Wow!

I just want to thank everyone who has stopped by my blog! I have received tons of blog comments - and I like it!! I have received so many nice messages and I've found out just how nice and welcoming the book blogging community is! Everyone seems to have so much fun with their blogs, and I haven't seen any drama that usually accompanies a group of women, lol... Anyway, thanks again for being so nice and welcoming! I'm really glad I started this blog, I love connecting with others that like to read the same type of books I do. Who knows, this blog might help bring me out of my shell a little!

On a side note, I have started a poll. It's on the left side of my blog and I'd appreciate it if you all could vote. It's about books vs eBooks. I'm planning to do a giveaway for all of my great blog followers :) I've never done one before, so if you have any tips that would be great! I think an eBook giveaway would be ideal, that way I could easily get it to those who live out of the country - but I don't know how many people actually have eReaders. That's the reason for my poll!

Lastly, I just wanted to share a picture of me and my family. I don't know about you, but sometimes it's nice to put a face to a name (or a face to a blog!)

Review: Matched by Ally Condie

Synopsis:

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

Review

I gave this book 3 stars, mostly because I thought it was boring. When I first saw this book, I was drawn to the cover. It just looked really unique. I had never read another dystopian book before so I didn't really have anything to compare it to. The concept itself was really interesting to me. It is kind of neat/scary to think of how things could be in the future. The way the story was written though, was dull. It was boring, slow paced, and lacked feeling. There really wasn't any passion between any of the members of the love triangle. Cassia's feelings for Ky seemed to come out of nowhere. She had known him for years and didn't think twice about him, but then she was suddenly in love with him after finding out they were compatible.

I sort of just felt unsettled by the ending. It's really hard to explain why - especially without giving anything away. There seems to be a lot of things unanswered, and I just felt confused throughout the book. I may or may not read the second book in the series. I just have a feeling that it will also lack spark.

my favorite line:

Perhaps the best way to fly would be with hands full of earth so you always remember where you came from, how hard walking could sometimes be.

Follow Me Friday!

It's follow-me Friday - a chance for bloggers to get to know each other! I'm in 3 hops this week, just click on the pictures to go to the website to sign up and see who else is in the hop!

Questions of the week:

1. Do you ever wish you would have named your blog something different?

I've actually thought about this question before, and the answer is - I'm not sure. I like what I've chosen. Sometimes I wish I would have used my name to make it more personal.

2. Share your current fav television show! Tell us a bit about it...

I think my favorite show would have to be True Blood. After reading the Sookie Stackhouse books, I had to watch the show. I was instantly hooked! Every summer when it comes on, we order HBO so I can watch it, and then we have HBO shut off when the season is over. The seasons definitely aren't long enough. I know lots of people love Eric but I have to admit, I'm a Bill fan!

Awards!

I want to thank Books like Fairytales for giving me these awards!


To accept these awards I must follow some rules. Here they are:

1) Thank the person who gave you the 7 fact award and link back to their blog

2) Post 7 random fast about yourself

3) Past this award to 15 other worthy people!

7 facts about me

1. My name is Tishia - I realized that I don't have my real name on my blog anywhere!

2. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fibromyalgia. I'm in pain pretty much every day. I was diagnosed with arthritis when I was 11.

3. I have bad social anxiety. I seriously don't really have any friends. I hardly like to leave the house. I am way more comfortable talking to people online. I'm hoping this book blog will help me to meet new people with the same interests as me - so I don't feel like such a recluse!

4. I know this is obvious - but I loooove to read. I think I'm addicted. I have tons of books I haven't read yet but I still have the need to buy more. I'm sure it drives my husband nuts!

5. I don't watch tv, except for True Blood and Vampire Diaries. I would much rather be online or reading.

6. My 7 year old son was just diagnosed with Asperger's. We all have been going through a lot of stress with this lately.

7. I'm lucky enough to be a stay-at-home mom for the moment, but I really need a job. I'm trying to find something I can do online - if you have any ideas - please let me know :)

On a side note, I do have a personal blog where I talk about myself, my family, get things off my chest, etc... If anyone would like the link, just let me know!

Now for the winners! I'd like to nominate the following blogs for these awards:

http://www.bookloversunshine.blogspot.com/
http://www.thebookfaery.com/
http://www.midnytereader.com/
http://girlaboutbooks.blogspot.com/
http://alisoncanread.blogspot.com/
http://cubicleblindness.blogspot.com/
http://midnighttwilightsbookblog.blogspot.com/
http://fantasybookchick.blogspot.com/
http://eleusinianmysteriesofreading.blogspot.com/
http://thatswhatlizread.blogspot.com/
http://www.mybookishways.com/
http://thewyld-hollow.blogspot.com/
http://trulybookish.blogspot.com/
http://embraceyouroddities.blogspot.com/
http://booksandacupoftea.blogspot.com/

New releases

This Side of the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Synopsis:

Half-vampire Cat Crawfield and her vampire husband Bones have fought for their lives, as well as for their relationship. But just when they've triumphed over the latest battle, Cat's new and unexpected abilities threaten to upset a long-standing balance . . .

With the mysterious disappearance of vampires, rumors abound that a species war is brewing. A zealot is inciting tensions between the vampires and ghouls, and if these two powerful groups clash, innocent mortals could become collateral damage. Now Cat and Bones are forced to seek help from a dangerous "ally"—the ghoul queen of New Orleans herself. But the price of her assistance may prove more treacherous than even the threat of a supernatural war . . . to say nothing of the repercussions Cat never imagined.

Pale Demon by Kim Harrison

Synopsis:
Condemned to death for black magic and shunned, Rachel Morgan has three days to somehow get to the annual witches convention in San Francisco and clear her name. If she fails, the only way she can escape death is to live in the demonic ever after . . . for ever after.

Banned from the flight lists, Rachel teams up with elven tycoon Trent Kalamack, headed for the West Coast for his own mysterious business. But Rachel isn’t the only passanger along for the ride. Can a witch, an elf, a living vampire, and a pixy in one car survive for over 2,300 miles? And that’s not counting the assassin on their tail.

A fearsome demon walks the sunlight, freed after centuries of torment to slay the innocent and devour souls. But his ultimate prey is Rachel Morgan. While the powerful witch with nerves of steel will do whatever it takes to stay alive, even embracing her own demonic nature may not be enough to save her.

Darkest Mercy by Melissa Marr

Synopsis:

The Summer King is missing; the Dark Court is bleeding; and a stranger walks the streets of Huntsdale, his presence signifying the deaths of powerful fey.

Aislinn tends to the Summer Court, searching for her absent king and yearning for Seth. Torn between his new queen and his old love, Keenan works from afar to strengthen his court against the coming war. Donia longs for fiery passion even as she coolly readies the Winter Court for battle. And Seth, sworn brother of the Dark King and heir to the High Queen, is about to make a mistake that could cost his life.

Love, despair, and betrayal ignite the Faery Courts, and in the final conflict, some will win . . . and some will lose everything.

The thrilling conclusion to Melissa Marr's New York Times bestselling Wicked Lovely series will leave readers breathless.

A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford

Synopsis:

Eden didn't expect Az.

Not his saunter down the beach toward her. Not his unbelievable pick-up line. Not the instant, undeniable connection. And not his wings.

Yeah.

So long, happily-ever-after.

Now trapped between life and death, cursed to spread chaos with her every touch, Eden could be the key in the eternal struggle between heaven and hell. All because she gave her heart to one of the Fallen, an angel cast out of heaven.

She may lose everything she ever had. She may be betrayed by those she loves most. But Eden will not be a pawn in anyone else's game. Her heart is her own.

And that's only the beginning of the end.

Unnatural by Michael Griffo

Synopsis:

In the town of Eden in northwestern England stands the exclusive boarding school known as Archangel Academy. Ancient and imposing, it’s a place filled with secrets. Just like its students…

For Michael Howard, being plucked from his Nebraska hometown and sent thousands of miles away is as close as he’s ever come to a miracle. In Weeping Water, he felt trapped, alone. At Archangel Academy, Michael belongs. And in Ciaran, Penry, and especially Ciaran’s enigmatic half-brother Ronan, Michael finds friendship deeper than he’s ever known.

But Michael’s only beginning to understand what makes the Academy so special. Ronan is a vampire—part of a hybrid clan who are outcasts even among other vampires. Within the Academy’s confines exists a ruthless world of deadly rivalries and shifting alliances, of clandestine love and forbidden temptations. And soon Michael will confront the destiny that brought him here—and a danger more powerful than he can imagine…

How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf by Molly Harper

Synopsis:

Even in Grundy, Alaska, it’s unusual to find a naked guy with a bear trap clamped to his ankle on your porch. But when said guy turns into a wolf, recent southern transplant Mo Wenstein has no difficulty identifying the problem. Her surly neighbor Cooper Graham—who has been openly critical of Mo’s ability to adapt to life in Alaska—has trouble of his own. Werewolf trouble.

For Cooper, an Alpha in self-imposed exile from his dysfunctional pack, it’s love at first sniff when it comes to Mo. But Cooper has an even more pressing concern on his mind. Several people around Grundy have been the victims of wolf attacks, and since Cooper has no memory of what he gets up to while in werewolf form, he’s worried that he might be the violent canine in question.

If a wolf cries wolf, it makes sense to listen, yet Mo is convinced that Cooper is not the culprit. Except if he’s not responsible, then who is? And when a werewolf falls head over haunches in love with you, what are you supposed to do anyway? The rules of dating just got a whole lot more complicated. . . .

Stolen Dreams by Stacey Kennedy

Synopsis:

Tess Jennings has the ability to see and talk to spirits. On a daily basis, they harass and annoy her to save their souls. Sometimes she helps, other times she ignores them, but one ghost will give her no choice. Kipp McGowan, a cop with the Memphis Police Department, uses his ghostly charms to gain her attention and forces her to expose herself to his partner.

As she’s pulled into the five year old cold case of Hannah Reid she wants no part of, she finds herself in more than one precarious situation. But that’s the least of her worries―Tess begins to have a serious problem on her hands. Kipp might be dead, but he’s drop-dead gorgeous and she’s beginning to forget that he’s a ghost.

Murder and corruption has brought Tess and Kipp together. But as her feelings for Kipp deepen, she suspects she just signed herself up for a one-way ticket to the nut house, and can only hope, straitjackets come in a size four.

*******************************************************************

Whew, lots of good books this week! What are you most looking forward to reading? I'm really looking forward to reading Stolen Dreams. I'm also excited to read This Side of the Grave. I went to Walmart yesterday to buy it, and they didn't have it! Our Walmart has such a small selection of books - and that is the only place to buy books in this town, ugh... I live in hickville!!! I guess that is what online shopping is for, but sometimes it's nice to be able to buy something and get it instantly, you know?

Review: An Everlasting Bite by Stacey Kennedy

Synopsis:
Love is born between strangers, yet built upon a bond soul deep―one Alpha’s vow to protect his mate from looming danger, all the while, mending her soul and stirring her wolfish desires.

A vicious Werewolf attack in Plymouth, Minnesota leaves a young woman violated, bitten and now, transformed into a Werewolf. But Rynn Murphy doesn’t have to face this transformation alone—she has her mate by her side. And the charming Briggs is eager to ease her into this new life and mend her battered soul.

With only weeks to adjust to her new fur, Rynn begins to understand what it truly means to be mated to the Beta, secondhand man to Valor, Patriarch of Wolves. Their leadership over the Alphas brings them in contact with the Montana Alpha, Hendrix. He is in a desperate state to find his abducted daughter. Valor and Briggs agree to give aid in her rescue leaving Rynn to tag along.

But this mission is not without danger. And soon, they discover the ones who have taken this young wolf do not want her found and will stop at nothing to keep her hidden. Or so it may seem, as bodies begin to drop around them, the murderous attempts start to appear more as a hit than a smoke screen—leaving only one question, who is the intended target…


Review:




I gave this book 5 stars! I just love the character of Rynn - she comes across and shy and timid at first, but her confidence really builds throughout the book. Rynn has been through so much in her life - more than most people have to deal with. Despite all that, she remains such a good and caring person. She also adapts to the changes well that happen in her life. Briggs is an awesome man that she is lucky to have in her life - she finally has someone to take care of her for a change. This is a book that I think any paranormal romance fan will enjoy. The book has werewolves, passion, adventure, passion, romance, passion... What else could a girl ask for? Due to the steaminess, I would recommend this book to the over-18 crowd.

I would also recommend reading this book after reading the Magical Sword Series, due to this being a spin-off of the other series. Stacey Kennedy has quickly become one of my favorite authors. All of her books seem to have that perfect blend of romance, passion, and adventure that I love. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series!

You can visit Stacey Kennedy's website here:
http://www.staceykennedy.com

Random Acts of Kindness

Over at Book Soulmates, they are hosing something called Random Acts of Kindness. This is where readers send books to each other - I think it's going to be really fun! You can find out more info HERE. Anyone is welcome to join!

Follow Me Friday!

To join the fun and make now book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list
2. (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers - http://dreamingaboutotherworlds.blogspot.com/
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
7. If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

Border's

I am sooo bummed to hear that Border's filed for bankruptcy this morning. They will be closing about 30% of their total stores - including the one in our area. We don't have any of the other bookstores around here either, like Barnes&Noble or Books-a-Million. So, I am really bummed today. I'm a preferred customer since I have spent so much money there!

Anyway, onto more uplifting things. Here are some recent releases that I think I am going to have to read:

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Synopsis:
A richly inventive novel about a centuries-old vampire, a spellbound witch, and the mysterious manuscript that draws them together.

Deep in the stacks of Oxford's Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell.

Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

Synopsis:
This debut, the first novel in a trilogy, is achingly romantic, terrifying, and filled with blistering action.

When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers - monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell - she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul.

A mysterious boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Now that Ellie's powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her - an assassin who has already killed her once.

While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper-hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to ignite the End of Days and to destroy Ellie's soul, ending her rebirth cycle forever. Now, she must face an army of Bastian's most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives - including truths that may be too frightening to remember.

Whispers of Evil by Stacey Kennedy

Synopsis:
Nayeli has been locked away, hidden from the world in a mental institution, all due to the whispers of evil which have corrupted her mind. Unbeknownst to her, the voices that have plagued her are a gift given to only one kind―Watchers.

Griffin, her Seeker, is about to break this cage of imprisonment woven around her and give her a new chance at life. But when a demon leaves the confines of Hell to create havoc in Louisiana, will his love for Nayeli free her wounded heart, or will she succumb to the whispers which threaten to steal her soul?

*WARNING: Explicit sex between a timid Watcher and a gorgeous Seeker, and a ceremony that will certainly raise eyebrows!

Review: Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

Synopsis:

"Rose Hathaway has always played by her own rules.

She broke the law when she ran away from St. Vladimir’s Academy with her best friend and last surviving Dragomir Princess, Lissa. She broke the law when she fell in love with her gorgeous, off-limits instructor, Dimitri. And she dared to defy Queen Tatiana, leader of the Moroi world, risking her life and reputation to protect generations of dhampir guardian to come.

Now the law has finally caught up with Rose- for a crime she didn’t even commit. She’s in prison for the highest offense imaginable: the assassination of a monarch. She’ll need help from both Dimitri and Adrian to find the one living person who can stall her execution and force the Moroi elite to acknowledge a shocking new candidate for the royal throne: Vasilisa Dragomir.

But the clock on Rose’s life is running out. Rose knows in her heart the world of the dead wants her back… and this time she is truly out of second chances. The big question is, when your life is about saving others, who will save you?"

Review:

I gave this book 3 stars. I really wanted to give it more, but the truth is that I LIKED it, I didn't LOVE it. I am going to try really hard not to give away any spoilers here. I thought the book was fairly slow paced - boring in spots. It's such a big book (594 pages), and I think some details could have been left out. I'm not really a fan of Lissa - not that I don't like her, I just don't really have an interest in what happens in her world. Rose often gets into Lissa's mind to see what is going on, and I felt like those parts were uninteresting. My favorite characters are Rose and Dimitri, I've been waiting for what seems like years for them to be together. He is Rose's bodyguard through most of the book, but I just felt that he was too "cold" to her. Basically, she went through hell to save him in past books and he acted like it was all thanks to Lissa. After the way he had treated Rose after she saved him, he should have been down on his knees begging for forgiveness. In the end, I still don't think he showed enough gratitude.

Adrian is a character I really like. I feel really bad for him and the way things ended up. I've read on Richelle Mead's website that there is a spin-off series called Bloodlines - and I think Adrian will be in that. Also, there are some loose-ends in Last Sacrifice - but they will be explained in the spin-off series. It doesn't come out until August though, ugh! I am really looking forward to reading it - luckily I have tons of other books on my to-read list that will keep me busy until then!

eBook Sale!!!

Love eBooks? Fictionwise is having a sale this weekend for Valentine's Day! 55% off - how cool is that??? Use coupon code: loveday 2011
http://www.fictionwise.com/

Junque Journal

Ok, I know this is off the topic of books - but I thought it was really cool. I saw these youtube videos on a scrapbooking type of blog. Now I know how to use up all the paper I still have left from my scrapbooking days!








If the videos don't work for you, click this link HERE

Welcome to my blog!

I can admit it, I am addicted to reading. I have a big bookshelf overflowing with books. There are tons on there that I haven't even read yet, but I still can't help but buy more. Border's gets too much of my money! Once I read a book, I have a hard time getting rid of it. Books are just so pretty that I want to keep them forever. My sweet hubby just bought me an eReader! That, of course, will just fuel the addiction, lol... I got a Sony pocket edition from Border's – it was on sale for $130. I haven't even had a chance to use it yet – I'm trying to get another book finished first. I am really anxious to read my first ebook though! When I first heard of eReaders, I thought they were a dumb idea. I wondered why anyone would want to read off of a screen when they could have the actual book. Eventually, I felt like I was the only one who didn't have one. I could see times when an eReader would actually come in handy. Also, there are books I've found online that I would like to read that only seem to be available in ebook format.

I used to read all the time when I was young, and then for some reason stopped for several years. I don't really remember why, maybe it was the birth of my son. I have to admit, the thing that got me back into reading was Twilight. I was probably one of the last to know about Twilight. I'm not much of a tv watcher – I'm always on my computer when I'm not taking care of the kids or doing housework. I never saw previews or anything. Then, I started hearing about how every teen girl in America was going crazy for Twilight. I was just sure it was going to be stupid and I was NOT about to jump on that bandwagon. Well, I jumped, lol... I don't even know what made me do it. I saw the book in the store one day and bought it. The movie wasn't released yet on dvd and I was curious as to what the hype was all about. I read it in 2 days I think, and fell in love. I got the rest of the books and read them just as quickly. Not only did Twilight start my reading obsession – it started my paranormal obsession. From there, I read the Sookie Stackhouse series, Vampire Academy, etc...

Anway, all of this is what inspired me to start a book review type of blog. I ran across some other blogs by paranormal book readers, and loved them. I'll admit, I not a pro at writing reviews. Actually, I'm probably not all that great at it – I'm always afraid of revealing too much so I don't know what to say. I also know that I will make spelling and grammar mistakes. I'm not a writer – I'm a reader. I know I don't sound “worldly” or “scholarly” like other book reviewers. I'm more of a hick from the midwest, lol... But anyway, I hope to meet others that share the same passion as me, and I hope someone will enjoy my blog!