This is an awesome giveaway! So many great choices! Check it out!

Die For Me by Amy Plum

Title: Die For Me
Author: Amy Plum
Publisher: HarperTeen (Division of HarperCollins)
Copyright 2011 by Amy Plum
Amy Plum’s Official Website
Amy’s Facebook Page
Amy’s Goodreads Page
Amy’s Twitter

Synopsis:

In the City of Lights, two star-crossed lovers battle a fate that is destined to tear them apart again and again for eternity.

When Kate Mercier's parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life--and memories--behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent.

Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate's guarded heart with just his smile. As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he's a revenant--an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others. Vincent and those like him are bound in a centuries-old war against a group of evil revenants who exist only to murder and betray. Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again.

In this incandescent debut, newcomer Amy Plum has created a powerful paranormal mythology with immortal revenants. The Paris setting comes enchantingly alive as a relentless struggle between good and evil takes place in its streets. Rich with romance, atmosphere, and thrills, Die for Me will leave readers breathlessly awaiting its sequel.

Just so you know…Die for Me is definitely in my top 5 books of all times. A love story about Zombies…who would have ever guessed it would be so amazing. Okay, maybe they weren’t your typical Zombies, but, wow! Devastatingly sexy, breathtakingly beautiful, and sublimely tragic…and that’s just the story. How to even begin describing the characters…

• Kate Beaumont Mercier – Broken from the death of her parents; this pale, blue-green eyed, dark brown long-haired beauty finds love in a most peculiar place; only to be forced to relive her parents’ deaths as she learns more about this young man and his friends.
• Georgia Mercier – Kate’s socialite older sister who attempts to draw Kate from the shell she has shrunk into since her parents’ tragedy. Georgia is a party-girl with poor discretion that may endanger both her and her sister’s life.
• Mamie and Papy – Kate and Georgia’s wealthy paternal grandparents whom they move to Paris, France to live with. I have a feeling that there is more to them than meets the eye. Just a suspicion I hope to find out in Until I Die.
• Vincent Delacroix – A raven haired, blue-eyed young man with a deadly secret. Kate spies him in a café and can’t seem to get him out of her mind…or her life.
• Jules – Handsome, smarmy, and flirtatious. He is a love ‘em and leave ‘em artist. His coy lines have little effect on Kate, save embarrassment. I’m not sure how she ignores him…he makes me swoon.
• Ambrose – Muscular, manipulative, and funny. He is the third part of this Revenant Trio.
• Charlotte – The only girl living in a house full of boys. One might envy her…or not. She’s in love with someone who doesn’t seem to return the feelings, or does he? Hmm….
• Charles – Charlotte’s twin brother with a major attitude problem that will only bring him and everyone around him trouble.

Amy Plum wrote an intriguing and beautiful love story, from the invigorating descriptions of Paris to the qualities of her other-worldly Revenants. The chemistry and charisma of all the characters left me wanting more. Much more.


Kate, what she considers, is a perfectly bland normal girl. It is obvious from the very first page, that this is only her opinion. Her sister tells her she is beautiful, she has Come Back From the Dead Warriors stalking her, and both her mother and grandmother recognize that she is an “old soul.” She is far from normal. Her memories from her parents death continue to haunt her – making it hard for her to move on with her life.


Then she meets Vincent. Her world changes, but not in ways she could ever imagine. Can she learn to love without a constant fear of loosing everyone she loves? Hmm…maybe. Vincent is different from anyone she knows, although he assures her that she has probably seen Revenants before, she just didn’t know it. Of course, before she can understand what a Revenant is…she must realize that he is not a criminal.


Living in Vincent’s world means dealing with death on a regular basis. Kate is unsure that she can bear this when her parents passed away so recently. I had a difficult time understanding why Vincent wouldn’t be the perfect option for her, he always comes back to life after he dies, his body rejuvenates while he is dormant, and hey - he's hot…unless the enemy gets to him and burns his body - then he is hot in an entirely different way. This revelation should have set Kate free as opposed to causing her extra anxiety. I suppose I am not in her shoes and shouldn’t be the judge…but come on girl!


And then there is Jules…man, I do not know who I would chose. I think for me, it would be Jules. He is relatively care free and jovial. He is flirtatious and funny. And as the sexy best friend of Vincent, he is always around. He's the one who comes to the rescue. Kate’s rescue, Vincent's rescue, or any number of strangers rescues. I hope he and Ambrose find love for themselves in the future. They definitely deserve it.

As the enemy learns of Kate’s involvement with this group of Revenants, he uses Georgia to get to them. Lucien and Vincent have a long standing feud and it has gone on for centuries. Kate will have to be brave to protect Vincent and her sister from the “numa.” She will also have to prove herself to Jean-Baptiste, the head of Vincent’s crew. JB, as he is referred to, has had the responsibility of protecting his Revenant’s and keeping a low profile. He is very suspicious and un-trusting.


I hope to see Vincent and Kate have a period of frivolity on joy in their relationship. Everything was so intense in this book, which is what makes it a great book, but there has to be time for fun too.

Share The Love Giveaway

So, I decided that I needed to have a giveaway and it just so happens that I have an extra Hardback copy of Hush, Hush and Crescendo on hand. And since I know everyone is looking forward to the Release of Silence on October 4, 2011…I thought maybe you would like to win a copy of the first two books in this fabulous series by Becca Fitzpatrick.

• There will only be one winner, but I promise that I will have another giveaway soon.
• You must be 13 and have your parents permission
• Only United States (Sorry, next will be international)
• You must be a follower of Better Read Than Dead Blog
• Only one entry per person (More than one entry will disqualify you)
• Ends on August 21st at midnight Central Standard Time

A winner has been chosen via Random.org and congratulations go to Sniffly Kitty at Sniffly Kitty's Mostly Books!

One Day Scavenger Hunt on August 1, 2011

So, on August 1, some of my favorite authors ore hosting a one day scavenger hunt on the internet. 
 
The  participants include YA authors Josephine Angelini, Tera Lynn Childs, Angela Corbett, Kady Cross, Heather Davis, DJ Desmyter, Bree Despain, Leigh Fallon, Marley Gibson, Abbi Glines, Colleen Houck, Tara Hudson, Elana Johnson, Sophie Jordan, Myra McEntire, Alexandra Monir, Lisa Nowak, Amy Plum, Beth Revis, Lisa and Laura Roecker, Inara Scott, Jeri Smith-Ready, Lani Woodland.

HOW IT WORKS: Go to AMY PLUM’S Blog on August 1 to find my surprise guest-author’s bonus material. Then follow the clue she gives you to go to the next scavenger hunt location. At each stop there will be a code word marked in red. You have to have each of the code words in the hunt in order to solve the puzzle and win the grand prize. Fabulous surprises wait around every corner! (Information about guests and How it works are excerpts from Amy Plum’s Blog)

Supernaturally by Kiersten White

Title: Supernaturally
Author: Kiersten White
Publisher: HarperTeen
Copyright by Kiersten White 2011
Kiersten White's Official Website
Kiersten's Blog
Kiersten's Facebook
Kiersten on Twitter

Synopsis:

Evie finally has the normal life she’s always longed for. But she’s shocked to discover that being ordinary can be . . . kind of boring. Just when Evie starts to long for her days at the International Paranormal Containment Agency, she’s given a chance to work for them again. Desperate for a break from all the normalcy, she agrees.

But as one disastrous mission leads to another, Evie starts to wonder if she made the right choice. And when Evie’s faerie ex-boyfriend Reth appears with devastating revelations about her past, she discovers that there’s a battle brewing between the faerie courts that could throw the whole supernatural world into chaos. The prize in question? Evie herself.

So much for normal.

Where to start, where to start. Well, first and foremost…I miss Lish! Why did Viv have to bleeping kill her…UGH! So moving on…

• Evie – Well, aside from having a normal locker and a vampire roommate, not much changes in Evie’s incredibly fascinating and odd life. She still spends much of her time hunting rogue vampires, clueless werewolves, and the occasional troll; but there are many more utterly impossible and exceptionally dangerous assignments that could leave her lost forever.
• Lend – Oh, I really want a sexy waterboy! He is so sweet and cares so much about Evie. Let’s all just hope that she figures this out in time. Lend is away at Georgetown University attending classes so he can save the world, paranormals and all.
• Jack – Hey-Oh, what is there to say about Jack except that he is one crazy guy. I imagine he was hot to the max, but can you say ADHD and then some. Evie was always finding him turning flips off things, cart-wheeling down the halls, creating entrances and traveling Fairy Paths – without being Fey! He turned up at the most inopportune times…like the girls dressing room during Evie’s gym class.
• Arianna – The moody vampire roommate finds herself feeling lonely and, I think, a little betrayed. She spends most of her time in the apartment necromancing Zombies on the computer. I was entranced by her horrific tale of becoming a vampire. It was one of my favorite parts of this book.
• Raquel – The IPCA guru, is back. I wasn’t sure whether to trust her at first but her concern about Evie sold me. I am still wondering what she was thinking by hiring Jack though.
• Reth – You guessed it. He hasn’t gone away into the realm of wherever! He continues to torture Evie on a regular basis. What is up with this guy? Will he never learn?

Well, that is a breakdown of the most important characters involved in Evie’s adventures. So, I loved the book, and I mean everything about it. Kiersten’s storytelling is beautiful. She created characters and paranormals that are so different from anything else that you cannot help but be hooked. Her writing flows perfectly and allows you to experience their feelings in a most unusual way.

Poor Evie. I had hoped that her life would slow down a little bit, but I suppose that would not have made a very interesting book. She has a locker (the one thing she always wanted) and is living a “normal” teenage existence…well, sort of. Her gym teacher hates her (really), her best human friend falls in and out of love daily, her boyfriend is away at college, and her roommate is the epitome of EMO. It seems like there are more and more unusual characters showing up where she lives, including one very strange boy named Jack.

I fell in love Jack. He was so silly that I just couldn’t help it. He was raised by Fey and it certainly showed. He is truly a heart-breakingly broken boy. He was talented in ways he shouldn’t have been. Completely capable of following fairy paths and creating entrances to all types of interesting and sometimes dangerous places, he was the perfect solution to Evie’s mistrust of the Fey.

Evie has been keeping Lend’s immortality a secret from him, causing a lot of turbulence in their relationship. She will have to learn to trust him or things may go awry, permanently. Evie has a substantial amount of stress in her life. Not only is she going to school, hunting paranormals, and attempting to get accepted into Georgetown University so she can be with the love of her life; she is also being kidnapped by Sylphs, threatened by an Uber-Vamp, and dealing with a crazy partner. Then there is Reth, who has one humongous surprise for Evie. Just gotta love those fairies.

Arianna is doing her best to live her life and help Evie; but things just are not going well. Evie becomes so busy and trapped in multiple places because of some unreckoned force that Arianna is left believing that Evie doesn’t care and doesn’t need her, which is completely untrue.

If you love paranormal romance but are looking for a “different” kind of paranormal, you should most definitely check out the Paranormal Series by Kiersten White. In fact, you should check it out even if you are not looking for something different.

ARC Review of The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Iron Knight
Series: The Iron Fey Series #4
Author: Julie Kagawa
Publisher: HarlequinTeen
Copyright by Julie Kagawa 2011
Courtesy of NetGalley
Julie Kagawa's Official Website
Julie's Blog
The Iron Fey Facebook

Synopsis:

Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.

Unless he can earn a soul.

To cold, emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.
Then Meghan Chase—a half human, half fey slip of a girl— smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.

With the (unwelcome) company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end— a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.

To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale. And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Just let me say…There could not possibly have been a better ending for the Iron Fey Series. Julie perfected each of her characters in this book, allowing them to grow, mature, and resolve old problems. She dissolved the disputes, answered the unanswered questions, and even provided a possible future for her characters.

I have always been Team Ash, but there has always been a piece of my heart reserved for Puck. Yep…I cried, again! But in the end I was not only satisfied, but elated by their choices and their futures.

What an adventure! Really! My mind was reeling by the surprise appearances of people, creatures, and places. This book provided so many unsuspected twists and turns that I could not put it down (and I mean for even one single second.) Julie was able to give characters who were barely a whisper in the wind their own voices and a time to shine. Ash, Puck, The Big Bad Wolf, Grimalkin, and….a surprise guest, each played an integral role in helping Ash achieve his goal. All are completely indispensable to the journey, but some actually have to sacrifice their own wishes and even their lives.

“The Testing Grounds,” he repeated…”I suspected as much. Then, if you wish to go to the Testing Grounds, you must be looking for something…Something you lack. Something very important. Your Name? No…I have a feeling you already know your True Name. What, then? You have power. You have immortality, in a sense…Ahhh, yes, I know why. There is only one thing left…You’re here because of the girl aren’t you?”

One of the things I enjoy so much about The Iron Fey Series is the characters and their repartee. They always make me laugh out loud. Puck's and Ash's constant bickering is perhaps some of my favorite dialogue in this series; however, there are other characters who have some unforgettable lines.

“Wake her up. I will attempt to rouse Goodfellow once more. Perhaps he will waken if claws are applied in a strategically important area. Then you can all tackle the dog. I will certainly not partake in that endeavor.”

Ah…the witty banter of Grimalkin. I will miss him dearly! But I will never forget, because to forget is to murder…murder all of the childhood story characters, the fey, and all the characters I have come to love in the Iron Fey Series because of Julie’s undying love of these characters.
A definite must read!!!

*This is an Advanced Reader Copy Review. It is an Uncorrected E-Proof meaning changess can still be made to The Iron Knight at this time. I want to thank NetGalley and HarlequinTeen for allowing me to review this surprisingly intriguing book. Anything quoted or alluded to is subject to change. All opinions are 100% mine. I do not work for any entity that may cause bias nor am I compensated for my reviews in any other way than by my followers who read and comment on my reviews!

Follow Friday #2

Welcome to Feature & Follow Friday on Parajunkee.com

If you are new to the #FF fun, Feature & Follow Friday is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers. Feature & Follow Friday is now hosted by TWO hosts, myself of course and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it'll allow us to show off more new blogs!

How does this work? First you leave your name here on this post, then you create a post on your own blog that links back to this post (easiest way is to just grab the code under the #FF picture and put it in your post) and then you visit as many blogs as you can and tell them "hi" in their comments (on the post that has the #FF image). You follow them, they follow you. Win. Win. Just make sure to follow back if someone follows you!

Now to make this #FF interesting we do a FEATURE blogger. It is also required, that if you participate you must follow the hosts (Parajunkee & Alison Can Read) and the two Feature blogs.

Our Feature  - The Book Addicted Girl

And The Little Book Blog

 Q. Let's step away from books for a second and get personal. What T-Shirt slogan best describes you?

Let's just say the shirts describe my indecision!

Third Sentence Thursdays #1

Third Sentence Thursday is a weekly meme, hosted by Sniffly Kitty's Mostly Books, which is very sneaky when stealing cookies from the cookie jar!

1) Take the book you are reading now and post the third sentence
2) Review this sentence anyway you want (funny and silly reviews encouraged)
3) Post a link to your sentence here (in the comments) or if you don't have a blog, just post it in the comments!

 Paranormalcy by Kiersten White!


"My hand twitched at my side, reaching for the pink Taser I knew wasn't there."

Uh Oh, Spaghettios! Never good when your pink taser is missing.

Banned Book Week Hop - Coming Soon

Jen from I Read Banned Books and Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer are co-hosting the Banned Book Week Bloghop. The hop will be similar to the other wonderful hops you see around the blogosphere, but this one will require you to giveaway a banned or challenged book or include information about Banned Books Week as part of your giveaway post. Participating in a hop is a great way to find blogs that you would be interested in and to gain new followers for your own. Now, check out the snazy logo and rules below.

The dates for the hop are September 24th to October 1st.

RULES:

1. The Banned Books Week Giveaway Hop Images needs to be part of your post.

2. Include the linky list with all the participating blogs at the end of your post OR link to this blog or I Read Banned Books.

3. You giveaway must be related to Banned Book Week - You can giveaway a book that has been banned or challenged or if you are giving away a gift card you must post some information about Banned Book Week.

4. Keep It Simple!! Keep the way to enter your giveaway as simple as possible. 1 Mandatory entry and no more than 5 optional extra entries. All entries must be able to be done on one visit to your blog - Entries such as tweet once a day are NOT allowed (tweeting once is fine).

Sample Post - From the Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop: http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/2011/01/dreaming-of-books-giveaway-hop.html

You must turn off word verification/CAPTCHA if you are requiring more than one comment for entries - If you are concerned about spam then enable comment moderation.

5. This must be a giveaway specifically for this hop and must run only the 8 days this hop is scheduled.

6. Keep your giveaway easy to find for the entire 8 days this hop is open. If you post often and your post does not stay near the top of your main blog page then please post a link to your giveaway at the top of your blog or sidebar. If we can't easily find your giveaway you will be deleted from the linky.

Demon Glass by Rachel Hawkins

Title: Demonglass (Hex Hall 2)
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Published: March 1, 2011
Rachel Hawkins' Blog
Hex Hall Series Facebook
Rachel Hawkins' Twitter

Synopsis:

Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch.

That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (aka witches, shapeshifters, and fairies). But that was before she discovered the family secret, and that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth.

Turns out, Sophie’s a demon, one of only two in the world—the other being her father. What’s worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will destroy her powers.

But once Sophie arrives she makes a shocking discovery. Her new friends? They’re demons too. Meaning someone is raising them in secret with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they’re using Archer to do it. But it’s not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she?(Goodreads)

Ok, so I thought Hex Halls was a little slow, but I have had a definite change of heart with Demonglass. I loved every single minute of it. It was amazingly invigorating. I love the snarky, sarcastic bantering of the characters. Oh and I loved Sophie’s dad, James. He was amazing.

• Sophie – Smart mouth, sarcasm spewing demon who initially believed she was a witch! Wrong! I love that she has no patience for studying, so much like me.
• Cal – Groundskeeper, Healer Extraordinaire, or more? Hmmm….I suppose we shall see. The revelations about Cal amazed me.
• Jenna – who could forget the pink loving Vampire. She is the perfect best friend…here’s to hoping?
• James Atherton – Head of The Council and Sophie’s dad, he has a full plate.
• Archer Cross – Ahhh…you thought I forgot him, didn’t you. Well, he officially won my heart in this book. I can’t imagine another guy who could handle Sophie the way he can. Good thing he is a demon hunter.
• Daisy and Nick – Hmmm, Demons?
• Lara – Second in Command to James. Backstabbing, Conniving, Pain in the…, well you get the point. Sister to Mrs. Casnoff, the head of Hecate Hall. There is a lot more here than meets the eye!

The book picks up about 6 months after we left Hex Hall’s. Sophie is being thrown into a pond by none other than Cal. Why you ask? The Vanzy has volunteered Sophie to reenact the drowning of a witch and show how they were able to fool their executers back in the day. Good thing Daddy shows up when he did.


I love James Atherton, he is the perfect mix of a businessman, dad, and understanding friend to Sophie. And he still loves her mom deeply. He has his hands full with Sophie and her over-the-top magic, but he handles it with finesse. He is understanding about most of Sophie’s loyalties…except for one, Archer.


Of course Archer is working for the other team, or is he? This remains to be seen. I really wasn’t sure why everywhere I looked, people were so in love with Archer after I read the first book, but now I see. He is sexy without even trying, his and Sophie’s repartee is out of this world, and even though he tries to pretend…he can’t live without her.


I have found that when I have a hard time getting into a book, if I keep reading, I will end up falling in love with it. This is definitely the case with The Hex Hall Series. Rachel sped things up and took us on a rollercoaster ride of emotions, parties, and fights. I am so glad that I stuck with these books and cannot wait until Spellbound releases in March of 2012.


If you love humorous, romantic, action packed books; you will love this series!

Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer

Title: Wolfsbane
Series: Nightshade Series #2
Author: Andrea Cremer
Publisher: Penguin Group
July 20, 2011
Andrea Cremers Official Website
Nightshade Series Website
Andrea's Blog

Synopsis:

When Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemies, she’s certain her days are numbered. But then the Searchers make her an offer—one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack—and the man—she left behind. Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can endure and still survive.

So, I finished this book in about 7 hours. I was so excited for the release that I ran straight to Barnes and Noble and bought it first thing yesterday morning.

Calla finally wakes up from her injuries sustained while at the Rowan Estate helping Shay escape, only to find herself in the same room as the people who attacked her…The Searchers. Even though they assure her she is safe, she is unsure if she should trust them. Who can blame her, they did shoot her with enchanted bolts after all! We find out that Shay was not all that keen on trusting them until he knew Calla was healthy and safe.

There were so many new characters in this book and I loved them all. I was sad to see that several died before we got to know them better.

• Connor: The witty, wise-cracking searcher. I loved him. He was constantly teasing everyone and he had such a soft spot for Adne. I’m not sure if he is in love with  her or is just the big brother type. Hope to see much more of him in Bloodrose.
• Ethan: The one who shot Calla and brother to Kyle (The Searcher Calla killed). In the beginning of the book, I wanted to hate him so bad, but for some reason I just could not bring myself to do it. I am glad, because he saved the day when all was said and done. He definitely made a few mistakes but he made up for them.
• Ariadne: aka Adne. I loved her. She was smart, strong both physically and emotionally, and was loyal to her family above all else. Adne endured some horrific events but never forgot her duties. Her dad, Monroe, had been keeping a secret from her about his past and family she never knew. When Adne found out, she was the first…eh, maybe second, person that insisted on going to save them.
• Monroe: The guide to the Denver based Searchers. Man, does this guy have secrets. Wow! I was truly shocked when I learned about them. He was a great man and sacrificed his life for his family. I was extremely sad to see him go.
• Anika: The Arrow of the Searchers. She is the one who calls the shots.
• Silas: The Scribe and royal know-it-all. The banter between him and Connor left me smiling. Talk about two opposite sides of the same coin.

There is a lot of history about the Searchers, Keepers, and Guardians in this book. I think I was kind of annoyed with all of it at first. I just wanted to get to the action! Calla had to go save her pack and I wanted that to be immediately. Honestly, it did not take long to get into some of the action and I was glad. The first rescue mission left me in tears.

I am definitely Team Ren, so I was disappointed that there was not much of him in this book. And let me tell you, I think I feel the same way about Shay that I did about Jacob in the Twilight Series. (Not a comparison of the books, because they are nowhere near the same, only a comparison of my feelings.) I always felt like Jacob was a desperate, whiney baby and that is the feeling I get from Shay. He is trying way to hard to win Calla’s affection.

The end of the book left me bewildered. However, Andrea released the first chapter in Bloodrose, the third book in the series, yesterday. There are spoilers in the chapter, so do not read it until you have read Wolfsbane. I read it as soon as I finished and that one single chapter made me so much happier. I do not know what will happen when all is said and done, but perhaps I can relax until Spring 2012.

Again, Andrea Cremer wrote an outstanding story full of turmoil, conflict, and unrequited love. The underlying themes of injustice, political upheaval, and nature vs. nurture makes for a compelling and suspenseful read. I definitely recommend this series to anyone who enjoys YA Paranormal Romance and Urban Fiction.

My Nightshade Series Reviews -
Nightshade
Wolfsbane
Bloodrose

Teaser Tuesday (#1)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by the lovely MizB of Should Be Reading, in which you share a little taste of what you're reading this week. Sounds fun, right? Join in and share your teaser with us, then add your link here!

• Title: Wolfsbane
• Author: Andrea Cremer

“’Seriously.’ The warmth in his voice drew my eyes to his. When he leaned forward and kissed the tip of my nose, I melted, knowing he meant it.”

“’Calla, I swear I’m not going to hurt you,’ Bryn said through clenched teeth. ‘Can you please hold still?’”

I am currently reading Wolfsbane, but hope to finish today so I can read the first Chapter of Bloodrose. I haven’t finished reading Wolfsbane yet, so I haven’t read the Bloodrose Chapter yet, but it is generating a lot of twitter traffic. I am hearing there may be spoilers, so read Wolfsbane first!!!

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Iron King
Series: The Iron Fey #1
Author: Julie Kagawa
Publisher: HarlequinTeen
Copyright 2010 by Julie Kagawa
Julie Kagawa's Official Website
Julie's Blog
The Iron Fey Facebook

Synopsis:

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined.

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

I have just finished reading The Iron Knight…the last of the Iron Fey Series; but before I write that review, I thought it would be helpful to review the other books in the series. What can I say, I was so hooked on this incredible journey that Julie began, I just kept reading and reading and reading.


I have always loved dark fey stories. Their sneaky, charming, addictive, and sometimes deadly ways fascinate me. Julie put a twist on her stories that I utterly and completely loved. “Fey are born from the dreams of mortals.” Wow! So when all the stories of fey, the big bad wolf, and other things that go bump in the night are forgotten, they will cease to exist! How unbelievably sad that makes me.


I believe the best way to get a feel for a story is know the characters, after all, they are the ones you will love or hate, the ones you will have a vested interest in. So, I shall introduce you to the characters of The Iron Fey Series, as they are in The Iron King. Many will continue throughout the series and all will change with time…for better or worse!

• Meghan Chase – Meghan is the half-blood fairy who this series revolves around. In the human world, she is completely out of place. She is poor, lives in the middle of nowhere, and has one friend…Robbie (more on him later). Meghan has a crush on Scott Waldron, a boy at her school. Sadly, he only lives to torture her. Meghan may have one flaw…personal loyalty. She places the safety of those she cares about above her own safety. Choosing who to save and when may be her downfall!
• Ethan – Meghan’s fully human four-year old brother who finds himself thrown into Their world.
• Robbie – Meghan’s one human? friend. She has known him since before she can remember. He is her closest neighbor, although she has never seen his house. He is also quite the prankster. He is protective of Meghan and may possibly have his own crush on her. However, Robbie aka Robin Goodfellow aka Puck, may have more than one secret to hide.
• Grimalkin – The all knowing Cait Sith that will lead Meghan and her friends through NeverNever.
• Oberon – King of Summer Court, Seelie. Also, the fey half of Meghan’s parentage.
• Ash – Prince of the Winter Court, Unseelie. Unbelievably charming and handsome, he is also cold and dangerous. He is the once best friend turned enemy to Puck. The Winter Court has a long standing grudge with the Summer Court, making Ash and Meghan natural enemies.
• Queen Mab – The Queen of Winter Court. She is a heartless and ruthless ruler who has little regard for any type life…fey or otherwise.
• King Machina – The King of the Iron Kingdom. His fey could be the end of NeverNever and all fey.
• Ironhorse and Virus – Lieutenants to King Machina.

Well, as you can see, there are many players on the field and what will come to pass is only to be seen. Meghan is the only thing that can stop the Iron Kingdom from killing all of NeverNever. Robin Goodfellow and Prince Ash may have to save the killing for another day…not to worry, a squirmish or two may arise. And man, Robin makes me laugh.


In the land of the fey, nothing is free. Any favor done, means a favor in return. Contracts and vows are irreversible. Politics galore…


Julie invented a fascinating world to live and dream in. She pulls you into the story, causing you to invest yourself in the characters life. If you haven’t read this series yet, you should.

So,it is late in the year but I feel like I can complete this challenge. I love vampires, any and all of them. I figure since they are fictional creatures that authors have creative license to make them whatever they want them to be. So...I am joining the Vampire Challenge 2011 hosted By PARAJUNKEE'S VIEWS!!!