Waiting on Wednesday: The Bitter Kingdom by Rae Carson (9)

THE BITTER KINGDOM

By: Rae Carson

Release Date: August 27, 2013

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Elisa is a fugitive in her own country. Her enemies have stolen the man she loves in order to lure her to the gate of darkness. As she and her daring companions take one last quest into unknown enemy territory to save Hector, Elisa will face hardships she's never imagined. And she will discover secrets about herself and her world that could change the course of history. She must rise up as champion-a champion to those who have hated her most. Riveting, surprising, and achingly romantic, Rae Carson has spun a bold and powerful conclusion to her extraordinary trilogy.

~♥~

One word: Hector.

Okay, so technically three words. 

Okay, eight. 

Okay, ten. 

OKAY I SHOULD STOP THIS BEFORE I THROW MY LAPTOP OUT THE WINDOW. 

But me wants book. :D

 ~♥~

Contact Kaede: 

Email: kimberlyho75@yahoo.com
Goodreads: Kaede

Twitter: Kami178xx

#AntiBEAReadathon: Down With The TBR Pile!

Hello darlings! 

So how many of you have been seeing BEA posts or tweets and thought, "I WANNNNNNA GO TOOOO. WHY CAN'T I GOOOOO AND HIDE IN SOMEONE'S BACKPACK?" *raises hand*

Well, fear not! While you'll probably still fear moments of extreme jealously, especially when those hauls go up, the lovely Hannah @ Book Haven Extraordinaire and Taherah @ Books As You Know It have come up with a way to make the pain a little more bearable. 

The Anti-BEA Read-a-thon! 

The idea is to indulge yourself in books you have and try to forget about all those covet-worthy ones that'll be up for grabs in the place I'm not going to mention in case of a breakdown. So indulge I will. I'm the type of person who can't plan what they're going to read ahead, but I'll definitely be tweeting out updates using the #AntiBEAReadathon. 

I don't know how much reading I'll get done, since I have a lot of studying to do. But knowing me, I'll probably put it all of till the last section and just fail everything. Yep. That sounds like a plan. 

But to start off the read-a-thon, I'll be diving into: 

I don't know if I'll be doing blog post updates, but I'll definitely have a wrap-up. My goal for this read-a-thon is: Down With The TBR Pile! 

For more information, visit Hannah's POST, and let's get some reading done!

~♥~

Contact Kaede: 

Email: kimberlyho75@yahoo.com
Goodreads: Kaede
Twitter: Kami178xx

ARC Review of Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

HOPELESS

By: Colleen Hoover

Review by: Kaede

Release Date: May 7th, 2013

Publisher: Atria Books

Pages: 416
Format: e-ARC
Source: NetGalley (Thank you, Atria Books!) 

 

Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies…
That’s what seventeen-year-old Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder. A guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she’s never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried.
Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he’s nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn’t at all who he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life will change forever.

Hopeless is an exceptional novel, even among the vast realm that is New Adult.  As Colleen Hoover spins a compelling story through Sky, she explores and puts to full use the idea that not everyone and not everything is always as it seems. 

I mentioned countless times before that New Adult is extremely hit-or-miss with me, and so Hopeless pleasantly surprised me, managing to surpass my already high expectations. 

I really liked Sky's character. There was something about her that seemed so familiar that I took an instant liking to her. (Oh no. Am I experiencing symptoms of the much dreaded insta-love? o_o OH C'MON, ME. This might be a problem...DON'T TELL MY MOM!) I found her reactions, as a girl sheltered from technology for a long time, seeing an e-reader for the first time quite amusing in a very good way. And as for Sky's dearest friend who got her said e-reader, can you like be my BFFFL toooo? I also really liked Sky's attitude, and that she wasn't affected by the stupid post-its she received on her locker. 

Six started off fairly prominent in the beginning that began slowly fading away as the story progressed, which made me sad because I really liked Sky. And one thing I noticed - Sky may not have a hundred friends, but the ones she does have are extremely generous and gifty. (Like a certain somebody I know. *cough* Eileen. *cough* I hope she doesn't read this...) Not only does Sky get a e-reader, but Six gives her a phone too! I WANT HER FRIENDS. Romantic relationship wise, I thought Holder and Sky fit really well together. I was slightly wary at first, but I did find Holder funny and eventually he won me over. There's nothing like a negative text message to balance an extremely positive one and inflate an ego or two! 

Hopeless intertwined mystery, romance, humor, and shocking revelations that'll have you keep on turning those pages. Hoover has a compelling writing style, and a talent for creating characters and throwing in little details that end playing a huge part. Finally, if nothing else, I would highly encourage reading Hopeless and ignore no information Colleen Hoover gives you. I thought I had it all figured out, and well....I kinda maybe didn't. MAYBE. I SWEARRRR I'M SMART MOST OF THE TIME. 

4 coffee cups!

**An advance copy of this book was provided  for review. However, all opinions remain honest and my own.**

~♥~

Contact Kaede: 

Email: kimberlyho75@yahoo.com
Goodreads: Kaede
Twitter: Kami178xx

Updates, Thingys (Not in the Wrong Way), and Currently Readings

This has been my life for the past month, people. 

Hello darlings! 

So I've guessed you noticed the blog's been pretty empty lately? Honestly, I don't think 2013 has been the year for me in regards to book blogging. (It's definitely been the year for amazing releases though. All these 2013 books made me broke in February, and am currently still broke. *sniffles* THERE'S SO MANY BOOKS COMING OUT EVERY TUESDAY AND MY HEAD AND MY MONEY CAN'T KEEP TRACK. I refuse a ban though. I refuse. I cannot do it.) I didn't start off strong at all in January, managing only 4 posts. I think a big part of that though is because I was in this horrible giant reading slump, which looking back on really makes me want to stomp on it, that started back in late December of 2012, and continued all the way to early April 2013. 

I've escaped the grasp of the terrible slump though (thank you, re-reading), and if you've noticed, I've been slowly getting back into blogging and posting - although mostly overdue reviews are what's been going up. But posts are posts, and you won't be able to believe how relieved I am that I still love blogging. I was so worried for the longest time that I might have been losing that want to write reviews, because when I sat down to do it, I either got distracted or just didn't want to do it all. Blogging shouldn't be a chore, and this is something you've heard countless times, but this is something to do for fun. 

Reviewing should be an outlet for your feelings, a way to let it all out as a passionate book lover. Blogging, and eventually meeting other bloggers, should all be fun. You're getting to know people you can talk to and fangirl with about all your favorite books, and maybe occasionally argue a bit. (*cough* Jeb over Morpheus always, Nikki. NOBODY TELL HER I SAID ANYTHING. *cough*) 

So when I started feeling like I was being forced to sit in front of a computer and write, I just started beginning to stop doing it. I tried to make sure I had some content up, but definitely not an overwhelming amount. The odd break I took from blogging was really beneficial to me, but I think I'm ready to start getting back in the hang of things. I have a lot of posts scheduled, some giveaways planned for all your loyal, lovely readers, and a lot more that I hope will be worth sticking around for. 

This might be a bit late, but here's to hopefully another year of great books! *cheers*

Now on to some other updates! 

--

So I thought I'd answer some of the most frequently asked questions for you guys today. Here goes nothing! 

Where are Isabelle and Sarah? 

Oh so I'm not good enough for you, huh? Well then. I'm just kidding. It's occurred to me multiple times that I should be able to provide a clear answer, but honestly, I don't know. Particularly Isabelle. BECAUSE SHE'S BEEN SO MIA AND IT MAKESS ME SADDD. COME BACKKKKK. Sarah, however, I know has still been fairly active over on her Goodreads, so if you want to talk to her, I guess that'd be the best way. If you're looking to get in contact with Isabelle, the only thing I can do is refer you to an email address, which is located in the Contact section of Wake Up at Seven. 

Why haven't you responded to my email? 

I'm sorry! There are a few possible answers to this, though. A) You sent your email to the one listed in the Contact section, which would be wakeupatseven.gmail.com. If that is the case, then I must apologize. I have no access to that email, and so the only alternative I can offer you is to re-send it to: kimberlyho75@yahoo.com. B) If you did sent your message to kimberlyho75@yahoo.com, then it may be A) it ended up in spam, and I don't check spam unless I have a reason to. B) I have received your email and I am the worst person in the world and have not had the time to write back or I'm working on a response. 

If you don't think any of the potential reasons fit your case though, please feel free to re-send your email or contact me about it. 

What are you currently reading? 

I'm glad you asked, because that's what I was about to show you next! So just keep on scrolling down!

--

Currently Reading (5/19/13):

I've been thinking of doing short posts that update my currently reading, because it'll be easy to put together and it'll spotlight some older or up and coming titles. So lemme know if you guys would like that? 

But as of right now, I am currently reading:

Secret for a Song is for a blog tour that's coming around in June. I just started, so I don't know how I feel about it yet. AND OKAY SO I MAY OR MAY NOT BE RE-READING DARE YOU TO BECAUSE IT IT GOOD. I definitely want to review it before it's release date, but again, I can give no promises. Twerp was an unsolicited ARC that arrived, and it sounded interesting, so I'm giving it a shot. I was just craving holding a manga in my hands (that's weird...), so I am re-re-re-reading Fairy Tail volume 9 because I can and it was the first one I saw on my manga shelves. (When I say shelves, I mean shelves.) And last but not least, I'm reading A Friendship for Today for school and I'm surprised at how much better it is than I expected. 

I am a bit of an over-achiever. Can you tell? 

--

So here's the last part of this update thingy. On June 3rd, my blog tour stop for Secret for a Song will be up. Yay! 

And lastly (I swear!), why haven't we updated our Review Archive in months? 

Okay so, a post did go up a while ago on this, but I thought I'd bring it up again. We've been experiencing what I'd guess would be considered a long term problem on an admin issue. 

This may sound really weird, but if you aren't familiar with an admin's role, they are basically the all powerful overseer for everything. So basically the person with the admin's role would be the one with the sole ability to work with things like updating the review archive or tour banners. And in our case...

...all this went poof. Into thin air. I am not even kidding. 

To my knowledge and best explanation (because we all know I suck when it comes to technical issues, something weird happened and the admin thingy-majingy went bye bye. Honestly, I have no clue how to sort this out by myself and anything I'm getting from Blogger's help page is really...no help. 

But I have hope we will fix it one day...probably.

Until then, I'm afraid you guys will just have to put up with us. 

AND that concludes it. See? It wasn't that bad. OH MY GOD I FORGOT SOMETHING. I should probably go back up and add it in but I can do it here too, right? Perfectly fine. 

You can expect the following reviews to pop up on the blog as soon as they're written soon:

Okay, so THAT concludes it. So I'm off now, but look forward to some awesome stuff coming soon!

Much love darlings. 

~♥~

Contact Kaede: 

Email: kimberlyho75@yahoo.com
Goodreads: Kaede
Twitter: Kami178xx

#VMAFIA: The Liberator by Victoria Scott Excerpt and The Collector Giveaway!

THE LIBERATOR

By: Victoria Scott
Release Date: August 27th, 2013
Publisher: Entangled Teen

Bad boy, meet bad girl.
Dante has a shiny new cuff wrapped around his ankle, and he doesn't like that mess one bit. His new accessory comes straight from Big Guy himself and marks the former demon as a liberator. Despite his gritty past and bad boy ways, Dante Walker has been granted a second chance.
When Dante is given his first mission as a liberator to save the soul of seventeen-year-old Aspen, he knows he’s got this. But Aspen reminds him of the rebellious life he used to live and is making it difficult to resist sinful temptations. Though Dante is committed to living clean for his girlfriend Charlie, this dude’s been a playboy for far too long…and old demons die hard.
With Charlie becoming the girl she was never able to be pre-makeover and Aspen showing him how delicious it feels to embrace his inner beast, Dante will have to go somewhere he never thought he’d return to in order to accomplish the impossible: save the girl he’s been assigned to, and keep the girl he loves.

When I open my eyes, the sun is trying to murder me. It’s shining on my face and making my head pound. Or maybe it’s my hangover that’s giving me the headache, but nonetheless—me and the sun?—we’re not on friendly terms.
Charlie murmurs beside me. My arms are still wrapped around her waist, and I suddenly realize I must have crashed out in her bed last night. If Grams wakes up and finds me here, she’ll run me a bath…and toss in the toaster.

“Morning, babe,” I whisper.

“Morning, hot stuff,” a distinctly male voice responds.

I whip around, my heart racing, and find Max sitting in a chair across the room. “You look so hot when you first wake up,” he says. He raises a hand to his hair. “Got that whole sexy bed head thing going on.”

Charlie doesn’t even move from her place, but I feel her laughing against me. “Your friend is kind of creepy, Dante,” she manages.

“Max, what the hell are you doing in here?” I ask, pulling the covers farther up even though I’m (regretfully) fully-clothed.

“Real question is, why did I wait so long to join you guys?” Max stands from his chair and cocks his head. A mischievous smile crawls across his face.

“No,” I say, trying to appear serious. “Don’t even think about it, dude.”

Max starts running in place, his smile widening farther until he looks deranged. “Ready or not!”Before I can stop him, Max races toward the bed and dives on top of us. “Oh! Oh it feels even better than I imagined.” He rolls back and forth across our bodies as Charlie laughs and I wonder why I’m friends with such a raging idiot.

With all my strength, I grab Max’s shirt and rotate him toward the edge. He falls off the side, his arms pin-wheeling. There’s a loud thud, and then nothing.

I wait for several seconds before leaning over to search for him. Max is lying face down on the floor, his arms and legs curled like a dead spider. “You’re not really hurt,” I say.

“I think you gave me spinal bifida. You need to call someone.”

“That’s a genetic disorder,” I respond with a sigh, collapsing back onto my pillow. A second later, he raises his head very, very slowly up from the side of the bed. It’s one of the more unsettling things he’s ever done. “Max, is there a purpose to this visit?” I ask. I want so badly to act like he’s annoying me. But he knows, and I know, that we both love this game: the one where I pretend he’s a pain in my ass, and he acts like a damn circus clown.

He stands up, crosses the room, and plops back down in the chair. “Valery sent me.”

I throw an arm across my eyes. “Of course she did.” Beside me, Charlie moves to get up and I immediately reach for her. She squeals and wiggles out of my grasp.

I watch as she walks around the bed and ruffles Max’s hair. The twenty-eight year old pants like a dog. It’s a bit disturbing considering Charlie’s seventeen. She eyes me with a grin. “I’ll make waffles.”

My face lights up.

“Yes,” she continues. “And bacon.”

I glance at Max and nod toward Charlie. “That’s my girl.”

“Damn straight,” he says.

“I’m still making breakfast for your birthday,” I call after Charlie. Then, looking at Max, I add, “My girl’s going to be legal soon.”

Max says, “Boom.”

 So darlings, some of you may know that I really, really liked The Collector by Victoria Scott. And if you haven't read it yet, I think you might love it too! So here's your chance to win a copy and dive right into Dante Walker's bad boy world. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

#VMAFIA: "Because blood is thicker than water." 

Contact Kaede: 

Email: kimberlyho75@yahoo.com
Goodreads: Kaede
Twitter: Kami178xx

Waiting on Wednesday: Deception by C.J. Redwine (8)

DECEPTION
By: C.J. Redwine
Release Date: August 27th, 2013
Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Baalboden has been ravaged. The brutal Commander's whereabouts are unknown. And Rachel, grief stricken over her father's death, needs Logan more than ever. With their ragged group of survivors struggling to forge a future, it's up to Logan to become the leader they need—with Rachel by his side. Under constant threat from rival Carrington's army, who is after the device that controls the Cursed One, the group decides to abandon the ruins of their home and take their chances in the Wasteland.


But soon their problems intensify tenfold: someone—possibly inside their ranks—is sabotaging the survivors, picking them off one by one. The chaos and uncertainty of each day puts unbearable strain on Rachel and Logan, and it isn't long before they feel their love splintering. Even worse, as it becomes clear that the Commander will stop at nothing to destroy them, the band of survivors begins to question whether the price of freedom may be too great—and whether, hunted by their enemies and the murderous traitor in their midst, they can make it out of the Wasteland alive.

In this daring sequel to Defiance, with the world they once loved forever destroyed, Rachel and Logan must decide between a life on the run and standing their ground to fight.

~♥~

The covers in this series are really pretty. I love that the girl's cloak reveals what I am guessing is Baalboden. And if it isn't I NEVER SAID ANYTHING. 

Although if she's going to be running in that...

~♥~

Contact Kaede: 

Email: kimberlyho75@yahoo.com
Goodreads: Kaede
Twitter: Kami178xx

Cover Reveal: Obsession by Jennifer L. Armentrout

OBSESSION
By: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Release Date: May 31st, 2013
Publisher: Entangled Publishing/ Covet

He’s arrogant, domineering, and… To. Die. For.
Hunter is a ruthless killer. And the Department of Defense has him firmly in their grasp, which usually doesn’t chafe too badly because he gets to kill bad guys. Most of the time he enjoys his job. That is, until he’s saddled with something he’s never had to do before: protect a human from his mortal enemy.

Serena Cross didn’t believe her best friend when she claimed to have seen the son of a powerful senator turn into something…unnatural. Who would? But then she witnesses her friend’s murder at the hands of what can only be an alien, thrusting her into a world that will kill to protect their secret.

Hunter stirs Serena’s temper and her lust despite their differences. Soon he’s doing the unthinkable—breaking the rules he’s lived by, going against the government to keep Serena safe. But are the aliens and the government the biggest threats to Serena’s life…or is it Hunter?

 ~♥~

Twitter | Facebook | Website

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell, Loki.
Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen.
She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

~♥~

Contact Kaede: 

Email: kimberlyho75@yahoo.com
Goodreads: Kaede
Twitter: Kami178xx

ARC Review of True by Erin McCarthy

TRUE
By: Erin McCarthy
Review by: Kaede
Release Date: May 7th, 2013

Publisher: InterMix
Pages: 238
Format: e-ARC
Source: NetGalley (Thank you, PENGUIN GROUP!)

  

When Rory Macintosh’s roommates find out that their studious and shy friend has never been with a guy, they decide that, as an act of kindness they’ll help her lose her virginity by hiring confident, tattooed bad boy Tyler Mann to do the job…unbeknownst to Rory.
Tyler knows he’s not good enough for Rory. She’s smart, doctor smart, while he’s barely scraping by at his EMT program, hoping to pull his younger brothers out of the hell their druggy mother has left them in. But he can’t resist taking up her roommates on an opportunity to get to know her better. There’s something about her honesty that keeps him coming back when he knows he shouldn’t…
Torn between common sense and desire, the two find themselves caught up in a passionate relationship. But when Tyler’s broken family threatens to destroy his future, and hers, Rory will need to decide whether to cut her ties to his risky world or follow her heart, no matter what the cost…

When I began reading True, I had no particular expectations for it to reach. I had come across True by chance, and began reading it for no other sake than to begin reading it and eventually review it. Fortunately, I end up liking True, but it is not a story that I can freely recommend. Enjoyable as it was, it was also not without it's flaws. 

I think True's main problem is that it feels formulaic. Like if New Adult books had a certain guideline that is recommended for authors to stick to, and McCarthy decided to follow it exactly. True isn't a bad book - in fact, it was quite likable, but it isn't anything...special. I think a little background information is needed. 

If there's anything you should know is that when it comes down to New Adult, I. Want. To. Tear. My. Hair. Out. It is most distressing for me when I look at a New Adult categorized book and think, "Wasn't this called something else?"

Because the fact of the matter is YES, I THINK YOUR BOOK WAS CALLED SOMETHING ELSE BECAUSE IT SOUNDS EXACTLY LIKE SOMETHING ELSE. New Adult tends to blend together for me because of what I've read of it, the core of the stories all seem the same. There are an exceptional few that have stood out though, and I'm sorry to say True isn't one of them.

But basically, if you are not the fondest, or looking for something extremely unique in New Adult, I would not push True as the book for you. Not to say that it has no originality, because I firmly believe every book has that in some portion, but it doesn't have an excessive amount that screams one-of-a-kind. But, if you are just looking for a New Adult Book to read, there's no harm in trying True. 

And like every cloud having a silver lining, True is not without it's good qualities. When I first heard of it, the story was pitched as, "Good Girl meets Bad Boy" and all the alarms went up. But after finishing it, and assuming Tyler is said bad boy, I really don't concur with that statement. I was led to believe I would probably have this ego bigger than his head jerk on my hands but Tyler was actually kind of a sweetheart, and apparently good at math. 

I had my problems with Rory and her friends, though. I disliked that Rory's friends even entertained the idea of paying somebody to have sex with her, because that's not what good friends so - especially behind your back. I also didn't like how the author chose the begin our introduction to Rory - an almost sexual assault scene. But that wasn't really the problem, and I wouldn't have any issues if I thought that it has handled appropriately. But a few pages after Rory was heroically saved by Tyler, the fact that she was close to being raped was barely brought up again. Because of that, I have reasons to believe rape was used as nothing more than a plot device and that is not okay. Sexual harassment of any kind is a serious issue and should not be used as something to just move your story alone.

Overall, True wasn't perfect. But it was engaging and compelling enough that I finished it very quickly. And while I didn't love it, True has captured my attention enough to spark intrigue for any sequels or companions that may be written. 

3 and ½ coffee cups!

**An advance copy of this book was provided  for review. However, all opinions remain honest and my own.**

~♥~

Discuss with me in the comments: Do you like New Adult? If so, what draws you in and what are some titles you'd recommend? 

~♥~

Contact Kaede: 

Email: kimberlyho75@yahoo.com
Goodreads: Kaede
Twitter: Kami178xx