Review: Spellcaster by Cara Lynn Shultz

Spellcaster
(Spellbound #1)
by Cara Lynn Shultz

Publication Date: March 27th, 2012
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Pages: 384
ISBN: 9780373210503

Where to Buy:
B&N | Amazon | The Book Depository

Finding your eternal soulmate - easy.

Stopping a true-love-hungry evil - not so much…

After breaking a centuries-old romantic curse, Emma Connor is (almost) glad to get back to normal problems. Although...it's not easy dealing with the jealous cliques and gossip that rule her exclusive Upper East Side prep, even for a sixteen-year-old newbie witch. Having the most-wanted boy in school as her eternal soul mate sure helps ease the pain-especially since wealthy, rocker-hot Brendan Salinger is very good at staying irresistibly close....

But something dark and hungry is using Emma and Brendan's deepest fears to reveal damaging secrets and destroy their trust in each other. And Emma's crash course in über-spells may not be enough to keep them safe…or to stop an inhuman force bent on making their unsuspected power its own. (Goodreads)

Spellcaster is the much anticipated sequel to Spellbound, by Cara Lynn Shultz. I’ve been waiting on this sequel to be released for quite some now, and I’m thrilled to be able to read it!
After Emma and Brenden broke the curse to their eternal love in the previous book, you would think that like would be getting back to normal for them in this sequel. That’s not exactly the case, however. Something dark and sinister is lying in wait, determined to destroy the loving couple. It’s up to Emma, and her newfound power, to keep them both safe.

I really enjoy the main characters in this book. Emma is well on her way to becoming a really awesome witch. I love watching her become more sure of herself, and much more determined as well. Brenden is such a loving boyfriend, I love that he’s willing to do anything to keep Emma safe. Their relationship is such a sweet one. As in the previous book, I really adore Emma’s best friend, Angelique. She’s quite the little witch herself, and I would love reading the parts of the book where she was included.

Spellcaster was very well paced, and included lots of action and suspense. The ‘bad guy’ in the book was definitely an evil character; I kept waiting to see what would happen next. There was also a LOT of hilarious parts in the book. More than once I found myself laughing at a line I had just read. I love a book that can make me laugh.

Overall, this was a great sequel to Spellbound. The kick-butt characters, funny moments, engrossing plot all come together to make a very intense read! I loved it, and can’t wait to read more from this Mrs. Shultz!

Happy Reading!

Books by Cara Lynn Shultz:

Spellbound | Spellcaster

Noteworthy New Releases * 3/12-3/18 *

Spell Bound - Rachel Hawkins

( B&N | Amazon )

The Savage Grace - Bree Despain

( B&N | Amazon )

Out of Sight, Out of Time - Ally Carter

( B&N | Amazon )

Wanderlove - Kiersten Hubbard

( B&N | Amazon )

Infamous - Sherrilyn Kenyon

( B&N | Amazon )

Starters - Lissa Price

( B&N | Amazon )

Moonsong (The Vampire Diaries: The Hunters #2 - L.J. Smith

( B&N | Amazon )

Froi of the Exiles - Melina Marchetta

( B&N | Amazon )

Steel - Carrie Vaughn

( B&N | Amazon )

The Dark and Hollow Places - Carrie Ryan

( B&N | Amazon )

Invincible - Sherrilyn Kenyon

( B&N | Amazon )

Miles from Ordinary - Carol Lynch Williams

( B&N | Amazon )

The Compelled (The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries Series #6) - L.J. Smith

( B&N | Amazon )

Midnight (Vampire Diaries: The Return Series #3) - L.J. Smith

( B&N | Amazon )

Is anyone else excited as I am for SPELL BOUND???
Happy Reading!

In My Mailbox #56

** In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It's a great way to showcase the books you've gotten over the week, whether they are bought, borrowed or free. **

Netgalley:
Endure (Need #4) - Carrie Jones
Tomorrow Land - Mari Mancusi

Endure!!! I requested this book on Netgalley when it was first put up, and finally got approved. :) I've read all the books in this series, and am super curious to see what happens next.

I've always always wanted to read something by Mari Mancusi. I'm excited to check out Tomorrow Land!



I also got another goodie this week, although it didn't come in my mailbox. iPad 2's dropped in price this week, so my hubby got me one. (Sweeeeeet!)  Although I know he did this so I would leave his alone, and I've been informed that he's already ordered the iPad 3. I'm still not complaining though. Haha!

What did you get in your mailbox this week???

Review: Article 5 by Kristen Simmons

Article 5
(Article 5 #1)
by Kristen Simmons

Publication Date: January 31st, 2012
Publisher: Tor Teen
Pages: 364
ISBN: 9780765329585

Where to Buy:
B&N | Amazon | The Book Depository

New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned.

The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.

There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don't come back.

Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren't always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it's hard for her to forget that people weren't always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It's hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different.

Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow.

That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings—the only boy Ember has ever loved. (Goodreads)

Article 5 had been sitting on my shelf for a couple of weeks now. After discussing it with a fellow blogger, I decided to move it up on my to-read list. I am SO glad that I did!

Imagine a world where you lived by a code of morals instead of the rights we have now. There is only one religion. Immoral literature and media has been banned. Families must consist of one man, one woman, and child(ren). A child can only be a valid citizen if he/she has been conceived by a married couple. This is the frightening world in which Ember Miller lives in Article 5.

I must start off by staying, that whenever I read a dystopian novel, I always find it shocking that stuff happening in the book could totally happen in real life. I absolutely cannot imagine living in a world where we don’t have freedom and rights. That definitely makes it easy to sympathize with the main characters in the story.

I was a little worried about the main character, Ember, in the beginning of the book. At first, she gave the impression of being very docile. However, she does grow more determined through the book. I was very glad to see what. All the poor girl wants is to save herself and her mother. Chase, who Ember has known since her childhood, does whatever he has to do to help Ember with her search. I love Chase. He’s dark and mysterious, and you just want to know what his story is. He definitely earned a spot on my favorite hero list.

The plot for the story is definitely interesting. I’ve read a lot of dystopian’s lately, and I was a little bit worried that this wouldn’t hold my attention. It certainly did, I shouldn’t have worried at all. The book was well paced as well; I was flying through the paces just to see what was going to happen next!

Overall, this was a really great read. I can’t believe I waited so long to get started on it. I can’t wait check out the next book in the series, so I can see what’s going to happen next with Ember, Chase and the crew.

Happy Reading!

Waiting on Wednesday #57 - Ten by Gretchen McNeil

Ten
by Gretchen McNeil

Publication Date: September 18th, 2012
Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Add to Goodreads

And their doom comes swiftly.

It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives – an exclusive house party on Henry Island. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their reasons for being there (which involve T.J., the school's most eligible bachelor) and look forward to three glorious days of boys, booze and fun-filled luxury.

But what they expect is definitely not what they get, and what starts out as fun turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine.

Suddenly people are dying, and with a storm raging, the teens are cut off the from the outside world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn't scheduled to return for two days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine? (Goodreads)

AHHHHHHH!
This book sounds amazingly creepy.
I must have it! I definitely can't wait to check it out. :)


What are you Waiting on this week???

Review: Allegiance by Cayla Kluver

Allegiance
(Legacy #2)
by Cayla Kluver

Publication Date: February 28th, 2012
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Pages: 490
ISBN: 9780373210435

Where to Buy:
B&N | Amazon | The Book Depository

Only I saw Narian for who he truly was: a young man with courage and an independent mind, and made to pay for what was outside his control. He couldn't help his past any more than he could help the way those intense, deep-blue eyes pierced me and held me captive.

An eighteen-year-old queen in love with the enemy as their countries pass the point of no return...

Bound to a man she cannot love, Queen Alera of Hytanica must forget Narian, the young man who holds her heart. For Narian is destined to conquer Hytanica at the behest of his master, the powerful magic-user known as the Overlord. Alera doesn't truly believe Narian will fight against Hytanica-until Cokyrian troops attack with Narian commanding the charge.

Faced with the greatest betrayal a heart can know, Alera must set aside personal feelings and lead her kingdom through its darkest time. And when all hope, will and courage seem lost, she must find strength and remember that even the blackest night must have a dawn.... (Goodreads)

Allegiance is the long anticipated sequel to Cayla Kluvers’ novel, Legacy. I read Legacy last year, and loved the plot and wonderful writing style. I was extremely excited to get my hands on Allegiance. I have to say, Allegiance was even better than the first book!

The book pretty much picks up where Legacy leaves off. Alera is now the Queen of Hytanica, being married to Steldor. Poor Alera. She was forced into a situation where she didn’t really know how to react. Being a wife, a queen; it was an experience that she was not prepared for. I love that for the most part, she was pretty strong and determined; although she did have some moments when I was yelling at her to stick up for herself!

Narnia is in the hands of the Cokyrians, and is being forced to do their bidding. We don’t really get to see a whole lot of Narnian this time around, and his absence was definitely noticeable. The parts that he is in the book are enjoyable, for the most part. You definitely have to feel bad for him, as he’s being forced to do things he really doesn’t want to do. I love that no matter what; he is always true to Alera.

The one character that really great on me in the book was Steldor. I didn’t really care for him in Legacy, but in Allegiance, we get to see a completely different side of him. I will always be Team Narnian, but I also now definitely have a soft spot for Steldor. My favorite character in both books would definitely have to be London. I just love that fierce protector. He definitely made the book even more awesome for me.

The writing in this book was just as wonderful as it was in Legacy. Kluver definitely has a wonderful way of describing situations and settings. I was hooked on this book, it grabbed my attention and didn’t let go up until the end. There was no cliffhanger ending in this book, and I really liked that. I am also looking forward to the next book. I’m curious to see where Kluver will take us next!

Overall, if you enjoyed Legacy, you will definitely enjoy Allegiance. Kluver will take you for a ride you won’t soon forget with this novel.

Noteworthy New Releases * 3/5 - 3/11 *

Balthazar - Claudia Gray
( B&N | Amazon )
Where It Began - Ann Redisch Stampler
( B&N | Amazon )
Everlasting (Kissed by an Angel) - Elizabeth Chandler
( B&N | Amazon )

The Ivy: Rivals - Lauren Kunze
( B&N | Amazon )
Embrace - Jessica Shirvington
( B&N | Amazon )

Afterlife - Claudia Gray
( B&N | Amazon )
Dead is a Battlefield - Marlene Perez
( B&N | Amazon )
Soul Bound (Blood Coven Series #7) - Mari Mancusi
( B&N | Amazon )

The Talents (Delcroix Academy Series #1) - Inara Scott
( B&N | Amazon )
Vampires Kiss (Veronica Wolff's Watchers Series #2) - Veronica Wolff
( B&N | Amazon )
Scorpia Rising (Alex Rider Series #9) - Anthony Horowitz
( B&N | Amazon )

In My Mailbox #55

** In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It's a great way to showcase the books you've gotten over the week, whether they are bought, borrowed or free. **

Library:

Bewitching - Alex Flinn

For Review:

Thief's Covenant - Ari Marmell
(Thank you Lisa at PYR!)

Netgalley:

Grace Mercy -Robin LaFevers
Romeo Redeemed - Stacey Jay

Pretty excited about all the books in my mailbox this week. I'm super curious about Romeo Redeemed, especially. I read Juliet Immortal last year, and I'm curious to see how RR plays off. Lots of great books!

What's in your mailbox this week???

Friday Hops 3/2

Follow Friday! #49

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee & Alison Can Read. It's a great way to meet new blogger friends!

Q: What book would you love to see made into a movie or television show and do you have actors/actresses in mind to play the main characters?

A. I would love to see Delirium/Pandemonium made into a movie! That would be totally awesome. Not sure who I would pick for the characters though, that would be a tough one!

TGIF at GReads #17

TGIF at GReads is a Friday Feature hosted by Ginger at GReadsBooks.com!

Book Moments: What has been your favorite moment (scene) in a book that you've read so far in 2012? Please be kind & not include spoilers.

Hmmm... well... I haven't read that many books so far this year, but I'd probably say the Feather Scene in Born Wicked.  Enough said. :)  (Kathy, you know what I'm talking about!)

Thanks for stopping by everyone! Please leave a comment with your link so I can follow you back!

Review: Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters

Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters
by Meredith Zeitlin

Publication Date: March 1st, 2012
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Pages: 288
ISBN: 9780399254239

Where to Buy:
B&N | Amazon | The Book Depository

Kelsey Finkelstein is fourteen and FRUSTRATED. Every time she tries to live up to her awesome potential, her plans are foiled – by her impossible parents, her annoying little sister, and life in general. But with her first day of high school coming up, Kelsey is positive that things are going to change. Enlisting the help of her three best friends — sweet and quiet Em, theatrical Cass, and wild JoJo — Kelsey gets ready to rebrand herself and make the kind of mark she knows is her destiny.

Things start out great - her arch-nemesis has moved across the country, giving Kelsey the perfect opportunity to stand out on the soccer team and finally catch the eye of her long-time crush. But soon enough, an evil junior’s thirst for revenge, a mysterious photographer, and a series of other catastrophes make it clear that just because KELSEY has a plan for greatness… it doesn’t mean the rest of the world is in on it.

Kelsey’s hilarious commentary throughout her disastrous freshman year will have you laughing out loud—while being thankful that you’re not in her shoes, of course…(Goodreads)

In Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters, we follow new Freshman Kelsey Finkelstein through her first year of high school. All Kelsey wants is to make her mark and to have a really great first year. Unfortunately for Kelsey, things do not work out exactly as she has planned them to.

I really love Kelsey’s character. She kept me in stitches with all the mishaps that happen on her first year of high school. I can totally sympathize with her on some of the things that happened; as I definitely remember my freshman year all too well. Her best friends; Cass, JoJo and Em were all wonderfully well thought out characters as well! I really enjoyed the relationships that these four girls had.

All of the ‘disasters’ that poor Kelsey went through definitely make the book a hilarious read. From her first kiss, to being back-stabbed by her best friend over a boy, to a school play gone wrong; it all adds up to some really funny situations. Add in some pretty emotional teenage drama, a great storyline and it all comes together into a really fun read.

The only part in the book that I had an issue with was all the underage drinking. Call me a prude, but I am not a fan of drinking at all. And being a mom of a 13 year old, I would definitely not want my daughter drinking at that age. I understand that all kids experiment, and that’s ok, but I just felt that it went a little overboard. I do, however, think that the author sent out a good message about the other issues that teen’s face; sex, drugs, homosexuality, etc. (Please keep in mind that this is just me, and I know many people will not feel this way!)

Overall, this book is definitely one of the funniest books I’ve read so far this year. The teenage drama and the fun characters definitely kept me hooked. I am definitely looking forward to reading more work by this author in the future. This really was a great read!