My TBR Pile: September

This is a list of books that I plan to read in September. Since it's my birthday month, I kind of wanted to do some different so I decided to go with a theme. September's theme is read whatever I want from my review pile. Usually, I read my review books in the order that I get them. However, I have some books at the end of my pile that I have been dying to read. I figure since September is my birthday month, I would let myself relax from my normal format and read them. However, I have quite a few ARCs to get to as well, and they take top priority. Anything that I don't get read this month, I will finish reading at my yearly wrap-up in December. Here is my reading list, split into two sections: ARCs and Read Whatever I Want. I apologize for the messed up picture formatting. Blogger didn't want to work with more than one picture.

ARCs to review in September
 

 

 

1.  Hemingway's Girl by Ericka Robuck
   The synopsis of this book sounds really good, so I'm excited to try it. Also, as an added bonus, I have an extra copy for a giveaway after my review is posted.
2. A Whole Lot of Lucky by Danette Haworth
   A middle grade novel is a nice break from the usual reading every once in a while. This book sounds like it will be funny, with a good moral for middle grade students.
3. Starting From Here by Lisa Jenn Bigelow
   A YA lgbt novel? Heck yes, count me in. I know that's not the full story line, but it is mentioned.
4. Sulan by Camille Picott
   I'm reading this for a blog tour. Make sure to check out my review on September 27th.
5. Audition and Subtraction by Amy Fellner Dominy
   Once again, another middle grade novel. It should be a fun, easy read.
6. Something Red by Douglas Nichols
   I'm a little nervous about this one. The synopsis sounds good, but it didn't really win me over. It was something that sounded mildly interesting. Also, I have an advanced bound manuscript of it, and the advanced bound manuscript I'm currently reading isn't working out to well. I hope I like it.
7. Legacy by Denise Tompkins
   The warning in the synopsis was enough to want to make me read this. It sounds really good, although I'm not to sure about the steamy sex scene.
8. The Infects by Sean Beaudoin
   All I had to hear was the word zombie. I can't wait to read this.
9. The Blessed by Tonya Hurley
   Tonya Hurley is easily one of my favorite authors. I loved her Ghost Girl series. So when I heard that she had a new series coming out, I jumped on the chance to be able to read it.
10. Showtime by Chloe Kayne
    This sounds like something different than what I would usually read. I've been really into the historical fiction lately, so I hope I like it.
11. After Hello by Lisa Magnum
    It's odd, before I became a book blogger, I wouldn't touch contemporary fiction with a ten foot pole. Now I'm actually starting to like it quite a bit.
12. Fang Girl by Helen Keeble
    This sounds so funny. I hope it's as good as the last Harper Teen book I read about vampires.
13. Wilderness by Lance Weller
    This should be interesting. The synopsis is very meh, but the cover makes up for it. I hope it's good.

September's Theme: Read What I Want

1. Save the Pearls: Revealing Eden by Victoria Foyt
   Wow, I just read a lot of horrible things about this book on Goodreads. I will try not to let that affect my review.
2. Pink Smog by Fancesca Lia Block
   I have never read the Weetzie Bat series. I won this off of Goodreads, and thought it looked good.
3. All That Bleeds by Kimberly Frost
   This cover is gorgeous. Also, I can't get enough of vampire books.
4. A Witch in Winter by Ruth Warburton
   It seems like I've this book on my to-review pile forever. I'm excited to finally crack it open.
5. Awaken by Sarah M. Ross
   The author is one of my Facebook friends. I've heard nothing but good things about her books. This book is no exception. I'm pumped to start it.
6. Death by Cupcake by Melanie Ray
   I couldn't get enough of the first book in the series, Death by Cake. I'm hoping the second book is as good as the first one was.
7. A Demon Made Me Do It by Penelope King
   This also seems like one of those books that I've had in my pile forever, just waiting to be read. I love the cover, and the synopsis sounds great.
8. The Mayfair Moon by J.A. Redmerski
   I've heard a lot of good things about this book on Goodreads. Everyone says the series only gets better. I can't wait to read them all and find out.
9. Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep
   I received this book from Book Divas quite a long time ago. The synopsis reminds me of a mix of Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, two of my favorite books.
10. Darkness Falls by Jessica Sorensen
    I love Jessica Sorensen's Fallen Star series. I can't wait to start a new series by her.
11. Little Orphan Anvil by Joseph Beekman
    The author is a personal friend of mine, and I've heard everyone talk about how good his books are. I'm hoping that I will love the first and second ones, and the third as well when I receive it.
12. Twisted Reflections by Shay Fabbro
    I loved the first book in the series. It's the reason I started reading historical fiction. I'm hoping the sequel is as good, if not better.
13. Veiled Rose by Anne Elisabeth Stengl
    I used to dislike christian fiction. That was before I read Heartless, the first book in Tales of the Goldstone Wood saga. The second book is written from a brand new character's point of view. That makes me a little nervous, but I hope I like it anyways.
14. Infinite Devotion by L.E. Waters
    Infinite Sacrifice was amazing. It was a fairly long book, and I read it in less than a day. I'm hoping Infinite Devotion tells a lot more about Maya's past lives.
15. Initiation by Imogen Rose
    Look at this cover. Do I need a better reason to want to read it right away? lol. The synopsis reminds me a little bit of Vampire Academy.
16. Echo of an Earth Angel by Sarah M. Ross
    Yes, this is the second book of Sarah's on the list. I really need to catch up on her books.
17. Wilde's Fire by Krystal Wade
    This sounds a little different from most paranormal YA books released today. I have high hopes that it will be good.
18. Claws by Mike Grinti and Rachel Grinti
    I must admit, what first attracted me to this book was the cat on the cover looked like my cat, Pig. I love books about cats, and wish I had more to read.
19. Girl Out Loud by Emily Gale
    This sounds like a good YA contemporary. I need to read more contemporary novels.
20. Undead by Kirsty McKay
    Guts, Gore, and Zombies. Need I say more?

Total TBR September: 34

Has anyone read any of these books? If so, what did you think?

Excerpt from A Collie Rescue by Lindsay Downs

Back cover blurb-
A Collie Rescue
Former Army Sergeant Sandi Charleston, diagnosed with PTSD and homeless barely survives day to day. By a miracle of fate she meets Taz, a uniquely special collie, who helps turn her life around.
Only through him does she find the courage to go head to head with her worst enemy-terrorist bent on mass destruction.
Bound by a special love to help and protect each other, side by side these two unlikely partners willingly march forward into battle. A fight to the death neither is sure can be won but fighting as one they will try to.
Kidnapped and forced to reveal what she knows Sandi realizes there is only one individual who can save her from certain death. It’s not the government but her new best buddy.
Together they defeat the enemy proving once again that battle buddies come in all shapes and breeds.
Rescued, Sandi finally realizes that there is a new and better life for her as long as Taz is part of it.

Excerpt from A Collie Rescue

Frozen in fear that strangers were actually talking to her, Sandi didn’t know what to do. Her fight or flight instincts kicked in. Fight was out of the question since there were two against her so flight was the only option, but when she tried to move her feet felt like they were glued to the sidewalk. When the collie glanced up at her with soft, friendly, brown eyes Sandi relaxed slightly.
“Ah, ah. I’m not sure. I’ve already got a collie friend and wouldn’t want to make her jealous. Thanks for the offer anyway.”
Sandi began to turn around when a soft hand stopped her. “Don’t worry, Roxy won’t mind. Trust me. This girl raised her to share.”
“What? That means you know…”
“Yes, we know Jenna,” Richard said. “She’s our friend and she sent us to make sure you were safe.”
“I don’t understand,” Sandi replied.
For some reason, Sandi didn’t fight when Alison took her by the arm and, with the collie in tow, headed in the direction of the wagon where tables and chairs were set out. “Richard, why don’t you get us girls some coffee and water for the mom while we get a seat. You know how I take mine.” A questioning glance to Sandi got her answer. “My guess, black.”
“Oh and make them large, and while you’re at it, see if they have any fresh pastries to go with the coffee.”
As Richard headed for the vendor, he called back over his shoulder, “Honey, call Jenna and Thaddeus. Tell them Zero-hour has been move up to now. Give them our location and tell them we’ll need the ride for three.”

Available from
Astraea Press   Amazon   B&N
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Thank you Lindsay for stopping by the blog today. To find out more about Lindsay Downs and her books, please visit these sites:
Website: http://www.lindsaydowns.com/index.html
Blog: http://murdersandmysteries.wordpress.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lindsay.downs.7
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3064076.Lindsay_Downs
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ldowns2966

Kissing Shakespeare by Pamela Mingle

Synopsis:
A romantic time travel story that's ideal for fans of novels by Meg Cabot and Donna Jo Napoli--and, of course, Shakespeare.Miranda has Shakespeare in her blood: she hopes one day to become a Shakespearean actor like her famous parents. At least, she does until her disastrous performance in her school's staging of The Taming of the Shrew. Humiliated, Miranda skips the opening-night party. All she wants to do is hide. 

Fellow cast member, Stephen Langford, has other plans for Miranda. When he steps out of the backstage shadows and asks if she'd like to meetShakespeare, Miranda thinks he's a total nutcase. But before she can object, Stephen whisks her back to 16th century England—the world Stephen's really from. He wants Miranda to use her acting talents and modern-day charms on the young Will Shakespeare. Without her help, Stephen claims, the world will lost its greatest playwright. 

Miranda isn't convinced she's the girl for the job. Why would Shakespeare care about her? And just who is this infuriating time traveler, Stephen Langford? Reluctantly, she agrees to help, knowing that it's her only chance of getting back to the present and her "real" life. What Miranda doesn't bargain for is finding true love . . . with no acting required.

My Thoughts:

When I first read the synopsis for Kissing Shakespeare, I really wanted to read the book. I was also a little nervous. I don't usually read books with a lot of romance in them. Therefore I wasn't sure if I would like it. Turns out, I had nothing to worry about. I loved Kissing Shakespeare. The plot was very intricate. The author definitely did her research. The book was historically accurate while throwing in some fun fiction. It was a lot of fun trying to guess who the spy was before "Olivia" and Stephen found out. I liked how Miranda was able to transfer so easily into her role as Olivia. At first I didn't like Stephen because of the way he treated Miranda. Shortly afterwards he became a kind gentle loving person. I like that even though they were trying to help Shakespeare, Stephen didn't let his feelings stop. He tried, but then he realized that his love was too strong. Pamela Mingle wrote a fascinating debut. When the book ended I felt this horrible pang of loneliness like I had lost a close friend. Based on Kissing Shakespeare, I will read anything the author writes in the future. 

I give Kissing Shakespeare: 5/5.

Want to know more about the author?
Website: http://www.pammingle.com/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5300466.Pamela_Mingle
Twitter: http://twitter.com/PamMingle

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

The Sweetest Spell by Suzanne Selfors

Synopsis:
Emmeline Thistle, a dirt-scratcher's daughter, has escaped death twice-first, on the night she was born, and second, on the day her entire village was swept away by flood. Left with nothing and no one, Emmeline discovers her rare and mysterious ability-she can churn milk into chocolate, a delicacy more precious than gold.

Suddenly, the most unwanted girl in Anglund finds herself desired by all. But Emmeline only wants one-Owen Oak, a dairyman's son, whose slow smiles and lingering glances once tempted her to believe she might someday be loved for herself. But others will stop at nothing to use her gift for their own gains-no matter what the cost to Emmeline. 

Magic and romance entwine in this fantastical world where true love and chocolate conquer all.

My Thoughts:
The Sweetest Spell was an okay YA novel. The book was kind of weird and different from anything else I have ever read. The story is about Emmeline, a girl with a curled foot who lives in the flatlands. She discovers that she can make chocolate, which has been extinct for a long time. The whole book was very slow for me. I couldn't really get into the storyline until about the sixty page mark. Once she left the Oaks the story got boring for me again, and stayed thet way until the end of the novel. Emmeline's initial experience with chocolate was fun. I liked a few of the characters. The Baron of Lime had a cool personality. I didn't care for Emmeline. She was very naive. I also didn't like how she pitied herself at the beggining because of her foot. It got annoying fairly quickly. I also didn't care for the royal family. The king was horribly incompetent. The queen was a horrible, heartless bitch. The prince was arrogant but in the end redeemed himself. Owen Oak is my new book boyfriend. I like how devoted and faithful he was to Emmeline. He travelled an entire kingdom to find her. I really wanted to like this novel. However it was not as good as I was hoping it to be. 

I give The Sweetest Spell : 2.5/5

Want to know more about the author?
Website: http://www.suzanneselfors.com/index_flash.php
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Suzanne-Selfors/207336662652088
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/833687.Suzanne_Selfors

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

We Made Mommy Mashed Potatoes by Michael Weber

Synopsis:
Tator & Tot have no idea how their behavior played a large part in turning Mommy into mashed potatoes. 

All is not lost, however; in the end the girls help restore Mommy with a hug, a kiss and a promise.

My Thoughts:

We Made Mommy Mashed Potatoes is an adorable children's book. The book is about two potato children misbehaving and upsetting their mom. The children's mother is so upset, she turns into mashed potatoes. How will the children fix this epic mistake? This book has a great lesson for children. They should always treat their parents with love and respect, because they never know what could happen in the future. The illustrations in the book are really cute. I think my favorite illustration was the one of the girls fighting with their mom over which book book to read. This was a great children's book. I recomend it for boys and girls 5-9, along with parents who want a good chuckle. 

I give We Made Mommy Mashed Potatoes: 5/5.

Want to know more about the author?
Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/michaelweberbooks
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5759855.Michael_Weber

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

False Memory by Dan Krokos

Synopsis:
Miranda wakes up alone on a park bench with no memory. In her panic, she releases a mysterious energy that incites pure terror in everyone around her. Except Peter, a boy who isn’t at all surprised by Miranda’s shocking ability.

Left with no choice but to trust this stranger, Miranda discovers she was trained to be a weapon and is part of an elite force of genetically-altered teens who possess flawless combat skills and powers strong enough to destroy a city. But adjusting to her old life isn’t easy—especially with Noah, the boyfriend she can’t remember loving.

Then Miranda uncovers a dark truth that sets her team on the run. Suddenly her past doesn’t seem to matter... when there may not be a future.

Dan Krokos’ debut is a tour-de-force of non-stop action that will leave readers begging for the next book in this bold and powerful new series.

My Thoughts:

False Memory was a great sci-fi adventure. In the first ten pages there is a disaster that happened at a mall that left me completely captivated. It had me hooked. I had to keep reading to find out why it happened. It's odd, I usually hate science fiction novels, but I loved this one. My favorite part was when Miranda, the main character, discovered that she was beginning to have feelings for one of the guys on her team. This book has a little bit of a love triangle in it, which I know quite a few people are getting tired of reading in young adult novels. However a little bit after the middle of the book, the love triangle gets solved. The book had no grammar or spelling errors. I like that False Memory was an original novel for the YA genre. So many books recently are very similar. I have never read anything like it before. The characters get a bit confusing at times. I had trouble figuring out which clone was which at times. Peter was my favorite character. I liked that he was a very responsible leader. That always did what was best for the group. I'm counting down the days until the sequel comes out. 
I give False Memory 5/5.

Want to know more about the author?
Website: http://dankrokos.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/DanKrokos
Tumblr: http://dankrokos.tumblr.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/dankrokosauthor

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

A Bad Day For Voodoo by Jeff Strand

Synopsis:
When your best friend is just a tiny bit psychotic, you should never actually believe him when he says, "Trust me. This is gonna be awesome."

Of course, you probably wouldn't believe a voodoo doll could work either. Or that it could cause someone's leg to blow clean off with one quick prick. But I've seen it. It can happen.

And when there's suddenly a doll of YOU floating around out there—a doll that could be snatched by a Rottweiler and torn to shreds, or a gang of thugs ready to torch it, or any random family of cannibals (really, do you need the danger here spelled out for you?)—well, you know that's just gonna be a really bad day.

My Thoughts:

A Bad Day for Voodoo was an okay middle grade novel. I didn't like it, but I didn't hate it. The over the top, ridiculous situations got to be a bit too much at times. Most of the book had me laughing, but sometimes I just had to roll my eyes. Chapter 28 in particular made me want to slam my head against the wall. Other parts, such as re-finding Mr. Click, made me chuckle. Aside from the ridiculous humor in the book, the plot was interesting. It kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what crazy situations Tyler and his friends were going to get in next, or how they were going to get themselves out of the current one. The only character I really liked was Kelley. She was the least annoying of the group. Most of the time she was very level headed. She rarely panicked in a crisis. The rest of the characters were kind of annoying. Adam made horrible jokes that weren't funny at inappropiate times. He was a horrible friend to Tyler. When he thought Tyler was mad at him he would get whiny and annoying until Tyler forgave him. This book just wasn't for me. I didn't really care for the sense of humor. Just because I don't like it doesn't mean others won't. My husband is reading it and really likes it. I guess I just don't have the sense of humor for it. I reccomend it for fans of comdey and puntasticular jokes. I also reccomend it for fans of There Goes the Galaxy by Jenn Thorson. 

I give A Bad Day for Voodoo: 2.5/5 
My husband gives it a 4/5.

Want to know more about the author?
Blog: http://jeffstrand.wordpress.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JeffStrandAuthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/207708.Jeff_Strand
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jeffstrand

I received this book from the publisher, Source Books, in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

Blog Tour: A Bad Day For Voodoo

The author of A Bad Day for Voodoo, Jeff Strand, has graciously offered to stop by the blog as a part of the blog tour to talk about five books he thinks you should read.

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Five Weird, Funny Novels You Should Read

Note that this is not a list of the five funniest novels of all time--just five funny, weird novels you should read, assuming that you like funny, weird novels.

1. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. Yeah, I'm starting off with an obvious choice, but the books in this series (well, okay, the first three) are some of the most hilariously insane novels of all time. This isn't the place to go for laser-focused storytelling; Adams continually and cheerfully goes off on wild tangents, and that's a lot of the fun.

2. The Unnatural by David Prill. So here's the premise: it's a world just like our own, except that instead of watching baseball, sports fans watch...competitive corpse embalming! Yes, this is the tale of a young farmboy with talent and a dream. If you're always saying that you'd read more sports-themed novels if they were about trying to set the record for number of corpses embalmed in a single season, this dark and funny book is for you.

3. Bad Chili by Joe Lansdale. Lansdale has written several books featuring Hap & Leonard, and all of them mix beautiful writing with lowbrow, laugh-out-loud humor. This one opens with a rabid squirrel attack that is the funniest thing I have ever read in a novel.

4. Go, Mutants! by Larry Doyle. Nobody packs more jokes into a book than Larry Doyle. This one is a loving tribute to 1950's sci-fi movies, and though there's all kinds of over-the-top alien craziness, much of the humor is so understated that if you read too fast, you'll zip right past it.

5. John Dies At The End by David Wong. Yeah, I'm jealous that I didn't think of this title. A combination of Big, Deep Ideas and gross, demented humor. You will laugh. You will think. You will gag.

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Thank you Jeff for stopping by. If the readers of the blog tour come back to my blog tomorrow, they will get to see my review of A Bad Day For Voodoo. If you would like to know more about Jeff, make sure to check out these links:

Blog: http://jeffstrand.wordpress.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JeffStrandAuthor

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/207708.Jeff_Strand

Earth Girl by Janet Edwards

Synopsis:
2788. Only the handicapped live on Earth. While everyone else portals between worlds, 18-year-old Jarra is among the one in a thousand people born with an immune system that cannot survive on other planets. Sent to Earth at birth to save her life, she has been abandoned by her parents. She can’t travel to other worlds, but she can watch their vids, and she knows all the jokes they make. She’s an ‘ape’, a ‘throwback’, but this is one ape girl who won’t give in.

Jarra invents a fake background for herself – as a normal child of Military parents – and joins a class of norms that is on Earth to excavate the ruins of the old cities. When an ancient skyscraper collapses, burying another research team, Jarra’s role in their rescue puts her in the spotlight. No hiding at back of class now. To make life more complicated, she finds herself falling in love with one of her classmates – a norm from another planet. Somehow, she has to keep the deception going.

A freak solar storm strikes the atmosphere, and the class is ordered to portal off-world for safety – no problem for a real child of military parents, but fatal for Jarra. The storm is so bad that the crews of the orbiting solar arrays have to escape to planet below: the first landing from space in 600 years. And one is on collision course with their shelter.

My Thoughts:

Earth Girl was an incredible dystopian/science fiction adventure. Usually I hate science fiction, but I loved this book. The plot was great. It kept me turning pages to find out what happens next. When Jarra switched into her JMK personality after something horrific happened, I got a little bored. I didn't like her personality at all when she was JMK. The different slang words also took me a bit of time to figure out. Once I figured them out, they were easy to understand. I actually started using them in real life, which annoyed my friends immensely. I liked most of the characters. I didn't like Krath, because he was a jerk. Also, I didn't like the Betans, Lolmack and Lolia. They had crappy attitudes, and were very weak willed. They gained a little bit of my respect, but not much, when it was revealed why they were taking the course. The rest of the characters were great. I thought it was totally 'zan' that Fian had the same last name as me. I read it and let out a fan girl squee! Jarra, the main character was very kick-ass. She was handicapped but she didn't let that stop her. She went on to do some pretty amazing things. Things that no other Earth Girl has done. I couldn't get enough of this book. I'm really hoping that the author writes a sequel.

I give Earth Girl: 5/5

Want to know more about the author?
Website: http://janetedwards.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JanetEdwardsSF
Twitter: http://twitter.com/JanetEdwardsSF
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5415711.Janet_Edwards

I received this ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

The Boy Recession by Flynn Meaney

Synopsis:
Where have all the boys gone?

Down-to-earth Kelly is always the friend and never the girlfriend. But as her junior year of high school starts, Kelly is determined to finally reveal her true feelings for her long-time crush and good friend Hunter - that is, until the Boy Recession hits.

Over the past summer, an overwhelming number of male students have left Kelly and Hunter's small high school class. Some were sent to private school and others moved away. Whatever the case, the sudden population shift has left the already small Julius P. Heil High in desperate shape. The football coach is recruiting chess champs for his team, the principal's importing male exchange students to balance out school dances,and Hunter is about to become an unexpected heartthrob.

Content with his role as the guitar-strumming, class-skipping slacker, Hunter is unprepared to be the center of attention. Desperate coaches are recruiting him for sports teams, and the drama teacher casts him in the lead role of the school musical. Even the Spandexers, powerful popular girls in tight pants, are noticing Hunter in a new light - with a little work, he could have potential. He might even be boyfriend material...

In order to stand out from the crowd and win Hunter's heart, Kelly needs a "stimulus package" in the form of cougar lessons from a senior girl who dates hot freshman boys and advice on the male mind from her Cosmo-addicted best friend, Aviva. As if dating wasn't hard enough without a four-to-one ratio!

My Thoughts:
Flynn Meaney's second novel, The Boy Recession, was a good YA chick-lit novel. Chick-lit isn't my usual genre, but I really liked this book. The plot was interesting, and flowed smoothly. There were a few things that bothered me about the book. I dislike when authors use the f-word more than once in a young adult novel. The author probably used the f-word close to half a dozen times. Another thing that bothered me in the book was some of the article titles that Aviva uses. For example, "Skankology: How Female Desperation Has Altered the Julius Hook-Up Scene". There's no way a newspaper adviser would let anyone print that in the high school's newspaper. It's just not realistic, and highly inappropriate. Other than those few flaws, the book was good. My favorite character was Eugene. He was funny. He was a pain in the ass for Hunter sometimes, such as when he had Hunter lift his boat. However, he turned out to be a good friend. I'm glad that at the end of the book, everyone got what they really wanted. I haven't read the author's debut novel, Bloodthirsty. Based upon the author's writing style, I will definitely be giving Bloodthirsty a try. 

I give The Boy Recession: 4/5.

Want to know more about the author?
Website: http://www.flynnmeaney.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bloodthirsty/161906097176956
Twitter: http://twitter.com/flynnmeaney
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3353461.Flynn_Meaney

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

Auracle by Gina Rosati

Synopsis:
16 year old Anna Rogan has a secret she's only shared with her best friend, Rei; she can astrally project out of her body, allowing her spirit to explore the world and the far reaches of the universe.

When there's a fatal accident and her classmate Taylor takes over Anna's body, what was an exhilarating distraction from her repressive home life threatens to become a permanent state. Faced with a future trapped in another dimension, Anna turns to Rei for help. Now the two of them must find a way to get Anna back into her body and stop Taylor from accusing an innocent friend of murder. Together Anna and Rei form a plan but it doesn't take into account the deeper feelings that are beginning to grow between them.

My Thoughts:
Gina Rosati's debut novel was a wonderful YA fantasy novel. I had never read a book about astral projection before. Thanks to Auracle, I will definitely read more books about it in the future. Although the book made me laugh a few times, towards the end I wanted to fall asleep. For that reason, Auracle took me about a week to read. Other than the boring parts in the book, I really liked the plot. It was interesting trying to figure out how Anna was going to get her body back. At first, I really hated Taylor. As the book progressed I began to feel sympathy and pity for her. I liked the rest of the characters. Rei is my new book boyfriend. I loved that he cared so much for Anna. His main priority was always watching out for her, and making sure she got back into her body. I do wish Seth would have been in the book more. Most of the book was about him being on trial for murder. However, he felt like a very minor character. I would love it if the author wrote a sequel so the reader could learn more about Anna's life in the future. The book ended in a way that made me think Auracle would be a stand alone novel. 

I give Auracle: 4/5.

Want to know more about the author?
Website: http://ginarosati.com/
Blog: http://ginarosati.wordpress.com/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4851799.Gina_Rosati
Twitter: http://twitter.com/GinaRosati
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gina-Rosati/168090603246100

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

Cover Reveal: Allusive Aftershock by Susan Griscom

Title: Allusive Aftershock

Author: Susan Griscom

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Amber Glow Books

Release date: 2013

Blurb:

What happens when a major earthquake changes life as you know it and the boy you thought you hated ends up saving you? Three times!

Courtland Reese is the guy everyone hates and makes fun of because … well, he is weird. He communicates with animals. Strange or interesting, seventeen-year-old Adela Castielle can’t quite figure out but when he saves her from being trampled by her own horse, she begins to understand him a little better and wants to learn more about him.

But, Max, her best friend/dream guy/someday-to-be-her-husband-only-he-doesn’t-know it—yet, hates Courtland with a passion. Adela wants to know why, except both boys are very reticent about the whole issue.

When Max leaves her stranded in his parents' wine cellar with his worst enemy, Courtland, after what the experts are calling a “megathrust” earthquake, Adela starts to question her loyalty to Max as steamy kisses in a dark damp cellar only fuel her emotions with more conflict.

But does she really have time to worry about that when fire, destruction and mayhem surround her?

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I must admit, I love this cover. I've been seeing this couple a lot on book covers. The more covers I see them on, the better they look. I'm definitely adding this to my to-read pile. Thank you Susan for letting me know about the cover.

A Halflings Rescue by Heather Burch

Synopsis:
In this free illustrated short story from the popular Halflings series by Heather Burch, Nikki and the Halflings team intercept important information regarding the kidnapping of Hollywood's hottest teen celebrity, Mandy Mosen. Will they be able come to the young starlet's aide in time, or is Mandy's fifteen minutes of fame about to end? Includes a bonus first chapter from Guardian, the next full novel in the Halflings series!


My Thoughts:
Just when I thought the wait for Guardian was going to be unbearable, A Halflings Rescue steps in and saves the day. A Halflings Rescue takes place in between Halflings and Guardian in the Halflings series. Even though the book was a quick read, it still had time to make me chuckle. Vine and his sarcastic sense of humor never fails to make me laugh. In the book, the halflings attempt to rescue a celebrity and her friends that are held hostage inside her house. The illustrations are really well drawn. They look almost like a manga-ka drew them. My only complaint about the story is I wish it was a little longer. The preview for Guardian at the end of the novella definitely made up for how short the story was.


I give A Halflings Rescue: 5/5.


You can find A Halflings Rescue free for Nook here: 
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-halflings-rescue-heather-burch/1110504786?ean=9780310736226&r=1&cm_mmc=AFFILIATES-_-Linkshare-_-GwEz7vxblVU-_-10%3a1&

Free on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Halflings-Rescue-FREE-eBook-ebook/dp/B007Z6GHZ4/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1344132784&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=9780310736226
The price was set as free by the publisher, so it will always be free.


Want to know more about the author?
Website: http://www.heatherburchbooks.com/index.php
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Heather-Burch-Books/195271720531559
Twitter: http://twitter.com/heatherburch
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4983102.Heather_Burch

I bought this book for free on Amazon Kindle. I was in no way compensated for this review.

Blood and Snow by RaShelle Workman

Synopsis:
EVERY THOUSAND YEARS THE VAMPIRE QUEEN SELECTS A NEW BODY, ALWAYS THE FAIREST IN THE LAND, AND THIS TIME SHE'S CHOSEN SNOW WHITE. 

Snow White lives in Salem, Massachusetts with her dad, stepmother, and her cat, Gatsby. Her entire life she's been teased for her fairy tale name, and the fact that her seven best friends happen to be guys whose names begin with the same letters as the seven dwarves. 

Everything changes on a trip into Boston, where an unseen stranger bites her, and she's transformed into something not quite human.


My Thoughts:
RaShelle Workman is one of my favorite authors. When I heard that she had a new series coming out, I moved up to the top of my to-read list. It definitely didn't disappoint. The book was a mix of Snow White and paranormal romance. It had the seven "dwarves", an evil queen, and a few other things that made it like the original Snow White. The book also had vampires in it, which created a nice twist. Only one thing disappointed me about the book. I wish Cindy would have been in it more. She is Snow's best friend and a very likable character. I hope to see more of her in book two. RaShelle Workman continues to be an incredible author. I can't wait for book two, Revenant Training, to come out. I am excited to see how the story progresses in the future. 


I give Blood and Snow: 4/5.


Want to know more about the author?
Website: http://www.rashelleworkman.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rashelleworkman
Twitter: http://twitter.com/RaShelleWorkman
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2958515.RaShelle_Workman

I bought this book when it was free for Amazon Kindle. I was in no way compensated for this review.