Saturday, June 26, 2010

Contest! Yay!

Here's a giveway for an ARC of Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton: http://courtney-allison.blogspot.com/2010/06/angelfire-cover-and-arcs-plus-contest.html


Something Like Fate Review

From Goodreads: Lani and Erin are bonded for life. One thing that connects them is their fascination of fate. Lani wonders how much of our lives has already been decided and how much we can actually influence. Since the Unknown can unexpectedly change our lives forever, how much can we really control?

From the minute Lani meets Jason, she can't deny the intense connection they share. It feels like she's known him forever. She's not sure if he feels it, too. But it doesn't matter. Because Jason is Erin's boyfriend. Lani is determined to ignore her feelings for Jason, no matter how powerful they are, rather than risk hurting her best friend.

How long can Lani keep running from the boy who might be her destiny?



Rating: 4.5/5 Stars


Characters: 4.75/5 Stars


Ending: 5/5 Stars

Lani and her best friend Erin believe in fate and destiny. They've been bound together for life by an accident from when they were kids and lately have been trying to keep themselves from drifting apart. But things get complicated when Erin, the eccentric one, starts falling for Jason. And so does Lani. The problem is, Jason is also falling for Lani. The inevitable happens when Erin goes away for 2 months in the summer. All of Lani's relationships are tested when school starts and all the truths come out.

Let me just say that Susane Colasanti is one of my favorite authors for her genre. I just think that this wasn't her best book. The end felt like just a draft or a way for her to get her ideas out. Her stories are always so realistic and normal, but this felt a little out there for her. I don't think she can do the whole mean-girl-bullying thing well. Also, Lani's gay best friend, the still closeted Blake, is a good character but his whole experience just didn't seem right to me for some reason. Like I said, it was like something was missing.

I did love learning about all the fate, horoscopes, and palm-reading stuff and just like always I love Susane's romance but it did feel a little bit lacking in this book.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Still Missing by Chevy Stevens Review

From Goodreads: On the day she was abducted, Annie O’Sullivan, a thirty-two year old Realtor, had three goals—sell a house, forget about a recent argument with her mother, and be on time for dinner with her ever- patient boyfriend. The open house is slow, but when her last visitor of the day pulls up in a van as she's about to leave, Annie thinks it just might be her lucky day after all.

Interwoven with the story of the year Annie spent captive of a sadistic psychopath in a remote mountain cabin, which unfolds through sessions with her psychiatrist, is a second narrative recounting events following her escape—her struggle to piece her shattered spirit back together and the ongoing police investigation into the identity of her captor.

The truth doesn’t always set you free.

Rating: 4.85/5 Stars

Characters: 5/5 Stars

Ending: 4.75/5 Stars


Annie O'Sullivan is your regular, modern-day woman. She has a boyfriend, her own house and dog, and works as a realtor. Unfortunately, her wonderful job is what gets her in trouble. While trying to sell an important house to a seemingly nice and rich man, she is kidnapped by him. After, being drugged she wakes up on a bed ina cabin with absolutely no open doors, windows, or even any crakcs. There are no weapons or any means of escape. She is horrifed, as anyone would be, and soon learns the rules of her kidnapper, aka The Freak.


The sequence of the novel starts and ends with Annie talking to her shrink, and the middle are her experiences with The Freak. You learn more of what she went through and what her lfe is like now- her relationships, eating habits, and peeing schedule(no lie). But most importnatly, you learn the true nature of her kidnapping.

Chevy Steven's writing is great- she made you feel the character's emotions but also made it light and comical at times. I was so emotional the whole time I was reading this. Annie's emotions were so real and all over the place the entire book, and mine followed suit. I wish Goodreads had half stars but...oh well. The only itsy bitsy problen had with this book was the end. Everything up until the felt realistic- like it could happen to anyone. I mean, what does happen technically could but it just changed my view.

500 Followers Contest

If you go to: http://shutupimreading.blogspot.com/2010/05/500-followers-contest.html you have the chance to win an awesome giveaway by Jessica, who is celebrating attaining 500 followers, although she has way more now.

Good luck!