30.4.11

A Year Gone By... (#17)

Lover Mine (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #8)Lover Mine - J.R Ward
Released - 27th April 2010
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This is one big series! If l am honest, l doubt l will ever get the time to start it!
.Rating - (By My Goodreads Friends)
Nine 5 Star Ratings
Three 4 Star Ratings
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Reviews 
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The Carrie Diaries

Released - 27th April 2010

This sounds like a fun read and maybe one day l will read it!
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Rating - (By My Goodreads Friends)
Four 5 Star Ratings
Three 4 Star Ratings
Two 3 Star Ratings
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Reviews
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Fate (My Blood Approves, #2)
Released - 25th April 2010
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I think l have at least the first of this series on my kindle, this author has done really well for themselves!
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Rating - (By My Goodreads Friends)
One 5 Star Ratings
Five 4 Star Ratings
One 3 Star Ratings
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Reviews
                                     My Vamp Fiction  


29.4.11

Dicussion Form!

So l need a lot of people for this discussion, around 20 would be good! I usually close the form after 10 so l will have to see if there is 20 wonderful people out there!
This discussion is about Libraries. Do you visit your library? If you don't, why?


The discussion for people who DO visit their library (even if it's once a month!) is here
Thanks, l got 10 people! =)
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The discussion for people who DON'T visit their library is here

If your not sure which form you should fill out as you rarely (less than once a month) go to your library then have a look at both forms and see which suits you best =)


P.S Really sorry, l forgot to put the blog section on the last form, if people who fill it out want to leave their blog link in a comment or else l will search for your blog on google using your emails!

Discussion Post - Planning ahead or not?

Sorry about not doing the discussion last week. Believe it or not, these discussions take hours and hours to do and l have to plan how to set it all out so l have to have some free time which l didn't last week!
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Anyway, this weeks discussion is on planning. I know some people plan ahead what books they are reading and others don't at all.


My Thoughts
I have actually started to (finally) be organised and l now use gmail calendar with all the dates of upcoming books which l need to review. I usually read these books around 2 weeks before so l guess that is kind of planned but otherwise l will usually pick from around 5 books which need to be read soon. If l have time in-between reviews (very unlikely lately) then l can pick from my something like 300 books on what to read next .. which is hard!


Plan far ahead (month or so)
Review Books
A lot of bloggers who accept books for review may have a whole months schedule set out to ensure they get all the books read by their deadline (when the review is due.)
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Karen said - With having so many review books to get through for certain dates I have to be organised.  I currently have my next 16 books lined up.
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Sarai said - I have to plan ahead b/c I review books for authors that are coming out and 2 websites that ask for books to be read and reviewed by a certain date.
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Yiota said - I schedule when to start a book, if there is review scheduled for it. That means tours, NetGalley or certain periods given from the authors.
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Small Review said - I don't mean to, but I usually end up having the next month's reading planned out as a result of review books and library books.
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Plan a few books ahead
Moonstar said - I have a little bunch of books that I have planned reading in the nearest future. Then I just have to choose which of them to read first.
Choosing when you have finished current book
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Mish@ said I am planning ahead because i have to read my ARCs at first and next I can read my own books. 
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Jules said - I like to plan ahead because it allows me to get a bit excited about what is coming next and I love reading reviews related to it or the author.
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Not Planning
Library/borrowing -
I used to rely on my library a lot and just tended to read what l got from the library (even though l still had 200 at home to read!). The library is mostly unpredictable and sometimes you can pick up something which you wouldn't usually.
Caroline said - My friend and I usually borrow eachothers books, so if I've bought a new one, and she wants to borrow it, I make it my priority to read it first.
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Book Circle -
I don't join in with these as l already have so much to read but l like the idea of a group choosing a book and you all reading it! If you are part of a book circle though it's impossible to always plan ahead.
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Booketta said -  I don't know what book circle read will come through my letterbox and the group read is a group choice.


Mood
Everyone has times they are in a mood for a certain book and other times will fancy reading a totally different book! A lot of the people who filled the form out (80%) said that they are mood readers.

Lesley said -  I think I am a mood reader so the planning doesn't always work out.
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Rebecca said -  I'm a mood reader through and through and therefore I can never really know what I'm in the mood for when actually having finished a book.

Genre's/Series
I totally agree with Jess! l love reading different genres so like to mix it all up!
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Jess from Jess Hearts Books said - I don't like reading one book from the same genre after another I like to mix it up a bit or I find myself getting bored.
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Caroline said - I started two series last month (Gallagher Girls and the Wolves of Mercy Falls), I now have the sequels, so I'm reading them next.
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Lesley said - I try to alternate between a new book, a middle of a series book and an older book I have been meaning to read for ages.
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Mish@ said - But first I am reading books from my favourite series like Anita Blake, Mercy Thompson an so on.


Do you like planning ahead?
Karen said - I don't actually like knowing what I'm going to (or have to) read next, but having to organise for reviews feels like a necessity to me.  
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Yiota said - I hate scheduling books. There is no fun with it and feels like a chore. I've lost many galleys at NetGalley cause i couldn't put myself to read that certain book before the expire date.
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Small Review said -  They both have deadlines, so they sort of force me to plan a little. 


How to choose?
Quite a few bloggers said they read the first few pages of a few books and see what catches their attention the most/first :


Caroline said - I'll check the synopsis again, and maybe check out the first page and decide from there.
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Jules said - I really hate the few times where I finish a book and don't have one already lined up, that is when I usually start a couple and see what catches my attention first. 
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Rebecca said - Often I read the first few pages of one to three books I find interesting at the time, and then stick with the one that appeals to me the most!
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Yiota said -  i'm just staring at them and pick the one which speaks at me at the time. Sometimes is the cover,sometimes the story, sometimes excitement,etc.
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Small Review said - If it's a book I've been dying to read, then I'll drop everything I had planned and read that book. 
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Lesley said - Usually I have read something about the book which makes me want to read it like a good review or recommendation. I am also a complete sucker for a pretty cover. 
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What do you think? Do you LIKE knowing what books you are going to read next? Do you HAVE to know what books you are going to read next due to review books?
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Thank you
Booketta - Bookette's Blog
Caroline
Rebecca - Kindle Fever
Small Review - Small Review

28.4.11

*Review* : Phantom Universe - Laura Kreitzer

Book review of Phantom Universe by Laura Kreitzer
Phantom Universe (Summer Chronicles #1)
Series - #1 : Summer Chronicles 
Released : 15th February 2011
Publisher: Obsidian Mountain Publishing
Format : Ebook
Source :  BLB Tours
Finished : 25th April 2011
Overall rating -
Photobucket

Sold into slavery to pirates at the young age of four, Summer learns to survive the rough seas of subterfuge and thieves through silence. When the boat she's lived on most of her life is destroyed, Summer finds herself washed up on the shore of a new world, a phantom universe full of the bizarre and extraordinary. She meets Gage, the one boy who understands the girl with no speech. But when their lives are put on the line, will Summer finally call out? Or will all be lost in the fathomless depth of silence?
Possible very very slight spoilers
I have really mixed feelings on this book and continue to even though l finished it on Monday. For many reasons l really like this book but there are a few things which take this book down from a 4.5 or even a possible 5 star rating.
It didn’t take me long to get into this book, after one chapter l was gripped into Summer’s world and desperately wanting to constantly find out what happens next. What l really loved and what engrossed me is how Laura takes you (the reader) back in time throughout the book to show you things that have gone on in Summer’s life (flashbacks). It was a really shame when Laura just suddenly stopped doing that as l really liked how l was desperate to find out what happens next and then the book would go to something that happened in the past.
Summer as a character is a very loveable one who you are quickly made to feel sympathy for and see things through her eyes, some chapters were quite hard to read and this book is in no way an easy read. You call tell the author, Laura, really feels strongly about the sad truth about kidnapping and has done research into this (she did a guest post on my blog). The characters around Summer really made me feel so many things from admiration for being patience to hatred.
For me, some twists and turns in this book made me think and l still don’t know if l like it or not. The problem, for me, with the time travel in this book is how much it lefts unsaid until quite late in the book. For a lot of the book l didn’t really understand the time travel and was left waiting and waiting for the explanation and it became such a big issue in the book. l was surprised that when Laura explained it, it seemed rushed and like she use it to add to her story but didn’t explain enough into what actually happened. Then of course along with the time travel came technology which most of the time Laura was great to keep it simple and not add too many advanced things which we wouldn’t understand.
This book touches on some very tough subjects which Laura wrote in an emotional and touching way which definitely made me feel for Summer. I feel maybe the time travel and the twists took too much away from the most interesting part of this book which was the kidnapping and when big issues like wars brought into it, l wanted more explanation than was offered. That said, l don’t want to take anything away from the twists which are totally unexpected and very intriguing.
I think in some ways this book would be perfect for a standalone if just another chapter was added to round things up but you can definitely tell there is going to be another book in the series (which there is)
Over-all l REALLY recommend this book for anyone who is drawn in by the blurb as this book is such much better than even the blurb makes it sounds. 
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Ratings :
Plot : 4/5
Cover : 3.5/5
Page Turner : 4/5
Characters : 4.5/5
Ending : 4/5
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Part of a series -

2011 Books Challenges 
None
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Buy your copy
Amazon (UK)
Amazon (USA)

The Time Will Come #14

The Time Will Come - 
Basically every Thursday l am going to list a book which l really want to read/keep meaning to get to. These are all books which have been on my shelf for awhile now but don't have to be, maybe you got it two weeks ago and really want to read it! 


Other 'The Time Will Come' Posts -
#6 #7 #8 #9 #10 #11 #12 #13
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I have had this for ages now! Well probably just over a year. It's only a little book with around 250 pages so when l do finally get to it, l should read it quickly! I might be doing a UK giveaway for this book so keep a look out for it ;) Not 100% yet though so don't hold me to it!
Oh and l love this cover, it seems like a good summer read so should definitely start it soon =)



Michael Griffo - When I'm Not Writing, You'll Find Me

When I’m Not Writing, You’ll Find Me:
Michael Griffo
Unnatural (Archangel Academy, #1)As everyone knows the process of writing can be a solitary and sedentary endeavour. So, whenever I’m not writing I try (as best I can) to do something that gets me away from the desk and out of a sitting position. I’m not always successful, but I do love to be as active as possible. I find it to be a great balance to my writing if I can be really physical in my activities.
During the winter, I love to go skiing and this year was able to go down a few double diamond slopes. Of course, I skied down the first one by accident, which was a good thing because if I had known it was such an expert run, I probably would’ve chickened out. The good news is that I didn’t break a leg and made it down each time without even falling! I also love to go ice skating as much as possible since there’s an outdoor rink near where I live.
When the weather is nice, I try to play as much tennis as possible. I started playing a lot more with my nephew a few years ago and when we started I routinely beat him every time. Now, ‘the student has become the master’ as he likes to say and I have to work twice as hard to beat him a few times. The best thing is that it’s a great workout and it’s something that he and I enjoy doing together. Other than I ride my bike a lot, swim, and have been trying to get back into yoga – though I haven’t been as successful doing that as I’d like.
And when I don’t feel like being physical you can find me on my couch re-reading some classic novel like Jane Eyre, my favorite! Or watching old TV shows on DVD like Dark Shardows or this lost gem I recently stumbled across called Strange Paradise. Trust, me, it truly is strange, but I love it.


Find Michael Griffo/ Buy Unnatural  :
Amazon (UK)
Amazon (USA)

27.4.11

Waiting on Wednesday (#16)

Waiting on Wednesday
"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
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I much prefer the USA cover! (here)
The Vampire Stalker
The Vampire Stalker - Allison Van Diepen
I have had my eye on this book since the cover was first released (the usa one) which l really love.
Admitting, the USA cover was what first attracted me to the book but then l read this blurb and thought it sounded amazing and totally different from book l have ever read before!
I have seen on blogs that people say Vampires is a 'pass time' but for me they definitely are. I haven't actually read that many Vampire books and this is one that is at the top of my list!


The Blurb - 
What if the characters in a vampire novel left their world--and came into yours?
Amy is in love with someone who doesn't exist: Alexander Banks, the dashing hero in a popular series of vampire novels. Then one night, Amy meets a boy who bears an eerie resemblance to Alexander. In fact, he IS Alexander, who has escaped from the pages of the book and is in hot pursuit of a wicked vampire named Vigo. Together, Amy and Alexander set out to track Vigo and learn how and why Alexander crossed over. But when she and Alexander begin to fall for each other, Amy wonders if she even wants him to ever return to the realm of fiction.

26.4.11

Paperback or Hardback? (#18)


RoomRoom>> Hardback                                 
Paperback <3 <<
I like both these covers but l don't think either of them tell the reader a lot of what the book is about. The PB definitely tells you a lot more than the HB though. I like how the PB is like a TV and how the house has no windows. I think that hints to what the book is about. For me though, there is too much writing at the botttom. HB has less writing on the cover and is a nice sort of simple cover but doesn't tell you anything about the book. 
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Paperback <<
I don't really like either but l don't hate either of them. The problem is,l dislike BOOK covers having a FILM picture on them. I like both of these separate. If l am reading a book l like to have my own characters and l think that is hard enough without a picture from the film being right in your face. I like the simpleness of the HB and the colours. It doesn't have a lot crammed on it either. 
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Bridget Jones's Diary - Helen Fielding
Bridget Jones's DiaryBridget Jones's Diary>> Hardback
Paperback <<
I actually can't choose a cover for this book. I added these covers because of how STRANGE the HB cover is. Have you ever seen anything so strange? The PB is a nice picture but it has so much crammed onto it in every corner possible! The title is also in quite a random place from my point of view. Neither of these would grab my attention. Well that's a lie, the HB would because of how strange it is!


Blogger really annoys me sometimes! The formatting goes so strange so l apologise. 

The winner + New giveaway!!

is.....
Elaina W : Ereader89
- I will be emailing Elaina today. She has 72 hours to reply or a new winner will be picked.
To see how l pick my winners please click here (Example is a previous giveaway)

New Giveaway!
I reviewed Kissed From Beyond in March and now the lovely authors are letting me host a giveaway where the winner can pick ONE book.

Rules :
- International
- You don't need to be a follower 
- Ends 6th May
- Please note these are erotica books so need to be 18 or over

How to enter :
Comment on THIS post
You can tweet for one extra entry. (No facebook)
Tweeting is the only extra entry and please do a separate comment (+1)
Leave your email

What can you win?
You have a choice of these e books :

25.4.11

Cover Crazy #15

Other Cover Crazy posts - ##9 #10 #11 #12 #13 #14
Hosted by thebookworms
This is the UK cover for Unearthly, l don't LOVE it but l do really like it.
Not sure which one l like more, the USA or UK one
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I like this cover because - 
- The colours, the blue around her feet as well as the sun shining through the trees, very pretty!
- I love how the title stands out clearly and the font.
- It's simple, not lots of writing all squeezed on the cover
- The pattern, l believe it's wings? 

Girls Without a Bookshelf giveaway!

This is such an amazing giveaway + it has AMAZING books, some which are at the top of my wishlist l wanted to share it with you all so you don't miss out!

24.4.11

This Week's Round Up

Reviews 
The Discovery of Socket Greeny - Tony Bertauski

Minder - Kate Kaynak
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My Favourite read this week -
100% it is Die For Me! Review to come but just to let you know, it will all just be "omg it was amazing .. this was amazing .. that was amazing"!

A book blog featuring Romance, Dark Romance and New Adult