Book Haul (#8)

Hey,


Here is what I received/bought/borrowed this week:

First Light (Project Five Fifteen #1) by Samantha Summers - Received - 
A big thanks to Samantha Summers for sending me a copy! I started it last night and it's pretty good.
Teeth by Hannah Moskowitz - Received - 
Thank you Simon Pulse! I've read a few pages of this one, I will have to make some time to finish it.

Slide (Slide #1) by Jill Hathaway - Borrowed -
I've just found out that there is going to be a sequel so I just had to pick this one up.
Chain Reaction (Perfect Chemistry #3) by Simone Elkeles - Bought - 
I ADORE this series! I love Simone Elkeles' writing and I can't wait to get stuck into the POV of the last Fuentes brother. 


Yep, that's what I go this week. Leave a link to your book haul/IMM/Stacking the Shelves/whatever in the comments!


Until next time,
Sam :D

My review of Throne of Glass

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1) by Sarah J. Maas
Release Date: August 2, 2012
Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon | The Book Depository

Meet Celaena Sardothien.
Beautiful. Deadly. Destined for greatness.

In the dark, filthy salt mines of Endovier, an eighteen-year-old girl is serving a life sentence. She is a trained assassin, the best of her kind, but she made a fatal mistake: she got caught.

Young Captain Westfall offers her a deal: her freedom in return for one huge sacrifice. Celaena must represent the prince in a to-the-death tournament—fighting the most gifted thieves and assassins in the land. Live or die, Celaena will be free. Win or lose, she is about to discover her true destiny. But will her assassin’s heart be melted?

Throne of Glass was one of the most exciting and breath-taking books I've read this year. Action, romance, mystery and a deadly assassin, what could go wrong? Sarah J. Maas is an author to watch out for!

At eighteen years old, Celaena Sardothien is Endovier's most deadly assassin. Trained since the age of eight, Celaena is supposed to be ready for anything, but after making a fatal mistake  she is caught and sent to the filthy salt mines of Endovier until she rots. But then Young Captain Westfall unexpectedly turns up and offers her a deal: her freedom in return for her to represent the prince in a dangerous tournament, fighting only the most gifted thieves and assassins in the land. Celaena can almost taste freedom, but will her assassin's heart be melted before she can win?

When I first saw that this book was about assassins I knew that I'd immediately enjoy it and, guess what, I did! I requested it thinking that it'd be a dark and gruesome tale with slight aspects of romance. I didn't expect the book to have humor, but seriously, who would? Look at the cover! Deadly assassin alert!!

I enjoyed Celaena's character very much. Her feisty, protective and strong nature made it extremely hard not to like her. She's a girl who has grown up with not much of a childhood, all her life she has been trained to kill and fight. Every time I heard another part of her story my heart ached. Celaena was a brilliant character and well, very entertaining. Her sarcasm and micky-taking will make you laugh out loud!

I loved every moment of this book, especially the romance. I don't want to say anymore because I want the romance to be a complete surprise when you read it. But what I can tell you is that it's completely unexpected and entertaining. 

Overall, Throne of Glass is the perfect read if you want a gripping adventure with plenty of action and mystery. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more of Sarah J. Maas' works and I can't wait to see what she's got in-store for the sequel!

Rating

- A big thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing for providing me with a review copy!

Waiting on Wednesday (9)

Hey,


I'm waiting for....

Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices #3) by Cassandra Clare

Release Date: March 19, 2013

In Clockwork Princess, Tessa and her companions travel all over the world as they race to stop the clockwork army before it’s too late. As Jem’s health worsens alarmingly and his friends search desperately for a cure, can Tessa choose between the two boys she loves—even if it means never seeing the other one again?

Love this series! I am definitely Team Will. ;) Leave a link to your WoW post this week in the comments below.

Sam :D

My review of Sum of Random Chance

Sum of Random Chance by Lee Chambers
Release Date: July 5, 2012
Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon 

An eager rookie reporter for a small town paper who stumbles upon a mysterious girl foiling a grocery store robbery. Desperate for success, he sets out to make his name on her unique gift. Is this girl special or are all the magical moments pure coincidence? Do the random choices we make lead us down a path of no return or will he gain a sense of self-worth before he sells her out?

The Sum of Random Chance is Lee Chamber's second jaw-dropping novel. Gripping and totally unpredictable, this book will have you hooked until the end.

The Sum of Random Chance is about a young reporter named Cole, who's life isn't going so great at the moment. He's been set boring assignments from his boss, Karen, since day one and his girlfriend is always moaning about money. But when Cole ends up in the middle of a supermarket robbery, he thinks it's fate. He whips out his camera and begins taking pictures. But something isn't right. A beautiful blond woman stands right next to the robber, smiling, and it's like no one else can see her. Is it magic? Is it his imagination? When Cole finally turns in his report...will his boss finally take him seriously?

The book is pretty hard to sum up in just a paragraph. It deserves so much more that a paragraph. The concept and thrilling plot line deserves more than a paragraph! I enjoyed every single page of The Sum of Random Chance, it kept me on the edge of my seat and wondering how it would end. 

Cole is an entertaining and determined character, who I really enjoyed reading about. He has a tough life and I really felt sorry for him. His boss only gives him silly assignments that are hardly worth bothering with, and don't even get me started on his girlfriend. She's annoying, self-obsessed and extremely shallow! How Cole put up with her for so long is a mystery.

I also enjoyed Cole's blossoming relationship with Sara, a caring and beautiful young woman with special powers. Yes, special powers. It was interesting to read about both of their lives and how drastically they changed through out the book. If there were to be a sequel I would buy it as soon as possible, because the was the book ended was very annoying. It's one of those open ending where lots of threads are left untied and anything could happen next. Nevertheless, I thought the ending was well thought out and very fitting for the book.

Overall, The Sum of Random Chance is a perfect mystery read. Entertaining and addictive, if your looking for a short read this summer, make sure you pick up this one.

Rating

- A big thank you to Lee Chambers for providing me with a review copy!

My review of Wake

Wake (Watersong #1) by Amanda Hocking
Release Date: August 7, 2012
Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon | The Book Depository

Gemma seems to have it all—she’s carefree, pretty, and falling in love with Alex, the boy next door. He’s always been just a friend, but this summer they’ve taken their relationship to the next level, and now there’s no going back. Then one night, Gemma’s ordinary life changes forever. She’s taking a late night swim under the stars when she finds Penn, Lexi and Thea partying on the cove. They invite her to join them, and the next morning she wakes up on the beach feeling groggy and sick, knowing something is different.

Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. But her new powers come with a terrifying price. And as she uncovers the truth, she’s is forced to choose between staying with those she loves—or entering a new world brimming with dark hungers and unimaginable secrets.

Wake is the first novel in the upcoming Watersong series. Full of mysteries and cute romance, Amanda Hocking will captivate fans with this new and exciting world.

Gemma is a swimmer. She loves to swim, especially at night at the far end of the beach. When three beautiful girls start appearing around town, Gemma doesn't feel safe. Most people think the girls are just ordinary tourists hanging around the beach for the summer, but they've got a secret. One that will change Gemma's life forever.

I enjoyed Gemma's character and personality, she was fun and unpredictable. Her sister, Harper, however, wasn't the most easiest of characters to get along with. Harper is fiercely protective with no sense of adventure of whatsoever. There were a few moments in the books when I felt like Harper could have just dived into the deep end, I wanted her to dive in the deep end. But, she didn't. Typical, boring Harper.

The romance wasn't bad, it was cute, nothing too heavy. I liked the relationship between Gemma and the-boy-next-door, Alex. Alex is a complete nerd but looks gorgeous and owns an amazing body. He blushes and he has a slight cowlick, but, damn it, who cares? It made him more realistic, a more believable character, not like some other YA guys who are flawless.

Putting aside Alex and Gemma, and moving on to Gemma's older sister, Harper, and Daniel, a guy who lives on a boat near where Gemma and Harper's dad works. To be perfectly honest, I enjoyed reading more about their relationship than Gemma and Alex's. Daniel made me laugh so much! The flirting was adorable! But knowing Harper she would never go for a guy who hasn't got his life sorted out and lives on a boat. Seriously, this girl needs to live her life, open her eyes....and go out with Daniel. I think you guys will love the way Daniel and Harper met. ;)

If you have not read any of Amanda Hocking's books then I urge you to check the out as soon as possible. 

Overall, Wake is an exciting, tense and gripping read. I would recommend this book to any Amanda Hocking fan or anyone who loves a spooky paranormal read. I can't wait to read Lullaby because the ending of Wake has left me of what's to come . I'm expecting a lot more from Lullaby including some more romance and action.

Rating

- A big massive thank you to St. Martin's Griffin for sending me a review copy!

Book Haul (#7)

Hey,


This week I received some AMAZING books! Here are the books that I have received/won/borrowed:

Alice in Zombieland (The White Rabbit Chronicles #1) by Gena Showalter - Received - 

Thank you so much Mira Ink! I finished this one last night and let me just say, IT WAS AMAZING! If you have not checked out Gena Showalter's YA series, Intertwined, then go do that now!

Wake (The Watersong #1) by Amanda Hocking - Received - 

Thank you, St. Martin's Griffin! This one looks wicked and I can't wait to start it. I really like Amanda Hocking's writing.

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1) by Sarah J. Maas - Received -
Thank you, Bloomsbury! This one looks and sounds kick-ass. I've heard LOTS of good things about this one and I am itching to start it.
Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson - Won -
I won an ARC of Tiger Lily from Molli at Once Upon a Prologue (check her blog out!). This book just sounds...amazing. If you have no idea what it's about then definitely look it up. (The ARC cover doesn't look anything like this one so I've found a picture of the ARC and included it at the end of this post).

Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes - Borrowed - 

I've seen mixed reviews on this one, but when I saw it in my local library I thought, "Why not?" 

Forgiven (The Demon Trappers #3) - Borrowed -

I really enjoy this series. I own the previous 2 books but I just haven't found the time to read it.

Ten Things We Shouldn't Have Done by Sarah Mlynowski - Borrowed -

It looks like a funny contemporary novel, I had to pick it up. ;)

So that's my week in books, what did you get? Leave a link to your book haul in the comments below!

Until next time,

Sam :)

P.S Here is what the Tiger Lily ARC looks like:

My review of The Calling

The Calling (Darkness Rising #2) by Kelley Armstrong
Release Date: April 5, 2012
Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon | The Book Depository

Maya Delaney's paw-print birthmark is the mark of what she truly is--a skin-walker. She can run faster, climb higher, and see better than nearly everyone else. Experiencing intense connections with the animals that roam the woods outside her home, Maya knows it's only a matter of time before she's able to Shift and become one of them. And she believes there may be others in her small town with surprising talents. 

Now, Maya and her friends have been forced to flee from their homes during a forest fire they suspect was deliberately set. Then they're kidnapped, and after a chilling helicopter crash, they find themselves in the Vancouver Island wilderness with nothing but their extraordinary abilities to help them get back home.


The Calling is the second book in the Darkness Rising trilogy. Mysteries, action, romance and scenes that will force you into nail biting, The Calling is the perfect sequel. 


Kelley Armstrong is back again with a breath-taking adventure! Maya and her friends are on the run. After a horrific helicopter crash, the gang have to find a way to get out on the never-ending forest before they're caught. 


I don't remember what happened in The Gathering very clearly, but I did remember the important parts. The Calling picks up from where The Gathering left off, so I vague knew what was going on. 


This book kept me guessing and, unlike The Gathering, it kept me hooked. There was more action and more mysteries. Maya is strong and responsible, she took charge when everyone was falling apart. I really enjoyed the short moments where Maya and Rafe could flirt. It was extremely entertaining.

Overall, The Calling was a great sequel and I can't wait for the last book, The Rising. I'm sure Armstrong's got something good instore.

Rating

Obsidian Trailer

Hey,


I'm so excited to tell you guys that the Obsidian book trailer is now released!

Love it? If you have not read the book, you must do so RIGHT NOW! Just go to Amazon, The Book Depository, WHEREVER!! Need a bit more convincing? Read the blurb:

Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring.... until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.
And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something...unexpected happens. 

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon's touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. 

If I don't kill him first, that is.

Do you love the trailer? Leave a comment below!

Until next time,

Sam :)

Summer Reads Giveaway Hop

Hey,

Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Rex Robot Reviews

For this giveaway ONE winner can win ONE book of their choice worth £7/$10. This giveaway is International.

Giveaway Closed

Winner is: Laurie P.

Email me back ASAP!

Enter the other giveaways!

Until next time,
Sam :)

Waiting on Wednesday (8)

Hey,


This week I'm waiting on....

Cursed by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Release Date: September 18, 2012

Dying sucks--and high school senior Ember McWilliams knows firsthand. After a fatal car accident, her gifted little sister brought her back. Now anything Ember touches dies. And that, well, really blows.

Ember operates on a no-touch policy with all living things--including boys. When Hayden Cromwell shows up, quoting Oscar Wilde and claiming her curse is a gift, she thinks he’s a crazed cutie. But when he tells her he can help control it, she’s more than interested. There’s just one catch: Ember has to trust Hayden's adopted father, a man she's sure has sinister reasons for collecting children whose abilities even weird her out. However, she’s willing to do anything to hold her sister's hand again. And hell, she'd also like to be able to kiss Hayden. Who wouldn't?

But when Ember learns the accident that turned her into a freak may not've been an accident at all, she’s not sure who to trust. Someone wanted her dead, and the closer she gets to the truth, the closer she is to losing not only her heart, but her life. For real this time.

I can not wait for this one, I love Jennifer Armentrout! If you have not started reading her books I urge you to check them out ASAP!

Leave a link to your WoW post in the comments.

Until next time,

Sam :)