What are you reading?

It's Wednesday! Tell me all about what you're reading!
As for me, I'm reading Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone.

From Goodreads.com:
Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky. 
In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low. 
And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war. 
Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages—not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out. 
When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?


I am about two-thirds of the way through and I absolutely love it. I am apparently on an angel kick. Laini has created an awesome world and I don't want to leave. I'm rationing out the chapters to make it last a little while longer. I can't wait for the next one!

Book Review: Camille by Tess Oliver

Camille by Tess Oliver

From Goodreads.com:
At a time when society conforms to the strictest rules and most proper etiquette, sixteen-year-old Camille Kennecott and her guardian, Dr. Bennett, live a most unconventional life. They hunt werewolves.When unwitting victim, Nathaniel Strider, wanders into one of their full moon pursuits, Camille and Dr. Bennett believe they have found a specimen for their study. Finding a scientific key to unlocking the mystery of lycanthropy would end their late night excursions. Yet beneath the irresistible exterior, Nathaniel is transforming into a flesh-tearing monster, and as each experiment fails, Camille loses another inch of her soul to him. In a month’s time, she must face the prospect of destroying the boy who has stolen her heart.

Camille is one of the best YA paranormal works of fictions I have read in a long time. I was originally drawn in by the title and the cover, but honestly, the story stands well on it's own and has a great hook!

Tess creates an wonderful fantasy world within a historical fiction. I loved the characters especially Camille. She was tough and beautiful, kind and cunning, and most of all! She didn't fall down and wallow. She stood and fought. I love that!

And then there's Nathaniel Strider.... wow. Swoony boy alert! Dear friends who love the hot rebellious boys. Strider is not only naughty and tough, but he's passionate, lovable, smart, and... Scottish. Yes. He has a brogue and it's hot. Hot I tell you. :D

“He looked down at my fingers wrapped around his coat then lifted his eyes to mine. 'My tiny huntress, do you know what you've done to me?” - Nathaniel Strider to Camille

The girls who know me, know I'm a discerning swoony boy currator. I don't just fall in love. I need some deep internal character, a life, a struggle, a hotness. Nathaniel Strider is just that character. He fights battles both internally and externally all the while falling in love and being himself. Lovely!

I loved the way Camille and Nathaniel mesh and bounce off of each other. Like magnets. They attract in one way and detract in another. It's so beautifully poetic watching them as they deal with such a strange situation with such grace. Camille is old hat by the time she finds Nathaniel and she leads him through the world of Werewolves. It's very exciting to see such a leading lady. She's very much the lead in this story as she should be with this title, but occasionally, our namesake books kind of wane within the realm of female power. I don't think that's the case with Camille. Although it is set in a time when women held little or no power, she's still a leading lady and very wonderfully written.

I am so excited for the sequel! I have already downloaded it and will let you know how Nathaniel, Camille, and Dr. Bennett carry on their adventures. I hear we may see more of Emily and more paranatural beings! *happy dance*

Heart of the Huntress by Tess Oliver

I recommend Camille to anyone with a sweet tooth for paranormal and shapeshifters. Also anyone looking for a YA that has a true lead in it's female main character. Camille stole my heart right along with Nathaniel!

Enjoy!
More info can be found at www.tessoliver.com

Friday Five

1- I met John Green and Hank Green and Katherine Green and Hank's Sock yesterday!!!!!!!

They are so precious! Full recap this weekend!

2- My husband is awesome because I didn't think I would be able to go see John Green. I did not want to drive alone to Phoenix and he suggested that he take me. I nearly fell over. He makes me smile and we had a lot of fun driving up and back. He even stood in line with me to get books signed :)

3- I've lost 8 pounds since I started gluten free eating. I'm really happy my pants fit again and I feel SO much better! *happy dance*

4 - I'm editing the NaNo 2010 now... I'm on chapter five now. If you see me screwing around online, smack me!

5- To remind me why I'm doing this novel, here are my characters... they're my darlings and absolutely real in my head.

MMC Henrik

FMC Isolde

2nd MMC Emmanuel

2nd FMC Rivqah

I love them dearly. Don't let me cheat on them!

HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE! <3

Vlog a la Julie :)

Here is my vloggy vlog with questions from Julie over at BookHookedBlog! Please beware of cursing, fighting cats, and me looking a hotmess. You get what you get :)

The questions:

1) Show us or tell us about the most valuable book in your collection - either for monetary or sentimental value.

2) What are your literary pet peeves?

3) What is your favorite non-book literary possession?

4) Show us/tell us about where you usually read.

5) Give up a literary confession - something you do that would drive other readers nuts.

6) What book/genre is your guilty pleasure?

7) Describe your biggest fangirl moment relating to books.

8) What book have you reread the most times?

9) How many books do you own?

10) Show us/tell us about how your books are organized.

Do one and post a link to me!

That's My Answer Tuesday!

I am looking for ways to perk up the blog when I'm A- procrastinating my editing and writing OR B- I just need some downtime from the editing and writing. :D


SO I found a cute blog, thatsmyanswer.com and she asks random questions and you answer them and leave her a linky to your answer. 


Here goes nothing :) Questions from Indigo for this Tuesday:


Do you feel the Oscar buzz?
Not really, I've seen a few, but not many of the movies nominated. I do want to see My Week With Marilyn if I could find someone to go with me! I love Michelle Williams and I know she does an amazing job with every role she gets and from the interviews, she really loved this role.


Modern Family or The Middle?
Modern Family!!! Cam and Mitchell are me and my husband for sure. I do love the other characters so much as well!


My daughter loves watching The Suite Life of Zach and Cody. Which, of course, makes me wonder how I’d spend my time if I lived in a hotel. I’d probably ride the elevators all day long. How would you spend your time?
I've never seen the show, but I vaguely know the premise... they're on a cruise ship now right? So if I lived in a hotel for free, ROOM SERVICE!!!! :) When I travel for work, I still get giddy when I can call up room service and they come bring me food and drinks and I can sit in bed to eat. I'm seriously a five-year-old deep inside!

Monday, What are you reading?

Reading is Cool! I don't need to tell you chicks that, and dudes if there are any out there :)

So what am I reading right now?

How gorgeous is that cover?

I just started Camille by Tess Oliver on Sunday, and it's wonderful! I was initially drawn in by the cover, so beautiful! And the title. The name Camille has always been one of my most favorite names of all time.

Camille is a girl in England, I'm guessing it's around the turn of the century but it's never said, but that's my guess. And Camille lives with Dr. Bennett and they hunt werewolves. Already intrigued, no? And one night while they're out a hunting, a boy gets bit while they're trying to save him from a werewolf. Enter Nathaniel Strider, a Scottish rogue with a penchant for thieving and charming. He's naughty and adorable and about to become a werewolf. Unless, a certain young lady and her doctor guardian can decipher her father's journals and save Nathaniel from becoming their next target!

Go get it! It's on Amazon right now for .99! :D

Friday Five!

Edit: I meant to post this last Friday and COMPLETELY forgot. SORRY! Better late than never right?

Five things on Friday!

1- We put a bid on a house!

2- I found my zip drive with my NaNo '10 on it!

3- I've gone 20 days gluten free!
Surprisingly, it's pretty darn tasty! The one thing I miss though...

If anyone has a recipe for gluten free cheesecake, lemme know!

4- During the last three weeks I've lost five pounds! :) Not eating bread and pasta and goldfish helps!

5- I started an incredible book I'm sharing with everyone: Angelfall by Susan Ee!

It's .99 on Amazon or you can go to her site and she'll tell you where to find it. susanee.com! She self-pub'd this amazing literary adventure and I find her to be awe-inspiring! :D Tell her I sent you!

Book Review: AngelFall by Susan Ee @Susan_Ee

Wows. 
If you follow me on twitter or facebook or goodreads, sorry for the repeat fangirl, but I just gotta say...


HOLY CRAAAAAP! Let the fangirling begin!!!


No seriously, go get this book. .99 on Amazon. Let me spell that out for you- NINETY-NINE CENTS!


It is by far one of the best fantasy books I have EVER READ. I mean EVER. And I read A LOT! Angelfall is right up there with Hunger Games, LOTR, and Outlander. I'm not kidding. 


For my friends who like the adult reads, I'm not gonna lie, it's a YA book, but still! It has intrigue, a hot guy busting faces, a hard core heroine, and such amazing imagery! It is truly a stunning, slack-jaw, grip your book til it chokes kind of novel!


For my YA girls- It's a fantastical YA! This is a wildly fast paced tale about demons and fallen angels and Susan weaves these incredible scenes of vicious  human depravity within this gutted backdrop of our world post angel apocolypse. No, not kidding! The lead character, Penryn, is tough and very badass even though she thinks like any girl would, but she's in a ridiculously nonsensical situation.


Please go get this book. What's .99? I can guarantee you will be happy I sent you if you are a fantasy nerd. Or into badass YA characters. Or big on hot angels! 


AND it's such a quick read!!!! If I had been able to sit for longer than 30 mins at a time, I swear this would've been done in one sitting!


Oh, and Raffe? Yeah... the next Zsadist in my book ;) Nothing like a wounded rebel angel battling his inner demons while handing ACTUAL demons and some fallen angels their asses as far as I'm concerned!


I'm frothing to get the second book and it doesn't come out until the summer :( But at least I can fangirl about Susan Ee and tell you guys to go get it!  I am so proud of her for self-publishing such a fantastic novel and if she did submit it to publishers before and they balked at her, I bet they're eating crow now. This is so ridiculously well written and I just wanna be Susan's bestie and pick her brain all about angels and demons and having crazy awesome guts. I hope someday I'm as badass as Susan Ee. Talk about brave!
Okay, I'm gonna shut up now, you go buy her book! :)

2011 Breakdown and Hopes for 2012!

What I learned in 2011:
1- Just because someone says they're your friend, doesn't mean they will act like your friend when you need one.
2- Life can be very, very hard, but it can also be amazing.
3- A partner in life is more important than most anything else when you share your life.
4- A book like Hunger Games, The Bronze Horseman, or Lola and the Boy Next Door can be therapy and change you.
5- Setting goals is good, meeting goals is even better.

Hopes for 2012:
1- To read at least 25 books.
2- Finish my NaNo '10 "Thorns"
3- Go gluten-free and feel better.
4- Get another story published.
5- Survive the six months without my husband.

Best books I read in 2011:
1- Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
2- Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
3- Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin
4- Forever by Maggie Stiefvater
5- The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simmons

What am I most looking forward to in 2012:
1- New Maggie Stiefvater books! MagicNovel and Requiem!
2- The last book of the Hex Hall trilogy!
3- Hunger Games, Bel Ami, Snow White and the Huntsman, Cosmopolis, Breaking Dawn Part Two, The Hobbit, On The Road, and The Bronze Horseman all becoming motion pictures!
4- My husband graduating boot camp and tech school so he can have steady work and feel good about himself while helping our family!
5- Traveling!

Things I'm most proud of myself for achieving in 2011:

1- Reading over my 50 book goal for the year.

2- Getting my story published.

3- Working hard at my marriage and staying healthy.

4- Maintaining my blogs and bunny drabbles.

5- Donating to charities and using my writing for good (rather than evil!).

What are you looking forward to this year? What did you love about 2011? Any good books on your radar?