Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Summer Giveaway Hop


Summer is honestly one of my favorite times of the year! Not only am I at the beach this week and working on a nice golden tan, but tomorrow is my BIRTHDAY!!! I'll be 19 years old! Woo hoo! But what other way to celebrate than to give away some awesome books to my awesome followers?? So I decided to sign up for this hop! Here are the books you can choose from: 

   

One winner will get to choose one of these awesome books! They're all great reads for laying out and working on that tan :) So what are you waiting for?? Go ahead and enter now! Giveaway ends August 7th! ***US ONLY***






Make sure you check out the other awesome giveaways going on from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer



Book Review: Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

Dead Until Dark
By Charlaine Harris
Release Date: January 1, 2001
Source: Bought Book
Summary: Sookie Stackhouse is a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. She's quite, keeps to herself, and doesn't get out much. Not because she's not pretty. She is. It's just that, well, Sookie has this sort of "disability." She can read minds. And that doesn't make her too dateable. And then along comes Bill. He's tall, dark, handsome - and Sookie can't hear a word he's thinking. He's exactly the type of guy she's been waiting for all her life....

But Bill has a disability of his own: he's a vampire with a bad reputation. He hangs with a seriously creepy crowd, all suspected of - big surprise - murder. And when one of Sookie's coworkers is killed, she fears she's next....


Review: This summer, my sister and I watched the first three seasons of True Blood in about three weeks. We were obsessed with the show and couldn't get enough of the southern charm and possessive vampires. I knew the show was based off of a very popular book series, so I decided to read the first one, hoping it would be as amazing as the show! Though it didn't live up to the awesomeness of the show, the book was still a fun story with fun characters. 

Sookie is definitely an interesting character! When she first sees a vampire walk into the bar she works at, her first instinct isn't to run or whisper like everyone else in the small town of Bon Temps, but rather she basically skips up to him and asks his order. The only problem with this (aside from vampires wanting to drink her blood) is that there's a killer on the loose in that southern town who is killing of waitresses who've been known to fraternize with vampires (basically, women just like Sookie). But Sookie's hardheaded personality doesn't let anything scare her from doing whatever she feels like. 

Not only is this a fun paranormal book, but it has an added bit of mystery to it! Though I already knew who the killer was from the show, anyone else would be in for a mystery that is very hard to solve until the last pages! Was it her brother, who's known to sleep with any woman who breathes, including all of the murdered victims? Or was it the dark, brooding vampire Bill who Sookie can't seem to stop thinking about? I guess you'll have to wait and see! 

The vampires have such different personalities and I love them all (well, at least the nice ones)! Bill is a perfect gentleman and not even close to the monster most people have seen vampires as once they "came out of the closet." I think that's why Sookie is so smitten with him! What's surprising about this book, though, was how quickly things passed by! It took the entire first season of the show to get through what this one book did. I kind of liked the pacing better because it never got too boring and something new was already happening. 

So overall, this was a fun, quick, and quirky paranormal read! Some parts were better than the show while others were not as great, but it was still great on it's own! If you're a paranormal fan who wants a new, fun read, then the Sookie Stackhouse series is definitely for you!



Monday, July 30, 2012

Weekly Roundup [7/24-7/30]


Yet another week has gone by! I've been enjoying sun and the sand here at Myrtle Beach and have actually gotten A TON of reading done! So make sure you keep you eye out on good reviews coming up! Here's everything that's gone on in the past week on Peace Love Books! 

Book Reviews


Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry
Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James

Memes



Interviews/Updates



Sunday, July 29, 2012

Book Review: Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James

Fifty Shades of Grey
By EL James
Release Date: January 1, 2011
Source: Borrowed from friend
Summary: When literature student Anastasia Steele is drafted to interview the successful young entrepreneur Christian Grey for her campus magazine, she finds him attractive, enigmatic and intimidating. Convinced their meeting went badly, she tries to put Grey out of her mind - until he happens to turn up at the out-of-town hardware store where she works part-time. 

The unworldly, innocent Ana is shocked to realize she wants this man, and when he warns her to keep her distance it only makes her more desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her - but on his own terms. 

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey's singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success – his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving adoptive family – Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a passionate, physical and daring affair, Ana learns more about her own dark desires, as well as the Christian Grey hidden away from public scrutiny.

Can their relationship transcend physical passion? Will Ana find it in herself to submit to the self-indulgent Master? And if she does, will she still love what she finds?

Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.

Review: I was so excited to read this. Like super excited. No, not because of the certain genre it is, but because there are people out there are people out there who absolutely LOVE this book, so I thought I was about to find those rare amazing books that you can fly through, only to be left wanting to read it over and over again (one review I read said she's already read it four times...). After reading it, though, I was like THAT"S what everyone is excited about? There were just too many things that made this book bad than it did good. Don't get me wrong, it was still an interesting story that had it's good moments, but I don't really know how this became such a best seller. 

The first this that bugged me was the writing. Now I know that this was the author's first novel, but the writing really showed that. It seemed kind of juvenile and she repeated a lot of the same lines and expressions and when she did that, they were the cliched lines to describe moments that I'm kind of tired of hearing. So it's really surprising a book that was written in such a way could sell so many copies. Maybe other readers just didn't notice it, but I have read so many books from so many different levels of writing, that it was the first thing that really stuck out to me. 

Now onto the second part...Ana. I liked Ana's character well enough, how she was an inexperienced, kind of shy, and clumsy English student who didn't really know how her life was heading. But how she acted in this book ended up getting kind of annoying. Yeah, I know that if some billionaire hottie started paying attention to me, I would fall at his feet. But once I figured out his secret sex-obsessed side, i would definitely NOT stick around. Especially when he whips out a contract stating very disturbing things I would in no way let anyone do to me. Ana's supposed to be this super smart girl with a large vocabulary and high GPA, yet she's as dumb as rocks when it comes to guys. 

And Christina...Oh, Christian how tormented you are. He has a very strange addiction, yet they make it out that he really can't help how he is. Which, yeah I understand when certain things happen in your life, they change you. But his character does not seem that realistic at all. He's a complete hunk, he's a billionaire who flies helicopters, knows how to play the piano like a pro, and he's completely obsessed over this insecure, clumsy girl who complains about how boring she is compared to her best friend. Sure. And the fact that this relationship was inspired by Bella and Edward in Twilight bugs the crap out of me. (If Kristen Stewart plays Ana in the movie, I'm going to stab my own eyes out). It's really interesting to see how Christian falls for Ana and lets her in more, but the way it happens just isn't that believable to me. 

And the storyline! Nothing happens or goes anywhere! I've heard that this book just sets up for the next book, but why does it take 500 PAGES to set up for the next book? Things just seemed to drag by of Ana going back and forth between loving Christian and being scared of his violent side. If more things happened in the storyline, I feel like I would have liked it more, but things go nowhere! Ana learns more about Christian and grows to love him, but that's basically it. 

I know all I've done is point out the bad points of this book and you're probably wondering why this still got a three, but there's just something about it that has me wanting to read the next books. I definitely haven't read a book with a story like this one and I liked the idea the author came up with, the execution just didn't turn out for me. And it's a lot easier to point out what was wrong with this book than to explain why I still have a part of me that liked this one. I know for sure I'm going to finish this series, I just hope that they end up being a lot more eventful and better written than this one was!


Saturday, July 28, 2012

I'm Going on Vacation!


That's right! This morning I am heading to the beach! I'm so excited to be able to relax, soak up the sun, and read all I can! And you know what other planning goes into vacation? Choosing beach reads! So here is what I've stuffed into my already overflowing suitcase...


And on top of that, I'm bringing my Nook! So I think I'll be set for the week! I have a 12 hour car ride to get through too, so hopefully I'll have enough to last! What are your guys' favorite beach reads? Are there any that are just perfect to kick back and read all day long? I'd love to hear what you would choose! In the meantime, I'll be hunched over a book in the back seat of our car for a nice long car ride to paradise :) Oh, and don't worry! This year we have wi-fi! So I'll be updating as much as I can for this week to come! 




Friday, July 27, 2012

Follow My Book Blog Friday (49)


This is a meme hosted every Friday by Parajunkee, where book bloggers answer a question each week and check out how others answered it. It's a cool way for bloggers and viewers to connect and learn more about each other!

Question: Summer reading! What was your favorite book that you were REQUIRED to read when you were in school? 

Answer: 


This book was absolutely one of my favorites when I was in high school! I had to read it the summer before my Junior year for AP Lit and I don't know why, but I loved it! Maybe it's because I love romances and this one is all about love and relationships. I actually have three copies of it now! Haha, I know that's too much, but I had the one I used for class, a new hardback one, and then the one that's in the picture. I really need to reread this one so that I can experience the story all over again!

And that's my favorite summer reading book! Hope you guys all have a good Friday :)


Thursday, July 26, 2012

Author Interview/Giveaway: Katie McGarry


I am so excited that today, I have an interview with Katie McGarry to share with you all! Katie is the author of Pushing the Limits, a YA Contemporary that was a fantastic read! So please give a very warm welcome to Katie!

What was your inspiration for writing Pushing the Limits?
I had two main inspirations: One, I knew from the beginning that I wanted to write a story in which my characters felt strong enough to leave their pasts behind and create new futures for themselves. The first scene I ever saw in my mind was Echo and Noah leaving town after graduation. Two, I wanted to write two characters who were facing over- whelming issues and who, through battling these issues, found hope at the end of their journey.

How did you come up with Echo’s name?
Echo went through several name changes as I wrote the man- uscript. For a while, she had a very normal name, but it alwaysfelt off. It wasn’t until I looked at Echo from her mother’s point of view that I found her name. Echo’s mother loved Greek my- thology so it made perfect sense that she would name her chil- dren after the myths. I read several Greek myths and the mo- ment I found Echo’s, I fell in love. Echo, to me, was the girl who lost her voice. Thankfully, she finds it by the end.

Which character is the most “like” you?
All of them. I gave each character a piece of me (though some have larger slices of me than others). Overall, I’d say I’m a strange combination of Echo, Lila and Beth. Echo has my need to please, Lila has my unfailing loyalty to my friends and Beth encompasses my insecurities.


Did you experience friendships with Grace types when you were in high school?
Yes. And the more people have read this story, the more this question comes up. Grace has struck a stronger nerve in people than I ever would have imagined. It seems most of us have un- fortunately experienced a relationship where a person wants to “like” you and wants “be your friend,” but only if it serves their needs. In case anyone is wondering, that isn’t friendship.


Are there any parts of the story you feel particularly close to?
Yes. The relationship between Noah, Isaiah and Beth. Beyond my parents and sister, my nearest family members were over fourteen hours away. My friends became my family. The peopleI grew up with were more than people I watched movies with or talked to occasionally on the phone. These were people with whom I shared life’s most devastating moments, but also my hardest laughs. These were people who I would have willing- ly died for and I know they would have done the same for me. They shared my triumphs with smiles on their faces and con- gratulatory hugs. They held me when I cried and offered to beat up whoever hurt my feelings. These were also the same people who were more than happy to get in my face if they thought I was making a wrong decision.

Did anything that happens to Echo happen to you?
Sort of. I was bitten by a dog when I was in second grade and repressed the memory. It felt very strange to have no memory of an incident that other people knew about. It was even strang- er to have injuries and not have an inkling where they came from. In college, I finally remembered the incident when a dog lunged at me. I relived the horrible event and sort of “woke up” a few minutes later to find myself surrounded by people I loved. Even though I “remember” the incident, I still don’t remember the whole thing. I only see still frames in my mind and there is no blood in any of the memories.


About the author

Katie McGarry was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and she remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings and reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan.

Writing has given Katie an excuse to pursue her passions. Research for her books has provided her with the amazing opportunity to train with baseball players, ride along in a drag car at ninety-six miles per hour and experience boxing and mixed martial arts. Katie loves to visit schools and talk to teenagers about her research, writing and the truth that no dream is out of reach.



About the book 

Pushing the Limits
By Katie McGarry
Release Date: July 31, 2012
Summary: So wrong for each other...and yet so right.

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again. ***Check out my review here***





Giveaway

One lucky winner will win a copy of this AMAZING book! Giveaway ends 8/3, so enter now! ***US ONLY***



And that's all I have for you! I want to thank Katie McGarry so much for the interview and the publishers for the giveaway!! If you're interested in learning more about this amazing book, then check out these sites below!



Book Review: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Pushing the Limits
By Katie McGarry
Release Date: July 31, 2012
Source: Publisher
Summary: So wrong for each other...and yet so right.

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.


Review: I've wanted to read this book for so long (even though it's still not even out yet...) so I was beyond excited to get an ARC! And once I read it, the story pushed way past any expectations I had held for it! 

I absolutely loved Echo's character because she wasn't your typical popular, annoying, snotty girl some books end up being about. Echo used to be popular until her mother tried to kill her (an event she still has not memory of) and left scars all up and down her arms. Echo became withdrawn and was pushed onto the outskirts of the high school hierarchy. Having to go to therapy sessions with the school therapist Mrs. Collins, Echo just wants to remember that night and have her old life back. But now her father is married to her babysitter, her brother died in Afghanistan, and she has no way of contacting her mother. Everything changes when Mrs. Collins has Echo tutor her other patient, Noah, to make money to fix up her brother's car. 

Mmmmm Noah. Now that's want I want to talk about! Noah is your typical bad boy, but he has a secret that makes him so different from anyone else. His parents had died in a fire to leave him and his brothers to live with foster parents. After ruining things at one home, Noah's younger brothers are taken to a different home where Noah is only allowed to visit two hours a week. He may look tough on the outside, but all Noah wants is his family back. And he can't seem to get that red-headed girl from Mrs. Collin's other session out of his head. And did I mention he's gorgeous? He may look all tough, but he's a total sweetheart inside. 

Noah has a reputation for getting around the school, but something's different about Echo. And as Noah and Echo get to know each other, they realize they can help each other more than anyone else can. The way their relationship builds and they learn to trust each other is so sweet! I could just read about their relationship forever because their characters were so great. And all of the other characters were great too! I loved Noah's best friends and Mrs. Collins always seemed to pop up when you least expected, and when they really didn't want her to. 

I'm so sad that I finished this one. Normally, I read the last fifty pages of a book pretty fast because I know I'm in the home stretch but with Pushing the Limits, I took my time because I wanted to savor each page! I definitely recommend this read to fans of Simone Elkeles and Jennifer Echols. And anyone who loves and YA contemporaries! Because this was a fantastic contemporary that you seriously won't want to put down!


Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Waiting On Wednesday (51)


This is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where every Wednesday bloggers highlight a book that they are eagerly anticipating the release of!


Falling For You
By Lisa Shroeder
Release Date: 2013
Summary: Rae's always dreamed of dating a guy like Nathan. He’s nothing like her abusive stepfather—in other words, he’s sweet. But the closer they get, the more Nathan wants of her time, of her love, of her...and the less she wants to give. 

As Rae’s affection for Nathan turns to fear, she leans on her friend Leo for support. With Leo, she feels lighter, happier. And possessive Nathan becomes jealous. 

Then a tragedy lands Rae in the ICU. Now, hovering between life and death, Rae must find the light amid the darkness…and the strength to fight for life and the love she deserves.



I know this book sounds really serious and depressing, but it still sounds so good! And that cover is so awesome! I've read so many light, carefree contemporaries that I'm really excited to add another more serious one to my pile. Hopefully it's not too depressing and the story is written well! Because it sounds fantastic! 


Monday, July 23, 2012

Weekly Roundup [7/17-7/23]


Another week has gone by! Oh my goodness, where does the time go? I feel like just yesterday it was the beginning of July, but now we're a lost to the end! Well, that just means it's closer to my birthday :) haha, but enough about me! Here's what's been going on this past week on Peace Love Books! 

Book Reviews


Midnight's Master by Donna Grant
Apron Anxiety  by Alyssa Shelasky
Kissing Shakespeare by Pamela Mingle

Memes



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