Turned at Dark

"She had about as much energy as a snail on Xanax, skinny-dipping in a cup of chamomile tea."


   I had actually found this book as a free download at B&N weeks before stumbling upon Born at midnight. and to be honest.. didn't make the connection until part way through B.A.M !! It was fate. After Finishing C.C. Hunter's first book in the Shadow Falls series I HAD to have more, and lucky me I had this to fall back on! 


   With the same lighthearted and fun feel that we get from Born at Midnight C.C. let's us in on Della's tale of how she was turned into a  vampire and made her way to Shadow fall's camp. 


   I can only hope that C.C. Hunter continues with the short stories, set aside on their own, or mixed into the rest of the stories. I loved getting more incite into a character I loved and want more!


   Even if you don't have an e-reader you can download this story to your computer or mobile device from B&N or other sources. And I recommend that you do... like.. now?!....  After reading Born at Midnight of course :) 

Rating: 4/5

The series so far

                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                 

            Future release! April 12th, 2012

                                                                 

Paranormalcy

“Oh relax." I waved my hand dismissively. "If he wanted to kill me, he already would have. I brought him all these sharp pencils, ideal for stabbing, and he's been a perfect gentleman.” 

"Weird as it is working for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, Evie’s always thought of herself as normal. Sure, her best friend is a mermaid, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she's falling for a shape-shifter, and she's the only person who can see through paranormals' glamours, but still. Normal.

Only now paranormals are dying, and Evie's dreams are filled with haunting voices and mysterious prophecies. She soon realizes that there may be a link between her abilities and the sudden rash of deaths. Not only that, but she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal."

Reasons to love this book:

*Evie's #1 weapon... a Pink rhindstone studded taster she affectionately calls "Tasey".

* The mysterious new supernatural named Lend, a boy who can change his appearance anytime he wishes.

* Evie's best friend, a mermaid who's words are translated through a computer that refuses to acknowledge swear words and inserts "bleep" in their place. 

*Reth, Evie's creepy ex faerie boyfriend.. who is literally trying to pull her back into his world. 

I cannot wait for the next in this trilogy. A book that can make me laugh out loud, cringe empathetically for the characters, sigh at a sweet romance AND keep me on my toes with the twists and action? My kinda book!

Rating: 4.5/5

Published: August 31st, 2010 by Harper teen

335 pages of fun, flirty, kick a** awesomeness!

The series so far

                                             August, 2010         July, 2011     

Endlessly

Coming July 24th 2012

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Waiting to be read

Books currently sitting on my desk... begging me to read them.

Have you read any of them?! Let me know what you thought in a comment!- no spoilers please :) 

The Water Wars

   I have... Alternating feelings about this book. I was hooked in beginning. I dove right in. Fast paced and full of thrills and adventure it kept me on my toes. 

"Would you risk everything for someone you just met? What if he had a secret worth killing for? Welcome to a future where water is more precious than oil or gold... Hundreds of millions of people have already died, and millions more will soon fall-victims of disease, hunger, and dehydration. It is a time of drought and war. The rivers have dried up, the polar caps have melted, and drinkable water is now in the hands of the powerful few. There are fines for wasting it and prison sentences for exceeding the quotas. 

But Kai didn't seem to care about any of this. He stood in the open road drinking water from a plastic cup, then spilled the remaining drops into the dirt. He didn't go to school, and he traveled with armed guards. Kai claimed he knew a secret-something the government is keeping from us... 

And then he was gone. Vanished in the middle of the night. Was he kidnapped? Did he flee? Is he alive or dead? There are no clues, only questions. And no one can guess the lengths to which they will go to keep him silent. We have to find him-and the truth-before it is too late for all of us."

  This is where my hesitation begins.. I wanted more! The author keeps your reading by the fast passed thriller feel of the story.. but by the end of the book you realize.. you don't really know the characters very well. Vera and Will, our two Protagonists are brother and sister, they seem to have a strong bond and yet.... there isn't much of a backstory..all we know is that they are close. Both strong willed yet incredibly reckless in the way they run off to save Kai, there new mysterious friend who seems to know an awful lot about water... and where to find it. The connection between Kai and Vera is interesting.. she is new to this idea of boys being more than just friends, and the timid approach is endearing. Yet again.. I want more.

   This was a trend I realized as I though back over the book. Every character was interesting and I was able to find myself rooting for them or cursing them out in my own mind... But I needed more information on them, where they came from, how they became who they are now, and what happens with them in the future.

  I keep hoping I will hear news of a sequel... as that is what the book left me thinking there was to come. The ending felt cut off. Abrupt. Un-needed. But Alas.. as far as I know this is a stand alone novel. 

  Do I recommend this book? Yes. It was a strong Dystopian novel and environmental thriller that matches up with the feel of The Hunger games in its possible realities, rather than the feel of Fantasy Dystopians. You cannot help but think about the fact.. that this future may be ours. 

  But at the same time.. be wary. You may end up like me.. dying of thirst and wishing for more to drink up. 

Rating: 3.5/5

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Interesting add on : Alternative Covers. Do you have a favorite? Share your opinion in a comment!

That old book smell :)

 

Never be embarrassed for picking up a long lost book and breathing in the pages!

For the Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans out there:

Giles: "Smell is the most powerful trigger to the memory there is. A certain flower, or a-a whiff of smoke can bring up experiences long forgotten. Books smell musty and-and-and rich. The knowledge gained from a computer is a - it, uh, it has no-no texture, no-no context. It's-it's there and then it's gone. If it's to last, then-then the getting of knowledge should be, uh, tangible, it should be, um, smelly."

Entwined

“From a memory deep inside her, so faint it only held sounds and slips of color, a tiny, three-year-old Azalea wailed, "Papa."

In this retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses "Azalea and her younger sisters dance in the mysterious silver forest every night, escaping from the sadness of the palace and their father’s grief. What they don’t understand—although as time passes they begin to get an inkling of the danger they are in—is that the mysterious and dashing Keeper is tightening his snare with deadly purpose. Luckily, Azalea is brave and steadfast. Luckily, a handsome young army captain also has his eye on Azalea."

If you enjoy a good fairy tale. One full of beauty and compelling twists this is one to pick up. The interactions between the sisters will keep you laughing, and the descriptions of the dances the girls learn will have you thinking back to every ballet move you ever learned.

I found myself immersed in the lush and wondrous world that Heather Dixon created in Entwined. It gave me the fairytale I wanted, the mystery I craved, and the romance my bookworm self had been looking for. 


In a way.. you get a combination of fairy tales in this one. Magic Mirrors, and enchanted Teapot, ballroom dancing handsome men sweeping Princesses off their feet... a fun an mesmerizing combination!

Excuse me ... I have to go practice my Shwlswig curtsy now.. 

" Azalea's feet took over and she dipped into a curtsy before her mind fully realized it. It flowed from the balls of her feet to her fingertips in one rippled movement and a rustle of skirts. She disappeared into a poof of crinolines."

Rating: 4.5/5

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The Compound

“"I would have rather had a dad with change jingling in his pocket; one who would have spent the last forty minutes of the world raking leaves for his kids to jump in, so that they perished in one loud, bright instant, giggles still bubbling up from their bellies, never suspecting a thing. 
Yeah, well. Tough luck, rich boy."”

 

 This book shocked me, outraged me, and gripped me until I finished the last page. 

 

The United states is under nuclear attack, thankfully the Yanakakisi family ( save two...) is safe in their underground compound, created by their father in case of such a tragedy. But are they really safe? All goes well in the compound until the livestock begins dying, the hydroponic lights are flickering... and other supplies become scarce. The family must begin considering other ways to survive...Horrific.. immoral ways. The oldest son Eli begins to question life in the compound. He begins to question his Father. Many things have been hidden and Eli is determined to learn the truth and protect his family. 

This book is a combination of science fiction and a psychological thriller that will keep you guessing. In the middle of reading this book I found myself pausing and wondering how the author could stand to write about such extreme ideas, but that is what kept me reading. This book has some controversial issues for sure. It may take you out of your comfort zone and make you question what measures you and your family would take to survive. 

 

 

"I realized it was a mistake to assume gentleness was akin with weakness."

 

Rating: 4/5

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Amazing books about Survival and Controversy 

 

 

 

Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Author Visiting Beaverton...

10.14.11  Attention Portland!

Laini Taylor is going to be at Powe'll books this week.  Stop by and say hi if you can!  Here are the details:

October 18 at 7:00 PM

Powell's Books — Beaverton, OR

http://www.powells.com/locations/powells-books-at-cedar-hills-crossing/

@powells

I wish I could go... This book looks so interesting and I am looking forward to reading it when I can!

Ripple

I'm honestly having a hard time deciding how much I liked this book. It was a very interesting concept to me, as Sirens are not a topic that frequent the YA market. So I went in with high hopes. 

The story starts out 2 years after Lexi deals with a terrible tragedy. The death of a boy she loved, and it was her fault. Lexi becomes withdrawn. Her friends disown her, blaming her for their other friends death, and she lets them because she knows it is true. 

Lexi must swim every night, she cannot control it, the water and her siren song call to her. She finds "her lake" far away from anyone she could harm, and she feels safe. Until Cole shows up one night while she is swimming, pulling her out of her comfort zone.

Cole starts to break down the walls that Lexi has built, which is very dangerous. The more Lexi relaxes and lets people into her life, the more likely she is to lure them to their watery grave. 

She tries to begin her life again, friends and dating. It all starts to fall back into place...

The plot of this book was fast paced and kept me wanting more, it is easy to empathize with Lexi, and swoon after Cole. I have been enjoying books lately that are not the typical ( as of late ) vampire/werewolf theme, and this is one that is definitely straying away from the norm. 

While fast paced and enjoyable, it did leave me wanting. The ending... not as I would have wanted, though I don't want to give it away. Let me just say.. I felt it wasn't the most believe-able. At times the author fills you with information and back story, and then there are moments where you think.. "Wait, what? Where did that come from, and why won't you tell me more?" 

All in all if you like the concept of Mermaid/sirens, and want something out of the norm, it's a fast read that is enjoyable, but be prepared it may not be your book of the year. 

Rating: 3.5/5

I have not read many books like this in the past, when I find/ think of some great ones to pair with this I will add them on :) Or please feel free to add your own recommendations in the comment.
section! 

Comments

   It seems that some difficulty was being had in commenting on posts. All is now well in the world of The passionate bookworm :) I found the problem and have annihilated it ! 
   Please feel free to comment on any of the posts. Everyones opinion is welcome, even if you didn't enjoy the book as much as I did. Please also feel free to leave recommendations for other amazing books as well!

the Forest of Hands and Teeth

Looking for a book to curl up with at night while you ponder the end of mankind? Found it!

Mary lives in a village that is surrounded by the Forest of Hands and teeth. You don't leave the village. Not unless you want to become like them, the unconsecrated that shake the fence just looking to find a weak spot to let them in. Just waiting for a curious villager to get too close, so they can get a bite. 

If you get bitten, its only a matter of time. Before you join the Unconsecrated, choose to die and be saved, or live in the forest with your friends and family infected before you, and be damned. 

Mary has lost everything, her father, lost.. suspected to be in the masses of the unconsecrated. Her mother, who wandered to close to the fence, and then choose to be damned , with the hope that she may be reunited with her husband. Her brother, who cast her out of her home, forcing her to Join the sisterhood, the religious order that controls her village. 

Mary dreams of the ocean, a magical place her mother once told her stories of, miles and miles of open water... and no unconsecrated. She dreams of love and a life outside of the village, away from the forest. But how do you have hope of escape, when the forest of hands and teeth is just waiting for you to make one wrong move. 

This book.. is like a combination of the Gathering blue ( Lois Lowry), and Night of the Living dead ( George A. Romero ) In a wonderfully creepy way.

"I think about how fragile we are here—like fish in a glass bowl with darkness pressing in on every side."

Rating: 4/5

The Series So far

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North Of Beautiful

 As he continued to stare, I wanted to point to my cheek and remind him, But you were the one who wanted this, remember? You're the one who asked-and I repeat-Why not fix your face?

It's hard not to notice Terra Cooper.

She's tall, blond, and has an enviable body. But with one turn of her cheek, all people notice is her unmistakably "flawed" face. Terra secretly plans to leave her stifling small town in the Northwest and escape to an East Coast college, but gets pushed off-course by her controlling father. When an unexpected collision puts Terra directly in Jacob's path, the handsome but quirky Goth boy immediately challenges her assumptions about herself and her life, and she is forced in yet another direction. With her carefully laid plans disrupted, will Terra be able to find her true path?

 North of beautiful is one of those books that will stick with you long after you turn the last page. 

 A glance at the characters:

Terra: A nearly perfect teenage girl with one glaring exception ; a port- wine birthmark on her left cheek. Constantly hiding it and herself in layers of cover- up Terra yearns to venture out into the world and study art in a college far from her hometown. 

Her Father: The overbearing man determined to put a stop to Terra's dreams of an out-of-state college, her art, and even healing her face.

Her Mother: The woman who simply gives in to Terra's father.. on everything except Terra, and who is constantly encouraging her to have hope on new medical breakthroughs promising to rid her daughter of her imperfections.

Her Boyfriend: Popular and the perfect boyfriend for Terra, as long as she has her birthmark covered up.

 Jacob: The Goth-Asian Boy she collides with ( literally in a car accident ) who has a cleft lip. And who teaches Terra about Geocaching and challenges Terra's assumptions about herself and her life.

This book will make you experience a whirlwind of emotions. Pity, Excitement, anger, sadness, joy, relief.. and so much more. If I could put this in the hands of every preteen-teenage girl I would. It is insightful and honest and complex and reiterates the fact that beauty is NOT only skin deep.

You will be doodling maps on anything you have near, researching what geocaching is. And Dreaming of your own Goth- Asian boy to come show you the world!

Rating: 5/5

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