Wednesday, October 07, 2009

Day 304 - Waiting on Wednesday [31]



from bn.com:

So…you’d think after banishing an immortal being and a fallen High Priestess, saving Stark’s life, biting Heath, getting a headache from Erik, and almost dying, Zoey Redbird would catch a break. Sadly, a break is not in the House of Night school forecast for the High Priestess in training and her gang. Juggling three guys is anything but a stress reliever, especially when one of them is a sexy Warrior who is so into protecting Zoey that he can sense her emotions. Speaking of stress, the dark force lurking in the tunnels under the Tulsa Depot is spreading, and Zoey is beginning to believe Stevie Rae could be responsible for a lot more than a group of misfit red fledglings. Aphrodite’s visions warn Zoey to stay away from Kalona and his dark allure, but they also show that it is Zoey who has the power to stop the evil immortal. Soon it becomes obvious that Zoey has no choice: if she doesn’t go to Kalona he will exact a fiery vengeance on those closest to her. Will Zoey have the courage to chance losing her life, her heart, and her soul?


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Reason: I'm sorry, I still like the HoN series. It's not spectacular but I just LOVE some of the aspects of the story. I'm super excited about the newest installment. Can't help it =)

Cover Discussion: It's nice. I kind of like the UK version better. But I like how this one continues with the US theme =) Plus the title is in green - always a plus!!



Tempted will be released October 27th!





What are you waiting on this week?
To see more books that are being waited for click here.

Tuesday, October 06, 2009

Day 303 - Teaser Tuesday [29]

Teaser Tuesdays asks you to:






-Grab your current read
-Let the book fall open to a random page.
-Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12
-You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
-Please avoid spoilers!



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"I guess that's the point of drinking, to take all the feelings and thoughts and morals away until you are just a body doing what a body will do. But sometimes I think about her, she was so young, and I wonder if she feels any shame, she must, unless she cannot remember, and I hope for her sake that she cannot remember." (192)


Day 303 - It's Monday! (on a Tuesday)

It's Monday! What are you reading this week?, hosted by J. Kaye's Book Blog, is a weekly event to list the books completed last week, the books currently being read, and the books to be finished this week.


Books Gobbled Last Week:

Everything Sucks :: Hannah Friedman
The Tear Collector :: Patrick Jones
The Blue Pen :: Lisa Rusczyk


Gobbling Down This Week:
Testimony :: Anita Shreve
Magic Bites :: Ilona Andrews




**Sidenote(s)/FYI**
-Yes, it's Tuesday and I'm posting this late. So sorry about that.

-I'll be reading TESTIMONY for a book club reading (click here if you'd like to join) at the end of the month so I decided to push that back a little.
-I'll be having a few giveaways this month so be on the look out for those =)



Sunday, October 04, 2009

Day 301 - Book Arrivals

So I guess I had a straggler on my Barnes & Noble order that didn't make it with last week's bunch. I didn't even know lol.


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From B&N:

Bloodfever :: Karen Marie Moning
(Book two in the Fever series)

I used to think my sister and I were just two nice southern girls who'd get married in a few years and settle down to a quiet life. Then I discovered that Alina and I descend, not from good wholesome southern stock, but from an ancient Celtic bloodline of powerful sidhe-seers, people who can see the Fae. Not only can I see the terrifying otherworldly race, but I can sense the sacred Fae relics that hold the deadliest of their magic.

When my sister was found dead in a trash-filled alley in Dublin, I came over to get answers. Now all I want is revenge. And after everything I've learned about myself, I know I have the power to get it….
MacKayla Lane's ordinary life underwent a complete makeover when she landed on Ireland's shores and was plunged into a world of deadly sorcery and ancient secrets.
In her fight to stay alive, Mac must find the Sinsar Dubh - a million-year-old book of the blackest magic imaginable, which holds the key to power over both the worlds of the Fae and of Man. Pursued by Fae assassins, surrounded by mysterious figures she knows she cannot trust, Mac finds herself torn between two deadly and irresistible men: V'lane, the insatiable Fae who can turn sensual arousal into an obsession for any woman, and the ever-inscrutable Jericho Barrons, a man as alluring as he is mysterious.
For centuries the shadowy realm of the Fae has coexisted with that of humans. Now the walls between the two are coming down, and Mac is the only thing that stands between them.…

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From Contests/Giveaways & Misc:

Lady of Light and Shadows :: C.L. Wilson
(Book two in the Tairen Soul series)
(A big thank you to Shaymless Aymless!!)

He had stepped from the sky to claim her like an enchanted prince from the pages of a fairy tale, but behind the mesmerizing beauty of his violet eyes she saw the driving hunger of the beast and an endless sorrow only she could heal.
Only for him would she embrace her frightening magic. Only for him would she find the courage to confront the shadows that haunted her soul. Only with him could she hope to defeat the terrifying evil that had pursued her all her life.
No barrier could stand between truemates, not of the body, mind or soul. For ahead an epic battle was fast approaching, and only united could they hope to turn back the armies of darkness.


Solitary :: Alexander Gordon Smith
(Book one in the Furnace series)
(Thank you to the Book Smugglers!!)

Furnace Prison - Where death is the least of your worries. Escape is just the beginning...We thought we'd made it, we thought we were free. But we should have known there was no way out of Furnace. All we did was slip deeper into the guts of the prison: into solitary confinement, where the real nightmares live - the warden, the Wheezers, and something much, much worse. The clock's ticking. Because if we don't escape soon they will turn us into freaks - like them. Forever. In the darkness of the hole your worst nightmares come to life.


Lockdown :: Alexander Gordon Smith
(Book two in the Furnace series)
(Thank you to the Book Smugglers!!)

Beneath heaven is hell. Beneath hell is Furnace. Furnace Penitentiary. The world's most secure prison for young offenders, buried a mile beneath the earth's surface. One way in, no way out. Once you're here, you're here until you die, and for most of the inmates that doesn't take long - not with the sadistic guards and the bloodthirsty gangs. Convicted of a murder he didn't commit, sentenced to life without parole, 'new fish' Alex Sawyer knows he has two choices: find a way out, or resign himself to a death behind bars, in the darkness at the bottom of the world. Only in Furnace, death is the least of his worries. Soon Alex discovers that the prison is a place of pure evil, where creatures in gas masks stalk the corridors at night, where giants in black suits drag screaming inmates into the shadows, where deformed beasts can be heard howling from the blood drenched tunnels below. And behind everything is the mysterious, all-powerful warden, a man as cruel and as dangerous as the devil himself, whose unthinkable acts have consequences that stretch far beyond the walls of the prison. Together with a bunch of inmates - some innocent kids who have been framed, others cold-blooded killers - Alex plans the prison break to end all prison breaks. But as he starts to uncover the truth about Furnace's deeper, darker purpose, Alex's actions grow ever more dangerous, and he must risk everything to expose this nightmare that's hidden from the eyes of the world.

Playing House :: Fredrica Wagman
(Received for review)

When Playing House appeared in 1973, Publishers Weekly hailed it, 'A probing descent into madness that will fascinate the same audience that appreciated I Never Promised You a Rose Garden.' This nationally bestselling story of one woman's struggle with the lasting effects of a childhood sexual relationship with her brother shocked American readers; it remains a literary work of enduring quality and value. In his foreword Philip Roth writes, 'The traumatized child; the institutionalized wife; the haunting desire; the ghastly business of getting through the day - what is striking about Wagman's treatment of these contemporary motifs is the voice of longing in which the heroine shamelessly confesses to the incestuous need that is at once her undoing and her only hope.'

Swords of the Six :: Scott Appleton
(Thank you Anna!!)

When in ancient times the dragon prophet was betrayed by his choicest warriors, he set in mind a plan to bring the traitors to justice. Nearly one thousand years later he sets new warriors on a quest to mete out justice . . . these warriors' veins flow not with human blood, but the strength of the dragon's. Weilding rusted swords whose blades still drip with the blood of the innocents slain by them, the dragon's human daughters set out to find the first of the traitors.

The Recipe Club: A Tale of Food and Friendship :: Andrea Israel & Nancy Garfinkel
(Received for review)

Lilly and Val are lifelong friends, united as much by their differences as by their similarities. Lilly, dramatic and confident, lives in the shadow of her beautiful, wayward mother and craves the attention of her distant, disapproving father. Val, shy and idealistic—and surprisingly ambitious—struggles with her desire to break free from her demanding housebound mother and a father whose dreams never seem to come true.
In childhood, “LillyPad” and “Valpal” vow to form an exclusive two-person club. Throughout the decades they write intimate letters in which they share hopes, fears, deepest secrets—and recipes, from Lilly’s “Lovelorn Lasagna” to Valerie’s “Forgiveness Tapenade.” Readers can cook along as the girls travel through time, facing the challenges of independence; the joys and heartbreaks of first love; and the emotional complexities of family relationships, identity, mortality, and goals deferred.
But no matter what different paths they take or what misunderstandings threaten to break them apart, Lilly and Val always find their way back together through their Recipe Club . . . until the fateful day when an act of kindness becomes an unforgivable betrayal.
Now, decades later, while trying to recapture the trust they’ve lost, Lilly and Val reunite once more—only to uncover a shocking secret. Will it destroy their friendship, or bring them ever closer?
The Shimmer :: David Morrell
(Received for review)

When a high-speed chase goes terribly wrong, Santa Fe police officer Dan Page watches in horror as a car and gas tanker explode into flames. Torn with guilt that he may be responsible, Page returns home to discover that his wife, Tori, has disappeared.
Frantic, Page follows her trail to Rostov, a remote town in Texas famous for a massive astronomical observatory, a long-abandoned military base, and unexplained nighttime phenomena that draw onlookers from every corner of the globe. Many of these gawkers—Tori among them—are compelled to visit this tiny community to witness the mysterious Rostov Lights.
Without warning, a gunman begins firing on the lights, screaming “Go back to hell where you came from,” then turns his rifle on the bystanders. A bloodbath ensues, and events quickly spiral out of control, setting the stage for even greater violence and death.
Page must solve the mystery of the Rostov Lights to save his wife. In the process, he learns that the decaying military base may not be abandoned at all, and that the government may have known about the lights for decades. Could these phenomena be more dangerous than anyone could have possibly imagined?

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Happy Reading Everyone!!

Saturday, October 03, 2009

Day 300 - Everything Sucks

Everything Sucks
Hannah Friedman

Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone

Release Date: August 2009

Publisher: HCI Teens

Pages: 256

My Rating: 5/5


Synopsis [from HCI Books.com]:

When everything sucks, change everything . . .

And that's exactly what Hannah Friedman set out to do in an ambitious attempt to bust out of a life of obscurity and absurdity and into an alternate world of glamour, wealth, and popularity.

Being dubbed 'That Monkey Girl' by middle school bullies and being pulled out of sixth grade to live on a tour bus with her agoraphobic mother, her smelly little brother, and her father's hippie band mates convinces Hannah that she is destined for a life of freakdom.

But when she enters one of the country's most prestigious boarding schools on scholarship, Hannah transforms herself into everything she is not: cool. By senior year, she has a perfect millionaire boyfriend, a perfect GPA, a perfect designer wardrobe, and is part of the most popular clique in school, but somehow everything begins to suck far worse than when she first started. Her newfound costly drug habit, eating disorder, identity crisis, and Queen-Bee attitude lead to the unraveling of Hannah's very unusual life.

Putting her life back together will take more than a few clicks of her heels, or the perfect fit of a glass slipper, in this not-so-fairy tale of going from rock bottom to head of the class and back again.





Review:

Being called "that monkey girl" gets old very, very quickly. Having a monkey for a sister and eccentric parents isn't the worst thing in Hannah's life. Throw in a smelly little brother and you got yourself a party though. Hannah's middle school years are filled with a multitude of embarrassing moments and constant teasing. Then her parents pull her out of school for a UK tour for her musician father - who's last hit was sometime in the 1970s. She's dragged along on a great big disappointment but feels ready to start anew when she gets back to middle school. Surely her new worldy aquired knowledge will impress someone and bump her up on the popularity scale....Yeah, no - doesn't happen. Hannah finds herself lower than ever before.

But things change drastically when it's time for Hannah to go to high school. She gets accepted into a private boarding school, although she commutes because it's so close to home. She finds herself easily making friends and is pretty surprised when the most popular group of girls wants her in their clique. After she comes down from her euphoric feeling of finally having friends Hannah sees the ugliness of high school drama. Nothing but bitchy, backstabbing, superficial competition all wrapped up in lip gloss and short skirts.

Hannah covers all the horrors of adolescence that I think will resonate with everyone. Drugs, sex, eating disorders... Hannah doesn't hold back. She highlights the good times of her life and doesn't shy away from highlighting the bad either. I can't tell you how many times I laughed while reading this book. I don't even know Hannah and yet I absolutely adore her. Sarcastic, witty, and absolutely charming - Hannah's voice is entirely real and honest. But all hysterics aside there is some serious issues being dealt with and you'll find Hannah's story can be heartbreaking at times.

Judge Hannah however you like but I think in the end you will respect her for being so honest and come to appreciate what she has to say. She's not saying anything new, but I think everyone will be able to relate to something in her story. I'm really looking forward to see what she has in store for us next.




Day 300 - Happy Birthday Giveaway Winners


Sorry this is a couple of days late...I had some family problems I had to deal with. But enough about that, how bout we get straight down to business. First, I gotta say I love picking more than one winner!! I don't use random.org... I tally up all the entries and put them in a bowl and get whoever is in the house with me to pick the winner. I just like announcing more than one person =)

So here are the winners in the order they were picked:


Meg
won her first choice of Wings by Aprilynne Pike

Shawna
won her second choice of Undone by Karin Slaughter

Adrienne
won her first choice of Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

xollinzolox
won her first choice of Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow



I've sent emails to you all and you have until October 6th to contact me back. Thank you so much to everyone who entered.

Friday, October 02, 2009

Day 299 - Friday Finds [12]


**Hosted by MizB, click here to see more Friday Finds


I usually add a lot of books on my TBR list throughout the week. This is just a small glimpse into the ones that were added on recently.

Please let me know your thoughts on a book you've read from the list. Or tell me about a good book you've found this week.




My Finds This Week:




Thursday, October 01, 2009

Day 298 - Threadless Thursday [3]




CALLING ALL T-SHIRT JUNKIES!!


Your Mission - should you accept:

1. Visit one of the following (awesome) t-shirt companies and choose your favorite out of the newest batch.

2. Post your pick on your blog so we can all contemplate emptying our pockets for it.Make sure to leave a link to the page you got it from so we can visit.

3. Come back here and leave a link to your post.

4. Show other fellow t-shirt junkies love by commenting on their choice.


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So week 3 and I broke my own rules already =) On last week's edition I had a comment from a nice guy named Chris. He was hoping I'd feature one of his t-shirts from RizzoTees sometime. I checked it out and instantly fell in love with the shirt below. I knew it was perfect for this week because I had actually heard the phrase last week! Got a good chuckle out of it...



On Snap - lol who knew flowcharts could be so fun =)


Day 298 - The Sugarless Plum

I know Diabetes affects so many people in the world. Not only the unfortunate ones that have the disease but their friends and family are affected as well. One of my friends has Diabetes and although I've never seen her on her down days I can imagine that it's really tough dealing with it. But she's a trooper. I sometimes forget she has it because she deals with it so well.

I was immediately interested in reading Zippora Karz's story, especially with her being a ballerina.
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Here's the blurb:


For dancer Zippora Karz, a rising young star with the famed New York City Ballet, being diagnosed with diabetes could easily have ended all her dreams. She was just twenty-one when she was plucked from the corps de ballet to dance solo roles like the Sugarplum Fairy in The Nutcracker. It was near the end of a grueling season when she became exhausted, dizzy, and excessively thirsty. Heavy pancake makeup covered the sores under her arms that would not heal, but still Karz neglected to return her doctor s urgent calls. When she finally went to the doctor, she learned that her blood sugar was excessively high. If she continued to ignore her symptoms, Karz risked heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, blindness, and amputation of toes, feet, and legs. Because she was over twenty, doctors misdiagnosed her with Type 2 diabetes, when in fact she had juvenile (or Type 1) diabetes. Her weight dropped and she became dangerously ill as a result of being prescribed the wrong treatment. Once correctly diagnosed and placed on an insulin regimen, she would inject herself with unsafe doses before going on stage in ill-judged attempts to obtain peak performance. The potentially fatal result of Karz s self-experimentation became all too real when she nearly put herself into a coma.

Balancing ballet and her blood sugar would be a long and difficult struggle for Karz, but eventually she learned to value her body and work with it, rather than rage at its limitations. In The Sugarless Plum, Karz shares her journey from denial, shame and mis-education about her illness to how she lead an active, balanced, and satisfying life as an insulin-dependent diabetic and ballet star. Through her fascinating story, those struggling with diabetes and other serious illnesses can find encouragement and inspiration as well as practical advice on achieving physical and emotional wellness.

After sixteen years with the New York City Ballet, Karz retired and took her passion and skills into a whole new arena as a diabetes educator and advocate, where today she inspires people to not just manage their illness, but to thrive and fulfill their passions. The Sugarless Plum takes readers deep into the heart and soul of a young dancer, and is a remarkable testament to determination and perseverance.


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I should be receiving a copy of Zippora's book shortly. I'm both interested in reading about her experience with the disease and her ballet career. I was sent an article by her and felt it was a great way to get familiar with her story. Please feel free to share your thoughts and opinions =)


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The Sugarless Plum
By Zippora Karz,
Author of The Sugarless Plum: A Ballerina's Triumph Over Diabetes

I left my home in Los Angeles at the age of 15 to study at the famed School of American Ballet, the official school of the New York City Ballet. By the age of 18, I became a full member of the NYC Ballet. By 20, I was starring as the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, dancing roles created by George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins.

The following year I was featured in a new ballet by Peter Martins (the company director following Balanchine's death). It was an incredibly exciting time, but also a very exhausting one. Dancing all day and performing every night, I ignored the strange symptoms I was feeling. I didn't think anything was wrong.

I thought I was feeling thirsty and hungry, spaced out, having to urinate frequently, and losing weight because of the intense schedule and my nerves for the big premiere. I would have continued to ignore my symptoms had it not been for the sores under my arms that had become infected. It was terribly painful to lift my arms, not to mention how unattractive it was. I was often dizzy and I found it hard to feel my extremities, particularly my toes, when I danced.

My diagnosis was informal and cold. I sat in that office and was handed pamphlet after pamphlet about diabetes and its terrifying complications, anything from heart disease and stroke, to blindness, kidney failure and loss of limbs. All I could think about was getting back to the theater. I left the doctor's office confused and annoyed. Back at the theatre, I convinced myself the blood work was off because of my exhaustion or a lab error. I was a 21-year-old aspiring ballerina with the New York City Ballet. A disease people give money to for charity had nothing to do with me.

I was clearly in denial, fueled by the fact that because of my age, doctors assumed I had type 2 diabetes (associated with lifestyle, being overweight and inactivity) and I was put on oral medication. Everything came crashing down when I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Going on insulin felt like the ultimate failure. I hated my body for its inadequacies. I felt hopeless at the thought of how I would juggle shots of insulin with my performance schedule. I was inexperienced with how much insulin to take at any given time before dancing, and unaware of the immediate danger of taking too much.

I should have discussed my concerns and difficulties with my doctor, but at the time it was easier to find a new one rather than try to communicate with the old one. Once again I was told I had type 2 diabetes. This new doctor even took me off insulin, to even stop checking my sugar levels. He thought the lows on stage were far more dangerous than letting my sugars go up a bit. He thought I was being obsessive. Could he have been right?

How could I have convinced myself it was okay to let my blood sugars go high? I was still hoping the whole thing would go away or would reverse itself. I was still in denial, happy to put the meter away and stop my shots. It didn't take long for my original symptoms to return. I think dancing all day and night, and eating as perfectly as I could, is how I survived with no insulin for almost a year. But I looked and felt terrible. Even though the company still let me dance in the Corp de ballet every night, there were no leading roles coming my way. When I finally "woke up" and checked my blood sugar levels, the meter would not go that high. It was time to end my denial, take responsibility for my body, and accept my insulin-dependent diabetes.

I started a balanced insulin program and began looking and feeling better. Ironically, as I learned how to perform every night without experiencing extreme lows, I also psychologically started to question the reality of my situation.

Was this a suitable lifestyle for a person with type 1 diabetes? Maybe I was putting too much pressure on myself. I was exhausted from all the ups and downs with my physiology and from trying so hard to prove I was the same promising dancer I once was. I was not the same. Maybe it was time for me to admit I had accomplished a lot, but it was time to find a more suitable lifestyle for an insulin-dependent diabetic.

As much as I wanted to quit dancing, I just could not let myself do it. When I listened to the small voice in my heart, I admitted to myself that if I quit, I would be using diabetes as an excuse. The truth is I was more tired about wishing I could be the dancer I once was, alive and joyful, than I was tired of diabetes. I told myself I hadn't yet danced on the right insulin regime for long enough and didn't know what was possible. I did not want to look back with regret. I knew I would always wonder, so I had to stay and keep trying.

Nine years after I joined the company (six years after my diagnosis), I was promoted to Soloist Ballerina of the New York City Ballet. I performed with the company another 7 years, 16 years total with the company and 13 with diabetes. I loved every performance and am grateful for every moment I had on stage. Today I am a teacher and I stage George Balanchine ballets all over the world.

We all have a story. We all experience obstacles that affect our motivation and ability to take the best care possible. We can't always see the light at the end of the tunnel, even though it is there, brighter than we can imagine. If, in the end, it is just too much, know that you did the best you could. I believe our best is good enough!

©2009 Zippora Karz, author of The Sugarless Plum


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Author Bio:
Zippora Karz, author of The Sugarless Plum: A Ballerina's Triumph Over Diabetes, is a former soloist ballerina with the New York City Ballet where she performed for 16 years on stage and in televised performances. She was featured in a variety of roles choreographed by George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins (The Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker being one of her favorites) as well as works choreographed for her by such choreographers as Peter Martins and Lynne Taylor Corbett. Miss Karz danced with the New York City Ballet from 1983 through 1999. She now serves as a teacher and repetiteur for the George Balanchine Trust, rehearsing and staging Balanchine's choreography for a host of national and international dance companies. She is also a diabetes spokesperson and educator who regularly addresses major diabetes conferences and organizations worldwide. She lives in Los Angeles, California.

For more information please visit http://www.zipporakarz.com/

Day 298 - Author Articles (The List)

Here's the list of all the Author Articles I have posted =) Click the link to check out the original post!





A:


B:

Burke, Fauzia - I'll Take a Community With That Book, Please!

C:


D:


E:


F:


G:

Garfinkel, Nancy - You are What You Say . . . When You Talk About What You Eat

H:


I:

Israel, Andrea - You are What You Say . . . When You Talk About What You Eat

J:


K:

Karz, Zippora - The Sugarless Plum

L:

LeBlanc, Deborah - Paranormal Plus

M:

Morrell, David - Rising Above it All: How Rambo's Creator Earned His Pilot's License

N:


O:


P:


Q:


R:


S:

Sharon, Rona - Blood, Fire, and Pillars of Smoke: The Rise of Vampires in Pop Culture

T:


U:


W:


X,Y,Z:

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Day 297 - Waiting on Wednesday [30]


from bn.com:


When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers.

Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.

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Reason: I've seen this around a lot and have had it on my TBR list for a good while now. I think I even featured it on a Friday Finds post not too long ago...
It sounds like it's gonna be G-O-O-D!! Don't you think?? I'm super curious as to what happened to Thomas...

Cover Discussion: I like it. Definitely makes me curious.



The Maze Runner will be released October 6th!






What are you waiting on this week?
To see more books that are being waited for click here.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Day 296 - Royal Blood

Royal Blood
Rona Sharon


Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone

Release Date: March 2009

Publisher: Kensington

Pages: 488


My Rating: 3.75/5


Synopsis [from bn.com]:

In the Tudor Court of 1518, your friends and enemies can be one and the same...

During the annual celebration of the Order of the Garter, Sir Michael Devereaux arrives in King Henry VIII's court on a mission for his benefactor. The celebration's endless feats and sumptuous women delight the charismatic newcomer, who becomes captivated by the enigmatic Princess Renée of France. But evil, it seems, has followed Michael to the court. Shortly after his arrival, an unknown killer claims several victims, including the Queen's lady-in-waiting, and the powerful Cardinal Wolsey asks Michael to help with the investigation. As he searches for the killer, Michael is haunted by disturbing images of the victims—flashes of violence that lead him to doubt his own sanity. Michael soon realizes that the key to solving the crime is connected to both the Pope's Imperial vault in Rome and a mystery from Michael's own past—revealing a secret that is so damning, it could forever alter the future of mankind.

Powerfully evocative and steeped with detail from the breathtaking era of the Tudors, Royal Blood is historical storytelling at its richest—an unforgettable tale of intrigue, passion, and danger.






Review:


Holy crap - this book took me forever to read. Not that it wasn't good...it just really gave me a hard time. I suppose it's because I'm not that historical savvy yet. Not that I ever will be, I just haven't read that many historical books. This is also my first novel by Rona Sharon. So maybe that had something to do with it...I don't really know. That and maybe the fact that it was a fat ass book lol

As I mentioned in the above paragraph, I'm not a historical fiction pro. To me, Rona Sharon did a most excellent job in detailing and setting up the 16th century Tudor England. I'm not familar with Henry VII and the court politics and intrigue of that time. What can I say? I avoided European History in high school and took U.S. History again in college. Basically, I have no idea what went down in Europe unless it concerned the U.S. ... And even then I'm still a bit fuzzy. All I know is that ROYAL BLOOD's premise interested me immensly. And I must say I wasn't disappointed.

Michael Devereaux is on a mission. Traveling from Ireland, Michael is out to make a name for himself at Henry VII's annual Order of the Garter celebration. His benefactor Lord Tyrone has warned him of the dangers of court politics and told him to be careful. He tells Michael that it's great to be loved and wanted but not to fall in love. It will only complicate things for him. Michael has no problem with that... until he sets eyes on Princess Renee de Valois of France.

Renee is a fiery minx of a woman. The sister of the Queen of France and the daughter of the previous King, Renee is sent on a mission of her own pretty much against her will by the current King of France and Cardinal Medici. It is when the two paths cross that Michael and Renee are both sucked into a whirlwind of murder, mystery, betrayal, and romance that will keep you wanting more.

I remember when I first accepted the inquiry for review, I don't think I knew there was going to be any paranormal element in the book. I mean the back of the book doesn't even mention it. And I can't remember how I found out about the paranormal part but I know I knew about it before I opened the book. And it was a delightful addition. The vampire lore had a few new twists that added a different feel against the brilliant historical setting Rona Sharon created.

I found the first half of the book enjoyable - although slow. I must admit it took me a great while to get used to the feel of Michael and Renee's world. But I don't necessarily fault Rona's writing. I think it might have been the fact that I'm a historical newbie. Another thing I had trouble with was keeping some of the characters straight... another thing I can't really fault Rona for. Again, that may just be me.

Overall though, when I turned the last page, I found myself really liking ROYAL BLOOD. I'm sure true historical fans will appreciate the detail and depth Rona Sharon has written with. And even non-historical fans will love the characters and the paranormal feel towards the end. I highly recommend this one. I wish there was a sequel to it =) Regardless I'll be checking out more of Rona's books when I get the chance.











Day 296 - Teaser Tuesday [28]

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Day 295 - Once Upon a Nightmare Winner



40 people entered for a SIGNED copy of Once Upon a Nightmare with a total of 155 entries!! Thanks so much to everyone who entered.

The winner is...


I've emailed you and you have until the end of Octboer 1st to contact me back.



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