Random Acts of Kindness: Round Up June!

HEY ALL!!! 

Jess and I have a fantastic month of RAK's in June. We had so much fun sending books and receiving books that were so looking forward to doing it this month too. So, now comes the time to tell you what we sent and received. 

Donna's RAK's! 

Sent:

 

Evernight Book: Ashley from The Bookish Brunette

Deadly Little Secret Book: Missy from Two Readers Reviews

Halfway to the Grave Book: Stephanie from Once Upon a Chapter

Wicked Lovely Book: My Co-Blogger Jessica 

Shade Book: Lesley from My Keeper Shelf

Slice of Cherry/13 to Life & A Touch Mortal E-Book: Bella from Cheezy Feet Books.

Finding Sky: This isn't really a RAK but I did sent this book to my friend Haley from .Ya-Aholic - WHY? Because she's awesome! :) 

Received: 

 

The Hunger Games: Bella from Cheezy Feet Books.

North of Beautiful: Stephanie from Once Upon a Chapter

Tempest Rising: Lesley from My Keeper Shelf

Anna and the French Kiss: Missy from Two Readers Reviews

Hourglass: Haley from .Ya-Aholic - Again this isn't really a RAK but I did receive it as a gift from Haley :) 

THANK YOU to all the people who sent me gift this month! :) I can't wait to read them! 

Jessica's RAK's.

Received:

Matched: Lesley from My Keeper Shelf

Wicked Lovely: Cassandra from Vamps, Weres and Cassay

Ink Exchange: My Co Blogger Donna

Sent: 

Shift: Cassandra from Vamps, Weres and Cassay

THANKS!! 

Battle of the Sexes Girls: Winner

And the winner of the first Battle of the Girls is.....

*Drumroll Please*

Catherine Crawfield aka Cat from Night Huntress

 


What do you all think about Cat winning? I think most of us agree that she is a kick ass character! Calla is good but not good enough to beat Cat!


Stay tuned for more Battle of the Sexes with the boys coming tomorrow! :) 

Winners: Lauren Oliver Giveaway

Our UK winners are...

Sarah Webster- Congratulations you've won a copy of Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Katrina S- Congratulations you've won a copy of Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Our EU winner is...

Giovanna Tirabaralla- Congratulations you've won a copy of Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Our US winner is...

Kimberly Maloney- Congratulations you've won a copy of Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

An email has been sent to you. You now have 48 hours to reply or 4 other winners will be picked. 

Winner was picked using random.org.

Thank you to all that entered! Don't worry if you didn't win this time around. We have another FANTASTIC giveaway coming up in July that you'll all want to take part in. Stay tuned! :D

Happy reading everyone

What is this? 20 questions? No it's actually just 3! (#13)

This is a weekly meme created by us:  Book Passion for Life. We created this so you could get to know us a little better. If you want to join in....all you have to do is create three questions for yourself each week and answer them, OR to make things fun, ask your followers to ask you a few questions each week!

Jessica's Q & A's

Q: If you had to wear one piece of clothing for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Ohhh myyy Goddd, this is hard! I can't choose. BUT if I had to choose, I'd probably go for my denim mini skirt. It never goes out of style...that I can think of.

Q: We all know your a fan of tattoo's. Tell us how many you have and what are they?

Ok here goes: I have 5...

Left ankle-Rosary bead

Right ankle-crescent moon and a few stars around it

Left hip-silhouette of the Beast from Beauty and the Beast

Right hip-Crescent moon, with a butterfly flying over it, with lots of squiggly pretty lines

Right wrist (inside)-a red ribbon with the to words from a book quote 'Be Safe'

Currently planning my 6th one, which will be on my other wrist. That will be Angel wings, with the quote "Hope strengthens. Fear kills"

Q: What food do you hate most?

Broccoli...blergh. Who likes broccoli??? OH and Cauliflower! 

Donna's Q & A's

Q: What do you like most about blogging?

At first I thought i'd love to just share my reviews with people but over the past few months, I've met some fantastic people. So now its the people that I met and speak to that make blogging the experience it is. Not only that we all love reading published books but when I read a self published book, I like the fact that I'm helping an author who is trying to become known in the book world and hopefully my review gets them some more publicity. 

Q: If you could give any advice to your daughter when she grows up, what would it be?

That's a hard one! I've learnt so many things over the past few years but giving advice to my daughter that's an easy one, "Don't be anyone but yourself, people will love you for who you are and don't let anyone else tell you different" 

Q: If you could write a book on paranormal romance, which species would you revolve it around?

I'd LOVE to write a book but my imagination isn't the best. I love all species but I'd love to include all of them somehow. I'd like to add the Fae, Witches, Werewolves & Vampires - more the better :)

Okay guys, that's it for this week. Tune in next week. 

A Review for Fins Are Forever (Fins #2) by Tera Lynn Childs

Posted by Donna

Release Date:  June 28th, 2011

Finished Date: June 29th, 2011

Publishers: Templar

Source: Bought

Format: Hardback

Pages: 272

On Lily Sanderson’s eighteenth birthday she’ll become just a girl—still a mer girl, true, but signing the renunciation paperwork will ink Princess Waterlily of Thalassinia out of existence. That leaves plain old Lily living on land, dating the boy she loves, and trying to master this being human thing once and for all.


Now that Lily and Quince are together, mer-bond or not, she’s almost content to give up her place in the royal succession of Thalassinia. But just when she thinks she has everything figured out, Lily’s father sends a certain whirlpool-stirring cousin to stay with her on land. What did Doe do to get herself exiled from Thalassinia and stuck in terraped form, when everyone knows how much she hates humans? And why why why is she batting her eyelashes at Lily’s former crush, Brody?


The seafoam on the surf comes when a merboy from Lily’s past shows up. Tellin asks Lily for something that clouds her view of the horizon. There’s a future with Quince on land, her loyalty to the kingdom in the sea, and Lily tossing on the waves in the middle. Will she find a way to reconcile her love, her duty, and her dreams?

The Review: You all know how much I loved Forgive my Fins…so yes, Fins are Forever had been pre-ordered for a while and now I’ve finished it, I’m left wanting so much more! 

Fins are Forever starts a few weeks after the first book finishes. Lily is now back home and dating Quince after deciding to stay on land. She’s also preparing her life for college, SAT’s and finally giving up her title as Princess. When her bratty little cousin gets herself exiled from Thalissinia, its Lily’s duty getting her back on track but what she doesn’t expect is for Dosinia to bond with Brody, her former ex-crush. While Lily has to deal with Dosinia, she also has to deal with the arrival of Tellin, a former best friend that has a proposal for her…..he wants her to bond with him in order to save their Kingdoms. Lily wants nothing more than to save her kingdom and become a true Princess but could she really leave Quince behind? 

I loved it! I didn’t love it as much as book one so I’ve decided to rate this one 4.5 out of 5. Tera Lynn Childs has created a fantastic sequel with her quirky and fun writing and once again we’re sucked into the magical world of Thalissinia and I absolutely want more! This book is totally pure YA but that’s why I love it so much, it’s such a fun, enjoyable read who could not love it. 

The storyline this time around wasn’t as strong as before but it was still a great read. With Dosinia thrown in the mix to some trouble up, then there’s bound to be trouble but I loved what Tera did with her character. I didn’t find her annoying or whiney which I was expecting but I actually really enjoyed her character and yes, I’ll admit I was a little shocked where the storyline went between Doe and Brody but I loved it in the end. It was also nice to see Brody redeem himself too. 

I’m glad we got to see Thalissinia once again, I love being able to imagine the world and when I do picture it, I see the Little Mermaid. Mermaid stories have always been a tough one for me to follow but Tera pulls it off nicely and the Fins series is definitely my favourite mermaid series. 

Now the only downside to the story was Quince’s presence in the book. He was there but not as much as I would of liked. His relationship with Lily has quickly gone past the getting to know you stage and they’ve settled into to a relationship. It now seems like they’ve been together for years rather than weeks. I was really looking forward to seeing them just starting out but it didn’t happen so I guess it felt a little….rushed. 

Now I’ve finished the book, all I can think about is “WILL THERE BE A THIRD BOOK?” I can’t seem to find any news on it. My fingers are crossed because after the ending, even though things were tied up pretty nicely, the story felt unfinished…..so I’m hoping for some news soon otherwise, I will be completely disappointed. 

Overall, a fantastic book…anyone who loved the first book will love this book to. Highly recommended series. 

A review for The Iron Daughter (Iron Fey #2) by Julie Kagawa

Posted by: Jess

Published Date: August 1st, 2010

Finished Date: June 29th, 2011
Source: Brought
Format: Paperback
Pages: 359
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The Blurb from Goodreads: Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her. Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.
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The Review: You know that saying 'things get better with age'? Like wine? Well the Iron Daughter is similar to that, this gets better with each book. Seriously. I finished the book this morning on the train to work, and I was just left with a longing on how much I love this book, that I just want more! This series is definitely starting to become one of my favourites of 2011, so far.

I didn't really know how everything was going to play out in this book. After Ash, coming to collect Meghan from her world to take her to the Winter Court, to fulfill her promise to him. She's left alone, cold and abandoned by him without a friend, without her slowing building faery powers, which now lay dormant thanks to the faery b*tch Queen Mab. I was hooked at every page, I just kept turning, wanting to know what happens next.

I loved this one more than the first one, it was just better. I was so pleased to see more of Ash and Meghan. To read how their relationship grows, but to also see how their relationship ultimately affects the people around them like the Summer Court, the Winter Court, Puck etc. Having already created the world in The Iron King, Julie Kagawa still manages to describe the surroundings in such vivid detail that I find myself right there along side Meghan, Puck and Ash. Meeting the new characters who were introduced slowly but well developed by the end of a chapter. Great wrtiting. I'm not sure why, but I felt immediately drawn to Meghan and connected to her, that every emotion that she went through in this book I felt too. The loneliness, the heartbreak, being terrified, being brave when needing to. It was wonderful, I love being able to connect to the characters, to feel for them, to feel like you're right there in the midst of everything. I was so pleased to see Puck return, to have more of a part in this during Meghan's adventure. To have finally announce his love for Meghan, it was wonderful and I love Puck.

Let me move onto the ending of this book. I mean wow. I was rendered speechless and left smiling like a fool. It was a deeply well thought out ending. My favourite part? Well Ash confronting Queen Mab and finally declaring his love for Meghan. It was beautifully done, and I felt like I was right there in the crowd watching him. I won't go into too much detail because I may end up spoiling but at the very very end of this book...well I just hope that they manage to find their way back. A loophole of some sort. I do feel a little sad for Puck in all this, but in the end Meghan needed to follow her heart, and her heart pointed her in the direction its always been pointing in. Ash.  I honestly cannot wait to start on The Iron Queen, I NEED to know how this is going to pan out. 

Overall this journey was fantastic, old characters, new characters, funny moments, sad moments. The ending was wonderful and it left me wanting lots more! If you haven't already read this series, or you've thought about it and decided against it, well I have one thing to say. SHAME ON YOU! Pick these books up, read them, fall in love with the world of Faery, fall in love with Ash, and with Puck. Its simply an irresistible read, and definitely a must have on everyone's bookshelves.

Here I go with The Iron Queen. Wish me luck :)
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P.S-Some of you may be wondering which team I am? Ash or Puck. Ha, well, that's actually quite hard. I've been swaying a lot recently, but ultimately I am...neither. I love them both too much (like WIll and Jem) so right now, I am TEAM PUSH.

My Book Boyfriend (#5): Quince Fletcher

My Book Boyfriend is a weekly meme, hosted by Missie at The Unread Reader. What is My Book Boyfriend you might ask.  Well it is a weekly meme where we talk about a literary crush including stats, a picture of what you imagine he looks like and some quotes from him that make you swoon.  If you are interested in participating please check out the My Book Boyfriend Introduction Page over at Missie's blog The Unread Reader.

So seen as I (Jess) am such a fictional man perv, Donna has let this be my weekly post. But I'm to let her know when I do Ash of the Iron Fey series. So this weeks My Book Boyfriend, I wanted to do someone not so well known unless you've read the book, and I haven't seen him around a lot...Quince Fletcher from Forgive my Fins.

Quince's Stats:

Status: Obnoxious biker boy and Lily's next door neighbor and nemesis...

Age: 18

Eyes: Caribbean Blue

Hair: Dark Blonde

Physical Description: Tall, dark blonde with blue eyes. His chest is formed well from constantly working on his motorbike. Slightly obnoxious and likes to wear biker boots.

(Actor-Cam Gigandet)

"Like when she cries and my heart tears into little shreds, and all I can think of is making her forget the source of her sadness."

"I'm going to teach you to ride Princess." "Princess?" "My motorcycle." I laugh. "You named your motorcycle Princess?" "What can I say?" he teases. "I call all my favorite things princess."

"Hey, anything that gives a girl that kind of pleasure," he says with a wink, "has to be worth a try." 

What do you all think of Quince Fletcher? Have you read Forgive my Fins?

Thanks to Missie for hosting this great meme.

Tune in next Wednesday for another installment of My Book Boyfriend.

Fallen Grace UK Giveaway over at Ink Scratchers

Afternoon all,


Just a little note to say that Ink Scratchers are hosting a giveaway for UK followers only. All you need to do is head on over to Ink Scratchers fill in the form and be in with a chance of winning a signed copy of Mary Hooper's novel Fallen Grace.

Blurb from Goodreads: London, 1861. Grace Parkes, a pale but determined figure, clutches a precious bundle closely to her. Grace has a heartbreaking duty to carry out... 

Each day Grace must find a new way of earning enough money to pay the rent for the bleak, cold room that she and her sister live in, and to buy them enough — just — to eat. 

But there is a another danger threatening Grace, a danger linked to an event in her past that she is desperate to forget. Grace has caught the eye of the Unwins, an unscrupulous family whose shady business dealings are those of death and mourning. The Unwins will stop at nothing to defraud Grace of what is rightfully hers...

• All entrants MUST be UK only
• Giveaway closes July 6th, winners will be emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be picked.

So if you want to win, then head on over to their blog and fill in that form.

Disclaimer:

Book Passion is NOT running this Giveaway

All rights go to Mary Hooper

Originally posted at Ink Scratchers