Of Witches and Warlocks: The Demon Kiss by Lacey Weatherford

     Vance has gone off in search of his demon father after he was partially turned into a demon. Portia is determined to catch up to him before he gets into trouble. When she finally finds him, they decide to search for his father together in hopes of discovering some answers for Vance. They find more than they could have imagined.

     The Demon Kiss was just as fantastic as The Trouble With Spells!  I found myself holding my breath and cringing at different intervals. It reminded me a bit of the Sweep series, but it was completely different.
     As Portia's and Vance's relationship deepened, I found myself believing it more. They were fun and cute together, but they weren't the perfect couple. Such a thing doesn't really exist and I could see that from their connection. As with everyone else, they had their problems and disagreements. Nonetheless, they overcame the weaknesses in their relationship to be a stronger couple.
     I liked Portia more and yet less in this book. While she was still the strong and loving Portia I knew from The Trouble With Spells, she didn't seem to develop much further as an individual. It was always in relation to Vance. I couldn't understand Portia as much as I would have liked because of this. I wanted her to have a bit more of her own life that I could connect with. I still loved her, don't get me wrong, but I wanted more from her.
     Vance actually seemed to develop quite a bit in this novel. Instead of just being the cute, mysterious guy he became someone you could know and love. I suppose I couldn't connect with him as much in the previous novel because I didn't know enough about him. Now, though, I can see where he is coming from.
     The plot in this was pretty amazing! It really did keep me on my toes, wondering what would happen. First, will she find him? Then, what's up with his dad? Once you find out what the Demon Kiss actually is, the pages will fly!
     All in all, I loved this book. I cannot wait until I get my hands on Blood of the White Witch!

     Rating: 8.5
     Get this wonderful book from the Of Witches and Warlocks website or Amazon.

*The fact that I received this book from the author did not influence my opinion of it in any way. This was my honest review.
      

More Halloween Treats

     Obviously when you go trick or treating you never get handed a book (which is actually quite disappointing). Instead of going from house to house, hoping and praying that some kind soul (haha) will take pity on you and cough up a wonderful novel, why not enter some fabulous Halloween contest? I see no reason not to!

     I found quite the treat while trick or treating across the internet just now. The Blue Bookcase is giving away a smashing copy of... can you guess? That is right ladies and gentlemen, a beautiful copy of Edgar Allen Poe: Complete Tales and Poems. If that doesn't get you excited, then I'm not sure if anything will. So, enter away and good luck to you all!

Of Witches and Warlocks: The Trouble with Spells by Lacey Weatherford

     This is my first official book that I received for review! You have no idea how excited I was about this opportunity! Thank you so much Lacey.

     Portia Mullins has just turned sixteen and has had a bomb dropped on her. She is a witch, descended from a long line of other witches and warlocks on her father's side. This isn't exactly what she had planned on hearing, especially not on her birthday. That she was being given a car, maybe, but that she is a witch? It would be a bit difficult for anyone to wrap their head around, but she manages. Plus, it means she gets to hang out with Vance Magnum more, and who could resist that?
     Portia and Vance are drawn to each other. They begin to fall in love. When secrets from Vance's past surface, it is up to Portia to save those that she loves.

     Wow! I think that about sums this up. It was an amazing read full of romance, action, and quite a few laughs too. Lacey Weatherford is definitely a talented writer. I felt like I was right there with the characters the whole time. There were no slow spots, but I don't mean to say that it went too fast either. I stayed up all night to read it! :)
     My only complaint is that Portia and Vance fell in love a little too fast. One moment it was sort of a crush and the next they were spending every waking moment together claiming to be soul mates. To redeem this, of course, is that both Vance and Portia realized how quickly their relationship was moving, so it wasn't as if they were oblivious. I just wish they would have gotten to know one another a bit better before they fell head-over-heels in love.
     I loved Portia, I really did. She was independent and fiercely protective of the people she loved. Plus, she wasn't an idiot by any means. She was sweet and honest. I liked that Portia had a good relationship with her parents and grandmother as well. I could feel her joy, her anguish, and every emotion as if it were my own!
     Vance, well, yeah. Sigh. He had the whole mystery thing going for him. That and the good looks! He was great though. Him and Portia were cute together and I loved how much he cared about her. It was so sweet! He made me laugh sometimes too, just the things he would say...
     I thought the plot in this book was fantastic! It drew me in from the first page and kept me reading. Everything seemed so real, as if it could have really happened. The magic was cool too! Portia was immensely strong and it was fun 'watching' her try out her powers.
     Rating: 9.75
     Find this amazing book at the Of Witches and Warlocks website or Amazon!

*The fact that I received this book from the author did not influence my opinion of it in any way. This was my honest review.
   

Haunted Halloween Contest

     Jessica at Confessions of a Bookaholic is hosting a series of contests in the spirit of Halloween! This week she is giving away a copy of Minder by Kate Kaynak. Sounds amazing, right? Well, the fun doesn't stop there! She also has a spooky story written by Kate herself! Other authors are sharing their stories as well.

     Stop by Jessica's blog and see for yourself. Good luck to those who enter!

The Secret Society of the Pink Crystal Ball by Risa Green

     Erin Channing is a nerd with the highest GPA in her tenth grade class and she is just fine with who she is. She prides herself on her rationality, that is, until her Aunt Kiki mysteriously dies during a thunder storm leaving Erin with a plastic, pink crystal ball. Suddenly, Erin realizes just how boring she is, especially compared to her best friends. Samantha is fun and beautiful and Lindsay is so sweet.

      How can she write a convincing essay that will win her a trip to Italy to study art if she is so boring though? With a little help from a certain crystal ball, her best friends, and a certain someone, Erin is in for quite a bit of... being NOT boring.

     I did not expect to love this book so much. I figured it would be pretty good, something light and fun (which it was), but it was much more than that. It went deeper than your run-of-the-mill girlish novel to tell a story that I couldn't help but love. Mrs. Green did a superb job capturing the essence of her characters, if you ask me.
     Erin was incredibly easy to connect with. She was the perfect nerd! Most nerds in novels are stereo-typical in that they are great at just one thing and spend most of their time doing said thing without having much of a life. Erin was smart, but she had friends and she didn't sit around in her room studying all of the time. I felt comfortable reading about her because she seemed quite a bit like me and my geeky self. ;)  Although, I must say that I can't recite the periodic table in alphabetical order (or any other order for that matter) to the tune of "YMCA". I would really like to see that done, it sounds hilarious! Erin liked being the rational one too. All of this nonsense about magical pink crystal balls really didn't suit her at first. She came around though and realized that sometimes you have to step outside the box a little.
     Samantha and Lindsay are the kind of friends that know you and all of your little quirks, but love you because of them rather than in spite of them. Samantha is definitely outgoing. She's fun and energetic, and she speaks her mind. I wasn't such a fan of Samantha, but she did add to the story line. Lindsay, on the other hand, is more reserved and kind.
     Then we come to the certain someone: Jesse Cooper. Apparently Erin and Jesse were close before his father died. Then he changed drastically and drifted away. Erin's AP Art History assignment throws them back together again though. Erin comes to realize that all of her feelings for Jesse still hold true. If only he would remember their first kiss...
     Erin tells the story in a slightly humorous, and yet slightly serious tone. It's great! I mean, I finished the book in a day which doesn't normally happen unless I can't put the book down. Risa Green kept me turning page after page just so I could keep reading about Erin. I loved how the beginning went back to explain some things before moving forward. It was interesting and not at all annoying or redundant. The Secret Society of the Pink Crystal Ball was quite original. It had everything I was looking for.
     My favorite part:
"There's just one problem," I tell him. His eyes snap to attention.
"What's that?"
"I don't know if they'll let me take my box on an airplane. And I won't be able to think if I'm not inside it."

     Rating: 10

     You can find this great read anywhere including Amazon.

*By the way, this is my 50th post. Yes!

Book Blogger Hop October 22-25

     It's been quite the month for me! I've been busier than usual with book reports, the PSAT (I wanted to cry), and other things for school. I can't believe school is going by so swiftly though. Halloween is days away and just after that is Thanksgiving. I still had a little time to get through a few fantastic books, which is always great.

Thanks to Jennifer at Crazy for Books for the hop!

Question of the Month:

     Where is your favorite place to read? Curled up on the sofa, in bed, in the garden?

Answer:

     I'd have to go with in bed. That's where I usually read and it's pretty comfy. When I wake up in the morning on weekends I grab the book lying next to me on the floor without having to get out of bed. Can it get any better?

I'm sorry I haven't been able to hop for a while, so if I'll be responding to hops from a few weeks ago! :) Have a great weekend!

Tag!

     Awesome sauce, I have officially been tagged! ;) Let's see here...

4 Things in My Handbag

• Germ- X (because you never know when you might need to clean your hands! I am NOT a germophobe)
• Books a Million gift card and discount card
• Sunglasses with one lens missing (I loved them too)
• camera (because I like to preserve my memories)

4 Things In/On My Desk

• Books (duh!)
• Mail (it makes me feel special)
• Fuze drink (the pina colada one that is quite tasty)
• My awesome, brand new phone

4 Favorite Things in My Bedroom

• Bed (on which I do all of that lovely sleeping I am so fond of)
• Bookshelves (need I say more?)
• Radio ( la ti da...)
• Papier mache Hershey's kiss (I made it and it is awesome. enough said.)

4 Things I've Always Wanted to Do  (But Haven't Yet)

• Skydive (why not?)
• Get a degree from Harvard (I'm dreaming big, okay)
• Travel the world (I want to experience as much as possible in the short time I have on this Earth)
• Take a roadtrip with my friends (I can only imagine being stuck in a car, alone, with them for days... ;D)

4 Things I Enjoy Very Much At the Moment

• Sleeping (have I mentioned this?)
• Reading (if you are reading this, chances are you share the same sentiment)
• Going to the Drive-in Movie Theatre (it is out in the woods and absolutely beautiful)
• Writing

4 Songs I Can't Get Out of My Head

• I believe I can fly (which has been stuck in my head since around April but I don't know why)
• The eBay song from Weird Al (great satirical example)
• The Boys of Summer by Don Henley(the only part that is stuck in my head is "Don't look back, you can never look back.")
• Bad Day by someone I don't know

4 Things You Don't Know About Me

• I have been to Mexico
• I secretly love the Hallmark channel and Lifetime (no mocking!)
• I am technologically incompetent (what can I say?)
• My mother and I are very close (oddly enough, I don't think I've ever mentioned her)

4 Bloggers I Am Tagging

• Ellz Readz
• DeRaps Reads
• Down The Rabbit Hole
• Books Are Life

Book Blogger Hop (October 1-4)

     I think my teachers are all in cahoots. I'm serious, they sure do know how to swamp students with work. Anyway, that is why I missed the last hop. Homework and... my birthday! The cake was delicious, I must say. Chocolate with chocolate chips and walnuts in it and cream cheese icing. Yuuum!
     Now, on to the real business of this blog: books! I finished Clockwork Angel and there should be a review for that up sometime in the foreseeable future. I also plan to finally review Life As We Knew It and The Dead and the Gone.
     Thank you to Jen at Crazy for Books for the always awesome hop!

Question of the Week:

     How do you spread the word about your blog?

Answer:

     For one, I participate in the hop. I think that is pretty much the best way I spread the word. Aside from that, I comment on blogs. That's about it I think.

     So, how was your week? How do you spread the word?

Gamer Girl by Mari Mancusi

     Maddy's parents have just divorced and she has had to move in with her Grandmother in a new town. This means starting a new school without her friends. She is labeled the freak.
     Maddy is a great artist and takes comfort in her manga drawings. Her father gets her an online game called Fields of Fantasy which she loves and plays often to escape her problems. Online she can be anyone she wants to be, so she becomes an Elfin maiden named Allora. She makes friends on the game as well.

     Maddy is your average protagonist. Her parents are divorced, she has to move to a new school and all of that. What makes her different from the many other books of this sort is her love of manga and her obsession with her online game. You don't generally see too many novels about an obsession with online games, but Mancusi does well to present it. Maddy loves that game and it almost seems to become an extension of who she is, in her mind. She plays it all of the time, thereby avoiding having to feel anything besides what Allora would feel. She logs on constantly to play: instead of her homework, when she gets into it with her mom, or even when she misses her dad.

     I really do feel sorry for Maddy. I know what it's like to change schools and leave all of your friends behind. Regardless, she still seems a little pathetic. It is almost like she doesn't want to make friends to show her parents how horrible a thing they did to her. I like how Mancusi developed Maddy, I'm not saying I don't because I did love Maddy, but I wanted her to try a bit more to make some new friends instead of being all woe is me.

     I do have to say that as good as Gamer Girl was, it was too predictable. There was not nearly enough suspense. I knew what was going to happen pages before it did. The writing, however, kept me reading because it really was good.  All said and done, Gamer Girl was pretty interesting and well-written.

     Rating: 6

     Find Gamer Girl at Amazon.

    

Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran

     Cleopatra's Daughter starts out as Octavian's army is approaching Alexandria, Egypt. Alexander, Selene, Ptolemy and their mother, Cleopatra, hide as best they can, but they are found. Cleopatra kills herself and their father. Marc Antony, dies as well, leaving them to the mercy of Octavian Ceasar. Rather than killing them, Ceasar takes them back to Rome with him to show his immense power. Selene and Alexander grow up in Rome, longing to be home with their people. They learn the secrets that surround their new home and the people they live with.

     I think this is probably the best historical novel I have ever read! I fell in love with this book quite quickly. Moran's writing style just flows so perfectly. The language is definitely not modern, but it is understandable. I think she did a great job in bringing this piece of history to life.
     Selene and Alexander are twins, but they are far from identical. The story is told from Selene's perspective. You get to see just how hard losing her parents and having to be Ceasar's trophy is for her. She hates it. Selene misses her home and parents dearly and has trouble adjusting to the abnormal ways of Rome. Nonetheless, she has immense courage! Somehow, Selene finds it in her to stand up to Ceasar and I envy her strength.

     Alexander is not as eager to go home. He finds Rome much more exciting than his sister, who is miserable. and seems to be adjusting better. Either way, both he and Selene live in constant fear of their lives being extinguished. Octavian Ceasar uses them to show his power and cares little about them. They are just prisoners of war to him.

     Octavia was so sweet! The book would not have been the same without her. She helps Selene to fit in better and takes care of Alexander as well. She even stands up to her brother, Ceasar, for them.

     The secrets in Rome were enough to drive me crazy! I wanted to know so badly what this or that meant. It makes me want to read even more books on the subject. The tension certainly added to the story line. It made Cleopatra's Daughter a page-turner for me! I simply loved this book. Everything came alive for me, and that is the most important part. I want to be able to feel what the character's feel, see what they see, ad even hear what they do. Cleopatra's Daughter did that for me. For instance, the first time Selene has to dress in Roman clothing she feels ashamed. I felt that embarrassment with her. I wanted to slap Ceasar just as much as she did.

     All in all, Cleopatra's Daughter is a book well-worth the time it takes to read it. If you are interested in history, or specifically Ceasar or Cleopatra, then this is the book for you. Plus, it comes highly recommended!

     Rating: 9.8

     To find Cleopatra's Daughter, check Amazon, Walmart, or even Michelle Moran's website!

    

Hush, Hush Contest

     I'm sure many of you are looking forward to October 19th. Who wouldn't be? After all, Crescendo is going to be released then! Of course, it would be inappropriate, tragic even, to read the second book before the first. ;)

     Which is why Melissa at YA Book Shelf is giving away two glorious copies of Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick! Tears of pure joy are running down your face now, aren't they? I assure you, you are not alone. I would adore a copy of this book!

     So, make sure you do not miss out on this chance! Enter the contest here. Good luck!

Book Blogger Hop (September 17th -20th)

     I had quite the week, what about you? The teachers piled on the homework this weekend, but that's alright. I'm still on a high from our awesome version of trench warfare in U.S. History on Thursday. :) We used paper balls (simulating bullets) and the desks (forming the 'trench'). It may sound dorky, but it was unimaginably fun to get the chance to throw things at the people you don't like in your class! No, I'm just kidding!
     Good times, good times...

Thank you Jennifer at Crazy-for-Books!

Prompt of the Week:

     In honor of Book Blogger Appreciation Week, let's take time this week to honor our favorite book bloggers and why we love them!

Response:

     Well, I'd have to say Christina from Books Are Life is definitely my inspiration for blogging! She is the one who introduced me to the whole world of sharing my love of books with other people. Obviously she has a wonderful blog complete with reviews, interviews and everything in between! What's not to love? I've also had the great experience of being friends with Christina in-person (oh, those lovely AP Euro days...).  Don't miss out on this fabulous blog!

     Then there is my eighth grade English teacher's review blog. She was one of my favorite teachers. Heather (it's weird calling her by her first name) at The One Thing I Regret could be a writer herself! Don't you just love her style? She truly makes me want to read every book she discusses!
     I know there are zillions of other blogs out there that I have surely missed out on, but I feel that the above mentioned two are some of the best. Be sure to stop by and check both of them out!
    
    Have fun reading and hopping!


    

Nightlight: A Parody by The Harvard Lampoon

     Belle Goose falls in love with Edwart Mullen in this parody of Twilight. She lives in Switchblade, Oregon, and is looking for a vampire boyfriend. She thinks Edwart is a vampire and attempts to convince him to make her a vampire too, by stalking him.

     I know this book was supposed to be funny, but I just didn't like it. Some things were funny, I'll give it that. For the most part though, I think this book went much too far. This could be because I actually happened to enjoy the Twilight saga, but I won't go into fan-girl mode at the moment.

     Belle stalks Edwart and Edwart is creeped out by girls. None of the words that come out of anyone's mouth seem even remotely real. Most importantly, it doesn't even really make that much sense! I couldn't follow what was going on very well.
     It was actually fairly hilarious the way the authors changed the names though. Belle Goose is Bella Swan. A goose is a type of bird, as is a swan... get it?  ;)
     Rating:  1
      -- I really hate to give the book this low of a rating, but I just couldn't connect with it. I'm sure some people might actually like Nightlight, so give it a try if you'd like. I am most certainly not an expert on books!
     If you would like to read Nightlight, try Amazon.
  

Super-duper Contest

    

     The Book Buzzer has an AMAZING giveaway going on until September 30th! There are some wonderful books being given away including some that are on my imaginary to be read pile. 

    

     You can win The Giver by Lois Lowry, Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater, The Hunger Games and Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins, and an ARC of Forge by Laurie Halse Anderson, among others. This is just what you've been waiting for, right?  ;)

     Sign up for the contest soon and good luck to you all!

Book Blogger Hop: September 10-13

     It was only a four day week this week! Thank goodness. Surprisingly, I didn't have quite as much homework as normal so I got in some extra reading time. I'm almost finished with The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer.
     Today we had a big pep rally at school because tonight is when we play our biggest rival. It was hilarious! Some of the football players dressed up as girls from our rival school (decked out in skirts and all) and someone even brought a possum. I suppose this might make more sense if you knew who this rival team was and all. :)

Question of the Week:

     Post a link to a favortie post or book review that you have written in the past three months.

Answer:
     This really isn't an answer, since it wasn't really a question, but here is my link anyway:
The Named
I think that I would consider this one of my favorite books ever. I wish I could read the next two, but that, my dear friends, is another story altogether!


     Have a great weekend and make sure to read plenty!

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

     I was beyond amazed by Mockingjay! It was simultaneously horrible and wonderful.

     Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she’s made it out of the bloody arena alive, she’s still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what’s worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss’s family, not her friends, not the people of District 12.

--Summary from Amazon (I would have put too many spoilers in the description alone)

     As I mentioned above, I loved this book. Suzanne Collins has once again managed to awe us with her talent! Her writing is beautiful. Somehow she manages to put you right there in the book. She makes Katniss's struggles so real, so powerful. I wanted to cry so many times, but mostly I think I was in too much shock to do so. Still, there were countless times in which I thought my heart was being ripped out of my chest.

     Katniss was wonderful and strong as usual. It seemed as though she was a bit too lost though. I wanted her to be more of her old self, but I suppose the harshness of life just got to her. I felt bad for her because she had to grow up much too fast. Katniss is still amazing. Despite everything she manages to keep moving, to keep trying, and to keep looking for a way.

     So, I decided who I wanted Katniss to end up with before I read Mockingjay. I chose Peeta. Then I read the book... I don't really like Peeta so much anymore but Gale isn't so fantastic either. Peeta is just, well, not Peeta. I miss the real Peeta so badly and I miss the peaceful time that Gale and Katiss spent together. It just wasn't the same, but I guess nothing ever really stays the same, right?

     To this day I still can't figure Haymitch out. Sometimes I love him and other times I want to strangle him! I know he cares about Katniss. I know this. I just wish he would show it. Of course, if he did he wouldn't be Haymitch anymore.

     Prim is as sweet as ever. She too has grown up throughout the novels and I must say she is quite the lady now! I'm glad that she got to spend more time with Katniss. They both seemed to be slowly pulled apart by the Games, but now they have a little time together. It's just so... wait I can't tell you that! :)

     The end held me captivated. I think I sat there, mouth agape, for a full five minutes trying to digest everything. I can't say that I really liked the ending though. It just didn't seem like Katniss was truly happy, and that is what I wanted for her, more than anything.

     All in all, this was wonderful! If you haven't read this yet, I strongly suggest that you do so immediately. You may even want to run out to the nearest bookstore now...

     Rating: 10!

     I'm pretty sure you can find Mockingjay almost anywhere including Walmart and Amazon.

Happy reading!

Book Blogger Hop September 3- 6

     Thank goodness Friday has finally come! I was dying! Now I have a lovely three day weekend for Labor Day. That means plenty of time to finish Mockingjay.  I tried reading it this week but it got in the way of homework (oops!) and I ended up staying up late to finish the lame homework I dismissed to read.  :)  Ah, the life of a book lover...

Thanks to Jen at Crazy-for-Books!

Question of the Week:

     Do you judge a books by its cover?

Answer:

     I know it's horrible, but yes I do. They say not to judge books by their covers. Honestly, how do you decide to pick up a book and examine it otherwise though? I'm usually not going to pick up something that looks horrible or boring, personally. My friends and I have discussed this plenty and it's just the honest truth that most people won't pick up a book that isn't visually appealing.

     Besides this, I like to run my fingers over covers that I like (weird, I know). I like tracing the words and pictures or feeling the different elevated/impressioned parts. It's just nice.
     So do you judge a book by it's cover?

Another Wonderful Contest

    

     Dominique over at The Book Vault has brought us another wonderful contest for her birthday. She has a ton of books that she is giving away!

     Be sure to enter to win here by September 1st! Good luck to everyone!

     I'm really looking forward to The Haunted by Jessica Verday. I'd love to win that for my best friend! So, what are you hoping for?

Book Blogger Hop (7) ~August 27th-30th

     Another week, another Friday (can you hear the sigh?). I actually had a pretty good week though. I just didn't have enough time to read as much as I would have liked.
     Mockingjay came out Tuesday, can you believe it? I cannot wait to read it! Lucky for me, I won my second contest ever and the prize was... Mockingjay! Thanks so much to Mrs. DeRaps over at DeRaps Reads.
     How was your week? Fantastic I hope.

Thanks to Crazy-for-Books!

Question of the Week:

     Do you use a rating system for your reviews and if so, what is it and why?

Answer:

     I do use a rating system. I think it helps give readers a better understanding of just how much I liked or disliked a book. It goes from 1 (being the worst) to 10 (being the best). You can see it in my left sidebar. Notice how witty I was trying to be? Yeah, we all know I failed miserably at that one...  ;)


     Have a great weekend! Happy hopping and reading!

So Very Close...

     2 days. I can wait that long can't I? I'm not so sure though... It's already been torture waiting since Catching Fire came out, but knowing that Mockingjay is just 2 days away makes it even more excruciating!

     What makes it even worse, I think, is that I am too broke to pre-order it.  :(  So, my only salvation is my best friend. She better get it, enough said. I'm just kidding. Well, I'm sort of just kidding. I'm hoping, praying even that my best friend will get Mockingjay, but I'm not sure. If she does, whcih she must, she better read it immediately so that I can then have it. ;D

    I guess that's more than enough ranting about how much I need Mockingjay. Is anyone else as excited about the upcoming release as I am? Are you Team Peeta or Team Gale? Personally, I just want Katniss to be happy (I guess that makes me Team Katniss?) and I like both of her choices.
     Let me know how you feel and what you might be doing to celebrate the release of Mockingjay!