Tag Archives: Cynthia Stacey

The Elite (The Selection #2) by Kiera Cass

Posted on July 15, 2014 | 6 comments

the elite The Elite (The Selection #2) by Kiera Cass. Published Apr 23, 2013 by Harper Teen. CDN $11.99 Kindle edition.

The Selection began with thirty-five girls. Now, with the group narrowed down to the Elite, the competition to win Prince Maxon’s heart is fiercer than ever–and America is still struggling to decide where her own heart truly lies. Is it with Maxon, who could make her life a fairy tale? Or with her first love, Aspen, who she always thought was the one? America is desperate for more time. But the rest of the Elite know exactly what they want–and America’s chance to choose is about to slip away.( (Goodreads Excerpt)

OMG, Holy Crap and any other flip out words I can say! I have never wanted to throw a book at the wall so badly in my life, while still desperate to read more more more! This book both infuriated me and delighted me and infuriated me again. Sigh…

Ok now that I am calmer let’s try to rationalize the above:

America- OMG woman are you stupid!

Maxon – OMG man are you blind and stupid!

Aspen- seriously dude if you love this girl you are one stupid guy for putting her through that and risking her very life! Are you STUPID!

OK without giving you spoilers I realize that I can’t really explain myself here. I refuse to do spoilers so suffice it to say this book was a roller coaster of emotions on every front. I have to say that I did enjoy it in the end. The story progresses from just the Selection and you see more of the political issues and the history of the Selection as well as some character development from the King which I enjoyed. (He’s a BLEEP* for sure!)

I’m really looking forward to the last book and I really hope America smartens the hell up because so many times I wanted to smack her up the side of the head! Seriously.

smack up side head gif

5 stars for me. It is rare that I am that emotionally involved in a story!

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Teaser Tuesday (July 15)

Posted on July 15, 2014 | 10 comments

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser:

If I had been a true friend, wouldn’t I have done better than that?

“Marlee!” I screamed. “Marlee, I’m sorry!” But the crowd was so frenzied, and she was crying so much, I didn’t think she heard me.

Page 87

the elite The Elite (The Selection #2) by Kiera Cass

Never have I been so infuriated with a book that I wanted to throw it at the wall at least 10 times!  Thankfully I have lots of patience since I was reading this on my ipad!

Infuriating roller coaster of a book!  In a good way…I think lol

I just finished this so will post a review soon.

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks! :D

Teaser Tuesday is a meme hosted by Should Be Reading. Check out their blog!

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Taste of Darkness (Healer #3) by Maria V Snyder

Posted on July 14, 2014 | 1 comment

Taste of Darkness (Healer, #3). Taste of Darkness (Healer #3) by Maria V Snyder. Published Dec 31, 2013 by Harlequin MIRA. CDN $8.67 Kindle edition.

She’s fought death and won. But how can she fight her fears? Avry knows hardship and trouble. She fought the plague and survived. She took on King Tohon and defeated him. But now her heart-mate, Kerrick, is missing, and Avry fears he’s gone forever. But there’s a more immediate threat: The Skeleton King plots to claim the Fifteen Realms for his own. With armies in disarray and the dead not staying down, Avry’s healing powers are needed now more than ever. Torn between love and loyalty, Avry must choose her path carefully. For the future of her world depends on her decision (Goodreads excerpt)

I have to say that I am a big fan of Maria Snyder. She knows how to weave a great tale and keep you enthralled until the end. Her characters are so enjoyable and real that you have no choice but be swept away by their story and hang on every word to find out what happens. Taste of Darkness did not disappoint… other than the fact that it is over I loved every minute of reading it.

What else is there really to say about the end of the trilogy? It continues to amaze and delight, full of engaging twists and turns…I love the new Flea and his power (minor spoiler sorryJ) The newest foe to enter the realm is scary and twisted and really really gross! I won’t say any more. I’m glad I got to see a little more of little Danny and how he is faring with his new life.  And of course I enjoyed seeing Avery and Kerrick grow together despite his little issues that derived from the last book. (again no spoilers!)

I have to say this is one of my favorite stories. My only issue is that the chapters were not identified with the POV of the character. Sometimes this got a little confusing and I had to reread the first paragraphs to know who was talking. Other than that I’m a big fan.

5 stars for me!

 

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Wordless Wednesday July 9 – Book Benches-so cool!

Posted on July 9, 2014 | 3 comments

book benches                         photo courtesy of newsmotion.org

I love Wordless Wednesday. I get a kick out of finding the best picture that makes me laugh or go ‘OMG that is so adorable’. So please LEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Wordless Wednesday post, or just a comment (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks! :D

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WWW Wednesdays (July 9)

Posted on July 9, 2014 | 9 comments

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

My Answers:  
The Selection (The Selection, #1) Recently Finished:  The Selection by Kiera Cass. I loved loved loved this book!  Can’t believe I waited so long to read it.  Here is my review:

The Selection by Kiera Cass

Taste of Darkness (Healer, #3)Currently Reading : .Taste of Darkness (Healer #3) by Maria Snyder.  I actually just finished this late last night.  OMG I love Maria Snyder, this was an awesome series.  I will post a review soon!

Up Next?

I am dying to read the rest of the Selection series, Elite (The Selection #2) by Kiera Cass, The One and the novelas that go with hte series.   I love this series and can’t wait to read more. I don’t own them yet though so who knows! 🙂

the Princethe elitethe guardThe One

And as always you never know what little treasure will show up and DEMAND to be read.  Happy reading everyone.

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own WWW Wednesdays post, or share your answers in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks! :D

WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Should Be Reading. Check out their blog!

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Teaser Tuesday (July 8)

Posted on July 8, 2014 | 13 comments

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser:

Cold air caressed my back. I rolled over, muttering at Kerrick for hogging the blanket, but stopped. Something felt …odd, wrong, missing. Opening my eyes, I confirmed the emptiness next to me. Kerrick was gone.

opening lines

Taste of Darkness (Healer, #3) Taste of Darkness (Healer #3) by Marie V Snyder

I love this series.  I am about half way through this last book and holy cow it is amazing.  I love Maria Snyder.

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks! :D

Teaser Tuesday is a meme hosted by Should Be Reading. Check out their blog!

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The Selection by Kiera Cass

Posted on July 4, 2014 | 8 comments

The Selection (The Selection, #1) The Selection by Kiera Cass. Published April 24, 2012 by Harper Teen. CDN $11.99 Kindle edition.

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon. But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn’t want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks. Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she’s made for herself—and realizes that the life she’s always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined. (Goodreads Excerpt)

What can I say other than WOW with a capitol W. I was sucked in right from the start and couldn’t put this down. I don’t know why I waited so long to read it. I have decided that I love Dystopian books now..lol who knew. Anyway on to the review…

I don’t do spoilers so suffice it to say this book is amazing, full of drama and intrigue and catty girls that you want to smack, (it’s a beautyish pageant with 35 girls competing for one guy, so you expected that!) heartthrob prince that you just want to swoon over and sigh…shy, beautiful America who is full of spunk and honesty and I love how she just says it like it is. She is here for the food! OMG I love this book.

Ok enough gushing. Maxon is awesome. You knew he was so going to turn out to be way better than the tv showed, otherwise it would be boring…This book is not boring.

I have to give it to the author for creating a wonderful, captivating believable story that sucks you in from the start and doesn’t let go. I’m not a fan of love triangles, and I was rooting for Prince Maxon all the time. I’m not sure I am cool with the ending of the book…I won’t say anything else. I’m dying to read The Elite!

Big fan…big big fan…5 stars for me!

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Secret (Elemental #4) by Brigid Kemmerer

Posted on July 2, 2014 | Leave a comment

Secret (Elemental, #4) Secret (Elemental #4) by Brigid Kemmerer.  Published Jan 28, 2014 by Kensington Teen. CDN $9.85.  I couldn’t find this on amazon for the kindle but bought it on ibooks for my ipad.

Nick Merrick is stretched to breaking point. He’s trying to keep his grades sky-high or he won’t get in to college. He’s trying to keep his brother’s business afloat or the Merricks will be out on the street. He’s trying to keep the secret of where he’s going in the evenings from his twin brother Gabriel – or he fears he’ll lose his family. And he’s trying to keep his mind off the hot, self-assured dancer who is his ‘girlfriend’s’ partner. And then Quinn takes to hanging around his sworn enemy, and an Elemental Guide is counting the hours until he can try again to kill the Merrick brothers. Storms are brewing. On all sides. SECRETS IN THE WIND. DANGER IN THE AIR.(Goodreads excerpt)

OMG I cannot say enough about this series. I have loved every book, every novella, everything about this story! This one lives up to the rest…I am dying not being able to read the next one until arrggghhh SEPTEMBER…NOOOOOOO!!!!

OK calm down. Each of the elemental books features one of the Merrick brothers and is written from their POV. (Sprit the third book is Hunter’s POV who is not a brother) Each of the Merrick brothers controls a different element (Air,Fire, Water, Earth) and Hunter is a guide who controls all four. Nick is an Air elemental and this story is about him. This story promised to be different and Brigid didn’t disappoint. I won’t give anything away but you are drawn into this story more intensely than the others because Nick is fighting his own demons and not just the dangers that he shares with his brothers. It is captivating and endearing and a wicked page turner…

The one thing that threw me with this book is that it isn’t all about Nick. I’m not sure I liked that, but you got a lot about Quinn and her issues. Not that her issues are not important but at times it took away from Nick’s story and I wanted to know more about him. I did like that we got to see more of the back story for the villain in this one though…again I won’t spoil it so that is all I’m saying…lol sorry L

This series continues to delight and amaze me. Brigid keeps you on your toes with the action and suspense, twists and turns and I can’t wait for book 5 Sacrifice.

In case you haven’t figured it out…5 wickedly good stars for me. I would give it more if I could.

 

 

 

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Scent of Magic (Healer #2) by Maria V Snyder

Posted on July 2, 2014 | 2 comments

Scent of Magic (Healer, #2) Scent of Magic (Healer #2) by Maria V Snyder.  Published  Dec 18, 2012 by Harlequin MIRA. CDN $ 8.79 Kindle Edition.

As the last Healer in the Fifteen Realms, Avry of Kazan is in a unique position: in the minds of her friends and foes alike, she no longer exists. Despite her need to prevent the megalomanical King Tohon from winning control of the Realms, Avry is also determined to find her sister and repair their estrangement. And she must do it alone, as Kerrick, her partner and sole confident, returns to Alga to summon his country into battle.

Though she should be in hiding, Avry will do whatever she can to support Tohon’s opponents. Including infiltrating a holy army, evading magic sniffers, teaching forest skills to soldiers and figuring out how to stop Tohon’s most horrible creations yet; an army of the walking dead—human and animal alike and nearly impossible to defeat.

War is coming and Avry is alone. Unless she figures out how to do the impossible … again. (Goodreads excerpt)

I absolutely love this story. I am a big fan of Maria Snyder and this continues to delight to no end. I love how she pulls you in so completely to the story that you don’t want to leave. Her characters are so real that you want need to know what happens next. The story is full of action and intrigue and it keeps you guessing around every turn. The story is very original and is a page turner from start to finish.

This book is a little different from the first in that you see both Avry and Kerrick’s POV. It threw me a bit at the beginning because Avry’s part is written in the first person but Kerrick’s is in the third. I got over it quickly and enjoyed the back and forth. I’m a fan of two points of view. You get to see more of Avry on her own as well as Kerrick (which is nice) and less of the romance (not so nice) that the first book had. I’m hoping that we get back to the romantic part of their relationship in the next book.

Overall this was an excellent sequel. I try not to say too much in my reviews especially of sequels. I don’t want to give any spoilers, so here it is in a nutshell…

Awesome, intriguing, engaging and fun story with lots of twists and turns and OMG’s! And what is not to like with all the magic and mystery and cool characters fighting for a life or death battle of good vs evil!

In case you haven’t figured it out…5 stars for me!

impossible … again. (Goodreads excerpt)

 

 

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WWW Wednesdays (July 2)

Posted on July 2, 2014 | 6 comments

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

My Answers:  
 Secret (Elemental, #4)Recently Finished:  Secret (Elemental #4) by Brigid Kemmerer. OMG I absolutely love love love this series.  I wish I could go out and get the next one right now! Review posted soon!

The Selection (The Selection, #1)Currently Reading : .The Selection by Kiera Cass. I finally bought and started this book and holy cow I am loving it.  I am almost finished and just picked it up!  I hope the next one is as good although I have heard mixed reviews.

Up Next?

I think I might just continue with the series that I am into currently.  Taste of Darkness (Healer #3) by Maria Snyder and Elite (The Selection #2) by Kiera Cass.  I love both series and can’t wait to read more.

Taste of Darkness (Healer, #3)the elite

And as always you never know what little treasure will show up and DEMAND to be read.  Happy reading everyone.

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own WWW Wednesdays post, or share your answers in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks! :D

WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Should Be Reading. Check out their blog!

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Happy Canada Day!

Posted on July 1, 2014 | Leave a comment

canada                                     photo by http://www.flickr.com

 

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Wordless Wednesday June 25 – kisses!

Posted on June 25, 2014 | 2 comments

photo courtesy of http://www.cutestpaw.com

I love Wordless Wednesday. I get a kick out of finding the best picture that makes me laugh or go ‘OMG that is so adorable’. So please LEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Wordless Wednesday post, or just a comment (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks! :D

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Teaser Tuesday (June 24)

Posted on June 24, 2014 | 8 comments

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser:

Quinn stared at him. Their breath still fogged in the air as if the heat in the house wasn’t working.  Gooseflesh had sprung up along her forearm, and she shivered. “You want to tell me what just happened there?”

“Yeah.|” Nick turned his head to look at her. “That’s the rest of my secret.”

Page 33

Secret (Elemental, #4) Secret (Elemental #4) by Brigid Kemmerer

OMG I’m so excited to read this!  I love this series.

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks! :D

Teaser Tuesday is a meme hosted by Should Be Reading. Check out their blog!

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Champion (Legend #3) by Marie Lu

Posted on June 19, 2014 | Leave a comment

Champion Champion (Legend #3) by Marie Lu.  Published November 5, 2013 by Putnam Juvenile.  CDN $ 11.99 Kindle edition.

He is a Legend. She is a Prodigy. Who will be Champion? June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic—and each other—and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government’s elite circles as Princeps-Elect, while Day has been assigned a high-level military position. But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them: just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic’s border cities. This new strain of plague is deadlier than ever, and June is the only one who knows the key to her country’s defense. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything. (Goodreads Excerpt)

My thoughts?

Ever After OMG

OMG I absolutely loved this book and the whole freaking series. It was emotional and heart wrenching and holy cow I wish there was a sequel. Sigh…I will have to use my imagination. Marie Lu does leave us with a glimmer of hope.

I’m gushing I know…but it was a really great story…so real and…sad/emotional/exhilarating? All of it.

I have to say I am really impressed with the world Marie Lu has created. The story sucks you in right from the start and you see the characters grow and learn and love and…I’m gushing again. Sorry 😉 It is rare but I have to say that this book was as good if not better than the other two. It is full of action and suspense and drama and emotion and and and. I cna’t help it, it was good.

K enough said…go read the books…all of them.

jennifer-lawrence-fangirling-whoalawrence

5 stars for me.

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Wordless Wednesday June 18 – EVERYONE LOVES A HUG!

Posted on June 18, 2014 | Leave a comment

kittens                             photo courtesy of 1funny.com

 

I love Wordless Wednesday. I get a kick out of finding the best picture that makes me laugh or go ‘OMG that is so adorable’. So please LEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Wordless Wednesday post, or just a comment (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks! :D

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