Melissa De La Cruz & Michael Johnston Event Recap

     Last weekend I went to go see Melissa De La Cruz and Michael Johnston at The Grove. I originally was not going to see them, but my friend wanted to go so off we went. We got there super early, thank goodness not a lot of traffic especially considering it's L.A. We browsed the books and grabbed some Starbucks while we waited for the event to start. They promptly began at 2pm introducing themselves. They are a married couple that co-write each other's books. Frozen is the first series where they officially have both their names on the cover. Frozen is like Lord of the Rings but backwards. They combined all their thoughts together to make the book. Frozen is a combination of fantasy meets science fiction. They wanted the book to have a global freezing rather than a global warming. They even did research that shows a freezing could happen instead of a warming. Melissa then read two pages from the book and it opened up to Q&A.

First Question: Where did you get the idea from to write Frozen?
     Melissa said two reasons and it came out of no where. The first reason is that her cousins are black jack dealers in Atlanta, Georgia. They thought why not have black jack dealers in a YA book, that hasn't happened yet. The second idea they got the book started is because a friend of theirs lives in South Korea. He was telling them that at night when he's out it's lively. But when he looks at North Korea not too far from him, it is pitch black. They decided to combine those ideas to make a dystopian novel with all the worst case scenarios, including the pacific ocean full of littered trash.

Second Question: Do you have any part in the TV show Witches of East End?
     Absolutely not! Melissa learned a long time ago to let things be the way they are. A few years ago, she was optioned to do a pilot for her Blue Bloods novels into a tv show. For six months she wrote a manuscript, and everyone was thinking they got this in the bag. A little bit of her ego got to her, so when the producers called her that it was canceled she was crushed! They told her it was overruled by a certain show called The Vampire Diaries. She was mad of course so when they called her a year later, asking her to option Blue Bloods again, she said NO! She was proud for thinking she was sticking it back to them. Later, Melissa realized that although she said no, even if she said yes there would still be no guarantee the show would be picked up. Another couple years passed, and this time they wanted the options for Witches of East End. She went along with it and everything has been smooth going. The only critique she gave the producers was to make the show darker and serious because the original plot had more humor. She likes watching it play out while not having to do anything. She came to the realization that producing is boring lol. When everyone goes through scene after scene, all she is thinking is, "What's for lunch?"

Third Question: Do you and your husband have a set schedule to work?
     The answer is no. Michael said when one writes part of the book they let them do it. Later, when it's their turn to work on it, if they don't like a scene they just delete it. That's their system and that's why they are still married.

Fourth Question: Is one organized and the other sloppy?
     No they are both super organized so they know where everything is at.

Fifth Question: How many books in the series?
     Three or four books, they are not sure yet. Melissa is also writing an adult spin-off series of the Blue Bloods series. The new book is called The Ring and The Crown, set to come out April 2014. She said it is very sexy compared to her YA books.

The event ended and it was time for the signing. I did not talk to them much but they were very friendly. This turned out to be a nice way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

 Look at this woman's tattoos!!! They are awesome! On the front of her leg she also had the Vampire Academy logo too. The picture on the right of the little girl is Melissa and Michael's daughter. She is so cute! That's me on the bottom. Yes I know I'm short :oP

Review: Unbreakable by Kami Garcia

Published: October 1, 2013
Publisher: Little Brown & Company
Pages: 308
Genre: Paranormal - Ghosts
Source: ARC won from Stacee of Adventures of a Book Junkie
Rating: 4 out of 5





Supernatural meets The Da Vinci Code in this action-packed paranormal thriller, the first book in a new series from New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia.
I never believed in ghosts. Until one tried to kill me.
When Kennedy Waters finds her mother dead, her world begins to unravel. She doesn’t know that paranormal forces in a much darker world are the ones pulling the strings. Not until identical twins Jared and Lukas Lockhart break into Kennedy’s room and destroy a dangerous spirit sent to kill her. The brothers reveal that her mother was part of an ancient secret society responsible for protecting the world from a vengeful demon — a society whose five members were all murdered on the same night.
Now Kennedy has to take her mother’s place in the Legion if she wants to uncover the truth and stay alive. Along with new Legion members Priest and Alara, the teens race to find the only weapon that might be able to destroy the demon — battling the deadly spirits he controls every step of the way.
Suspense, romance, and the paranormal meet in this chilling urban fantasy, the first book in a new series from Kami Garcia, bestselling coauthor of the Beautiful Creatures novels

     When I won this book in a giveaway I had to read it as soon as I got it! I devoured this book within a few days and really enjoyed it! It had action, it had cool friendships, and yes it was really really spooky!!! The only thing I disliked about the book was the character development.
     Kennedy is mourning the death of her mother who mysteriously died while she was away. While she is sleeping, her cat tries to kill her when two strangers, twins in fact, save Kennedy from the ghost that was in the cat. Although she saw all these paranormal events happening, she still has her doubts about ghosts. To stay protected, Kennedy stays with a gang of misfits so to speak. She stays with twins Jared and Lukas, Priest, and Alara. They are a from a group called the Legion who kill evil spirits and they believe she is the final member of the Legion. Kennedy is very skeptical but goes along with it only because she has no where to live. As the story moves along, they go to different haunted places searching for disks that can stop the evil spirit Andras, from killing them.
     I loved the story line of the book. It was fast paced and action packed. It felt like I was on a scary roller coaster of a ride because every where they turned, the characters were being attacked by vengeful spirits! This book seriously crept me out with certain scenes and I sometimes had to sleep with a night light on hehe. Kami really knows how to put the scare factor on with such details.
     What disappointed me though were the main characters. Kennedy, I really wanted to like her but she came off so whiny. She always complained, sulking that she wasn't part of the Legion, or she doesn't believe in the ghosts, but she had evidence right in front of her!!! She wasn't a horrible main character, she just came off as weak and wishy washy. I really hope her personality improves in the upcoming books. Then there are the twins. Ugh what's up with twins appearing in young adult books? I don't really care for it for some reason. Jared and Lukas Lockhart were okay. I have nothing against them, they just come off as boring and too much alike. There personalities needed more character depth like the way Kami had described Ethan Wate in the Beautiful Creatures series. They had a monotonous tone about them that left me wanting more to come from them. Plus the whole love triangle that was stirring up did not sit well with me either. Kennedy tends to like one twin more than the other, but then when that twin is ignoring her she starts saying loving things about the other. What I did love were the sidekicks Priest and Alara! Priest is the youngest of the group, with the best personality. I loved him to pieces because he was so cute in a geeky, protect your little brother kind of way. He was funny, intelligent, and he was more perceptive to everyone's feelings more than they assumed him to be. I also liked Alara mainly because she carried herself in a confident, kick your ass kind of way. She had many layers to her personality from being tough and bitchy, to being caring and vulnerable when others were in danger. I enjoyed them as a whole group. They were like a gang of misfits acting silly and such. They also had each others backs whether they were in disagreement or not.
     Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Unbreakable is more of an introduction to the series because we only get a taste of what's to come. I wish the second book was out already since it left off with such a cliffhanger! I was crying and screaming when it ended. I will not go into details what happens, but I will say the ending leaves you hanging lol. This is a fast paced thriller of a book. If you love ghost stories and want a little spook for Halloween, then you should definitely read this book. I hope to see more back story into the Legion members pasts, I want to see why Kennedy's mother hid them from the Legion, plus I want see the characters more developed. Kami Garcia's first book as a solo author started off well and I cannot wait to read more of her books!
Scary quote:
"The child studied Lukas, her blue eyes lingering on his wrist. She acted as if she saw something more than his bare skin. The hem of her yellow dress fluttered in a non-existent wind. The little girl's body flickered, revealing another face beneath her own. An old woman's empty eyes leered at us, her face slack and covered in scratches. Matted gray hair hung limp at her shoulders where the child's shiny blond strands had hung a moment ago. She lifted the doll off the ground, its head dangling from the cord holding the toy together. The old woman's scratched face flashed in front of the child's as she raised the broken doll higher. I like the kind of games where people like you end up like this."
Child ghost talking to Lukas, Alara, and Kennedy              
    

Waiting on Wednesday (6): Crash Into You by Katie McGarry

Waiting on Wednesday (WoW) is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights future releases we are eagerly anticipating! Here it is...

From acclaimed author Katie McGarry comes an explosive new tale of a good girl with a reckless streak, a street-smart guy with nothing to lose, and a romance forged in the fast lane
The girl with straight As, designer clothes and the perfect life-that's who people expect Rachel Young to be. So the private-school junior keeps secrets from her wealthy parents and overbearing brothers...and she's just added two more to the list. One involves racing strangers down dark country roads in her Mustang GT. The other? Seventeen-year-old Isaiah Walker-a guy she has no business even talking to. But when the foster kid with the tattoos and intense gray eyes comes to her rescue, she can't get him out of her mind.
Isaiah has secrets, too. About where he lives, and how he really feels about Rachel. The last thing he needs is to get tangled up with a rich girl who wants to slum it on the south side for kicks-no matter how angelic she might look.
But when their shared love of street racing puts both their lives in jeopardy, they have six weeks to come up with a way out. Six weeks to discover just how far they'll go to save each other.


     I have just gotten into contemporary books and Pushing the Limits was the first book I read. I loved that book! I devoured it never wanting it to end. I bought Dare You To, the next in the series but have not had a chance to read it. This is the third book in the series. I will probably read them back to back. Plus, I will get to meet Katie McGarry when I go to the Vegas Valley Book Festival in November!!! I'm excited about that. I can't wait to see what's in store for crazy, yet swoony worth Isaiah as he gets his own story!

Crash Into You will be released on November 26, 2013 by Harlequin Teen
Here is a list of the books by Katie McGarry
What book are you waiting for?

Kendare Blake & Gretchen McNeil Author Recap

     So on Wednesday, September 18th at Mysterious Galaxy in Redondo Beach, I went to a book signing for Kendare Blake and Gretchen McNeil. As soon as I found out about this event I had to go!!! We left early, got there a half hour before the event thinking we were early, apparently NOT. We were one of the last people to arrive lol. So I got my books and sat down with the hubs and we sat right next to Elana K. Arnold. It felt so cool sitting next to an author!
     Anyways, the event began with the ladies introducing themselves, then described their books. Gretchen explained how she was at a stop light and the light was about to turn red. Should she stay or should she gun the car and run the red light? She stayed, but it got her thinking what would happen if her doppelganger had run the red light? It turned out to be a complicated story and she told us if she ever gets an idea like that again to hit her! It was so difficult making the doppelgangers the same people, yet different at the same time. It was also hard looking up the scientific terms for the science part of the story. Kendare then explained her book. Her main character, Cassandra is caught up in a god war that she did not want to be in. Some gods want to use her power for good, while others just want to destroy her. She said you can guarantee her life is going to be ruined in the next 3 books. Kendare even got lines from Iliad on her back because she's a psycho. It tickled as hell! Antigoddess first began as short stories of dying goddesses. Then she wanted to work with Cassandra, but she didn't want to work with her lol. Tried to publish it later, though it got rejected. Her people told her something was missing so that's when she brought in Athena. That's when the story finally came together. This was in essence the first novel she wrote before Anna Dressed In Blood. They talked about neither of them wanting to read their finished book because then they would find stuff and want to change it, but they can't anymore.

     It was time for Q&A or read from their book. Since no one said anything they opted to just do Q&A. Gretchen feels uncomfortable reading her own book. First question was asked by Elana:
     Do you have a specific writing process? Or do you have the idea and immediately get a pen/paper? Kendare brushes them off. When she works on something, an idea always pops in her head and she has to put it away. If the idea keeps nagging in her mind, she'll eventually work on it to not be too mean. She thinks of the characters, finds a story and then writes. Gretchen normally opens a word doc, titles it something, writes a few sentences, saves it, and closes it until she can get back to it again. Later she will buy a few books to do research on her story. Also, she looks at the market to make sure she's not the fifth person to write that type of book.
     Second question: Now that you're multi-published, can you sell a book on concept?
Kendare said now she can turn in a sample chapter and synopsis, but she doesn't. She feels she has to write the whole story first. Gretchen on the other hand only turns in a synopsis and a page of her stories. Possess was the only finished book she turned in. Ten was sold on a synopsis and six chapters, but they eventually got all scrapped. Gretchen prefers to work better under pressure like a gun to her head.
     Third question: If you could be a character from each other's books, who would you be?
Kendare said Bridget from Possess. She was messed up and she liked that. Gretchen's response to Kendare about Possess was the half Asian character. She told her the original cover of Possess was a white girl with big Keira Knightly eyes and she was mad that she did not look Asian. She wrote to Harper telling them if they publish the book with that cover, then she will not defend it. They changed it luckily. Her final answer was Athena from Antigoddess. She's always had a fetish for her, not in the sexual way. Her words lol.
     Fourth question: Are there any funny things that happened to you when you've gone to publish?
Gretchen's reply was funny ha ha or funny ugh? She told the story of Christopher Pike. I didn't quite catch it all, but she said when she wrote Ten, she wanted Chris Pike to blurb her book. He emailed her first and thought it was spam so she let it go. Then one day while she was at work, he called her and told her he loved it and wanted to blurb. She cried hysterically because she still thought he was fake, pulling a prank on her, and second because she's a huge fangirl of him! Next, Kendare replied by mentioning her cover photo of her books. When she first saw the picture of Anna, it looked like there were female problems for Anna. She freaked and told them to change it, so they told her not to worry they would fix it. Then the cover photo came for Antigoddess, and the blood was in the middle of the feather!!! She told them, what does that look like? This isn't an ad for Maxi Pads, my book have nothing to do with menstruation! She's fine now saying next time her book better have super ninja periods lol!
     Fifth question: What are you reading now?
Gretchen said The Secret Keeper by Kate Morgan when she has the time. Said it is an awesome book! Kendare said she is reading NOS4A2 by Joe Hill. She loves it because it's scary and it has demon children with shark teeth! A must read if you love scary books. She admitted that Joe Hill is a better writer than his dad.
     Last question: What's next for you?
Kendare's reply was now she can take her time doing projects. She was originally supposed to have her books come out seven months apart. She freaked out making herself go to into over drive and wrote all three books. After she was done, her publicists told her they changed their mind and would have them be released once a year as usual. Gretchen on the other hand is writing her duology, The Don't Get Mad Series. It's about four girls from different groups forming a secret society to get revenge against bullies, mean girls, and evil teachers.
     The talk ended and it was time for the signing of the books.

 

 

  This was an awesome event and I had a great time! I believe this was one of the funniest events I have ever been to. Both Gretchen and Kendare are hilarious people. I hope you enjoyed my recap. Sorry it was so long haha.

Stacking the Shelves: My First One!

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews. Stacking the Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. It can be books that you bought, borrowed, review books, gifts, and ebooks!

Well, I probably will not do this weekly as I don't get ARC's and all that jazz, but I will probably do this monthly. Here is the awesome haul I received over the month of September!

BOOKS I BOUGHT!

DEFIANCE by C.J. Redwine

TIME BETWEEN US by Tamara Ireland Stone

THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US by Kasie West

HEMLOCK by Kathleen Peacock

ALICE IN ZOMBIELAND by Gena Showalter

PUSHING THE LIMITS by Katie McGarry

THE MEMORY OF AFTER by Lenore Appelhans

SHADOWLANDS by Kate Brian

THE ESSENCE by Kimberly Derting

 

I got these book mostly for entertainment reading, but some of them I got for future Author Events that I will be attending soon.

 

BOOKS I WON!



UNBREAKABLE by Kami Garcia

Won ARC from Stacee at Adventures of A Book Junkie

 

THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST by Emily M. Danforth

Won book from Epic Reads

 

BOOKS I GOT SIGNED!

FROZEN by Melissa De La Cruz & Michael Johnston

ANTIGODDESS by Kendare Blake

3:59 by Gretchen McNeil

 

E-BOOKS I BOUGHT!

BREATHE by Sarah Crossan

FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS by Diana Peterfreund

WHAT'S LEFT OF ME by Kat Zhang

LOSING IT by Cora Carmack

FANGIRL by Rainbow Rowell

ELEANOR & PARK by Rainbow Rowell

THE COLDEST GIRL IN COLDTOWN by Holly Black

 

Some of these e-books were gifted from the lovely Meredith over at Pandora's Books as a Birthday gift to me! Thank you so much!!!

 



 

 



Review: The Collector by Victoria Scott

Published: April 2, 2013
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Pages: 352
Genre: Paranormal
Rating: 4.5 out of 5






He makes good girls...bad.
Dante Walker is flippin’ awesome, and he knows it. His good looks, killer charm, and stellar confidence have made him one of hell’s best—a soul collector. His job is simple: weed through humanity and label those round rears with a big red good or bad stamp. Old Saint Nick gets the good guys, and he gets the fun ones. Bag-and-tag.
Sealing souls is nothing personal. Dante’s an equal-opportunity collector and doesn't want it any other way. But he’ll have to adjust, because Boss Man has given him a new assignment:
Collect Charlie Cooper’s soul within ten days.
Dante doesn't know why Boss Man wants Charlie, nor does he care. This assignment means only one thing to him, and that’s a permanent ticket out of hell. But after Dante meets the quirky Nerd Alert chick he’s come to collect, he realizes this assignment will test his abilities as a collector…and uncover emotions deeply buried.

     Dante, Dante, Dante, he is one bad ass sexy dude! He is the shiz and he knows it. At first I was skeptical to read this book because I thought it was going to be similar to the Fifty Shades series. While many people raved about Fifty Shades, I HATED it! I literally threw it across the room when I finished the first book because I thought it was that vile! Okay enough ranting. As I was saying, I was a bit apprehensive at first, but then many bloggers that I follow really enjoyed it saying how awesome it was. So I gave it a try and I ended up loving it! Yes the book does have its flaws but what book doesn't?
     Dante Walker is a soul collector for the dark side. He and five other collectors steal souls that the Boss Man tells them to collect. When Boss Man tells him to collect the soul of an innocent teenager, he is surprised yet doesn't care because it's just a job. When he first meets Charlie, he thinks the worst of her. She's ugly, with crooked teeth, acne, and a huge limp to boot. He hates that he has to do the job but it's his ticket to freedom if he collects her soul. As he gets to know her though, he realizes that through her unattractive looks Charlie has a beautiful heart. This has Dante second guessing himself and doing his job. He comes to her defense against bullies and slowly he begins to fall in love with Charlie.
     When I first began reading The Collector, Dante was a total Asshole! I mean 100%! He was cocky, judgmental, only thought of himself, and only associated with people who were rich or drop dead gorgeous. This is the part that made me skeptical since he reminded me of Christian Grey. I had to groan when I read the beginning of the book. Some where along the line though he started changing. Dante had to do a lot of growing up and reflecting through out the book. While Dante was changing, I liked the fact that he was still snarky, sarcastic, and hilarious. That's what made him swoon worthy in my opinion. He was hot and charming, yet he had some what of a heart! I believe that is what made this book so enjoyable because through Dante's point of view he never made the story dull. From Dante's point of view I saw a different side to the story. I think had it been from Charlie's point of view, the story would have been like most books out there and would have been much more boring.
     Charlie on the other hand was a bit more difficult for me to like surprisingly. She was naïve, had low self-esteem, and did not know how to stand up for herself. She let Dante decide everything for her. She was so gullible and pressured too easily just to become a pretty person. I did not like that one bit. Charlie did have a kind heart, helping the poor people or handicapped people, but it wasn't enough to show why she was such a great person. Eventually, she started coming to, thinking for herself and having a backbone. By then, I did not care that much because she already became beautiful. I wanted her to see that before her transformation.
     Overall, this was an awesome book! I loved the story plot especially Dante! I also enjoyed reading about the side characters Annabelle and Max. They brought out the hilarity of the book. If anyone wants to read a funny, light read, I really recommend this book. The only warning I would give is that there is profanity so if you are sensitive to bad language then don't read this. I can't wait to read The Liberator, the second book in the series! I hope Charlie becomes more brave and stands up for herself. I also want to see more back story on the bad guys since there wasn't much about them in the first book. This was a great first book for the beginning of a series!   
       
   
    

Waiting on Wednesday (5): Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano

Waiting on Wednesday (WoW) is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights future releases of books that I'm excited about! Here it is...

 On Internment, the floating island in the clouds where 16-year-old Morgan Stockhour lives, getting too close to the edge can lead to madness. Even though Morgan's older brother, Lex, was a Jumper, Morgan vows never to end up like him. She tries her best not to mind that her life is orderly and boring, and if she ever wonders about the ground, and why it is forbidden, she takes solace in best friend Pen and her betrothed, Basil.
Then a murder, the first in a generation, rocks the city. With whispers swirling and fear on the wind, Morgan can no longer stop herself from investigating, especially when she meets Judas. He is the boy being blamed for the murder — betrothed to the victim — but Morgan is convinced of his innocence. Secrets lay at the heart of Internment, but nothing can prepare Morgan for what she will find — or who she will lose.

 

Doesn't this cover look so lovely? And look it matches my blog! I fell in love with Lauren DeStefano's writing style since she wrote her Chemical Garden Trilogy. Her writing is so magical and poetic. This is her new series that I have already heard is better than her last series. Would you want to live in the sky on a cloud? I'm not sure I would since I'm afraid of heights, but then you don't know what happened to earth. Very mysterious. I cannot wait to read this! Lucky for me it comes out in a couple of weeks! 

 

Perfect Ruin will be released on October 1, 2013 by Simon & Schuster

Here is a list of other books by Lauren DeStefano

What book are you Waiting for?!

 

  

I Gave My Blog A Makeover!

     Hi all! As you can see I gave my blog a new name and make over! Why did I change it you ask? Well there are many reasons why I changed it and I will tell you some of it. Major reason number one: I changed my blog name. Quite frankly, I did not really like Fairy Book Mommies. I liked it at first, but the more I kept hearing it I thought it sounded old. Apparently we were trying to sound whimsical though the end result came out different. It sounded like we were ancient old ladies who were trying to be hip. (Sorry mom if you are reading this. I'm not offending you hehe.) I'm not sure, it just didn't ring well with me after a while. I've been thinking about this for a long time and I finally came up with a new name: The Shy Book Nerd. I believe it sounds well and it suits me, especially if know me you would totally agree.
     The second reason I changed my blog is because my blog partner made the background for me. The background wasn't bad, I actually thought it was pretty, but it didn't feel completely like my style. We were trying to go for the whole fairytale setting since we were fairies. We were going to add more to it also. Then the worst happened and an unexpected family crisis happened to my partner. She had to quit so that left me alone and my blog only half finished. That left me real confused and conflicted whether I should continue with my blog or not. I just played it by ear, writing reviews and such at my own pace. After much contemplating I was able to figure some things out thanks to a large part from my friend, Meredith over at Pandora's Books. She was such a big help and a great friend to help someone she hardly knew. My blog would have been worse with out her. There are some things I need to change on the blog still, for instance the header will change. There are other minor details that need to be changed, but there is no rush to finish it.
     Since I am doing my blog solo, I will be doing things at my own pace. In the beginning, I felt the pressure to write so many reviews a week because such and such blog had three reviews. While I would love to do this, I can't right now. I have two wonderful children to take care of, plus maintain a semi-clean house and cook meals, so I cannot do that at the time. Maybe some time in the future I will be able to. As for now I will write up my reviews hopefully once a week, but I do not have a set schedule. Maybe one will be on a Monday and the following week might be on a Wednesday. Also, I will be doing some Meme's. I do meme's because they are fun and I enjoy them. They might not come out perfect, but that's ok with me. Eventually, I also want to learn how to play with my blog more and make it more personable such as using gifs, or making it prettier. I blog for myself because I love doing it. This is my new found passion. Some people may not like how I run my blog but there is nothing I can do about that. If you don't like how I do my blog then don't follow me, it's as simple as that. Just please be cordial. I do hope you can get to know me though. I am a friendly person who loves talking about anything books. Plus, if you need to vent or want to talk books, you can usually find me on Twitter: @Shybooknerd. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope we can become friends or at least acquaintances! 

Waiting on Wednesday (4): Pawn by Aimee Carter

Waiting on Wednesday (WoW) is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights future releases of books that I'm excited about! Here it is...

YOU CAN BE A VII. IF YOU GIVE UP EVERYTHING. 
For Kitty Doe, it seems like an easy choice. She can either spend her life as a III in misery, looked down upon by the higher ranks and forced to leave the people she loves, or she can become a VII and join the most powerful family in the country.
If she says yes, Kitty will be Masked—surgically transformed into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister's niece, who died under mysterious circumstances. As a member of the Hart family, she will be famous. She will be adored. And for the first time, she will matter.
There's only one catch. She must also stop the rebellion that Lila secretly fostered, the same one that got her killed …and one Kitty believes in. Faced with threats, conspiracies and a life that's not her own, she must decide which path to choose—and learn how to become more than a pawn in a twisted game she's only beginning to understand.

This is a new series that is coming out in November. This book looks awesome. It's a dystopian book, though I can never get tired of dystopian novels. This looks interesting because the main character is poor, but she is given the chance to be something more if she gets a face lift to look like the former Prime Minister's niece. Very intriguing no? I don't know if I would be able to sacrifice my old life while not knowing someone else's life entirely. Would you?

Pawn will be released on November 26, 2013 by Harlequin Teen
Here is a list of Aimee Carter's other series Goddess if you are interested.
What book are you waiting for to be released?

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I Would Love To See As A Movie/TV Show

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the people at The Broke and The Bookish. Each week is a different list about all things bookish. Today's list is about my top ten books I would love to see as a movie or tv show.
















I love the New Soul Series by Jodi Meadows! It's so different and unique compared most books out there. It has dragons, sylph, a very swoony man named Sam, and there's reincarnation! I could see this as a tv series because there are so many elements that can be shown.

























The Grisha series by Leigh Bardugo would make a great movie! I definitely would like to see the mysterious bad guy, The Darkling come to life. I also want to see the Grisha's magical attributes because it seems spectacular!

Tahereh Mafi's series is a touch dystopian with a dash of supernatural mixed in. The main character has a deadly ability where she can kill anyone with just her touch and her friend Kenji can disappear! It's sort of like X-Men but better in my opinion.

Alice in Wonderland is one of my favorite fairytales. When I heard about this book I had to have it. I devoured it and would love to see it as a movie. I know another Alice in Wonderland tv show is coming this fall so a movie would be more fitting. Morpheus rocks!

I recently got into Throne of Glass because I heard so many raves about this series. This series is so awesome and the main character Celaena kicks major butt. I would want to see this as a tv show, first because wouldn't it be great for the woman to be the hero, and two the author is making this into a six book series so a show would be more fitting! Just think all the feels for Dorian and Chaol!

























The Wicked Lovely series by Melissa Marr is one the very first young adult books I read. I loved them so much because I love faerie novels and she depicted them so beautifully. This would make such an awesome tv series!

 

I know that the companion series, The Vampire Academy is coming in theaters next year but I really would like to see this series come to life too! I love the chemistry between Sydney and Adrian, they are one of my favorite fictional characters. Plus there's vampires and magic, enough said!

   

 

The only thing better than faeries in my life are werewolves! This has to be one of favorite werewolf series. I loved the characters, and I liked that they mixed in ghosts, and magic galore! This would be an awesome movie! 

 

 

 

 

 

Another pick for a movie series would be the Starcrossed series by Josephine Angelini. It would be so amazing to see gods and goddesses unleashing their powers to the world, recking havoc! Sounds demented, but hey it's my dream movie.

 

 

The last book I would pick to be made into a movie is The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. This fairytale retelling is absolutely phenomenal! I love how it's futuristic with cyborgs and such.

 

 

So that was my first Top Ten Tuesday! Sorry it's not perfect. I am technologically challenged. Which book would you like to be turned into a movie or tv show?

 

  

Review: Scorched by Mari Mancusi

Published: September 3, 2013
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Source: Won ARC in giveaway from author
Pages 340
Genre: Fantasy/Sci-fi
Rating: 3.5 out of 5





Trinity
Don’t leave me here... It starts with a whisper. At first Trinity thinks she’s going crazy. It wouldn’t be a big surprise—her grandpa firmly believes there’s a genuine dragon egg in their dusty little West Texas town. But this voice is real, and it’s begging for her protection. Even if no one else can hear it...
Connor
He’s come from a future scorched by dragonfire. His mission: Find the girl. Destroy the egg. Save the world.
Caleb
He’s everything his twin brother Connor hates: cocky, undisciplined, and obsessed with saving dragons.
Trinity has no idea which brother to believe. All she has to go by is the voice in her head—a dragon that won’t be tamed

     Well what can I say? I really really wanted to love this book. I won it from the author herself (she even signed it!), and seeing as this was my first dragon book, I was really excited to read it! Don't get me wrong, it was a good story plot. It just lacked some character depth.
     The story starts off well, with Trinity on the run with Conner, a boy from the future, and a dragon egg because the government thinks she's in terrorist activity. Plus another evil group called the Dracken are after her too. While on the run, Conner's "evil" twin, Caleb kidnaps Trinity taking her to the Dracken Headquarters because they are in fact the "good guys". The Dracken people claim they do not want to harm the world. They simply want to make the world better for both people and the dragons. The middle of the book tends to slow down a bit with Trinity still as confused as the beginning not knowing who to trust. Towards the last quarter of the story is when it gets interesting, quickening the pace with many twists and turns, and finding some important answers to the story.
     The concept of the story was captivating. I liked the fact that you couldn't tell who was good and who was evil. They both had their pros and cons, which ended up coming to the realization that they have to meet in the middle. It also added to the plot who really was the enemy of the story. There was also Trinity's decision whether she should trust the dragon that communicates with her. The bonding between she and Emmy the dragon grew, forming a bond like a mother/daughter relationship. I enjoyed that part of the story mainly because I am a mother myself. With the friendship Trinity formed, it helped her become more confident, coming to her own decisions, and fighting for her freedom. The twists and turns kept coming at me, and some of the things that happen blew me away!
   What made the story seem mediocre were the characters. I don't know if it was me, but I felt they lacked personality or depth. Out of the characters, Trinity would be my favorite. Although I had my gripes with her too lol. She was sarcastic, witty, kind, and she knew how to hold her own in the end. She was also stubborn as hell. What got to me was her naivety. She only knew the twins for about a day, and already she was falling for both of them! (Get to know a person better before you think you're in love with them!) I despise love triangles, especially this one. It doesn't seem right with twins, just my opinion. Then comes the twins. Connor and Caleb were okay. I couldn't connect with them well I'm not sure why. I did like their back stories on why each was fighting to have the dragons extinct or not. I will give them that credit. As for the romance, I wasn't feeling it for both of them. They seemed to idolize Trinity because she's the creator of dragons, therefore creating the insta-love with her. There needs to be more depth in their personalities because with out it, they seem almost alike.
     In the end, would I recommend this book? Sure. It's not the worst book and it is entertaining for those that enjoy dragon stories. Will I continue with the series? Of course! There are many unanswered questions still. I want to know many things, which I will not divulge because it will give away spoilers. I also want to know how Trinity is going to hide her dragon as she becomes massive. There's not much you can do to hide a dragon lol.     
Favorite Quote:
"You flew me through the skies. You took away my fears. You told me you'd never let me fall. She drew in a breath. Well, Emmy, I'll never let you fall either. You can trust in that. You can trust in me. As you told me, we are destined..."
Page 217, Trinity is consoling Emmy as she is hatching.