Blog Tour: Hedge Witch(The Coven Land Trilogy, #1) by Simon Kewin

Hedge Witch(The Coven Land Trilogy, #1) by Simon Kewin

Publisher: Stormcrow Books
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
My Rating: 4/5 stars
Read: April 27th - March 10th
Source: Big thank you to Xpresso Book Tours and Simon Kewin for a review copy!
Synopsis:

Fifteen year-old Cait Weerd has no idea she’s being sought by the undain: sorcerous creatures of necromancy that feed off the spirit of the living. She doesn’t know the undain need her blood to survive. She doesn’t even know, descended from a long line of witches. Cait Weerd doesn’t know a lot, really, but all that’s about to change.

At Manchester Central Library she’s caught up in sudden, horrific violence. In the chaos she’s handed an old book that’s been hidden there and told to run, hide the book or destroy it. It contains all the secrets of the undains’ existence. They and their human servants want to find that as much as they want Cait.

Cait learns the fates of two worlds are at stake. Just what she needs. Along with definitely-not-a-boyfriend Danny, she has to decide what the hell to do. Run, fight or hope it all goes away.

It's only then she learns who she really is, along with the terrible truth of what the undain have been doing in our world all this time...

Wow this book really got my mind spinning! I couldn't believe how many things happened at once, I was turning pages like a mad man!

One of my favorite things about this book what the development of each character. You get to learn about Cait, Fer, Ran, Johnny, Cait's mother and grandma, and even Hellen and Ariane. Some of this characters had a point of view to read it from, which was really interesting. I had a few laughs when Fer was talking, she has a fire in her!

Usually, fantasy books that involve witches and the supernatural get me lost the moment  I begin reading. This is one of the rare few that didn't. The names and spells of things were actually really interesting, and made sense! Props to Simon for pulling that off.

I loved the fact how, though this book seemed long, the time span was really only a few days. The big groups' adventure got me thinking about what was going to happen next and if the "police" were going to catch them.

All in all, Hedge Witch was a really great read. I enjoyed picking it up everyday and learning something new about their world. Everyone should definitely check this out!

Purchase:
-Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JKIE5KY

AUTHOR BIO:

Simon was born on the misty Isle of Man but now lives deep in the English countryside with his wife and two daughters.

He writes science fiction and fantasy as well as some stories that can’t make their minds up.Find out more on his website at simonkewin.co.uk.

Author Links:
http://www.simonkewin.co.uk/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4013862.Simon_Kewin
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Simon-Kewin-Author/139665209438997
https://twitter.com/SimonKewin

I hope you all enjoyed! Again, a HUGE thank you to Xpresso Book Tours and Simon Kewin for letting me be a part of this!!

♦Haley♦

Review of: Entwined by Heather Dixon

Entwined by Heather Dixon

Page Count(Paperback Edition): 472 pgs

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Released: March 27th, 2012

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

My Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Read: April 17th-30th, 2013

Source: Books-A-Million

Synopsis:

Come and mend your broken hearts here.

Just when Azalea should feel that everything is before her—beautiful gowns, dashing suitors, balls filled with dancing—it’s taken away. All of it. And Azalea is trapped. The Keeper understands. He’s trapped, too, held for centuries within the walls of the palace. So he extends an invitation.

Every night, Azalea and her eleven sisters may step through the enchanted passage in their room to dance in his silver forest, but there is a cost. The Keeper likes to keep things. Azalea may not realize how tangled she is in his web until it is too late.

(from Goodreads)

Fantasy as a genre is not often a subject I read. I've always strayed away from it because the topics in it were either too creepy to read about or just plain weird. This book though, it grabbed my attention because first of all, THIS beautiful cover is just unf. Plus, the thought of this hidden chamber, mystery, romance and dancing captured me completely.

The first thing I wrote down about this book was dancing. Azalea has eleven sisters, of which those who can talk and walk love to dance. They dance every day, it is there passion, their obsession, their escape. *SPOILER* Unfortunately, when their mother dies, they are under mourning for a year, which means no happy activities, like dancing or dressing up. They complain and whine, but the King, their father, stands solidly behind the fact. The sisters find an enchanted passage way below the castle in which they are allowed to dance as much as they want every day. The Keeper lets them do as they please, only they do not yet realize that they will have to pay a price later.

I also wrote down how after the girls mother passed, he had to go to war. He became very cold and disconnected from his own daughters. You'd think that if a family member passed away, that it would pull a family closer together. Only the girls came close.

Ah, the romance! It wasn't the center of the story at all, which I liked. Sometimes, romance can be overdone. Mr. Bradford was the absolute gentleman to Azalea. His compliments and the way he talked to her pulled at my heartstrings.

This book was a good read. Made me giggle and smile but also race to flip the pages so I could find out what happened next.

♦Haley♦

Review of: Possess by Gretchen McNeil

Possess by Gretchen McNeil 

Page Count(Hardcover Edition): 379 pgs
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Released: August 23rd, 2011
Genre:Young Adult Paranormal
My Rating: 3.5
/5 stars
Read: February 21st-March 18th, 2013
Source: Library

Synopsis: 

Rule #1: Do not show fear.
Rule #2: Do not show pity.
Rule #3: Do not engage.
Rule #4: Do not let your guard down.
Rule #5: They lie.

Fifteen-year-old Bridget Liu just wants to be left alone: by her mom, by the cute son of a local police sergeant, and by the eerie voices she can suddenly and inexplicably hear. Unfortunately for Bridget, it turns out the voices are demons – and Bridget has the rare ability to banish them back to whatever hell they came from.

Terrified to tell people about her new power, Bridget confides in a local priest who enlists her help in increasingly dangerous cases of demonic possession. But just as she is starting to come to terms with her new power, Bridget receives a startling message from one of the demons. Now Bridget must unlock the secret to the demons' plan before someone close to her winds up dead – or worse, the human vessel of a demon king.

So I guess I'm back! However temporarily that may be, I'm not sure. I'm sorry if this is is a completely meaningless and horrible review; I have forgotten how to write them. But lets just all enjoy this time while it lasts, shall we? Lets get on with this review.

When I first read the synopsis for Possess, I was a little bit frightened but intrigued, because paranormal does that to me I guess. Demons as a topic is a definite first for me. Possess was a pretty short read because it drew me in fast and furious. I was hoping for a second book or even a series, but I guess some books are better off standing alone.

I liked the fact that Bridget was pretty young, like my age, and dealing with banishing demons into who-knows-where. She had her moments as a 15 year old would, but for the most part, she was in control of the situations she was put in. Bridget was dealing with the murder of her father, so being able to pull off all she did was pretty impressive. The demon banishing scenes were the ones that drew me in the most because of the suspense. I felt like I was actually there in the heat of the moment. I also liked the romance between Bridget and Matt. It, unfortunately, was underdeveloped, but from what I glimpsed of it, I really liked their relationship and how Matt was willing to do almost anything for Bridget

I didn't like how predictable the whodunit character was. I do admit that I went back and forth a bit between 2 people, but it became pretty clear about halfway through the book. I like to be surprised, and in this case I wasn't. I also wasn't very fond on how some characters and their background weren't very developed. Hector, Peter and even Matt seemed 1-D because of how so little I knew about them.

Overall, Possess was an okay book. Better than meh, but I didn't totally love it.

So happy I did a review in what seems like forever! See you guys soon, I hope!

♦Haley♦

Blog Tour: Transfusion(Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter, #1) by Nikki Jefford

Hi everyone. So today I have a book tour to share with you all. I am including my review, giveaways, and other tour stops along the way. I hope you enjoy!

Transfusion(Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter, #1) by Nikki Jefford

Page Count(E-book Edition): 231 pgs
Publisher: Nikki Jefford
Released: December 9th, 2012
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
My Rating: 4/5 stars
Read: March 18th-26th, 2013
Source: Xpresso Book Tours

Synopsis: 

If there is one thing eighteen-year-old Aurora Sky wants, it's to get off the iceburg she calls home. Being kissed before she graduates wouldn't hurt either.

Then a near-fatal car wreck changes everything. Government agents step in and save Aurora's life in exchange for her services as a vampire hunter. In Alaska. Basically, she's a glorified chew toy. All thanks to her rare blood type, which sends a vampire into temporary paralysis right before she has to finish the job.. by hand.

Now, Aurora's only friends are groupies of the undead and the only boy she can think about may very well be a vampire. And if she's a vampire, will she be forced to kill him?

Transfusion was a very enjoyable read. Nikki Jefford was able to break all the vampire stereotypes, and make her own new vampire species. She was able to piece together Aurora and Fane's love, while adding in the vampire hunting with danger.

Obviously, Aurora and Fane were my 2 favorite characters, while Noel came in close 3rd. Aurora is this witty, comical, sarcastic senior in high-school that made me chuckle and smile while I turned the pages. Even though she has been through quite a lot, she made the best of every situation with her side comments. Fane is this mysterious,(SPOILER ALERT!) charming vampire that I came to love as he interacted with Aurora. He stole my heart from the beginning, and  had me swooning every time he is mentioned. Noel is a character I adored. She is part of this "groupie" at their high-school and has just become friends with Aurora. Not only did she really care for Aurora like a sister, she really helped her out in the end like any close friend would have done. Noel was like a little kitten; I just wanted to hold her and hug her tight! Oh, and yes, Dante. Boy, he was scrumptious! I actually imagined him looking like Emmett Cullen(Kellan Lutz) in The Twilight Saga. For all you twilight lovers like me, you may get the comparison I'm trying to make: Dark hair, skin, big and muscly ;) I could have cried with happiness when Jefford added this little part in the book when Dante was interested in Aurora. You could probably hear me chanting TEAM DURORA! TEAM DURORA! Sadly, Nikki chose not to commit to their possible love :(

When Aurora became a Vampire Hunter, her whole demeanor changed, in a good way. She became tougher and a better fighter than before. Aurora was very calm in most of the vampire killings throughout the book, which is a trait that I admire. I know that if that was me, I'd probably either go crazy or break down and cry.

All in all, Transfusion was a great jump start to Nikki Jefford's new series, and I can't wait to read the next book in the series, Northern Bites.

Tour Stops:

If you are interested, I am linking the tour schedule here for you to check out as well. Have fun!

Where to Purchase:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

About The Author:

Nikki Jefford is a third generation Alaskan who loves fictional bad boys and heroines who kick butt. She is the author of the Spellbound Trilogy and upcoming Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter series. Nikki married Sebastien, the love of her life, while working as a teaching assistant in France. They now reside in the not-so-tropical San Juan Islands, 70 miles northeast of Forks, Washington.

Author Links:

Website

Goodreads

Facebook

Twitter

Book Trailer:

Giveaway Time!:

Rules:

• To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter forms below
• When the top giveaway's winner is chosen, it will be announced here and the winner will be emailed by me. Please check your email, because I am only giving the winner 48 hours to respond. Another winner will be selected if this occur's.
• Please enter your email address in the form below, and not in the comments please!(:
• I ask that all entrants be 13 years or older.
• The first giveaway is INT(international)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This Tour Grand Prize includes everyone that has entered throughout the tour. Feel free to enter!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hope you enjoyed! See you soon!

♦Haley♦

Blog Tour: Ever(Ever, #1) by Jessa Russo

Hi guys! So today I have my first blog tour of Ever by Jessa Russo. I will inlcude my review with all of the information you will want/need on Jessa. Enjoy!

Ever(Ever, #1) by Jessa Russo

Page Count(E-book Edition): 295 pgs
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Released: October 1st, 2012
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
My Rating: 4/5 stars
Read: March 18th-25th, 2013
Source: Review copy provided by Jessa/Curiosity Quills Press

Synopsis: 

Seventeen-year-old Ever’s love life has been on hold for the past two years. She’s secretly in love with her best friend Frankie, and he’s completely oblivious.

Of course, it doesn't help that he’s dead, and waking up to his ghost every day has made moving on nearly impossible.

Frustrated and desperate for something real, Ever finds herself falling for her hot new neighbor Toby. His relaxed confidence is irresistible, and not just Ever knows it. But falling for Toby comes with a price that throws Ever’s life into a whirlwind of chaos and drama. More than hearts are on the line, and more than Ever will suffer.

Some girls lose their hearts to love.

Some girls lose their minds.

Ever Van Ruysdael could lose her soul.

(from Goodreads)

Ever, for me, was a semi-hard book to get into. It was almost as if something was holding me back, and I think that the lack of plot movement until about halfway through was it. In the beginning, I was waiting for something to happen, something to unfold. I was happy with Toby and Ever canoodling and such, but I wanted action, cliffhangers and all the good stuff if you get my drift. Boy, was I in store for all of that plus more..

Ever, Toby and Frankie. The perfect stereotypical love triangle. Actually, I wouldn't really consider it a love triangle until the last 10-15 chapters or so. It was really Ever and Toby, with Frankie as a ghost, and then something happens to Frankie that I shall not mention for the sake of those who want to read this book. I actually didn't mind their love triangle, because it wasn't forced, but I did have one problem with it because Ever kept mentioning it. She kept fluctuating between Toby and Frankie, and kept going over the same exact points every time. For Frankie, she knew he was a ghost, and there would be no way to act on her feelings for him and vice versa. For Toby, she felt guilty for dating him, because she felt like she was betraying Frankie by being happy with Toby. It's all confusing, I know. It got quite irritating after a while, but it soon dwindled down into nothing.

I absolutely loved Jessie! She is the perfect best friend for Ever, and a sister that I would love to have. She protected, defended and stood up for not only Ever, but occasionally Frankie and Toby, and Ever's mom. With her, I adored Greg. He seemed super cute and friendly with Ever and Jessie. In Ever's time of needs, he was there for her, by either having a hand on her shoulder, or on the small of her back, guiding her in moments of need. He seemed like the perfect guy best friend or big brother for Ever.

Man oh man, can Jessa Russo write some steamy makeout sessions! My eyes were glued to the page, oh my. She made it seem as though you were in the room as it was happening, no matter how weird and awkward that sounds, haha(:

My heart started beating so fast when every. single. part/secret to the story unfolded in Ever's kitchen. In the span of about 2 minutes, plot twist after plot twist after plot twist unveiled itself on the story, and left my mind going WHAT JUST HAPPENED :OOO. I'm pretty sure my mouth gaped open, due to the amount of information that was let out. Then, it got even better near the end when even more plot twists and secrets were revealed. I can honestly say I was super surprised at the end. I was left with a huge cliffhanger!

Ever was a hard book to get settled into, but once I was totally indulged, I was thrown around on a major roller coaster of events. I was honestly shocked near the end, but I'm excited to read the next in the series, Evade.

*A big Thank You to Jessa Russo and Curiosity Quills Press for providing me a review copy. Thanks for letting me participate in this book tour!*

About the Author:

I'm an unashamed super fan of all things paranormal romance. I read, write and breathe paranormal YA, rarely straying from my comfort zone. Seriously. I love the stuff.

When not writing or reading, I'm out and about making memories with some seriously awesome people - for an introvert, I'm pretty extroverted. ;-) You can bet that I'm also ALWAYS secretly planning my next trip to New Orleans. (If my eyes glaze over, I'm in one of my stories, or NOLA.)

I have a husband I love as much now as I did when we first fell in love over ten years ago, and a daughter we're doing our best to raise with manners, values, and spunk.

Southern California will always be home, but I'm open to suggestions.

Links:

Jessa's Website

Jessa on Twitter

EVER on Amazon

On Barnes & Noble

Goodreads/EVER

Goodreads/EVADE

On Jessa's Website, she is hosting a giveaway of one signed paperback copy of EVER, and one signed paperback copy of EVADE(coming soon). Please click the link and enter if you are interested! I know I am! ;)

Well, that wraps up today's post! I hope you enjoyed it, and I thank Jessa Russo and Curiosity Quills Press for giving me this chance to participate! I had fun(:

♦Haley♦

"Waiting on" Wednesday #2

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Mind Games(Mind Games #1) by Kiersten White

Synopsis:

Fia was born with flawless instincts. Her first impulse, her gut feeling, is always exactly right. Her sister, Annie, is blind to the world around her—except when her mind is gripped by strange visions of the future.

Trapped in a school that uses girls with extraordinary powers as tools for corporate espionage, Annie and Fia are forced to choose over and over between using their abilities in twisted, unthinkable ways…or risking each other’s lives by refusing to obey.

In a stunning departure from her New York Times bestselling Paranormalcy trilogy, Kiersten White delivers a slick, edgy, heartstoppingly intense psychological thriller about two sisters determined to protect each other—no matter the cost.

This book synopsis makes me want it right now. It has the right touch of suspense, fantasy and paranormalcy. It makes me feel like I would definitely protect my sister if I had to (but I don't have a sister haha). Now, all I'm thinking about is this book and GIMME GIMME. Plus it's going to be a series or books, so even more goodness to come.

The expected publication is February 19th 2013 by HarperTeen

About the Author:

KIERSTEN WHITE

Hi! I give the most awkward hugs in the world. I also write books. I'd opt for one of my books over one of my hugs. Lucky for you, I write a lot of them.
The New York Times bestsellersParanormalcy and Supernaturallyare available in bookstores everywhere, with the third book in the trilogy, Endlessly, out July 2012.

Mind Games, the first in a new series, is out in February, 2013. An Egyptian mythology based standalone, The Chaos of Stars, follows in fall 2013, with the sequel to Mind Games in February, 2014. And another book after that. And after that? Another one. I'm a very busy girl.


What is your "Waiting on" Wednesday? You know what to do! (if you don't , please leave me a link or a comment, if you'd like :) )

Top Ten Tuesday #2 = Romances You Think Would Last Outside The Book!

Hmm.. I think I can name a few off the top of my head ;) PS: There may be spoilers. You've been warned!

1. Katniss and Peeta from The Hunger Games Trilogy. Obviously, they are the hottest fictional couple right now, so I definitely think their relationship would stand the test of time in their generation. But, it could be rocky. If you read the Mockingjay already and you know what happens to Peeta, then you know what I mean. But, I don't want to spoil it for anyone so I'll just leave it at that.





2. Rose and Dimitri from Vampire Academy. Holy moly, this whole series blew me away! Honestly, they are my favorite book couple. Rose and Dimitri always were the couple I was rooting for from the beginning. Since they are both guardians, they can kick some ass  you know what. They can defend themselves, their Dhampir's and still have a relationship all at the same time.









3. Hermione and Ron from Harry Potter. I may be making this more towards the last movie but i don't care. (: They are flipping adorable together, and they don't realize till the end! They complete each other and could totally make it in the real world. They'd just be all googly eyed, aha.

4. Ever and Damen from The Immortals Series. Now, I know a lot of people don't like this series as a whole, but the romance is so great in my opinion! I'm only 3 books into the series, so don't tell me anything that may ruin it! Ever and Damen are probably one of the most complicated relationship's I've read about. But together, they can conquer any obstacles. Plus, with their mind abilities? They're unstoppable.

5. Calla and Shay from The Nightshade Trilogy. Ok now I have two favorite book couples, this being one of them! Call me bread and butter me up because that's what this trilogy did to me! I was blown away by the amazing series and the romances. Very cute and selected. At first it was Calla and Ren, but then something happened.. I can't say or it'll ruin it for other viewers! But now Calla and Shay are just they perfect couple, and I can't explain in any better than that! (:

(I couldn't find any people representations of them, so you get three book covers instead!)

6. Bryn and Chase from Raised by Wolves series. Again, I haven't read the last book YET. But I will, so Bryn and Chase better still be together. I won't take no for an answer. Their relationship is exactly what I want. Yes, I want to be a girl who lives with super natural wolves and has a boyfriend who is one. Pssh. It's not that complicated ;). Ok, I'm rambling. Bryn and Chase are strong independently and even stronger together. They have this tight knit bond that would help them in the real world and it also makes me jealous.

I'm gonna stop there, cause I've been working on this post for over an hour. I've got my work cut out for me though! I'm just now realizing the mass of series I have yet to finish.. *panics* I seriously need to finish them all before I start a new one..
What is your Top Ten Tuesday? Leave me a link, and comment down below!

Review of : Cleopatra Confesses by Carolyn Meyer

Cleopatra Confesses by Carolyn Meyer

Sorry this is going to be a bit crappy.. I can't brainstorm any, because I'm a bit under the weather. Also, there are some SPOILERS! So I'm warning you right now, if you keep reading, it may ruin the book for you!


Page Count(Hardcover Edition): 291
Publisher:Simon & Schuster
Released: June 7th, 2011
Genre: Young Adult Historical Fiction
My Rating: 3/5
Date Started: August 4th, 2012
Date Finished: August 8th, 2012
Source: Library

Synopsis:

It is the first century B.C. Cleopatra, the third of the pharaoh's six children, is the one that her father has chosen to be the next queen of Egypt. But when King Ptolemy is forced into exile, Cleopatra is left alone to fend for herself in a palace rife with intrigue and murder. Smart, courageous, ambitious and sensuously beautiful, she possesses the charm to cause two of history's most famous leaders to fall in love with her. But as her cruel sisters plot to steal the throne, Cleopatra realizes there is only one person on whom she can rely--herself.

In Cleopatra Confesses, award winning author Carolyn Meyer writes the story of the teenage girl who would become Egypt's most unforgettable queen, from her early years to her her ultimate destiny. 

I liked this book okay overall. The beginning to middle was great and kept me interested, but the ending seemed a little forced and boring. Let me explain why..

The characters made up for some of it, though they had their bad parts too. Characters I liked : Charmion, Cleopatra, King Ptolemy, Demetrius, Julius Ceasar. Characters I disliked : Arsinoe (she ended up just like Berenike and Tryphaena), Berenike, Tryphaena, Ptolemy XIII. I loved loved loved Charmion, just because of how sweet she was to Cleopatra in her up's and downs. She was always there for Cleopatra. (SPOILER ALERT!) Plus, she is Cleopatra's half sister! I was so happy when I read that! (: Cleopatra almost made it to the dislike list, purely because of what she did collectively in the second half of the book. I loved her as a child because she was really smart and maneuvered her way out of tough decisions. As she got older, she grew on my nerves because she didn't solve the problems as she should have done as the ruler of Alexandria. King Ptolemy was good enough to make it on the like list. He was fatherly enough to Cleopatra, but I think he should have tried to come out of exile a bit earlier that 2 years. (SPOILER ALERT!) I was a bit sad when he died, because then Cleopatra was alone, while her two sisters claimed the throne and were most likely trying to kill her. Demetrius was my favorite character by far, besides Charmion. I like to learn about new things, and he was a teacher, so I really related to him on that level. He was just a such a cute little man. Someone that Cleopatra could go to and explain her feelings. Julius Caesar was iffy. He genuinely wanted to see Alexandria thrive with money and crops, so he helped the best he could. But it seemed sometimes this was all a plan to score points with Cleopatra and get her to love him. Which worked. That was low, because he already had a wife back home, and he had the guts to have a son with her!

Reasons for the characters I disliked. Arsinoe! Even as a small child, she always wanted something. She was greedy and complained quite a lot. As she grew up, she got worse and grew into a minature Berenike. Blech! Berenike and Tryphaena were like the step sisters from Cinderella. They despised Cleopatra, and hated each other, especially when Titus came into play. They were the most viscous sisters who ever lived! (SPOILER ALERT!) But then what supposedly happened is Berenike banished Tryphaena and Titus off Alexandria and onto a boat, because they truly loved each other. Berenike just wanted Titus so she could rub it in Tryphaena's face. Once they were on a boat far away in the Nile, Berenike was rumored to have sent guards to kill them. They were never seen again! But Berenike is then served a hot fresh plate of karma, when King Ptolemy comes out of exile, and hear's of her taking his position and killing her sister. She is knifed through the heart. And finally, Ptolemy XIII. He is the second youngest in the family, and didn't play a huge part until the second half of the book. He rules with Cleopatra at a young age, but was miss-leaded but his regents. He thinks of no other than power and more power. This was all planted into his head by his regents. They are power hungry, and with stop at nothing to get Cleopatra out of the throne.

Plot: As I have said above, I liked the book until near the end, So this includes the plot to a point. I love books with a plenty amount of action and adventure. It supplied with with that! From the long trip on the Nile to Berenike and Tryphaena ruling, it was exciting! Plenty of good surprises and charming writing that made this part worthwhile. After the middle though, the book slowed down a lot. Cleopatra was in power, but it seemed like the author had nothing to write about. I was bored until about the last 4 chapters because the action sped up again. For which I'm glad.

Cleopatra Confesses was good enough to where I recommend it to my fellow bloggers, but not anymore than that.

Still on my Mind #2

Hello! I hope everyone is having a wonderful day and week. This is my second Still on my mind, hosted by Ya-Aholic.

The book that is "still on my mind" today is: 

Prophecy of the Sisters(Prophecy of the Sisters #1) by Michelle Zink. I have the paperback edition. This book was published July 1st, 2010


Synopsis: 

An ancient prophecy divides two sisters--one good, one evil.
Who will prevail?
Twin sisters Lia and Alice Milthorpe have just become orphans. They have also become enemies. As they discover their roles in a prophecy that has turned generations of sisters against each other, they find themselves entangled in a mystery that involves a tattoo-like mark, their parents' deaths, a boy, a book, and a lifetime of secrets. 

Lia and Alice don't know whom they can trust. They just know they can't trust each other. 

I'm pretty sure I know why it still is. Because of how scary I thought it was when I read it 2 years ago! I  don't think it's as scary now, just creepy haha. I don't read a lot of paranormal as I do contemporary, but I really should start reading this genre a lot more! It was just dark and un-innocent! I have yet to read the sequel, and the book after that. But I have a new goal: to finish all of the series that I have left hanging for some months. I've got a lot to work to do..

Whats your Still on my Mind? Leave me a link or any comments as you wish (:

Still on my Mind #1

Hi everybody! Hope you all are having a wonderful week so far :D

Still on my Mind is hosted by the wonderful and talented Haley at Ya-Aholic. Click the link if you would like to participate in this awesome meme! :P

The book I have chosen today that "is still on my mind" is:

Palace of Mirrors by Margaret Peterson Hadddix. (hardcover edition)

Synopsis:

"Somewhere in the world I have a tiara in a little box. It is not safe for me to wear it...It is not safe for me even to tell anyone who I really am. But I know -- I have always known."

Cecilia knows that she is not just another peasant girl; she is actually the true princess, in hiding until the evil forces that killed her parents are vanquished. A commoner named Desmia is on the throne as a decoy.

As she gets older, Cecilia finds it harder to study statesmanship and palace protocol secretly at night and then pretend that she has nothing on her mind other than scrubbing the gruel stains out of her best apron by day.

Cecilia knows that it is time to take charge. Along with her best friend, Harper, she flees to the capital city, determined to reclaim her throne and face the danger head on.

When Harper and Cecilia reach the famed Palace of Mirrors, they discover complications: Princess Desmia believes an entirely different version of the story.

Acclaimed author Margaret Peterson Haddix returns to the charmed world of Just Ella, where a princess-in-hiding and a pretender to the throne discover that nothing is as it appears.

I read this, I'm thinking when I was in 6th grade, so back in 2009,  and it's been with me ever since! I'm sure my school had a book fair, and I bought it there in hardcover. This book has stuck with me because of three things:

• I read this around the time I really started getting interested in books and reading, so this is kind of memorable for me..(:
• This is most likely the first book I read that was in the fantasy genre
• Palace of Mirrors was absolutely magical, fantastical and any other words that go into that category ;)

Plus, the detailing was great, and I admit I'm a sucker for princess in distress story every once in a while ♥

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"Waiting on" Wednesday #1

This is my first Waiting on Wednesday, and I'm super stoked! This meme is hosted by Jill over at Breaking The Spine.

This week's feature that I am anxiously waiting for the realease is:

Rift (Nightshade Prequel, #1) by Andrea Cremer.

Synopsis: 

Chronicling the rise of the Keepers, this is the stunning prequel to Andrea Cremer's   internationally bestselling Nightshade trilogy!

Sixteen-year-old Ember Morrow is promised to a group called Conatus after one of their healers saves her mother's life. Once she arrives, Ember finds joy in wielding swords, learning magic, and fighting the encroaching darkness loose in the world. She also finds herself falling in love with her mentor, the dashing, brooding, and powerful Barrow Hess. When the knights realize Eira, one of their leaders, is dabbling in dark magic, Ember and Barrow must choose whether to follow Eira into the nether realm or to pledge their lives to destroying her and her kind.

With action, adventure, magic, and tantalizing sensuality, this book is as fast-paced and breathtaking as the Nightshade novels.

From Goodreads

I'm really ready for Rift to come out! The Nightshade series was such an awesome, heartbreaking, and romantic trilogy, so I am very willing to read anything related! And oh! Look at that cover, so pretty!

Rift has an expected release of of August 7th, 2012. If you want some more information on this book/the author click here

Review of : Dark of the Moon by Tracy Barrett

Dark of the Moon by Tracy Barrett

Page Count(Hardcover Edition): 310 pgs.
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
Released: September 20th 2011
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy/Mythology
My Rating: 3/5
Date Started: July 10th, 2012

Date Finished: July 17th,  2012
Source: Library


Synopsis: 

Ariadne is destined to become a goddess of the moon. She leads a lonely life, filled with hours of rigorous training by stern priestesses. Her former friends no longer dare to look at her, much less speak to her. All that she has left are her mother and her beloved, misshapen brother Asterion, who must be held captive below the palace for his own safety.

So when a ship arrives one spring day, bearing a tribute of slaves from Athens, Ariadne sneaks out to meet it. These newcomers don’t know the ways of Krete; perhaps they won’t be afraid of a girl who will someday be a powerful goddess. And indeed she meets Theseus, the son of the king of Athens. Ariadne finds herself drawn to the newcomer, and soon they form a friendship—one that could perhaps become something more.

Yet Theseus is doomed to die as an offering to the Minotaur, that monster beneath the palace—unless he can kill the beast first. And that "monster" is Ariadne’s brother . 



From Goodreads

Dark of the Moon was a very interesting read. There were points where I was a bit confused as to where they were, who certain characters were and the overall tale, but it was a truly enjoyable read.


This must be a first for me, reading a teen mythology book. Don't get me wrong, I love mythology as much as the next person, but this is the first time I have actually picked up a book like this. So of course, I dived in immediately.


The characters were the best part! Ariadne, Asterion, Theseus, Prokris, Minos, She-Who-Is-Goddess or Pasiphae.  And of course all of the priestesses.But, I was a bit unsure of Ariadne and Theseus's relationship. In the synopsis it say's she is drawn to him and they have a bond that might become something more. But it the book, it was kinda off and on with them. It was like one moment they liked each other and the next, they didn't even talk. The plan between Prokris and Theseus seemed like a last minute one, and I thought that it would be part of the plot big time, but didn't come into play until the end. Asterion was my favorite character because of how cute he seemed(besides the part of accidentally killing the children. I mean, come on, he didn't mean to).  Asterion seemed to be like a huge teddy bear who didn't have much control over his body or mind.


The story line was okay, based on how things played out. I think the author wanted this book to be deeper in meaning, but in my opinion didn't get there, but she was close. It seemed to me like the events and their traditions were a bit mixed together. The traditions with the whole Goddess and Velchanos thing was confusing, as to who was going to be the sacrifice to fertilize the lands and such forth. I will probably start reading up on Greek mythology now.. (:


I recommend this book to anyone who likes mythology with a bit of suspense, teen and fantasy.