ARC Review: Wake by Amanda Hocking + US Giveaway

Title: Wake
Story Arc: Series, Book 1
Publication: August 7, 2012 by St. Martin's Press
Hardcover: 320 pages
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Mythology
Age Group: Teen, Young Adult
Content: Kissing, Violence, Murder
Source: St. Martin's Press | Quote(s): No

Even over the sea, Thea could smell the blood on her.

ARC Review: Ascend (#3)

The following review contains
NO SPOILERS!

my thoughts in a few sentences: Torn may have been a lovely improvement in the series, but it's got nothing on Ascend. With this final installment came the realization that I was in love with this series and all it has to offer, from characters who range from cocky and vulnerable, sweet and insolent, and have grown so much, to a fascinatingly thought-out world to intense plot ties that span the entire series and hardly cease to entertain and excite. However, Ascend's biggest appeal is the all-sweetness-and-heat romance with a blinding flash of the forbidden intensifying the blushing hues of true love. Ascend is definitely my favorite in the series, an unforgettable finale—the brilliant story I was waiting for Hocking to deliver me.

hooking first lines: "I had my back to the room as I stared out the window.It was a trick I'd learned from my mother to make me seem more in control."

St. Martin's Griffin • Requested • Paranormal Romance • 4/24/12 • $6.74

Been There, Read That (1)

BEEN THERE, READ THAT is new feature I've created to spotlight up-and-coming pre-releases that might not have made it onto your radar yet. BEEN THERE, READ THAT was inspired by Lauren (365 Days of Reading), and her Picks of the Week, and Tara (Hobbitsies), and her Early Buzz posts.

Want a sneak peek at my thoughts about Destined by Aprilynne Pike? Check out my non-spoiler Thoughts In a Few Sentences here!

Want a sneak peek at my thoughts about Ascend by Amanda Hocking? Check out my non-spoiler Thoughts In a Few Sentences here!

Review: Torn (#2)

The following review contains NO SPOILERS!

my thoughts in a few sentences: Although I wasn't reduced to fangirl gushiness over Switched, Torn rapidly makes up for any lack I felt from its predecessor. The stakes are cranked up to a nearly unbearable volume, all but suffocating our relatable, mistake-making heroine who is doing her best to learn on her feet, hoping to pick up all the right cues and etiquette, not to mention the unyielding mentality of a princess while trying to balance her innate compassion into the equation. Wendy has the power to change things, to make a difference in this world she's only just been introduced to yet has quickly fallen for. It's her world now, and she has people to fight for. Fans of The Princess Diaries and The Iron Fey series combined will enjoy Wendy's tremulous journey into a character and ruler we can all adore.

hooking first line: "When Rhys and I showed up at my "brother" Matt's house at eight in the morning, he was happy... in the sense that he was glad I was alive and hadn't disappeared forever."

Rating: Sud-Kissed | St. Martin's Griffin • Requested • Paranormal Romance • 2/28/12 • $8.49

My Book Boyfriend for March: Loki

My Book Boyfriend is hosted by Missie at The Unread Reader, and it's a weekly meme in which you choose a fictional boy that makes your heart all gooey and write up a post for him. For more information, check out the introduction post. For sign ups and Missie's choice this week click here.

ARC Review: Switched

my thoughts in a few sentences: Although I was disappointed by what I found in Switched, given the tremendous hype shrouding it, potential lingers in the cast of characters, the mythology, and the storytelling. With a likable heroine front-and-center and her handsome stoic tracker, Finn, by her side, I picture the story reaching more engaging heights in the long run. However, I couldn't immerse myself in the tedious moments in her new home, lack of interesting interactions, and the touch of romance that follows the same overdone path, in which the leading man must protect the heroine from her own desires, insinuating what's better for her future. More action, less tedium is the order of the day!

hooking first line: " A couple things made that day stand out more than any other: it was my sixth birthday, and my mother was wielding a knife. "

Rating: Guilty Pleasure | St. Martin's Griffin • Gift • Paranormal Romance/Fantasy • 1/3/12 • $7.99