Waiting on Wednesday #18

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine.

This is a perfect way to highlight books that we are waiting patiently to be released... it is also a sure-fire way to watch your TBR pile grow!

Lottie is tired of long-term boyfriends who don’t want to commit to marriage. When her old boyfriend Ben reappears and reminds her of their pact to get married if they were both still single at thirty, she jumps at the chance. There will be no dates and no engagement—just a straight wedding march to the altar!

Next comes the honeymoon on the Greek island where they first met. But not everyone is thrilled with Lottie and Ben’s rushed marriage, and family and friends are determined to intervene.

Will Lottie and Ben have a wedding night to remember or one to forget?

Expected Publication: April 23 2013
Add it to your TBR Pile: Goodreads

Why am I so eagerly awaiting this release you ask?

I love Sophie Kinsella and to date I have not read a single book of hers that I did not enjoy.  Yes there are some that are better than others but they are all enjoyable and I love her writing.

As much as I am looking forward to the next book in the Shopaholic series... because who doesn't want to see Becky Bloomwood go crazy in Hollywood?  I am still very happy that Kinsella is continuing to write her one off novels.  To me she is the queen of chick lit... even those I hate the term 'chick lit'.

What is your Waiting on Wednesday?

Feel free to leave your links below so that I can check them out and if you are a new follower be sure to let me know!

Top Ten Tuesday #4

Hosted by Broke and The Bookish

This Week's Topic is:

Top Ten Series I'd Like To Start But Haven't Yet
There are going to be some shockers on this list... be prepared!

The Infernal Devices

I am excited to start every series on this list but The Infernal Devices is the one I can easily say I am the most excited about.  I can not believe I have been able to hold off for this long... I was waiting until closer to the release of The Clockwork Princess and finally the release month is upon us! I will be starting this soon.

Divergent

You will see a theme here... I really am trying to also save this series until closer to the release of book three but I don't think I will be able hold off that long.  It seems ages away to the final release and I am really excited to get started.

Delirium

Luckily the release for book three in this series is right around the corner which means I can start this one soon also.  Will be nice having them all published and ready to read when I get to the end of each book.

Vampire Academy

The only thing holding me off from starting the Vampire Academy is that the sheer number of them frightens me.  I think I am going to need to talk myself into starting them but make a pact with myself to maybe only read two or so at a time with other books between.  Maybe that will make the number of them less daunting.

Up In The Air

I have a friend that has finished this series and she loved it so I really am excited to get started.  I hear the guy in it hot, hot... hot.  I also know a lot of other book bloggers love this author and series.

Love

There are two books in this series that have so far been published. I've heard good things but again the only thing holding me back is that book one is over 600 pages.  Why does that scare me?  Not sure really....

Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Again, I have heard such good things!  I know for sure I will start this series before the end of 2013.  Almost every book blogger I know has loved this series.

The Education of...

Older woman, younger guy...  I really can't wait to read these.  I've heard that the guy in it is completely swoon worthy and who doesn't like to read a good swoon? 

Lunar Chronicles

What can I say?  I can't believe I am so behind on some of these series books.  When I first saw Cinder released I thought it looked great but I never got around to reading it and now Cinder is out.  I really have to get started on all of these.

Unfinished Hero

I only just found this series a week ago because I saw everybody talking about the third book, Raid.  I saw the reviews for Knight and it sounds like something I would love so yes... new series to add to the must read list.

So there you go... this weeks Top Ten! What is yours?

Feel free to leave your links below so that I can check them out and if you are a new follower be sure to let me know so that I can come and check out your blog in return!

Review: Wait for You

Some things are worth waiting for…

Traveling thousands of miles from home to enter college is the only way nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at the Halloween party five years ago—an event that forever changed her life. All she needs to do is make it to her classes on time, make sure the bracelet on her left wrist stays in place, not draw any attention to herself, and maybe—please God—make a few friends, because surely that would be a nice change of pace. The one thing she didn’t need and never planned on was capturing the attention of the one guy who could shatter the precarious future she’s building for herself.

Some things are worth experiencing…

Cameron Hamilton is six feet and three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, complete with a pair of striking blue eyes and a remarkable ability to make her want things she believed were irrevocably stolen from her. She knows she needs to stay away from him, but Cam is freaking everywhere, with his charm, his witty banter, and that damn dimple that’s just so… so lickable. Getting involved with him is dangerous, but when ignoring the simmering tension that sparks whenever they are around each other becomes impossible, he brings out a side of her she never knew existed.

Some things should never be kept quiet…

But when Avery starts receiving threatening emails and phone calls forcing her to face a past she wants silenced, she’s has no other choice but to acknowledge that someone is refusing to allow her to let go of that night when everything changed. When the devastating truth comes out, will she resurface this time with one less scar? And can Cam be there to help her or will he be dragged down with her?

And some things are worth fighting for…

Title: Wait For You
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout writing as J. Lynn | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Website | Blog
Publication Date: February 26 2013
Publisher: Self Published 
Length: 332 Pages
Add it to your TBR Pile: Goodreads
Buy It: Amazon US / Amazon UK

Source: Purchased (Kindle Edition)
Cover Love: Love this cover... it really is perfect.
Point of View: 1st person, following Avery

My Rating: 5 Stars

Jennifer L Armentrout (writing as J. Lynn) has shown again why she has such a loyal following.   Whether she is writing as Jennifer L Armentrout or J. Lynn, it doesn't matter... I have yet to be disappointed in anything she has put out.  Wait For You was no exception and in fact I think this is actually my favorite book of hers to date.

“I want to be here with you, Avery.  You don't have to worry about impressing me or wowing me.  You've already done that.”

Honestly, even now as I am trying to think back to when I was reading it I can not for the life of me come up with something negative to say.  Not that a review must always have something negative but of course there is usually always something...  something that doesn't quite sit right...  something you wish would have been done a little different...  or maybe somebody in the book that annoyed you just a little bit.  But with Wait For You there was none of that for me.   I started the book as soon as I was able to download it, which thankfully was a few days earlier than expected, and I could not seem to put it down.  From start to finish I was absorbed with the characters and the story.

I connected right off the bat with Avery.  There is no mistaking that something has happened to her in her past but the history of that trauma is slow to unfold as the story progresses.  This enables the reader to come up with their own conclusions but then you are still a little surprised when the full truth was discovered.  Even though I have never gone through anything like what she had to face at a young face I still felt that connection.  She is such a likeable character and you want nothing more than for her to heal and be happy.

“I'm beginning to think cookies is a code word for something else."

"Maybe it is."  He tugged on my bag again as he took a confident step back, forcing me down another step.  "And just think about it.  If cookie was a code word, whatever it symbolizes, it's been in your mouth, sweetheart.”

And then there is Cam.  Wow.  Jennifer has proven in the past that she can write good boys and Cam in my opinion is at the tip top of that list.  He is just... wow.  Not only is he one of the most faithful and trusting guys I have ever read about but he is also one of the funniest.  Even though Avery has a hard time coming out of her shell he is patient and never pushes her.  Honestly, there is just no describing Cameron.   I can only beg you to please read Wait For You so that you can see how truely wonderful he is.

“Fuck, Avery.  You think I don't want you?  There's not a single part of you that I don't want, you understand?  I want to be on you and inside of you.  I want you against the wall, on the couch, in your bed, in my bed, and every fucking place I can possibly think of, and trust me, I have a vast imagination when it comes to these kinds of things.  Don't ever doubt that I want you.  That is not what this is about.”

oooOOOooohhhh and Avery and Cam together? H. O. T.  No doubt about it there are some high flying sparks between the two of them.  But the best part is their banter.  If you are a fan Jennifer’s Lux series and you think Katy and Daemon are good at the banter?  They do not even hold a candle to Avery and Cam.  The back and forth is quick, witty and hilarious.  Honestly... SO funny.

“Whoa," Brit breathed, handing my drink back to me.  "That was..."

"Really hot," Jacob finished.  "I thought you two were going to rip off each other's clothes and start making babies right here on the dirty, beer covered floor.  Like I was going to have to start charging admission for what was about to go down.”

Finally we have Brit and Jacob.  Avery makes friends them early on in the book and they also bring a great dose of humor.   I really loved them both.  I am hoping that sometime in the future Brit gets her own book because I think her story would make for some great reading.

“And this must be Avery?"

"Oh, God, no," Came said. "This is Candy, Mom."

His mother's eyes widened and a bit of color infused her cheeks. "Uh, I'm..."

"I'm Avery," I said, shooting Cam a look. "You had it right."

She spun around, smacking Cam across the arm. Hard, too. "Cameron! Oh my God. I thought..." She smacked him again and he laughed. "You're terrible.”

Jennifer has managed to perfectly blend a very serious subject with humor, friendship and love.  I only wish that this would have been a dual point of view book as I would have loved to be inside Cam’s head.  Sadly, it is not dual POV but Jennifer always manages to keep her fans happy with a lot of bonus and pov scenes so I keeping my fingers crossed that we will get one of those soon...   I need more Cam!

“Leaning back against Cam's chest, I tipped my head back and I reached up, cupping his cheek.  I drew his mouth to mine and kissed him softly.  "Thank you."

His lips curved up on one side.  "For what?"

"For waiting for me.”

MORE QUOTES FROM WAIT FOR YOU

Book Blogger Spotlight: Rinn Reads

My name is Rinn, and I'm from the UK. I graduated with a degree in Ancient History and Archaeology this summer just past, and am hoping to do my Masters degree in a years time. Right now, I'm working so I can actually afford it... and hopefully I'll be off to the Netherlands to study! I absolutely love Doctor Who (and Matt Smith...), Horrible Histories, Community, Mass Effect and Skyrim.

When and why did you become a book blogger?

I started blogging at the end of August 2012. I decided that since I wasn't in education anymore, I wanted a project. I also wanted to work on writing proper reviews for Goodreads, so the two together turned into an idea for a book blog.

How did you come up with the name of your blog?

It's not very original at all. I just wanted to come up with a name so I could make the blog. I like the alliteration though.

What is your favorite thing about blogging?

The community, and finding all these people who are just as passionate about books as me. I don't have enough of those types of people in my life, but through the book blogging community I do!

What do you find the hardest about blogging?

Finding the time. Sometimes after I get home from work, I really don't want to sit down and type up a post. I'm also pretty forgetful about all my features except Weekly Roundup...

Does your blog participate in any weekly features and if so which is your favorite?

I occasionally participate in Top Ten Tuesdays hosted by The Broke and the Bookish (it depends on what the top ten is), but most of the time I just have my own features.

What has been your favorite moment since you became a book blogger? Which review, interview or giveaway have you been most proud of?

Well getting to interview one of my favourite authors (Marianne Curley) was amazing. I wasn't even expecting a reply to my email, let alone a yes to an interview! I absolutely loved her Guardians of Time series the first time I read it, and it makes me sad that I don't know many people who have heard of it. If you like fantasy and time travel, go read her books now!

What kind of genres do you enjoy reading and reviewing the most?

My favourite genres are sci-fi and fantasy, but I actually find Young Adult books the easiest to review. I think it's because I tend to make notes when reviewing, and so many of these sci-fi and fantasy books are rather heavy - it's difficult to stop frequently to take notes, especially when I'm so immersed in the worlds they create. Not that the YA genre isn't as immersive, but it's more to do with the writing style I guess.

What is your favorite individual book or series? What makes you love it so much?

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. I read it every year, and absolutely love it. I just wish I could live in Middle-earth...

Who is your favorite fictional male character, why and from what book or series are they from?

Tyrion Lannister, from George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire. Purely because he doesn't let other people's opinion of him get him down, and he's just all round cool.

Who is your favorite fictional female character, why and from what book or series are they from?

Matilda, from Roald Dahl's Matilda. Her passion for books inspired me as a child.

Who are your favorite three authors and why?

J.R.R. Tolkien, J.K. Rowling and Marianne Curley. I can't imagine my reading life without those three.

If you could turn one book or series into films, what would you pick and who would you cast as the main characters?

The Hyperion Cantos would make some amazing films. Apparently Warner Bros (I think) have had the rights for a while, but nothing has been done about it so far. I honestly have no idea who I would cast in it, that's a tricky one. I'd love to hear if anyone has any thoughts on that!

What books are you most looking forward to in 2013?

The Daylight War by Peter V. Brett. Although it will be out by now! Also, Dr. Sleep by Stephen King.

Paper books or ebooks?

Paper books all the way. Can't beat them.

Where is your favorite place to read?

When it's cold or rainy, in my bed. When it's warm and sunny, on the balcony or in the garden.

Milk chocolate, white chocolate or dark chocolate?

Milk chocolate - especially if it's Cadburys.

Coffee, hot tea or hot chocolate?

Tea, tea, tea! I drink it a LOT.

Would you like to give any other details about yourself? How can others find you around the web? Such as Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, etc...

Blog: www.rinnreads.co.uk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/rinnreads
Twitter: www.twitter.com/rinnreads
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/rinnsohma
Tumblr: www.rinnsohma.tumblr.com

Review: Rule

I loved Rule Archer since the first moment I ever laid eyes on him. He was everything I shouldn't want and the only person I went out of my way to not try and please. He only saw me as a brat, as an entitled, stuck up princess but worse than that all he saw when he looked at me was his deceased twin brother's girl.

Shaw Landon was a class act and I had no idea what to do with her. She was tied to my family, tied to the person that was my other half so I tolerated her and her haughty attitude because I didn't have any other choice. What I didn't know was that a short skirt and too many cocktails on her birthday was going to change my outlook on her for the rest of my life. Some people thought I hid behind all my tattoos and piercings, that I tried to distance myself from my dead twin, Shaw saw through it all and wasn't scared of what was underneath.

Title: Rule (Rule ~ Book 1)
Author: Jay Crownover | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Blog
Publication Date: December 30 2012
Publisher: Self Published
Length: 327 Pages
Add it to your TBR Pile: Goodreads
Buy It: Amazon US / Amazon UK

Source: Purchased (Kindle Edition)
Cover Love: Not a fan.  This is not Rule.  Rule's tattoos extend up onto his neck, he has his lip and brow pierced and he would never wear his hair like that.
Point of View: Alternating 1st person between both Shaw and Rule

My Rating: 4 Stars

“...Opposites don't just attract they freaking catch fire and burn the entire city down”

What is it about a tattooed, pierced bad boy that drives us girls absolutely out of our minds?  I for the life of me will never understand it but boy oh boy do we fall head over heels for them...

I enjoyed the premise of this book.   We of course had the tattooed bad boy (Rule) and the blonde rich good girl (Shaw) but this time it’s different.  Normally it is a night of passion that makes the good girl realize she wants the bad boy and she struggles with the idea of them being together forever.  This is not Shaw and Rule.   Shaw has been in love with Rule for as long as she can remember and she doesn’t care what anybody thinks.  The problem here is that Rule doesn’t have a clue about how Shaw feels and to be honest he has never really saw her as anything other than his surrogate sister.   Of course this is until the day he finally stops and really ‘sees’ her.  Then everything changes.

“Rule if this goes bad it’s gonna be so, so bad.” Her voice was just a husky whisper against my chest.

“True, but if it’s good it’s going be so very, very good.”

These two are H. O. T. together.   There is no denying that.  Shaw lets her inhabitations fly out the window when it comes to being with Rule and he realizes that being with a woman can actually be better when you have feelings for her.  He is so used to the one night stands and sending the girls on their way the next morning.  He had no idea how good it could be when there were feelings involved.

“I’ll always take care of you Rule, in fact I like doing it because it makes me happy and it feels good but I’m not ever going to let you use me to work out your demons like you did with all those girls that came before me so you better learn the difference.”

I loved how Shaw simply accepts Rule for who he is.  She has walked in on him with a countless number of women and has no problem at all accepting that was part of his past and doesn’t take every opportunity to throw it all back into his face.   The only thing she asks is that from the moment they decide to try to make a go at being together that there be nobody else.

And as always I love that it is dual POV.   There really is just something about being able to all up inside the guy’s head. With Rule it was nice to see him battling his own demons and being able to work through the feelings he has for Shaw.

“You have to promise not to bail on me when I get lost, Shaw.  You have to promise to just wait it out until I can find my way back.  I need to know you’re at the end of the tunnel when everything goes black.”

Now that you know I really enjoyed this book I feel I need to also warn you... I would strongly suggest Rule and I will be reading the next book in the series, Jet.   However, I want to point out that there are many grammatical and editing issues with this book.  I recently saw the author post on Facebook that there is a newer updated version on Amazon that has been uploaded so hopefully this has corrected a lot of the issues.

For me though if the story is good enough and I love the characters enough I can overlook these kinds of mistakes.  Which was obviously the case in reading Rule, I was enjoying the story so there was no way I was going to stop.  I do still wonder how books make it to being self published with such obvious mistakes?  There are a lot of readers on Goodreads who ask to be Beta Readers and in the end isn’t that what they are there for?  Use their free services.

But please do not take this as me saying not to read Rule.  The story is well worth any mistakes you may come across.  Trust me... you will fall in love with Rule, in all of his tattooed and pierced glory.

“I’m not Jet so I can’t write you a song that makes you understand how important you are to me.  I’m not Nash so I can’t find a building and paint you a mural that makes you see that it all starts and ends with you for me.  I’m a tattoo artist, I’ll probably always be a tattoo artist.  

Here’s my heart Shaw.  You have it in your hands and I promise you’re the first and last person to ever touch it.  You need to be careful with it because it’s far more fragile than I ever thought and if you try and give it back I’m not taking it.”

MORE QUOTES FROM RULE