Spells by Aprilynne Pike

Six months have passed since Laurel saved the gateway to the faerie realm of Avalon. Now she must spend her summer there, honing her skills as a Fall faerie. But her human family and friends are still in mortal danger--and the gateway to Avalon is more compromised than ever.

When it comes time to protect those she loves, will she depend on David, her human boyfriend, for help? Or will she turn to Tamani, the electrifying faerie with whom her connection is undeniable? [via GoodReads]

I'm saddened to say that I really did not enjoy this book as much as I did the first in the series [Wings]. I really loved Wings. I loved learning about faeries and their unique traits. It was nice to make these discoveries along with Laurel.

Spells did have things that I did like. For instance, I loved learning more about Avalon as well as potion-making, plants, and their magical worth. But there wasn't enough Laurel/Tamani time. (Sorry, I'm a Tamani girl!) I also felt that there wasn't enough action to make it flow for me. It was very slow-paced. In the beginning it was okay, then it really nose-dived for me, then it sorta picked back up towards the latter half, but still it ended and it was just blah. The characters left off back where they were at the end of the first book. There was nothing of significance in this book to really need to read it. Laurel is still a novice at her fairy skills, Tamani and David are still part of the love triangle, and trolls are still out to get her. It felt like a filler book - which mostly consisted of a lot of information about Avalon, the different faeries (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall), etc.

My final say, do you need to read this, no, not really. If you do feel the need to read it, get a copy from the library. Will I be reading the next book in the series? Absolutely. I'm still intrigued. I truly enjoyed Wings and am looking forward to how it all turns out (Enchantments - April 2011). But in the end it just wasn't my cup of tea... sorry.

My Rating:

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron Fey, iron-bound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her. Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's alone in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart. [via GoodReads]

I loved The Iron King but I must say that Ms. Kagawa has really surpassed my expectations for The Iron Daughter. I absolutely loved this book. You know, I normally don't expect sequels to surpass the greatness of the first in the series, but I must say that this one definitely did!

The story picks up right after The Iron King left off. And for those of you who haven't already, I do recommend that you read the novella, Winter's Passage, so that you do get the complete journey Meghan and Ash traversed in order for the story to start with Meghan at the Winter Palace (it is not direly needed to pick-up this novella, but I do recommend that you do to get the full scope of the story).

In The Iron Daughter we learn more about the inner workings of the fae courts, there are new characters introduced, some loose ends that are tied, some revelations and many more paths that the story can take. There is just as much, if not more, action, adventure, peril, romance, friendship, passion, drama and love, then in the first in the series. Ms. Kagawa has amazing imagination and her world-building continues to astound me.

I really want this review to be as spoiler-free as possible so I won't give you too much info - but I leave you with some teasers: In it we definitely learn more about Ash, and the events that have made him into the boy/man that we know today. Puck is back as are Grimalkin, as well as some other characters we initially meet. We also get some details as to what the beef is between Ash and Puck. There are some unexpected ally's and some even more unexpected turn of events. The ending left me very satisfied, and even though there is a continuation, it really wasn't one of those oh-my-God cliff-hangers, although I still cannot wait to get my hands on the next book. I must know what happens next, NOW!

With that said, this is one of the best YA fairy series I have had the pleasure of reading. The characters are unforgettable, the world-building is breathtaking, and the romance/adventure is thrilling. I am hooked and cannot wait to see what is in store for our characters next. A must-read!

This book was provided for review by Harlequin through NetGalley.

I met Alyson Noel ... & I liked it!

Last Friday my lovely friends, Isalys & Vanessa (a/k/a Book♥Soulmates), and I, headed out to our local Books & Books (by the way, they are the most amazing indie book store ever, just FYI), and were able to meet the lovely Alyson Noel. Y'all might know her as the author of the highly popular The Immortals series (Evermore, Blue Moon, Shadowland, Dark Flame, and 2 more to come).

Here's what we learned about/from Alyson:
1 - She's uber stylish. That's right we loved her outfit, shoes, purse, and hair.
2 - She's got a fantastic sense of humor. Oh yes, she was very funny and witty and we just can't help but loving that about her.
3 - She's super down to Earth. She hugged, smiled, laughed, talked and just enjoyed being there with everyone who came out to meet her.
4 - Two more books are scheduled in The Immortals series. And then there's the breakout Riley books (you know, Ever's ghostly sister, whom we all love and adore) which will also be part of a series. First in the series is titled Radiance.

5 - She just sold the film rights to her adult novel, Fly Me to the Moon, so we shall hopefully be seeing that in the big screen some time in the near future.
6 - We weren't the oldest people in line. Haha. Oh yes, Alyson and her books are loved by fans of all ages. Phew!
7- And last, but not least, we learned that Alyson believes in happy endings. So yes, ladies and gentlemen, there is hope for Ever and Damen yet! I can't wait to see how it all turns out. eek!

Here are some of the fun pics we took that night:

(left to right - Nely, Isalys & Vanessa)

And that was our amazing experience meeting the lovely Alyson Noel. I can't begin to tell you how much fun we had. It really was an amazing night and if she's visiting a city near you I definitely recommend you go out and meet her. She was a treat!

Here are some sites where you can learn more about Alyson Noel and her books:

Website
Blog
Twitter
Facebook

& for those of you that don't know she's very active on all of these sites so feel free to contact her. I know I have and she's always been courteous enough to respond and answer my questions.

Manic Monday Recaps (Week 6/28/10)

Hope you all had a lovely weekend. Mine always go too fast and this one especially flew by since I did nothing all weekend long but stay home and clean. Didn't get much reading time either. But I did have a fab time on Friday with my friends, Isalys and Vanessa, you guys know them as Book♥Soulmates. We were able to meet Alyson Noel... eek! Still excited over that. She was such an amazing person. I loved her! More to come on that later in the week. Plus we have to share all our seriously fabulous pictures. With that said,

Here's what I plan on reading this week:

Last week I read the following:
- Undead and Unwelcome by MaryJanice Davidson
- Intertwined by Gena Showalter
- Numbers by Rachel Ward
- The Poison Diaries by Maryrose Wood and The Duchess of Northumberland
- Soulstice by Simon Holt

I reviewed the following:
- Far From You by Lisa Schroeder [review]
- The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer [review]
** sorry it was a busy week for me.

And there you have it. What are you guys reading this week?

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner is a short novella set in the Twilight world - but specifically taking place throughout Eclipse. In it we meet Bree Tanner. She is a newborn vampire with little knowledge about the new world she has awakened into. All that she is sure of are her supernatural powers and the ravaging thirst for blood and what little else she knows she has learned from Riley, the leader of the newborns. Then there is "her" (Victoria, of course), the one who turned them. But Bree knows little to nothing about "her" except that Riley reports to "her". Through "her" and Riley they know that they must stay indoors when the sun is out and must avoid being staked through the heart or they will perish.

When Bree and another newborn, Diego, get caught outdoors and must hide in an underground cave to avoid the sun's rays, they end up striking a friendship. But as they both begin questioning some of Riley's instructions they find that they might not be all in the know but instead pawns in a deadly game.

Poor Bree - I mean we all know what happens to her in Eclipse. I couldn't help but read this and hope that things somehow changed - what can I tell you, I'm optimistic like that. I loved the cover of this book. I thought it was very fitting. I also loved the fact that reading this (too short) story made me once again fall into the world of Twilight, with its shiny vampires and klutzy leading ladies. I also enjoyed the different take on the events that we all know occur in Eclipse, the newborns, the war, Victoria, etc.

For those of you who are questioning whether you must read this before Eclipse (the movie) hits theaters, I would say that is a negative. Yes, it is a different side to the tale, but not one that I think will make much of a difference to what you learn from the book (Eclipse).

With that said, and I'll be honest that it could be that I am over those days where I was entranced by the Twilight Saga, but this was mediocre for me. It was okay. I mean yes, I can definitely recommend this to fans of the series because if you've read the whole Twilight Saga, you might as well read the 170+ pages that is Bree. But if you are over the series or weren't a big fan of it in the first place, you will be missing out on nothing if you skip this one. It is a quick, easy read but it definitely is not a masterpiece. I personally have never thought Stephenie Meyer's writing is spectacular, but I still really like her stories, this one just fell a little flat for me. Sorry die-hard TwiFans, please don't hate me!

Far from You by Lisa Schroeder

Alice has felt as if she's been spiraling down the rabbit hole ever since her mother passed away. It's been a few years since her mother's death and she is still suffering from her loss. To make matters worse, her father hasn't been there for her in her time of need. She has had to grieve all on her own, since he has re-married and is a expecting a new baby any minute now.

Alice finds comfort in her boyfriend Blaze, her faith, her guitar, music and her BFF, Claire. But things are about to change, for Claire is fed up with Alice's "depressing" music and a fight between the girls quickly ensues. Then things take a drastic turn when Alice gets caught on the road in a snowstorm with her newborn half-sister Ivy, and her "wicked" stepmother, Vic. It is now up to Alice to deal with the issues that she has long avoided, especially if she wants to get out of this predicament alive.

My first impression of Alice was that she was selfish, ignorant and mean. I got the impression right from the start that she never gave her stepmother a chance - she was too involved in her grief, her boyfriend, her music, etc. But that's what I really like about Lisa's writing. She creates characters that are real, that you can relate to. I loved taking this journey with Alice.

Considering this is such a short book, you quickly become attached to some of these characters. They all bring their own unique quality to the story. You can't help but find yourself biting your nails towards the second half of the book and reading on with tears in your eyes as you see our Alice grow and understand and eventually forgive and heal. 


Far from You is written in verse, and only the second book that I've read in this style, but once again I am in awe by how much feeling and emotion can be contained in so little writing. If you have any doubts about reading one of Lisa's books please put them aside and read just one of her books - I guarantee if you're anything like me, you'll want to read them all!

My Rating:

Spring Reading Thing 2010 Wrap-Up

Spring is over and summer is here (yay!). Thus concludes the Spring Reading Thing 2010 Challenge hosted by Callapidder Days.

Here is my final list for the challenge:
1- The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
2- Hold Still by Nina LaCour
3- Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
4- Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
5- Over My Dead Body: 43 Old Cemetery Road by Kate Klise & M. Sarah Klise (illustrator)
6- Wicked Becomes You by Meredith Duran
7- The Day I Shot Cupid by Jennifer Love Hewitt
8- Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
9- Once Dead, Twice Shy by Kim Harrison
10- The Night Fairy by Laura Amy Schlitz
11- Waiting for You by Susane Colasanti
12- The Season of Second Chances by Diane Meier
13- Venetia Kelly's Traveling Show by Frank Delaney
14- Undead and Unwed by MaryJanice Davidson
15- The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
16- Winter's Passage by Julie Kagawa
17- The One That I Want by Allison Winn Scotch
18- Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schroeder
19- The Art of Devotion by Samantha Bruce-Benjamin
20- Heist Society by Ally Carter
21- Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris
22- Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean
23- Still Missing by Chevy Stevens
24- Mothers & Other Liars by Amy Bourret
25- True Love: Three Novels by Lurlene McDaniel

Manic Monday Recaps (Week 6/21/10)

[via You Little Flirt]

It's the first day of Summer baby!! woo woo

My favorite time of the year. Why? Well, living in Miami this means heading out to the beach every weekend, pool fun for the kids, weekend trips to Disney World, bike riding at the park, going to the zoo, strolling down Collins Ave. with the hair blowing in the wind... oh yes, the joys of summer are here. There is that eminent oil spill threatening our coast but for the time being, I plan on enjoying the beach until they say we can't anymore.

Here's what I plan on reading this week:

Last week I read the following:
- Undead and Unpopular by MaryJanice Davidson
- Cum Laude by Cecily von Ziegesar
- Undead and Uneasy by MaryJanice Davidson
- Undead and Unworty by MaryJanice Davidson
- Wildthorn by Jane Eagland

Still working on:
- The Poison Diaries by MaryRose Wood and the Duchess of Northumberland

I reviewed the following:
- Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean [review]
- Still Missing by Chevy Stevens [review]
- Mothers & Other Liars by Amy Bourret [review]

Have a lovely week.

Bookcase of the Week [16]

[via Made by Girl]

I love this! To have a big loft and use this as a divider would be... divine. ♥

Saturday Sayings [26]

[via The Notebook Doodles]

Mothers & Other Liars by Amy Bourret

I always have a soft spot for stories about mothers and their love for a child/children and this one won a place in my heart from the first turn of its page. I was able to connect with Ruby from the start.

At 19, Ruby Oleander finds a baby in a trash can while at a rest stop. Believing that the child was abandoned she grabs that baby and heads off out west in search of a new life and the ocean. Nine years later, she and her daughter Lark, have made a nice life for themselves. Lark is a sweet girl and you can instantly tell that she is being raised in a loving and doting home surrounded by wonderful friends. But all that is about to change when Ruby finds a picture of an infant in the newspaper whose parents have been searching for over the past nine years.

What an interesting premise! I cannot say how many times I questioned myself and what my instinct would have been had I been the one in a situation like this. This is Ruby's story and what cost she'll have to pay in order to do the right thing.

Although some parts were a stretch of the imagination, I really enjoyed the honest feel of the emotions that were written plainly on every page. I felt the tension throughout the courtroom drama scenes and the relief at the support of various friends and community members.

As a mother you can't help but relate to Ruby. I had this churning feeling in my stomach at times while reading because of the heart-wrenching, unthinkable decisions she has to make and their related consequences. There were moments that had me unexpectedly tightening my throat or that caused the watering of my eyes.

This is the story of a mother and a daughter whose lives are turned upside down when a dark secret comes to light. Your emotions will be all over the place - you won't know whose side you're on since there isn't a villain - these are just people following their hearts and doing the best they can to live their lives. An amazing story of love, hope and forgiveness. A must read.

This book was provided for review by St. Martin's Griffin.

Still Missing by Chevy Stevens

Still Missing is about a young woman named Annie O'Sullivan. She's 32, a real estate agent, has a patient and loving boyfriend, lives in her dream house with her dog Emma. Things are looking up for her at work since she is in the running for head realtor of a big condo complex. Her biggest worries are when her mother plans on returning her cappuccino maker, arriving on time for dinner with the boyfriend and selling the property that she is hosting an open house for. At the end of her day when her last visitor pulls up in a van as she's about to leave, Annie thinks it just might be her lucky day after all. She was wrong.

Told through her sessions with her psychiatrist you learn of Annie's year-long captivity with a sadistic psychopath in a remote cabin somewhere up in the mountains. Through these same sessions you also learn of her struggle as she tries to pick up the pieces of her life and put them back together again, regain her shattered spirit, and the ongoing police investigation to identify her captor.

WOW!!!

This isn't the type of book that you say you love because it's about such a disturbing and scary subject, but it is definitely one that you cannot put down. I literally lost sleep in order to read this book (and no, I'm not complaining). Ms. Stevens does a phenomenal job in not only telling you Annie's story, but making you live it with her. There were times where I was hearing her talk and I listened as her therapist while other times I felt as if I were Annie herself.

This book isn't always easy to read and I will forewarn that Annie is physically, mentally and sexually abused. But I must also say that I think it is told in a matter where it isn't offensive, overly graphic nor crude.

Overall, this was a very good novel (if unsettling). It will break your heart countless times (yes, I did cry more than once), but I must admit it is one of the best thrillers I've ever read. Chevy Stevens is one author that I will definitely have an eye out for. I can't wait to see what she comes out with next.

This book was provided for review by St. Martin's Press.

i heart

[via Macaroononastick]

I think this is just lovely as a novelty gift for a book blogger... don't you?

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean

A lady does not smoke cheroot. She does not ride astride. She does not fence or attend duels. She does not fire a pistol, and she never gambles at a gentlemen's club.

Lady Calpurnia Hartwell has always followed the rules, rules that have left her unmarried—and more than a little unsatisfied. And so she's vowed to break the rules and live the life of pleasure she's been missing.

But to dance every dance, to steal a midnight kiss—to do those things, Callie will need a willing partner. Someone who knows everything about rule-breaking. Someone like Gabriel St. John, the Marquess of Ralston—charming and devastatingly handsome, his wicked reputation matched only by his sinful smile.

If she's not careful, she'll break the most important rule of all—the one that says that pleasure-seekers should never fall hopelessly, desperately in love . . . [via GoodReads]

Oh, but I loved this book! One of my fave reads of the year thus far. See, I picked this up because I had read a couple of reviews on it and they were saying how gloriously wonderful it was and yada yada yada. So, I picked it up because I figured it couldn't be that great - but YES, it was that great.

This book has everything that I love in a Regency romance. The heroine is not your average damsel in distress. Oh no, Callie is on-the-shelf, and doomed to a life of spinsterhood. Thus the list is born... to smoke a cheroot, drink scotch, ride astride, fence, attend a duel, fire a pistol, to gamble at a gentleman's club, dance every dance at a ball, be considered beautiful (just once), to kiss someone passionately. And she sets right off and does exactly that... well, kiss someone passionately that is (that someone being Gabriel, the Marquess of Ralston, known as a notorious rake and the man who Callie has crushed on for the past decade) and thus our journey begins.

What really made this book stand out for me from the rest:
The fact that Callie is plain and plump really made her appealing to me. I liked the fact that she wasn't a stunning beauty with a willowy frame. The fact that Gabriel loved her with no prejudice as to her curves and looks really worked for me. As for Gabriel, I thought it refreshing that he wasn't a man running from commitment or love, but instead he had issues with relationships because of his parents' disastrous marriage. All the supporting characters were loads of fun as well - especially the siblings. There were brilliant laugh-out-loud moments, the witty banter and teasing between Gabriel and Callie will leave you smiling, and the tension/romance was just perfect. Oh, and I forgot to mention the hot and heavy scenes were well just that... hot and heavy. Very sexy (something that I rarely find in historicals)... I'm just saying. ;)

Overall, this was a tremendously enjoyable read and one that I highly recommend to lovers of romance (no matter what your favorite sub-genre is) this will appeal to everyone.

New Author Challenge 2010 Wrap-Up

I completed the New Authors Challenge early this year... yay me! I agreed on reading 50 new (to me) authors and I did just that.

Here's my final list:
1- A Matter of Class by Mary Balogh
2- Breakfast in Bed by Robin Kaye
3- A Black Tie Affair by Sherrill Bodine
4- Tainted by Brooke Morgan
5- Columbine by Dave Cullen
6- A Little Bit Wicked by Kristin Chenoweth with Joni Rodgers
7- Lone Star Legend by Gwendolyn Zepeda
8- Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding
9- Just One Wish by Janette Rallison
10- The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty by A.N. Roquelaure
11- Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin
12- The Mark by Jen Nadol
13- Fireworks Over Toccoa by Jeffrey Stepakoff
14- Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
15- The Bride Collector by Ted Dekker
16- Jacob by Jacquelyn Frank
17- The Summer We Fell Apart by Robin Antalek
18- The Cougar Club by Susan McBride
19- Lessons in French by Laura Kinsale
20- One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
21- Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
22- Dream House by Valerie Laken
23- Wake by Lisa McMann
24- Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
25- The Strain by Guillermo Del Toro & Chuck Hogan
26- Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
27- The Crazy School by Cornelia Read
28- The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson
29- After by Amy Efaw
30- Love in Mid Air by Kim Wright
31- The Girl with Glass Feet by Ali Shaw
32- The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
33- Hold Still by Nina LaCour
34- Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
35- Flirting with Forever by Gwyn Cready
36- How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff
37- Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
38- Nothing But Ghosts by Beth Kephart
39- Wicked Becomes You by Meredith Duran
40- The Day I Shot Cupid by Jennifer Love Hewitt
41- Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
42- Once Dead, Twice Shy by Kim Harrison
43- The Night Fairy by Laura Amy Schlitz
44- Waiting for You by Susane Colasanti
45- The Season of Second Chances by Diane Meier
46- Venetia Kelly's Traveling Show by Frank Delaney
47- Undead and Unwed by MaryJanice Davidson
48- The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
49- Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schroeder
50- The Art of Devotion by Samantha Bruce-Benjamin

I really love this challenge - it's a fantastic way of reading new authors and getting into genres which aren't the norm. Can't wait to do it again next year.

Oh yes, I'm doing it

I am challenging myself! Thanks to my dear friend Vanessa (a/k/a one of your Book♥Soulmates) who I am totally biting this idea off of.

Starting today, I plan on reading 50 books that I own and have been sitting on my shelves patiently waiting for me to read them. As of now, I plan on reading said 50 books from now through December. These are books that I want to read but have been straggling around because something that I've wanted to read MORE has come along and I just keep pushing them off. So there! Obviously I have more than 50 books that this has happened to, but since I still plan on accepting books for review, going to the library and walking out with 10+ books and going on my weekly shopping spree at B&N, I think 50 books is a good number to start with.

Here is my list:
(listed in no particular order)

1 - Incarceron - Catherine Fisher
2 - Crank - Ellen Hopkins
3 - Seven Tears Into the Sea - Terri Farley
4 - Hex Hall - Rachel Hawkins
5 - Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins
6 - Undead and Unfinished by MaryJanice Davidson
7 - Torment - Lauren Kate
8 - Shadow Hills - Anastasia Hopcus
9 - Little Bee - Chris Cleave
10 - Go Ask Alice - Anonymous
11 - Sex and the City - Candace Bushnell
12 - The Carrie Diaries - Candace Bushnell
13 - Lover Mine - J.R. Ward
14 - The Postmistress - Sarah Blake
15 - The Truth About Forever - Sarah Dessen
16 - Thirteen Reasons Why - Jay Asher
17 - City of Ashes - Cassandra Clare
18 - City of Glass - Cassandra Clare
19 - Shadowland - Alyson Noel
20 - Vision in White - Nora Roberts
21 - Bed of Roses - Nora Roberts
22 - Leviathan - Scott Westerfeld
23 - Intertwined - Gena Showalter
24 - Ghost in the Machine - Patrick Carman
25 - Going Away Shoes - Jill McCorkle
26 - The Diamond of Darkhold - Jeanne DuPrau
27 - The Luxe - Anna Godberson
28 - The Giver - Lois Lowry
29 - Rampant - Diana Peterfreund
30 - The Hollow - Jessica Verday
31 - Immortal - Gillian Shields
32 - Infinite Days - Rebecca Maizel
33 - Crescendo - Becca Fitzpatrick
34 - I Am Number Four - Pittacus Lore
35 - Ecstasy in Darkness by Gena Showalter
36 - Forget You - Jennifer Echols
37 - Something Blue - Emily Giffin
38 - Betrayed - P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast
39 - Dark Peril - Christine Feehan
40 - Water Bound - Christine Feehan
41 - Radiance Alyson Noel
42 - Reckless by Cornelia Funke
43 - The Crying Tree - Naseem Rakha
44 - Soulstice - Simon Holt
45 - Nightshade - Andrea Cremer
46 - Looking for Alaska - John Green
47 - Linger - Maggie Stiefvater
48 - The Red Umbrella - Christina Diaz Gonzalez
49 - Matched - Ally Condie
50 - Numbers - Rachel Ward

Open for suggestions on what should be read sooner than later. Wish me luck!

Completed - 30/50

Manic Monday Recaps (Week 6/14/10)

Happy Monday! Hope you all had a good weekend. Mine was too short, but when is that NOT the case. I spend my Saturday at this neat waterpark we found recently and the kids had a blast. I must say, we adults did too. The rest of my weekend was full of cleaning, washing, folding and other miscellaneous household chores. I did get a couple of movies in there The Ugly Truth (I know, it took me long enough), Green Zone (meh) and The Human Centipede (why did I watch this you ask, yea don't, it was gross and a total waste of 1.5 hours). I didn't get much reading done over the weekend but hopefully I'll make up for it this week.

Here's what I plan on reading this week:

Last week I read the following:
- The Art of Devotion by Samantha Bruce-Benajmin [review]
- Still Missing by Chevy Stevens
- Far From You by Lisa Schroeder
- Mothers and Other Liars by Amy Bourret
- The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephanie Meyer

Still working on:
- Wildthorn by Jane Eagland

I reviewed the following:
- Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schroeder [review]
- True Love: Three Novels by Lurlene McDaniel [review]
- Heist Society by Ally Carter [review]
- Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris [review]

Have a great week and Happy Reading!