Big Holiday Giveaway!

Well, the holidays are here and that means one thing... PRESENTS!!!  So I figured that I would spread some holiday cheer!  This is whats up for grabs!

**If I make it to 150 followers I will add  another prize.....an ARC of "Gorgeous" by Rachel Vail!
That means 5 winners/5 prizes!!!  Only a few more followers needed!!! Help me SPREAD THE WORD!!!!!** (12-11-09) I MADE IT!!!!!

The first prize pack is:

Hardback copies of the first four "Pretty Little Liars" books by Sara Shepard!! 

 Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard
Flawless by Sara Shepard
Perfect by Sara Shepard
Unbelievable by Sara Shepard

The second prize pack is:
The first three "Blood Coven"  books by Mari Mancusi (original covers)

Stake That!  by Mari Mancusi
Boys That Bite by Mari Mancusi
Girls That Growl by Mari Mancusi

Third Prize (100 Followers!!):
**Since I now have 100 followers I am adding a new prize! (If I get to 150 I will add another!!)-see announcement at the top!(added 12-11)

Beautiful Americans by Lucy Silag (HB)



 Fourth Prize (Courtesy of Padfoot and Prongs!): A totally cool book tote that will appeal to any true book addict!!! You can find this tote and lots of other unique book related gifts at their Literary Craft Store on Etsy!  Go Check it out!!!

 
Prize 5 (150 Followers):
Gorgeous by Rachel Vail (ARC Copy)










 
So here are the rules of the contest... they are easy!

• you must be a follower of my blog (+3 for old followers-you rock!) (+2 for new followers)
• +1 spread the word on Twitter (link please!)
• +2 post on your sidebar
• +5 blog post with link to contest (leave me the link please!)
• +3 grab my button! (It will look great on your site!)

Just leave me a comment on this post.  I will need a way to contact you if you win, so leave me your email address.  If you are not comfortable leaving your email address on the post, then email it to me @ jenniferclodfelter@yahoo.com
The contest will close at midnight on December 19th!  This contest is open to everyone (US and International)- because everyone needs some holiday cheer!!!!! :D

In My Mailbox (7)

**Thanks to The Story Siren for hosting IMM!!**

Well today I did some CONTEST SHOPPING!! So I have lots of new books (Some for me and some for you!) I got these books for me:

• The Seven Rays by Jessica Bendinger..... I can't wait to read this!  I have seen it on a few IMM posts and it looks really good!
• Generation Dead by Daniel Waters..... I have been wanting this for awhile!  Who doesn't love a good zombie story for the holidays!!!
• The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan.... After seeing the trailer for this movie while watching New Moon I just had to read the book!
  

Now... This is what I picked up for my upcoming contests!!!  I haven't decided how I want to do this yet but I will be posting one contest this week for some of these, so make sure you check back!  If you are a follower of my blog before I post the contest then you will get extra entries... so what are you waiting for? :D  Here is what I got for you: (too many books to post pics :D)

• Stake That by Mari Mancusi
• Boys That Bite by Mari Mancusi
• Girls That Growl by Mari Mancusi
• The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor
• Seeing Red by Frank Beddor
• Beautiful Americans by Lucy Silag
• Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard
• Flawless (Pretty Little Liars) by Sara Shepard
• Perfect (Pretty Little Liars) by Sara Shepard
• Unbelievable (Pretty Little Liars) by Sara Shepard

So now you know what I got (for me and you!), what did you get?

INCREDIBLE CONTEST from author Michelle Zink!!!!!!!!!

You seriously have to go check out the contest at Michelle Zink's site!  You will not believe the huge load of SWAG!!!  She is being extremely generous! Go check it out here! The contest ends soon... HURRY! You will not want to miss this!

2010 Young Adult Reading Challenge

I am excited about entering myself in the 2010 Young Adult Reading Challenge hosted by J. Kaye's Book Blog .  Anyone can join.  You don't need a blog to participate!  There are four levels for this challenge:

• The Mini YA Reading Challenge-- Read 12 Young Adult novels.
• Just My Size YA Reading Challenge--Read 25 Young Adult novels.
• Stepping It Up YA Reading Challenge--Read 50 Young Adult novels.
• Super Size Me YA Reading Challenge--Read 75 Young Adult novels.

**For more information or to sign yourself up click here!

I am planning on doing the "Stepping It Up YA Reading Challenge".  I am hoping to read more than 50 books next year, but time will tell!  I haven't decided how or where I am going to post the books I will read for both challenges I am participating in (check out my post on the 2010 Debut Author Challenge), but I will be working on that soon!  So go ahead and challenge yourself!

My Reading List

1. Darklight by Leslie Livingston
2. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
3. Radiant Shadows by Melissa Marr
4. The Pace by Shelena Shorts
5. Arson by Estevan Vega
6. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
7. Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce
8. The Emerald Talisman by Brenda Pandos
9. Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins 
10. Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon 
11. The Iron Daugher by Julie Kagawa
12. Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus
13. Raised By Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes 
14. Angel Star by Jennifer Murgia 
15. Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel
16. Promise by Kristie Cook
17. I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
18. Halo by Alexandra Adornetto 
19. My Blood Approves by Amanda Hocking
20. Fate by Amanda Hocking
21. Flutter by Amanda Hocking
22. End of Days by Max Turner
23. Immortal Beloved by Cate Tiernan
24. Firelight by Sophie Jordan
25. Plain Kate by Erin Bow
26. Delirium by Lauren Oliver
27. Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller
28. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
29. Thirst No.3 by Christopher Pike
30. Intrinsical by Lani Woodland
31. The Sapphire Talisman
32. Nightshade by Andrea Cremer
33. Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers
34. Wither by Lauren DeStefano
35. Purpose by Kristie Cook
36. Darkest Mercy by Melissa Marr
37. 
    

Need by Carrie Jones

I have been wanting to read Need by Carrie Jones for awhile.  You know how it is, you have all these wonderful books on your shelf and you want to read all of them next!  Well, I hate that I waited so long to read this book!  It was so good!

From the inside of the book jacket:
 "Zara White suspects there's a freaky guy semi-stalking her.  She's also obsessed with phobias.  And it's true, she hasn't exactly been herself since her step-father died.  But exiling her to shivery Maine to live with her grandmother?  That  seems a bit extreme.  The move is supposed to help her stay sane... but Zara's pretty sure her mom just can't deal with her right now.
     She couldn't be more wrong.  Turns out the semi-stalker is not a figment of Zara's overactive imagination.  In fact, he's still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust.  There's something not right- not human- in this sleepy Maine town, and all signs point to Zara.
     In this creepy, compelling breakout novel, Carrie Jones delivers romance, suspense, and a creature you never thought you'd have to fear."


My thoughts:
I really enjoyed this book!  I have read lots of books dealing with Fae creatures, but this is the first I have read about Pixies.  Who knew Pixies were so scary!  I really loved the mixture of supernatural characters in the story, there were pixies and a host of different shifters.  Too Cool!!  Zara's character was interesting.  She was dedicated to saving those who needed help through a number of human rights organizations, like Amnesty International.  The irony of that, is the fact that she was the one who needed saving.  Yes, she could take care of herself, but she also needed the help of those around her to save not only herself, but the innocent victims being harmed.  I also fell completely in love with Nick!  He was so tough, yet so gentle and he showed a vunerability that was endearing.  His dedication to Zara made me melt and want a Nick for myself!  Her grandmother was totally cool too!  She was tough as nails, funny and super-protective.  She didn't baby Zara, instead she helped toughen her up!  One unexpected result from reading this book...I feel like I received a psychology lesson!  Zara was obsessed with phobias.  She could list them A to Z.  She felt like if you could name a fear, then you didn't have to fear it.  So whenever she was scared she would start rattling off phobias to deal with it.  I had no idea there were that many phobias!
     In conclusion, the overall pace of the book was quick and the author provided a good mixture of suspense, romance and humor.  The ending was not what I expected, but it defintely opens the door for the sequel, Captivate, that is due out January 5, 2010.  I look forward to finding out what happens next for Zara and the rest of the characters!
 

2010 Debut Author Challenge

I am so excited to be participating in the 2010 Debut Author Challenge hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren !  This is the first challenge that I have participated in and I can't wait to get started!  To learn more about the challenge or to sign up click here.

These are some of the books I plan to read, but I will be adding more.  This is a list-in-progress!

1.  The Mark by Jen Nadol
   
2. The Secret Year by Jennifer Hubbard
3. Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves
4. The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
5. All Unquiet Things by Anna Jarzab
6. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
7. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
8. Sea by Heidi Kling
9. Everlasting by Angie Frazier
10. Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken
11. Whisper by Phoebe Kitanidis
12. Angel Star by Jennifer Murgia
13. Shadow Hills by Anastacia Hopcus
14. Wish by Alexandra Bullen
15. Harmonic Feedback by Tara Kelly
16. Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
17. The Emerald Talisman by Brenda Pandos
18. Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon
19. Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers
20. Promise by Kristie Cook
21. Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel
22. Nightshade by Andrea Cremer
23. Plain Kate by Erin Bow
24. Intrinsical by Lani Woodland 

Join in the challenge with me!  There will be lots of awesome prizes given to participants throughout the challenge (and who doesn't love prizes! )  Happy Reading!!!!

Great Contest @ The Neverending Shelf!

The Neverending Shelf is holding an incredible "Thank You" contest!  Great books are up for grabs!  Go check it out here!

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Beautiful Creatures is the debut novel by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.  I was SO excited to get my hands on this before its release date!  Many of the blogs I follow had been raving about how wonderful this book was and I just HAD to have it!  When  it arrived at my door and I ripped the package open, I was mesmerized by two things: (1) The cover is absolutely GORGEOUS! (2) It is really thick... finally a great young adult book that I won't read in a day! I love to have a book that is long enough to savor and delve into for a few days!  YEAH FOR BIG, FAT BOOKS!!!!

From The Book Jacket:
"Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations.  But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps, and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.
     Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met.  When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.
     In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything." 
 
My Thoughts:
I have to say one thing first- for a debut novel, the authors wrote a phenomemal book!  It is one of the best I've ever read!  I feel that the length of the book allowed the authors to properly develop, not only the characters, but the story.  The story required a lot of "history" to work.   I believe that the reader was given the history, but not in sacrifice to the pace of the book.  The history was relevant and interesting and layed the path for *fingers crossed* a sequel.  The characters had a lot of depth.  I really enjoyed the relationship between Lena and Ethan.  It was a typical "first-love" teenage relationship in some ways( the insecurities, nerves and vunerability). But I really enjoyed the supernatural aspects because it made it exciting and intriguing!  I enjoyed the link the two of them shared to the past, and I think that the authors did an awesome job tying the past with the present.  The other characters (Macon, Amma, Marian, Ridley and  Link- to name a few) were interesting and well-developed.  They all had more to them than it appeared on the surface.  I was excited to find out the reality of each character.
This was definitely one of those books that I didn't want to end.  You know- the kind that when you turn the last page you feel 'sad'.  I enjoyed this book from cover to cover!   I REALLY hope we see a sequel to this wonderful book!

In My Mailbox (6)

**Thanks to The Story Siren for hosting IMM**


I had a good week!  I picked up some books that I have been wanting for awhile and I received three arc copies of some upcoming books from The AWESOME Story Siren!  Here is what I got:
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
**Gorgeous by Rachel Vail, The Vinyl Princess by Yvonne Prinz, After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick**These are the arcs The Story Siren generously gave me!
Primavera by Francesca Lia Block
Beautiful Americans by Lucy Silag
The Garden of Eve by K.L. Going
Shadowland by Alyson Noel

**Now you know what I got... what did you get?**

WINNER!!!! "Fade Out" by Rachel Caine

Thank you to all that entered my contest!!! I picked the winner using random.org and I am happy to announce that

Gregory @ Teens Read And Write 

is the winner of Fade Out by Rachel Caine!  Congrats to Gregory!!!!  Be on the lookout for my next contest.  I will be posting it soon!

A Contest NOT TO BE MISSED!! @ Princess Bookie!!!!!!!!!!

I love Princess Bookie's Blog!  She is awesome and she has got a killer mystery contest in the works!  She is giving away 8 books that are sure to be drool-worthy!!!!  She will announce what is up for grabs soon, but now she is giving her followers a chance to gain extra entries in the contest ( you will WANT them!) by blogging about the mystery contest.  Go to Princess Bookie's site  and become a follower (in the comment box PLEASE mention that you are a new follower and that Extreme Reader (http://extremereaderbookreviews.blogspot.com) sent you so I can receive my extra entries (you must include a link to my site)!  Then enter for yourself and blog about it so you too can get some extra entries!!  The chance for these coveted extra entries will only be available for a very limited time.  Once she  announces the contest formally and reveals the books you can win the chance for the extra entries will be OVER!!  So don't waste anymore time....Go to her site and get your extra entries but please don't forget to mention me! :D

Last Chance To Win "Fade Out" by Rachel Caine-CLOSED

Today is your last chance to enter to win a copy of Fade Out (Morganville Vampires) by Rachel Caine!  The contest ends tonight at midnight and I will be posting the winner tomorrow morning.   Just go to the left side bar and look for Contest Alerts!  Follwers can click and enter a comment with email address...That's it!!  This contest is open to everyone. **International entries welcome!** Thanks!!!

The Van Alen Legacy by Melissa De La Cruz

     

The Van Alen Legacy by Melissa De La Cruz is the fourth installment of the hugely popular vampire series Blue Bloods.  I had the prior three novels in the series (Blue Bloods, Masquerade, and Revelations) on my bookshelf for quite some time and hadn't read them yet.  I picked up the first one and read it and it was so awesome that I read through all three books in two days!  I couldn't wait to get The Van Alen Legacy!  Let me just say.....This book ROCKED!

From the book jacket:

"With the stunning revelation surrounding Bliss's true identity comes the growing threat of the sinister Silver Bloods.  Once left to live the glamorous life in New York City, the Blue Bloods now find themselves in an epic battle for survival.  Not to worry; love is still in the air for the young vampires of the Upper East Side.  Or is it?  Schuyler has made her choice.  She has forsaken Jack for Oliver, choosing human over vampire.  But old loves die hard.... And even coldhearted Mimi seems to suffer from the ties that bind."

My Thoughts:

In the fourth installment, we find our favorite vampires facing a major turning point.  Sides are being chosen and everything and everyone is not what it appears to be.  Bliss is dealing with the revelation of her destiny and Schuyler and Oliver are on the run from those who should be protecting them!  We get a lot more insight into Mimi's character in this book.  I was pleased to find that she may not be the superficial fashonista bitch-vamp that I always thought she was.  There are also secrets  finally revealed about Schuyler's destiny and her connection to the Blue Blood world.

I think the story behind the series is fresh and original.  I love the fact that the vampires are actually fallen angels who have been doomed to live their lives on Earth as punishment for turning their backs on God and following Lucifer in a battle for Heaven.  This installment delves a little further into Allegra Van Alen's (a.k.a Gabriel) story.  She has been in a coma-like state since the start of the series and we FINALLY get some answers to questions about Allegra, her connection to Bliss and her relationship with Schuyler.  Schuyler is once again tormented and torn by her love for Jack and devotion to Oliver, while Mimi begins to realize that she may never truly have Jack's heart and endeavors on a journey that tests her beliefs and sense of duty.  There is plenty of action, suspense and romance in the pages of this book.  I tore through it in a day!  As I mentioned before, questions were answered, but by the end of the book I had many more!!  I look forward to the next book in the series and I am also excited about her new series for adults about witches!

In My Mailbox (5)

**Thanks to The Story Siren for hosting IMM!**


Well considering the amount of books I have gotten over the past couple weeks I guess I am due for a slow week!  I only received one book, but its a good one!!

•  Prom Nights From Hell by Meg Cabot, Kim Harrison, Michele Jaffe, Stephanie Meyer and Lauren Myracle

Now you know what I got.... What did you get? 
What do you think of the new look of my blog? Thanks to Tynga's Blog Design!!!!

Do You Like My New Look?

I have to give MAJOR thanks to Tynga's Blog Design for my new blog look!  I hope everyone likes it as much as I do!  I am still working on things and trying to learn how to get everything where I want it!  I am not very savvy when it comes to computers unfortunately!  If you are looking to revamp your blog I highly recommend her services!  She is a fellow blogger and offers her services in return for BOOKS from the Book Depository!  Let me know what you think and grab my NEW button (it will look great on your blog) :D

Under Construction!!!!

I just wanted to let everyone know that I may not be posting for a few days.  I am SO excited to say that I am having a blog makeover by the very talented Tynga's Blog Design!!! (I have a button link to her site..check it out!) She has shown me some of what she has already created and it looks AWESOME!!  If you are looking to update the look of your blog or are in the mood for a change, I highly recommend you visit her site!  She helps out fellow bloggers by offering her services at unbelievably fair prices!!!  Be sure to check back soon to see the finished product and go check out Tynga's Blog Design for yourself!

Night Runner by Max Turner

Night Runner is the debut novel by Max Turner.  I won a copy of this book from The Story Siren and since I am a "sucker" (awesome pun right?!)  for a good vampire story,  I was excited to read it!  I have to say that I literally flew through this book!  It was really good!

From the back of the book:

"For Zack Thomson, living in the Nicholls Ward isn't so bad.  After his parents died, he developed strange and severe allergies, and the mental institution was the only place where he could be properly looked after. As strange as it was, it was home.  He could watch as much television as he wanted; his best friend, Charlie, often visited him; and Nurse Ophelia sometimes took him bowling.  Of course, that didn't mean he had it easy.  His allergies restricted his diet to strawberry smoothies, and being the only kid at the hospital could get lonely.  But it never once crosses Zack's mind to leave... until the night someone crashes through the front doors and tells him to run.  Along with Charlie and a girl he may or may not be falling in love with, he does just that: run.  Under cover of night, hiding amongst the shadows, he races for the truth."


I really enjoyed this book!  Zack was such a "normal" teenager in most aspects but extremely different in others. He lived a sheltered life in the mental ward and was naive about many things, but this gave him a vulnerability that was endearing.  The other characters in the book were developed in a way that made them believable, even though they were vampires!  I liked the way that the author told the story without giving too many details away.  This kept me glued to the story because I was unsure of where the story was heading next! The pace of the book was fast enough to keep you on your toes, but not so fast that you find it hard to grasp the details.  The author was very descriptive and this allowed me to visualize the story unfolding as I read.

Overall, I would say that this is a stellar debut novel!  There was plenty of action, suspense and intrigue. There is also the beginnings of a romance that is sure to blossom in the series as it continues.  The ending was awesome!  It was unexpected and exciting and opened the door for a killer sequel!  If you like the YA vampire genre- go out and get Night Runner by Max Turner.

Review Policy

I love to read!  I spend most of my free time between the pages of a good read or working on my blog. My blog is almost a year old and has grown so much!  I am more than happy to accept books for review from authors or publishers.  I recently acquired a Kindle, so I now accept e-books as well.   My site is dedicated to young adult books, so I will only accept and review young adult books or books that hold teenage appeal.  I enjoy paranormal, fantasy, science fiction and general ya fiction.  I am happy to participate in blog tours and book contests.  I am also happy to host author interviews!  My reviews consist of a synopsis of the book and my thoughts on the book's plot, character development, pace and overall appeal.  I value honesty and my reviews will reflect that!

At this time (1-18-11),  I have 870 followers.  I average 87 visitors and 138 average page views daily.  I will update these stats periodically!

I take promoting books very seriously! I do have a very busy life outside of blogging (school teacher and mother!), so I do not guarantee your book will be reviewed before its release date.  I do try and accomplish this, but sometimes life intervenes!  If you are interested in contacting me please email me at (jenniferclodfelter@yahoo.com) .  Thank you and happy reading!!!

Reviews

Night Runner by Max Turner
Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
Meridian by Amber Kizer
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater
Thirst No. 1 by Christopher Pike
Skellig by David Almond
Radiant Darkness by Emily Whitman
Need by Carrie Jones
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
The Van Alen Legacy by Melissa De La Cruz
The Seven Rays by Jessica Bendinger
The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima 
Generation Dead by Daniel Waters
The Dark Divine by Bree Despain
Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev
Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr
Darklight by Leslie Livingston
Far From You by Lisa Schroeder
Radiant Shadows by Melissa Marr
The Pace by Shelena Shorts
The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
Twilight: The Graphic Novel Volume 1
Peeps by Scott Westerfeld (Vlog Review)
Arson by Estevan Vega
Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce
The Emerald Talisman by Brenda Pandos
Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus
Raised By Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa
Promise by Kristie Cook 
The Sapphire Talisman by Brenda Pandos 
Purpose by Kristie Cook
Plain Kate by Erin Bow
Intrinsical by Lani Woodland
Halo by Alexandra Adornetto
I Am Number Four by Pitticus Lore
Death Cloud by Andrew Lane 
Delirium by Lauren Oliver
The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa 
Clarity by Kim Harrington 
Divergent by Veronica Roth 
Hourglass by Myra McEntire
Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton
Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren
Griffin Rising by Darby Karchut

Interviews

Kimberly Derting: author of The Body Finder
Estevan Vega : author of Arson
Alexis Ames (character interview) from Promise & Purpose by Kristie Cook
Nicholas (character interview) from The Emerald Talisman & The Sapphire Talisman by Brenda Pandos
Rachel Hawkins: author of Hex Hall & Demonglass

In My Mailbox (4)

Thanks to The Story Siren for hosting IMM!

This week I got some good ones!

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia : I can't wait to crack this book open!  I have been dying to get my hands on it and now I HAVE it!  Yeah! Yeah!

Rampant by Diana Peterfreund : I have heard this is a good one!  I can't wait to find out!

Everlost by Neal Shusterman : Anything by Neal Shusterman has got to be good!  Unwind is one of my all time favorites!

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles : This sounds like a good story!

I received Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment and Faerie Wars by Herbie Brennan from BookMooch!  These are two that are not in my library and are a welcome additions!

Winner!!!! Arc of Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

My first contest was a huge success!  Thank you to all that entered!  The winner of the arc copy of Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick is:

Rabbithigh

Congrats to Rabbithigh!  I have sent an email to you confirming your win.  You have 48 hours to reply.  If I am not contacted within 48 hours then I will announce a new winner.  Please check out my review of Hush, Hush and don't forget to enter to win a copy of Fade Out by Rachel Caine (Morganville Vampires).  This contest runs until November 21st!  Thanks again to all that entered and look for a new contest to start soon!

Jen

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

***5 super sexy stars***

Who wouldn't love a dark, mysterious, beautiful and dangerous fallen angel?  Well, unless you have been living under a rock, you know that Becca Fitzpatrick's "Hush, Hush" gives us Patch!  He definitely fits the above description!  Normally, I summarize the plot of the books I read and review myself, but since most of you have read many reviews of this FABULOUS book, I will include the summary found on the back of the arc copy I read and then make my comments on what I thought about the book.

Summary:
"Nora Grey is responsible and smart and not inclined to be reckless.  Her first mistake is falling for Patch.  Patch has a past that could be called anything by harmless.  The best thing he ever did was fall for Nora.
After getting paired with Patch in biology, all Nora wants to do is stay away from him, but he always seems to be two steps ahead of her.  She can feel his eyes on her even when she is alone in her bedroom.  And when her attraction can be denied no longer, she learns the secret about who Patch is and what led him to her.  Despite all the questions she has about his past, in the end, there may be only one question they can ask each other: How far are you willing to fall?"

Wow!!  I loved this book!  Becca Fitzpatrick created the perfect bad boy.  He is mysterious, sexy, and dangerous! The book contained the perfect mixture of suspense and romance.  The tortured relationship between Patch and Nora was H-O-T and Patch's snarky attitude was entertaining and sexy!  I liked that Nora was not only strong and brave, but she was smart and could take care of herself.  The story was set at a good pace and all of the characters (good and bad) were engaging.  I really look forward to the next book in the series titled "Crescendo".   I am dying to find out where Patch and Nora's relationship is headed, and I really want to find out more about Nora's past and what it means for her and Patch's future!  I hope Becca writes fast because I am already desperate for more Patch!!!!

Great Contest!

100 Follower contest @ Books at Midnight!!!  AWESOME Prizes! Go to http://booksatmidnight.blogspot.com/2009/11/contest-100-followers-01.html !  Seriously.. check it out- the prizes rock!

Meridian By Amber Kizer

***4.5 Stars***

I loved this book!  It was an exciting read from front to back!  Meridian by Amber Kizer is about a 16 year old girl named Meridian Sozu.  She desperately wants to be "normal".  Unfortunately, she has been anything but since the day she was born.  As a small child she always awoke in the morning sharing her bed with an assortment of dead insects and small animals.  As she got older the dying animals continued seeking her.  Death is her constant companion and the dying are drawn to her.  She never understood why this was happening to her or why she was always sick and in pain until the day of her 16th birthday.  After witnessing a horrific car crash she was immediately debilitated by intense pain and a sense of dying.  It was then that her father came to her rescue and drove her from the scene.  He was frantic to get her away from not only the crash site but from her family as well.  He told her that she was a fenestra (half angel/ half human) and that she was in grave danger.  He also told her that she had to leave right away to go live with her "Auntie" in Colorado.  There she could learn more about what she is and how to protect herself from the unknown danger that is after her.  She arrives in Colorado heartbroken, confused and sad.  It is in this small town of Revelation, Colorado that she learns the truth about what she is, what she is destined to do and that everything in this small forgotten town is not what it seems.  Fortunately, she is no longer alone in her journey.  She meets Tens, a handsome teenage boy that helps take care of Auntie and also happens to be Meridian's sworn protector.  Together with Tens and Auntie, Meridian must face her destiny and find a way to restore the balance of good and evil in a war that she never knew existed.

Amber Kizer's Meridian is a fast-paced story that includes danger, intrigue, romance, spirituality and hope!  I enjoyed the refreshingly original story line and feel that the author did a great job with making the characters likable and believable.  The book's unique take on death and the afterlife will give its readers something to think about.  What a wonderful start to a new YA paranormal series!  Teens and adults alike will be hungry for the next installment!

In My Mailbox (3)

**Thank you to The Story Siren for hosting IMM! Don't forget to enter my contests- win an arc of Hush, Hush (ends 11/7) and enter to win a copy of Fade Out by Rachel Caine (ends 11/21)!!

I had a big week in books!  I bought some great books and received some good ones from BookMooch too!!!

Frozen Fire by Tim Bowler- I have been wanting to read this book!  The summary sounds awesome.  I really like the cover too.

Life As We Knew it by Susan Beth Pfeffer- I have heard great things about this book.  I am looking forward to reading it.

Gone by Michael Grant- Another book that I have heard great things about!  The story sounds very original.

Hunted by PC Cast and Kristin Cast- The next installment in The House Of Night series!

If I Stay by Gayle Forman- Everyone I have spoken with loved this book.  I can't wait to find out!

I got two good books from BookMooch!

Need by Carrie Jones and Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith

I love weeks like this!!