tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63611009014798247742024-03-14T00:48:59.787-04:00Linny's LiteratureLinny's the name and YA fantasy/paranormal romance books are the game.Linnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02424238289531677554noreply@blogger.comBlogger73125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6361100901479824774.post-81021805857304158922012-07-27T01:56:00.000-04:002012-07-27T01:58:58.710-04:00Something Strange and Deadly Blog Tour: Interview & Giveaway<div style="text-align: center;">
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I was lucky enough to get a spot on the Something Strange and Deadly Blog Tour hosted by Shane at <a href="http://itchingforbooks.blogspot.com/">Itching for Books</a>, and not just any spot - I got to interview the author, Susan Dennard! Here's a bit about the amazing author herself for those who don't know.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ND_GuqN4VuA/UA4V0ZaIHvI/AAAAAAAABNg/jDdp0RrL4cs/s1600/SusanDennardAuthor%2520-%2520NC%2520website.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ND_GuqN4VuA/UA4V0ZaIHvI/AAAAAAAABNg/jDdp0RrL4cs/s320/SusanDennardAuthor%2520-%2520NC%2520website.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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I’m a 28-year-old reader, writer, lover of animals, and eater of cookies. I used to be a marine biologist, but now I write novels. And not novels about fish either, but novels about kick-butt heroines and swoon-worthy rogues (I<em> really</em> like swoon-worthy rogues).<br />
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I live in Germany with my French husband and Irish setter, and you can learn more about my crazy thoughts and crippling cookie-addiction on <a href="http://twitter.com/stdennard/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">twitter</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/SusanDennardAuthor">facebook</a>, or <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4499623.Susan_Dennard">Goodreads</a>.</blockquote>
<a href="http://twitter.com/stdennard/" target="_blank"><img alt="Twitter" border="0" onmouseout="this.src=' http://i47.tinypic.com/n2lvmg.png '" onmouseover="this.src=' http://i47.tinypic.com/14j1bti.png '" src="http://i47.tinypic.com/n2lvmg.png" width="35" /></a>
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/SusanDennardAuthor" target="_blank"><img alt="Facebook" border="0" onmouseout="this.src=' http://i50.tinypic.com/qs8pbb.png '" onmouseover="this.src=' http://i49.tinypic.com/1z5ngoh.png '" src="http://i50.tinypic.com/qs8pbb.png" width="35" /></a>
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4499623.Susan_Dennard" target="_blank"><img alt="GoodReads" border="0" onmouseout="this.src=' http://i47.tinypic.com/2mhj6lk.png '" onmouseover="this.src=' http://i50.tinypic.com/ifbuvb.png'" src="http://i47.tinypic.com/2mhj6lk.png" width="35" /></a>
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Who doesn't like cookies and swoon-worthy rogues? But now that you know a bit about Susan, let's move on to the interview. I can tell that you're excited.<br />
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First of all, thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview. I'm so excited to have you here!
<em>Something Stange and Deadly</em> is your debut novel. What inspired you to write it?</div>
As ridiculous as it sounds, I was inspired by a dream! I dreamt that my brother was missing and the only people who could help me were a ragtag team of outcasts. This dream just <i>wouldn't</i> leave me alone, so after a few days, I finally sat down and fleshed the idea out into a full story!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jiCcKa7OQrc/TtLJS6XvybI/AAAAAAAACjc/RVyQwibQcxY/s1600/Susan+Dennard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jiCcKa7OQrc/TtLJS6XvybI/AAAAAAAACjc/RVyQwibQcxY/s320/Susan+Dennard.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What a cool picture. A little steampunk - like the book!</td></tr>
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The premise of zombies in a Victorian setting is so unique and just I love it. Did you have to do any research on that era or on zombie myths to help you build your story?</div>
I did a TON of research--more on the time period than anything else (though I certainly researched necromancy, voodoo, grimoires, etc. too). I spent a full month just studying 1876 Philadelphia, 19th century technology, Victorian etiquette, fashion, and so on. Then, once I felt I had a good grasp of the time period and location, I started writing...but I had to pause a lot to look up things I hadn't unearthed in my research--such as the proper sort of carriage for going on a Sunday drive.
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<em>Something Strange and Deadly</em> just released on the 24th. Is there a spoiler-free little teaser that you could share with us for those who haven't gotten to read it yet?</div>
It's 1876 Philadelphia, the Dead are rising, and the only people who can stop it are Eleanor Fitt and the Spirit-Hunters. Too bad the Spirit-Hunters aren't suitable society for a high-class gal like Eleanor... And too bad the team's inventor, Daniel, is <i>infuriating </i>(and infuriatingly good-looking to boot). The Dead have kidnapped Eleanor's brother, and so she'll do whatever it takes--even if it means donning trousers and fighting corpses--to rescue him.<br />
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Music can be a huge inspiration for people. What was your playlist while writing <em>Something Strange and Deadly</em>?</div>
I listened to a LOT of musical scores. You can actually hear my "soundtrack" on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL47126508A2FEBD3B&feature=plcp" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1343358984_0">Youtube</span></a>. I think my favorite tune was "Septimus" from STARDUST. I listened to that track SO MANY TIMES. And I still love it. I can just imagine Eleanor and Daniel fleeing the about-to-explode dynamite factory so vividly whenever that music plays...<br />
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The Soundtrack</h2>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBWn4Cs-NPU">The Dragon Book</a>, How to Train Your Dragon</div>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxWS_iZbKY0">Rimsky-Korsakov</a>, Scheherazade</div>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RenuLcCa0DI">New Tail</a>, How to Train Your Dragon</div>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7L2PVdrb_8">Game of Thrones Intro</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVjC0GZjsOo">Septimus</a>, Stardust</div>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hd_DuEU6Mvg">Cursum Perficio</a>, Enya - Watermark</div>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0C2WB7cLG4k">Earthbenders</a>, The Last Airbender</div>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnZwiE5dG6k">Bowerstone Market</a>, Fable 2</div>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23LvPOCU508">Forbidden Friend</a>, How to Train Your Dragon</div>
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Fans are already dying to get their hands on the next book in the series, <em>A Darkness Strange and Lovely</em>. Do you have an idea of when it might be released and could you give us a hint at what we can expect from it?</div>
I would <i>guess</i> the release will be next summer...in July as well, but I honestly have no idea! :) As for what to expect, well...I actually love book 2 even more than book 1! Eleanor is forced to go to Paris, where the Spirit-Hunters have been called to deal with the rising Dead. There's a new character of the supernatural variety who is hands-down my <i>favorite</i> character to write in this series! I just can't WAIT for you all to meet him! Plus, 19th century Paris was just SUCH a fun setting to write in.<br />
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Are there any YA books that you've enjoyed that you could recommend to us while we wait for <em>A Darkness Strange and Lovely</em>?</div>
I have to say my favorite YA reads this year have been <em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7896527-throne-of-glass">Throne of Glass</a></em> (by Sarah J. Maas), <em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9275658-legend">Legend</a></em> (by Marie Lu), <em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4932435-finnikin-of-the-rock">Finnikin of the Rock</a></em> (by Melina Marchetta), and <em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/448873.The_Thief">The Thief</a></em> (by Megan Whalen Turner). But I've also <i>adored</i> <em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11235712-cinder">Cinder</a></em> (by Marissa Meyer), <em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10352973-skylark">Skylark</a></em> (by Meagan Spooner), <em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11459713-bound">Bound</a></em> (by Erica O'Rourke), and <em><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11983940-scarlet">Scarlet</a></em> (by A.C. Gaughen).<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo from </span><a href="http://www.auntiespinellireads.com/2012/07/something-strange-and-deadly-blog-tour.html"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Auntie Spinelli Reads</span></a></div>
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Great interview, right? Well that's only the half of it! There's also a Rafflecopter giveaway to win a signed finished copy of Something Strange and Deadly! <br />
<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/6426298/" id="rc-6426298" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js">
</script>Linnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02424238289531677554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6361100901479824774.post-82749396052708516582012-07-24T12:14:00.001-04:002012-07-24T12:19:44.530-04:00Review: Dead and Gone (Sookie Stackhouse #9)<br />
<a href="http://nicolepoliti.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/deadgone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://nicolepoliti.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/deadgone.jpg" width="211" /></a><strong><span style="color: black;">Rating:</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Author:</span> </strong>Charlaine Harris<br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Publication:</span></strong> January 1st, 2009<br />
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<span style="color: black;"><strong>Add:</strong></span> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5161066-dead-and-gone">GoodReads</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Gone-Sookie-Stackhouse-Blood/dp/0441020941/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1342243681&sr=1-1&keywords=dead+and+gone">Amazon</a><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Description:</span></strong> <span id="freeText16546499083827092959"><span id="freeText16091986775913061419"><span id="freeTextContainer12435603963517641009"><span id="freeTextContainer5093394796266806977"><span id="freeTextContainer15912086862308330513"><span id="freeText9983619577169691731"><span id="freeText2006328546347949678"><span id="freeText15107828942447745778"><span id="freeText14331005932061267968"><span id="freeText9649604659090961829"><span id="freeText13589963528368470073"><span id="freeText12102057917343142910"><span id="freeTextContainer10479147986076235983"><span id="freeText18337922471149473058"><span id="freeText2579448817085180491"><span id="freeText17600817166391302054"><span id="freeText11708238634462776197"><span id="freeText4457278008855461567">Except for Sookie Stackhouse, folks in Bon Temps, Louisiana, know little about vamps-and nothing about weres.<br /><br /> Until now. The weres and shifters have finally decided to reveal their existence to the ordinary world. At first all goes well. Then the mutilated body of a were-panther is found near the bar where Sookie works-and she feels compelled to discover who, human or otherwise, did it.<br /><br /> But there's a far greater danger threatening Bon Temps. A race of unhuman beings-older, more powerful, and more secretive than vampires or werewolves-is preparing for war. And Sookie finds herself an all-too human pawn in their battle.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
Via GoodReads.</blockquote>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;">My Review:</span> </h2>
I'll be perfectly honest with you. I'm getting sick of writing these reviews. I love reading the <em>Sookie Stackhouse</em> series, but by the 8th review telling you virtually the same thing (great story, read it, etc), I've gotten a little sick of it as you can imagine. I'm going to stick it out and write the reviews for all 12 of the books though because I'm a real trooper. But if my reviews sound a little bitchy, you'll know why. <br />
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Like other books, <em>Dead and Gone</em> had a lot of things going on in it. I can't tell you what exactly because it doesn't say much of any of it in the description, but let's just say you won't see it all coming and it makes <em>Dead and Gone</em> a very exciting read. I raced through this book as I was anxious to figure out what was going to happen to Sookie and the other characters. My favorite of the things going on was the war of "unhuman beings-older, more powerful, and more secretive than vampires or werewolves". While the "mutilated body of a were-panther" story was interesting as it went, I must admit that I found the end to that mystery pretty anti-climatic. Maybe that's just me though. Overall, I loved <em>Dead and Gone</em>.<br />
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You'd think that by the 9th book the characters and story would be getting dull, but they definitely aren't. Each book brings something fresh to the table, and how could anyone ever get sick of such awesome characters like the butt-kicking Sookie and the sexy Eric? <br />
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Out of curiousity, I was looking through the reviews on Amazon because I was wondering why the average rating for <em>Dead and Gone</em> was so much lower there than it was on GoodReads. I found that those with gripes against the book were largely those who were fans of the TV series True Blood and were upset that the books diverged from the show, wanted more "spice", or even admitted to not reading often (though they still knew all about how Harris should have written it). Okay, sorry for the sass, but that last category really bothered me. But anyway, I don't watch the show and can't compare. Is the show better or the books? Does watching the show make you dislike things in the books that you might not have minded otherwise? <br />
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One legitimate complaint that I found on my little review reading escapades on Amazon and GoodReads against <em>Dead and Gone</em>, and all of the other <em>Sookie Stackhouse</em> books for that matter, was the continuity throughout the books. Things like Bill's age changing from 30 to 28 between books and other minor details like that didn't always remain the same through the series. To be 100% honest, I have not once personally noted any of this discontinuities. I could care less how old Bill is or how many siblings he supposedly had etc. I only mention it at all because a good number of reviews <em>did</em> notice and I thought you should know, just in case you're OCD or something.<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;">Summed Up:</span></h2>
Just like all the other books - Great writing, storyline, and characters. It also had a <em>ton</em> of exciting action from start to finish.<br />
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<span style="color: black;">Sookie Stackhouse Series</span></h2>
Review for #1: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-dead-until-dark-sookie.html">Dead Until Dark</a></em><br />
Review for #2: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-living-dead-in-dallas-sookie-s-2.html">Living Dead In Dallas</a></em><br />
Review for #3: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-club-dead-sookie-stackhouse-3.html">Club Dead</a></em><br />
Review for #4: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-dead-to-world-sookie-stackhouse.html">Dead to the World</a> </em><br />
Review for #5: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-dead-as-doornail-sookie.html">Dead as a Doornail</a></em><br />
Review for #6: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-definitely-dead-sookie.html">Definitely Dead</a></em><br />
Review for #7: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-all-together-dead-sookie.html">All Together Dead</a></em><br />
Review for #8: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/07/review-from-dead-to-worse-sookie.html">From Dead to Worse</a></em><br />
Review for #9: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/07/review-dead-and-gone-sookie-stackhouse-9.html">Dead and Gone</a></em><br />
Review for #10: <em>Dead in the Family -</em> to come<br />
Review for #11: <em>Dead Reckoning</em> - to come<br />
Review for #12: <em>Deadlocked</em> - to comeLinnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02424238289531677554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6361100901479824774.post-65434954041732555412012-07-18T19:41:00.000-04:002012-07-18T19:41:18.606-04:00Waiting on Wednesday #14<div style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by <a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/">Breaking the Spine</a> that</div>
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spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.</div>
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<a href="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1333804999l/10352973.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1333804999l/10352973.jpg" width="210" /></a><span style="color: black;"><strong>Title: </strong></span><span style="color: #666666;">Skylark (The Skylark Trilogy #1)</span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Author:</span> </strong>Meagan Spooner<br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Publication:</span> </strong>August 1st, 2012<br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Add:</span></strong> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10352973-skylark">GoodReads</a> <span style="color: #666666;">|</span> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Skylark-Trilogy-Meagan-Spooner/dp/0761388656/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1342628075&sr=1-3&keywords=skylark">Amazon</a><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Description:</span></strong> <span id="freeText12708267204328164155"><span id="freeText3433683417198804578"><span id="freeText11283717140644915186"><span id="freeText9157812422310677192"><span id="freeText16217408072253537062"><span id="freeText10582253509146814720"><span id="freeText10111698113679685750"><span id="freeText5249365125690323822"><span id="freeText13918272583979914593"><span id="freeText7957794878160719112"><span id="freeText13264952433714422315">Sixteen year-old Lark Ainsley has never seen the sky.<br /><br />Her world ends at the edge of the vast domed barrier of energy enclosing all that’s left of humanity. For two hundred years the city has sustained this barrier by harvesting its children's innate magical energy when they reach adolescence. When it’s Lark’s turn to be harvested, she finds herself trapped in a nightmarish web of experiments and learns she is something out of legend itself: a Renewable, able to regenerate her own power after it’s been stripped.<br /><br />Forced to flee the only home she knows to avoid life as a human battery, Lark must fight her way through the terrible wilderness beyond the edge of the world. With the city’s clockwork creations close on her heels and a strange wild boy stalking her in the countryside, she must move quickly if she is to have any hope of survival. She’s heard the stories that somewhere to the west are others like her, hidden in secret – but can she stay alive long enough to find them?<a class="actionLinkLite" href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10352973-skylark#"></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
Via GoodReads.</blockquote>
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<span style="color: black;">Why I'm Waiting:</span> </h2>
Yet another upcoming dystopian that has me excited. Just the name <em>Skylark</em> sounds wonderful. And the cover is pretty too! I've seen reviews on both sides of the fence for this one, but there has definitely been more good than bad that I've seen. What are your thoughts on <em>Skylark</em>?<br />
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What are you guys waiting to read?Linnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02424238289531677554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6361100901479824774.post-35480121227482127052012-07-11T12:08:00.000-04:002012-07-11T12:08:42.214-04:00Waiting on Wednesday #13<div style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by <a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/">Breaking the Spine</a> that</div>
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spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.</div>
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<a href="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1326131169l/10535458.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1326131169l/10535458.jpg" width="213" /></a><span style="color: black;"><strong>Title: </strong></span><span style="color: #666666;">Glitch (Glitch #1)</span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Author:</span> </strong>Heather Anastasiu<br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Publication:</span> </strong>August 7th, 2012<br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Add:</span></strong> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10535458-glitch">GoodReads</a> <span style="color: #666666;">|</span> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Glitch-Trilogy-Heather-Anastasiu/dp/1250002990/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1341981239&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=glitch+heather+anastasiu">Amazon</a><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Description:</span></strong> <span id="freeText12708267204328164155"><span id="freeText3433683417198804578"><span id="freeText11283717140644915186"><span id="freeText9157812422310677192"><span id="freeText16217408072253537062"><span id="freeText10582253509146814720"><span id="freeText10111698113679685750"><span id="freeText5249365125690323822"><span id="freeText13918272583979914593"><span id="freeText7957794878160719112">In the Community, there is no more pain or war. Implanted computer chips have wiped humanity clean of destructive emotions, and thoughts are replaced by a feed from the Link network.<br /><br />When Zoe starts to malfunction (or “glitch”), she suddenly begins having her own thoughts, feelings, and identity. Any anomalies must be immediately reported and repaired, but Zoe has a secret so dark it will mean certain deactivation if she is caught: her glitches have given her uncontrollable telekinetic powers.<br /><br />As Zoe struggles to control her abilities and stay hidden, she meets other glitchers including Max, who can disguise his appearance, and Adrien, who has visions of the future. Both boys introduce Zoe to feelings that are entirely new. Together, this growing band of glitchers must find a way to free themselves from the controlling hands of the Community before they’re caught and deactivated, or worse.<br /><br />In this action-packed debut, <em>Glitch</em> begins an exciting new young adult trilogy.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
Via GoodReads.</blockquote>
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<span style="color: black;">Why I'm Waiting:</span> </h2>
This is another book that I've been waiting for for months, since the day that it first popped up in my GoodReads recommendations. It sounds awesome, it looks awesome, what's not to love? It's yet another one of the lovely new dystopian series that have been cropping up lately. I'm definitely loving this trend. *Happy sigh as I look around at all the great dystopian books surrounding me on my bookshelf and desk* Uh, anyway.. Another great thing about this book is that I've been accepted to read an ARC from NetGallery! Yay! <br />
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What are you guys waiting to read?Linnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02424238289531677554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6361100901479824774.post-45023047844462215822012-07-06T00:00:00.000-04:002012-07-11T11:58:51.516-04:00Summer Reads Giveaway Hop<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey guys! A few weeks ago I kept seeing the Splash Into Summer Giveaway Hop banner all around the blogosphere, so I decided to investigate. I learned all about giveaway hops and they looked like a ton of fun to do, and I know I had a lot of fun entering them all during the Splash one. I knew I just had to participate in one, and now here we are!<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;">Prize Ideas:</span></h2>
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Here are a few great summer reads that you could choose if you won. You don't have to choose on of these if you win. Like I said, you can pick any book of your choice worth $10 or less from <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/?a_aid=LinnysLit&a_bid=641f9c82">The Book Depository</a>.</div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;">Some Rules:</span></h2>
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<strong>This giveaway is open internationally</strong> since the wonderful Book Depository ships to <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/help/topic/HelpId/3/Which-countries-do-you-deliver-to#helpContent">all of these places</a> for free. Make sure your country is listed. </div>
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The PRIZE: Like I said earlier, is ANY book of your choice from <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/?a_aid=LinnysLit&a_bid=641f9c82">The Book Depository</a> that is worth $10 or less.</div>
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I reserve the right to disqulify anyone who makes entires in things that they haven't completed the task for. I check!</div>
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This giveaway is open from <strong>July 6th until July 11th</strong>! Then the winner will be chosen, who I will contact immidiately. If they don't reply within 48 hours, then a new winner will be chosen.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"> <span style="color: black;">Good Luck!</span></span></h2>
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<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/c9fd196/" id="rc-c9fd196" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><em>The giveaway is closed! And the winner is...</em></span> <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Carrie from <a href="http://sweetsouthernhome.net/">Sweet Southern Home</a>!</span></h2>Linnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02424238289531677554noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6361100901479824774.post-13672347660019838962012-07-04T11:00:00.000-04:002012-07-04T11:00:07.247-04:00Waiting on Wednesday #12<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RVXe3D5ugkI/T-KUhbB5IHI/AAAAAAAACWs/kFoWw--XhBE/s1600/WoW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RVXe3D5ugkI/T-KUhbB5IHI/AAAAAAAACWs/kFoWw--XhBE/s1600/WoW.jpg" /></a></div>
Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by <a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/">Breaking the Spine</a> that</div>
<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.</div>
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<a href="http://thatcovergirl.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/stasse_theforsaken1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://thatcovergirl.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/stasse_theforsaken1.jpg" width="222" /></a><span style="color: black;"><strong>Title: </strong></span><span style="color: #666666;">The Forsaken (The Forsaken #1)</span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Author:</span> </strong>Lisa M. Stasse<br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Publication:</span> </strong>July 10th, 2012<br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Add:</span></strong> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12987192-the-forsaken">GoodReads</a> <span style="color: #666666;">|</span> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Forsaken-Lisa-M-Stasse/dp/1442432659/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341355800&sr=8-1&keywords=the+forsaken+lisa+m+stasse">Amazon</a><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Description:</span></strong> <span id="freeText12708267204328164155"><span id="freeText3433683417198804578"><span id="freeText11283717140644915186"><span id="freeText9157812422310677192"><span id="freeText16217408072253537062"><span id="freeText10582253509146814720"><span id="freeText10111698113679685750"><span id="freeText5249365125690323822"><span id="freeText13918272583979914593"><em><strong>A thought-provoking and exciting start to a riveting new dystopian trilogy.</strong><br /><br />As an obedient orphan of the U.N.A. (the super-country that was once Mexico, the U.S., and Canada), Alenna learned at an early age to blend in and be quiet—having your parents taken by the police will do that to a girl. But Alenna can’t help but stand out when she fails a test that all sixteen-year-olds have to take: The test says she has a high capacity for brutal violence, and so she is sent to The Wheel, an island where all would-be criminals end up.<br /><br />The life expectancy of prisoners on The Wheel is just two years, but with dirty, violent, and chaotic conditions, the time seems a lot longer as Alenna is forced to deal with civil wars for land ownership and machines that snatch kids out of their makeshift homes. Desperate, she and the other prisoners concoct a potentially fatal plan to flee the island. Survival may seem impossible, but Alenna is determined to achieve it anyway</em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
Via GoodReads.</blockquote>
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<span style="color: black;">Why I'm Waiting:</span> </h2>
I've been waiting for this bad boy since, like, January! And it's almost here guys! Very exciting. I mean, just read that description. Take a look at that cover. <em>Forsaken</em> looks and sounds amazing. I am all about the dystopians lately and this one sounds like it had some real thought put behind the storyline - not just another dystopian story idea plucked from the top of a writer's head to join the bandwagon. This one sounds unique and exciting. And for how amazing this book looks, I haven't heard nearly as much hype for this book going around as I think there should be. So, I just had to give those who haven't heard about it a heads up through the wonderful Waiting on Wednesday meme.<br />
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What are you guys waiting to read?Linnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02424238289531677554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6361100901479824774.post-11211016536727857822012-07-03T17:41:00.001-04:002012-07-24T12:20:01.017-04:00Review: From Dead to Worse (Sookie Stackhouse #8)<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_OJHcVQJxMl8/TOaO_IZw_1I/AAAAAAAAAUU/4OrVcTKye4Q/s1600/From+Dead+to+Worse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_OJHcVQJxMl8/TOaO_IZw_1I/AAAAAAAAAUU/4OrVcTKye4Q/s320/From+Dead+to+Worse.jpg" width="210" /></a><strong><span style="color: black;">Rating:</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Author:</span> </strong>Charlaine Harris<br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Publication:</span></strong> January 1st, 2008<br />
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<span style="color: black;"><strong>Add:</strong></span> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2233407.From_Dead_to_Worse">GoodReads</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/From-Worse-Sookie-Stackhouse-Blood/dp/0441019390/ref=pd_sim_b_3">Amazon</a><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Description:</span></strong> <span id="freeText16546499083827092959"><span id="freeText16091986775913061419"><span id="freeTextContainer12435603963517641009"><span id="freeTextContainer5093394796266806977"><span id="freeTextContainer15912086862308330513"><span id="freeText9983619577169691731"><span id="freeText2006328546347949678"><span id="freeText15107828942447745778"><span id="freeText14331005932061267968"><span id="freeText9649604659090961829"><span id="freeText13589963528368470073"><span id="freeText12102057917343142910"><span id="freeTextContainer10479147986076235983"><span id="freeText18337922471149473058"><span id="freeText2579448817085180491"><span id="freeText17600817166391302054"><span id="freeText11708238634462776197"><span id="freeText4457278008855461567"><em>After the natural disaster of Hurricane Katrina and the manmade explosion at the vampire summit, everyone human and otherwise is stressed, including Louisiana cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse, who is trying to cope with the fact that her boyfriend Quinn has gone missing.<br /><br /> It's clear that things are changing whether the weres and vamps of her corner of Louisiana like it or not. And Sookie, Friend to the Pack and blood-bonded to Eric Northman, leader of the local vampire community is caught up in the changes.<br /><br /> In the ensuing battles, Sookie faces danger, death, and once more, betrayal by someone she loves. And when the fur has finished flying and the cold blood finished flowing, her world will be forever altered.</em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
Via GoodReads.</blockquote>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;">My Review:</span> </h2>
Like the book before it, <em>From Dead to Worse</em> is completely packed with action and and plot twists from start to finish. Unlike <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-all-together-dead-sookie.html">All Together Dead</a></em>, however, this book's action just didn't grab my attention and make me excited to find out what happened next at the end of each chapter. I'm not really sure why. Prehaps because the central storyline focuses on Quinn, who I've never really liked, and the werewolf pack, which doesn't have anything to do with Sookie's life and I just don't really care about.<br />
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As you can kind of make out from the book description, there's 3 main things going on in Sookie's life right now: that her boyfriend Quinn is missing, the trouble stirring between the two local werewolf packs, and other vampire groups looking to take over Louisiana with it left so weak after hurricane Katrina. Out of the three, the only one I found really interesting was the vampire politics. And I liked the sub-story of Sookie finding another long-lost family member.. But I won't spoil it for you. With all of the constant action, this would've been a great book if it hadn't been for so much of the book focusing on things that I didn't really care about.<br />
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I have never liked Quinn. As I ranted about in my previous review, he lacks personality, says "babe" too much, and is bald to boot. So call me callous, but I don't really care that he's missing. Sorry. And let's just say that you aren't going to like Quinn any more after finding out why he's been MIA. The other part of this book that I don't really care about is the trouble with the were packs. It's kind of interesting, but for the most part I just think it shouldn't have to be Sookie's problem. A contributing factor to my indifference to the were pack is definitely my indifference to Alcide, werewolf and former flame of Sookie's. After <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-club-dead-sookie-stackhouse-3.html">Club Dead</a></em>, I've just found Alcide rude as he only ever even talks to Sookie to use her for her telepathic abilities. Not cool, Alcide. How about you go deal with your wolfy problems for yourself?<br />
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Needless to say, because of my general disinterest with 2/3 of the main storyline, I had to give this a 4-heart rating rather than a 5. I still very much enjoyed reading it though, and found that the action, the exciting story of the Louisiana vamps being plotted against, and the great characters that I love (like Sookie and especially Eric) were more than enough motivation for me to keep reading.<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;">Summed Up:</span></h2>
Great writing, storyline, and characters as usual from this series. It also had a <em>ton</em> of exciting action from start to finish, but that action just didn't grab my attention and keep it like previous books have.<br />
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<span style="color: black;">Sookie Stackhouse Series</span></h2>
Review for #1: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-dead-until-dark-sookie.html">Dead Until Dark</a></em><br />
Review for #2: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-living-dead-in-dallas-sookie-s-2.html">Living Dead In Dallas</a></em><br />
Review for #3: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-club-dead-sookie-stackhouse-3.html">Club Dead</a></em><br />
Review for #4: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-dead-to-world-sookie-stackhouse.html">Dead to the World</a> </em><br />
Review for #5: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-dead-as-doornail-sookie.html">Dead as a Doornail</a></em><br />
Review for #6: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-definitely-dead-sookie.html">Definitely Dead</a></em><br />
Review for #7: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-all-together-dead-sookie.html">All Together Dead</a></em><br />
Review for #8: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/07/review-from-dead-to-worse-sookie.html">From Dead to Worse</a></em><br />
Review for #9: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/07/review-dead-and-gone-sookie-stackhouse-9.html">Dead and Gone</a></em><br />
Review for #10: <em>Dead in the Family -</em> to comeLinnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02424238289531677554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6361100901479824774.post-91720992041885462422012-06-26T15:00:00.000-04:002012-07-24T12:20:15.799-04:00Review: All Together Dead (Sookie Stackhouse #7)<br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Author:</span> </strong>Charlaine Harris<br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Publication:</span></strong> May 1st, 2006<br />
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<span style="color: black;"><strong>Add:</strong></span> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/140075.All_Together_Dead">GoodReads</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Together-Dead-Sookie-Stackhouse-Blood/dp/0441019382/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1340424967&sr=1-1&keywords=all+together+dead">Amazon</a><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Description:</span></strong> <em><span id="freeText16546499083827092959"><span id="freeText16091986775913061419"><span id="freeTextContainer12435603963517641009"><span id="freeTextContainer5093394796266806977"><span id="freeTextContainer15912086862308330513"><span id="freeText9983619577169691731"><span id="freeText2006328546347949678"><span id="freeText15107828942447745778"><span id="freeText14331005932061267968"><span id="freeText9649604659090961829"><span id="freeText13589963528368470073"><span id="freeText12102057917343142910"><span id="freeTextContainer10479147986076235983"><span id="freeText18337922471149473058"><span id="freeText2579448817085180491"><span id="freeText17600817166391302054"><span id="freeText11708238634462776197">Louisiana cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse has her hands full dealing with every sort of undead and paranormal creature imaginable. And after being betrayed by her longtime vampire love, Sookie must not only deal with a new man in her life—the shapeshifter Quinn—but also contend with the long-planned vampire summit.<br /><br /> The summit is a tense situation. The vampire queen of Louisiana is in a precarious position, her power base weakened by hurricane damage to New Orleans. And there are some vamps who would like to finish what nature started. Soon, Sookie must decide what side she'll stand with. And her choice may mean the difference between survival and all-out catastrophe.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>…</em><br />
Via GoodReads.</blockquote>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;">My Review:</span> </h2>
The last few books in the series, while very enjoyable, just haven't had enough to make me love them. Well, I loved <em>All Together Dead. </em>There is crazy stuff happening from start to finish - everything from betrayals, hidden agendas, marriage, death, and even bombs keeps you on the edge of your seat. And to top it off, all of this isn't happening in the quaint Louisiana town of Bon Temps, but in the extravagant Pyramid of Giza Hotel in a city on Lake Michigan for the Vampire Summit. How exciting is that? <br />
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Needless to say, my favorite part about <em>All Together Dead</em> is the non-stop action and exciting storyline. There are plenty of twists and turns and it's a lot of fun to read. The action isn't the only thing I loved though. As usual, Harris gives us great writing and characters.<br />
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Whether they're interesting side characters or creepy bad guys or just the awesome butt-kicking Sookie herself, the <em>Sookie Stackhouse</em> series really does have great characters. <em>All Together Dead</em> in particular had some fun ones. There's the creepy yet intriguing Queen of Louisiana and her bodyguard Andre that always keep Sookie on her toes. One of my favorites, Barry the bell-boy is in this book as well. He and Sookie experiment with their telepathic abilities together in one part and I loved it. Quinn is still around too, though he's one of the more dull characters in my opinion.<br />
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Yup, Sookie is still going out with the were-tiger Quinn. The <em>bald</em> were-tiger. The <em>bald and lacking personality that says "Babe" too much</em>, were-tiger. Sorry if I sound a little bitter. I probably wouldn't dislike him quite so much (maybe) if there wasn't a perfectly good Viking vampire not two feet away that is growing closer to Sookie with every passing book. I'm talking about Eric. Sigh. Eric was luckily in <em>All Together Dead</em> as well, just as funny and good-looking as usual, but he wasn't in it as much as I would've liked. But maybe I'm just still spoiled from <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-dead-to-world-sookie-stackhouse.html">Dead to the World</a></em>. <br />
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All in all, I loved <em>All Together Dead</em>. While Sookie was still going out with Quinn, which sucks, there was enough Eric and plenty of outstanding action and a great storyline to more than make up for it to me. Oh and did I mention - there's barely any Bill in <em>All Together Dead</em> too! A definite plus there.<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;">Summed Up:</span></h2>
Great writing, storyline, and characters as usual from this series. It also had a <em>ton</em> of exciting action from start to finish. Only drawback of the book was the romance with Quinn.<br />
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<span style="color: black;">Sookie Stackhouse Series</span></h2>
Review for #1: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-dead-until-dark-sookie.html">Dead Until Dark</a></em><br />
Review for #2: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-living-dead-in-dallas-sookie-s-2.html">Living Dead In Dallas</a></em><br />
Review for #3: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-club-dead-sookie-stackhouse-3.html">Club Dead</a></em><br />
Review for #4: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-dead-to-world-sookie-stackhouse.html">Dead to the World</a> </em><br />
Review for #5: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-dead-as-doornail-sookie.html">Dead as a Doornail</a></em><br />
Review for #6: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-definitely-dead-sookie.html">Definitely Dead</a></em><br />
Review for #7: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-all-together-dead-sookie.html">All Together Dead</a></em><br />
Review for #8: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/07/review-from-dead-to-worse-sookie.html">From Dead to Worse</a></em><br />
Review for #9: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/07/review-dead-and-gone-sookie-stackhouse-9.html">Dead and Gone</a></em><br />
Review for #10: <em>Dead in the Family -</em> to comeLinnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02424238289531677554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6361100901479824774.post-84567982849542703372012-06-20T23:24:00.001-04:002012-06-26T13:36:05.413-04:00Waiting on Wednesday #11<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RVXe3D5ugkI/T-KUhbB5IHI/AAAAAAAACWs/kFoWw--XhBE/s1600/WoW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RVXe3D5ugkI/T-KUhbB5IHI/AAAAAAAACWs/kFoWw--XhBE/s1600/WoW.jpg" /></a></div>
Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by <a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/">Breaking the Spine</a> that</div>
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spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.</div>
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<a href="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1329681513l/7514925.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1329681513l/7514925.jpg" width="212" /></a><span style="color: black;"><strong>Title: </strong></span><span style="color: #666666;">Tigerlily</span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Author:</span> </strong>Jodi Lynn Anderson<br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Publication:</span> </strong>July 3rd, 2012<br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Add:</span></strong> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7514925-tiger-lily">GoodReads</a> <span style="color: #666666;">|</span> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tiger-Lily-Jodi-Lynn-Anderson/dp/0062003259/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1340248354&sr=8-1&keywords=tiger+lily+jodi+lynn+anderson">Amazon</a><br />
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<blockquote class="blockquote2">
<strong><span style="color: black;">Description:</span></strong> <span id="freeText12708267204328164155"><span id="freeText3433683417198804578"><span id="freeText11283717140644915186"><span id="freeText9157812422310677192"><span id="freeText16217408072253537062"><span id="freeText10582253509146814720"><span id="freeText10111698113679685750"><span id="freeText5249365125690323822"><em>Before Peter Pan belonged to Wendy, he belonged to the girl with the crow feather in her hair. . . .<br /><br />Fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily doesn't believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the alluring teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland and immediately falls under his spell.<br /><br />Peter is unlike anyone she's ever known. Impetuous and brave, he both scares and enthralls her. As the leader of the Lost Boys, the most fearsome of Neverland's inhabitants, Peter is an unthinkable match for Tiger Lily. Soon, she is risking everything—her family, her future—to be with him. When she is faced with marriage to a terrible man in her own tribe, she must choose between the life she's always known and running away to an uncertain future with Peter.<br /><br />With enemies threatening to tear them apart, the lovers seem doomed. But it's the arrival of Wendy Darling, an English girl who's everything Tiger Lily is not, that leads Tiger Lily to discover that the most dangerous enemies can live inside even the most loyal and loving heart.</em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
Via GoodReads.</blockquote>
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<span style="color: black;">Why I'm Waiting:</span> </h2>
I actually discovered <em>Tiger Lily</em> from the Waiting on Wednesdays from last week (that's why this meme rocks!), and I just had to share it with you all this week. Isn't that an awesome storyline? I'm not crazy about the cover, but the idea of taking a side character from <em>Peter Pan</em> and making her the focus of a YA book is awesome! It's so just so unique and clever. And it just so happens that I always really liked Tiger Lily in the Disney movie, I even named some of my stuffed animals after her when I was younger haha. <br />
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I am a little nervous about how the book will be though. It's just that this is such a cool concept and I want it to be amazing, you know? I'm hoping it follows Tiger Lily and her exciting adventures in Neverland (including everything in the description) and either they rewrite the story so she ends up with Peter or, preferably, she finds another even better guy along the way. Is that too much to ask? I really hope not.<br />
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What are you guys waiting to read?Linnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02424238289531677554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6361100901479824774.post-18096853109213284432012-06-19T15:08:00.000-04:002012-06-26T13:36:54.107-04:00300 Follower Giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IcT0jfGA28I/T-C4M_sSjZI/AAAAAAAACSc/1dPcXGNmJw0/s1600/give-300.jpg" /></div>
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I can't believe it. I have 300 followers! Isn't that amazing? Today is also 4 months exactly since I started the blog. I've had a lot of fun and have made a lot of friends! To thank those friends and all of my lovely followers, I decided to put on a giveaway.</div>
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Since this is a very special occasion, I decided to throw a very special giveaway. The winner will get ANY book of their choice from <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/?a_aid=LinnysLit&a_bid=641f9c82">The Book Deository</a> (up to $15 in price). AND if I get 400 followers by the end of the giveaway, then there will be 2 winners! If I'm lucky enough to get 500 followers by the end, then there will be 3 winners. Basically, for every additional 100 followers I gain on top of my current 300 followers = An additional winner. Each winner gets the prize of a book of their choice up to $15. Sound like fun? <br />
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Like I said, you get to choose any book that you want! So many choices. Here are just a few books that have come out recently or will soon be coming out that you <em>could</em> choose if you wanted to. Just some ideas for you. ;)<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;">Prize Ideas (you don't have to choose one of these!):</span></h2>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z9EFqSg22jU/T-DH4XfqU3I/AAAAAAAACS0/xfy56SALQWA/s1600/give-300-prize.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z9EFqSg22jU/T-DH4XfqU3I/AAAAAAAACS0/xfy56SALQWA/s1600/give-300-prize.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;">Some Rules:</span></h2>
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<strong>This giveaway is open internationally</strong> since the wonderful Book Depository ships to <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/help/topic/HelpId/3/Which-countries-do-you-deliver-to#helpContent">all of these places</a> for free. Make sure your country is listed.
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The PRIZE(S): Like I said earlier, is ANY book of your choice from <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/?a_aid=LinnysLit&a_bid=641f9c82">The Book Depository</a> that is worth $15 or less.</div>
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<ul>
<li>I'm requiring that you are a follower of this blog to enter, by making it
manditory to complete on the Rafflecopter before you can see the other ways to
get entires. I do this because this giveaway is to thank my
followers.</li>
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<li><div style="text-align: left;">
I reserve the right to disqulify anyone who makes entires in things that they haven't completed the task for. I check!</div>
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This giveaway is open from <strong>June 19th until July 19th</strong>! Then the winner will be chosen, who I will contact immidiately. If they don't reply within 48 hours, then a new winner will be chosen.</div>
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If, by the end of this giveaway, I have 400 followers, then there will be 2 winners who will get to choose a $15 book of their choice. And if, by some miracle, I have 500 followers by the end, there will by 3 winners. (So on and so forth. An additional 100 followers to my current 300 followers = Another winner)</div>
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<a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/300-follower-giveaway.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Linny's literature" src="http://i46.tinypic.com/iyphtu.jpg" /></a> </div>
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<textarea cols="22" rows="3"><center><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/300-follower-giveaway.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Linny's literature" src="http://i46.tinypic.com/iyphtu.jpg"/></a></center></textarea><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;">Good Luck!</span></h2>
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<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/" id="rc-c9fd195">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js">
</script>Linnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02424238289531677554noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6361100901479824774.post-49509022072511869622012-06-18T16:24:00.003-04:002012-07-24T12:20:33.988-04:00Review: Definitely Dead (Sookie Stackhouse #6)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://blog.mpl.org/mke_reads/definitely%20dead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://blog.mpl.org/mke_reads/definitely%20dead.jpg" width="202" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: black;">Rating:</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Author:</span> </strong>Charlaine Harris<br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Publication:</span></strong> January 1st, 2006<br />
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<span style="color: black;"><strong>Add:</strong></span> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/140079.Definitely_Dead">GoodReads</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Definitely-Dead-Sookie-Stackhouse-Book/dp/0441019374/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1339182545&sr=1-1">Amazon</a><br />
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<blockquote class="blockquote2">
<strong><span style="color: black;">Description:</span></strong> <span id="freeText16546499083827092959"><span id="freeText16091986775913061419"><span id="freeTextContainer12435603963517641009"><span id="freeTextContainer5093394796266806977"><span id="freeTextContainer15912086862308330513"><span id="freeText9983619577169691731"><span id="freeText2006328546347949678"><span id="freeText15107828942447745778"><span id="freeText14331005932061267968"><span id="freeText9649604659090961829"><span id="freeText13589963528368470073"><span id="freeText12102057917343142910"><span id="freeTextContainer10479147986076235983"><span id="freeText18337922471149473058"><span id="freeText2579448817085180491"><span id="freeText17600817166391302054"><em>As a person with so few living relatives, Louisiana cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse really hated to lose one. But she never guessed that it would be her cousin Hadley—a consort of the Vampire Queen of New Orleans. After all, technically speaking, Hadley was already dead. And now, as unexpected heir to Hadley’s estate, Sookie discovers the inheritance definitely comes with a risk. </em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<em>Someone doesn’t want Sookie looking too deeply into Hadley’s past—or for that matter, Hadley’s possessions. And they’re prepared to do anything in their power to stop her. But who? The range of suspects runs from the Rogue Weres who reject Sookie as a friend of the Pack to the Vampire Queen herself, who could be working through a particularly vulnerable subject—Sookie’s first love, Bill. <br /> Whoever it is, they’re definitely dangerous—and Sookie’s life is definitely on the line…</em><br />
Via GoodReads.</blockquote>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;">My Review:</span> </h2>
In my last review of <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-dead-as-doornail-sookie.html">Dead as a Doornail</a></em>, I said that it broke the trend of the <em>Sookie Stackhouse</em> series getting better as it went, though it was a very enjoyable read. Well, <em>Definitely Dead</em> was a bit better, but not back to the level of love that the series previously commanded from me. Where <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-dead-as-doornail-sookie.html">Dead as a Doornail</a></em> was lacking action and romance, <em>Definitely Dead</em> was really only lacking in romance. <br />
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<em>Definitely Dead</em> had plenty of action. We're following 3 different main stories here: Sookie's cousin Hadley and how she died, the trouble between the Queen of Louisiana and her new husband, the King of Arkansas, and Debbie Pelt's family taking extreme measures to learn more about Debbie's death. Sookie is constantly switching between the different stories as the book moves along, trying to solve all of them by the end of the book. There was never a dull moment! With all of the constant action, <em>Definitely Dead</em> would've gotten a 5-heart rating from me if it wasn't for the less than perfect romance. <br />
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When I say that <em>Definitely Dead</em> was "lacking in romance", I don't mean that there wasn't a romance. I mean that the romance itself was dull and didn't capture my attention and make my heart race like it had in previous books. In other words, the romance wasn't with Eric, so it wasn't nearly as good as it was in <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-dead-to-world-sookie-stackhouse.html">Dead to the World</a></em> when Sookie was with Eric. In all seriousness though, my liking of the love interest is what makes a romance for me and this one just didn't do it for me. In <em>Definitely Dead</em>, Sookie is dating Quinn, the were-tiger that we met in the last book at the Were battle for leadership. Yeah, the big bald guy. <em>Bald</em>. I'm sorry, but no thank you. On top of his shining head and flat personality, he calls her "Babe" way too much for it not to get annoying. I admit that I would take Quinn over Bill anyday though, and the whole were-tiger thing is pretty cool. My heart still belongs to Eric though, with his overwhelming good looks and snark, who does make a few fun apperances in this book.<br />
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Eric was incensed, to use a good entry from my word of the day Calender. In fact his eyes were almost throwing sparks he was so angry.<br />
"This woman has been mine, and she will be mine" he said in tones so definite I thought about checking my rear end for a brand.</blockquote>
God, that overprotective thing is so cute. I definitely could've used some more Eric-y fun and less Baldy boring in <em>Definitely Dead</em>.<br />
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<em>Definitely Dead</em> continues the <em>Sookie Stackhouse</em> series with an exciting storyline full to the brim with action. It did, however, have a dull romance that took away from the book to me. All in all, <em>Definitely Dead</em> rated about a 4.5 for me.<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;">Summed Up:</span></h2>
Great writing, storyline, and characters as usual from this series. It also had a ton of exciting action from start to finish. Only drawback of the book was the romance that I found boring.<br />
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<span style="color: black;">Sookie Stackhouse Series</span></h2>
Review for #1: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-dead-until-dark-sookie.html">Dead Until Dark</a></em><br />
Review for #2: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-living-dead-in-dallas-sookie-s-2.html">Living Dead In Dallas</a></em><br />
Review for #3: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-club-dead-sookie-stackhouse-3.html">Club Dead</a></em><br />
Review for #4: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-dead-to-world-sookie-stackhouse.html">Dead to the World</a> </em><br />
Review for #5: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-dead-as-doornail-sookie.html">Dead as a Doornail</a></em><br />
Review for #6: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-definitely-dead-sookie.html">Definitely Dead</a></em><br />
Review for #7: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-all-together-dead-sookie.html">All Together Dead</a></em> <br />
Review for #8: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/07/review-from-dead-to-worse-sookie.html">From Dead to Worse</a></em><br />
Review for #9: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/07/review-dead-and-gone-sookie-stackhouse-9.html">Dead and Gone</a></em>Linnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02424238289531677554noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6361100901479824774.post-68353137627333919562012-06-13T15:06:00.000-04:002012-06-26T13:37:40.515-04:00Waiting on Wednesday #10<div style="text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XPSSnaJvt_8/T6FGlEPyMWI/AAAAAAAABX4/AjrY9ulyG6k/s1600/waiting+on+wednesday.jpg" /><br />
Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by <a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/">Breaking the Spine</a> that</div>
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spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.</div>
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<span style="color: black;"><strong>Title: </strong></span><span style="color: #666666;">This is Not a Test</span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Author:</span> </strong>Courtney Summers<br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Publication:</span> </strong>June 19th, 2012<br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Add:</span></strong> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12043771-this-is-not-a-test">GoodReads</a> <span style="color: #666666;">|</span> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/This-Not-Test-Courtney-Summers/dp/0312656742/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1339613980&sr=1-1">Amazon</a><br />
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<blockquote class="blockquote2">
<strong><span style="color: black;">Description:</span></strong> <span id="freeText12708267204328164155"><span id="freeText3433683417198804578"><span id="freeText11283717140644915186"><span id="freeText9157812422310677192"><span id="freeText16217408072253537062"><span id="freeText10582253509146814720"><span id="freeText10111698113679685750"><em>It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self.<br /><br />To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live.<br /><br />But as the days crawl by, the motivations for survival change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life—and death—inside. <br /><br />When everything is gone, what do you hold on to?</em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
Via GoodReads.</blockquote>
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<a name='more'></a><span style="color: black;">Why I'm Waiting:</span> </h2>
Why am I waiting to read <em>This is Not a Test</em>? I have two words for you. Apocalypse and Zombies. Yup. What more do you need than that? I love, love, love the whole survival thing and this definitely sounds like it will have it. If the main character, Sloane, doesn't really care if she lives or dies like it says in the description than that could mean she'll be a bad-ass zombie killer! Or just melodramatic.. Let's keep our fingers crossed for the former. Well, <em>This is Not a Test</em> comes out in just a week's time and then we'll be able to find out for ourselves!<br />
<br />
For a chance to win <em>This is Not a Test</em> or one of 11 other new release books, <br />
check out my <a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/now-its-time-for-summer-giveaway.html">Now it's time for Summer Giveaway</a>!<br />
<br />
What are you guys waiting to read?<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;">P.S.</span></h2>
Sorry I've been gone so long! This week has been crazy. We had my graduation open house (soo much work!) and I've been trying to get a job. Plus, my Disqus comments weren't working for a few days and I didn't want to make any posts so that people wouldn't comment with Blogger just to have them deleted when the Disqus went up again. It's fixed now though and I'm back! I even did some changes to the blog, as you might have noticed.Linnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02424238289531677554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6361100901479824774.post-61162467744636294392012-06-07T20:23:00.000-04:002012-07-24T12:20:48.217-04:00Review: Dead as a Doornail (Sookie Stackhouse #5)<br />
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<a href="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1309198219l/170210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1309198219l/170210.jpg" width="198" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: black;">Rating:</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Author:</span> </strong>Charlaine Harris<br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Publication:</span></strong> January 1st, 2005<br />
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<span style="color: black;"><strong>Add:</strong></span> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/170210.Dead_as_a_Doornail">GoodReads</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Doornail-Sookie-Stackhouse-Blood/dp/0441019358/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1339110786&sr=8-2">Amazon</a><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Description:</span></strong> <span id="freeText16546499083827092959"><span id="freeText16091986775913061419"><span id="freeTextContainer12435603963517641009"><span id="freeTextContainer5093394796266806977"><span id="freeTextContainer15912086862308330513"><span id="freeText9983619577169691731"><span id="freeText2006328546347949678"><span id="freeText15107828942447745778"><span id="freeText14331005932061267968"><span id="freeText9649604659090961829"><span id="freeText13589963528368470073"><span id="freeText12102057917343142910"><span id="freeTextContainer10479147986076235983"><span id="freeText18337922471149473058"><span id="freeText2579448817085180491"><em>Small-town cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse has had more than her share of experience with the supernatural—but now it’s really hitting close to home. </em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<em>When Sookie sees her brother Jason’s eyes start to change, she knows he’s about to turn into a were-panther for the first time—a transformation he embraces more readily than most shapeshifters she knows. But her concern becomes cold fear when a sniper sets his deadly sights on the local changeling population, and Jason’s new panther brethren suspect he may be the shooter. Now, Sookie has until the next full moon to find out who’s behind the attacks—unless the killer decides to find her first…</em><br />
Via GoodReads.</blockquote>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;">My Review</span>: </h2>
In my review of <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-dead-to-world-sookie-stackhouse.html">Dead to the World</a></em>, I said that this was the first series that seemed to literally be getting better as it went. Unfortunately, <em>Dead as a Doornail</em> broke the trend. Not to say that it wasn't good, I very much enjoyed it, but it wasn't the complete adoration that would've come after my blinding love of the last book for the series to really be "getting better". <br />
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As you can gather from the description, a lot is going on in <em>Dead as a Doornail</em>. Sookie's brother in now a were-panther, the local werewolf pack has to fight to decide the new pack leader, and someone is shooting the shifters and weres. And of course, poor Sookie is involved in it all. While this all was a lot of stuff going on, it still didn't feel "action-packed" to me. Maybe the stuff happening just wasn't as interesting to me or didn't grab my attention as much as the action of previous books, but it just didn't have what it took to go from a book I enjoyed reading to a book I loved. It didn't help that the other half of any <em>Sookie Stackhouse</em> book - the romance - was a little dry too.<br />
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As far as the love interests in <em>Dead as a Doornail</em> go, pickings are slim. Besides Eric, of course. Bill is luckily out of the picture for the time being, Sam is okay but nothing special as usual, Alcide uses Sookie for his own gain without even asking her, and Sookie spies an <em>attractive bald guy</em> (isn't that an oxymoron?) at the shindig Alcide takes her to. Hmm. How about thanks, but no thanks. But wait, there's Eric, Sookie! He still is completely clueless about what happened when his memory was taken away in <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-dead-to-world-sookie-stackhouse.html">Dead to the World</a></em>, and he is dying for Sookie to tell him what happened. While he isn't the same sweet, sensitive guy from the last book, he's still just as hot and funny now as he used to be. <em>Plus</em>, he still has all of the feelings that he got for Sookie while his memory was gone, he just doesn't know what to do with them.<br />
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“Should I just bite you, and end it all?", he whispered. "I would never have to think about you again. Thinking about you is an annoying habit and one I want to be rid of.”</blockquote>
Sadly, Sookie doesn't see the obvious and get with the Viking hunk. In fact, Eric wasn't in this book nearly as much as I would've liked. Maybe I was just spoiled after the amazing Eric premiere on the romance front in <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-dead-to-world-sookie-stackhouse.html">Dead to the World</a>. </em>But it, like the action in this book, just seemed lacking. Well, at least I'd rather take "slim pickings" to Bill anyday..<br />
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All in all, I enjoyed <em>Dead as a Doornail</em>. Like the first and second books of the <em>Sookie Stackhouse</em> series, they were entertaining reads that I really liked, but were missing just a little something that would've bumped them into the realm of "love" for me. This time, that something was the slightly less than perfect action and romance.<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;">Summed Up:</span></h2>
Great writing, storyline, and characters as usual from this series. Didn't grab my attention as much as previous books though - on both the action and romance fields. I wish there was more of Eric too!<br />
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<span style="color: black;">Sookie Stackhouse Series</span></h2>
Review for #1: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-dead-until-dark-sookie.html">Dead Until Dark</a></em><br />
Review for #2: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-living-dead-in-dallas-sookie-s-2.html">Living Dead In Dallas</a></em><br />
Review for #3: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-club-dead-sookie-stackhouse-3.html">Club Dead</a></em><br />
Review for #4: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-dead-to-world-sookie-stackhouse.html">Dead to the World</a> </em><br />
Review for #5: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-dead-as-doornail-sookie.html">Dead as a Doornail</a></em><br />
Review for #6: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-definitely-dead-sookie.html">Definitely Dead</a></em><br />
Review for #7: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-all-together-dead-sookie.html">All Together Dead</a></em> <br />
Review for #8: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/07/review-from-dead-to-worse-sookie.html">From Dead to Worse</a></em><br />
Review for #9: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/07/review-dead-and-gone-sookie-stackhouse-9.html">Dead and Gone</a></em>Linnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02424238289531677554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6361100901479824774.post-36892998427385300072012-06-06T11:13:00.000-04:002012-06-26T13:40:54.130-04:00Waiting on Wednesday #9<div style="text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XPSSnaJvt_8/T6FGlEPyMWI/AAAAAAAABX4/AjrY9ulyG6k/s1600/waiting+on+wednesday.jpg" /><br />
Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by <a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/">Breaking the Spine</a> that</div>
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spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.<br />
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<a href="http://www.dianapeterfreund.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/ForDarknessShowsHC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.dianapeterfreund.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/ForDarknessShowsHC.jpg" width="211" /></a><span style="color: black;"><strong>Title: </strong></span><span style="color: #666666;">For Darkness Shows the Stars</span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Author:</span> </strong>Diana Peterfreund<br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Publication:</span> </strong>June 12th, 2012<br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Add:</span></strong> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8306761-for-darkness-shows-the-stars">GoodReads</a> <span style="color: #666666;">|</span> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Darkness-Shows-Stars-Diana-Peterfreund/dp/0062006142/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1338994354&sr=1-1">Amazon</a><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Description:</span></strong> <span id="freeText12708267204328164155"><span id="freeText3433683417198804578"><span id="freeText11283717140644915186"><span id="freeText9157812422310677192"><span id="freeText16217408072253537062"><span id="freeText10582253509146814720"><em>Generations ago, a genetic experiment gone wrong—the Reduction—decimated humanity, giving rise to a Luddite nobility who outlawed most technology.<br /><br />Elliot North has always known her place in this world. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family’s estate over love. Since then the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jumpstarting the wheel of progress, and Elliot’s estate is foundering, forcing her to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth—an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliot wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she let him go.<br /><br />But Elliot soon discovers her old friend carries a secret—one that could change their society . . . or bring it to its knees. And again, she’s faced with a choice: cling to what she’s been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she’s ever loved, even if she’s lost him forever.<br /><br />Inspired by Jane Austen’s Persuasion, For Darkness Shows the Stars is a breathtaking romance about opening your mind to the future and your heart to the one person you know can break it.</em><a class="actionLinkLite" href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8306761-for-darkness-shows-the-stars#"></a></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
Via GoodReads.</blockquote>
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<span style="color: black;">Why I'm Waiting:</span> </h2>
Wow. That cover is breathtaking. The colors, the stars, that <em>beautiful</em> girl. It's amazing! Did you read that whole, long description? I know I didn't. I just had to take one look at that cover and I knew I had to make it mine.<br />
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GoodReads has it listed under dystopian, fantasy, and poat-apocalyptic though, and I haven't read Jane Austen's <em>Persuasion</em>, which this book is inspired by, but I've heard good things about it. And there are currently 74 reviews for it on GoodReads from reviewers lucky enough to get the book early, and it's just a plethora of 4 and 5 stars. Awesome! So, <em>For Darkness Shows the Stars</em> just sounds like the perfect book for me all around. A book that I will be adding to my collection as soon as it comes out despite my already precariously high pile of books here waiting for me to read (and I wonder why it never gets any smaller.. :P ).<br />
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What are you guys waiting to read?<br />
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<span style="color: black;"><strong>P.S.</strong></span> For a chance to win <em>For Darkness Shows the Stars</em> or one of 11 other new release books, <br />
check out my <a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/now-its-time-for-summer-giveaway.html">Now it's time for Summer Giveaway</a>!Linnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02424238289531677554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6361100901479824774.post-91517889126536678272012-06-05T01:12:00.000-04:002012-06-25T10:59:07.221-04:00Now it's time for Summer Giveaway<div style="text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VoGurV5YxyM/T-h7vSgrTnI/AAAAAAAACaY/rGri6lxThx4/s1600/grad-giveaway.jpg" /></div>
Guess what everyone. I'm offically graduated! No more highschool for me and onto the big leagues (college) in the Fall. How exciting is that? Here I am looking super excited before my graduation.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-__o0phiYtx4/T82TKLddGkI/AAAAAAAABwI/3CY8bWOmJCo/s1600/IMG_6382.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-__o0phiYtx4/T82TKLddGkI/AAAAAAAABwI/3CY8bWOmJCo/s400/IMG_6382.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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My graduation not only marks the end of highschool forever, but also the beginning of a summer I plan to make one of my best. What better to mark the occassion than a giveaway? This summer is full of amazing new titles to be read. There are a lot of great books that have been or will soon be coming out lately and, with summer finally here, I plan to read them all. For my giveaway, the winner will get to choose any of the new releases from the books below (if it's not out yet, it will be by the time the giveaway ends).</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5f_oTe3SiHM/T82OD_I-EgI/AAAAAAAABvw/Y-QMTz7fttA/s1600/grad-prizes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5f_oTe3SiHM/T82OD_I-EgI/AAAAAAAABvw/Y-QMTz7fttA/s640/grad-prizes.jpg" width="568" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10479750-lies-beneath">Lies Beneath</a> - <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12043771-this-is-not-a-test">This Is Not A Test</a> - <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12872080-darkness-before-dawn">Darkness Before Dawn</a> - <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10194157-shadow-and-bone">Shadow and Bone</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8709523-the-golden-lily">The Golden Lily</a> - <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12425532-of-poseidon">Of Poseidon</a> - <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12753231-monument-14">Monument 14</a> - <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13273621-snow-white-and-the-huntsman">Snow White & the Huntsman</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12995284-dreamless">Dreamless</a> - <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13578757-dark-kiss">Dark Kiss</a> - <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8306761-for-darkness-shows-the-stars">For Darkness Shows the Stars</a> - <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12367267-the-glimpse">The Glimpse</a><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;">Some Rules:</span></h2>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #666666;"><strong>This giveaway is open internationally</strong> since the wonderful Book Depository ships to </span><a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/help/topic/HelpId/3/Which-countries-do-you-deliver-to#helpContent"><span style="color: black;">all of these places</span></a><span style="color: #666666;"> for free. Make sure your country is listed. I'm betting it will be <em>unless</em> you live on an undiscovered island or have stumbled into a wormhole and are no longer with us here on Earth.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #666666;">The PRIZE: Like I said earlier, is ANY book of your choice from the list above.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #666666;">I reserve the right to disqulify anyone who makes entires in things that they haven't completed the task for. I check!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">This giveaway is open from <strong>June 5th until June 25th</strong>! Then the winner will be chosen, who I will contact immidiately. If they don't reply within 48 hours, then a new winner will be chosen.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;">Good Luck!</span></h2>
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<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/" id="rc-c9fd194">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Closed! And the winner is... <span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">Kit Katz</span>!</span></span></h2>Linnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02424238289531677554noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6361100901479824774.post-36281675181651752562012-06-02T18:07:00.001-04:002012-06-26T13:41:30.026-04:00Snow White and the Huntsman: Movie and Book<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uHEMvGes_e4/T8gp4S1KD8I/AAAAAAAABuM/6QMCiAGAB1M/s1600/snow-banner.jpg" /></div>
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Ever since I saw the commercials start playing for this movie, I've wanted it to come out and to go to see it like a 5 year old wants to go to Disney Land. Before now, I hadn't had an excuse to make a post about it because, well, this is a book review blog. However, I recently found out that<em> Snow White & the Huntsman</em> is being made into a book, so here we are! I decided to do a fun little post covering the upcoming book and my thoughts on the movie.</div>
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<span style="color: black;">The Book:</span></h2>
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<a href="http://www.breakingdawnmovie.org/images/swathbookcover-e1329184096262.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.breakingdawnmovie.org/images/swathbookcover-e1329184096262.jpg" width="202" /></a></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Author:</span> </strong>Lily Blake, Evan Daugherty, John Lee Hancock, Hossein Amini</div>
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Publication:</span></strong> June 5th, 2012<br />
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<span style="color: black;"><strong>Add:</strong></span> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13273621-snow-white-and-the-huntsman">GoodReads</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Snow-White-Huntsman-Lily-Blake/dp/0316213276/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1338669444&sr=1-1">Amazon</a><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Description:</span></strong> <span id="freeText16546499083827092959"><span id="freeText16091986775913061419"><span id="freeTextContainer12435603963517641009"><span id="freeTextContainer5093394796266806977"><span id="freeTextContainer15912086862308330513"><span id="freeText9983619577169691731"><span id="freeText2006328546347949678"><span id="freeText15107828942447745778"><span id="freeText14331005932061267968"><span id="freeText9649604659090961829"><span id="freeText13589963528368470073"><span id="freeText12102057917343142910"><span id="freeTextContainer10479147986076235983"><span id="freeText18337922471149473058"><span id="freeTextContainer11454822055840732898"><em>A breathtaking new vision of a legendary tale. Snow White is the only person in the land fairer than the evil queen who is out to destroy her. But what the wicked ruler never imagined is that the young woman threatening her reign has been training in the art of war with a huntsman who was dispatched to kill her.</em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
Via GoodReads.</blockquote>
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I don't know about you guys, but I know I will definitely be reading this when it comes out. I'm especially excited to read it after watching the movie yesterday, when it was released in theaters, and seeing just how amazing it was. I loved the movie, but often times there are more scenes and details in books than there are in the movie versions. My hope is that there will be a few more Snow White/Huntsman scenes than there were in the movie. ;)</div>
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If you, like me, have been excited about going to see the <em>Snow White & the Huntsman</em> movie or have even just been considering going to go see it, then here's my quick review of the movie that can hopefully convince you to see it.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MbyjGzBCGTs/T8qIxKGVnfI/AAAAAAAABuc/aMfkYK3VndQ/s1600/snow-characters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MbyjGzBCGTs/T8qIxKGVnfI/AAAAAAAABuc/aMfkYK3VndQ/s640/snow-characters.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Movie Review:</span> </h2>
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<em>Snow White & the Huntsman</em> wasn't as good as I thought it was going to be after seeing the commercials. It was better! Everything from the action, to special effects, to characters, to the story was beyond my expectaions. If you were worried about Kristen Stewart playing Snow White - fear not! This was the best acting I have ever seen from her. And Chris Hemsworth, who played the Hunstman, did an outstanding job as was expected. He was looking just as good as was expected too.</div>
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The special effects were amazing! No money was spared here. Monsters, fairies, magic, and witchcraft are prominent throughout the movie and it was all breathtakingly realistic. The story took the premise of the original Snow White tale and ran with it. Now Snow White is a warrior and the Huntsman is more than just a would-be assassin.. It was a lot of fun to follow and while of course I knew there would be a "happily ever after" as all fairytales go, other than that I never knew what exactly was going to happen. There was even a little love triangle between Snow White, her very own Prince Charming, and the Huntsman that had me guessing who she would end up with until the end.</div>
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The one and only thing that I, and my entire family, wasn't happy about with this movie was the huge gaping hole absense of the expected run-into-eachother's-arms-and-confess-your-undying-love scene at the end. They looked into eachother's eyes and smiled from across the room, and it was definitely implied that they might get together, but by God I want some confermation. I want making out and marriage and all that stuff that usually happens at the end of these sort of fairy tales. Besides this little blip, <em>Snow White & the Huntsman</em> was <u>perfect</u>. Seriously.</div>
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If you haven't seen the commercials for <em>Snow White & the Huntsman</em> </div>
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or just want to watch it again because it's so awesome, here it is. Enjoy.</div>
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Well, there you have it. The movie was amazing and I'm hoping the book will be just as wonderful if not more so. So, did you go see the movie? What did you think? And will you be reading the book when it comes out June 5th?</div>
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</div>Linnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02424238289531677554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6361100901479824774.post-62196749747060959692012-06-01T16:48:00.000-04:002012-07-24T12:21:05.735-04:00Review: Dead to the World (Sookie Stackhouse #4)<br />
<a href="http://regnow.img.digitalriver.com/vendor/31429/Charlaine_Harris_-_Dead_to_the_World.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://regnow.img.digitalriver.com/vendor/31429/Charlaine_Harris_-_Dead_to_the_World.jpg" width="220" /></a><strong><span style="color: black;">Rating:</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Author:</span> </strong>Charlaine Harris<br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Publication:</span></strong> January 1st, 2004<br />
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<span style="color: black;"><strong>Add:</strong></span> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/140077.Dead_to_the_World">GoodReads</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dead-World-Sookie-Stackhouse-ebook/dp/B000O76OOU/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1338153171&sr=1-1">Amazon</a><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Description:</span></strong> <span id="freeText16546499083827092959"><span id="freeText16091986775913061419"><span id="freeTextContainer12435603963517641009"><span id="freeTextContainer5093394796266806977"><span id="freeTextContainer15912086862308330513"><span id="freeText9983619577169691731"><span id="freeText2006328546347949678"><span id="freeText15107828942447745778"><span id="freeText14331005932061267968"><span id="freeText9649604659090961829"><span id="freeText13589963528368470073"><span id="freeText12102057917343142910"><span id="freeTextContainer10479147986076235983"><span id="freeText18337922471149473058"><em>When cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse sees a naked man on the side of the
road, she doesn't just drive on by. Turns out the poor thing hasn't a clue who
he is, but Sookie does. It's Eric the vampire--but now he's a kinder, gentler
Eric. And a scared Eric, because whoever took his memory now wants his life.</em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
Via GoodReads.</blockquote>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;">My Review:</span> </h2>
As I'm sure you've figured out by now, I've become a big fan of the <em>Sookie Stackhouse</em> series. This book only futher convinced me of that, tying for my favorite book so far with book three, <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-club-dead-sookie-stackhouse-3.html">Club Dead</a></em>. <br />
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Like <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-club-dead-sookie-stackhouse-3.html">Club Dead</a></em>, <em>Dead to the World</em> brings a new level of action and excitement to the series beyond that of the first two books. Three things are going on at once in this book - dealing with the new, kinder Eric until they can restore his memory, figuring out what happened to Jason after he goes missing in the beginning of the book, and dealing with the nasty witches that cursed Eric and are ready to start a war to get what they want. Yup, I said witches. Now the <em>Sookie</em> series features vampires, werewolves, shifters, wiccans, and witches. Talk about a party. Not only was this book filled with both an abundance of action and a fun variety of magical creatures, but it also focuses heavily on my absolute favorite character of the series - Eric Northman. <br />
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At almost the very beginning of the book, Sookie is driving home from work and sees a white shape in the darkness up ahead. Is it a deer, a tree, no, it's a butt-naked Eric Northman! <br />
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“If there were an international butt competition, Eric would win, hands down—or cheeks up.”</blockquote>
Completely devoid of his memories, scared, and in need of a place to hide out, he ends up staying with Sookie for the rest of the book. Hallelujah! A book full of hot and fangsome Viking guaranteed. His mysterious memory lose completely changes his personality though. Gone is the confident, witty, sheriff vampire that we've come to know and love, and what's left is a caring, sweet man who puts Sookie above all else. <br />
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I could love you." His nostrils flared, and he looked suddenly proud. "I could work. You would not be poor. I would help you." <br />
"Sounds like a marriage," I said, trying to lighten the atmosphere. But my voice was too shaky. <br />
"Yes," he said.” </blockquote>
*Sigh* How cute is that? The one and only thing I didn't like about this changed-for-the-better Eric was the lose of his snark. Bye, snark! We miss you, though you were replaced by love and gentleness. Now Sookie can't help but wonder.. is his confidence only a mask, and is she only now seeing his true self? You'll have to find out for yourself by reading this book and the others in the series, but it certainly made for a fun time in <em>Dead to the World</em> for us Eric fangirls. As if the book couldn't get any better than that, filling it with my favorite character, it also takes out my very <em>least</em> favorite character.<br />
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My very least favorite character? Yeah, you guessed it, Bill Compton. Annoying, cold, self-centered... *mutters profanity* Bill. By the book "taking out" this characcter, I unfortunately do not mean that he was killed off. That's too much to hope for. But, in the beginning of the book he does go on a trip to Peru for his stupid computer program and doesn't come back until the end of the book. Sidenote - this whole computer program thing is really not helping his image any for me. Now I see a (as I said in a previous review) "Civil war sideburn sissy" hunched over a computer in a corner with his pants pulled up like he's expecting a flood. Am I the only one who sees this? But anywho.. It was really great not having to listen to his "Please, Sookie, I didn't mean to leave you for another woman without even saying goodbye. Take me back!" for page after page like we were starting to at the end of <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-club-dead-sookie-stackhouse-3.html">Club Dead</a></em>.<br />
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This is the first series that I've ever read that literally seems to be getting better as I go. I definitely enjoyed the first two books, but these third and fourth books I loved. (Coincides with Bill's absence.. Coincidence?) <br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;">Summed Up:</span></h2>
This book is one of my favorites in the series! Great writing, storyline, and characters as usual, but with more action and funny parts mixed in. Plus - <em>lots</em> of Eric! Without his memory, he's sweet and kind but also loses some of his usual fun snark.<br />
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<h2>
<span style="color: black;">Sookie Stackhouse Series</span></h2>
Review for #1: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-dead-until-dark-sookie.html">Dead Until Dark</a></em><br />
Review for #2: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-living-dead-in-dallas-sookie-s-2.html">Living Dead In Dallas</a></em><br />
Review for #3: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-club-dead-sookie-stackhouse-3.html">Club Dead</a></em><br />
Review for #4: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-dead-to-world-sookie-stackhouse.html">Dead to the World</a> </em><br />
Review for #5: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-dead-as-doornail-sookie.html">Dead as a Doornail</a></em><br />
Review for #6: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-definitely-dead-sookie.html">Definitely Dead</a></em><br />
Review for #7: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-all-together-dead-sookie.html">All Together Dead</a></em><br />
Review for #8: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/07/review-from-dead-to-worse-sookie.html">From Dead to Worse</a></em><br />
Review for #9: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/07/review-dead-and-gone-sookie-stackhouse-9.html">Dead and Gone</a></em>Linnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02424238289531677554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6361100901479824774.post-84147533886919140462012-05-30T15:47:00.000-04:002012-06-26T13:43:30.170-04:00Waiting on Wednesday #8<div style="text-align: center;">
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Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by <a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/">Breaking the Spine</a> that</div>
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spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.<br />
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<a href="http://foreveryoungadult.com/wp-content/upload/2012/04/Something-Strange-and-Deadly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://foreveryoungadult.com/wp-content/upload/2012/04/Something-Strange-and-Deadly.jpg" width="211" /></a><span style="color: black;"><strong>Title: </strong></span><span style="color: #666666;">Something Strange and Deadly (Something Strange and Deadly #1)</span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Author:</span> </strong>Susan Dennard<br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Publication:</span> </strong>July 24th, 2012<br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Add:</span></strong> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9859436-something-strange-and-deadly">GoodReads</a> <span style="color: #666666;">|</span> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Something-Strange-Deadly-Trilogy/dp/0062083260/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1338405479&sr=1-1">Amazon</a><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Description:</span></strong> <span id="freeText12708267204328164155"><span id="freeText3433683417198804578"><span id="freeText11283717140644915186"><span id="freeText9157812422310677192"><span id="freeText16217408072253537062"><em>The year is 1876, and there’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…<br /><br />Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper—<br /><br />The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.<br /><br />And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother.<br /><br />Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.</em></span></span></span></span></span><br />
Via GoodReads.</blockquote>
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<span style="color: black;"><strong>Why I'm Waiting:</strong></span> The promise of zombies alone is enough to make me want to read <em>Something Strange and Deadly</em>. I mean, who hasn't watched and loved the <em>Walking Dead</em> TV series? But to put the cherry on top, it takes place in the Victorian era. Just get a load of the girl on the cover's dress! I know I'm jealous. Obviously, since this book isn't out yet, there haven't been too many reviews and ratings for it just yet. But so far, <em>Something Strange and Deadly</em> has an impressive average rating of 4.08 on GoodReads. What's not to love?<br />
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What are you guys waiting to read?<br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Awesome News!</span></strong><em> Something Strange and Deadly</em> has been on my waiting list for a while now, so, I'm super excited to tell you guys that I am going to be a part of a blog tour for it! Shane at <a href="http://itchingforbooks.blogspot.com/">Itching for Books</a> is hosting a blog tour for Susan Dennard, author of <em>Something Strange and Deadly</em>, and I was lucky enough to get on it! On July 27th, I will be posting an author interview and book playlist. This will be my first blog tour and I am so lucky and excited that I get to do it for such a cool author and book! <br />
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Click the link below to check out all of the other tour stops too!<br />
<a href="http://itchingforbooks.blogspot.com/2012/05/blog-tour-schedulesomething-strange.html"><em>Something Strange and Deadly</em> - Blog Tour hosted by Itching for Books</a>Linnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02424238289531677554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6361100901479824774.post-11709421395779174482012-05-27T16:01:00.002-04:002012-07-24T12:21:21.147-04:00Review: Club Dead (Sookie Stackhouse #3)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://nicolepoliti.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/clubdead1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://nicolepoliti.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/clubdead1.jpg" width="221" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: black;">Rating:</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Author:</span> </strong>Charlaine Harris<br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Publication:</span></strong> April 29th, 2003<br />
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<span style="color: black;"><strong>Add:</strong></span> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/685386.Club_Dead">GoodReads</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Club-Dead-Southern-Vampire-Mysteries/dp/0441010512">Amazon</a><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Description:</span></strong> <span id="freeText16546499083827092959"><span id="freeText16091986775913061419"><span id="freeTextContainer12435603963517641009"><span id="freeTextContainer5093394796266806977"><span id="freeTextContainer15912086862308330513"><span id="freeText9983619577169691731"><span id="freeText2006328546347949678"><span id="freeText15107828942447745778"><span id="freeText14331005932061267968"><span id="freeText9649604659090961829"><span id="freeText13589963528368470073"><span id="freeText12102057917343142910"><span id="freeTextContainer10479147986076235983"><span id="freeText18337922471149473058"><em>Things between cocktail waitress Sookie and her vampire boyfriend Bill seem to be going excellently (apart from the small matter of him being undead) until he leaves town for a while. A long while. Bill's sinister boss Eric has an idea of where to find him, whisking her off to Jackson, Mississippi to mingle with the under-underworld at Club Dead. </em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<em>When she finally catches up with the errant vampire, he is in big trouble and caught in an act of serious betrayal. This raises serious doubts as to whether she should save him or start sharpening a few stakes of her own ..</em><br />
Via GoodReads.</blockquote>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;">My Review:</span> </h2>
I really enjoyed reading the first two books in the <i>Sookie Stackhouse</i> series, <i><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-dead-until-dark-sookie.html">Dead Until Dark</a></i> and <i><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-living-dead-in-dallas-sookie-s-2.html">Living Dead In Dallas</a></i>. Well, Harris has knocked it out of the ball park with <i>Club Dead</i>. Not only does it continue with the great writing, storyline, and fun characters that we've come to love, but it also brings an extra dose of action and danger.<br />
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The <em>Sookie Stackhouse</em> series has an abundance of supernatural fun and mysteries for Sookie to solve, but <em>Club Dead</em> had all of that and added more action and danger to the story. <em>Club Dead</em> was an exciting story from beginning to end as Sookie travels to Mississippi with a werewolf in search of Bill, who has been abducted by the vampire King of Mississippi. Sookie and the werewolf, Alcide Hervoe, face everything from an angry werewolf gang, to Alcide's crazy ex, and even a dead body in their closet. This book never gives you a break as you are laughing about an awkward situation one minute and worried the characters will get caught and killed the next. <br />
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Alcide Hervoe, the werewolf that is forced to help Sookie in her quest to save Bill, is a great new addition to the <em>Sookie Stackhouse</em> series. Alcide is kind, funny, handsome, and shows that he cares for Sookie like Bill never did. His one and only flaw is his ex girlfriend, Debbie. Debbie is a crazy, manipulative bitch who somehow manages to fool Alcide into liking her and going back to her again and again. They have a very love/hate relationship. Besides Debbie though, Alcide seems to be the perfect guy. Definitely 100 times better than Bill, that's for sure. <br />
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From the very first book, I have not liked Bill. He was cold, always serious, and never did anything to show Sookie that he actually cared about her and wasn't just using her as his personal sex slave and blood bank (to put it frankly). Well guess what. In the beginning of the book, Bill runs off with his former love and vampire creator, Lorena, ditching Sookie without even a goodbye. What a jerk! Being the loyal and kind person that Sookie is, she decides to try to find Bill when he is abducted despite his betrayal. This betrayal only gave me more reason to hate Bill and finally a reason for Sookie to see the light and dump him, so I honestly was happy that he ran off with Lorena. I do wish Sookie was even more mad with him though. When she gets the chance to confront him about it, she throws a little fit and then <em>cuddles with him</em> for a bit before regaining her self respect and walking away. I wanted her to vow never to speak to him again and have Eric beat him up or something. But Sookie's a nice person and I'm not, so whatever. <br />
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Speaking of Eric, the tall, hilarious, and handsome vampire that I loved from the first two books, he's in <em>Club Dead</em> too! It was Eric who first told Sookie that Bill had been taken and asked her to look for him. After a short time in Mississippi, Eric comes to check up on Sookie and her progress in the search. Of course, there's a lot of testosterone in the room with Eric and Alcide and it's a lot of fun. I love how Eric and Sookie always joke around, and it's clear that Eric is really starting to have some feelings for her. Even though Alcide seems like a perfect guy, I've got to say that Eric is still my favorite.<br />
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“My eyes flew open, and I pushed back against rock-hard shoulders. I let out a little squeak of horror.<br />
"It's me," said a familiar voice.<br />
..."Eric, what are you doing here?"<br />
"Snuggling.”</blockquote>
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With its exciting adventure, more life-threatening situations, a new hot guy, a great Bill ditching, and just as many moments that had me laughing, <em>Club Dead</em> is definitely one of my most favorite <em>Sookie Stackhouse</em> books.<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;">Summed Up:</span></h2>
My favorite book in the series so far. Great storyline, writing, characters, and full of action of funny scenes. The best part - goodbye Bill! I only wish that Sookie was angrier at him for what he did..<br />
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<h2>
<span style="color: black;">Sookie Stackhouse Series</span></h2>
Review for #1: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-dead-until-dark-sookie.html">Dead Until Dark</a></em><br />
Review for #2: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-living-dead-in-dallas-sookie-s-2.html">Living Dead In Dallas</a></em><br />
Review for #3: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-club-dead-sookie-stackhouse-3.html">Club Dead</a></em><br />
Review for #4: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-dead-to-world-sookie-stackhouse.html">Dead to the World</a></em><br />
Review for #5: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-dead-as-doornail-sookie.html">Dead as a Doornail</a></em><br />
Review for #6: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-definitely-dead-sookie.html">Definitely Dead</a></em><br />
Review for #7: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-all-together-dead-sookie.html">All Together Dead</a></em> <br />
Review for #8: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/07/review-from-dead-to-worse-sookie.html">From Dead to Worse</a></em><br />
Review for #9: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/07/review-dead-and-gone-sookie-stackhouse-9.html">Dead and Gone</a></em>Linnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02424238289531677554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6361100901479824774.post-63052864296868507332012-05-26T19:08:00.001-04:002012-05-27T00:17:04.407-04:00Kindle Freebies #4<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm always on the lookout for some nice freebies, and if I find some good ones I will post them here. </div>
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Grab 'em quick though - I honestly have no idea how long the sale on these babies will last.</div>
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<a href="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1323187235l/12497203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1323187235l/12497203.jpg" width="213" /></a><span style="color: black;"><strong>Title: </strong></span><span style="color: #666666;">Exiled (Immortal Essence #1)</span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Author:</span> </strong>RaShelle Workman<br />
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<span style="color: black;"><strong>Add:</strong></span> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12497203-exiled">GoodReads</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/EXILED-Immortal-Essence-Series-ebook/dp/B005S5LSU8/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1337459661&sr=1-1">Amazon</a><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="color: black;">Thoughts:</span></strong> I am in <em>love</em> with this cover. Just look at it! I was thrilled when I saw it was currently on sale for free since it was already on my wishlist. I'm suprised it is since it's not self-published, though it isn't from a major publisher either.</span></b><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">The reviews seem to be pretty love it or hate it. The description of an alien queen banished to Earth definitely peeks my interest though and I can't wait to read it.</span></b></div>
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<em><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/EXILED-Immortal-Essence-Series-ebook/dp/B005S5LSU8/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1337459661&sr=1-1">Click Here to get it FREE on Amazon</a></span></em><br />
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<a href="http://www.fictitiousmusings.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/witch-song.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.fictitiousmusings.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/witch-song.jpg" width="210" /></a><span style="color: black;"><strong>Title: </strong></span><span style="color: #666666;">Witch Song</span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Author:</span> </strong>Amber Argyle<br />
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<span style="color: black;"><strong>Add:</strong></span> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10400575-witch-song">GoodReads</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Witch-Song-ebook/dp/B005K074SG/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1337740950&sr=1-1&utm_source=Rhemalda+Opus&utm_campaign=9765b8d0aa-Free_Books5_2_2012&utm_medium=email">Amazon</a><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="color: black;">Thoughts:</span></strong> Another beautiful cover! They always seem to draw me in like a moth to a flame. <em>Witch Song</em>'s cover has a very sweet but errie feel to it - and is that a digital painting? So pretty.</span></b><br />
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The reviews for this one are a little better, at an average 3.8 stars on GoodReads, and many of my friends rated it a solid 4. I'll take a 4 anyday. I haven't actually read many witch books either.</div>
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<em><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Witch-Song-ebook/dp/B005K074SG/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1337740950&sr=1-1&utm_source=Rhemalda+Opus&utm_campaign=9765b8d0aa-Free_Books5_2_2012&utm_medium=email">Click Here to get it FREE on Amazon</a></span></em></div>
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<a href="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1335723682l/13422043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1335723682l/13422043.jpg" width="216" /></a><span style="color: black;"><strong>Title: </strong></span><span style="color: #666666;">Guardian (Creepy Hollow #1)</span></div>
<span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span><strong><span style="color: black;">Author:</span> </strong>Rachel Morgan<br />
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<span style="color: black;"><strong>Add:</strong></span> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13422043-guardian">GoodReads</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007FRJGXI?ie=UTF8&tag=somlikitpar-20&linkCode=shr&camp=213733&creative=393177&creativeASIN=B007FRJGXI&ref_=sr_1_1&qid=1338064014&sr=8-1">Amazon</a><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="color: black;">Thoughts:</span></strong> Not nearly as in love with the cover of <em>Guardian</em> as the others, but those are some tough competition and this one is definitely pretty nice. Loving the purple hair and eye combo. </span></b><br />
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The description of guardian faeries sounds interesting for sure. And it currently has an average rating of 4.2 on GoodReads!</div>
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<em><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007FRJGXI?ie=UTF8&tag=somlikitpar-20&linkCode=shr&camp=213733&creative=393177&creativeASIN=B007FRJGXI&ref_=sr_1_1&qid=1338064014&sr=8-1">Click Here to get it FREE on Amazon</a></span></em></div>
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</div>Linnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02424238289531677554noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6361100901479824774.post-20548729283637735682012-05-21T21:19:00.000-04:002012-07-24T12:21:35.992-04:00Review: Living Dead In Dallas (Sookie S. #2)<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b5MFRW9guq0/TZDxyfjMo7I/AAAAAAAAAzQ/NcIH32BCvRk/s1600/Read-Living-Dead-in-Dallas-online.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b5MFRW9guq0/TZDxyfjMo7I/AAAAAAAAAzQ/NcIH32BCvRk/s320/Read-Living-Dead-in-Dallas-online.jpg" width="197" /></a><strong><span style="color: black;">Rating:</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Author:</span> </strong>Charlaine Harris<br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Publication:</span></strong> January 1st, 2002<br />
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<span style="color: black;"><strong>Add:</strong></span> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/110494.Living_Dead_in_Dallas">GoodReads</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Living-Dallas-Sookie-Stackhouse-Blood/dp/0441019315/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337478186&sr=8-1">Amazon</a><br />
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<blockquote class="blockquote2">
<strong><span style="color: black;">Description:</span></strong> <span id="freeText16546499083827092959"><span id="freeText16091986775913061419"><span id="freeTextContainer12435603963517641009"><span id="freeTextContainer5093394796266806977"><span id="freeTextContainer15912086862308330513"><span id="freeText9983619577169691731"><span id="freeText2006328546347949678"><span id="freeText15107828942447745778"><span id="freeText14331005932061267968"><span id="freeText9649604659090961829"><span id="freeText13589963528368470073"><span id="freeText12102057917343142910"><span id="freeTextContainer10479147986076235983"><em>Cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse isn't happy. Her co-worker has been
murdered and no one seems to care. If that wasn't enough she's got
blood-poisoning and a raging fever. Luckily, some friendly vampires graciously
suck the poison from her veins (like they didn't enjoy it). But, seeing as they
did save her life, when they come asking for a favour she can hardly refuse. She
quickly finds herself using her telepathic skills in the search for a missing
vampire, but when they break their good behaviour condition over a tasty blond,
things go rapidly and horribly wrong ...</em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
Via Amazon.</blockquote>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;">My Review:</span></h2>
<em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-dead-until-dark-sookie.html">Dead Until Dark</a></em> hooked me in and now <em>Living Dead In Dallas</em> has pulled me under. The series continues with the fun and exciting story that can have me laughing one minute and telling the main characters to run for it the very next. <br />
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One of the most interesting things about <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-dead-until-dark-sookie.html">Dead Until Dark</a></em> was the many different supernatural elements all encorporated into one storyline. This trend continued in <em>Living Dead In Dallas</em>, as we continue our fun with vampires, learn more about shapeshifters, are introduced to werewolves, and even run into a nasty maenad. The series also continues with a brand new mystery - or two, in this story. One of Sookie's coworkers is killed and she will do whatever she can to figure out who did it, even if it means attending a "sex club". On top of that, the vampires in Dallas have bargained with Eric to use her telepathic services to figure out what happened to one of their missing members.<br />
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As you can see, Sookie has a lot on her shoulders in <em>Living Dead In Dallas</em>, but she remains strong and fights to find the truth behind both mysteries. I love Sookie's perseverance and strong will. Both of which, however, seem to evaporate when Bill is around. Bill. Ever annoying, too serious and cold, and always treating Sookie like a possesion rather than someone he "loves". At this point, they've still only know each other a month or two and the word love definitely does not describe what I see between them. More like lust. And despite Bill's many flaws, Sookie forgives him at the first lusty, jealous glance Bill throws her way after an incident in Dallas. I won't give away the dirty deets, but the "incident in Dallas" = Sookie in possible danger, Eric protects her while Bill runs off without even checking on her. Speaking of the amazing Eric..<br />
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In my review of <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-dead-until-dark-sookie.html">Dead Until Dark</a></em>, I noted that Bill's boss Eric was a fun character and that I hoped to see more of him in this book. My wish was granted. There is much more Eric in <em>Living Dead In Dallas</em> and I love every minute of it. Not only is he clearly interested in Sookie and protected her during the "incident in Dallas" when her darling Bill was no where to be seen, but he's so much more than Bill could ever dream of being. Eric is really tall and really hot where Bill has freaking sideburns. Eric is funny where Bill is brooding and cold. Because of that, Eric and Sookie can keep a fun banter where Bill would just glower or be silent.<br />
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“By the way, I haven't heard an 'I'm sorry' from you yet." My sense of grievance had overwhelmed my sense of self-preservation.<br />
"I am sorry that the maenad picked on you."<br />
I glared at him. "Not enough," I said. I was trying hard to hang on to this conversation.<br />
"Angelic Sookie, vision of love and beauty, I am prostrate that the wicked evil maenad violated your smooth and voluptuous body, in an attempt to deliver a message to me."<br />
"That's more like it.” </blockquote>
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Even though Sookie still needs to open her eyes and see the beefcake, blonde Viking vamp right in front of her rather than her current Civil War sideburn sissy, I very much enjoyed reading <em>Living Dead In Dallas</em>. With more Eric-y fun and an adventure to Texas, I can even safely say that I enjoyed this second installment more than the first in the <em>Sookie Stackhouse</em> series.<br />
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<h2>
<span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;">Summed Up:</span></h2>
Great storyline, writing, and characters like in the first book. Though, this one had more funny parts and Eric! I still don't like Bill though and he takes away from the book for me.<br />
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<span style="color: black;">Sookie Stackhouse Series</span></h2>
Review for #1: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-dead-until-dark-sookie.html">Dead Until Dark</a> </em><br />
Review for #2: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-living-dead-in-dallas-sookie-s-2.html">Living Dead In Dallas</a></em><br />
Review for #3: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-club-dead-sookie-stackhouse-3.html">Club Dead</a> </em><br />
Review for #4: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-dead-to-world-sookie-stackhouse.html">Dead to the World</a></em><br />
Review for #5: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-dead-as-doornail-sookie.html">Dead as a Doornail</a></em><br />
Review for #6: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-definitely-dead-sookie.html">Definitely Dead</a></em><br />
Review for #7: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-all-together-dead-sookie.html">All Together Dead</a></em> <br />
Review for #8: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/07/review-from-dead-to-worse-sookie.html">From Dead to Worse</a></em><br />
Review for #9: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/07/review-dead-and-gone-sookie-stackhouse-9.html">Dead and Gone</a></em>Linnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02424238289531677554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6361100901479824774.post-29441666284745929262012-05-18T22:33:00.000-04:002012-07-24T12:21:57.551-04:00Review: Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse #1)<br />
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<a href="http://blackplume.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/dead-until-dark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://blackplume.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/dead-until-dark.jpg" width="198" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: black;">Rating:</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Author:</span> </strong>Charlaine Harris<br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Publication:</span></strong> January 1st, 2001<br />
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<span style="color: black;"><strong>Add:</strong></span> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/301082.Dead_Until_Dark">GoodReads</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Until-Dark-Sookie-Stackhouse/dp/0441019331/ref=tmm_pap_title_0">Amazon</a><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Description:</span></strong> <span id="freeText16546499083827092959"><span id="freeText16091986775913061419"><span id="freeTextContainer12435603963517641009"><span id="freeTextContainer5093394796266806977"><span id="freeTextContainer15912086862308330513"><span id="freeText9983619577169691731"><span id="freeText2006328546347949678"><span id="freeText15107828942447745778"><span id="freeText14331005932061267968"><span id="freeText9649604659090961829"><span id="freeText13589963528368470073"><span id="freeText12102057917343142910"><span id="freeTextContainer10479147986076235983"><em>Sookie Stackhouse is just a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. Until the vampire of her dreams walks into her life-and one of her coworkers checks out.... </em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<em>Maybe having a vampire for a boyfriend isn't such a bright idea.</em><br />
Via GoodReads.</blockquote>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;">My Review:</span> </h2>
The <em>Sookie Stackhouse</em> series is one of my mom's absolute favorites. Even though I stick pretty strictly to Young Adult books, she's been insisting that I read it forever. Well, I finally gave in and I'm glad I did. While I had less appreciation for the adult content of the book than my mother, I enjoyed reading <em>Dead Until Dark </em>because of it's interesting storyline, fast-pacing, and great writing. <br />
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A lot of paranormal books choose a path and stick to it, whether it be vampires, werewolves, or witches. <em>Dead Until Dark</em>, however, took a bulging handful out of the paranormal cookie jar and threw it in the mixer along with a large helping of mystery. There are vampires, shapeshifters, and the main character herself, Sookie Stackhouse, is a telepath. Instead of just focusing on these elements though, it follows Sookie as she tries to figure out who is killing people in her small home town. To put the cherry on top of the exciting storyline, the writing was great. Since the story takes place in Louisiana, of course we must expect some southern accents and slang. I was pleased to find that, rather than drowning the reader in "ya'll"s and "yer"s, Harris made the accent subtle in the writing so that it wasn't annoying to read but still obviously present. Also, Harris made the story fast-paced and filled with moments that had me cracking up, never allowing the reader to get bored. <br />
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The main character of the story, Sookie Stackhouse, is a small-time cocktail waitress living with her grandmother in her small home-town. She's pretty and sweet, but hasn't gotten too far in life (with schooling and men) because of her "disability" - her ability to read minds. Sookie is smarter than she gives herself credit for, though sometimes she does speak without thinking first. Sookie sticks up for herself and is always saying something that makes me laugh. Sookie was virtually a perfect heroine, expect when it came to Bill Compton..<br />
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I didn't like Bill. He was a vampire, which was cool and all, but he himself was a pretty one-dimensional character. I didn't like the romance with Sookie and Bill. They called it love (pretty quickly, I might add), but it was only based in the physical. Sookie was immidiately intrigued by Bill because she couldn't hear his thoughts and it was a relief not to be flooded with his thoughts like she is with humans.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"I opened my mind, let my gaurd down completely, relaxed. His silence washed over me. I stood, closed my eyes, breathed out the relief that was too profound for words.” </blockquote>
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As soon as she feels his silent mind, she wants to feel the rest of him too. Literally. And she quickly figures out that she can't hear the thoughts of <em>any</em> vampires, so it's not like she really liked <em>Bill</em>. They didn't spend any time talking and getting to know eachother, it was just "Hey, I like you because I can't hear your thoughts and you like me because I can read minds. Let's do it." And did it, they did. Some times in more detail than others. Nothing too explicit though. Thought I should mention that for any other YA regulars out of their element here. <br />
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What made the eye rolling romance even worse was that there were other fish in the sea ready for Sookie to catch. Like Sam, Sookie's boss at the bar. I liked him better than Bill, though he wasn't too much better because of the way he didn't really appreciate Sookie. We also meet Eric, another vampire and Bill's boss, who makes it obvious he's interested in her. He was a small part of the book, but I most certainly liked him better than Bill. <br />
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All in all, I'm glad that I decided to leave my comfort zone and read <em>Dead Until Dark</em> after my mom's persistant recommendation of the <em>Sookie</em> <em>Stackhouse</em> series. It was an exciting read with everything that I look for in a good book. The one and only thing that I didn't like about it was Bill, as a character and as Sookie's love interest.<br />
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<h2>
<span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;">Summed Up:</span></h2>
An entertaining read and good start to the series. It had great writing, fun storyline, good characters, and even some funny parts. I didn't like the instalove romance <em>or</em> the love interest, Bill, though.<br />
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<h2>
<span style="color: black;">Sookie Stackhouse Series</span></h2>
Review for #1: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-dead-until-dark-sookie.html">Dead Until Dark</a> </em><br />
Review for #2: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-living-dead-in-dallas-sookie-s-2.html">Living Dead In Dallas</a></em><br />
Review for #3: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-club-dead-sookie-stackhouse-3.html">Club Dead</a> </em><br />
Review for #4: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-dead-to-world-sookie-stackhouse.html">Dead to the World</a> </em><br />
Review for #5: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-dead-as-doornail-sookie.html">Dead as a Doornail</a></em><br />
Review for #6: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-definitely-dead-sookie.html">Definitely Dead</a></em><br />
Review for #7: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-all-together-dead-sookie.html">All Together Dead</a></em><br />
Review for #8: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/07/review-from-dead-to-worse-sookie.html">From Dead to Worse</a></em><br />
Review for #9: <em><a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/07/review-dead-and-gone-sookie-stackhouse-9.html">Dead and Gone</a></em>Linnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02424238289531677554noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6361100901479824774.post-50354307650383908352012-05-17T23:05:00.000-04:002012-06-26T13:45:47.564-04:00Review: Sweet Evil (The Sweet Trilogy #1)<br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Author:</span> </strong>Wendy Higgins<br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Publication:</span></strong> May 1st, 2012<br />
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<span style="color: black;"><strong>Add:</strong></span> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11808950-sweet-evil">GoodReads</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Evil-Wendy-Higgins/dp/0062085611/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1337188708&sr=1-1">Amazon</a><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Description:</span></strong> <span id="freeText16546499083827092959"><span id="freeText16091986775913061419"><span id="freeTextContainer12435603963517641009"><span id="freeTextContainer5093394796266806977"><span id="freeTextContainer15912086862308330513"><span id="freeText9983619577169691731"><span id="freeText2006328546347949678"><span id="freeText15107828942447745778"><span id="freeText14331005932061267968"><span id="freeText9649604659090961829"><span id="freeText13589963528368470073"><span id="freeText12102057917343142910"><em>What if there were teens whose lives depended on being bad influences? <br />This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels in Sweet Evil.<br /><br />Tenderhearted Southern girl, Anna Whitt, was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage, and her will-power is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.<br /><br />Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?</em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
Via GoodReads.</blockquote>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;">My Review:</span> </h2>
From the moment I read the description of <em>Sweet Evil</em>, I was dying to get my hands on a copy. I mean, a bad boy? Count me in! And it was listed under demons, which happen to be my favorite paranormal twist in books. With a creative and unique storyline that kept me reading from beginning to end, and some smokin' hot scenes with the previously mentioned yummy bad boy, I wasn't disappointed. <br />
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If you know me, you know that my favorite kind of books are the ones that don't shy away from the darker aspects of paranormal literature (i.e. death, demons, evil, etc). Well, <i>Sweet Evil</i> didn't shy away from anything, and even took a new path of evil that I hadn't read before - the seven deadly sins. To be completely honest, I've never done anything "bad" in my life. I live a happy, sheltered life with my books. <br />
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So it was really interesting to read as the characters partook in and promoted drinking, drugs, lust, adultery, envy, and more. Educational, you could say. "My God, why where the characters doing that?!", your grandmother might say. Well, when the description said "<em>What if there were teens whose lives depended on being bad influences?",</em> it meant it literally. <br />
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As I said earlier, <em>Sweet Evil</em> focused on the seven deadly sins. There is a fallen angel, aka demon, on Earth to represent each of the sins. It's their job to spread their specific sin through the human populous, slowly corrupting them and turning them against God. These Dukes of Sin, inevitably, have kids with humans over the years. These kids are called nephlim. It's the nephlim's job to help their fathers spread their specific sin through the world in any way they can, or else. So, literally, their lives depend on promoting envy, gluttony, lust, and even substance abuse, depending on which sin their father represents. This very unique storyline was definitely my favorite part about reading <em>Sweet Evil</em>. It was creative and intriguing. The main chracters, however, weren't nearly as great.<br />
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A lot of YA books feature the good girl meets bad boy tale, but <em>Sweet Evil</em> brought that to a whole new level. Which wasn't entirely a good thing to me. When I say it was on a whole new level, I mean both the good and the bad were, like, amplified. Ana was the epitome of sugar, spice and everything nice. She was sweet and kind, but also overly, annoyingly innocent and naive. During the beginning of the book she tells a lie about Kaidan to a complete stranger, and then immidiately tells them it was actually a lie and then later in the book tells Kaidan about the little lie. I mean, really? Just drop it. And then her blind obsession with Kaidan also made me frustrated. <br />
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So, you know how I said that the bad in bad boy was amplified too? Kaidan was a complete man whore. As the son of the Duke of Lust, forced to spread lust for his father, it wasn't really his fault. But still. Ana and Kaidan would be having a smokin' hot scene and I kept thinking, where have those hands been..? Then, again not really his fault, Kaidan kept "working" with other girls after said smokin' hot scenes with Ana. Despite my great dislike of his hoeish ways, Kaidan is undeniably hot. I'll give Ana that. <br />
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“He was smoking hot. As in H-O-T-T, hott. I’d never understood until that moment why girls insisted on adding an extra t. This guy was extra-t-worthy.”</blockquote>
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But that does not give Ana the excuse to pull a Bella Swan signature curl-up-and-die-because-he-left move when Kaidan decides to have one of his silent treatments (which he would go on and off doing through the book like the wind changes direction). So <em>maybe</em> he was doing it to "protect her", but it's not like we haven't heard that line before. Mostly I'm just annoyed at Ana for putting up with it and having Kaidan withdrawal depressions. Don't get me wrong, I overall liked Ana, but come on girl.<br />
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<em>Sweet Evil</em> took a completely fresh look at the angels, demons, and nephlim that we have come to know and love in YA literature. Exciting, creative, and fun to read, I had <em>Sweet Evil</em> finished in record time. It would've definitely gotten a full 5 hearts from me if it hadn't been for my little issues with Ana and Kaidan. I recommend <em>Sweet Evil</em> to anyone looking for a great read with an original storyline a little darker than your average YA. <br />
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*I want to say thank you to Tess at <a href="http://tessmw.blogspot.com/">My Pathway to Books</a> for giving me this book for winning one of her giveaways. Thank you so much!*<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;">Summed Up:</span></h2>
A great start to the new series. Loved the unique storyline and all of the edgey scenes in the book. Had a hot romance too! Only drawback - the main characters annoyed me sometimes.Linnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02424238289531677554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6361100901479824774.post-81075779181262466642012-05-16T12:06:00.000-04:002012-06-26T13:46:15.675-04:00Waiting on Wednesday #7<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by <a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/">Breaking the Spine</a> that</div>
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spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Author:</span> </strong>Anna Banks<br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Publication:</span> </strong>May 22nd, 2012<br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Add:</span></strong> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12425532-of-poseidon">GoodReads</a> <span style="color: #666666;">|</span> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Poseidon-Anna-Banks/dp/1250003326/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1337181554&sr=1-1">Amazon</a><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Description:</span></strong> <span id="freeText12708267204328164155"><span id="freeText3433683417198804578"><span id="freeText11283717140644915186"><span id="freeText9157812422310677192"><em>Galen, a Syrena prince, searches land for a girl he's heard can communicate with fish. It’s while Emma is on vacation at the beach that she meets Galen. Although their connection is immediate and powerful, Galen's not fully convinced that Emma's the one he's been looking for. That is, until a deadly encounter with a shark proves that Emma and her Gift may be the only thing that can save his kingdom. He needs her help--no matter what the risk.</em><a class="actionLinkLite" href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12425532-of-poseidon#"></a></span></span></span></span><br />
Via GoodReads.</blockquote>
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<span style="color: black;"><strong>Why I'm Waiting: </strong></span>Living in the state with more lakes than it knows what to do with, I've done a whole lot of swimming in my life. A large portion of that swimming has been me pretending to be a mermaid. There, the fin's out of the bag. So whenever I see a new mer book, I can't help but be excited about it. I'm even reading a new fin-friendly book right now! (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tangled-Tides-Monster-Memoirs-ebook/dp/B006E4PEE8/ref=dp_kinw_strp_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2"><i>Tangled Tides</i> - currently free for Kindle!</a>) And come on, <i>a mer prince searching for the one girl that can save his kingdom.. </i>Sounds hot. An added bonus is that <b>all </b>of my friends on GoodReads that have already gotten to read this one have given it a whopping 5 stars.<br />
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What are you guys waiting to read?<br />
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<b><span style="color: black;">Blog Update:</span></b> Ever since I got my rad new blog design, I've been trying to figure out how to get threaded comments. I've gotten very sick of writing "@Joe Shmoe" comments that are five away from the person I'm replying to. Well, I've switched to <a href="http://www.disqus.com/">Disqus</a>! Yay! Just wanted to let you guys know since all comments from before have been imported over and I'll be going back and changing my old "@" comments to actual threaded replies.Linnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02424238289531677554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6361100901479824774.post-5738226650911349742012-05-15T18:41:00.000-04:002012-06-26T13:46:49.006-04:00Review: The Host<br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Author:</span> </strong>Stephenie Meyer<br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Publication:</span> </strong>May 6th, 2008<br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Add:</span></strong> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8494339-the-host">GoodReads</a> <span style="color: #666666;">|</span> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Host-Novel-Stephenie-Meyer/dp/0316043044/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1337014566&sr=1-1">Amazon</a><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Description:</span></strong> <span id="freeText16546499083827092959"><span id="freeText16091986775913061419"><span id="freeTextContainer12435603963517641009"><span id="freeTextContainer5093394796266806977"><span id="freeTextContainer15912086862308330513"><span id="freeText9983619577169691731"><span id="freeText2006328546347949678"><span id="freeTextContainer8888875899404695615"><span id="freeText7072320435681914831"><span id="freeText17930241395696759068"><em>Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. Our world has been invaded by an unseen enemy. Humans become hosts for these invaders, their minds taken over while their bodies remain intact and continue their lives apparently unchanged. Most of humanity has succumbed.<br /><br />When Melanie, one of the few remaining "wild" humans, is captured, she is certain it is her end. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, was warned about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the glut of senses, the too-vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.<br /><br />Wanderer probes Melanie's thoughts, hoping to discover the whereabouts of the remaining human resistance. Instead, Melanie fills Wanderer's mind with visions of the man Melanie loves - Jared, a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body's desires, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she has been tasked with exposing. When outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off on a dangerous and uncertain search for the man they both love.</em><a class="actionLinkLite" href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1656001.The_Host#"></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
Via GoodReads.</blockquote>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;">My Review:</span> </h2>
Honestly, I'm not the biggest fan of the <em>Twilight</em> series...<br />
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So, it took my mother and sister a lot of presuading before I finally gave in and read <em>The Host</em>. Wow, am I glad I did. <em>The Host</em> was a breathtaking story that was original, exciting, and moving. It was a trully beautiful story. <br />
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My one and only complaint with <em>The Host</em> is the slightly confusing beginning of the book. The reader is immidiately thrust into a strange place with strange people using strange words, none of which is explained. But now that I'm typing this, maybe Meyer did this on purpose - giving the readers the same confusion and disorientation that Wanderer was feeling after waking up in a new body on an entirely new planet, since the story is told from Wanderer's point of view. Which is actually pretty genius. I see multiple reviews on GoodReads where readers put down <em>The Host</em> and didn't come back to it because of this first chapter or so. I honestly didn't think it was that bad, but if you do, don't give up! Trust me, you won't regret it. <br />
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Did you read the synopses? Because this storyline is just as amazing as it sounds, plus much more because of all the things they couldn't say due to spoilers. This story is trully original and amazing. The more I read, the more I was awed by the depth and magnificence of the world that Meyer created with both the human rebels and the alien life. Not only am I in love with the storyline and the writing that made it all come together, but also the characters.<br />
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Wanderer, the main character of the book, a "soul" alien that has taken control of rebel human Melanie's body, is awesome. Some reviewers say that they thought Wanderer was too kind and too self-sacrificing to be realistic. I agree 100%. For a <strong>human</strong>, that is. Wanderer, however, is a soul. The souls have come to Earth and other planets to experience life there by living through hosts from that planet and to make these planets better by irradicating all violence and suffering. Souls are known for their ever good and helpful natures. Wanderer had these characteristics, but also grew into something more than your average soul as she basked in the vivid emotions of her human host.<br />
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Melanie, a voice in the forefront of Wanderer's mind as Melanie refuses to give up the control of her body without a fight, also grew on me. Melanie is solely focused on saving the ones that she loves, Jamie her younger brother and Jared the man she loves. These powerful feelings seep into Wanderer until she too loves them and will do whatever she has to to protect them. As far as characters go, I really liked Jamie, but Jared was a complete and utter a-hole. That's all I'll say about that. <br />
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My favorite character, next to Wanderer, was Ian O'Shea. Wow, do I wish I could have a guy like that. <br />
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“It’s not the face, but the expressions on it. It’s not the voice, but what you say. It’s not how you look in that body, but the thing you do with it. You are beautiful.”</blockquote>
Ian loves Wanderer, the little parasitic alien, not the body that she is residing in. Swoon. Definitely one of the parts where I got teary eyed. What an amazing guy. Wanderer begins to have feelings for him as well, but is confused by Melanie's overpowering love for Jared. What will she do? I'll let you find out when you read it.<br />
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<strong>Sidenote:</strong> Being "unconditionally and irrevocably in love" with Ian myself, I just had to look up who would be playing him in the upcoming film for <em>The Host</em>. Guess who's playing him!<br />
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Yup, Jake Abel. </div>
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So, not only is Ian a sweetheart, but he's also a total babe. And what's really ironic is that I was literally just drooling over Jake in my last review, <a href="http://linnyslit.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-dark-kiss-nightwatchers-1.html">Dark Kiss</a>. I guess the gods were smiling upon me.<br />
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Anywho, the ending did the wonderful story justice as well. It was perfect, though I do wish that I could hear more of Wanderer's story just because I loved this one so much. On Oprah, Meyer stated that she <em>might</em> write two more books for a <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/series/46642-the-host"><em>Host</em> trilogy</a>. It's all very ify though. I'm hoping that after the inevitable success of the upcoming movie, Meyer will be inspired to continue writing.<br />
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<em>The Host</em> is definitely now one of my all-time favorite books. It was that good. I laughed, I cried, I feared for my life, I fell in love. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone looking for an amazing read, most certainly not just to the lovers of Meyer's <em>Twilight</em> series.<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;">Summed Up:</span></h2>
This is absolutely one of my new all-time favorite books! I loved everything about it: the unique storyline, the main character and the other characters, the love interest, the wonderful romance, and the great writing. It should be noted that the first chapter was a little confusing, but not too bad.Linnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02424238289531677554noreply@blogger.com10