Blood Bound: Mercedes Thompson 2

Author: Patricia Briggs
Genre: Adult – Paranormal/Urban Fantasy
Publication Date: January 30, 2007
Publisher:  Ace
Age Range: Adult
Pages:  292
Date Scoot Read: March 2011
Source: Library eBook

Scoot's Rating: 9-  Great read! Couldn’t put it down.

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Under the rule of science, there are no witch burnings allowed, no water trials or public lynchings. In return, the average law-abiding, solid citizen has little to worry about from the things that go bump in the night. Sometimes I wish I was an average citizen...

Mechanic Mercy Thompson has friends in low places - and in dark ones. And now she owes one of them a favor. Since she can shapeshift at will, she agrees to act as some extra muscle when her vampire friend Stefan goes to deliver a message to another of his kind.

But this new vampire is hardly ordinary - and neither is the demon inside of him...

Scoot’s Review:
Mercy has all sorts of friends and one of those is a Vampire.  So when her friend Stefan is in need Mercy is happy to help.  Stefan and Mercy realize pretty quickly that they have bitten off more than they can chew and are in a fight for their lives.  Vampires, demons and betrayals abound and it is all Mercy and her werewolf companions can do to keep their heads above water.  This second Mercy Thompson novel easily lives up to the first.  I loved getting to know Stefan better and how the vampires work.  Even with the ultimate creep factor of most of them you can’t just help but love Stefan and his Scooby Doo van.   Patricia Briggs is not one to hold back and there are some tragic and heartrending moments in the novel, but they felt real and well placed in the storyline.  The characters continue to grow, change and have depth which makes this an easy series to love.  The romance becomes even more tangled in this one as Mercy realizes that she has not just one, but three potential suitors.  What’s a girl to do?  With plenty of action, strong emotions, and a smart mouthed Mercy to keep you entertained this is another book that I recommend! If you enjoyed the first book you won’t regret picking up the second!

Waiting On Wednesday (29)

Time for the"Waiting On Wednesday" weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine.

Waiting on Wednesday spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating!

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

The Fox Inheritance by Mary E. Pearson

To be Published: April 30, 2011 by Henry Holt and Co.

Once there were three. Three friends who loved each other—Jenna, Locke, and Kara. And after a terrible accident destroyed their bodies, their three minds were kept alive, spinning in a digital netherworld. Even in that disembodied nightmare, they were still together. At least at first. When Jenna disappeared, Locke and Kara had to go on without her. Decades passed, and then centuries.
Two-hundred-and-sixty years later, they have been released at last. Given new, perfect bodies, Locke and Kara awaken to a world they know nothing about, where everyone they once knew and loved is long dead.
Everyone except Jenna Fox.

-------------

I honestly thought The Adoration of Jenna Fox was going to be a stand alone novel, so I was surprised to find out that this companion novel was heading our way.  I am not a big fan of the cover, but I am really curious to see where they plan to go with this new angle of the story.  I will be keeping me out for this one when it is released in April!

What book are YOU waiting on?

ps. if you are just stopping by make sure to check out my current giveaways here and here!

Crescendo: Hush Hush 2

Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Genre: Young Adult – Paranormal
Publication Date: October 19, 2010
Publisher:  Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing
Age Range: Young Adult
Pages:  427
Date Scoot Read: March 2011
Source: Audiobook

Scoot's Rating: 3- Didn’t like it.

Synopsis (via Goodreads):
Nora Grey's life is still far from perfect. Surviving an attempt on her life wasn't pleasant, but atleast she got a guardian angel out of it: a mysterious, magnetic, gorgeous guardian angel. But, despite his role in her life, Patch has been acting anything but angelic. He's more elusive than ever and even worse, he's started spending time with Nora's arch-enemy, Marcie Millar.

Nora would have hardly noticed Scott Parnell, an old family friend who has moved back to town, if Patch hadn’t been acting so distant. Even with Scott's totally infuriating attitude Nora finds herself drawn to him - despite her lingering feeling that he's hiding something.

Haunted by images of her murdered father, and questioning whether her nephilim bloodline has anything to do with his death, Nora puts herself increasingly in dangerous situations as she desperatly searches for answers. But maybe some things are better left buried, because the truth could destroy everything - and everyone - she trusts.

Scoot’s Review:
Crescendo picks up the summer after the events in Hush Hush.  Nora and Patch are together and he is now her guardian angel.  When an old acquaintance moves back to town and Nora gains a clue in regards to her father’s murder her life is thrown into turmoil.  Not sure where to turn or who to trust Nora struggles to find out the truth of what happened that night.  I hate to have negatively toned reviews, but honestly I struggled with liking this story.  In the end it was just not an enjoyable read for me.  Which was extremely disappointing because I enjoyed Hush Hush so much.  This book seemed to be largely based around watching Nora make one bad choice after another – over and over and over and over again.  It was frustrating to say the least. Perhaps I am just too old to appreciate all of the drama?  It seemed overly childish and very flip-floppy to me based on her as a character in the last book. There was also very little Patch in the story, he would occasionally appear - but all in all it was an extremely Nora-centric book.  I did enjoy learning more about the fallen angel and nephilim history, as well as some shocking history about Nora’s parents.  It also settled a few loose ends in regards to Nora’s father’s death.  The story had a small amount of redeeming itself to me and then bam – the story is over and the drama starts all over again.  I do plan to read the conclusion to this series just because I want to know how it all ends, but I am not in a rush to get it any time soon.   If you really liked Hush Hush go ahead and give it a try – a lot of people gave this book high reviews; it was just not my cup of tea.

Monday's Messy Shelf Giveaway (6)

I have a lot of books and I am always getting new (or new to me) books.  Therefore, my bookshelves are a little messy!  To solve this dilemma each Monday I will be giving away a book from my messy shelves.  Some of the books will be almost brand-new and some are very well-loved. You will be able to choose from a handful of books each week. One of the books will be given away and the rest will go back onto the shelf to wait for their next chance to find a new home.

This week's book choices are:

The Opal Deception: Artemis Fowl 4 by Eoin Colfer

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown *must be over 18

The Fellowship of the Ring by JRR Tolkien

Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella *must be over 18

Last week's winner:

MonaG

Each Monday I will post the winner of the previous week's giveaway - make sure to check back to see if you've won!

Rules:
- Must be a GFC follower of the blog
- Must have valid US mailing address 
(Sorry international followers, I can't afford the shipping!)
- Must be at least 13 yrs old (occasionally specific books will be marked as 18 yrs+ only)
- The giveaway entry time runs Mon-Fri, this week's giveaway ends: April 1 

To enter please fill out the simple form below:

In My Mailbox (21)

"In My Mailbox" is a weekly Meme hosted by The Story Siren!

This week I received some awesome prizes and one book for review!

In My Mailbox:

For Review

The King's Bastard by Rowena Cory Daniells 

Prizes

Penitence by Jennifer Laurens

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

This Side of the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Deadly Lies by Cynthia Eden

Deadly Heat by Cynthia Eden

Winner of Jennifer Laurens Swag Giveaway!

We have a winner!

Who will be getting the Heavenly & Overprotected Bookmarks!?

Clarissa @ Bookadicea LUV Books

Congrats Clarissa! Check your email and respond to collect your prize.

Mini Reviews: Magic Under Glass & Everlasting

Why is it tiny things are always so darn cute?!

 These reviews might not be as cute as the miniature dog, but they are mini! 

Mini Reviews are short reviews of books I have read for my own enjoyment and wanted to share with you. I will describe in a couple of sentences (often fragmented) my thoughts on the book.  I may or may not ever post full reviews of any of these books.  So in the mean time, Enjoy!

Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore
"Nimira is a music-hall performer forced to dance for pennies to an audience of leering drunks. When wealthy sorcerer Hollin Parry hires her to do a special act - singing accompaniment to an exquisite piano-playing automaton, Nimira believes it is the start of a new life. In Parry's world, however, buried secrets stir.
Unsettling below-stairs rumours abound about ghosts, a mad woman roaming the halls, and of Parry's involvement in a gang of ruthless sorcerers who torture fairies for sport. When Nimira discovers the spirit of a dashing young fairy gentleman is trapped inside the automaton's stiff limbs, waiting for someone to break the curse and set him free, the two fall in love. But it is a love set against a dreadful race against time to save the entire fairy realm, which is in mortal peril."

Cute book, fast read and sweet... but nothing that really popped out at me.  Wished it had kept going and been a longer book instead of cutting it short and leaving it open for the next novel.  I am perfectly happy to read one long book, not three installments of one book please. Overall a good original story and an enjoyable read, so it is an [8- Really good!] for me.

Everlasting by Angie Frazier

"Sailing aboard her father’s trade ship is all seventeen-year-old Camille Rowen has ever wanted. But as a girl of society in 1855 San Francisco, her future is set: marry a man she doesn’t love, or condemn herself and her father to poverty.

On her final voyage before the wedding, the stormy arms of the Tasman Sea claim her father, and a terrible family secret is revealed. A secret intertwined with a fabled map, the mother Camille has long believed dead, and an ancient stone that wields a dangerous—and alluring—magic.

The only person Camille can depend on is Oscar, a handsome young sailor whom she is undeniably drawn to. Torn between trusting her instincts and keeping her promises to her father, Camille embarks on a perilous quest into the Australian wilderness to find the enchanted stone. As she and Oscar elude murderous bushrangers and unravel Camille’s father’s lies, they come closer to making the ultimate decision of who—and what—matters most.

Beautifully written and feverishly paced, Everlasting is an unforgettable journey of passion, secrecy, and adventure."

Loved the concept and the historical elements. Sailing the ocean blue! The main character = SELFISH girl who’s emotions annoyingly flip flop around.  Luckily Oscar was there, a hunky sailor who puts up with her despite all... Will there be a happily ever after for anyone? Not so sure... Magical elements and some heart wrenching moments make this a [6- Good read with small flaws].