Friday, January 31, 2014

What's Next?

What's Next? 
Hosted by IcyBooks

My Choice's for what's next:  

It's always really hard for me to pick a book. That's part of why I'm a sucker for a game it makes it a little easier however I don't have any games starting till next week. I do have a reading challenge that starts tomorrow to read a whole selection of romance books over the next couple of months. Since I won't be done till late today with my current read I plan to read one of those books next. Here are a few choices off my list. 


Alienated by Melissa Landers

(Goodreads)
I've had this one for review for a while.

Two years ago, the aliens made contact. Now Cara Sweeney is going to be sharing a bathroom with one of them. 


Handpicked to host the first-ever L’eihr exchange student, Cara thinks her future is set. Not only does she get a free ride to her dream college, she’ll have inside information about the mysterious L’eihrs that every journalist would kill for. Cara’s blog following is about to skyrocket.


Still, Cara isn’t sure what to think when she meets Aelyx. Humans and L’eihrs have nearly identical DNA, but cold, infuriatingly brilliant Aelyx couldn’t seem more alien. She’s certain about one thing, though: no human boy is this good-looking.


But when Cara's classmates get swept up by anti-L'eihr paranoia, Midtown High School suddenly isn't safe anymore. Threatening notes appear in Cara's locker, and a police officer has to escort her and Aelyx to class. 


Cara finds support in the last person she expected. She realizes that Aelyx isn’t just her only friend; she's fallen hard for him. But Aelyx has been hiding the truth about the purpose of his exchange, and its potentially deadly consequences. Soon Cara will be in for the fight of her life—not just for herself and the boy she loves, but for the future of her planet.


or


On Dublin Street by Samantha Young
(Goodreads)
I've been recommended this book more times than I can count.

Jocelyn Butler has been hiding from her past for years. But all her secrets are about to be laid bare…

Four years ago, Jocelyn left her tragic past behind in the States and started over in Scotland, burying her grief, ignoring her demons, and forging ahead without attachments. Her solitary life is working well—until she moves into a new apartment on Dublin Street where she meets a man who shakes her carefully guarded world to its core.

Braden Carmichael is used to getting what he wants, and he’s determined to get Jocelyn into his bed. Knowing how skittish she is about entering a relationship, Braden proposes an arrangement that will satisfy their intense attraction without any strings attached.

But after an intrigued Jocelyn accepts, she realizes that Braden won’t be satisfied with just mind-blowing passion. The stubborn Scotsman is intent on truly knowing her… down to the very soul.


Which would you read? 
I'm also open to suggestions for future books to read. 

Review: Taken at Dusk


Title - Taken at Dusk
Author - C.C. Hunter
Series - Shadow Falls #3
Genre - YA Paranormal
Format - Kindle copy
Published - April 10th 2012
Publisher - St. Martin's Press
(Goodreads)(Amazon)

Synopsis

Step into Shadow Falls, a camp for teens with supernatural powers.  Here friendship thrives, love takes you by surprise, and our hearts possess the greatest magic of all.

Kylie Galen wants the truth so badly she can taste it. The truth about who her real family is, the truth about which boy she’s meant to be with—and the truth about what her emerging powers mean.  But she’s about to discover that some secrets can change your life forever…and not always for the better.

Just when she and Lucas are finally getting close, she learns that his pack has forbidden them from being together.  Was it a mistake to pick him over Derek? And it’s not just romance troubling Kylie. An amnesia-stricken ghost is haunting her, delivering the frightful warning, someone lives and someone dies. As Kylie races to unravel the mystery and protect those she loves, she finally unlocks the truth about her supernatural identity, which is far different—and more astonishing—than she ever imagined.

Review

Taken at Dusk is the third installment in the Shadow Falls series featuring Kylie Galen. The book starts off not long after the second one has ended. Kylie is going to meet with her dad’s adoptive parents. She’s filled with excitement and nervousness. However the meeting is cut short when they learn that her grandparents may not be who they say they are.  Kylie is also visited by a ghost who has no limited memories causing her to question if she was a good person or not. Her ghost nick named Jane Doe because of her memory loss.

As if dealing with the ghost isn’t enough red the vampire from the prior book has come back with his grandfather in attempt to make her his wife. Kylie has also decided that she wants to be with Lucas doesn't make it easy on her when Derrick is back at came and has feelings for her. Plus we also have a new vampire Elsie that Derrick brought back to camp with him. To top it all off as if that’s not enough to keep Kylie busy her parents as well as Sara are coming to visit for parents day. Will she be able to stop the fates? Will she find out what she really is?

I love Kylie she’s one of my favorite characters plus she lives at a camp for supernatural what’s not to love. She has issues like everyone else, which boy to choose, what she really is, helping ghosts as well as staying alive. I’m not sure how I feel about her choice in this book of the guy but I think it can play out perfect or end in heartbreak. Maybe it’s because I like the other guy better. Well we will just have to see.

I’ve wanted to read this series for ages but just haven’t gotten around to it yet. As it has come to an end it’s a perfect time to read the rest of the series with the starting of the new one just around the corner. I love the world that the author has created, mixing the supernatural among the humans. The Shadow Falls series is captivating with engaging characters that leave you wanting more. All the books I’ve noticed so far are good at the whole cliffhanger thing which I hate. I’m not good at waiting but with the whole series out it’s not noticeable. It’s easily one of those books you could get lost in for hours, losing all track of time. It’s a fast paced story packed with action, romance, mystery and things that go bump in the night. I honestly really enjoyed the book and so far all the books in the series. I can’t wait to read the next one. A mature teen as well as adult with a love for the paranormal will enjoy this series. 
4 out of 5 Stars

My Dusty Bookshelf

My Dusty Bookshelf
I've got an addiction for adding books to my bookshelf but never getting around to them. I'm sure I'm not the only one either. It's just so easy with all the new books to forget about the older ones. I'd like to start reading some of the books I've had for years and just haven't read. I thought this would be a good way to share and rekindle some interest in my dusty books. Plus I love giving books a little extra spotlight when I can. 

This week I'm picking a review book I've had on my bookshelf longer than I should have. I feel really bad about not starting it but I just haven't gotten around to it. I do plan to have it read in the next month two at the most. I think most of my problem is that I accepted way to many review books that I just didn't have the time and burned myself out. I'm working hard at being better. 


The Dollhouse Asylum by Mary Gray (Goodreads)

A virus that had once been contained has returned, and soon no place will be left untouched by its destruction. But when Cheyenne wakes up in Elysian Fields--a subdivision cut off from the world and its monster-creating virus--she is thrilled to have a chance at survival.

At first, Elysian Fields,with its beautiful houses and manicured lawns, is perfect. Teo Richardson, the older man who stole Cheyenne's heart, built it so they could be together. But when Teo tells Cheyenne there are tests that she and seven other couples must pass to be worthy of salvation, Cheyenne begins to question the perfection of his world.

The people they were before are gone. Cheyenne is now "Persephone," and each couple has been re-named to reflect the most tragic romances ever told. Everyone is fighting to pass the test, to remain in Elysian Fields. Teo dresses them up, tells them when to move and how to act, and in order to pass the test, they must play along.

If they play it right, then they'll be safe.

But if they play it wrong, they'll die.


What do you have on your dusty shelf?

Be sure to share your Dusty Bookshelf in the comments so I can see what your sharing. 

Follow Friday

Follow Friday
Hosted by:
&
The Feature & Follow is hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of Parajunkee’s View and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it’ll allow us to show off more new blogs!
Each week a new question, new answer, and new blogs to follow. 
If you want to follow via GFC just in case it goes away I ask you follow a second way, email, Linky, Bloglovin'. 
Thanks
Featured blogs this week:

This Week's Question:

Time for Book Spine Poetry again! Take a picture of your book spines spelling out something epic. 
Answer:
Everyone at my house is sick this week, myself included. So while I love this question my poem is a little weak but I like it. 

Beneath A Starlet Sky
Unbreakable
Senshi 
Slayers 
Wake
Every Other Day

Blood Bound
Grasping at Eternity
Falling Under 
The Iron Queen's 
Tainted 
Bloodlines

What's your Book Spine Poem this week?

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Cover Characteristic - Ethnic/POC Characters

Cover Characteristic - Ethnic/POC Characters
 Hosted by Sugar & Snark

Each week we will post 5 of our favorite covers to go with the theme of the week. 
I'm a huge cover fan so this is a great meme for me.

Top 4 
The Book of the Sword by Carrie Asai (Goodreads)
Shinobi by Cole Gibsen (Goodreads)Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff (Goodreads)
Echo by Alicia Wright Brewster (Goodreads)

Favorite
Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst (Goodreads)
Night Broken by Patricia Briggs (Goodreads)
It was really hard to pick just one. 

What's your top 5 this week?

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Blog Tour: Review - Wanted: Dead or Undead

Title - Wanted: Dead or Undead
Author - Angela Scott 
Series - The Zombie West #1
Genre - YA Zombies & Horror
Format - Ebook
Published - March 30th 2012
Publisher - Evolved Publishing

Synopsis

WINNER:Kindle Book Review Best Indie Book of 2012 - Young Adult

WINNER: League of Utah Writers Golden Quill Award 2012

FINALIST: The 2012 USA Best Book Awards (sponsored by USA Book News) - Young Adult
SECOND PLACE: The 2012 Sharp Writ Book Awards - Young Adult

Evolved Publishing presents the award-winning Wanted: Dead or Undead

(Book 1 of The Zombie West Series) by Angela Scott. (Young Adult, Zombie
Western Romance)Trace Monroe doesn’t believe in luck. He never has. But when a fiery-headed cowgirl saunters through the saloon doors, wielding shotguns and a know-how for killing the living dead, he believes he just may be the luckiest man alive. Trace wants to join "Red’s" posse, but she prefers to work alone—less messy that way. 


In order to become her traveling companion, Trace has to agree to her terms: no names, no questions, and if he gets bit, he can’t beg for mercy when she severs his brain stem. He agrees, knowing only that Red is the sharpest shooter he’s ever encountered. The fact she’s stunning hasn’t escaped his attention either. 


What he doesn’t know, is that Red has a very good reason to be on top of her game. She not only has the answer for how they can all outlive the plague taking over the wild, wild west, she is the answer.


Excerpt
Red lost track of how many bullets she'd fired, until the dreaded click of an empty chamber. She knelt on the ground, with an eye on the approaching mob, and slipped her hand inside one of her saddlebags in a frantic search for more ammunition, but came up empty.

Damn it.

She searched the other saddlebag, and though the cool metal cartridges graced her fingertips, she had to let them go. The zombies fell upon her. Swinging the rifle above her head, she slammed the butt of the weapon into the face of the closest walker, breaking its bloody jaw, but failing to hinder its progress. She swung again and connected with its skull, which bust open and sent the zombie sprawling to the ground at her feet. One down, but six more ready to destroy her, each aiming for a limb, an organ, a bit of flesh, a chunk of her existence.

"Reload." Wen yelled. The blade of his machete sung through the air and sliced through the neck of the nearest zombie, separating the head from its body. "Do it! Now!"

He beheaded two more as she grabbed a handful of bullets and jammed them into the rifle, her hands shakier than normal. She cocked the gun in one swift movement and fired just left of Wen, taking down the decomposed walker.
"Jeez, watch it!" Wen eyed her as if she was crazy.

To prove she was a better shot than both of the men, she fired once more to the right of Wen, within inches of his shoulder, sending a bullet into the zombie he planned to decapitate.

He whipped around. "Okay, I get it!"

No more time for games. She rolled onto her side and fired more bullets as the band of walking dead crept nearer. 

Wen sliced through heads with a skill that impressed her, and held them at bay while she reloaded—a team effort she highly appreciated.

Red had no idea what Cowboy was up to, but heard him firing off shots of his own. She worked with Wen to kill the crowd of wagon zombies that advanced upon them. Mothers, fathers, teamsters, small children—it didn't matter. Sentiment had no place in zombie annihilation. She didn't miss a single target, as each forehead was penetrated and the dilapidated bodies collapsed to the ground.

When no more approached from her direction, she waited for a second to be sure, and then rolled onto her belly to take on any coming from behind. Only there weren't any. A pleasant, yet unexpected surprise. Cowboy stood there, watching and waiting with his rifle raised. Wen held his machete across his chest, ready as well. Silence prevailed, but for the sound of their own rapid breathing. As quickly as it had begun, it ended, but none of them were willing to let their guard down just yet.

"Everyone okay?" Cowboy asked, the butt of his rifle still pressed against his shoulder. "Anyone bit? Hurt?"

Wen shook his head. "I'm good. I'm real good."

Red slowly stood, her rifle shaking in her hands. "I'm good too."

"Perfect." Cowboy lowered his weapon and smiled. "Couldn't have gone better."

"We need to burn the bodies. Pile them. Set them ablaze. But"—she indicated the bloody mess that covered her from head to toe with an unnatural tremble in her fingers—"I need to get this off of me."

Cowboy scanned her body and lingered on her bare legs poking out from under her night shirt.

"Go." He turned away out of respect. "We'll keep an eye out and start putting them in a pile. Get cleaned up."

Red stepped over the zombie corpses littering her path and returned to the wagon that had provided such peace the night before. Her hands twitched more now, but she managed to toss the remaining dead zombie out onto the ground before sinking onto a clean area of the mattress.

She inched up the bottom of her soiled night shirt to reveal what she knew was there all along—a gaping hole on her thigh, several inches deep. The bite mark bubbled and spilled red, foamy droplets onto the mattress below. She didn't know which zombie had bit her or when it happened, not that the details mattered, only that the pain was excruciating and its liquid heat radiated through her veins. She balled her fist and punched the mattress once, then twice more.

Damn it.

With nothing more to do, she leaned her head back against the side of the wagon and waited.

Review
I received Wanted: Dead or Undead as part of the tour hosted by BadAss Marketing in return for an honest review. Elisabeth Red is a girl with a secret heading across the countryside looking for her brother the only family she has left and avoiding zombies at every turn. Trace aka the Cowboy catches sight of Red in town, and sets out to win her trust so he can turn her in for a bounty. When the pair encounter Wen a loner rejected by the survivor communities because of the color of his skin the trio team up heading west. While resting up before heading west the next morning Red encounters a zombie revealing her deep dark secret.

When the guys learn the truth about Red, why she’s being hunted they vow to protect her. They group is almost zombie bait when they happen upon a ranch with a woman and her children. Little do they know that she has a hidden zombie baby and gone off the deep end feeding the baby victims. They hardly escape with their lives but in doing so they bring with them two children one of which shares Red’s secret. They find long term shelter adding an ailing old man and his daughter. The group settles down into a routine but the zombies come, along with a group of government with Red’s brother as well as a man that hurt Red. Each one has their own struggles but the zombies are looming will they survive the zombie attack looming outside the camp? Will Red’s past ruin everything?

I think both Red and Cowboy have an interesting relationship the way the connected. I spent most of the first book hoping for a romantic interest. We also get to know Wen, Caroline & her father as well as the two children they saved from a crazy mom. It’s an unlikely bunch but together they overcome everything to become a family.

Wanted: Dead or Undead is unlike any zombie book I’ve read before. Set in the old west you’re instantly reminded of a traditional black and white movie only with zombies. I think it’s a fantastic spin on the zombie concept taking the overplayed and creating a whole new story. I’m a huge zombie fan, but this one steals the spotlight for zombies. An action packed adventure right from the start, it was hard to put down it just sucked me in and didn’t let go. I started reading last night but knew right away if I didn’t put it down within the first few chapters I would be up all night till I finish. The characters are engaging, easy to connect with you just have to know what’s going to happen next. I think the author has done a great job of writing a story that really fits with the western theme. It’s a fantastic start to an exciting zombie trilogy. I can’t wait to read the next two books and see what happens to Red.
4 out of 5 stars 

About the author

Angela Scott hears voices. Tiny fictional people sit on her shoulders and whisper their stories in her ear. Instead of medicating herself, she decided to pick up a pen, write down everything those voices tell me, and turn it into a book. She’s not crazy. She’s an author. For the most part, she writes contemporary Young Adult novels. However, through a writing exercise that spiraled out of control, she found herself writing about zombies terrorizing the Wild Wild West–and loving it. Her zombies don’t sparkle, and they definitely don’t cuddle. At least, she wouldn’t suggest it. She lives on the benches of the beautiful Wasatch Mountains with two lovely children, one teenager, and a very patient husband. She graduated from Utah State University with a B.A. degree in English, not because of her love for the written word, but because it was the only major that didn’t require math. She can’t spell, and grammar is her arch nemesis. But they gave her the degree, and there are no take backs.
Find Angela Scott on her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads

W...W...W... Wednesdays

W...W...W... Wednesdays January 29th 2013

W...W...W... Wednesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. Be sure to link up to her so others can see what your reading.


To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions...

1.What are you currently reading?
2.What did you recently finish reading?
3.What do you think you'll read next?

Books

1.What are you currently reading? Whispers at Moonrise by C.C. Hunter (Goodreads)
2.What did you recently finish reading? Taken at Dusk by C.C. Hunter (Goodreads) Need to write my review
3.What do you think you'll read next? Saved at Sunrise by C.C. Hunter (Goodreads)

Still attempting to finish the series off before the end of the month. Doesn't look like it will happen but I'm going to try. 
What are you reading? 

Wishlist Wednesday

Wishlist Wednesday
Wishlist Wednesday is a book blog hop where we will post about one book per week that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added (it's entirely up to you), that we can't wait to get off the list and onto our wonderful shelves. 
Hosted by Pen to Paper

I saw the preview this week. It looks amazing, and a must see. My poor hubby it's clearly a romance book. 


Winter's Tale 

by Mark Helprin
Published October 20th 1983
(Goodreads)

Synopsis

New York City is subsumed in arctic winds, dark nights, and white lights, its life unfolds, for it is an extraordinary hive of the imagination, the greatest house ever built, and nothing exists that can check its vitality. One night in winter, Peter Lake, orphan and master-mechanic, attempts to rob a fortress-like mansion on the Upper West Side.
Though he thinks the house is empty, the daughter of the house is home. Thus begins the love between Peter Lake, a middle-aged Irish burglar, and Beverly Penn, a young girl, who is dying.
Peter Lake, a simple, uneducated man, because of a love that, at first he does not fully understand, is driven to stop time and bring back the dead. His great struggle, in a city ever alight with its own energy and besieged by unprecedented winters, is one of the most beautiful and extraordinary stories of American literature.
What's on your wishlist?

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday January 29th 2013
Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating. In my case not so patiently waiting for the new releases, which I lack.

This one I have been seeing around for a while from other bloggers. I finally read the synopsis and was hooked. I'm looking forward to reading this one. It come out right before my birthday.

The Winner's Curse
by Marie Rutoski
Expected publication March 4th 2014
(Goodreads)

Synopsis

Winning what you want may cost you everything you love 

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions. 

One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin. 

But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined. 

Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.


What are you waiting on this week?

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday January 28th 2014

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

~Grab your current read
~Open to a random page
~Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on the page
~BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! ( make sure that what you share doesn't give away too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)
~Share the title & author too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

I'm about to start:
Whispers at Moonrise
by C.C. Hunter
Shadow Falls #4
(Goodreads)

Kylie Galen stood on the porch outside the Shadow Falls office, panic stabbing at her sanity. A gust of late August wind, still chilled by her father’s departing spirit, picked up her long strands of blond hair and scattered them across her face. She didn’t brush them away. She didn’t breathe. She just stood there, air trapped in her lungs, while she stared through the wisps of hair at the trees swaying in the breeze.

Why does my life have to be so damn hard? The question rolled around her head like a Ping-Pong ball gone wild. The answer spun back just as quick.

Because you’re not all human. For the last few months, she’d struggled to identify the type of non-human blood that rushed through her veins. Now she knew.

What are you reading? 

Top Ten Tuesday!

Top Ten Tuesday!
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke And The Brookish. Who doesn't love lists. They make life easy! And fun!! It's always a never ending topic.

This week's topic:
Top Ten Worlds I'd Never Want To Live in & characters I would never want to trade places with. 

There aren't very many book worlds I wouldn't want to live in. So picking ten is going to be really hard. 

The Ward by Jordana Frankel - As much as I loved the book there is no way I would want to live in a world with so much flooding and limited water. It's not the fact that the world has flooded it's the fact that they have limited drinking water that scare me. Maybe it's because I'm a water nut who drinks water all day be it fresh filtered water or in tea and coffee. Eek give me monsters any day of the week over lacking water. 

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin - This one is tricky because I haven't read the books yet but I have seen the the HBO show which I love. However that being said I hate the snow to start with so with the looming winter is coming I wouldn't be trilled at all. Add in a bad king, creepy walkers and all my favorite characters dying. This is most definitely not a place for Mandy. However this won't stop me from reading all of the books before the new season starts. 

Juliette in Shatter Me - Tahereh Mafi I wouldn't in a millions years want to be in Juliette's shoes. locked in a concrete cell for almost a year alone. I think I would have my own internal monolog after being alone for so long. I would go nuts after just a few days. When the hubby goes on a trip for work and I'm home with the kids by day two of only children conversations I tend to go a little wacky. I feel bad for my poor dad who get's diarrhea of the mouth after not having adult conversation in days. 


Zombie slayers & Zombie worlds
 I'm a huge fan of zombie books they are one of my favorite scary stories. I'm more scared of killer zombies than any other supernatural. I wouldn't want to be a zombie slayer in a million years. Just the thought of having to fight against them makes my skin crawl. That is why I wouldn't want to be any of these fabulous character who fight zombies.
Bobby from Undead by Kirsty McKay
Eleanor from Something Strange by Deadly by Susan Dennard
Remy from Hollowland by Amanda Hocking
Eva from PODs by Michelle K. Pickett

What about you? who would you not want to be or what would you not want to live in?

Monday, January 27, 2014

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? January 27th 2014
Welcome to It's Monday! is a weekly event hosted by Sheila at Bookjourney to share with others what you've read the past week and are planning to read the next.

New week and so far chasing my reading challenge not leading like I planned. 

Read last week
No Ones Angel by Kelly Walker (Review)
Yup just one. Too much real life for more than that.

Currently Reading 
Taken at Dusk by C.C. Hunter (Goodreads) I'm about half way done.

Up Next

Whispers at Moonrise by C.C. Hunter (Goodreads

Rest of the week
Saved by Sunrise by C.C. Hunter (Goodreads)
Chosen at Nightfall by C.C. Hunter (Goodreads)

I hope to get a few more in but no promises

What are you reading this week? 




Sunday, January 26, 2014

Diary Entry

January 26th 2013

Reading:

I've been such a slacker this month when it comes to read. I'm so disappointed in myself at having read only 8 books. I hope to add 4 more before the month is over but its looking like I may not get there. I hate chasing my reading challenge but I'm six books behind my goal. It's looking like more and more short novella's to crunch in so I don't chase again all year. 

Currently reading 
Taken at Dusk by C.C. Hunter (Goodreads)
I really enjoy the Shadow Falls series and I'm dying to find out what Kylie really is. I'm tempted to cheat but I can wait the few days it's going to take for me to finish the series. I have them all on ebook but I've started picking them up as physical books. They have beautiful covers. I only need two more for a full set.

Bookish
I've come to the conclusion I shop based on cover not so much the synopsis. I hate to admit it but it's true. When it comes to review books I always read the synopsis I would hate to accept or request something I'm not interested in. When I shop for me it's mostly cover based and I feel bad about it. There is just something about covers. 

Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin - I fell in love with the show but everyone says the books are so amazing so starting february I'm going to read each day. I need to read all five before the new season on HBO starts. 

Bookshelves

Mine are all over the place and I think it's time I sorted and organized them. They are all over the place and need to be sorted. Do your's get out of hand? I only have two but they are loaded. The hubby keeps saying I can add more but he freaks out when the time comes. He hates that I'm a book hoarder but he's glad it's books over purses or shoes. 

I have a weakness for kindle freebies. I feel bad that I add them to my collection all the time and they never get read. However I hope to one day work my way through all the freebies. I'm only 32 so maybe I'll get lucky and have at least another 62 years to read them all. In addition to the kindle freebies I love the books for 3 bucks or less especially the $.99 books. I can't seem to get enough which is bad to. I've been finding all kinds of new books to read this month. This one grabbed me by the first line I just had to share. It's one of the new ones I just added this morning to my kindle. I love the cover it's beautiful and the synopsis sounds exciting. 
Chosen by Heather Fleener
(Goodreads)

In the beginning...there were Vampire

Man’s fall from grace sparked the birth of the Dark creatures from the underworld. To counter the explicit threat to mankind, divinely-created immortals were brought forth. The Witch encompassed seven Castes of power; their magic was most effective against the nefarious agenda pursued by the evil ones.

She is Chosen... 
Kaitriana’s gift of magic is unrivaled. A descendant of the most powerful Ancient in existence, her birth was foretold ages before her time. Destined to lead the Witch faction, she is betrayed by her own kind, destroying her birthright and all hope of delivering the Realm from the sinister shadow of the Ancient Dark. 

He is the Key...
Lorcan is a mighty warlord in the Vampire species. His animosity towards the magical immortals is personal - his mother was their Queen. Having long since severed all ties with his former kin, his existence remains plagued by the repercussions of her treachery and a secret that threatens to be his downfall. 

They are the Prophecy...

An arcane prophecy from the time of the Ancients proclaims that only two in all of creation can bring peace to the Realm. When Kaitriana miraculously appears seeking his protection, Lorcan must forsake his duty and disregard the dictates of his breed to shelter the female. Together they must combat the Ancient Dark and surmount the forces within their own factions that would oppose the Prophecy. Their fates have always been entwined and only when joined can they triumph over a blood feud that has shadowed the Light for millennia.

Challenges
I have a addiction for signing up for challenges I just can't seem to get enough. I signed up for two on goodreads which I'm excited to get started. One starts on the 1st and one on the 7th of the February. Ideally I need to read at least 3 books a week which should help push me back into reading. Do you like challenges?

Crafty
I've been really crafty this week. I taught one girl to crochet & another to cross stitch. I'm debating pulling my embroidery skills out of retirement. We will see in the coming week or two. I need a trip to the craft store. I also have been thinking of pulling the old paint out and giving it a go at some water color painting. I'm also thinking of cross stitching a quilt with my favorite book covers. It's a lot of work but it could happen in the near future. I also taught one of the girls how to make homemade bagels. 

I've been really productive this morning by making banana bread, doing laundry, and making my reading list for the next two months because of my new challenges. I'm also looking at all the tours starting and trying decide which I want to take part in. Ideally I like to get everything done so I can read. However lately with everyone in and out of the house this week and the hubby gone it's not been productive. I'll share with you my reading list for the next two months after I re-write it all pretty.

I've also been cooking up a storm this week, lots of baked goodies.  

What's new with you?