Showing posts with label #WWReadathon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #WWReadathon. Show all posts

Friday, February 15, 2013

#WWReadathon: Wicked Valentine's Read-A-Thon Finale Wrap Up

The Wicked Valentine's Read-A-Thon is hosted by April and Rebecca @ My Shelf Confessions!!

Books To Read: 
  • The Boys of Summer by C.J. Duggan
  • Koishi by Annie Nicholas
  • Seeds of Discovery by Breeana Puttroff
  • Farsighted by Emlyn Chand
  • Fall For Me by K.A. Last
  • One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost
  • Looking for Alaska by John Green (Pages 3-111)
  • Full Moon Kisses by Ellen Schreiber 

  Manga To Read: 
  • The Wallflower Volume 29 by Tomoko Hayakawa

UPDATES:

02/07
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get any reading done last night. **sniff sniff** :(

02/08
Number of books I’ve read today: 2
Total number of books I’ve read: 2
Books: The Boys of Summer (Pages 1-10) , Full Moon Kisses (Pages 1-130)
Challenge Post: The Dating Game Challenge

02/09
Number of books I’ve read today: 2
Total number of books I’ve read: 3
Books: Full Moon Kisses (Pages 130-215) , One Foot in the Grave (Pages 1-129)
Books Finished: Full Moon Kisses
Challenge Post: Clue To My Heart Crossword

02/10
Number of books I’ve read today: 1
Total number of books I’ve read: 3
Books: One Foot in the Grave (Pages 129-261)
 
02/11
Number of books I’ve read today: 2
Total number of books I’ve read: 4
Books: One Foot in the Grave (Pages 262-357) , Looking for Alaska (Pages 1-85)
Books Finished: One Foot in the Grave
Challenge Post: Lines of Love
 
02/12
Number of books I’ve read today: 1
Total number of books I’ve read: 4
Books: Looking for Alaska (Pages 85-162)
 
02/13
Number of books I've read today: 2
Total number of books I've read: 5
Books: Looking for Alaska (Pages 163-221) , The Girl in the Steel Corset (Pages 1-58)
Books Finished: Looking for Alaska
 
02/14
Number of books I've read today: 1
Total number of books I've read: 5
Books: The Girl in the Steel Corset (Pages 58-139)
 
 
FINAL STATS:
 
Total Number of Books Read During the Read-A-Thon: 5
Total Number of Books Finished: 3
Books Started but Unfinished: The Boys of Summer (Pages 1-10) , The Girl in the Steel Corset (Pages 58-139)

Thursday, February 14, 2013

#WWReadathon: Wicked Valentine's Read-A-Thon Day 7 Wrap Up

The Wicked Valentine's Read-A-Thon is hosted by April and Rebecca @ My Shelf Confessions!!

Books To Read: 
  • The Boys of Summer by C.J. Duggan
  • Koishi by Annie Nicholas
  • Seeds of Discovery by Breeana Puttroff
  • Farsighted by Emlyn Chand
  • Fall For Me by K.A. Last
  • One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost
  • Looking for Alaska by John Green (Pages 3-111)
  • Full Moon Kisses by Ellen Schreiber 

  Manga To Read: 
  • The Wallflower Volume 29 by Tomoko Hayakawa

UPDATES:

02/07
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get any reading done last night. **sniff sniff** :(

02/08
Number of books I’ve read today: 2
Total number of books I’ve read: 2
Books: The Boys of Summer (Pages 1-10) , Full Moon Kisses (Pages 1-130)
Challenge Post: The Dating Game Challenge

02/09
Number of books I’ve read today: 2
Total number of books I’ve read: 3
Books: Full Moon Kisses (Pages 130-215) , One Foot in the Grave (Pages 1-129)
Books Finished: Full Moon Kisses
Challenge Post: Clue To My Heart Crossword

02/10
Number of books I’ve read today: 1
Total number of books I’ve read: 3
Books: One Foot in the Grave (Pages 129-261)
 
02/11
Number of books I’ve read today: 2
Total number of books I’ve read: 4
Books: One Foot in the Grave (Pages 262-357) , Looking for Alaska (Pages 1-85)
Books Finished: One Foot in the Grave
Challenge Post: Lines of Love
 
02/12
Number of books I’ve read today: 1
Total number of books I’ve read: 4
Books: Looking for Alaska (Pages 85-162)
 
02/13
Number of books I've read today: 2
Total number of books I've read: 5
Books: Looking for Alaska (Pages 163-221) , The Girl in the Steel Corset (Pages 1-58)
Books Finished: Looking for Alaska

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

#WWReadathon: Wicked Valentine's Read-A-Thon Day 6 Wrap Up

The Wicked Valentine's Read-A-Thon is hosted by April and Rebecca @ My Shelf Confessions!!

Books To Read: 
  • The Boys of Summer by C.J. Duggan
  • Koishi by Annie Nicholas
  • Seeds of Discovery by Breeana Puttroff
  • Farsighted by Emlyn Chand
  • Fall For Me by K.A. Last
  • One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost
  • Looking for Alaska by John Green (Pages 3-111)
  • Full Moon Kisses by Ellen Schreiber 

  Manga To Read: 
  • The Wallflower Volume 29 by Tomoko Hayakawa

UPDATES:

02/07
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get any reading done last night. **sniff sniff** :(

02/08
Number of books I’ve read today: 2
Total number of books I’ve read: 2
Books: The Boys of Summer (Pages 1-10) , Full Moon Kisses (Pages 1-130)
Challenge Post: The Dating Game Challenge

02/09
Number of books I’ve read today: 2
Total number of books I’ve read: 3
Books: Full Moon Kisses (Pages 130-215) , One Foot in the Grave (Pages 1-129)
Books Finished: Full Moon Kisses
Challenge Post: Clue To My Heart Crossword

02/10
Number of books I’ve read today:1
Total number of books I’ve read: 3
Books: One Foot in the Grave (Pages 129-261)
 
02/11
Number of books I’ve read today: 2
Total number of books I’ve read: 4
Books: One Foot in the Grave (Pages 262-357) , Looking for Alaska (Pages 1-85)
Books Finished: One Foot in the Grave
Challenge Post: Lines of Love

02/12
Number of books I’ve read today: 1
Total number of books I’ve read: 4
Books: Looking for Alaska (Pages 85-162)

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

#WWReadathon: Wicked Valentine's Read-A-Thon Day 5 Wrap Up

The Wicked Valentine's Read-A-Thon is hosted by April and Rebecca @ My Shelf Confessions!!

Books To Read: 
  • The Boys of Summer by C.J. Duggan
  • Koishi by Annie Nicholas
  • Seeds of Discovery by Breeana Puttroff
  • Farsighted by Emlyn Chand
  • Fall For Me by K.A. Last
  • One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost
  • Looking for Alaska by John Green (Pages 3-111)
  • Full Moon Kisses by Ellen Schreiber 

  Manga To Read: 
  • The Wallflower Volume 29 by Tomoko Hayakawa

UPDATES:

02/07
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get any reading done last night. **sniff sniff** :(

02/08
Number of books I’ve read today: 2
Total number of books I’ve read: 2
Books: The Boys of Summer (Pages 1-10) , Full Moon Kisses (Pages 1-130)
Challenge Post: The Dating Game Challenge

02/09
Number of books I’ve read today: 2
Total number of books I’ve read: 3
Books: Full Moon Kisses (Pages 130-215) , One Foot in the Grave (Pages 1-129)
Books Finished: Full Moon Kisses
Challenge Post: Clue To My Heart Crossword

02/10
Number of books I’ve read today:1
Total number of books I’ve read: 3
Books: One Foot in the Grave (Pages 129-261)
 
02/11
Number of books I’ve read today: 2
Total number of books I’ve read: 4
Books: One Foot in the Grave (Pages 262-357) , Looking for Alaska (Pages 1-85)
Books Finished: One Foot in the Grave
Challenge Post: Lines of Love

Monday, February 11, 2013

#WWReadathon Challenge: Lines of Love

The Wicked Valentine's Read-A-Thon is hosted by April and Rebecca @ My Shelf Confessions!!


The Lines of Love Challenge is hosted by Pabkins @ My Shelf Confessions!!

My challenge for you today should you choose to bandy words with me: Compile some Lines of Love to woo us, Or perhaps fill us with sadness, make our hearts bleed perhaps? Or nay give us a laugh that only comedic love can.

The challenge requirements, oh evil things that they are:

♥ In the current book you are reading flip to a random page

♥ Roll four dice, add each die’s number together, the total is your line number(aka line=sentence) [convenient website for dice rolling here]

♥ Make the line romantic in some way. (you don’t have to use the whole line, but at least half of it and whatever you add of your own can’t be more than half the total quote)


LINES OF LOVE FROM:

Book: Looking for Alaska by John Green

Page: 166

Dice Roll: 3 + 2 + 2 + 3 = 10

Sentence: Loss of interest in sex, hobbies, and other activities previously enjoyed.

My Lines of Love: Our 'loss of interest in sex, hobbies, and other activities previously enjoyed' couldn't destroy my love for you.

#WWReadathon: Wicked Valentine's Read-A-Thon Day 4 Wrap Up

The Wicked Valentine's Read-A-Thon is hosted by April and Rebecca @ My Shelf Confessions!!

Books To Read: 
  • The Boys of Summer by C.J. Duggan
  • Koishi by Annie Nicholas
  • Seeds of Discovery by Breeana Puttroff
  • Farsighted by Emlyn Chand
  • Fall For Me by K.A. Last
  • One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost
  • Looking for Alaska by John Green (Pages 3-111)
  • Full Moon Kisses by Ellen Schreiber 

  Manga To Read: 
  • The Wallflower Volume 29 by Tomoko Hayakawa

UPDATES:

02/07
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get any reading done last night. **sniff sniff** :(

02/08
Number of books I’ve read today: 2
Total number of books I’ve read: 2
Books: The Boys of Summer (Pages 1-10) , Full Moon Kisses (Pages 1-130)
Challenge Post: The Dating Game Challenge

02/09
Number of books I’ve read today: 2
Total number of books I’ve read: 3
Books: Full Moon Kisses (Pages 130-215) , One Foot in the Grave (Pages 1-129)
Books Finished: Full Moon Kisses
Challenge Post: Clue To My Heart Crossword

02/10
Number of books I’ve read today:1
Total number of books I’ve read: 3
Books: One Foot in the Grave (Pages 129-261)

Sunday, February 10, 2013

#WWReadathon Challenge: Valentine’s Day Cover Ball

The Wicked Valentine's Read-A-Thon is hosted by April and Rebecca @ My Shelf Confessions!!


The Valentine's Day Cover Ball Challenge is hosted by Kimberly @ Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer!!

The Ball begins at 7 o'clock sharp 
and we promise wicked food and entertainment! 

For this challenge and to receive your ticket 
using book covers show us your dress for the ball, 
your date and how you will arrive.

My Dress
My Transportation
My Date

So I chose to wear the beautiful dress from the cover of SEVER
My date is Jackson Deveaux from POISON PRINCESS
And I would come roaring in on the motorcycle on the cover of ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE

#WWReadathon: Wicked Valentine's Read-A-Thon Day 3 Wrap Up

The Wicked Valentine's Read-A-Thon is hosted by April and Rebecca @ My Shelf Confessions!!

Books To Read: 
  • The Boys of Summer by C.J. Duggan
  • Koishi by Annie Nicholas
  • Seeds of Discovery by Breeana Puttroff
  • Farsighted by Emlyn Chand
  • Fall For Me by K.A. Last
  • One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost
  • Looking for Alaska by John Green (Pages 3-111)
  • Full Moon Kisses by Ellen Schreiber 

  Manga To Read: 
  • The Wallflower Volume 29 by Tomoko Hayakawa

UPDATES:

02/07
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get any reading done last night. **sniff sniff** :(

02/08
Number of books I’ve read today: 2
Total number of books I’ve read: 2
Books: The Boys of Summer (Pages 1-10) , Full Moon Kisses (Pages 1-130)
Challenge Post: The Dating Game Challenge
02/09
Number of books I’ve read today: 2
Total number of books I’ve read: 3
Books: Full Moon Kisses (Pages 130-215) , One Foot in the Grave (Pages 1-129)
Books Finished: Full Moon Kisses
Challenge Post: Clue To My Heart Crossword

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Review: Full Moon Kisses by Ellen Schreiber

Title: Full Moon Kisses
Series: Full Moon #3
Author: Ellen Schreiber
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Supernatural Fiction
Elements: Werewolves
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books, Harper Collins
Format: Hardcover, 215 Pages
ISBN: 9780061986536
Release Date: December 26, 2012
Source: Borrowed from Wentworth Library
Rating: 4/5

Purchase Here: Kindle // Hardcover

Tagline(s): Beware of the full moon. A werewolf wants to take you into his world. Forever.

Summary: Celeste and Brandon know that Nash in werewolf form is bad news. But a new prediction from psychic Dr. Meadows has Celeste wondering: Which of them wants to turn her into a werewolf?

Still on Celeste's and Brandon's minds is the "cure" from Brandon's father. Brandon must face one dilemma he hadn't anticipated—if his dad's serum really does work, is he willing to give up being a werewolf for good? Is Celeste willing to give up her heroic werewolf boyfriend? And when Nash finds out there's a cure, will he try to take it from Brandon as they continue to deal with their rivalry, their competing affections for Celeste, and their struggles with their werewolf identities?

Then things grow still more complicated when a gang of sketchy guys from a neigh-boring town comes to Legend's Run just before the big Werewolf Festival. What, or whom, are they looking for?

The third installment in the sumptuous series about werewolves and the popular girl who loves one is full of danger, mystery, and undeniably romantic full moon kisses.

Review:

In the previous book, Magic of the Moonlight, Nash was turned into a werewolf. Now Legend's Run has two werewolves in town. Nash is desperate for a cure--so desperate that he asks Celeste to go with him to see Dr. Meadows. While Nash receives the answer he was seeking, Celeste is given yet another warning: Beware of the full moon. A werewolf want to take you into his world. Forever.

Every ten years, Legend's run hosts a Werewolf Festival and while everyone is excitedly anticipating the Fest, Brandon, Celeste, and Nash have real werewolf problems to agonize over. Brandon is being pressured by his father to take the cure, but he's not 100% sure he wants to. Nash wants a cure so badly that he's becoming reckless in his search for it. And Celeste has Dr. Meadows's warning hanging over her head and fears she'll be turned against her will into a werewolf. To make matters worse, there seems to be a pack of werewolves from a neighboring town that has come to Legend's Run for more than visiting the Werewolf Festival.

Full Moon Kisses is the final book in the Full Moon series. I have really enjoyed reading this series, and I'm kind of disappointed to see it ending after only three books. There is so much more that could be added to the story. And by the end I felt that there were some loose ends that weren't tied up. While the beginning and middle of the book were great with all the romance, hope, fear and danger, the conclusion felt kind of anti-climatic. There have been many series finales that had blown me away, but the ending to the Full Moon series just had me thinking, "Well, okay then, that's it."

So I'd say that readers will either love or hate Full Moon Kisses. I'm not going to say that it will be loved, because there were parts that I loved and parts that I didn't. And while, in the end, I ended up loving Full Moon Kisses, readers may not. It's a love/hate relationship with this one. Full Moon Kisses, by itself, is a great book, but as a series finale, it was just okay.

About this Author:

Before I took pen to paper, I was an actress. I attended a local university majoring in theatre and spent a summer in London at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts where I learned about the “Old Bard” from amazingly talented teachers.

When I returned from London, I relocated to Chicago where I lived for five years. There, I graduated from the Second City Training Center and performed improv, Shakespeare, comedies and dramas--I even sang and danced on a cruise boat--without falling in Lake Michigan! A classmate of mine from Second City and I created and performed a two woman show for a year before I braved it alone doing stand-up comedy. It was during this time I began to write an adult novel about a rock star--I had always enjoyed writing...

Fast forward a couple of years along with a move home where I was performing “stand-up” at comedy clubs in the area. On a plane to LA to decide my fate-- “to move to LA or not to move to LA” that is the question, my big bro, Mark, coincidentally with the same last name as mine (author of PRINCES IN EXILE, DREAMS OF THE SOLO TRAPEZE and STARCROSSED) handed me a young adult book he found at the library he thought I’d like to read during the flight.

As I read the book, I thought, ‘I can do this!’

I returned from LA, and instead of moving there, I wrote my story about the rock star as a young adult novel and called it JOHNNY LIGHTNING.
Mark, my writing mentor, edited JL for me. He was kind enough to send the manuscript to his publisher in Belgium--Facet--and they published it! In Dutch!

I was now on a new life path!

In 2001 HarperCollins made me an offer I couldn’t refuse! Not only was HarperCollins going to publish TEENAGE MERMAID, but it was in a language I could read and book stores I could walk into! HarperCollins also bought VAMPIRE KISSES and COMEDY GIRL.

It was a dream come true!

Since beginning my new life path, VAMPIRE KISSES, TEENAGE MERMAID, and MY MOTHER, THE CLOWN have been published by Facet in Belgium and JOHNNY LIGHTNING has been published in Germany by Ravensburger.

Then my fabulous editor at HarperCollins asked me for a sequel to VAMPIRE KISSES!
HarperCollins published VAMPIRE KISSES 2--KISSING COFFINS and now the soon to be released VAMPIRE KISSES 3--VAMPIREVILLE. I am currently writing VAMPIRE KISSES 4!

When I'm not writing about the love affair between vampire obsessed, goth girl Raven and my favorite mysterious dark-eyed hottie, Alexander Sterling, I enjoy working on my other novels, shopping for Hello Kitty items, and attempting to gain control of the remote from my boyfriend.


PART OF....



#WWReadathon Challenge: Clue To My Heart Crossword

The Wicked Valentine's Read-A-Thon is hosted by April and Rebecca @ My Shelf Confessions!!


The Clue To My Heart Crossword Challenge is hosted by Kathy @ I Write, I Read, I Review!!


Hello and welcome to the Clue To My Heart crossword challenge. This is an event for the Wicked Valentine's Read-A-Thon. You need to be taking part in the read-a-thon to be eligible to win the prize being offered. Just follow the steps below to get to the crossword, complete it and e-mail it to me so you are entered in the giveaway draw.

What You Need To Do:

The way that this challenge is going to work is simple. All you need to do is click on the link below, which will take you to the crossword puzzle I created for the event, and then follow three easy steps.

1. Download the puzzle (or you can do it on the screen and hit PRINT SCREEN to get a screen shot of it when complete.)

2. Complete the puzzle. (As above, it can be done at the site, or downloaded as a Word file or a PDF.)

3. E-mail your completed puzzle to me so that I know you did it. (Subject: Clue To My Heart)


Find the Crossword Here:



I will post the screen shot of my completed crossword in tomorrow's update, after the challenge is finished. That way I'm not giving out the answers.

#WWReadathon: Wicked Valentine's Read-A-Thon Day 2 Wrap Up

The Wicked Valentine's Read-A-Thon is hosted by April and Rebecca @ My Shelf Confessions!!

Books To Read: 
  • The Boys of Summer by C.J. Duggan
  • Koishi by Annie Nicholas
  • Seeds of Discovery by Breeana Puttroff
  • Farsighted by Emlyn Chand
  • Fall For Me by K.A. Last
  • One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost
  • Looking for Alaska by John Green (Pages 3-111)
  • Full Moon Kisses by Ellen Schreiber 

  Manga To Read: 
  • The Wallflower Volume 29 by Tomoko Hayakawa

UPDATES:

02/07
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get any reading done last night. **sniff sniff** :(

02/08
Number of books I’ve read today: 2
Total number of books I’ve read: 2
Books: The Boys of Summer (Pages 1-10) , Full Moon Kisses (Pages 1-130)
Challenge Post: The Dating Game Challenge

Friday, February 8, 2013

#WWReadathon Challenge: The Dating Game

The Wicked Valentine's Read-A-Thon is hosted by April and Rebecca @ My Shelf Confessions!!


The Dating Game Challenge is hosted by Beckie @ Bittersweet Enchantment!!

This challenge is called The Dating Game. The idea is to choose two different book characters to go on a date. Although each character must be from two totally different books or series.

Example: Edward Cullen (Twilight series) and Kaylee Cavanaugh (Soul Screamers series).

Once you know who you are going to choose then your next step is to tell me where they will being going on the date. Your welcome to post a image of a certain place as well.

Next, I need to know what they will be doing on their date and why you think both characters would make a great couple.  You are welcome to use pictures if you'd like. 


MY ANSWER:
WHO?: Zoey Redbird (House of Night) & Tod Hudson (Soul Screamers)
 
WHERE?: An amusement park during the day, and a light show at night.













 

WHAT?: The point of this date is to have fun and let loose, then relax a little.

WHY?: Why Zoey and Tod? Both of them are usually in a pretty stressful environment, and though they could find fun and relaxation with their usual partners (Stark & Kaylee), I thought both Zoey and Tod just needed to have some fun for once. And who better to have fun with than Tod? And I think that Zoey can be a really relaxing person when she's not stressing out. So Tod provides the fun part of this date, and Zoey the relaxation part of the date. And who knows? Maybe some sparks will fly (though I'd never really separate them from their original partners).

#WWReadathon: Wicked Valentine's Read-A-Thon Day 1 Wrap Up

The Wicked Valentine's Read-A-Thon is hosted by April and Rebecca @ My Shelf Confessions!!
 
 
Books To Read: 
  • The Boys of Summer by C.J. Duggan
  • Koishi by Annie Nicholas
  • Seeds of Discovery by Breeana Puttroff
  • Farsighted by Emlyn Chand
  • Fall For Me by K.A. Last
  • One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost
  • Looking for Alaska by John Green (Pages 3-111)
  • Full Moon Kisses by Ellen Schreiber 

  Manga To Read: 
  • The Wallflower Volume 29 by Tomoko Hayakawa

UPDATES:

02/07
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get any reading done last night. **sniff sniff** :(

Thursday, February 7, 2013

#WWReadathon: Wicked Valentine's Read-A-Thon Goals

The Wicked Valentine's Read-A-Thon is hosted by April and Rebecca @ My Shelf Confessions!!
 
 
Books To Read:  

  • The Boys of Summer by C.J. Duggan
  • Koishi by Annie Nicholas
  • Seeds of Discovery by Breeana Puttroff
  • Farsighted by Emlyn Chand
  • Fall For Me by K.A. Last
  • One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost
  • Looking for Alaska by John Green (Pages 3-111)
  • Full Moon Kisses by Ellen Schreiber 

  Manga To Read: 

  • The Wallflower Volume 29 by Tomoko Hayakawa

Saturday, December 29, 2012

#WWReadathon: Wicked Valentine's Read-A-Thon {Sign Up}

The Wicked Valentine's Read-A-Thon is hosted by April and Rebecca @ My Shelf Confessions!!


The Wicked Valentine’s Read-A-Thon is a time when we all get together to dedicate the days of February 7-14 to as much reading as possible. You read as much as you can in order to get yourself a little further through that huge to-read pile! We know real life gets in the way and even if you can’t participate more than one day, you’re welcome to join in on the fun!

In the meanwhile, we will be hosting book-related challenges where you can win some awesome prizes and have a Twitter party at the hashtag #WWReadathon! You can posts updates on your blog, Twitter, Goodreads or Facebook — as long as the profile is public and we all can enjoy your reading progress!

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Tour Review: Starring in the Movie of My Life by Laurel Osterkamp (Giveaway)

Title: Starring in the Movie of My Life  
Author: Laurel Osterkamp  
Genre: Contemporary Fiction  
Publisher: Preventive Measures  
Format: Kindle Edition   
ISBN: 9781933826677  
Release Date: February 1, 2011  
Source: Tour Host {SupaGurl Books}  
Rating:

Tagline(s): ~NONE~  

Summary: I'll admit it: occasionally I like to pretend that my life is a movie, and that I'm the star…

Samantha acts without thinking. Her heart is huge while her sense of purpose is small; she's willing to fight for those she loves, but she's never learned to fight for herself. Eighteen-year-old Melody is cold and calculating, and she's driven by the desire to better herself. As these compelling yet deeply flawed women battle for the affections of 25-year-old Nathan, he becomes increasingly confused and torn between them.

Nathan is Melody's English teacher, and after he saves her from being raped, she becomes attached. Melody longs for the affection she's never felt, so she involves people in her self-invented drama, making sure she is at once the star and the director. Meanwhile, Samantha is newly married to Nathan. But Samantha has hang-ups about motherhood and lingering feelings for her ex. To make sense of the world, Sam relates her life to the themes of her favorite movies, while she independently makes a documentary to jump-start her non-existent film career.

Stylistically influenced by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Weiner, Starring in the Movie of my Life is told old alternately from both Samantha's and Melody's points-of-view and relates two complete yet combined stories about love, acceptance, and redemption. It speaks to our universal desire to be saved by the ones we love, and the monumental effort required to save ourselves. 

Review: 

DUE TO THE 4TH OF JULY HOLIDAY AND LIBRARY CLOSURES, MY REVIEW WILL BE POSTED LATE. I'M SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE THIS MAY CAUSE.

About this Author:

Laurel Osterkamp’s first novel, Following My Toes, (PMI Books) won the 2008 National Indie Book Award for Excellence (Chick Lit category). She drew on her on her experiences as a high school teacher and creative writing teacher as she wrote Starring in the Movie of My Life.  She lives in Minneapolis with her husband, son, and daughter, and is working on her third novel.

Links:
Website: http://laurel.pmibooks.com/
Blog: http://laurelosterkamp.blogspot.com/ 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/laurelosterkamp 
Amazon Page: http://www.amazon.com/Laurel-Osterkamp/e/B004XR4OLC 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurel.osterkamp 
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10401655-starring-in-the-movie-of-my-life


GIVEAWAY:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

PART OF....


Monday, July 2, 2012

Review: Dire Needs by Stephanie Tyler


Title: Dire Needs
Series: Eternal Wolf Clan #1
Author: Stephanie Tyler
Genre: Supernatural Fiction, Paranormal Romance
Elements: Werewolves, Shapeshifters, Deities, Witches, Ghosts, Demons
Publisher: Signet Eclipse Books, Penguin Group
Format: Mass Market Paperback, 390 Pages
ISBN: 978-0-451-23623-4
Release Date: March 6, 2012
Source: Borrowed from Wentworth Library
Rating: 4/5

Tagline(s): ~NONE~

Summary: The full moon is their mistress. They are predators of pleasure and pain. Feared by humans, envied by werewolves, the Dire Wolves are immortal shifters, obeying no laws but their own bestial natures. Once they were many, but now only six remain, a dangerous wolfpack forever on the hunt…

Rifter leads the pack, embracing the lifestyle and ethics of an outlaw biker even as he battles an ancient enemy who has become a new, powerful force. But with his Brother Wolf raging inside him, howling to be unleashed, he needs to satisfy his hungers. And when he meets a drop-dead gorgeous blonde drinking alone in a bar that caters to both human and inhuman, Rifter’s primal instinct is to claim her.

Gwen has her own desires, long unfulfilled. She hopes a passionate night with the leather-clad, Harley-riding biker will ease her suffering. The seizures that have wracked her body her entire life are incurable—and they’re killing her.

But none of that will matter if Rifter can’t stop the growing threat to them all–trappers who are determined to enslave humankind and use the Dire wolves as part of their nefarious plan.


Review: 

"When Fenrir was killed by the god Odin, Hati created two beings in his image who would become known as Mother and Father Wolf, Dire wolves born in human form so they could walk among the humans without fear, but change to their true form at will."

Thus the Dire race was born, but as the packs grew, they became envious of what the humans had. In their quest to gain power, wealth, and respect, the Dires began killing humans and eventually became uncontrollable. The Elders sent them a warning, but it was not heeded and the Elder set the Extinction upon them. Now there are only six known Dire alphas left, cursed with the inability to die and charged with protecting the very humans their ancestors murdered.

"Rifter needed a woman, Brother Wolf needed to run wild, and their appetites for sex and destruction mingled, rose with a hot howl as Rifter's Harley roared through the winter night."

One night as Rifter was out riding his bike, he stopped at a bar named Bite, because he smelled danger. There at the bar was a young woman who, not only caught the attention of all the men, but Rifter as well. Gwen is a human and for some reason Rifter feels drawn to her.

"She was already living with a death sentence, so why make it harder?"

Earlier that day, Gwen went to a neurology appointment for her seizures, and the truth wasn't good. The seizures are killing her and the medication isn't helping. So with that news, Gwen went to the bar, looking to awaken long-buried instincts she suppressed because of her illness. When she literally felt Rifter walk into the bar, she knew he wouldn't be gentle and treat her carefully.

This fated meeting between Rifter, the reluctant King of the Dire pack, and Gwen, the dying doctor who only wants to live, will change both their lives forever.

I thought it was interesting how in this series the wolf is their natural form and the man their secondary. It's different from how shifter stories are usually written with the man turning into the animal, instead of the animal turning into the man. The coexistence between the men and their Brother Wolves was pretty tame. Everything is equal, they work together, and there isn't any struggle for control between the two. There is one thing both man and wolf disagree on: their goals in life. In Rifter's case, his Brother Wolf's main goal is to become Father Wolf, which can only happen through mating. The fact that there are no Dire females makes that near impossible. Whereas Rifter only wants to die. Although that changes when he meets Gwen.

Rifter is a reluctant hero in Dire Needs. He doesn't want the responsibility of leadership, but knows that he needs to accept that role for the good of the pack. I think what will make him a great leader is his humbleness. He's confident and self-assured in his abilities, but he doesn't gloat about it. Confidence is good, but too much confidence can be a leader's downfall.

"According to Facebook, Rifter left the bar with a human. Twitter confirms."

Okay, am I the only one who thought that the use of social media was hilarious and kind of unbelievable? I mean, they value secrecy and don't want humans to know about their supernaturalness. How in the world could they keep humans from seeing their status updates and tweets? That is the unbelievable part. There is just no way. The hilarious part is the picture I get in my head as I read the quote Stray said above. He sounded like a teenage girl using Facebook and Twitter to stay in the know. He's this huge, masculine guy using social media for confirmation regarding Rifter. That just paints a funny picture in my head.

I really liked Rogue's description of Gwen and I totally agree with him that it's going to make things a whole lot more interesting. Gwen is hovering between life and death, she's a healer and a destroyer. She's dying because of her seizures, but she recently learned that she may yet live. Gwen is a doctor who heals the sick, but she also has the ability to destroy the Dires. It's like Gwen's very existence is liminal, an inbetween exixtence. She's inbetween who she was and who she's going to be. She's half one thing and half another. It's very interesting to think about. I can't wait to see how her liminality affects future events.

With the revelation that there are more Dires in the world than was thought, a great war between the supernatural and humans is beginning, and long-dead prophecies are turning out to be true. Stray will need to call in his brother, Killian, to help in the upcoming battles, but why was Killian kept a secret from the rest of the pack? I can't wait to find out in the next book, Dire Wants.

Standout Quotes:

"You are magic to my logic."

"Forget your science. Embrace your wolf."

About this Author:

NY Times Bestselling author Stephanie Tyler writes what she loves to read - romantic suspense with military heroes and paranormal romance - all with happy endings. Her Eternal Wolf Clan series begins with DIRE NEEDS, which is available March 6, 2012 from NAL.

She also co-writes paranormal erotic romance for Bantam Dell under the pen-name Sydney Croft.

She lives in New York with her husband, her daughter and her weimaraner and she adores her job.

For more information on Stephanie, please visit www.stephanietyler.com or email her at stephanie@stephanietyler.com.

For more information on Sydney, please visit www.sydneycroft.com or email Sydney at sydney@sydneycroft.com.


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Tour Review: Echo Falls by Jaime McDougall

Title: Echo Falls
Author: Jaime McDougall
Genre: Supernatural Fiction, Urban Fantasy
Elements: Werewolves
Publisher: CreateSpace
Format: PDF, 238 Pages
ISBN-13: 9781463664046
Release Date: July 15, 2011
Source: Tour Host {Bewitching Book Tours}
Rating: 4.5/5

Tagline(s): ~NONE~

Summary: Running from a nightmare stalking her every move, Phoebe Martin arrives in Echo Falls hoping she has finally found a safe place to stop. But trouble has a way of catching up and soon the signs are there.

After a vicious attack in an alley, policeman Aidan O'Bryan is left with Phoebe as his only path to understanding why the Echo Falls werewolf pack - his pack - is being attacked. When another pack member is killed, Phoebe is forced to confront her past before she loses Aidan and everything she has come to love.

Love and duty become one as Aidan strives to prevent Phoebe from becoming the next victim. But with Phoebe just as determined to protect Aidan and her new home, secrets from her past threaten to tear them apart. Will love give Phoebe the strength to trust Aidan and face her fears, or will her past destroy her future?

Review: 

Phoebe Martin has been running from her brother's murderer ever since the night it happened. She moves from town to town trying to find a safe place to settle down and live without fear. She thinks she's found that place when she arrives in Echo Falls. Phoebe has found an apartment, is looking for an office to rent for her photography business, she's making friends and generally beginning to call Echo Falls home. But then the murders begin and the gifts start arriving on her doorstep.

Policeman and werewolf Alpha, Aidan O'Bryan has a murderer in his town. Three werewolves outside of his pack have been murdered; and then there's the young woman who was attacked in an alley that he was able to save just in time. Being the only one who survived, Phoebe Martin has information that could help solve the case before more innocent werewolves are killed. But she refuses to talk about the attack.

As Phoebe and Aidan grow closer and the murderer closes in on Phoebe and her new pack, Phoebe will need to find the strength to face her past and open her heart to love, trust, friendship, the pack, and Aidan if she hopes to protect herself and her pack.

I loved how Echo Falls starts off right away with a high tension situation. Phoebe is being chased by an assailant who then shifts into a werewolf and manages to do quite a bit of injury to her before she's saved by a man (or was it a wolf?). This kind of situation grabs readers attention right from the beginning. Then there's the awkward morning after when she wakes up to find a strange man in her apartment cooking breakfast. I think anyone would freak out waking up to that, which is why she goes straight for the knife.

I thought it interesting that the werewolves in this book can only shift at night and are forced to return to humanity during the day. In all the books I've read with werewolves or shifters, they could all shift whenever they wanted, day or night. And I really like the story or legend behind the reasoning for the night shift only. It's romantic, but also bittersweet, which usually goes hand-in-hand with an origin story like this one.

The mystery of who the Hunter and traitor are was even more gripping with how tight-lipped Phoebe is about her past. By the time she decides to open up it's almost too late. I did have an inkling about who the traitor was though. The green-eyed monster is hard to hide and is usually a reason behind treason. I did find it kind of annoying that Phoebe wouldn't ask for help from Aidan and her new pack. Hadn't she ever heard of strength in numbers? I did admire her protectiveness though. But the question at the very heart of the tale is, will Phoebe find the strength to fight or will she continue to run?

About this Author:

Jaime McDougall is a citizen of the world, currently loving life in beautiful country Victoria in Australia. She loves eating sushi, kidnapping her husband and naming her pets in honour of science fiction authors.

A love of fiction has always coursed through her veins and she told stories as a child even before she knew how to write them. Settling into one genre was never her style and she has plans for novels in women’s fiction, urban fantasy and more – all with a touch of romance.

She has been published in Chicken Soup for the Soul: High School: The Real Deal and Chicken Soup for the Soul: Campus Chronicles. She has also enjoyed writing the So You Want ebook series for authors looking to establish their names online.



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Excerpt (Chapter One):

Keep running, keep running, keep running. Phoebe’s lungs burned as her mind screamed the mantra. Keep running, keep running.

How many steps can there be?

She should know. She lived in this apartment building.

Tears ran down her cheeks and her lungs burned for air. Only the random irrational thought broke through the panic keeping her feet moving down the steps. Keep running. Keep running. The light of the emergency exit came into view. Almost there…

The door to the stairwell slammed open with a hollow boom. She tripped and clung to the railing to steady herself.
Keep running.

The shock of the cool night air sent a shiver of relief through her body. She’d come out a side exit into an alley. If she could just get to the front –

Suddenly she was thrown to the ground from behind. She hit the concrete, what little breath she had knocked from her lungs. Blood began flowing from where her head hit the ground, and small sparks of light floated into her vision.

How did he catch up so fast?

Desperately she tried to gulp down as much air as she could, willing her lungs to cooperate. Instinct kicked in as the attacker slashed at her, and she curled into fetal position.

A dog. He’d turned into a dog. A big dog with vicious claws and teeth he used to tear into her exposed back, thigh and shoulder. She slowly regained her breath but could only use it to scream her throat raw.

Her vision faded, taking the small sparks of light with it. Searing pain ripped through her shoulder as a claw dug down against her bone. One last, long scream tore from her lungs before she was left gasping and sobbing, her fear slowly smoldering into rage.

Things can’t end like this.

She opened her eyes as the dog stood over her, trying to get to her throat. A paw came into her line of vision and she saw her chance. She reached out, grabbed it and squeezed with all the strength she had.

The dog yelped and tried to twist away, but she held on with all the strength she had. She knew she’d only bought herself time. She couldn’t move the dog off her and she couldn’t squeeze his paw all night. He tried uselessly to bite her, his jaws having no strength so long as she squeezed his paw. But she could already feel her strength waning.


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