Bibliognome

Story Time

2012-02-12T01:41:00.000-06:00

Story Time

~~The story will begin on the first of each month and end on the last day of the month.~~
I like this story so much that I think I'll keep it going and see where it goes from here:

Rules
1.) Only write 1 to 2 sentences
2.) Keep it clean
3.) Have fun and spread the word so the story grows

Here's the story that has formed so far:

Awesome people who have authored the story by adding lines so far: Sullivan McPig, Julie@My5monkeys, Susan Jane Bigelow, barmybex

Title: An Extraordinary Girl

Once upon a time in a time not that long ago there was a disturbance.

The cause of the disturbance was something that was well...truly disturbing. In fact it was so disturbing that at first it was quite unclear what this disturbance was, because anyone who saw it was too disturbed to talk about it.

There came a noisy unruly girl who demanded that all must obey her. She was the girl of the mayor and weird things did happen around her. Pigeons tap danced when she blinked her eyes and cockroaches would mimic her words when she spoke. Lights would go off and babies would cry when she passed.

This girl stood in the center of town, pigeons dancing, roaches waiting, lights flickering and babies crying all around. She struck her umbrella on the cobblestones. A hush fell over the town as purple sparks shot out of the tip of the umbrella and even the pigeons stopped their dancing and seemed to hold their breath.

As the astounded masses watched a massive hole slowly appeared in the middle of the street. As the dust settled it was revealed...a giant staircase leading down to complete darkness and then a faint music started to radiate from its depths.

There was such a ruckus in the town and trying to make sure that all the citizens were fine. The music coming out of the hole had a mesmerizing sound that attracted all the citizens. It was almost like children's music.

The girl grinned mischievously and whistled along with the music while she slowly descended down the hole.

The further down she went the louder the music echoed. A strange shift filled the air and a cold wind howled past causing her hair to flutter round her face, but it didn't distract her. As she confidently walked on some of the pigeons and cockroaches followed her, cautiously and trembling with fear and a sense of foreboding.

"Wait," a high, piping voice said, "there are dangers below!" One of the pigeons had spoken. This was not a terrific surprise to the girl, who did not pause in her descent.

"Stay above ground if you don't have the courage to follow me," she stated calmly. "But I must go on. The faith of the town depends on this."

As she kept traveling downward the tone of the music seemed to change and become more insistent. Then in the distance a faint shimmering light appeared.

It glowed a dull purple at first, but then changed to a harsh, angry blue that pulsated like a frantic heartbeat that got more aggressive the closer the girl got to it.

The light was actually calling to her, and only her. She was different from everyone else in the town. It was her duty.

She edged closer with her arm out in front of her. The blue light grew in intensity until she had to close her eyes against the glare, a warmth surrounded her arm from the light and she pulled in a satisfied breath and grinned.

As more of the light enveloped her, she felt the heat spread and her body began to hum with a sense of power.

Then in her mind she began to hear a whispering chant almost as if the power knew who she was and what she had to do.

Powerful Poseidon aka My Kind of Mer People

2012-02-11T00:00:00.000-06:00

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

* Book will be released May 22, 2012
* ARC read via Around The World ARC Tours

5 out of 5 gnomes

First I must admit that I love pretty much anything having to do with mermaids. This can probably be blamed on my obsession with the Disney movie, The Little Mermaid. I even named a pair of fishing lures that my dad got me Ariel and Ursula.

The mythology in this book is fun because it really mixes stuff up. You have the Syrena who are basically what we would think of as mermen/mermaids. The Syrena have two different houses, they can either be of Poseidon or of Triton. In this book you meet a lot of the Triton kind including Galen, a prince who also happens to be the ambassador between humans and his people.

The opening chapter is great because it starts out so funny when Emma literally runs into Galen at the beach. It goes quickly from the funny of the first chapter to a horrible event that I didn't predict would end like it did. After what happens at the beach Emma has now caught the attention of Galen because of what he saw her do.

The politics of being a Syrena are interesting because they aren't supposed to have contact with humans and most of them hate or distrust anything having to do with humans. There's also plenty of animosity between the two houses. The problems only grew with nothing to tie them together after the last heir of Poseidon died before being able to wed Grom, Galen's oldest brother. This means that there are plenty of political dealings and conspiracies aplenty.

Rayna, his sister, also reminded me of The Little Mermaid, because of her love of collecting human treasures. I loved how she didn't have the temperament of the aforementioned mermaid. His sister is well to say it nicely, a headstrong individual. I don't think there's anyone as stubborn or feisty as her until she meets Emma. Another fun part of the story is anytime that Rayna and Toraf are in the same room together, they make quite an interesting couple.

I love the relationship between Galen and Emma. She's not crazy about him right away especially after their embarrassing first meeting. When he shows up again now at her school she of course isn't sure what's going on. It doesn't help that Galen has ulterior motives that she doesn't find out about for awhile. Their chemistry is just so very good and you can really see why they're drawn to each other. It's great to see them become closer and of course the mixed up feelings as they each try to discover what they want makes for great reading.

The side characters also bring some great laughs and depth to the story. They have some interesting quirks and stories of their own. You can tell that Rachel has an extremely colorful history and her story alone would be well worth reading. Then there's Emma's mom, the conversations between her and Emma may lead the reader to serious laughing out loud or spit-takes.

As Emma discovers she's not exactly human it leads her to question a lot about her life. Seeing her learn about the Syrena and how her relationship with Galen grows is one of the best parts of the book.

The ending, well I certainly didn't see that coming and wow the tension that adds right at the end of the story is crazy intense. I'm very excited to see what happens next in this awesome book.

My Favorite Quotes - Of Poseidon

2012-02-10T00:00:00.000-06:00

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

* Book will be released May 22, 2012
* ARC read via Around The World ARC Tours

"I'm betting Cinderella didn't feel this foolish, but then again, Cinderella wasn't as clumsy as an intoxicated walrus."

"Oh, and I need to know where Jersey is and if I have enough money to buy it."

"Mortified? No. Mortified is when you experiment with tan-ning lotion and forget to put some on your feet, so it looks like you're wearing socks with your flip-flops and sundress."

"If stupid were a disease, I'd have died from it by now."

"BEING A straight-A student doesn't guarantee anyone com-mon sense."

"Maybe you can talk to donkeys, too," Dr. Milligan smiles. Emma nods. "I can. Sometimes Galen can be a jackass."

Sentence Sneak Peek - Of Poseidon

2012-02-09T00:00:00.000-06:00

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

The first sentence from each chapter of Of Poseidon, it's a mini summary of what you can expect to read.

* Spoilers are highlighted like so :)
* Book will be released May 22, 2012
* ARC read via Around The World ARC Tours

"I SMACK into him as if shoved from behind."

"THE SIBLINGS lean on their elbows against the rail, watch-ing the girls they just met peel T-shirts off their bikinis and wade into the water with the surfboard floating between them."

"I SPLASH enough water in Chloe's face to put out a small house fire."

"TOO LATE."

"DAWN BREAKS unwelcome and hazy against the bay win-dows of the living room."

"HE PULLS into the driveway of the not-so-modest house he asked Rachel not to buy."

"I PICK up the compact and smear porcelain all over my face."

"THE FINAL bell rings and students leak from every crevice of the redbrick building."

"WE PULL into his cobblestoned driveway, and I have to lean back in the seat to take in the whole thing."

"FOR THE five seconds it takes them to stir around in their bed of shattered glass, Galen tries to swallow his heart back down into his chest."

"THIS CAN'T be happening."

"FROM THE window seat, Galen watches Emma stir in the recliner."

"WHEN MY feet touch bottom, Galen releases me."

"GALEN KNOWS where to find his brother."

"THE SMELL of blueberry muffins usually sweetens my mood, but after the lukewarm shower I just took, blueberry muffins don't stand a chance at making my mood any sweeter than vin-egar."

"BETWEEN PUNCHES, Galen bellows his rage."

"BEING A straight-A student doesn't guarantee anyone com-mon sense."

"THE SECURITY guard lets them into the Gulfarium and ushers them inside the living sea exhibit to wait for Dr. Milli-gan."

"DR. MILLIGAN taps the X-ray lit up on the screen."

"GALEN SLIDES into his desk, unsettled by the way the sturdy blond boy talking to Emma casually rests his arm on the back of her seat."

"THE CHANNELS on the TV continue to change even after Rayna stops pressing the button on the remote."

"IT'S ALMOST a straight shot from the Jersey Shore to the Cave of Memories, where the Archives live."

"OFFICER DOWNING pulls into the driveway next to Mom's car."

"FRIDAY NIGHT is finally here."

"I'M NOT sure if all Syrena have bulletproof endurance or if Galen is particularly blessed with it."

"CAREFUL NOT to wake her, Galen brushes Emma's hair from her face, her cheeks pink from the glow of sunrise."

"Waiting On" Wednesday - Bridge of Dreams

2012-02-08T00:00:00.000-06:00

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week I'm waiting on...

Bridge of Dreams by Anne Bishop

* Book will be released March 6, 2012

Check out the description from Goodreads:

"When wizards threaten Glorianna Belladonna and her work to keep Ephemera balanced, her brother Lee sacrifices himself in order to save her-and ends up an asylum inmate in the city of Vision. But a darkness is spreading through Vision, perplexing the Shamans who protect it. And Lee is the only one who can shed any light on its mysteries..."

I can't wait for this book, Anne Bishop is one of my favorite authors. I thought this series was done after the last book Belladonna but was pleasantly surprised to see that the story would continue here. I'm looking forward to seeing where these characters end up. If you love surprising characters and tremendous world building then I would highly recommend that you read anything that Anne Bishop has written.

Ghostly Glimmer

2012-02-07T00:00:00.000-06:00

Glimmer by Phoebe Kitanidis

* Book will be released April 17, 2012
* ARC read via Around The World ARC Tours

4 gnomes and a gnome hat out of 5 gnomes

Wow, this book is crazy, there is so much going on and the mystery will keep pecking at your mind and leave you wondering what exactly is going on.

It starts off with a startling moment when a girl wakes up naked in bed with a stranger and finds that she remembers nothing at all about how she got there or about who she is. Just when she's thinking the worst, the guy wakes up and he doesn't remember anything either.

This is another great story that uses a dual point of view very well. It alternates chapters between Elyse and Marshall. They both have unique voices and some interesting points of view. She's the insider and he's the outsider so you see two distinct sides of this small town culture.

This story takes and runs with the whole creepy small town vibe. It's kind of like a tourist trap that you're happy to never leave. It's a nefarious place but the people there aren't really aware and they always seem to be blissfully happy. It kind of reminded me of the movie Pleasantville at times. Any problems in town disappear whenever anyone has a heatnap. The heatnap thing was really disturbing because in this town it's normal to just fall unconscious at random times, nobody bats an eye.

There is some romance for Elyse and Marshall as they slowly figure out the mystery of Summer Falls. All doesn't go smoothly though of course because when you don't have your memory it's not easy to trust anyone. Elyse feels insane pressure at home and Marshall is more of an outsider just trying to fit in. Though they do seem to complete each other in the best way. Them getting to know who they are and who they've been adds some great depth to the story.

The characters are in plenty of danger yet continue to forge ahead. There are secrets aplenty, everyone seems to have one. I love how all the pieces slowly start to fit together and that there is so much supernatural goodness involved in the plot.

The ending was great because I really had no idea if it would be a happy ending. It does end up ending happily because it shows the character's lives improving for the better and heading in a good direction.

I would recommend this book to anyone that's looking for a truly surprising ghostly tale full of magic and mystery.

Sentence Sneak Peek - Glimmer

2012-02-06T00:00:00.000-06:00

Glimmer by Phoebe Kitanidis

The first sentence from each chapter of Glimmer, it's a mini summary of what you can expect to read.

* Spoilers are highlighted like so :)
* Book will be released April 17, 2012
* ARC read via Around The World ARC Tours

"I COME TO LIFE WITH A GASP IN THE DARKNESS."

"I DIVE INTO CLEAR, ICY WATER AND SINK DOWN deep."

"A LOUD THUMP-THUMP SOUND INVADES THE AIR, making my heart leap toward my throat."

"YOU'D THINK SHE'D BE HAPPIER NOT TO BE naked anymore, but she's frowning down at herself in bewilderment, her heart-shaped face looking like it's about to crumple."

"THERE YOU ARE."

"HEY, WHAT ARE WE RUNNING FROM?"

"ALTON."

"SURE."

"MY ROOM IS IN THE EAST TOWER."

"YEAH . . . FIGURED THAT ONE OUT."

"LIZ OPENS A PALE BLUE ALBUM."

"SO, WHAT WAS THAT GUY JIM TALKING ABOUT?"

"FRESH WHITE PAINT GLEAMS ON THE FAUX-Greek columns of the Summer Falls Public Library, making the building look new even though, from the style, I can tell it must be old."

"I FIGURE THAT CROWDS ALWAYS KNOW WHEN something important's about to start, so as the sun's setting I head off in the direction of town square, where a large mob is gathering."

"OKAY, WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU DON'T LIKE your best friends?"

"WORD SPREADS FAST THROUGH THE CROWD."

"I GRAB ON TO MY LIMO DRIVER'S OUTSTRETCHED hand and step out to face the waiting crowd—my crowd."

"MISS NIFFENHAUER-ACCORDING TO HER GOLD nameplate—looks like an aging Tinker Bell, swimming in a dark green suit that might fit a linebacker."

"NO SURPRISE, I CAN'T CONCENTRATE IN ANY OF my classes."

"THE CAFETERIA'S CROWDED AND BUZZING WITH conversation, laughter, and jeers, each metal table a tribe unto itself, but not a single person looks up as I walk in."

"AFTER SCHOOL ENDS, I WALK WITH CARLA TO the outdoor locker bay and watch her robotically switch out her textbooks for other ones."

"TO KILL TIME BEFORE MEETING MR. ENGLISH AT Mollie's, I zigzag down Main Street and wander down side streets, checking out smaller storefronts."

"I LINGER IN THE WOMEN'S LOCKER ROOM, SHOW-ering off each and every molecule of chlorine, then slowly slipping on the cutoff jeans and white T-shirt packed neatly down at the bottom of my backpack."

"I PACE THE BLOCK FOUR TIMES BEFORE I CAN bring myself to climb the steps to Bill King's front porch."

"MARSHALL STARES AT THE PAPER, HIS DARK EYES burning through it."

"EVA PUSHES HER TORTOISESHELL GLASSES ON top of her electric black hair and spins the hotel swivel chair to face me."

"AFTER A FEW MOMENTS, HE SINKS DOWN TO HIS knees and takes both my hands in his."

"I SEARCH THE CROWD OF FAIRGOERS ON MAIN Street but can't see Elyse, and I get tired pretty quickly of drunk and dropped tourists constantly bumping into me because they didn't notice I was there."

"FOR WHAT FEELS LIKE AN HOUR, I WAIT FOR MY biological father to give me a sign that it's okay to leave the closet."

"TWILIGHT AND THE THUNDER CRACK OF BAT HIT-ing ball."

"PRESTON HOUSE IS DARK AND QUIET WHEN I enter, so I'm hoping my parents have taken the tourists for a mind-clearing hike up at the falls."

"AFTER ELYSE LEAVES I STAY ON THE FLOOR, where she told me to sit, for a long, long time."

"THE BUS IS HALF EMPTY AND TAKES AN HOUR TO get to the hot, loud, crowded train station."

"UNLIKE JEREMY AND RUTA, UNLIKE ALL THE other people I've witnessed having heatnaps, Bill doesn't wake up seconds later."

"I'M CUTTING THROUGH THE SQUARE ON MY WAY to Marshall's house, ready to break into a run at any sudden shimmery movements, when I spot the crouched figure shivering behind the statue of W.P. Preston."

"WELCOME BACK, AGENT KING."

"AFTER I LEAVE BLANK-MARSHALL AND ELIZA-beth behind on the trail—with instructions to follow in ten minutes—I walk up to Joe's log cabin and take a deep breath."

"WHEN I SWING THE MINI IN FRONT OF THE STATE mental health facility, he's waiting for me out in the sunny cold."

Marvelous Mail

2012-02-05T00:00:00.000-06:00

Here's the great things I got in the mail from the last couple of weeks:

- Received Echo's Revenge from the author for review.
- Received Incarnate from the awesome Julie at My 5 Monkeys

- Won this signed copy of Across the Universe from the Twitter party on the release day for the second book A Million Suns.

Lots of cool stuff was included with the book also I now have quite the collection of Across the Universe books. :)

Signed Copy = AWESOMENESS

Story Time

2012-02-04T00:00:00.000-06:00

Story Time

~~The story will begin on the first of each month and end on the last day of the month.~~
I like this story so much that I think I'll keep it going and see where it goes from here:

Rules
1.) Only write 1 to 2 sentences
2.) Keep it clean
3.) Have fun and spread the word so the story grows

Here's the story that has formed so far:

Awesome people who have authored the story by adding lines so far: Sullivan McPig, Julie@My5monkeys, Susan Jane Bigelow, barmybex

Title: An Extraordinary Girl

Once upon a time in a time not that long ago there was a disturbance.

The cause of the disturbance was something that was well...truly disturbing. In fact it was so disturbing that at first it was quite unclear what this disturbance was, because anyone who saw it was too disturbed to talk about it.

There came a noisy unruly girl who demanded that all must obey her. She was the girl of the mayor and weird things did happen around her. Pigeons tap danced when she blinked her eyes and cockroaches would mimic her words when she spoke. Lights would go off and babies would cry when she passed.

This girl stood in the center of town, pigeons dancing, roaches waiting, lights flickering and babies crying all around. She struck her umbrella on the cobblestones. A hush fell over the town as purple sparks shot out of the tip of the umbrella and even the pigeons stopped their dancing and seemed to hold their breath.

As the astounded masses watched a massive hole slowly appeared in the middle of the street. As the dust settled it was revealed...a giant staircase leading down to complete darkness and then a faint music started to radiate from its depths.

There was such a ruckus in the town and trying to make sure that all the citizens were fine. The music coming out of the hole had a mesmerizing sound that attracted all the citizens. It was almost like children's music.

The girl grinned mischievously and whistled along with the music while she slowly descended down the hole.

The further down she went the louder the music echoed. A strange shift filled the air and a cold wind howled past causing her hair to flutter round her face, but it didn't distract her. As she confidently walked on some of the pigeons and cockroaches followed her, cautiously and trembling with fear and a sense of foreboding.

"Wait," a high, piping voice said, "there are dangers below!" One of the pigeons had spoken. This was not a terrific surprise to the girl, who did not pause in her descent.

"Stay above ground if you don't have the courage to follow me," she stated calmly. "But I must go on. The faith of the town depends on this."

As she kept traveling downward the tone of the music seemed to change and become more insistent. Then in the distance a faint shimmering light appeared.
It glowed a dull purple at first, but then changed to a harsh, angry blue that pulsated like a frantic heartbeat that got more aggressive the closer the girl got to it.
The light was actually calling to her, and only her. She was different from everyone else in the town. It was her duty.

She edged closer with her arm out in front of her. The blue light grew in intensity until she had to close her eyes against the glare, a warmth surrounded her arm from the light and she pulled in a satisfied breath and grinned.
As more of the light enveloped her, she felt the heat spread and her body began to hum with a sense of power.

Weekend Reads

2012-02-03T00:00:00.000-06:00

My reads for the weekend, thanks to Around the World ARC Tours

Glimmer by Phoebe Kitanidis

I'm in the middle of this one and still pretty much have no idea what's going on. Not sure I like it or not yet but it sure starts off interesting. Stories about weird small towns with secrets are always creepy and this one seems to be headed into creepy territory.

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

I'm really intrigued by this book because it looks like the main character can talk to fish. Sounds interesting because who hasn't imagined how cool it would be to be able to talk to animals?

Worth Writing

2012-02-02T00:00:00.000-06:00

Hi, Tiny Reverse Vampire here - Have you ever had a great idea for a story but weren't sure if it was just good in your head or more? I think all of us have had that happen at one point. I know it happens to me a lot.

If you have a short story or a start to a story that you want people's opinions on, I think you will like our newest feature here at Bibliognome called Worthy Writing. I will even go first, please send in your submissions so we can feature you in the next post. Below is a start for a series I have had in my head for a while. I don't have a name for it but it sounds interesting in my head so let me know what you think. I have more but here is the intro. Let me know if you think it is worth writing.

The crystal plains. The souls haven. A limbo of sorts. This is the place where many both fantastic and mundane reside. All realms and all creatures of every type have a possible link to here. If a soul is strong enough is the main key. If you have the will not to return to the rift of nonexistence this is where you may find yourself some day. From where you are, what we just call the origin realm, there are two main ways to get here. Death and well lets just use your title for it, insanity. There are other ways but these are the main two that are most commonly seen.
Luke’s eyes open. The room looks like a nice sleeping room. Looks like it could have come from one of those magazines showing stereotypical county style cottages. A woman walks in. She looks generally average. Dark brown hair,kind smile, knowing eyes.

“Ah good you are awake,” she says as she sees that his eyes are open.
He cringes “I feel like I was hit by a truck.”
She smiles,”Could be we have had that happen before. Sometimes death is the only way that people are able to make it to these plains.”
“Plains?” He gives her a sideways look.
“Yep”
Looking around,”...but this place looks like just a normal house.”
She looks at him and mimes jokingly as though scolding a small child, “Yeah, like I said, you are not the first to just suddenly show up here.” She looks at him questioningly, “Not everyone is open minded as you seem to be so we try to make this house look as neutral and normal as we can. It is to help with the transition to the mental plains.”
“OK,” he says raising a finger in the ah ha I got it jester, “so what you're saying is I have gone insane.”
“Possibly, but I don't know how likely that is from the condition you were in when you got here.”
Luke flexes checking his body and trying to loosen up his muscles, “Condition, what do you mean? Besides the hit by a truck ache I feel fine.”
“That is because it was Angel that found you.”
“Angel?”
“Our best healer,”she looks at him as though making sure he is still there, “and from what she tells me even she nearly lost you back to the rift a few times.”
“So I nearly died?”
She looks uncomfortable, “That would probably be the easiest way to think about it.”
He looks around, “Hey if this place is supper normal compared to the rest of this place what does everything else look like?”
“Well for starters I call this place the crystal plains because a good portion of the landscape on this landmass is made up of a crystal substance.” She looks over her shoulder towards the door.
“That's cool,” he said back, “Hey did Angel have wings?”
“No,” She smiles at the question “she is just named Angel. She personally is not one.”
“Sad,” he frowns, “I wanted to see someone with wings.”
“Oh you will.” looking at him questioningly, “Do you mind if I ask? You seem to be taking this better then most. Not that I am complaining, but is there any reason why?”
“I don't really know,” he shrugs, “I have always been one to follow my instincts and I feel drawn to this place. It feels somehow welcoming.”

In the background a door is heard opening and closing. “Libby are you heres?”
“We are in the living room Maybe," Libby says over her shoulder towards the voice. Looking back towards Luke, Libby raises an eyebrow questioningly “ready to meet some more members of our unique little family?”
“Sure” he responds.
In walks a very small cute dog with a tiny man riding it as thought it was a horse.
“Now that is cool,”Luke stares open mouthed,”the tiny person looks so real.”
“I am real my good sir,”says Jal.
Luke leans down very close,”look at the tiny..”
“Um,” Libby raises a finger trying to interject.
“..little..”
“Please don’t.”
“..fairy.”
“His face already red at the size comments Jal goes purple at the word fairy.
Luke flies across the room and is pined to the wall by an unseen force.
“Let him down Jal,” the puppy says,”you are going to hurt him son and he just got here.’
“But he,” starts Jal still looking as though he wishes to throttle Luke.
“Jalanixu release him now!” bellows Libby.
Luke falls to the floor.
Looking at Jal so he can see that she is not happy Libby lists off her points, “your wings were cloaked, which a trick more commonly used by the light fae, he is new to this plain and does not know the edict for talking to species that he did not know existed before he woke up today, and you know better then to use your abilities in this house of all places..” “Go now to the tower and get some more damn lessons on self control.”
Jal's shoulder drops as wicked looking blood red wings appear at his shoulder. Without another word glaring at Luke, he flies from the house.
“He is ... Intense”
Maybe walks up to Luke, “My son really is not bad, he just got that whole pixie pride thing a bit worse then the rest of my kids.”
Tilting his head sideways at the talking dog in front of him Luke ask “He's your kid?”
“ah huh”
“and you are a talking dog?”
“Yep name is Maybe, nice to meet you.” Maybe sticks out a paw to shake.
Luke shakes the paw and looks at Libby, “Now this one is going to take some getting used to.”
Speaking of getting used to, Maybe should we be giving him the tour or finding out which lower realm he will fall to?
“He gonna stick around," Maybe leans forwards and licks Luke’s fingers.
Luke jerks back in sudden surprise and pain.
“Yikes is your tongue made out of fire, that hurt”
Wagging his tail,”My tongue is normal your fingers are just frozen.”
Luke looks down at his fingers which look cracked and frost bitten,”What the...”
“An Iccen?” Libby asks looking over.
“Yep”
“That surfaced fast must mean he’ll be very strong”
“The kailthases will be thrilled”
“Dont forget about Aartimis.”
“She will finally have some one to work and compare abilites with besides the phionixes”
Maybe looks slightly worried,”if he is gonna play with her I hope he can fight,can he fight?”
“Luicifer can teach him if he can’t.”

*Thud*
Luke standing seconds ago, eyes swing back and forth like watching a tennis match between Libby and Maybe as they talk, is now sitting on the floor.
Maybe climbs into his lap.”Pet me for a while while you take it all in it helps.”
Libby and Maybe exchange glances.
“I got him you can go.”
Libby nodes and leaves.

*Let me know in the comments what you think about this start of a story and whether it's worth writing.

Post by Tiny Reverse Vampire

"Waiting On" Wednesday - The Wood Queen

2012-02-01T00:00:00.000-06:00

* Book will be released February 8, 2012

Check out the description from Goodreads:

"Donna Underwood is in deep trouble.An ancient alchemical order is holding her accountable for destroying the last precious drops of the elixar of life. Never mind the fact that Donna was acting to free her friend, Navin, from the dangerous clutches of the Wood Queen at the time. But what the alchemists have in store is nothing compared to the wrath of the fey. The Wood Queen has been tricked and Donna must pay. Get ready for all hell - quite literally - to break loose..."

The Iron Witch was a good book and this looks like it will be a great sequel. The whole alchemist angle is very interesting and of course the evil fey are extremely unpredictable. I can't wait to see what Donna does next because she was getting into a lot of trouble just as the last book was ending.

Positive Perception

2012-01-31T00:00:00.000-06:00

Perception by Kim Harrington

* Book will be released March 1, 2012
* ARC read via Around The World ARC Tours

4 out of 5 gnomes

Clare Fern is an ambitious snarky character who tends to get involved with and attract some very interesting characters. She's from a family of psychics which of course makes many see her as a freak but things have changed a little since the outcome of the first book.

I love how the books in this series start out. Right away you know that something horrible is about to happen and then in the next chapter you start however many days before the event and work back up to it. It's a nice attention getter right off the bat and will leave you guessing as to what exactly is going on.

Kim Harrington seems to be a master at creating red herrings. The first chapter is a great example of one just because of the use of a single pronoun. I also had a hard time figuring out the bad person because of all the twists and turns

Two very hot guys are interested in her but she's just trying to see if she can stand to be friends with them instead. There's also a potential third love interest but Clare doesn't seem to notice him, I have to wonder if that will change in the next book. She finds it hard to choose, though I think that it's a pretty clear choice. I always thought that it was clear who she was going to choose especially after a rather traumatic incident in the book. I was pleasantly surprised and happy with the decision that she made at the end of the story.

I like how close she is to her family and how protective of them she is. Perry her brother is still a little shell shocked after the events of the previous story. He has some intense problems in this book too and you have to wonder what his next move will be. Having a telepath for a mom has to be tricky but I do wish that Clare would have confided in her more.

The end of the book was great because just when you think everything is going okay you're in for a big surprise. I was impressed with the teamwork that she has to use to get out of trouble in the end. I figured out who the bad person was just a little bit before Clare did and wow what a creepy big bad this turned out to be.

Overall a really fun mystery series with plenty of twists. It'll be great to see what Clare accomplishes in the future and where the series goes from here.

Sentence Sneak Peek - Perception

2012-01-30T00:00:00.000-06:00

Perception by Kim Harrington

The first sentence from each chapter of Perception, it's a mini summary of what you can expect to read.

* Spoilers are highlighted like so :)
* Book will be released March 1, 2012
* ARC read via Around The World ARC Tours

"I STEPPED FORWARD WITH FORCED CONFIDENCE."

"I JUMPED WHEN MY BAGEL POPPED UP FROM THE toaster."

"WHO?"

"TIFFANY WAS A DRAMA QUEEN, SO LOUD SQUEALS and other attention-getting techniques weren't unusual for her."

"I DEFTLY AVOIDED MALLORY'S QUESTION AND MY conflicted feelings on the topic by claiming to have to hurry home."

"THE FIRST PERSON I SAW AT SCHOOL THE NEXT DAY was not Justin, but Cody Rowe."

"MY KNEES WENT WEAK, AND I SHOT A HAND OUT to brace myself against a chair."

"YUMMY'S IS THE MOST WIDELY LOVED RESTAURANT in Eastport."

"MY MOUTH OPENED."

"I HEFTED THE LAST SHOPPING BAG FROM THE trunk, carried it into the house, and dropped it on the floor."

"THE SHADOW CAME CLOSER AND FORMED A FAMILIAR frame."

"EW!"

"GABRIEL OFFERED ME A RIDE TO SCHOOL AGAIN Monday morning, and that might have been the reason I wore my tight, nice-ass jeans rather than the slightly baggy com-fortable ones I preferred."

"THE LITTLE HAIRS ON THE BACK OF MY NECK prickled."

"I AVOIDED EVERYONE THE REST OF THE DAY."

"I WAS DISAPPOINTED WITH WHAT LITTLE I GOT from the vision."

"I OPENED MY EYES."

"THURSDAY PASSED IN A HAZE OF CLASSES, AND THAT afternoon I sat in the kitchen."

"I STOOD AT MY LOCKER, PULLING OUT BOOKS AND watching the stream of kids go by."

"MOM NEARLY FELL OVER WHEN I TOLD HER I WAS going to a party."

"I ALLOWED THE STRONG, WARM HAND TO LEAD ME out of the dark chaos inside Kendra's house and into the sur-prisingly bright night outside."

"IT WAS SUNDAY, LATE MORNING, AND MOM WAS flitting around the kitchen, making a racket."

"I LEFT SCHOOL IN A ROTTEN MOOD."

"NOTHING PUTS YOUR PROBLEMS IN PERSPECTIVE like death."

"MOM DRUMMED THE STEERING WHEEL NERVOUSLY while she waited for me to settle in."

"I STRAINED TO TURN MY HEAD AND FACE MY attacker."

"SHH!"

"I SPENT MOST OF MY ENERGY THURSDAY TRYING not to think."

"THE BONFIRE WAS TOO HOT TO STAND TOO CLOSE, but I'd slowly built up a tolerance to the heat, so if I backed away from it, the night air seemed too cold."

"THERE WAS NO SECRET ADMIRER."

"KENDRA WAS ON GABRIEL LIKE A PREDATOR ON A slab of meat."

"THE SONG ENDED AND GABRIEL DROPPED HIS HANDS from my body."

"OUT OF THE CORNER OF MY EYE, I SAW GABRIEL approaching."

"THE FIRST SENSE THAT RETURNED WAS TOUCH, I was surprisingly comfortable."

"WHILE WE WERE STILL IN DARKNESS, MY MIND struggled for a plan."

"TWO DAYS AFTER I FOUGHT OFF A CRAZED KILLER and saved the life of my mortal enemy, I lay on the couch, my ankle propped up on pillows."

Top 5 Sundays - Fave Ghostly Novels!

2012-01-29T00:00:00.000-06:00

This feature was thought up by the awesome Larissa's Bookish Life

Rules:
1 - Write a post listing your TOP 5 choices within the theme I chose (or was chosen on a poll) for the week.
2 - Mention this Blog on the post and link back to it.

3 - Fell free to use the Feature's image (there is a smaller size version of it bellow)

4 - After you've finished your post, add you link (of the post, not your blog's main page) to the Mr.Linky at the end of that week's post.
5 - If you don't have a blog to post, just leave your list in the comments =)
Top 5 Sundays - Fave Ghostly Novels!

Anna is one heck of a great character. She's very very very creepy yes, but it's much more complicated then that. Finding out why everything is so complicated makes for a definite must read book. Let's just say if I may paraphrase a line from The Little Mermaid Disney movie, that Anna is a poor unfortunate soul.

This is my kind of ghost story, it has more hope then sadness or scary times. It deals with death and the afterlife in a rather unique way that is once again more hopeful then sad.

The humor and the voice of the book is great and really draws you into the story. When you add in the mystery of the new Jack the Ripper and a dash of paranormal goodness, it makes for a great story.

This is a great story full of ghosts and other great paranormal aspects. I love the reason why Chloe can see ghosts and how she figures everything out.

This is such a great book and is chock full of ghosts. The main character is actually raised by ghosts in a graveyard. The mythology and just about everything else in this book is very well done.

Story Time

2012-01-28T00:00:00.000-06:00

Story Time

~~The story will begin on the first of each month and end on the last day of the month.~~
I like this story so much that I think I'll keep it going and see where it goes from here:

Rules
1.) Only write 1 to 2 sentences
2.) Keep it clean
3.) Have fun and spread the word so the story grows

Here's the story that has formed so far:

Awesome people who have authored the story by adding lines so far: Sullivan McPig, Julie@My5monkeys, Susan Jane Bigelow, barmybex

Title: An Extraordinary Girl
Once upon a time in a time not that long ago there was a disturbance.

The cause of the disturbance was something that was well...truly disturbing. In fact it was so disturbing that at first it was quite unclear what this disturbance was, because anyone who saw it was too disturbed to talk about it.

There came a noisy unruly girl who demanded that all must obey her. She was the girl of the mayor and weird things did happen around her. Pigeons tap danced when she blinked her eyes and cockroaches would mimic her words when she spoke. Lights would go off and babies would cry when she passed.

This girl stood in the center of town, pigeons dancing, roaches waiting, lights flickering and babies crying all around. She struck her umbrella on the cobblestones. A hush fell over the town as purple sparks shot out of the tip of the umbrella and even the pigeons stopped their dancing and seemed to hold their breath.

As the astounded masses watched a massive hole slowly appeared in the middle of the street. As the dust settled it was revealed...a giant staircase leading down to complete darkness and then a faint music started to radiate from its depths.

There was such a ruckus in the town and trying to make sure that all the citizens were fine. The music coming out of the hole had a mesmerizing sound that attracted all the citizens. It was almost like children's music.

The girl grinned mischievously and whistled along with the music while she slowly descended down the hole.

The further down she went the louder the music echoed. A strange shift filled the air and a cold wind howled past causing her hair to flutter round her face, but it didn't distract her. As she confidently walked on some of the pigeons and cockroaches followed her, cautiously and trembling with fear and a sense of foreboding.

"Wait," a high, piping voice said, "there are dangers below!" One of the pigeons had spoken. This was not a terrific surprise to the girl, who did not pause in her descent.

"Stay above ground if you don't have the courage to follow me," she stated calmly. "But I must go on. The faith of the town depends on this."

As she kept traveling downward the tone of the music seemed to change and become more insistent. Then in the distance a faint shimmering light appeared.

It glowed a dull purple at first, but then changed to a harsh, angry blue that pulsated like a frantic heartbeat that got more aggressive the closer the girl got to it.

The light was actually calling to her, and only her. She was different from everyone else in the town. It was her duty.

She edged closer with her arm out in front of her. The blue light grew in intensity until she had to close her eyes against the glare, a warmth surrounded her arm from the light and she pulled in a satisfied breath and grinned.

Marvelous Monument

2012-01-27T00:02:00.000-06:00

Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne

* Book will be released June 5, 2012
* ARC read via Around The World ARC Tours

5 out of 5 gnomes

This book was a fast paced and entertaining read. It takes the fantasy that most kids have of staying in a store overnight and doing whatever you want and adds a lot of cataclysmic events to the mix.

This isn't a happy-go-lucky kind of story. A bunch of people die in the very first chapter and they aren't the last to die throughout the course of the book.

The action starts right away as a hail storm starts on the way to school. This is no ordinary hail storm though, massive hail stones break through the windows and batter the bus. Having no other choice these kids end up inside a store that sounds a lot like a Super Target or Walmart.

The main character Dean is a quiet guy for the most part and is seen as a little weird because he actually likes to write stuff down. Writing is seen as weird because in this future time it seems that most everything is done on tablet-like machines. He's pretty much a loner and at first doesn't really seem to be a heroic type of person.

There are a plethora of personalities all stuck in one place. The youngest kids are only five-years-old. As you can imagine there are lots of power plays and kids behaving badly. Watching this little group struggle and bond does makes the story fly by.

Calamity after calamity befalls this group and they try to make some sense of normalcy in a world that has turned horrifying. As cliché as it sounds they or at least groups of them anyway become like a family. It feels like you're watching some kind of great social experiment. You'll think that you know where everything is going but then WHAM, you're in for a surprise.

It's not all gloom on doom though either. There's humor to be found among all this chaos. The funniest character is a first grader named Max. He's my favorite of the little kids because of the hilarious stories he tells. Batiste is also great because he annoys the heck out of everybody but also turns out to be an amazing cook. All the little kids put into the mix of this horrible situation makes for quite an interesting read

I would definitely recommend this read. This book was a pleasant surprise and the ending made me even more interested in reading the next book.

Sentence Sneak Peek - Monument 14

2012-01-26T00:25:00.000-06:00

Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne

The first sentence from each chapter of Monument 14, it's a mini summary of what you can expect to read.

* Spoilers are highlighted like so :)
* Book will be released June 5, 2012
* ARC read via Around The World ARC Tours

"YOUR MOTHER HOLLERS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO MISS THE BUS."

"I WAS SLEEPY WAS THE THING."

"WHO LIKES PIZZA?"

"WE WERE SHAKEN AWAKE AROUND EIGHT."

"WHERE'S THE MAIN CONTROLS?"

"JAKE STRAINED TO KEEP ME PINNED."

"THE KIDS FELL ASLEEP, AFTER A WHILE."

"I WAS MINDING MY OWN BUSINESS, WRITING SOME STUFF DOWN, when Brayden ambled over and kicked the bean bag chair I was sitting on."

"THE NEXT MORNING THE LITTLE KIDS WOKE UP FIRST."

"AFTER DINNER, WHICH WE ATE WITH HARDLY ANY FUSS AND hardly any talking, really, Josie got up and put her plate in the trash."

"ONE WEEK BEFORE THE CEREMONY, I'D SAY I WOULD HAVE BEEN about as likely to read an original poem in front of my class-mates as I would have been to stand under Astrid's window and serenade her with a mariachi band."

"LUNCH: PIZZA."

"WHAT WAS I DREAMING OF?"

"I WOKE UP TO THE BEEP-BEEP-BEEP OF MY PANASONIC TRAVEL alarm clock."

"JOSIE AND BRAYDEN WORKED HARD ALL AFTERNOON AND BY the evening free play period, they had new sleeping quarters for us all."

"THE NEXT MORNING, I COULD HARDLY LOOK JAKE IN THE EYE."

"WE GATHERED IN THE KITCHEN."

"MOTHER JOSIE GOT ME CLEANED UP AND PUT ME TO BED."

"JOSIE TOLD US TO SUIT UP AND HEAD TO THE DUMP."

"WHEN MY ALARM CLOCK RANG AT SEVEN, SOMEHOW I FELT twice as bad as I had the day before."

"AT SEVEN A.M., I DIDN'T WAKE UP CHLOE."

"MY FIRST IMPRESSION WAS THAT MR. APPLETON WAS AN ex-army guy."

"NIKO AND JOSIE DISCUSSED WHAT TO DO WITH THE LITTLE KIDS while we all met with the grown-ups."

"AS WE NEARED THE KITCHEN, AND THE BUS, THE KIDS SWARMED out to greet us with a happy, fluffy Luna."

"I LET MAX HELP FIX THE BUS INSTEAD OF MAKING HIM COME do KP with me."

"AFTER BREAKFAST THE NEXT MORNING (CHLOE WAS MY HELPER and she said, "Just do whatever, Dean."

"BATISTE AND I REALLY WENT TO TOWN FOR THE FAREWELL dinner."

"EVERYTHING WAS QUIET AND DARK IN THE STORE WHEN WE woke to the sound of Luna barking and Astrid yelling her head off:
"JAKENIKODEANBRAYDENGETOVERHERE!"

"THE LITTLE KIDS CAME SCREAMING OVER TO SEE WHAT HAD happened, and I grabbed Max and Ulysses and pushed them all back toward the Train."

"AS BONE WEARY AS WE ALL WERE, ONLY SAHALIA, JAKE, AND Alex could sleep."

"MR. APPLETON'S STILL BODY LAY ON ITS AIR MATTRESS HALFWAY down the Automotive aisle."

"NIKO, ALEX, AND JAKE WENT AWAY TO PREPARE JAKE FOR HIS trip."

"THE SOUND OF THE BUS RUMBLED THROUGH THE STORE."

"Waiting On" Wednesday - Incarnate

2012-01-25T00:00:00.000-06:00

* Book will be released January 31, 2012

Check out the description from Goodreads:

"NEWSOUL
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

HEART
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life."

This is another book with a great cover. The story also sounds really intriguing. I've read about reincarnation before but this looks like it will have quite the interesting take on it. This is a book that I knew I wanted to read from the very first time I saw the description. In other words I'm really looking forward to January 31, 2012.

Excellent Echo

2012-01-24T00:11:00.001-06:00

The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting

* Book will be released April 17, 2012
* ARC read via Around The World ARC Tours

4 out of 5 gnomes
This book is chock full of action and some major problems for the main character, Violet. At first things seem to be going smoothly but then things really intensify with a serial killer on the loose.

I really liked the pace of the story and felt that there was much more at stake then what was portrayed in some of the previous books. This book just had more of a menacing vibe to it. I was very happy that I ended up liking Violet as a character a lot more because she shows more of a range here and just seems to have the most character growth so far.

Once again there's a hinting at of a love triangle but it doesn't really materialize fully. Her relationship with Jay seems pretty solid but he also seemed a tad too jealous to me. My new theory is that her and Jay will eventually end up as just friends or that something horrible will happen to him. With Rafe on the other hand she has an actual tangible spark. They seem to compliment each other, I think that Rafe challenges Violet more and could be the one that helps her discover the full extent of her powers.

It's great to see more of the team and their different powers in this book especially Krystal. I like that we learn more secrets about them and how this group came to be. There are of course plenty of mysteries and secrets that have yet to be explored.

The bad guy was much more creepy in this book. Getting to see things from the bad guys point of view in some chapters really adds to the story. This is by far the creepiest villain in the series so far. It just makes you feel a bit icky while reading, let's just say that this guy has a very twisted view on what a relationship should be.

I love the ending of this book because it really makes me look forward to what's going to happen next. The ending also leaves Violet herself changed and in quite a bind. This twist looks like it will lead the series in a potentially exciting new direction.

Sentence Sneak Peek - The Last Echo

2012-01-23T00:13:00.000-06:00

The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting

The first sentence from each chapter of The Last Echo, it's a mini summary of what you can expect to read.

* Spoilers are highlighted like so :)
* Book will be released April 17, 2012
* ARC read via Around The World ARC Tours

"VIOLET STRAINED, SEARCHING FOR THE SENSA-tion through the suffocating blackness."

"VIOLET FELT BETTER THE NEXT MORNING."

"HE SAT AT THE TABLE IN THE CORNER, KEEPING his head low, his eyes down."

"VIOLET GLANCED AT THE ASSORTMENT OF SCI-ence journals and National Geographics on the table in front of her."

"IT HAD BEEN HARD TO WAIT ALL DAY."

"SOMETIMES VIOLET FELT LIKE A FRAUD, LIVING A double life the way she did."

"HE STEPPED CAUTIOUSLY INTO HER ROOM, NOT wanting to disturb her too soon."

"VIOLET WAITED WHILE KRYSTAL SHOVED ASIDE magazines and wadded-up drive-through bags so she could get into Roxy."

"SOME DAYS THE RAIN JUST SEEMED TO FIT, AND today felt like one of those days."

"HE CREPT IN QUIETLY, MORE CAUTIOUSLY THAN he had before."

"ARE YOU SURE YOU HAVE TO WORK TONIGHT?"

"THE HAIR ON THE BACK OF VIOLET'S NECK TIGHT-ened, standing on end as she pulled into a tight space in the parking lot and took a deep breath."

"SHE WAS SLEEPING."

"VIOLET STARED OUT HER BEDROOM WINDOW AT a black sky punctuated by a million effervescent white lights."

"THE SCREAMING HAD STARTED EARLY, AND EVEN though he couldn't hear her from upstairs—not with all of the pre-cautions he'd taken in preparing her room—the speakers on the monitor he looked at still blared with her staticky cries."

"VIOLET HAD KNOWN BEFORE SHE WAS FULLY awake the next morning that she'd overslept, and she vaguely wondered why her parents hadn't come in to wake her."

"IT FELT GOOD TO GET OUT OF THERE, TO BE AWAY from her, even if the reprieve was only temporary."

"VIOLET SAT AT THE KITCHEN TABLE STARING numbly at the paper plate in front of her."

"IT HAD BEEN HARD TO SLEEP THAT NIGHT, AND Violet was up way earlier than she needed to be."

"THE EMERGENCY ROOM WAS CHAOTIC, EVEN ON a Saturday afternoon, practically combusting with echoes."

"HE WATCHED HER FROM THE DOORWAY, HIS heart aching."

"VIOLET HATED THAT SHE'D SPENT SO MUCH TIME standing in front of the mirror the next morning."

"SHE KNEW THE MOMENT SHE REACHED THE BOT-tom of the steps outside the outer door that something was wrong."

"VIOLET!"

"HE CHECKED HIS REFLECTION AS HE PASSED THE oversized gilded mirror in the lobby of the upscale boutique hotel."

"HER PARENTS HAD MET THEM AT THE FRONT door, and as much as Jay might have wanted to bolt, Violet was grateful that he'd stayed by her side."

"VIOLET WASN'T SURPRISED THAT NO ONE HAD come in to wake her."

"HE SAT IN THE RESTAURANT, WATCHING THE girl."

"VIOLET SIGHED WHEN SHE SAW THE MINIVAN IN her driveway, the one her aunt was always trying to con-vince her was cooler than a normal minivan."

"VIOLET GLANCED DOWN AT THE PIECE OF PAPER Sara had ripped from her notebook just before she'd left the hospital, just a scrap with tattered edges . . . and an address scribbled on it."

"VIOLET FELT LIKE AN IDIOT AFTER SHE LEFT Rafe's, and replayed the conversation in her head all the way home."

"THE FIRST THING SHE WAS AWARE OF WAS HER breathing."

"CAINE."

"HE WAS IN THE BED WITH HER."

"FRUSTRATION LICKED THROUGH HIM, SETTING his veins on fire."

"INSIDE THE BARN IT WAS EVEN DARKER THAN IT had been outside."

"SUNLIGHT."

"VIOLET'S PARENTS SHOVED THROUGH THE DOOR of the small sheriff's office as the patrol car parked in front."

Epilogue - "VIOLET STOOD AT THE CHAIN-LINK FENCING outside the park, curling her fingers through it as she stared at the playground beyond."

Top 5 Sundays - Series You Plan to Start in 2012!

2012-01-22T00:00:00.000-06:00

3 - Fell free to use the Feature's image (there is a smaller size version of it bellow)

This is one of those series that I've known about forever and been meaning to read. I even remember buying the book for cheap at Walmart but then it just sat on my To be read pile. Then I was looking for a book to read and this ended up being the first book I read in 2012. It's a great read and has one heck of a convoluted but interesting mythology. Can't wait to read more of this series.

I've known about this series for a long time but just recently read the first one because the movie is coming out and my mom also loves the series. I was surprised at how much I liked the book and plan to continue on with the series.

I've heard awesome things about this series and also got the first book when it was on sale from Borders.

I got the first two books in this series from the Borders going out of business sale because it looked like a great read.

I've had this book since it came out but still haven't gotten around to reading it. The second book in the series is already out so I hope to read this one soon.

Story Time

2012-01-21T00:06:00.001-06:00

Story Time

~~The story will begin on the first of each month and end on the last day of the month.~~
I like this story so much that I think I'll keep it going and see where it goes from here:

Rules
1.) Only write 1 to 2 sentences
2.) Keep it clean
3.) Have fun and spread the word so the story grows

Here's the story that has formed so far:

Awesome people who have authored the story by adding lines so far: Sullivan McPig, Julie@My5monkeys, Susan Jane Bigelow, barmybex

Title: An Extraordinary Girl
Once upon a time in a time not that long ago there was a disturbance.

The cause of the disturbance was something that was well...truly disturbing. In fact it was so disturbing that at first it was quite unclear what this disturbance was, because anyone who saw it was too disturbed to talk about it.

There came a noisy unruly girl who demanded that all must obey her. She was the girl of the mayor and weird things did happen around her. Pigeons tap danced when she blinked her eyes and cockroaches would mimic her words when she spoke. Lights would go off and babies would cry when she passed.

This girl stood in the center of town, pigeons dancing, roaches waiting, lights flickering and babies crying all around. She struck her umbrella on the cobblestones. A hush fell over the town as purple sparks shot out of the tip of the umbrella and even the pigeons stopped their dancing and seemed to hold their breath.

As the astounded masses watched a massive hole slowly appeared in the middle of the street. As the dust settled it was revealed...a giant staircase leading down to complete darkness and then a faint music started to radiate from its depths.

There was such a ruckus in the town and trying to make sure that all the citizens were fine. The music coming out of the hole had a mesmerizing sound that attracted all the citizens. It was almost like children's music.

The girl grinned mischievously and whistled along with the music while she slowly descended down the hole.

The further down she went the louder the music echoed. A strange shift filled the air and a cold wind howled past causing her hair to flutter round her face, but it didn't distract her. As she confidently walked on some of the pigeons and cockroaches followed her, cautiously and trembling with fear and a sense of foreboding.

"Wait," a high, piping voice said, "there are dangers below!" One of the pigeons had spoken. This was not a terrific surprise to the girl, who did not pause in her descent.

"Stay above ground if you don't have the courage to follow me," she stated calmly. "But I must go on. The faith of the town depends on this."

As she kept traveling downward the tone of the music seemed to change and become more insistent. Then in the distance a faint shimmering light appeared.

Righteous Road

2012-01-20T00:00:00.000-06:00

Thou Shalt Not Road Trip by Antony John

* Book will be released April 12, 2012
* ARC read via Around The World ARC Tours

4 out of 5 gnomes

This book is a fun read with some eclectic characters and a very eventful road trip.

Luke is sixteen and has written a best-selling book called Hallelujah. He's not exactly used to fame and he has to go on his first book tour. He won't be traveling normally though, his brother Matt has offered to drive him. Of course things don't go as planned.

There aren't really chapters but there are kind of interludes in the book that I looked at as chapters that had a part from the Hallelujah book. These little parts from the book are pretty funny and give you a glimpse of what Luke was going through when he wrote it.

Luke's character at first is very self-righteous and naive. He seems to think that his way is the only way, but that starts to change as he grows wise to the world while on this road trip. He's ill prepared for the awe and reverence that people are giving his book and him. He has so much faith but doesn't seem sure what to believe in. This book tour quickly overwhelms him and the fallout is intense.His brother takes advantage of this situation and gets Luke involved in some colorful situations and they don't stay alone on this trip for long. The brothers are kind of like night and day almost one really sheltered and the other more outgoing.

Route 66 almost feels like a character in the book. Attractions that are found along it are lovingly described. It will likely make you want to make the trip yourself and hopefully have less problems then the characters in the book do.

Fran is a great character because she keeps Luke on his toes. She has a punk type look that he doesn't approve of and even though they used to be best friends now they're more like enemies. I love her take charge/tell it like it is attitude. I think I liked her even more then Luke, the main character. While reading though I thought that Fran's problems were going to be revealed to be a lot more serious. Maybe I've been watching too many episodes of Law and Order: SVU but the story at least to me looked as if it was going off in a certain direction and then it went with something different.

The interactions between Luke and Fran are disastrous at first but then you can start to see the chemistry that they used to have. I found myself rooting for Fran and also curious about how her and Luke became estranged in the first place.

I really liked the ending because it puts all the characters in some unexpected places. It's the kind of book that even after reading the last page you'll find yourself imagining the characters growing and changing for the better. So check out this road trip and be prepared for a bumpy ride full of humor and surprising characters that are hard to forget.

Sentence Sneak Peek - Thou Shalt Not Road Trip

2012-01-19T00:00:00.000-06:00

Thou Shalt Not Road Trip by Antony John

The first sentence from each chapter of Thou Shalt Not Road Trip, it's a mini summary of what you can expect to read.

* Spoilers are highlighted like so :)
* Book will be released April 12, 2012
* ARC read via Around The World ARC Tours

“SATURDAY, JUNE 14
   Lessons 15: 7-12
        7. For there were two brothers.”

“SUNDAY, JUNE 15
    Mishaps 9: 15-17
         15. But the boy barely recognized her, for though she was similar , yet did she appear strange, as though winged messengers had taken the ends of her hair and flown upwards and outwards with it.”

“MONDAY, JUNE 16
    Realizations 6: 5-9
         5. And then he found a quiet place, where there was very little noise; almost silent, with no noise at all.”

“TUESDAY, JUNE 17
    Mishaps 3: 4-9
         Four days did the boy suffer.”

“WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18

Lessons 12: 17-21

17. For there was evil in that town.”

"THURSDAY, JUNE 19

Lessons 25: 13-15

13. And though the boy was lonely and con-fused, yet he knew that patience was good."

"FRIDAY, JUNE 20

Mishaps 11: 3-7

3. Although the Mississippi was wide, yet the boy's will was strong."

"SATURDAY, JUNE 21

Realizations 4: 22-25

22. That was the night the boy gave up, and wept cruel tears, and gnashed his teeth, and pounded his fists, and did lots of other things that signified the extraordi-nary degree to which he was giving up."

"SUNDAY, JUNE 22

Realizations 8: 12-17

12. But yea, there were those who said "No!"

SOPA Blackout

2012-01-18T00:17:00.000-06:00

http://sopablackout.org/

Check the above site out and see what SOPA is all about and the trouble it could cause if implemented.

Superb Selection

2012-01-17T00:00:00.000-06:00

The Selection by Kiera Cass

5 out of 5 gnomes

This book is full of awesomeness. The characters, plot, and setting are intriguing and I pretty much love them all.

Okay, the main plot is pretty much like the show The Bachelor but on steroids. There's a lottery and a girl from every province is picked to be part of The Selection which will be used to find Prince Maxon a bride. There is much speculating and everyone is honored to even enter the contest, well except for America Singer that is.

America is a strong heroine who wants to do what is best for her family. She's not afraid to say what she's feeling and she can read most people pretty well. Her attitude about the whole Selection process is a lot different then everyone else around her but inevitably she becomes involved.

The society of Illéa is an interesting one. It was once the United States but there have been some major changes, including a World War III, which have led to the country now being a monarchy with a caste system of 1-8. If you're a 1 you're pretty much set for life but if you're an 8 you really have nothing.

If we're talking teams then I'd definitely be Team Maxon and not Team Aspen. First of all Aspen has a rather unfortunate name and then there's his attitude about who has to provide for who in a relationship. Maxon just seems to think that America can and should be able to do what makes her happy and he seems willing to compromise with her more. Maxon and America actually start off as friends and they just might grow to be something more.

I love how America acts when she gets to the palace. Her whole attitude about The Selection is refreshing and it's intriguing to watch everything that she goes through and learns while she is there. She's not an airhead or stand offish, she just acts like herself. Being in the palace lets her see how the country is really being run and of course allows her to see the royalty in person. She also finds out how much trouble the country is in with the rebels that attack every now and then. A little is known about the different rebel groups but Maxon has a theory that I hope they explore more in the next book.

The book seems pretty straightforward at first but then some great twists are thrown in. There are plenty of mysteries and secrets to go around. Now that it's down to six in the Selection it looks like anything could happen. The last chapter of the book was a pleasant surprise and made for a great ending.

My Favorite Quotes/Lines

"No wonder I'd never had any friends. I was obvi-ously shockingly bad at it." pg. 231

"No, I'm not choosing him or you. I'm choosing me." pg. 326

"I just had to give myself time to decide what was best for me" pg. 326

Sentence Sneak Peek - The Selection

2012-01-16T00:00:00.000-06:00

The Selection by Kiera Cass

The first sentence from each chapter of The Selection, it's a mini summary of what you can expect to read.

* Spoilers are highlighted like so :)
* Book will be released April 24, 2012
* ARC read via Around The World ARC Tours

"WHEN WE GOT THE LETTER in the post, my mother was ecstatic."

"I CRAWLED DEEPER INTO THE tree house."

"ASPEN WAS DRESSED IN WHITE."

"IT WAS FRIDAY, SO THE Illéa Capital Report would be on at eight."

"A WEEK LATER, I BEAT Aspen to the tree house."

"THE NEXT WEEK WAS FULL of officials swarming into our house to prepare me for the Selection."

"THE NEXT MORNING, I DRESSED myself in the uniform of the Selected: black pants, white shirt, and my province flower—a lily—in my hair."

"I WAS THE FIRST ONE to the airport, and I was beyond terri-fied."

"EVEN AFTER THE SUBSTANTIAL GREETING party at the airport, the roads leading up to the palace were lined with masses of people calling out their well-wishes."

"I KEPT MY HEAD DOWN at dinner."

"IN THE MORNING I WOKE not to the sound of the maids coming in—though they had—or my bath being drawn—though it was."

"THE CAMERAS DID A LAP around the room and left to let us enjoy our breakfast in peace, getting one last shot of the prince before they departed."

"I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE THAT much time to feel ashamed or worried, all things considered."

"AS I PREDICTED, THE GIRLS who had asked to go home changed their minds once everything had settled down."

"DINNER WAS DISAPPOINTING."

"WHEN I WOKE THE NEXT MORNING, my eyelids felt heavy."

"WHO WAS THE PRESIDENT OF the United States during the Third World War?"

"MAXON HAD SAID HE WOULD see me at dinner, but he wasn't there."

"I TOLD NO ONE WHAT had happened between Maxon and me, not even Marlee or my maids."

"THE QUEEN'S FAMILY STAYED A few days, and the visitors from Swendway an entire week."

"IN THE END, I DECIDED against hiding in my room."

"I'M TELLING YOU, MAXON, IT wasn't an accident."

"THE NEXT MORNING, I WOKE feeling a little guilty."

"AMY, FIONA, AND TALLULAH were gone within hours."

"I FELT A NUDGE on my arm."

Top 5 Sundays - Hero & Heroine That Should NOT Have Ended Up Together!

2012-01-15T00:00:00.000-06:00

3 - Fell free to use the Feature's image (there is a smaller size version of it bellow)

Hero & Heroine That Should NOT Have Ended Up Together!

I decided to do what Larissa did for this Top 5 and go with who the Heroine seemed to be with by the end of a single book.

The more I think about it, the more I just wish that Katniss had ended up alone at the end or that we could have seen more of a build up between her and who she does end up with.

I really didn't like Violet and Jay in this book and I'm still crossing my fingers that she ends up with Rafe instead.

I get why Harry ended up with Ginny I really do but I think it would have made more sense if Ginny ended up with Neville, especially after all the time they spend together in the last book.

Another one where Larissa and I agree, I never liked Otto and his stupid beret and the ending of this book did not lessen my hatred. :)

I have to agree with her choice for this series, I always hated Bill and am much happier that she's not with him now (at least up to the latest book that I've read of the series.)

Marvelous Mail

2012-01-14T01:53:00.000-06:00

Some great mail this week.

My Hardback Heaven prize pack that I won from Gini Koch's Combo-Con Contest!:

This was one heavy box and had an assortment of awesomeness inside.

Most of the books included in the pack, it looks like a great mix. :)

What I ordered from Barnes & Noble with my Christmas gift card:

I can't wait to read all of these.

My THE FAULT IN OUR STARS copy signed by John Green, very fitting that it was signed with a green sharpie.

Story Time

2012-01-13T00:00:00.000-06:00

Story Time

Once upon a time in a time not that long ago there was a disturbance.

The cause of the disturbance was something that was well...truly disturbing. In fact it was so disturbing that at first it was quite unclear what this disturbance was, because anyone who saw it was too disturbed to talk about it.

There came a noisy unruly girl who demanded that all must obey her. She was the girl of the mayor and weird things did happen around her. Pigeons tap danced when she blinked her eyes and cockroaches would mimic her words when she spoke. Lights would go off and babies would cry when she passed.

This girl stood in the center of town, pigeons dancing, roaches waiting, lights flickering and babies crying all around. She struck her umbrella on the cobblestones. A hush fell over the town as purple sparks shot out of the tip of the umbrella and even the pigeons stopped their dancing and seemed to hold their breath.

As the astounded masses watched a massive hole slowly appeared in the middle of the street. As the dust settled it was revealed...a giant staircase leading down to complete darkness and then a faint music started to radiate from its depths.

There was such a ruckus in the town and trying to make sure that all the citizens were fine. The music coming out of the hole had a mesmerizing sound that attracted all the citizens. It was almost like children's music.

The girl grinned mischievously and whistled along with the music while she slowly descended down the hole.

The further down she went the louder the music echoed. A strange shift filled the air and a cold wind howled past causing her hair to flutter round her face, but it didn't distract her. As she confidently walked on some of the pigeons and cockroaches followed her, cautiously and trembling with fear and a sense of foreboding.

"Wait," a high, piping voice said, "there are dangers below!" One of the pigeons had spoken. This was not a terrific surprise to the girl, who did not pause in her descent.

"Stay above ground if you don't have the courage to follow me," she stated calmly. "But I must go on. The faith of the town depends on this."

Wandering Witch

2012-01-12T00:00:00.000-06:00

Bewitching by Alex Flinn

* Book will be released February 14, 2012
* ARC read via Around The World ARC Tours

3 out of 5 gnomes

I must admit that I have never read Beastly but I've read enough reviews/saw the preview for the movie to get the gist of what it's about. Knowing that I was very interested in what Kendra the witches story would be about. I am a huge fan of fractured fairy tales or the redoing of classic stories. It's fun to have well known stories seen from a different perspective. So in that regard I enjoyed the story.

The tone and snark of the main character is great and with the beginning part you find out her origin story. This view on witches is an intriguing one especially the part about there not really being that many but that the ones there are just live a really long time and move around a lot. I just wish that there had been more from her direct point of view. The parts with just Kendra are the best parts in the book. When she's the omniscient narrator it's still good but the other characters kind of fall flat/feel like background characters. Don't get me wrong, they are good characters, they just didn't really have a lot of depth to them.

I'm also not sure why the story was put together so piece meal. There was enough material introduced in just this one book for potentially multiple stories. It just got kind of jarring jumping between so many different stories because then there was really no one thread to hold on to until you see how Kendra is involved in each story. What I'm trying to say is that I like the ideas and the stories themselves are good but if you're like me you'll always be waiting for Kendra to make an appearance.

The story with the most chapters is kind of Cinderella-esque. Emma and Lisette are stepsisters but of the long lost variety. At first Emma wants to be friends with Lisette but then Lisette's true intentions start to shine through. It's great how crafty Lisette is about getting her way and it takes Emma a long time to grow a backbone and stand up to her. There's also a nice twist to the story about love and staying true to who you are.

I would love to read whatever comes next in this series because I liked Kendra as the narrator. Overall these are some fun stories with a unique voice. If you're a fan of fairy tales I would recommend you check out this book.

Sentence Sneak Peek - Bewitching

2012-01-11T00:00:00.000-06:00

Bewitching by Alex Flinn

The first sentence from each chapter of Bewitching, it's a mini summary of what you can expect to read.

* Spoilers are highlighted like so :)
* Book will be released February 14, 2012
* ARC read via Around The World ARC Tours

"If you read fairy tales, and who doesn't, you might believe there are witches all over the place—witches baking children into gin-gerbread, making princesses sleep hundreds of years, even turning normal teenage boys into hideous beasts to teach them a lesson."

"Girl to Woman to Witch: England, 1666

When Mr. Howe called from the street to ask if I had any dead for him to bury, I told him I did."

"My mother, in her sweet way, always reminded me that Daddy wasn't my real father."

"The first time I saw my stepsister, Lisette, she was crying."

"I brought Lisette up to my room."

"It was five-thirty when I heard the garage door open and, through the window, saw Daddy's car pull in."

"Monday, Daddy went late to work so he could drive us to school and register Lisette."

"Our cafeteria looked the way I'm guessing most school cafeterias do, white and black spotted floors dulled by years of spilled chocolate milk and dirty sneakers, and louvered windows that let in barely enough light to see your food . . . probably a good thing."

"All that week, I walked to school with Lisette, ate lunch with Lisette, walked home with Lisette."

"Friday night, I went to the mall with "the girls," and Saturday to a different mall."

"The next day, in chorus, Kendra was sitting, listening to music, sort of dancing."

"In school, Lisette was really fitting in."

"Monday morning, I searched for Warner in the hall."

"The Story of a Lonely Prince with a Helicopter Mother
Paris, 1744Sometimes, it was difficult to be a prince."

"Back to Louis (the unappreciative boy)

It took several weeks to travel to Madrid by carriage."

"Two years have passed."

"Creepy things about tenth grade: Mr. Fischer, my chem teacher, had a snake."

"The search for the missing mouse fizzled pretty quickly."

"I ran until my calves hurt and I wanted to fall down on the damp sand."

"When I got home, I was pretty sure I was in love."

"You know how romantic comedies have those montage things, where they show the couple falling in love?"

"In the next week, Warner and I said "I love you" a hundred times."

"Into the Woods was the type of play I'd have liked, if I hadn't been involved in so much real-life drama."

"I never got to talk to him."

"The next day, Warner came to pick me up for school as usual."

"The Story of a Mermaid Who Should Have Left Well Enough Alone

There are those who believe there is nothing under the sea but sand and shells and endless darkness."

"The Mermaid's Story Continues to Its End

The sky was dark from the towering castles blocking the sun."

"Once, in school, we read a folktale from the Philippines."

"After sixth period, I found Kendra in the hall."

"In the next week, I had to argue with my mother just to get her to let me attend school."

"Okay, so Travis was pretty incredible."

Happy Book Birthday to A MILLION SUNS!

2012-01-10T00:00:00.000-06:00

To celebrate here are my favorite quotes/lines from the ARC I read via a tour put together by Megan and Mindy at the Secret of the Stars blog.

* Some major spoilers are highlighted like so :) so if you don't want to know about them make sure not to highlight the sentences.

"Of everyone on this ship, even the frozen bodies of my parents, Elder's the only one who handed me truth and waited for me to accept it." (pg. 8/9)

"Funny how a book about hell reminds me of home." (pg. 39)

"Just that I don't want to be with you just because there's no one else." (pg. 58)

"But whatever it is that you're not telling me scares you, and I'm not going to let you be scared and alone. So you're sticking with me, and I'm sticking with you."(pg. 100)

"Oh, shut up and put some pants on!"(pg. 165)

"I will do anything to make her happy again, so I give her the stars."(pg. 169)

"You idiot. Of course I care about you." (pg 211)

"You stupid idiot!" she says, smacking me again. "I don't want the new planet without you! (pg. 228)

"Because, choice or no, my heart is his." (pg. 374)

Mini Reviews

2012-01-09T00:00:00.000-06:00

The Goddess Test by Aimée Carter

5 out of 5 gnomes
Katherine Winters is trying to grant her Mom's dying wish and move back with her to her hometown so she can see it one last time. This of course means it's a pretty melancholy book at times. With this hanging over her Kate is not sure what she's going to do in the future. Then things get really weird when she meets Henry. Turns out that the Greek Gods might not be a myth after all and they offer Kate something which she can't refuse. I love the mythology in this book and all the surprises. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next, especially after that ending.

Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John

5 out of 5 gnomes

This book was surprisingly awesome. Piper is deaf and at first she is kind of isolating herself from those around her. Then she becomes involved with the band Dumb. They hire her as there manager and things just get more interesting from there. The humor and characters in this book are great. Piper shows everyone and herself just how much she can do. Finally starting to be herself more brings her closer to her family and makes her more honest with herself. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes contemporary books with a giant does of humor and heart.

Dark Lover by J.R. Ward

4 out of 5 gnomes

I finally decided to start this series because I've heard so much about them. The mythology is a tad weird to get into at first but once you do the story really moves along. Beth is a strong character who gets introduced into a crazy world all because of a father that she never got to meet. Then there's Wrath the blind King of the vampires who really doesn't want to lead but happens to be the leader of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. This group is full of some shall we say colorful characters. I can't wait to learn more about the different Brothers. They actually fight a truly scary enemy that has no soul. If you can get past the convoluted mythology then it's a really fun ride. If you're looking for a steamy series that also has lots of fun, then this may be the series for you.

Top 5 Sundays - Finished Series You Miss the Most!

2012-01-08T01:18:00.000-06:00

3 - Fell free to use the Feature's image (there is a smaller size version of it bellow)

This is a truly awesome fantasy series. I love all the mythology involved and of course that Lirael was essentially a librarian. This world and characters just have so many interesting stories and I would love to read more new stories.

I love this series and of course would want to read more about these characters. I think it would be great if the years between the end of the war and the epilogue chapter were filled in.

I really miss this series and wish that it hadn't ended like it did or that we could at least learn more about what the character's world is like now.

This is one of my favorite series and the first one I remember becoming obsessed with. I even have every episode of the TV show on VHS. Even though the last book had a crazy ending I still find myself rereading the earlier volumes/buying the books that have been released with the new morphing covers.

This was probably the first really intense series that I ever read. All the characters and everything that they go through is just so readable. This is one of those series that really sticks with you.

Weekend Reads

2012-01-07T00:00:00.000-06:00

My weekend reads thanks to Around the World ARC Tours

Thou Shall Not Road Trip by Antony John

I knew I wanted to read this book because I liked his last book Five Flavors of Dumb so much. This looks like a fun road trip book with a twist and some great characters.

The Selection by Kiera Cass

I'm reading this book right now and it's so good. Lots of unexpected things happening and the characters are really well done. I can't wait to see how it ends.

We have a Winner

2012-01-06T09:24:00.000-06:00

The winner of the giveaway for Lily & Scout’s Favorite Things CHARMFALL Blog Tour! Day 3 is:

Anna C., Congrats to Anna :) I'll be emailing her and she'll have a week to respond, if she doesn't I'll draw a new winner.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Story Time - An Extraordinary Girl (Can you spare a line?)

2012-01-05T00:00:00.000-06:00

Story Time - An Extraordinary Girl

"Waiting On" Wednesday - The Selection

2012-01-04T00:00:00.000-06:00

* Book will be released April 24, 2012

Check out the description from Goodreads:

"For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined."

This books cover really catches your attention it's pretty yet menacing at the same time. It looks like it's going to be kind of a mix of romantic/dystopian. With the intriguing premise and an interesting looking character, I'm looking forward to reading this book.

Soaring Suns

2012-01-03T00:00:00.000-06:00

A Million Suns by Beth Revis

* Book will be released January 10, 2012
* Read ARC via a tour put together by Megan and Mindy at the Secret of the Stars blog

5 out of 5 gnomes

So much awesomeness in this book. The secrets revealed in this book are crazy and lead all the characters in quite interesting directions. In the very first chapter you learn that a very important truth is really a lie. That turns out to be only the first truth that's not exactly true.

Complications of the personal and social variety abound throughout the ship. Elder is now in charge and it seems that rebellion is in the air but also a hint of anarchy. It's very hard to know who exactly to trust because with everyone being essentially wide awake now instead of dulled, this really reveals more of the problems with this society. Every person on the ship except Amy may look homogeneous but there are a lot of class differences that boil to the surface. Elder's leadership is questioned and at first he's not sure how to answer the challenge.

Once again the dual perspective of having the chapters switch off between Elder and Amy is very well done and adds greatly to the tension. It is great how organically their relationship is growing. Slowly but surely they seem to be growing closer. There's no insta-love here and there are still questions on both sides of how exactly this relationship could even work. I will let you know that one of the most interesting scenes in this book between the two takes place when Elder's not wearing pants.
This story will have you wondering if the characters are doing the right thing. There are some characters with questionable motives and some that I'm thinking maybe the main characters should have trusted. It also brought some major regrets again when thinking of what Harley did and why, it may have made sense in his mind at the time but so much happens that he would have wanted to be a part of. There are just so many questions and so many different motives on the ship from those just trying to stay alive and those trying to make a power grab.

The ending, wow, some lines are definitely drawn in the sand here. There are some hard separations and the future has never been so hopeful yet uncertain. I have a feeling that there will be massive changes in the next book and that Amy's people the frozens may have a much larger part to play. I'm really looking forward to the conclusion of this series because it looks like it's shaping up to be a heck of a finale.