Top Ten Tuesday: Books That Should Be In A Beach Bag!

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish

Today's topic:

Top Ten Books That Should Be In A Beach Bag (your perfect beach reads!)



1. The Boys Next Door - Jennifer Echols
- Or really, any Echols book would do! This one has the summer theme though!

2. Pants on Fire - Meg Cabot

3. She's So Money - Cherry Cheva

4. Top Ten Reasons For an Unworn Prom Dress - Tina Ferraro

5. The Alpha Bet - Stephanie Hale

6. Chick lit!
Sink your teeth into a juicy scandalous, and most importantly, a light and funny read! I always bring a thick one to my sunchair..

7. Romatic comedies!
If you haven't tried Rachel Hawthorne's books yet - do it! They're perfect beach reads!

8. A good mystery!

Nothing like a nailbiting crime to keep you alert!

9. Sarah Dessen, Elizabeth Scott, Lauren Barnhold

I imagine any book by these authors would work!

10. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

Friendship, romance, and set in different summers!

In My Mailbox (week 21)

Won:

Spider's Bite - Jennifer Estep

My name is Gin, and I kill people.
They call me the Spider. I'm the most feared assassin in the South — when I'm not busy at the Pork Pit cooking up the best barbecue in Ashland. As a Stone elemental, I can hear everything from the whispers of the gravel beneath my feet to the vibrations of the soaring Appalachian Mountains above me. My Ice magic also comes in handy for making the occasional knife. But I don't use my powers on the job unless I absolutely have to. Call it professional pride.

Now that a ruthless Air elemental has double-crossed me and killed my handler, I'm out for revenge. And I'll exterminate anyone who gets in my way — good or bad. I may look hot, but I'm still one of the bad guys. Which is why I'm in trouble, since irresistibly rugged Detective Donovan Caine has agreed to help me. The last thing this coldhearted killer needs when I'm battling a magic more powerful than my own is a sexy distraction...especially when Donovan wants me dead just as much as the enemy.

Sounds interesting! Has anyone read this series?

What did you get in your mailboxes?

Cover Combat: Will Grayson, Will Grayson

In Cover Combat a Swedish cover is being compared to the US/UK cover of the same book. Today I'm comparing the covers of Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan.

US cover:

Swedish cover:

Swedish title: The Other Will Grayson

My Thoughts: Both covers are definitely colorful, yet simple. I think I like the colore scheme of the US cover a bit more though, so that's my favorite for now.

Which cover is your favorite? Vote for the US or Swedish cover in the comments!

April Movie Madness

Four Christmases (2008)

A couple struggles to visit all four of their divorced parents on Christmas Day.

Actors: Vince Vaughn, Reese Witherspoon

Rating: 1 of 5

Big failure. For me this is a movie that tried way too hard to be funny, and the "comical" situations ended up awkward and emberassing instead.
I expected more of Vaughn and Witherspoon!

The Nanny Diaries (2007)

A college graduate goes to work as a nanny for a rich New York family. Ensconced in their home, she has to juggle their dysfunction, a new romance, and the spoiled brat in her charge.

Actors: Scarlett Johansson, Laura Linney

My Rating: 1.5 of 5

Nah, this movie was boring. I've actually tried reading the book this movie was based on, but couldn't finish it either.

The Switch (2010)

An unmarried 40-year-old woman turns to a turkey baster in order to become pregnant. Seven years later, she reunites with her best friend, who has been living with a secret: he replaced her preferred sperm sample with his own.

Actors: Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, Juliette Lewis

My Rating: 3 of 5

Highlights: Aniston's son, I liked that we didn't meet him until he was seven years old, and had his own personality. Lowlights: The rushed ending.

I Am Number Four (2011)

John is an extraordinary teen, masking his true identity and passing as a typical high school student to elude a deadly enemy seeking to destroy him. Three like him have already been killed ... he is Number Four.

Actors: Alex Pettyfer,Timothy Olyphant, Dianna Agron

My Rating: 4.25 of 5

Action, romance and comedy. While Alex Pettyfer was very hot, my favorite character was the tough number 6, played by Teresa Palmer.

Mamma Mia! (2008)

The story of a bride-to-be trying to find her real father told using hit songs by the popular '70s group ABBA.

Actors: Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Amanda Seyfried

My Rating: 4 of 5

This star-filled musical movie is such a feelgood story! I've watched it several times, and the catchy music and dancing routines never get boring.

From Prada to Nada (2011)

A Latina spin on Jane Austen's "Sense and Sensibility," where two spoiled sisters from Beverly Hills who have been left penniless after their father's sudden death are forced to move in with their estranged aunt in East Los Angeles.

Actors: Camilla Belle, Alex Vega, Wilmer Walderrama, Nicholas D'Agosto

My Rating: 4.5

This is so my type of movie! It was funny, romantic and cultural. I stayed up util 2.3o am just to finish watching it.

Best Movie: From Prada To Nada

Worst Movie: Four Christmases

Waiting on Wednesday (5/25)

Title: Hourglass
Author: Myra McEntire
Release Date: June 14, 2011

One hour to rewrite the past . . .

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.

Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Full of atmosphere, mystery, and romance, Hourglass merges the very best of the paranormal and science-fiction genres in a seductive, remarkable young adult debut

I've read so many great reviews of this one, and I can't wait to find out how good it is myself!

Book Review: The Clockwork Angel

Title: The Clockwork Angel
Series: The Infernal Devices #1

Author: Cassandra Clare
Published: 2010

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by--and torn between--two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

My Thoughts:
Since I love the Mortal Instruments series by the same author, I was really excited to read The Clockwork Angel. The Clockwork Angel is the first book in a new trilogy, The Infernal Devices, which also serves a prequel series to the Mortal Instruments.

Not surprisingly, my expectations for this book was huge. Therefore I am sad to say that the book was a bit of a disappointment. The plot wasn't as fast-paced as the Mortal Instruments book, and the characters Tessa, Will and James felt like plainer and paler versions of the main characters in the Mortal Instruments. Will, in particular felt like a less-charming Jace.

In true Cassandra Clare style there is a hint of a love triangle between Tessa, Will and James. But if you're hoping for hot make-out scenes you've got the wrong book. I know this story is set in the Victorian era and that things were very different then - but come on Cassandra, give us some romance, some passion! (Two tiny kisses in 475 pages is definitely not juicy enough!)

Rating: 3.5 of 5

Cover Combat: Where She Went

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 Where She Went by Gayle Forman.

US cover:

Swedish cover:

Swedish title "When I Let You Go"

Which cover is your favorite?

I like both covers, but since the Swedish cover works better with the cover of the first book in this series than the US does, I'll go with the Swedish cover.

You can see both the US and the Swedish cover of If I Stay here.

Go ahead, and vote for your favorite cover in the comments!

Book Review: Hereafter

Title: Hereafter
Author: Tara Hudson
Release Date: June 7, 2011
Source: Netgalley

Can there truly be love after death?

Drifting in the dark waters of a mysterious river, the only thing Amelia knows for sure is that she's dead. With no recollection of her past life—or her actual death—she's trapped alone in a nightmarish existence. All of this changes when she tries to rescue a boy, Joshua, from drowning in her river. As a ghost, she can do nothing but will him to live. Yet in an unforgettable moment of connection, she helps him survive.

Amelia and Joshua grow ever closer as they begin to uncover the strange circumstances of her death and the secrets of the dark river that held her captive for so long. But even while they struggle to keep their bond hidden from the living world, a frightening spirit named Eli is doing everything in his power to destroy their newfound happiness and drag Amelia back into the ghost world . . . forever.

Thrilling and evocative, with moments of pure pleasure, Hereafter is a sensation you won't want to miss.

My Thoughts:
Before I started reading this book, I had no idea what to expect. I know that there were going to be a lake, with a dead girl in it, and also a boy. That was pretty much it. But I must have had some expectations before starting it, because it didn't turn out the way I had expected.

For me, this isn't the best debut book this year (I've been spoiled by reading so many great ones!), but it is a decent book.

The story didn't engage me as much as I had hoped, and the danger didn't feel as dangerous as it should have. The reason for this is perhaps the characters, who felt a bit distant.

What I did like about this book however, is Amelia's development. At first she is a ghost trapped in a nightmarish between-life, with no memories of her life before her death.

But as she gets to know Joshua she's slowly discovering hidden memories of her mortal life, as well as new powers in her after-life. Which brings both the reader and Amelia on an emotional and raw road for remembrance and understanding.

Rating: 3.5 of 5

Waiting on Wednesday (5/18)

Title: Sisterhood Everlasting
Series: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants #5
Author: Ann Brashares
Release Date: June 14, 2011

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Ann Brashares comes the welcome return of the characters whose friendship became a touchstone for a generation. Now Tibby, Lena, Carmen, and Bridget have grown up, starting their lives on their own. And though the jeans they shared are long gone, the sisterhood is everlasting.

Despite having jobs and men that they love, each knows that something is missing: the closeness that once sustained them. Carmen is a successful actress in New York, engaged to be married, but misses her friends. Lena finds solace in her art, teaching in Rhode Island, but still thinks of Kostos and the road she didn’t take. Bridget lives with her longtime boyfriend, Eric, in San Francisco, and though a part of her wants to settle down, a bigger part can’t seem to shed her old restlessness.

Then Tibby reaches out to bridge the distance, sending the others plane tickets for a reunion that they all breathlessly await. And indeed, it will change their lives forever—but in ways that none of them could ever have expected.

Finally, I can't wait to revisit this series! Hopefully Lena and Kostos will get their happily ever after now!

In My Mailbox (week 19)

For review:

Nyx in the House of Night - P.C Cast

With more than 10 million copies sold internationally, and 7 million copies in print in North America alone, P.C. and Kristin Cast’s House of Night series, featuring fledgling teenage vampyre Zoey Redbird and her friends at the Oklahoma House of Night vampyre boarding school, is more than just another vampire series.

A big part of the reason is its strong mythological underpinnings. From Nyx, the goddess worshipped by the series vampyres, to the Cherokee legend that drives the plot, the House of Night series is infused with elements from multiple mythos and religious traditions to create a new, modern mythology all its own.

Edited by P.C. Cast, Nyx in the House of Night—a 2-color illustrated guide to the House of Night series—brings these rich mythological influences to life, providing the real-world stories behind the series and insight into the way those stories are used to create the captivating story of Zoey and the House of Night.

Chapters includes:

• Wiccan ritual
• The original story of Erebus and Nyx
• Cherokee mythology
• The historical significance of tattoos
• And more

What did you get in your mailboxes?

Book Review: The Vampire Diaries: Shadow Souls

Title: The Return: Shadow Souls

Series: The Vampire Diaries (Book #6)

Author: L. J. Smith

Published: 2010

On the run . . .

Elena Gilbert's love, the vampire Stefan Salvatore, has been captured and imprisoned by demonic spirits who are wreaking havoc in Fell's Church. While her friends Bonnie and Meredith explore the evil that has taken over their town, Elena goes in search of Stefan.

In order to find him, she entrusts her life to Stefan's brother, Damon Salvatore, the handsome but deadly vampire who wants Elena, body and soul. Along with her childhood friend Matt, they set out for the slums of the Dark Dimension, where Stefan is being held captive. It is rumored to be a world where vampires and demons roam free, but humans must live enslaved to their supernatural masters. . . .

Elena will stop at nothing to free Stefan. Yet with each passing day the tension between Elena and Damon grows, and she is faced with a terrible decision: Which brother does she really want?

Back in Fell's Church, Bonnie and Meredith have made some dire discoveries. They hastily try to follow Elena and warn her—only to be caught up in Elena's most dangerous adventure yet.

My Thoughts:

Shadow Souls is the sixth book in the Vampire Diaries series, and the second book in the "The Return" trilogy. If you are a long time follower you might remember that I absolutely hated the first book in this new trilogy (Nightfall). While Shadow Souls is no masterpiece, at least I could finish it without suffering to much! ;)

Truth be told, I thought the first half of the book was pretty good. Who wouldn't want to be a secret passenger in a car with Damon and Elena?

But as soon as they arrived in the underworld, things begun to spin out of control and became weirder and weirder. Kitsungjays, slaves and other supernatural starts to degenerate and the story loosed focus once more.

Even if finding the fox keys was necessary in order to free Stefan, I wish Elena's road to get the keys would have been shorter and straighter. With so many sidetracks and stops, I almost forgot that Elena was in the underworld to free Stefan, not to defend slaves.

And I don't think I was the only one forgetting about Stefan, Elena spent so much caring for Damon that she almost forgot about her boyfriend! Don't get me wrong, Damon was definitely likeable! He started out this series as a dangerous bloodthirsty vampire, but is now gentler and cares about other people than himself. He would do anything to protect Elena an keep her happy. Elena is another person whose character has developed over time. From being a mean, self-centered girl, to a pure and angelic soul, she is now less egocentric and sweeter. She deeply cares for other people, and does anything to help them get a better life.

Rating: 2.25 of 5

Previous Books in this series:

The Awakening
The Struggle
The Fury
Dark Reunion
Nightfall

Waiting on Wednesday (5/11)

Title: Fairy Bad Day
Author: Amanda Ashby
Release Date: June 9, 2011


While most students at Burtonwood Academy get to kill demons and goblins, fifteen-year-old Emma gets to rid the world of little annoying fairies with glittery wings and a hipster fashion sense. She was destined to be a dragon slayer, but cute and charming Curtis stole her spot.

Then she sees a giant killer fairy and it's invisible to everyone but her! If Emma has any chance of stopping this evil fairy, she's going to need help. Unfortunately, the only person who can help is Curtis. And now, not only has he stolen her dragon-slayer spot, but maybe her heart as well!

Why does she think it's going to be a fairy bad day?

This book sounds like a lot of fun! And I've always wanted to try Ashby's writing. How fierce is that cover btw?

Book Review: Bleed You Dry

Title: Bleed You Dry
Author: Melissa Tyndall
Published: 2011
Pages:153

A vampire lurks in a bar in downtown Nashville, waiting to save Emma Hadley from a murderer. Roman Sykes dreamed of her, of the future, but he can’t foresee how Emma will make him feel or what’s in store for them.

A villain from Roman’s past threatens their survival. Mara, Roman’s maker and an evil vampire with firestarting abilities, must be defeated before everything he loves burns.

Bleed You Dry is a fast-paced urban fantasy that captures the essence of The South, challenges myths about vampires and reflects the magnetism of love, no matter how hard one might try to avoid it

My Thoughts:
Bleed You Dry centers around Roman, a brooding and lonely vampire, and Emma, a human girl Roman befriends after saving her from a terrible fate.

Initially Roman doesn't want a relationship with Emma, but at the same time he can't seem to stay away. While he is hiding the fact that he is a vampire from her, they quickly become friends and everything is great until Emma suddenly becomes ill. And as they say; when it rains it pours. Myra, a dangerous vampire from Roman's past shows up soon after that, not to happy about Roman's new friend and determined to kill...

This story is told from both Emma and Roman's points of view, and this style was definitely rewarding for the story and kept it moving forward in a steady pace. Emma was a funny and lighthearted person with a deep love for books, movies and TV.

Roman was more of a loner and enjoyed staying at home reading poetry. He was taciturn, guarded and brooding. Only natural if you have lived for centuries!

Because of Emma's love of pop culture, this book is full of pop-culture references - which I loved! Everything from Twilight and True Blood, to Alias and Brangelina were mentioned. Which of course confused the poor, old vampire!

Overall: a funny story with a couple of likeable characters. With only ~150 pages this is a quick read, but it still contains a large amount of important events in both Emma and Roman's life.

Favorite quotes:
"There were no humans that night. There was no prey or death or monstrosities to speak of. There was only Emma, and me, and for the briefest of moments, on the shortest of nights, I forgot I yearned for blood."

"It was the same old, tired song and dance. The brooding vampire, afraid to love and spoiled by the possibility that they could wallow in misery forever."

Rating: 3.5 of 5

Top Ten Tuesday: Jerks in Literature

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish

Today's topic:

Top Ten Jerks In Literature

(all those jerky guys in books...those who truly WERE asshats and those who just acted like one but could be quite loveable)

1. Jace Wayland - The Mortal Instruments
Love him to death, but the guy can be (and usually is) a jerk.


2. Draco Malfoy - Harry Potter
He might not be the nicest of persons to Harry and his friends, but I still love him.

3. Severus Snape - Harry Potter

The man has been holding a grudge for 20 years. Forget Lily and move on!

4. Reth - Paranormalcy

Psychotic stalker who also happens to be a sneaky and untrustworthy faerie. Not the best combination!

5. Ren - Nightshade
Being an alpha male, Ren is used to getting what he wants and not thinking about anyone but himself...

6. Nathaniel - Clockwork Angel
Tessa's older brother turned out to be such a douchebag! Lying, drinking, gambling and betraying...


7. Josh - The Princess Diaries
Mia's longtime crush turned out to be a selfish boy just looking for fame.


8. Patch - Hush Hush
The guy with the secret agenda! Adorable on time, an evil jerk the next - don't ever trust him, he might want to kill you!


9. Damon Salvatore - The Vampire Diaries
Another person you definitely shouldn't trust with your life! This vampire sees nothing wrong in hurting and killing humans.

10. Eric - House of Night
Remember what Eric was doing when we first were introduced to him? Just saying...



This is the first time in my Top Ten Tuesday history that I actually managed to do a top ten!Very proud of myself :)

And how strange is it that most of these jerks also are my favorite characters in their respective books? Don't know what that says about my taste in boys...

I still feel like I have forgotten about some great jerks tough - so please leave a comment and tell me about all those jerks you love to hate, or hate to love!

In My Mailbox (week 18)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kirsti @ The Story Siren

These week some great things showed up in my mailbox, all of them contest wins! :)

Take a look:

Out For Blood + some cool The Drake Chronicles buttons by Alyxandra Harvey

Seven Kinds of Ordinary Catastrophes + signed bookmarks by Amber Kizer

Born at Midnight/Shadowfalls swag

What did you get this week?

February Movie Madness

The 2011 Movie Madness Challenge is hosted by A Girl, Books & Other Things and The Talking Teacup

These are the movies I watched in February:

1. Tomorrow When The War Began (2010)

When their country is invaded and their families are taken, eight unlikely high school teenagers band together to fight

Actors: Caitlin Stasey, Lincoln Lewis, Rachel Hurd-Wood

Rating: 4 of 5


I love the Tomorrow books by James Marsden (read them, if you haven't!), and was so excited when I heard that they were going to be turned into movies. The actors Australian accent was a bit unusual to hear in the beginning, but I got over it pretty quickly. The characters were not as I had imagined them, but it worked alright. I can't wait for the next movie, I have a feeling it's going to have more action, more love and suspense!


2. Mean Girls 2 (2011)


Johanna "Jo" Mitchell is a 17-year-old tomboy, who lives with her father, who works as a race car driver for NASCAR. The first day of school, she explains that she wants to avoid high school drama. Then she is introduced to the school's most popular clique, "The Plastics"...


Actors: Meaghan Martin, Diego Boneta, Maiara Walsh

Rating: 3 of 5

Living up to the greatness of the original Mean Girl movie starring Lindsay Lohan proved to be a too hard task for this remake. I liked Meaghan Martin as Jo though, the main character, a down to earth tomboy.

3. Letters To Juliet (2010)

An American girl on vacation in Italy finds an unanswered "letter to Juliet" -- one of thousands of missives left at the fictional lover's Verona courtyard, which are typically answered by a the "secretaries of Juliet" -- and she goes on a quest to find the lovers referenced in the letter.

Actors: Amanda Seyfried, Gael Garcia Bernal, Vanessa Redgrave

Rating: 4 0f 5

I really liked this one! It was so much more than just another romantic movie. It had depth, and a great love story which stretched over decades. I teared up more than once! Vanessa Redgrave was amazing.

5. Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009)

When Sid's attempt to adopt three dinosaur eggs gets him abducted by their real mother to an underground lost world, his friends attempt to rescue him.

Voices: Queen Latifah, Ray Romano, John Leguizamo

Rating: 2.5 of 5

Ehm no. I'm not one of those people who love animated movies, so I didn't love this one even if it had its funny moments!

6. The Back-Up Plan (2010)

A romantic comedy centered on a woman who conceives twins through artificial insemination, only to meet the man of her dreams on the very same day.

Actors: Jennifer Lopez, Alex O´Loughlin

Rating: 3 of 5

This movie doesn't offer anything unique, and the story has certainly been told before. I like O´Loughlin though.

7. Miss Secret Agent (2000)

An FBI agent must go undercover in the Miss United States beauty pageant to prevent a group from bombing the event.

Actors: Sandra Bullock, Michael Caine

Rating: 3 of 5

Quite funny - and Bullock's transformation to dorky tomboy to beauty queen is amazing!

8. Beverly Hills Chihuahua (2008)

While on vacation in Mexico, Chloe, a ritzy Beverly Hills chihuahua, finds herself lost and in need of assistance in order to get back home.

Voices: Drew Barrymore, George Lopez, Jamie Lee Curtis

Rating: 3 of 5

Haha how can people actually make a movie like this one? Who came up with the idea of a spoiled chihuahua as the main character? :p

Admittely, the movie is pretty cute, and quite funny!

Watched Movies: 7 (6 for the first time)
Best Movie: Letters To Juliet

Worst Movie: Ice Age 3

Book Review: Starcrossed

Title: Starcrossed
Author: Josephine Angelini
Release Date: May 31, 2011
Source: NetGalley

How do you defy destiny?

Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even her powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

My Thoughts:

I hadn't read anything about this book, except for the summary above, before I started reading it. And since the summary isn't too spoilery I didn't quite know what to expect.

Early on we learn that Helen isn't an ordinary human, she is much stronger and faster. She also has vivid nightmares and sees things other people don't see. Is she going crazy? And why is she so strong?

Eventually the truth behind Helen's abilities are revealed - both to Helen and to the reader. I really appreciated the fact that this wasn't spoiled beforehand, but remained a mystery for a while.

Speaking about Helen - I didn't quite like her in the beginning. She was a bit wimpish, and too insecure. She tried to hide her length and beauty from other people, so they wouldn't look at, or notice, her. But when the Deos family moves to her small island, that changes instantly. Helen is no longer hiding in the background, no she is determined to kill Lucas Deos. Why? She has no idea...

I really liked the Deos family. There were quite a few family members to keep track of, but everyone stood out in their own way. The Deos that caught my attention the most were Lucas, Hector and Jason. Lucas was safe, compassionate and strong, Jason was such a nice and friendly guy and Hector went from being a dangerous enemy to one of my favorite characters!

I won't reveal who the paranormal beings in this book are - or what they are. But I can honestly say that I loved the mythology. The historical aspects were interesting, and made great sense.

Overall an amazing, well-written and well-researched debut novel, and one of my favorite books so far this year. I definitely recommend reading it!

Rating: 4.5 of 5

Waiting on Wednesday (5/4)

Title: The Sweetest Thing
Author: Christina Mandelski
Release Date: May 10, 2011

In the world of Sheridan Wells, life is perfect when she's decorating a cake. Unfortunately everything else is a complete mess: her mom ran off years ago, her dad is more interested in his restaurant, and the idea of a boyfriend is laughable.

But Sheridan is convinced finding her mom will solve all her problems - only her dad's about to get a cooking show in New York, which means her dream of a perfect family will be dashed.

Using just the right amount of romance, family drama, and cute boys, The Sweetest Thing will entice fans with its perfect mixture of girl-friendly ingredients

Isn't that cover just the sweetest thing? This book looks good enough to eat, and the story within it sounds really good as well!

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I'm So Happy Were Recommended To Me

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish

Today's topic:

"Top Ten Books I'm So Happy Were Recommended To Me"

(all those books you probably wouldn't have picked up without a good recommendation)


People don't recommend books to me very often, I'm mostly the one doing the recommening since I'm the biggest reader among my friends and family! There have been a few occasion when people recommended great books to me though, and this list lists the most successful ones!

1. The Princess Diaries - Meg Cabot
I would like to think my classmates who recommended this series to me almost 10 years ago. Maybe I wouldn't have discovered Cabot's great writing otherwise!

2. Mortal Instruments Trilogy - Cassandra Clare
Thanks to all book bloggers out there who convinced me to try this series!

3. Tomorrow Series - John Marsden
I believe someone recommended this series to me, can't remember who though! It is awesome anyhow!

4. Hex Hall - Rachel Hawkins
I asked my blog readers to recommend a book to buy - and this was the book most people voted for. Thank you!

5. Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins

One of the many books my librarian has recommended to me during the last years. This is one of the few I liked!

Read & Watched in April

Books:

1. Firelight - Sophie Jordan (Review)
2. Demonglass - Rachel Hawkins (Review)
3. Die For Me - Amy Plum (Review)
4. If I Stay - Gayle Forman (Mini Review)
5. The Summer of Firsts and Lasts
6. Starcrossed - Josephine Angelini (Review)
7. The Clockwork Angel - Cassandra Clare (Review)
8. Succubus Blues - Richelle Mead

Movies:

1. Four Christmases
2. The Nanny Diaries
3. The Switch
4. Men In Black II
5. I Am Number Four
6. Mamma Mia!
7. From Prada To Nada