Teaser Tuesday (June 23, 2015)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. 

I actually wasn't going to participate this week because I hadn't been very far into my book and no sections had yet inspired me to share.  However, sitting at the pool reading, I just came across a fabulous tease for this paranormal thriller I am reading (I can't get enough of these!).  If you are a fan of ghost hunting shows (which I happen to love), you will enjoy this one.

My teaser:

"The moan decayed to an eerie silence.  All eyes fell upon Kate, to find her stock still, head bowed, face veiled in deep shadow.  No one seemed to dare move;  all were reduced to bewildered inaction.  Henry recovered first and reached across the table for her hand, her name on his lips.  His fingers were on the verge of making contact when she suddenly threw up her head.  What he saw caused him to snatch back his hand quick.  The woman in Kate's seat wasn't Kate at all; someone else had taken her place."

Where the Dead Walk
John Bowen
                                                                                                 

                                                                                                                         

Review: Lost in Lies

I've always enjoyed fairytale adaptations, but anything involving Peter Pan sparks my interest immediately.  This has always been one of my favorite fairy tales and I love to see the various ways in which authors put a twist on them.  It doesn't matter if it is a children's book, a YA novel, Adult, etc... I'll read it.  I enjoyed Get Lost, the first book in the Never Say Neverland series by Xavier Neal. This title, Lost in Lies, is the second installment and I'm already anxiously awaiting the third.  :)

Synopsis from Amazon:
When Peyton left her entire world behind to treasure hunt with the infamous gang known as The Lost Boys, she expected to just be used in cases of emergency. After all, what does she really know about conning and stealing? Aside from pulling a fast one over on her parents and the sexy fedora wearing Justin Ryan, who introduced her to the art of theft, she really is clueless about most things in that category. Seducing a teenage billionaire because he just so happens to have the next clue on this mission she willingly let herself get sucked into? Don't think that's enough pressure for a seventeen year old? Try adding on the fact she's being hunted by her parents, some mythical society she knows nothing about, as well as a rival gang from Neverland, the place they were supposed to be headed. And just when the complications are wound tighter than Belle's mini skirts, she's stuck making that choice every teenager hates making. Family? Or friends?

My Review:
This is definitely one of the stranger versions of Peter Pan that I have read, but it is also one of the most interesting.  When I first started the series and found that Peter was being portrayed as an obnoxious late teen with a drinking issue, I was both disappointed and intrigued at the same time. The main characters ended up being Peyton Darling and Justin, who is one of the lost boys, with Peter, Belle (Tinkerbelle), a couple more lost boys, and some villains of course.  Once I finished the first chapter, I was completely hooked.  I loved the mystery they were trying to solve, and ended up adoring all of the characters, including Peter, who is definitely NOT the hero thus far in these stories.  Peyton's character started out a loner but slowly opened up as her relationship with Justin grew and she saw the temptation of another path in life.  At the end of the first book, I couldn't wait to get my hands on the second to see where the author took Justin, Peyton, and the rest of the gang.

This book starts up right where the first story leaves off.  In fact, if you buy this book, you actually get both books in one purchase.  A potential love triangle starts and Peyton begins to question the decision she made in becoming part of Peter's gang.  She experiences a lot of growth in this book and she is thrown head first into this new life.  Plenty of action scenes with a nice plot that wasn't too complicated and stems from the first book.  The relationship between Peyton and Justin (and Nick) is a big part of the story but the plot came first, romance second.  It was a fast and fun read and I found myself laughing several times at Peyton and Peter's constant bickering and his obnoxious behavior.  It still cracks me up that the author painted Peter in this light.  He continues to be a huge jerk but we do start to see a glimpse of a heart in this story.

Magic does exist in the book but again, the plot is at the forefront.  The characters can fly, there are some magical weapons and potions, and of course there is a ship that can take them back to Neverland, but we haven't traveled there... yet.

This has become one of my favorite YA adaptations of the story.  I think I like it the most because it is so off beat.  Both books are a quick read and a lot of fun.  

                                                                                                                                         

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Books on our Summer TBR List

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted at The Broke and the Bookish.  click the photo above to join!

My top ten reads for the summer include a lot of quick, fun reads for the beach or pool.  Nothing too deep and a lot of magic and mayhem! I'm hoping to get all them read between now and September. All the photos below are linked to Amazon if you want to read more about them.  :)

                                                                   

Waiting on Wednesday (June 10, 2015)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted here, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

The Library of Lost Souls

Ransom Riggs

Publication Date: September 22, 2015 (not soon enough!)

Synopsis from Amazon:

Time is running out for the Peculiar Children. With a dangerous madman on the loose and their beloved Miss Peregrine still in danger, Jacob Portman and Emma Bloom are forced to stage the most daring of rescue missions. They’ll travel through a war-torn landscape, meet new allies, and face greater dangers than ever. . . . Will Jacob come into his own as the hero his fellow Peculiars know him to be? This action-packed adventure features more than 50 all-new Peculiar photographs.

My son and I have been waiting for this book for over a year and are super excited about its release.  If you are a reader who loves books similar to Harry Potter or The Graveyard Book, you will love this series and you still have time to read the first two before the third hits the shelves! Click on either of these links to see the first two books.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children    

Hollow City

Feature and Follow Friday (May 28, 2015)

The Feature & Follow is hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of Parajunkee’s View 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!  I love followers of all kinds but I especially love Twitter followers and will be sure to follow back. Thanks!

This week's question: 
How many books are on my TBR list?
Well, it depends.  I have just a touch of anxiety and will only actually purchase a few books at a time.  If the list of books I actually own gets too long, I begin to feel overwhelmed.  I do, however, keep a list of books I plan to read.  This is what I call my TBR list.  If I use this list, plus the three I bought and have on deck, I have about 50.  Once the list gets that high, I don't put anything on it until the number goes down. Not too huge a number but I am behind so I am looking forward to summer when I am home and able to relax and read daily.

How long is your list?

                                                                                                                                            

Audible Review: Frostbite

It was time to get back to reading a "guilty pleasure" book.  The Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead is definitely in the YA genre but I love it.  I can't help it.  I read the first book about a year ago.  I wasn't planning to continue but I finally gave in.  I'm actually listening to them on Audible on the way to work in the mornings.  I know I'm loving them because every time someone calls me and interrupts, I get annoyed... lol

Synopsis from Amazon:
Rose loves Dimitri, Dimitri might love Tasha, and Mason would die to be with Rose...

It's winter break at St. Vladimir's, but Rose is feeling anything but festive. A massive Strigoi attack has put the school on high alert, and now the Academy's crawling with Guardians - including Rose's hard-hitting mother, Janine Hathaway. And if hand-to-hand combat with her mom wasn't bad enough, Rose's tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason's got a huge crush on her, and Rose keeps getting stuck in Lissa's head while she's making out with her boyfriend, Christian! The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy's not taking any risks....This year, St. Vlad's annual holiday ski trip is mandatory.

But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only create the illusion of safety. When three friends run away in an offensive move against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. But heroism rarely comes without a price...

My Review:
Hi, my name is Laura and I like YA books about teenagers and vampires... and it's ok (I think).

Yes, I enjoyed this one as much as the first and I am already listening to the third book in my car. Rose, the main character, just cracks me up.  She is me when I was young; rebellious, sassy, and full of trouble yet with a big heart.  She comes through when the going gets tough and is there when you need her. I adore her sarcasm and the way she consistently acts or speaks before she thinks (hence causing most of the trouble she gets into).

These books are fun and fast.  They aren't too deep but they are totally engaging if you like the whole YA vampire thing.  Richelle Mead knows how to get the reader's attention and knows how to pace the story so that it is hard to put down, or stop listening in my case.  There is plenty of action and a decent amount of violence in some parts.  There is also clearly some romance but it doesn't really take away from the main plot.  So many people (yes, other people my age too) have already read this series but if you are one of the few that haven't and like the genre, go for it.  

With regards to the Audible version, they are expensive and I'm still getting used to this method of reading, or listening, to books.  I like it a lot but the one thing I miss is the ability to make up the voices of the characters in my head.  Having only one narrator speak for all of the roles takes that away.  I have a hard time visualizing the hot main male character when his part is read by a female.  It just doesn't work for me. I love however, listening to books on my way to work so I have pushed aside my issues with the narrator for the time being. :)

                                                                                                                                        

Feature and Follow Friday (April 16, 2015)

The Feature & Follow is hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of Parajunkee’s View 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!  I love followers of all kinds but I especially love Twitter followers and will be sure to follow back. Thanks!

This week's question:
Here is €/£/$100,000. Buy something. Anything at all! What would be the first thing you choose, and why?

Hmmm.... tough question.  Can you buy more time?  I would love to do that because I need about three more waking hours in my day to get everything done and have some "me" time.  Ok, seriously I think I would go with this:

Of course, my dream is to have enough money to buy a house on the beach that I can escape to every summer but that is out of the question right now. Instead, I think I would choose to put in a lovely swimming pool where I can lay out in the sun (with sunblock on of course) and read, swim, nap, etc...

How about you?  What would be the first thing you would buy if you suddenly came into this amount of money?