New from Orbit: Feed by Mira Grant

The year was 2014. We had cured cancer. We had beaten the common cold. But in doing so we created something new, something terrible that no one could stop. Now, in 2040, a new world has emerged. Bloggers have taken over from big media, politicians vie to be the toughest on the undead menace, and Georgia Mason is about to discover a secret that could change everything.

Comes out tomorrow May 1st for all you Zombie lovin' people out there!! For more information check out http://www.thefeedbook.com/.




Round One: YA Debut Book Battle


I am so very excited to share with you about the YA Debut Book Battle. It is now in Round one and I am one of the bloggers choosing between two books with my partner Cate from Sparrow Review. There are 24 books going up agains each other with only one book to be crowned the winner at the end of the battle. This battle is hosted by The Shady Glade so check out her sight for updates.

The Dark DivineBeautiful Creatures The books my partner and I will be putting to the test are Beautiful Creatures and The Dark Divine. (All I can say is thank goodness I have already read The Dark Divine because have you seen HOW thick Beautiful Creatures is..lol)

So stay tuned to find out which one won the battle as Round one battles it out. If you don't know what books are battling below is the battle  trailer and it will show you each one.


Waiting on Wednesday!

Though its not a very long wait because it comes out May 1st I seen this one while looking through Harper Teens up and coming and it sounded sort of interesting. Great one for shapeshifter fans!

The Princess and the Snowbird
The Princess and the Snowbird by Mette Ivie Harrison

She is the headstrong daughter of the hound and the bear, heir to all her royal parents' magic and able to transform at will into any animal she wishes.


He is an outcast, a boy without magic, determined to make his way in the forest beholden to no one.
Though Liva and Jens are as different as night and day, from the time their paths first cross they are irresistibly drawn to one another. Each wrestles with demons: Liva with the responsibility that comes with the vast magic she's inherited, Jens with the haunting memories he's left behind. Separately, they keep a lookout for each other and for the immense snowbird whose appearances signify a dark event on the horizon.

When a terrible threat surfaces, Liva and Jens set out in an attempt to protect all they hold dear. Much is at stake—for while their failure could spell an end to all magic, their success could bring them together at last.


Hosted by Breaking the Spine

Teaser Tuesday

Tuesday Teaser is a weekly meme hosted by Should Be Reading. Anyone can participate just follow these rules:

Here's how it works:


-Grab the book you are currently reading (anything at all)

-Open the book to any random page.

-Share 2 "teaser" sentences from anywhere on the page.

-Please Make Sure They Are Not Spoilers!

Beautiful Creatures










Here is mine:

Beautiful Creatures
page 105

"Amma, I'm sorry about leaving class on Friday. It's not gonna happen again. Everything'll be back to normal."

Her face softened, just a little, and she sat down across from me. "Don't think so. We all make our choices, and those choices have consequences. I expect you'll have some hell to pay for yours when you get to school. Maybe you'll start listenin' to me now. Stay away from that Lena Duchannes, and that house."

(I know that is more than a couple sentences but it would sound a bit dumb if I didn't put it all down)

It's Monday! What are you reading?

It's Monday What Are You Reading is a weekly meme hosted by One Person's Journey Through a World of Books.

Reading right now:

Beautiful Creatures
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

This is all that I am tackling right now because it has over 400 pages( wish I was a faster reader)

Next week:
It Had To Be You by Janice Thompson
Moonlight Falls by Vincent Zandri

So what are you reading!

It's Blog Hop Friday!

Its friday and that means Blog Hop time! This is a chance to meet some bloggers that you might not have heard about. Its hostedb y Crazy-for-books. So go on over there and sign up and find some really cool blogs.


In My Mailbox!

In Your Mailbox is a meme hosted by  The Story Siren.
For review:

Alex Cross's TRIAL
Alex Cross's Trial by James Patterson

The year is 1906, and America is segregated. Hatred and discrimination plague the streets, the classroom, and the courts. But in Washington D.C., Ben Corbett, a smart and courageous lawyer, makes it his mission to confront injustice at every turn. He represents those who nobody else dares defend, merely because of the color of their skin. When President Roosevelt, under whom Ben served in the Spanish-American war, asks Ben to investigate rumors of the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan in his home town in Mississippi, he cannot refuse.


The details of Ben's harrowing story--and his experiences with a remarkable man named Abraham Cross--were passed from generation to generation, until they were finally recounted to Alex Cross by his grandmother, Nana Mama. From the first time hear heard the story, Alex was unable to forget the unimaginable events Ben witnessed in Eudora and pledged to tell it to the world. Alex Cross's Trial is unlike any story Patterson has ever told...




Indivisible: A Novel
Indivisible by Kristen Heitzmann

An inseparable bond.

An insatiable force.

Battling his own personal demons, Police Chief Jonah Westfall knows the dark side of life and has committed himself to eradicating it. When a pair of raccoons are found mutilated in Redford, Colorado, Jonah investigates the gruesome act, knowing the strange event could escalate and destroy the tranquility of his small mountain town. With a rising drug threat and never-ending conflict with Tia Manning, a formidable childhood friend with whom he has more than a passing history, Jonah fights for answers—and his fragile sobriety.

But he can’t penetrate every wound or secret—especially one fueled by a love and guilt teetering on madness.

From best-selling author Kristen Heitzmann comes a spellbinding tale of severed connections and the consequences of life lived alone.

Won:

The Agency 1: A Spy in the House
The Agency: A Spy in the House by Y. S. Lee (and for cool bookmarks)

Introducing an exciting new series! Steeped in Victorian atmosphere and intrigue, this diverting mystery trails a feisty heroine as she takes on a precarious secret assignment.
Rescued from the gallows in 1850s London, young orphan (and thief) Mary Quinn is surprised to be offered a singular education, instruction in fine manners — and an unusual vocation. Miss Scrimshaw’s Academy for Girls is a cover for an all-female investigative unit called The Agency, and at seventeen, Mary is about to put her training to the test. Assuming the guise of a lady’s companion, she must infiltrate a rich merchant’s home in hopes of tracing his missing cargo ships. But the household is full of dangerous deceptions, and there is no one to trust — or is there? Packed with action and suspense, banter and romance, and evoking the gritty backstreets of Victorian London, this breezy mystery debuts a daring young detective who lives by her wits while uncovering secrets — including those of her own past.

Movie Review: Crossing Over

Crossing Over
Crossing Over
Stars: Harrison Ford, Ray Liota, Ashley Judd, Jim Sturgess, Cliff Curtis, etc

Tageline: Every day thousands of people illegally cross our borders... only one thing stands in their way. America.

Like a lot of American's illegal imigrants makes us made. We see them as people who are taking our social security, our welfare, etc. But there are those who do try and do things the legal way and become nationalized citizens, those people I have no problem with.  In the movie Crossing over you get a inside look at both sides, those who are illegal and those that are legal and how imigration effects them. You also get a glimpse at the corupt atmoshere that goes along with government jobs.

Harrison Ford stars as a immigrant officer, though he can be tough he has a soft heart for those that he send back across the boarder. He hates having to send Mireya Sanchez after hearing that she has a son, but with others watching him he can't just let her go. He can go and find her son which he does, when he sends him back home he finds out that Mireya has tried crossing over again and tries to find her.

Hamid Baraheri is a Iranian-American who like most of his family as gone though the ropes of getting naturalized, now its time for his father. Hamid's sister is American born and shameful to the whole family and their traditions.

Alice Eva is from Australia and needs to redue her visa but  gets  denied meets Cole Frankel and immigrant officer (can't remember his official title) who says he can get her a green card if she provides him with a little something on the side (sex) Humiliated she does exactly this.

Denise Frankel is a imigrant lawyer who tries to help those being deported. She has a soft heart for a young African girl whose mother dies of AIDS and her father back home denies parental rights. She is sort of stuck without a country.

There are a few more families from a Palestinian family torn apart because thier teenage daughter is charges with having ties with terrorist because of a speech she made in school. A Chinese family who can't wait to be citizens but their teenage boy is having conflicting emotions about it. A young Jewish man uses his nonpracticing religion to establish himself a job to gain a green card.

There are so many situations woven though out this movie and is so much more emotional and moving that Crash ever thought it  could be. Even though sometimes I might not agreed with the way some of these foreigners made there way to America it was horrible to see how they are treated when they just want to be come citizens. I have much more respect for those foriegners who do things the legal way even though it is a lot harder than crossing over the boarder.

Sorry for the jumbled up review but it really is hard to review this movie with out telling everything about the movie. If you liked Crash then I would recommend you watch Crossing over, but be advised it will be tough to watch sometimes and make you very mad. You really feel for the people in this movie and what happens to them.

Review of Sing Me To Sleep

Sing Me to Sleep
Sing Me To Sleep by Angela Morrison
Pages: 320
Publisher: Razorbill

THE TRANSFORMATION
Beth has always been “The Beast”—that’s what everyone at school calls her because of her awkward height, facial scars, and thick glasses. Beth’s only friend is geeky, golden-haired Scott. That is, until she’s selected to be her choir’s soprano soloist, and receives the makeover that will change her life forever.

THE LOVE AFFAIR
When Beth’s choir travels to Switzerland, she meets Derek: pale, brooding, totally dreamy. Derek’s untethered passion—for music, and for Beth—leaves her breathless. Because in Derek’s eyes? She’s not The Beast, she’s The Beauty.

THE IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE
When Beth comes home, Scott, her best friend in the world, makes a confession that leaves her completely torn. Should she stand by sweet, steady Scott or follow the dangerous, intense new feelings she has for Derek?

THE HEARTBREAK
The closer Beth gets to Derek, the further away he seems. Then Beth discovers that Derek’s been hiding a dark secret from her …one that could shatter everything.


First off I would like to say that there is one thing I don't like to do and that is CRY! I really hate sappy love stories that end up making your cry at the end of the book. This is why I have never read a Nicholas Sparks book. Though I didn't actually cry I almost did and that is just as bad..lol So I have a warning for those who are like me. It is a very heart warming story though, I must give it that. :)

Warning!! This book will probably make you cry!

I am a sucker for Beauty and the Beast type stories and I thought Sing Me To Sleep was a unique take on the story. Beth, never knew what it was like to be pretty. Her own father called her ugly. She had just one friend who seen her as a person, Scott.

This book has great characters that you can really feel for and even relate too. Beth, has a beautiful voice and loves to sing. She love to write lyrics and you can tell that music is her way of escaping reality. It was real interesting to see how she adapts to being attractive to a guy. Scott, is the faithful and loveable best friend. His only problem is that he is in love with his BF, but she just doesn't see it. I felt really sorry for Scott as he loved Beth and had to watch her be with Derek. Now Derek, I will be honest I wanted to hate him, I really did. I liked Scott and I didn't want Beth to be with Derek. I wanted him to be a druggie, so she would dump him. Derek, though was a really nice guy. I pretty much guessed what was wrong with him from the start, I just wanted it to be something else. His only fault was not letting Beth know what was wrong with him till the end. Over all he really was a sweet guy and I just couldn't be mad at him though I wanted too.

The one thing I couldn't stand about this book was how clingy the author made Beth be. I know that Derek is Beths first boyfriend and maybe she really didn't know how to act around the opposite sex, but it drove me crazy. She would get mad when he didn't want her to come over, she was even willing to drive a hour in the middle of the night just so she could kiss him, and hold him, etc. UGH, I just wanted to smack her for it.

Sing Me To Sleep was a very witty, dramatic, sappy love story that reminds me a lot of Nicholas Sparks books. Over all it was a good story and if you love those books that make you sigh and cry,  then you will like this book.
I don't normally pick out a song or something to go along with a book but after I finished this book Mark Anthony's song You Sang To Me came into to my head so I thought I would add the song to my review.

The book was reviewed as a part of The Around The World Book Tours


Marc Anthony - You Sang To Me B...

Review of Hearts At Stake by Alyxandra Harvey

Hearts at Stake: The Drake Chronicles
Hearts at Stake: The Drake Chronicles by Alyxandra Harvey
Pages: 256
Publisher: Walker books for Young Readers

Solange is the youngest child and only female born in 800 years to a blue-blood clan. As she approaches her 16th birthday, she is pursued by male vamps from all over. An ancient prophecy predicts that she will be queen, thus putting her life in danger from various forces, human and otherwise. Solange's family is trained in martial arts and other types of fighting and her seven older brothers keep close watch over her. When the current queen kidnaps her, Lucy convinces Solange's brother Nicholas to help rescue her, and a frantic search ensues. Kieran, a young Helios-Ra, discovers that his hate for vampires is fueled by lies and helps to save Solange, and a romance develops between the formerly feuding Lucy and Nicholas.

I really liked Hearts at Stake I thought it was a very good vampire tale. I thought it was slightly unique from some of the other vampire books I have read lately. It is told threw the eyes of both Solange and her human friend Lucy. Each chapter is from one or the others point of view. I had not read a book like this before and I wasn't sure if I would like it but the story didn't get chopped up or anything and it really worked.

I love the characters Solange has grown up with seven brothers and they all have learned how to take care of themselves. That doesn't mean that those older brothers won't be a pain and still try keeping a eye on thier little sister. Solange is spunky, strong female character. Because Solange is going to turn into a vampire she has not ever giving a human boy much thought. She has learned from her brothers this is not a good thing to do and thier parents have decided its best they stay away from humans. Kieran, is a Helios-Ra and the one person she should despise, since he hunts vampires. Kieran thinks a Drake killed his father, but at the same time there is something about Solange that tugs at his heart. They make a interesting couple.

Lucy (is my favorite) she is a human who has grown up with Solange and has no problem with being surrounded by a bunch of vampires. Solange and Lucy are best friends. Lucy is always trying to get Solange to act more like a regular teenager, go to parties, sneak out, etc. She is willing to do anything for her friend Solange even go into a place full of bad vampires, if it will save her friend. Lucy is head strong but she is fierce. Lucy has always been around the Drakes but lately it seems like all of a sudden Nicholas as become a lot more attractive than he use to be, normally she is immune to his pheromones. So not only is she trying to watch out for her friend but she is trying to stay away from Nicholas which was fun to read about. They are a cute couple.

I thought that this story was fast-paced, humours and has just enough action to make it a very good novel. I hope the rest of the series will be just as good as the first one. I would recommend this to anyone who loves quirky, fun vampire novels.


Reviewed as a part of Around the World Book Tours