tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87373083551519868582024-03-13T13:57:55.913-04:002 Chicks Reading - Book ReviewsReviews of the latest and up-coming books.Kat & Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12290364574145477731noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8737308355151986858.post-12779492967298726232016-08-10T13:16:00.000-04:002016-08-10T13:16:56.477-04:00<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28755323-unnatural-deeds" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Unnatural Deeds" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1463421350m/28755323.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28755323-unnatural-deeds">Unnatural Deeds</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1463436.Cyn_Balog">Cyn Balog</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1705050492">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Victoria is a bit of an outsider. The new girl who would rather be invisible. Then Z shows up. He makes her question everything about who she is, what she's like, and whether her current relationship with Andrew is the one she should be in. We learn about the three teens and those around them while trying to solve the mystery of a murder in a small New England town. how far will one go to retain their version of themselves? Or for love? Read on to see!<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/23929642-kat">View all my reviews</a><br />
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Kat & Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12290364574145477731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8737308355151986858.post-40711677209855753492014-04-24T14:52:00.001-04:002014-04-24T14:52:30.682-04:00still reading? we are.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Hello again, friends. This has been quite a year. I've had some medical setbacks that sucked a lot of my joy from just about everything. Since February, I've been fighting to get my loves and my life back. Case in point, I'm writing here and not just thinking about what I would say. After all, how much do you /really/ want to know about us?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">This year, it's Ash who gets to go to Book Expo America in NYC. And yes, I'm a little jealous. However I will be celebrating with my family my nephew's graduation from high school. And that's way more important. I am finally getting around to reading or finishing books that were acquired the last two BEAs. Hence getting back to blogging.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">This week I finished reading Holly Black's "The Coldest Girl in Coldtown". It's a refreshing take on vampyre mythoglogy and a fresh look at what happens to the rest of us. The story starts with our leading lady, Tana, waking the morning after a party to find everyone else is dead. As she fetches her coat and purse, she finds other survivors....of sorts. Her ex-boyfriend and a mysterious boy harboring a deep, dark secret are in the coat room. Aiden, the ex, has been bitten and infected. And there are voices from the other side of the door. Hungry and wanting to leave no witnesses.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">As Aiden goes cold, Tana takes charge and leads the three of them on a race from the vamps on the other side of the door as well as against time. Tana reveals her past, Aiden reveals his true nature, and the stranger shares more than he should. Coldtowns have beenset up all across the country since the vampires have started to spread their disease. It is to one of the first, and best known, that Tana takes the three in order to "save" them. Tue biggest challenge comes after they arrive and discover/confirm the hard-known truth: once you enter a Coldtown, you can never leave.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">As the back cover says: "The Coldest Girl in Coldtown" is a wholly original story of rage and revenge, of guilt and horror, and of love and loathing from bestselling and acclaimed author Holly Black.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">I couldn't agree more. And I couldn't put it down. I highly recommend this book and hope it intrests you as much as it sucked me in. Keep reading and look for new book reviews coming your way soon!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Kat</span>Kat & Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12290364574145477731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8737308355151986858.post-7372533279671756082013-03-29T19:06:00.000-04:002013-03-29T19:06:59.702-04:00<span style="color: #3d85c6;">Hey gang, we're back! Sorry for the delay in posts, but life has had some changes for us. First, Kat has left the bookstore she was working for. For the first time in 11 years, I'm not recommending titles and authors to new readers. Well, I will be as a book giver for World Book Night. It means I don't get the early scoop on big books news, but I get more time to read and help my friends over at Ceilidh Books & Cafe (@The_Ceilidh on twitter). The girls are giving away TONS of titles to make room for Book Expo America. Head over to their blog <a href="http://ceilidhbookscafe.blogspot.com/">http://ceilidhbookscafe.blogspot.com/</a> to learn how you can win multiple titles every week!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;">Since I'm just now finishing up three titles (because who can really only read one at a time?), we'll be getting reviews up more often. Or at least I will. As long as my other half isn't doing his homework or distracting me with Doctor Who. We'll try to update you on how the Ceilidh girls are making out with their independent bookstore venture and how you can be a part as well. As a plug: <a href="http://ceilidhbookscafe.com/">http://ceilidhbookscafe.com/</a> is you ONLY source on the internet for signed and personalized books by Maria Snyder. You know WE love her, we hope YOU love her too, and now you can get her books signed without having to find a store hosting her. Check out the Shop link and see what's in store.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;">TTFN,</span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">Kat</span><br />
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<br />Kat & Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12290364574145477731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8737308355151986858.post-36991768614607451362012-07-01T14:04:00.001-04:002013-01-09T12:26:02.938-05:00Tempest's Fury<span style="color: lime;"><span style="background-color: black;"><i>Tempest's Fury</i> by Nicole Peeler</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: lime;"><span style="background-color: black;">The penultimate Tempest novel is out and flying off the shelves. Nicole had a limerick contest for her fans and somehow, my lame ones won me a copy WEEKS before anyone else could get it. I actually received it right after our return from BEA and was, of course, the first book I read. Not any of the 100+ books I had just chosen in NYC, nope Nicole and Jane came first.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: lime;"><span style="background-color: black;">We follow our little heroine across the pond to the UK where she's following her calling. Granted, she would rather that Blondie stopped reminding her of the job she was there to do and let her be a tourist. She does however get to imbibe pretentious cheese, spend time with Anyan, and see sights she wouldn't have seen if she hadn't left home. Still, trying to be the savior and the spokesperson for the supes is not her idea of a good time.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: lime;"><span style="background-color: black;">With Jane and her band of merry gentlemen we find out about the Red and the White. We meet a grand barrage of "good" guys and "bad" and see how easily that line is blurred. We visit an amazing library, Notre Dame, the chunnel, and some verrrrrry shady parts of London & Paris that I now want to go find. There <i>MAY </i>be a huge payoff for avid readers of the series that I will not spoil for any of you. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: lime;"><span style="background-color: black;">Nicole, as usual, adds a trip away for her readers too. She also lets a bit more of her Geek Girl out. See if you can find the Dr. Who reference and NOT laugh out loud. I dare you. Possibly my favorite of the series so far, I say go get it at your local bookstore. Get yourself a glass (or two) of wine, some cheese, and read about Jane's newest troubles and adventures for yourself. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: lime;"><span style="background-color: black;">Of course we probably have to wait an entire year to get our hands on book 6 so you may want to read slowly.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: lime;"><span style="background-color: black;">In other news, Nicole is working with friends of ours to help make their dreams of owning a bookstore a reality. Go see how you can help and benefit from the girls and their friendship with Nicole!</span></span><br />
<span style="color: lime;"><span style="background-color: black;">kat</span></span>Kat & Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12290364574145477731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8737308355151986858.post-30295459997589726672012-06-08T19:15:00.000-04:002012-06-08T19:15:29.507-04:00New year, New resolve<span style="background-color: black; color: cyan;">Ok, we've been missing. We get it and feel terrible. Also, we've been rejuvenated. That can mean only 1 thing, right? That's it, we just got home from Book Expo America in beautiful NYC. The trade event that gets us excited to do what we do away from this little rant station.</span><br />
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<span style="color: purple;"><i>Where have we been?</i> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: cyan;">Well, as some of you might have figured out, we used to work for Borders. Last year we went to BEA together for the first time! I know!! Ash has been pretty consistent with her attendance and always found new and interesting titles to bring me back since not everyone could leave the store for the better part of a week. Last year, I got to experience it first hand. However, while we there we started to get the distinct feeling that the industry knew something our own company was hiding from us. We decided that by the new year we would be out of a job. None of our co-workers believed us. Unfortunately, it was sooner than that.
Some of our friends heard us talking about it and have been inspired by what we think book selling needs to become and are making it happen. You can follow them and help make their dreams come true by checking them out on <a href="http://igg.me/p/60373">indiegogo</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="color: purple;"><i>Where to go from here?</i> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: cyan;">Well, we got new jobs with another book chain in October and have been settling into their groove. We also just got home with suitcases full of new and new-to-be books to read and share with all of you. That being said, the real question is:
</span><b><i><span style="color: purple;">Where will book stores be in the next few years?</span></i></b><span style="color: cyan;">
Probably not anything like you see now. I like my current paycheck and therefore won't reveal where we're at, but they're all flawed. Here's why: They want every store to be a cookie cutter. "So what?" you might say. "I like going into my local branch and one on vacation and being able to find things in roughly the same place." Awesome. It does help. However, have you noticed the diminishing one-on-one customer service industry wide? Yeah, we have too.
There's nothing wrong with the chain mentality. I like the company I work for better than the rest that are out there. Which is why I took their offer over the others. However, what works in Manhattan doesn't work in Los Angeles and what works in Georgia doesn't work the same in Ohio. It just doesn't. The smart chain is going to treat each store like a franchise. Have a core set of values/rules/conditions/whatever, but let each location cater to its audience.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: cyan;">The cards should stop too. EVERYWHERE. And not just at bookstores. Personally, I lose them every time. Got a plus card from Borders before it launched to the public. Couldn't find it the next week. My local CVS knows me enough to just ask for my phone number. They're overwhelming to the customer at large and NOT why they came into the store in the first place.
Do I do my best to be one of the best at selling them where I work? You bet your bottom dollar! And for the record, I am pretty good at doing so. Would I rather concentrate on the customer's needs and desires and not my corporate office's? Wouldn't we all? Look, the best bookseller in the best bookstore will do what it takes to keep doing what they <strike>like</strike> <i>love</i> to do. Just as every corporate 9-5 stiff does all over the world.</span><br />
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<i><span style="color: purple;">Why keep doing it?</span></i><br />
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: cyan;">I love what I do. Plus, unlike a lot of booksellers out there, I got the chance to start this blog with one of my best friends. So, even if it's an awful day at work, we get to come home and share new authors and titles with all of the world. If we didn't have to punch the clock and could just do this, we might. We also might miss getting to see a person's face light up when you find just the book they came in for OR tell them about a great new book/series we just started/finished that we think will be the next "big thing".</span><span style="color: magenta;"> (<i>Beautiful Creatures</i> by Garcia and Stohl, imho)</span></span><br />
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<i><span style="color: purple;">What's the new resolve?</span></i><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: cyan;">To get back to telling the world about our loves, our passions, our amazing friends. We will be blogging more. We will be sharing what we're reading more. It's in the blood, can't seem to shake it. Will there be the occasional rant? I'm sure there will be. Thanks for letting me get my newest insights out there, by the way. And a special thanks if you've gotten this far. Now go support your local booksellers, be they an independent start-up or a part of a big chain. Let them know you care. Don't have one? Why are you reading a book review blog then? ;-) If you like, follow @The_Ceilidh on twitter, </span><span style="background-color: black; color: cyan;">or find them</span><span style="background-color: black; color: cyan;"> on </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/CeilidhBC">Facebook</a><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: cyan;"> &</span></span><span style="background-color: black; color: cyan;"> on<a href="http://igg.me/p/60373"> indiegogo</a>. The girls there would love the love. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: cyan;">TTFN,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: cyan;">Kat </span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;">(This post in no way reflects Ashlen's perspective that I know of. All opinions blasted here are mine and mine alone. Well, maybe some parts of the publishing world's too. Or at least that's my impression from this past week)</span>Kat & Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12290364574145477731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8737308355151986858.post-69151985602074391442011-05-19T22:43:00.001-04:002013-01-09T12:27:38.498-05:00Sleeping Beauty: Vampire SlayerSleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer by<br />
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The idea for this book was great but didn't wow me. <br />
This was a "choose your own story" retelling of Sleeping Beauty. With a current trend in YA being the twist on classic fairy tales, this falls short of the mark. Instead of retelling in a unique way, the bad guys are vampires. The story is predictable with the choices being the best part.Kat & Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12290364574145477731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8737308355151986858.post-79268075639327415072011-05-19T22:26:00.001-04:002013-01-09T12:30:03.825-05:00From hot spies to hometown romanceAngel's Falls by Emily March aka Geralyn Dawson<br />
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If you have read Geralyn Dawson's books about 3 brother spies, this is a different pace. The trilogy that starts off with high speed action continues in this small town romance. <br />
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This series is a more classic contemporary type of romance. A small town in Colorado is where people go to heal or escape from a high pressure life. When Jack comes into town it is clear that he has a complicated past that he is running from.<br />
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This is the start to a new series under a new name. Sweet and hometown romantic feel. Kat & Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12290364574145477731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8737308355151986858.post-7898480951921410932011-03-08T15:04:00.000-05:002011-03-08T15:04:14.256-05:00We're not quite familyOh my goodness!!!! Just finished a fantastic new read! So many exclamation points are needed to express my delight after reading "Timeless" byfirst time author Alexandra Monir! I know what you're thinking & you're wrong. Ash handed me the book & I started half-heartedly reading it @ 6pm friday, read it seriously by 10, & was dreaming about what would come next.<br />
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Like all good Disney films, "Timeless" starts with our leading lady becoming an orphan. (go ahead, prove me wrong. No princess has both parents."Sleeping Beauty" doesn't count since she was hidden away from both of them) Instead of getting to go live with one of her best friends, however, Michele Windsor is sent to live with her grandparents in NYC. The very people her mother ran away from when they disapproved of her choice of husband.....a man Michele never knew. What she finds there is not just the opposite of everything she had ever known, but an intensly lonely feeling. And a mystery.<br />
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While exploring her rooms, Michele comes across a locked drawer. Odd in and of itself, but downri th t wierd when the mysterious key in her mother's belongings reacts to it. Unlocking the drawer finds Michele & the reader transported into history. History of the city, history of the Windsor family, history of romances......and is that Michele's father we just ran into? Michele seems to only be visible to whichever Windsor girl occupies her rooms with each trip. Her new found family pride & intrigue keeps the pages flying by.<br />
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Did Michele's dad break the time travel code? Does Michele's trips cause a feud with the Walker family next door....a hundred or so years ago? What do all the Windsot women that lived in those rooms share that makes this fantastical journey possible? Most importantly, when do we get a second book?!?!<br />
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Go, run, get "Timeless" & go on an adventure unlike any other!Kat & Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12290364574145477731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8737308355151986858.post-16024450430689014502011-02-21T14:10:00.001-05:002011-02-21T19:07:30.358-05:00Tink's a Disney Whore!A witch, an elf, a living vampire, and a pixie get into a powdered blue Buick…<br />
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No, it’s not the beginnings to a horrible joke, but the start of Pale Demon, book nine of the fantastic Hollows series by Kim Harrison.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9C3DpNQwpmN0pHKl2chrq6onCRGi5oiDSfl2DIn1LlaenE0ftYkGbWh4EcYersPdh1ILq1vDaOfJ1aCsitWwZVYsAuTx2GT2HFYTHLcafviCpHj6lMWAh-BrClmXroUfKHeHbvVmXydM/s1600/Pale_demon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9C3DpNQwpmN0pHKl2chrq6onCRGi5oiDSfl2DIn1LlaenE0ftYkGbWh4EcYersPdh1ILq1vDaOfJ1aCsitWwZVYsAuTx2GT2HFYTHLcafviCpHj6lMWAh-BrClmXroUfKHeHbvVmXydM/s320/Pale_demon.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><em>Book Blurb From Borders.com:</em><em><br />
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<em>Condemned and shunned for black magic, Rachel Morgan has three days to get to the annual witches’ conference and clear her name, or be trapped in the demonic ever-after . . . forever after.</em><em><br />
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<em>But a witch, an elf, a living vampire, and a pixy in one car going across the country? Talk about a recipe for certain disaster, even without being the targets for assassination.</em><br />
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<em>For after centuries of torment, a fearsome demon walks in the sunlight—freed at last to slay the innocent and devour their souls. But his ultimate goal is Rachel Morgan, and in the fight for survival that follows, even embracing her own demonic nature may not be enough to save her.</em><br />
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Complete fan girl squeals and happy dances all around. From the moment I finished Black Magic Sanction last February, I’ve wanted to read this book. Each Hollows addition is better than the last and Pale Demon is once again my favorite so far. Why? Because of a certain cookie-sniffing shoe maker.<br />
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Tink’s a Disney Whore! Yes, I mean Trent Kalamack. Ever since we first met him in Dead Witch Walking, I’ve loved the chemistry in every scene with him and Rachel. They’ve out right hated each other, have both tried to kill the other and yet can work together when the situation calls for it, to both their dismays. So when Kim announced that Pale Demon was going to lock the two of them in a car for 2300 miles, my first thought was “this is gonna be good.” Understatement. What I loved was that we don’t see the polished professional Trent personifies as he pursues political office (say that three times fast), runs illegal Brimstone smuggling operations and tries to find the cure to the curse demons have placed on the elven race. We see Trent disheveled, embarrassed, making mistakes and otherwise being…human.<br />
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And Rachel notices too.<br />
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Rachel herself faces trial after trial as the Coven tries to stop her from getting to the conference to clear her name (the Coven can’t be trusted), as assassins hunt Trent for reasons he won’t disclose (typical), as Al tries to convince her to shun reality, embrace her inner demoness and join him in the ever-after (the most likely outcome of the conference), and never mind about the day-walking demon that has just placed her at the top of his want list (all in a day’s work). There’s always something or someone gunning for Rachel, trying to kill her, subvert her, manipulate her…and she survives. She takes what is thrown at her, reacting by the seat of her pants and often making bad decisions, but she survives and rises to protect those around her, even when they don’t want her protection (*cough* Trent *cough*). Rachel will always put others above herself and that’s what I love about her. When the cards are on the table and she knows she’s beat, she’ll sacrifice herself to make sure everyone else survives. We need more heroines like her.<br />
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And I want more Trent. When’s book 10 come out?<br />
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Pale Demon releases on Tuesday, February 22nd from HarperCollins. ARC provided by NetGalley. <br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Kelly Metz enjoys reading, writing, photography, her family and annoying her baby brother, who, while younger, is now over a foot taller than her and can punch much harder than when he was little. She spends her free time engaging in various torture activities, demon summonings, zombie raisings and spell casting. And writing when she gets bored with those. You can find her online at </span><a href="http://www.kellymetz.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">www.kellymetz.com</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> or follow her on twitter at </span><a href="http://www.twitter.com/bwlrgrl300"><span style="font-size: x-small;">www.twitter.com/bwlrgrl300</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span>Kat & Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12290364574145477731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8737308355151986858.post-66695252043656528102011-02-04T13:49:00.002-05:002011-02-21T19:14:44.922-05:00great things are coming from Maria Snyder<a href="http://www.mariavsnyder.com/images/tinyOI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.mariavsnyder.com/images/tinyOI.jpg" width="150" /></a>Wow oh wow oh wow!!!! We found NetGalley and based on our blog and our profile, we have been lucky enough to get to read some amazing gallies instead of waiting and hoping for arcs. First one finished:<em> Outside</em> <em>In</em> by Maria Snyder.<br />
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We've been fans of Maria's for awhile now and have been lucky to have her come to the stores we work at to sign, do meet-and-greets, and have book release parties. We know we're not the normal fans and maybe the gushing praise will turn some off. Well, I don't care.<br />
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Trella's back and not sure where she fits in her newly free world. The pressure makes her start to crack. While the Committee seems to work slower than our current Congress, Trella is craving to get back to exploring the Inside. The empty space discovered at the end of <em>Inside Out </em>is far more expansive than they could have imagined. She also finds yet another secret area; this one contains what appears to be vehicles of some sort and weird symbols that may be the answers they've been arguing about in Committee meetings.<br />
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While the entirety of Inside waits for those they put in charge to actually do something, Trella's trying to come to terms with the fact that Dr. Lamont, the traitor in Trella's mind, just might be her mother.Saboteurs, Outsiders, and heartache seem to follow Trella and her band of merry men wherever they go. In the end, it's really about finding her place in her society and doing what's best for all......once she figures out what that might be. There's plenty of action, conspiracy, and yes a bit of love to make this a great read for teens & adults alike as well as keep either boys or girls glued to the pages. Ms Snyder once again manages to find a new spin on teen angst, the journey of self-discovery, and her magical ability to fully engross a reader in the world she's created.<br />
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While reading the advanced galley has been exciting, it has shown me that I will not be an e-book convert. Sure, a handheld device might be better than reading on my computer I have reaffirmed that I would rather have a paper copy of a book any day. I'll keep reading however I can so we can share new titles and authors with all of you.<br />
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<em>Outside In</em> comes out March 1, 2011. You can check out an excerpt and see where Maria Snyder is appearing on her website: <a href="http://www.mariavsnyder.com/">http://www.mariavsnyder.com/</a>. ARC provided by NetGalleyKat & Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12290364574145477731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8737308355151986858.post-88236419099246685962011-01-31T18:36:00.000-05:002011-01-31T18:36:38.392-05:00Book of Tomorrow by Cecelia AhernThe author of <em> P.S. I Love You</em> is back with a new novel. well, it's fantastic! at least, the first 3 chapters are. We won an arc in a twitter contest and somehow I lost it.<br />
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Here's the story as far as I got:<br />
Tamara's a typical teenager. Self-Obsessed, would rather spend time with her friends than her parents, doesn't usually think past her next set of plans. None of these things is necessarily bad until her whole world changes. First, she loses her dad and then her whole sense of self. After the post-dad finances are figured out, it's apparent that Tamara and her mom can't continue living the life they have been.<br />
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No more vacations, no more extravagant shopping, no more big house. No, they go to live with her aunt and uncle (whom she barely remembers) in their "little" cottage next to Kilsaney Castle. Left to her own as her mother grieves and her aunt & uncle go about their lives, Tamara is struggling to find her place in her new world while desperately desiring to be back in her old one.<br />
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Sadly, that's as far as i got before my apartment ate the book. I know from reading the blurb on the back that a rolling library introduces her to a book that will change everything for Tamara, but I have no idea how or why. The Book of Tomorrow is set in Ahern's Ireland and makes me want to travel. And since I never got to finish the book, I'm going to have to see if my local bookstore has it.<br />
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You should too and together we can see how/why/if Tamara is able to cope with the changes thrown at her. And also how one book can make her life seem complete. (isn't that true of our favorite books anyways?)<br />
<br />
Recovering with pages,<br />
Kat :)<br />
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Hardcover, 320 pages, 21.99 @ borders.comKat & Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12290364574145477731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8737308355151986858.post-72973728151370447272011-01-20T11:54:00.001-05:002011-01-20T11:56:31.908-05:00Jane True is Truly Wonderful<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: #6aa84f;">Tempest Legacy by Nicole Peeler</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: #6aa84f;">This third book in the Jane True story is delightful. It continues the story of Jane in her exploration of who she is and this powerful, beautiful, and scary supernatural world she is now a part of. Jane once again gets caught up in a series of murder investigations with Ryu's team. Fighting Ryu's wish that she moves to Boston with him, Jane is finding the dynamic of her romantic feelings to be changing. Not sure who to trust Jane is beginning to stand on her own two feet. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6aa84f;">These books have it all; murder and mystery, humor that's laugh out loud, a paranormal world that is fascinating, romance that is both hot and touchingly sweet, and are an overall must read. If you enjoy Sookie Stackhouse, you </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6aa84f;">will love Jane True.</span></span></span><span style="background-color: yellow;"></span>Kat & Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12290364574145477731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8737308355151986858.post-24355744577501564772011-01-13T14:25:00.000-05:002011-01-13T14:25:40.981-05:00Richard Castle you're my hero<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">One of the best tv to book transitions that I have ever seen. If you love the ABC show Castle, you will love the books referenced in the show and written by Richard Castle. </span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Jamison Rook is a self-assured journalist writing a piece on Detective Nikki Heat. Heat is a kick ass crime fighter with a hidden romantic side. As they become more involved in the murder case, so do they also become more involved with each other. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Witty and fun, these books show the under lying feelings of the characters on the show. It is easy to believe that the books written by Richard Castle are about real people that we get to see every week. The humorous side to solving murders is always visible in the tales of Nikki Heat. </span>Kat & Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12290364574145477731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8737308355151986858.post-70190676452610796452010-07-22T15:51:00.000-04:002010-07-22T15:51:04.392-04:00Crazy Hahvahd Antics<div style="color: cyan;">School's out for summer, but college freshmen will be heading to campuses around the country soon. Didn't get into Harvard, Yale, Brown or any of the other ivies your parents were hoping you would? That's ok. Lauren Kunze & Rina Onur take us on quite a ride (and give quite an education) in <i>The Ivy</i>.</div><div style="color: cyan;"><br />
</div><div style="color: cyan;">From moving in day, when we meet the four most different girls possible and their equally impossible male counterparts from across the hall, these 2 Harvard alums allow the rest of us to experience what life on the yard might actually be like. Our heroines: </div><div style="color: cyan; text-align: justify;"> <span style="color: purple;">Dana</span>, the Bible-thumper and most sheltered</div><div style="color: cyan; text-align: justify;"> <span style="color: purple;">Marine Aurelie Clement (aka Mimi)</span>, Europe's Paris Hilton, is French, fashionable, and open to any (and maybe all) "relationship" options</div><div style="color: cyan; text-align: justify;"> <span style="color: purple;">Vanessa VonVorhees</span>, prep-school grad with the same mentality even away from the Manhattan social scene, is the social-climber who would rather cyber-stalk her classmates than take any actual notes</div><div style="color: cyan; text-align: justify;"> <span style="color: purple;">Callie</span>, our protagonist, the blonde California transplant who has heard all of the "Legally Blonde" jokes.....thank you very much.</div><div style="color: cyan;"><br />
</div><div style="color: cyan;">Life seems idyllic in each of their lives. Sure, one's boyfriend breaks up with her via text message, one's drunk more than sober, one's a bit off, and the last is just trying to do what she was raised to do. But aren't we all in some way or another? This is a fun read interspersing the thoughts of Callie with notices from <i>Fifteen</i> <i>Minutes</i>, Harvard newspaper The Crimson's weekly mag that helps "to answer the ever present question of how Harvard students can fill their spare time" (Crimson, Februaury 14, 1992). </div><div style="color: cyan;"><br />
</div><div style="color: cyan;">Come September, follow the antics of these four girls, the boys from across the hall, and Harvard at large from Orientation to Thanksgiving break. Hopefully, there will be follow-ups to finish the ever crazed freshman year. After all, how does rushing end? Can Callie choose between the multitude of boys now available to her? Will she survive her first deep freeze of a New England winter? I NEED to know!!!!!</div><div style="color: cyan;"><br />
</div><span style="color: cyan;">The Ivy, by Lauren Kunze & Rina Onur, Greenwillow Books, Sept. 2010. Read, live vicariously, learn what to (possibly) NOT do your first time away from home.</span>Kat & Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12290364574145477731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8737308355151986858.post-14308680037214138562010-06-12T11:48:00.000-04:002010-06-12T11:48:36.363-04:00Radiant Shadows by Melissa Marr<div style="color: red;">Let me start by saying I waited, and waited, and waited for this book. I didn't even pick it up when it first came out b/c she was going to be at BEA. So I waited, got my signed copy, and dug in. I think I overhyped it to myself. How sad for me.</div><div style="color: red;"><br />
</div><div style="color: red;">Most of our regular Wicked Lovely characters make a cameo, but this book is all about a halfling named Ani. and her troubles fitting in. She's more faerie than mortal, more leader than follower, more trouble than the High Court is looking for. She's sentenced to death by the High Queen, but a bodiless spectre convinces Devlin to let her live. Rae, our spectre, turns out to be a dreamwalker. I won't tell you what Ani becomes, but will tease you that she gets a steed that turns itself into various cars and a new court is introduced.</div><div style="color: red;"> </div><div style="color: red;">I had a lot of trouble getting into this one and I'm pretty sure I did it to myself. The writing's just as good, the characters and plot twists just as fun. So it's me. If you've been waiting to read it, why? Pick it up, go in with no expectations and enjoy the ride.</div><div style="color: red;"><br />
</div><span style="color: red;">The next one's gone to the editors and there are some Wicked Loveley stories too. Check out http://www.melissa-marr.com/ for all the updates.</span><br />
<input id="gwProxy" type="hidden" /><!--Session data--><input id="jsProxy" onclick="jsCall();" type="hidden" /><div id="refHTML"></div>Kat & Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12290364574145477731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8737308355151986858.post-77509218776197306192010-06-09T22:46:00.000-04:002010-06-09T22:46:33.441-04:00Too Much Bow-chica-wow-wow and Not Enough Plot<div style="color: magenta;"><i>Bullet</i> by Laurell K. Hamilton</div><div style="color: magenta;"><br />
</div><div style="color: magenta;">If you have been reading this series then you understand the direction that it has taken. The books have moved away from an actual story line and into porn. I had hopes with last years <i>Skin Trade</i> that the books had gone back to the original direction, however the latest in the series has proven that wrong. </div><div style="color: magenta;"><br />
</div><div style="color: magenta;">I feel that with some major editing this book contains less than a novella worth of story. It is simply two chapters of ideas with sex as the fill-in content. Now I have nothing against some bedroom action in my stories but there has to be something to back that up. </div><div style="color: magenta;"><br />
</div><div style="color: magenta;">Now the plot, the big bad (mother of darkness, first vampire, mommy dearest, whatever) that they thought they killed last time is really not dead and looking for revenge. She has now made her presence known and the fact that she wants them dead or under her control. Anita and her men decide they need to build their power-base to defend themselves against the darkness. This of course means sex. And this is where the book ends. </div><div style="color: magenta;"><br />
</div><span style="color: magenta;">Even with my disappointment in this book, I am still looking for more. Possibly with the </span><i style="color: magenta;">Nightseer</i><span style="color: magenta;"> world (as it remains my favorite of her books) as long as it doesn't go the same direction. </span>Kat & Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12290364574145477731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8737308355151986858.post-9497484929705461932010-06-03T11:19:00.001-04:002010-06-03T11:22:43.833-04:00Ophelia by Lisa Klein<div style="color: lime;">Do you love Shakespeare as much as I do? Well, of course you don't!!! You wouldn't be trolling the <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">internet</span> if you did. Wait, I troll the <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">internet</span>. Never mind. It is unlikely though. And yes, I loved Will before Kenneth <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Branagh's</span> <i>Much Ado About Nothing</i> ever hit PBS. Now, just because you might not like the Bard is no reason to be scared of <i>Ophelia</i> by Lisa Klein. You know Ophelia as Hamlet's lover/friend/suicidal chick. Or is she? Ms. Klein's take on the least discussed character within the entire play is a fairly unique one. (It's long, trust me. Rent <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Branagh's</span> version and count the cameos or <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">watch</span> the David <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Tennant</span> one from PBS. Avoid Ethan <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Hawke's</span> at all cost. Not that he's not cute, but because it sucks and it's set in NYC which is weird.) One I think Shakespeare would have proud of if he were writing today.</div><div style="color: lime;"><br />
</div><div style="color: lime;">I know, you can't stand the whole Elizabethan English thing with its thine, thou, <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">m'lord</span>-<span class="goog-spellcheck-word">ing</span>. It's <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">ok</span>, there's none of that here. Sure, if you have a grasp on it, some of the phrases sound better in your head. And having even the basic knowledge of the iambic pentameter in which Shakespeare wrote only enhances this story. Ms. Klein is not the first to take on minor characters from <i>Hamlet</i>, but she might have one of most intriguing takes on the side plots.</div><div style="color: lime;"><br />
</div><div style="color: lime;">What if I told you Ophelia never lost her senses? What if <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Polonius</span> was more of a stooge than we all thought? What happens after Horatio fulfills his best friend's dying wish? What if <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Fortinbras</span> has a challenger to the crown of Denmark?</div><div style="color: lime;"><br />
</div><div style="color: lime;">All of these questions and more get their due. Ophelia is no wilting daisy in this take on the great Dane and his family's demise. She's strong enough to live through assassination attempts, the realization that her dad sucks, the torture that being the new girl in court brings. "Hey, this sounds like high school" you might be saying. It's true, there are events within the book that everyone can relate to. Who cares if you don't like Shakespeare (besides your English or Drama teachers of course)? You're going to love this book. With the exception of good Queen Bess herself, it's rare that stories set in this era have strong women in positive roles, But <i>Ophelia</i> is chock full of them.</div><div style="color: lime;"><br />
Can't wait to read <i>Lady Macbeth's Daughter</i> just as soon as my local bookstore gets it back in. Until then, I fully hope you give Ophelia the chance she deserves. Now, go read it!!! I'm waiting to hear what you think of it. And if you disagree, all the better.</div><div style="color: lime;"><br />
</div><span style="color: lime;">Available now from Bloomsbury Publishing. 352 pages, paperback.</span><br />
<div style="color: orange; text-align: center;">It's summer, escape into the pages of a good book. Your messy room and pile <span style="color: orange;">of laundry will be there when you get back.</span></div>Kat & Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12290364574145477731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8737308355151986858.post-290698119427193662010-06-01T19:55:00.001-04:002010-06-01T20:12:33.298-04:00Back with lots of Books!!<span style="color: yellow; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Ok, so now that I'm back from Book Expo we have lots of new books to review. I have listed several books for June 1st and 2nd. These are books that have already come out but we are just getting to review now. The books on our calendar will be linked to the reviews for each one. So feel free to look through and see what is coming out. </span>Kat & Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12290364574145477731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8737308355151986858.post-14901382178681216062010-06-01T16:03:00.002-04:002010-06-03T10:42:48.133-04:00fortunate harbor, a happiness key novel by Emilie Richards<div style="color: #8e7cc3;">So, while one of us headed to BEA, the other one put her nose in a book (or 3) and tried not to cry with jealousy.</div><div style="color: #8e7cc3;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #8e7cc3;">First up for review: Emilie Richards' <i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">fortunate harbor</span></i>, a happiness key novel.</div><div style="color: #8e7cc3;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #8e7cc3;">I have to admit, I wouldn't have picked this book up in a store. It's not my typical cup of tea, but I really enjoyed it. Sure, it's kinda predictable and feels like most of the chick flicks I've watched. Sure, I could put certain actresses in each of the lead characters roles. But i really had a good time with it and didn't want to put it down.In fact, I would get upset when I had to. The women who make up this fantastic beach read are pretty funny, amazing, sarcastic....heck they could be my friends. </div><div style="color: #8e7cc3;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #8e7cc3;">There's Tracy, the landlady and most fish out of water. She's recovering from her husband's imprisonment and the subsequent loss of all of their earthly belongings. Well, all save a run-down plot of land known as Happiness Key. She's gone from the highlife in California to trying to figure out how to fix a roof on a budget in Florida.</div><div style="color: #8e7cc3;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #8e7cc3;">There's Janya, who's trying to get pregnant with a nagging mother (who calls from India) and an absent husband. Which would make it all the more difficult to get pregnant.</div><div style="color: #8e7cc3;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #8e7cc3;">There's Wanda, the waitress/crazy lady. She gives up her less than stellar waitressing career (helped along by the yuppie scum changing the family restaurant into something too chichi) for her true passion: pie baking. of course the bakery in town is none too pleased to have the competition.</div><div style="color: #8e7cc3;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #8e7cc3;">There's Alice, the grandmother thrust back into parenting when little Olivia comes to live with her.</div><div style="color: #8e7cc3;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #8e7cc3;">And finally, there's Dana. She's hiding something. Something big. And it somehow involves her daughter.</div><div style="color: #8e7cc3;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #8e7cc3;">Throughout this book, there's drama mixed with comedy: there's the return of someone thought long gone, there's the competition doing whatever necessary to best the new guy, there's the handsome handyman with a dark past of his own. There's even a treasure hunt....of sorts.</div><div style="color: #8e7cc3;"><br />
</div><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">So while not necessarily what I would have chosen for myself, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I would highly recommend it to EVERYONE looking to escape for a bit.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #8e7cc3;">This book will be available on June 29th. </span>Kat & Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12290364574145477731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8737308355151986858.post-53423408130728526572010-05-24T17:20:00.000-04:002010-05-24T17:20:10.345-04:00Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!!!<div style="color: blue;">No, it's just a book. But a good book. Our copy of Diana Palmer's Dangerous goes to our only suggester. Tammy Z suggested we read "Magic Bites" by Ilona Andrews. So we're going to. </div><div style="color: blue;"><br />
</div><div style="color: blue;">Why did we move up the date of this contest? Well, Ms. Palmer's publisher decided to release it tomorrow. Which is earlier than anticipated. And we're nice chicks so why make Tammy wait?</div><div style="color: blue;"><br />
</div><span style="color: blue;">Congrats to Tammy and keep your eyes peeled for our next GiveAway!!!</span>Kat & Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12290364574145477731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8737308355151986858.post-69806537326026933362010-05-24T11:52:00.002-04:002010-06-09T22:32:13.370-04:00"Beautiful Creatures" by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl<div style="background-color: black; color: red;">Suppose you live in a small southern town that takes a crazy amount of pride for their small contribution to the Civil War. Suppose you've been having strange dreams about a pretty girl that leaves you sweaty and dirty in the morning. (No, not those kind of dreams. I mean literally dirty. Muddy even) Suppose that girl suddenly shows up at your school and her voice is in your head.</div><div style="background-color: black; color: red;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: black; color: red;">Now you know what Ethan Wate's life has been like the last few months. The dreams start shortly after his mom dies, but the adventure is just getting started. Lena Duchannes is the niece of the town's shut-in. She's just arrived, but her connection to Ethan seems to be generations in the making. </div><div style="background-color: black; color: red;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: black; color: red;">Shuffling between shared visions of the past and present day occurrences, <i>Beautiful Creatures</i> in a fantastic, fantastical story. History of the town and these families unravels before you. Slowly. A great read for anyone looking to escape into what is ultimately a love story, this book will also resonate with the Sci-Fi reader in us all.</div><div style="background-color: black; color: red;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: black; color: red;">Pick it up and fall in love (or like) with these characters before the sequel, <i>Beautiful Darkness</i>, comes out in October. Go, read, and meet the wacky, whimsical townsfolk. Besides our heroes, there's Ethan's housekeeper/spiritualist, uncle Macon, a special librarian, and of course the kind of people that populate every town everywhere. There are the cheerleaders who think anyone different is bad, their mothers who coddle them, the jocks, the old folks are there too. </div><div style="background-color: black; color: red;"><br />
</div><span style="background-color: black; color: red;">It's a hard to put down page turner and you would be silly to miss out on it.</span>Kat & Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12290364574145477731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8737308355151986858.post-21634250262157645202010-05-19T12:21:00.000-04:002010-05-19T12:21:51.568-04:00"Another Faust" by Daniel & Dina Nayeri<div style="color: purple;">Hey gang, finished <i>Another Faust</i> over the weekend. this is an amazing read. Written by brother and sister Daniel & Dina Nayeri, I will admit I had some trouble getting into it. After all, I'm a geek. So, of course I've read Faustian tales and seen movie adaptations, even most of the opera. Unfortunately, that meant I was trying to compare this stand-alone from its namesake.</div><div style="color: purple;"><br />
</div><div style="color: purple;">Once I got over that, it sped by way too fast. A tale with 5 potential orphans getting most of what they think they want, this book is a must read. Their governess Madame Vileroy is both sweetness and light as well as creepy and dark. The big question put out by the authors: What would <i>you</i> sell your soul for? Maybe you want to be the most beautiful, or the best athlete, the smartest, the poet, or maybe just hidden. </div><div style="color: purple;"><br />
</div><div style="color: purple;">Take the journey with Victoria, Christian, Belle and her twin Bice, and Valentin into self-discovery and decided your own self-worth. And know that once you get hooked, this book will be over way to fast. But, dear reader, do not despair. For <i>Another Pan </i>will be out October 12th. Still set around the Marlowe School our five plucky stars of <i>Another Faust </i>dominate, this tome will feature the brother-sister team of Wendy and John Darling, an ancient Egyptian artifact, and an R.A. named Peter. I can't wait!!!</div><div style="color: purple;"><br />
</div><div style="color: purple;">Till next time, keep reading!!!</div><div style="color: purple;"><br />
</div><div style="color: purple;">oh, and we have a twitter account! Look for tweets from 2chicksreading.</div><div style="color: purple;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple;">Kat's reading </span><i style="color: purple;">Beautiful Creatures</i><span style="color: purple;">. What are YOU reading?</span></div><br />
Don't forget to enter our contest! More will be coming soon.Kat & Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12290364574145477731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8737308355151986858.post-63523873744803759722010-05-09T21:23:00.001-04:002010-05-09T21:25:28.349-04:00Our First Give Away<div style="color: #f6b26b;">Diana Palmer's <i>Dangerous</i> which comes out in July has been given to us for review as well as a copy to give to you. We are looking for suggestions of what to read. If you want to be entered for the chance to win this new hard cover send us an email with what book you recommend. We will randomly select a winner on June30. </div><div style="color: #f6b26b;"><br />
We will have a review of this book up shortly.<br />
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</div><span style="color: #f6b26b;">Let's see what new great reads we can find. :-) </span>Kat & Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12290364574145477731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8737308355151986858.post-42634403945909394062010-05-09T21:13:00.001-04:002010-06-09T22:31:33.002-04:00Oh, Sookie, Sookie<div style="color: #3d85c6;">As promised the new Charlaine Harris, <i>Dead in the Family</i>. Well this one picks up where <i>Dead and Gone</i> left off and without ruinning anything in the series here you go. </div><div style="color: #3d85c6;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #3d85c6;">Without the outright possiblilty of getting hurt like with the vampire summit or the shifter war, (which Sookie is still recovering from) Sookie may have the chance to spend some time with her new/old lover. Eric completely remembers his time hiding out at her place and is trying to figure out what to do about it. While the vampire empire has been taken over and Eric is trying to secure a place within it; Eric's maker pays a visit with his new child. </div><div style="color: #3d85c6;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #3d85c6;">This is not to say that Sookie's life is calm and easy. The shifters are using her land, there is a fairy wandering in her woods, she has a new roommate, there's baby showers and oh yea, a wedding of sorts. While all these changes are happening in Sookie's world she is being framed for murder with a body in her woods. </div><div style="color: #3d85c6;"><br />
</div><span style="color: #3d85c6;">This continues to be what you would expect from Charlaine Harris and I can't wait until the next one. </span>Kat & Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12290364574145477731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8737308355151986858.post-83349658126893538062010-05-01T21:49:00.004-04:002010-05-01T22:06:58.890-04:00"Inside Out" by Maria SnyderOur first book back is the newest by one of our faves, Maria Snyder. A "local" author for us, Maria writes for the booklover in all of us. Her newest is no different. <br /><br />Full of twists, turns, and the ocasional caste system, "Inside Out" is a welcome departure from Ms. Snyder's other series. While a gigantic fan of both the "Poison/Magic/Fire Study" novels as well as the newer glass series (Spy Glass out this fall), this new venture is a fantastic break. Trella is a scrub. She makes sure the pipes stay clean and do what they should. Trella is one of thousands who work the lower levels. As the back of the book says: "I've got one friend, do my job and try to avoid the Pop Cops. So what if I ocasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels?"<br /><br />Following Trella and her friends as they inadvertently start a revolution, the reader gets a glimpse of what the age old haves/havenots struggle has always been about. add to it a sci-fi twist and the adventure takes on an interesting new direction. (it's so hard to tell you to go read this book without giving it all away- aaaaahhhhhh!!!!!) Some questions to think about when reading:<br /><br />Does Trella have what it takes to take down the system?<br />If she takes it down, what will happen to the world she knows?<br />Does she have parents? And if so, do they know where she is?<br />What is Gateway and does it really exist?<br /><br />Have I peaked your interest? I hope so. Run, don't walk to your closest bookstore and pick up "Inside Out" by Maria Snyder as soon as possible.<br /><br />Too bad I have to wait until next year for "Outside In". It will feel like forever.<br /><br />Remember kids, reading is good for you and makes your parents wonder what you've done!!<br /><br />kat & ashKat & Ashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12290364574145477731noreply@blogger.com0