Kindle Loan List (4)

The Kindle Loan List meme, hosted right here at Inklings Read, is where participants can each post a current list of Kindle titles that they have available to loan. Most Kindle ebooks are available for 14 days! This will be a great way to increase traffic to your site and to network for some great books!

Here are my titles available for this week (Any books with a strikethrough are on loan):

• Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins
  • The Hunger Games, Book One
    
  • Catching Fire, Book Two
    
  • Mockingjay, Book Three
• The House of Night Series by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
  • Marked, Book One
    
  • Betrayed, Book Two
    
  • Chosen, Book Three
    
  • Untamed, Book Four
    
  • Hunted, Book Five
• Starcrossed: Perigee by Tracey Lee Campbell
  
• Veiled Innocence (The Soul Cycle, #1) by Krystle Jones
  
• Eden by Keary Taylor
  
• Solstice by P.J. Hoover
  
• Cameo The Assassin by Dawn McCullough-White
  
• Eve of Darkness by S.J. Day

Interested in participating? Here are the rules:

1. Comment below with a link to your post and a book or two that is on your list. Please make sure your books are loanable before you list them!
   
2. Specify, in your post, how people can reach you if they'd like to borrow one of your ebooks.
   
3. Link your post back to Inklings Read.
   
4. Check out other people's loan lists (not required).
   
5. You can post your list anytime during the week.
6. If you don't know how to loan a Kindle ebook you can find help here.

 Email Me if you would like to borrow any of the above books! Please include a valid email address (not your kindle address). What I would LOVE to see, is other bloggers with Kindles posting a loan list every week as well, so we can get a nice network going! If you're interested, link your loan list in the comments and I'll drop by to check it out!

Winner: Iron Fey Prize Pack!!

Thank you to all who participated in this giveaway! The winner, chosen by random.org, is:

Miranda Hannah

Keep an eye out for The Iron King in the mail! I’d also like to give a special thanks to Harlequin Teen for sponsoring this awesome giveaway. They have some really great people working for them!

Review: Joust

Joust (Dragon Jousters, #1) by Mercedes Lackey
Publisher: DAW/Penguin
Format: Ebook
Pages: 448
Source: Maryland’s Digital eLibrary Consortium
Buy It: Paperback | Kindle
★★★★★

National best-selling fantasy author Mercedes Lackey creates a vivid, dynamic fusion of the cultures of ancient Egypt and legendary Atlantis with the most exciting and believable portrayal of dragons ever imagined. The first book in this thrilling new series introduces us to a young slave who dreams of becoming a jouster-one of the few warriors who can actually ride a flying dragon. And so, in secret, he begins to raise his own dragon..

Vetch, a serf working for a terrible and abusive master, knows nothing but servitude until Jouster Ari comes along. Taking Vetch under his wing, he gives him no more work than he can handle, teaches him the ways of dragons, and trusts him with the care of his dragon, Kashet. Soon after, Vetch has dreams of raising a dragon of his own.

I must address an issue here before I start my review. Many people see this series as comparable to The Pit Dragon Chronicles by Jane Yolen, and in many ways it is… But how many vampire and werewolf books do you see these days with familiar stories and plots? This book was far original enough for me to feel like I was reading something separate and different. It evolved into it’s own type of beast. To be honest, the hope that this series would be similar to The Pit Dragon Chronicles is what originally attracted me to it. I was very delighted to give it a try! Joust did not disappoint!

Normally I would remove a star for this book not having some sort of love story, but it doesn’t need it!! Vetch’s developing passion for dragons took that place for me. I don’t know how Lackey did it, but I was hooked... This book became like a drug for me. I couldn’t stop reading! And yes, because of the attachment to the characters, I did cry.. but only once.

The one problem I have is with the cover. The dragon looks great, but the man on the front is nothing like how I pictured a jouster. Ok, maybe it’s just the helmet... I don’t think I’d want to look like I was wearing a freakin’ vase on my head. Real intimidating. Just my personal opinion.

I’ve read Mercedes Lackey’s books in the past and liked them, but where was this series all my life!? The characters, setting, and plot were all perfectly conceived to build this sure-to-be epic series. I love how Joust ended and cannot wait to delve back into this amazing world.

Kindle Loan List (3)

The Kindle Loan List meme, hosted right here at Inklings Read, is where participants can each post a current list of Kindle titles that they have available to loan. Most Kindle ebooks are available for 14 days! This will be a great way to increase traffic to your site and to network for some great books!

Here are my titles available for this week:

• Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins
  • The Hunger Games, Book One
    
  • Catching Fire, Book Two
    
  • Mockingjay, Book Three
• The House of Night Series by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
  • Marked, Book One
    
  • Betrayed, Book Two
    
  • Chosen, Book Three
    
  • Untamed, Book Four
    
  • Hunted, Book Five
• Starcrossed: Perigee by Tracey Lee Campbell
  
• Veiled Innocence (The Soul Cycle, #1) by Krystle Jones
  
• Eden by Keary Taylor
  
• Solstice by P.J. Hoover
  
• Cameo The Assassin by Dawn McCullough-White
  
• Eve of Darkness by S.J. Day

Interested in participating? Here are the rules:

1. Comment below with a link to your post and a book or two that is on your list. Please make sure your books are loanable before you list them!
   
2. Specify, in your post, how people can reach you if they'd like to borrow one of your ebooks.
   
3. Link your post back to Inklings Read.
   
4. Check out other people's loan lists (not required).
   
5. You can post your list anytime during the week, however my posts will be on Sundays.
   
6. If you don't know how to loan a Kindle ebook you can find help here.

 Email Me if you would like to borrow any of the above books! Please include a valid email address (not your kindle address). What I would LOVE to see, is other bloggers with Kindles posting a loan list every week as well, so we can get a nice network going! If you're interested link your loan list in the comments and I'll drop by to check it out!

In My Mailbox (2)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. This is where you will find the most recent books I have received for review, purchased, etc. Enjoy and start participating if you are not already! The past two weeks I have received a TON of new books I’m super excited about:

 Solstice by P.J. Hoover: Thought about requesting this for review, but figured it would be a safe buy at $2.99! Already has some rave reviews. Quite excited to try it out.
Darkness Falling (Forever Twilight, #1) by Peter Crowther: Received for review from author.
Roil (The Nightbound Land, #1) by Trent Jamieson : Received for review from author.

The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann: Received for review from S & S Galley Grab.
Damned by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguié: Received for review from S & S Galley Grab. I like the cover on this one!
Dust & Decay by Jonathan Maberry: Received for review from S & S Galley Grab. Haven’t read the first one yet…

Clean by Amy Reed: Received for review from S & S Galley Grab.
Eden by Keary Taylor: Received for review from author. Excited about this one!!
Joust (Dragon Jousters #1) by Mercedes Lackey: Received from Maryland's Digital eLibrary Consortium.

What books did you guys get this week!? I can’t wait to dig in and read some of these awesome titles!

Review: The Last Archangel

Title: The Last Archangel
Author: Michael D. Young
Source: Received for review from NetGalley.
★★★☆☆

Xandir has been exiled to earth until the end of time. But when his cherub trainee disappears, Xandir makes a deal with rogue angels and giants that could restore life to the mortal woman he loves and end his assignment as a destroying angel in exchange for helping them bring about the end of the world and all of mankind.

I was not able to get through this book… Around about 65% through I forced myself to give up and accept that I couldn’t keep dragging it out… After 2 weeks of trying to get through The Last Archangel, I figured it was safe to quit. I wanted to like this. I really, really did. In theory and summary, this sounds like a book I would end up loving. But in reality,  the formula was just too wrong for me.

First I will start with what I liked about this book: It has a very original concept. Never before have I read something that is so rife with culture and mythology. Young definitely did some research for this.… He makes paranormal, seem normal, if that makes sense. Young was able to make me believe that things like angels, demons, giants, cherubs, and Atlantis could actually exist without being seen.

Now, for the things I didn’t like…

(1) This could not hold my attention for more than 10 minutes. It seemed like there was quite a bit of action, but I was unable to fully invest myself in it (and I usually love reading action scenes).
(2) 65% into the book and no love story, no background on this mortal woman he loves so much (well only a little). I just couldn’t feel the passion that Young was trying to portray! I was very disappointed about this. I would have liked to see a passionate love flashback every once and awhile to make me understand WHY Xandir was jumping through hoops to save her.
(3) I felt no connection with the characters and had no desire to see whether they succeeded.
(4) My time spent reading this, was time spent wondering what else I could be reading.
(5) I had to force myself to read.

In conclusion, this book may be worth a shot if you are a fan of angel-themed books, but it definitely was not for me! And don’t read this if you are looking for an epic love story (not that I was, but I hoped it would turn into one). This could have been a great book, but it was lacking in so many different areas that I think it was unable to recover.

100 Follower Giveaway: Iron Fey Prize Pack!

Hi Inklings,

Thank you so much for following! As appreciation to you for helping me reaching 100 followers, the wonderful folks over at Harlequin Teen have agreed to offer a giveaway for the following:

• Your choice of one book from the Iron Fey Series by Julie Kagawa (Iron King, Iron Daughter, or Iron Queen)
  
• An Iron Queen bookmark

I absolutely love the Iron Fey series and I believe it is one of the best out there. Good luck to all of you!

Giveaway Rules:

• Please enter by June 25th, 2011.
  
• Must be 13 years of age or older.
  
• Open to Everyone (This includes international followers)
  
• Must be a follower of my blog
  
• Check out my Giveaway/Privacy Policy.
  
• Please enter using the form below. Comments are appreciated, but are not entries.

Enter Here

Winner: Ruby Red

Hey All! So the winner of a copy of Ruby Reb by Kerstin Gier, chosen by random.org, is.... *Drumroll*

Lieder Madchen!

Congrats!! Mailing info has been sent to the sponsor so keep an eye out for your awesome prize!

Thanks to everyone who participated.

News: Featured in Blogger Lift!

Thanks to Jude over at In Between Writing and Reading, I have been featured on this weeks Blogger Lift! It's an awesome feature that has promoted some great blogs in the past. You can check out my interview over at her blog.

Kindle Loan List (2)

The Kindle Loan List meme hosted right here at Inklings Read is where participants can each post a current list of Kindle titles that they have available to loan. Most Kindle ebooks are available for 14 days! This will be a great way to increase traffic to your site and to network for some great books!

Here are my titles available for this week:

• Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins
• The Hunger Games, Book One
• Catching Fire, Book Two
• Mockingjay, Book Three
• The House of Night Series by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
• Marked, Book One
• Betrayed, Book Two
• Chosen, Book Three
• Untamed, Book Four
• Hunted, Book Five
• Starcrossed: Perigee by Tracey Lee Campbell
• Veiled Innocence (The Soul Cycle, #1) by Krystle Jones
• Eden by Keary Taylor
• Solstice by P.J. Hoover
• Cameo The Assassin by Dawn McCullough-White
• Eve of Darkness by S.J. Day

Interested in participating? Here are the rules:

1. Comment below with a link to your post and a book or two that is on your list. Please make sure your books are loanable before you list them!
2. Specify, in your post, how people can reach you if they'd like to borrow one of your ebooks.
3. Link your post back to Inklings Read.
4. Check out other people's loan lists (not required).
5. You can post your list anytime during the week, however my posts will be on Sundays.
6. If you don't know how to loan a Kindle ebook you can find help here.

 Email Me if you would like to borrow any of the above books! Please include a valid email address (not your kindle address). What I would LOVE to see, is other bloggers with Kindles posting a loan list every week as well, so we can get a nice network going! If you're interested link your loan list in the comments and I'll drop by to check it out!

Follow Friday (5)

The magic book fairy pops out of your cereal box and says "you and your favorite character (from a book of course) can switch places!" Who are you going to switch with? Ahh this is a hard one!! I think I'm going to have to go with Meghan from the Iron Fey series. She is such a strong, yet real character. I really admire how she's grown through the series and she's had some amazing adventures! Oh and who wouldn't want to be the girl who holds Ash's heart!!? Okkk, I'll admit it... Ash is the real reason that I'd want to be her.... And on another note: I AM SO PSYCHED FOR THE IRON KNIGHT!

Visit Parajunkee to start participating!

Giveaway: Ruby Red

Title: Ruby Red (Ruby Red, #1)
Author: Kerstin Gier
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Publishing Group

Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era! Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon, the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and Zeitghost Media are giving away ONE copy of Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier to my readers. Check out the trailer and fill out the form below to enter!




Official Giveaway Information:

• DEADLINE: June 15, 2011
• Entrants must be 13 years of age or older.
• Open to US/Canada Residents ONLY
• Must be a follower of my blog
• Extra entries can be gained the following ways:
• Tweet about the giveaway.
• Create a blog post or sidebar linking back to the giveaway.
• ONE ENTRY PER PERSON PLEASE!
• Check out my Giveaway/Privacy Policy.

FILL OUT THE FORM HERE TO ENTER

Please note that I am not responsible for the delivery of the prize to the winner. The publisher will be sending out the prize. I merely provide the publisher with the winner's contact information.

Teaser Tuesday (5)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

1. Grab your current read Open to a random page.
2. Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
3. Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"For an instant, she caught the image of a striking man with blazing eyes, trailing white hair, and flawless skin the color of storm clouds. The vision, however, ended abruptly, and she found herself deposited on the south bank of the river, trembling, but unharmed."

Now get out there and post some Teasers! I want to see what everyone else is reading :) Feel free to link them here as well!

Kindle Loan List (1)

Starting today you can participate in the Kindle Loan List meme hosted right here at Inklings Read. For this meme participants will each post a current list of Kindle titles that they have available to loan. Most Kindle ebooks are available for 14 days! This will be a great way to increase traffic to your site and to network for some great books!

Here are my titles available for this week:

• Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins
• The Hunger Games, Book One
• Catching Fire, Book Two
• Mockingjay, Book Three
• The House of Night Series by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
• Marked, Book One
• Betrayed, Book Two
• Chosen, Book Three
• Untamed, Book Four
• Hunted, Book Five
• Starcrossed: Perigee by Tracey Lee Campbell
• Veiled Innocence (The Soul Cycle, #1) by Krystle Jones

Interested in participating? Here are the rules:

1. Comment below with a link to your post and a book or two that is on your list. Please make sure your books are loanable before you list them!
2. Specify, in your post, how people can reach you if they'd like to borrow one of your ebooks.
3. Link your post back to Inklings Read.
4. Check out other people's loan lists (not required).
5. You can post your list anytime during the week, however my posts will be on Sundays.
6. If you don't know how to loan a Kindle ebook you can find help here.

 Email Me if you would like to borrow any of the above books! Please include a valid email address (not kindle address). What I would LOVE to see, is other bloggers with Kindles posting a loan list every week as well, so we can get a nice network going! If you're interested link your loan list in the comments and I'll drop by to check it out!

In My Mailbox (1)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. This is where you will find the most recent books I have received for review, purchased, etc. Enjoy and start participating if you are not already!
The past two weeks I have received a TON of new books I’m super excited about:


The Last Archangel by Michael Young: Received for review. Sounds really interesting!!
The Constantine Codex by Paul L. Maier: Received for review.
Summers Crossing by Julie Kagawa: I am OBVIOUSLY reading this ASAP! Love the Iron Fey series so much!


Solid by Shelley Workinger: Received from Author!  I’ve actually had my eye on this one for a very long time. Can’t wait to read it!
The Last Dragon by Jane Yolen: Received for review. Jane Yolen is one of my favorites. Enough said. Oh, and this is a graphic novel! The art is AMAZING.
Tempted (House of Night, #6) by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast: I purchased this in audiobook format and have already read/listened to it! Turned out to be great.

Review: Tempted

Title: Tempted (House of Night, #6)
Author: P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Source: Audiobook (Purchased)
★★★★☆

Zoey needs a break after some serious excitement. Sadly, the House of Night school for vampyres doesn't feature breaks on its curriculum - even for a High Priestess in training and her gang. Plus juggling three guys is no stress reliever, especially when one is a sexy Warrior so into protecting Zoey that he's sensing her emotions. Wider stresses lurk too, and the dark force in Tulsa's tunnels is spreading. Could Stevie Rae be responsible for more than a group of misfit fledglings? And Aphrodite's visions warn Zoey to stay away from the immortal Kalona and his dark allure - but they also show that only Zoey can stop him. She's not exactly keen to meet up, but if Zoey doesn't go to Kalona he'll exact a fiery vengeance on those closest to her. She just has to find the courage to do what's necessary, or everything that's important to her will be destroyed.

A little background: This series and I have had quite a few issues. I started out loving it and then somewhere around the 4th book I was so tired of all the damn drama! Basically at any one point in time Zoey has at least 2 or 3 boys after her. It drives me up a wall!! So much good plot was wasted with her indecision between them all. Zoey couldn’t just make a choice, but instead pulled them all along with her. She was strong in so many ways, but definitely very weak when it came to guys. I decided to give the series one more shot via audiobook, and I am happy that I did (Even if the girl narrating sounded like a valley girl).

I must say that this book has changed the way I look at the series. Sure, there is still drama, but the story is turning quite heavy and mature now. Be prepared for people close to Zoey die in this…  I quite enjoyed how the Casts split the chapters up by characters. I felt that it added much needed depth and understanding. It’s always nice reading from another point of view. Oh, and watch out for the ending… It was shocked me pretty bad.

Unfortunately, I cannot expose more of the story without giving away HUGE spoilers. I think I will continue pursuing this series now that it seems to have gotten through it’s tough spots. Try this series out. If you push through the rough patches around the 4th and 5th book you will be rewarded by the continuation of a good, solid, and original story in the 6th book in the House of Night series, Tempted.