Friday 29 April 2011

Follow Friday #3



Happy follow friday everyone. This is a weekly event hosted by Parajunkee. So head over and join the fun!!
This weeks question:

Q. Keeping with the dystopian and apocalypse theme that seems to be running rampant on parajunkee.com, I have one very hard question for you: If you were stocking your bomb shelter, what books would you HAVE to include if you only had space for ten?


1-The Mortal Instruments (4)
2-Clockwork Angel
3-Shiver series (2)
4-The Hunger Games (3)

Man thats hard, i want to bring all my books ;)

Wednesday 27 April 2011

Spellbound Review


Title: Spellbound
Publication Date: June 21, 2011
Published By: Harlequin Teen
Format: galley

*provided to me by Netgalley for review

Summary
What’s a girl to do when meeting The One means she’s cursed to die a horrible death?
Life hasn’t been easy on sixteen-year-old Emma Conner, so a new start in New York may be just the change she needs. But the posh Upper East Side prep school she has to attend? Not so much. Friendly faces are few and far between, except for one that she’s irresistibly drawn to—Brendan Salinger, the guy with the rock-star good looks and the richest kid in school, who might just be her very own white knight.
But even when Brendan inexplicably turns cold, Emma can’t stop staring. Ever since she laid eyes on him, strange things have been happening. Streetlamps go out wherever she walks, and Emma’s been having the oddest dreams. Visions of herself in past lives—visions that warn her to stay away from Brendan. Or else.


My Thoughts
A super awesome love story. The mere mention of soulmates and I'm all in, I don't stand a chance. The thing I loved most about this story is Emma. There is nothing worse then a book with serious potential that you can't connect with because the protagonist lacks any real character. Not so with Emma she has more then enough of this to go around. She's witty, brave, grounded and loyal to those she loves. Now BRENDAN, where do I find one of these? He's so drool worthy it hurts....literally. Tall, dark, handsome and tough. Seriously, I want one!
Cara Lynn Shultz does an amazing job of creating a teenagers world wihtout coming off preachy or like she can't really put herself in their shoes. The high school atmosphere came out more accurate then a lot of YA I've read. Even stirring up some old memories. The way high school kids ACTUALLY interact with each other. I love love loved this book. And yes there is a sequel, awesome!! Bonus theres a link at the end of the book to download Emma and Brendans Playlists at itunes! A 5 out of 5







Monday 25 April 2011

The Girl In The Steel Corset


Title: The Girl In The Steel Corset (Steampunk Chronicles #1)
Author: Kady Cross
Publication date: May 24, 2011
Published By: Harlequin Teen
Format: galley

*provided to me by Netgalley for review

Summary
In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne has no one…except the "thing" inside her.
When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But no normal Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man with one punch….
Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her that says she's special, says she's one of them. The orphaned duke takes her in from the gaslit streets against the wishes of his band of misfits: Emily, who has her own special abilities and an unrequited love for Sam, who is part robot; and Jasper, an American cowboy with a shadowy secret.
Griffin's investigating a criminal called The Machinist, the mastermind behind several recent crimes by automatons. Finley thinks she can help—and finally be a part of something, finally fit in.
But The Machinist wants to tear Griff's little company of strays apart, and it isn't long before trust is tested on all sides. At least Finley knows whose side she's on—even if it seems no one believes her.


My Thoughts
This is only the third book i've read in the steampunk genre and i gotta say i'm lovin it, ALMOST as much as i loved this book. Finley Jayne is a welcome change to the landscape of damsels in distress. The girl is Bad Ass, she fights like a bare knuckle boxer on super-steroids then transforms to a shy girl trying to find herself in the blink of an eye. The supporting cast is full of equally entertaining and unique character, I especially enjoyed the six gun slinging cowboy Jasper with his american accent. The mystery part of the plot wasn't as hard to unravel as i like them,  but it was cool to see how the characters lives and their current dilemma all wound itself together forming an even tighter bond amongst the group of lovable outcasts. This story was fun to read and kept me interested, and i'm hoping since their didn't seem to be an inescapable close to the storyline in the future this is one of those series that could go on for at least 5 more books. As long as Finley and her friends stay interesting and new mysteries pop up i could read about these guys for a long time to come. This book gets 5 out of 5.





Nothing to do with the book but if you like the world of steampunk i found a cool site with clothes and gadgets that i thought i'd share.

Wednesday 20 April 2011

Ashfall Review

Title: Ashfall (Ashfall #1)
Author: Mike Mullin
Publication Date: Oct.14, 2011
Published By: Tanglewood Press
Format: ebook

*provided to me by Netgalley for review

Summary
Ashfall is the story of Alex, a teenage boy left alone for the weekend while his parents visit relatives. When the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts unexpectedly, Alex is determined to reach his parents. He must travel over a hundred miles in a landscape transformed by a foot of ash and the destruction of every modern convenience that he has ever known, and through a new world in which disaster has brought out both the best and worst in people desperate for food, water, and warmth. With a combination of nonstop action, a little romance, and very real science, this is a story that is difficult to stop reading and even more difficult to forget.

My Thoughts
Ashfall is a a gritty story of survival and hope. While writing this review i quite literally sat here with my head in my hands trying to think of a way to convey the emotional rollercoaster it has put me through. How Alex survives this entire ordeal is beyond me, i'm almost completely sure i would have given up where he pressed on. An admirable character to say the least. Darla is one of the coolest female characters i've read, to steal a quote from the author she has "maguyver" moments. There girl is pretty handy to have around and Alex's survival certainly depended on it. This book really tugged at my heart strings, the author really tries to throw you into Alex's shoes and i felt it all. There was happiness, sadness, confusion, love, hope and a fierce determination. The startling reality of how fast the world can change was unsettling. How fast and how much people you know change when they feel it's every man for them self. I was captivated by this book from the start and i think everyone should read it. This book definitly gets 5 out of 5.






Tuesday 19 April 2011

Incarceron Review

Title: Incarceron  (Incarceron #1)
Publication Date:  May 3, 2007
Published By: Hodder Children's Books
Format: Paperback, 458 pages

*borrowed from my sister

Summary
Incarceron -- a futuristic prison, sealed from view, where the descendants of the original prisoners live in a dark world torn by rivalry and savagery. It is a terrifying mix of high technology -- a living building which pervades the novel as an ever-watchful, ever-vengeful character, and a typical medieval torture chamber -- chains, great halls, dungeons. A young prisoner, Finn, has haunting visions of an earlier life, and cannot believe he was born here and has always been here. In the outer world, Claudia, daughter of the Warden of Incarceron, is trapped in her own form of prison -- a futuristic world constructed beautifully to look like a past era, an imminent marriage she dreads. She knows nothing of Incarceron, except that it exists. But there comes a moment when Finn, inside Incarceron, and Claudia, outside, simultaneously find a device -- a crystal key, through which they can talk to each other. And so the plan for Finn's escape is born ...


My Thoughts
This was an amazing adventure story of perseverance. You watch Finn, a boy with no past struggles to survive, and fights for his right to freedom. Stuck inside of Incarceron a prison so vast it seems to be it's own planet. Complete with hybrid forms of life, man/machine, animal/machine and even crazy plant/machine mixtures. It's like entering a paralell universe. Finn travels with his misfit band of followers, Gildas a man half crazy with his obsession of freedom, Keiro his arrogant oathbrother, and Attia an orphan girl that used to be a slave. This was a very visual book, it would make a killer movie (if done right). I only saw one downfall, I could have lived without Claudia, i couldn't connect with her as a character. She always seemed sort of distant. The only role she played for me was Finns eye to "outside". This book got me all philisophical, questiong the earth and it's existence. Funny how a story can make you do that. It was a fun read, i'm giving it 4 out of 5.



Monday 18 April 2011

Monthly Book Giveaway

This is my very first giveaway. EEEP it's so exciting!! SO on the 15th of every month (i'm a little late) i will list 5 new releases from that month along with a bookish question for you to answer(i'm nosy). At the end of the month i will choose a winner using random.org and YOU get to choose which 1 of those 5 you want in your mailbox!!. 



This months books are:


Abandon by Meg Cabot 
City Of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare
Teeth by Neil Gaiman, Melissa Marr ans many others
The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong
The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

The Question:
Who was your favourite author when you were a kid?

The contest is open to US/Canada only.
 To enter leave a comment on this post with your answer to the question and your e-mail (long hand) so i can contact you.
Good Luck Folks ;)
+1 Twitter follower (leave @name)
+1 New blog follower
+2 Old blog follower
+2 Tweet (leave the link)




Reads With Wreckless Abandon is not responsible for items lost or stolen during shipping

Winners will be chosen randomly by random.org
You must be a follower to enter

Friday 15 April 2011

The Gathering Review

Title: The Gathering (Darkness Rising #1)
Publication Date: April 12, 2011
Published By: HarperCollins
Format: Hardcover, 359 pages

*purchased by me


Summary
Maya lives in a small medical-research town on Vancouver Island. How small? You can’t find it on the map. It has less than two-hundred people, and her school has only sixty-eight students–for every grade from kindergarten to twelve.
Now, strange things are happening in this claustrophobic town, and Maya’s determined to get to the bottom of them. First, the captain of the swim team drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. A year later, mountain lions start appearing around Maya’s home, and they won’t go away. Her best friend, Daniel, starts experiencing “bad vibes” about certain people and things. It does’t help that the new bad boy in town, Rafe, has a dangerous secret…and he’s interested in one special part of Maya’s anatomy: Her paw-print birthmark.

My Thoughts
Wow this story starts off with a KABOOM, and it just keeps coming, right up to the last page. I love Kelley Armstrong's writing, i don't have to TRY to put myself in a characters shoes or imagine their world, you just get sucked right in. It makes the whole experience that much more fun. I wasn't sure what to expect with another bunch of genetically altered kids i thought it may end up being too similar to The Darkest Powers trilogy. I.Was.Wrong. Maya her friends and their whole world is so different. I  may even like these Characters more. I'm Canadian so i loved that the book took place here, the little references were cool, like Maya and Daniel using toonies (two dollar coin). The story is fast paced and engaging, i read it in 6 hours. I just couldn't not read it once i started, now i have a long wait till the sequel GAH!. Totally a must read I'm giving it 5 out of 5!!

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

Wednesday 13 April 2011

Waiting On Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted here, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:


After Obsession
By Carrie Jones & Steven E. Wedel
Publication Date September 5 2011
Aimee and Alan have unusual pasts and secrets they prefer to keep hidden. Aimee's deceased mother struggled with mental illness and hallucinations, and Aimee thinks it could be hereditary. After all, she sees a shadowy river man where there isn't one. And then there was that time she and her best friend Courtney tried to conjure a spirit with a Ouija board...

Alan is Courtney's cousin. His family moved to Maine when Courtney's father went missing. It's not just Alan's dark good looks that make him attractive. He is also totally in touch with a kind of spiritual mysticism from his Native American heritage. And it's not long before Aimee has broken up with her boyfriend... 

But it's not Aimee or Alan who is truly haunted - it's Courtney. In a desperate plea to find her father, Courtney invites a demonic presence into her life. Together, Aimee and Alan must exorcise the ghost, before it devours Courtney - and everything around her.

Tuesday 12 April 2011

Shade Review


Title: Shade (Shade #1)
Publication Date:  April 5, 2011
Published By: Simon Pulse
Format: Paperback, 336 pages

*purchased by me

Summary
Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last. Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone. Well, sort of. Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan's violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost. 
It doesn't help that Aura's new friend Zachary is so understanding—and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit. 
As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart...and clues to the secret of the Shift.

My Thoughts
WOW, I haven't seen the likes of sexual tension like this in a long time, and confusion, my  heart goes out to poor Aura i don't know how she copes. The girl is a total crap magnet. Everyone including Aura born "post-shift" see ghosts. Her birth and parentage are a mystery she's trying to find the answers to and she is stuck between two totally awesome guys. For the first time i can NOT decide who i think she should choose. I couldn't put this book down i was brushing my teeth, cooking dinner and doing laundry one handed because i had Shade glued to the other. This story is nothing short of intense and heart breaking. I actually cried at one part, like full out sobbing?! My boyfriend was looking at me like i had lost it, I am not a crier. Everyone should read this book even if your not a YA reader it doesn't matter, it can be equally enjoyed by adults. Watch for the sure to be awesome sequel Shift.5 out of 5. 




Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!



My Teaser
"And then you two go and call attention to yourselves like this," Ian continued. "Holding hands in a pedalo, for christ's sake. They must have been frothing at the mouth at the thought of you two reproducing, wondering if you'd give birth to some kind of mteaphysically enhanced creature or a bottomless black hole."
-Shade by Jeri-Smith Ready, pg.215

Thursday 7 April 2011

Follow Friday #2


Question: Do you judge a book by it's cover?
I know your not supposed to, but i do. I don't like to read the back because i want to be surprised, i dont want any hints or clues. So the only othe way for me to decide is the cover, if its pretty i'm ALL over it!

Feather Book Review


Title: Feather (Feather #1)
Author: Abra Ebner
Publication Date:  December 12, 2008
Published By: Crimson Oak Publishing
Format: Kindle edition

*purchased by me

Summary
Estella's magical life as an orphan was never easy, and at eighteen, she is finally free. In her desperate attempt to leave the city behind and unravel her strange talents, she flees to a secluded college nestled deep in the forests of the North Cascades. It is here that she hopes to escape her painful life, and forgotten past. 

As classes begin, Elle struggles to find her place, until she meets Professor Edgar. Young, handsome, yet terrifying, Elle is suddenly intrigued. Despite her fear of him, she finds the strange attraction mesmerizing, dangerous, and somehow familiar. 

As their acquaintance grows, she is suddenly drawn further into a life she never knew she lived, in a place that finally feels like home. As her happiness returns, so do the demons of her forgotten past. It is here that she finds herself faced with the sacrifice of her life, and the beginning of a journey deeply rooted in our existence.

Feather takes us into the darkest regions of our soul, into a world where we only dream to exist. Book one of the series introduces us to this new world, a place closely rooted in our dreams, and a place we ve all been. Begin the journey your soul craves, in a world where warrior's spring from the earth and magic is all around us.


My Thoughts
I found this book while surfing the kindle store on amazon and the cover caught my eye, id never heard of it before but decided id take a chance. I'm glad i did. A very emotional read. Abra Ebner has a way of writing where the style reflects the emotions of Estella. When Estella is feeling isolated and alone her writing takes on an almost clinical feel, but as the book progresses and Estella begins connecting and reaching out her writing becomes more personal and emotional. This really helps to pull you inside the characters and experience right along with them. The mythology she built for her angels is completly different from any ive read before. A beautiful love story and all around awesome book, cant wait to read the sequel. Feather gets 5 out of 5!








Wednesday 6 April 2011

Infinity, The Chronicles of Nick Review

Title: Infinity (The Chronicles of Nick #2)
Publication Date: May 25, 2010
Published By: St.Martin's Griffin
Format: Hardcover, 448 pages

*This book was purchased by me

Summary

At fourteen, Nick Gautier thinks he knows everything about the world around him. Streetwise, tough and savvy, his quick sarcasm is the stuff of legends. . .until the night when his best friends try to kill him. Saved by a mysterious warrior who has more fighting skills than Chuck Norris, Nick is sucked into the realm of the Dark-Hunters: immortal vampire slayers who risk everything to save humanity. Nick quickly learns that the human world is only a veil for a much larger and more dangerous one: a world where the captain of the football team is a werewolf and the girl he has a crush on goes out at night to stake the undead. But before he can even learn the rules of this new world, his fellow students are turning into flesh eating zombies. And he’s next on the menu.As if starting high school isn't hard enough. . .now Nick has to hide his new friends from his mom, his chainsaw from the principal, and keep the zombies and the demon Simi from eating his brains, all without getting grounded or suspended. How in the world is he supposed to do that?

My Thoughts
This is the first Sherilyn Kenyon book i've read and needless to say it WILL NOT be the last. I absolutely love Nick. He's witty, brave and as he says " He'd survived too much to just lie down and die like some cheap bimbo in a horror movie. Oh No. He was Nick Gautier. A kid born standing up and talking back." Nick has a well devloped and outsatnding cast of supporting characters all with thier own little stories and backgrounds. The mythology and writing is so well thought out, Mrs.Kenyon doesn't walk you through the story holding your hand and pointing out every little thing so you don't miss it. She gives you the details and you put it together on your own. It's YA but very mature. Exciting and entertaining this is a must read. A 5 out of 5. I'm OBSESSED!












Waiting On Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/ that spotlights upcoming releases that were eagerly anticipating.
The book i chose this week is: 
 
Witches Of East End (The Beauchamp Family #1)
by Melissa De La Cruz
Publication date: June 21

The two novels will follow the lives of the Beauchamp girls, who live in the fictional town of North Hampton, as they struggle to stop an arch nemesis and restore the delicate balance between good and evil. De la Cruz will weave characters from her best-selling Blue Bloods young adult series into this new paranormal series for adults.

Tuesday 5 April 2011

My Must Have Books In April


These are a few books that I have been anxiously awaiting the release of. I thought I would share them with you, I left a Goodreads link for each book so you could read the blurbs if the book catches your eye. Also maybe I can make your TBR piles that much bigger....MUAHAHAHA. Enjoy!!



City Of Fallen Angels (Mortal Instruments #4)
By Cassandra Clare
April 5
 http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6752378-city-of-fallen-angels





 Red Glove (Curse Workers #2)
By Holly Black
April 5
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8288246-red-glove


Teeth:Vampire Tales
By Neil Gaiman, Melissa Marr, Cassandra Clare, Garth Nix and many more...
April 5
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8428157-teeth






 The Gathering (Darkness Rising #1)

By Kelley Armstrong
April 12
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7896345-the-gathering






Abandon (The Abandon Trilogy #1)
By Meg Cabot
April 26
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9397967







The Goddess Test (Goddess Test #1)
By Aimee Carter
April 26
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9681214-the-goddess-test

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of should be reading.To play along just do the following.
Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share 2 "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS
Add the title and author so other TT  participants can add the book to their TBR if they liked your teaser.



MY TEASER

Cause if women like that come by often,even if they were total headcases,he definitely wanted a job. Forget Liza and her store that was usually frequented by little girls and their moms. He wanted to work in Hot Woman Valhalla until he died of testosterone poisoning.
Infinity: The Chronicles Of Nick, By Sherilyn Kenyon

Monday 4 April 2011

I Got A Makeover!

I want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to Sarah Bryan over at http://designsbysarahbryan.com/. She did a fantastic job and i am eternally greatful!! Yaaaaay new blog!