Random Acts of Kindness Giveaway Hop

Friday, February 17th is Random Acts of Kindness Day.

To celebrate Mrs. Kathy from I am a Reader not a Writer has teamed up with Read for Your Future to bring you a simple to enter Giveaway Hop.

The dates for this hop are February 17th to 21st.

My Giveaway!-
I will order a paperback copy of both Half-Blood and Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout, for ONE lucky winner! Giveaway is international, if Book Depository ships to your country. Please double check before entering.

Fan girl comment!-
(click on the titles above to read my reviews). I devoured these books, and cannot wait for the sequels.Ms. Armentrout is a talented author and I cannot wait to see what she comes out with next!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Best of luck!

11 question Meme

Been absent for a while, forgive me? I had a good excuse, I promise! Things have been pretty tough lately, but that changes today. Here's a random post that I wanted to take part of! Thanks, Michelle!

& thank you so much to everyone who stuck around.

11 Question Meme

So, my friend Michelle has tagged me in the 11 Question Meme. Michelle was tagged by Komal with a set of questions she had to answer and now she has given me a set that I have to answer. I thought it'd be fun to join in on the questioning :)haha!


Here are my questions and a little more about me.


1. What was your favorite book you read in high school?  
School wise, The Divine Comedy: Inferno (more of a poem actually, but I loved it). YA wise, Daughters of the Moon (I used to be obsessed with that series.)

2. What makes a great hero in a book? 
Their selflessness. They have to be willing to sacrifice what they most love for the greater good.

3. True or False - All is fair in love and war?  
TRUE! So true.....

4. What was the best gift you ever got? 
Having all four of my grandparents present for my 21st birthday celebration. What can I say, I'm family oriented.

5. What's your favorite word to say out loud? 

good word: easy (easy turbo, easy killer, take it easy, etc.)

bad word: (oh!) shit (you get the idea....)

6. What is one blogging goal you have for this year? 
Be more active, have more giveaways, host some book tours (those are my main 3)

7. What is your guilty pleasure? 
Ice Cream! Ice cream never asks silly questions.... Ice cream understands.

8. How would you describe the perfect setting for writing or reading? 
Reading- home alone, sitting on the couch with multiple blankets while it's raining outside... Oh, and a hot chocolate  :) ahhhh! Heaven!

9. What are the top three songs on your playlist? 

Bon Jovi- We weren't born to follow

Avicii- Levels

David Guetta- Night of your life

10. What are you scared of? 

This is going to sound super lame but I'm scared to look out my windows at night. I'm scared to find a face starring back. Oh and I hate it when I'm trying to kill a spider but then I lose track of it and I become a victim in my own home.

11. What came first - the chicken or the egg?
The Chicken.... But that's just my opinion. Being Catholic I believe in creationism, and it would state that the Chicken came first (but don't quote me, I can't answer that in vein, I am not knowledgeable enough of scripture). 

I think we're supposed to tag 11 other people to participate, but I'll go ahead and leave it open to anyone who is willing. Just copy and answer the same 11 questions Michelle gave me and send me your link so I can check out your post! Have fun :)

Review: Obsidian (Lux #1)

Title: Obsidian (Lux #1)
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Pages: 266
Challenge: None
Source: Own Nook Ebook
Buy the Book: B&N / Amazon

My Rating:

Starting over sucks. When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring…. until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.
And then he opened his mouth. Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens.  The hot alien living next door marks me. You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.
If I don’t kill him first, that is. 

I cannot begin to explain how flipping amazing this book was. The plot, the characters, the story line… everything was phenomenal! This whole novel was brilliantly original, you be hooked from the first page. The characters in this novel were some of my favorite of all time.

Kate is a fierce, strong-willed character who I really enjoyed having as the protagonist. Her determination on finding out what was going on in her new home town kept me thoroughly entertained. I loved the fact that she’s a blogger, but my favorite scenes were the ones with Daemon. Only thing that bugged me about her was the fact that she denies her feelings for Daemon.

Speaking of Daemon… Dear Lord, please bring me Daemon wrapped up for Christmas this year. Amen….. haha! But seriously, let me just take a minute to swoon! I just absolutely LOVED Daemon. He is the king of book-boyfriends. From first perspective, he's nothing like your typical YA book boyfriend... he's cocky, arrogant and rude. But once you get to know him you'll see beyond the exterior layers and see the "true" him. Kinda sucks book 2 won't be released until August :(

2012 Debut Author Challenge

I'm aiming for just 12 books this year. If I get more read, that's just a bonus :) After much inspection of everyone else’s lists, this is what I’ve come up with:

1. Incarnate by Jodi Meadows
2. Everneath by Brodi Ashton
3. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
4. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
5. Tempest by Julie Cross
6. Article 5 by Kristen Simmons
7. Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig
8. Of Poseidon by Anna Banks
9. Trafficked by Kim Purcell
10. The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg
11. Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock
12. Storm by Brigid Kemmerer

Some of these I’ve chosen because they have pretty covers, some because they have great titles, some because they are on NetGalley and I’m a sucker for good books, most because they sound AMAZING. 2012 is going to rock! What are you reading for the DAC? Is there anything I should add to my list? Let me know :D

Review: The One That I Want

Title: The One That I Want
Author: Jennifer Echols
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: 320
Challenge: None
Source: Nook ebook
Buy the Book: B&N / Amazon


My Rating:

Gemma can’t believe her luck when the star football player starts flirting with her. Max is totally swoon-worthy, and even gets her quirky sense of humor. So when he asks out her so-called best friend Addison, Gemma’s heartbroken. Then Addison pressures Gemma to join the date with one of Max’s friends. But the more time they all spend together, the harder Gemma falls for Max. She can’t help thinking that Max likes her back—it’s just too bad he’s already dating Addison. How can Gemma get the guy she wants without going after her best friend’s boyfriend? -summary from goodreads.com

When I read the summary for this book, it reminded me a lot of Elizabeth Scott’s THE UNWRITTEN RULE, especially the whole mix up boyfriend plot. But once I started it, I kind of fell in love with Gemma; the main characters (in a non-lesbian, sort of way)... you know what I liked best about her? That she is NOT weak. All her life Gemma has been teased, sometimes by those closest to her, about her weight, her fashion choice, etc… but she doesn’t let that her. Sure it may seem like she gives into Addison and does everything she tells her too, but she does it because she values Addison as a person and that gives Gemma mad points in my book!

Gemma’s attraction to Max is so relatable it kind of hurts your heart to read about it. I have read a couple books by Jennifer Echols and let me tell you that there is something about the way she writes sexual tension that makes you feel like you’re actually the one in the story. I read this book in two sittings over two days and I absolutely loved it. Although the majority of the book is based on teen/HS situations, I think readers of all ages will be able to connect with Gemma at some level, she’s THAT awesome.

My Book Boyfriend (3) Jack Force

My Book Boyfriend is hosted by Missie at The Unread Reader. Want to participate? Well head on over to Missie's blog and link up your post! Don't forget to include some stats, a picture of what you imagine your book boyfriend looks like and some swoon worthy quotes!


My book boyfriend this week is:

Jack Force

Blue Bloods series by Melissa De La Cruz

Originally from: New York
Hair color: Platinum Blond
Eye color: Green
Height: 6'2

Physical description:
"... pale, platinum blond hair, creamy, translucent skin, hooded green eyes, and long, slender limbs."

Personality: Taciturn and observant
Occupation: Student, Committee Member

Personal history: Was nicknamed 'Blackjack' in childhood because of his tantrums. It was later shortened to 'Jack' in adolescence. He knows he's destined to stay with Mimi but he can't help to stray to Schuyler van Alen. Those who know him well describe him as funny and charming, and never to be found without a book in his hand. Jack is a frequent visitor to the Repository library.


Worthy quotes/scenes:

Jack Force was more than she had ever dared wish for, and he was better than a dream or a fantasy because he was real. He was far from perfect, moody and distant at times, and burdened with sharp temper and an impulsiveness that was part of his dark nature. But she felt more love for him than she thought possible. He wasn't perfect, but he was perfect for her. 

“She nodded... and was about to turn away. Then, as if she thought better of it, she reached out and grabbed his arm. "Jack."

"Yes?"

"I. . ." she faltered. She knew what she wanted to tell him, but she couldn't bring herself to say the words.

It turned out she didn't have to. Jack put a hand to his heart and nodded. "I feel the same way about you.”

“Prove it!" she hissed. "Prove you are who you are!"

"We don't have time for this! You really want me to prove who I am?" he asked.

"Yes!" she challenged. In answer, he took her in his arms, lifting her up and against the wall. He pressed his lips against hers, and with each kiss she could see into his mind, into his soul. She saw a year of hate...saw him alone, alienated, hurt. She had lied to him and had left him. With every kiss he made her see, made her feel...every emotion, every dream he had of her...every ounce of his wanting and his need...and his love...his all-consuming, life-affirming love for her"

“It is better to trust and face betrayal than to remain skeptical of everything and everybody.”

“Tonight the world is yours, as am I.”

My ORIGINAL book boyfriend. I feel in love with Jack Force way before I ever started my blog. He was my first fictional crush and I will always love him. Most girls see Jack as Alex Pettyfer, but ever since I saw this hunk in a magazine article, I knew I had found my mental representation of Jack :)

Have you read Blue Bloods? What do you think as Karel as Jack? Most people have a love-hate relationship with the BB series, but I am a fan 'til the end.

Thanks, Missie, for hosting this awesome meme! <3


Read my reviews :)
Blue Bloods
Masquerade 
Revelations
The Van Alen Legacy

Follow Friday (8)

Question of the Week: Many readers/bloggers are also big music fans. Tell us about a few of your favorite bands/singers that we should listen to in 2012.

It's not a secret that I am madly in love with Chris Martin from Coldplay. They're going to be Playing at the Hollywood bowl here in California in May and I am so flippin excited!! This will be my 2nd official Coldplay Concert :) If you've never heard of them or have never listened to one of their songs.... (Which I hope NOT because you are highly missing out!) here's a little sample, and personally my favorite song from them.

Besides, Coldplay, I pretty much listen to anything that has a good rhythm or lyrics. Anything I can dance to is good too :) Here in California there seems to be a growing techno/electronic trend, and although I wasn't feeling it in the begining, I do have a couple of songs that are quickly becoming favorites. Songs by David Guetta or Avicii. If you're interested;



David Guetta - Night Of Your Life - Feat. Jennifer Hudson

or

Avicii - Levels


try 'em out, you won't regret it :D
What about you? What song.artist do you recommend for 2012? Share some links!