To-Read Tuesday: Dark Lover

Dark Lover (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #1)
by J.R. Ward
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Summary

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly turf war going war going on between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other-six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Yet none of them relishes killing their enemies more than Wrath, the leader of the Black Dagger Brotherhood...

The only purebred vampire left on the planet, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who murdered his parents centuries ago. But when one of his most trusted fighters is killed - orphaning a half-breed daughter unaware of her heritage or her fate - Wrath must usher the beautiful female into the world of the undead...

Racked by a restlessness in her body that wasn't there, Beth Randall is helpless against the dangerously sexy man who comes at night with shadows in his eyes. His tales of brotherhood and blood frighten her. But his touch ignites a dawning hunger that threatens to consume them both....

-via goodreads

Why do I want to read this?

I have heard nothing but praise for this series, and I feel so behind the times. I will probably be the last person to actually get around to reading this! I'm really looking forward to when I do though. I typically do not read many books from the romance genre, but I feel like I may have to make an exception for this to see what the hype is all about.

Review Excerpts From Goodreads

"Dark Lover has characters you can love (even those secondary ones), an interesting world with great mythology, a plot that needs to be devoured and really hot vampire love scenes that are used to move the plot forward and not just for the sake of being dirty." - Chelsea

"All of the hype about it leads you to believe that it is unfailingly awesome...well it was." - Daisiemae

"They seem like a dirty little secret for me. This is a "chick" book, yet I still read, wait for the next one, and fight my wife for who gets to read the next one first. I lose that fight every time." - Kevin S.

To-Read Tuesday: Where She Went

Where She Went (If I Stay, #2)
by Gayle Forman
Genre: YA


It's been three years since the devastating accident ... three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.

Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Julliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future - and each other.

Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance.

via goodreads


Why do I want to read this?

The first book in the series, If I Stay, initially caught my eye but I wasn't sold on it. I have not read If I Stay  and I don't know if I ever will. What made Where She Went stand out in my mind, is the fact that it is written from Adam's point of view. It looks like this will be an emotional rollercoaster of a read according to the reviews! I'm really looking forward to this one. Let me know your opinions if you guys have read it.

Review excerpts from goodreads:

"The writing is raw and powerful and my emotions were on high alert right alongside Adam’s the entire time. Gayle Forman’s powerful prose explores grief, pain, and the possibility of rekindling a spark surrounded by chaos." - Arlene

"This review was difficult to write. I didn't even know where to start. All I wanted to do was pick up the book and reread it. Because it was amazing, heartbreaking, and beautiful." - Alexa

"Note: My review is not going to do this book justice. I don't think I can possibly express how awesome Where She Went is." - Nic

To-Read Tuesday: The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games
by Suzanne Collins

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

via goodreads.com

So why do I want to read this so bad?

It isn't because it is being raved about by everyone around me. It isn't because it has a 4 1/2 star rating on goodreads, or that 'The Hunger Games" movie is in the works. I want to read this so I can breach out from my usual YA fantasy books. I figured this would be a great start!

It falls within the YA genre, like most of my books, which means I will post a review here whenever I get around to reading it. I like the fact that it is considered YA dysotopian fiction: A genre I don't think I have ever read a book from. I will be blazing trails in new genres from now on!

To-Read Tuesday: Dragon's Heart

Let me give you some background info before I explain my choice here:

Jane Yolen is solely responsible for me reading fantasy books. Had I not picked up the first book of the Pit Dragon series at my public library one summer as a child, my tastes could have greatly differed. As soon as I finished Dragon's Blood, the first in the series, I had to own them all. I think every reader has a book or series that drove their passion for reading. Dragon's Blood was that for me.

Originally designed to be a Trilogy, the Pit Dragon Chronicles now has a new edition. 20 years after the last book was written. Dragon's Heart, volume 4 of the Pit Dragon Chronicles, was released February 2011:

"Austar IV isn't the planet it once was, and when Jakkin and Akki finally return to the dragon nursery, their homecoming arouses mixed emotions. Together they've survived the insurmountable, and now they can weather the brutal conditions of Dark After and communicate with the dragons they love. But with this knowledge comes responsibility. What they've learned about survival could transform the planet--or, if entrusted to the wrong hands, bring about its destruction. Akki's insistence that she return to the Rokk to finish her training and begin new experiments drives a chasm between her and Jakkin. Suddenly she finds herself in the midst of a political battle that could claim her life. Only Jakkin can save her. If only he could reach her. . . ." Amazon.com

Once this is released in e-book format I am going to be all over it. I hope you will take a moment to consider this wonderful series, or at least the first book: Dragon's Blood. Thanks for reading and watch out for another front-cover friday coming soon.