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Monday, January 24, 2011

In My Mailbox - January 24, 2011

In My Mailbox was started by Krist @ The Story Siren, inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie.

December 1, 2010 - Purchased from Amazon for $2.39

Freak of nature takes on a whole new meaning...

If she hadn't been so clueless, she might have seen it coming. But really, who expects to get into a relaxing bathtub after a stressful day of shopping for tankinis and come out with scales and a tail? 

Most. Embarrassing. Moment. Ever.

Jade soon discovers she inherited her mermaid tendencies from her mom. But if Mom was a mermaid, how did she drown?
Jade is determined to find out. So how does a plus-size, aqua-phobic mer-girl go about doing that exactly? And how will Jade ever be able to explain her secret to her best friend, Cori, and to her crush, Luke?

This summer is about to get a lot more interesting...

Ghost Ocean by S.M. Peters (Paperback)
May 5, 2009 - Received from Bookmooch

Beings of unimaginable power, classified as myths and legends, have been imprisoned in the secluded town of St. Ives for centuries-watched over by guardians with supernatural skills. Te Evangeline-s father was one such guardian, a -binder- who died in the line of duty and who passed along his ability to his daughter. Now, Te must awaken the magic within her before her father-s killer releases his fellow prisoners on an unsuspecting world.

A Lady Never Tells by Candace Camp (Paperback)
April 27, 2010 - Received from Bookmooch  

Meet three noble bachelors and a quartet of American girls of questionable manners! New York Times bestselling author Candace Camp delights with an exciting new series featuring love, laughter, and intrigue. 
 When Mary Bascombe’s stepfather tries to sell her and her sisters to  the highest bidder after their mother’s death, she resolves to take  drastic action. Although their British mother was estranged from her family, Mary decides the four will flee to London and take their place in society as granddaughters of the Earl of Stewkesbury.

Dashing Sir Royce Winslow doubts the honesty of the young women’s claim—despite their charms, they seem to be hiding something. His attraction to feisty Mary, however, is no ruse, so when the sisters are shipped off to Willowmere, the earl’s country estate, to acquire some polish, Royce is quick to join them. When an unknown villain attempts a kidnapping, Royce and Mary are thrown together as they confront the danger . . . and Royce learns that while high society may sing the praises of proper behavior, it is a most improper American who is winning his heart.

Prince Charming Doesn't Live Here by Christine Warren (Paperback)
November 2, 2010 - Received from Paperbackswap

Danice Carter is not one for glass slippers. A stilettos-wearing lawyer at one of Manhattan’s most elite establishments, Danice has a very strong grip on reality. So when she’s asked by one the firm’s founding partners to take on a personal case, Danice knows she’s in for the opportunity of a lifetime. All she has to do is convince her top boss’s granddaughter, Rosemary, to file a paternity suit. Sounds simple enough…until Danice arrives at Rosemary’s home and is pounced on by a handsome stranger.

Private investigator McIntyre Callahan’s was only following his powerful client’s orders: Find Rosemary—at all costs. Instead, he’s found a super-hot lawyer prowling around looking for answers he can’t give. The half-human, half-Fae Mac tries to warn Danice that she’s way in over her head—that Rosemary may roam among The Others, and may have dangerous ties to the Unseelie Court—but she won’t be deterred. Even if that means following Mac to the ends of the earth to find Rosemary…or surrendering to his supernatural powers of temptation…until death do they part.

Whom God Would Destroy by Commander Pants (Kindle Edition)
May 5, 2010 - Received for review by the Author

t's 1987, and “God” decides that it's about time he returned to Earth once more. Opening up a New Age store, he brings with him a fresh message for mankind to screw up - one tailor-made for this, the age of greed. It's called Meism, and it extols the virtues of selfishness, having its adherents, "Do good unto others so they can feel good about themselves," instead of that Golden Rule's tired old message. Sadly, He runs into a few kinks he didn't foresee...

Whom God Would Destroy; it's about God, Big Macs, insanity and the search for the Ultimate Orgasm!

Big Girls Don't Die by Crystal Jordan (Kindle Edition)
February 6, 2009 - Kindle Freebie on Amazon (Currently $1.99) 

“I will always love you.” Not just a figure of speech when you’re undead.

In the Heat of the Night, Book Two

Six months ago, Andre St. James committed the ultimate one-night-stand party foul by turning Cynthiana into the spawn of Satan…also known as a vampire. He insisted he knew they were meant to be together forever and ever, so why wait for her to be on the same page with him to suck the life out of her?

What. Ever. The only thing the two of them share is chemistry that blasts off the charts. So she dropkicked him out of her life and told him to never come back. He listened. Until now.

Andre knows Cyn has trouble dealing with his take-no-prisoners approach to life, and that turning her against her will was a mistake. But he’s got patience born of centuries of immortality, and he’ll do whatever it takes to get back into her good graces and stay there forever. Including wait until she has no choice but to turn to him.
After all, no one understands forever like a vampire. He’s loved her from the moment he saw her…and he always will.

Hollywood Nobody by Lisa Samson (Kindle Edition)
August 24, 2007 - Kindle Freebie

Fifteen-year-old Scotty Dawn has spent her young life on the road, traveling to movie sets with her single mom, Charley, a food designer. Yet even though Scotty is wise beyond her years, she still struggles to find her identity. Complicating matters is a mother who offers no guidance and a father she's never met.

Now Scotty is determined to discover what she wants from life. She's even documenting the journey on her "Hollywood Nobody" blog. But as Scotty begins to find dark answers to tough questions, will her story have a happy ending?

The first in a series, Hollywood Nobody is a novel for teen girls that examines real issues with honesty and humor. Enhancing the book's themes, the story includes journal and blog entries as well as screenplay dialog, providing an engaging experience for readers.

Amazon Affiliates

Clicking on title links in this post will redirect you to Amazon.com.  If you happen to make a purchase after clicking these links I will receive a small percentage of the profits.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Sunday Kindle Deals - Young Adult Titles Under $5 (+3)


Each Sunday come back here to Falling Off The Shelf to find out the latest Kindle book deals in the Young Adult genre!  If you find a deal that you would like me to showcase, please let me know!

**Clicking on Title Links will redirect you to Amazon** 
 
Titles still under $5, previously showcased.

Marked (House of Night Bk 1) by P.C. & Kristin Cast - $2.99
Evermore (The Immortals Bk 1) by Alyson Noel - $2.99
The Dark Divine (The Dark Divine Bk 1) by Bree Despain - $2.39 
Vampire Kisses (Vampire Kisses Bk 1) by Ellen Schreiber - $3.99
Dramarama by E. Lockhart - $3.76
The Van Alen Legacy (Blue Bloods Bk 4) by Melissa de la Cruz - $4.24
Book of Love (Knight Angels Bk 1) by Abra Ebner - $4.99
The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry - $4.88
Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn - $4.69
Football Genius by Tim Green - $4.99
All Alone in the Universe by Lynn Rae Perkins - $4.99
Ghost of a Chance by Laura Peyton Roberts - $4.79
 
This Week's Showcase :
 
Current Kindle Price : $1.99
Lending Enabled : No
 
Massie Block: The holidays are just around the corner, and the only thing Massie doesn't want for Christmas is a lip-kiss from her ninth-grade crush, Landon. Not that she'd ever admit it, but she's nervous! To distract herself, Massie focuses on getting revenge on Claire for ditching the Pretty Committee. But when the plan to bug her ex-BFF backfires big-time, she may find herself headed for a Merry Kissmass-whether she likes it or not.

Alicia Rivera: Promised her parents she wouldn't shop at awl between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Her reward? An all-expenses-paid trip to the Spanish Riviera. But what happens when she sees the cuh-yutest pair of Ralph Lauren sunglasses? No pain, no Spain.

Dylan Marvil: After going overboard at the Westchester Mall, Dylan isn't worried about the size of her clothes . . . but she is worried about the size of her clothing budget. Cuh-redit denied!

Kristen Gregory: Is sick of being the only poor girl in Westchester. But misery loves company, and maybe, just maybe, she won't be the only broke member of the Pretty Committee for long. . . .

Claire Lyons: When Massie scares off her new drama friends with a fake-lice scare, Claire decides she's done letting Massie bully her. The alpha may have exterminated Claire's social life, but what goes around comes around. The raid is on, and it won't be over until the fat ladybug sings.

The Clique . . . the only thing harder than getting in is staying in.
 
 
Current Kindle Price : $4.80
Lending Enabled : No
 
Rachel Marsh is a servant in the Boston household of John Adams. But her loyalty to the Adams family is tested by her friendship with Matthew Kilroy, a British private who leads his soldiers in firing upon a mob of Boston citizens. 
 
Current Kindle Price : $2.39
Lending Enabled : No
 
Freak of nature takes on a whole new meaning...

If she hadn't been so clueless, she might have seen it coming. But really, who expects to get into a relaxing bathtub after a stressful day of shopping for tankinis and come out with scales and a tail?

Most. Embarrassing. Moment. Ever.

Jade soon discovers she inherited her mermaid tendencies from her mom. But if Mom was a mermaid, how did she drown?
Jade is determined to find out. So how does a plus-size, aqua-phobic mer-girl go about doing that exactly? And how will Jade ever be able to explain her secret to her best friend, Cori, and to her crush, Luke?

This summer is about to get a lot more interesting...

Up a Road Slowly by Irene Hunt 
Current Kindle Price : $4.99
Lending Enabled : No

After her mother's death, Julie goes to live with Aunt Cordelia, a spinster schoolteacher, where she experiences many emotions and changes as she grows from seven to eighteen.

Don't Kiss Him Goodbye by Sandra Byrd
Current Kindle Price : $4.69
Lending Enabled : Yes

Now established in her quirky British village, Savvy works hard to get an article with her own byline published in the school newspaper. When an attractive and mysterious boy asks her for help with his school work, Savvy is slowly pulled into his circle and soon finds out that the wrong set of friends—boys and girls—can influence her own behavior. Following her own advice to cut ties with a charming bad boy would mean abandoning her dearest wishes, and it just doesn't seem as wrong as it feels. Is it? Read on for surprise twists throughout the book!

London Confidential is a new series for young girls. In the series, British fashion, friendships, and guys collide as an all-American teen girl learns to love life and live out her faith. The series follows Savvy's entertaining attempts to fit in during her first year at a new school in a new country.

Flirting With Disaster by Sandra Byrd 
Current Kindle Price : $4.79
Lending Enabled : Yes

In a shocking turn of events, all writers for the Wexburg Academy Times will cast their votes for next year's editor—and it looks like Savvy's vote will be the tie breaker! She must choose between a nasty-girl-turned-nice, with a sudden interest in letting Savvy get what she wants, and the prickly Hazelle, who promises nothing at all. Savvy then finds herself wrapped up in a new, seemingly innocent but potentially dangerous activity. It's all at risk in this book: her position on the paper, the boy she likes, the ministry she wants to go well. At a critical moment, Savvy must figure out how to rely on God rather than luck and to overcome temptation before it is too late.

London Confidential is a new series for young girls. In the series, British fashion, friendships, and guys collide as an all-American teen girl learns to love life and live out her faith. The series follows Savvy's entertaining attempts to fit in during her first year at a new school in a new country.  

Amazon Affiliates :

Clicking on title links in this post will redirect you to Amazon.com.  If you happen to make a purchase after clicking these links I will receive a small percentage of the profits.
   

Friday, January 21, 2011

Friday Finds - January 21, 2011

Friday Finds was started by MizB @ Should Be Reading.
Check back each Friday to see what I've found, and make sure to stop by Should Be Reading's Friday Finds Post to see what other bloggers have found as well!
 

Publisher : Bloomsbury USA Children's Books
ISBN : 978-1599904344
Release Date : June 7, 2011
Series or Stand Alone : Stand Alone

For as long as Esmerine can remember, she has longed to join her older sister, Dosinia, as a siren--the highest calling a mermaid can have. Then Dosinia runs away to the mainland, and Esmerine is sent to retrieve her. Using magic to transform her tail into legs, she makes her way unsteadily to the capital city. There she comes upon a friend she hasn't seen since childhood--a dashing young man named Alandare, who belongs to a winged race of people. As Esmerine and Alandare band together to search for Dosinia, they rekindle a friendship . . . and ignite the emotions for a love so great it cannot be bound by sea, land, or air.


Publisher : Knopf Books for Young Readers
ISBN : 978-0375842450
Release Date : August 9, 2011
Series or Stand Alone : Stand Alone

Nothing has been the same for Will ever since what happened last summer. One day, on an ordinary sailing trip with his brother, there is a strange accident. When Will wakes up, he learns his brother has disappeared, presumed drowned. Worst of all, Will can't remember what happened—his family finds him unconscious, with no memory of the accident.

Now Will and his best friend and neighbor, Gretchen, are starting a new summer. Gretchen seems troubled—her sleepwalking habit is getting worse, and she keeps waking up closer and closer to the water. Will is drawn to Asia, the exotic new girl in town. Nobody knows where she's from—all Will knows is that her beauty and her mesmerizing voice have a powerful effect on people.

Then there is another mysterious drowning, and Will and Gretchen begin to wonder: Is Asia just another beautiful, wealthy summer resident? Or is she something entirely more sinister . . . and inhuman?


Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini (Pre-Order Hardcover @ Amazon)
Publisher : HarperTeen
ISBN : 978-0062011992
Release Date : May 31, 2011
Series or Stand Alone : #1 Starcrossed 

Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.


Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
Publisher : Tor
ISBN : 978-0765328
Release Date : September 2011
Series or Stand Alone : #1 Anna Dressed in Blood 

Just your average boy-meets-girl, girl-kills-people story. . .

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

And she, for whatever reason, spares his life.



Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma (Pre-Order Hardcover or Kindle Edition @ Amazon)
Publisher : Dutton Juvenile
ISBN : 978-0525423386 
Release Date : June 14, 2011
Series or Stand Alone : Stand Alone 

Chloe’s older sister, Ruby, is the girl everyone looks to and longs for, who can’t be captured or caged. When a night with Ruby’s friends goes horribly wrong and Chloe discovers the dead body of her classmate London Hayes floating in the reservoir, Chloe is sent away from town and away from Ruby.

But Ruby will do anything to get her sister back, and when Chloe returns home two years later, a precarious and deadly balance waits. As Chloe flirts with the truth that Ruby has hidden deeply away, the fragile line between life and death is redrawn by the complex bonds of sisterhood.

Imaginary Girls is a masterfully distorted vision of family reminiscent of Shirley Jackson, laced with twists that beg for their secrets to be kept.

Amazon Affiliates

Clicking on links in parenthesis in this post will redirect you to Amazon.com.  If you happen to make a purchase after clicking these links I will receive a small percentage of the profits.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday - January 19, 2011

Waiting On Wednesday


Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
 
 
Release Date : March 29, 2011
 
Synopsis from Amazon
 
Payne, twin sister of Vishous, is cut from the same dark, seductive cloth as her brother. Imprisoned for eons by their mother, the Scribe Virgin, she finally frees herself-only to face a devastating injury. Manuel Manello, M.D., is drafted by the Brotherhood to save her as only he can-but when the human surgeon and the vampire warrior meet, their two worlds collide in the face of their undeniable passion. With so much working against them, can love prove stronger than the birthright and the biology that separates them?  
 
If your a fan of J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood Series, than your probably just about as psyched as I am about this upcoming release!  I'm a little behind on this series, as all of my books are packed away and I have yet to find all the ones I want RIGHT NOW, but that doesn't stop me from wanting this book.  The Black Dagger Brotherhood Series is one of my favorite paranormal romance reads.  

 
You can also read my review for Ward's first book in her Fallen Angels Series, Covet, here

Amazon Affiliates

Clicking on title links in this post will redirect you to Amazon.com.  If you happen to make a purchase after clicking these links I will receive a small percentage of the profits.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

E-Review : Hush Money by Susan Bischoff


Title : Hush Money (Kindle Edition)
Author : Susan Bischoff
Publisher : CreateSpace
Genre : Paranormal,Young Adult
ISBN : 978-1453787540
Series or Stand Alone : #1 Talent Chronicles
Release Date : September 24, 2010
Rating : 4/5 Stars - Very Good

Description from Goodreads :

Be normal, invisible. Don’t get close to anyone. Kids with psychic abilities tend to mysteriously disappear when they get noticed. Joss has spent years trying to hide. Now she has an unasked-for best friend, who is the victim of an extortion plot by the school bully, who used to like Joss, who is best friends with her long-time crush, who is actually talking to her. Life just got more complicated. 

Review :

Joss  has been trained by her father to blend in, not be noticed, let no one know her secrets.  It's the only way Talents like her and her family can keep under the radar of the NIAC.  No one wants to be dragged away to the State School.  It's always been easy to push people away and know that they would leave her alone.  Eat alone at lunch, walk home alone, it's just part of her daily routine.  When she meets Kat, that all changes.  She can't get rid of this girl if her life depended on it.  She goes so far as to tell the girl to go away, that she doesn't want any friends, but Kat won't stand for it.  Kat is determined to bring Joss out of her shell.

When Kat starts getting blackmailed by the biggest bully in school, Marco, Joss finds herself beginning to worry about her.  Marco is bad news, he's been out to get Joss ever since she rejected him years ago.  He's always had a huge crush on her, but Joss can see what kind of person he is, and even if she were allowed to date, she wouldn't want to date him.  On the other hand, she'd love to date his best friend, Dylan.  Dylan is cute, and while he's the best friend of the biggest bully, he's always seemed far less hostile.

I loaned this book from another Kindle user, not even realizing that it was a self-published book.  The gorgeous cover alone had me, even before I read the synopsis.  After I read that, it sealed the deal for me.  I can never turn up a paranormal type book. I sped through this book pretty quickly.  It was a short read, but it was well worth the time I put into it.  Susan Bischoff clearly has talent, and I'm surprised she hasn't been picked up by some big time publisher yet.  I just hope that she gets the credit she deserves for such a well written story.

I really enjoyed all of the supernatural talents in this book, but don't want to give away too much.  It's just safe to say that there is telekinesis, invisibility, laser vision, and even super strength all rolled up into this fantastic book.  There was so many little stories all looping together, and surprisingly they meshed very well.  I thought I would get confused, but Bischoff interwove each little piece perfectly to create one giant story that makes you want to keep turning the pages.  Unfortunately there was an end to this book, but just knowing that this is only the first of many, excites me!

One thing I have to say I didn't enjoy about this book was the ending.  To be honest, there really wasn't an ending.  It just simply stopped, and that kind of upset me.  I wanted a little bit more closure to this first book in the Talent Chronicles.  I'm just hoping that Bischoff can redeem this short ending with a phenomenal second installment.  I'm hoping to get my hands on the next in the series, it will be called Heroes, and will hopefully be released within the next couple of weeks.

Where did I get this book? :

I loaned a copy of Hush Money by Susan Bischoff from a fellow Kindle reader.  I'm reviewing this book at my own leisure, and not receiving any compensation for doing so.

Amazon Affiliates

Clicking on title links in this post will redirect you to Amazon.com.  If you happen to make a purchase after clicking these links I will receive a small percentage of the profits.

Monday, January 17, 2011

In My Mailbox - January 17, 2011

In My Mailbox was started by Krist @ The Story Siren, inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie.


Lover Mine by J.R. Ward (Paperback)
November 30, 2010 - Received from Paperbackswap.com

John Matthew has come a long way since he was found living among humans, his vampire nature unknown. Taken in by The Brotherhood, no one could guess what his true history was-or his true identity.

Xhex has long steeled herself against the attraction to John Matthew. Until fate intervenes and she discovers that love, like destiny, is inevitable.

Starlighter by Bryan Davis (Kindle Edition)
March 16, 2010 - Amazon Kindle Freebie
Jason Masters doubted the myths that told of people taken through a portal to another realm and enslaved by dragons. But when he receives a cryptic message from his missing brother, he must uncover the truth and find the portal before it's too late. At the same time, Koren, a slave in the dragons' realm, discovers she has a gift that could either save or help doom her people. As Jason and Koren work to rescue the enslaved humans, a mystic prophecy surrounding a black egg may make all their efforts futile.

In Starlighter, bestselling author Bryan Davis masterfully weaves fantasy and inspiration into a captivating novel for young adults.


Wicked : Resurrection by Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie (Trade Paperback)
July 7, 2009

WHAT THE CAHORS witches thought was the end of their troubles was only the beginning. A threat more powerful and more frightening than anything they have faced has been watching and waiting. The Cahors witches must come together and find Jer and Eli as both the Deveraux and the Cahors family lines face eradication.
All the secrets of the Cahors will be revealed, forcing them to overcome their greatest weaknesses in order to achieve their most powerful strengths. And only united do they have any chance at victory. Before the end, sacrifices will be made, alliances forged, and old friends lost forever.
 
The Raven's Gift by Don Rearden (e-book)
January 25, 2011 - Received for review from the Author.
 
Shifting from contemporary Yupik Eskimo village life to a gripping post-apocalyptic Alaskan nightmare, The Raven's Gift reveals a heartbreaking truth -- many remote communities in rural Alaska currently teeter on the brink of total collapse. Don Rearden's debut novel dares to confront the frightening possibility of an impending catastrophic loss of human life, love, and indigenous culture. 

Delivered in an authentic new voice, The Raven's Gift takes readers on an arctic journey to very real, but seemingly impossible and desolate locale. Dramatic, suspenseful, and chilling, the novel examines the contemporary life of the rich Yupik Eskimo culture, and reveals the heart of a barren tundra landscape in an unexpected collision of cultures. 

February 11, 2011 - Received from Simon & Schuster Galley Grab

he small town of Cryer’s Cross is rocked by tragedy when an unassuming freshman disappears without a trace. Kendall Fletcher wasn’t that friendly with the missing girl, but the angst wreaks havoc on her OCD-addled brain. 

When a second student goes missing—someone close to Kendall’s heart—the community is in an uproar. Caught in a downward spiral of fear and anxiety, Kendall’s not sure she can hold it together. When she starts hearing the voices of the missing, calling out to her and pleading for help, she fears she’s losing her grip on reality. But when she finds messages scratched in a desk at school—messages that could only be from the missing student who used to sit there—Kendall decides that crazy or not, she’d never forgive herself if she didn’t act on her suspicions.

Something’s not right in Cryer’s Cross—and Kendall’s about to find out just how far the townspeople will go to keep their secrets buried.
 
Amazon Affiliates

Clicking on title links in this post will redirect you to Amazon.com.  If you happen to make a purchase after clicking these links I will receive a small percentage of the profits. 

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Sunday Kindle Deals : Young Adult Titles Under $5 (+2)


Each Sunday come back here to Falling Off The Shelf to find out the latest Kindle book deals in the Young Adult genre!  If you find a deal that you would like me to showcase, please let me know!

**Clicking on Title Links will redirect you to Amazon** 
 
Titles still under $5, previously showcased.
 
Marked (House of Night Bk 1) by P.C. & Kristin Cast - $2.99
Evermore (The Immortals Bk 1) by Alyson Noel - $2.99
Vampire Kisses (Vampire Kisses Bk 1) by Ellen Schrieber - $3.99
Dramarama by E. Lockhart - $3.61

This Week's Showcase :
 
Current Kindle Price : $4.24
Lending Enabled : Yes

With the stunning revelation surrounding Bliss's true identity comes the growing threat of the sinister Silver Bloods. Once left to live the glamorous life in New York City, the Blue Bloods now find themselves in an epic battle for survival. Not to worry, love is still in the air for the young vampires of the Upper East Side. Or is it? Jack and Schuyler are over. Oliver's brokenhearted. And only the cunning Mimi seems to be happily engaged. Young, fanged, and fabulous, Melissa de la Cruz's vampires unite in this highly anticipated fourth installment of the Blue Bloods series.
 
Current Kindle Price : $4.99
Lending Enabled : Yes
 
When seventeen-year-old Jane Taylor witnessed her father's death, something happened to her. Ever since, her thoughts have been consumed by death, going so far as to foresee the ever-changing deaths of those around her. Sixteen-year-old Emily Taylor resented her sister's closeness with their father, who died when she was six. With the strange ability to read minds, she drowns the voices out with drugs, sending Jane over the edge. When seventeen-year-old Wes Green was adopted, he moved in next door to Jane, finding in her a childhood friend turned high-school crush. All summer, the pain in his bones seemed unwarranted. He was done growing long ago. When senior year starts, however, the pain only gets worse. The foreseen changes are not expected, and far too animal for his taste. When Max Gordon found himself standing above the dying body of an innocent seven-year-old girl, he saw in her eyes something he hadn't seen in the century he'd spent roaming Earth. Her father was already dead, but there was hope to save her. Jane was her name, and already she was all he ever wanted. It was his job to bring her back, and it was his job to protect her - the biggest mistake of his life. When these four teens enter Glenwood High their senior year, no one but Max could understand the future ahead of them. Drawn together by blood and friendship, they each hide a dark secret that will soon bind them together. Max has to protect Jane, Jane wants to be normal, Wes wants Jane to love him, and Emily just wants the voices to stop... But their fate just wants them dead.
 
Current Kindle Price : $4.88
Lending Enabled : Yes
 
When a mysterious piece of jewelry and a strange visitor arrive in the jewelry shop where she works for her evil aunt, Lucinda's course takes a surprising turn. With the help of the Amaranth Witch, a young (and harmless) con-artist, and a prince, Lucinda uncovers secrets about her own royal past. A strong seller in hardcover, this original fairytale marks an exciting debut from a lyrical new voice. Can one magical momentlead to happily ever after? Julie Berry grew up in western New York. She holds a BS in communications from Rensselaer and an MFA in writing for children and young adults from Vermont College. She now lives in eastern Massachusetts with her husband and four young sons, and works as a director of software sales and marketing for a technology startup. This is her first book. 
 
Current Kindle Price : $4.69
Lending Enabled : No
 
Just before summer begins, 13-year-old Ali finds an odd photograph in the attic. She knows the two children in it are her mother, Claire, and her aunt Dulcie. But who’s the third person, the one who’s been torn out of the picture?

Ali figures she’ll find out while she’s vacationing in Maine with Dulcie and her four-year-old daughter, Emma, in the house where Ali’s mother’s family used to spend summers. All hopes for relaxation are quashed shortly after their arrival, though, when the girls meet Sissy, a kid who’s mean and spiteful and a bad influence on Emma.

Strangest of all, Sissy keeps talking about a girl named Teresa who drowned under mysterious circumstances back when Claire and Dulcie were kids, and whose body was never found. At first Ali thinks Sissy’s just trying to scare her with a ghost story, but soon she discovers the real reason why Sissy is so angry. . . . Mary Downing Hahn is at her chilling best in this new supernatural tale that’s certain to send shivers down her readers’ spines.
 
Current Kindle Price : $4.99
Lending Enabled : No
 
"An ordinary boy with an extraordinary talent - Troy White can predict any football play before it happens. And when his single mom gets a job with the Atlanta Falcons, Troy knows it's his big chance to help them out of their slump--and finally prove his football genius."
 

Current Kindle Price : $4.99
Lending Enabled : No
 
When her best friend since the third grade starts acting as though Debbie doesn't exist, Debbie finds out the hard way that life can be a lonesome place. But in the end, the heroine of this wryly funny coming-of-age story -- a girl who lives in a house covered with stuff that is supposed to look like bricks but is just a fake brick pattern -- discovers that even the hourly tragedies of elementary school can have silver linings. And a house covered with Insul-Brick can protect a real home.
 
Current Kindle Price : $4.79
Lending Enabled : No
 
Melissa Soul's ready for another routine California summer of sunny days at the beach--until her best friend Chloe introduces her to someone incredible. His name is James. He's funny, smart, and gorgeous. Melissa's never met anyone like him. There's just one tiny problem. He's a ghost. And he's living in Chloe's 1920s mansion. What happens when two best friends fall hard for the same ghost? Can a love triangle ever be twisted back into a circle of friendship?
 
Amazon Affiliates :

Clicking on title links in this post will redirect you to Amazon.com.  If you happen to make a purchase after clicking these links I will receive a small percentage of the profits.
 

Friday, January 14, 2011

Review : Anastasia's Secret by Susanne Dunlap


Title : Anastasia's Secret
Author : Susanne Dunlap
Publisher : Bloomsbury USA Children's Books

Genre : Historical Fiction
ISBN : 978-1599904207
Series or Stand Alone : Stand Alone
Release Date : March 2, 2010
Rating : 4.5/5 Stars - Very Good

Description from Goodreads :

For Anastasia Romanov, life as the privileged daughter of Russia’s last tsar is about to be torn apart by the bloodshed of revolution. Ousted from the imperial palace when the Bolsheviks seize control of the government, Anastasia and her family are exiled to Siberia. But even while the rebels debate the family’s future with agonizing slowness and the threat to their lives grows more menacing, romance quietly blooms between Anastasia and Sasha, a sympathetic young guard she has known since childhood. But will the strength of their love be enough to save Anastasia from a violent death?

Inspired by the mysteries that have long surrounded the last days of the Romanov family, Susanne Dunlap’s new novel is a haunting vision of the life—and imagined love story—of Russia’s last princess.

Review

The story of Anastasia Romanov has always been a huge interest for me.  At a young age I was introduced to the animated presentation of Anastasia from 20th Century Fox, and I fell in love.  Even to this day, it is one of my favorite movies to watch.  For the longest time I thought that was exactly how Anastasia's life had been, and then I grew up and learned the horrible truth of the things her family had to endure.  While no one is completely sure if Anastasia had gotten away or not, I like to think that she did, and that she had a wonderful life ahead of her.
 
Susanne Dunlap brought Anastasia to life once again for me.  Although her take on the story of the beloved Russian Princess is quite different, it is also one that you should most definitely take the time to learn.  I felt like Susanne really knew first-hand about Anastasia, and she made her character very believable.  I could have finished this book within a day if my internal clock were the way it used to be.  Being 6 months pregnant, I tend to take a nap here and there, although most of the time I don't even realize I'm about to do it.

I really like how we learned a little about each character in this story, and their role, even if they weren't a big part of the scheme.  My personal favorite was Anastasia's older sister, Maria, because despite her timidness she was always there for Anastasia, and ready to back her up if need be.

The romance between Anastasia and Sasha was a little confusing to me for a short time throughout this book.  I'm sure that's how we were supposed to feel though, because we read from Anastasia's point-of-view, and she herself is quite confused in the beginning as well.  I enjoyed Sasha's character through the beginning of the book, but as it wore on, and the war wore on him, he became too hard for me.  I didn't always trust him throughout the book, and at times I felt like I was in the same boat as Anastasia's young brother Alexei, always waiting for Sasha to mess up and show his true colors.

I waited far too long to read this book, and am quite upset with myself for not taking the time to give it the attention that it clearly deserves.  I had received this book well before the release date, and had all intentions of reading and reviewing it early, but unfortunately life took me for it's own personal spin and I was pulled away from reading anything.  I'm glad that I finally was given a chance to come back to reading, and reviewing, because it has been something that I've missed for so long.  I'm also glad that on my return I happened to pick up a fantastic read that I will remember for a long time. 

Where did I get this book? :

I received my copy from the author in exchange for my honest review.  Thank you Susanne, it was a pleasure reading your book, and I plan to read more of your work in the future.

Amazon Affiliates

Clicking on title links in this post will redirect you to Amazon.com.  If you happen to make a purchase after clicking these links I will receive a small percentage of the profits.