Review: Born At Midnight by C.C. Hunter

Book: Born At Midnight
Author: C.C. Hunter
Edition: Paperback
Pages: 398
Pub. Date: March 29, 2011
Rating: A+



I can go through a book or series in a pretty fast manner, but the amount of time it took me to devour the Shadow Falls series has to be a record. I don’t know how C.C. Hunter does it. So far, four smash novels (with one on the way), dozens of scene stealing characters (many more to come, I’m sure), and crazy complicated situations; you would think this would be one be mess! But this is far from it.
You follow Kylie in her journey of learning exactly who or what she is. The way this is written, you really feel like you are Kylie. You feel her confusion and disbelief just like if it was you. She becomes best friends with two girls named Miranda and Della, and you instantly have a connection with them. You probably know girls just like them and they are probably your best friends in real life, which makes you care for them even more. And the writing? You will be laughing and crying along with all the characters. C.C. Hunter has the gift we all wish we had. Flawless commentary that goes hand in hand with a just as perfect storyline. By perfect I mean as twisty as a tornado!

Then the boys come in! It’s not YA without the love triangle. I have issues with a lot of love triangles nowadays, but this one is so special. On one hand, you have the new guy that will do anything for you (Hello, heart throb half-fae Derek!). On the other, there’s the boy that has always held your heart in his hands but you never realized it. Personally, I’m team Lucas. Dreamscaping, hot werewolf? Yes, please! Of course, Kylie is in a difficult situation. She is confused by what she is, everyday going through new things. Then she has two sexy boys fighting over her, whom she both loves. Wanna switch lives, Kylie?

I think every reader needs to dive into these. As soon as I finished Born At Midnight, I took it to my best friend and made her read it. Needless to say, she was sucked in immediately. I will warn you, though. Do not read if you don’t have time. This is a morning-noon-night I’ll sleep when I’m dead type of series.

Review: The Umbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Book: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer
Author: Michelle Hodkin
Edition: EBook, Nook
Pages: 452
Pub. Date: September 27, 2011
Rating: A-

I try not to let reviews cloud my judgment on books. I read them and I take everything said into account, but then I put them into a lock box in my mind and start with a clean slate. This is one of the books that I had to block out what others said. A few reviews said nothing but good things, and then I saw some that had nothing but bad things. This really made me want to read the story of Mara Dyer. I had to see what the fuss was about.

In my opinion, the book is somewhere in the middle of really good and not so great. If you just ask me if I enjoyed it, I would tell you that I loved it. If you ask me why, I would explain why it’s not the greatest story written. The basic storyline is pretty common: Girl is an outcast. Girl moves to new city. Girl meets hottest boy ever. Hottest boy ever actually likes her. Hottest boy’s ex tries to cause problems. They both have issues. Boy does anything to help her. Girl can be a raging Biotch. *Random sexy kissing scene* Bad guy.

With that said, it’s the typical post-Twilight phenomenon paranormal love story. That made me not like it. BUT (huge but. Think Nicki Minaj.) it’s also different. Mara Dyer can hold her own. She isn’t a sad dependent character. She is sassy. I wanted to be her best friend. I enjoyed her snarky remarks, which I do have to address. I saw a few people say that the commentary between characters and some of the things happening within the story, such as mean teachers and random sexy time scenes when no parents are around, would never happen and super unrealistic. Hello, readers! This isn’t a contemporary novel. Even if it was, though, THIS IS A FICTION YOUNG ADULT NOVEL. If you wanted realistic things to happen, don’t read supernatural books. Just go straight for nonfiction.

One thing that makes me happy is the fact that Mara has both her parents. A lot of YA nowadays only have one parent in the characters life. This makes for an easier storyline. I mean, the teen can get away with a lot more with only one set of eyes watching. Mara’s parents, though, were both there for her. Granted, they never believed her, but they still cared. Mara sees things and thinks she makes things happen just by thinking them. The adults tell her that it is just PTSD, from when her friends died in a building collapse and she was the only survivor. As the story proceeds, you learn that just maybe she had something to do with their deaths. And the ending comes before you want it, but it sets up very nicely for you to start the sequel. Which I did… about 15 minutes later.

Michelle Hodkin made this unique ( for what it was). The problems for Mara and the very gorgeous british boy Noah (whom, btw, is on my top hot boys of YA list) are different than what you would expect. No vampires, no zombies, no werewolves. Just good ole psychic powers are at work here. So, what I’m saying is, Ms. Hodkin did a fine job captivating me and making want more more more. She takes a tired storyline and makes it her own. I hate to love and love to hate this novel. And that makes it a favorite.

Reader discretion advised: Sexytime scenes and very mature words.

Cover Reveal: Reached by Ally Condie

Absolutely stunning! This series has the best set of covers I have ever seen! I cannot wit to see it in real life and hold its beauty in my hands!

Review: Glimmer by Phoebe Kitanidis

Book: Glimmer
Author: Phoebe Kitanidis 
Edition: ARC, HarperTeen
Pages: 352
Pub. Date: April 17, 2012
Rating: B


Goodreads
"What if you forgot your identity and had to rely on other people to tell you who you were?

And what if to discover your true self, you first had to unravel a mystery so big and terrifying you were not sure you’d survive solving it?

When Marshall and Elyse wake up in each other’s arms with zero memory of how they got there or who they are, it’s the start of a long journey through their separate pasts and shared future.
Terrified by their amnesia, the two make a pact to work together to find the answers that could jog their missing memories. As they piece together clues, they discover they’re in the idyllic mountain resort town of Summer Falls, where everyone seems mysteriously happy, but as Marshall and Elyse quickly learn, darkness lurks beneath the town’s perfect facade. Not only is the town haunted by sinister ghosts, but none of its living inhabitants retain bad memories of anything—not the death of Marshall’s mom, not the hidden shame in Elyse’s family, not even the day-to-day anguish of high school.
Lonely in this world of happy zombies, Marsh and Elyse fall into an intense relationship...but the secrets they uncover could be the death of this growing love—and the death of everyone, and everything, they love in Summer Falls."
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My Review
When I saw that Phoebe Kitanidis, author of Whisper, had a new book being released I was beyond excited and unfortunately got my hopes really high. Though it is a great story, Glimmer was not at all what I expected. You begin by meeting Elyse and Marshall who have absolutely no idea who they are. Just think of how you would feel waking up, naked, in a place you don’t know with a person you are equally confused about. I think I would be freaking out and running as far and fast as I could. I wouldn’t wait for an explanation. But these characters are obviously a little smarter than I am, because they try and figure out why they are there. And this is where I start to falter about my love for the book: I expected so much more questioning of the situation, which would add to the bigger picture, but Elyse and Marshall practically skip that. They go from “What the hell am I doing here?” to “We are a team, let’s do this” in the matter of moments. I felt as if a giant chunk of the scene was left out. I had to reread the page a couple times before I understood it enough to move on. This is not the only time this happened.

Throughout the book you meet many people and are introduced to different things, but it was as if they were just thrown in without reason. Yes, you read in Elyse and Marshall’s POV and they obviously do not know anyone because they have no memory of them, so they can’t give you a rundown of what is going on. But as soon as they (re)meet everyone and thing, it’s like they never forgot them and instantly go on with it. Many times the feeling as if a chunk was missing, came back.

The characters are okay. Not perfect, not awesome, not horrible, just okay. The first half of the book, I was annoyed with how flat everyone was. No depth, just one straight line. Later on, though, as more interesting twists and turns happen, they grow and you see more of the true Elyse and Marshall. I loved the undeniable connection between them, it was a better quality of the book. They are both strong characters and you root for them to win no matter what.

It took me a while to get into this story. One reason I kept going was because I know Phoebe Kitanidis has a special way with words. She has of gift of quirky-smart-ass without being over the top or trying too hard. With that said, there are a few words and scenes that are not for children. Viewer discretion advised. I did enjoy reading Glimmer, it was a nice ride. I was so thrilled to have a chance to read this story that I feel I might have ruined it for myself.

Glimmer is a very interesting read. Not a favorite, but definitely one I would recommend. There is love, ghosts, witchy magic, and an extremely odd town. If your town ever starts having “heatnaps” and you can’t remember how you ended up where you are, GTFO of there. Don’t wait for the ghosts to eat you alive.

It's December, again. That means... READATHON!

It's that time of the year again, folks! I go back to December all the time... Or at least once a year. And December means the second annual READATHON! Hosted by the wonderful WhoRuBlog, December 2-4 is spent reading and giving. For even more information, please visit this link here.

Just like last year I could not say no when asked to host a mini challenge at Courtney Reads. I am very lucky to be on the long list of awesome giveaways.

This year my challenge is...

What is your favorite holiday dish or dessert?

You may simply just state the dish in a comment below. But if you want to give the details on how to make this fabulous creation, I'm not going to stop you! I may have to try them for myself!

I absolutely adore baking and this time of the year I spend most of my time in the kitchen. I have been craving something peanut butter for a while now and searched everywhere for a peanut butter pie recipe. Last week, I made some and fell in love. I think I actually ate 3 peices yesterday... Oops. :)

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Recipe:

-1 cup powdered sugar

-1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, softened

-1 cup creamy peanut butter (I used Skippy - Creamy)
-1 (14-ounce) can fat-free sweetened condensed milk
-1 12-ounce tub frozen whipped topping, thawed
-2 9-inch graham cracker shells
-chocolate sundae syrup 

Prep:
Combine the first 3 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add the condensed milk, and beat until combined. Stir in the whipped topping. Divide the mixture evenly between shells; chill 8 hours or until set (pies will have a soft, fluffy texture). Cut into wedges, and drizzle with chocolate syrup.

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Now I bet you are saying "Courtney, what is the prize?!" Well, one randomly chosen commenter will receive a custom made ornament by me, Courtney Rae. I do not have a picture at this moment, the gift is currently drying, but one should be posted by tomorrow morning.

Check out the READATHON fun and participate as much as possible! WhoRuBlog is hosting some amazing giveaways. Remember, if you talk about the READATHON on twitter, use the hashtag #READATHON so we can follow along with you.
Have fun, kids! Happy Holidays! Try the pie! :D

Interview with the lovely Lauren Hammond

1. What is one word that would describe your writing style?

Ohhhh my. This is a tough one! I'd have to say eccentric. It's definitely different. Believe it or not, it took me eight years to find my voice. No looking back now!


2. Out of all of your written creations, which one would you be most excited to see on the big screen?
Ohhhh wow. I'd have to say it would be a toss-up between A Whisper To A Scream and Asphodel. A Whisper To A Scream because I think it would be interesting to see who they'd cast to play Adam. He is pretty devilish after all. And Asphodel because well, I'm Greek Myth junkie! Love it!


3. Would you rather publish your diary or make a movie on your most embarrassing moment?
Publish my diary. Without question.


4. You are asked to star in the show of your choosing (canceled or still on the air), what show would you be in?
The Vampire Diaries. I swear, that show is addictive and it gets better every season!

5. Halloween is my favorite time of the year. I love creative costumes! If you could dress up as anyone or anything, who/what would you be?
Halloween is absolutely my favorite time of year too! I will say that this year I'm going as Marilyn Monroe, but if I could be anyone or anything I'd be Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter. Why? Because she's a lil on the looney side like me and because Harry Potter happens to be one of the best series of all time and she's my favorite character.
"Daddy, look--one of the gnomes actually bit me!" ~ Luna Lovegood


If you're a fan of the dark side, check out my book, A Whisper To A Scream... I promise... It's to die for.



Happy Halloween!


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BLURB: Sometimes love....can be deadly.

Website: www.sbaddisonbooks.com

Blog: www.laurenhammondnovelist.blogspot.com

Twitter: @NovelistLauren

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Ellory Graham detested high school. She relished the fact that she was a rebel. A wild, carefree, type of girl. She basked in the glory of being the type of girl who stood up to authority. Unfortunately for her, her upfront, honest and bitchy nature always managed to land her in some kind of trouble.

Adam Jacobs was everything Ellory was not. Not only was he beautiful, but he was smart, artistic, and sweet. To almost every girl he seemed like the total package- that all around perfect guy. But in a town were nothing particularly interesting happens, and gossip seems like the only fun thing to do, sometimes those perfections become flaws. And it doesn’t take long for Ellory to find out, even Adam has secrets.

But Adam’s secrets, are the kind of secrets people die for...

Where you can purchase.
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Smashwords

Review: He Love Me... He Loves You Not by Lauren Hammond

Book: He Loves Me... He Loves You Not... 
Author: Lauren Hammond
Edition: eBook
Pages: 97
Pub. Date: October 18, 2011
Rating: A+







Goodreads
"Riley loves Henry. Henry loves Riley, but he's dating Callie.

Riley Davis is mixed up in an emotional love triangle that she wants out of.
But she can't help the way she feels about Henry Garner. She's obsessed. And she's convinced that her on the sly relationship with Henry is going to end badly.
And Henry has a secret. A secret that could make or break one relationship. But which one will it be? His relationship with Callie? Or his romantic entanglement with Riley?"


My Review

Lately, I have been in a book rut. All I wanted to read was a quick love story, but I had none in my library and no money in my wallet. Seriously, that thing laughed when I opened it. But thanks to my good friend, Lauren Hammond, my appetite was satisfied.


I will forever raise praises for Lauren’s writing. It’s brilliant. And her novella He Loves Me… He Loves You Not… was no exception. If you want to just sit down for a couple hours with a steamy read, listen up! You will fall quickly in love with Henry and wish you were Riley. Those two together… turn up the AC!

Riley is in love and having an affair with school hottie, Henry. Henry also loves Riley, but won’t break up with his long time girlfriend, Callie. It’s one big mess for Riley and she is breaking apart. All she wants to do is scream and shout at Henry that she is absolutely in love with him. But she lets it eat at her; lets him call the shots. She keeps it all a secret, even from her best friend. I got a bit perturbed with Riley at some points. She let a boy get the best of her, but I thought it over and realized that this is what happens. This is the other woman’s side. She truly loves Henry, more than anything. I can relate. If this was me and my boyfriend, I would act the same exact way.

Now, Henry. Oh my my my. He will forever be a favorite of mine. In the beginning you see him as a jerk that has to be using this poor girl and playing with her emotions. As you read, you learn things about him and you open your heart. It makes you want a risky, forbidden romance. It’s hot.

HLMHLYN is a quick, easy read. Grab a glass of sweet tea, curl up in your favorite chair, and shush anyone that comes near. You’ll be very happy.

This novella is pretty steamy, so I will give a rating of PG-13. Mature audience. Use your own judgment. I love HLMHLYN. I love Lauren Hammond. Check out everything she ever touches!


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All while reading, this song played in my head. Enjoy.