Read and Watched in August

This is a list of all books I have read and all movies I have watched during August.

Read:
1. Blood Oath - Christopher (Review)
2. Last Chance - Sarah Dessen (Mini Review)
3. Forget You - Jennifer Echols (Mini Review)
4. Girls, Boys and Other Hazardous Materials - Rosalind Wiseman (Mini Review)

TV series:
Roswell: Season 3: Episode 2-5

Movies:

1. Killers
2. Summer Catch

Book Review: Blood Oath

Title: Blood Oath
Author: Christopher Farnsworth
Published: 2010

Summary: Zach Barrows is an ambitious young White House staffer whose career takes an unexpected turn when he's partnered with Nathaniel Cade, a secret agent sworn to protect the President. But Cade is no ordinary civil servant. Bound 140 years ago by a special blood oath, Nathaniel Cade is a vampire. He battles nightmares before they can break into the daylight world of the American dream, enemies far stranger - and far more dangeorus - than civilians have ever imagined.


My Thoughts: Blood Oath was a fascinating and thrilling crime story filled with history, science fiction - and vampires. The idea with a vampire working for the US. president was original - and in fact very believable! I loved that Farnsworth gave us his theories on the Roswell incident, aliens in general, the story behind Frankenstein, and other events in the world's past. I'm wondering if Christopher Farnsworth has in fact, been in the secret room in the White House...

The story is funny, fast-moving and captivating - I couldn't stop reading! All characters are unique and well-developed, and the "crime story" along with the master criminal creeped me out!

Blood Oath is a well-written and well-researched beginning to a new crime series (The President's Vampire) - read it!

Rating: 4 of 5

Waiting on Wednesday (8/18)

Today I'm waiting on a book I think almost every book blogger is waiting for...yep I'm talking about Mockingjay, the third and final instalment in the Hunger Games trilogy!

Title: Mockingjay
Author: Suzanne Collins
Release Date: August 24

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she’s made it out of the bloody arena alive, she’s still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what’s worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss’s family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins’s groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year

In My Mailbox (week 31 & 32)

These are the books I recieved during the last two weeks:

You by Charles Benoit

It's easy to forget that we spend our early teens afraid. We're afraid of fitting in, standing out, or being ignored. We worry that we'll never get a date, never get into college, and never amount to anything. Just like everyone predicts.

It's also easy to discount these fears. Looking back, it seems impossible that we would have stayed awake all night worrying about what someone else thought of our clothes or that we ever doubted our abilities, our potential. But that's only because we know how the story ends.

I wanted to write a book that started with these fears as givens, bottling them in tight and capping them off with that artificial indifference genetically required of all teens. Kyle Chase is not a bad kid. He's not a good kid, either. He's a typical kid. He's any kid. And, at one point in your life, he was you.

Bought:

Forget You by Jennifer Echols

WHY CAN’T YOU CHOOSE WHAT YOU FORGET . . . AND WHAT YOU REMEMBER? There’s a lot Zoey would like to forget. Like how her father has knocked up his twenty-four- year old girlfriend. Like Zoey’s fear that the whole town will find out about her mom’s nervous breakdown. Like darkly handsome bad boy Doug taunting her at school. Feeling like her life is about to become a complete mess, Zoey fights back the only way she knows how, using her famous attention to detail to make sure she’s the perfect daughter, the perfect student, and the perfect girlfriend to ultra-popular football player Brandon. But then Zoey is in a car crash, and the next day there’s one thing she can’t remember at all—the entire night before. Did she go parking with Brandon, like she planned? And if so, why does it seem like Brandon is avoiding her? And why is Doug—of all people— suddenly acting as if something significant happened between the two of them? Zoey dimly remembers Doug pulling her from the wreck, but he keeps referring to what happened that night as if it was more, and it terrifies Zoey to admit how much is a blank to her. Controlled, meticulous Zoey is quickly losing her grip on the all-important details of her life—a life that seems strangely empty of Brandon, and strangely full of Doug.

Won:

Boys, Girls and Other Hazardous Materials by Rosalind Wiseman

Looking for a new beginning after a terrible mean girl past, Charlie Healey realizes there’s no escaping high school drama

Charlie Healey thinks Harmony Falls is the beginning of a whole new life. Middle school was brutal. But high school is Charlie’s big chance to start over and stay out of drama, except that on her first day she runs into Will, her ex–best friend, who had moved away. Now a varsity athlete and hotter than Charlie
remembered, Will hangs with the crowd running the school. But Charlie doesn’t understand their power until an innocent delivery guy falls victim to a near-deadly hazing prank.

Torn between doing what’s right and her secret feelings for Will, Charlie must decide whether to turn in her very best friend or live with the guilt of knowing what he did.

Rosalind Wiseman’s first novel for young adults is a fresh, funny, and juicy read about friendship, betrayal, and how far some will go to be accepted.

My Soul To Keep by Rachel Vincent

WHEN KAYLEE CAVANAUGH SCREAMS, SOMEONE DIES
AND KAYLEE IS ABOUT TO SCREAM HER HEAD OFF...

Kaylee has one addiction: her very hot, very popular boyfriend, Nash. A banshee like Kaylee, Nash understands her like no one else. Nothing can come between them.

Until something does.

Demon’s breath. No, not the toothpaste-challenged kind. The Netherworld kind. The kind that really can kill you. Somehow, the super-addictive substance has made its way to the human world. But how? Kaylee and Nash have to cut off the source and protect their friends—one of whom is already hooked.

And when the epidemic hits too close to home, Kaylee will have to risk everything to save those she loves.

What did you get this week?

I'm baack!

That's right, I'm back from my vacation and I have had a great time!
As soon as I have time, I'll share some pictures with you :)

Waiting on Wednesday

This week I'm spotlighting two great-looking books as well, and both of them was released yesterday! So you can go out and buy them right away, no waiting needed :)


Title: The Eternal Ones
Author: Kirsten Miller
Release Date: August 10

Haven Moore can’t control her visions of a past with a boy called Ethan, and a life in New York that ended in fiery tragedy. In our present, she designs beautiful dresses for her classmates with her best friend Beau. Dressmaking keeps her sane, since she lives with her widowed and heartbroken mother in her tyrannical grandmother’s house in Snope City, a tiny town in Tennessee. Then an impossible group of coincidences conspire to force her to flee to New York, to discover who she is, and who she was.

In New York, Haven meets Iain Morrow and is swept into an epic love affair that feels both deeply fated and terribly dangerous. Iain is suspected of murdering a rock star and Haven wonders, could he have murdered her in a past life? She visits the Ouroboros Society and discovers a murky world of reincarnation that stretches across millennia. Haven must discover the secrets hidden in her past lives, and loves¸ before all is lost and the cycle begins again.




Title: Aces Up
Author: Lauren Barnholdt
Release Date: August 10

Seventeen-year-old high school senior Shannon Card needs money. And lots of it. She's been admitted to Wellesley, but her dad just lost his job, and somehow she has to come up with a year of tuition herself. But Shannon's dream of making big bucks waitressing at the local casino, the Collosio, disappears faster than a gambler's lucky streak. Her boss is a tyrant, her coworker is nuts, and her chances of balancing a tray full of drinks while wearing high-heeled shoes are slim to none. Worse, time is running out, and Shannon hasn't made even half the money she'd hoped.

When Shannon receives a mysterious invitation to join Aces Up, a secret network of highly talented college poker players, at first she thinks No way. She has enough to worry about: keeping her job, winning the coveted math scholarship at school, and tutoring her secret crush, Max. But when Shannon musters up the nerve to kiss Max and he doesn't react at all, the allure of Aces Up and its sexy eighteen-year-old leader, Cole, is suddenly too powerful to ignore.

Soon Shannon's caught up in a web of lies and deceit that makes worrying about tuition money or a high school crush seem like kid stuff. Still, when the money's this good, is the fear of getting caught reason enough to fold?

Author Interview: Lauren Hammond

Hi Lauren, and welcome to YA Vampire Books!

1. Please tell us a few things about yourself.
Well, my name is Lauren Hammond, and I’m twenty six years old. I enjoy a good book more than anything but, I enjoy writing a good book even more.

2. Your novella Love Sucks was released August 3, tell us a bit about it!

Love Sucks, is a first person narrative told through the eyes of a newborn vampire named Cara Jones. When you first meet Cara, she wakes up buried in the ground, not knowing who or what she has become. This book is about her journey and it will take you through the centuries she lives, and the obstacles she has to overcome.

3. Where did you come up with the idea for Love Sucks?

I actually got my first mental image of Cara Jones while driving in my car. In my mind, I saw her punching her fist through the lid of her coffin and the rest is history. Before I knew it, her story began unfolding in my mind.

4. Cara, the main character in Love Sucks is turned into a vampire. Why did you choose to write about vampires? Have you always been fascinated with the supernatural?

The Supernatural has fascinated me for most of my life. But, I chose to write about a vampire because I wanted to challenge myself and my readers. I put myself in Cara’s shoes and I wanted my readers to put themselves in her shoes as well. I wanted them to ask themselves what they would do if they were in her situation.

5. Love Sucks is set in 18th century England, if you could visit any place at any time would you choose 18th century England, or where would you go?

I would definitely visit London. There is so much history there and that fascinates me. I would probably pick the 16^th century for the time frame I would want to visit London. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth. That’s definitely something I would love to see.

6. Apart from writing novels, you also write screenplays! How do these different from each other? Which is easiest to write for you?

I don’t think either one is more difficult than the other. There are differences in format, and the structure of how each piece is written but, when I get an idea, it’s never difficult for me to write it all down. I have never once experienced writers block. When I get an idea, the whole story is already mapped out in my mind.

7. No writers block? I'm sure many authors would envy that! Are you working on any new projects right now?

Several. I have a new novel that will be out soon called The Truth About Delilah, another one called The Queen Of The Dead, a bio pic I’m co-writing, and the sequel to Love Sucks, A Sucker For Love.

Wow, that sounds interesting!
8. Now that we all want to read Love Sucks, please tell us where we can get it!

You can purchase Love Sucks as a paperback or ebook at www.punkinbooks.com , www.amazon.com . you can also dowload it for your ebook reader!
I would get your copy now. You never know when I might be stopping through your city!!

9. Favourite…
Book: Honestly too many to count but, right now, the whole Sookie Stackhouse series.
Author: J.K Rowling
Food: Eggplant Parmigiana
Drink: Gold Peak’s Iced Tea( It’s seriously addicting)
Vacation spot: Well hopefully in the future, Europe but, for right now, New York City


Want to know more about Lauren and her work?
Visit her blog
Read an interview with Lauren on vampires.com
or follow her on Twitter

Book Review: Changeless

Title: Changeless
Series: The Parasol Protectorate (Book #2)
Author: Gail Carriger
Published: 2010

Summary: Alexia Tarabotti, now Lady Maccon, awakens in the wee hours of the mid-afternoon to find her husband, who should be decently asleep like any normal werewolf, yelling at the top of his lungs. Then he disappears -- leaving her to deal with a regiment of supernatural soldiers encamped on her doorstep, a plethora of exorcised ghosts, and an angry Queen Victoria.

But Alexia is armed with her trusty parasol, the latest fashions, and an arsenal of biting civility. Even when her investigations take her into the backwaters of ugly waistcoats, Scotland, she is prepared: upending werewolf pack dynamics as only a soulless can.

She might even find time to track down her wayward husband, if she feels like it.

My Thoughts: Before reading Changeless I was nervous about not liking it as much as Soulless. Because, let's face it, the flirting and teasing before the main characters actually get each other, are more fun to read about than when they are actually in a relationship (and married!) Twilight was funnier before Bella and Edward got married and Jacob still had a shot, right?

Anyway, Alexia is still a feisty character! She's independent, modern and very curious, and she's not one to sit around when there is a mystery to solve!

I liked Changeless storyline, but I thought the pace was a bit slow at times. And the book didn't quite live up to my expectations.

Rating: 3.5 of 5

Previous book in this series:
Soulless

Book Review: The Summoning

Title: The Summoning
Series: Darkest Powers (Book 1)
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Published: 2008

Summary: After years of frequent moves following her mother’s death, Chloe Saunders’s life is finally settling down. She is attending art school, pursuing her dreams of becoming a director, making friends, meeting boys. Her biggest concern is that she’s not developing as fast as her friends are. But when puberty does hit, it brings more than hormone surges. Chloe starts seeing ghosts–everywhere, demanding her attention. After she suffers a breakdown, her devoted aunt Lauren gets her into a highly recommended group home.

At first, Lyle House seems a pretty okay place, except for Chloe’s small problem of fearing she might be facing a lifetime of mental illness. But as she gradually gets to know the other kids at the home–charming Simon and his ominous, unsmiling brother Derek, obnoxious Tori, and Rae, who has a “thing” for fire–Chloe begins to realize that there is something that binds them all together, and it isn’t your usual “problem kid” behaviour. And together they discover that Lyle House is not your usual group home either…

My Thoughts: The same day Chloe Saunders hits puberty, unexplainable things start happening to her. She sees horrible people that others don't. Chloe is soon sent to Lyle House, a group home for troubled teens, and is diagnosed with schizophrenia. While her disease might explain some of the things that are happening to her, it doesn't explain everything. When her new friends at Lyle House are questioning her diagnose, and note her powers, Chloe is soon questioning both her diagnose, and the purpose of the Lyle House. When Chloe starts to look closer into the Lyle House history, she discover dangerous things. What's Lyle House purpose? What happens to the children who are being transferred from the Lyle House? Why are the Lyle House children diagnosed with schizophrenia and other diseases, when they might have unexplainable powers?

Chloe's questions are many, but one thing is for certain - for every day she stays in the Lyle House, she gets closer to being "transferred".

The Summoning was darker than I had expected, and I had as many questions as Chloe. Who was on the good/bad side? Who could Chloe trust? While some parts of the book was slow, the last part of the book was filled with suspense and action - and I couldn't stop reading until the last word.

Rating: 4 of 5

P.S. I own book 1 and book 3 in this series, but I don't have book 2 and can't get it from the library. Do you think I could skip book 2 and get straight to book 3? Or will I miss out on a lot of information, so I need to buy book 2?

Waiting on Wednesday (8/4)

On today's WoW post I'm waiting on two books, both of them are being released TOMORROW!


Title: You Wish
Author: Mandy Hubbard
Release Date: August 5

What if all your wishes really came true?

Kayla McHenry’s sweet sixteen sucks! Her dad left,
her grades dropped, and her BFF is dati...more What if all your wishes really came true?

Kayla McHenry’s sweet sixteenth sucks! Her dad left, her grades dropped, and her BFF is dating the boy Kayla’s secretly loved for years. Blowing out her candles, Kayla thinks: I wish my birthday wishes actually came true. Because they never freakin’ do.

Kayla wakes the next day to a life-sized, bright pink My Little Pony outside her window. Then a year’s supply of gumballs arrives. And a boy named Ken with a disturbing resemblance to the doll of same name stalks her. As the ghosts of Kayla’s wishes-past appear, they take her on a wild ride… but they MUST STOP. Because when she was 15? She wished Ben Mackenzie would kiss her.

And Ben is her best friend's boyfriend.

Title: Stalker Girl
Author: Rosemary Graham
Release Date: August 5

How do you know when you’ve crossed the line between curiosity and obsession?
Carly never meant to become a stalker. She just wanted to find ou...more How do you know when you’ve crossed the line between curiosity and obsession?
Carly never meant to become a stalker. She just wanted to find out who Brian started dating after he dumped her. But a little harmless online research turns into a quick glance, and that turns into an afternoon of watching. Soon Carly is putting all of her energy into following Brian’s new girlfriend — all of the sadness she feels about her mom’s recent breakup, all of the anger she feels over being pushed aside by her dad while he prepares for his new wife’s new baby. When Carly’s stalking is discovered in the worst possible way by the worst possible person, she is forced to acknowledge her problem and the underlying issues that led to it.


You Wish sounds h i l a r i o u s, and I love the cover! Stalker Girl sounds very interesting as well, and I want to know who "the worst possible person" is!

Read & Watched in July

Books:
1. Blood Feud - Alyxandra Harvey (Review)
2. Tempted - P. C. Cast (Review)
3. Changeless - Gail Carriger (Review)
4. Shadowed Summer - Saundra Mitchell (Mini Review)

Four books? What is this? I'm ashamed of myself! I blame it on lots of work this month though (and also ehrm, lots of TV watching (see below)).

Movies:
1. Beauty & The Briefcase
2. Just Friends (sooo bad!)
3. True Confessions of a Hollywood Starlet
4. This Is It
5. Eclipse (Review)
6. Our Family Wedding
7. Now You See It

TV series:

Roswell: Season 2, Episode 12-21
10 Things I Hate About You: Episodes 1-20
Pretty Little Liars: Episodes 1-5
Make It Or Break It: Season 1: Episodes 1-16

I watched all episodes of 10 things I hate about you in about 3 days. What can I say? They're addictive and soo short - about 20 minutes each! They flew by! I also recently started to watch the Pretty Little Liars show (haven't read the books) - and I love it so far! A is creepy! My favorite liars are Abria & Spencer :) I also started to watch Make It or Break it this month, and as you can see from the number of episodes I've watched so far - I really like that show too! (Emily's my favorite gymnast :P)

In My Mailbox (week 30)

Won from Sydney Salter:

Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell

Iris is ready for another hot, routine summer in her small Louisiana town, hanging around the Red Stripe grocery with her best friend, Collette, and traipsing through the cemetery telling each other spooky stories and pretending to cast spells. Except this summer, Iris doesn’t have to make up a story. This summer, one falls right in her lap.

Years ago, before Iris was born, a local boy named Elijah Landry disappeared. All that remained of him were whispers and hushed gossip in the church pews. Until this summer. A ghost begins to haunt Iris, and she’s certain it’s the ghost of Elijah. What really happened to him? And why, of all people, has he chosen Iris to come back to?