Challenge Wrap-Up for Feb 2014

So, I forgot to do this for January so this is my post for both January and February for the wrap ups of all my posts.

However, before I start on those I am announcing a new challenge I joined this month 

As a new blogger I got in over my head last year with eArcs.  Mostly from Netgalley.  I requested a whole lot thinking as a new book blogger I will maybe get 1/20 if lucky.  Hah!  Over half my requests were approved and that meant trouble.  I am trying to get out of the hole I dug and hope this will help.  I am starting off as a Gold level which means I need to read at least 50 books from these two eArc sites.   I really hope to increase that but real life this year has me taking baby steps in my reading promises.

 So thus far this year I have only read and reviewed 1 book from them.   Please note I have read a few more but need to get reviews up here still. What I have read/reviewed toward this challenge:

  

And now for the other challenges.  Please note, some challenge books can overlap with other challenges. 

 

2 books so far this year out of 50+.

    

Again, I have read a few others but reviews are not up yet.  I still have some older reviews from books I read in Dec 2013 to get up and those were my focus for Feb. 

Discussional-Running Late? Inspired by Ghost Town

Ok, so while the main subject is not officially book related, this post was inspired by something I read.  I recently finished Ghost Town by Rachel Caine (great book by the way) and toward the beginning there is a scene between Clare and Shane where she is getting ready for class and he stalls her a bit.  She then goes to take a longer than normal shower from what she is used to.  Then as she debates on washing her breakfast dishes she decides not to and leaves them for Shane to do, since it is (in her opinion) his fault she is running late.

My questioning is this:  Why do we blame others whenever we run late.  Yes, in this book Shane held her up a few minutes, but she had time for a long shower?  Um...no.  I know sometimes we can point the finger somewhere else but it seems most of the time it is our fault.  We sleep in during the morning then blame kids, pets, traffic etc when we are late.   We can spend a long time shopping, just simply browsing but can get utterly bent out of shape when stuck in the checkout line.   

I use 'we' loosely.  Some are more prone to finger point than others but it seems to be a rising trend.   To avoid taking responsibility for our time and actions.  Why do we do this?  Why blame others for our choices of how we utilize the time we are given?  Does this happen a lot to you?  Have you seen this happen to others or know others who do this regularly?  Leave me your thoughts!

Top Ten Tuesday 14

 

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

 

So this a a rewind week to do a past Top Ten that we missed.  So I am doing  the Original #10 post for Books I Can't Believe I've Never Read.

I have gone through my 'to-read' list and sorted by total number of ratings and then by highest rating average, also books that have been on my list the longest.  Here is a mix of the results

 

 

       

      

      

Book Blitz Giveaway and Character Interview-- The Shadow Soul by Kaitlyn Davis

 

The Shadow Soul (A Dance of Dragons, #1)

by Kaitlyn Davis

Release Date: 02/20/ 14

GAME OF THRONES meets GRACELING in a new fantasy series by bestselling author Kaitlyn Davis.

Jinji has been haunted by the death of her twin brother for ten years. Now, on the dawn of her joining, the nightmare that claimed him has returned for her.

Prince Whylrhen is determined to prevent the past from repeating itself. His kingdom is expecting a new heir, and he will stop at nothing to keep the child safe.

Though they've never met, the two share a deep secret—magic. Jinji can weave the elements to create master illusions and Whylrhen can pull burning flames into his flesh. But neither of them knows what they are truly capable of until a chance encounter brings them together. For their story has played out before, in a long forgotten time—an age of myth that is about to be reborn…

Stacking the Shelves 34

 

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, every Weekend. This is to share books I have acquired from various sources. Physical books & ebooks both are welcome. If its something being sent to me by mail, I will not mention it until I actually receive it. 

   

♥  ♦  ♣  ♠ 

Ebook Freebies

Click title link to see it is is still free and grab a copy. These were still free as of Sat. 2/22

 

                              Anathema (Cloud Prophet Trilogy, #1                                 Forget prophecy. Make your own destiny.

Sheltered from the outside world with no hope for escape, slave girl Reychel  dreads her fifteenth birthday - when her master’s symbol is burned on the back of her bald scalp. Her best friend disappears the night before, leaving her to face the branding ceremony alone. She soon discovers nothing is as it seems when people desperate for freedom beg for Reychel's help.

Can Reychel learn to believe in herself?

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Anathema (Causal Enchantment, #1) 

Evangeline has spent her teenage years in obscurity. Her foster parents have the emotional aptitude of robots and her classmates barely acknowledge her existence. About to turn eighteen and feeling like a social pariah, she is desperate to connect with someone. Anyone.

When Evangeline meets Sophie after literally stumbling upon her café, she believes she’s found that connection. Willing to do anything to keep it, she accepts a job as Sofie’s assistant and drops everything to fly to Manhattan, where she is thrust into a luxurious world of Prada, diamonds, and limitless cash.

With such generosity and kindness, it’s easy for Evangeline to dismiss certain oddities... like Sofie’s erratic and sometimes violent behavior, and the monstrous guard dogs. She’s even willing to dismiss her vivid dreams of mob-style murders, beautiful homeless people living in caves, and white-eyed demons that haunt her each night as figments of her imagination—especially when one of those figments is the gorgeous Caden. When she wakes up with bite marks on her neck, the fairy tale quickly turns into a nightmare. She slowly unravels the mystery surrounding Sofie and friends, and the reality of the bites and the “dreams.” What she discovers is far more mysterious and terrible than anything she could have imagined.

In a world where everyone has motive to lie for personal gain, Evangeline must decide which deception is least likely to get her killed.

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Mark of the Mage (The Scribes of Medeisia) 

Books never die, but they can be forbidden.

Medeisia is a country in turmoil ruled by a blood thirsty king who has outlawed the use of magic and anything pertaining to knowledge. Magery and scribery are forbidden. All who practice are marked with a tattoo branded onto their wrists, their futures precarious.

Sixteen year-old Drastona Consta-Mayria lives secluded, spending her spare time in the Archives of her father's manor surrounded by scribes. She wants nothing more than to become one of them, but when the scribes are royally disbanded, she is thrust into a harsh world where the marked must survive or die.    

TGIF Weekly 30

T . G. I. F.  Weekly   

Here,  YOU, the reader get to help me pick out my upcoming reads and reviews.  Vote  for  what book you want to see a review for by leaving a comment stating your desire out of the 3 choices.  Most voted on by Tuesday will be posted between Wednesday and Friday (before the next TGIF post).  I might even post more than 1 review for these depending on how many vote and on what other posts I have set up (especially other reviews).  Also past books (if not reviewed) may come up in future TGIFs. 

 Also I have a poll up on the right column to vote for my upcoming reads.   Last chance to vote before I change it over for March.  The more votes the higher the chances of that book being read sooner and the higher the chances of a review soon. I will change the books listed for the polls every couple weeks so be on the lookout for changes to the list.  Old books may remain until read but this way I can hopefully better cater to reader's interest. :) 

The last pick:
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This was a genre choice.  Requested was Fairy Tale Retellings.  So I reviewed Beastly.  

This Weeks Choices:

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In this breathtaking debut that reads like Gossip Girl crossed with Twin Peaks, a Queen Bee at a blue-blooded New England prep school stumbles into a murder mystery.

Anne Dowling practically runs her exclusive academy on New York’s Upper East Side—that is, until she accidentally burns part of it down and gets sent to a prestigious boarding school outside of Boston. Determined to make it back to New York, Anne couldn't care less about making friends at the preppy Wheatley School. That is, until her roommate Isabella’s body is found in the woods behind the school.

When everyone else is oddly silent, Anne becomes determined to uncover the truth no matter how many rules she has to break to do it. With the help of Isabella’s twin brother Anthony, and a cute classmate named Brent, Anne discovers that Isabella wasn’t quite the innocent nerdy girl she pretended to be. But someone will do anything to stop Anne’s snooping in this fast-paced, unputdownable read—even if it means framing her for Isabella’s murder.

Top Ten Tuesday 13

 

Hosted by Broke and Bookish.

 

 

Top Ten Reasons I Love Being A Blogger/Reader

 

So I will be sharing a mix of both here.

 

Reader-  All the different genres available provide some great entertainment.  Depending on my mood, books almost always can provide me something that I can find interesting.  Be it fantasy. mystery, horror or a few laughs!  

 

Reader- All the worlds to explore!  I love the escape from my reality and life.  Be it literally another world, time, or even just place.  I get to be  somewhere else while still being safe and comfortable in my own home. 

 

Blogger- I get to share awesome books  (or not so awesome at times) with others! 

Happy Marriage Vol 2 by Maki Enjoji (review)

 

Happy Marriage Volume 2

By Maki Enjoji

Genre: Manga, Graphic Novel
Published Oct 2013

 Pages: 192

Publisher: Viz Media

Buy Happy Marriage?!, Vol. 2 

Summary:  "A working-girl romance

In order to help her father, Chiwa Takanashi agrees to an arranged marriage with the company president, Hokuto Mamiya—a man she doesn’t know—at the request of Hokuto’s grandfather. Chiwa believes the arrangement isn’t binding, but her new partner seems to think otherwise. Can two strangers living together find their way to a happy marriage?!

Chiwa Takanashi has married a total stranger—company president Hokuto Mamiya—to get her father out of debt. Hokuto has pledged fidelity to her, but then the tabloids break the news of him dating a famous actress. Though Hokuto has denied having an affair, Chiwa starts confiding her worries to Yu Yagami, a handsome new company recruit. Is the contract they signed the only thing holding their marriage together?"

Review:  This volume picks up right where the first volume leaves off. Chiwa and Hokuto in a new, unknown marriage of circumstance. While the first volume introduces us to the story and characters, this volume goes much more into personality and lifestyle specifics of the newlyweds.

Stacking the Shelves 33

 

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, every Weekend. This is to share books I have acquired from various sources. Physical books & ebooks both are welcome. If its something being sent to me by mail, I will not mention it until I actually receive it.

 ♥  ♦  ♣  ♠ 

Gifted

Oz, the Great Wizard! The very name of L. Frank Baum's magical character conjures a world where diminutive munchkins live and work, wicked witches run riot, and the mighty Oz himself rules over an Emerald City reached by a yellow brick road. The Wizard of Oz: The First Five Novels is your passport to this marvelous realm and wonders that have enchanted readers young and old for more than a century. Lavishly illustrated by W. W. Denslow and John R. Neill, this volume includes:

• The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
• The Marvelous Land of Oz
• Ozma of Oz
• Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz
• The Road to Oz

 

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Annie Crawford is an ex-cop living a double life. After her fiancé is murdered and she is left for dead, she’s desperate and seeking vengeance. She turns to a vigilante agency headed by a man with his own secrets. Annie must work for them as they investigate the murder and help her find the answers she needs.

Now working on the wrong side of the law, Annie’s life has one purpose: justice. Justice for her fiancé and for the city she lives in. But as Annie’s strength grows, the agency struggles to control her, putting everyone involved at risk. And the deeper Annie sinks into this new life the more she fears she may never return.

 

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  For Review

When the Empire threatens the galaxy’s new hope, will Han, Luke, and Leia become its last chance?

When the mission is to extract a high-level rebel spy from the very heart of the Empire, Leia Organa knows the best man for the job is Han Solo—something the princess and the smuggler can finally agree on. After all, for a guy who broke into an Imperial cell block and helped destroy the Death Star, the assignment sounds simple enough.

But when Han locates the brash rebel agent, Scarlet Hark, she’s determined to stay behind enemy lines. A pirate plans to sell a cache of stolen secrets that the Empire would destroy entire worlds to protect—including the planet where Leia is currently meeting with rebel sympathizers. Scarlet wants to track down the thief and steal the bounty herself, and Han has no choice but to go along if he’s to keep everyone involved from getting themselves killed. From teeming city streets to a lethal jungle to a trap-filled alien temple, Han, Chewbacca, Leia, and their daring new comrade confront one ambush, double cross, and firestorm after another as they try to keep crucial intel out of Imperial hands.

But even with the crack support of Luke Skywalker’s X-Wing squadron, the Alliance heroes may be hopelessly outgunned in their final battle for the highest of stakes: the power to liberate the galaxy from tyranny or ensure the Empire’s reign of darkness forever.

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  R.A. Salvatore’s New York Times best-selling saga continues as dark elf Drizzt Do’Urden returns to Gauntlgrym with old friends by his side once again, as they seek to rescue Bruenor’s loyal shield dwarf-turned-vampire. But not only do Drizzt and his allies face a perilous journey through the Underdark and the dangers of the undead that lie within, but they must cross through a colony of drow, who would like nothing better than to see Drizzt Do’Urden dead. 

 

 

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 Inspired by classic fairy tales, but with a dark and sinister twist, Grim contains short stories from some of the best voices in young adult literature today:
Ellen Hopkins                                    Amanda Hocking
Julie Kagawa                                         Claudia Gray
Rachel Hawkins                               Kimberly Derting
Myra McEntire                                     Malinda Lo
Sarah Rees-Brennan                          Jackson Pearce
Christine Johnson                         Jeri Smith Ready
Shaun David Hutchinson                Saundra Mitchell
Sonia Gensler                           Tessa Gratton
Jon Skrovan

Beastly by Alex Flinn (review)

Beastly  

By Alex Flinn

 

Genre: Fairy Tales, Young Adult
Published Oct 2007
Pages: 304

Publisher: HarperTeen

Buy  Beastly

Summary: "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:  'Beauty and the Beast' has always been a favorite fairy tale for me. Therefore reading this had me quite exciting. I had already seen the movie and enjoyed it and I was pleasantly surprised when I learned about the book.

    This retelling takes place in a more modern day world, and starts with our "Beast" - Kyle. A rich, spoiled, popular pretty-boy who seems to have it all. When he plays a prank on the wrong girl he is cursed into a beast and we quickly learn this guy had nothing. He is moved to a private apartment, hidden away from the rest of the world. While at first he comes off as selfish and shallow (and in many ways is) it is quick to learn where his habits come from. His desire to change and grow after awhile impresses me. Especially his love toward his garden.

Manga/Graphic Novel/Video Game Novel Challenge 2014

  
Another Challenge to join!

For this challenge it is all about the Comics, Mangas, or video game tie-ins (warcraft, bioshock novels, etc).   Sounds right up my alley!
I will add this to my other 2 challenges.  Expect my first challenge monthly wrap-up post toward the end of Febuary (sorry I missed January)

I will start at:

• Level 3 Warcraft – Hardcore Player

  • Read a total of 25 – 35 books.
   

Feel free to join me!  
 

Stacking the Shelves 32

 

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, every Weekend. This is to share books I have acquired from various sources. Physical books & ebooks both are welcome. If its something being sent to me by mail, I will not mention it until I actually receive it. 

♥  ♦  ♣  ♠ 

For Review 

  

"Hime Kino's dream is to one day do voice acting like her hero Sakura Aoyama from the Lovely Blazer anime, and getting accepted to the prestigious Holly Academy's voice actor department is the first step in the right direction! But Hime's gruff voice has earned her the scorn of teachers and students alike. Hime will not let that stand unchallenged. She'll show everyone that she is too a voice acting princess, whether they like it or not!!

After days of grueling training at Yamad's special voice acting retreat, Hime can finally bring forth her prince voice! Now she's ready to start her next job as a recurring character in an exciting new anime. But her first day on the set doesn't go as she'd hoped. Why do her costars and the producers seem to hate her when they just met her?!"

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   "Sad at the thought of spending Christmas alone, Kurumi Sagara goes out for a walk. While she's crossing the street, a boy bumps into her, and a rein suddenly appears that binds them together. The overjoyed boy tells her she's his master and that she's a Santa Claus. Kurumi dismisses him as a crazy person, but then he transforms into a reindeer?!

Kurumi and Kaito have remained together for a year, but a Dark Santa appears, intent on breaking the two apart. Kurumi and Kaito's rein is severed, and the Dark Santa takes control of Kaito. Can Kurumi manage to get Kaito back, even when she's still unsure if he's truly happy as her servant?"

 

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  "Caught between life and death, all Callie wants is to live again.

Homicide detective Callie Saunders knows that death isn’t all pearly gates and angels. After being hit by a bus, she finds that it's the ancient gods and goddesses of Greek mythology who are in charge of everything.

So when Hades offers her a deal, she accepts. If she wants to be brought back to life, she’ll have to figure out who is trying to kill his son. But if she fails, both her soul and the world will be destroyed.
With the odds mounting against her, it’ll take everything she has within her to wake up from death. But the rules are constantly changing. And someone wants her to stay dead."

 

Romance is in the Air Giveaway Hop

 

Winners choice between:

   

Literary Blog Hop Giveaway!!!

 

So this giveaway is to break away from the Paranormal, Romance and/or Young adult books that so easily populate many book blogs (including this one!).  

I know time is of value so here is what I have for grabs:

 

Summary:  "Against the backdrop of the global economic downturn, the need for work brings Mara from Latvia to South East London. Working for Spencer in the Hungry Londoner Café is not easy—he’s a sleazy, woman-hating, low-life with no moral compass and a bad gambling habit and, when he goes a step too far, Mara tries to think of a way to get even.

One evening, Mara discovers mysterious drawings of wild flowers on the pavement of the Pendean Council Housing Estate and can’t stop thinking about who has created them and why…

Callum is a young Irish gardener, working in London. A handsome, enigmatic figure, his solitary efforts to bring beauty into people’s consciousness captivates Mara. Fate and unstoppable chemistry throw Mara and Callum together and start a chain of events that they quickly lose control of.

When Mara discovers Spencer is organising ‘back-room’ fighting, the pair plan an elaborate sting to part Spencer from his ill-gotten profits. The scam takes them ever deeper into the murky and dangerous world of urban fight gambling and challenges Callum’s understanding of who he is and what he wants from life.

The gripping conclusion reveals the unpredictability of human nature and how revenge can become a double edged sword. A story of outsiders, human frailty and self-realization."

TGIF Weekly 29

T . G. I. F.  Weekly 

 Hi everyone!  So, Last week no one voted.  So no featured review was made this week.   Where did all my manga fans go last week?  Or did I just have bad options?  

Anyways, going to do things a bit differently this week.  I have been prepping several reviewss that are about ready to be shared and I want to get them up.  What I want from everyone this week is to simply comment with what genres you would like to see reviews for over the next  7 days!  I make no promises that I have  review ready for your genre of choice so mentioning two or tree may be a good idea.  Based on comment response is what  types of reviews go up. I want to get up at least 3 this week!   So let me know what are you in the mood for this coming week?

 

Also, be sure to vote in the poll to your right  and check out the giveaways I have starting Feb 8th!!!

 

Stone Soldiers: Mythical (Book 1) by C.E. Martin (review)

 

 Stone Soldiers:

Mythical (1)

By C.E. Martin 

Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy

 Published June 2012
Pages: 282 
Buy Mythical (Stone Soldiers #1)







Summary:  "Mark Kenslir is the last of the Cold War super soldiers- and he's just come back from the dead. With no memory of who, or what killed him, he sets out to piece together his past with the help of two teens that find him wandering the Arizona desert. After returning to a modern world he doesn't remember, Kenslir starts to remember his final mission: stop a prehistoric shapeshifter that steals the lifeforce, form and memories of its victims- by tearing out and eating their hearts." 
 


Review:  Like Fantasy? Like superheroes? Then I recommend you take a lot into this book!

It starts off with a group of young adults finding a burned boat, with what appears to be a body, in the middle of the desert. Th body turns out to just be a statue wearing pants, with a hole in its chest, or so it seems. A few hours later said statue is found drinking their water supply and appeared as flesh and blood as anyone else with no wound. The group quickly learns this mad is bullet proof and super strong and most take off. Josie and Jimmy stick around and learn that the man's name is Mark remembers dying in 1962. Josie decides to keep him around, to help him out and learn what happened. Meanwhile agents are hot on their trail, desperate to bring Mark in.

This story covers Medusa, dragons, shapeshifters, etc with superheroes. Normally I would not like the combination but C.E. Martin really pulls it off well. A great blend of the two. Mark's character is more in depth than what he shares with Josie and Jimmy and I believe, deeper that what we got to see thus far in this first book. Jimmy is a great character whom I wish I was able to get a better feel of. I wanted more from him.

One discrepancy I noticed was how Mark uses money. Now, this is going off the fact that Mark has no memory from 1962 to today 2013 (the year they say the story takes place). When the find Mark he has about $4000 in his pocket dated 2000-something, which is how they know there must be a memory lapse. Yet when one of the boys gets hurt he gives enough money to cover a basic doctor visit based on current cost. When they stop for food and gas he pulls out several $20s. Now, how does he know how much to pull. $4000 should have seemed like a WHOLE lot of money to him from the early 1960's. $20 should have easily covered food and gas. How does he know cost and why doesn't Josie comment or notice that he has some memory? Just a question that I came across.

This takes nothing away from the book however and I loved the adventure!  Completely worth the read! 4 (almost 4.5) worthy dragons!

**Special Note:  C.E. Martin actually saw this review about my "awesome nitpick" andhow he does the same thing!   Very cool message to get, especially when he sent me a free copy offer for the second book!  Happy times!**