Cover Crazy - 4/5

Kami Glass loves someone she’s never met . . . a boy she’s talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn’t silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn’t suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head.

But all that changes when the Lynburns return.

The Lynburn family has owned the spectacular and sinister manor that overlooks Sorry-in-the-Vale for centuries. The mysterious twin sisters who abandoned their ancestral home a generation ago are back, along with their teenage sons, Jared and Ash, one of whom is eerily familiar to Kami. Kami is not one to shy away from the unknown—in fact, she’s determined to find answers for all the questions Sorry-in-the-Vale is suddenly posing. Who is responsible for the bloody deeds in the depths of the woods? What is her own mother hiding? And now that her imaginary friend has become a real boy, does she still love him? Does she hate him? Can she trust him?

I love the colors and the silhouette look. It really gives me a quirky but mysterious feel. This one is on my TBR and is to be released on Septemeber 11 of this year.


Cover Crazy is hosted by Tawni at The Book Worms.

March 2012 Recap

I am sad to say I did not get any reading done in March. It has been a chaotic month for me and usually I read to relax and such but I just haven't had the energy. So, with Spring here and a new month starting (can't believe it's April already!) I am getting back to my books. This year I am determined to complete my challenges, well the 100+ challenge anyway.

Follow Friday (13)

This week I am getting back on the reading wagon. I have been trying to make some adjustments here at home since my sister-in-law has gone back to work I have been helping her out with babysitting and such and have had a wonky schedule to get used to, therefore turning my brain into a mush puddle.

Have you ever looked at book’s cover and thought, This is going to horrible? But, was instead pleasantly surprised? Show us the cover and tell us about the book.

I really was not a huge fan of The Name of the Star's cover, but I ended up really loving the book.





This week's features: Hesperia Loves Books & Novel Days

February 2012 Recap

So here is another month that has just flown by. I don't know about you, but there is a nasty bug going around and my whole house has had it... some of us twice! Unfortunately it has slowed down my blogging the past few days, but I'm finally starting to get rid of it I think, thank goodness!

Books read this month:

The Iron Witch - Karen Mahoney

Across the Universe - Beth Revis
The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight - Jennifer E. Smith
Hush, Hush - Becca Fitzpatrick
Cryer's Cross - Lisa McMann
Incarnate - Jodi Meadows
Everneath - Brodi Ashton
Croak - Gina Damico
A Million Suns - Beth Revis
Two Way Street - Lauren Barnholdt
Clockwork Angel - Cassandra Clare
Born Wicked - Jessica Spotswood
Firelight - Kristen Callihan
If I Stay - Gayle Forman
The Nightmare Garden - Caitlin Kittredge

I didn't do too badly with getting my books in for the month and I have completed 25 for the year so far for my 100+ goal. I am hoping to squeeze in 20 this month, if I can find the time.

Books I'm dying to read in March:

Illuminate - Aimee Agresti
Dark Eyes - William Richter
A Temptation of Angels - Michelle Zink

The Nightmare Garden - Caitlin Kittredge

Title: The Nightmare Garden
Author: Caitlin Kittredge
Pages: 417
Genre: Young Adult|Steampunk|Fantasy (eARC provided by NetGalley/Delacorte)
Publication Date: 2/14/2012
Rating: ****

Everything Aoife thought she knew about the world was a lie. There is no Necrovirus. And Aoife isn't going to succumb to madness because of a latent strain—she will lose her faculties because she is allergic to iron. Aoife isn't human. She is a changeling—half human and half from the land of Thorn. And time is running out for her.

When Aoife destroyed the Lovecraft engine she released the monsters from the Thorn Lands into the Iron Lands and now she must find a way to seal the gates and reverse the destruction she's ravaged on the world that's about to poison her.

*May Contain Spoilers from The Iron Thorn*

The Nightmare Garden picks up where The Iron Thorn left off, after Aoife destroyed the engine of Lovecraft. Aoife now knows that she is half fae and that the madness that overtook her mother was not the necrovirus, but iron poisoning. By destroying the engine, she has broken the gates of the Thorn lands and now is set out to fix them -- to keep the creatures of Thorn away.

I really love the world created by Ms. Kittredge. I feel like it is unique and original and so vividly described. The supernatural elements mixed in with the steampunk setting is fantastic.

I really enjoyed reading this one and I feel like it did not lack the adventure the first one had. The only real issue I had was with Aoife. While I still feel that she was a great heroine, her attitude nipped at me a bit. She started out so strong and courageous in The Iron Thorn whereas her I feel like she reverted in maturity a bit. While acting brave and mature in the last book, here she acted more of the sixteen year old girl that she was - sassy, rebellious and hard headed. With that said, I think some of it could very well be due to some of the events that occurred throughout the book. In the end, she did redeem herself, so it was incredibly disappointing and I hope her attitude in the end continues in book three, which I am impatiently waiting for.

This one has the same dark, foreboding feel that the first had and I was excited to continue unraveling mysteries and learning more of the Thorn lands, Lovecraft and Aoife. If you enjoyed the first installment, I really think you will love this one too and you will be eagerly awaiting the third.