...Bree Tanner

Title: The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner
Author: Stephenie MeyerGenre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Page Count: 192
Rating: 5/5

Plot in Under 10:

Newborn vampire trying to discover the truth about her creator.

Fans of The Twilight Saga will be enthralled by this riveting story of Bree Tanner, a character first introduced in Eclipse, and the darker side of the newborn vampire world she inhabits. In another irresistible combination of danger, mystery, and romance, Stephenie Meyer tells the devastating story of Bree and the newborn army as they prepare to close in on Bella Swan and the Cullens, following their encounter to its unforgettable conclusion.

My Review

I actually feel a little strange, I created my tag/blog/persona around the theme of discovering other literature and art to love while I waited (and hoped) for Stephenie to write another Twilight book. But now I’m still left wanting more, I think I have an addiction, and of course now I’m still hoping for more to continue the series *shakes off the weird feeling* moving right along…

This untold story of the newborn army, as told by Bree, was a great read. I thought it was a little weird without chapter breaks but I got used to the idea and kind of liked the flow. 

The 3 things I loved most:
1) Bree: I loved Bree and was totally sad at the end even though I knew it was coming. She was well written and I really enjoyed her “voice” for the story.

2) I liked that it was a more realistic look into what a newborns mind would be like in the Twilight world. I was a little let down that Bella didn’t experience (and therefore I didn’t) the normal newborn mindset.

3) Obviously finding out what was really going on in Seattle was awesome and what Edward heard from Bree in the field to make him vouch for her.

*Side Note*

I also read the Twilight graphic novel for kicks, and quite enjoyed it. I wish that it was the whole thing in one volume but I guess that's just how it is :) I loved the illustrations, totally how I had most of them pictured while reading (before I saw the movie). Two thumbs up for sure!

Hush, Hush - by Becca Fitzpatrick

Title: Hush, Hush
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Series: Hush, Hush - #1
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal (Angels)
Page Count: 291
Rating: 5/5

For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan.She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her, not until Patch came along.With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust.Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends.She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide.And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life...

Plot in Under 10:

A sacred oath. A fallen angel. A forbidden love.

~My Review~

So I have to admit I picked this one up for the wicked cover-art. It was also recommended to me by a few people so I was very excited to read it. I loved the story and the characters but there was a lot of setup in the plot, which made it feel a little slow for me but will make for an awesome sequel.

The 3 things I loved most:
1) Patch: I liked that I didn’t get to know all of his secrets right away. I had to keep on digging to figure him out. He was dark and sexy and everything you hate to love.

2) I liked that Nora didn’t go running after the first boy to smile at her. It was so much more believable that she would try to deny her feelings for Patch.

3) The ending, I’m not going to spoil anything but I just loved the ending!

My Rating: 5/5

~ Other books in this series ~

1 - Hush, Hush
2 - Crescendo
3 - Silence

~ You'll like this book if you liked ~

Fallen by Lauren Kate, The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare, or Halo by Alexandra Adornetto

~Links 4 More~

Author Website: here
Add to your Shelfari: here
Add to your Goodreads: here
Buy it at Bookdepository (Free Shipping): here

Renovations

As I posted my last...well post, I decided I'd go back and reno my summary-lacking reviews. So FYI the summaries weren't there but they are now/will be shortly :)

The Last Song - 5/5

Title: The Last Song,
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Genre: Fiction, Romance, Chick-lit
Page Count: 480
Rating: 5/5

Plot in Under 10:

Exiled, angry, scared, lonely and falling for the wrong guy.

Seventeen year old Veronica "Ronnie" Miller's life was turned upside-down when her parents divorced and her father moved from New York City to Wilmington, North Carolina. Three years later, she remains angry at her parents, especially at her father.Until her mother decides it would be in everyone's best interest if she spent the summer in Wilmington with her dad. Ronnie's father, a former concert pianist and teacher, is living a quiet life in the beach town, spending most of his time working on a stained glass window for the local church that burned down.The tale that unfolds is an unforgettable story of love on many levels--first love, love between parents and children -- that shows, as only a Nicholas Sparks novel can, the many ways that love can break our hearts...and heal them.

My Review

I love Nicholas Sparks; I sometimes want to throw his stupid sad endings at his heart-wrenching head (Nights in Rodanthe, Message in A Bottle…), but I love him. This book is a perfect example of why. It was so fantastic I just sat there with a tear streaked face hugging it when I turned the last page.The 3 things I loved most:
1) Ronnie: the girls got attitude and I love it. She was stubborn and witty and I felt in love with her character (not to thrilled the Miley was cast in the movie, although I will withhold my opinions until I actually see it)

2) Will: oh come on, who doesn’t love a swoon-worthy guy who has a brain too?

3) Steve and Jonah: Their father/son relationship was just so cute (for lack of a better word) I was smiling, laughing and yes even crying through their scenes.

Remember Me? - 4/5

Title: Remember Me?
Author: Sophie Kinsella
Genre: Fiction, Romance, Chick-lit
Page Count: 389
Rating: 4/5

With the same wicked humor and delicious charm that have won her millions of devoted fans, Sophie Kinsella, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Shopaholic & Baby , returns with an irresistible new novel and a fresh new heroine who finds herself in a life-changing and utterly hilarious predicament…. When twenty-eight-year-old Lexi Smart wakes up in a London hospital, she’s in for a big surprise. Her teeth are perfect. Her body is toned. Her handbag is Vuitton. Having survived a car accident—in a Mercedes no less—Lexi has lost a big chunk of her memory, three years to be exact, and she’s about to find out just how much things have changed. Somehow Lexi went from a twenty-five-year-old working girl to a corporate big shot with a sleek new loft, a personal assistant, a carb-free diet, and a set of glamorous new friends. And who is this gorgeous husband—who also happens to be a multimillionaire? With her mind still stuck three years in reverse, Lexi greets this brave new world determined to be the person she…well, seems to be. That is, until an adorably disheveled architect drops the biggest bombshell of all. Suddenly Lexi is scrambling to catch her balance. Her new life, it turns out, comes complete with secrets, schemes, and intrigue. How on earth did all this happen? Will she ever remember? And what will happen when she does?

Plot in under 10:

Girl forgets the last three years of her life.

My Review:

First to start; I haven’t read the Shopaholic series yet. They are on my TBR shelf and I have had books for months but for some reason I haven’t felt the tug to read them.

I picked this one up at a used bookstore a few months back and decided to give it a try while I was in-between series. About half-way through it I had two of my girlfriends tell me it was horrible. It went a little something like this:

MW: What are you reading?

Me: Remember Me? By Sophie Kinsella.

MW: Oh no, I’m sorry.

AC: Yeah that one wasn’t good.

MW: Yeah I read it after the Shopaholic series and I was soo disappointed.

AC: Me too.

Me: Well crap I’m already halfway through, I can’t stop now, dammit!

…and I think that’s why I liked it. My expectations were so low, and I didn’t have any expectations from her previous work and that helped it along I suppose. It was nothing fantastic but an interesting plot and I liked the ending.

Vampire Diaries: To Read or To Watch

Reading: Vampire Diaries
Watching: Vampire Diaries

The Vampire Diaries Series, By: L.J. Smith

I had been told by pretty much everyone I knew that I should watch the show, but I already had the first 5 books on my TBR shelf. I like reading things first so I can picture the characters instead of actors (although side note: I love Ian Somerhalder he does a fantastic job)

So…I started to read the series. I’ve read the first 6 that are out and I can’t wait for the 7th! I had a really hard time pushing past the first book, I didn’t get Elena’s character. But I’m glad I pushed through because after that they just kept getting better.

Plot in under 10 (in case you don’t know):
Girl falls for a vampire and his evil brother, drama!

I would rate the series as an 7/10, it was good and I’m enjoying it, but it’s not my favorite.

Description of the 1st book in the series; 

The Awakening / The Struggle:Elena: the golden girl, the leader, the one who can have any boy she wants. Stefan: brooding and mysterious, he seems to be the only one who can resist Elena, even as he struggles to protect her from the horrors that haunt his past. Damon: sexy, dangerous, and driven by an urge for revenge against Stefan, the brother who betrayed him. Determined to have Elena, he'd kill to possess her. Collected here in one volume for the first time, volumes one and two of The Vampire Diaries, the tale of two vampire brothers and the beautiful girl torn between them.

Vampire Diaries: The Show - Airing on CW

So once I read all the books I had I watched all the episodes of the show that have aired. I was originally irked by their character changes (and omissions) but now I really like them. My fav. character in the books was Damon and Ian Somerhalder didn’t disappoint, I actually like his character better than what I had pictured when reading. I was able to draw in my husband, and he loves it now too. They don’t stick to the book plot at all but I kinda like it because it gives me more story while I wait for more books.

I give the show a 10, 5 stars and 2 thumbs up ☺

I will hopefully update soon!