January & February Book Haul

Whelp, technology officially hates me. This will be the second time I type up this book haul in full. So if it is on the rougher side, I apologize and I will try to get all of them worked out. I got quite a number of books this time in both January and February combined. I really like this bi-monthly book hauls, it seems to be working out well for me. So without any further ado let's get into the book haul!

In January I got 8 books, two of which where ebooks.

For those of you who remember in my November & December book haul I ranted about not being able to get the ebooks onto my Kindle app. I found some time to be able to talk with someone from Amazon and after being switched to about four different people, I was told that because I have Window's 8 I wouldn't be able to read the books. An hour later I got an email from Amazon that prompted me to download yet another Kindle app and I am now able to read the ebooks! Finally! I got Wings of Vengeance by Kylie Price, who is the same author I reviewed Trinity-The Prophecy for. And from a few months before I finally can read Sleepwalker Chronicles: The Awakening by Lilith Black.

These next two books I got notice that I had won them on the last day of December but they didn't get to me until January. Strong Like Me by Laurel Veil is the first one, and I did review it not too long ago. It came to be signed. Veil has a number of other books out that are more for middle schoolers. The second book is Visions in Silver by Anne Bishop. This is the third book in Bishop's The Others series, two more books are expected in the next two years.

Another middle school book that I won is The Underground Princess by J.W. Zulauf (whom it was signed by), and illustrated by Luke Spooner. It's small and looks to be a very good book. Zulauf has four other books out. However, Cauchemar by Alexandra Grigorescu is her debut novel and I cannot wait to read others by her. The next review to go up after this book haul will be Cauchemar. Another signed book I got was Swept Up by Kayla Dawn Thomas, which is also reviewed. This was sent to me graciously by Thomas after I notified her that I couldn't get my Kindle app to work for the ebook I was originally given. Lastly in January I won Zombie Loyalists: Using Great Service to Create Rabid Fans by Peter Shankman. Shankman has lots of business-related books published.

In February I got 8 books two of which are ebooks, the same as in January.

Starting with the ebooks again, I got Wishing on Baby Dust by Lydia Winters, it looks to be a stand-alone. I got this book by participating in a FaceBook launch party. Winters has one other book set to come out later on this year. The second ebook I got is Saffron-The Blood Swan by D. Aswini. I won this book when the author asked me to take a quiz which would then enter me to win the ebook. This is the only book by Aswini thus far.

As for physical books I got Avenger's Heat by Katie Reus. This is the fourth book in Reus's Moon Shifter series. There is one other book out for the series. I don't think I will get to reviewing this book anytime because I want to read the previous books, to avoid any spoilers. However Broken by Cynthia Eden is the first book in her Lost series or possibly trilogy. The second book in Noelle August's Boomerang series is Rebound. Another book for the series is set to be published later on this year.

These last three books I was really excited to receive. The first one which is also signed is, Utopia, Iowa by Brian Yanksky. Yansky also has five other books published. Another signed book, this one is Forgive Me by Eliza Freed. It is the first book in Freed's Lost Souls series. The last book for this book haul and for the month of February is Magic for Beginners: Stories by Kelly Link. Link has a number of other books published.

Before I end this book haul I do want to say that I received a lot of these books through a Goodreads First Reads giveaway, but in no other way am I being sponsored to make a review on them or to even talk about them. I may get to a review of them quickly, I may not. It all depends on what I feel like reading. Once again if anyone has a problem with this please feel free to email me and we can discuss this.

I hope you enjoyed this book haul. Tell me what books you got, I would love to know!

Next book: Cauchemar by Alexandra Grigorescu

Thanks for reading!
~Jade

Swept Up by Kayla Dawn Thomas

If you remember in my November and December book haul post, I ranted slightly about how I was given two ebooks that I wasn't able to get to work for my Kindle app. This was one of them, though Thomas was kind enough to send me a actual print copy for me to read. I won* the copy from attending a book launch party. Thomas does have a few other books written, and as far as it looks Swept Up is a stand-alone.

Web's still mending a broken heart, and likes to be alone. So being a street sweeper on the night shift is an ideal job. His mother however, wants grandchildren and his sister tries to hook him up with anyone she can. It doesn't help that the women that she does pair him with aren't the brightest. All of that and the wonderful late night excitement that can happen, Web has enough going on in his life, but nothing prepares him for the moment when a woman stumbles in front of his sweeper. Kara doesn't know how to be herself, and this lead to a lifetime of poor decisions. Hitting the lowest of the low she moves in with her best friend and her husband. They help her get a job teaching English at Basil State University. She almost has everything put together until one night of whiskey nearly sends everything back into the ground.

I am so used to fantasy, mythical creatures, abnormal problems that involve supernatural creatures, that when reading Swept Up it felt pretty refreshing. It's about two humans in humanly situations. A few chapters into this I kept asking myself "wait...how's this going to work?" Then it all made sense once we got a little background on Web. I found that I connected with Kara a lot more then I thought I would, especially more toward the end. I like that Kara is portrayed as not having it all together, and it takes something to completely override everything for her to get her life completely together. Sometimes it isn't until something very precious is in the picture that straightens you out. I also liked that Kara and Web's relationship isn't that of a "typical" one that you find in other books. I laughed a lot thanks to Kara and a few of the predicaments that she would get into, especially the bull ride. I found Web to be endearing, which is always good, his sister Celeste was a hoot too, along with a few of his friends. Pretty much everyone had me laughing.

The one thing that bugged me was Web's past and how it tied into the book. I predicted what was going to happen because of it. Did it ruin the book for me? Not at all. I was kept interested throughout the whole book. I wanted to know what his actions where going to be because of his past. There where a couple of parts that seemed to drag on a bit for me but once things picked back up I didn't mind the down time of them. These where the only things that bugged me and they were easily dismissible.

I completely recommend this to everyone who thinks they would be interested in it. I obviously own the book, and I can see myself rereading Swept Up a few times, if not more. I really enjoyed reading Thomas's book, and I can see myself going for her other books. I do think there are people who are not going to like this book just because it isn't for them, and that's perfectly okay. I don't see a problem with teens reading Swept Up, there are two "grown up" spots but they don't last more than a page. There is much worse that a teen could accidentally pick up.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Page Count: 385 pages (paperback)

Next: January and February book haul 

Thanks for reading!
~Jade


*Just because I won this book does not mean I am giving a false review. I am speaking genuinely about this book, as I do for all reviews regardless if I win them or pick them up from the library. I promise to give my honest opinion about the books I review and I have done so. If you have any concerns please feel free to email me and we can discuss them.

Gone by Lisa McMann

Third and final book in the Wake trilogy, I do have Wake and Fade reviewed. If you would like to read them click on their titles and you will be taken to my reviews. I can do a review of the trilogy as a whole if requested, otherwise I will just continue on with the planned reviews to come. If you would like for me to do something like that, say something. I will leave my Tumblr link at the very bottom of this, and if you would like to say so there go right on ahead. Anonymous is on for those who would like to utilize it.

Janie knew what her future was going to be like, or so she thought. She'd make peace with it and not avoid it until the last minute. The only thing she didn't want, was to drag Cabel down with her. He will stay with her, even though she knows what he fears through his dreams. It makes her an emotional and mental train wreck. She knows what she has to do to set him free. She has to disappear completely, and this is going to hurt them both. The next thing Janie knows a stranger comes into her life and everything she thought she knew comes undone. The future she thought she knew has a twist to it. Her choices are more desperate, and she has to choose between the lesser of two evils to live with.

For a final book, I would say this one wasn't bad. It tied up loose ends, it answered questions, and it didn't leave me hanging. It left enough up to the imagination at the end and the rest is how ever the reader perceives it to be. I really enjoyed reading Gone, it picked up not too long after Fade. The trials of the three teachers are over and Janie's cover was blown. No surprise there, she was forewarned that that could happen. I couldn't put this book down, I wanted to know what was going to happen with Janie and what her big decision would be at the end. And I wanted to know who this mysterious guy would end up being, though I pretty much knew. I liked how it was portrayed that being in a relationship at a young age isn't always the easiest thing, especially when you have to act so grown. Some relationships won't be a walk in the park, they need work and communication from both sides. Communication, yet again, is an essential for a relationship. Even though Janie could see the inner turmoil in Cable through his dreams, he wasn't talking about it. I know I didn't mention this before, but both Fade and Gone, the copies I checked out from my library smelled amazing. I don't know how or why but they did.

I was disappointed in how predictable most of Gone was. I was hoping for the same mystery as in the first book, but I found that I knew what was going to happen pretty soon after reading the back of the book. I knew there would be two choices and only two choices for Janie to make. Go into seclusion or stay with Cabe and suffer the consequences of being a dream walker. That was pretty much the whole entire basis of this book. Janie making her decision. I was hoping for more action, but I was really let down. Yes, things did happen that we as readers wanted to know since Wake, but it was what had to happen to give this book length. Things could have been much worse, but this book had so much potential. I am severely angry when it comes to Janie's mom and why she is a drunk. *SPOILER-ALERT* The mystery man is obviously Janie's father. Come to find out he doesn't live that far away from her. He lives a secluded life and has his consequences because of it. He's also a dream walker. All because Janie's mom couldn't be with him, she became a drunk.*SPOILER-ENDED* She has a child and she should look at it as, she still has a piece of him that she can give unconditional love to.

In all I was more disappointed in Gone. I still think it was a great read, and I loved it, I just wish there was more than what was given. I absolutely still recommend this book and this trilogy, and I would love to own all three. Would I reread Gone as much? Probably not. People of all ages could get into this trilogy, not just young adults. I will say it again, if you want my review of the trilogy as a whole, you can leave a comment on this review saying so, or go to my Tumblr (link at the bottom) and say so there.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Page Count: 214 pages (hardcover)

Next Book: Swept Up by Kayla Dawn Thomas

Thank you for reading!
~Jade


Tumblr link: http://jades-reviews.tumblr.com/ (If you want to ask me a question or talk look at the very top, and where it says "Questions? ASK ME HERE!" click that and it will enable you to ask away.

I Kissed a Zombie, and I liked It by Adam Selzer

This is a stand-alone book by Selzer, who does have a number of other books published. I honestly don't know how this review is going to turn out at the moment of typing this. I really hope I don't hurt anyone's feelings. I don't intend to, and this is my honest thoughts and feelings of this book. If you loved or liked this book there is not a thing wrong with that.

Uniquely named Algonquin (Ali) Rhodes is the high school newspaper's music critic. While reviewing a gig she gets awestruck by a singer named Doug. He looks goth, and not a fake kind of goth. They are introduced after he gets done singing, and upon a little questioning he talks very quietly almost like a whisper. Once they are dating, Ali finds herself falling hard and because of this she doesn't notice a few things about Doug. He doesn't change his clothes, his head is slightly shaped differently, and he really doesn't speak. It isn't until a classmate points out the obvious for Ali, that it all comes crashing down. Doug isn't exactly a goth, he's a zombie. Seeing things in a new light, Ali learns that zombies are really hard to get rid of. Not to mention the vampires, that are practically like the mafia, don't appreciate Ali's critique that makes fun of the band.

I loved Ali's full name, Algonquin. I thought it was really different and I haven't read any other book with that name for any character. I like her whit for the most part and I really wish that she would have used her brain a little more than she did. I like that vampires, werewolves, and zombies are known and how that came to be. Obviously not all zombies are mindless because Doug is up and walking without moaning "brains". He's alive because he drinks embalming fluid to keep him going, where as if he doesn't he will turn to dust which is what happened with most of the other zombies. I love the message at the end the "don't take life for granted". I think a lot of younger people do do this and don't realize that you won't have your younger years forever. Don't just waste it away, enjoy it, because eventually you won't be able to. The vampires straight out annoyed me but in a good way, it's been a while since I have read a book where the main character doesn't like them. I also like the point that gets made of, get your head out of your S.O. butt and back into your life. Your life cannot just stop because your boyfriend or girlfriend is there. You have to live for yourself. I chuckled just a couple of times, I wish I had more because this book had a lot of potential for it, but it just didn't happen.

Now, this is the part where I hope not to offend anyone. For this being a younger young adult novel I can see where some of this is relevant, but for the most part I found it annoying. Ali lets herself be blinded over the fact that Doug sings a few songs that she loves and he really puts some emotion behind his singing. She blatantly ignores the very, very obvious fact that Doug is a zombie. Then once she finds out she decides to break up with him but never gets around to it. She decides to break up with him over a few things; him not texting her back that very moment, him not telling her that he is a zombie the very moment that they met, and a few others. Also along the lines of her not realizing that he is a zombie, Megamart are the people who made the zombies rise and used them as slaves. Doug takes her to Megamart to specifically pick up his medication. She then goes into this rant about Megamart, and reveals a few things that all point to Doug being a zombie. Yet it still didn't click for her. For a girl with a head on her shoulders she sure as hell let one thing knock it off. I really didn't see a plot to this book. Live life fully? Don't take things for granted? Don't be an ice queen? What? My favorite annoyance is the sexual innuendos list. "We might have to do #7 from out list later." They hadn't been dating long and yet she is ready to go all out with him. Don't put this in a YA book. I really could go on about what annoyed me in this book but I won't.

I can see this being a younger adult novel, it's small, and it's a quick read. I think younger girls especially need to see how dumb it can look for them to be completely and utterly wrapped up in their S.O. It took for Ali to see how others where acting, before she realized that she was doing the same, and it looked bad. There is nothing wrong with being in love, just don't make it the end all be all when you are still so young . I liked a few of the messages but overall this book annoyed me and made me want to hit my head against the wall. If I saw this book for sale I most likely wouldn't get it. I recommend this book to those who have read this review and still want to read it but you have been warned.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

Page Count: 177 pages (paperback)

Next Book: Gone by Lisa McMann

Thanks for reading!
~Jade