Friday, December 30, 2011

Top 10 I'm Looking Forward to in 2012




This week long event has been put together by the following WONDERFUL peeps!

Rachel @ Fiktshun
&
Jaime & Patricia @ 2 Chicks on Books


Here's what I'm DYING to get my hands on in 2012:



Until I Die - Amy Plum
(Revenant #2)

Kate and Vincent have overcome the odds and at last they are together in Paris, the city of lights and love.

As their romance deepens there’s one question they can’t ignore: How are they supposed to be together if Vincent can’t resist sacrificing himself to save others? Although Vincent promises that he’ll do whatever it takes to lead a normal life with Kate, will that mean letting innocent people die? When a new and surprising enemy reveals itself, Kate realizes that even more may be at stake—and that Vincent’s immortality is in jeopardy.



Rootless - Chris Howard
(no cover)

Banyan's a tree builder. The best there is. He travels up and down what was once the Eastern Seaboard, creating metal forests for those who crave nature in a world where none survives. But when Banyan starts building for the Frost family, he finds a photograph that changes everything - a picture of his missing father, and a clue to the whereabouts of the last living trees.



The Kingdom - Amanda Stevens
(Graveyard Queen #2)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Deep in the shadowy foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains lies a dying town...











The Treachery of Beautiful Things - Ruth Frances Long


The trees swallowed her brother whole. And Jenny was there to see it. Years later, when she returns to the woods where Tom was taken to say good-bye at last, she finds herself lured into a world where stunning beauty masks the most treacherous of evils, and strange and dangerous creatures await—creatures who seem to consider her the threat. Among them is Jack, mercurial and magnetic, with allegiances that shift as much as his moods. Determined to find her brother, with or without Jack’s help, Jenny struggles to navigate a faerie world where nothing is what it seems, no one is who they say, and she’s faced with a choice between salvation or sacrifice—and not just her own.







The Selection - Kiera Cass
(The Selection #1)

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined




Born Wicked - Jessica Spotswood
(The Cahill Witch Chronicles #1)

Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they're witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word . . . especially after she finds her mother's diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family's destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren't safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other



The Taken - Vicki Pettersson
(Celestial Blues #1)

He’s a fallen angel. She’s a rockabilly reporter. Together they must solve a deadly string of murders plaguing the mortal and the immortal worlds.

Griffin Shaw used to be a PI, but that was over fifty years ago when gumshoes hoofed the streets . . . and he was still alive. Now he’s a Centurion, an angel who assists other murdered souls through their journey to the afterlife. But while Shaw might be an angel … he’s no saint. Haunted by the mysterious events surrounding his own death, he seizes a chance to wreak some vengeance when he witnesses a deadly attack on journalist Katherine “Kit” Craig.

Joining forces, the unlikely avengers take to the streets, hunting a killer whose trail of bodies stretches across Las Vegas and into an immortal netherworld. It is a dangerous trek that lead them into the darkest corners of Sin City and into the heart of an evil conspiracy extending beyond the lights of the Strip that could destory them both.

But destruction isn’t the only threat Griffin faces. The closer he gets to Kit, the more he finds himself bewitched by her mortal charms. Can he resist falling under her spell? And does he want to?


Royal Street - Suzanne Johnson
(Sentinels of New Orleans #1)

As the junior wizard sentinel for New Orleans, Drusilla Jacob's job involves a lot more potion-mixing and pixie-retrieval than sniffing out supernatural bad guys like rogue vampires and lethal were-creatures. DJ's boss and mentor, Gerald St. Simon, is the wizard tasked with protecting the city from anyone or anything that might slip over from the preternatural beyond.

Then Hurricane Katrina hammers New Orleans’ fragile levees, unleashing more than just dangerous flood waters.

While winds howled and Lake Pontchartrain surged, the borders between the modern city and the Otherworld crumbled. Now, the undead and the restless are roaming the Big Easy, and a serial killer with ties to voodoo is murdering the soldiers sent to help the city recover.

To make it worse, Gerry has gone missing, the wizards’ Elders have assigned a grenade-toting assassin as DJ’s new partner, and undead pirate Jean Lafitte wants to make her walk his plank. The search for Gerry and for the serial killer turns personal when DJ learns the hard way that loyalty requires sacrifice, allies come from the unlikeliest places, and duty mixed with love creates one bitter gumbo.


Alpha Instinct - Katie Reus
(Moon Shifter #1)

Fear has a scent. So does desire…

Ana Cordona has been a strong leader for the lupine shifters who survived after all the males and most of the females in her pack were mysteriously poisoned. As tough as she is, with no Alpha male, the pack is vulnerable to the devious shifter Taggart, who wants to claim both their ranch and Ana as his own. When Connor Armstrong comes back into her life, promising protection, it’s almost enough to make Ana forget how he walked out on her before—and reluctantly accept his offer to mate.

The minute Connor sees Ana again, it reawakens a raw hunger. He must have her for his bondmate—his wolf cries out for it. But his human side knows he must proceed with caution because of their complicated past. If he is to truly have her body and soul, he must go beyond his burning desire and win back her heart. Whatever it takes, he is determined not to leave her side again.

But Taggart and his rival pack are not their only enemies. A human element in town is targeting shifters. Their plan not only threatens Ana and Connor’s future, but the lives of the entire pack…


Shadow Bound - Rachel Vincent
(Unbound #2)

KORI DANIELS is a shadow-walker, able to travel instantly from one shadow to another. After weeks of confinement for betraying her boss, she’s ready to break free of the Tower syndicate for good. But Jake Tower has one final job for Kori, one chance to secure freedom for herself and her sister, Kenley, even if that means taking it from someone else…

The job? Recruit Ian Holt—or kill him.

Ian’s ability to manipulate the dark has drawn interest from every syndicate in the world, most notably an invitation from Jake Tower. Though he has no interest in organized crime, Ian accepts the invite, because he’s on a mission of his own. Ian has come to kill Tower’s top Binder: Kori’s little sister.

Amid the tangle of lies, an unexpected thread of truth connecting Ian and Kori comes to light. But with opposing goals, they’ll have to choose between love and liberty….


Thursday, December 29, 2011

Review: Touch (Denazen #1) - By Jus Accardo




Author: Jus Accardo
Release Date: 11/1/2011

When a strange boy tumbles down a river embankment and lands at her feet, seventeen-year-old adrenaline junkie Deznee Cross snatches the opportunity to piss off her father by bringing the mysterious hottie with ice blue eyes home.

Except there’s something off with Kale. He wears her shoes in the shower, is overly fascinated with things like DVDs and vases, and acts like she’ll turn to dust if he touches her. It’s not until Dez’s father shows up, wielding a gun and knowing more about Kale than he should, that Dez realizes there’s more to this boy—and her father’s “law firm”—than she realized.

Kale has been a prisoner of Denazen Corporation—an organization devoted to collecting “special” kids known as Sixes and using them as weapons—his entire life. And, oh yeah, his touch? It kills. The two team up with a group of rogue Sixes hellbent on taking down Denazen before they’re caught and her father discovers the biggest secret of all. A secret Dez has spent her life keeping safe.

A secret Kale will kill to protect.







First Thought: Thrilling ride!

There are SO many different things that are running around in my head, I think that is probably the reason why it's taken me so long to put this review down on paper....well you know what I mean.

Dez is one of my favorite female leads I've read about all year. This is possibly because she reminds me slightly of myself, just with her outspoken mouth & go-get-em attitude.
I mean this girl will go to any means to save those who she loves! Her adrenaline junkie ways seem to get under her dads skin, so I L-O-V-E-D when she comes home with some random dude. (Plus it doesn't hurt that the random dude is HAWT good looking)



During this book I couldn't help but think..."ya know, this sounds slightly familiar". Then I it hits me, the Ghostwalker Series by Christine Feehan! Touch totally reminds me of it, but in a completely good way, not in a bad-ripped-off-way.
Jus was able to take this idea and spin in into something beyond where I thought it could go. Breaking her characters down, then building them back up to become stronger, tougher and far wiser then before was amazing.

Along the ride Dez is bound and determined to free a specific prisoner that is being held captive in her father's work. And I mean this girl will go to extreme means to get "them" out!
 Even if that means morphing into a completely unattractive older woman with made fashion sense. There's no stopping this girl :)

Watching the plot develop, thicken, then finally come to a head was probably the best part of this whole read. I mean, you know it's going to go somewhere big, but this was HUGE! Discovering you're something special, but realizing it could go in 20 different directions is another.

Oh, and the chemistry! SH-MO-KIN-G!
Kale, Kale, Kale.....I mean look at that cover & try to tell me he's not yum-tastic with a side of deliciousness???
Sparks file between these two within seconds, so when Kale discovers he can touch Dez, it turns his world upside down, inside out & starts walking backwards! Suddenly what seemed to be impossible is 100% real. It's truly heart warming to watch him actually learn and become apart of the world, instead of just being another Denazen object that inhabits it.
(He's just SO adorable)

All in all this book was pretty fantastic! Jus' imagination flies at you & comes to life from page one. Make sure you pick this book up, download, whatever you need to do so that you can  devour it ASAP!



5/5






Top 10 Characters of 2011



This week long event has been put together by the following WONDERFUL peeps!

Rachel @ Fiktshun
&
Jaime & Patricia @ 2 Chicks on Books
 
 
Today I'm taking a page out of Rachel @ Fiktshun's book & spotlighting VILLAINS today!

 
#10
Miles De'Luca
Cold Blood - By Heather
 
Miles takes the term wing-nut to a completely different level. I mean he wants to have a relationship with his cousin & rule the world. Mental Case!
 


#9
Ava & Luka
Savor - By Megan Duncan

Talk about a match made in crazy heaven!
Both are power hungry and willing to destroy anything that gets in their way.




#8
 Jelena (a.k.a Crazy Bitch)
Descended By Blood - By Angeline Kace

Kick ass & cause havoc, that's exactly what describes her! I do love how she ignites so much fury inside of Brooke though, so I guess she does serve some sort of a purpose.





#7
Marshall Cross
Touch - By Jus Accardo

Heartless. That's the only word that comes to mind when I think of Dez's dad. My god, he even kept his daughters mother locked up in that hell hole & told Dez that she died!
It doesn't much more heartless then that.

 
 
#6
Riley Williams
Exiled - By M.R. Merrick
 
Who banishes their own son AND wife? Really, who does that?! Oh, wait, this prime specimen of a man, that's who! And that's just the tip of the twist iceberg he sits upon, it gets SO much better!
 


 
#5
Devin
Rosemary and Rue - By Seanan McGuire
 
This one blindsided me, and usually I'm pretty good about spotting things, but WHOA! Manipulative, deceitful little shit. Yet at the same time I should have seen it coming, I mean he runs Home for Fae-sake!
 
 
 
#4
Cat's Father
One Foot in the Grave - Jeaniene Frost
 
Slim-ball to the 100th power! Who puts a hit on their daughter, then is coward enough to hide. I can't wait to see justice served further on in this series!
 
 
 
#3
Shane
Captivated - Deb Apodaca
 
Sneak little snake is what he is! Shane sure does know how to lay on the charm, but Dean just needs to kill him already!
 
 
 
#2
Warner
Shatter Me - Tahereh Mafi
 
For those who put this weirdo on the BF list....you are twisted. I understand that he may need help, but my help would be a bullet to the head. Trying to say him & Juliette are the same is like trying to nail Jell-o to the wall, it doesn't work.
 
 
 
 
#1
V'lane
Shadowfever - By Karen Marie Moning
 
Some of you may be saying, "V'lane, NO!", but I say yes! He's cunning, stealthy & hides his true nature with grace. So to me he absolutely belongs on this list!
 
 
 
 
 
 
Who are your Top Characters of the year? Are the Best Friends, Villains, Couples, who stuck out the most to you?

IMM Vlog (#1)

In My Mailbox (vlog) #1


What did you guys get?

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Top 10 Book Boyfriends of 2011




This week long event has been put together by the following WONDERFUL peeps!

Rachel @ Fikshun
&
Jaime & Patricia @ 2 Chicks on Books

Today we're talking HAWT male specimens!
You know the swoon worthy male that we ALL look forward to meeting....don't deny it, you've picked a couple book boy-toys for yourself ;)







#10 Will (From Angelfire - By Courtney Allison Moulton) - I love Will because he is so duty bound & respectful. It kills me to see him struggle with his emotions the way he does, but there's just something about his turmoil that tugs at my heart strings.







#9 Adam (From Shatter Me - By Tahereh Mafi) - Someone give me the ability to kill with my touch & put us in a cell together....please! For me, words can NOT even begin to describe how completely & utterly amazing Adam is as a man. I <3 him!







#8 Justin (From Unleashed - By Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie) - Though you don't meet him until later in the book, the impact that he has is PHENOMENAL! He's the walking, talking poster child for every bad-boy our mothers warned us about. PLUS, he rides a motorcycle....yeah, tell me that's not hot!



#7 Alex (From Cold Blood - By Heather Hildenbrand) - Yes, initially I thought he was kind of a dick, but you know how tough guys can have those stone-cold faces on all the time. When his walls came down, they absolutely crashed, letting everything out like a damn flood. Wearing his emotions on his sleeve is so refreshing!






 






#6 Dean (From Captivated - By Deb Apodaca) - Brooding doesn't even begin to define Dean. But with his amazing eyes, bulging muscles, and searing hot passion, I want to be the first in line to have a crack at this dude ;-)



#5 Caden (From Anathema - By K.A. Tucker) - Seriously, swoon! Caden may be a vampire who's been deprived of human blood since the collapse of the world, but DAMN! He seriously can melt a chicks heart, real quick!







 
#4 Ash (From The Iron Knight - By Julie Kagawa) - I think the name says it all in this one. From the beginning of The Iron King, Ash struck a cord with us all. Determination, loyalty & fierceness sum this dark haired hottie up. So when reading an entire book from his P.O.V. the way I looked at Ash was taken to another level. Deep, emotional & loving are now the first words that pop into my head when I think of Ash.

 


#3 Zsadist (From Lover Awakened - By J.R. Ward) - Ok, ok, so this book didn't come out this year, but meeting the whole BDB clan was a first for me this year. So when I meet Zsadist in Dark Lover, I KNEW he'd be an amazing future BF! I could go on for days, but I won't, you all know what I'm talking about, so we'll leave it at that :D




#2 Bones (From Halfway to the Grave - By Jeaniene Frost) Yet again, another that wasn't released this year, but I was recently introduced to. Snarky comments & white hot passion are what initially pop into my head....well along with his sexy English accent & killer bedroom skills.




#1 Barrons (From Shadowfever - By Karen Marie Moning) - Who else do you think would be my #1??? Barron's is the poster child for HAWT, DROOL-WORTHYWANNA-RIP-HIM-APART-WITH-MY-TEETH Book BF's! Not only did he complete blow my mind, but he shed layers of himself in this book that I didn't even think he had. But I would most certainly make him a cake JUST to have him throw a fit & fling to all over me!





Who are your Book Boyfriends from this year?

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Top 10 Covers of 2011




This week long event has been put together by the following WONDERFUL peeps!

Rachel @ Fikshun
&
Jaime & Patricia @ 2 Chicks on Books


Today I'm having to make the toughest choice of 2011.....COVERS!

You all know what a Cover Whore I am, so this was even harder for me then actually choosing between the books I had read! But here they are, in no particular order:






Incarnate - By Jodi Meadows


Absolutely FECKIN' gorgeous is what this cover is! How could it NOT be in my top 10?






Wildefire - By Karsten Knight


Honestly, I believe this book is the one that ignited my Cover Whore obsession.





Darkest Mercy - By Melissa Marr

BEA-U-TI-FUL! I have a weakness for any type of well done floral cover....and this one just calls to me!








Blood Rights - By Kristen Painter

When I first saw this cover it took me literally like 5 minutes to take it all in. There is SO much detail to this cover it's insane.




The Taker - Alma Katsu

Yes, this is the UK cover. I instantly fell in lust with it & was lucky enough to actually have this version sent to me :)





Dark Matter Heart - Nathan Wrann

Unique. That's the first thing that comes to mind with this cover. The style of this cover is wicked & refreshing! I hope the rest of the series continues to have these style of covers!




Captivated - By D. Apodaca


"OOOOOOOHHHHHH, PRETTY", that's what I first though when finding this book on Facebook. This indie author truly hit a home run with her 1st book cover. (oh and the book is amazing too)




Die For Me - By Amy Plum


Again, here's another UK cover that I am IN-LOVE-WITH! I really, really want this.....like really, really want it!







Rage - Jackie Morse Kessler


For me this cover conveys so many different emotions. I'm not sure if it's because this read is truly that emotional, but this cover just strikes a cord with me.




Swear - Nina Malkin

<3333! Before seeing Swear on Goodreads, I had never heard of the series, but after doing some research I want to pick it up even more.