Belated Valentine's Day Pressie for My Bookworms!!!

When I saw this I can honestly say:

1. My brain froze (obviously from contact with the Ice Prince, duh)
2. My heart pounded
3. And I squealed. Loud.

So...I read it. To see my quick and (relatively) spoiler free review on Goodreads click HERE. And, to save yourself from your misery click the picture of Ash (which, for those who are either blind or stunned is to the right).


Love it. Comment. And let me know what YOU thought of the actual-not-so end to the Iron Fey love story!

Congratulations!

A big congratulations to Anagha, Vidya and Charlotte Black for winning the Iron Knight/Juliet Immortal Giveaway! Stay tuned for our next giveaway: "Talented" by Sophie Davis

GET READY...IT'S ARTEMIS!!

The next book is coming out soon! Though fans will have to wait until July 10th for the highly anticipated sequel, Colfer has released a sneak preview of the installment: click HERE to read!

So - thoughts, comments? What do you believe will occur in the last book? Favourite character pairings, betrayals, allies, enemies - everything to do with Artemis can be discussed below. Leave a comment and prepare for THE LAST GUARDIAN - it's going to be one hell of a ride!

Quick YA Picks ~ Top 3

Number #1:

The Summer I Turned Pretty (Summer #1)
By Jenny Han

Rating: 4.5


'For me, it was almost like winter didn’t count. Summer was what mattered. My whole life was measured in summers.' 


'Belly' Conklin has spent every summer at Cousins, side by side with Jeremiah and Conrad.

One who's her best friend, and the other the boy she longs for with every breath she takes. 

Now a teenager, Belly's feeling the change that comes with growing up - the special moments, the memories, the heartbreaks and the way your heart can expand before your eyes. 

How you can be just 'Belly' one summer and then pretty the next?

Jenny Han gives readers a stunning tale of self-discovery, romance and the fleeting beauty of summer. 




Number #2:
If I Die (Soul Screamers #5)
By Rachel Vincent

Rating: 4


“There's a good kind of crazy, Kaylee," he insisted softly, reaching out to wrap his warm hand around mine. 

"It's the kind that makes you think about things that make your head hurt, because not thinking about them is the coward's way out. The kind that makes you touch people who bruise your soul, just because they need to be touched. This is the kind of crazy that lets you stare out into the darkness and rage at eternity, while it stares back at you, ready to swallow you whole."


Kaylee wants to scream. Needs to scream.

And that only means one thing for a bean sidhe...someone's going to die and soon. 

But when Tod tells her who, Kaylee's in for the biggest shock of her life. It's her.

With six days to live, Kaylee drowns herself in a final mission - to stop the paranormal forces at work in her town and to protect those she loves. 

A thrilling addition to the series, If I Die shows Kaylee's strength, her passion and her will to survive.



Number #3:
A Beautiful Dark (A Beautiful Dark #1)
By Jocelyn Davies

Rating: 4.75


“I...have been in that weird state between dreaming and waking, where dreams could be memories and the real world could be a dream.” 


Skye's eyes are the first sign. 

When they turn the brightest of silvers something tells her that things are going to change. 

But then again, the colour could be a trick of the light - a coincidence. It takes a party, a fight and two boys who are so connected and yet so apart to make that coincidence her reality.

Angels, the fallen, good, evil and whether you have the right to make your own choices when others believe in only destiny - this book has it all. 

Devin and Asher, like two side of the same coin, awaken a force within Skye that could be the answer to everything...or the end to it all.

Talented by Sophie Davis ~ Review

Talented (Talented #1)

By Sophie Davis

Rating: 4.5

In a futuristic setting, life on Earth has turned upside down. 

Due to the Great Contamination - and the leaking of nuclear waste resulting in nuclear contamination - a generation of children with abnormalities are brought into the world. Some, though, are slightly weirder than others. 

They are the Talented. 

Whether Morphers, Light Manipulators or Telekinetics, these kids are taught to hone their abilities and make use of them under the protective eye of the government. To use their Talents for good. 

But all Talia wants is revenge.

Talia joins the Hunters, in the hopes of one day killing Ian Crane - the man who had her parents murdered right before her eyes. But she has a lot to learn. With help from Hunters Erik and Henri she trains to become what she believes will help ease the pain inside. A thousand question run through her head.

Who is she really hurting? 

Is Donovan, her life-long friend, her true love? Or is Erik, her right hand man? 

Is revenge a dish best served cold? 

And most importantly, is the government really protecting the Talented...or is there something sinister occurring behind the smiling facades? 

A action-packed H.I.V.E-like adventure, about a group of teenagers who aren't afraid to embrace their fears and fight for what they believe, Talented is a must-read for all YA fans.

My thoughts on the book:

First things first - I loved it.

The whole idea was so vividly put to paper, that I could immediately see it in my mind - all thoroughly explained so as to immerse the reader in this world so like our own and yet, so different. 

Talia's emotions are yours; her pain your pain, her loss yours. She never scrambles her words, and funnily enough - unlike most heroines - is the first to admit to be either too clingy, or too afraid. She sees her faults and it is that which makes her all the more real.

The other characters are a joy to read: Erik (whom I nickname the Fire Truck 'cause his looks could set the building on fire!) is sarcastic, strong, has that relaxed graceful way of doing everything - like he was born to be brilliant - and yet underneath all the bravado is a really sweet and concerned guy, who's just afraid to be rejected. 

Henri's basically like Talia's stand-in Dad - there with all the curfew reminders, no-boys-allowed rules and of course the heart-felt advice that makes him such a loveable character. 

Donovan...well. Hmph. You'll see, that's all I'm saying for now. I like him so much better before he got so...clingy. Not a good boyfriend trait. 

Penny's fantastic. She reminds me of Penny from Hairspray mixed with a really nail-polish happy, chirpy BFF of any typical teenage girl. 

I especially love Talia, for no better reason other than she's part Italian and I love Italy and Italian food! But seriously, all jokes aside, I love her because she has a moral compass and a sense of struggle. She's not afraid to give it all she's got and she knows how to prioritise. 

In other words imminent danger over boy problems! 

Finally, I want to just thank Sophie herself for introducing me to her lovely and engaging novel. 

Link to my NEW blog!

Here's the button for my new blog! Isn't it cute?! Thanks to Claire for giving me the idea.

Don't forget to join in this month's challenge...Graceling by Kristin Cashore!

BookNut

BookNut's Wonder Find - Favourites (No, Not the Chocolate)

THE STATISTICAL PROBABILITY OF LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT
Jennifer E Smith


Rating: 5


One of the best books I've read in a long time.

Everything came together like magic - the plot, the emotion (so real some of the sad parts choked me), the raw realness of it and especially the '24 hour' countdown per chapter. It was a book unlike any other with characters that will stay with me forever.

Hadley and Oliver. I swear, the way they met...it's every girl's dream to meet a guy like Oliver (and did I mention he's British?!) on an airplane trip to London. To be seat buddies. To confide in him and to feel that spark, that connection between two souls. After reading this book I do believe the probability for love A.F.S is very VERY high.

It's a quick read, but that's what I loved - how so much emotion, love and life lessons from the heart could be packed into a novel with so few pages. There was no 'Twilight' love triangle, no broody fey prince and no Mr Darcy, but this book really brought what I like to call "Reality Fiction" to a whole new level. A book without fantasy (and I'm a fantasy addict) that satisfies a true reader's appetite.

Hadley is a brilliant heroine. The way she develops as a person, the way truths slowly make themselves known to her...I know it sounds lame and kind of repetitive but it was MAGIC! There were times where you'd sit there and go "Yeah - I know how that feels!" or "That's EXACTLY how it felt" - like in that awkward moment where you don't know where you stand with someone else, but you know for certain that they've captured your heart.

It was like a book version of the movie 'Serendipity' mixed with a Meg Cabot novel with a pinch of Gabrielle Zevin's storytelling finesse. I enjoyed every page, every paragraph and every word - an airplane trip, and a very beautiful 24 hours, that I will keep in my heart and on my bookshelf forever.

COME AND CHECK IT OUT!

A new surprise for all my followers - this bookworm has started up a new blog (link under my profile...to your left and up) The (Not so) Austen Book Club. I would love for you all to become followers and join in some great discussions on books and just obsess in general! Hope to see you all there for great giveaways (often) and loads more fun!


BookNut 101

A Few To Munch On

1.) Cool Beans (by Erynn Mangum)

Rating: 5

Quick Synopsis: For those who like coffee, chocolate, friends, ice-cream and obsessing over all four, Cool Beans (book 1 of 3) is definitely the book series for you! Maya Davis is a barista and struggling to juggle her ambitions, love life (which is so non-existent) and the "web we weave when we begin to deceive". Can good come out of all the dramas of her life? And could she possibly find something that means more to her than coffee? (Answer: Not likely!)

What to eat next: MissMatch series by Erynn Mangum and Austenland by Shannon Hale

2.) Aurelia (by Anne Osterlund)

Rating: 4

Quick Synopsis: For Crown Princess Aurelia, life is simple, perfect. Though unbeknown to her, all this is about to change. Assassination attempts, court intrigue, secret plots and scandals she knew nothing of are about to rise to the surface. Who is trying to kill her? Could it be the enemy? Her stepmother? Or could it be one of those closest to her - someone she trusts? In the midst of danger and her inner struggle for freedom, Aurelia also has to deal with the biggest danger of all...(yes its so cheesy) love. 

What to eat next: Bewitching Season by Marissa Doyle and the Gemma Doyle Trilogy

3.) Silent Governess (by Julie Klassen)

Rating: 5 (If I could give it a 6, I would.)

Quick Synopsis: Olivia Keene flees her small town in the dead of the night - running away from her past, her shame and her own secret. Little did she know she'd stumble across the secret of another - the esteemed Lord Bradley - after being attacked in the woods. A secret which could mean the demise of everything he has; his reputation, title and the life he knows. As a precaution, Lord Bradley takes her on as a governess for his niece and nephew. Unable to speak due to an injury sustained during the attack, she remains silent, though this does nothing to stop Lord Bradley's growing attraction for her. But can they be together when so many secrets threaten to tear them apart? BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN and one of my favourites!

What to eat next: The Apothecary's Daughter by Julie Klassen and Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken