2012 in review and looking towards 2013

So this year has been a crazy one for me. It pushed me off track of what I wanted to get read. So there havent been as many reviews. But this coming year everything will be different. I am going to deal with things in a more positive way this year. I can't let the loss of sight in my left eye take away all the things I love. I have been not as productive this year and I am sorry.

I read a lot of books this year, not all are up on the blog as of yet. Tomorrow will be my review for Anna Dressed in Blood. But looking back. I really liked Cinder, Jackson Pierce's books. I can't wait to pick up Fathomless.

I have a stack of books here that I am going to be reading. I am going to be trying for 1 review a week and 2 posts about books, either books Im looking forward to, or blog hop style posts, or something entertaining at least. I will be up on it this year.

With Love,

Kitten

13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher Review

So I read this tonight.. .because it has to be back at the library on Sunday. I have a huge list and Im trying to prioritize by when they disappear both arc copies (ereader) and the library books I have been picking up.. so its not a dont want to read because i want to read them all. Just a order im trying to get into.

This book follows a main character Clay as he listens to tapes from a now deceased Hannah, who commited suicide. The tapes tell of 13 reasons, each reason having a side of the audio tape to explain why the person on the tape is in someway responsible for her actions. He is to follow a map and listen to the tapes and then hand them off to the next person in the storyline.

Now I liked the story, it was well written, beautifully told and eerie in the since that I can see the mind workings of a teenage girl at the end of her ropes not knowing how to reach out and talk to people.

My only real problem with the book is, now to get slightly uncomfortably personal for me and for people that this is a touchy subject with. I have been on the recieving end twice of a ending of a life. My best friend in junior high killed himself and did it after a giant fight between us. I know that I was not the cause of it, but at 13 I didn't know how to process that information and had an extremely hard time with the fall out of his choice. I was broken for years. Then I met my high school sweetheart. We met the day he decided he was going to leave the state and commit suicide so as to not make any of his friends see it happen. He left the state and to my surprise showed up at the Denny's his group (my new friends) all hung out at once a week after we play fighted in the park. He later told me that he came back because he felt like he had to, that we were meant to be together. So we were... 6 years we lasted .. I had met him at 16.. I was almost 22 when we ended things. I hadn't been really ready for the whole end of dating, becoming a couple for life thing.. I really wanted to be but I wasn't and I sometimes wish I had been but looking back things between were fire and ice and I'm thankful for the time spent but am happy where I am now. But he decided to end his life 2 years to the day after our breakup. Even now with that anniversary coming up I still have a hard time convincing myself that it wasn't my fault. There was nothing I could have done to change things. So I know that life is hard enough without the weight of someone else placing the choices they make on you.

I can relate to the characters on both sides and understand the agony and hurt, the fear, the anger.. the wanting change but not knowing how to get there and feel connected to the book. It is definitely worth picking up if you can handle the subject and want a quick good read for a weekend night.

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver Review

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Been reading this at night when I should be sleeping. It's really good. The story is of a girl who is in an accident and dies but you follow her as she replays the day 7 more times, each time changing things and doing things differently then she had. You get to watch as she changes her thoughts on things and the way the world works. Its truly an interesting take on the afterlife and what happens when you die.

>I really liked the way the author developed the main character, she was brought to life and as you turn the pages she changes and becomes a different person and you feel bad that she is not alive anymore because you want her to be around for the life she is creating for herself. I really felt for the character and the anguish, heartache, anger and joy she feels on her journey.

All the rest of the colorful cast is a range of your typical popular girl and boys to your freaks and geeks and everything in between. The characters all have a range of emotions and quirks to them. You get to see them evolve as well as the story changes around them.

I'd definitely say if you haven't put this in your to read pile you should. It's a good read.

As You Wish by Jackson Pearce Review

I am really digging Jackson Pearce. I am sad I didn't know about her sooner. Today I'm gonna tell you about As You Wish. Her Jinn inspired story of star crossed lovers and the choices we make.

Our main character is Viola who has broken up with her boyfriend and is feeling lost and wanting to fall in love again. Enter Jinn our genie sent to grant her 3 wishes. They spend some time together and of course like all good stories start to fall for each other.

The book takes turns each chapter changing point of view from Viola to the Jinn. I loved the relationship between the Jinn and Viola.. the budding romance, the way they both aren't sure of their feelings. It's fun like high school love all over again. That excited but nervous feeling when you haven't really been a part of the dating world.

My next favorite character is Viola's ex boyfriend/best friend Lawrence. He is well written, dealing with trying to be friends with an ex and trying to do things to make her happy because he cares about her and wants her to be happy. You can see his struggle and his torment. Pearce did a great job of making him not only believable but relateable.

The story is fun and enjoyable to read. It's definitely a quick read for a nice winter night. You can pick it up at your local bookstore, amazon or where ever you get your books.

Library to pick up books.. yay

I hit the library this evening to pick up some holds.. and I got a bunch of great stuff. :)

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Above by Leah Bobbet

Viruosity by Jessica Martinez

and Rot and Ruin by Johnathan Mayberry

Now I won't have reviews this week.. but as I read them they will be going up.. I also have 6 other library books.. and 13 books for review from publishers.. so soon soon lots of reviews.. and I'm a very book busy girl.

I am doing some photoshoots and cosplay stuff over the next 2 weeks.. so I will be reading possibly less unless I bring books for downtime.. but fear not I will be writing :)

Getting things under control

The last few months have been crazy for me.. well actually this entire year, but things are winding down and finally going to be at a good pace.

This week i'm getting my poor kindle under control so i can actually read things.

The beginning of next month I will finally for the first time have a bookshelf for my books instead of just stacks and stacks of them all over my house.. so that should get that into order and I'm going to start putting better time aside to read and write.. since I feel so overwhelmed right now.. i just want to get on track.

Willow by Julia Hoban Review

Now I picked this up because I have wanted to read it for a while. It's a book about a girl who feels her only way to have control is to cut and about a boy who stumbles upon her problem and tries to help. I can relate with this book a lot. I don't cut, but I used to do another form of self mutilation and went through lots of people trying to be helpful and anger and lost friendships.

Julia really captures the essence of being someone lost. I really enjoyed the way she writes, in the way she tells her story, allows her characters to grow and change and is constantly giving them depth. I am glad I picked up the book.

Willow's character is self absorbed with feeling sorry for herself for the horrible events in her life. I know how it feels to feel responsible and feel like no one around you gets it or understands. I really connected with her character because she was believable and she was heartbreaking and angry and everything a good main character should have.

Now Guy was a great character because she wrote him believable like someone who would truly care and want her to get better, and would try everything he could to help her. I loved that about him and the way he had anger and was more real because he went through emotions and had his own issues going on.

I give this book a good rating if you haven't read it, it is a quick read and worth picking up.

You can rent it from your local library or pick it up at amazon or your local bookstore.

Lucy in the Sky by Anonymous Review

I picked this up because its from the same publisher as Go Ask Alice, Jay's Journal and the rest in the series. It's true journals written by teenagers going through stuff in their life that is interesting to see what happens and what makes them feel the need to be where they are.

This one is about a girl who gets caught up in drugs, alcohol and the scene, slowly moving from light stuff to harder and harder things. You get to watch her devolve and lose control, sadly you get to see the way other addicts react to situations and the way a life can be lost over the need and desire to fit in somewhere.

It's very poignant. I'm not going to comment on the writing, because when the girl was writing this she had no idea she would someday be published. It's a good story though, sadly a true story. You don't want to see the people in your life caught up in this way.

If you have read the others, pick this one up its good, heartbreaking and reminds you we all have problems, friends with problems, people we love with problems and you can't always help them no matter how hard you want to.

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand Review

I make myself laugh sometimes. I read a lot on my kindle and have a list I still need to review. I'm trying to get caught up. I really want to get a netbook so I can write reviews and my own stories while I am out away from my laptop and that's coming. Hopefully as soon as I start my next job. The funny story is I read this book probably 6 months ago on the Kindle. Then I was at the library last week and saw the beautiful cover and picked it up to read, not knowing it was the same book.. so I went to start it yesterday and realized instantly that I recognized the story and saw I had already read it. Tell me you can't always judge a book by its cover but this cover surely made me pick it up.

Alright now for the book. I really enjoyed it. I love the idea of angels being among us. The fact that our guardian angels are really just people until they have a need to help someone. I liked the concept of the book and I found the book well written and interesting and easy to follow.

So the story goes our young heroine has these strange dreams in which she is saving a guy from a fire. She finds out she's an angel and that its her destiny like a guardian angel to save him. Her mom is an angel and well. They end up moving to a town to be close to the guy when she needs to help him. She learns there is more to the angel world then her mother wants her to know. She meets another angel and gets to learn a bit about that world.

I enjoyed all the characters the way our main character goes through a range of emotions all throughout the book, depending on what is going on. She really has depth, Cynthia Hand did a good jon with making her character realistic.

I'd give the book a 4 out of 5 and would say if you get the chance go pick it up, it's one of the good ones.

Finished recently

I recently finished

Willow by Julia Hoban

Lucy in the Sky by Anonymous

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

And Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Look for upcoming reviews :)

Sweetly by Jackson Pearce Review

Sweetly by Jackson Pearce

I am in love with fairy tales, mythology, fables, and more. I love grimms and disney and all the other tales of princesses, witches and the mythological beings.

I just had to pick up this series when I saw that it was a retelling of Hansel and Gretel. I mean how could I pass up a retelling, I love hearing the way people interpret stories, it is so interesting to see how people think up differences and change things to fit the idea they have for the outcome of the tale.

I really liked the tone that is set for this book, giving the characters each a uniquely special voice and letting you see the story from quite a few points of views. Some being what really is evil, which seems to be a point in a lot of fairy tale type stories trying to make you think about who is really evil and who isn't.

The story is not very close to the original Hansel and Gretel story at all. It is a completely new retelling that shows you another way the story could have gone. I don't want to give away too much if you haven't read the story or any of her other stories. So I am not going to talk about major plot points.

This is truly a fun fairy tale-esque story that is well written and enjoyable.

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce A Review

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

This is a Little Red Riding Hood reimagined and redesigned. She has added in more characters, changed the thinking of our main characters and added a dash of modern days to the story line.

Our main characters are two sisters living with their grandmother. Like in the original story a werewolf kills the poor grandmother and maims the older of the two sisters. Leaving her without an eye and lots of scars. She becomes engulfed with the need to kill the werewolves that the killed her family. She has learned that there are things that go bump in the night and that they love to kill specifically young girls dressed in red, its an alluring color for them.

She has really written out characters you can relate to and characters you can feel for. Written in is a love between sisters, one sister feeling compelled to follow in her sisters footsteps because she saved her life when she was younger, and the love that springs up between two people during dire situations.

I love that she shows the determination of one and the desire to fly in the other giving them such different personalities but the same goals and desires. Making them seem at times like one but at other times two different girls from two very different worlds.

The Library

I went to the library and picked up some books and have been reading them as fast as I can..

LA TIMES BOOK FESTIVAL

Alrighty so last year I went and was underwhelmed with my experience, but this year I went with that in mind and decided I was going to have a nice time. Let me tell you I had a fabulous time. I talked to lots of people at different booths, got books signed, met folks, took tons of pictures. I even saw John Cusak, swoon.. He's one of my favorite actors, I think he's just beyond amazing.

I got to meet a lot of up and coming authors and talk to them, even tonight picked up a book by one to read this week. I also got to talk to different publishers. I got to do a bit of networking, which was really nice for me. I also have a book to giveaway signed by the author so look for that post coming up soon.

Picture of John Cusak

I got a little bit sunburned but that is totally my fault. Silly me.

So look forward to posts about the books I am reading because of the festival and other excitement coming up.. I have a Kindle full of books so lots of reviews to be coming your way.

Take Care my Bookworms,

Kitten

Destined by Jessie Harrell

Destined by Jessie Harrell

I picked up this book the other day because I had heard so many wonderful things about it and the cover art is truly to die for. It's so beautiful, I guess I was judging a book by its cover. Not only because of the cover but also the wonderful things said about it, really made me want to go out and see for myself what all the hype was.

Synopsis off amazon:

When Psyche receives a prophecy gone horribly wrong, she learns that even the most beautiful girl in Greece can have a hideous future. Her fate? Fall in love with the one creature even the gods fear.

As she feels herself slipping closer into the arms of the prophecy, Psyche must choose between the terrifyingly tender touch she feels almost powerless to resist and the one constant she's come to expect out of life: you cannot escape what is destined.

Destined is a fresh and heartachingly romantic retelling of the Cupid & Psyche myth from debut novelist, Jessie Harrell.

Now I am a huge lover of Greek Mythology and all things mythical so that really enticed me to read the book, I wanted to see her take on Psyche and Eros, and all the other Greek Gods. The best part is the book was so enjoyable to read. You really get into the story and want to know more about the characters and why they are doing the things they are doing. You root for the good guys, you hope the bad guys don't prevail, get shocked as you learn things. The characters struggles are relate-able, you want love to prevail.

The best part for me is all the mystery in the story, no one ever knows whats really going on. It keeps all the characters on their toes. I also love the Ferryman. The underworld is such a lonely place.

Pick up a copy of this book if you love romance, greek mythology and mythical creatures. I promise you'll be glad that you did.

Graveyard Games by Sheri Leigh

I picked up this book on a whim, when my kindle wasn't completely full and gave it a whirl. Firstly it's well written and I enjoyed it. There were lots of twists, some predictable story-lines but in general lots of fun to read, slightly graphic but not so much it makes you squirm. The characters are relate-able and draw you into there backgrounds, you want to know the story of what makes them, them.

I liked the relationships between the characters, especially between Dusty and her brothers best friend. I love the tension between them and the way there story is built up. I like the mood set in the book, the way all the different characters respond to grief and trauma. It's true to life in that way, no one deals the same way. So grab a hot cocoa, snuggle under a blanket and settle in for a night and get to reading.

The synopsis of the book is:

Dusty has always been the hothead in the pair -- her twin, Nick, he was the calm, cool and collected one. But now Nick is dead, found murdered in their local cemetery, and Dusty, on forced leave from her job as a Chicago police officer, goes back to her childhood home to attend the funeral.

It becomes quickly apparent to Dusty that the local authorities aren’t being straight with her, or anyone else, about what’s been going on in the little Midwestern town she grew up in. The detective in her kicks in and she decides to find out what--or who--has killed her brother, so she moves in temporarily with her father and stepmother, takes a job in a local bar, and starts asking questions.

Her focus soon fixes on Shane, her brother’s best friend--the town bad boy and bad seed. The tension between the two of them has always been palpable, and nothing has changed. Sparks fly as they collide, and while Dusty finds herself sinking in deeper with Shane, the mystery of what happened to her brother--and an ever growing list of victims--grows even stranger.

Dusty finds her past haunting her everywhere she goes as she continues to dig deeper into the circumstances of her brother’s death, and her future looms large as her fate as a police officer is about to be determined back in Chicago. With everything coming to a head, she focuses on one thing: What happened the night her brother was killed in the cemetery? She’s sure Shane knows... something... and she’s determined to find out what it is, one way or another.

It's 242 pages long. You can pick up a copy of the Ebook on Amazon right now for $2.99, I definitely say its worth it. Yes from time to time the story is a little too slow paced or too fast paced, or a little off the mark, but for the most part the characters are solid, the story line is moving in the right direction and you will find it hard to put down, you'll want to know what happened and what will happen next.

Doglands by Tom Wilcox

Doglands a new book by Tom Wilcox.

I sat down and read this wonderfully heartwarming, heartwrenching tale in an afternoon. If you are an animal lover you are gonna be pulled in by the story for sure. My mother read it after me, and kept saying " Thankfullly I didn't read this when I was a kid, I would have constantly been freeing dogs to run free." I believe it too, that's just the way she is.

Furgul is a puppy born in a slave camp for racing greyhounds, and he has a terrible secret--he is himself only part greyhound. When the cruel owner of the camp recognizes Furgul's impure origins he takes Furgul to be killed, but Furgal manages a spectacular escape. Now Furgul must confront the indifference, complexity, warmth, and ferocity of the greater world, a world in which there seem to be two choices: live the comfortable life of a pet and sacrifice freedom or live the life of a free dog, glorious but also dangerous, in which every man will turn his hand against you. In the best tradition of The Call of the Wild and Watership Down, novelist Tim Willocks offers his first tale for young adults, an allegorical examination of human life through a dog's eyes, infused with heart, heroism, and the mysteries of the spirit. From the Hardcover edition.

I fell in love with Furgul. He is such a courageous puppy and you just want to root for him. I really love the way the author writes from a dogs point of view so you really feel connected to Furgul and to all the other characters. The other thing I loved is even though the story is about dogs, I know a lot of people can relate to the things the dog is going through, like not knowing his dad, wanting his mother to be proud of him, not understanding everything that is happening around him, and wanting to stand up and fight when no one else is willing too.

I really enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to my animal loving friends, its not a hard read and you won't be disappointed in the story telling.

Amazon is deadly for me

I just bought 10 new ebooks on Amazon because they were on sale for .99 and a lot of them were books I've been looking forward to reading.

Here's the list:

The Unidentified by Rae Mariz
The Deepest Cut (a MacKinnon Curse novel, Book 1) by J.A Templeton
Wanderlove by Belle Malory
Destined by Jesse Harrell
Bumped by Megan McCafferty
Lucky (avery sisters trilogy) by Rachel Vail
Hereafter by Tara Hudson
Entwined by Heather Dixson
Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
Vesper (deviants) by Jeff Sampson

So I will be reading these and many more in the next few months. Be on the look out for reviews.

Tranquilty by Anya Bast

Tranquility by Anya Bast

I picked up this short story while it was free on Amazon awhile back.

I love paranormal stories and this is a fun werewolf story about alpha males, packleaders, emotions and love.

The main female character is stuck between family and love. The other main character is a loner werewolf who comes into the pack hoping to be left alone but his alpha type personality attracts the attention of the packs leader. The packleader sends his sister over to watch over the outcast and she falls for him.

I enjoyed this short story and recommend you pick it up.

Gossip Ghouls: Zombie & Lipstick by Z

Gossip Ghouls: Zombie & Lipstick by Z

A fun book, I'm not certain where I picked it up. It's on my kindle and seemed interesting so I decided to read it today while I had some free time.

It's kind of a mix between Gossip Girl, Vampire Diaries and Paris Hilton's life.

The book is a quick read the only downfall is if you don't know all the designer names because they are dropped like candy constantly throughout the book.

There is so much cattiness, betrayal, backstabbing, vindictiveness throughout the book you are never sure who is on who's side.

The love story is between two zombies. The main character Z (who is also tagged as the writer of the book) is the main protagonist of the story and the supposed svior of the undead.

All the characters are high school students. So the only thing I had a small problem with was the slight unbelievabilty. I don't live in a billionaires world so I guess I can believe the other half really has that kind of crazy power and corruption.

The author has a giant imagination and each chapter is so thought out and so much energy. She reaally thinks a lot about high school students with unlimited funds would exact revenge against each other.

It's a fun teen paranormal read. Pick it up for a weekend and then maybe have a Gossip Girl marathon with friends.

Bewitching the Werewolf by Caroline Hanson

Bewitching the Werewolf by Caroline Hanson

This is a really quick short story I picked up for free off of Amazon a few days ago. It looked cute. It's about a wiccan (now suspend belief if you practice because if you practice she's more superpower then practicing religion type) who is hired to help an alpha werewolf find his mate before the pack dissolves.

The story is funny and well written. The characters are formed entertainingly and are so different from each other and given such personalities.

It's a short story and even includes a excerpt of her new book. So pick it up.