June reading wrap-up

For 2012, I accepted 3 blogging challenges and am still participating in 2. 

Here's what I accomplished for June.

Audiobook Challenge hosted by Jen at A Book and a Latte 

Yeah okay so I've been a slacker when it comes to audiobooks.  I blame it on school being out.  Normally, I listen to books while I'm grading papers.  No papers so audiobooks. 

I have one going now though and it will be done for July. 

2012 TBR Challenge hosted by lots and lots of peeps

So I did manage to read a TBR book this month.

Never Cry Werewolf by Heather Davis

Yay me!

Yeah that's it really.  I did read 12 books this month but the rest were new releases.

Well see what July brings.

How'd you do in June?

Of Poseidon By Anna Banks

Source: Won ARC from YA Sisterhood

My summary:

Emma runs into the immovable chest of Galen at the beach, literally.  Forced to choose how to react, she goes with option 4, peel her check off his chest and apologize for the "casual assault".  Not the best first impression, but Galen is interested in Emma for something besides her lack of coordination.  No, he's looking for the girl that can communicate with fish.  Can that be Emma?  Her eyes are enough to get him wondering but it's the deadly shark attack that has him following her home.  Can Emma be the girl he needs to bring together a divided kingdom under the sea?  Maybe.  But what will he do about the feeling that he has for her?  There is no way they can be together and he better understand that from the beginning.  Too bad his heart wasn't paying attention.

My Thoughts:





5 stars - Fabulous fish story

Haven't read a lot of mermaid stories (sorry Galen - Syrena stories).  If they were all like this one, I'd be reading them ALL. 

This book called to me.  I won it so it wasn't something I needed to get read by a certain date, but I couldn't let it sit on my shelf any longer.  Once I started this book, I might as well of cancelled the rest of my life.  It was pretty much a one sitting read.  I did sleep for a few hours but mostly I read it straight through.

The action starts from the first sentence.  "I SMACK into him as if shoved from behind." Then Emma tries how do get out of this situation of having her cheek stuck to his chest in the best way possible.  I thought I'd die laughing before she stepped back and apologized.  Emma is hilarious! That was when I knew I was reading it NOW.  Emma is a strong female character that doesn't put up with being told what to do.  She isn't perfect at taking care of herself but she's gonna try.  Love her fire and her snark.

Galen, Prince of the Syrena, is royal and used to having his orders followed.  Needless to say, Emma doesn't follow them.  Galen is also used to living in the ocean, not among the humans.  So he's not quite sure what "hanging out" is all about.  It's too cute to watch him learn how to survive a high school while chasing Emma.  He is totally unprepared for the attention his good looks bring him.  At one point, he's trying to avoid the female attention he's getting so he calls Rachel and pretends to be flirting with her over the phone.  Rachel is an older human and acting as him mother but the conversation is fabulously funny.  The girls that have become Galen's groupies slowly leave as they hear the conversation.  Loved that scene.

Emma believes Galen could never really be interested in her and Galen believes he can't have Emma even though he wants her very badly.  As a result, the heat between them is constantly on the edge of  exploding making this an amazing paranormal romance novel.

There's some misdirection in this book.  I love that when an author can make me think the book is going one way only to have to go another.  I figured out a little but only just before it happened and was very surprised by a few things.  The story was a perfect balance of action and passion.  The ending was one of those surprises that I thought I knew what was happening and it wasn't.  It was the type of ending that makes me want book 2 NOW! Almost a cliffhanger, this book resolves some but starts a huge new story.

If you enjoy YA, romance, paranormal or all - then this book is a must read!  What an awesome debut for Anna Banks.  Cannot wait to read more from this author.

Anna Banks | Twitter | Goodreads

Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

Check out the trailer

  

 

Wrapping up March's Challenges

For 2012, I accepted 3 blogging challenges. 

Audiobook Challenge hosted by Jen at A Book and a Latte

2012 TBR Challenge hosted by lots and lots of peeps

2012 Debut Author Challenge hosted by the Story Siren

There is some books that apply for more than one challenge.  Here's what I accomplished for March.

Audiobooks Challenge

Tempest by Julie Cross
Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

2012 TBR Pile Challenge 

Kiss Crush Collide by Christina Meredith 

Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik

Debut Author Challenge

Tempest by Julie Cross
Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

So not as much as last month.  I had a lot of reviews this month and the Pure Tour took a lot of my time as well.  I did read 16 books this month but most of them didn't count for a challenge. =)

What about you?  What did you accomplish in March?

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Source:  Won book in a giveaway and bought audiobook from Audible

Audio book info:
Narrator:  Bernadette Dunne Flagler 
Listening time: 9 hours 39 minutes

My Sumamry:

Aria hasn't spoken to her mother in more than a week, totally strange in Reverie where distance is easy to overcome in the realms.  Worried and desperate for information, Aria follows Soren into Ag 6.  She never expected to meet an Outsider or that the trip would get her exiled from Reverie and her mother.  Thrown into the death shop that is the world outside the pods, Aria expects to die amongst the aether storms.  But when that stranger she saw in Ag 6 finds her an uneasy alliance is formed.  He needs her as much as she needs him but the quiet Perry is a salvage.  Can she really trust him?  Does she even have a choice?

My Thoughts:




5 stars - a must read

Damn, are you sure this is a debut novel?  Talk about fabulous world building, an intricate plot, unexpected twists, kick-butt characters and some awesome romance.

The world was fresh and so dystopian.  I was so impressed with the genetics that changed the outsiders into some pretty incredible characters.  Scires and auds that make everything just a little more interesting.  Can't hide your emotions from a scrie or any sound from an aud.  It's one of my favorite types of paranormal - when the vulnerability of characters can't be hidden.  Loved that about this book.

Then there was the plot.  Little details that were carefully scattered in the pages became very important as the story develops.  Skilled authors sometimes struggle with this ability but to have a debut author do it so masterfully is incredible.  I would compare Veronica's attention to details as good as Cassandra Clare - and that's one hell of a compliment.

Another amazing aspect of this book is the twists and turns the story takes.  The reader is traveling down a road believing one thing and then wham - everything you thought you knew about what's happening changes.  This happened at least twice in this book for me.  Most authors can't catch me off guard twice in one book but Veronica did it.

I absolutely LOVE Perry - Peregrine.  He's an scire and a seer, twice gifted and very strong.  Of course he's also a hot guy.  He's quiet and brooding but with good reasons.  Trying to fix the wrongs he believes are his fault, he barrels into situations shooting arrows and throwing punches.  Angry at Aria, he nonetheless needs her.  So he helps her.  She's terrified of him who she sees as a savage.  Weak and ignorant of his world, she shows her own inner strength as she helps him in return.  They go from hating each other to sort of being friends to hating each other again.  No love at first sight problems here.  But when the feeling come, they are strong and true.  The romance between them is satisfying in a way that left me aching for more time with them.

So the ending left me wanting just one more little scene.  No worries, I just imaged it for myself. No cliffhanger, thank goodness, but plenty of room for book two.

If you read YA, then this one is a MUST read.  Pick it up and don't put it off a day.  You won't regret it. 

Veronica Rossi | Twitter | FB | Goodreads

 Amazon | Audible | B&N | Book Depository

Check out the trailer

2012 Debut Author Challenge

So I'm gonna do it! The Story Siren is once again sponsoring the Debut Author Challenge and this year I have signed up.

I've never done anything like this before.  Every challenge I've done has been a few days or a week.  But I love good debut books so this is a good one for me.

Hold on for the ride or join us!