It's Monday, what are you reading? (2)

It's Monday! What Are You Reading is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey where we share what we read this past week, what we hope to read this week…. and anything in between! This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from!

Currently Reading:

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins (so much fun)

I read:

 Supernaturally by Kiersten White

Starcrossed by Josephine Angeleni

I reviewed (click title to go to the review):

Supernaturally, Starcrossed, and Brighty Woven.

I started my first GIVEAWAY. Summer Favorites Book Giveaway. Click here for information :)

I'm giving away a copy of Divergent, Heartless and Starcrossed

To Read:

Sleepers by Megg Jenson (review)

Witchlanders by Lena Coakley (review)

Ingenue by Jillian Larkin (comes out tomorrow!)

Wish me luck!

and Happy Monday everyone!

IMM: Week 7 and Summer Reads Giveaway Info

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren in which book bloggers share the books they've gotten in the past week.

You can fine more information about my FAB giveaway by clicking HERE

What did you get in your mailbox?

Giveaway: My Fave Summer Reads (US)

It's big moment for me in my blogging world; I am preparing for my first ever GIVEAWAY and I can't wait to send out this awesome box that will contain my three most favorites reads from this summer.

Since this is my first giveaway I'd like to keep it as simple as possible so I don't accidentally mess anything up and then I get book-blogged blacklisted or something. That would be very unfortunate. Alright, ladies and gents, hold onto your butts cause here we gooooo....

I am giving away  copy of my three favorites books that I had the pleasure of reading this summer:

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini 

Divergent  by Veronica Roth

Heartless by Gail Carriger

Please fill out the form below. It's pretty simple, follow me you're golden. You can follow me on Twitter and  Tweet about my giveaway for a few extra entries.

This contest will run for two weeks. Sunday August 7th until Sunday August 21st at 11:59 PM (PST) I will announce the winner via email and on this blog. You will have 24 hours to respond to confirm shipping address otherwise I will draw another winner. Unfortunately, due to shipping cost, this particular giveaway will be available for US residents only. Winner will be chosen using Random.org


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Review: Starcorssed by Josephine Angelini

Paperback: Starcrossed
Author: Josephine Angelini

Pages: 352
Publisher: HarperTeen  

Release Date: May 31st, 2011
Genre: Young Adult/Paranormal Romance
Rating:  ♥♥♥♥♥

How do you defy destiny?
Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.
As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart. {Goodreads}
Hands down this was my favorite read from this summer. I have been gushing all day to anybody who would listen to me about the beautiful writing and tragic love of Lucas and Helen. Sigh.  From page one I was hooked. Helen Hamilton is my kind of girl. She literally is the face that launched a 1000 ships but she has cramps anytime people pay the slightest attention to her. Poor girl. Her best friend Claire is full of spunk and is the most understating best friend Helen could ever ask for. Once the Delos family moves in and starts at her high school Helens feels major unease about them and the moment she lays eyes on the gorgeous drink of sexy water she launches a full on attack and literally attempts to choke out said hottie.
Helen along with the Delos kids and the majority of her high school realize that something is going on between Lucas and Helen even though they’ve never met up until Helens tries to strangle him. So, we have Helen who has now met people who are just like her, these three girls with bloody tears show up every time she is around the Delos family and her lust to kill Lucas is nearly unbearable. The dream/nightmare sequences are so beautifully told, and within these night time journeys, Helen and Lucas end up saving each other, but neither realizes this “dream” has actually happened. This is where things start to get interesting. 
I really loved everything about this story. The Delos family dynamic was awesome. It’s a little similar to the Cullen’s from Twilight, they disagree with their kind and have chosen to live a different lifestyle and they definitely have some cash. The mythology was beautifully retold, the action was intense and wild, and have I mentioned how hot Lucas is? Swoon. J
Overall, I love every word of this book. It has action, romance, suspense, intrigue,  and actually some really funny one liners.
I’m bummed that I’ve seen some 1 and 2 start ratings for the book. I’d give it more than 5 if I could. Can’t wait for book two, Dreamless.

♥♥♥♥♥

Review: Supernaturally by Kiersten White

Paperback: Supernaturally
Author: Kiersten White

Pages: 352
Publisher: HarperTeen  

Release Date: July 26th, 2011
Genre: Young Adult/Paranormal Romance
Rating:  ♥♥♥♥

Evie finally has the normal life she’s always longed for. But she’s shocked to discover that being ordinary can be . . . kind of boring. Just when Evie starts to long for her days at the International Paranormal Containment Agency, she’s given a chance to work for them again. Desperate for a break from all the normalcy, she agrees.
But as one disastrous mission leads to another, Evie starts to wonder if she made the right choice. And when Evie’s faerie ex-boyfriend Reth appears with devastating revelations about her past, she discovers that there’s a battle brewing between the faerie courts that could throw the whole supernatural world into chaos. The prize in question? Evie herself.
So much for normal.

Two-is words… Bleepin-tastic J But the journey to the fantastic was a little weighed down by Evie being kind of an obnoxious teenager, but the ending more than made up for her behavior. The first few chapters I found myself laughing out loud. I forgot how much I missed Evie’s sense of humor and use of bleep for cuss words. We’re back in Supernaturally, and Evie has managed to adjust to her life as a normal teenager… who are we kidding? She is still fascinated with her locker. Evie is doing her best at fitting in but, Evie isn’t normal and things start to get really strange in Supernaturally. IPCA has come back into the picture, things have been getting out of control and they could really use someone with Evie’s particular talents. Lend is of course against this from the beginning but Evie feels she can finally do some good.  One condition for Evie is there is no bleepin way will she work with a single fairy. But see, this has been all worked out. Jack (who isn’t quite normal and not fairy) can navigate the paths quite well but he is down-right mischievous and seems to always pop up at the most unfortunate times, like the girls locker room before gym. Oops. Evie and Jack begin their adventures with some troubles, shocking. J Evie continues to find herself in situations of mortal peril and she is forced to use her soul sucking skill to escape. I started getting irritated with Evie near the middle of the book. I was bored with her. I know. I hate to hate but I didn’t like where our spunky Evie was headed for. BUT, we have a bleepin BUT here, she really came through in the end and does some major kick-ass stuff. Some heavy whipped cream gets spilled all over Evie, okay that sounded a lot more dirty than I meant. Rephrase. Some heavy shiz goes down and our girl shows that she insn’t some ditzy-girl but she has some balls and isn’t afraid to open a can of glitter and pink whoop-ass.
I was worried for a while that I was going to just skim and read the ending but Kiersten White brought me back into the story with some twist and shocking revelations. I am definitely pumped for some bleepin fun in Endlessly.

♥♥♥♥

RAK Sign Up is posted and ready for you at Book Soulmates

RULES RE-CAP -
NEW request added:

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.
• *NEW* Please, once you receive a RAK, email or tweet me {Vanessa} so that I can update the Google doc. There are a lot of requests for this! 
• *NEW* E-book participation is limited to files being gifted directly to a person from the e-book store. Amazon's Kindle Store is set up to allow this, as well as the Kobo store and we believe Barnes & Noble as well.
• 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!

Easy peezy!!

My Wish List Top 5 Choices (in no particular order)

1. Bloodlines Richelle Mead

2. Blood Red Road Moira Young

3. Beauty Queens Libba Bray

4. Anna and the French Kiss Stephanie Perkins

5. Demon Glass Rachel Hawkins

You can find my full wish list HERE

I accept used books and I do have an eReader but I prefer physical copies. If you think I'd like something that isn't mentioned on my wish list send it on over, I love surprises. 

I like returning the favor so make sure you leave me your name and blog (if applicable) or link to wishlist so I can do a shout out and get a goody off your wishlist.

A big thanks to Vanessa and Isalys over at Book Soulamates for hosting this again :)

Book Blogger Hop & Follow Friday! (week 1)

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Crazy for Books.  It is a fun way for bloggers to find each other's blogs and learn about each other.

This week's question/prompt is:

“What is the one ARC you would love to get your hands on right now?”

Oh man. This could be a long list...

1. Tiger's Voyage by Colleen Houck (just found out the 4th book, Tiger's Destiny, will be out next year!)

2. Dreamless by Josephine Angelini

3. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

4. Insuregent by Veronica Roth ( I would give up reading for a week to have this book, lol)

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkie and Alison Can Read.

It is a fun way for fellow book bloggers to find new friends in the blogging community!
This week's question is:

Q. Talk about the book that most changed or influenced your life (was it a book that turned you from an average to avid reader, did it help you deal with a particularly difficult situation, does it bring you comfort every time you read it?).

The Lord of the Rings with out a doubt changed my reading life permanently. After seeing The Fellowship of the Rings I was enthralled with the whole tale of hobbits and the many other creatures of Middle Earth.  And when I realized I had to to wait another year to see what happens with Frodo and Sam I immediately picked up the complete trilogy. I devoured the detailed and adventurous story with in a few week and couldn't believe I used to make fun of people who read fantasy. From there I started searching for new fantasy reads. I read Harry Potter, Mary Stewart's Artharian Saga,  Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth Series and Philip Pullman's Dark Materials trilogy.  I hate to say it but the series that got  me started in Young Adult was Twilight.  Well, I know I am not alone in that. lol. Now I read everything from high-adventure and epic fantasy to Historical Fiction, Romance and my favorite general gene, Young Adult which hits soo many awesome sub genres.

What books influenced you?  What ARC do you wish you had?

If you are a new follower, make sure you let me know, I'd love to check out your selections and story as well!