Review - Passion by Lauren Kate

Title: Passion
Author: Lauren Kate
Publisher: Delacorte Books
Publish Date: June 14, 2011
Hardcover, 432 pages

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I have been waiting for this last book since I read the first two months ago. I was luckier than some, who read the books a long time ago. I didn't have to wait as long. If you haven't read the first, Fallen or the second, Torment. GO! GO NOW! Yes, that is me telling you to GO READ THESE BOOKS!!

I am tired of vampire books, I have said it a few times before, but these books are so original, so fresh and new with fun ideas and still the feeling of an old friend that I want to curl up with.

Luce is a wonderfully vulnerable girl who ends up at a boarding school, Sword & Cross and from the moment she sees Daniel she feels that she has known him before.

Now, that sounds like a really bad pick up line doesn't it? That's what I thought, but even though it might seem that way, the moment you really start reading these books you realize it's not.

Luce learns about all the different types of people there are out there, including Angels and Demons and how they came to be. She falls in love with Daniel along the way - or maybe it has been a love that lasts eternity.

In Passion, the last book of the series, Luce wants to know why she dies every time she touches Daniel. She also wants answers to why they love each other - is it simply because of the curse or do they really, truly love each other. She goes back in time through the Announcers to see if she can find out what brought them together and why they keep being drawn to each other. Along the way, she meets an Announcer travel guide, so-to-speak, who helps guide her through the Announcer's twists and turns. The others, Angels and Demons of Daniel's are also on the journey trying to find Luce and help them or possibly, hinder them. Daniel is also simultaneously searching for Luce and why she has left him. He ponders so many things about their relationship. I really had fun with this aspect of his thoughts and feelings.

Now I have said throughout this review that this is the last book in the series, that is because I really thought it was . . . til I turned the pages at the end. There is another book in the series. YES THERE IS!! Coming out next year is the final (lol, really?) Rapture.

Seriously, so easy to fall in love with this series.

PS There is a poster in the back of the book. Even at my age, I really would have loved to post this in my room - or maybe on the back of my closet door as a secret, guilty pleasure just for me.

PPS This hardcover comes in that wonderfully smaller size that I just LOVE TO DEATH!! So fabulous. Now, I have to wait even longer to buy the series to keep.

Review - The Summer We Came to Life by Deborah Cloyed

Title: The Summer We Came to Life
Author: Deborah Cloyed
Publisher: Mira
Publish Date: may 31, 2011
Paperback, 400 pages

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I was looking forward to reading this book, as I love books about friends gathering and reminiscing, but I honestly got lost in all the death regarding Mina and Sam. I loved the idea that Mina could keep in touch and help all to resolve the unresolved issues regarding Mina's death, but I just felt odd about the entire business of Sam reaching out to Mina in the afterlife. I just couldn't get into the ideas and feelings behind it all. I don't want to reveal too much, as to each their own - I am sure lots of people enjoyed this book, but I frankly just didn't.

I am unsure as to what exactly it was about the dying and reuniting afterlife that I didn't like. It could have been the overall dream like state of it; the way it seemed so real life and yet, shouldn't have been. It could have been the way Sam pinned for Mina and just couldn't reach out to these "friends" of hers that were there for her all her life, even if Mina was her closest friend. It just didn't gel for me. I thought the journals were a fantastic idea to keep in touch and remember the person once loved.

I enjoyed the different stories of how the parent's met, lived and loved. I liked the cultural aspects and the in-depth looks at the different ways everyone can live. I really liked the shock when the parent's revealed all this and the children had no idea. Amazing the secrets we keep. But all in all, I just couldn't get pulled in when Deborah Cloyed talked about the way Sam reunited with Mina.

Summary -

Every summer, Samantha Wheland joins her childhood friends—Isabel, Kendra and Mina—on a vacation, somewhere exotic and fabulous. Together with their mixed bag of parents, they've created a lifetime of memories. This year it's a beach house in Honduras. But for the first time, their clan is not complete. Mina lost her battle against cancer six months ago, and the friends she left behind are still struggling to find their way forward without her.

For Samantha, the vacation just feels wrong without Mina. Despite being surrounded by her friends—the closest thing she has to family—Mina's death has left Sam a little lost. Unsure what direction her life should take. Fearful that whatever decision she makes about her wealthy French boyfriend's surprise proposal, it'll be the wrong one.

The answers aren't in the journal Mina gave Sam before she died. Or in the messages Sam believes Mina is sending as guideposts. Before the trip ends, the bonds of friendship with her living friends, the older generation's stories of love and loss, and Sam's glimpse into a world far removed from the one in which she belongs will convince her to trust her heart. And follow it.

In My Mailbox

BOUGHT:
The Pleasures of Cooking for One by Judith Jones
I am SO EXCITED about finding this one! I love cooking - well, when I actually do it. I loved playing with my Martha Stewart Cooking School book, but now that I live far away from everyone cooking those large meals makes no sense. SO NOW, I am going to experiment doing this for ME! How very cool that I can make boeuf bourguignon for just little ol' me???Not to mention, when Saint and I get back to living together (in the same city, that is) I am hoping to be able to double these easily.

The Duggars: 20 and Counting! by Jim Bob Duggar
Since I read the second recently, I just had to read their first one.

BORROWED (from work):
The Lying Game by Sara Shephard
Do not sleep blog because if you do, you will end up signing up for things you were unaware of . . . like, the read-along I am doing with IHeartMonster this week, but hey, I love this stuff! Join in if you like!! PS: I totally cheated, I started reading it yesterday, so I am a few chapters ahead, but then stopped to try and wait for the actual read-along. Great book so far!

I know there's more, but after my 2 1/2hr yoga class this morning and then work, I am pooped!! But would still love to know . . . what was in your mailbox this week???

Review - The Girl's Guide to Homelessness by Brianna Karp

Title: The Girl's Guide to Homelessness
Author: Brianna Karp
Publish Date: Harlequin
Publisher: April 13, 2011
Paperback, 336 pages

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I was really looking forward to this book from the moment I read the title. I knew it would be good. I knew it would be in depth that talked about things people didn't talk about. I was so excited.

Sadly, I was disappointed. Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed the book. It did in fact have a lot of really interesting points about homelessness - like whether it is appropriate to say that a homeless person cannot own a cellphone or laptop. I found it interesting that she was "homeless" and still lived in a camper which is not technically a home, but still a roof over her head. I really enjoyed all this back and forth feelings of defining what it really means to be homeless. When in fact, I am not sure there really is such a definition. To each his own and it's very subjective. Unless it is strictly stereotype that one is looking for. Is it really about not having a "home" or is it about not having a place at all or is your home where your heart is?

Where this book lost me is when Brianna started to spiral downhill with all the boyfriend/fiance hoopla. I was so disappointed. It was too much and completely took away from the entire topic of the book. It became "the girl's guide to sad and pathetic breakups" instead. I still related to her and still felt for her and her situation, but I was completely lost on why this was even such a large focus of the book. It realistically took up almost half (if not three-quarters of the book) which completely confused me.

I loved the way Brianna's journey led her to her love of writing. It is always such an unforeseen thing to think it is all uphill from here, only to appear on top with the journey leading to the one thing you never knew you really wanted in life. It also provided her with so many nice people along the way. I do think she is a fantastic writer. I felt her entire journey with force. I laughed along with her and cried as well.

I have to say this was a book I wouldn't have probably read knowing what I know now and yet, I still read the entire book through. Which to me, says, I liked it way more than I want to admit. So all in all, I have no idea whether I would recommend this book or not. It was good. It was controversial. Yet, it was a bit like a drunk girlfriend pouring her heart and soul out and then feeling like I needed to take a shower afterward. So as Donald Trump would say, "There is no such thing as bad publicity."

What do you think? Have you read it yet?

Summary of The Girl's Guide to Homelessness -
"I am an educated woman with stable employment and residence history. I have never done drugs. I am not mentally ill. I am a career executive assistant—coherent, opinionated, poised, and capable. If you saw me walking down the street, you wouldn't have assumed that I lived in a parking lot. In short, I was just like you—except without the convenience of a permanent address." Brianna Karp's account of her journey through homelessness immerses us in a timely, relevant topic that all too many Americans know about first hand.

Review - The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kate Cross

Title: The Girl in the Steel Corset
Author: Kate Cross
Publish Date: May 24, 2011
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Hardcover, 336 pages

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This was my first time reading Steampunk. I have picked up other Steampunk books in the past, but never had the inclination to read them. Not sure why. This one however, grabbed me and held on to me . . until it got stuck, on page 110 . . . and never left. I deleted, downloaded and redownloaded to no avail. I even emailed the publisher, but didn't hear back. I am not sure what happened to my ebook file, but I am bummed to not be able to continue reading the book. What I read was really good.

Update . . . the publishers kindly re-uploaded a new file, but my nook is still being a butt-head and will not enable the file. So.... the copies I ordered to sell at work finally came in, so I borrowed one of those. Once again, loving the perks of working at a bookstore. HELLO! Have you seen how CUTE the mini hardcover size is???!?!? I really hope they start producing more hardcovers in this size. It's perfect. (Thanks so much HarlequinTeen for going above and beyond to help me read this!)

I am a huge fan of the character Finley. I like that she has inner demons that take over and she has to learn to control them. (Don't we all?) She is scared because her dark side takes over and she can truly hurt people. As well as, she cannot remember what happens when she lets that side control her. Meanwhile she tries to coexist with the normal world without letting people in on her secret. She has a fun and entertaining outfit which I suppose is a reflection of the times, though I will be honest the picture in my head is entirely different from the cover art - who can kick butt in a dress like that one? It is a real blast to see her meet fear and badness head-on.\

Her friends she meets along the way are just as well described and developed. I was excited to see Griffin, the Duke, take her in and try to teach her how to wield her power. His goal is to mingle her dark side with her light side allowing her control over them both. He is sexy and refreshingly nice. The boxing match between Finley and Jasper, the friend of her friends, is hilarious! I felt for Sam being a bit of the outside because he was struggling with his special powers inwardly instead of reaching out and trusting his friends to help. The camaraderie Finley builds with Emily, the one gal in the story, develops into a sisterly friendship. Every time Emily called one of them lad or lass I then had a split picture of a bunch of teenagers running around, but had to remind myself the language with different. Jack, the man with the bad reputation, is fun and his accent is laughable, but in a very charming and sexy way. He calls Finley his "Treasure" which is romantic while a bit embarrassing at the same time. Again that controversy of does she go for the mysterious bad guy or the good, honest one???

I am truly in love with the vocabulary used throughout, for example:
coddled eggs
gewgaws
"Snuck up behind me , the bounder did, and coshed me brainbox but good."
cravat
twit
arse
gaol


It's like the coolest parts of the future meet the most romantic parts of the past. There is a bit of battle mixed with romance while the machines coexist with the history. This has to be one of the most entertaining books I have read in quite some time. I was so surprised time and time again to pick it up only a few minutes later to be laughing and egging the story along. I truly enjoyed reading the entire book!! Hoping this will turn into some kind of a series because I can't wait to see what happens with these characters.

After reading this I will be keeping my eye out of a corset that I can wear over my tanks or tees because how cute would that be?!?! And that is how Finley wears her corsets, over her dresses! Huh, who knew. I love the outfits Cross describes Finley as wearing -

Embroidered silver-silk dress of Oriental design - one of the more sedate clothing selections in her closet. It was sleeveless and had knee-high slits on either side. Over it she wore a cherry-red corset with little silver dragons stitched on. The clothing felt appropriate-like armor for going into battle.

I also am interested to see if any of the other Steampunk books are as good as this one felt.

Summary of the book -
In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne has no one…except the "thing" inside her.

When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But no normal Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man with one punch….

Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her that says she's special, says she's one of them. The orphaned duke takes her in from the gaslit streets against the wishes of his band of misfits: Emily, who has her own special abilities and an unrequited love for Sam, who is part robot; and Jasper, an American cowboy with a shadowy secret.

Griffin's investigating a criminal called The Machinist, the mastermind behind several recent crimes by automatons. Finley thinks she can help—and finally be a part of something, finally fit in.

But The Machinist wants to tear Griff's little company of strays apart, and it isn't long before trust is tested on all sides. At least Finley knows whose side she's on—even if it seems no one believes her.

Wordless Wednesday - New Work Coffee Mug

My team laughs every time I use this mug at work!

Wordless Wednesday

IT'S HERE! IT'S FINALLY HERE!!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

I AM SOOOOOO EXCITED!!!

Check out what hits stores today . . . .
Sadly I was not blessed with an advanced readers copy of this one, but a main perk of working at a bookstore is I can borrow hard copies. (though I will be buying the set when available for keeping on my bookshelf) YEAH! I will be staying up late reading this book. I almost felt I needed to spend a bit of time revisiting the first two, but only a handful of pages in, it already has come back.

I wish I could tell you what exactly it was about this particular series that caught my attention. It could be the differences in the paranormal romance from the standard "Twilight" type of books that keep coming out. No offense to Twilight, I truly enjoyed those too. But the repetition of that particular plot saddens me. So I like that it is different. I love the romantic feel of the book, but alas star crossed lovers. What a cross to bear. I love the main character Luce. She is strong and vulnerable, she is smart and quick. I love the contrast of the good vs evil. I am always hoping good will win, but in a book, the battle is entertaining, because honestly, either can be the victor. I'd say my favorite part about this book is it makes me feel like a kid again. It opens up a whole new realm of thoughts and possibilities in my head and makes me crave more. It's exciting, beautiful and entertaining all at the same time. Yet it speaks up to the reader using good vocabulary, history facts and great descriptions. It is a quick read, but one that demands attention.



Sigh, good books are so rare.

Are you reading Passion by Lauren Kate?

Check out the first two - Fallen and Torment.