D
The lovely Vanessa and Isalys at Book Soulmates came up with the idea for Random Acts of Kindness.    Here are the rules for R.A.K.:

RULES RE-CAP:

• Sign up each month that you'd like to participate.

• Show off your participation by grabbing our RAK button :)

• Create a wish list (on Amazon, Goodreads, or your blog etc) and post it in the Google Doc located in each R.A.K post for the month.

• If you choose to do a R.A.K for someone, check out their wish list and contact that blogger for their address.

• At the end of the month, SHOW US YOUR R.A.K!  Make a post saying 'Thank You' to whoever granted one of your wishes and share it with us :)

OPEN TO EVERYONE!

Let's keep our International bloggers in mind and in our hearts.

Remember, there's always the Book Depository and they offer FREE shipping!


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  You can find out even more about R.A.K, and sign up for March HERE.   -----------------------   I've got two different wishlists, one for Amazon and one for the Book Depository: 
The Book Depository Wishlist:  Ambur's TBD Wishlist And my Amazon/Kindle Wishlist: Ambur's Amazon Wishlist
Go ahead and check it out even if you aren't participating in R.A.K.! You might find a book you want for yourself. ;)    (If you want my address to send me something for R.A.K., you can email me at ambiepie_6(at)hotmail(dot)com.)   I hope you all have an awesome month. :)