Teaser Make Up

Some of you may have seen I wrote a quick post on Facebook just to notify y'all that I couldn't get a Teaser Tuesday post out on time. Again, I apologize but with finals, and competitions, and a speech to prepare for I simply couldn't find time yesterday to squeeze it in! But as promised, here is a make up teaser for y'all to enjoy! (Oh and once again I splurged and made it a little over 2 sentences.)

Expiration Day

" My own fault for asking a boy a yes-or-no question. And the rest wasn't bad for a boy, either. Lots of sentences. We'll try for a few adjectives, next time." -Expiration Day by William Campbell Powell (pg.35)

Add it on Goodreads or check it out through Liberty Bay Books by clicking the purple title above the picture!

*This quote was taken from an uncorrected proof and may be subject to change*

Kindness for Weakness

Kindness for Weakness

by Shawn Goodman

A fifteen-year-old boy from an abusive home desperately seeking his older brother's love and approval starts pushing drugs for him and suffers the consequences.

Is that not the lamest synopsis ever?! Yes that is really the official synopsis posted on Goodreads. Sorry, but I just had to put that out there, it didn't stop me from being excited to read it but it really does bother me! Well, it's beginning to look like I'm on a streak. This is the second book that I have felt was only one star and that I simply hated! There wasn't much of a plot to this book. The writing was far from impressive. And the book felt almost as if it was being narrated by two completely different characters, neither of which I particularly liked or felt attached to. The first half of the book felt like it was being told by a little kid and the second half a tough guy in his late teens. I get that the character is supposed to grow but it didn't feel like growth. There was to flow or transition from one to the other. You could see the some of the changes he went through because a lot of the time he explained how he changed. but I felt a shift of character and voice much before he actually changed. I felt no attachment to any of the characters in the book and I didn't particularly care what happened to any of them. It was nearly impossible to relate to any of the characters or scenarios because everything was vastly unbalanced. There was no balance of qualities and there was nothing to make you really really want any of the characters to overcome their obstacles. There wasn't really any hope or redeeming qualities. Everything was far too extreme. I was so excited to read this and I had high hopes because the story line appeared to be just my cup of tea. I couldn't have been more disappointed and I am so glad that it was a short book so at least I could power through it and not feel guilty about not finishing it!  I wouldn't dream of recommending it, and am not even going to bother posting the Liberty Bay link or the Goodreads link. I was curious, and I browsed other reviews on Goodreads and found to my shock that 91% of reviews were 3 stars or higher and the lowest rating it received (other than me now) was 2 stars. Only 7% of reviews were 2 star. Everyone that read it loved it and raved of all the feels it gave them and just how simply amazing it was! As I read these reviews I began to wonder if we had even read the same book because their reviews boasted that the book offered everything I had hoped it would contain! Anyways, I generously decide to give it one star and am thoroughly baffled about how I read this book and felt so vastly different from so many other people! But I suppose that happens! 

What is the last bad book you read? Have you ever felt vastly different from the majority of people about a book? What book? 

The Pulse Rant

*WARNING THIS POST MAY CONTAIN SOME MILD SPOILERS!*

Well here it is the post you've all been waiting for. Or maybe dreading rants can be annoying I know, but it didn't feel right to call it a review because I am unsure how I feel about the book exactly and don't feel comfortable putting a star amount on it or anything like that so, I am afraid this will be a bit more of a rant. Well, let's get this party started, let all them feels out. I suppose I will kick it off by simply saying I hated  this book. I would never recommend it and if I were to rate it just on how I felt after reading it I would only give it one star. It sounds so simple! I obvious have an opinion. However, I don't have much of a reason. I can't figure out why exactly I disliked it so much! The plot was decent and the story line was original and a very interesting idea. The writing was ok and the characters weren't bad. What's not to like then? I don't know exactly, although I have several things that I can tell you I hated. I guess I'll tackle the big one first. The entire story was one big messy tangle of people in love with each other. It was worse than a triangle. The main character, Faith,  has like three guys after her. One of which is way too young for her (thankfully he backs off eventually and doesn't try too hard for the most part), the other is a jerk who decides he is in love with her after one date, and the third watches her sleep from outside her window! How creepy is that! AND! On top of all that The sister of the jerk is in love with the stalker.
SPOILER: And so she tries to kill Faith just because of this.
MORE SPOILERS: Also, someone (not naming names here) gets hit in the head by a track and field hammer and some how survives but is in like a coma or something in the middle of no where without actual doctors and such and survives transport across a vast distance. Only to be awakened by a kiss freaking sleeping beauty style. And this was the first kiss between the two of them while one of them was unconscious. AND, they don't really have a relationship before this. There are hints that they kind of like each other and they kind of sort of go on a date but nothing really happens until they go all sleeping beauty.
Also, for some incomprehensible reason Patrick felt the need to flat out explain the meaning and symbolism of one of the only symbols in the book that was already very clear! It completely ruined it!
I don't know exactly why but I hated this book. I can't stick a rating on it and I feel rather guilty for not liking it or at least having a strong set of reasons to hate it. I am sorry for the spoilers! I tried to keep them as non-spoiler-y as possible but I had to put them in there because they really bothered me!

Stacking The Shelves

I didn't have anything new as of last Saturday so I didn't post a Stacking The Shelves but, since then I have added one book to my shelves that I am very excited to share with y'all!

Unleashed A guide to Maximizing your Career & Enriching your Life

The “Greatest Hits” from Dan Weedin and his sidekick, Captain Jack the Pirate Dog.

This is a compilation of the best of Dan’s weekly missives, Extra Points and his Weedin 360 blog. Captain Jack is a noted writer himself, gaining greater attention and fanfare than his human. This “best of the best” compilation also includes several “never before seen” articles and anecdotes under the title, Fresh Fish.

The book will provide you with perspective, inspiration, humor, and pragmatic advise to help you both professionally and personally. Whether you’re a business leader or a leader in your own home, this book will help you grow in your career and enrich your life. You’ll laugh, you’ll smile; you’ll think; you might even be annoyed, and I doubt you’ll cry. In the end, you will be better off for having read it!

I know this isn't exactly my type of book and it is certainly not  something that you are used to seeing on my blog, but my family and I are good friends with Dan, so when he asked me to read it in exchange for I of course agreed. I am excited to read it and thrilled to have the opportunity to get to know him a little by reading this and to see life through his eyes. Buy it through Liberty Bay Book by clicking the book's title!

What does the cover say? A linkup from the Notebook Sister!

I am so excited that Cait has made this linkup! I loved her original post and although I am sure mine won't be nearly as brilliant as hers I am excited to give it a whirl! So, here goes! 

What does the cover say? "Ooo! Glowy circles!" 

What does the cover say? "The story of a world where every thing looks the same and  trees grow in the air."

What does the cover say? "Love me. I'm insecure and aloof yet cool."

What does the cover say? "I'm arsty and cool yet so much more."

What does the cover say? "Wow! Those are really big trees! I feel so small..."
Hope you enjoyed and check out the Notebook Sisters to see their examples and the linkup!

Hunted

Hunted

Terror stalks a small Virginia town.

FBI rising star, criminal profiler Evelyn Baine, knows how to think like a serial killer. But she's never chased anyone like the Bakersville Burier, who hunts young women and displays them, half-buried, deep in the woods. As the body count climbs, Evelyn's relentless pursuit of the killer puts her career - and her life - at risk. And the evil lurking in the Burier's mind may be more than even she can unravel.

Terror is closer than she thinks.

The Bakersville Burier knows he's got an FBI profiler on his trail. He knows who she is and where to find her. And he's biding his time, because he's planned a special punishment for Evelyn. She may have tracked other killers, but he vows to make this her last chase. This time it's her turn to be hunted!

I am so excited! Partly because this is the first book I've read/finished this year...

...and also because the author of Hunted, Elizabeth Heiter, commented on my teaser post from this book and expressed interest in being interviewed! 

I was super excited to read this because the synopsis mad it sound so intense! I was not disappointed . Elizabeth wove the plot masterfully! It was well paced and kept you guessing as well as mentally involved in the case, trying to figure out who did it before the characters did. She wrote it in third person omniscient which was refreshing and actually ended up lending it self quite well to the story and plot. I don't think it would have been as good written in any other point of view. I found Evelyn a little hard to love at first. I admired her dedication and held sympathy for her tough upbringing but she had a hard as nails exterior with no sign of a softer side for a really long time. She appeared fearless, and was the best at her job, strong, intelligent, cool, and a little anti social  or maybe just socially awkward. In short she felt untouchable, invincible and too unreal. She was a little hard to like and hard to relate to for me. I ended up falling in love with her vibrant, better balanced and more relateable friends first. Eventually she grew, she became more vulnerable and began to let people into her life, she began to have more of a personality and I came to like her more. However, it took quite a while to get to that point and I felt that she went from impenetrable fortress of stone cold near emotionless-ness to broken down, mushy, and vulnerable. Then, all the sudden at the end, she was strong, ready to move on, and ready to conquer the world. I felt that she needed more of a balance, that she tended to flip from one extreme to another. At the end I felt she was nearly perfectly balanced but that was about the last page or the last few. It was a little bit of a rough ride there. But that didn't stop me from enjoying the story. I LOVED Mac. I related strongly to him, and I appreciated the fact that I would probably dislike him if I hadn't found out the depth of  him and his admirable character. He is one of those good looking people that seems to flirt with everyone and those are the people that drive me bonkers (not in a good way) and I gave Evelyn a mental fist bump that she felt similarly at first before she knew him better. But dang once I got to know him I just wanted him to have the most amazing life ever and I related super strongly to him and just lots of feels in his general direction. However, I felt that the supporting and minor characters were again unbalanced, at one extreme or another. Still, the story wasn't ruined by this minor factor and they were still pretty real and there is a character for everyone to connect to no matter what your personality or experience there is someone in this book that is just similar enough to relate to. I thought Elizabeth was smart to adress the social gaps and sometimes not so subtle discrimination or stereotypes about women in fields such as the FBI and being the minority in a community. I thought she did a fairly good job with it however I did feel that it was a bigger problem for Evelyn than I thought it was in today's society, but I live in a highly diverse and open community so maybe this is normal for other areas. So I kind of let that slide by. I was however, quite annoyed that multiple times the story stated that her "mocha skin" made her stand out in a nearly all white community. (From mocha skin on is basically the paraphrased version of what the book said.) Elizabeth used this description repeatedly, especially the "mocha skin," I was ok with the fact that she was reiterating the theme or issue but I was annoyed that there seemed to be only one way she was able to say it! Each time it was mentioned it was nearly the same it felt and sounded redundant and got on my nerves. Despite all the small issues I had with the book, over all I loved it and they didn't stop me from enjoying it. I ate it up. The plot was awesomesauce and the story line was fabulous! Elizabeth had good writing and she obviously has put a lot of research and background knowledge into this novel to make it real. It wasn't very descriptive but it had enough to satisfy the reader. It would appeal to a wide variety of ages and personalities and is highly entertaining. Overall, I would recommend it and I give it 3 stars! Keep an eye out for an interview, add it on Goodreads , and find it through Liberty Bay Books by clicking the hyper-linked title beneath the cover picture! 

Teaser Tuesday!

I just finished Hunted (I really do mean just. I literally read the last word and immediately started this post!) and I will be reviewing it soon so keep a look out for that! So today's teaser will be from a brand new book! I kind of splurged, technically the teaser is supposed to be only 2 sentences but one sentence would have only been 2 words so I kinda fudged it...it might be more like 3 sentences this time...Anyways, enjoy! And as always feel free to comment with a link to your teaser post or just comment with a teaser of your own!

Pulse

"Hawk shoved Liz right back, nearly hitting her in the chest. "Yes way!"
       "Watch the hand placement, Romeo," Liz said." - Pulse by Patrick Carman

*This quote is taken from an uncorrected proof and may be subject to change*

I usually don't say much about the teasers but this one just made me love Liz! *squeals* That line is just so great! x)

Add it to Goodreads and find it on Liberty Bay Books site by clicking the title under the cover!

Teaser Tuesday!

Well, well, well would ya look at that! It's Teaser Tuesday again! Enjoy guys! Feel free to join the meme and share your links in the comments below or simply comment with the teaser!

"'We'll find him," Jimmy said, but the certainty in his voice seemed ment to impress rather than reassure. The question was, would they find him before he found her again?" -Hunted by Elizabeth Heiter

Add it to Goodreads and buy it through Liberty Bay Books by clicking the purple title after the quote!

*This quote was taken from an uncorrected proof and may be subject to change*

Giveaway Winners!

I really don't have much to say other than I am excited to congratulate the winners of my first giveaway!

Congrats Layla on winning the signed copy of Crewel and the bookmark with a dog reading!

Also, congrats to Dee  on winning the copy of Altered and the puppy bookmark!

I hope you two enjoy your winnings I will email you both to confirm and get any information I need! Thank you to everyone who entered and good luck next time!

Stacking The Shelves

I know what you are thing, I am equally astounded that I actually a) got new books and b) am posting a stacking the shelves on time. (I may be slightly proud of myself. Though I don't quite have enough hubris to pat myself on the back, I did however smirk proudly to myself while writing this) I actually got quite a few books this week so I am really excited to share! Thank you Liberty Bay Books for the haul!

                                                Kindness for Weakness
A fifteen-year-old boy from an abusive home desperately seeking his older brother's love and approval starts pushing drugs for him and suffers the consequences.

I have seriously considered becoming a social worker and have always been interested in social and domestic issues, so naturally this concept struck me as well as the title and the boy's vulnerable pose on the cover. Heart strings will be tugged at I am sure. I can't wait to read it and I hope it is everything I want it to be!

Add it on Goodreads and buy it through Liberty Bay Books by selecting the hyper-linked title!

Pulse

The year is 2051, and the world is still recognizable. With the help of her mysterious classmate Dylan Gilmore, Faith Daniels discovers that she can move objects with her mind. This telekinetic ability is called a “pulse,” and Dylan has the talent, too.

In riveting action scenes, Faith demonstrates her ability to use her pulse against a group of telekinesis masters so powerful they will flatten their enemies by uprooting street lights, moving boulders, and changing the course of a hurtling hammer so that it becomes a deadly weapon. But even with great talent, the mind—and the heart—can be difficult to control. If Faith wants to join forces with Dylan and save the world, she’ll have to harness the power of both.

I picked this one for many reasons: a) it sounds like it has the capacity to be really epic and intense! (Who doesn't love epic and intense?) b) it had a sticky note in it from a fellow blogger and affiliate that was filled with good things to say about it. c) I vaguely remembered seeing it in a library or something and wanting to read it a while back. 

Add it on Goodreads and buy it through LBB by clicking the title above!

                                                Expiration Day

What happens when you turn eighteen and there are no more tomorrows?
It is the year 2049, and humanity is on the brink of extinction….

Tania Deeley has always been told that she’s a rarity: a human child in a world where most children are sophisticated androids manufactured by Oxted Corporation. When a decline in global fertility ensued, it was the creation of these near-perfect human copies called teknoids that helped to prevent the utter collapse of society.

Though she has always been aware of the existence of teknoids, it is not until her first day at The Lady Maud High School for Girls that Tania realizes that her best friend, Siân, may be one. Returning home from the summer holiday, she is shocked by how much Siân has changed. Is it possible that these changes were engineered by Oxted? And if Siân could be a teknoid, how many others in Tania’s life are not real?

Driven by the need to understand what sets teknoids apart from their human counterparts, Tania begins to seek answers. But time is running out. For everyone knows that on their eighteenth “birthdays,” teknoids must be returned to Oxted—never to be heard from again.

Ok, so, this one I am a little hesitant about. It sounds rather weird. However, it also sounds like it could be really good. (Can't you just smell the potential through your screen?) So...I guess we shall see. Yay for stepping outside your comfort zone! (It really doesn't feel like a yay at the time. This better be good.) 

Add it on Goodreads and buy it through LBB by clicking the purple title above!

Dancer, Daughter, Traitor, Spy

Marina is born of privilege. Her mother, Sveta, is the Soviet Union's prima ballerina: an international star handpicked by the regime. But Sveta is afflicted with a mysterious second sight and becomes obsessed with exposing a horrific state secret. Then she disappears. 
 
Fearing for their lives, Marina and her father defect to Brooklyn. Marina struggles to reestablish herself as a dancer at Juilliard. But her enigmatic partner, Sergei, makes concentration almost impossible, as does the fact that Marina shares her mother's “gift,” and has a vision of her father’s murder at the hands of the Russian crooks and con artists she thought they'd left behind.  
 
Now Marina must navigate the web of intrigue surrounding her mother's disappearance, her ability, and exactly whom she can—and can't—trust.

Speaking of stepping out side my comfort zone and being hesitant... 
I honestly haven't read this or even considered it because I take one look at the cover and the title and think "Could this possibly be anymore stupid? This sounds terrible." Reading the synopsis didn't exactly change that and quite honestly I have no clue as to why I decided to read it. But I guess I did so, yet again we shall see. I am trying to keep an open mind...

Add it on Goodreads and buy it through LBB by clicking the title above!

                                                           Hunted
Terror stalks a small Virginia town.

FBI rising star, criminal profiler Evelyn Baine, knows how to think like a serial killer. But she's never chased anyone like the Bakersville Burier, who hunts young women and displays them, half-buried, deep in the woods. As the body count climbs, Evelyn's relentless pursuit of the killer puts her career - and her life - at risk. And the evil lurking in the Burier's mind may be more than even she can unravel.

Terror is closer than she thinks.

The Bakersville Burier knows he's got an FBI profiler on his trail. He knows who she is and where to find her. And he's biding his time, because he's planned a special punishment for Evelyn. She may have tracked other killers, but he vows to make this her last chase. This time it's her turn to be hunted!

If you haven't already figured this out about me I am fascinated by all things twisted, disturbed, and/or psycho, (if that makes me just a little twisted, disturbed, and/or psycho I am totally ok with that!) and I love law enforcement and detective type stuff. This book promises all my favorite things! Plus, a whole lot of chills and thrills and who doesn't love a little of that!

Add it to Goodreads and buy it through LBB by clicking the purple title!

Make up Teaser

So, in all the chaos of new year's eve and life and all that I didn't have time to post a Teaser Tuesday but here is the make up teaser!

"Shivers racked her in waves. Whoever he was he had planned his attack carefully." -pg. 92 Hunted by Elisabeth Heiter

Add it to Goodreads and buy it through Liberty Bay Books by clicking =>Hunted.

*This quote was taken from an uncorrected proof and may be subject to change*

Ringing in the new year!

It's a brand new year! Welcome 2014! And as promised here are 14 books I am looking forward to reading in 2014! (They aren't in any particular order. Sorry!)

The Impossible Knife of Memory

                              Kindness for Weakness

The Scar Boys

Pulse

Expiration Day

Impostor: A Variants Novel

The Retribution of Mara Dyer

Sweet Reckoning

Linked

control

In the After

When We Wake

The Dream Thieves

The Replacement

I can't wait to get started! My new stack of ARCs from Liberty Bay Books is a great way to kick it all off! Thank you Liberty Bay and thank you to all of my family, friends, and readers for all of your support! You've made this year awesomesauce! My bookish resolution is to read more since I haven't been reading as much as I have wanted to lately. 

What books are you excited to read this year? What are your bookish resolutions?