In My Mailbox (#27)

Donna's IMM hosted by The Story Siren

Purchased
You Are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay
Ingo by Helen Dumore
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Swapped with Lindsey - Lindsey's Bookshelf
Vanish by Sophie Jordan 
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Swapped with Michelle - Much Loved Books
Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon
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From MacMilliam UK (For Review)
Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan 
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From Random House (For Review) 
This Dark Endeavour by Kenneth Oppel
Not to sure on this one. 
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Purchased Kindle Books:

Daimon (Prequel to Half-Blood) by Jennifer L.Armentrout 

Half-Blood by Jennifer L.Armentrout 

Note: I've already read both of these books but in the UK on Kindle, you can't beat the price. 86p for Daimon and £2.91 for Half-Blood. Go buy it guys! 

Everblue by Bredna Pandos

Beautifully Broken by Sherry Soule

Moonspell by Samantha Young

Meant to Be by Tiffany King 

Crave by Melinda Metz

Jenny Pox by J.L Bryan

Kindle Books for Review: 

From Nilsa Rodriquez

The Rising Moon by Nilsa Rodriguez

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From Mirelle Chester

Crossover by Mirelle Chester

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From Belle Whittington 

Cicada by Belle Whittington

THANK YOU ALL!!!!! 

Donna's IMM hosted by The Story Siren

Purchased Books

Stray, Rogue, Pride by Rachel Vincent 

Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson

What did you get in your mailbox this week?

A Review for The Wanderer by Shawn Kirsten Maravel

Posted by Donna
Expected Published Date: October 1st, 2011
Finished Date: September 22nd, 2011
Source: ARC, For Review
Format: Kindle
Pages: 322
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The Blurb from Goodreads: After getting out of the Army, Landon Bradley packs up his motorcycle and heads North West in hopes of closing up old battle wounds and maybe even settling down. Not accustomed to staying in one spot for too long, he's not certain that he'll ever find a place that he can truly call home. When he finds himself stranded in a small Wyoming town, Landon meets Maxine Abrams, more affectionately known as Max. Her blunt honesty and humble generosity make him feel closer to home then he ever has before. But when his feelings for her grow too strong, the reality that, like everyone else, he could easily lose her too, Landon feels the ever present urge to leave again. And Landon must decide which call to heed. His heart or the open road.
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The Review: You all know this book is not my usual type of book to read. But when Shawn asked me to review it, how could I say no? I couldn’t, because I’m always looking for new books that will take me by surprise and you know what, The Wanderer hit that spot. 

The story follows Landon Bradley who has just finished his time in the Army and decides to hit the road. With no family, friends or girlfriend to speak of, he’s just looking to cruise around, enjoy the life of travel and take some time to reflect on the last 15 years.
As he moves from place to place, he hasn’t got any plans to stay in one place for too long……well that is until he crashes he motorbike and has no choice but to stay in a small town in Wyoming, while his bike is being repaired. What Landon isn’t prepared for is to meet Max. A young woman that he’s instantly attracted too but, Max gets Landon like no other women has and now he has to choose to stay with the women he’s falling for or hit the road one more time.

Like I said this book surprised me. It surprised me because I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this story as much as I did. It’s one of them books that you can keep reading and reading and not want to stop because it’s just such a mellow book. It’s a read that flows easily and it’s very enjoyable. The first part of the book is a little slower paced because it’s about finding out who Landon is but as soon as Max comes into the picture, you’re filled with suspense and hope. You feel the attraction between these characters straight away and then I sat on edge for the rest of the book hoping there was a happy ending for both our characters.

Ever since I heard Shawn say that she pictures Landon as Ryan Reynolds, that right there for me is an instant win but what I didn’t expect for Landon to become so real to me. He was so down to earth, raw, and passionate and I felt very connected to him. Yes of course, it helps he’s hot too but Landon’s a truly desirable character, even with his faults you’ll still can’t help but fall for him.

Overall, The Wanderer is a great addition to Shawn’s work and I think everyone should give this book a try especially if it’s not your normal read, because like me I reckon you will be surprised. Read it! 

Winner of the Battle of the Sexes

And the winner between Alex & Carlos is.......................

CARLOS!!! From Rules of Attraction, with 57% of the votes....Yay! 

A Review for After Obsession by Carrie Jones & S.E Wedel

Posted by Donna
Expected Published Date: October 5th, 2011
Finished Date: September 11th, 2011
Publishers: Bloomsbury 
Source: ARC, For Review
Format: Paperback
Pages: 305
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The Blurb from Goodreads: Aimee and Alan have unusual pasts and secrets they prefer to keep hidden. Aimee's deceased mother struggled with mental illness and hallucinations, and Aimee thinks it could be hereditary. After all, she sees a shadowy river man where there isn't one. And then there was that time she and her best friend Courtney tried to conjure a spirit with a Ouija board ...Alan is Courtney's cousin. His family moved to Maine when Courtney's father went missing. It's not just Alan's dark good looks that make him attractive. He is also totally in touch with a kind of spiritual mysticism from his Native American heritage. And it's not long before Aimee has broken up with her boyfriend ...But it's not Aimee or Alan who is truly haunted - it's Courtney. In a desperate plea to find her father, Courtney invites a demonic presence into her life. Together, Aimee and Alan must exorcise the ghost, before it devours Courtney - and everything around her.
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The Review: I’ll admit, I hadn’t heard much about this book until it arrived from Bloomsbury to review. Firstly, I was drawn to the cover of the book, its beautiful right? Then secondly, the blurb sounded interesting enough and thirdly, I heard there was an awesome romance story involved too. So what’s not to like? 

After Obsession is told from Aimee and Alan’s point of view, alternating between the two characters. The story centres on Alan’s cousin being possessed by an evil spirit known as The River Man. The River Man is responsible for many deaths over the years including Aimee’s own mother. Alan & Aimee have no other choice but to try and stop The River Man before he hurts anyone else in there town.

I have to say, this was a freshing read because it’s not your typical ghost story. With it being about Possession there isn’t really many avenue’s to take but Carrie Jones & S.E Wedel put their own twists on the story. Both Alan and Aimee have something to offer that could help them defeat The River Man. Aimee has inherited her mother’s psychic ability and Alan being part Navajo, has his own spiritual ritual’s that can help. I have to say, I was more interested in Alan, mainly because I haven’t read that many books that deal with Navajo customs and traditions. I was intrigued to read more and I think the author’s did a fantastic job showing us another culture. I really enjoyed both of our main characters, who I think made a great couple.

The story was easy to follow and kept me interested throughout. I did rate the story three out of five and even though I did enjoy the story, I just felt there was something missing but I just can’t put my finger on it. The last 10 chapters or so was where the real action started and the story comes together very nicely. The ending of the book left me satisfied and overall, I was generally happy with everything.

I definitely think this is a book to be tried in 2011, I think it will be a massive hit in the paranormal romance genre and I think Aimee and S.E did a good job.

Thank you to Bloomsbury UK for giving me the opportunity to review this book.

A Review for Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson

Posted by Donna
Published Date: August 4th, 2011
Finished Date: September 22nd, 2011
Publishers: Simon & Schuster
Source: Bought
Format: Paperback
Pages: 320
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The Blurb from Goodreads: 17-year-old Lila has two secrets she's prepared to take to the grave. The first is that she can move things just by looking at them. The second is that she's been in love with her brother's best friend, Alex, since forever. Or thereabouts.After a mugging on the streets of South London goes horribly wrong and exposes her unique ability, Lila decides to run to the only people she can trust - her brother and Alex. They live in Southern California where they work for a secret organisation called The Unit, and Lila discovers that the two of them are hunting down the men who murdered her mother five years before. And that they've found them. Trying to uncover the truth of why her mother was killed, and the real remit of The Unit, Lila becomes a pawn in a dangerous game. Struggling to keep her secrets in a world where nothing and no one is quite as they seem, Lila quickly realises that she is not alone - there are others out there just like her - people with special powers -and her mother's killer is one of them...


The Review: 
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I felt his other hand sear hot against my cheek. He bent his head, and in a voice that Jack couldn’t hear, said, “When you came down the stairs, and fell into me, that was the moment.” Then his lips pressed against mine. 

Can I rate this book a 10? I loved this book, honestly, I loved it. This is one of them books that seriously take you by surprise and blow you away. I’ll admit, I was a bit hesitant when I first heard about it but after seeing so many awesome reviews, I knew this was a book I wanted to try. And yep, if you can’t already tell I was definitely not disappointed.

Hunting Lila is Sarah Alderson’s debut novel and let me tell you, it doesn’t feel like a debt novel. Sarah’s style of writing is easy to follow, exciting and very interesting. She knows how to deliver great characters, she knows how to deliver an explosive storyline and build up the suspense, and of course, she knows how to deliver a romance that will leave you breathless. All of these things make this book, one of the best books I’ve read this year.

Our main character Lila is a great protagonist. We first see her in London, being mugged by teenage boys and unfournately because of her situation she is about to use her gifts to stop the boys, but she soon stops when she realises she could actually hurt them. This then leads her to jumping on a plane to visit her brother and his best friend Alex. Lila keeps her gifts a secret from both Jack and Alex but most of all she’s been keeping another secret…..she’s been in love with Alex for years. While trying to keep her secrets safe, Lila can’t help but start questioning what her brother and Alex are really up too. And when she finally gets her answers, she sure is unsure of who she can trust.


Lila is a lovable character, one that you feel very connected with throughout this book. He love for Alex is undeniable and helps her get through the hard days. It’s safe to say Alex is her rock throughout this book, even in times of doubt he’s still the first person she will turn too. Now, Alex is….well….let’s just say, he sure is going to be a hit with the female readers. I adored him! He first comes across of as the big brother type, very protected of Lila and that’s how he tries to keep things between them. But again that undeniable attraction between them is unavoidable and that then leads to a loving and tender relationship between the character, and it’s one that will make your heart melt. Yep, I totally fell for Alex! I love him.

The story has a very strong plot that leaves readers questioning what’s real and what’s not. There are unexpected twists and turns that jump out at you and leave you dying to know more. There are scenes that will make you heart break but then there’s scenes that will have you jumping for joy but most of all, the ending. The ending will leave you dying to know more because Sarah Alderson throws in a huge twist, that I honestly didn’t see coming. I was left a little speechless.

Overall, Hunting Lila is an awesome book and the fact that I actually devoured this book within 24 hours because of how good it was, I now urge you guys to……GO AND BUY THIS BOOK!! It’s not one you want to miss out on and I can’t wait for August 2012, when I can get my hands on book 2. 

900 Follower Giveaway!! (International)

So to celebrate our blog hitting 900 followers, we've decided to do a Giveaway where we will be giving away 1 prize pack of your choice to 1 winner. All you need to do is fill out the form below, select which prize pack you are entering for and just keep your fingers crossed! 

UK Prize Pack

Adult Paranormal Pack

Must be 16+ to enter for this pack only...

Paris Prize Pack

London Prize Pack

US Prize Pack

YA Pack

The Rules

* There will be ONE winner
* The winner will be able to swap one book from any of the following prize packs if they like. But ONE book only.

* It is international

* You MUST be a follower of our blog

* You MUST complete all the required information however, extra entries are optional. 
* Our giveaway button is to the left of the blog or at the bottom of this post, so don't forget to grab the code. :)

* Giveaway will end October 31st, 2011.



<a border="0" href="http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/i360/YaAholic/passionbutton.jpg" /></a>

So want to enter? Fill in the form. Enjoy! 

My Book Boyfriend (#17): Akiva of Daughter of Smoke and Bone

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.

Now before I start this. I just need to make a note that the person I've used to model, I have had to borrow from Stephanie at Misfit Salon so thank you Steph for allowing me use him :)

Akiva of Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Akiva's Stats: 

Status: Akiva is a Seraphim (that's it...)

Age: Very old (but sexy)
Eyes: Gold 

Love Interest: Karou

Description: He has Kohl-rimmed eyes in a sun-bronzed face. Fire-colored eyes with a charge like sparks that seared a path through the air and kindled it. His eyes were hypnotic, his brows black and velvet. He was copper and shadow, honey and menace, the severity of knife-blade cheekbones and a widow's peak like the point of a dagger.

"He said,"I want you to know..." He swallowed. "I need you to know that I was drawn to you-to you, Karou-before the wishbone. Before I knew, and I think...I think I would always find you, no matter how you were hidden." He was focused on her extraordinary intensity. "Your soul sings to mine. My soul is yours, and it always will be, in any world. No matter what happens-" His voice cracked, and he took a breath. "I need you to remember that I love you."

"Oh, thought Karou, staring at him. Oh. Angel indeed.

He stood revealed. The blade of his long sword gleamed white from the incandescence of his wings---vast shimmering wings, their reach so great they swept the walls on either side of the alley, each feather like the wind-tugged lick of a candle flame.
Those eyes. ." 

"His gaze was like a lit fuse, scorching the air between them. He was the most beautiful thing Karou had ever seen."

Yep, I know Stephanie at Misfit Salon used him last week (Takeshi Kaneshiro)...but I did ask her nicely (no really, I actually emailed her and asked if I could use her images...I ended up just using one as I found my own). Anyway, there you have it. Akiva of Daughter of Smoke and Bone.

If you fancy some Akiva, you can read him in Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor, which is released on September 27th. 

I hope you enjoyed this weeks :)

A Review for Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay

Posted by Donna
Published Date: August 9th, 2011
Finished Date: September 19th, 2011
Publishers: Delacorte Books for Younger Readers
Source: Bookaholic's Book Club Travelling Book
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 304
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The Blurb from Goodreads: The most tragic love story in history . . .Juliet Capulet didn't take her own life. She was murdered by the person she trusted most, her new husband, Romeo Montague, a sacrifice made to ensure his own immortality. But what Romeo didn't anticipate was that Juliet would be granted eternity, as well, and would become an agent for the Ambassadors of Light. For 700 years, she's fought Romeo for the souls of true lovers, struggling to preserve romantic love and the lives of the innocent. Until the day she meets someone she's forbidden to love, and Romeo, oh Romeo, will do everything in his power to destroy that love.
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The Review: 
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“Love doesn’t want people to stay ignorant and frightened. Love doesn’t value obedience over all else. Love doesn’t judge and find some lives-or loves-more valuable than others. Love doesn’t use people and throw them away. Love stays, and makes you stronger, even when the person you love is gone.” – Juliet.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t know what to expect before reading this book. I was definitely intrigued to the story especially with it being based around Romeo and Juliet but at the same time, I was also a bit worried because it was based around the tragic couple, it wouldn’t be any good. Well, let me tell you that Stacey Jay has done a fantastic job portraying the couple in this magical and compelling novel.

As I’m sure you all know the tale of Romeo and Juliet, this story tells a different version. What would have happened if Romeo had killed Juliet, so he could become an agent to the Mercenaries and work for the powers of dark helping drive apart soul mates? What would have happened if Juliet, after her death, was an agent working for the Ambassadors of light and hated Romeo for ending her life? And mainly, what would have happened if Juliet had fell in love with someone completely forbidden? Well….this story will tell you everything. Juliet Immortal is a story about love and loss in a completely beautiful and horrifying way that you can’t help fall in love with this book. I was captivated from start to end and truly enjoyed this story.

I instantly felt a connection to the main characters and felt like I’d known them for years. Juliet has always been a strong character but in this story, she is even stronger. Her hate for Romeo keeps her going, keeps her trying to help people find their soul mates. Even throughout her struggles, she always tries to do the right thing even without guidance from the Ambassadors, she still tries. I loved this version of Juliet and I feel like I know her so much more now. Romeo, I love Romeo but in this book is hard not to like him. He’s portrayed as the bad guy, he’s evil, and he kills people and steals their bodies. It was easy to hate him as much as Juliet but deep down, he has some hidden secrets. Secrets….that you can’t help but feel for him by the end of this book and really makes you question if he really was the bad guy. And then of course there’s Ben....Ben who I loved. He was a fantastic addition to this story and the twists and turns that involve his character are truly shocking. He’s a character that I keep thinking about nearly 12 hours later after finishing the book.

The story itself was very unpredictable. It’s fast paced, exciting, dangerous and of course, full of romance. The love in this story slowly builds up and touches your heart especially with all the emotions flying about. But there are also some really dark scenes too, ones that leave you utterly shocked but nonetheless still very enjoyable.

Overall, Juliet Immortal was a great stand-alone novel. I have to say though, I’d be interested to see something from Romeo’s point of view especially from that ending but even without it, I’m still happy. I think Stacey Jay deserves a round of applauses for creating a fresh and exciting story but still staying true to our famous couple. 
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A huge thank you to Bookaholic's Book Club for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Kelly Armstrong Giveaway (UK/EU only)

So who wants to win a signed copy of  Kelley Armstrong's Living with the Dead and some swag? 

You do well....fill in the details below and you will be entered. UK/EU only!

The winner will be announced on October 11th. Good Luck. FILL IN THIS FORM.

A Review for Succubus Revealed (Georgina Kincaid #6) by Richelle Mead

Posted by Jess
Published Date: September 15th, 2011 (UK release)
Finished Date: September 19th, 2011
Publishers: Bantam 
Source: Bought
Format: Paperback
Pages: 320


The blurb from Goodreads: Georgina Kincaid has had an eternity to figure out the opposite sex, but sometimes they still surprise her. Take Seth Mortensen. The man has risked his soul to become Georgina's boyfriend. Still, with Lucifer for a boss, Georgina can't just hang up her killer heels and settle down to domestic bliss. In fact, she's being forced to transfer operations… to Las Vegas. 

The City of Sin is a dream gig for a succubus, but Georgina's allies are suspicious. Why are the powers-that-be so eager to get her away from Seattle—and from Seth? Georgina is one of Hell's most valuable assets, but if there's any way out of the succubus business she plans to take it—no matter how much roadkill she leaves behind. She just hopes the casualties won't include the one man she's risking everything for…

The Review: "Stop," I said, feeling flustered. I ran a nervous hand over my hair. This conversation wasn't going how I expected. "I probably have bedhead." My makeup had probably smudged while I slept too. He grabbed my other hand and-gently-drew me near. "You look perfect".

*Inhales*- Where do I start. I sort of don't want to write a huge review because I just know it won't do it justice. I'll try and keep it short.

What an absolutely perfect ending; to a perfect series. All series books should end like that! It was so incredibly perfect. I still can't believe it's come to an end. No more Seth and Georgina. I'm going to have withdrawal symptoms. I can feel it.

It was pretty easy to fall back into Georgina's story, and it just felt good to be back. Succubus Revealed was wonderful-it wasn't my favorite-but I can't pick a favorite. So I'll stick with it was just wonderful. Everything just fell into place in this book, all my theories were confirmed just after half way through the book. It was wonderful to finally get the answers that we'd-I'd-been seeking when I first started this series a year ago. Everything that I thought had finally fallen into place. And it was oh so tantalizingly GOOD! Richelle Mead has outdone herself again.

Everything about this book just screams Richelle Mead! The mystery, the intrigue, the divine forces trying to rip the lovers apart. The final chapter was beautiful and I couldn't have asked for a better ending for Georgina. Which I think I mentioned at the start of this review. I told you this review wouldn't do it justice. I think I'll just stop now.

It was all so wonderful, if you haven't already picked this series up then you really should! Go! Go little readers go! I aim to pick up her Storm Born series very soon!

P.S-I still can't believe I don't know how Seth ended his Cady and O'Neill book series?! That's going to bug...