Sunday, December 30, 2012

The Witches of Santa Anna: Ruined by Lauren Barnholdt

Just as Natalia feared, Raine had kidnapped Aiden and Cam.  She had plans to make Cam hers forever and to kill Aiden, but thanks to Natalia's newfound powers she was able to save them both.  Natalia is now with Cam and is happy things are finally over, but Brody gives her warning to still stay away from him.  He said that Natalia being with Cam will start a war and that Brody's goal is peace. 

This was the seventh book in the series and the last one I had downloaded.  They're still good.  I don't mind the series at all.  At the end there is a book from another series by Lauren Barnholdt so I'll probably read that next, since it's there.  I think it's from her series Playing With Fire and the first book is called Ember.  Watch out for it :)

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

The Witches of Santa Anna: Pursued and Enticed by Lauren Barnholdt

The war with the triad continues and Cam and Natalia continue to see each other in secret, but they keep discovering more information.  Like why does Natalia's ex have pictures of all of them on his camera?  Or why was Brody's sister with Natalia's ex when she should be in rehab?  And why could Natalia control people like Raine did when she was holding the mysterious white butterfly necklace she thinks her ex put in her bag?  Natalia is sick of having no answers and finally corners Brody.  Brody confirms Natalia's fears about Raine, but promises he can protect her.  So should she trust him.  The homecoming dance is fast approaching and it seems like it will be a night to remember.

The story keeps getting better and better.  I'm totally hooked at this point.  I blow through them.  I can read a whole book in one sitting, not that it's super long.  I also really like the covers for these books.  I'm not sure who all of them are supposed to represent, but they all have some aspect of the story represented in them.


Monday, December 17, 2012

The Witches of Santa Anna: Rumored and Hushed by Lauren Barnholdt

Again, I'm going to summarize two books together.  They're too short, it doesn't make sense to do them seperately.

Cam and Natalia acknowledged their feelings for each other.  The day after, the Triad, starts befriending Natalia and Cam and Brody make amends and Cam starts to think maybe they shouldn't rock the boat.  But after a weird incidence at the spa, Becca claims Natalia punched her.  The whole school knows and Natalia is again an outcast.  The idea is also put in Cam's head by a friend that maybe Raine and the Triad aren't quite normal and that they're doing something to him that makes him so weak.  And after spying on the Triad, Cam knows that it's true; and that they want to hurt Natalia, too.

Well, I was right about my suspicions about the book series name.  These books finally unveiled an inkling as to why they are the Witches of Santa Anna.  It's turning into a cool idea and I'm interested to see what happens, seeing as there are 19 books in the series so far and I'm only on book 5.


Sunday, December 16, 2012

The Witches of Santa Anna: Claimed and Tricked by Lauren Barnholdt

This is for books 1 and 2.  I didn't realize I had gone through two books.  I'm still getting used to my Kindle.  I bought books 1-7 for $0.99, but I haven't gotten used to how it transitions to the next book.  Also because I don't remember what happened in each book I will combine the summaries into one.

Natalia starts at a new school, after having some trouble with her ex boyfriend and rumors at her previous school.  On her first day, she meets Cam, a popular, attractive boy, but who seems to be spoken for by Raine, the in house mean girl.  Soon after Cam's friend, Brody, swoops in on Natalia, making almost every situation an awkward double date because Cam and Natalia obviously have feelings for each other.  Despite this nothing changes.  Natalia's ex-boyfriend has also started to make appearances at local restaurants and even at her school, trying to talk to her about what happened at her old school. 

The books are definitely quick reads, as are most of Lauren Barnholdt's books, but this series seems to have promise.  I'm currently on the third book and while I have my theories, I still don't know why the series is called the Witches of Santa Anna.  But I'm curious and will keep reading.  The books haven't lost my interest or anything.  I like the writing in this series better than "At the Party."  Worth the money to get on your kindle if you have one. :)


Friday, August 17, 2012

Unenchanted by Chanda Hahn

Mina finds out she is the decendent of Wilhelm Grimm, one of the Grimm Brothers, and has been cursed.  The curse started with Jacob and Wilhelm.  They needed to defeat all of the fairy tales to break the curse, but they could not.  It has been passed down in her family, the last being her father.  The curse got him, but Mina won't let it get her.

This book is free for the kindle on Amazon.  I wasn't expecting a lot from it being that it was one of the free books, but was pleasantly suprised.  Maybe I just enjoyed it because I love fairytales.  The fairytales were placed in modern times and the curse was definitely an interesting twist.  I liked it a lot.  There is a second book, I don't remember what it's called, but I'll be reading it.

Monday, August 13, 2012

Getting Close by Lauren Barnholdt

Gabriella is scared of going to college with a boyfriend.  So she breaks up with him earlier rather than later but realizes all she's done is made herself unhappy.  But will Landon want her back?

Not much to say again.  The books had potential, but I wish they were longer and had a little more story for them.  definitely good guilty pleasure reads though.

Kissing Perfect by Lauren Barnholdt

Josh meets Brynn outside the party where she's trying to steal her ex-boyfriend's bike.  After helping her with her plan, Josh realizes he wants to be with a girl like Brynn and Brynn realizes she should be with someone like Josh who actually appreciates her.

Telling Secrets by Lauren Barnholdt

Book 2 in the At the Party series.

Brooke has been hooking up with Aiden for three months amidst her parents recent divorce.  She hasn't told anyone about Aiden and since her best friend moved away she doesn't feel like there's anyone she can tell.  The only person she would consider telling is Ry, her only best friend now.  At the party, Brooke realizes she's been making bad decisions because she's tired of hurting but makes it right by letting herself fall for the one guy whose best for her, Ry.

Not sure if I've confused the order of the books.  If I did I apologize.

Fall Hard by Lauren Barnholdt

Book 1 in the At the Party series.

Emily throws parties all the time, trying to live up to her mother's expectations of her.  The parties are usually boring, but this one isn't.  Emily meets Ashton who happens to like her a lot.  As the night progresses they fall for each other, a very unlikely couple.

So I bought books 1-4 in this series on Amazon for $4.99 for my kindle.  I'm kind of bummed.  They were so short.  And each story was kind of the same.  There are more books in this series, but I'm not going to continue reading them right now.  They're adorable cute high school romances and those are fun, but not all in a row.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Choker by Elizabeth Woods

Cara has been friends with Zoe since she was little, but Zoe seems to bring out the worst in Cara.  And Zoe seems to always show up when things start to get rough.  When two girls in town die, Cara thinks Zoe is at fault, but can't bring herself to terms with the fact.

This book was nothing like I expected.  It started out as the typical story of the high school girl who got picked on, but turned into so much more.  My jaw was legit hanging open as I read the last chapter.  Choker had a huge twist ending, but made the book so good.  I loved it.  It was a little darker than the books I usually read, but I'd definitely recommend it.  It still had a bunch of romance.

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Psych Major Syndrome by Alicia Thompson

Leigh is a freshman at Stiles college, a psych major, and in a relationship with her high school boyfriend, Andrew.  But with college comes change and Leigh learns that the hard way in all aspects of her life.

This book wasn't what I was expecting.  It was really good.  It was a coming of age story, but it was also a romance.  It took me a while to read just because I've been busy lately, but had I not I think would have been a quick read.  I really got into Leigh's character and could relate.  I haven't read any other books by Alicia Thompson, but I'll be looking for what else she wrote.  I liked her writing style a lot.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

After Scarlett and Rosie were attacked by a Fenri (werewolf) and had their grandmother killed by the same one, they have made it their life mission to kill Fenri along with their family friend, Silas.  Scarlett, Rosie, and Silas move to the city where the Fenri population is higher in hopes of killing more than they do in the country, but they begin to each put life into perspective and reach the ultimate question.  Is hunting Fenri really all they want their life to be?

Another twist on a fairy tale.  I just love them!  Definitely not what you think of when you think of Red Riding Hood.  The modern time put the story in a different perspective and I enjoyed how there was not just one main character, but two sisters instead.  Jackson has done it again!  Absolutely perfect.  Just like Sweetly, I love this cover.  I have heard through other blogs that they came out with a new set of covers for these books; much plainer and with less color.  I definitely like these ones better.  There's always two things going on, you just have to look for them.  Sorry the pictures a little blurry.

Saturday, July 7, 2012

The Twin's Daughter by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Lucy Sexton is suprised one morning when a visitor who looks exactly like her mother arrives on her front steps.  Lucy finds out that the women is in fact her aunt, Helen, her mother's twin sister.  Aunt Helen moves in with Lucy and her family, but things start to spiral out of control and people Lucy thought she knew may not be what they seemed.

I love this book.  The cover caught my eye.  It looks different, and I couldn't figure out what the plot of the story would be.  The end had a crazy twist I wasn't expecting.  This was a book full of confusion and deceit, but underneath it all was also a love story.  Absolutely amazing.  I haven't read a book like this in a long time.  Awesome job Lauren!

Thursday, June 28, 2012

The Calling by Kelley Armstrong

Maya has figured out what she is, but faces the challenge of her life when she and the other teenagers' helicopter crashes.  They are on the run from the Nasts and need to find their way back to civilization so they can find their parents and find help.

Another riveting story by Kelley Armstrong.  I'm really loving how she's tying her two series together.  I can't wait to read the third and last book in this trilogy!

Friday, June 15, 2012

Deadly Little Voices by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Camelia is once again having premonitions about a girl who she thinks is Danica Pete, one of her classmates who is constantly picked on. Camelia also starts meeting with Dr. Tynlyn who is a psychiatrist that specializes in supernatural abilties.

Much like the other stories, but this one had a different ending. It still had all the suspense of the other ones and I was just as into it. There is only one book left in the series and should be coming out soon in Fall 2012. For more on Laurie, visit her website. Not only does she have tons of info on her books, but she has tons of links to great resources regarding things from her books or helpful things for writers. She also does lots of workshops if anyone is interested. :)

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

Maya was adopted and had accepted that. She knew she looked Native, but didn't know an exact tribe and she had a birthmark on her hip in the shape of a paw print. An old woman in town calls her a "skin-walker" and things start to unravel until Maya realizes the woman was right.

Another great story by Kelley. Towards the end of the book she started to connect it back to the Summoning, reckoning, and awakening series with Project Genesis and the name, Elizabeth Delaney. If you read those books, those would all sound familiar, but you didn't need to read those books to understand this one, but I'll be interested to read the Calling to see how she connects everything.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Deadly Little Games by Laurie Faria Stolarz

From the Touch series.

Camelia is having premonitions again, this time about Adam, and someone thinks he deserves to die. Camelia can't just sit back and watch as Adam's life is in danger, even if it means jeapordizing her relationship with Ben. Camelia also finds out that her gift is genetic; her Aunt Alexia is a psychometric like herself, but she is being kept in a mental institution.

Another great book by Laurie Faria Stolarz. I like this series a lot and would recommend it. It has just the right amount of mystery, suspense, and romance. Ben and Camelia's relationship is absolutely adorable and I love how Laurie always seem to mix in the soul mate theme into her books. I love the idea of it. :)

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Au Pairs series by Melissa de la Cruz

Now, I read these books a couple summers ago so I can't get you a very good synopsis, but I remember absolutely loving them. It's about 3 or 4 girls (I can't remember, sorry!) that get summer jobs as nannies for a family in the Hamptons. Each book is a different summer, but they all involve the same people. Good Reads! I'm fairly certain the order is Au Pairs, Sun Kissed, Skinny Dipping, and then Crazy Hot, but double check. :)

My Unfair Godmother by Janette Rallison

Tansy's life has been less than perfect. Her parents got divorced, her dad left, her sister is the star in her mother's eyes, and Tansy feels like no one loves her. Constantly searching for love, Tansy finds love in some not so great people and after a run in with the law seems to have hit rock bottom. Tansy is visiting by Chrissy, a fairy godmother and can be granted three wishes. This seems like a pretty good deal to Tansy, but no one said fairy godmother's had to be fair... The story was cute. Stressful haha, but it was a really romantic story and I enjoyed the idea a lot. After I finished I realized there is another story by the same author called My fair Godmother. I'm not sure if this was the first book and it was a series or if it's a different book entirely. Regardless, I'm adding it to my reading list. I also can't figure out how to put spaces between my paragraphs with the new blogger so if anyone knows can you please let me know! I've bolded the summary to make it easier to read, but still, it'd be nice to know. :)

Sunday, January 29, 2012

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

Shades of London: Book 1

Rory's parents move to England for work and she opts to go to a boarding school in London. After moving there, it seems that someone is reenacting the Jack the Ripper murders and Rory is the only one who can see the murderer.

The concept of Jack the Ripper has eluded people for years. Personally I find it quite interesting. I had taken a trip to London a few years ago and gone on a Jack the Ripper tour. I was familiar with the locations talked about in the book, but for those unfamiliar, the author provided a nice map at the beginning of the book. The concept of shades was very cool and even cooler when it was incorporated with a concept like the Ripper. I definitely cannot wait for more of these books to come out (and while I am not positive there will be another I'm being presumptuous being that this was called Book 1). London is a very haunted city so I'm hoping more books will take place there.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Sweetly by Jackson Pierce

Ansel and Gretchen have had a less than easy life. After the disappearance of Gretchen's twin sister, they had to watch their parents slowly die. They had to live with the guilt of losing their sister, and of knowing about the witch who took her. They finally get away only to end up in a small dead end town. They find residence with Sofia Kelly, the town's chocolatier. But as nice as Sofia is, they know she is harboring a lot of secrets. Secrets that will help them discover what really happened to their sister all those years ago.

I love twists on fairy tales and this was great. Hansel and Gretel has so many interpretations, but this was one I had never heard before. An easy, quick read, but very good.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Red Riding Hood by Sarah Blakely-Cartwright

Valerie lives in a town plagued by the Wolf. They sacrifice an animal each month and it leaves there town be, but when the Blood Moon comes back the peace ends. Valerie's sister is killed by the Wolf. Father Solomon, a werewolf hunter, comes to town and points out that the Wolf is someone who lives in town and sets everyone on edge. Valerie doesn't know who the Wolf is, but knows it all started when Peter came back to town. Despite her love for Peter, could he be the Wolf?

This book is based on the movie adaptation of Red Riding Hood that recently came out with Amanda Seyfried. While I enjoyed that movie, reading it was a lot of fun, too. I love reading adaptations of stories I heard as a child. This was a quick read. I read it today. Definitely a fun book.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Stolen by Lucy Christopher

16 year old, Gemma, is kidnapped by Ty, a 21 year old Australian she has never seen before. He drugs her and brings her to his remote home in the Australian desert, but he has no intentions of hurting her. After watching her for 6 years, he only wants her company and hopes she can grow to like him.

The plot sounds creepy, but it was nothing like that. This novel was absolutely beautiful. The story is told as a letter Gemma is writing Ty, after everything. About how she felt and what he put her through. This book won a Printz Honor Award. I cried at the end, I loved it so much! It also never had a dull moment. I read this book today in about 10 hours, I couldn't put it down. Everyone should definitely read this!

Monday, January 2, 2012

1984 by George Orwell

The story takes place in London in 1984. London and the rest of the country have become a negative utopia under the rule of Big Brother. Winston Smith is a member of the Party, but hates Big Brother and everything he stands for. He thinks he is alone in his thoughts until he meets Julia, who also hates the Party and who he falls in love with. Together they decide to try and defy the Party and Big Brother, but they will ultimately pay the price.

A very interesting book. I read it in high school, but decided to reread it. Considering the book was written in the 50's, it would have been very interesting if the world had turned out like this. Yes, the book was a little slow to get into and didn't really pick up until a third of the way through the book, but it's a classic and well worth the read.

So each year, I like to look back and see how many books I read. Unfortunately, I decreased the number of books I read this year. I won't lie, school was all consuming this semester, and I def. didn't read as much this summer as usual. In 2010, I read 24 books. In 2011, I read 15. Big sad face. Anyways, I will work to increase that for 2012. :)
I am still reading! Don't worry. My current book has taken much longer to finish than I intended. With the holidays, I didn't get that much reading done, but I am working on it. It also didn't help that my book is fairly long. Keep a lookout for it on here though! :)