Review: Hold Still by Nina LaCour

Title: Hold Still
Author: Nina LaCour
Reading Level: Young Adult
IBSN: 9780525421559
Blurb:
An arresting story about starting over after a friend’s suicide, from a breakthrough new voice in YA fiction. dear caitlin, there are so many things that i want so badly to tell you but i just can’t.
Devastating, hopeful, hopeless, playful . . . in words and illustrations, Ingrid left behind a painful farewell in her journal for Caitlin. Now Caitlin is left alone, by loss and by choice, struggling to find renewed hope in the wake of her best friend’s suicide. With the help of family and newfound friends, Caitlin will encounter first love, broaden her horizons, and start to realize that true friendship didn’t die with Ingrid. And the journal which once seemed only to chronicle Ingrid’s descent into depression, becomes the tool by which Caitlin once again reaches out to all those who loved Ingrid—and Caitlin herself.

My Thoughts:

Caitlin's best friend was happy. Caitlin and her best friend had fun times. Caitlin knew her best friend. At least that's what she thought. Until the morning her parents wake her to tell her Ingrid has committed suicide. Now Caitlin has to learn to live after her friends suicide. To overcome the grief and the guilt. To learn to love again.

This isn't my usual type of read. I usually just stick to fantasy or supernatural of some sort but sometimes I just like a sad read. A read that makes me think or a read that puts my own life in prospective. Hold Still is one of those reads.
I was expecting a story of a girl whose best friend commits suicide. What I got was a story of a girl healing after her best friend commits suicide. Caitlin's emotions are believable. All the characters in the book are perfectly written. Nina LaCour did a amazing job of making you feel something for these characters. They weren't just made up people. There story seemed real to me while I was reading it. It was one of those books that sneaks up on up too. Today while I was at work I found myself thinking about it.

Overall this is a book about loss and healing from that loss. Learning to love again and forgiving yourself. LaCour captured all things things seamlessly. I'm impressed that she could write a novel about such a hard topic and still include bursts of humor here and there and characters that shine. I thoroughly enjoyed it. 4 Stars!

Here's the book trailer again because I absolutely love it! It's one of the best book trailers I have ever seen.
And don't forget I'm having a giveaway for a finished copy of Hold Still through 11/9!

Reviewers Roundup!(1)

This is a new weekly feature on Pure Imagination inspired by The Story Siren's YAC but I'm going to do something a little different and just post the reviews of the books I loved or reviews that made me want to read a book, made me laugh or maybe sometimes made me shake my head in disagreement. Here are the reviews for the week of October 26, 2009.

Yan at Book by Their Cover reviewed Defining Twilight. 
"This book is innovation, clever, and fun at times. Pick up your copy of Twilight and correspond the word to the sentence and there is your context clue. It makes the person read and help them learn at the same time. Don’t be too judgmental that it had the words “TWILIGHT” on it....."

Fantasy Dreamer's Ramblings reviewed Queen of Song and Souls by C.L. Wilson
"I experienced such a wide range of emotions reading this book that by the time I was finished with it, I was emotional exhausted, in a good way. While I was reading my emotions ranged from being anxious, angry, happy, a deep sadness, surprised, thoughtful, and worried....."

Natalie at Mindful Musings reviewed Wicked by Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie
"First of all, Wicked was a lot darker than I expected it to be. However, that same darkness is what made me enjoy it. I've read a decent amount of books concerning the wicca, warlock, and witch traditions, but few authors dared to delve into the darker part of them. I was amazed by how much research and time had to go into writing this book--from all the quotes to rituals to history. Being a bit of a history nerd myself, I was really able to appreciate it....."

Katie at Sophistikatied Reviews reviewed Gone by Michael Grant
"I loved absolutely everything about it. The plot, where everybody aged fifteen years and older unexplainably disappears, the mutated creatures, the angst and forming of wars between the remaining children .. everything....."

Carla at The Crooked Shelf reviewed The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan 
"The characters in this book are the reason why I loved this so much. Even though the story is told in third person narrative, each person’s views and feelings shine out of the pages. Nick was the perfect character to lead this amazing tale. Through his eyes we can see this world full of love and of feelings and of connections, and know what he is missing. Understand why he gets puzzled around people who care for others, appreciate how truly special love can be and how much of a role it plays in normal every day existence....." 

Vania at Reverie Book Reviews reviewed The Van Alen Legacy by Melissa De La Cruz
"While “Revelations” had a hard hitting impactful end and climax, “Van Alen Legacy” left me with an anticlimactic story. That is not to say that is boring, or slow- on the contrary it is quite entertaining but I did feel some things were forced and lacking real emotion ( I won’t quite say what so I don’t spoil anything) or left me expecting more drama (again, sorry, avoiding spoilers). There was just a lack of a truly gripping climax...."

Jenn at Book Crazy reviewed Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

"In Shiver, I laughed, out loud, I cried like no one was watching (even though they were, sometimes), I felt my heart break with the characters, as well as leap out of my chest. Shiver, is a book that will be with me for quite sometime, a story that did my heart good to read, because even though it's just a book, it reminded me that true love can exist...if your willing to look hard enough, if your willing to work hard enough!...."


**Thanks to everyone that helped me on Twitter for names of this post. I kinda combined some of your ideas! Thanks!

Review: Lips Touch by Laini Taylor

Title: Lips Touch: Three Times
Author: Laini Taylor
IBSN: 9780545055857
Blurb: 
Three tales of supernatural love, each pivoting on a kiss that is no mere kiss, but an action with profound consequences for the kissers' souls:

Goblin Fruit: In Victorian times, goblin men had only to offer young girls sumptuous fruits to tempt them to sell their souls. But what does it take to tempt today's savvy girls?

Spicy Little Curses: A demon and the ambassador to Hell tussle over the soul of a beautiful English girl in India. Matters become complicated when she falls in love and decides to test her curse.

Hatchling: Six days before Esme's fourteenth birthday, her left eye turns from brown to blue. She little suspects what the change heralds, but her small safe life begins to unravel at once. What does the beautiful, fanged man want with her, and how is her fate connected to a mysterious race of demons?

My Thoughts:

I'm not going to write a summay for this book since it was three different stories. I am going to tell you that if you don't run out and get this book right away you are missing out on something wonderful.
I don't usually like short stories. I have a hard time connecting with the characters. With Lips Touch I was sucked right in with the first story and I stayed that way until the very last page.

Every story in Lips Touch is beautifully unique and unlike anything I have ever read before. Laini Taylor has a way with words. She makes them sound lyical and fantastic. I was left wanting more! The world she created in the last story Hatchling is amazing. There is so much potential there to create endless novels in that world.
The characters were all very well written and I felt connected to their stories and hardships. Which in my opinion is something hard to capture in a short story. As an added bonus we get to see these characters and stories brought to life with the beautiful illustrations of Jim Di Bartolo. Everything about this book is beautiful!

Lips Touch is a finalist for the National Book Award and after reading it I am not surprised. This is going to be a book that people will talk about for a long time to come. 5 Stars!

Review: Fallen by Lauren Kate

Title: Fallen 
Author: Lauren Kate
Reading Level: Young Adult
Release Date: December 8, 2009
Blurb:

There's something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price's attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He's the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce--and goes out of his way to make that very clear--she can't let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic, Fallen is a page turning thriller and the ultimate love story.

My Thoughts:

It's Luce's first day at a new school, she has already been striped of her cell phone, flipped off by a cute boy and attacked by a girl and her meatloaf can it get any worse? It can.


I was very excited to get this book. You can ask my husband, when I opened the package there was even some squeeing involved. So I honestly wanted to like it, hell I wanted to love it. It just didn't happen though.
The premise was great. The setting was good. I can relate to the sweltering southern heat. It was the characters and the pace of the story  that ruined it for me.

Luce was annoying and for lack of a better word term, dumb. Sure she has some problems but her actions were totally unbelievable to me. She was stocking the male in the book. They were supposed to have this amazing bond that drew them together but I never saw it! There were times I felt like I was missing something because it wasn't explained and wasn't there at all. I felt totally unconnected with these characters.

On top of all that the pace was slooow. The story didn't pick up until about 250 pages into it. We could do without a lot of those pages in the beginning. I will stop here. I don't like doing negative reviews. I honestly wanted to love this but Kate has a long way to go before I could love her work. I will probably still give the squeal a chance. And I think you all should still give Fallen a chance. This is only my opinion and I seem to be the only person so far that hasn't loved it. 2 Stars

Waiting On Wednesday(20)

February 10, 2009 
Veronica Severance feels cut off from the world. Forced to move from
the city to rural Oregon with her
parents, she is haunted by loneliness and by the chilling sounds of the
Santiam, the river that runs through her backyard

Through the fog of isolation, Ronnie finds herself becoming close with Karen, a young girl who she babysits. But when she discovers Karen's body on the banks of the Santiam, the victim of a supposed accident, Ronnie feels compelled to uncover the truth.

As she becomes increasingly obsessed with solving Karen's death, Ronnie is led deeper and deeper into the woods surrounding the river and to the dark secret hidden within its midst.

The River is a darkly atmospheric story of murder, isolation, obsession and dark secrets that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.




 

January 4, 2010
The Blakes are rather different to your usual neighbours. They are vampires and some of the members of the family date back to the twelfth century. One of the children, Solange, is the only born female vampire known and, as such, she poses a direct threat to the vampire queen. Her best friend Lucy is human, and when Solange is kidnapped Lucy and Solange's brother, Nicholas, set out to save her. Lucy soon discovers that she would like to be more than just friends with Nicholas. But how does one go about dating a vampire? Meanwhile, Solange finds an unlikely ally in Kieran, a vampire slayer on the hunt for his father's killer.

Review: The Adoration of Jenna Fox

Title: The Adoration of Jenna Fox
Author: Mary E. Pearson 
Reading Level: Young Adult 
IBSN: 9780312594411 
Blurb:
Seventeen-year-old Jenna Fox has just awoken from a year-long coma—so she’s been told—and she is still recovering from the terrible accident that caused it. But what happened before that? She’s been given home movies chronicling her entire life, which spark memories to surface. But are the memories really hers? And why won’t anyone in her family talk about the accident? Jenna is becoming more curious. But she is also afraid of what she might find out if she ever gets up the courage to ask her questions. What happened to Jenna Fox? And who is she really?

My Thoughts:

Jenna Fox doesn't know her parents. She doesn't know if she has friends. When she wakes up after a year long coma she has to relearn everything. But some things come back to her quickly like words and walking but her memories come slowly. And everyday it is revealed that she doesn't know who Jenna Fox is.

I have heard so many great things about this book. They were all true. I'm surprised it took me so long to read this. When I finally did pick it up and start reading I was done with it in 11 hours. There is no other way to read it except in one sitting.

Jenna's story grips you from the very first page. You learn about her as she learns about herself. The story is horrifying and beautiful. How far would a person go? Where do you draw they line between saving someone and completely recreating someone? These are all questions this book makes you ask. It makes you think.

This is a sad story. Sometimes I was even disgusted at the actions of Jenna's parents but other times I could sympathize with them. It's also full of hope and betrayal and love. How can it be all these things at once? Mary E. Pearson has written a novel that our children will be reading. Our children's children will be reading. It's a classic. Read it please! 5 Stars!

Win Hold Still by Nina LaCour!

I'm holding a contest for Peguin and we are giving away a finished copy of Hold Still by Nina LaCour. Isn't that awesome! Here's some info about the book:

An arresting story about starting over after a friend’s suicide, from a breakthrough new voice in YA fiction. dear caitlin, there are so many things that i want so badly to tell you but i just can’t.
Devastating, hopeful, hopeless, playful . . . in words and illustrations, Ingrid left behind a painful farewell in her journal for Caitlin. Now Caitlin is left alone, by loss and by choice, struggling to find renewed hope in the wake of her best friend’s suicide. With the help of family and newfound friends, Caitlin will encounter first love, broaden her horizons, and start to realize that true friendship didn’t die with Ingrid. And the journal which once seemed only to chronicle Ingrid’s descent into depression, becomes the tool by which Caitlin once again reaches out to all those who loved Ingrid—and Caitlin herself.

Here's a book trailer that is simply amazing! Watch it!


And also Nina will be doing a event at Borders in San Francisco on October 28th which will be streaming live here. It will be just like being there!
Okay so now on to the giveaway!


One entry for commenting. Leave your e-mail address!


Extra Entries:
+3 For Followers
+2 For anywhere you post about this giveaway(leave links!)

Contest will be open to US and Canada residents only it will run through 11/9.That's it! Aren't you excited to read this? I am! Good luck to you all!

In My Mailbox!

For Review: Seventeen-Year-Old Luce is a new student at Sword & Cross, an unwelcoming boarding/reform school in Savannah, Georgia. Luce’s boyfriend died under suspicious circumstances, and now she carries the guilt over his death with her as she navigates the unfriendly halls at Sword & Cross, where every student seems to have an unpleasant—even evil—history.

It’s only when she sees Daniel, a gorgeous fellow student, that Luce feels there’s a reason to be here—though she doesn’t know what it is. And Daniel’s frosty cold demeanor toward her? It’s really a protective device that he’s used again . . . and again. For Daniel is a fallen angel, doomed to fall in love with the same girl every 17 years . . . and watch her die. And Luce is a fellow immortal, cursed to be reincarnated again and again as a mortal girl who has no idea of who she really is.

Won:

Three tales of supernatural love, each pivoting on a kiss that is no mere kiss, but an action with profound consequences for the kissers' souls:

Goblin Fruit: In Victorian times, goblin men had only to offer young girls sumptuous fruits to tempt them to sell their souls. But what does it take to tempt today's savvy girls?

Spicy Little Curses: A demon and the ambassador to Hell tussle over the soul of a beautiful English girl in India. Matters become complicated when she falls in love and decides to test her curse.

Hatchling: Six days before Esme's fourteenth birthday, her left eye turns from brown to blue. She little suspects what the change heralds, but her small safe life begins to unravel at once. What does the beautiful, fanged man want with her, and how is her fate connected to a mysterious race of demons?

From Paperbackswap.com:
Two women competing for a man's heart. Two queens fighting to the death for dominance. The untold story of Mary, Queen of Scots. This dazzling novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author Philippa Gregory presents a new and unique view of one of history's most intriguing, romantic, and maddening heroines. Biographers often neglect the captive years of Mary, Queen of Scots, who trusted Queen Elizabeth's promise of sanctuary when she fled from rebels in Scotland and then found herself imprisoned as the "guest" of George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, and his indomitable wife, Bess of Hardwick.
The newly married couple welcome the doomed queen into their home, certain that serving as her hosts and jailers will bring them an advantage in the cutthroat world of the Elizabethan court. To their horror, they find that the task will bankrupt them, and as their home becomes the epicenter of intrigue and rebellion against Elizabeth, their loyalty to each other and to their sovereign comes into question. If Mary succeeds in seducing the earl into her own web of treachery and treason, or if the great spymaster William Cecil links them to the growing conspiracy to free Mary from her illegal imprisonment, they will all face the headsman.
Philippa Gregory uses new research and her passion for historical accuracy to place a well-known heroine in a completely new tale full of suspense, passion, and political intrigue. For years, readers have clamored for Gregory to tell Mary's story, and The Other Queen is the result of her determination to present a novel worthy of this extraordinary heroine.

When Sookie's brother Jason's eyes start to change, she knows he's about to turn into a were-panther for the first time. But her concern becomes cold fear when a sniper sets his deadly sights on the local changeling population-and Jason's new panther brethren suspect he may be the shooter. Now, Sookie has until the next full moon to find out who's behind the attacks, unless the killer decides to find her first.

Paranormal Activity

 

I don't usually do movie posts in less its a movie made from a book but I thought Paranormal Activity would be a exception. My husband and I saw it last night. I couldn't pass up the opportunity after hearing people say it was the scariest movie they had ever seen.I've been a pretty scary movie buff ever since I was a kid and...It wasn't the scariest movie I have ever seen. 

 

Don't get me wrong, it was very creepy! I enjoyed it a lot but The Exorcist stills holds the record for the scariest movie ever for me! Paranormal Activity plays on the subtle. Slowly making you paranoid so that eventually you are scaring yourself. There are times when nothing is happening but you are totally freaked out! I like a movie that can scare me without blood and guts and obvious horror.

 

The idea of this movie is genius. I wish my husband and I would have thought of it! The whole movie is filmed on a hand held camera with the actors filming. 

If you like scary movies I recommend seeing it but don't expect it to be the scariest movie you have ever seen!

Author Interview: Amy Huntley

I read The Everafter by Amy Huntley a couple of weeks ago and really enjoyed it so I was very happy to get to interview Amy.


Have you always wanted to be a writer?

I've always loved telling stories, even if they were just to myself and in my head. As a kid I was frequently lost in a fantasy daydream world. It wasn't until I was in late elementary, though, that I started thinking about writing stories down, and once I started, I discovered it was pretty fun. I wrote consistently through high school,and then got a bit distracted by my teaching career and starting a family. But once all that was in motion, I longed to be writing again, and here I am!

Where did the premise for The Everafter come from? 

I get asked this question a lot. And usually I tell the story of how I was sitting at lunch when some colleagues were talking about little things they had recently lost. One of them wondered aloud about how funny it would be if all those objects turned up after people were dead. That conversation did prompt me to think about how to use the notion of lost objects showing up after death in a novel, but another key aspect of my premise is the setting of IS--which actually came from my own fears. Someone once asked me what my greatest fear about death was, and I immediately thought, "Floating around in space with no one around me. Forever." That image just lurked in the depths of my mind for many years as a fear--until my fellow teacher made an offhand comment at lunch about lost items. That comment almost instantly paired itself up with my afterlife fears, and IS--as a place from which life could be revisited and then gracefully moved beyond--was born.

What authors influenced you? 


The authors that influenced me very early in life still echo in my heart. A.A. Milne reached me with his humor even when I was four and being read to by my parents. I was an avid reader of Nancy Drew mysteries once I started being able to read on my own. C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia had a profound influence on me. In middle school I remember reading over and over Richard Peck's Ghosts I Have Been. When I was in college I made a special trip to Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum in London because of that book.  The next big wave of authors who influenced me greatly were those I made contact with in my 20's--Orson Scott Card, Jane Austen, Chris Crutcher, L.M. Montgomery (whom I liked in middle school but rediscovered in a whole new way in my twenties!)

Do you often lose things? 


All. The. Time. Who doesn't? If there's anyone who manages not to lose at least five things a day, I really envy them. But part of the reason I lose so many things is that I'm a daydreamer. It's part of what makes me write, too, so I guess in it's own frustrating way, the fact that I lose things has a beautiful side as well!

What’s next for you?

I'm working on another young adult novel that will be published by Balzer and Bray at HarperCollins.

Thanks Amy for the great interview! Now everyone run out and read The Everafter!

Review: The Devouring by Simon Holt

Title: The Devouring
Author: Simon Holt
Reading Level: Young Adult
IBSN: 9780316027120
Blurb:
"When dark creeps in and eats the light,
Bury your fears on Sorry Night.
For in the winter's blackest hours,
Comes the feasting of the Vours,
No one can see it, the life they stole,
Your body's here but not your soul..."

THE VOURS: Evil, demonic beings that inhabit human bodies on Sorry Night, the darkest hours of the winter solstice.

When Reggie reads about the Vours in a mysterious old journal, she assumes they are just the musings of an anonymous lunatic. But when her little brother, Henry, begins to act strangely, it's clear that these creatures exist beyond a madwoman's imagination, and Reggie finds out what happens when fears come to life.

To save the people she loves, Reggie must learn to survive in a world of nightmares. Can she devour her own fears before they devour her?

The Devouring is an engrossing tale of terror that will have you wondering: what if your worst fears became your living nightmare?

My Thoughts:

When  Reggie's mom left she had to step up and take her place. She now has to cook dinner, do laundry and take care of her little brother. So when her brother starts acting strange and violent it's up to her to save him. Reggie along with her friend Aaron will discover that all those scary stories they have been telling each other just might be real and living under the same roof as Reggie.


I haven't read a horror book in a very long time. I've always loved horror stories and I thought what better month to read one than October? The book started off very strong. Creepy from the very beginning.
Reggie and Aaron, the main characters were great. Both had there quirks. The setting of Cutter's Ridge was fantastic. It generally seemed like somewhere something scary would happen. 
The Vours were scary! The beginning of the book read like a horror movie and I was pretty creeped out. Here comes the BUT.


The last hundred pages or so took a big turn that was almost laughable at times. It went from being freaking scary to annoying. That being said I still enjoyed the book. There was a plausible reason for the turn the book took. When you read it you will see what I'm talking about. I have already order the second book Solstice and plan on reading it. 3 Stars

A Giveaway?

Hey everyone! My giveway for The Everafter ended yesterday and I have a contest planed for next week but since I love you guys so much I want to have another giveaway right away! Here's what ONE person will win:

• Wings by Aprilynne Pike
• Going Bovine by Libba Bray
• Night Runner by Max Turner

Are you interested? Here's how you can enter:



You must be a follower

+1 Leave a comment with e-mail address.


Extra Entries: 

• +3 for anywhere you post about this giveaway(sidebars, blog posts, Twitter etc...)post links!
  
• +2 Add me to your blog roll
  
• +5 Follow me on Twitter(click on the button on the side)

 Contest will run through 11/4. Open to US and Canada only. I promise I will have a international one soon!
Good luck everyone!

Waiting On Wednesday(19)

April 1, 2010

In less than a day I had been harassed, enchanted, shouted at, cried on, and clawed. I’d been cold, scared, dirty, exhausted, hungry, and miserable. And up until now, I’d been mildly impressed with my ability to cope.

At her boarding school in New Zealand, Ellie Spencer is like any ordinary teen: she hangs out with her best friend, Kevin; obsesses over her crush on a mysterious boy; and her biggest worry is her paper deadline. Then everything changes: In the foggy woods near the school, something ancient and deadly is waiting.

Karen Healey introduces a savvy and spirited heroine with a strong, fresh voice. Full of deliciously creepy details, this adventure is a deftly crafted story of Māori mythology, romance, betrayal, and war.


March 2, 2010

Will Hodge's life is a mess! His mother is dead, he has no friends and he thinks he is being followed by a strange group of people who tell him they know him. But Will can't remember them ...at first. And when he does he doesn't like what he can remember. While Will is struggling with unsettling memories, he learns that his past is a lot deeper than many people's, and he has to find out if he is strong enough to break links with the powerful hold that history has on him. This compelling novel, set in alternate future, challenges readers to consider the role we all have to play in making our society, and asks how much we are prepared to stand up for what's right.

Those Fictional Guys We Love(4)

This is a regular feature here on Pure Imagination where I spotlight those amazing guys in YA books or just books in general that we love. Because let's face it, they are one of the main reasons you love the books. Maybe even the reason you keep reading. This week is:

Brigan from Fire by Kristin Cashore

Why we love him?

At first Brigan is a bit of a jerk. That adds to his charm I think. He was able to change and see Fire for who she really is. He's strong. He's the leader of the Dells army. That makes him oh so sexy but he's also funny and unbelievably kind when he doesn't have to be.

Who is Brigan?


This is Gael García Bernal. I think he would be a perfect Brigan! What do you think?

Here's a fun widget I saw on Kristin Cashore blog. Try it out! It's fun!

Winner of The Everafter by Amy Huntley

The winner is....
Tynga!!!

I have already sent you an e-mail. Congrats to you and I hope you enjoy the book!
Thanks to everyone who entered! I have some big contests planed for the next month so stay on the lookout!

Review: My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent

Title: My Soul to Take
Author: Rachel Vincent
Series: Soul Screamers
Reading Level: Young Adult
IBSN: 9780373210039
Blurb:
She doesn't see dead people, but…

She senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally.

Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about her need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who'll be next…

My Thoughts:

After the past events all Kaylee really wants is to be normal. She wants to sneak into clubs with her best friend and just have fun. That isn't possible for Kaylee. Not with her 'panic attacks'. Soon Kaylee is going to find out that her episodes aren't what she thinks. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

I was bit surprised at how much I truly enjoyed this book. I had put off reading it for a while because I wanted to read the e-book prequel first and I really don't like reading at the computer. But I finally gave in and read both.

What a great start to a new series. In a genre full of every paranormal/supernatural beasts and/or creatures you could think of Rachel Vincent has created something truly unique. Bean Sidhes or Banshees are something that hasn't been done before. Really who would think you could pull off a book about Bean Sidhes? Rachel Vincent did!

This book is full of mystery and romance. Nash is a great character and from the first moment he stepping into Kaylee's life you love him. The chemistry between them is wonderfully done. How can you deny there passion for each other. Kaylee is a very likable main character. She's a little naive but really that's not her fault.

Overall this is a great start to a new YA series. It stands out among all the others. I'm very much looking forward to My Soul to Save. 4 Stars!

In My Mailbox(16)

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi at The Story Siren!

No vlog this week since I only got three books!

Bought:

"When dark creeps in and eats the light,
Bury your fears on Sorry Night.
For in the winter's blackest hours,
Comes the feasting of the Vours,
No one can see it, the life they stole,
Your body's here but not your soul..."

THE VOURS: Evil, demonic beings that inhabit human bodies on Sorry Night, the darkest hours of the winter solstice.

When Reggie reads about the Vours in a mysterious old journal, she assumes they are just the musings of an anonymous lunatic. But when her little brother, Henry, begins to act strangely, it's clear that these creatures exist beyond a madwoman's imagination, and Reggie finds out what happens when fears come to life.

To save the people she loves, Reggie must learn to survive in a world of nightmares. Can she devour her own fears before they devour her?

The Devouring is an engrossing tale of terror that will have you wondering: what if your worst fears became your living nightmare?




From Paperbackswap.com:

Dead to the World is the fourth book in Charlaine Harris's series The Southern Vampire Mysteries. In this fourth quirky installment (after 2003's Club Dead), Sookie Stackhouse finds that her bad luck has taken a new turn for the worse. Sookie's love interest, Bill Compton, the vampire, runs off to Peru to do research. In his place, Sookie is stuck with Eric Northman, Bill's boss (and head vamp for the district), who appears out of thin air running down a Bon Temps county road shirtless and shoeless, with no memory of who he is or what he does. Coincidentally, Sookie's brother Jason goes missing. Less coincidentally, but more ominously, a coven of witches (who also happen to be shape-shifters and vampire blood addicts) comes rolling into the nearest big city, looking for trouble.

Maybe it was the Shenanigans gift certificate that put her over the edge. When children's librarian and self-professed nice girl Jane Jameson is fired by her beastly boss and handed twenty-five dollars in potato skins instead of a severance check, she goes on a bender that's sure to become Half Moon Hollow legend. On her way home, she's mistaken for a deer, shot, and left for dead. And thanks to the mysterious stranger she met while chugging neon-colored cocktails, she wakes up with a decidedly unladylike thirst for blood. Jane is now the latest recipient of a gift basket from the Newly Undead Welcoming Committee, and her life-after-lifestyle is taking some getting used to. Her recently deceased favorite aunt is now her ghostly roommate. She has to fake breathing and endure daytime hours to avoid coming out of the coffin to her family. She's forced to forgo her favorite down-home Southern cooking for bags of O negative. Her relationship with her sexy, mercurial vampire sire keeps running hot and cold. And if all that wasn't enough, it looks like someone in Half Moon Hollow is trying to frame her for a series of vampire murders. What's a nice undead girl to do?

Review: Fire by Kristin Cashore

Title: Fire
Author: Kristin Cashore
Reading Level: Young Adult
Series: Companion book to Graceling
IBSN: 9780575085114
Blurb:
Fire, Graceling's prequel-ish companion book, takes place across the mountains to the east of the seven kingdoms, in a rocky, war-torn land called the Dells.

Beautiful creatures called monsters live in the Dells. Monsters have the shape of normal animals: mountain lions, dragonflies, horses, fish. But the hair or scales or feathers of monsters are gorgeously colored-- fuchsia, turquoise, sparkly bronze, iridescent green-- and their minds have the power to control the minds of humans.

Seventeen-year-old Fire is the last remaining human-shaped monster in the Dells. Gorgeously monstrous in body and mind but with a human appreciation of right and wrong, she is hated and mistrusted by just about everyone, and this book is her story.

Wondering what makes it a companion book/prequel? Fire takes place 30-some years before Graceling and has one cross-over character with Graceling, a small boy with strange two-colored eyes who comes from no-one-knows-where, and who has a peculiar ability that Graceling readers will find familiar and disturbing...

My Thoughts:

In Graceling we were introduced to the 7 Kingdoms and the strange people with different two different eyes that had unusual talents. In Fire we are introduced to the Dells and to monsters. Monsters with beautifully colored coats that can get in your mind and lead you straight to your death. That's what Fire is. She is a human monster that instills desire and anger in everyone she meets.

When I first found out that Fire was a companion novel and not a sequel I was disappointed. I wanted more Katsa and Po. Fire started off a little slow for me but that didn't last long. It took off and nothing else could distract me from Fire's story.
Kristin Cashore is immensely talented. I knew this after finishing Graceling but Fire definitely drives the point home. She has created a fantasy world unlike any other and done it beautifully. She has created characters that I become engrossed in to the point of thinking about them days later.
This author has a way of making you feel for the characters that doesn't happen in a lot of fantasy novels. Any author that can give me chills with the appearance of the villain is going to end up a favorite of mine.
In this book Fire's heartbreak and heartache are apparent from the very beginning and with good reason but Cashore slowly weaves the story of Fire's father through hers and the effect is amazing. Your heart will ache for Fire and you will feel joy with her too.
The romance in this one wasn't as big a plot element as in Graceling but it was perfect for this story. You will fall in love right along with Fire.

Can you tell that I loved this book? Both of Cashore's books will be on my favorites of '09 list. Kristin Cashore has a gift and I'm ecstatic that she shared it with us. These books are must reads for everyone! If you haven't read them yet please do so. 5 Stars!

Waiting On Wednesday(19)

May 13, 2010

The year is 2041, and Molly McClure was only six when the Collapse of ’31 happened, ending life as the world’s population knew it. When she is forced to leave the comfort of her small B.C. island to travel down to Oregon, Molly discovers how hard the Collapse has been on the rest of the world. What starts out as a quick trip to the U.S. to convince her grandfather to return to Canada and be the island’s doctor, becomes a rescue mission. How much will she have to compromise to succeed in getting back home?

Isn't this cover great? I love it!






February 1, 2010

Rayne can't wait to start her summer job at a remote country mansion, far from the crowded, noisy London she so desperately wants to escape. But the retreat soon turns into a nightmare -- the mansion is creepy, the legends of ghosts keep Rayne up at night, and she doesn't feel safe anywhere.

Can Rayne figure out why she's so freaked -- before she becomes a ghost story herself?

Those Fictional Guys We Love: Hush, Hush

This is a regular feature here on Pure Imagination where I spotlight those amazing guys in YA books or just books in general that we love. Because let's face it, they are one of the main reasons you love the books. Maybe even the reason you keep reading. So in honer of the release of Hush, Hush this week is:

Patch from Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Why do we love him?

Patch is one of those guys you either love or hate. I've always loved the bad boy so I looove him. He is a smart ass. He's really not even that nice but you know, you just know that deep down inside he is super sweet and just a little misunderstood.

Who is Patch?
This is the Patch in my head.If you have been living under a rock this is Milo Ventimiglia from Heroes but I like to think of him still from Gilmore Girls(Rory should have ended up with Jess!). I guess I think of him as Patch because he was a jerk and a bad boy that you couldn't help but love on GG.
Here's one more for your viewing pleasure:

Review: Soulless by Gail Carriger

Title: Soulless
Author: Gail Carriger
IBSN: 9780316056632
Blurb:
Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she’s a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she is being rudely attacked by a vampire to whom she has not been properly introduced!

Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire, and the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate. With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible.

Can she figure out what is actually happening to London’s high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? And who is the real enemy . . . and do they have treacle tart?

“Soulless” is a comedy of manners set in Victorian London full of werewolves, vampires, dirigibles, and tea-drinking…

My thoughts:

Alexia has no soul. No really! She is a Preternatural, a human born with no soul. She has done a good job of keeping this from her family but when vampires start disappearing and new ones start appearing she may have to use her Soulless abilities to solve to mystery.

What a great concept for an urban fantasy series! From the moment I heard about this book I was very interested. How can you be disappointed with Steampunk urban fantasy!
The characters were very well developed. Miss Tarabotti is a witty voice that will have to be heard and Lord Maccon is simply to die for. All the secondary characters were very well written also. Miss Hisselpenny and her hats. Professor Lyall and his wisdom. The romance between Alexia and Maccon was slow burning but in a good way and very humorous.

This book definitely leaves you wanting more. I can't wait to find out more in Changeless. Gail Carriger has created new series that will have everyone hooked. If you want a amusing read full of romance, supernatural creatures and dirigibles this is the series for you!

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In My Mailbox Vlog!

In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren!


Books mentioned:

• Soulless by Gail Carriger
• Bite Marks by Jennifer Rardin
• The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson
• Fire by Kristin Cashore
• The New Moon Movie Companion
• Club Dead by Charlaine Harris
• Amazon Ink by Lori Devoti

Calling All Twilight Fans!!

In honer of the release of New Moon new month, November is going to be Twilight month here on Pure Imagination. I need all you Twi-Hard bloggers to help out!

Do you have any Twilight related stories? Twilight saga book reviews? Want to do a guest post? Have you met anyone from Twilight? Stephenie Meyer? Do you want to gush about Edward or Jacob? Big plans for the movie premiere? Please e-mail me! I want Twilight month to be a big success but I need you guys!

I will of course be telling my own Twilight stories and there will be a great giveaway of Twilight and New Moon goodies!

**Update!
Anyone who participates will get extra entries for the Twilight Month Giveaway!!

Please e-mail me if you are interested in participating!

pureimagination77(at)gmail.com

Stephen King Anyone?

I know this isn't my usual kind of post/author but I feel like I sort of grew up on King's books and the movies made from them.
So since it's October and Stephen King is the master of all things scary. I want too know what SK books you love. If you haven't read any(you should)what is your favorite SK movie?

In middle school we took a permission slips home for our parents to sign stating that we could read Stephen King books. Since I have the greatest parents in the world of course they said yes. My first pick was Salem's Lot. I already had a mild obsession with vampires by this time but this was a completely different take then Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise in Interview With the Vampire. I loved it. I read many more after that. Including the very special edition of The Green Mile that my teacher kept on her desk. Teacher's pet? No never me!
My favorite out of all the SK books I read would have to be Pet Sematary. I loved the movie at a very early age and the book was heartbreaking and chilling all at the same time. My other favorite was Dreamcather. Although that movie was subpar.
The movies are a whole other topic for another post. I mean The Shining? I could have a whole post on it but I won't bore you.

Did you know Stephen King has a new book out next month?


On an entirely normal, beautiful fall day in Chester's Mill, Maine, the town is inexplicably and suddenly sealed off from the rest of the world by an invisible force field. Planes crash into it and fall from the sky in flaming wreckage, a gardener's hand is severed as "the dome" comes down on it, people running errands in the neighboring town are divided from their families, and cars explode on impact. No one can fathom what this barrier is, where it came from, and when -- or if -- it will go away.

Dale Barbara, Iraq vet and now a short-order cook, finds himself teamed with a few intrepid citizens -- town newspaper owner Julia Shumway, a physician's assistant at the hospital, a select-woman, and three brave kids. Against them stands Big Jim Rennie, a politician who will stop at nothing -- even murder -- to hold the reins of power, and his son, who is keeping a horrible secret in a dark pantry. But their main adversary is the Dome itself. Because time isn't just short. It's running out.

I haven't read a book by Stephen King in years. I might have to fix that.

• What's your favorite Stehen King book and/or movie?

Waiting On Wednesday(18)

April 20, 2010

Her mother was a scandalous witch, her brother has gambled the whole family into debt, and her Step-Mama is determined to sell her oldest sister into a positively Gothic marriage to pay it off--so what can twelve-year-old Kat Stephenson do but take matters directly into her own hands? If only her older sisters hadn’t thwarted her plan to run away to London dressed as a boy and earn a fortune! When Kat makes a midnight foray into her mother’s cabinet of secrets, though, she finds out something she never expected. Her mother wasn’t just a witch, she was a Guardian, a member of a secret Order with staggering magical powers--and Kat is her heir.

Of course, there’s no chance of Kat choosing to join the Order that forbade her parents’ marriage...but Mama’s magical mirror doesn’t seem to understand that. It keeps following her wherever she goes, even when the family travels to Grantham Abbey to meet the sinister Sir Neville, her oldest sister’s chosen fiancé. And what with Sir Neville showing a dangerous interest in Kat’s untapped powers, her mother’s old tutor insisting that she take up her mother’s position as a Guardian, and her sister Angeline refusing to listen to her about anything, *as usual*...well, it’s a good thing Kat kept her boy’s clothing, because she may well have to use it--especially if the rumors of a highwayman are true.

Those Fictional Guys We Love(2)

This is a regular feature here on Pure Imagination where I spotlight those amazing guys in YA books or just books in general that we love. Because let's face it, they are one of the main reasons you love the books. Maybe even the reason you keep reading. So this week is:

Sam From Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Why do we Love him?
*Sigh* Sam is probably the most swoon worthy characters that I've read since....Edward Cullen. He is by no means is perfect. He has a lot of things holding him back in life but he's also so...perfect. Even in his wolf form he tries to save Grace. He has been waiting for her all these years. I could go on and on but I won't.

Who is Sam?
This is from Maggie's blog.

This is Lee Pace, he's a bit too old to be Sam but I think he's the prettiest. What do you think. Do you have someone else in mind?

Stay tuned next week for a Hush, Hush edition of Those Fictional Guys We Love.

The Everafter Giveaway!

I've been hearing how much everyone wants to read this so I thought I would give you a chance!


Madison Stanton doesn't know where she is or how she got there. But she does know this--she is dead. And alone, in a vast, dark space. The only company she has in this place are luminescent objects that turn out to be all the things Maddy lost while she was alive. And soon she discovers that with these artifacts, she can re-experience--and sometimes even change--moments from her life: Her first kiss. A trip to Disney World. Her sister's wedding. A disastrous sleepover.

In reliving these moments, Maddy learns illuminating and sometimes frightening truths about her life--and death.

How to enter:

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Extra Entries:
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US and Canada residents only. Sorry. I hope to have an international one soon! Giveaway will be open until 10/20. Please leave your e-mail in you comment! Good luck!

Review: The Everafter by Amy Huntley

Title: The Everafter
Author: Amy Huntley
Reading Level: Young Adult
IBSN:9780061776793
Blurb:

Madison Stanton doesn't know where she is or how she got there. But she does know this--she is dead. And alone, in a vast, dark space. The only company she has in this place are luminescent objects that turn out to be all the things Maddy lost while she was alive. And soon she discovers that with these artifacts, she can re-experience--and sometimes even change--moments from her life: Her first kiss. A trip to Disney World. Her sister's wedding. A disastrous sleepover.

In reliving these moments, Maddy learns illuminating and sometimes frightening truths about her life--and death.

My Thoughts:

The Everafter tells the story of what happens to Madison Stanton after she dies. She finds herself in a in between. In between what she doesn't know. All the things she lost in life are there. Keys, homework, clothes, everything. She learns that these things can take her back to the time she lost them and eventually help her learn how she died.

Amy Huntley has written a unique debut. Its unlike anything you have ever read before. The concept is very original and gripping.
The characters, Maddy and Gabe are very well done and easy to connect to. Even if you just get their story in flashbacks.
The author also does an excellent job of weaving the mystery of Madison's death into the story. There are several people who could have done it but you never find out for sure until the end.
I enjoyed this book. It was a fast-paced story with some twists I didn't see coming. I look forward to reading more from this author.

I have a new look!

What do you think? Isn't it beautiful? I have been wanting to up date my look for awhile now but my computer is all screwy and won't correctly download a zip file. I found a new site though. I'm sure most of you have heard of it. I've just been living under a rock, anyway the site is Simply Fabulous Blogger Templates. She has Amazing templates(that aren't in zip files)and it was super easy to install! I'm very happy with the result. Now I just have to make another button to match!

In My Mailbox!

In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren

For review:

Madison Stanton doesn't know where she is or how she got there. But she does know this--she is dead. And alone, in a vast, dark space. The only company she has in this place are luminescent objects that turn out to be all the things Maddy lost while she was alive. And soon she discovers that with these artifacts, she can re-experience--and sometimes even change--moments from her life: Her first kiss. A trip to Disney World. Her sister's wedding. A disastrous sleepover.

In reliving these moments, Maddy learns illuminating and sometimes frightening truths about her life--and death.

Bought:
Can Cameron find what he’s looking for?

All 16-year-old Cameron wants is to get through high school—and life in general—with a minimum of effort. It’s not a lot to ask. But that’s before he’s given some bad news: he’s sick and he’s going to die. Which totally sucks. Hope arrives in the winged form of Dulcie, a loopy punk angel/possible hallucination with a bad sugar habit. She tells Cam there is a cure—if he’s willing to go in search of it. With the help of a death-obsessed, video-gaming dwarf and a yard gnome, Cam sets off on the mother of all road trips through a twisted America into the heart of what matters most.

From Paperbackswap.com

Joanne Walker has three days to learn to use her shamanic powers and save the world from the unleashed Wild Hunt.

No worries. No pressure. Never mind the lack of sleep, the perplexing new talent for healing from fatal wounds, or the cryptic, talking coyote who appears in her dreams.

And if all that's not bad enough, in the three years Joanne's been a cop, she's never seen a dead body -- but she's just come across her second in three days.

It's been a bitch of a week. And it isn't over yet.