The Devil's Diaries by Nicholas D. Satan

No. of pages: 159
Rating: 8/10

Synopsis: Narrating the Devil's random musings on key dates through history, "The Devil's Diaries" reveals Satan's part in such things as the Fall; musical moments at the crossroads; the invention of the tetrapak, making work for idle hands; small print; Faust; decorating hell circle by circle; the joy of getting all the best tunes; and, lawyers. The Dark One reveals his disquiet at the way some of this finest ideas have been hijacked and credited elsewhere; and confesses his frustration that much of his best work goes unappreciated. We also gain extraordinary insights into his private thoughts, and discover that even Satan gets depressed.

Review: A humorous diary style book from the Devil's perspective. Starting from the beginning of time and up to recent years, it covers things such as creating hell, the souls he collects, and starting a family.

First off I must say this is such a pretty book, the pages are gold edged, and they are made to look like old diary pages with pictures and such throughout. Although only a short book, it's very enjoyable, and a really easy read. The writing is witty and made me laugh quite a lot, but this is definitely a book for people with an open sense of humour and not for somebody who is particularly religious or easily offended. Recommended for people who are looking for something that's funny or a bit unusual.

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

No. of pages: 340
Rating: 8/10

Synopsis: What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all—looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12th should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it’s her last. The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. In fact, she re-lives the last day of her life seven times, until she realizes that by making even the slightest changes, she may hold more power than she had ever imagined.

Review: February 12th is like any other day for Samantha Kingston, only she doesn't know that in fact it's her last day. But then she wakes up the next day, and it's February 12th again. As she relives the day she dies seven times, Samantha comes to learn a lot about the person she was, the person she wants to be and the moments she wished she had lived.

I find it hard to believe that this is a debut novel, as it's written so fantastically. I hated Sam at the beginning of the book, she's a complete and utter selfish bitch, treating people like crap just because she's one of the popular girls at school. But as the days go on and Sam's character starts to change, you start to feel sorry for her for all that she's lost, but in a way, you're glad she at least got the chance to relive those last few days, and have the experiences she didn't realise she was missing. I think most people could have some sort of connection to this book, as most people seem to have had a rubbish high school experience, and I know I for one did. I think this is definitely worth a read for anyone who enjoys reading YA, it's an enjoyable read, and really makes you think about what you would do if you had the chance to re-live a day over and over.

The Killing Place by Tess Gerritsen

No. of pages: 322
Rating: 10/10
Series: Rizzoli/Isles (Book 8)

Synopsis: Something terrible has happened in the snowbound village of Kingdom Come, Wyoming. Twelve eerily identical houses stand dark and abandoned. Meals remain untouched on dining room tables. Cars are still parked in garages. The human occupants have vanished, seemingly into thin air. This is the unsettling place where Maura Isles finds herself trapped during a snowstorm. She has joined a group of friends on a drive to an isolated ski lodge, but when a wrong turn leaves her car stranded in deep snow, she stumbles down a private road into the valley of Kingdom Come, where she takes shelter - and disappears. Days later, Jane Rizzoli flies to Wyoming to search for her missing friend. A crashed vehicle has been found with four badly burned bodies still inside. The authorities assume that one of the women is Maura. But is it? Jane Rizzoli's search for the truth leads her to Kingdom Come, where a terrifying and gruesome discovery lies buried beneath the snow.

Review: While at a medical conference, Maura bumps into an old friend from medical school, and decides on the spur of the moment to accept his offer for a side trip to a cabin for a few days. But when a bad snow storm forces them off the road, they come across the village of Kingdom Come, which eerily is completely empty, even though there are plates of food still on the tables. When Jane hears that Maura has disappeared, she flies out to try and find her, but instead only finds a car with four bodies inside...is one of the them Maura?

I absolutely loved this book. I'm a huge fan of the Rizzoli/Isles series so I knew I would enjoy The Killing Place, but it surpassed even my expectations. This is the most haunting plot yet, and it was so gripping that I found it absolutely impossible to put it down. There were so many twists that I just didn't see coming and the ending had a great twist too. I enjoyed the fact that you really get to know Maura so much more in this book, and can start to understand her a bit more as a person, rather than it being mainly about Jane. Definitely my favourite book yet, and I'm already eagerly awaiting the next installment! The Killing Place can easily be read as a stand alone book, but I would highly recommend reading the whole series, purely because the books are just so fantastic!

Top Ten Picks: Favourite Reads So Far This Year

Top Ten Picks is a weekly meme by Jillian about your top 10 picks! Each week, there will be a different theme and this weeks theme is 'favourite reads so far this year'. So here are my top 10 favourite reads of 2010 so far (in no particular order) ~

1. Erica Spindler - Breakneck
2. Maggie Stiefvater - Shiver

3. Charlaine Harris - Grave Secret
4. Sara Gruen - Water For Elephants

5. Charlaine Harris - Southern Vampire Mysteries series
6. Kelley Armstrong - Tales Of The Otherworld

7. Carrie Ryan - The Forest Of Hands & Teeth
8. Nicholas Sparks - Dear John

9. Gayle Forman - If I Stay
10. Tess Gerritsen - The Killing Place

So what are your favourite reads so far this year?

Teaser Tuesdays (10)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Just do the following:

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

My Teaser:

I let her pull me up. She hugged me, and with her arm round my waist she walked me back to my grandmother's house. ~ p.90, Love, Aubrey by Suzanne LaFleur.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (10)

This weekly meme is hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through Books.

In the past week I read:

Lauren Oliver - Before I Fall
Nicholas D. Satan - The Devil's Diaries

At the moment I'm reading:

Suzanne LaFleur - Love, Aubrey

In the next week I hope to read:

Jessica Verday - The Hollow
Claire Seeber - Bad Friends

In My Mailbox (9)

In My Mailbox is a meme created by The Story Siren, and sums up my past week in book purchases!

So this week I won 2 books from Tiffany's Bookshelf:

Nicholas D. Satan - The Devil's Diaries

Narrating the Devil's random musings on key dates through history, "The Devil's Diaries" reveals Satan's part in such things as the Fall; musical moments at the crossroads; the invention of the tetrapak, making work for idle hands; small print; Faust; decorating hell circle by circle; the joy of getting all the best tunes; and, lawyers. The Dark One reveals his disquiet at the way some of this finest ideas have been hijacked and credited elsewhere; and confesses his frustration that much of his best work goes unappreciated. We also gain extraordinary insights into his private thoughts, and discover that even Satan gets depressed.

~~~~~

Tom Reynolds - I Hate Myself And Want To Die

What is it about a depressing song that makes a lasting impression on people's minds — the lyrical tugging of the heartstrings, or the melancholy melody? With a heavy heart and a tear in his beer, Tom Reynolds painstakingly attempts to solve this mystery by analyzing 52 of the most depressing songs of all time — from top-ten hits to cultish dirges — that have spawned slavish devotion among fans over the years. Each chapter harps on a category of doomy-gloomy tunes, from 1950s teenage-car-crash songs and she-hates-me-so-I-hate-her songs to I'm-telling-a-story-nobody-wants-to-hear songs. Pining away over musical elements ranging from verses and stanzas, loopy rhymes, and stilted iambics to instrumentation and orchestration, the author digs in to reveal the suicidal heart of each and every song. Artists noted in this compendium of wretched compositions include Bruce Springsteen, Evanescence, Loretta Lynn, The Beatles, Celene Dion, Bobby Darin, Black Sabbath, Frank Sinatra, The Cure, The Doors, and Joy Division.

The Death And Life Of Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood

No. of pages: 269
Rating: 8/10

Synopsis: The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud tells the haunting story of a young man who narrowly survives a terrible car wreck that kills his little brother. Years later, the brothers’ bond remains so strong that it transcends the normal boundaries separating life and death. Charlie St. Cloud lives in a snug New England fishing village. By day he tends the lawns and monuments of the ancient cemetery where his younger brother, Sam, is buried. Graced with an extraordinary gift after surviving the accident, he can still see, talk, and even play catch with Sam’s spirit. But townsfolk whisper that Charlie has never recovered from his loss.

Into his carefully ordered life comes Tess Carroll, a captivating, adventuresome woman training for a solo sailing trip around the globe. Fate steers her boat into a treacherous storm that blows her back to harbor, to a charged encounter with Charlie, and to a surprise more overwhelming than the violent sea itself. Charlie and Tess discover a beautiful and uncommon connection that leads to a race against time and a desperate choice between death and life, between the past and the future, between holding on and letting go.

Review: When Sam is 12, and Charlie 15, they are in a terrible car accident. Both die at the scene, but miraculously Charlie is brought back to life. But he's not the same Charlie anymore, now Charlie can see Sam's spirit, and he vows never to leave him. That is until he meets Tess, and Charlie realises what living is all about, but can he get past the spirits that haunt him?

This is a lovely book and perfect for a summer read. You'd imagine a book about death would be very depressing, but actually this book is uplifting, and shows more than anything how love affects us in every way. The story moves along at a nice pace, kind of in sync with Charlie's life in the book. I really liked all of the characters, and I especially loved the relationship between Charlie and Sam. My one disappointment with this book was that I guessed the big twist pretty early on in the book, but luckily it didn't ruin the enjoyment for me. I mainly picked this book up because I saw an advert for the movie being released this summer, and I'm so glad I did, it was an enjoyable read and I'm now looking forward to seeing how it adapts to film.

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

No. of pages: 250
Rating: 10/10

Synopsis: 'Just listen,' Adam says with a voice that sounds like shrapnel. I open my eyes wide now. I sit up as much as I can. And I listen. 'Stay,' he says. Everybody has to make choices. Some might break you. For seventeen-year-old Mia, surrounded by a wonderful family, friends and a gorgeous boyfriend decisions might seem tough, but they're all about a future full of music and love, a future that's brimming with hope. But life can change in an instant. A cold February morning ...a snowy road ...and suddenly all of Mia's choices are gone. Except one. As alone as she'll ever be, Mia must make the most difficult choice of all. Gripping, heartrending and ultimately life-affirming, "If I Stay" will make you appreciate all that you have, all that you've lost - and all that might be.

Review: Although Mia doesn't have a perfect life, things are going well for her - she has a great family that love each other, a boyfriend that adores her, and a future filled with her dream of playing cello professionally. But a single moment on a snowy road blasts her whole life apart, and before she knows it she's left with only one decision - to stay and fight or to go and leave it all behind.

I adored this book so much, I just could not put it down, and read it straight through in one sitting. It was easy to immediately empathise with Mia, who was a great, realistic character. The other characters were also really well written, each had a distinct personality and voice within the story which made it flow really well. I also liked the way the author flicked between the present and memories of the past so well, sometimes it can be a bit confusing being flicked around in time, but it was done well and really suited this story. Definitely would recommend this to fans of YA books, it's fantastically written and is a great and enjoyable story to read. I personally cannot wait for the sequel out next year!

Top Ten Picks: Favourite Writers

Top Ten Picks is a weekly meme by Jillian about your top 10 picks! Each week, there will be a different theme and this weeks theme is 'favourite writers'. So here are my top 10 favourite writers (in no particular order) ~

1. Tess Gerritsen
2. Charlaine Harris

3. Jodi Picoult
4. Kelley Armstrong

5. Erica Spindler
6. Dean Koontz

7. Audrey Niffenegger
8. Stephenie Meyer

9. J.K. Rowling
10. Patricia Cornwell

So who are your favourite writers?

Teaser Tuesdays (9)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Just do the following:

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

My Teaser:

I don't especially like Alex and I don't like Anna, but anyone who's ever been through high school understands you have to stick together against parents, teachers, and cops. It's one of those invisible lines: us against them. ~ p.36, Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (9)

This weekly meme is hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through Books.

In the past week I read:

Ben Sherwood - The Death And Life Of Charlie St. Cloud
Tess Gerritsen - The Killing Place

At the moment I'm reading:

Lauren Oliver - Before I Fall

In the next week I hope to read:

Suzanne LaFleur - Love, Aubrey
Claire Seeber - Bad Friends

In My Mailbox (8)

In My Mailbox is a meme created by The Story Siren, and sums up my past week in book purchases!

So this week I bought 2 books:

Karen Rose - I Can See You

Eve has moved to Minneapolis where she is holding down a job as a bartender at a place popular with the police. In the bar, she encounters detective Noah Webster, and finds herself attracted to him. But Eve's past has left her with deep emotional scars, and she's not even prepared to consider the possibility of a new relationship. Noah, also, is attracted to her, but is still suffering from the loss of his wife and child, and has turned to alcoholism as a refuge. They are a damaged couple. But Eve is also a student taking a degree in abnormal psychology, and her speciality subject is the pathology of serial killers. She has also decided that she wants to help those who have become addicted to a virtual role-playing site called Shadowland, in which players configure new identities and faces. But she encounters a sinister and ruthless killer who appears to have almost total omnipotence -- and his ability to second-guess the police makes him well-nigh untouchable. Eve is once again to venture into the furthest reaches of terror.

~~~~~

Lisa Gardner - The Neighbour

It was a case guaranteed to spark a media feeding frenzy - a young mother, blonde and pretty, disappears without trace from her South Boston home, leaving behind her four-year-old daughter as the only witness, and her handsome, secretive husband as the prime suspect. But from the moment Detective Sergeant D. D. Warren arrives at the Joneses' snug little bungalow, she senses something off about the picture of wholesome normality the couple worked so hard to create. On the surface, Jason and Sandra Jones are like any other hardworking young couple raising a child. But just under the surface things grow murkier. With the clock ticking on the life of a missing woman and the media firestorm building, Jason Jones seems more intent on destroying evidence and isolating his daughter than on searching for his "beloved" wife. Is the perfect husband trying to hide his guilt - or just trying to hide? And will the only witness to the crime be the killer's next victim?

~~~~~

And I also received for review:

Tess Gerritsen - The Killing Place

Something terrible has happened in the snowbound village of Kingdom Come, Wyoming. Twelve eerily identical houses stand dark and abandoned. Meals remain untouched on dining room tables. Cars are still parked in garages. The human occupants have vanished, seemingly into thin air. This is the unsettling place where Maura Isles finds herself trapped during a snowstorm. She has joined a group of friends on a drive to an isolated ski lodge, but when a wrong turn leaves her car stranded in deep snow, she stumbles down a private road into the valley of Kingdom Come, where she takes shelter - and disappears. Days later, Jane Rizzoli flies to Wyoming to search for her missing friend. A crashed vehicle has been found with four badly burned bodies still inside. The authorities assume that one of the women is Maura. But is it? Jane Rizzoli's search for the truth leads her to Kingdom Come, where a terrifying and gruesome discovery lies buried beneath the snow.

Book Blogger Hop (7)

Welcome hoppers from the book blogger hop! In case you don't know what I'm talking about, this is a weekly event hosted by Crazy for Books where bloggers and readers can find each other and share their love for books!

If you're hopping by here, leave a comment and I'll be sure to visit you in return! :)

The Short Second Life Of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer

No. of pages: 178
Rating: 8/10
Series: Twilight Saga (Novella)

Synopsis: Bree Tanner can barely remember life before she had uncannily powerful senses, superhuman reflexes and unstoppable physical strength. Life before she had a relentless thirst for blood... life before she became a vampire. All Bree knows is that living with her fellow newborns has few certainties and even fewer rules: watch your back, don't draw attention to yourself and, above all, make it home by sunrise or die. What she doesn't know: her time as an immortal is quickly running out. Then Bree finds an unexpected friend in Diego, a newborn just as curious as Bree about their mysterious creator, whom they know only as "her". As they come to realize that the newborns are pawns in a game larger than anything they could have imagines, Bree and Diego must choose sides and decide whom to trust. But when everything you know about vampires is based on a lie, how do you find the truth?

Review: Everyone who's read Eclipse knows how it ends for Bree Tanner, but this is the story of the week leading up to that moment. As you can imagine with over 20 violently hungry newborns all in close proximity, it's not an easy environment to be in, and even less so to survive in.

Having loved all the books in this series, I knew I was going to really enjoy something new, but I was surprised at how interesting I found it. Eclipse is my favourite book, so I know the 'Bree moment' very well and have to admit, I've never before thought about what led to that moment from her side, so when I heard this was going to be released, I was excited to have something unconnected to the Cullens, and to have a completely different perspective on vampire newborns. I loved Bree as a character, which I didn't expect to happen at all, and like most other people I also loved Diego and Fred. I did feel really frustrated with the whole Diego ending though, and I really wish that had been different. Hopefully we'll get another novella or two from Diego or Fred's perspective. I do wish that it had been longer, as 178 wasn't long enough, I wanted more the second I had finished. Can't wait for something new to this series, hopefully it won't be too long a wait!

Teaser Tuesdays (8)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Just do the following:

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

My Teaser:

She kneeled down by her father's grave and put one hand on the stone. God, life was strange. ~ p.95, The Death And Life Of Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (8)

This weekly meme is hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through Books.

In the past week I read:

Nicholas Sparks - Dear John
Stephenie Meyer - The Short Second Life Of Bree Tanner
Gayle Forman - If I Stay

At the moment I'm reading:

Ben Sherwood - The Death And Life Of Charlie St. Cloud

In the next week I hope to read:

Lauren Oliver - Before I Fall
Lisa Gardner - The Neighbour

In My Mailbox (7)

In My Mailbox is a meme created by The Story Siren, and sums up my past week in book purchases!

So this week I bought 1 book:

Stephenie Meyer - The Short Second Life Of Bree Tanner

Bree Tanner can barely remember life before she had uncannily powerful senses, superhuman reflexes and unstoppable physical strength. Life before she had a relentless thirst for blood... life before she became a vampire.
All Bree knows is that living with her fellow newborns has few certainties and even fewer rules: watch your back, don't draw attention to yourself and, above all, make it home by sunrise or die. What she doesn't know: her time as an immortal is quickly running out.
Then Bree finds an unexpected friend in Diego, a newborn just as curious as Bree about their mysterious creator, whom they know only as "her". As they come to realize that the newborns are pawns in a game larger than anything they could have imagines, Bree and Diego must choose sides and decide whom to trus. But when everything you know about vampires is based on a lie, how do you find the truth?

~~~~~

And I also won:

Alison Kervin - WAGS at the World Cup

Forget Victoria Beckham. Forget Coleen. You can even forget Cheryl Cole...Tracie Martin is the true queen of the Wags. From her lemon-frosted highlights to the tips of her bejewelled bronzed toes, Tracie is the ultimate footballer's wife and this is going to be her year. The England squad are heading to South Africa for the World Cup and Tracie's husband Dean has a place on the coaching squad. So the Martin family are on their way to South Africa ...And while the fight may be on for England to regain their rightful place in the history books, Tracie knows that the true battle of the tournament will be fought in Gucci and in the pages of her favourite tabloids. But that's before she discovers that an international crime syndicate is trying to fix the world cup. Can Tracie save the day?

Dear John by Nicholas Sparks

No. of pages: 338
Rating: 10/10

Synopsis: "Dear John", the letter read. And with those two words, a heart was broken and two lives changed forever. When Savannah Lynn Curtis comes into his life, John Tyree knows he is ready to turn over a new leaf. An angry rebel, he had enlisted in the army after high school, not knowing what else to do. Then, during a furlough, he meets Savannah, the girl of his dreams. The attraction is mutual and quickly grows into the kind of love that leaves Savannah vowing to wait for John while he finishes his tour of duty. What neither realises is that 9/11 will change everything and now John must choose between love and country. Now, when he finally returns to North Carolina, John will discover how love can transform us in ways we never could have imagined.

Review: John meets Savannah at the beach while on holiday leave from the army, and as they get to know each other, they fall deeply in love. Then John has to return to Germany where he's stationed, for the 18 months he still has left to serve. While apart both John and Savannah write letters to each other to pass the time while they're waiting. But then 9/11 happens, and John must make the toughest decision of all - does he re-up for another two years and risk losing Savannah, or does he abandon his country when he's most needed?

I wasn't sure whether to read this before watching the film, after all I really wanted to watch the film and wasn't so sure I wanted to read the book. But I fell in love with the story and immediately went and got a copy of the book and started it as soon as I could. There are three main characters in the book, John, Savannah and John's dad. I really felt I connected with all 3 characters in both the film and the book, they were all fantastically written and you really feel what they are feeling. I have to admit, I really adored John's dad, and some of the scenes with him made me cry, he is easily one of my favourite characters ever. The storyline in the book does differ a little in places from the film, the main change would be the ending, which was so sad in the book, and so I prefered the film ending, purely because it was the ending I was rooting for throughout. The writing in the book was beautiful though, as you'd expect from Sparks, who is known for his fantastic writing. You can just feel the love between John and Savannah spilling from the pages, and it's wonderfully uplifting to read. I could just rave forever about this book, it's definitely one that has touched me deeply, and that's something I never imagined I'd be taking away from this book. I'd recommend it to everyone, it's such a fantastic book, and the film is equally great.

Top Ten Picks: Literary Crushes

Top Ten Picks is a weekly meme by Jillian about your top 10 picks! Each week, there will be a different theme and this weeks theme is 'literary crushes'. So here are my top 10 literary crushes (in no particular order) ~

1. John Tyree (Dear John by Nicholas Sparks)
2. Eric Northman (Southern Vampire Mysteries series by Charlaine Harris)

3. Jacob Black (The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer)
4. Noah Calhoun (The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks)

5. Remus Lupin (Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling)
6. Gerry (P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern)

7. Clayton Danvers (Women Of The Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong)
8. Sam (Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater)

9. Derek Souza (Darkest Powers series by Kelley Armstrong)
10. Jacob Jankowski (Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen)

So who are your literary crushes?

Beastly by Alex Flinn

No. of pages: 300
Rating: 5/10

Synopsis: I am a beast.

A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog but a horrible new creature who walks upright—a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster.

You think I'm talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It's no deformity, no disease. And I'll stay this way forever—ruined—unless I can break the spell.

Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I'll tell you. I'll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and the perfect life. And then, I'll tell you how I became perfectly . . . beastly.

Review: Kyle Kingsbury is handsome, rich and has a perfect life as the king of his highschool. But then he decides to play a cruel prank on Kendra Hilferty, a new girl who Kyle deems fat and ugly. But it's Kyle that gets the surprise when Kendra turns out to be a witch, and puts a spell on Kyle, so that he will be as ugly on the outside as he is on the inside. Kyle must find true love within two years, or be forever stuck as the beast, but can he do it...?

I have to admit, I feel quite torn about this book. I did read it in one sitting, and it was a quick, easy read and it was entertaining enough that I wanted to carry on reading it, but there were quite a few things I disliked about the book. Firstly, it's cheesy, and I really mean cheesy, and I found myself cringing at sections of the book, because it was just too much. Secondly, the author kept dropping brand names, which annoyed me because it was just totally unnecessary, it just seemed like she was trying too hard to show how hip and cool she was. The whole book just seemed so unrealistic to me. I know it's meant to be based on a fairytale, but it's meant to be a modern retelling set in the real world, so it ended up just being very silly. For people wanting to read a Beauty & the Beast style story, I'd point them in the direction of Robin McKinley's Beauty, which I thought was a great story and far better than this.

Teaser Tuesdays (7)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Just do the following:

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

My Teaser:

In the distance, the moon, full and glowing, had begun its slow rise from the sea, and I saw Savannah staring at it. When the waves crashed and spilled, they flared silver, as if caught in a camera's flash. ~ p.37, Dear John by Nicholas Sparks.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (7)

This weekly meme is hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through Books.

In the past week I read:

Kelley Armstrong - The Summoning
Kelley Armstrong - The Awakening
Kelley Armstrong - The Reckoning
Alex Flinn - Beastly

At the moment I'm reading:

Nicholas Sparks - Dear John

In the next week I hope to read:

Gayle Forman - If I Stay
Ben Sherwood - The Death And Life Of Charlie St. Cloud

Top Ten Picks: Female Characters You Admire

Top Ten Picks is a weekly meme by Jillian about your top 10 picks! Each week, there will be a different theme and this weeks theme is 'female characters you admire'. So here are my top 10 admired female character picks (in no particular order) ~

1. Luna Lovegood (The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling)
2. Clare Abshire (The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger)

3. Sookie Stackhouse (Southern Vampire Mysteries series by Charlaine Harris)
4. Anna Fitzgerald (My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult)

5. Beauty (Beauty by Robin McKinley)
6. Chloe Saunders (Darkest Powers series by Kelley Armstrong)

7. Mary (The Forest Of Hands And Teeth by Carrie Ryan)
8. Harper Connelly (Harper Connelly series by Charlaine Harris)

9. Liesel Meminger (The Book Thief by Markus Zusak)
10. Elena Michaels (Women Of The Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong)

So who are your most admired female characters?

In My Mailbox (6)

In My Mailbox is a meme created by The Story Siren, and sums up my past week in book purchases!

So this week I bought 2 books:

Nicholas Sparks - Dear John

"Dear John", the letter read. And with those two words, a heart was broken and two lives changed forever. When Savannah Lynn Curtis comes into his life, John Tyree knows he is ready to turn over a new leaf. An angry rebel, he had enlisted in the army after high school, not knowing what else to do. Then, during a furlough, he meets Savannah, the girl of his dreams. The attraction is mutual and quickly grows into the kind of love that leaves Savannah vowing to wait for John while he finishes his tour of duty. What neither realises is that 9/11 will change everything and now John must choose between love and country. Now, when he finally returns to North Carolina, John will discover how love can transform us in ways we never could have imagined.

~~~~~

Gayle Forman - If I Stay

'Just listen,' Adam says with a voice that sounds like shrapnel. I open my eyes wide now. I sit up as much as I can. And I listen. 'Stay,' he says. Everybody has to make choices. Some might break you. For seventeen-year-old Mia, surrounded by a wonderful family, friends and a gorgeous boyfriend decisions might seem tough, but they're all about a future full of music and love, a future that's brimming with hope. But life can change in an instant. A cold February morning ...a snowy road ...and suddenly all of Mia's choices are gone. Except one. As alone as she'll ever be, Mia must make the most difficult choice of all. Gripping, heartrending and ultimately life-affirming, "If I Stay" will make you appreciate all that you have, all that you've lost - and all that might be.

Book Blogger Hop (6)

Welcome hoppers from the book blogger hop! In case you don't know what I'm talking about, this is a weekly event hosted by Crazy for Books where bloggers and readers can find each other and share their love for books!

If you're hopping by here, leave a comment and I'll be sure to visit you in return! :)

The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong

No. of pages: 391
Rating: 10/10
Series: Darkest Powers (Book 3)

Synopsis: Only two weeks ago, life was all too predictable. But that was before I saw my first ghost. Now, along with my supernatural friends Tori, Derek, and Simon, I’m on the run from the Edison Group, which genetically altered us as part of their sinister experiment. We’re hiding in a safe house that might not be as safe as it seems. We’ll be gone soon anyway, back to rescue those we’d left behind and to take out the Edison Group . . . or so we hope.

Review: In the last installation of the series, Chloe, Tori, Derek and Simon think they're safe and start to plan a return to save their friend and Chloe's aunt. But they're not as safe as they first assume, and alarm bells start ringing when the people that say they're protecting become very scared by their powers. So it falls to the four teens to yet again figure out a way to do it all by themselves...

Like the first two books, I absolutely shot through this one, they are just so hard to put down. The thing I love about Kelley Armstrong's books are that they're never predictable, and it's great to be surprised at every turn. The story didn't go how I imagined it to go at all in this book, but it was completely gripping none the less. There's also a lot of different things you get with this series, a bit of romance mixed with humour, action and mystery, and I think it's great that there's such variety. I love the characters of Chloe and Derek so much, and have from the first book, but it's great to see how both of the characters have grown and evolved over the series. I was really pleased that I got the ending I was hoping for as well, and just cannot rave enough not only about this series but about Armstrong too. Her Women Of The Otherworld is an amazing series also, so if you're a fan of these books, be sure to check those ones out as well, and vice versa.

The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong

No. of pages: 357
Rating: 10/10
Series: Darkest Powers (Book 2)

Synopsis: If you had met me a few weeks ago, you probably would have described me as an average teenage girl—someone normal. Now my life has changed forever and I'm as far away from normal as it gets. A living science experiment—not only can I see ghosts, but I was genetically altered by a group of people who call themselves The Edison Group. What does that mean? For starters, I’m a teenage necromancer whose powers are out of control: I raise the dead without even trying. Trust me, that is not a power you want to have. Ever.

I'm running for my life with three of my supernatural friends—a charming sorcerer, a cynical werewolf, and a disgruntled witch—and we have to find someone who can help us gain our freedom back before The Edison Group finds us first. Or die trying.

Review: Continuing from where The Summoning left off, Chloe is trying to escape from The Edison Group. With people who are determined to hunt them down inching ever closer, and their strengthening powers to deal with, they all have a lot of trouble breathing down their necks...

Being that this was following on from the already established story of The Summoning meant that The Awakening was action packed from page one, which made it all that much more gripping. It was great to see how much Chloe grows up in this book, and you really see the development from scared little girl, to a young woman who is ready to face things she never thought imaginable. I'm still totally in love with Chloe and Derek, and so hope they get together in the final book! I really like the direction that the story is going in, and I love that it's just so easy to sink into and completely lose yourself in the story. As if you can't tell, I'm enjoying the series immensely and can't wait to see how it all ends!

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

No. of pages: 390
Rating: 9/10
Series: Darkest Powers (Book 1)

Synopsis: My name is Chloe Saunders and my life will never be the same again.

All I wanted was to make friends, meet boys, and keep on being ordinary. I don't even know what that means anymore. It all started on the day that I saw my first ghost—and the ghost saw me.

Now there are ghosts everywhere and they won't leave me alone. To top it all off, I somehow got myself locked up in Lyle House, a "special home" for troubled teens. Yet the home isn't what it seems. Don't tell anyone, but I think there might be more to my housemates than meets the eye. The question is, whose side are they on? It's up to me to figure out the dangerous secrets behind Lyle House… before its skeletons come back to haunt me.

Review: All Chloe wants is to be a normal 15 year old girl that fits in, which is kind of hard when she's constantly changing schools. But finally she feels like she's found her place at her new art school... that is until she sees a ghost and has a complete melt down. It's insisted that Chloe go to Lyle House, a place for troubled teenagers with mental problems, in the hopes she can be helped. But then Chloe and the other teenage residents of Lyle House start finding out disturbing things about the house, and must hurry to find out what's really happening there...

I am a huge fan of Kelley Armstrong's, so I knew going into this that I was going to love the books and that they were going to be great, and I was right! As with her Women Of The Otherworld series, Kelley mixes a haunting story with great characters and some action, and pulls off yet another fantastic book. All of the characters are beautifully written, but my favourites are Chloe and Derek, I loved seeing their troubled relationship evolve, and I can't wait to see how it carries on in the next few books. The storyline was gripping, and I loved the twist at the end, which I didn't see coming at all, but makes for a very interesting lead in to the next book. I have to admit, I did find it almost impossible to put down and cannot wait to read the next two books. Would definitely recommend this to everyone, as there's a bit of everything in it, and it's just so well written!