A wonderful food blog run by Sash’s coworker, Katja! She’s a working mom who knows that importance of balancing good food and time management/family time! She has recipes for all kinds of (easy!) yummy entrees, sidedishes, and desserts! You can also find her twitter here!
While we’re not homeowners, we LOVE this DIY Home Decorating Blog! This absolutely adorable family live in Richmond and come up with some of the cutest ideas ever! We’ve used a lot of them for our apartments!
Tumblr is technically a micro-blogging platform aha. WE LOVE THIS TUMBLR. If you don’t find at least one thing on there funny, we’re not sure we can be friends with you.
We read very “girly” blogs but hey!, it’s what we like. Fashion, Humor, Beauty/Makeup, Home Decor. Occasionally we read Mashableto catch up on current events too.
What non-bookish blogs do you like to read? Tell us in the comments section below!
Timepiece by Myra McEntire
Release Date: June 12th, 2012 Egmont USA, 336 Pages
Age Group: Young Adult
Sub-genre: Science Fiction
Source: Publisher
Format: Advance Reader Copy
Series: Hourglass #2
Other Books in This Series: Hourglass
Challenges: 2012 Sophomore Buy This Book on Amazon
A threat from the past could destroy the future. And the clock is ticking…Kaleb Ballard’s relentless flirting is interrupted when Jack Landers, the man who tried to murder his father, timeslips in and attacks before disappearing just as quickly. But Kaleb has never before been able to see time travelers, unlike many of his friends associated with the mysterious Hourglass organization. Are Kaleb’s powers expanding, or is something very wrong?
Then the Hourglass is issued an ultimatum. Either they find Jack and the research he’s stolen on the time gene, or time will be altered with devastating results.
Now Kaleb, Emerson, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no choice but to use their unusual powers to find Jack. But where do they even start? And when? And even if they succeed, it may not be enough…
The second installment in Myra McEntire’s Hourglass series is told from Kaleb’s perspective and oh, what a perspective it is! I love that Myra was able to execute a male’s POV so flawlessly. I honestly loved how raw and honest his narration was. In the first book, it was easy to see Kaleb as a meat-head with lots of tattoos and a rebel without a cause, but he actually has so much depth. He is a complex character that is incredibly well fleshed-out in Timepiece. I loved getting to know him, seeing Emerson and Michael through his eyes, and being able to experience his interactions with Lily grow into something heart-melting.
The plot, as usual, was full of twists and turns, “oh my goodness” moments, and plenty of suspense. I enjoyed being able to get the history of The Hourglass and the other characters that play important roles in this time-travel adventure. I really, really loved this book and I frankly adored Kaleb. HUGE kudos to Myra for letting us get to know that big lug…he’s a big teddy bear! And, oh!, the ending…beautifully crafted and wonderfully emotional.
I cannot wait for the next installment. I want to know more about Kaleb, Lily, Michael, Emerson, and everyone and everything. Even if you haven’t thought of time-travel as a sub-genre that you would enjoy, I can guarantee Myra McEntire’s expert crafting of her characters, plot, and world will be convincing enough!
The eyes never lie. No one’s eyes are darker than Eryx’s. Not even the Devil’s.When Jax and Sasha first see Jordan Ellis, they know she is no ordinary teenager. She’s the daughter of the President after all, but she’s also Anabo – a descendant of Eve.
What they don’t know is that Eryx plans to kidnap Jordan and force President Ellis to pledge his soul. If Eryx’s plot succeeds, the consequences would be catastrophic.
But the Mephisto brothers do know about Jordan’s secret identity. And for one of them, she could be the match that leads to their soul’s salvation.
Now it’s a desperate race against time to save Jordan and prevent Eryx’s haunting eyes from discovering her true identity.
A thrilling story of romance, danger, and intrigue, THE MEPHISTO KISS continues the marvelous mythology that began in THE MEPHISTO COVENANT.
The cover:
How pretty is that! We absolutely love it! (And having a character named Sasha doesn’t hurt either!)
Trinity is also doing an ARC giveaway on her blog so go check it out! (It’s INTERNATIONAL!)
Until I Die by Amy Plum
Release Date: May 8th, 2012 HarperCollins, 352 Pages
Age Group: Young Adult
Sub-genre: Paranormal Romance
Source: Publisher
Format: Advance Reader Copy
Series: Revenants #2
Other Books in This Series: Die For Me
Challenges: 2012 Sophomore
Kate and Vincent have overcome the odds and at last they are together in Paris, the city of lights and love.
As their romance deepens there’s one question they can’t ignore: How are they supposed to be together if Vincent can’t resist sacrificing himself to save others? Although Vincent promises that he’ll do whatever it takes to lead a normal life with Kate, will that mean letting innocent people die? When a new and surprising enemy reveals itself, Kate realizes that even more may be at stake—and that Vincent’s immortality is in jeopardy.
The sequel to Die for Me is a terrifyingly beautiful story that continues the tough journey of Kate and Vincent. I will admit that the first ⅔ of the story seems a bit slow and lacking in action, but the relationship between Vincent and Kate,and their struggle to figure out how to maintain their revenant-human relationship is wonderful. The revenants that live with Jean-Baptiste (Vincent, Ambrose, Gaspard, Jules, etc.) and other supporting characters are so wonderfully fleshed-out with unique personalities and quirks that allow the story to take on a life of its own.
The Parisian settings and customs are created with exquisite attention to detail and vivid imagery that the reader will want nothing more than to take the next flight out to Paris.
The hauntingly foreboding premise that the numa have a new leader fuels the fear and anxiety of the reader constantly, but with Kate’s “never back down” attitude, and Vincent’s fierce protectiveness of her his kindred gave me so much hope.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, but what hit me hardest was the ending. I never saw it coming and when it did…I was at a complete loss of words. That’s when I know that an author and their book have had such a profound effect on me. My heart was aching from experience such intense emotions and I can’t fathom how Plum is going to continue this story. Admittedly, the ending is sad and the outcome bleak, I know that this author will absolutely deliver hope and redemption in the third book.
Kate is one of my favorite female protagonists, and Vincent is every girl’s dream (apart from the whole…undead thing)…but the original and creative nature of the premise is what makes this series so irresistible!
Top 10 Tuesday is a weekly event hosted at The Broke and Bookish.
This week’s topic: Top Ten Quotes From Books
1. “You have bewitched me body and soul, and I love, I love, I love you. And wish from this day forth never to be parted from you.” – Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice (Haha, we know know! This isn’t from the book but we just love it so much that we HAD to put it in here!)
2. “When I look at my room, I see a girl who loves books.” -John Green, Looking for Alaska
3. “My thoughts are stars I cannot fathom into constellations.” -John Green, The Fault in Our Stars
4. “That’s the thing about pain…it demands to be felt.” -John Green, The Fault in Our Stars
5. “In the calculus of feelings, you never really know how one person’s absence will affect you more than another’s.” -Gayle Forman, Where She Went
6. “I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you simply, without problems or pride: I love you in this way because I do not know any other way of loving but this, in which there is no I or you, so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand, so intimate that when I fall asleep your eyes close.” ―Pablo Neruda, 100 Love Sonnets
7. “You love me. Real or not real?” -Suzanne Collins, Mockingjay
8. “He does something to me, that boy. Every time. It’s his only detriment. He steps on my heart. He makes me cry.” -Markus Zusak, The Book Thief
9. “You say you’re sure? Sure that you’re in love? How can you know it? You think love is so simple?” -Kazuo Ishiguro, Never Let Me Go
10. “One is loved because one is loved. No reason is needed for loving.” ―Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
Tell us some of your favorite quotes in the comments section below!
In the midst of the all the Hunger Games fandemonium, people are seeking more and more dystopian young adult novels. Dystopian meaning a society is repressed and controlled, usually by the government, and under the idea that the society is a perfect one. Jamie from The Perpetual Page-Turner did a post about the Hunger Games Hangover, talking about how once people were done reading the Hunger Games trilogy, they didn’t know what to read next and because of the recent blockbuster movie, more and more people were reading the Hunger Games and experiencing this “hangover”. One of the books that she recommended was The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness. I’d seen the book before (a review from Anna Reads) but was never really interested in it because I wasn’t sure it was “my thing”. But I downloaded the audiobook anyway and I thought I might give it a try.
As a die hard Hunger Games fan, I shout my praises for it from the rooftops. I’ve gotten all my closest friends to read it; I’ve gotten my family to read it; I’ve gotten my coworkers to read it. And as much as I love the Hunger Games trilogy – I love the Chaos Walking Trilogy more. And let me tell you why.
The overall trilogy is better
Many Hunger Games fans will tell you that they loved the first book, thought the second one was okay (but not better than the first), and that they didn’t like the third book, Mockingjay, at all. Well, the Chaos Walking trilogy is not like that; each book gets progressively better. And that’s really saying something because I enjoyed The Knife of Never Letting Go so much. When a trilogy is able to build upon itself as it goes, well it can only be one word: Epic. And that’s how this trilogy as a whole feels.
The action comes first
This trilogy is a thrilling ride, where you never know what’s going to happen next. And the action-packed part, where you feel yourself on the edge of your seat, never takes a backseat to any romance or love triangle.
The overall message is stronger
I don’t think it’s spoilery to say that the overall message of these books is the idea that people are not separated into Good or Bad. Everyone is a mixture of both. Sometimes good people do bad things and sometimes bad people do good things; it’s how the world has always been and will always be. I think it’s important for the reader (and especially the intended audience of 12-18 year olds) to understand that just because they do something bad, that doesn’t make them a bad person and vice versa. People make mistakes and the books really focus on the fact that it isn’t about the mistakes that we make, but how we act after them, because people are always going to make mistakes.
The characters feel more real
Sure, Katniss and Peeta and Gale are all great, great characters. But could you see yourself in them? Katniss with her fierce (and sometimes seemingly cold) personality? Gale with his hatred for the people who have wronged him? Peeta with his un-dying, un-yielding love? The characters in the Hunger Games feel so one-dimensional compared to the layered intricacies of Todd and Viola. And maybe I feel like I understand Todd and Viola more because The Ask and the Answer and Monsters of Men are written from both of their perspectives. But it’s easier to see yourself in the actions of Todd and Viola – they seemed to make decisions that a real person would have made, knowing that the consequences would be grave (and actually caring if they died).
The ending
The Hunger Games ends and it’s pretty final. The Chaos Walking trilogy ends and it’s open ended and, yet, perfect. Those kind of endings always leave the reader’s imagination roaring and those are the best kind of endings.
Insurgent by Veronica Roth
Release Date: May 1st, 2012 Katherine Tegen, 525 Pages
Age Group: Young Adult
Sub-genre: Dystopian
Source: Borrowed from Anna Reads!
Format: Advance Reader Copy
Series: Divergent #2
Other Books in This Series: Divergent
Challenges: 2012 Sophomore
One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.Tris’s initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.
Em’s Review
Veronica Roth’s second installment in the Divergent trilogy is truly something to marvel. Not only did she flawlessly pick up where the last book ended, she started Insurgent in a way that reflects her talent for keeping a reader hooked. I literally read this book in about 8 hours and was so absorbed in Tris and Four’s journey that I completely lost track of time.
Insurgent gives readers a new look into how the other factions function. Being able to be inside Candor’s headquarters and meeting their leader, discovering all of the intricacies that the Amity compound and people had to offer, and getting an inside look at what it means to be factionless were expertly done.
The twists and turns are completely unexpected and absolutely shocking. The betrayal and secrets seem endless. The new characters that emerge have a good variety of endearing, incorrigible, and insufferable. It’s hard to put this over 500 page book into just a review without gushing and throwing out spoilers left and right, but I was so drawn to every aspect of this book that I will, no doubt be re-reading it soon. Savoring each word is really not an option because the book is such a fast read that it will play through your mind like a fast-paced, action-filled, heart-wrenching movie. There is so much loss, but there is so much left to gain that, I swear, by the end of the book you’ll be appreciative of both no matter what.
Tris and Four really come into their own in this book, becoming the heroine and hero that Roth’s readers so viciously want and deserve. Their love for each other is honestly one of the strongest and most resilient relationships I have seen in YA literature thus far. Considering that this book is dystopian, instead of paranormal or supernatural, seeing characters go through real combat, lead an uprising, and remain so fiercely loyal to each other is beautiful.
The storyline delivers nothing short of an amazing journey and the characters leave nothing to be desired. Every character, no matter how seemingly insignificant at first, has so much depth and purpose in the creation of a fantastic sequel to a best-seller.
I’ll leave you with one last aspect of this book that left me smiling like an idiot and wishing I didn’t have to wait so long for the third book….THE ENDING. I never, in my wildest dreams, could have seen it coming. I can’t wait to see everyone else’s reaction to this book and their thoughts on what is to come next for Tris and Four.
Disclaimer: I will always see him as Four and not Tobias — and Four is who Tris (and I) fell in love with first.
Happy Reading!
Sash’s Review
As you all may or may not know, Insurgent is the extremely highly anticipated sequel to last’s years Divergent. I LOVED Divergent. I found Tris to be an equal of any other great fictional heroine; she didn’t take anything from anyone. She was tough, brave, and yet caring. With main and minor characters that I adored, a thrilling plot, and more than one bad guy to watch out for, I couldn’t have been more excited than when I started to read Insurgent – I just KNEW that I was going to LOVE it.
Except, I didn’t.
The writing was choppy. I felt like I was being thrown from place to place and jerked around wildly on what seemed like a wild goose chase for Tris and Four. They’re going to Amity, they’re going here, they’re going there. It felt like the plot was being forced to move along and didn’t have that organic feeling to it. At least not until 50-75 pages until the ending. That’s when the writing really started to flow and I felt like things were happening smoothly. Those last 50-75 pages really saved me from disliking the book altogether.
So many things just didn’t work for me in Insurgent. Both Tris and Four were acting extremely whiny and annoying. Four was complaining all the time and Tris was crying all the time and they just didn’t seem to connect with me like they did when I read Divergent. I didn’t feel like they grew as characters, but more regressed back into shells of their former selves.
Also, with Insurgent taking place outside of the Dauntless compound, I was hoping that there would be more world building and while we do get to experience more of the other faction compounds and see into some of their customs and people, it didn’t feel like enough. (Though it was nice to see Amity! WOOHOO! I’m definitely Amity, through and through.) For me, it was merely a sketch of what I thought should have been a full painting. I wanted to know more than what colors they wear and how they wear their hair. It was nice to see a few of the customs, but it didn’t feel like enough as far as world building goes.
I will say that some of my questions were answered and that the last page of the book is definitely worthy of a good ending but in making that “good ending”, even MORE questions arose and now everything is going to have to be wrapped up in the last book, which based on the length of both Divergent and Insurgent, will be around 500 pages. Veronica Roth had better change her name to Lucy, because she’s got some s’plaining to do!
Overall, a VERY VERY readable book (I finished this book in less than a day) and I’m pretty much the only one of my friends who didn’t absolutely L-O-V-E it. I wanted to love this one so so badly. It hurts to say that I didn’t. Maybe I went in with unachievable expectations? I don’t know, it just didn’t jive with me like the first one did.
PS – I have heard rumors that there were changes to the final copy, so I will definitely be reading a finished copy to see if that’s true!
Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins
Release Date: May 1st, 2012 HarperTeen, 464 Pages
Age Group: Young Adult
Sub-genre: Paranormal (Angels)
Source: Publisher
Format: Advance Reader Copy
Series: Sweet Evil #1
Challenges: 2012 Debut Author
What if there were teens whose lives depended on being bad influences? This is life for sons and daughters of fallen angels in Sweet Evil.Tenderhearted Southern girl, Anna Whitt, was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage, and her will-power is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.
A cross-country trip to meet her father forces Anna to face the reality that hope and love are not options for her kind. When she confronts her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?
Do you have angel-fatigue? Here’s your antidote…naughty, naughty Nephilim & demons galore! This story is unlike any I have ever read. The characters are well-crafted…some intoxicating and cunning, others are empathetic and kind of heart.
Basically, the way the author has set up this book, Nephilim are born from a higher-up demon, known as Dukes of Sin, from human women, who always die in childbirth. The really cool thing is, the Neph’s remember being in-utero, their birth, and other memories that humans will never remember as such young ages. For each type of sin…there are the 7 deadly covered, as well as a few others…adultery, substance abuse, murder, etc., there is a Duke who has offspring & trains them to “work”. By working, these kids are essentially instigators of behaving badly for all of the humans they encounter. That is their charge….to be bad influences….to get people to sin.
Except Anna…whose father is the Duke of Substance Abuse (drugs, alcohol, etc.). Anna remembers that when she was born, her mother died and her father was arrested for trafficking drugs right in front of her newborn eyes. He left her with some advice that seems a bad odd and obvious…”Don’t ever do drugs, kid.” He’s been in prison ever since the night she was born.
Anna doesn’t know her origins, she was adopted by a very devout and loving woman who raised her to be such a good girl. But Anna knows she’s different. She can see other people’s emotions….envy, love, rage, lust….but she also feels them. Being an empath is hard for Anna because the emotions of others (especially negative ones) are sometimes overwhelming. She also has a few other awesome abilities that, I’ll admit, I’m a bit jealous of.
Around age 17, our adorably Southern MC meets Kaiden. He’s a drummer in a band…all the ladies love him…and there’s something else peculiar about him. And he knows there is something curious about her, as well.
This story is so wonderfully written that I wanted to savor every moment, every description, and every detail. Higgins has really set the bar high for other authors that attempt any novels that portray demon-Nephilim and I am incredibly excited to see where Anna (and the next book) go after that incredibly ending! Bravo to Wendy Higgins for a truly fresh and thrilling book!
Social Suicide by Gemma Halliday
Release Date: April 24th, 2012 HarperTeen, 272 Pages
Age Group: Young Adult
Sub-Genre: Murder Mystery
Source: Publisher
Format: Advance Reader Copy
Series: Hartley Featherstone #2
Other Books In This Series: Deadly Cool
Challenges: None
Twittercide [twit-er-sahyd]: the killing of one human being by another while the victim is in the act of tweeting.Call me crazy, but I figured writing for the Herbert Hoover High Homepage would be a pretty sweet gig. Pad the resume for college applications, get a first look at the gossip column, spend some time ogling the paper’s brooding bad-boy editor, Chase Erikson. But on my first big story, things went… a little south. What should have been a normal interview with Sydney Sanders turned into me discovering the Homecoming Queen-hopeful dead in her pool. Electrocuted while Tweeting. Now, in addition to developing a reputation as HHH’s resident body finder, I’m stuck trying to prove that Sydney’s death wasn’t suicide.
I’m starting to long for the days when my biggest worry was whether the cafeteria was serving pizza sticks or Tuesday Tacos…
If you loved Nancy Drew or Harriet the Spy as a kid, you’re bound to like this book. Hartley Featherstone is back in the center of attention when she discovers yet another of her classmates dead. This time, it’s Homecoming Queen nominee Sydney Sanders. So how will Hartley prove that this wasn’t suicide and who is murderer?
Oh, this series is just SO MUCH FUN. It’s light hearted murder mystery with tons of humor and playfulness wrapped in it. It really is so much fun trying to guess who the killer is. Interesting for me is that I just finished I Hunt Killers and while they are both “murder mysteries”, Social Suicide‘s playfulness seems to win me over in spite of itself.
And while there isn’t much romance in this book, I’m perfectly okay with that! (Surprising, I know!)
This feature is for Fridays to re-cap the week’s posts & to propose a question for GReads! followers.
What helps you overcome those reading slumps when nothing seems to grab your attention?
Photo Credit: remodelista.com
Time.
Plain and simple. For us, we’re usually in a reading slump because we’ve over-read ourselves. Yes, this can happen to book lovers/book bloggers/anyone. Usually we’ve just consumed too much and now we’re not sure what to read and nothing seems to be helping. So, we take a break, do things other than reading, and we eventually come back and find a book that we love.
We’ve also had friends tell us that reading a favorite book of theirs helps in a reading slump!
What do you do when you’re in a reading slump? Tell us in the comments section below!
Until I Die by 
