Review: Hunted by P. C. Cast + Kristin Cast (HoN series)

Novel: Hunted (House of Night #5)
Author: P.C. Cast + Kristin Cast
Pages: 323
Genre: Young Adult Urban Fantasy



The good news: Zoey’s friends have her back again and Stevie Rae and the red fledglings aren’t Neferet’s secrets any longer. The bad news: Ancient evil with the face of an angel has been let loose – that and various other nasties (whose faces aren’t so angelic). Grandma Redbird is in trouble. Heath is in trouble. The House of Night is in trouble. Okay, let’s face it – Zoey’s whole world is in trouble! But when the trouble comes from a being who appears to be beauty personified, will the world believe it? Especially when only a teenager and a group of misfits are the only ones who really understand the danger he brings. Will Zoey have the strength and wisdom to reveal the truth? Especially when, in the House of Night, the truth is often hard to come by…


(I will not be posting any spoilers! Only opinion for the sake of those of us who love to have our first look at a book be untainted by foreknowledge.)

This series still continues to be my guilty pleasure but I have to say that this novel and Untamed were both steps up, making me really look forward to Tempted! There was extensive character development, plot development and overall it was very enjoyable. You meet a new character who I really enjoy and find out a lot about what has been happening behind the scenes in past novels and what it has been leading up to! I have to say that this novels makes me like nuns more. If you haven't read it yet you might not understand what I mean but without being too spoilery the nuns in this book and Untamed ROCK! There are so many things that I enjoyed about this book but so that I don't get all spoilery I will simply say it is a worthwhile read if you enjoy the series and I know I enjoyed it!!!


4 Stars!



Would I suggest you read it:

As with the rest of the series this is a book where I am a bit torn about who I should suggest it to. On the one hand I really enjoyed it and it was written in a style that brought me back to when I was a teenager but on the other hand there was cussing, sexual references and more that isn’t appropriate for all teens and some adult prefer to stay away from. So I would have to say that I would suggest it to anyone who wants to read it but knows what they are getting into and understands that there is some inappropriate content.

Review: Untamed by P. C. Cast + Kristin Cast (HoN series)

Novel: Untamed (House of Night #4)
Author: P.C. Cast + Kristin Cast
Pages: 338
Genre: Young Adult Urban Fantasy



Life sucks when your friends are pissed at you. Just ask Zoey Redbird – she’s become an expert on suckiness. In one week she has gone from having three boyfriends to having none, and from having a close group of friends who trusted and supported her, to being an outcast. Speaking of friends, the only two Zoey has left are undead and unMarked. And Neferet has declared war on humans, which Zoey knows in her heart is wrong. But will anyone listen to her? Zoey's adventures at vampyre finishing school take a wild and dangerous turn as loyalties are tested, shocking true intentions come to light, and an ancient evil is awakened in PC and Kristin Cast's spellbinding fourth House of Night novel.


(I will not be posting any spoilers! Only opinion for the sake of those of us who love to have our first look at a book be untainted by foreknowledge.)

I felt this book was a step up from everything else in the series before. We get to see entirely new sides of our main cast of characters, meet new characters (some of who I absolutely adore) and again I find myself racing to the next novel! It is still my guilty pleasure and while I can understand why so many people either love or hate the series I really enjoy it. I love plot and character driven novels and 'Untamed' is really interesting and a serious change in the entire series! We can expect so much more from the dynamic duo P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast.



4 Stars!



Would I suggest you read it:

As with the rest of the series this is a book where I am a bit torn about who I should suggest it to. On the one hand I really enjoyed it and it was written in a style that brought me back to when I was a teenager but on the other hand there was cussing, sexual references and more that isn’t appropriate for all teens and some adult prefer to stay away from. So I would have to say that I would suggest it to anyone who wants to read it but knows what they are getting into and understands that there is some mature content.

Teaser Tuesday: Mistwood (bargain price)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• 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!)
• 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:

It took her a moment to match her new emotion to a name: regret. This was a man worth admiring, if they had met under different circumstances. If they had been on the same side.

Mistwood by Leah Cypess – page 174

 
Everyone loved the last bargain post so much that I decided to post another TT about a novel with a great price. Yes, that is $6.80 for the hardcover copy!

Review: Chosen by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast (House of Night Series)

Novel: Chosen (House of Night #3)
Author: P.C. Cast + Kristin Cast
Pages: 307
Genre: Young Adult Urban Fantasy



Dark forces are at work at the House of Night and fledgling vampyre Zoey Redbird’s adventures at the school take a mysterious turn. Those who appear to be friends are turning out to be enemies. And oddly enough, sworn enemies are also turning into friends. So begins the gripping third installment of this “highly addictive series” (Romantic Times), in which Zoey’s mettle will be tested like never before. Her best friend, Stevie Rae, is undead and struggling to maintain a grip on her humanity. Zoey doesn’t have a clue how to help her, but she does know that anything she and Stevie Rae discover must be kept secret from everyone else at the House of Night, where trust has become a rare commodity. Speaking of rare: Zoey finds herself in the very unexpected and rare position of having three boyfriends. Mix a little bloodlust into the equation and the situation has the potential to spell social disaster. Just when it seems things couldn’t get any tougher, vampyres start turning up dead. Really dead. It looks like the People of Faith, and Zoey’s horrid step-father in particular, are tired of living side-by-side with vampyres. But, as Zoey and her friends so often find out, how things appear rarely reflects the truth…


(I will not be posting any spoilers! Only opinion for the sake of those of us who love to have our first look at a book be untainted by foreknowledge.)

I feel that I have to put a lower rating for this novel only because of content. (Warning about to list adult content information) It not only has more cussing in it than the previous novels but the sexuality has advanced as well. I don't want to give away any of the plot so won't say too much more than that but if you are a parent looking for your teen you might want to consider mature 15 year olds and up. If you are someone who doesn't mind more adult content and is more interested in if it is a worthwhile story I have to say that it still remains my guilty pleasure. This book not as much as the first two but still a great deal. I have already started on Untamed and am looking forward to seeing what will happen next!!! I would say that without the adult content this series so far would be all 4 and five stars but on the same note, without the adult content (not too graphic or descriptive) the plot would not have the same effect or realism. So while normally I believe that such content takes away from a story this series seems to be an exception. I enjoy the story and am off to read Untamed!


3 Stars!



Would I suggest you read it:

As with the first and second book in the series this is a book where I am a bit torn about who I should suggest it to. On the one hand I really enjoyed it and it was written in a style that brought me back to when I was a teenager but on the other hand there was cussing, sexual references and more that isn’t appropriate for all teens and some adult prefer to stay away from. So I would have to say that I would suggest it to anyone who wants to read it but knows what they are getting into and understands that there is some inappropriate content.

FMBBF and the Blog Hop!

To join the fun and make now book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com + http://www.crazy-for-books.com/} and any one else you want to follow on the list
2. Follow our Featured Bloggers - http://www.loganeturner.com/
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can
6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
7. If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!
8. If your new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!


Happy Follow Friday!

Follow it up with your twitter address if you want to get that one out!
*********

Stop by the host sites for the lists!!!

 "Why do you read the genre that you do?  What draws you to it?"

I love YA because it was the genre that first made me enjoy reading over a decade ago. Yes, I may be 21 now and some people feel that is a bit too old but YA (though I do read other genres as well) but I think it will continue to be my favorite genre. I am drawn to it because of content and story line. Not only  do you not have to worry as much about gore or content I would prefer not to read about but when you are younger you think differently. So many adults get caught up in their jobs and day to day life that the novels aimed at adults sometimes have something missing that I can find in YA. YA is geared towards teens and teenagers are just starting to be able to experience a lot of new emotions and trials in their life that after long enough we forget about. Reading about those trials and those emotions helps me remember that being human isn't about work or about falling in love, it is about all of the possibilities. The people we can help, the ways that we feel, never knowing what will come next because we create our own futures, etc.

By the way, I know a lot of people loved hearing about the great price deal on Forget-her-nots on Tuesday so here is another great price I found while getting myself a copy of Paper Towns:

Teaser Tuesday and Monday Birthday!

Birthday Thank You:
I just wanted to say thank you so much to everyone who messaged, tweeted, e-mailed and IM'd me on Monday to say Happy Birthday!!!! Thank you so much and I loved reading your e-mails!!! For those of you who helped me decide what to do for the big 21, I ended up eating out with family, getting a new haircut and going to see Tron: Legacy which I LOVED! Thank you again everyone, you made my 21st birthday even more memorable and wonderful!

Teaser Tuesday:

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• 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!)
• 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:

Laurel’s heart beat deeply as she ran her fingers across the familiar title embossed in gold. “It’s exactly like the one in the tower. The Language of Flowers.”

Forget-Her-Nots: Every Flower Has A Secret by Amy Brecount White – page 238

P.S.- Yes, the hardback copy really as only 5.19 right now. No that is not used. It is a special Amazon bargain price for a great book!!!

Follow My Book Blog Friday!

To join the fun and make now book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com + http://www.crazy-for-books.com/} and any one else you want to follow on the list
2. Follow our Featured Bloggers - http://annettesbookspot.blogspot.com/
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can
6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
7. If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!
8. If your new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!


Happy Follow Friday!

Follow it up with your twitter address if you want to get that one out!
*********

Stop by the host sites for the lists!!!

What makes up your non-human family??

My little chihuahua named Hope! 

 

 What I am reading next:

 

Review: Betrayed by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast (House of Night Series)

Novel: Betrayed (House of Night #2)
Author: P.C. Cast + Kristin Cast
Pages: 310
Genre: Young Adult Urban Fantasy



Fledgling vampyre Zoey Redbird has managed to settle in at the House of Night. She’s come to terms with the vast powers the vampyre goddess, Nyx, has given her, and is getting a handle on being the new Leader of the Dark Daughters. Best of all, Zoey finally feels like she belongs--like she really fits in. She actually has a boyfriend…or two. Then the unthinkable happens: Human teenagers are being killed, and all the evidence points to the House of Night. While danger stalks the humans from Zoey’s old life, she begins to realize that the very powers that make her so unique might also threaten those she loves. Then, when she needs her new friends the most, death strikes the House of Night, and Zoey must find the courage to face a betrayal that could break her heart, her soul, and jeopardize the very fabric of her world.


(I will not be posting any spoilers! Only opinion for the sake of those of us who love to have our first look at a book be untainted by foreknowledge.)

I Adored this book. I will admit it. However, I have to give it a lower rating because of content. For those of you who read through my review of Marked you know that this series has become my latest guilty pleasure. Well, this book in the series leads to Zoey having some guilty pleasure of her own! First off let me admit that this novel does have scenes that would make it in my age only appropriate for more mature teens and up. While normally I would count that again a book a great deal more I just couldn't help but love this one. I finished it in one day and let me just say if you loved Marked and enjoy surprised you won't be let down by our favorite Zoey Redbird and her beloved goddess Nyx.


4 Stars!



Would I suggest you read it:

As with the first book in the series this is a book where I am a bit torn about who I should suggest it to. On the one hand I really enjoyed it and it was written in a style that brought me back to when I was a teenager but on the other hand there was cussing, sexual references and more that isn’t appropriate for all teens and some adult prefer to stay away from. So I would have to say that I would suggest it to anyone who wants to read it but knows what they are getting into and understands that there is some inappropriate content.

Mom to Madre and Teaser Tuesday!

I  had a wonderful interview with Mom to Madre:

http://mom2madre.org/2010/11/10/emma-michaels/

I hope you all will stop by and check them out! It is an amazing cause!

Mission Statement

Mom to Madre extends a hand, in English and Spanish, to young moms trying to beat the odds. We focus on mothers who are participating in Social Service programs in San Diego County for low- income families with children from birth to age five. Our outstanding volunteers provide bilingual information, education and support to help moms provide their young children with the loving foundation necessary for learning and excelling in school. ©Mom to Madre 2010

Definición de la misión

Mom to Madre tiende una mano a las madres jóvenes que tratan de sobreponerse a las dificultades. Nos centramos en las madres con niños en edades entre 0 y 5 años, matriculados en centros preescolares para familias de bajos ingresos, en el condado de San Diego. Nuestros voluntarios están pendientes de proporcionar información, educación y apoyo, en inglés y en español, para que las madres pueden dar a sus hijos las bases necesarias para aprender y sobresalir en la escuela. ©Mom to Madre 2010

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• 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!)
• 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:

“Well, we aren’t really sure. He was an indigent – no identification, no living relatives. But he claimed to have been born in 1876.”
I stared at him. “That would make him one hundred and thirty-one years old.”

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey – page i (of the prologue)

FMBBF!

To join the fun and make now book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com + http://www.crazy-for-books.com/} and any one else you want to follow on the list
2. Follow our Featured Bloggers - http://stalkingthebookshelves.blogspot.com/
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can
6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
7. If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!
8. If your new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!


Happy Follow Friday!

Follow it up with your twitter address if you want to get that one out!
*********

Stop by the host sites for the lists!!!




What book influenced or changed your life? How did it influence/change you?

This novel filled a gap for me that I never even realized was there. It started my love for Young Adult literature and in turn my love of reading almost a decade ago! <3 It will always have its own place in my heart!

Teaser Tuesday: Kiss Me Deadly

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• 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!)
• 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:


Trust your instincts. So I stepped across the threshold and into the hallway.
And I swear I felt the air shimmer, as if part of reality had rearranged itself around me. If he does turn out to be a serial killer, I thought, I am going to feel really, really stupid.

Kiss Me Deadly: 13 Tales of Paranormal Love by Trisha Telep, Maggie Stiefvater, Becca Fitzpatrick, Rachel Vincent, Karen Mahoney, Diana Peterfreund, Daniel Waters, Carrie Ryan, Justine Musk, Daniel Marks, Sarah Rees Brennan, Michelle Rowen, Michelle Zink, Caitlin Kittredge - page 112

Review: Marked by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast (House of Night Series)

Novel: Marked (House of Night #1)
Author: P.C. Cast + Kristin Cast
Pages: 306
Genre: Young Adult Urban Fantasy



The House of Night series is set in a world very much like our own, except in 16-year-old Zoey Redbird's world, vampyres have always existed. In this first book in the series, Zoey enters the House of Night, a school where, after having undergone the Change, she will train to become an adult vampire--that is, if she makes it through the Change. Not all of those who are chosen do. It’s tough to begin a new life, away from her parents and friends, and on top of that, Zoey finds she is no average fledgling. She has been Marked as special by the vampyre Goddess, Nyx. But she is not the only fledgling at the House of Night with special powers. When she discovers that the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school's most elite club, is misusing her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must look deep within herself for the courage to embrace her destiny--with a little help from her new vampyre friends.


(I will not be posting any spoilers! Only opinion for the sake of those of us who love to have our first look at a book be untainted by foreknowledge.)

Okay, I will admit it. The first time I saw this book I picked it up, saw that the first page said K-babble, turned to a random pages and started reading and saw something I felt was inappropriate and put it back down deciding not to buy it. I won't lie about it but then the other day I was at the library and figured, well, I am not paying for it. Now... my full confession. This series has become my guilty pleasure. I realize there are points that a lot of parents would not be okay with and I will start out with those simply because I know a lot of mothers read my reviews while looking for books for their daughters and I feel that you should be well informed before making a decision about this series. This is a vampire series, does have sexual content, has a small amount of cussing and a few other parts of the books that mothers may or may not approve of. Now for the good part. I normally really dislike books with that kind of content... not this one. It is written in a perspective that makes the teen aspect of it more realistic, the main character is intelligent, level headed and easy to relate to and I even went as far as to go out and buy the first four books. (Betrayed, the second book is eagerly awaiting me in my purse.) I was reading and could really relate and feel what she was feeling make me perfectly sure that P.C. Cast and her daughter Kristen Cast make a perfect team. I JUST LOVED IT! Off to go read the second book and eagerly awaiting seeing what will happen next. I really should have picked the book up the first time and to be honest, when I get proven wrong about a book I thought I might not like. I like it. I love having a book pleasantly surprise me and boy was this one a surprise! LOVED IT!



4 Stars!



Would I suggest you read it:

This is a book where I am a bit torn about who I should suggest it to. On the one hand I really enjoyed it and it was written in a style that brought me back to when I was a teenager but on the other hand there was cussing, sexual references and more that isn’t appropriate for all teens and some adult prefer to stay away from. So I would have to say that I would suggest it to anyone who wants to read it but knows what they are getting into and understands that there is some inappropriate content.



P.S.- I am looking forward to the release of Awakened on January 4th!!!