Contests around the Blogosphere

THE BOOK VIXEN is celebrating her birthday with a bunch of contests! Head over to her blog and enter, but hurry they all end tonight!



ONE YEAR BLOG-O-VERSARY CONTEST @ Reading Nook
Ends June 30 (tonight!)

RAISED BY WOLVES PRIZE PACK @ An Avid Reader
Ends July 3.

MATCHED PRIZE PACK @ An Avid Reader
Ends July 3.

NIGHTSHADE PRIZE PACK @ An Avid Reader
Ends July 3.

WIN SISTERS RED @ Daisy Chain Book Reviews
Ends July 5

60 FOLLOWERS CONTEST @ My World of Books
Ends July 9.

WIN A 15AUD E-VOUCER TO CD-WOW.COM.AU! @ Books à la Carte
Ends July 9.

BLOGOVERSARY & GIVEAWAY @ One Book at a Time
Ends July 10.

WIN SWOON AT YOUR OWN RISK @ The Hiding Spot
Ends July 10.

WIN CLOCKWORK ANGEL @ Pages
Only for book bloggers! Ends Juy 12th.

PARANORMAL FIVE GIVEAWAY @ The Undercover Book Lover (Not Really)
Win 5 ARCs and 5 packs of gum! Ends July 15.

INTERNATIONAL BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY @ About Happy Books
3 winners get a book of their choice under 12 euro. Ends July 15.

SUMMER YA BASH GIVEAWAY@ La Femme Readers & A Good Addiction
6 awesome books - 6 winners! Ends July 18.

BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY @ Imperfectly Painted
Win super cool nail polish! Ends July 18.

200 FOLLOWERS CONTEST @ The Bookshelf Sophisticate
At least 3 winners! Ends August 1.

Waiting on Wednesday (6/30)

Title: One Night That Changes Everything
Author: Lauren Barnholdt
Release Date: July 6


Four dares – Two secrets – One night

Eliza is in a full-blown panic. Her notebook has been stolen—the one that lists everything she wants but is afraid to go after. And the absolute worst person in the world has it: her ex-boyfriend, Cooper.

Like it’s not enough Cooper was lying to Eliza for their entire relationship, now he and his friends are blackmailing her. They’re giving her just one night to complete the most humiliating tasks on her list or they’ll post her secrets online—including the ones that aren’t just about her.

Eliza’s sure of only one thing: she isn’t going down without a fight. Cooper may have what’s left of her dignity, but she’s not the only one with something to hide …

Sounds really good, and I really like the cover!

* summary and picture from laurenbarnholdt.com

Cover Combat: Pants On Fire

In Cover Combat I compare Swedish covers to the US and/or UK covers of the same books. Today, I'm comparing the covers of Pants on Fire by Meg Cabot.

US Cover:
(Title: Pants on Fire)

UK cover:
(Title: Tommy Sullivan is a Freak)



Swedish cover:
(Title: Katie Ellison doesn't lie)


So which cover is your favorite?
Mine is probably the US cover, but since that's the edition I own I might be biased...
The UK cover looks a bit childish IMO, since the book is intended for older teens. The Swedish cover? Well her facial expression looks a bit stupid. And Katie isn't stupid, she's just impulsive.
Oh, and since we're having a cover combat, we might as well have a title combat!

Which title do you like the most, and which cover do you prefer?

(A very late) In My Mailbox

Last week I didn't get any books, but I did get some swag!

Bookmarks from Kathrin @ Secret Dreamworld of a Bookaholic



Tell Me a Secret Booklet, CD that inspired the book, and swag from Holly Copula


In my mailbox is created by The Story Siren

Summer Break Reading Challenge

KarinLibrarin is hosting a Summer Break Reading Challenge, and since summer=reading in my eyes, I wanted to join! The challenge started this Wednesday and will end in the end of August.

Since I just joined I missed the first activity, so here's the second one!

Choose a book or a book series, locate for example your book reviews of said books, and create a wordle!

I chose to use my reviews of the Vampire Academy series, and here's my Wordle:

Nice, huh? Click here to join this challenge.

And the winner is. . .

. . . fromawriter!

Congratulations Gabrielle, you win a copy of Blood Feud by Alyxandra Harvey!

To all of you: Thanks for entering and for following (52 new ones, yay)! Stay tune for more giveaways in the future :)

Book Review: Cat the Vamp

Title: Cat the Vamp
Author: Christina Martine
Published: 2009

Summary: As a child, Catherine Taylor never understood why her parents were so secretive and distant. After the death of her grandmother, Cat's parents take her to a mysterious castle called Blacklune. They explain to her that they, and she, are vampires, part of a hidden community co-existing with humans. Now that she's of age, Cat will be initiated into the community and undergo a period of training in its methods and morals, along with several other vampire students her own age. At Blacklune, Cat meets a young man who had appeared to her in dreams, Morgan. She and Morgan form an instant bond, but success with their vampire lessons doesn't come so easily. Tempted by the lure of blood and the powers they now have, Cat and Morgan push the limits over and over, ignoring the concerns of their classmates and the scolding of their teacher, River. As they become ever more reckless, Cat and Morgan risk going too far. It's only when serious harm comes to someone else that they realize they have to control themselves--and it may be too late.

My Review: Cat the Vamp is definitely darker and edgier than a regular young adult vampire book. If you're tired of goody two-shoes vampires like Edward Cullen, this is the book for you! Because Cat? She's not one to say no to blood, and she definitely doesn't sparkle!

The main character in this book, Catherine, was an interesting person. She acted so adult at times, casually drinking (we're talking both alcohol and blood here) and smoking - just to act like a child the next minute, being in a water and mud fight. You could never tell what she was about to do or how she was going to react! She took the whole vampire thing very easy though, and was soon stuck in a blood addiction that only was getting worse, and soon she was doing anything to get fresh blood - even if it meant hurting people.

After every horrible thing Cat and Morgan did I thought 'this must be the event when they realize what they are doing and come to their senses', but it wasn't. They just kept getting more selfish and "evil". And Cat didn't understand the seriousness and wrongness of her acts, she thought getting a curfew was a harsh punishment for the things she did, because vampires are actually "above and better than normal people", aren't they?

This book was written in 3rd person Omnipresent, and I would probably have like it more if it was written in present tense or 1st person perspective, so I could have gotten closer into Cat's head and understood her feelings and actions better.

If you're looking for a different and more dangerous vampire novel, this book might be for you, but keep in mind that this book contains drinking, smoking, drugs and sex.

Rating: 2.5 of 5

Thanks to By Light Unseen Media for sending me a copy of this book for review purposes.

Cover Combat: The Boyfriend List

In Cover Combat I compare Swedish covers to the US and/or UK covers of the same books. Today, I'm comparing the covers of The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart.

US cover:


Swedish cover:



This is definitely a US win for me! I adore the cute frog on the cover! Plus points to the Swedish cover for actually having a boyfriend list on the cover - I love that detail, but I think the rest of the cover is slightly boring.

Which cover do you like the most?

Waiting on Wednesday (6/23)

Title: Solace & Grief
Author: Foz Meadows
Release Date: June 30 (Paperback)

Solace Morgan was born a vampire. Raised in foster care, she has always tried to keep her abilities secret, until an eerie encounter with a faceless man prompts her to run away. Finding others with similar gifts, Solace soon becomes caught up in a strange, more vibrant world than she ever knew existed.

But when the mysterious Professor Lukin takes an interest in her friends, she is forced to start asking questions of her own. What happened to her parents? Who is Sharpsoft? And since when has there been a medieval dungeon under Hyde Park?


Sounds interesting!

Remember...

...that tomorrow (June 23) is the last day to enter my 200 Followers Contest!

You can win a finished copy of Blood Feud by Alyxandra Harvey!
Contest is open worldwide.



The action and romance continue as the Drakes face a new vampire with a 200-year-old grudge. It’s been centuries since Isabeau St. Croix barely survived the French Revolution. Now she’s made her way back to the living and she must face the ultimate test by confronting the evil British lord who left her for dead the day she turned into a vampire. That’s if she can control her affection for Logan Drake, a vampire whose bite is as sweet as the revenge she seeks. The clans are gathering for Helena’s royal coronation as the next vampire queen, and new alliances are beginning to form now that the old rifts of Lady Natasha’s reign have started to heal. But with a new common enemy, Leander Montmarte—a vicious leader who hopes to force Solange to marry him and usurp the power of the throne for himself—the clans must stand together to preserve the peace he threatens to destroy. This second adventure in the Drake Chronicles—told from both Logan’s and Isabeau’s perspectives—has all the same butt-kicking action, heart-pounding romances and snarky humor that readers loved in Hearts at Stake, as well as exciting new revelations about the vampire dynasties to keep readers coming back for more.

Read my review of Hearts At Stake (book 1) here! Then go enter!

Book Review: City of Glass

Title: City of Glass
Series: Mortal Instruments (Book 3)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Published: 2009

Warning: Spoilers ahead if you haven't read City of Bones and City of Ashes!

To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters -- never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.

As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadow-hunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadow-hunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her new found powers to help save the Glass City -- whatever the cost?

Love is a mortal sin and the secrets of the past prove deadly as Clary and Jace face down Valentine in the final installment of the New York Times bestselling trilogy The Mortal Instruments.

My Review: City of Glass is a great conclusion to the Mortal Instrument trilogy. From start to finish, this book was filled with action and twists and turns!

Clare stitched up not only this book, but the whole series perfectly. I don't think I was left with any questions or loose ends after finishing this book.

While the ending of this series was complete and without question marks, there is still a small detail which leaves the door open if Clare would want to write another sequel in the future. (Which she wants! A fourth book, City of Fallen Angels is being published in 2011!)

The Mortal Instruments is a series I can recommend to everyone: boys and girls, young and old, Harry Potter and Twilight fans. Cassandra Clare is an amazing storyteller with an impressing talent for creating outstanding characters that you immediately love or hate, clever and fun dialouges and an amazing fantasy world.

Rating: 5 of 5

Previous books in this series:

City of Bones
City of Ashes

In My Mailbox (week 24)

For Review:

Cat the Vamp by Christina Martine
As a child, Catherine Taylor never understood why her parents were so secretive and distant. After the death of her grandmother, Cat's parents take her to a mysterious castle called Blacklune. They explain to her that they, and she, are vampires, part of a hidden community co-existing with humans. Now that she's of age, Cat will be initiated into the community and undergo a period of training in its methods and morals, along with several other vampire students her own age. At Blacklune, Cat meets a young man who had appeared to her in dreams, Morgan. She and Morgan form an instant bond, but success with their vampire lessons doesn't come so easily. Tempted by the lure of blood and the powers they now have, Cat and Morgan push the limits over and over, ignoring the concerns of their classmates and the scolding of their teacher, River. As they become ever more reckless, Cat and Morgan risk going too far. It's only when serious harm comes to someone else that they realize they have to control themselves--and it may be too late.

* Thanks to By Light Unseen Media!

Won:

Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead
Dimitri gave Rose the ultimate choice. But she chose wrong…

After a long and heartbreaking journey to Dimitri’s birthplace in Siberia, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vladimir’s—and to her best friend, Lissa. It is nearly graduation, and the girls can’t wait for their real lives beyond the Academy’s iron gates to begin. But Rose’s heart still aches for Dimitri, and he's out there, somewhere.

She failed to kill him when she had the chance. And now her worst fears are about to come true. Dimitri has tasted her blood, and she knows in her heart that he is hunting her. And if Rose won't join him, he won't rest until he's silenced her...forever.

* Thanks to Reading Nook!

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren

Don't forget to enter my 200 Followers Contest!

Book Review: The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner

Title: The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Published: June 2010

Bree Tanner can barely remember life before she had uncannily powerful senses, superhuman reflexes and unstoppable physical strength. Life before she had a relentless thirst for blood... life before she became a vampire.
All Bree knows is that living with her fellow newborns has few certainties and even fewer rules: watch your back, don't draw attention to yourself and, above all, make it home by sunrise or die. What she doesn't know: her time as an immortal is quickly running out.
Then Bree finds an unexpected friend in Diego, a newborn just as curious as Bree about their mysterious creator, whom they know only as "her". As they come to realize that the newborns are pawns in a game larger than anything they could have imagines, Bree and Diego must choose sides and decide whom to trust. But when everything you know about vampires is based on a lie, how do you find the truth?

My Review: The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner is an indispensable read for Twilight lovers! This novella tells us the story of the creation of Victoria's army of newborn vampires, from the point of view of Bree Tanner, one of the members.

When I first heard about this novella, I had no idea who Bree was - and I still can't remember her contribution in Eclipse. But nevertheless, this novella was an interesting, fun and instructive read.

In The Twilight saga we learn about the "good" vampires, but in this novella Meyer shows us the hard life of newborn vampires; their struggle with their always present hunger for blood, their uncertainty about their new lives and their aggression. Bree was a good character, she wasn't perfect, but she gave us a realistic picture of a newborn vampire. She was smart and careful - which she needed to be in order to stay alive. Diego and Freaky Fred were other great characters I immediately liked.

This novella doesn't include many details from the big fighting scene in Eclipse, when Bree turns up at the battlefield the fight is already over. (According to this novella the battle took like 2 minutes, because I can't imagine that Bree was further behind than that!) The death scene in the end was also a bit of a disappointment, so short! Other than that, this novella gave a great insight into "the enemies" lives and deaths, and I believe reading this novella before watching Eclipse the movie is a smart choice! After all, it's only 180 pages short and available for free online!

Read the book for free here.

Rating: 4 of 5

Awards!

During the last weeks I have received a few awards. Here they are:

The Honest Scrap Award

from Holes In My Brain and from dArLyN & bOoKs

After receiving this award you most confess TEN! facts about yourself and pick 10 others fellow bloggers on your blog to reward this Award to also!

The Versatile Blogger award

from Lily's Bookshelf

The rules of the award are to share some things about yourself and to pass the award along.

So, it sounds like I have to come up with some random facts about me! We'll see how that goes. . . Ok, let's go!

1. I think that my taste of music is much better than everyone else's. (Unless we have the same taste of course!)
2. If I had to be an animal, I'd like to be a penguin. (They're cute!)
3. I might be obsessed with bridges. (I used to have weird bridge dreams when I was younger)
4. I still think that I'm 18/19. That's the perfect age. I always have to remind myself that I'm a couple of years older than that.
5. I love skylines, and would love photo wallpaper with a skyline in my room
6. Or a graffiti painting - I love graffiti too.
7. I've spent the last week in front of the TV watching the World Cup (even though my home country isn't participating)
8. Today the crown princess of Sweden is getting married.
9. I really hope that she'll wear a modern wedding gown.
10. But it would have been so much more fun if Prince William & Harry were going to the wedding. (They're watching soccer instead! :( )

If you're an old follower you might remember that I have received, and passed on, the Honest Scrap award before. Here's that post.

So, today I'm just passing on the Versatile Blogger award! And the lucky bloggers are:

Ria from The Beacoup Review
Leilani from Leilani Loves Books
Adriana from Loves To Read
Little Miss Becky from Stories & Sweeties
Heather H. from Beside the Norm
Amanda from Not-Really-Southern Vamp Chick
Sarah from Book Reviews from inside an Igloo
Morgan from Smitten With Books
Darlyn from dArLyN & bOoKs
Nina from J'adorehappyendings

But that's not all! I have also received

The Most Amazing Follower Award

from vvb32 reads

And this one goes out to all my followers! Yep, all 230(!) of you, you're all awesome! Thanks for following!

Book Review: Soulless

Title: Soulless
Series: The Parasol Protectorate (Book 1)
Author: Gail Carriger
Published: 2009
Genre: Adult - Steampunk

Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.

Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire -- and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.

With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?

My Review:
I really liked Alexia, the main character. She was funny, energetic, and didn't care about what other people thought about her. She was very different from other ladies around her, but didn't care much about it, which I thought was very brave and impressing.

This story was set in the 19th century's London, a time when new devises and inventions popped up everywhere - so who would think vampires and werewolves were weird or unnatural? No one. The set were very fitting for the story, and I loved that this book was a mix of strong characters, history, paranormal and romance.

Soulless was a great debut novel, and I'm happy to hear that there will be at least 5 books in this series! Put this one on your TBR list if you're a fan of historical or paranormal books - or just a sucker for a fun heroin, a sexy hero and a bickering romance!

Rating: 5 of 5

Waiting on Wednesday (6/16)

Title: Blood Feud
Series: The Drake Chronicles (Book 2)
Author: Alyxandra Harvey
Release Date: June 22

The action and romance continue as the Drakes face a new vampire with a 200-year-old grudge

It’s been centuries since Isabeau St. Croix barely survived the French Revolution. Now she’s made her way back to the living and she must face the ultimate test by confronting the evil British lord who left her for dead the day she turned into a vampire. That’s if she can control her affection for Logan Drake, a vampire whose bite is as sweet as the revenge she seeks.

The clans are gathering for Helena’s royal coronation as the next vampire queen, and new alliances are beginning to form now that the old rifts of Lady Natasha’s reign have started to heal. But with a new common enemy, Leander Montmarte—a vicious leader who hopes to force Solange to marry him and usurp the power of the throne for himself—the clans must stand together to preserve the peace he threatens to destroy.

This second adventure in the Drake Chronicles—told from both Logan’s and Isabeau’s perspectives—has all the same butt-kicking action, heart-pounding romances and snarky humor that readers loved in Hearts at Stake, as well as exciting new revelations about the vampire dynasties to keep readers coming back for more.

I loved Hearts At Stake and I can't wait to read the sequel!

Contests around the Blogosphere

Want a new book to read? Enter the following contests, and you might win! All contests are open internationally!

Don't forget to enter my 200 Followers Contest! Win a copy of Blood Feud by Alyxandra Harvey! Ends June 23rd.

Summer Book Basket Giveaway @ Jennifersmusings
Ends June 18th!

Win Shadow Hills @ Shut Up! I'm Reading
Ends June 21st.


Birthday Contest @ So Many Books, So Little Time
Wish Sophie a happy birthday and enter her contest for a book of your choice! Ends June 22.

Win an ARC of Delirium @ Vicarious Reader
Ends June 25th!

Win Deception @ The Hiding Spot
Ends June 25th.

Summertime Giveaway @ Dreaming of Books
Win one of three summer reads! Ends June 29.

Blogoversary Contest @ Cornucopia of Reviews
10 Winners! Ends June 30.

Eclipse Tee Giveaway @ I'd So Rather Be Reading
More followers = more tees! Ends June 30.

Win an ARC of Matched @ Only Sexy Books Allowed
Ends July 1st.

Win Kisses For Lula @ J'adore Happy Endings
Ends July 9th.

50 Followers/Blogoversary/Rica's Birthday Bonanza Giveaway! @ The Smarty Owl
Two winners! Ends July 9th.

Win an ARC of The Eternal Ones or The Replacement @ The Hiding Spot
Sara's celebrating 650 followers! Ends July 9th.

We Love SEA giveaway @ Read This Book!
Ends July 10th.

Win a $100 Giveaway of your choice! @ My life with rats and more
Ends July 10th.

120 Follower Contest @ Cry Havoc!
Ends July 15th.

The ALL IN Giveaway @ Good Golly Miss Holly
Over 20 winners! Contest ends July 31st.

100 Follower and Birthday Bash @ Leilani Loves Books
Lots of contests from June 11 to August 13!

Mini Reviews (VIII)

Mini Reviews of non-vampire books I have read recently.

S.A.S.S. Girl Overboard - Aimee Ferris
Girl Overboard is a perfect summer read set in the Caribbeans. Marina has wanted to be a marine biologist her entire life, so when she hears about a 6 weeks long programme studying sea life in the Caribbeans she doesn't hesitate to apply - even if it means leaving her longtime boyfriend at home.

I was impressed by Marina's determination to be a marine biologist, she was so sure of her job choice, and was determined to do anything to make her dream come true! During this book Marina learns more about herself and the Caribbean sea life, and meets a flirty Australian hottie! Who will she choose, her steady boyfriend back home, or the fun, adventurous Aussie?

Rating: 4 of 5


S.A.S.S. Heart and Salsa - Suzanne Nelson
Heart and Salsa is set in Mexico, and was in my opinion not as good s Girl Overboard. It focused a lot on friendship, and how relationships develop over time. I couldn't really see the "sparks" between the main character Cat and her romantic interest Aidan. Aidan was a nice guy, a bit nerdy but nice. Which was nice for a change, but slightly boring! (I can't help it, I love bad boys!)
I liked that Cat grew up a lot during her summer abroad, and matured a lot.

Rating: 3.5 of 5



Whisper - Phoebe Kitanidis
Joy is used to hearing Whispers. She’s used to walking down the street and instantly knowing people’s deepest, darkest desires. She uses this talent for good, to make people happy and give them what they want. But for her older sister, Jessica, the family gift is a curse, and she uses it to make people’s lives—especially Joy’s—miserable. Still, when Joy Hears a frightening whisper from Jessica's own mind, she knows she has to save her sister, even if it means deserting her friends, stealing a car and running away with a boy she barely knows—a boy who may have a dark secret of his own.

I liked the idea of hearing whispers, it was original and well-described. Joy grew up a lot during this book, she learned the hard way not to trust everyone, and that perfect friendships don't exist. I was a bit disappointed that the "run-away-with-unknown-boy-to-save-sister" plot line didn't start up until the last 50 pages or so, during the first 4/5 part of the book I was waiting for that to happen!

Rating: 3 of 5

In My Mailbox (week 23)

Won:

The Spellman File's by Lisa Lutz

Meet Isabel "Izzy" Spellman, private investigator. This twenty-eight-year-old may have a checkered past littered with romantic mistakes, excessive drinking, and creative vandalism; she may be addicted to Get Smart reruns and prefer entering homes through windows rather than doors -- but the upshot is she's good at her job as a licensed private investigator with her family's firm, Spellman Investigations. Invading people's privacy comes naturally to Izzy. In fact, it comes naturally to all the Spellmans. If only they could leave their work at the office. To be a Spellman is to snoop on a Spellman; tail a Spellman; dig up dirt on, blackmail, and wiretap a Spellman.

Part Nancy Drew, part Dirty Harry, Izzy walks an indistinguishable line between Spellman family member and Spellman employee. Duties include: completing assignments from the bosses, aka Mom and Dad (preferably without scrutiny); appeasing her chronically perfect lawyer brother (often under duress); setting an example for her fourteen-year-old sister, Rae (who's become addicted to "recreational surveillance"); and tracking down her uncle (who randomly disappears on benders dubbed "Lost Weekends"). But when Izzy's parents hire Rae to follow her (for the purpose of ascertaining the identity of Izzy's new boyfriend), Izzy snaps and decides that the only way she will ever be normal is if she gets out of the family business. But there's a hitch: she must take one last job before they'll let her go -- a fifteen-year-old, ice-cold missing person case. She accepts, only to experience a disappearance far closer to home, which becomes the most important case of her life.

The Spellman Files is the first novel in a winning and hilarious new series featuring the Spellman family in all its lovable chaos.

* Signed hardcover won from Strange & Random Happenstance *

In My Mailbox is created by The Story Siren

Don't forget to enter my 200 Followers Contest!

200* Followers Contest!

* I'm currently at 198 followers, but I seem to be stuck there so I decided to post this contest early!

What can you win?
A book I'm really excited to read: Blood Feud by Alyxandra Harvey!
Blood Feud is the sequel to Hearts At Stake/My Love Lies Bleeding - a book I loved. You can read my review here.


The action and romance continue as the Drakes face a new vampire with a 200-year-old grudge. It’s been centuries since Isabeau St. Croix barely survived the French Revolution. Now she’s made her way back to the living and she must face the ultimate test by confronting the evil British lord who left her for dead the day she turned into a vampire. That’s if she can control her affection for Logan Drake, a vampire whose bite is as sweet as the revenge she seeks. The clans are gathering for Helena’s royal coronation as the next vampire queen, and new alliances are beginning to form now that the old rifts of Lady Natasha’s reign have started to heal. But with a new common enemy, Leander Montmarte—a vicious leader who hopes to force Solange to marry him and usurp the power of the throne for himself—the clans must stand together to preserve the peace he threatens to destroy. This second adventure in the Drake Chronicles—told from both Logan’s and Isabeau’s perspectives—has all the same butt-kicking action, heart-pounding romances and snarky humor that readers loved in Hearts at Stake, as well as exciting new revelations about the vampire dynasties to keep readers coming back for more.


Who can enter?
Everyone The Book Depository ships to!

When can you enter?
Between now and midnight June 23!

How do you enter?
Just submit the form below!

Questions?
E-mail me! yavampire@hotmail.com




Let me know if you have any questions and/or if the form isn't working! Oh, and if you want to, leave a comment telling me where you're from! It would be fun to know where my followers live!

Book Review: From Dead To Worse

Title: From Dead To Worse
Series: Southern Vampire Mysteries/Sookie Stackhouse (Book 8)
Author: Charlaine Harris
Published: 2008

The supernatural community in Bon Temps, Louisiana, is reeling from two hard blows - the natural disaster of Hurricane Katrina and the man-made horror of the explosion at the vampire summit the month before in the up-north city of Rhodes. Sookie Stackhouse is safe but dazed, yearning for things to get back to normal. But that's just not happening. Too many vampires - some friends, some not - were killed or injured, and her weretiger boyfriend, Quinn, is among the missing." "It's clear that things are changing, whether the Weres and vamps of her corner of Louisiana like it or not. And Sookie - friend of the pack and blood-bonded to Eric Northman, the leader of the local vampire community - is caught up in the changes. In the ensuing battles, Sookie faces danger, death... and, once more, betrayal by someone she loves. And when the fur has finished flying and the cold blood flowing, her world will be forever altered.

My Review: After reading eight books in the Sookie Stackhouse series, I can describe the series in one word: pleasant. The books are enjoyable and have comical parts and some outstanding characters. There are some action and mysteries, but the books are never too thrilling or too terrible. They're just pleasant, cozy reads. And there's nothing wrong with that! But I'm not addicted to the series.

Rating: 3.5 of 5

Previous books in this series:

Dead Until Dark
Living Dead in Dallas
Club Dead
Dead To The World
Dead As a Doornail
Definitely Dead
All Together Dead

Cover Combat: If I Stay

In Cover Combat I compare Swedish covers to the US and/or UK covers of the same books. Today, I'm comparing the covers of If I Stay by Gayle Forman.

US cover:



UK cover:


Swedish cover:



My thoughts: The US cover is simple and plain, but at the same time very pretty. I love the picture of the girl on the UK cover, and I like the design of the Swedish cover. All in all, three pretty covers! I can't make up my mind...

Do you have a favorite?

Waiting on Wednesday (6/9)

This week I'm looking forward to the release of the following books:

Title: Crash Test Love
Author: Ted Michael
Release Date: June 8

The last thing Henry Arlington wants is a girlfriend. He's just very, very good with girls—reading their body language, knowing what they want to hear, and more importantly: getting them into the backseat of his car. But all that changes when he meets Garrett Lennox at one of the many Sweet Sixteen parties he crashes.

Garrett thinks she's done with guys. She was dumped by her ex when she moved from Chicago to Long Island, and now she realizes that she needs to find out who she is by herself, instead of with a boyfriend. What she really needs is some good friends.

Fortunately for Garrett, the J Squad—the "it" girls of East Shore High School—want her in their clique. All she has to do is pass one little test: get East Shore god Henry Arlington to take her to one of the biggest Sweet Sixteens of the year, then dump him in front of everyone.

Garrett has promised herself not to fall for another guy, so playing with Henry's heart shouldn't be hard. Right?

And Henry doesn't fall for girls, so when he and Garrett start to click, it doesn't matter. Does it?
As William Shakespeare once said, "Love is blind," or in this case, the lovers may be, as Henry and Garrett fall in love—and into the trap that awaits them. Because neither of them can even begin to see what the girls of Henry Arlington's past have in store.

Sounds like the book version of How To Lose a Guy In Ten Days, doesn't it?


Title: Sea
Author: Heidi R. Kling
Release Date: June 10

Haunted by recurring nightmares since her mother’s disappearance over the Indian ocean three years before, fifteen-year old California girl Sienna Jones reluctantly travels with her psychiatrist father’s volunteer team to six-months post-tsunami Indonesia where she meets the scarred and soulful orphaned boy, Deni, who is more like Sea than anyone she has ever met.

She knows they can’t be together, so why can’t she stay away from him? And what about her old best friend-turned-suddenly-hot Spider who may or may not be waiting for her back home? And why won’t her dad tell her the truth about her mother’s plane crash? The farther she gets from home, the closer she comes to finding answers.

And Sea’s real adventure begins.


Mysteries and a potential love triangle, what not to love?

* Waiting on Wednesday was created by Jill @ Breaking the Spine *

Book Review: City of Ashes

Title: City of Ashes
Series: The Mortal Instruments (Book 2)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Pulished: 2008

Warning: Spoilers ahead if you haven't read Cit of Bones!

Summary*: Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go - and Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane and certainly evil.

To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings -- and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace.

In this breathtaking sequel to City of Bones, Cassandra Clare lures her readers back into the dark grip of New York City's Downworld, where love is never safe and power becomes the deadliest temptation.

My Review:

In City of Ashes Cassandra Clare take us on another thrill-ride in the amazing fantasy world she created in City of Bones. While I wasn't as impressed by this book as I was with City of Bones, this book was still very good!

The ingredients that made City of Bones so awesome is still there: mysteries, suspense, action, friendship, and great and witty dialogues - the pace was just a bit slower in City of Ashes.

Throughout the book Clare hinted about some, perhaps life-changing, secrets that were kept from the main characters, and I'm curious to read City of Glass and find out what they are!

Overall, City of Ashes was a great installment in the Mortal Instruments Trilogy.

Rating: 4 of 5


Previous books in this series:
City of Bones


Goodreads|Book Depository

* Edited summary from Goodreads

In My Mailbox (week 22)

From the library:

LA Candy by Lauren Conrad

Los Angeles is all about the sweet life: hot clubs, cute guys, designer . . . everything. Nineteen-year-old Jane Roberts can't wait to start living it up. She may be in L.A. for an internship, but Jane plans to play as hard as she works, and has enlisted her BFF Scarlett to join in the fun.

When Jane and Scarlett are approached by a producer who wants them to be on his new series, a "reality version of Sex and the City," they can hardly believe their luck. Their own show? Yes, please!

Soon Jane is TV's hottest star. Fame brings more than she ever imagined possible for a girl from Santa Barbara—free designer clothes, the choicest tables at the most exclusive clubs, invites to Hollywood premieres—and she's lapping up the VIP treatment with her eclectic entourage of new pals. But those same friends who are always up for a wild night are also out for a piece of Jane's spotlight.

In a city filled with people chasing after their dreams, it's not long before Jane wakes up to the reality that everyone wants something from her, and nothing is what it seems to be.

L.A. Candy is a deliciously entertaining novel about what it's like to come of age in Hollywood while starring in a reality TV show, written by a girl who has experienced it all firsthand: Lauren Conrad.

Has anyone read it? Is it good?

Cover Combat: Along For the Ride

Along For the Ride is the first Sarah Dessen book that is being translated into Swedish. The Swedish book is called Mycket mer än så (Much more than that) and will be released in June.

But which country wins the Cover Combat, USA or Sweden? You decide!

US cover:


Swedish cover:



My thoughts: To be honest, I've never been a fan of the US cover, but I think it's fitting to the story. The Swedish cover definitely has a summery feeling to it, but there's nothing special about it. If I have to choose, I'll pick the Swedish cover because I like the colors!

Which cover do you prefer?

Book Review: Midnight Alley

Title: Midnight Alley
Series: Morganville Vampires (Book 3)
Author: Rachel Caine
Released: 200

Claire Danvers's college town may be run by vampires but a truce between the living and the dead made things relatively safe. For a while. Now people are turning up dead, a psycho is stalking her, and an ancient bloodsucker has proposed private mentoring. To what end, Claire will find out. And it's giving night school a whole new meaning.

My Review:
Living in a town ruled by vampires isn't easy for anyone, especially not for Claire Danvers. Somehow she manages to end up in the middle of everyone else's problems, and everyone wants her help. The choices she does affect the people around her, and everyone won't like them. What a girl to do?

There are many things going on at the same time in this book, for example; a murderer is loose in Morganville, Eve's brother Jason is out of prison and as crazy as ever, Claire is forced to take lessons from crazy vampire Myrnin, and someone called Captain Obvious is threatening Michael. Needless to say, this book definitely doesn't get boring!

In Midnight Alley we get introduced to Myrnin for the first time, and he is such a well-written character! He's funny and charming one minute, just to get mad and deathly dangerous the next - and you can't help but love him!

And as always, Rachel Caine leaves us with a cliff-hanger and a need to read the next book!

Quote:
"And about Shane, I swear, if he doesn't snap out of it I'm going to punch him in the face. Well, punch him in the face and then run like hell."

Rating: 4 of 5

Previous books in the series:
Glass Houses
The Dead Girl's Dance

Waiting on Wednesday (6/2)

Both books I want this week were actually released yesterday (June 1st)! Don't they sound good?

Everlasting by Angie Frazer

Sailing aboard her father’s trade ship is all seventeen-year-old Camille Rowen has ever wanted. But as a girl of society in 1855 San Francisco, her future is set: marry a man she doesn’t love, or condemn herself and her father to poverty.

On her final voyage before the wedding, the stormy arms of the Tasman Sea claim her father, and a terrible family secret is revealed. A secret intertwined with a fabled map, the mother Camille has long believed dead, and an ancient stone that wields a dangerous—and alluring—magic.

The only person Camille can depend on is Oscar, a handsome young sailor whom she is undeniably drawn to. Torn between trusting her instincts and keeping her promises to her father, Camille embarks on a perilous quest into the Australian wilderness to find the enchanted stone. As she and Oscar elude murderous bushrangers and unravel Camille’s father’s lies, they come closer to making the ultimate decision of who—and what—matters most.

Beautifully written and feverishly paced, Everlasting is an unforgettable journey of passion, secrecy, and adventure.


Star Shack by Lila Castle

Pete and Annabelle live for their summers together on Gingerbread Beach. They've always believed they were a perfect pair… until junior year, when Annabelle becomes obsessed with astrology. Now they can hardly stand each other. Pete thinks that Annabelle (a Leo) has become a total flake; Annabelle thinks Pete (a Scorpio) has become an uptight jerk.

When Annabelle dares Pete to open a summer business on the Boardwalk generating personalized horoscopes, their fast-paced, hilarious bickering soon rises to a fever pitch. The he-said/she-said advice of the Star Shack is wildly popular and seems able to fix any relationship problem… except their own.

But when one of Annabelle's star charts helps catch a thief, Pete might have to admit that the stars could really hold the key to the future…and to his own heart.


What book release are you looking forward to?

Waiting on Wednesday was created by Breaking the Spine.

Read & Watched in May

Books:

1. Saddled With Trouble - Michele Scott (Mini Review)
2. Princess Mia - Meg Cabot (Mini Review)
3. The Alpha Bet - Stephanie Hale (Mini Review)
4. Jessica's Guide To Dating On the Dark Side - Beth Fantaskey (Review)
5. What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know - Sonya Sones (Mini Review)
6. Tystnadens Hus - Magnus Nordin
7. Going Too Far - Jennifer Echols (Mini Review)
8. Midnight Alley - Rachel Caine (Review)
9. Insatiable - Meg Cabot (Review)
10. Forever Princess - Meg Cabot (Mini Review)
11. City of Ashes - Cassandra Clare (Review)
12. S.A.S.S. Girl Overboard - Aimee Ferris (Mini Review)

Movies:

1. The Peacemaker
2. Whirlygirl
3. My Super Sweet 16
4. Leap Year
5. Blue Crush

TV series:

Roswell: Season 1, Episodes 10-22