Book Blogger Hop

Hosted over at Crazy For Books

“In honor of Banned Books Week, what is your favorite “banned or frequently challenged book”?”
(Click here for 2010-11 list in PDF format)

Well my favorite banned book from that list would have to be, without a doubt, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. This is a great book about a girl having to deal with a controlling government and being a true leader. Okay, yea there is violence in the book but uhhhh if I'm correct is there not violence in almost everything nowadays? Just look at a movie coming out on DVD tomorrow, Transformers Rise of The Moon, but you can be sure those children who are being denied a great book are the same ones watching these movies (not that I think the movies are bad *woot Shia*) But stand up for what is right. Read banned books!

Let me know what your favorite banned book is below :)

Review: A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies

On the night of Skye’s seventeenth birthday, she meets two enigmatic strangers. Complete opposites—like fire and ice—Asher is dark and wild, while Devin is fair and aloof. Their sudden appearance sends Skye’s life into a tailspin. She has no idea what they want, or why they seem to follow her every move—only that their presence coincides with a flurry of strange events. Soon she begins to doubt not just the identity of the two boys, but also the truth about her own past.In the dead of a bitingly cold Colorado winter, Skye finds herself coming to terms with the impossible secret that threatens to shatter her world. Torn between Asher, who she can’t help falling for, and Devin, who she can’t stay away from, the consequences of Skye’s choice will reach further than the three of them could ever imagine.

Where do I even begin with this one guys? I was completely fascinated by the unraveling of the plot of this book. Jocelyn's writing is almost magical the way she makes the story flow.

The main character, Skye, is an overall average teen. She is captain of the ski team at her school, gets excellent grades and is focused on her college plans. What she doesn't plan on is having her life turned upside down, this is where Asher and Devin come into the story. The boys could not be more different from each other, like fire and ice.

"They were so different. Light and dark. Peace and chaos. If I had a choice, I didn't know what I would choose"

 Asher is your typical bad boy. He is the funny, sarcastic, laid back, confident/cocky guy that all girls swoon over (including me). Devin is more serious, calm and doesn't lose track of what needs to get done. Of course I would totally go for Asher (Funny, confident guy? *drools*). As you guys can probably already tell this book has a major case of a love triangle but it is one I did not mind reading about. Oh and there might be one more person by the name of Raven that drops into the story but uhh...not saying anything else.


There is just so much intrigue in the story that I was sucked into it immediately. There is mystery and questions to be answered. This is what pretty much captured my attention from the start but the point where I could not even put this book down was when they were on the ski trip, sitting around the camp fire and Asher told a story of two beings who were so in love that they gave everything up and later had a daughter. From there the story swept me into its pages. There are parts so intense that they had me holding my breath

"You would be paralyzed with fear. That's why I tease you. I'm doing it for you. Because if I didn't, you wouldn't make it. You wouldn't last another week."

O_O seriously!! And the ending, OMG!!! The next book could not come fast enough *le sigh*


I think this book traveled with me more than any other book, my abnormal psych class, personality theories class, language of psych class, and legal aspects class, (kept me distracted from studying for my tests), the post office, etc. It's a very traveled book. But okay, enough of me rambling about the awesomeness of this book. Go out and buy it guys, trust me you want to. I needed a book like this and it literally rocked my socks.


Rating: 5/5

Cover Reveal and Blurb: TOUCH by Jus Accardo

When a strange boy tumbles down a river embankment and lands at her feet, seventeen-year-old adrenaline junkie Deznee Cross snatches the opportunity to piss off her father by bringing the mysterious hottie with ice blue eyes home. Except there’s something off with Kale. He wears her shoes in the shower, is overly fascinated with things like DVDs and vases, and acts like she’ll turn to dust if he touches her. It’s not until Dez’s father shows up, wielding a gun and knowing more about Kale than he should, that Dez realizes there’s more to this boy—and her father’s “law firm”—than she realized.Kale has been a prisoner of Denazen Corporation—an organization devoted to collecting “special” kids known as Sixes and using them as weapons—his entire life. And, oh yeah, his touch? It kills. The two team up with a group of rogue Sixes hellbent on taking down Denazen before they’re caught and her father discovers the biggest secret of all. A secret Dez has spent her life keeping safe. A secret Kale will kill to protect.

Follow Friday

Q. Do you have a favorite series that you read over and over again? Tell us a bit about it and why you keep on revisiting it?


I absolutely love the Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter. I started that series when I was still in high school and I can still say that I enjoy reading it. I've reread it because I wanted to know every detail for when the next book came out. Now that the fifth book is coming out I might just read the last book again because I don't have much time to reread books anymore. I have a HUGE tbr pile that just keeps piling up! But I am excited for the fifth Gallagher Girls book and to know what my Zach has been up to <3 *swoon*


What have you reread? why?


P.S. I'm sorry I've been kind of MIA this week but I have been trying to catch up on some of my tbr pile. I promise lots and lots of reviews next week!

Top Ten Tuesday (1)

Top Ten Books I Feel As Though

Everyone Has Read But Me

This is a weekly meme by The Broke and the Bookish

• The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
• Anna and The French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
• Graceling by Kristin Cashore
• Firelight by Sophie Jordan
• Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
• Fallen by Lauren Kate
• Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
• Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
• Matched by Ally Condie

AND...

• Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

I own all of these book though so I should be able to get to them soon. The only one I don't own yet is Nightshade but I am dying to get a copy of it. What books have you guys not read yet?

Raining and Reading <3

I love reading by a window or in a comfy chair as it rains outside.
This is how it has been all day:

And this is what I have been reading:



:) what are you guys reading today? How is the weather in your corner of the world?

In My Mailbox (6) Vlog

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren and this week I got some great books.

For Review (thanks Macmillan):
Hades by Alexandra Adornetto
The Fox Inheritance by Mary E. Pearson
Death Sentence (Escape from Furnace #3) by Alexander Gordon Smith

Bought:
Firelight by Sophie Jordan
Juliet Immortal by Stacy Jay
Graceling by Kristen Cashore

Ebook for Review:
Fairy Metal Thunder by J.L. Bryan

Won:
A Nancy Drew mystery book and swag

That's what I got in my mailbox. What did you get in your mailboxes? Hope you had a great week :)

Follow Friday

Q. It's that pesky magic book fairy again! She has another wish: What imaginary book world would you like to make a reality?

As for an imaginary book world that I would love to live in I would have to say the shadowhunter's world in Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instrument series. The City of Glass is just described as such a beautiful place (when it is at peace haha). But I would just really like to see how it is. I also recently read Everblue by Brenda Pandos and I'm not gonna lie, I kinda wanted to be a mermaid just so I could go to Natatoria. Underwater world?! Heck yesss!!! Let me know what you think and leave your links to your imaginary worlds so I can check them out! :)

Guest Post: A Writers Essentials (Stephanie Campbell)

Stephanie Campbell is the author of Grounding Quinn

A Writers Essentials 

Thanks so much to Audris for having me, I’m super excited to be here! 
I’m sure you all know how important good book blogs are to the reading community, but here are a few things that you may not think of as necessities to writers that absolutely are!

1. CAFFEINE! (All forms are NOT created equal!) As a mother of three, I have to squeeze my writing time in during odd hours. A lot of times, the only way I survive and make sure that I get anything done during those strange times is thanks to my caffeine fix. I’d bet I’m not the only writer who knows that depending on the time, and how much work I need to get done, that it’s important which form of caffeine I ingest. What other group of people would know that a 12 oz. Mountain Dew contains 54mg of caffeine, while an 8.5 oz Red Bull has a hefty 80mg’s? Or, the trusty Tall Starbucks coffee will perk you up with 260mg’s when you have a deadline?

2. Mini-Marshmallows. (Or other small, nutritionally void snacks) You can say these are for you, but they are really to bribe your children with so you can finish editing that last chapter. You’re not going to be hungry anyway, you’re flying high from those two Red Bull’s you just downed. ;)

3. Music. We all have different tastes in music, and I’m sure it varies from project to project, but no matter what your taste, music that inspires is essential. For me, Ron Pope and Damien Rice are standards for anyproject. Though my husband has unaffectionately dubbed this soundtrack, “Music to slit your wrists by,” I couldn’t possibly get any writing done without it!

4. Books. Both good and bad, you need them all in order to write. You need amazing ones that make you feel completely inadequate, yet inspire you to always do your best in hopes of someday being able to write that well. You need not so great ones as examples of what you may be doing wrong or what doesn’t work that you never even realized. Read.Read.Read.

5. Leggings. (The anti-pant) They make you feel like you’re actually dressed, when, lets be real, you are so not. But it’s totally acceptable, because you’re a writer.

6. Writerly-friends. You have got to have a person, or a group of people that are going through the same ups and down’s as you. People that understand the way you obsessively check your email every fifteen minutes, or help you find the perfect way to tweak a sentence just before you pull your last strand of hair out. Other writers will be your biggest cheerleaders, and the first people you want to tell when things go right or wrong- because they GET IT. And that is something you can’t survive this journey without.

7. Human Interaction. While writing can be a very solitary activity, you NEED to step away from that computer. You NEED to get out and be around people. You NEED to put on REAL pants. Not only so that your real life friends don’t completely write you off, but how are you going to write about anything if you have no idea how people talk, react, move? I was at a sporting event recently and it was the prime people-watching venue. I watched a girl tuck her hair behind her ear every time she laughed. Or another, whose eyes kept darting sideways to steal glances at the boy that sat between them. Were they both flirting with him, hoping to garner his attention? These are things that you need to observe and maybe eventually, write about. Those little details make characters believable and real!

8. Book Reviewers/Bloggers.  Not everyone takes the time to rate a book after they read it; even fewer people take the time to write a concise, well thought out, helpful review. The people that do are invaluable to writers. I’d guess that around 90% of the books in my to-be-read pile came from suggestions from book bloggers that I trust. You aren’t going to agree with every book they rave about, but if you follow them long enough, or use a site like Goodreads to compare books and reviews, you can find some that you trust and really look to for helpful info and recommendations. With so many amazing books out there, it is impossible to wade through the lists alone, and that is why book bloggers are so important. They bring in readers you might never have reached before, and when it comes down to it, introducing a new reader to their work, is the absolute best gift anyone can give a writer.

Waiting on Wednesday

Hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine


I just finished reading Grounding Quinn by Stephanie Campbell and I loved it. (You can read my review here)
So I was excited to find out that she was writing a companion novel to it called, Delicate. Most of the characters from Grounding Quinn will be in it and I can't wait! :)

Delicate by Stephanie Campbell
Blurb from Stephanie's Blog:

Sydney Pierce has just met the guy of her dreams…just don’t tell her psycho boyfriend, Trevor.

With a gorgeous, popular boyfriend, a thriving gymnastics career and a stellar academic record, anyone would assume that Sydney has it all. That's precisely what the seventeen-year-old perfectionist wants you to believe, and she works hard to keep up the pretense.

When Grant, the charming new student, disrupts her carefully crafted routine, the cracks beneath her perfect façade begin to rise to the surface and despite Trevor's objections to their friendship, she can't stay away from him.

As her connection to Grant pulls her closer to him, the once lighthearted relationship with Trevor takes an intense and dark turn, forcing her into a position in which not only her happiness, but her safety is at stake.  Can Sydney learn to let go of everything she is clinging to in order to gain everything she has ever wanted, or will she realize her breaking point too late? 

What are you guys waiting for?

Let me know below so I can check it out :)

Review: Grounding Quinn

 Title: Grounding Quinn
Author: Stephanie Campbell

Goodreads: Eighteen-year-old Quinn MacPherson's biggest fear has always been turning out like her mentally unstable mother. (Solving algebraic equations comes in as a close second.)
That is, until she meets Benjamin Shaw.
Quinn thinks hooking up with Ben over summer vacation will be nothing more than a quick fling. She can't even commit to a nail polish choice, much less some guy.Unfortunately for her, Ben is not just some guy. Ben gets her- the real her, flaws and all- and that scares the hell out of her.
When Ben does the unthinkable- tells Quinn he's in love with her- she does what comes naturally. She pushes him away. Ben can only watch from a distance as Quinn lashes out, and punishes him for daring to care about her. 

I am so happy I got to review this book. I really enjoy reading contemporary young adult books and if you do too then go out and get a copy of this book.


The story is told from alternating points. This gives the readers a chance to connect with both characters. The main character, Quinn, is smart and sarcastic. Always putting up walls to keep others at arms length. She is so afraid of turning out like her mother and hurting the people she cares about so she puts up a perfect front. Ben on the other hand is the guy that loves being around people and hates seeing others in pain.


When the two of them meet there is an instant connection. As it develops Quinn does what she knows best, she isolates herself from the ones she loves and cares about. I really enjoyed this book. I ended up caring for the main character more than I thought I would and couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen and what she would decide with her life. The pace of the book kept me interested the entire time and in the end I was completely satisfied with how things turned out.


And now, kind of random but...throughout the book I was kinda picturing Emma Stone playing Quinn...anywhooo, you guys should go get a copy of this book because it is a truly capturing story.

Cover Reveal and Blurb: OBSIDIAN

Here is the cover for Jennifer L. Armentrout's new book :) Enjoy because the cover is truly amazing!!

Starting over sucks. 

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, outhouses, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring. Until I spotted my hot neighbor with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth. 

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens.

The hot alien living next door marked me. 

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and the mark he left on me has me lit up like Las Vegas strip to the bad guys. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. If I don't kill him first, that is. 

And then things got really bad…


Goodreads page: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12578077-obsidian

In My Mailbox (5) (Vlog)

Hosted by Kristi at the Story Siren

There are too many books to list them all this week but I hope you guys enjoy the video :)

Review: Everblue

Title: Everblue
Author: Brenda Pandos

Goodreads: Best friends share everything with each other. Or do they? Seventeen-year-old Ashlyn Frances Lanski is tired of her boring, single life. Spending time with her best friend Tatiana, dreaming about kissing Tatiana's twin brother Fin, and swimming competitively are her only sanctuary. The girls plan to leave their drab lakeside town far behind for college. But when Tatchi fails to return home after a family emergency, and no one knows where the family has gone, Ash chooses to do something drastic to find them. 
Ashlyn is about to discover what she'd thought to be true her whole life, wasn't, and the truth, too fantastical to imagine. Secrets lurk beneath the deep blue waters of Lake Tahoe, secrets that will change Ashlyn's life forever.

Review:
This is the first book about mermaids that I have read and I was definitely not disappointed.


To talk about the setting first, Brenda does a great job at creating two totally different worlds. The underwater world of Natatoria is described in such detail that I could create a visual as I read the book. I was fascinated by the beauty of this underwater world, but also by the danger that came with its beauty.


There are two main characters in this book because the book is told from two points of view. We get Fin's view of what is happening and we also get to read how Ashley is feeling. I love both of the main characters. Ashley is your average, a little insecure, kind of girl and Fin is just so brave and charming. I think for me Ashley was easier to relate to, but reading Fin's point of view was also incredibly interesting, especially when he talks about Natatoria and the rules and customs there. The language the characters used was funny at times, particularly because of the curse words Brenda created.


The plot was interesting and kept me wanting to read more. There was a good amount of romance mixed with action and danger. In the end I just wanted the story to continue and can't wait for the next book in this series because it was an epic ending and major cliffhanger!! Can't wait to get my hands on a copy of the following book!


If you guys haven't read the interview I had with the author, Brenda Pandos, go here to see it.
Also I found this blue nail polish that changes colors in the sunlight. I might be having a giveaway for that nail polish on here soon. Look for updates about it on my twitter here.

Follow Friday and Book Blogger Hop

Q. Have you ever wanted a villain to win at the end of a story? If so, which one?

I have wanted bad boys in books to win the girl in the end instead of the amazing, perfect boy. That said, I have never wanted an actual villain to just kill everyone and win the epic battle of good versus evil...if I find a book where I feel that way, probably means I hated all the characters. Hopefully I will never feel that way. But I do loooovvvveee me some bad boys <3 woot!! :)

Tell me what you think and leave a link below so I can visit you guys!

Interview: Brenda Pandos

Today I have an interview with Brenda Pandos, author of Everblue and the Talisman Series. Thanks for stopping by!

Waiting on Wednesday

The first two books were amazing and I can't wait for the third book in the series :) And the cover is beautiful, my favorite out of all three books.

Release Date: November 2011

Summary may contain spoilers if you haven't read the first two books

**SPOILER**

Goodreads: All was perfect in Julia’s life until Nicholas had his vampire blood-lust activated by his mother Alora, her immortal enemy, turning him evil and bent on revenge. Heartbroken and out of choices, Phil and Julia ran away in the middle of the night, with Scarlett on foot, to Orange County to warn and plead Nicholas’ Godfather for help. Once arriving at Harry’s though, the local coven accosted them and they narrowly escaped. After they returned home, there was a huge showdown between Phil, Nicholas, Scarlett, Alora, Katie and Julia. Alora almost got what she wanted—Julia’s vampire warding talisman—but Preston, Nicholas’ father, and Harry came to the rescue. They escorted Nicholas and Alora back to Beverly Hills, pledging to return Nicholas free from his blood-lust. But all Julia’s received in the past four months is a letter stating Nicholas missed her along with some song lyrics and promise of a quick return. That was a month ago. Now Julia awaits Nicholas’ return with the Fab Five Coven: Phil and Katie the sober vampires, Scarlett—the half-vamp/shape-shifter, and Tyler and Julia—the inducted humans. She’s stuck in Scotts Valley with Phil as her self-appointed chaperon and no way to return to Los Angeles to check on Nicholas. Only Scarlett and Julia know her fate ultimately involves the demise of all vampires, possibly including the ones she loves. When the time comes, will she even have a choice?

What are you waiting for? Let me know below, I would love to check them out.

Review: The Sapphire Talisman

Title: The Sapphire Talisman
Author: Brenda Pandos
Source: Bought, Ebook
Rating: 5/5
Goodreads: With the local vampire coven decimated, Julia and Nicholas try to begin a somewhat normal life together. Bound by secrecy from a shape shifter determined to see Julia’s world-saving prediction come to fruition, Julia isn’t allowed to tell Nicholas the leader survived, ransacking her happiness with guilt. When Alora returns, bent on revenge, the reunion forces Nicholas and Julia to choose what they are willing to live and die for.


I loved this book. So happy I decided to continue with the series. This book was the right mix between action and romance. I was worried that I would not like this one as much as the first one but I enjoyed it even more. The action kept me at the edge of my seat the entire time. So many things to do in the days I was reading it yet couldn't put it down. If you love a good dose of action then I would definitely suggest this series.


The character development in this book was really well done. We got to learn more about some characters that were minor in the first book like Katie and Tyler. The main characters, especially Nicholas, showed more of their past and we got to meet some new characters that I grew to love. Also some of my favorite characters from the first book are back >;] I'm not going to say any more about this book because I don't want to ruin it (there are so many twists and turns) but I really enjoyed it. Those of you looking for a good action filled book that still has romance should definitely go pick this book up.


Quote from the book: 
-"Look," he said quickly "I'll carry you there and back, wrapped up in a blanket like a burrito if you want, but you have to come."

Review: The Emerald Talisman

Title: The Emerald Talisman
Author: Brenda Pandos
Rate: 4/5
Source: Ebook, Bought
Goodreads: To be normal, sixteen-year-old Julia Parker would shed her empathic gift in a second. Life has been difficult since her mother's mysterious disappearance ten years earlier - an event she witnessed, but can't remember. Julia's situation becomes more complicated after a near death experience from a blood thirsty stalker. As high school students go missing it is clear there is a connection to her own experience--past and present. Someone has to stop the madness and a chance encounter with a creepy psychic foretells that only Julia is the key to stopping the madness, but it may require the life of the one she loves.

This was a surprisingly great read. I was genuinely surprised at how much I enjoyed this book.


I found myself really caring for all the characters, even the minor ones. Within Julia's Group of friends they all have their own unique personality and I enjoyed getting to know more about them (especially Cameron the math geek <3) The main girl, Julia, is strong and caring. She genuinely cares for those around her and this made me like her more because in young adult books now, the authors tend to make the heroine a bit selfish. 


This book is a case of something a lot of young adult books are suffering from: insta-love. But surprisingly it didn't bother me in this case. I'm sure I would have suffered from insta-love for either of her love interests. This leads me to the love triangle in The Emerald Talisman. Some people may think I'm crazy when I say this but...I seriously could not choose between Nicholas and Phil. Many people might not like that feeling but I think it's genius when the author doesn't create one PERFECT guy and makes it obvious that he will get the girl in the end. I enjoy doubting my choice of the "right" guy in books because that makes me relate more to the main character and her difficulty choosing. Brenda Pandos did just that for me and I loved it.


Overall I enjoyed this book and loved that I did not know what was going to happen. It kept me guessing all the way through. I read this book on a car ride and could not stop it until I reached the last page and when I did, I found I was at the edge of my seat. Go pick up a copy and step into Julia's newly jolted world.


Come stop by tomorrow for a review of the second book in the series: The Sapphire Talisman

RAK September

So this month I signed up for Random Acts of Kindness. I've only signed up one other time so I'm really excited to sign up for this. It is awesome what the girls at Book Soulmates have done. Basically, you give books to anyone on the sign up list without expecting anything in return. If you are interested you can go check it out here.


Here is my wishlist for this month: 


http://yabookmark.blogspot.com/p/wishlist.html


If you would like to gift me anything I would really appreciate it. You can contact me here:


audrisj15 [at] gmail [dot] com


Thanks so much :) And don't forget to participate and leave your wishlist links below so I can check them out!!!

Book Blogger Hop and Follow Friday

Q: If you could change the ending of any book (or series), which book would you choose? Why and to what?

I would definitely change the ending to Eclipse. After reading The Short Second Life Of Bree Tanner I wanted her to live with all my might. I wish they would have let her join the Cullens. Another ending I wish was different was Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver. I know it was all about the sacrifice and everything but *sigh* I really wish she could have stayed with her friends and Kent. Hmmm...now that I'm thinking about it...I might just reread Before I Fall.

The Book Blogger Hop is a meme hosted by Jennifer over at Crazy for Books! Be sure to visit her post, read the rules, and link your post!

This week's question:

What are you most looking forward to this fall/autumn season – A particular book release? Halloween? The leaves changing color? Cooler temperatures? A vacation?

I love fall. It is like the perfect season, not to cold but not scorching hot. So many amazing books are being released this fall I could not possibly name them all. Another thing about fall...it means it is closer to my BIRTHDAY!!! I turn 20 in December. So, amazing weather, awesome releases, and closer to my birthday!? I can't wait for fall :)