Hello Everyone!

I have to say, I'm sorry I forgot about last week's Waiting on Wednesday. It totally slipped my mind, but I thought this week I'd remedy that oversight, and give you a WOW. Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine. It lets bloggers share with you the books they are dying to get their hands on.

This week I'm waiting on a YA book. The cover drew me in, and the premise sounds like an amazing story waits behind its beautiful jacket. Here is the synopsis:

Rae's always dreamed of dating a guy like Nathan. He’s nothing like her abusive stepfather—in other words, he’s sweet. But the closer they get, the more Nathan wants of her time, of her love, of her...and the less she wants to give.

As Rae’s affection for Nathan turns to fear, she leans on her friend Leo for support. With Leo, she feels lighter, happier. And possessive Nathan becomes jealous.

Then a tragedy lands Rae in the ICU. Now, hovering between life and death, Rae must find the light amid the darkness…and the strength to fight for life and the love she deserves.

Release Date: January 1, 2013
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: 355

ISBN: 1442443995 (ISBN13: 9781442443990)

                 

Now, it was the cover that drew me in. And the story at first, I thought compelling, but not my thing maybe...I like light, bright stories, and I think the idea of there being a touch of dark reality in this story made me a little lukewarm. However, I've since changed my mind, having realized it's often those stories, with dark touches to them that I find most beautiful. So, now I'm dying to read this, hehe.

What do you all think?

               

more details...

Hey Everyone!

Hope you all are enjoying your weekend! I have a review to share with you today, so without further ado, here you are.

Summary from Goodreads

ebook, 247 pages

Published September 26th 2011

by Astraea Press

more details...

ISBN

0013429027 (ISBN13: 2940013429024)

Since childhood Sara has lived with the reality of being ugly. Something her awful family never ceased to remind her. After her sisters run off to Gretna Green, she's left with one choice--go to London and take their place for a Season. It's up to her to marry well and save her family from financial ruin.

A distant aunt decides it's in her best interest to sponsor Sara for the season and help her snag a husband by any means possible.

Nicholas Devons, Earl of Renwick, is a retired rake and consequently bored with life. He's given up beautiful women and carnal pleasures. Desperation makes him decide to give his massive fortune away and marry the first country girl he sees.

Lucky for Sara she's that girl. Unlucky for Nicholas, he's to be her new tutor in the ways of the ton. Two waltzes, one masquerade, a violent carriage ride, and two duckless ponds later.... and all that's left is a fun twist on one of the oldest stories ever told.

Review

I wasn't able to resist the premise of this book. It sounded too sweet, and sexy. An ugly duckling heroine? A reformed rake? These are characters I can never resist. I'm such a sucker for outrageous premises. Anyway, I just had to read this book. It was a quick read, I found, light and easy to read and less than 300 pages long.

I think I'll begin with the writing style...it got on my nerves. Van Dyken's writing varied from polished and clean Victorian styled language to modern and badly edited. So I totally blame her editors. I really really do; I mean, I caught missing periods and improper use of capitals everywhere. Usually where the writing started to sound too contemporary, filled with expressions like "sure" and "he mentally yelled at himself" both of which didn't flow with the rest of the text and style. So I think her editors just totally missed entire sections that needed a bit of polish. It made me groan with vexation because it distracted me from the story. But, that aside, I did enjoy the novel.

I really liked Sara's character. She was quick witted and smart, and reminded me a little of Elizabeth Bennett from Pride and Prejudice. I liked the way she was able to turn a phrase to say a lot while saying very little. I also liked that despite the fact that she'd been told she was ugly and worthless all her life, that she had enough spirit to speak out with that quick wit. I think I'd be too afraid if I was Sara, to speak my mind that way. And especially to someone as worldly and handsome as Renwick.

Poor Renwick! The reformed rake is a stereotypical character, one I love to read about because who doesn't want a bad boy player turned into a loyal, sweet lover all because of the love of one good woman? Who I ask you? Who? And Renwick is not only the besotted lover of Sara, but a man who is so vulnerable he's turned away from even the possibility of loving anyone ever again. He loves Sara very much, but he's so afraid of letting anyone in that he refuses to acknowledge it to anyone, even himself. I was actually very touched when he finally felt himself loved enough to begin to feel that he was healing, all because of Sara's love.

I thought the characters were lovely, but they did lack something in the way depth. I think I wanted to see more emotion from them, instead of being told about it. But the story was sweet, and I was glad that they were able to overcome all the scandals and misunderstandings and simply love one another. Overall, a good read and a promising series.

3 glittering stars

Hey Everyone,

I hope you are all well and enjoying the Christmas countdown. I'm almost all my shopping! Onto to gift wrapping next for me. But for now, here's a review of a book I really loved.

Summary from Goodreads

Paperback, 545 pages

Published April 4th 2011

         by Omnific Publishing

more details...

ISBN

1936305623 (ISBN13: 9781936305629)

Enigmatic and sexy, Professor Gabriel Emerson is a well respected Dante specialist by day, but by night he devotes himself to an uninhibited life of pleasure. He uses his notorious good looks and sophisticated charm to gratify his every whim, but is secretly tortured by his dark past and consumed by the profound belief that he is beyond all hope of redemption. When the sweet and innocent Julia Mitchell enrolls as his graduate student, his attraction and mysterious connection to her not only jeopardizes his career, but sends him on a journey in which his past and his present collide. An intriguing and sinful exploration of seduction, forbidden love and redemption, "Gabriel's Inferno" is a captivating and wildly passionate tale of one man's escape from his own personal hell as he tries to earn the impossible...forgiveness and love.

Review

All I can say is ...WOW. Nothing could have prepared me for this romance. Rich in literary allusions, with characters both passionate and romantic, this story was a love story that just blew me away with it's beauty.

I think I'll start off with Julia. I know some readers might find Julia too weak and insecure, but I think that's is an injustice to her character. She has never known love, not even from her parents, the first people in our lives to love us, to offer us unconditional love. She was horribly used by Simon and made to feel demeaned by both his actions and words. I think it's makes perfect sense that she continues to doubt that she is in fact, lovable. I also admired her strength in seeking out love, even though she feared Gabriel's love would destroy her.So I personally, did not see her as weak at all.

And to offer love to such a man as Gabriel. To love Gabriel, who was so nasty and rude in the beginning. But then, I figured out why she loved him so much. Gabriel believes himself to be worse than a sinner. He believes that he is evil. He thinks he's irredeemable and unlovable. He feels things so deeply that he is, as Julia notices, a Bronte like hero. His passion and feelings are of the Gothic proportion. And luckily, also sweet. The more Julia is around Gabriel, the more we see of his sweet, kind nature. And this deeply passionate,sweet, kind Gabriel is the Gabriel that Julia remembers from her past, who she loves. Perhaps it is not healthy to love as deeply as Gabriel and Julia do, but it is beautiful. And I think what makes this kind of passionate, almost out of control love so beautiful is that it reminds us that love is supposed to transcend everything else.It heals both Gabriel and Julia of their many scars and draws them forth out of their own dark places of fear, insecurity and self loathing into the light, where they are both healed. In this respect, the passion can only be, in my opinion, beautiful.

I love how Gabriel and Julia's story was richly layered onto Dante and Beatrice's. I thought the story ended beautifully, with Julia and Gabriel consummating their love as Dante and Beatrice never did. It was probably the sweetest, most romantic bedroom scene I've ever read.

All in all, a beautifully told love story of the epic variety.I enjoyed it so much I'm afraid to read the next book. I'm afraid that their HEA be tested and right now, that idea isn't appealing.

5 glittering stars

Hello all you lovely readers!

So yesterday I hinted I had some special for you and here it is, a cover reveal!!  The novel is Desolate City and is the first in a series by Racquel Jones, who kindly asked me to participate in a cover reveal of her novel. The release date is for January 10, 2013. The book will be available on Amazon.

Here's the synopsis from Goodreads

Cover by Silviya Yordanova. Find her at
http://www.facebook.com/MyBeautifulDarkness
and
http://morteque.deviantart.com/

After being invited to a party, Seiren never dreamed of being haunted by the Haydens--supernatural beings--of her city. She was suppose to forget about how they watched her every move days before. She was suppose to forget how everything went downhill after meeting a certain white eyed Hayden. But that would be too simple...

Ereshkigal, a group of powerful beings that all Haydens resent, have their sights on Seiren and Haydens from every corner of Black Phoenix will do everything in their power to stop them.

With the help of the gun-toting agent Luann and Hayden guardian Julius, Seiren must figure out her place in all of this and why she is literally running for her life.

The story sounds intriguging, and the artwork is lovely. I'm always up for a good fantasy read!! I seem to flop between two genres more than others: romance (you all know I read a ton of that) and YA/fantasy. In fact, I currently have way too many YA and/or fantasy novels sitting around waiting to be read. So I'm very excited that I was able to share with you a cover reveal of an upcoming fantasy series :) I hope you are all intrigued!! You can find Ms. Jones on Facebook and at her blog Racquel Jone's Blog. Enjoy folks!

Hey Everyone!

It's a new month, and so it's time for another In My Mailbox. IMM is a meme hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren. It allows book bloggers to share books they've acquired. I'm hosting mine a day early this week because I have something special to share with you tomorrow ;) Stay tuned for that!!

But here's what's in my mailbox:

Now, I promised myself I would buy only book this month...but I have no self control in book buying. Mind you, I did get some free!

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh. (purchased by me from The Book Despoistory, their prices are amazing!)
Venetia by Georgette Heyer (purchased by me)
This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel (part of a buy one get one deal, so techinally...purchased by me)

And, since these are ebooks,

Exquisite by Ella Frank (a copy was provided to me by the author, reviewed by me)
Color of Loneliness by Madeleine Beckett (a copy was provided to me by the author, to be reviewed by me)

So all in all, I didn't break the promise that much.... Right? Oh, come on!

So what's in your mailbox?? Please post your lovely reads below :)