Reading Right Now! An Early Thoughts Post

So I thought I needed a little bit of scheduling for my blog and I thought up this nifty new feature. I guess I'm calling it Reading Right Now! An Early Thoughts Post, which could be the lamest title ever but I'm gonna roll with it.
This new post will be my current thoughts of the book that I'm reading right at the moment. This means that I could have just started, be halfway through, or super close to the end. I'll just give my current thoughts on the current book before I write my full finished review.
So lets see how it goes...

Title: The Hidden Child

Author: Camilla Lackberg

according to the mathematics genius that is goodreads: pg 329 = 65% done

Okay first off this is the 5th book in the Erica Falck series. That being said, I found out that it wasn't a smart idea just to jump right into this one without having read the first one. At the first 70 or 80 pages I was mega confused. None of the characters are specially introduced, as a reader you're supposed to already know all their back stories. This lead to massive amounts of confusion on my part. I was under the mistaken impression the I could jump in and understand situations and people.

Cool thing about this book is the mystery and the many characters that we get introduced to. Sure the story jumps around from one person to the next, but I kind of like it. And I have no idea who the culprit is at this point. Maybe I'm just slow and not good at recognizing clues, but I feel that the mystery aspect is well played. I also like the chapters where the reader is sent into the past. It's like an episode of Cold Case which I enjoy.

I don't like the main character Erica. She is mean and nags at her husband a lot. She blows up and starts arguments about stupid things. Sometimes she gets on my nerves.

Thoughts as of this second... Not bad. Good Mystery, Bad Erica

Okay, so that's the first one of these posts. Hopefully it was enjoyable and will add more regularity to the blog and won't bore anybody.

In My Mailbox/Book Haul 9

It's that time again to show what books have recently come into my possession. If you want to watch the visual video then that will be down below...

As always, In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. And now I will give the books in list form starting with the review copies.

1. Something Strange and Deadly BY Susan Dennard (thanks to Edelweiss and Harper TEEN. Release date is July 24, 2012. I've heard that zombies are somehow involved.)
2. Drain You BY M. Beth Bloom (thank you Edelweiss and Harper TEEN. Releases July 24, 2012. Vampires!)
3. The Dead Girl's Detective Agency BY Suzy Cox (Thanks to Edelweiss and Harper TEEN. Comes out September 8, 2012)
4. League of Strays BY L.B. Schulman (Thanks Netgalley and Amulet. Releases October 1, 2012)
5. The First Days: As the World Dies BY Rhiannon Frater (ZOMBIES! Enough said.)
6. Glow BY Amy Kathleen Ryan ( A Goodreads Firstreads Win! Thanks to Goodreads and especially to St. Martin's Press for sending me a beautiful hardback.)
7. Delirium BY Lauren Oliver (I've heard good things about this one.)
8. Torn BY Amanda Hocking (Book 2 in Trylle Trilogy)
9. Ascend BY Amanda Hocking (Book 3 in Trylle Trilogy)

Well that's it. I didn't even go into double digits this week which means I did pretty well haha. So go ahead and tell me what awesome books you got or what awesome books you're currently reading. Hope your day is great and as always...

HAPPY READING!

Review of: Erebos By Ursula Poznanski

Thanks to Netgalley and Annick Press for letting me review an e-arc of this great book!

Title: Erebos

Author: Ursula Poznanski

Published by: Annick Press

Released: February 1, 2012

Summary: Nick Dunmore has discovered an addicting game that knows him and watches him. The game has been going around his school in secret. Players are handed the game in secret and have to promise not to tell anyone about it. Nick finally gets his own copy and he's instantly hooked. Real life has been put on the back burner and the game takes up all of his waking hours. Then the game starts to get weird, it gives Nick tasks that must be completed in the real world and when Nick fails to complete a task, he's kicked out. Now Nick must find out the real purpose of the game, the meaning of the Messenger's tasks, and stop it all before it's too late.

Be careful, the game Erebos is watching and if you break the rules then being kicked out if the least of your worries.

My Thoughts: This book was so good! It took me about 20 pages to get into it, but by then I was hooked. The game Erebos sort of resembles World of Warcraft or Runescape. Even as a non-gamer person, the fictional game of Erebos was still incredibly addicting. The descriptions of the game were incredibly vivid, it causes the reader to feel like they're actually in the game. It was just an awesome awesome book.

I really liked the two distinct characters of real world Nick and Erebos world Sarius. It was very skillfully done. Knowing that Nick was really Sarius, but there was still a separation between the two.
I also liked the feel of this book. It was like a mystery/thriller/action adventure novel playing in the cyber world.
The creepiness of the game was also very well done. Having these real world tasks that Nick has to do and how they keep getting more and more questionable and dangerous was very good. Also the character of the Messenger, and everytime he appeared you knew it was not good.
The only weird aspect of the book was that it was originally written in German but then translated into English. I guess I was expecting it to be set in Germany so having the setting be in London and having the place of London be so important came as a little bit of a shock.
Overall Erebos is a great book. It's an incredibly addicting thrill ride of a book. It questions the addictiveness of this game, how it takes over these character's lives and through their decisions, shows what kind of people they really are. 
Erebos will hook readers in and have them turning pages until the big finale. I've never read a book where the world of a game was captured so perfectly and so vividly. Erebos is a great read and definitely not a waste of time. I highly recommend this book!

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 4.3/5

Utterly engrossing and addicting. Game On!

IN MY MAILBOX/BOOK HAUL 8

Hello Hello, I seem to be back again with another In My Mailbox which is hosted by Kristi over at thestorysiren.com
I can't seem to resist the lure of books. Some people might view this as a problem, but I accept and embrace my addiction. Anyway, I got 3 books from Netgalley, 3 library books, and 4 books that I bought that have been just sitting around. A video of my haul, if you want to check that out, will be here below...

Okay, now for the books in list form. I'll start with the Netgalley titles.

1. Erebos BY Ursula Poznanski (thanks Netgalley and Annick Press. This book came out February 1, 2012)
2. The Weepers BY Susanne Winnacker (Thank you Netgalley and Marshall Cavendish. This title is a survival book and came out May 12, 2012)
3. The Goddess Legacy BY Aimee Carter (Thanks Netgalley and Harlequin Teen. This book comes out July 24, 2012)
4. Three Quarters Dead BY Richard Peck
5. Leviathan BY Scott Westerfeld (Should be good!)
6. Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Gatekeeper Triology BY Christopher Golden and Nancy Holder (contains Out of the Madhouse, Ghost Roads, and Sons of Entropy)
7. Storm Born BY Richelle Mead
8. Wicked Game BY Jeri Smith-Ready
9. The Tomorrow Code BY Brian Falkner (looks interesting)
10. Divergent BY Veronica Roth ( I hope it lives up to the hype)

Well that's everything I got. I really need to get on those Netgalley and library books. Oh, so many books and so little time. If you want, tell me what you got in your mailbox or what you're currently reading. Yayy books and as always...

HAPPY READING!

Review of: No Proper Lady BY: Isabel Cooper

Title: No Proper Lady

Author: Isabel Cooper

Published By: Sourcebooks Casablanca imprint of Sourcebooks Inc.

Released: 2011

Summary: Joan lives in a world ruled by the Dark Ones, demons and other hellish creatures that have made the present world a nightmare come alive. The surviving free humans, like Joan, live in caves and tunnels and fight the Dark Ones everyday, but in this battle the humans are losing. Joan has been chosen for a very important mission, she must go 200 years back in time and kill the evil magician who let the Dark Ones out and whose actions created the world they all suffer in. Joan is sent back in time to 1888 with the mission to kill Alex Reynell. Simon Grenville, a magician and aristocrat, witnesses Joan's entrance into his time. His sister has just had a nasty run in with Reynell, so Simon is sympathetic to Joan's mission. Now, Joan must endure a different kind of training. She must learn how to dress, act, and behave like a 19th century woman and carry out the all important mission of stopping Reynell before he creates a horrific future.

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. The concept and idea behind it is very interesting and intriguing. It's an interesting mash-up of many things I enjoy, magic, a bleak future, the 1800s, and a kick-butt female character.

The characters in the story were really strong. Joan was tough and her transition from tough girl of the future to a woman living during 1888 was well done and believable. The character of Simon was also strong too. I liked how both Simon and Joan were tough and true to their duty and didn't try to steal the spotlight from one another.

I really enjoyed the concept for this book and while I wouldn't know exactly how to categorize it, it made for an exhilarating and at times edge-of-your-seat read.

My only problem with the book was that the writing style was a little jumpy and confusing at times. It would be on one subject and then jump to something else with no warning.  Also Simon's brand of magic wasn't really explained too well.

Overall this was a very enjoyable read that combined the future and the past with a pulse pounding (especially near the end) save the world action. A very good read, but be warned, this is an adult book with adult scenes.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 3.5/5

Ballgowns and Demons! A pretty tempting combination.

cover image came from goodreads.com

May Favorites!

Well now that the month of May is over it's time for me to inform you of my favorite books I read during the month. I had another disastrous reading month, I only managed to finish four books. Absolutely abysmal. I did pick 3 favorites out of the bunch and will highlight them here.

 

FATED

By: Alyson Noel

I won this book from the Goodreads First Reads program, so thanks to them and thanks to St. Martin's Griffin for mailing me my first ever ARC! Woo hoo!

I enjoyed Fated. I thought it was an excellent introduction to the series and while I didn't always like Daire, I was eager to find out what would happen next. Also, two hot twins with piercing blue eyes *swoon*. I also really liked the Native American and Mexican culture and traditions that were sprinkled within the story. Overall, just a good solid read that I would recommend.

 

GREEN-EYED ENVY: A SHADES OF FURY NOVEL

By: Kasey Mackenzie

This book is a solid second in a series to the fantastic first, Red Hot Fury. I can't seem to stop gushing about the first one and while the second doesn't reach the greatness of the first, it's still a good read. This is a series I would recommend to anybody. It's a great adult urban fantasy series with Furies, Warhounds, and Bastai OH MY! But seriously, just a very good series that you need to read now! A third one is coming out soon and it looks amazing too!

THE WHITE OAK: IMPERFECT DARKNESS BOOK ONE

By: Kim White

I would like to thank Netgalley and The Story Machine Studio for letting me read an e-arc of this highly enjoyable book. It brings to life an Underworld that is unique and different and a girl named Cora Alexander who must survive in it. This book is full of action and adventure and leaves you guessing until the last page. Anyone in search of a quick, action packed read should definitely pick this one up.

Well that's it for the month of May. Hopefully I'll be able to finish more in June and maybe get on track with my Goodreads 2012 Reading Challenge. I've already finished one for June, so lets hope I keep that reading fire within me. Well that's it and hope you enjoyed. Now go check out those books I mentioned because they're good!

Review of: The White Oak: Imperfect Darkness Book 1, By: Kim White

Title: The White Oak: Imperfect Darkness Book One

Author: Kim White

Published By: Story Machine Studio

Released: April 9, 2012

*Thanks to Netgalley and Story Machine Studio for letting me read an e-arc of this book*

Summary: On the day of her father's funeral, as the Alexander family is gathered around the graveside, a sinkhole opens up and swallows them whole. Cora Alexander is the only one to survive the sinkhole and she somehow manages to enter the Underworld alive. As Cora wanders through the Underworld she meets Minotaur, an advanced computer program and Sybill, the writer of everyone's life story. With the help of these two and her shade of a twin brother Lucas, Cora must navigate through the Underworld while staying alive and finding out what her greater purpose there is.

My Thoughts: This book is unlike anything I've ever read before. It's full of action and a dreary, depressing Underworld that makes for an unputdownable read.

This book starts off with a bang and the action never stops. There is never a slow part to the story which makes for a fast read because you have to find out what happens to Cora next.

The Underworld setting was also unique. White goes into vivid description of the Underworld and its inhabitants, making it come alive in its own bleak and depressing way. White's writing also has a sort of musicality to it that makes it very enjoyable to read. 

The only half-way negative thing I'd say about The White Oak is the reader is constantly left in a state of confusion. We don't know what's happening at the beginning of the story or the end of it. This could be what White wanted the reader to feel by putting the reader in the same state of confusion as Cora.

Overall, I really liked this book. It was very fast-paced and White's description of the Underworld was very interesting. People should definitely go check this one out!

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 4/5

Unlike anything I've ever read before, in a good way!

cover image came from goodreads.com