Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy by Ally Carter

Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy is the second book in the Gallagher Girls series.  We learned in the first book that the Gallagher Academy is an exclusive all girls school for spies.  The main character, Cammie, had to break up with her boyfriend, Josh, because he was a "normal" boy.  He would have posed a security risk to her and her school, so Cammie had no choice in the matter.

I'm not sure why the Gallagher Girls never considered the fact that there may be a boys school similar to theirs, but they soon discover its existence when 15 of its students arrive at their school.  The boys spend the semester taking classes at the Gallagher Academy as part of an exchange program.  The board thought that it would benefit both the boys and girls if they could learn to communicate and work together.

This is when we meet Zach.  He is cute, charming, and definitely up to something.  When a security breach takes place at the Gallagher Academy, Cammie and her friends take it upon themselves to complete a thorough investigation.  Of course, their first suspects are the new arrivals...aka...the boys.

This is a very fast read and an absolutely adorable story.  While I enjoyed I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You, I felt this book was far better than the first.  I loved Zach and I hope that he will have a substantial part in the rest of this series.  It was nice having a male counterpart who could work with and relate to Cammie.  She did not have to sneak around and could simply be herself.

The book came together nicely in the end and did not leave me hanging, which is always a nice feeling.  The only problem, it didn't really provide any clues as to what may happen next.  Hopefully I will be able to get to the next book in the very near future.

Bring On The Night by Jeri Smith-Ready

Bring On The Night is the third book in the WVMP Radio Series. I can't believe how addicting this series is. I thought I would read one book and then continue on with my TBR list for a while. I read a few books and then had to return to this series. It is THAT good. In fact, I would read the final book next if I didn't have other Book Nerd commitments.

There is a lapse in time of about two and a half years between books two and three. Ciara is almost finished with her college classes and has started her training to become a Control agent. Shortly after her return to the station, there is an outbreak of chicken pox. This is not your ordinary chicken pox, but a deadly mutation. Several Sherwood residents die, so they quarantine the city. WVMP becomes the official source for emergency information.

On top of this...there is a zombie outbreak. The Control felt that zombies were extinct, but they are soon terrorizing the town. They need to take emergency action.

There is so much more that I want to say, but I don't want to give away any spoilers. There is a lot of action, some steamy romance, and a bit of a mystery involved. If you haven't read this series I strongly suggest that you do.

Waiting on Wednesday: Just One Year

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking The Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.  

Just One Year by Gayle Forman:


I picked up a copy of Just One Day at the RT Convention last May when I met Gayle Forman.  I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but I plan on reading it about the time Just One Year is coming out.  I like when I can read a series with minimal wait time between books.

The heartrending conclusion—from Willem’s POV—to the romantic duet of novels that began with Allyson’s story in Just One Day

After spending an amazing day and night together in Paris, Just One Year is Willem’s story, picking up where Just One Day ended. His story of their year of quiet longing and near misses is a perfect counterpoint to Allyson’s own as Willem undergoes a transformative journey, questioning his path, finding love, and ultimately, redefining himself.

Release Date: October 10, 2013

Waiting on Wednesday: Perfect Ruin

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking The Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.  

I really enjoyed Lauren's Chemical Garden trilogy.  I have been looking forward to her new series, The Internment Chronicles.

Goodreads Overview:

On Internment, the floating island in the clouds where 16-year-old Morgan Stockhour lives, getting too close to the edge can lead to madness. Even though Morgan's older brother, Lex, was a Jumper, Morgan vows never to end up like him. She tries her best not to mind that her life is orderly and boring, and if she ever wonders about the ground, and why it is forbidden, she takes solace in best friend Pen and her betrothed, Basil.

Then a murder, the first in a generation, rocks the city. With whispers swirling and fear on the wind, Morgan can no longer stop herself from investigating, especially when she meets Judas. He is the boy being blamed for the murder — betrothed to the victim — but Morgan is convinced of his innocence. Secrets lay at the heart of Internment, but nothing can prepare Morgan for what she will find — or who she will lose.

Release Date: October 1, 2013

Blog Tour and Review: Render by StephanieFleshman

Welcome to Day 1 of the Render Blog Tour.  For more information about the tour and the numerous prizes that are up for grabs...Click on the Render tour badge on the right side of my blog or simply click on this link.

Review:

I read a tweet from Emlyn Chand, who is the author of the Farsighted series, promoting this blog tour.  I decided to take a chance and offered to review the book based solely on the fact the the cover is really pretty, the description sounded interesting, and did I mention...I LOVE Emlyn's books?  Certainly she wouldn't lead me astray, right???

This book is definitely worthy of 5 stars.  It grabs your attention from the very beginning and does not let up the entire book.  It is action packed, full of suspense and mystery, and contains characters you can't help but love...or hate...depending on who it is.  This is one book I did not want to put down.  I was so desperate to find out what happened next that I simply could not read fast enough

At the very beginning of the book we discover the Koldan's grandfather recently passed away and the family is getting ready for the funeral.  His grandfather had planned on taking Koldan and his brother Lukas on a vacation at the beginning of the summer.  As the boys are sorting through his things, they discover there may have been more to this trip than they originally anticipated.

Koldan and Lucas invite their best friend Ethan and Koldan's girlfriend Raya to come with them on the trip. The majority of the book is about the trip and what they discover on a mysterious island.  This isn't your typical beach vacation.  There is danger around every corner and an entire family's history waiting to be discovered.

This book will be part of a series.  I sent the author a message and it sounds like she is planning for a trilogy, but she is not ruling out the possibility of a fourth book.  I have no idea when the next book will be released, but the customary 1 year between release dates seems WAY too far away.  There was a bit of a cliffhanger ending and I am dying to find out what happens next.  I don't want to give away any spoilers, so I will simply leave it at that.

Stephanie is an exceptional new author and I HIGHLY recommend this book.

Goodreads Overview:

A betrayal born of blood
A curse for a gift

A love worth saving

Koldan Holdt knows what he wants. The problem is his future was decided the day he was born—a future void of everything he has ever known.

Days before summer vacation, Koldan’s grandfather suddenly dies, leaving the consequences that have followed him since he fled his country to fall to Koldan. As Koldan learns about his new fate, he must accept the terms to which he is bound and live without the one person he wants, or remain true to who he is and risk both their lives repeating the choices his grandfather made.

Seventeen-year-old Raya Whitney thought she knew Koldan…until a sudden turn of events threatens both their lives. While she is not willing to give up without a fight, she knows it is a deadly game to stay together

About the Author:

Stephanie Fleshman grew up near the border of Virginia, in a rural town of about 4,000 with her four siblings. She has always had a passion for traveling and learning about other cultures and will go just about anywhere at any given time. Her dream was to become a psychologist, and so she majored in psychology, which led to working as a medical tech (of course) in Naples, Florida. Somehow that led to writing, something that she had never before considered (otherwise she might have majored in Literature, instead...but probably not). Now, with a series in progress, there's nothing more that she would rather do than write.

Book Trailer:

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can pick up a copy of the ebook from Barnes and Noble or Amazon for only 99 Cents!!  After reading this exceptional book, I'm sure this price will not last.  

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

I read this book a while ago, but never reviewed it on the blog.

I really enjoyed all of the characters along with the storyline, but this was a slow read for me.  It contained a lot of very lengthy detailed descriptions, which at times were difficult to envision.  The tents and the circus with their black and white theme sounded beautiful, but I wish Morgenstern spent more time on the characters and less time on the setting.     

On a more positive note, the few times when the main characters Celia and Marco were together, it was pure magic.   I absolutely flew through those sections and was left longing for more.  If only they could have spent the majority of the book together, I probably wouldn't have been able to put it down.  

I also really enjoyed the interaction between Bailey, Poppet, and Widget.  Poppet and Widget are twins who were born opening night of the circus.  Their parents are performers, so they grew up within the circus and are now performers themselves.  Bailey becomes enchanted by the circus when he is a boy and is destined to become a part of it.  When the circus comes back to Bailey's hometown, he becomes friends with the twins and we begin to experience more of the circus through their adventures. 

The love story, characters, and elements of magic were fascinating, but for me...The Night Circus lacked the spark needed to really capture the readers.  I liked it, but it was more of a 3 star book for me.  It is being made into a movie with an anticipated release date in 2014.  This is one of the rare occasions when I think there is potential for the movie to be better than the book.  The costumes and circus tents will be magnificent to see on the big screen.  

Stacking The Shelves: Love and Skate and Jordyn

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews.  It is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, be it physical or virtual.  This means you can include books you buy in a physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

Tynga publishes her post each Saturday, so be sure to link up your posts and check out what books others have added to their shelves that week.

Love and Skate by Lila Felix:

Mary from Book Nerds Across America has been talking up this series for a while.  When I saw a tweet from @floeticflo that it was now FREE on Amazon, I immediately downloaded it.

Goodreads Overview:

On the rink she’s tough, she’s a leader, she’s fast and she’s the epitome of a rebellious girl. But Nellie’s been hurt, only once, but it was enough to make her look at life through different eyes and off the rink she’s a timid girl who loves with no pretenses.

A long time ago Owen Black was betrayed by the girl he thought he loved and the guy he called his best friend. The anguish set off a domino effect of negativity in his life and he never has fully recovered. He meets Nellie Forrester and thinks he can let it go for her.

But how can you love someone when the wounds from your past are still wide open

Jordyn by Tiffany King:

There is definitely a theme to this week's new books.  This is another book/series that Mary gave 5* to and has been telling me to read.  Jordyn is the first book in the Daemon Hunter series and was also FREE on Amazon.

Goodreads Overview:

Hand to hand combat training: Check
Cardio and strength training: Check
Daemon hunting: Check
Anomaly: Check

Check, check, check, check...That's all my life is. There's nothing ordinary about me. I'm "special." I know this because I'm reminded of it every stinking day. I can kick a Daemon's ass with both hands tied behind my back. I can run up a mountain without breaking a sweat. Know what I can't do? Get guys to notice me, or hang out with friends like normal people do. I can't just be ordinary because I have an Arch Angel for a mentor who is always breathing down my neck, and a family of angelic Guides and Protectors who scrutinize every little thing I do. Just for a day I want a life where I'm no longer some anomaly, where I don't have to feel like a lab rat.

And then I met Emrys. Okay, so my mentor and family hate him, but probably for good reason. After-all, he is a Soul Trader, and they aren't the most trust worthy beings. But, he is sooo hot with his green eyes, leather jacket and the sexiest tattoo you've ever seen running down his back. And-he doesn't treat me like a project.

I've got myself in quite a little quandary here. Choosing between my responsibilities and the Trader that holds my heart is something I didn't sign up for. Torn between two different worlds, I must now decide who to trust and who to walk away from. What's a girl to do? See what I mean? I am an anomaly. I am Jordyn.