Sunday, November 25, 2012

Killing Two Birds With One Stone #33

 
KTBWOS is a meme I created for a way for people to see what giveaways are happening around the blogosphere. Plus, it's an easy way to get the bonus point "Blog about it" out of the way.
 
Here's this week's birds:
 
 
#1
 
Fiction Freak
 
So, Nikki over at Fiction Freak is having her blogoversary. But it's a scavenger hunt. There are five blogs that have a clue to where she hid her giveaway on her blog. I know it sounds like a waste of time, but it's a lot of fun. To start, click below:
If you already have, good for you. Then you know what the awesome prizes are.
No hints.
 
#2
 
 
Yep, it's that time of the year again!
What's this giveaway?
 
"25 days of insider scoops, guest posts, everything YA and giveaway galore! Don't forget that there are copies of every debut up for grabs! It's the season of giving and the Debs are giving you the experience of a lifetime!" Baddass Bookie
 
Awesome huh? I think so.
To start off, our friend is having a swag giveaway. Click below to enter:
 
#3
 
 
Aren't they beautiful? I think so. In fact, they are so beautiful that JLA is holding a giveaway for three people to win this awesome book.
*Screams!
It's so exciting.
Click below to enter:
 
#4
 
Sparkles and Lightning
 
Ah, another Sparkles and Lightning giveaway.
This time for Black Friday.
This time for :
 
USA: ARC of choice and $50 gift card (US)
INT: $50 of books from The Book Depository or Fishpond (INT)
 
I want this. :D
To enter, click below:
 
#5
 
 
Ah, yes, our Bookish friend is having a big giveaway.
In this giveaway, she's giving away a box of 10 books to one winner, US or INT!
Exciting yes?
In this box could be:
 
-White Lines
- League Of Strays
- Outpost
Surrender
- Of Poseidon
- Time Between Us
- Lies Beneath
- Cold Fury
- Janie Face To Face
- Every Day
- Sapphire Blue
- Touch of Death
- Amarok
- Black City
- Clockwork Prince
- The Unnaturalist
- Venom
Mystic City
- Earth Girl
- A Temptation of Angels
- Timepiece
 
To enter, click below:
 
#6
 
Make sure to enter my giveaway
There's only one week left!
 
 
That's all!
Until Next Time!
 
 
 

Saturday, November 24, 2012

A Shell Full of Books #30

 
Happy Belated Thanksgiving! Sorry I haven't been around much. Thanksgiving in all and reading and school work. So much to do, so little time. I hope to get a bit better at it all hopeful by next year.
Sometime next week I hope to have another Cover Reveal up, not sure about a review, and giveaway update. Plus, a new giveaway from me.
 
For now, here's this week's ASFOB:
 
 
(The lotion is called Pink Sugarplum by Bath & Body Works. I LOVE IT!)
 
Won:
 
Breaking Point (Article 5 #2) by Kristen Simmons
Thanks goes to Brodie from Eleusinian Mysteries
 
Unspoken (The Lynburn Legacy #1) by Sarah Rees Brennan
Thanks goes to Kate from Ex Libris
 
Traded For:
 
Ten by Gretchen McNeil
Thanks goes to Kelly from Radiant Shadows
 
Spark (Elemental #2) by Brigid Kemmerer
Thanks goes to Kt from A Book Obsession

 
So, what did you get this week?
 
Until Next Time!
 
 

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Review: The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

 
WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS
 
Don’t look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.
That is Ethan Chase’s unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he’d dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister’s world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myth and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.
 
 
Review:
 
After reading the first Iron Fey series, I had high expectations for this series. I loved Meghan and Ash and Puck. I loved the story line. Anyone who has read them probably loves Julie Kagawa, and hopes that this new series is as equally as good. I can say that it did meet some expectations, but not all. It was a good book, but I guess it's that feeling that you have that you know that nothing else can be as good as the first. You know what I mean?

Plot: So, the book's main character is Ethan, younger brother of Meghan. Some how, he got mixed in with a half-breed, Todd, and going against his vow, decides to try to find him even though he wants nothing to do with the fey. Then the girl, Kenize, gets involved when she can't take "Stay way from me" seriously from Ethan. Then both Ethan and Kenize go on a quest to find Todd, but get mixed up with missing fey and soon a new evil arises and family drama hits Ethan additionally.

When I read the book, I felt that it kind of dragged on a smidge. There was a lot of scenes that I personally felt weren't really needed; that they just added to the action of the story. One thing I like about Julie is that she's good at adding action scenes to her books, but here I felt some weren't needed as much, like the battle with the goblins when Ethan and Kenize and Kierran were escaping the palace. I think it should have been just them escaping and dogging the guards' arrows or something. But that's just my personal opinion.

The Forgotten: you might wonder what they are. They are fey that have been forgotten and have faded away. Kind of like the exiled fey. They eventually fade. Now, in my mind, I see the Forgotten as a way for Julie to continue on with her series in an unnecessary way because the first serie ended well, but at the same time, I'm curious to see what she does with these creatures. Especially the Forgotten queen, who seems fairly nice.

Now, if you read this book before reading the Iron Prophecy, then you need to back track and read Iron Prophecy. It helps understand some of the family drama between Meghan and Ethan. Speaking of that, I believe that all the drama that followed Ethan was very well needed. It helped him with his character.

Characters:

Ethan is a bad boy with the soft side and secret wanting of not being a freak. Typical type of book. But all the drama that came with him is what made me like him. He has the right to blow up at his sister. Honestly, that was one of my favorite scenes in the book. But looking back, if he knew, he wouldn't have blown up. But still... His sweet side is better than his bad side. Why? Because his sweet side is his protective side, and with that comes kickass kali (martial arts) moves.

Now Kenize. Kenize. Where to start? I liked her, but at the same time, I just couldn't get my mind wrapped around that she was our heroine. She has spunk, I'll give her that. She's much like Meghan. But she always kept saying she can fend for herself, and she proved that, but it got annoying. And the big "surprise" towards the end when we find out more about her life. Julie gives hints throughout the book on Kenize's past, but some were predictable that I didn't like learning my prediction was right. Why couldn't it have been something else? And from it, I predict full on faerie mode for this girl.

Kierran is just like his father, Ash. Torn between the girl he loves and his court. And then goes on a quest to help Ethan. But of course, he has that side of him that dislikes his heritage, Iron, Winter, and Summer. I really don't have much to say about Kierran since he's so much like Ash. Head strong, willing to defy the courts for the girl who he loves (Ironically, a Summer fey) and he's a good fighter. What's not Ash?

Romance: It's that cheese insta-love, but in a span of a month, maybe longer. We atomatically know Ethan and Kenize fall for each other; it's Julie Kagawa people. Their romance was okay in my book, but also sweet. Ethan learned from Kenize it's okay to let people in if they're willing to help. Kierran's and Annwyl's relationship is just like Meghan's and Ash's, so not much to say. Forbidden love, court rules, exiled fey. Blah blah blah. The usually stuff.

The Ending: It was good. There will be a sequel, of course. I just wish Ethan and Kenize went home instead of staying in Central Park.

Future: The Traitor Son, September 2013. I don't like it that we have to wait a whole year for the next book, but we can interpret that Kierren betrays his parents and sides with the Forgotten Queen, starting a war.

Quotes:

Anything with Razor in it. :D That little guy is funny.


Rating & Ending:
 
Cover:
 
I don't like the cover model they used. Or instead, I dont' like how they put him on the cover. He looks evil but also like he's ready to kick butt.
 
*Won this book
 
 
Keep On Reading!
 
 
Up Next:
 
I stopped reading Forsaken for The Lost Prince, and then this book called to me. It's fairly good so far, I'm just annoyed at Rachel as of right now.
 
 
 

Saturday, November 17, 2012

A Shell Full of Books #29 + Update

 
Bringing the world new books one week at a time.
 
 
Here's this week's:
 
 
Won:
 
Velveteen by Daniel Marks
Thanks goes to Cassie from Citrus Reads
 
Traded For:
 
Possess by Gretchen McNeil
Thanks goes to Amanda from Book Love 101
 
That's all! What did you get this week?
 
 
UPDATE:
 
Sorry I haven't really been posting much. My English teacher been hitting us hard with other reading assignments, so I haven't been able to get to reviewing as much as I want. But I'm almost done with The Lost Prince, so that review will be up hopefully soon.
 
 
Until Next Time!
 
 

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Giveaway Alert w/ Sparkles and Lightning (Last Part)

 
Bringing new giveaways to the world.
 
Here's the last of Sparkles and Lightning One Year Blogoversary giveaways:
 
 
 
So, for Day 8, this awesome last giveaway of Annabelle's, this is what's going on.
A few winners will win one of the four prizes below:
 
-Winner's choice of ereader
-Mystery prize pack of books from The Book Depository worth about $100
-Mystery prize pack of ebooks for any ereader worth about $100
-Assorted mini-prizes including signed swag, books, and ebooks.
 
Holy crap, yeah. It's a lot. To enter and show appreciation to Annabelle, click below or to the right on the button:
 
 
Well, that's all of Annabelle's One Year Blogoversary giveaways.
Until Next Time!
 
 

Cover Reveals: New Discoveries

 
Bringing new covers to the world.
 
Here's more new covers
Click the covers to go to their Goodreads page or author site page:
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
That's all!
Until Next Time!
 
 

Cover Reveals: Redos and New Dos

 
Bringing new covers to you every day.
(I hope you get the title.)
 
Here's this week's:
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 

Stay tuned! There's one more cover reveal coming up.
 
Until Next Time!