Vacay here I come!

Hey guys! Just wanted you to know that I will be gone tomorrow through Saturday due to a spontaneous vacation. We're going to Minneapolis, Minnesota's Mall of America!

If you need to contact me for any reason here's my e-mail address: oreo_93(at)hotmail(dot)com

Reviews: Bite Me, Try Me, and Fang Me by Parker Blue

Bite Me by Parker Blue
An edgy book for teens that spans the gap between YA and adult fiction. Life after high school is tough enough without having to go 15 rounds with your inner demon. Val Shapiro is just your ordinary, part-demon, teenaged vampire hunter with a Texas drawl. And a pet hellhound named Fang. Soon enough she finds herself deep in the underbelly of the city, discovering the secrets of the Demon Underground and fighting to save those she loves. Whether they love her back or not.

My Review:

I couldn't believe how amazing this book was! Val is a sassy, smart and totally willing to kick anyone's butt to get what she wants! Her partners in good are hilarious, especially a certain hellhound named Fang. I guarantee everyone will love him!

The plot of the story is very original and funky. The supposedly "evil" creatures aren't as bad as they seem and everything is just thrown together in this great plotline that has Val Shapiro running around trying to find answers.

There were only a couple of problems I had with this book and that was that at some points toward the end, Val would revisit the same places and still not get any information. To me it just seemed unimportant.

Try Me

This part-demon teen vampire fighter and her faithful terrier hellhound are once again patrolling the dark city streets of San Antonio, Texas. Val's hunky human partner, Detective Dan Sullivan, is giving her the cold shoulder since she beheaded his vampire ex-fiancée. Vamp leader Alejandro is struggling to keep the peace between vamps, demons and humans. The mucho powerful Encyclopedia Magicka has been stolen, someone in the Demon Underground is poisoning vamps, and Val's inner lust demon, Lola, is getting very restless since Val's now partnered with sexy Shade, the shadow demon with the blond good looks of an angel.

The second book in Parker Blue's Demon Underground urban fantasy series plunges readers deeper into a heady world of passion, friendship, intrigue and mystery. 

Parker Blue lives in the wilds of Colorado with her own faithful hellhound, and she's hard at work on the next Val Shapiro book in the Demon Underground series.

My Review:

The book started in a really fresh way that had me thinking that it was going to be just as good, if not better than the first book. Val Shapiro is still kicking butt and taking names with her faithful sidekick, Fang. However, some characters just start getting a little annoying, along with Val's attitude. Now, it may sound bad, but it's just a few small parts that annoyed me. Maybe it was just the author trying to make Val sound stressed, but it just irked me.

Another thing that irked me was that Val towards the end was once again revisiting places just like she had in the first book. I was highly upset that when she tried to solve the case she ended up going back and forth and learning nothing.

There were some really good points in the book, like a certain crush blooming into something more than sly glances. And Val becoming more and more confident with herself.

Fang Me

The vampires want it. The demons want it, too. And someone is willing to kill Val for it.Val and Fang have to find the powerful Encyclopedia Magicka before either of San Antonio's warring underworld factions locate it or the consequences will be deadly for the entire city. As usual, Val's vampire enemies (they still call her The Slayer) want her dead.

Even some of her fellow demons may be less than trustworthy, since they'd like to grab the legendary book of spells before she does. Val has a personal claim to the Encyclopedia--her demon father left it to her when he died--but someone stole it recently. And that can't be good.Battling vamps and dodging demons, Val struggles to unravel the mystery and find the thief.

At the same time, she's fighting her attraction to sweet, sexy Shade--her favorite shadow demon. Rumor has it that Val will lose her part-demon, vampire-fighting powers if she gives herself to him.With a crowd of vamps and demons out to trick her or kill her, it's not a good time for her to risk her job as the city's best vampire hunter by falling in love. The stakes are high and aimed right at her heart. But Lola, Val's hungry little lust demon, doesn't like being denied. Will Lola finally get her way?What's a part-lust-demon-teen supposed to do? Whatever it takes.

My Review:

After the first two books, I was a little scared to read this one so I waited awhile. I was glad I did. The world seemed newer even though I had already read the previous books.

But some things still stayed the same in the world of Val Shapiro. Val and Fang were still their funny selves. And Fang's friend still had me rolling with laughter. Some things were totally different however. Val for instance became really bossy at times and she seemed to be completely ignoring other people's feelings. She also, in my opinion, began to believe that she was the only one who could do anything.

But most of that pales in comparison to the fact that the ending of this book was freaking awesome! It was nothing like the first two books and it made me want the fourth book so much that it hurts!

*I received these books via Netgalley. This in no way altered my opinion/reviews.

The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa: Behind the Scenes cover shoot

Cursed Cover

Cursed by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Dying sucks--and high school senior Ember McWilliams knows firsthand. After a fatal car accident, her gifted little sister brought her back. Now anything Ember touches dies. And that, well, really blows.

Ember operates on a no-touch policy with all living things--including boys. When Hayden Cromwell shows up, quoting Oscar Wilde and claiming her curse is a gift, she thinks he’s a crazed cutie. But when he tells her he can help control it, she’s more than interested. There’s just one catch: Ember has to trust Hayden's adopted father, a man she's sure has sinister reasons for collecting children whose abilities even weird her out. However, she’s willing to do anything to hold her sister's hand again. And hell, she'd also like to be able to kiss Hayden. Who wouldn't?

But when Ember learns the accident that turned her into a freak may not've been an accident at all, she’s not sure who to trust. Someone wanted her dead, and the closer she gets to the truth, the closer she is to losing not only her heart, but her life. For real this time.

Release Date: September 2012

I love that this cover isn't another girl wearing a swirly dress. Don't get me wrong, I love the dresses, it's just so refreshing to see a cover that is unique. Plus I really wish I had red hair!

Zan-Gah Review

Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure by Allan Richard Shickman

Zan-Gah, seeking his lost twin brother in a savage prehistoric world, encounters adventure, suffering, conflict, captivity, and final victory. In three years hero passes from an uncertain boyhood to a tried and proven manhood and a position of leadership among his people. Themes include survival, brotherhood, cultures, gender roles, psychological trauma, and nature's wonders and terrors. This is the electronic version of Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure, which has been awarded Mom's Choice Gold Medal for Series, the Eric Hoffer Notable Book Award, and was a finalist for ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year.

My Review:

I had no idea what to expect from this book except for it being set in a prehistoric era. When I picked it up to start reading, I wondered if I really wanted to begin it when I had so many other books to read. However, once I actually made my way through the book I became fascinated with this boy-to-man story.

Zan starts off as that kid who is trying so hard to be a man. His journey to manhood had me gasping, laughing and ready to turn the next page so I could see what happened next! Zan is the type of character that you don't expect to like, until you get to know him. He's honest, meaning he won't hold back his true feelings on the matter at hand. He's athletic, meaning he'll harm you if necessary, or get your dinner. The side characters like Zan's Uncle Chul, Aunt Siraka-Finaka, and Rydl made me smile through almost all of their story mentions.

The plotline of the story was completely unpredictable, well maybe not the ending, but every other aspect was something I didn't expect. One minute Zan-Gah would be scrambling over cliffs, and the next he would be wandering in the desert.

All in all, I'd recommend this book for anyone who just wants to try something different from the paranormal, fantasy, or contemporary books that rule your life. Also, I know this would have been one of my favorite books when I was in middle school/junior high, so anyone who has relatives or neighbors that age, you might want to prod them into reading this book, especially boys who are coming of age.

4/5 stars

*I received a copy of this book from the Earthshaker Books to review. This in no way altered my opinion/review.

Would you like to see my bookshelves?

I've been watching a lot of bookshelf tours lately, because I am an avid book peeper. (I can't help it they're just soooo pretty!) And I realized that I need to do one. However, I don't want to do one if there isn't any interest because yes, I am lazy. :)

So if you would like to see me in all my bookshelf glory, just leave a comment saying "Yes!" or "Ick!" (for "NO I don't want to see your bookshelves, you weirdo!") or perhaps "I really just don't care."

If you do want to see my books, would you like me to pull out the books so you can look at the covers like some bloggers do, just skim through the books, or a combination of both? Tell me what you desire and it shall be yours!

If there is a high interest, I will post my bookshelf tour as soon as I get my new shelf, which should be in the next week or so.

ORIGINAL SIN by Lisa Desrochers - book trailer

Glorious Covers

Hallowed (Unearthly #2) by Cynthia Hand

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought. Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

Expected Publication Date: January 24, 2012

The Last Echo (The Body Finder #3) by Kimberly Derting

Violet kept her morbid ability to sense dead bodies a secret from everyone except her family and her childhood-best-friend-turned-boyfriend, Jay Heaton. That is until forensic psychologist Sara Priest discovered Violet’s talent and invited her to use her gift to track down murderers. Now, as she works with an eclectic group of individuals—including mysterious and dangerously attractive Rafe—it’s Violet’s job to help those who have been murdered by bringing their killers to justice. When Violet discovers the body of a college girl killed by “the girlfriend collector” she is determined to solve the case. But now the serial killer is on the lookout for a new “relationship” and Violet may have caught his eye...

Expected Publication Date: April 17, 2012

The Calling (Darkness Rising #2) by Kelley Armstrong

Maya Delaney’s paw-print birthmark is the sign of what she truly is—a skin-walker. She can run faster, climb higher, and see better than nearly anyone else. Experiencing intense connections with the animals that roam the woods outside her home, Maya knows it’s only a matter of time before she’s able to Shift and become one of them. And she believes there may be others in her small town with surprising talents.

Now, Maya and her friends have been forced to flee from their homes during a forest fire they suspect was deliberately set. Then they’re kidnapped, and after a chilling helicopter crash, they find themselves in the Vancouver Island wilderness with nothing but their extraordinary abilities to help them get back home. Plentiful action and romance in this second installment in the Darkness Rising series will keep readers enthralled to the very last page!

Expected Publication Date: April 2012

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland—nicknamed The Death Shop—are slim. If the cannibals don’t get her, the violent, electrified energy storms eventually will. In this dystopia, even the very air she breathes could kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He’s wild, dangerous—a savage. He’s also her only hope. Perry needs Aria, too. She alone holds the key to his redemption. And their unlikely alliance will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

Expected Publication Date: February 7, 2012

All books are Published by HarperTeen.

Persephone Triplets

New from #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot, a dark, fantastical story about this world . . . and the underworld.

Though she tries returning to the life she knew before the accident, Pierce can't help but feel at once a part of this world, and apart from it. Yet she's never alone . . . because someone is always watching her. Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back.

But now she's moved to a new town. Maybe at her new school, she can start fresh. Maybe she can stop feeling so afraid.

Only she can't. Because even here, he finds her. That's how desperately he wants her back. She knows he's no guardian angel, and his dark world isn't exactly heaven, yet she can't stay away . . . especially since he always appears when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most.

But if she lets herself fall any further, she may just find herself back in the one place she most fears: the Underworld.

This book is so amazingly awesome! Meg Cabot is a literary genius.

Publisher: Point, Scholastic

It's always been just Kate and her mom—and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall.

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld—and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Kate is sure he's crazy—until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess.

I really liked this book, and I'm super excited for the sequel.

Publisher: Harlequin Teen


Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

This book sounds fantastic! I really wish it was coming out sooner!

Release Date: January 3, 2012

Publisher: Balzer + Bray, Harper Teen

These books may all have the same myth surrounding them, but I can't help but love every single one of them (even the one I haven't read).

Born Wicked Cover Reveal

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

Cate Cahill and her sisters are considered eccentric bluestockings—a little odd, a little unfashionable, and far too educated for their own good. The truth is more complicated; they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it could mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave. Before their mother died, she entrusted Cate with keeping them safe and keeping everyone, including their father, in the dark about their powers.

When her father employs a governess and Cate begins to receive notes from her missing, presumed-mad godmother, her task becomes much more difficult. As Cate searches for answers in banned books and rebellious new friends, she must juggle unwanted proposals, tea parties, and an illicit attraction to the new gardener. Cate will do anything to protect her sisters, but at what cost to herself.

Release Date: February 7th 2012

Dreaming Awake Cover

Dreaming Awake by Gwen Hayes

Is this cover not simply gorgeous?! I thought the first cover was haunting, but this is heart-stopping! I can't wait for this book!