LoveMeBooksandstuff : Giveaway, Winner's Choice, Up to $10.00 from the B...

LoveMeBooksandstuff : Giveaway, Winner's Choice, Up to $10.00 from the B...: Must subscribe to enter, Anyone can enter as long as The Book Depository ships to your location. Please share for more giveaways! These wer...

Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyers

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future. RATING: 4 STARS**** The classic fairy tale like you've never heard before. A race of Lunar people, cyborgs, and androids make this an absolutely fun and unique read. Thankfully absent is the meek young lady hidden in her step-sisters shadows. Cinder has smarts and strength she is after all a great mechanic?
On the final page I was torn between slamming the book shut and throwing it, or gently setting it aside and jumping online to do a price check on the rest of the series. I opted for setting it aside since a friend was kind enough to borrow it to me. :) I am hooked, line and sinker.

Review: The Girl With All The Gifts by M.R. Carey

The Girl With All the Gifts: Extended Free Preview by M.R. Carey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Melanie is a very special girl. Dr Caldwell calls her "our little genius." Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class. When they come for her, Sergeant keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair. She thinks they don't like her. She jokes that she won't bite, but they don't laugh. Melanie loves school. She loves learning about spelling and sums and the world outside the classroom and the children's cells. She tells her favorite teacher all the things she'll do when she grows up. Melanie doesn't know why this makes Miss Justineau look sad. THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS is a sensational thriller, perfect for fans of Stephen King, Justin Cronin and Neil Gaiman. I really enjoyed this book. It has a little bit of everything to offer, and kept me on edge, so I had to push through. This is the first book that I've read in awhile that did not waste much time on the love interest aspect. This book is definitely original, and I'm excited to watch the movie whenever it is released. Everyone should read this book. Writing style reminded me most times of Elizabeth Flock's in What Happened to my Sister. The Girl With All The Gifts is well written, unique, and recommendable. The characters are fantastic and the ending had me thinking... this is frightening, and HOW CREEPY WOULD THAT BE. Even if zombies are not your thing- read this. This is a gem, loved it! :) http://lovemebooksandstuffblog.blogsp...

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#FridayReads (3/27/15)

Melanie is a very special girl. Dr Caldwell calls her "our little genius." Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class. When they come for her, Sergeant keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair. She thinks they don't like her. She jokes that she won't bite, but they don't laugh. Melanie loves school. She loves learning about spelling and sums and the world outside the classroom and the children's cells. She tells her favorite teacher all the things she'll do when she grows up. Melanie doesn't know why this makes Miss Justineau look sad. THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS is a sensational thriller, perfect for fans of Stephen King, Justin Cronin and Neil Gaiman. PERSONAL THOUGHTS: Loving this book so far! Only 50 pages left to finish, and definitely recommend. This is going to be a favorite this year!

Giveaway, Winner's Choice, Up to $10.00 from the Book Depository

Must subscribe to enter, Anyone can enter as long as The Book Depository ships to your location. Please share for more giveaways! These were some of the interesting titles I found under $10.00, but you can choose any book you'd like. Good Luck Everyone! Contest Starts 3/26/15 Rafflecopter below! a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Girl With All The Gifts (Book Trailer)

Waiting On Wednesday (3/25/15)

Product Details Age Range: 12 and up Grade Level: 7 and up Hardcover: 464 pages Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (May 6, 2014) Emily is about to take some risks and have the most unexpected summer ever in this new novel from the bestselling author of Second Chance Summer and Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour. Before Sloane, Emily didn’t go to parties, she barely talked to guys, and she didn’t do anything crazy. Enter Sloane, social tornado and the best kind of best friend—someone who yanks you out of your shell. But right before what should have been an epic summer, Sloane just…disappears. No note. No calls. No texts. No Sloane. There’s just a random to-do list with thirteen bizarre tasks that Emily would never try. But what if they can lead her to Sloane? Apple picking at night? Okay, easy enough. Dance until dawn? Sure. Why not? Kiss a stranger? Wait…what? Getting through Sloane’s list will mean a lot of firsts, and with a whole summer ahead of her—and with the unexpected help of the handsome Frank Porter—who knows what she’ll find. Go Skinny Dipping? Um…

REVIEW: SCARLET BY MARISSA MEYER

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She's trying to break out of prison--even though if she succeeds, she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive. Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner. Scarlet was a bit slow for be in the beginning, but overall this series is just awesome, and after a small while of adjusting to Scarlett's character, I flew through this book as I would any other that I loved. Cinder is a fantastic character and I really enjoyed reading about her. I knew this book was going to be about Little Red Riding Hood, but I think I was still wanting more of Cinder at the time. This series is unique and captivating and I cannot wait to read Cress. However, I'm going to give myself a break from the series before I pick up the next book. The idea of blending the characters from previous books into the next is just brilliant. This is definitely a favorite of mine that I will always highly recommend. Everyone should read this series.

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Review: The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski

The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Book two of the dazzling Winner's Trilogy is a fight to the death as Kestrel risks betrayal of country for love. The engagement of Lady Kestrel to Valoria’s crown prince means one celebration after another. But to Kestrel it means living in a cage of her own making. As the wedding approaches, she aches to tell Arin the truth about her engagement... if she could only trust him. Yet can she even trust herself? For—unknown to Arin—Kestrel is becoming a skilled practitioner of deceit: an anonymous spy passing information to Herran, and close to uncovering a shocking secret. As Arin enlists dangerous allies in the struggle to keep his country’s freedom, he can’t fight the suspicion that Kestrel knows more than she shows. In the end, it might not be a dagger in the dark that cuts him open, but the truth. And when that happens, Kestrel and Arin learn just how much their crimes will cost them. REVIEW 5 STARS ***** I chose The Winner's Crime as one of the titles I would like to receive as my birthday gift from a friend. I can say that I devoured this book and simply loved every moment of it. There is something about Marie Rutkoski's writing style that just grabs and holds my attention. I have been blindsided by the ending and plot twist taking place in this trilogy. I'm in shock right now, why? I will most definitely pre-order book # 3. This book was a major distraction from my homework, but that's okay. I need to find out what happens in the next book. The ending is seriously going to make this a brutal wait... Love this series. The author makes this world effortless for readers to envision. (Thank you Sunni, for my cliff-hanger gift, so loved it)

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Book Haul (9 Books)

Hardcover: 368 pages Publisher: Tor Books; 1St Edition edition (September 24, 2013) A masterful, twisted tale of ambition, jealousy, betrayal, and superpowers, set in a near-future world. Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong. Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end? In Vicious, V. E. Schwab brings to life a gritty comic-book-style world in vivid prose: a world where gaining superpowers doesn’t automatically lead to heroism, and a time when allegiances are called into question.'

Series: Monument 14 Series (Book 1) Paperback: 352 pages Publisher: Square Fish; Reprint edition (May 28, 2013) Your mother hollers that you’re going to miss the bus. She can see it coming down the street. You don’t stop and hug her and tell her you love her. You don’t thank her for being a good, kind, patient mother. Of course not—you launch yourself down the stairs and make a run for the corner. Only, if it’s the last time you’ll ever see your mother, you sort of start to wish you’d stopped and did those things. Maybe even missed the bus. But the bus was barreling down our street, so I ran. Fourteen kids. One superstore. A million things that go wrong. In Emmy Laybourne’s action-packed debut novel Monument 14, six high school kids (some popular, some not), two eighth graders (one a tech genius), and six little kids trapped together in a chain superstore build a refuge for themselves inside. While outside, a series of escalating disasters, beginning with a monster hailstorm and ending with a chemical weapons spill, seems to be tearing the world—as they know it—apart.

Series: A Novel (Book 1) Hardcover: 384 pages Publisher: Disney-Hyperion (April 15, 2014) Samantha is a stranger in her own life. Until the night she disappeared with her best friend, Cassie, everyone said Sam had it all-popularity, wealth, and a dream boyfriend. Sam has resurfaced, but she has no recollection of who she was or what happened to her that night. As she tries to piece together her life from before, she realizes it's one she no longer wants any part of. The old Sam took "mean girl" to a whole new level, and it's clear she and Cassie were more like best enemies. Sam is pretty sure that losing her memories is like winning the lottery. She's getting a second chance at being a better daughter, sister, and friend, and she's falling hard for Carson Ortiz, a boy who has always looked out for her-even if the old Sam treated him like trash. But Cassie is still missing, and the facts about what happened to her that night aren't just buried deep inside of Sam's memory-someone else knows, someone who wants to make sure Sam stays quiet. All Sam wants is the truth, and if she can unlock her clouded memories of that fateful night, she can finally move on. But what if not remembering is the only thing keeping Sam alive?

Book 1 of 3 in the Dark Elements Series Paperback: 400 pages Publisher: Harlequin Teen (February 25, 2014) #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout draws readers into the extraordinary, irresistible world of Wardens and demons in the New York Times bestselling first book of The Dark Elements series. One kiss could be the last Seventeen-year-old Layla just wants to be normal. But with a kiss that kills anything with a soul, she's anything but normal. Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities no one else possesses. Raised among the Wardens—a race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe—Layla tries to fit in, but that means hiding her own dark side from those she loves the most. Especially Zayne, the swoon-worthy, incredibly gorgeous and completely off-limits Warden she's crushed on since forever. Then she meets Roth—a tattooed, sinfully hot demon who claims to know all her secrets. Layla knows she should stay away, but she's not sure she wants to—especially when that whole no-kissing thing isn't an issue, considering Roth has no soul. But when Layla discovers she's the reason for the violent demon uprising, trusting Roth could not only ruin her chances with Zayne…it could brand her a traitor to her family. Worse yet, it could become a one-way ticket to the end of the world.

Stone Cold Touch (The Dark Elements) Paperback – October 21, 2014 by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Series: Embrace (Book 5) Hardcover: 496 pages Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire (May 6, 2014) It's all come down to this. It's time to stop running. It's time to make a choice. Two years ago, Violet Eden walked away from her home, her friends, the Academy, and hardest of all, she walked away from her soul mate, Lincoln. Now Spence is gone, and Violet knows she is the best person to go after him. But doing so means facing everything and everyone she left behind. Violet must find out who she really is-and exactly what she is capable of-before the abilities the angels gave her are turned against them. She is all that stands between the forces of good and evil. The Embrace Series: Embrace (Book 1) Entice (Book 2) Emblaze (Book 3) Endless (Book 4) Empower (Book 5) Praise for the Embrace Series: "A delicious romantic triangle." -USA Today "One of the best YA novels we've seen in a while. Get ready for a confident, kick-butt, well-defined heroine." -RT Book Reviews "Strong, compelling and wonderfully flawed, Violet is the kind of heroine that will keep readers enthralled and rooting for her until the final page is turned." -Kirkus Reviews

Age Range: 12 and up Grade Level: 7 and up Series: Bloodlines (Book 3) Paperback: 448 pages Publisher: Razorbill (October 22, 2013) Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives. In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she finds herself struggling to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do. Then she meets alluring, rebellious Marcus Finch—a former Alchemist who escaped against all odds, and is now on the run. Marcus wants to teach Sydney the secrets he claims the Alchemists are hiding from her. But as he pushes her to rebel against the people who raised her, Sydney finds that breaking free is harder than she thought. There is an old and mysterious magic rooted deeply within her. And as she searches for an evil magic user targeting powerful young witches, she realizes that her only hope is to embrace her magical blood—or else she might be next.

Bridges Burned (Going Down in Flames #2) by Chris Cannon Don't just fight the system…burn it. Since discovering she is a shape-shifting, fire-breathing dragon on her sixteenth birthday (surprise!), Bryn McKenna’s world has been thrown into chaos. Being a “crossbreed”—part Red dragon and part Blue—means Bryn will never fit in. Not with dragon society. Not with the archaic and controlling Directorate. And definitely not when she has striped hair and a not-so-popular affection for rule-breaking… But sneaking around with her secret boyfriend, Zavien, gets a whole lot harder when he’s betrothed to someone else. Someone who isn't a mixed breed and totally forbidden. And for an added complication, it turns out Bryn’s former archnemesis Jaxon Westgate isn’t quite the evil asshat she thought. Now she’s caught between her desire to fit in and a need to set things on fire. Literally.Because if Bryn can’t adapt to the status quo…well, then maybe it’s time for her to change it. So just realized that this was the second book and I do not have the first- 99 cents on kindle - sounded good :(

ACCIDENTAL SORCERESS (Hardstorm Saga Book 2) by Dana Marton Tera, a powerful healer, travels with her beloved warrior, the High Lord Batumar, on a secret mission to forge alliances to stop the bloodthirsty Emperor Drakhar. Surviving vicious pirates, slave traders, and an ancient enemy of dark power is only the beginning. The journey brings Tera unimaginable hardships and loss, testing her spirit and heart as she gathers her own allies and fulfills her destiny. Adding a tiger and a wraith as companions on her journey, Tera struggles to survive with her wits and healing skills while protecting her light from the dark power that seeks to claim her.

The Time Has Finally Arrived: Accidental Sorceress (Hardstorm Saga Book 2) by Dana Marton

Publication Date: March 16, 2015 --Book 2 of the Hardstorm Saga from New York Times bestselling author Dana Marton. “Marton excels at worldbuilding and character development.” Kirkus Review Tera, a powerful healer, travels with her beloved warrior, the High Lord Batumar, on a secret mission to forge alliances to stop the bloodthirsty Emperor Drakhar. Surviving vicious pirates, slave traders, and an ancient enemy of dark power is only the beginning. The journey brings Tera unimaginable hardships and loss, testing her spirit and heart as she gathers her own allies and fulfills her destiny. Adding a tiger and a wraith as companions on her journey, Tera struggles to survive with her wits and healing skills while protecting her light from the dark power that seeks to claim her. “The splendor of the author’s vision cannot be overlooked.” RT Book Review ON SALE FOR A LIMITED TIME PURCHASED MY COPY OF ACCIDENTAL SORCERESS (Hardstorm Saga Book 2) by Dana Marton. I'm so excited to finally have a copy of this book because I have been waiting since 2012, and it's been a brutal wait for me.

Review: Two Parts Bloody Murder (Abbott and Lowell Forensic Mysteries, #4) by Jen J. Danna, Ann Vanderlaan

Prohibition was a time of clandestine excess--short skirts, drinking, dancing . . . and death. But a murder committed so many years ago still has the power to reverberate decades later with deadly consequences. It's a double surprise for Trooper Leigh Abbott as she investigates a cold case and discovers two murder victims in a historic nineteenth-century building. Together with forensic anthropologist Matt Lowell and medical examiner Dr. Edward Rowe, she uncovers the secrets of a long-forgotten, Prohibition-era speakeasy in the same building. But when the two victims are discovered to be relatives--their deaths separated by over eighty years--the case deepens, and suddenly the speakeasy is revealed as ground zero for a cascade of crimes through the decades. When a murder committed nearly forty years ago comes under fresh scrutiny, the team realizes that an innocent man was wrongly imprisoned and the real murderer is still at large. Now they must solve three murders spanning over eighty years if they hope to set a wronged man free. REVIEW: 5 STARS ***** This is not a good read, it's a GREAT read! Loved it! Enjoyed the perfect balance of science and actual story telling. I'm afraid some authors rely too much on graphs and illustrations and by the time you understand them you've forgotten what you were reading about in the first place. You won't find that to be the case here though. A lot of research went into the writing of this book and it shows. Peppered with interesting facts pertaining to the prohibition era and the making of bootleg liquor the authors do a superb job at really immersing you into another world. This book is number four in a series. I have not read the others (but definitely plan too now.) I can say this book does stand up well on its own. Only once was a previous case mentioned but enough information was given so I didn't feel like I was missing anything. So bottom line, if you can get your hands on any of the four, do it because reading them in order doesn't appear to be a necessity. (Unless like me you are practically OCD about it, in which case you've already ordered the other three lol) REVIEW FROM NICOLE

Review: Reluctant Concubine by Dana Marton

Publication Date: March 1, 2015 -- Please note that this is an updated edition of the book previously titled "The Third Scroll". "A terrific epic fantasy ~ magical, compelling, and romantic!" Susan Mallery, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author "It's impressively easy to become immersed in Marton's fantasy world. Readers will find it impossible not to care what happens next..." Kirkus Review An ambitious, vividly imagined epic fantasy. Marton has created a promising and immersive world that is, at the same time, darkly brutal... the splendor of the author's vision cannot be overlooked." RT Book Reviews To escape punishment, Tera, a maiden healer sold to barbarians must hide the truth: she has not yet come into her healing powers. Born into a much gentler world, she struggles to survive in a land of savage warlords and their cruel concubines. When ancient prophecies begin to come to pass, can the healer-slave save the realm and awaken the High Lord’s heart? "I ADORED.. (the hero). From his initial appearance and those gentle words of promise that no harm would come to...(the heroine), to his accepting manner of all that was her, to his tenderness shown when a barrier for which he waited so patiently to fold was finally crossed. He has to be one of my favourite male counterparts I've read in a while. LOVE him." Bookaroo-Ju Review "The writing is just beautiful. It flows sometimes like water. I don't know how else to describe it other than to say i enjoyed how it felt reading it." 5 out of 5 Modokker Book Pick Stars For anyone who enjoyed the fantasy worlds of George Martin's Game of Thrones, C.L. Wilson's Lord of the Fading Lands, Elizabeth Vaughan's Warprize, or the memorably crafted healer heroines in Jean Auel's Clan of the Cave Bear and Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, THE THIRD SCROLL is the next epic adventure to get lost in. REVIEW: 5 STARS ***** I won Reluctant Concubine in a giveaway for free on Goodreads First/Reads and I'm hooked. This story is awesome! This story was a part of my thoughts for weeks after reading it. Reluctant Concubine is a favorite of mine, and definitely recommendable- Reluctant Concubine is captivating, unique, and refreshing. It was not long before I developed a compassionate connection with the main character Tara, and I was sucked into her heartwrenching world. This was the first book I read of Dana Marton's and I enjoyed the writing style as well. I'm impatiently waiting for the rest of Tara's story, and eager to purchase every book to come in the Hardstorm Saga. I have become a stalker of Dana Marton's Facebook page trying to find out exactly when the second book is going to be released. :)