Matched by Ally Condie

I have been trying to get my hands on a copy of Matched for sometime now.  The cover is so beautiful and intriguing.  You can't tell in this picture but the white background is shiny and prismatic.  It's really cool and the cover art of the girl in the green dress drew me in.  I had to read this book.  I finally borrowed a copy from a friend and settled in to read it.  I could not sleep or put the book down once I got started.  I just HAD to know how it ended!!

In the world of Matched, our world still exists but our civilization has changed greatly.  The Society regulates everything including marriage.  At 17, girls and boys from all over attend matching ceremonies where they are given their "perfect match" based on the Society's statistics and collected data.  Cassia has been waiting for her Match Banquet for years and when it finally happens- and on her birthday- she is excited that everything is falling into place, just the way she always planned it to.  When she receives the uncommon Match of her best friend Xander, Cassia is sure that it is a sign of how perfectly things are falling into place.  But when she puts her microdisc into her port at home to learn more about her Match it is not Xander's face that shows on the screen.  It is Ky Markham, a friend of hers.  The Society officials assure her that this is all just an error but it plants the seed of doubt in Cassia's mind and heart.  What if Ky should really be her match?  What if she was free to choose?  Would she choose Xander or Ky?  When Cassia and Ky get the chance to spend time together during recreation period, the choice between the two weighs even more heavily on Cassia's heart and mind.  Who should she choose?  Can she choose?  What is she willing to do for Ky and Xander?  Who comes first in her heart?

I have to say that I love Ky and his relationship with Cassia.  They barely touch through the entire book but the romantic relationship between them is still very intimate.  I loved watching the two of them fall in love.  I didn't dislike Xander, really, but if the choice is between Xander and Ky- I would choose Ky.  He's just that genuine and lovable.  I really enjoyed this book and can not wait for Crossed, the second book, to come out later this year.  I would recommend this book for older teens and up due to the nature of dystopian books.  The politics and governmental rules are always hard for me to wrap my head around so I don't feel like a 13 year old would be able to grasp it either.  (At least, I hope they can't.  It'd make me feel worse to think that a 13 year old is more politically savvy than me. )

You can find out more about Ally Condie on her website or on Goodreads.  You can also follow her on Twitter.

Matched receives 5 Fairies for a wonderfully romantic dystopian story with bonus points for Ky Markham.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

I met Lauren Oliver at her signing event in Columbus, Ohio earlier this month and I have to say, she is a remarkable person whose "voice" is SO clear in her books.  Lauren sounds, in person, just like her book read.  She's funny, thought provoking and insightful.  I loved every minute of her event, especially getting to hear her read from Delirium.  I would like to believe that hearing the words from the mouth of their creator made Lena's voice that much clearer and real for me.  If you ever get the chance to go to one of Lauren's signings/events- GO!  You will be glad you did!  She is so real and just generally awesome.  She doesn't get snarky and borderline rude when answering questions.  I want to believe that that is just the way she is and not merely that she hasn't been around as along as some YA authors. Her answers to questions were heartfelt and thought out but she was honest when she didn't have an answer to give.  You can find out more about Lauren and her books on her Website, on Twitter and on Facebook.  Delirium is Lauren's second book.  Her debut novel, Before I Fall, was released last year to great acclaim.  Delirium is the first book in a trilogy, Pandemonium will be the second book- due out early in 2012.

The world of Delirium is both familiar and strange.  It felt so weird to think of love as a disease that you could catch or to know that the government would pick your spouse for you and tell you how many kids to have.  To most of us, that world seems very unreal.  But the truth is that there are places in the world where how many kids you have is the government's business.  Where you live in fear that something you say could get you killed.  Government can and sometimes does become that controlling so it isn't so far fetched to think of a place like the one where Lena lives existing in the not so distant future.  In this world, Love or the Deliria, as they call it, can be cured with a simple procedure that every citizen gets at the age of 18.  At first, Lena wants nothing more than to be cured so that she can be matched with her mate and get on with her adult life.  But in the 95 days before her procedure is scheduled to occur, she does something that she NEVER wanted/expected to do, she falls in love with Alex.  I have to say that I find Lena a little annoying because she's so anti-love at first but it is GREAT to see her learn and grow and really start to question the world she lives in.  Alex is a great guy and a great character who really embodies love as an emotion that we humans need to have to function properly- not love as a disease (which admit it, sounds freaking creepy!).  The thing that stuck out to me about the love as a disease scenario (and the news clip that Lauren says fed into this idea around the time that she wrote Delirium) is that humans are primates.  Social animals.  We need to have strong emotional ties to others to be happy and to function in society.  Oddly enough, elephants are this way too.  If an elephant is separated from their herd, they will freak out and do anything to get to the others.  Elephants need the feelings of safety and contentment that they feel in the herd to be able to function normally.  A point my husband brought up is that parents MUST love their kids or something WILL happen to the children.  If you didn't love your children, would you take proper care of them?  I would think not- honestly.  Civilization and primate infant rearing require a serious vested interest in the infant or you'd be just like a number of animals that give birth and hope that the offspring make it.  Mammals in general care for young because they MUST.  To have a strong new generation, you need to bond with the baby and care about feeding it.  A mammal baby would not do well without milk.  Basically, to sum up my biology jibber jabber, it seems really unlikely to me that this society would work for very long- even with brain washing everyone with a book of rules on behavior and parenting.  So I wonder how long they have lasted this way and when the system will, inevitably fail.  I also wonder if the government truly beleives Love is a disease or if it is all a method of control to them. 

Delirium was an amazing book that really made me think.  The characters are real and likable.  The entire book was outstanding and interesting.  My only issue was the killer ending.  Were trying to give me a panic attack, Lauren Oliver?  But the cliffhanger ending only served to make me want to continue with Pandemonium.  I would recommend this for older teens and up due to the dystopian nature of the book.  If I, at 28 and a college grad, get headaches trying to deal with the politics of it- a 13 year old shouldn't be able to get it either.  (And if they do, don't tell me.  You'll only make me feel worse!)  The cover is also WAY prettier in person- no photo can really do it justice.  Go read Delirium now, people!  You'll be glad you did!

Delirium earns 4 Fairies for a heart wrenching story about love.

Something Like Summer by Jay Bell

I stumbled upon Something Like Summer while looking for something to read on Trevor, my Kindle.  The blurb sucked me in and the price was right so I downloaded it and settled in to read a bit before turning in for the night.  BIG MISTAKE!  I ended up not being able to fall asleep until I finished it.  This is one of those books that I just could not put down until I saw it through to completion.  The story follows the life of Ben Bentley from his junior year in high school through to his thirties or so.  Ben is a cool gay character in that he comes into the story already sure of himself and his sexuality.  He is open with his family, has their support and is out to the public at large.  Ben does take some teasing at school but he handles his situation well and the only real issue with his life as a gay teen is that he's lonely.  As the only gay boy in his school, or as the only one who will admit it, there is really no one for him.  His best friend, Allison, has a steady boyfriend but Ben is alone and longing for a love life of his own.  Then the summer before junior year he falls for someone.  Ben doesn't even know his name, only that he goes running most days and that he owns the most ridiculous electric blue running shoes. 

Over the course of the story we see Ben grow up and move through the phases of life.  Just as he gives up on love, he meets Jace and they set off on a great romantic adventure.  Jace is Tim's exact opposite in some ways and I really love to see the relationship between Jace and Ben.  It's funny that I hadn't seen a picture of Jay Bell before reading the book because when I saw his picture on Goodreads after reading it- he was the spitting image of the Jace in my mind while I read the books.  Very funny.  I loved Jace's character because even though he was the settling, mature influence in Ben's life- he was also quirky and fun.  Tim was annoying through most of the book.  He grew and matured at a much slower rate than Ben did.  Even though he learned something before he and Ben would meet for the second time, he was still not in the same emotional place as Ben.  Tim took all the way until the last chapter or so to really come out a changed man.  It was a satisfying  change but a slow one.  This book read like watching a movie of Ben Bentley's life at certain check points.  It was so inviting, fun and emotional.  I laughed and cried while reading Something Like Summer.  I also found the general message of the story and many of the lines in the book inspirational.  I would strongly suggest this book to the typical YA and Adult crowd, however, there are a number of "sex scenes" that may prove too graphic or unsettling for some readers.  I had no issue with it but everyone is different.  Overall, I loved this book and I am so glad that I stumbled across it in the Kindle Store.  It is one of those books that has left me forever changed. 

Something Like Summer earns 5 Fairies for an amazing book that touched my heart.

You can learn more about Jay Bell on Goodreads or his website.  You can also check out his other books on his website.  Jay can also be found on Facebook, Twitter and Myspace!

Fun Friend Friday!

Hey Guys and Gals!  It's another Fun Friend Friday!!  This week I want to feature my good friend Veronica of Mayangelstar blog and etsy shop.  She is sweet as can be and she is uber talented. I'll start with her blog.  Veronica blogs at MayAngelStar Blog and her posts are always fun, emotional and uplifting.  Her last one about her wedding was EPIC.  I cried when I read it.  For Real. 

You can also find Veronica on MayAngelStar Crochet- her brand new crochet site!  She has some cute blankets and hats for babies but my favorite thing is her Wool Longies.  I wish they came in a big enough size for my daughter.  She's tiny with no body fat to speak of and these adorable little pants look SO warm!  Here's my favorite pair in her store right now:

Aren't they awesome!?  I have never seen anything like them.  So, make sure you go check out Veronica's store and blog- you won't be disappointed! 



Legacy (Ganzfield #3) by Kate Kaynak

Legacy is the third book in the Ganzfield series by Kate Kaynak.  Legacy picks up where Adversary left off when Maddie passed out.  In Legacy we see a lot more from the supporting characters of Ganzfield and we get to know more about Trevor.  Maddie has been left with a crippling medical issue after her run in with Isaiah, super powerful psychopath extraordinaire, but can still communicate using her Minder powers.  Trevor is, of course, at her side the entire time.  The Ganzfield community is growing as G- positives from all over the country are coming to stay until it is deemed safe to go back out into the world.  Isaiah is currently rampaging the US, killing G-positives and their families from one corner of the country to another.  But why is he attacking them and who is most at risk?  When Trevor's birth father is killed, Trevor and Maddie travel to warn what is left of Trevor's birth family that danger may be headed there way.  Maddie wonders which she should be more afraid of on the trip: running into Isaiah or meeting Trevor's grandparents. 

I loved this latest book in the Ganzfield series!  It was a great read on a really emotional level.  We got to see how the G-positives at Ganzfield try to cope with love and loss in a time of crisis.  Maddie may have a super awful medical issue, but after a chapter or two, you forget that she is speaking with her mind for the entirety of the book.  I'm a HUGE Trevor fan so I really appreciated getting to see more of his past in this book.  We learn about his birth, his childhood and where his Telekinesis probably came from.  It was great to see Maddie and Trevor make the journey to see his grandparents together and to watch Maddie stand by her man.  Trevor totally deserves her love and devotion.  Zack is back in this book and better than ever.  He pulls off an AMAZING mission with Maddie and the team AND he gets a start on his happily ever after.  Yay!  Dr. Williamson also brings his niece back to Ganzfield and encourages her to start taking the dodecamine again.  This made for some EPIC scenes with Maddie and Ann conversing both about being Minders.  I enjoyed watching Ann grow as a Minder by learning from Maddie.  Maddie has been a Minder for a shorter period of time but she has learned most of her skills on her own.  They come to her as she sees them in someone else's head or simply through trial and error.  One of the things that Maddie teacher Ann is to shield, which Maddie herself learned from rooting around in Zack's mind when he first came to Ganzfield.  Ann and Zack also begin to fall for one another and Ann wonders if maybe this time she can avoid overloading if Zack acts as her "Trevor."  This means that maybe being able to focus on Zack can keep the noise level in her mind down to a low hum.  Now if only we could find a way to make Seth happy.  Yeah, that'll happen.  It was very cool to see so many Minders together in this book.  Overall, this is a great book for teens and adults alike and I think everyone should give the Ganzfield Series a chance. 

The next book in the series, Accused, is due out on August 15, 2011.  If you pre-order it from Spencer Hill Press, you will get a signed copy within a week of the release.  You can also learn more about Kate Kaynak and the Ganzfield books on Goodreads or her website and you can join the fan page on Facebook.

Legacy earns 5 Fairies for all around epicness.

W... W... W... Wednesday!

W... W... W... Wednesdays is a weekly feature at Should Be Reading. To play along you just have to answer three simple questions:

1. What Are You Currently Reading?
2. What Did You Recently Finish?
3. What Do You Think You'll Read Next?

My answers for this week:

 

1. What am I currently reading?  The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell 
2. What did I recently finish?  Winter's Passage by Julie Kagawa
3. What do I think I'll read next?  Delirium by Lauren Oliver

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 Teasers are from The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell:

"Newly pinned to the ground, I stilled.  I beleived, very much in that moment, that he had somehow slipped from the bonds of his skin to find me ethereally."

Adversary (Ganzfield #2) by Kate Kaynak

Adversary is the second book in the Ganzfield series and it follows Maddie and Trevor along with all the rest of the people of Ganzfield through a harrowing journey.  Ganzfield feels safe for the kids and adults who live there.  Maddie and Trevor have been training their Team for missions.  When Dr. Williamson sends them into the city on a mission, they are excited for the chance to be involved.  But while they are away from Ganzfield, the compound is attacked and many of their friends and classmates are killed.  Maddie and Trevor rush back to the compound to see what can be done. They find that some of the students and adults have made their way to a camp nearby that is owned by a family of Sparks.  But where are the healers Matilda and Morris?  Where is Dr. Williamson?  And who could have done such a thing?  It's up to Maddie and her friends to find the answers to all of these questions and to bring back their friends taken from Ganzfield.

I liked this book at least as much as Minder.  It had more fast paced action and suspense but it still had the intense views of relationships between the characters that made Minder so fabulous.  I love Maddie and Trevor's relationship.  It is just so open, honest and pure.  They connect on the most basic level and they each are just what the other needs.  It was also fun to watch Maddie continue to grow into her powers.  I liked that she was able to learn new things by reasoning her way through it.  I stick to my recommendation for Minder with this second book:  suitable for age 13 and older due to science, action, and teenage shenanigans but nothing too graphic/explicit.  Death does occur in spades in this book so be aware of that as well.  But I would highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone.  It is definitely a new all time favorite of mine.

Adversary earns 5 Fairies for an awesome and gripping continuation of this series.

Minder (Ganzfield #1) by Kate Kaynak

Minder is the first in the Ganzfield Series.  I have to be completely honest, I click dislike on the cover.  I know that if you read the book, it makes perfect sense but if you are looking for something to read this cover hides all of the awesomeness that is inside.  Minder takes you into a world where there are people among us with special skills that they can strengthen by taking regular injections of a drug called dodecamine.  Their skills all come from the mind and work in different ways but all involve energy manipulation on some level. 

What am I talking about?  Well, Minders can read minds and sometimes speak into someone else's mind.  RVs are remote viewers who can locate a person or thing that is outside their field of vision.  Charms have the ability to put thoughts into your head by convincing you that something is true or to do something.  Healers can manipulate the body's energy to heal almost instantly.  Pyrokinetics or Sparks, can make fire, put out fire and manipulate fire.  There are even a few telekinetic who can move things with their minds.  In the world of Ganzfield, some people accidentally give others nightmares, set their beds on fire and even witness things from another person's eyes.  But these talents need to remain hidden so that the teens and adults with these skills are not found and exploited by the government ... or worse, eradicated as a potential threat to the mundane people.

Maddie Dunn is sixteen when a run in with some boys from school goes horribly wrong and something awful happens.  She finds herself pulled into Ganzfield, a school/compound for people like her, people who are different.  Maddie is a Minder and a powerful one.  She needs to find her place at Ganzfield and maybe, even do more.  While at Ganzfield, Maddie learns that there are few rules but those that do exist are strictly enforced.  The kids there go to regular classes and practicals to hone their powers.  She also learns that the Charms use their abilities on the others to make themselves the rulers of Ganzfield.  Not cool.  So, Maddie decides to take a stand against them.  From her first day at Ganzfield, Maddie is drawn to Trevor, the only telekinetic at Ganzfield.  Why is she so drawn to him?  Can Maddie change Ganzfield for the better?

I loved this book.  I really did.  When I first heard about these books, the covers threw me off.  But I borrowed the last two books after winning a copy of the first book and I decided to read them.  They looked short so I thought it would be a quick and easy read between other books in my To Read pile.  Well, they are a quick read but it's because they are SOOOO good!  I loved Trevor most of all (I named my Kindle after him) because he is so sweet, kind, loving and brave.  Trevor is just awesome.  Maddie is a great female lead because she is pretty kick butt and she isn't afraid of speaking her mind (HA, Mind reader joke!) or asserting herself.  If you haven't read these books, You really should.  I would suggest them for teens over 13 just because they are geared for older teens and adults.  Lots of psychology and science in them and some.... teenage shenanigans but nothing too explicit.

Minder earns 5 Fairies for being an amazingly unique and special series.

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Before I Fall is Lauren Oliver's debut novel where she addresses the question: "What would it take to change a Mean Girl for the better?"  Well, death might be a life changing experience.  In Before I Fall, we watch Samantha Kingston learn what is really important and how her choices affect those around her.  What happens to cause the change in Sam?  She dies.  Then she wakes up and lives her last day over.  And over.  Until she gets it right. 

Sam is one of the popular seniors with the cool boyfriend and she gets at least a dozen roses on Cupid Day.  What could be wrong with her life as it was?  Every time Sam relives February 12th, she learns something new.  What did she cause to happen by doing this or saying that?  By day seven, she has a plan for how to end the repetition and to help as many other people as she can before the end of the day.  Throughout the week, she also learns more about Kent, the boy who sees her for who she really is and not the popular persona that she portrays.  By the seventh day, she is in love with Kent (and I was too!) but does loving Kent play into her elaborate timeline for the best February 12th yet? 

I liked this book.  Really.  At the beginning though, I hated Sam and her little pack of Mean Girls.  I thought her boyfriend was stupid and that she had it coming.  But over the course of the book, you really get to know Sam and all these other characters on a deeper level.  You get to see why they are the way that they are.  What makes each of the tick and how they react to the things that happen to them.  It's an amazing social commentary, really.  This book will give you a lot to think about and you may even learn something about yourself.  I would highly recommend this book for readers over 13 due to some teen drinking, language and general teenage shenanigans.  In short, a wonderful book by an amazing author.

Before I Fall earns 4 Fairies for a wonderful read that makes you think.

Fun Friend Friday!

Hey Everyone!! It's Fun Friend Friday once again!  This week I am spotlighting my good friend Cat who is not only a mom but runs an Etsy store and a Twi-blog!  Whew!  This hard working girl deserves a round of applause for all that she accomplishes. 

I will start with her Twi- blog: The Daily Twimes.  I love it because it's so real and honest.  If she thinks the new Jasper Doll looks like Macauly Culkin- she'll say so.  If she disagrees with the behavior of a company who runs Twi-conventions- she'll tell you about it.  I would much rather read The Twimes than the blog over at the TwilightLexicon.  Yes- I said it.  I just find the twimes to be shorter, more to the point and far more real.  Sorry!!  If you are Twilight Mom, Twilight Teen or just someone who loves them some twi-news (like my husband)- go check it out!  You can also follow the Twimes on Twitter and  Like it on Facebook.

Now, for Cat's Etsy shop- which I have to say- rocks my world.  I got a necklace from her for Christmas and I wear it at least once a week.    Head on over to Little Faery Wings and Things on Etsy to find some AMAZING jewelry.  The necklace I have has a fairy and a flower on it and it is awesome.  My sons are rough and sometimes clingy but it hasn't broken yet.  I get compliments every time I wear it.  Her shop has rings, bracelets, necklaces and accessories.  My favorite thing she's made though, would have to be my necklace. 

This isn't the greatest picture but it's so beautiful and dainty.  I love it!  make sure you head over to Little Faery Wings and Things and take a look at Cat's shop!

Books With Love Hop Giveaway WINNER!

And the winner, according to Random.org, is.....

MERCEDES!!!!

I have emailed her and she has 48 hours to reply with her mailing info before I have to pick a new winner.  Thanks to everyone who entered and be sure to come back soon!  I have more giveaways planned for the coming months and lots of AWESOME books to review too! 

W... W... W... Wednesday

W... W... W... Wednesdays is a weekly feature at Should Be Reading. To play along you just have to answer three simple questions:

1. What Are You Currently Reading?
2. What Did You Recently Finish?
3. What Do You Think You'll Read Next?

My answers for this week:

1. What am I currently reading?  The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa
2. What did I recently finish reading?  The Iron King by Julie Kagawa 
3. What will I be reading next?  The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

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 Teasers are from The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa:

"I try."  Puck, looking very human now, crossed the room and reached for my hand, slipping a white corsage onto my wrist.  "You look gorgeous, Princess."

 

Follower Love Giveaway Hop WINNER!!!

AND (DRUMROLL PLEASE!) THE WINNER OF LOVER MINE IS..............

Marlene B.

The winner was chosen using Random.org and she has been contacted by email.  The winner has 48 hours to answer with their mailing information before a replacement winner will be chosen!  Thanks everyone for entering and I hope you will stop back and enter my other giveaway running now and those coming soon!!!

Valentine's Day: Books with Love Giveaway!

Hey there!! As part of the Valentine's Day: Books with Love Hop, I am giving away a set of YA Novels!! The books are Bite Me and Love Sucks by Melissa Francis! This giveaway ends February 16 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time.



These books are a fun little Paranormal YA read. It's super easy to win them, you just need to be a follower with Google Friend Connect and fill out the FORM below. See? Painless. For two extra entries, you can follow me on Twitter (@mekyser) and/or tweet this giveaway and leave the link-for a total of 3 ENTRIES:

ONE for following with GFC (Mandatory)

ONE for following me on Twitter (@mekyser, leave your twitter name on the form!)

ONE for retweeting/sharing the giveaway on twitter (only counts ONCE, please leave the DIRECT link on the form)

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!! WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY!

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Unearthly is Cynthia Hand's debut novel about a teenage girl with angel blood who learns that she has a Purpose to fulfill here on Earth.  Clara Gardner is part angel and as such, she has extra abilities that the rest of us don't but she'll need them to fulfill her purpose.  As visions of her purpose become clear to her, she sees the boy that she believes she must save and her focus  becomes finding him and fulfilling her Purpose.  She feels like she is just meant to be there for him.  She meets Christian, the vision boy, in person and knows that she is meant to save him.  But what happens when she meets another boy who appeals to the human side of her nature so strongly that it could put everything in jeopardy.  Is Tucker merely a distraction that she can't afford?  Is there a right or wrong answer?  Does it have to be a choice?  Clara will have to figure it all out with a little help from her friends and family in this first installment in the Unearthly series. 

The cover is so much more amazing in person than it is in the picture.  I can't find one picture that truly does it justice.  The background is purple and the feather, swirls and the word Unearthly are in raised silver metallic print.  It's just beautiful.  I have to say that I loved this book.  It is pretty different from most of the angel related books that I've read and that's refreshing.  I also found the choice of location to be unique- Wyoming.  Cynthia really paints a vivid and beautiful picture of Wyoming and all of the people that Clara meets there.  She also has a great way of drawing the reader into the story so that we experience Clara's relationships with Christian and Tucker and how they change.  Tucker sneaks up on the reader just like he does Clara.  There were a number of subplots and unanswered questions throughout the book as well which really bodes well for the next two books in the series- we NEED to know what will happen.  All in all this was a fantastic read that really stood up to my expectations.  A beautiful YA Read with an amazing cover- in this case- feel free to judge this book by the cover!!

You can find out more about Unearthly on Cynthia's Blog and on Goodreads.  You can also follow Cynthia on Twitter!  I'm so excited about the second book, Hallowed, which is due out next year and you will be too!

Unearthly earns 5 Fairies for a lovely book about angels, fallen angels and doing the right thing.

Vampyre Kisses by Elizabeth Kolodziej

Vampyre Kisses is the debut novel from Elizabeth Kolodziej.  This book was epic on multiple levels.  I read a lot of paranormal- there are no less than 4 series of vampire books on the shelf beside me as I type this- so I love to find an author who can create a world that isn't s cookie cutter replica of someone else's vampires/werewolves.  Vampyre Kisses shows a great deal of research on Liz's part to make such a vibrant world that is so obviously entrenched in the myths and legends of real peoples.  I really liked this book and am SO excited to know that it is part of a series and not a stand alone.

What would it be like to have a chance encounter change your life forever?  Faith Scott is about to find out.  When she goes out to a club with her ex turned best friend, Mac, Faith meets a man named Trent who is about to turn her world inside out. Trent is a vampire with a conscience.  He doesn't want to force anyone into the life he leads and he doesn't like to kill anyone. Trent feels a bit like a monster, even if he does appreciate the vampire life.  But he secretly hopes to one day find love and someone who will love him in return, even if he is a monster.  When he meets Faith, he is so intrigued by her that he can not simply walk away from her, no matter how much his friends and maker might try to convince him that he should.  Trent can sense that there is something different about her even if he doesn't know what it is.  Meeting Trent is the catalyst that sends Faith on an epic journey, over the course of which, she learns many things about herself, her dearly departed father and her off-putting mother.  Faith builds her own family of friends who love her and stand beside her, even in the face of the uncertain. 

This book was a fun read that really hooked me after I got going.  It was hard to step away from because the action was so fast and furious.  The characters really drew me in and made me want to know what was going to happen and how would they make it through.  I love Faith and Trent together.  Their love and friendship was heart warming and sweet.  I also love the other supporting characters like Morgan, Mac and ZT.  Faith is lucky to have such a great group of friends!  This book comes highly recommended so go check it out!! You can learn more on Liz's blog, follow her on Twitter, or on Facebook.  You can also buy her book on Smashwords, Amazon and Barnes and Noble Online.  It's less than $4.00 and worth every penny.

Vampyre Kisses earns 4 Fairies for a wonderfully different book about supernatural beings.

Fun Friend Friday!

Happy Friday everyone!! Today for Fun Friend Friday I am featuring my sweet friend, Peachy and her store: Creative Sweet Peach.  I have one of her bracelets- it is amazing!  I love it.  But she does lots of different kinds of work: fabric covers for books and e-books, jewelry, dolls and tutus for dress up time!

My favorite of her jewelry offerings is her version of the Bella bracelet from Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer.  It is THE BEST version of the Bella bracelet that I have seen yet.  The wolf is beautifully carved and three dimensional.  The heart is HUGE and GORGEOUS!  The whole bracelet is well made and sturdy.  That's the best part of Peachy's work- everything is made to such high quality standards. 

Look at that and tell me it isn't awesome?!  Yeah, it's awesomeness speaks for itself. 

I also like her Kindle Covers!  I want to get one because they look like they would cushion the Kindle better than the store bought covers if you were going to put it in your bag or purse.  She has 3 different styles:
The book kind:

The Easel (so you can read hands free or it folds flat!):

And a basic sleeve:

So make sure you check out Creative Sweet Peach and check out her feedback from satisfied customers on Etsy!!! Seriously, GO NOW!  You'll be glad you did!

Outside In by Maria V. Snyder

I received an Advanced Review Copy of Outside In by Maria V. Snyder through NetGalley.  What a thrill ride it was!  Outside In is the sequel to Inside Out and continues to follow Trella as life in Inside is rebuilt following the rebellion from Inside Out.  What a beautiful cover, too!

Things haven't been going very well for the committee who has been trying to run Inside in the wake of the rebellion.  The scrubs think that the uppers are lazy and do nothing while the scrubs do all the work.  The uppers want clean clothes, hot food and they don't really want to help build the two new levels of dwellings.  The misunderstandings between scrubs and uppers are hard on Trella who can see both sides of the argument but can't find a way to bring the two sides together- and it HAS to happen for them all to continue to live in Inside.  To compound the stress and strain that Trella is under, Riley- her promised mate, is giving her grief.  Add to that, the fact that Trella is pretty sure she knows who her mom is but she would rather not have to deal with her.  It's a mess all around for Trella in Outside In and it's only going to get worse.  Things are already not running right since the change in leadership when Trella hears the first whispers of another rebellion brewing.  Then the Controllers begin to force changes on the people of Inside.  Is there more Outside than Outer Space?  We know that there was more Inside besides the 2 levels of scrubs and 2 levels of uppers so maybe there is something Outside besides empty space.  What if something Outside wants to come Inside?  Will the people of Inside ever realise how alike they are and work together?

Outside In will be released on February 15, 2011 in the US.  Outside In was a great continuation of the story Trella told us in Inside Out.  We get to see what started in the first book through to what feels like a good solid completion. I loved every second of this novel and raced through it as the story kept me guessing at every turn.  The reader really feels the confusion that Trella feels throughout the story- never knowing who is really on your side or who you can trust.  The plot is never obvious as Trella weaves her way through numerous twists and turns while trying to save her friends and keep the freedom that they fought so hard for.  The ending is so satisfying after the roller coaster ride that is Outside In.  Highly recommended for readers over 13 as there is a lot of death, torture, politics that younger readers will not understand and some sexual talk (but very little really). 

Outside In earns 4 Fairies for a cool dystopian that shows teens changing their world.

W... W...W... Wednesday

W... W... W... Wednesdays is a weekly feature at Should Be Reading. To play along you just have to answer three simple questions:

1. What Are You Currently Reading?
2. What Did You Recently Finish?
3. What Do You Think You'll Read Next?

My answers for this week:

1. What am I currently reading?  Vampyre Kisses by Elizabeth J. Kolodziej 
2. What did I recently finish reading?  Outside In by Maria V. Snyder 
   
3. What will I be reading next?  I have an ARC of The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell to read and review next.