What to expect when visitng my blog...

I would like to take a minute and share with you what to expect when looking over my blog. This page is an opportunity to share with others what I like to do in my spare time. These activities range from reading, which I need to do more of (have a mountain of books to conquer and I still buy more =)...) making my own greeting cards, ornaments and more.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Wake by Lisa McMann (book 16)


Book 16 Wake by Lisa McMann

At First I found this book a little difficult to get into. The main character Janine jumps into people's dreams with out wanting to. The story at first was too jumpy for me with the various dreams she went into and the flashbacks.

However, as I read more and more into the book I enjoyed it. I enjoyed how pieces of her awake life helped Janine in the dreams that she was pulled into. For the longest time Janine did not know why the individuals in the dreams were asking her for help. How could they see her? And although she wanted to help them she doesn't know how.

As the book progresses you see Janine meet a fellow student whom she slowly develops a relationship with. Slowly because she feels that he is keeping things from her. But soon finds out what the underlying story is for him.

Wake I feel is a good book to get you thinking on what it would be like to be pulled into other people's dreams. Would you see their biggest fear or things they want to do.

I am looking forward to getting the second book in the series Fade by Lisa McMann.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

The Shadow Within. (book 15 in 50 book challenge)


The Shadow Within by Jenine Wilson

The beginning of the story you meet Jessie A high school student who only wants to make it through her day unnoticed by two students that have a locker on either side of her. This however never happens. While she is at her locker Jessie runs into Amber and Reese and is ridiculed by them. One day of the teasing Jessie trips and is about to fall when out of nowhere a boy catches her and prevents her from falling. This boys name was Wesley. From that point on you can see a friendship grow.

After becoming friends with Wesley, Jessie realizes that strange things happen. First he is found outside of a house where a man is found dead. Could he have killed him? Second nobody seems to remember him. Teachers speak to him but then act as if they didn't see him. How could this be.

It is not until Wesley shares his secret with her that she understands why he is forgotten by everyone around him but she doesn't understand why she never forgets him.

With story of his past shared with Jessie Wesley also shares with her that there is an evil force in town called a shade and he is the one possessing humans and killing them due to humans not being strong enough to house the shade.

Through out the book you notice a change in Reese he goes from ridiculing Jessie daily to attacking her and then befriends her.

The Shadow Within is a well written and enjoyable story of a teenage girl who only wants to be left alone but gets herself involved in so much more.

I recommend this book to everyone who enjoys a story that incorporates growing up, making friends, falling in love and dealing with the supernatural.

A great read.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

House of Night Novels







I will try not to do this often but I am going to cover the first four books in the House of Night series in one review as I read them back to back. and they all blended into one in my reading. I hope no one minds that it wont be 4 separate reviews.

The House of night series books are the following
Marked:House of night , Betrayed:House of night , Chosen:House of night and untamed:House of night .

Marked begins with the reader meeting a young girl named Zoey. She attends a regular high school and wants nothing more then to fit in. However one day Zoey gets marked with a crescent moon on her forehead. The means she needs to leave her family and friends and begin attending school at the House of night. Zoey finds since she has been marked that people who she thought were friends desert her and her family disapproves that she has been marked.

Zoey only thinking of one person she can turn too drives off to see her grandmother. She has an accident and her grandmother takes care of her and brings her to the house of night. There she meets Nefert the high priestess who will be her mentor. Zoey jumps right into her classes and begins making friends. However even as a soon to be vampire she is different from everyone else. Her mark is filled in which doesn't usually happen until a teenager becomes an adult vampire. With a filled in mark this draws more attention to Zoey.

In Marked Zoey meets Aphrodite who is the leader of the group called Dark Daughters and Zoey's worst enemy.

Betrayed begins a little after Marked ends. In Betrayed Zoey becomes the leader of the Dark Daughters as Aphrodite is stripped of her title and also no longer considered a priestess in training. In Betrayed we learn that not all will make the change to an adult vampire. Zoey sees three people in her school not make it through the change. And one has a profound effect on her. Zoey's life changes the day one of her classmates doesn't make it through the change. However, ZOey finds that something is amiss at the House of Night. In Betrayed you see Zoey and Erik get closer and closer. Zoey however is torn between her growing love for Erik and her long lasting love for Heath her ex-boyfriend from her previous school.

Zoey, unlike her classmates, develops adult vampire traits before they do. When Heath and another of Zoey's old friends come to rescue her Heath cuts his finger and Zoey can smell his blood and does what no fledgling is supposed to do. She tastes his blood. Fledglings are not supposed to drink blood from anyone human as it can form an imprint with the human. Zoey doesn't feel this has happended until Heath begins texting her continously. Zoey goes and shares this happening with her mentor Nefert.

As Zoey continues with her duties as the leader of the Darl Daughters she feels something is off at the school but doesn't know what exactly it is. Through out Choosen Zoey begins to have a better understanding of her nemisis Aphrodite. Could friendship beforming between the too?
With Zoey's friend who represents the earth element gone Aphrodite steps in to much of the complaining of her other friends.

The last book Untamed finds Zoey and her friends trying to save the school from the dark one rising. Aphrodite conitinues to have her visions and shares them with Zoey. Zoey calls her grandmother in for help but tragedy strikes and her grandmother ends up in the hospital unable to help her. Zoey must take this battle on with just her friends. In Untamed Zoey finds out that the person she is supposed to trust at the school is behind all the bad things happening.

The question now is can Zoey and her friends save the school and stop the evil forces from rising?
I look forward to book five to see what happens next.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Kiss Me Forever


Book 9 in my 50 book challenge is Kiss me forever by Rosemary Laurey And guess what it too is a vampire book. =) which brings my vampire challenge to 7.

Kiss me forever begins with a young woman named Dixie Lepage flying to London to look at a house that was left to her by her great aunts. When she arrives things go from bad to worse. When she lands in London she finds out that the train workers are on strike and nothing is running so she needs to find an alternate mode of transportation. She rents a car and is on her way.

When she arrives at her destination the gentleman who is supposed to help her puts her up in a bed and breakfast where his gal can keep an eye on him and report back everything Dixie does.

Through the course of her stay she meets a man by the name of Christopher Marlow who she doesn't know is a vampire. The two form a bond and soon fall in love with each other all along Dixie not knowing that Marlow is a vampire even though they talk about witches and werewolves. Dixie doesn't believe in them and Marlow tries to get her to believe. It isn't until Marlow is put into danger that she realizes the truth.

There are many twists and turns in this book as Dixie and Marlow fight to hold onto the items in her aunts house and find out that the gentleman supposed to help her with the house is out to hurt her.

The story is an enjoyable and nice flowing read.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

More book reviews to come

So here is the list of all the book reviews to come as I have read the books but haven't had a chance to type up the reviews.
the books are
1. Kiss me Forever
2. Marked: A house of night novel
3. Betrayed: A house of night Novel
4. Chosen: A house of Night novel
5 Untamed: A house of night novel

All these will reviews will be posted within the next few days.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Book reviews to come

Hello everyone,
While being out of work sick for the past two days I got to do some reading. I still have two books to post reviews for those will be coming either this evening or tomorrow. The reviews to be posted are marked bye PC Cast and Kiss me forever by Rosemary Laurey. Both are vampire books bringing my vampire book challenge to 8 and my 50 book challenge to 10.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Kiss and Tell by Sandy Lynn (book 8 for the 50 book challenge and book 6 in the vampire challenge)


Okay book 8 for my challenge is another vampire book. Apparently I am on a vampire kick...lol Book 8 is Kiss and Tell Bloodmates Book 1 by Sandy Lynn.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a very steamy romance between a vampire and a human.

Kiss and Tell starts off with a woman named Willow, who loses her job, going out with her sister and friend to get her mind off things. At the bar they go too the women decided to play a game. Willow is to choose one guy in the bar go over to him ask if she can join him and sit on his lap. While sitting on his lap she has to ask him one question and this will determine whether she gives him her name and number or just a kiss and walk away.

The questions she has to ask is "Boxers or Briefs" little did she know when she asked this question the answer would be neither. This then leads into the very steamy Romance between Willow and Seth whom she doesn't know is a vampire.

Once Willow finds out that Seth is a vampire and the marks on her neck that she thought was a hickey is really tooth marks she freaks out and leaves Seth.

Since Willow leaves Seth is upset and tries to drink from other donors but never gets his thirst quenched. When Willow returns to the bar to confront Seth she hears his stomach growl which is uncommon for Vampires. She helps him back to his apartment and lets him drink once more from her. While willow is asleep Seth leaves and calls his mom. Yes Vampires have moms. He asks her to tell him the story she used to tell when he was a child so she tells the story of a vampire who finds her bloodmate and discovers only his blood will quench her thirst. Seth realizes that Willow is his bloodmate and only her blood will quench his thirst but he doesn't want her to be with him out of pity.

The story plays out very nicely and I feel that if some wants to ready a steamy romance book then most definitely pick this book up.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer (book 7 in 50 book challenge and book 5 in my vampire challenge)


Book 7 Twilight
Okay with all the mixed reviews I read about Twilight by Stephanie Meyer I felt I needed to read it for myself. While my friend Irish did not enjoy the book I myself thought the book was not too bad. It was long and at times I got tired of Bella swooning over Edward but I viewed most of the swooning as a young teenager in love for the first time. I can remember my first crush you want to be and see that person all the time. That is how I viewed Bella wanting to be with Edward all the time.

I do have to agree with Irish on it being a bit freaky that Edward watches her sleep in her own house and bedroom. And at times is she obsessed by Edward yes but again I viewed it as a first time crush.

I thought the story flowed nicely from Bella landing in Forks and settling in to a new school and new friends, up to the very end.

Another point that I agree with Irish on is the fact that when Bella is almost injured and Edward saves her he tells her he needs to be alone so he can calm done. This I felt was wrong but, then if you look at it if he stayed he could have done more harm to her he is a vampire and all.

Twilight left me with mixed reviews. As I enjoy a vampire story I did feel some things to be better left out of the book then put in. I will most likely pick up the next book to see if my review of the series will change.

Sunday, February 8, 2009

The Dresden Files: Welcome to the Jungle (book 6 in my challenge)


Book 6 in my 50 book challenge is a graphic novel lent to me by my friend Irish. it is [The Dresden Files; Welcome to the Jungle] by [[Jim Butcher]]. I loved all the other Dresden books so reading this one I thought I would feel the same.

The story was good but I am not sure about the graphic novel. I have always had a picture formed in my head of what all the main characters looked like and the drawings in this book didn't meet my idea of each character. The story line was great and Dresden still had the same sense of humor he has in the other Dresden books just not to sure about the graphics.
with that in mind I wont write off graphic novels complete as they are a fast and easy way to read a story and are enjoyable.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes the Dresden series.

Wicked Game by Jeri Smith-Ready (book 5 in my 50 book challenge and book 4 in my vampire challenge)


Book 5 in my 50 book challenge was Wicked Game by Jeri Smith-ready.

Wicked Game had me pulled in from the first chapter. The main character Ciara is looking for an internship for her school. She finds an internship at Radio station WVMP. There she meets a group of Djs like no others. each DJ is dressed in period clothing that matches the music they play. Odd? Ciara thinks so. She is also given a manual to read on her first night to help familiarize herself with the station and also give her information about the DJs. What she doesn't realize is that like herself they have something to hide.

Ciara reads the pamphlets given to her and read that the DJs all play the music from the time that they were turned to a vampire. As the story progresses we see that the DJs need to fight to keep their radio station. This is where Ciara comes in. she develops a marketing plan to play on the truth of the DJs which to the world will not be believed. She lets people know the DJs are vampires and that is why they know so much about the music that they play.

Along with the fight to keep the radio station Ciara falls in love is reunited with her father and is kept hostage by another group of vampires.

What happens in the end? Well that is something you can find out reading the book. I don't want to give the whole story away. =)

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Girls that Growl (book four in my 50 book challenge and book 3 in the vampire book challenge)


So I had the day from heck at work today and came home and wanted a little escape so I picked up the following book: [Girls that Growl] by [[Mari Mancusi]].

let me tell you this book took my mind off everything that happened today.

Girls that growl is the second book int the Rayne MacDonald the vampire vampire slayer.

This book picks up with Rayne looking at her relationship with her boyfriend Jareth. Jareth saved her life in book one and they become bloodmates. Because of the virus that Rayne was given that Jareth saved her from he too was infected and had his power striped. This allows Jareth to go out in the daylight. With this new freedom Jareth becomes a surfer dude.

Rayne because she has become a vampire is no longer employed by Slayers Inc. officially but is held on to help out when needed. With that said Rayne is asked to join the cheerleader squad because Slayers inc. felt that they were all werewolves. This is where the story becomes funny. Picture a girl who wears goth clothing trying out to be a cheer leader. The story goes one with Rayne and Jareth going off to England to see if they can find an antidote for the cheer leading werewolves.

Girls that Growl is an easy read that can help take your mind off of a hard day.