Top Ten Tuesdays

Top Ten Tuesday with Mandy!!

This week's topic is:
Mandy's top ten books she wouldn't mind Santa bringing her.

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 I picked out all the books I would love to have from Santa, it's a huge list but I narrowed it down to only ten. Which for me was super hard considering I'm a book buying addict. They are in no set order just the way I pulled them off my amazon list. Some of them aren't out yet but if it's Santa I want his magic to bring them early.

1. Guardians of Stone by Anita Clenney (Goodreads)
2. The Farm by Emily McKay (Goodreads)
3. Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs (Goodreads)
4. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer (Goodreads)
5. Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire (Goodreads)
6. Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger (Goodreads)
7. Beautiful Creatures Box Set (Goodreads)
8. Matched Box Set (Goodreads)
9. Bloodlines Trilogy Hardbacks (Goodreads)

10. A freebie spot because I couldn't decide.

What's your Top Ten this week?

Review: Fingerprints

Title - Fingerprints

Author - Maricia Leonard 

Series or Standalone - Standalone 

Genre - Mystery Suspense 

Publication - April 24th 2012 

(Goodreads) & (Amazon)

Synopsis 

Fingerprints is a murder/suspense novel with a love story-and a Multiple Personality Disorder thrown in. It's horrifying when the police come and arrest Julie's son Jeffrey for the murder of the doctor whose body she and Jeff found. But it's also dismaying when tough, independent Julie realizes she's falling for the lawyer she hired to defend Jeff. Clark, the lawyer, has his own shocking problems. The woman he goes to visit in the institution is only one of the personalities of his beloved wife-not the one who killed their little daughter. Liz, the doctor's killer, is perfectly happy with how the police investigation is turning out. And she'll kill again to keep it that way. Will Jeffrey be acquitted and the real killer exposed? Find out where the fingerprints lead

Opening Teaser

I had no premonition, as I turned in and parked, that anything was wrong. I'm a real estate agent, and the house was one of my older listings. The snow was shoveled neatly off the driveway, the path up to the front door was cleared, and Jeffrey was sitting waiting on the steps. 

Jeff is twenty, my handsome, sturdy, reliable son. He was wearing his bright green parka and heavy boots, on this cold, clear Maine-winter day. The sunshine glinted clear and white on the rough heaps of fresh snow he'd shoveled to the sides of the pathway, and I smiled at the scene in front of me-Norman Rockwell, or maybe a Christmas card. I thought everything was great until I got closer...and the smile faded from my face as Jeff slowly looked up and held out his hands for me to see. 

Review

I received Fingerprints in return for an honest review from the author. Julie arrives at one of her real estate’s properties her son is already there, he's shoveled the driveway and sitting on the steps. When she gets closer he holds out his hands which are covered in blood, she's enters the house to find the body of a stranger covered in blood. They call the police, who have Jeff explain how he got the blood on his hands; they even have them come down to the station for fingerprinting. It's when they show up to arrest Jeff because his fingerprints are on the murder weapon a knife that Julie knows she has to save her son.

Julie reaches out to a lawyer Clark Horowitz to defend Jeff because she knows he's innocent. However even though Clark wants to help, the evidence will stop the cops from looking for suspects. He refers her to find a private investigator to do the leg work, to look for information that will find the real killer. When she calls the private investigator he tells her he's going to be gone two weeks and won't be able to do it till he gets back. Julie can't let Jeff sit in jail so she decides that she will do her own investigating. Julie searches for clues following a path that could lead to her demise as the real killer is still out there.

Julie is an interesting character she's a mom who cares about her son and is willing to do what it takes to save him even if it means risking her own life.  Clark has his own unique story involving his wife and daughter which I found equally interesting he's a strong character who's had a rough last few years. The characters in the book are so real; I found it easy to connect with them.  My heart went out to Julie while she deals with the struggles of finding the real killer and seeing her son in jail. I felt sad for Clark to lose everything but still keep it together the way he does. Fingerprints is a brilliant story that drew me in and kept me captivated till the end. I love a mystery filled with twists and turns that kept me guessing who the real killer could be. The story is well written, it flows smoothly along and it's easy to lose track of time while reading. I know I did because it kills me to stop and wonder how it's going to end so I kept picking it during my day to read. I would suggest Fingerprints to anyone who is looking for a mystery. I really loved Fingerprints. 

5 out of 5 Stars

Winter Haven Sleigh Tour/Review: Decked With Holly

Today I'm super excited to be a part of the WinterHaven Sleigh Tours hosted by WinterHaven Books. This week we are posting out choice of a Winter Book Review. To see who else is on the sleigh, go to WinterHaven Sleigh Tour for a list of participating blogs. 


Title - Decked With Holly
Author - Marni Bates
Series or Standalone - Standalone
Genre- Young Adult Contemporary Romance
Publication September 25th 2012 
(Goodreads) & (Amazon)

Synopsis 

Smartly blending of-the-moment pop culture references and timeless themes, Bates follows her YA debut, "Awkward, " with a hilarious, over-the-top adventure about a teen girl who becomes the fake girlfriend of a cute rock star.

Teaser
    
The Hot Guy from dinner thought I was growing a zombie baby. After having my family critiquing my stomach for hours, that was the last straw.
I dissolved into tears.
Not that I thought Pepper Spray Guy was concerned about my eating/exercise regimen. He was way more distracted by my resemblance to a flesh-eating monster. Which, after seeing myself in the bathroom mirror, I was willing to admit he might actually have a point about—the ashen tinge to my flesh gave me a very back from the grave look. But still. Who thinks zombie and then reaches for their handy bottle of pepper spray?
A total nutcase.

Review

Holly is your average teenage girl, her parents passed away when she was a baby so her grandfather raised her, so life hasn't been easy. When her grandfather wants to take a cruise for his birthday the whole family agrees to go along, including her evil cousins. In attempt to earn a little money for the trip so that she can get some new clothes Holly and her best friend Jen take jobs as elves for Santa at the mall. How was Holly to know that Santa would be a drunken guy who also happened to be a perv. It's not her fault he grabbed her but he deserved the slap he got, she maybe shouldn't have done it in front of all the Christmas shoppers. It's not every day you see an elf beating up Santa. After being escorted by security from the mall the job hunt is put to an end, not before her evil twin cousins can video the whole ordeal.

Now on the cruise she's forced to share a room with the evil twins, which she's not thrilled about but for her grandfather she will keep quit not wanting to ruin his trip. It's at dinner the first night that she sees Nick, but only because her cousin decided he would be her fling and she was curious. Nick is the drummer for a rock-band but he's on vacation to check out the ship for a future gig as well as enjoy a much needed vacation and when he catches the three girls checking him out he worries they might have figured out who he really is.

After being kicked out of her room by her evil twins Holly heads up for the deck to spend the night, but still being seasick and having to puke when the chance to use Nick's bathroom over the hallway just happens to show up she bolts inside but doesn't make it out before he catches her. What turns into a serious of unfortunate events for both of them only gets even more insane when Holly attempts to leave in the morning only to learn that Nick is Dominic the drummer in one of her favorite bands. The press catches wind that Nick is cheating on his girlfriend, and may have beaten Holly due to a few wild rumors.  However the guy’s spring into action in attempt to fix there imagines. Getting Holly to act as his girlfriend and deny that he was cheating or abusive. As the remainder of the trip the pair embarks on a mission to make the twins jealous, save Nick’s reputation and attempt to not fall in love.

I loved Decked with Holly it's a fun cute love story. I picked it up for the first part of the Winter Haven Sleigh Tour, and I'm thrilled that I did. I love Holly she's so girl next door, so easy to relate to, she's not fake like some girls. Nick's not bad either, he comes around as the book progresses I started to like him more. I found the book well written it's a fast fun easy read that anyone would enjoy I did. The author throws a lot of humor through the book which kept me laughing I had to share several parts with my hubby before he rolled over and closed his eyes. Then it was cover my mouth with a pillow and hope I didn't wake him up. I had such a hard time putting it down I stayed up super late reading to finish even though I had to get up super early. I honestly think Decked with Holly is one of my top favorites of the year, it's just a fun read that I really enjoyed.

5 out of 5 Stars

As part of the festivities, WinterHaven Books is hosting an international give-away that will include a copy of Dash & Lily's Book of Dares (Signed by Levithan and Cohn) and a copy of Let it Snow to four lucky winners. Good luck and happy holidays. 


a Rafflecopter giveaway

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? December 3rd  2012

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.

I finished some awesome books this week you can check out the reviews below. I have a huge stack to finish before the end of the years.

Read this last week:

Decked with Holly by Marni Bates (Review)

Gamers by Thomas K. Carpenter (Review)

The Dirt by Lori Culwell (Review)

Stalk Me by Jillian Dodd (Review)

 Blood and Moonlight by Moira Keith (Review)


Currently Reading 
Fingerprints by Maricia Leonard (Goodreads)

Rest of the week:

Dust (Of Dust and Darkness by Devon Ashley (Goodreads)

Blood Calling by Joshua Grover Davis (Goodreads)

Starflower by Anne Elisabeth Stengl (Goodreads)

Derailed by Alyssa Rose Ivy (Goodreads)

Betwixt by Melissa Pearl (Goodreads)

What are you reading this week?

Review: Gamers

Title - Gamers
Author - Thomas K. Carpenter
Series or Standalone - Series Gamers #1
Genre - Young Adult Sci Fi
Publication June 13th 2011 
(Goodreads) & (Amazon)

Synopsis

Two points for brushing your teeth. Ten points for keeping your room tidy. Seventy-two points for the Bioeconomic Game Design pop quiz on the ride to school in your personal FunCar. Another thirty for making every hurdle in gym class. 

Life is a game, unless you're not the one winning.

Gabby DeCorte, top student and reality-hacker extraordinaire, has been doing whatever it takes to keep her best friend, Zaela, from falling behind in LifeGame. Zaela has gifts of artistry that amaze Gabby, but none of those skills translate in LifeGame and with final exams coming up, they can't afford to waste a single minute. But when a mysterious group called the Frags contacts Gabby claiming to know what really happens to the losers of LifeGame, she must choose between winning and what she believes in.

Opening Teaser

The green sky loomed over the high school track like a bowl of pea soup upended. Even the few clouds resembled lumps of pea-sized material suspended in the thoroughly disgusting verdant broth.

Gabby ran around the track, glancing upward, cursing under her breath. Her best friend Zaela, elbowed her in the ribs.

“Come on, our score is dropping,” said Zaela. 

Gabby checked her LifeScore, annoyingly waiting at the corner of her vision with only a quick leftward eye movement, ready to piss her off. The number had faded to red, indicating a downward trend.

Review

I received Gamers in return for an honest review as part of a giveaway from Librarything. Gabby lives in a world where her whole future hinges on her LifeScore. Society has advanced to the point that everyone can manipulate what the world looks like, example what they wear, what happens like falling pigs. Students who score high in the LifeGame move on to the University where they get the best jobs. While those who don't are sent to lesser jobs, but are really never heard from again. Gabby is a wiz when it comes to hacking into the system she helps boost her friend's score so she can hopefully move on to University.

When Gabby learns that the Frags a rogue group who don't support the ways of the LifeGame. Gabby also learns that her TPS (thoughts per second) are ranked among the highest in the LifeGame. When she is confronted by the Frags who tell her they know what's really happening to those who don't pass the LifeGame and it's not lesser jobs. When Gabby is sent off on a final Raid teaming up with her former friend and now archenemy as well as three other students. The five of them head off into the cyber world to compete with the other teams and defeat the final raid boss. The challenges that her team faces will test every member as well as cause Gabby to question her loyalties. Will she defeat the raid boss and move on to the University or will be doomed to the life the Frags have hinted about.

Gamers is a fast paced, cyber adventure in a world unlike any other I've read about. I found the concept for LifeGame exciting and reminded me of my World of Warcraft raiding days. I really liked the idea of being able to change the way objects like by using a different skin, it's very futuristic which I really enjoyed. Gabby is a great character she's easy to connect with and her friendship with Zaela brings out the humanity in here that many of her fellow students don't seem to have which makes it easy to like her. I found Gamers well written the story-line flows smooth making it an easy read for anyone teen to adult to enjoy. I overall really love the concept of the story, it's something I could see happening as more and more people are getting into computers, games who knows maybe one day I'll be able to change the skin on my fun car anytime soon. I had a hard time putting the book down it's such an interesting story and I'm still new to the whole Sci Fi genre so I stayed up super late reading just to know how it would end. I can't wait to read the next one because I really want to know what happens next to Gabby.

4 out of 5 Stars

Review: The Dirt

Title - The Dirt
Author Lori Culwell
Series or Standalone - Standalone

Genre - Young Adult Chic Lit
Publication November 22nd 2011
(Goodreads) & (Amazon)

Synopsis

Lucy Whitley cannot wait to get out of Palm Desert. It’s not a place for a frizzy-haired science nerd, particularly when her fashion-obsessed older sister Sloane is the head of a clique of pretty girls who rule the school—and practically the whole town.Fortunately, life is about to change forever. Lucy’s dad is getting re-married, and then she can transfer to a boarding school in Connecticut, escaping all the mean girls and the endless whispers about the Whitley family scandal. Everything is going to be perfect—as long as the wedding goes smoothly.

Opening Teaser


This is the last day of my life. In fact, the countdown clock app on my iPhone has moved from months to weeks to days, and it's about to convert to hours. Hours!
Okay, I guess I should explain, so you don't think I'm one of those depressed weirdo types, or planning something crazy. Today, specifically this afternoon, is the last day of my fifteen years here in Palm Desert, California. Soon I am starting a brand-new life, far away from here, on the whole other side of the U.S., at this super-awesome science boarding school that's practically going to guarantee that I get in to med school at Johns Hopkins. I am so excited I can't stop looking at the clock. I've checked it so many times today, I think I'm going to end up on an episode of “Obsessed.”

Review

I received The Dirt in return for a honest review as part of the blog tour hosted by AToMRTours. Lucy is a hot shot Lawyer whose wife went missing nine years earlier running off with one of their daughters creating a huge media scandal. After years Lucy is going to get what she's been waiting for. Her father is going to get remarried to Lisa which will allow Lucy to move to a fancy science school away from her PG (pretty Girl) mean sister. It's a chance for Lucy to escape the scandal of her mother running away with her sister years ago, and her mean sister. However on the day of the wedding her long lost sister shows up ruins the wedding because there mother is very much alive. Lucy's dad is thrilled to have Megan back after all she's been missing for years and packs the family off to the mountains away from the media to spend the Christmas break. Now Lucy isn't so sure she will be heading off to her fancy school now that Megan is back in their lives. 

The more Lucy gets to know Megan the more she likes her even though she dresses different and is a little on the Goth side they do share a lot of the same interests. When the girls dad decides they should go camping in the mountains and hike in everyone is less than thrilled with the idea except for Frankie who is a little on the tomboyish side. Unfortunately there camping is cut short when Frankie gets hurt breaking her leg in two places and the group returns to the ranch to spend Christmas. Lucy and Megan come to an understand about their friendship.  When faced off with Sloane things chance, causing Sloane to accept both girls into the PG which has Lucy wondering what Megan is up too. Lucy only agrees to be a part of Sloane's plan because it will help her in the future when she gets into medical school, plus she wants to take down the PG and she's curious as to what Megan is up too.

I really like Lucy she was her own person, however the more the story progresses she turns into a copy of Sloane. However it's not like she wanted to be a copy of Sloane she had good reason too, but I felt like maybe she shouldn't have ditched her best friends the way she did. It's a quick fast pasted story that captures your attention so well that you don't notice the time till you’re done. I spent more of the story wanting to know what the back story was with Megan. It reminds me a little of the movie mean girls not in a bad way but that's the way I picture Sloane is when to her sister until Megan shows up and puts her in check. I found The Dirt well written, the concept is very entertaining. I found The Dirt to be clean so that any age group would be able to enjoy it. Overall it's a very entertaining story that kept me on my toes as I learned more about Megan story. 

4 out of 5 Stars

Lori Culwell

Social Media links:

Facebook

Website

Twitter: @loriculwell

Giveaway!

5 Paperback US & 12 ebooks (INT)

US

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

  International

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check more awesome tour stops

November Re-Cap

What happened here at The Reading Diaries in November

Wow it's been a crazy month. I'm shocked I was able to read as much as I did considering. I turned into a slacker for two weeks and hardly did any reading. I did read a variety of great books this month even though I didn't read as many as I had planned. I had some great interviews as well as one spotlight this month. So a fun month.

Interviews

Kate Evangelista (Interview)

Jessica Sorensen (Interview)

Allison Pang (Interview)

Moira Keith (Interview)

Read in November 

This month I read 21 awesome books. Next month I'm trying for 25 books.

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead (Review)

Shifted Perspective by J. Bridger (Review)

Reaping Me Softly by Kate Evangelista (Review)

Secrets by Tim Mettey (Review)

Ember by Jessica Sorensen (Review)

A Trace of Moonlight by Allison Pang (Review)

First Light by Samantha Summers (Review)

Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning (Review)

Lily: The Witch Hunter by Emma Hart (Review)

Cruise of the Undead by Laura A. Hansen (Review)

Downside Girls by Jaine Fenn (Review)

Cursed by Darkness by Anna Sanders (Review)

Killer Cupcakes by Leighann Dobbs (Review)

Once Upon A Second Chance by Marian Vere (Review)

Undeadly by Michele Vail (Review)

Kept by Shawntelle Madison (Review)

Forsaken by Kristen Day (Review)

Awaken by Kristen Day (Review)

Blood and Moonlight by Moira Keith (Review)

Stalk Me by Jillian Dodd (Review)

The Dirt by Lori Culwell (Review)

Spotlight

Debra Chapoton (Here)

How was your month?

Stacking The Shelves #26

Stacking The Shelves December 1st 2012

Stacking the Shelves is a new meme by Tyngas Reviews that let's bloggers share their new books and swag, whether they are physical or virtual. I'll include books I've been sent, emailed, purchased, won and for review.

This week has been crazy, I received several ebooks for upcoming book tours. Plus did a little shopping this week as well.

For Review

Eden's Root by Rachel Fisher (Goodreads)
Seeds of War by Rachel Fisher (Goodreads)
The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle (Goodreads)
Embers by Laura Bickle (Goodreads)
Sparks by Laura Bickle (Goodreads)

Purchased

Physical Books

One of my favorite Anime so when I can across them I just had to have them. One day I plan to sit down and read them for now they just look pretty on the shelf.
Blood+ Volume 1 First Kiss by Ryo Ikehata (Goodreads)
Blood+ Volume 2 Chevalier by Ryo Ikehata (Goodreads)
Blood+ Volume 3 Boy Meets Girl by Ryo Ikehata (Goodreads)
Blood+ Volume 4 Nankurunaisa by Ryo Ikehata (Goodreads)

I won a giveaway for a $25 amazon card from Robin Burks as part of the Black Friday Weekend. I'm super excited to read her book.
So with the gift card I got

The Selection by Kiera Cass (Goodreads) I got this one from my sister on loan but she has a friend who wanted to read it so I had to give it back. So it was time to get my own copy.
Beneath a Starlet Sky by Amanda Goldberg, Ruthanna Khalighi Hopper (Goodreads)
Shifting Plains by Jean Johnson (Goodreads)
Pretty Amy by Lisa Burstein (Goodreads)
To Catch a Prince by Gillian McKnight (Goodreads)
Misfit by Jon Skovron (Goodreads)

I also picked up 
Breathe by Sarah Crossan (Goodreads) I had this one on lend for kindle but never got time to read it and it expired so it was time to get my own.
Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen (Goodreads) Found this in the Walmart bargain bin and couldn't pass it up.

Ebooks

Picked up a variety of ebooks this week. Some holiday ones I can't decide which I want to read for my holiday posts so we will see as well as some books I've heard great things about.

Edge of Never by J.A Redmerski (Goodreads)


Zeus, Inc. by Robin Burks (Goodreads)

Matters Of The Blood by Maria Lima (Goodreads)

Mrs. Miracle by Debbie Macomber (Goodreads)

Home for the Holidays by Lisa Plumley (Goodreads)

Holiday Affair by Lisa Plumley (Goodreads)

What new books did you get this week?