Book Review: Lust

I stayed up late last night to finish LUST by Robin Wasserman. This is the first book in the Seven Deadly Sins series, followed by ENVY, PRIDE, WRATH, SLOTH, GLUTTONY, and GREED. I reviewed the movie just last weekend, and ever since seeing the movie, I'd been needing to start the series. It was fantastic. The movie seems to follow the first book, and we'll see if that continues. And, of course, there was a lot left out. I'm glad I saw the movie first, though. It switches from one character to the next, and I think it was easier to follow now that I feel familiar with them. I can't wait to read the next book!


Check out the rest of the series, and Robin Wasserman's other books, here: http://www.robinwasserman.com/

Synopsis:

Alpha girl Harper is used to getting what she wants,

and that means Adam,

Beth's all-American boytoy.

Blond, boring Beth, who Kane,

the charming playah, secretly wants too.

Miranda thinks Kane is out of her league,

but she wants him all the same.

And then there's the new girl.

Kaia. Who only wants trouble --

and he's definitely on his way.

Want to know more?

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And the winner is... youprobdontknowme. Congrats! Check your email. :)

Book Review: Sunshine

I was curious about SUNSHINE by Robin McKinley after hearing several great reviews. And when I picked it up I found a blurb from the fabulous Melissa Marr. I have several of Robin McKinley's books on my TBR, but this is the first one I've read.


There were so many things about it that I loved. Constantine, being the first. The world that Robin created has some similarities, but also many differences from so many urban fantasy worlds. Vampires, weres, spellcasters, part demons, and more... And the humans know about them. Unfortunately, if you are one, life isn't easy.


Sunshine, whose real name is Rae Seddon, knows she isn't just a regular human, but she keeps that a secret until she needs to use her power to save her life. Constantine, an old vampire, needs her help. And an unusual alliance begins. The problem... the only Other race that is completely unacceptable is the vampire.


Even if you are burnt out on vampires, pick this one up anyway.



Synopsis:



They took her clothes and sneakers. They dressed her in a long red gown. And they shackled her to the wall of an abandoned mansion - within easy reach of a figure stirring in the moonlight.


She knows that it is a vampire.


She knows that she's to be his dinner, and that when he is finished with her, she will be dead. Yet, when light breaks, she finds that he has not attempted to harm her. And now it is he who needs her to help him survive the day.

Though the main character is about 25, it was recently republished in the YA section. You'll find it with the cover you see below.

Book Review: The Sea of Monsters

THE SEA OF MONSTERS is even better than the first book the in Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. Rick Riordan does an excellent job of taking Greek myth and putting it in the modern world. Humans don't see the monsters and the weirdness because of the mist... which skews the human's perception. The way he does this makes it seem like it could really happen. And who knows... it could be happening.

We have a new character introduced in this book: Tyson. I really like this new addition to Percy's team. You can kinda tell from the his introduction that he's not quite what Percy thinks he is. Human, he is not. But you'll have to read this yourself to find out what he is.

A highly recommended read... I can't wait for the next one!

Synopsis:

After a year spent trying to prevent a catastrophic war among the Greek gods, Percy Jackson finds his seventh-grade school year unnervingly quiet. His biggest problem is dealing with his new friend, Tyson - a six-foot-three, mentally challenged homeless kid who follows Percy everywhere, making it hard for Percy to have any "normal" friends.

But things don't stay quiet for long. Percy soon discovers there is trouble at Camp Half-Blood: The magical borders which protect Half=Blood Hill have been poisoned by a mysterious enemy, and the only safe haven for demigods is on the verge of being overrun by mythological monsters. To save the camp, Percy needs the help of his best friend, Grover, who has been taken prisoner by the Cyclops Polyphemus on an island somewhere in the Sea of Monsters - the dangerous waters Greek heroes have sailed for millenia - only today, the Sea of Monsters goes by a new name... the Bermuda Triangle.

Now Percy and his friends - Grover, Annabeth, and Tyson - must retrieve the Golden Fleece from the Island of the Cyclopes by the end of the summer or Camp Half-Blood will be destroyed. But first, Percy will learn a stunning new secret about his family - one that makes him question whether being claimed as Poseidon's son is an honor or simply a cruel joke.

Movie Review: 7 Deadly Sins (and giveaway)

I hope you all got the chance to catch 7 Deadly Sins, a Lifetime original movie based on the book series of the same name by Robin Wasserman. If you missed it, you missed an amazing movie, and I really hope you get the chance to catch it soon. I didn't know they were making this into a movie until a little over a week ago, or else I'd have read the books before last night. So, unfortunately, I can't do any comparison. The movie is four hours long and aired in two parts. Considering they put seven books into one movie, they did an incredible job.

The first half was fantastic. I was so hooked, I couldn't look away. The second half, while equally interesting, seemed a bit rushed in parts. The movie did an excellent job of segueing from one book to the other, as we followed seven characters through their senior year. The characters evolved a lot from the beginning. I liked some and hated others and they changed as the story did. One minute I'm on Harper's side. Then Beth's, and then Kane's. And now that's it over, I don't know who I love and hate. The story continually surprised me. Just when I thought I knew what was going to happen, I turned out to be wrong. I never knew what was coming. Sex, drugs, drinking, death, lots of eye candy... and all seven deadly sins...

The acting was really good, especially considering the fact that they were basically unknowns. The directing was good, too. There were scenes where you felt like a voyeur, which was interesting. Different. They also did a good job of incorporating the parents without making you feel like they were around too much. I know that's kinda a hot topic in YA. Having parents that care and are around without making it too much about them. And the parents had their own drama.



I really hope this movie comes out on DVD soon. It just ended, and I can't wait to see it again. It really makes you think about your actions, and payback is definitely a bitch.

Check out deleted scenes, pics, an interview with Robin Wasserman, and more here:

http://www.mylifetime.com/movies/seven-deadly-sins

I snagged a copy of LUST, the first book in the series, to give away. To enter, please answer this question: What did you love most about the movie? If you didn't see the movie, answer this question: Which is your favorite sin and why? Please be sure to leave your email in your response. Giveaway open to US and Canada.

Winner will be posted when I post a review for the book, later this week, so enter asap.

Want extra entries?

+1 for following my blog

+1 for following my twitter (username)

+1 for tweeting about it (leave link)

+1 for being Rather Lovely (username)

Green Valley Book Fair (and giveaway)

So thanks to WastePaperProse, I heard about the Green Valley Book Fair, a huge warehouse that sells books at 60-90% off. I got many books at a great deal.

The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia Wrede: DEALING WITH DRAGONS, SEARCHING FOR DRAGONS, CALLING ON DRAGONS, TALKING TO DRAGONS

BOOK OF ENCHANTMENTS by Patricia Wrede

THE SHADOW THIEVES by Anne Ursu, the first book in The Cronus Chronicles

WINGS by Jason Lethco, the first book in the Mysterious Mr. Spines series

GIRLWOOD by Claire Dean

POSSESSIONS and PRETTY LITTLE DEVILS by Nancy Holder

POISON INK by Christopher Golden

INTO THE WILD by Sarah Beth Durst and PROM DATES FROM HELL by Rosemary Clement Moore, both first books in the series when I already have the second ones

RUNEMARKS by Joanne Harris, heard a lot of good stuff about this one

LOOK BOTH WAYS by Jacquelyn Mitchard, second in The Midnight Twins series

ME, MY ELF, AND I by Heather Swain, about a tall, blonde elf

PRIVILEGE, the first in Kate Brian's spin-off series

GLUTTONY and SLOTH both in Robin Wasserman's Seven Deadly Sins series

HOW NOT TO BE POPULAR by Jennifer Ziegler

PRINCPLES OF LOVE and PEACE, LOVE, AND HAPPINESS by Emily Franklin

THE SCARLET LETTERMAN in the Bard Academy series by Cara Lockwood

GODDESS BOOT CAMP by Tera Lynn Childs, second in the series after OH.MY.GODS.

CRASH INTO ME by Albert Borris, been looking forward to this one for a while

HERO TYPE by Barry Lyga

JARS OF GLASS by Brad Barkley and Heather Hepler

CUPCAKE by Rachel Cohn

Luckily for you, I managed to buy two books that were already on my shelf. Oops. Why is this good for you? Well, since I don't need two, I'm giving them away. Giveaway open to US and Canada.

The books up for grabs are POISON INK and PRIVILEGE. Let me know which one you would prefer in a reply. I'll draw one winner for each. Winner drawn this Wednesday, May 26, midnight EST. I want to mail these out by Saturday, so please check the site. And don't forget to leave your email (if you don't have twitter) so I can contact you.

Extra entries:

+1 for following my blog

+1 for following me on twitter (user name)

+1 for tweeting

+1 for being Rather Lovely (user name)

Contest is closed. Congrats to Cam and Kelsey!

Book Review: Keeping the Moon

Keeping the Moonis another great novel by Sarah Dessen. This one hit on some very personal notes. Colie grew up being overweight. She then lost the weight, but got a new reputation... as a slut. How one becomes a slut while still being a virgin is beyond me. Anyway, I felt her pain, the pain of being teased for your weight. Of walking into a room and knowing people were talking about you. Of being pointed at by a group of people who are all watching you and snickering. It's very painful... even when it's in the past. Because the memories are still there.

I think it's important for teen girls to read this novel. The skinny, popular girls often don't realize just how bad teasing hurts... especially when it's about appearance. I think they know it hurts, but I don't think they realize it still hurts fifteen years later. Colie learns to love herself as she is. That (plus the weight loss) is something I'm working on. But this novel gave me a lot of inspiration.

Thanks, Sarah!

If you haven't checked out Sarah Dessen's work, definitely do so. Check out her site at http://www.sarahdessen.com And according to her blog, her next book, CUT AND RUN, comes out in about a year.



Fifteen-year-old Colie is spending the summer with her eccentric Aunt Mira while her mother travels. Formerly chubby and still insecure, Colie has built a shell around herself. But her summer with her aunt, her aunt's tenant Norman, and her friends at the Last Chance Diner teaches her some important lessons about friendship and learning to love yourself.

Book Review: Morganville 1-5

I've read the first five books of the Morganville Vampire series: GLASS HOUSES, THE DEAD GIRLS' DANCE, MIDNIGHT ALLEY, FEAST OF FOOLS, and LORD OF MISRULE. The series progresses where one book picks up right after the one before leaves off. While the series is well-written, it's not my favorite vampire series. The mythology behind the town is neat. Some people know about vampires, others don't. Once you leave, even if you knew about the vamps, all that fades from memory. It's how they're able to stay safe in that town... not that safe is really the correct term.

I'm not a huge fan of Claire, our MC. I was Team Shane, but am now firmly Team Michael. Also, I love Eve, Amelie, and Myrnin. Myrnin is one of the most interesting characters in any vampire book/series, I've read. Is he crazy? Possibly. Maybe only sometimes.

I enjoyed the first book and the second more. I really liked the third one, as well. Things get more complicated, and, of course, more interesting. The fourth and fifth were only okay for me. I hope they pick back up. I want to like them more than I am.

If you aren't burnt out on vampire books, these are pretty good. They definitely have some interesting differences than your typical vamp book.

Synopsis:

Welcome to Morganville, Texas.

Just don't stay out after dark.

College freshman Claire Danvers has had enough of her nightmarish dorm situation, where the popular girls never let her forget just where she ranks in the schools social scene: somewhere less than zero.

When Claire heads off-campus, the imposing old house where she finds a room may not be much better. Her new roommates don't show many signs of life, But they'll have Claire's back when the town's deepest secrets come crawling out, hungry fresh blood.


Synopsis:

Claire has her share of challenges. Like being a genius in a school that favors beauty over brains; homicidal girls in her dorm, and finding out that her college town is overrun with the living dead. On the up side, she has a new boyfriend with a vampire-hunting dad. But when a local fraternity throws the Dead Girls' Dance, hell is really going to break loose.

Synopsis:

Claire Danvers' college town may be run by vampires but a truce between the living and the dead made things relatively safe. For a while. Now people are turning up dead, a psycho is stalking her, and an ancient bloodsucker has proposed a private mentoring. To what end, Claire will find out. And it's giving night school a whole new meaning.

Synopsis:

The wait is over. Dig into the feast...

In the town of Morganville, vampires and humans live in relative peace. Student Claire Danvers has never been convinced though -- especially with the arrival of Mr. Bishop, an ancient, old-school vampire who cares nothing about harmony. What he wants from the town's living and its dead is unthinkably sinister. It's only at a formal ball, attended by vampires and their human dates, that Claire realizes the elaborately evil trap he's set for Morganville.

Synopsis:

In the college town of Morganville, vampires and humans coexist in (relatively) bloodless harmony. Then comes Bishop, the master vampire who threatens to abolish all order, revive the forces of the evil dead, and let chaos rule. But Bishop isn't the only threat.

Violent black cyclone clouds hover, promising a storm of devastating proportions as student Claire Danvers and her friends prepare to defend Morganville against elements both natural and unnatural.