Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Books I Resolve to Read in 2013

For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, my list is about the top ten books I resolve to read in 2013. As a reminder, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish blog. My TBR List is huuugggggeeee, so this week’s list is a great motivation for me.  I am making it my mission this year to read these 10 books! 

P.S. Clicking on the book covers will take you to Goodreads if you want to add the book to your list. J

1. The Diviners by Libba Bray. I was very excited when I heard one of my favorite authors was writing a new series and I couldn't wait to check it out. The size of the book however made me hesitant to dive right into it. Soon more books got added to by TBR List and The Diviner’s is still waiting for me.  I need to read it this year.

2. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. I have been anxious to read this one and I got it for Christmas, so now I have the opportunity to. The mixed reviews made me a little hesitant, but I want to read it regardless.

3. Venom by Fiona Paul.  Venom looks like a cute and fun historical story. I adore the cover! It’s sitting on my nightstand currently. I am hoping to making it my first read from my TBR pile. 

 4. The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay. I have heard so many wonderful things about this book, I cannot wait to read it for myself and see what others are talking about.

5. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. I started this book several months ago, then stopped in the middle of the story to read something different and never picked it up again. I liked the story line and since the second book is out, I would like to finish this one and start the sequel, Shadow of Night. 

6. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. I got this for Christmas and I cannot wait to read it!

7. The Assassin’s Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke. Pirates, magic, and a curse? Count me in. This book sounds like a fun adventure and it has been sitting on my shelf for some time.

8. On Dublin Street by Samantha Young. I heard this was a great steamy romance that I need to read. I haven’t had a chance to yet, but I hope to read it this year.

9. Reason to Breathe by Rebecca Donovan. Every time I go into my Kindle, I see this book sitting on the shelf saying “read me!” It sounds like a really good emotional read.

10. Easy by Tammara Webber. I started reading this and had trouble getting into it, so I stopped. Everyone I know has been talking about and I have seen a lot of good reviews on it. This time around I would like to see it through. 

I am hoping that reading these books will put at least a little dent in my TBR List…So what books are you determined to read in 2013? Show me your links J

Winners of The Avoiding Responsibility Giveaway!!!

The wait is finally over!!!!! I have just picked the two lucky winners of my Avoiding Responsibility Giveaway!

**Winner of Prize 1: E-book of Avoiding Responsibility:  Sandra C. Lopez (Atreau)!!!

**Winner of Prize 2: E-book copy of Avoiding Responsibility and $15.00 Amazon.com e-card: Darlene from Darlene’s Book Nook!!

Congratulations to Sandra and Darlene! Expect an email from me shortly.

Happy Reading & Happy New Year!! J

Special Deal: 99 Authors, 99 Books, 99 Cents Promotion!

This is a 1 Day Special ONLY!

Discover 99 Books by 99 Authors for just 0.99 cents each!!! Hurry and grab these babies before the day ends. 

P.S. These books make great gifts. You can buy a copy for yourself and then gift a copy to a friend(s)! Happy Shopping J .

These prices are available only on Amazon.

For a complete listing of the books offered, click here!!!

After you finish shopping, enter to win one of these lovely prizes:

$500 Amazon Gift Card

Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7" ($200 Value)

Amazon Paperwhite ($120 Value)

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Undeadly (The Reaper Diaries) by Michele Vail

From Goodreads:

The day I turned 16, my boyfriend-to-be died. I brought him back to life. Then things got a little weird...

Molly Bartolucci wants to blend in, date hottie Rick and keep her zombie-raising abilities on the down-low. Then the god Anubis chooses her to become a reaper—and she accidentally undoes the work of another reaper, Rath. Within days, she's shipped off to the Nekyia Academy, an elite boarding school that trains the best necromancers in the world. And her personal reaping tutor? Rath. 

Life at Nekyia has its plusses. Molly has her own personal ghoul, for one. Rick follows her there out of the blue, for another...except, there's something a little off about him. When students at the academy start to die and Rath disappears, Molly starts to wonder if anything is as it seems. Only one thing is certain—-Molly's got an undeadly knack for finding trouble....

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When I read what Undeadly was about, I felt like it had promise. The story sounded interesting, original, and one that I could easily get into.

When Rick, the guy Molly is seeing has an accident and dies right before she has a chance to even open her gifts at her 16^th birthday party she is shocked of course. But she is quick to act, and it is because of her actions that events go from normal to strange in an instant.

“All the colors around me bled away until everything was gray and covered in shadows. Above the dark, dead figure of Rich a ball of white light pulsed. It glittered, like starlight, and emanated comforting warmth.”

“Rick’s soul.”

“I knew that I had to capture the light before it took the journey into the afterlife. Rick needed it to live. All I could think about, focus on, was catching it and sticking it back in.”

“I had no tools, no magic spells, no perfect way to fix what death had broken. All the same, while Curt pounded on his friend’s chest, I stepped around him, knelt at Rick’s side and grabbed his soul.”

-Michele Vail, Undeadly (The Reaper Diaries)

When I read that, I thought that this would be a cool story. I did like the story, but I felt like it could have been better. I couldn't really connect with the main character, Molly Bartolucci.  Even though Molly is a 16 year old, her voice seemed really young. I have read books before were the characters were 13, 14, and 16 and I didn't get that feeling.  The words she used at times left much to be desired. When I began the book, I did not mind it. That’s just her personality I thought, but as the story continued, I started to get annoyed and that sort of killed it for me.

Things like...“mondo ick mess”, “Total suckitude”, and “whatevs.”

“Anubis’s legacy was to rule the Underworld and Set was all, “Nuh-huh. I want to rule the Underworld.” So they had this huge freaking war.”

“It was a mondo ick mess. Finally, Anubis went deep into the Underworld and got some bad-ass magic. We’re talking magic so ancient and powerful, it wasn’t supposed to leave the world of the gods, like, ever.”

-Michele Vail, Undeadly (The Reaper Diaries)

This is one of those books, that even after I finished reading it, I was not 100% how I completely felt about it.  The story felt a little over the top at times, but it was still entertaining.  There were some exciting moments that occurred. The ending leaves room for the 2^nd book in the series. If you are into young teen paranormal books then this would be for you.

Rating: 2½ -3 out of 5.

Buy:
Amazon | B & N | Book Depository | IndieBound | Powells | Harlequin

** I received this book from Harlequin Teen/Netgalley in exchange for nothing, but my honest review. Thank you!** 

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Princess of the Silver Woods by Jessica Day George

From Goodreads:

When Petunia, the youngest of King Gregor's twelve dancing daughters, is invited to visit an elderly friend in the neighboring country of Westfalin, she welcomes the change of scenery. But in order to reach Westfalin, Petunia must pass through a forest where strange two-legged wolves are rumored to exist. Wolves intent on redistributing the wealth of the noble citizens who have entered their territory. But the bandit-wolves prove more rakishly handsome than truly dangerous, and it's not until Petunia reaches her destination that she realizes the kindly grandmother she has been summoned to visit is really an enemy bent on restoring an age-old curse. The stories of Red Riding Hood and Robin Hood get a twist as Petunia and her many sisters take on bandits, grannies, and the new King Under Stone to end their family curse once and for all.

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I fell in love with the cover of the book. It reminded me of Little Red Riding Hood wandering through the forest, which is one of the fairy tales this book recreates in a new way that and Robin Hood. Princess of the Silver Woods is the third book in the Princess series by Jessica Day George. This particular story centers on Petunia, who is the youngest out of her twelve sisters.

While traveling to visit the Grand Duchess Volenskaya’s estate their coach is seized by the Wolves of Westfalian Woods. Petunia may be young, but she carries a gun on her for protection and uses it to gain her freedom from the bandits…for the moment.

In their kingdom there is a new King Under Stone. When the King’s father used to reign, a curse fell upon the twelve sisters that forced them to dance for King Under Stone each night at the midnight balls.. The sisters were able to free themselves from the curse, but now the son of King Under Stone has taken the throne and is eager to prove that he is just as strong if not more than his father was. He is desperate to save his crumbling kingdom. And he believes he knows the only way to save it.

“The kingdom is dying,” he went on at last. “Dying with us trapped inside. Like a birdcage smashed beneath a stone. The door to the cage is still locked and there is no way for us to fly out.” His smile became even more terrifying as he saw his words sink in. “Then what do we do?” Blathen folded his arms across his chest. “I am not going to sit here and let the stone crush me.” “Of course not,” the king said. “We need only to collect a few things to enable our escape.” “And what do we need?” Blathen was still frowning, not convinced that his older brother had the answer. “Just what Kestilan has asked for,” the King Under Stone said, sitting back on his throne. “Just what our father wanted for us: brides. “Beautiful brides who can walk in the sun.”

-Jessica Day George, Princess of the Silver Woods (Twelve Dancing Princesses)

When Petunia eventually makes it to the Grand Duchess Volenskaya’s estate she realizes that things are not always what they appear to be and danger can come in many forms.

This was a cute story and I had fun reading it. I wasn't sure what to expect since it was a retelling of Robin Hood and Red Riding Hood, but I think Jessica Day George did a good job. I got caught up in a world filled with a rich historical setting, beautiful princesses, bad guys, good guys, and a magical curse. I liked it. Fairytales are always entertaining to read, no matter what age you are.

 

                                                              

Rating: 3½ out of 5.

Buy:
Amazon | B & N | Book Depository | IndieBound | Kobo

** I received this book from Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books/Netgalley in exchange for nothing, but my honest review. Thank you!** 

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No Turning Back by Tiffany A. Snow

From Goodreads:

Kathleen Turner has goals. She moved to Indianapolis to start seeing to them, but things aren't going quite as well as she'd hoped. She's a runner for a high-powered law firm in town, not the most prestigious of positions, but it and her part-time bartender gig at least pays the bills. And one of the senior partners is a dreamboat in that obscenely rich, disturbingly good looking, slightly snobbish sort of way.

Before she did a mortifying face plant in his lap during a meeting, she was quite happy ogling him from afar. After that...well...she was more about the avoiding. Mature, no. More likely to assure she keeps her job, yes.

She's made some friends in the few months she's been in Indy. One of those friends is her neighbor Sheila, though Kathleen can't say she's completely comfortable with Sheila's job choice as a high-dollar escort.

It's the middle of the night when Kathleen hears fighing coming from Sheila's apartment. As disturbing as that is, it's the ominous sound of silence afterwards that keeps Kathleen from falling back to sleep. Slipping from bed with the intention of making sure everything is okay, Kathleen knocks on friend's door, only to find Sheila murdered, her naked body sprawled on sheets stained crimson with her blood.

Shock and horror are followed by gritty determination when it becomes clear that Sheila's death isn't random and it isn't the result of a jealous boyfriend. It's the opening gambit in a web of murder, deceit, conspiracy, and fraud that stretches to the law firm for which Kathleen works. Maybe to the very office that Blane Kirk commands.

And Kathleen Turner, law office runner, can trust no one if she wants to survive.

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I bought this book during the summer and never got around to reading it. A couple of weeks ago I had the chance to finally read it and I was pleasantly surprised how much I got into it. The story had a funny start and from there I wanted to keep reading. 

Kathleen Turner is a Runner for a prestigious law firm. One day when she is delivering a package to one of the senior partners, Blane she accidentally trips and falls face down into Blane’s lap. Not exactly the best way to make a good impression and get noticed by your boss. Later that day Blaine comes to her department to inquire about her…

“Oh God. I panicked when I heard Diane tell him where my cube was.   This could not be happening to me.   What was I supposed to say?   What if he thought I’d done that on purpose?   I'd have to get a new job because I'd be too mortified to work here any longer.

Tossing aside my pride, that ship had sailed, as well as the thought that perhaps I might be acting more like a twelve-year old rather than a mature twenty-four, I dived underneath my desk, and not a moment too soon.”

-Snow, Tiffany A. No Turning Back (Kathleen Turner Series)

After Sheila, her friend and neighbor is murdered, Kathleen feels an obligation to make sure her killer is brought to justice.  She turns to Blane for his help since he is a good lawyer. Kathleen did not completely trust Blane at first, yet even though her dad was a cop she never thought to tell the police everything she knew. That I had an issue with. I kept thinking if she didn’t trust Blane, why not just go to the police. During her quest to find out what happened to Sheila, Kathleen gets into trouble a few times and her life is put in danger more than once. She ends up meeting Kade during one of those danger moments. Kade is more or less a gun for hire, but even though Kathleen knows he is dangerous to be around there is a part of her that likes him regardless.  While she wrestles with her feelings for these two men, she is still trying to solve Sheila’s murder and keep herself alive in the process. I admire her determination, because if it were me, after my life was threatened, I don’t think I would have kept putting myself in harm’s way like that.

I really enjoyed this book and rushed to pick up the second one in the series after I was done with this one. It had just the right amount of suspense and romance to keep me interested. No Turning Back is told through Kathleen’s POV which makes for entertaining and funny moments. I liked Kathleen. Her lack of judgment or inability to connect some of the dots was a bit annoying, but other than that I thought she was caring and a quick thinker. Blane is nice enough, but I am rooting for Kade to be the final winner of Kathleen’s affections.  No Turning Back is a breezy and fun romance suspense book that is worth the read.

                                       

                                                        

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Buy:

Amazon | B & N

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The Emperor's Conspiracy by Michelle Diener

From Goodreads:

From nineteenth-century London’s elegant ballrooms to its darkest slums, a spirited young woman and a nobleman investigating for the Crown unmask a plot by Napoleon to bleed England of its gold.

Chance led to Charlotte Raven’s transformation from chimney sweep to wealthy, educated noblewoman, but she still walks a delicate tightrope between two worlds, unable to turn her back on the ruthless crime lord who was once her childhood protector.

When Lord Edward Durnham is tapped to solve the mystery of England’s rapidly disappearing gold, his search leads him to the stews of London, and Charlotte becomes his intriguing guide to the city’s dark, forbidding underworld. But as her involvement brings Charlotte to the attention of men who have no qualms about who they hurt, and as Edward forges a grudging alliance with the dangerous ghosts of Charlotte’s former life, she faces a choice: to continue living in limbo, or to close the door on the past and risk her heart and her happiness on an unpredictable future.

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Because the majority of the time I do tend to judge a book by its cover, that is what first drew my attention to this book.

The Emperor’s Conspiracy focuses mainly on the Charlotte Raven, a young woman now living among the high society of London who was taken in by Lady Howe at the age of twelve. Charlotte did not grow up surrounded by affluence though, she had a rough childhood and during those years she made questionable connections with seedy individuals, like that of Luke Bracken.  Luke Bracken who now as an adult is a big-time London crime boss. He is in love with Charlotte though she does not return the sentiment. She thinks of him as a family member.  Because he cares about her, he watches over her and protects her.

She ends up meeting Edward Durnham, the brother of one of her acquaintances and her brazenness intrigues him. He believes there is more to her than meets the eye and so he begins to inquire about her around town which catches the attention of Luke.

Edward secretly works for the Crown and is soon given a mission to find out why gold is disappearing and who is behind it. With Charlotte’s connection to the criminal underworld she makes the perfect person to help Edward solve this mystery. But when dealing with criminals and seedy individuals, nothing is ever what is seems and trusting the wrong person can be dangerous.

I thought that The Emperor’s Conspiracy was an entertaining historical fiction story.  I wasn't sucked in, but I did want to find out what happened to whom.

I liked that Charlotte was caring and had a mind of her own. Even though she lives well now, she never forgot her old life and where she came from. She offered to help the people from her past that helped her and stuck by her. Luke was a bit of a tortured soul which can be endearing, but I was rooting for Edward. Edward and Charlotte’s attraction to each other seemed instant, but it worked in the story I think.

If you enjoy historical fiction with a good romance entanglement and a light mystery thrown in the mix then this story is for you.

                                                           
Rating: 3½ out of 5.

Buy:
Amazon | B & N | IndieBound

** I received this book from Gallery Books/ Simon and Schuster in exchange for nothing, but my honest review. Thank you!** 

My Blog: http://lifeasabookaddict.blogspot.com/

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Top Ten Books I Wouldn’t Mind Santa Bringing Me

During this round of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish blog, I will list the top ten books that I wouldn't mind Santa bringing me. J

1. Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

2. Gone Girl by Gilliam Flynn

3. Amber House by Kelly Moore

4. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

5. The Almost Truth by Eileen Cook 

6. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater 

7. Delirium by Lauren Oliver

8. The Witness by Nora Roberts

9. The Twelve Clues of Christmas by Rhys Bowen

10. The Art Forger by B.A. Shapiro

Avoiding Responsibility Spotlight & Giveaway!!!

From Goodreads:

Lexi has finally given up her once destructive relationships and moved onto bigger and better things with a sexy new man in town. Just when she is starting to figure it out with him, her world is tilted once again with a phone call from none other than Ramsey Bridges. A year after his entrance into her life, Ramsey is trying to make amends and does the one thing she never expects—invites her to Jack's wedding.

The wedding she had evaded at all costs. But no matter what she does, Lexi can't seem to escape her past with Jack. But does she really want to?

Despite the explosive chemistry between Lexi and Ramsey, she is skeptical about trusting him after everything that has happened. When things are amiss with him, she starts questioning his motives. Can Ramsey be the one to remove Jack from Lexi's life permanently or should she move on with her blossoming new life?

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Okay who is ready for a GIVEAWAY???? Yes you read that correctly. I thought it would be kind of cool to host my very first contest! I hope you are excited because I am! In honor of Avoiding Responsibility being released today, I was thinking hey why not give out a copy. So I am giving away the e-book Avoiding Responsibility to one very lucky winner.  As an added bonus, I will give away a second e-book copy of Avoiding Responsibility along with a $15.00 Amazon e-card.  So there will be two winners!!

And for those who haven't read the first book in the series Avoiding Commitment...let me rectify that for you here: Avoiding Commitment book review.

 Prize 1: E-book of Avoiding Responsibility.

Prize 2: E-book copy of Avoiding Responsibility and $15.00 Amazon.com e-card.

Must be 18 or older to enter. Open internationally.

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