The Best Reader [Search results for p.c. cast] 

Burned by P.C. and Kristin Cast
Publisher: ATOM (April 27th, 2010)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 323 pages
Series: House of Night #7
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
When friends stop trusting each other, Darkness is there to fan the flames…

Things have turned black at the House of Night. Zoey Redbird’s soul has shattered. With everything she’s ever stood for falling apart, and a broken heart making her want to stay in the Otherworld forever, Zoey’s fading fast. It’s seeming more and more doubtful that she will be able pull herself back together in time to rejoin her friends and set the world to rights. As the only living person who can reach her, Stark must find a way to get to her. But how? He will have to die to do so, the Vampyre High Council stipulates. And then Zoey will give up for sure. There are only 7 days left…

Enter BFF Stevie Rae. She wants to help Z but she has massive problems of her own. The rogue Red Fledglings are acting up, and this time not even Stevie Rae can protect them from the consequences. Her kinda boyfriend, Dallas, is sweet but too nosy for his own good. The truth is, Stevie Rae’s hiding a secret that might be the key to getting Zoey home but also threatens to explode her whole world.

In the middle of the whole mess is Aphrodite: ex-Fledgling, trust-fund baby, total hag from Hell (and proud of it). She’s always been blessed (if you could call it that) with visions that can reveal the future, but now it seems Nyx has decided to speak through her with the goddess’s own voice, whether she wants it or not. Aphrodite’s loyalty can swing a lot of different ways, but right now Zoey’s fate hangs in the balance.

Three girls… playing with fire… if they don’t watch out, everyone will get Burned.
Review: I'll do my best to stay away from major spoilers for this series. I know that several people have stopped reading the House of Night series recently but I still really enjoy the books. I actually think that the most recent books (Burned and Awakened) were very well written and suspenseful. I was worried that this book would be filled with only Zoey's depressed emotions but it wasn't, at all!

Burned does give us several perspectives for this book. It ranges from Zoey, to Stevie Rae, Stark, Rephaim, and others. At times, this was a little too much. I thought that a few things could have been left out (not particularly with these characters but with lesser ones) and the book may have had a little better flow. I admit that Stevie Rae is not one of my favorite characters and I think that is what initially kept me away from the recent books. I knew she was going to have a much larger part as they continued. I think her accent and word choices are a little extreme and draw away from the point of what she is saying. Other than that, I've actually enjoyed her character a lot more in Burned.

Rephaim is a newer character in Burned and we really get a chance to get to know him. I wasn't fond of him, at all, in Tempted but he's grown on me. I'm excited to see what happens with him next. Stark has always been one of my favorites and he has really grown a lot over time. I need more Stark! Zoey continues to amaze me with her strength and spirit. She is a very strong character.

I enjoyed the plot in this book. It still had just as many twists and turns as the previous books. There was never a dull moment. I do think that the drama with Kalona and Neferet needs to end soon. It goes on and on and after a while it will be way too much! I think that the story could have much more going on even long after the Neferet story line is complete.

Overall, I was really impressed with Burned. I still enjoy this series a lot and the characters that I fell in love with long ago. P.C. and Kristin Cast keep coming up with unique ideas and crazy fight scenes that draw me in from page one.

Find P.C. and Kristin Cast
Website | House of Night | P.C.'s Blog | Facebook

Purchase Burned
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Books Read:

• Betrayed — P.C. and Kristin Cast
• Chosen — P.C. and Kristin Cast
• Untamed — P.C. and Kristin Cast
• Hunted — P.C. and Kristin Cast
• The Man Who Loved Jane Austen — Sally Smith O'Rourke
  
• A Vengeful Spirit — Lizzy Armentrout
• Mr. Darcy Presents His Bride -Helen Halstead
  
• A Circle of Souls — Preetham Grandhi
• Suspense and Sensibility — Carrie Bebris
  
• Jane Austen Ruined My Life — Beth Pattillo
  
• Twilight — Stephanie Meyer
• Prada and Prejudice — Mandy Hubbard
  
• Elemental Shaman — Omar W. Rosales
  

• Lizzy Armentrout — Author of "A Vengeful Spirit"
• Preetham Grandhi — Author of "A Circle of Souls"

• My Name is Will — Jess Winfield
  

• Emma
• Twilight
• Pride and Prejudice
• My Sister's Keeper
  

• The Book Thief — Marcus Zusak
• Audrey, Wait — Robin Benway
• Nothing But Ghosts — Beth Kephart
• North of Beautiful — Justina Chen Headley

• Everything Austen Challenge
• Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge

How did July work out for you?

Awakened by P.C. and Kristin Cast
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (January 4th, 2011)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardback: 336 pages
Series: House of Night #8
Rating: 4 of 5 stars

“My love, speak to me. Tell me everything.” Neferet went to Kalona, kneeling before him, stroking the soft, dark wings that unfurled loosely around the immortal.
“What would you have me say?” He didn’t meet her eyes.
“Zoey lives.” Neferet’s voice was flat, cold, lifeless.
“She does.”
“Then you owe me the subservience of your immortal soul.” She started to walk away from him.
“Where are you going? What will happen next?”
“It is quite simple. I will ensure Zoey is drawn back to Oklahoma. There, on my own terms, I will complete the task you failed.”
Exonerated by the Vampyre High Council and returned to her position of High Priestess at Tulsa’s House of Night, Neferet has sworn vengeance on Zoey. Dominion over Kalona is only one of the weapons she plans to use against Z. But Zoey has found sanctuary on the Isle of Skye and is being groomed by Queen Sgiach to take over for her there. Being Queen would be cool, wouldn’t it? Why should she return to Tulsa? After losing her human consort, Heath, she will never be the same – and her relationship with her super-hot-warrior, Stark, may never be the same either…
And what about Stevie Rae and Rephaim? The Raven Mocker refuses to be used against Stevie Rae, but what choice does he have when no one in the entire world, including Zoey, would be okay with their relationship? Does he betray his father or his heart?
In the pulse-pounding 8th book in the bestselling House of Night series, how far will the bonds of friendship stretch and how strong are the ties that bind one girl’s heart?

Review: I think I may have even liked this book better than Burned, which I reviewed a few weeks ago. It seems to tell more about the characters and focus on that a little more than just giving constant action. I'll try to stay away from spoilers but I will say that I'm surprised by how much I like the new addition, Rephaim. Wow! Although he has been around for a few books now, we get the chance to really get to know him in Awakened and I was not disappointed. Because of that, even Stevie Rae didn't annoy me as bad as usual.

Some of my same complaints from book 7 are still in book 8. Too many points of view, Stevie Rae's dialogue takes away from the story, and the plot has focused too long on Kalona and Neferet. I can't figure out how so many of the"adults" don't know what Neferet is up to. Why is it only Zoey and her group? I just think it's time to wrap up that part of the story and step away.

Awakened, finally, gave Zoey and Stark some time together. I won't give details but I was happy to see Zoey have some time to relax and explore a new place. The ending of this book was shocking! I know some people will be unhappy with the new development but I, personally, was pleased and can't wait to see what that new plot goes. Interesting stuff!!

I will absolutely be picking up Destined (book 9) when it comes out in November. I can't seem to break away from these characters!

Find P.C. and Kristin Cast
Website | House of Night | P.C.'s Blog | Facebook

Purchase Awakened
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

The cover of Destined, House of Night book 9, was just released and oh la la, HOTNESS! I am still a fan of this series and even Heath (who is on this cover). I mean c'mon, he's HOT! This series lost me somewhere around the middle but don't give up! It does get better (in my opinion) so if you are thinking of picking these books back up, do it!

Destined (House of Night #9) by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast Publisher: St. Martin's Press (October 25th, 2011) Hardcover: 336 pages Add it on Goodreads
In Destined, the forces of Light and Dark collide as their epic struggle focuses on Tulsa's House of Night. Zoey is home where she belongs, safe with her Guardian Warrior, Stark, by her side and preparing to face off against Neferet. Kalona has released his hold on Rephaim, and, through Nyx's gift of a human form, he and Stevie Rae are finally able to be together if Rephaim can truly walk the path of the Goddess and stay free of his father's shadow.

But is Zoey really safe? Does she truly know those who are closest to her? And will love win when it is tested by the very soul of Darkness? Find out what s destined in the next thrilling chapter of the House of Night series.

Here is the cover for A Beautiful Evil, book 2 in the Gods & Monsters series by Kelly Keaton. Very spooky!

A Beautiful Evil by Kelly Keaton Publisher: Simon Pulse (February 21st, 2012) Hardcover: 320 pages Add it to Goodreads
A power she can’t deny. A destiny she’s determined to fight.

When Ari first arrived in the dilapidated city of New 2, all she wanted was to figure out who she was. But what she discovered was beyond her worst nightmare. Ari can already sense the evil growing inside her—a power the goddess Athena will stop at nothing to possess.

Desperate to hold on to her humanity and protect her loved ones, Ari must fight back. But Athena’s playing mind games, not just with Ari but with those she cares about most. And Athena has a very special plan for the brooding and sexy Sebastian.

Ari is determined to defeat Athena, but time is running out. With no other options, Ari must unleash the very thing she’s afraid of: herself.

And a section of this post I will title "Book I Just Want to Talk About 'Cause it Sounds Amazing"!
I picked up, and finished, Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles on Tuesday and Wow, it is awesome! The Perfect Chemistry series is one of my all-time favorites! I realized that I love that type of love story. When I went looking for more like it, I discovered KISS CRUSH COLLIDE by Christina Meredith. First, let's check out the cover.

*fans self* loveeee it! And now, the summary.
Kiss Crush Collide by Christina Meredith Publisher: Greenwillow Books (December 27th, 2011) Hardcover: 336 pages Add it to Goodreads Leah has the life most high school girls would kill for—popularity, glowing grades, a rich, athletic boyfriend. So why does she feel like she can’t breathe? And why can’t she stop thinking about the boy from the country club? The one who isn’t her boyfriend, the one that her mother would never, ever approve of, the one that her perfect older sisters would never, ever look at twice. The one who is always looking back at her. Irresistible attraction, smoldering glances, the bad boy and the good girl—Kiss Crush Collide has everything that a steamy forbidden romance should, and then some.

With graceful and honest writing and an electric love story, this is a book about growing into your own skin. For fans of Perfect Chemistry ( <---THAT'S ME!), Sarah Dessen ( <--- THAT'S ME TOO!), and John Green (<--Haven't read anything by him yet).
Gotta love a good forbidden romance! So how many of you want to get your hands on this book???

Bookperk News

You all probably know I'm a huge fan of the Bookperk site from HarperCollins. I've purchased a signed (by the movie cast) version of I Am Number Four and a signed copy of Guy Fieri's cookbook from them already. They add new offers all the time and I just wanted to mention a few of the new ones.

You can USE GOOGLE to see the current deals going on. If you haven't signed up, you can use that link as well. It's good to at least be signed up because amazing deals pop up all the time and sometimes they have very limited quantities.

Have a spooky or creepy story stuck in your head waiting to get out? How about something scary or freaky that happened to you that you can't explain and you've just been waiting for the perfect opportunity to tell? Well, now is the time, this is your chance!

There will be 3 rounds of voting. Each new round begins on a Sunday and ends the following Friday.

Prizes:

• 4 winners

Entries:

• The scary stories can be fiction or nonfiction
• The story must have a title.
• Stories must be at least 300 words and not to exceed 600 words.
• Stories must be posted on your site/blog so people can vote.

*Note: The story will be voted on by others (not Lisa or myself) so the stories submitted must be on a blog where they can be read. If you do not have a blog, and have a friend who may let you post on theirs, that is fine. You may also use an alias but please make sure it matches the name you submit in the form below.

Rules:

• You must be at least 13 to enter.
• The entry form must be filled out by Friday 10/8.
• One story entry per person.
• Stories must be posted on your blog by Friday 10/8.
• Contest is US ONLY and ends October 31st.
• Once contacted the winners will have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address.

1st Place

2nd Place

3rd Place

Honorable Mention

Once you have posted your story on your blog, fill out this form.

* This is the same form found at A Life Bound By Books. Please only fill it out once. Thanks and good luck!

For the month of October, here at Confessions of a Bookaholic and over at my co-hosts blog — A Life Bound By Books, we will be hosting a Comment Contest! We love comments, authors love comments, and for each comment you leave on either of our blogs during our Haunted Halloween Event — will get you entries to win some great prizes!!

How does it work you ask? It’s pretty easy – just leave a comment (one comment per person, per post) with your email address and your entered! Comment on as many posts as you’d like. The more posts you comment on, the more entries you get.
Just remember, one comment per person per Haunted Halloween post and you must include your email address each time which lets us know you’d like an entry.

Prizes:

• 4 winners

- 4th Place — 2 books Gothic: Ten Original Dark Tales by Deborah Noyes, Gregory Maguire, Garth Nix, Celia Rees, Barry Yourgrau, Janni Lee Simner, Vivian Vande Velde, Joan Aiken, more… M.T. Anderson, Neil Gaiman, Caitlín R. Kiernan
The Sallie House Haunting by Debra Lyn Pickman

Entries:

• ONE comment per Haunted Halloween post on this blog and A Life Bound By Books counts.
• Comments count as extra entries into the giveaway for the prizes listed. One comment with email per post = 1 extra entry to win!
• No form required. As long as you leave your email and are eligible to win (are at least age 13 and have a US address) you can enter!

Rules:

• You must be at least 13 to enter.
• You MUST leave an email with each comment for it to be counted.
• Only one comment for each post will count.
• Comments can ONLY be for Haunted Halloween posts! No other comments will count!
• Copying and pasting comments WILL NOT be counted.
• Contest is US ONLY and ends October 31st.
• Once contacted the winners will have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address.

1st Place

2nd Place

3rd Place

4th Place

Contest starts NOW so start commenting! Remember to include your email with each comment!

This contest is to show everyone your creative side! We're looking for anyone who would like to enter by making a cover from scratch — something that's scary from the title to the art. If you had a scary story or book, what would you think that cover would look like? Show us, share with everyone for your chance to win.

There will be 3 rounds of voting. Each new round begins on a Sunday and ends the following Friday.

Your covers must be turned in to us or posted on your blog by FRIDAY, 10/8!

Prizes:

• 4 winners

- Honorable Mention — 2 books The Restless Dead by Deborah Noyes, Herbie Brennan, Nancy Etchemendy, Chris Wooding, Marcus Sedgwick, Libba Bray, M.T. Anderson, Holly Black, Kelly Link, Annette Curtis Klause
Dracula by Nicky Raven

Entries:

• The covers should reflect what you would want if you were to write a scary or paranormal book.
• The book cover must have a title.
• An alias can be used as your"author name".

*Note: The covers will be voted on by others (not Lisa or myself). The covers with the most votes will go onto the next round.

Rules:

• You must be at least 13 to enter.
• The entry form must be filled out.
• One cover entry per person.
• Entries must be posted on your blog, or emailed to one of us by Friday, 10/8 (Email addresses listed below).
• Contest is US ONLY and ends October 31st.
• Once contacted the winners will have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address.

1st Place

2nd Place

3rd Place

Honorable Mention

Once you have posted your entry on your blog or emailed it to us, fill out this form.

* This is the same form found at A Life Bound By Books. Please only fill it out once. Thanks and good luck!

It has been a crazy month since we moved so I am extremely behind on IMM. This isn't everything from the past month but it's most of the books/swag. Hopefully soon I can get back on track and do them each week again: ) Sorry for the picture overload in this post!

Special thanks to HarperTeen, Penguin, Bloomsbury, Little Brown, Random House, and Sourcebooks.
And, big hugs to Deb Caletti for taking the time to sign my books, Jeri Smith-Ready for sending me a signed copy of Bad to the Bone, Nancy Holder and Erin (love you both!), Angeline Kace, Michelle Zink, and Sophie Jordan for the other goodies this week!

Signed Books

Review
Audition (ARC) by Stasia Ward Kehoe
Circle of Fire by Michelle Zink
The Power of Six (ARC) by Pittacus Lore
Supernaturally (ARC) by Kiersten White
Love Story by Janenifer Echols
The Carrier of the Mark (ARC) by Leigh Fallon
Don't Breathe a Word (ARC) by Holly Cupala
The Fox Chronicles by Mary E. Pearson
Vanish (ARC) by Sophie Jordan
Sweet Venom (ARC) by Tera Lynn Childs
The Dream Catchers by
The Predicteds by Christine Seifert
Glow (ARC +2 HB copies) by Amy Kathleen Ryan
Michael Vey by Richard Paul Evens
Hades by Alexandra Adornetto
Sweetly by Jackson Pearce
Melody Burning (ARC) by Whitley Strieber
The Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
The Shattering by Karen Healey
… and adorable towel from Little, Brown!

Purchased
A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford
The Summer of Skinny Dipping by Amanda Howells
Birthmarked by Caragh M O'Brien
The Fledgling Handbook 101 by P.C. Cast

Purchased (Signed)

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead
Wings by Aprilynne Pike
Spells by Aprilynne Pike

Gifted (Signed)
Bad to the Bone by Jeri Smith-Ready
Crusade by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie (and signed bookplate)

From Ash to Nash Tour (got signed)
Across the Universe by Beth Revis
Hourglass by Myra McEntire
The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

Swag
Firelight and Vanish cards and stickers from Sophie Jordan
Descended by Blood bookmarks (signed) by Angeline Kace
Card from Deb Caletti

Deb Caletti (Signed)
When I worked with Deb Caletti on the Stand Up Against Abuse feature she was kind enough to sign all of the books I had by her!
The Fortunes of Indigo Sky
Honey, Baby, Sweetheart
The Six Rules of Maybe
Stay
The Secret Life of Prince Charming
The Nature of Jade

Something that didn't come IMM!

I got a new car!! It's a 2011 Kia Soul (Alien color!) and I absolutely love it. Technically this is my very first car that's just for me (okay.me and my 3 year old, ha!) But if you are thinking"ya know, this car makes me think of a hamster" you would be correct! It is the car that was featured on the VMAs and I adore their commercial!

What did you get in your mailbox this week?

*IMM is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren and it was inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie.

The Eternal Sea (Everlasting #2) by Angie Frazier (Scholastic Press 6/1/2011) Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari (Scholastic 6/1/2011) Stupid Fast by Geoff Herback (Sourcebooks Fire 6/1/2011)

The Vampire Stalker by Allison van Diepen (Point 6/1/2011) The Ivy: Secrets (The Ivy #2) by Lauren Kunze and Rina Onur (Greenwillow 6/1/2011) Forgiven (Faithful #2) by Janet Fox (Speak 6/2/2011)

He's So Not Worth It (He's So/She's So Trilogy #2) by Kieran Scott (Simon and Schuster 6/7/2011) The Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have) by Sarah Mlynowski (HarperTeen 6/7/2011) Nyx in the House of Night (House of Night) by P.C. Cast and others (Smart Pop 6/7/2011)

Everlasting (The Immortals #6) by Alyson Noel (St. Martin's Griffin 6/7/2011) My Life Undecided by Jessica Brody (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux (6/7/2011) Chicks Kick Butt (Shifters) by Various Authors (Tor Books 6/7/2011)

Crush Control by Janenifer Jabaley (Razorbill 6/9/2011)

Possession (Possession #1) by Elana Johnson (Simon & Schuster 6/7/2011) Hereafter (Hereafter #1) by Tara Hudson (HarperCollins 6/7/2011) Forgotten by Cat Patrick (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 6/7/2011)

If you know of any other new releases for June 1st-13th feel free to add them in the comments so others will know about them!

I've finished reading the second of the House of Night Novels by P.C. and Kristin Cast, Betrayed. It took me a while to get through it, but once I got half way through I couldn't put it down!

in my blog to see the review for the first House of Night book — Marked.

From Amazon.com...

"Fledgling vampyre Zoey Redbird has managed to settle in at the House of Night. She’s come to terms with the vast powers the vampyre goddess, Nyx, has given her, and is getting a handle on being the new Leader of the Dark Daughters. Best of all, Zoey finally feels like she belongs--like she really fits in. She actually has a boyfriend…or two. Then the unthinkable happens: Human teenagers are being killed, and all the evidence points to the House of Night. While danger stalks the humans from Zoey’s old life, she begins to realize that the very powers that make her so unique might also threaten those she loves. Then, when she needs her new friends the most, death strikes the House of Night, and Zoey must find the courage to face a betrayal that could break her heart, her soul, and jeopardize the very fabric of her world. "

What I liked about the book was that it was a quick read after I got half way through, again. Like the first of the House of Night novels, Marked, Betrayed took me a while to get into. But, once I got into it went fast. Unlike Marked, Betrayed's language didn't bother me; it seemed more adult and mature — Thank You. (It drove me crazy in the first book.) I also loved how the relationship with Aphrodite and Zoey has begun to progress.

What I disliked about the book was that it took me a while to get into and once I did get into it I found that the storyline was lacking. I think that Marked and Betrayed could have been made into one book, since the first half of Betrayed was summing up what happened in the first book, Marked. That, and the story lines were so connected that it just felt like it was drawn out into two books for no particular purpose. The climaxes of both books were extremely similar, and I'm hoping that the Casts' changed it up in the third novel, Chosen. Like Marked, Betrayed's ending was very quick — the climax started and the book was concluded in the last ten pages. I also had a hard time relating to Zoey in this book. Without giving anything away, I'll just say that she has several (three) love interests. And all the while she's telling herself she isn't a "vampyre slut". I just had a hard time dealing with this, but I am kind of a prude and I don't do well with infidelity, so maybe it's just me. And finally, it wasn't a surprise to me who the 'betrayer' was — it was kind of given away early on in Marked.

Just to note, this could just be my opinion. My mom, who also read these books right before me, cried when reading Betrayed (she never cries when reading literature). She was that attached to the characters. And while I was sad, I wasn't moved to tears and I continued reading.

Overall, I was disappointed — for all the above reasons. But like before, despite it all, I am very excited to finish this review and begin the third book, Chosen. I do have to finish up some summer school homework first, but details.

Will I recommend this book to my students? Like before, I do need to watch the sex content. Hopefully the third novel will grab my attention more quickly and I will thus change my opinion of the series. But as of right now, I would only recommend this to my students who only want to read vampyric stories, or to students who have a hard time finding something that they like. A series is perfect for these students because the adventure doesn't end after one book.

I'm off to read Chosen! (After completing some homework)

Wow, two reviews in two days. Wow — I'm on a roll. So after my pretty negative review of Chosen (book three in the House of Night series), I am happy to say that Untamed is my favorite book in the series (so far)! I just loved it and ate it up in three sittings.

From Amazon.com...

"Life sucks when your friends are pissed at you. Just ask Zoey Redbird – she’s become an expert on suckiness. In one week she has gone from having three boyfriends to having none, and from having a close group of friends who trusted and supported her, to being an outcast. Speaking of friends, the only two Zoey has left are undead and unMarked. And Neferet has declared war on humans, which Zoey knows in her heart is wrong. But will anyone listen to her? Zoey's adventures at vampyre finishing school take a wild and dangerous turn as loyalties are tested, shocking true intentions come to light, and an ancient evil is awakened in PC and Kristin Cast's spellbinding fourth House of Night novel."

Wow, this book really was amazing. It grabbed my attention right away (and obviously kept it) — I really could not put it down. I think what made this book so much better than the first three books (Chosen, Betrayed, and Marked) was that I could finally begin to relate to Zoey. Her friends were mad at her, she had betrayed her 'boyfriends', she felt alone and afraid — these are all things that I, as a reader, can relate too. Another reason I think that Untamed was so much more captivating than the first three books is that, as a reader, I wasn't completely sure that Zoey could defeat evil this time. I obviously knew that she had to since there were two other books out there, but I didn't know how she was going to; the evil just felt a little too big for her to defeat it. So it was extremely captivating to read how she was going to go about doing it.

Again, the ending was different — which is good. The ending was — really, just wow. I mean, it ended perfectly, just enough to make me want to pick up the fifth book right away. Thank goodness the fifth book, Hunted, is already out as of March 2009. I am worried that I am going to finish Hunted and it's going to be an intense wait for October for the sixth book to be released. But I mean, wow! This book was really just — wow!

Also, I think I liked this book a lot better because it wasn't all about the boys and relationships — although they were present, it wasn't such a central focus like in Chosen. Zoey was also making better choices, more mature and less egotistical choices.

Like the last couple reviews in regards to this series — Aphrodite has quickly become my favorite character in the book. She's just a hoot to listen to and I love to learn about her. I mean — wow!

What did I not like about this book (every review has to have this bit, right?) — I suppose, if I had to pick something, I'd have to say the 'relationship' between Stark and Zoey. It just bothers me that they knew each other for all of five seconds and were already in love — or whatever. Also, in regards to Stark's ability — it could have been explained better. I know it was done to add mystery or suspense or whatever — but it was really vague (too vague) and that annoys me. But really, that's it.

Wow, again, wow! I know my reviews have been, let's say less than mediocre, for the first three novels, but if for no other reason than to get to Untamed, I'd recommend you read them. I mean, wow! I'm very excited to start Hunted, and again — The Man Who Loved Jane Austen will have to wait another day.

Here are my reviews for Marked, Betrayed, and Chosen.

I've finished reading the first of the House of Night Novels by P.C. and Kristin Cast, Marked. It took me a while to get through it, but once I got half way through I couldn't put it down!

From Amazon.com...

"In 16-year-old Zoey Redbird's world, vampyres not only exist but are also tolerated by humans. Those whom the creatures "mark" as special enter the House of Night school where they will either become vampyres themselves, or, if their body rejects the change, die. To Zoey, being marked is truly a blessing, though she's scared at first. She has never fit into the human world and has always felt she is destined for something else. Her grandmother, a descendant of the Cherokee, has always supported her emotionally, and it is she who takes the girl to her new school. But even there the teen stands apart from the others. Her mark from the Goddess Nyx is a special one, showing that her powers are very strong for one so young. At the House of Night, Zoey finds true friendship, loyalty, and romance as well as mistrust and deception. She realizes that all is not right in the vampyre world and that the problems she thought she left behind exist there as well. Readers will identify with many of the characters, especially the protagonist."

What I liked about the book was that it was a quick read after I got half way through. Once I got into it I was squealing with joy and making odd noises when I couldn't handle all the excitement. You really know that you are reading a good book when you giggle with excitement. The characters were easy to relate to and believable. The relationships between the new best friends are remarkable.

What I disliked about the book was how long it took me to get into the book. While the book kept my attention, I didn't feel the need to be constantly reading it until halfway through the book. I know this isn't a big deal, and I can't expect perfection all the time. But while reading Marked, I missed the eagerness to find out what happened. Also, the language took me a long time to get used too. The voice and tone of the characters are extremely juvenile and cliche — so many "whatever"s and "Oh my god"s. It was sickening at first but by the end I either got used to it or it matured. And finally, the ending came a bit too soon. It seemed that it was all build up and then a page of climax. Followed only by a half a page of resolution and a half a page of conclusion and then a page to lead into the next novel.

But despite this all, I am very excited to finish this review and begin the second book, Betrayed.

Will I recommend this book to my students? Because of a few references to sex, that despite how much I enjoyed this book I will only recommend it to upperclassmen. I do not think that I will purchase this series for my classroom, but should the school library have it than who am I to tell my students that it is a good read? Especially for those students who have read the Twilight saga and who are looking for more — since so many students do!

I'm off to read Betrayed!

Like I predicted, I was unable to put Hunted down as well! I've been three for three with the last part of the House of Night series. To make sure I don't forget anything in my review, I'll stay up a bit longer to write the review!

From Amazon.com...

"What if the hottest guy in the world was hiding a nameless evil and all he wanted was you?
At the start of this heart-pounding new installment of the bestselling House of Night series, Zoey's friends have her back again and Stevie Rae and the red fledglings aren't Neferet's secrets any longer. But an unexpected danger has emerged. Neferet guards her powerful new consort, Kalona, and no one at the House of Night seems to understand the threat he poses. Kalona looks gorgeous, and he has the House of Night under his spell. A past life holds the key to breaking his rapidly spreading influence, but what if this past life shows Zoey secrets she doesn't want to hear and truths she can't face? On the run and holed up in Tulsa's Prohibition-era tunnels, Zoey and her gang must discover a way to deal with something that might bring them all down. Meanwhile, Zoey has a few other little problems. The red fledglings have cleaned up well--they've even managed to make the dark, creepy tunnels feel more like home--but are they really as friendly as they seem? On the boyfriend front, Zoey has a chance to make things right with super-hot ex-, Eric, but she can't stop thinking about Stark, the archer who died in her arms after one unforgettable night, and she is driven to try to save him from Neferet's sinister influence at all costs. Will anyone believe the power evil has to hide among us?"
Like with Untamed, I enjoyed this book better than the first three. I felt like Zoey was finally starting to grow up and her character was facing odds that she (gasp) might not be ready to face. The book moved quickly and I found myself completely enthralled with it.
I loved Aphrodite's character. (I feel like I'm repeating myself haha!) She's just so surprising in every way. When I was reading Marked I just hated her! And with each book I find that I have gotten very attached to her character.
I also loved how the Casts' brought in the Virgin Mary. At first I thought maybe they had something against religion, so it was nice to see the comparison between Nyx and the Virgin Mother.
This novel seemed to be very well thought out. Everything happened for a reason — and the reasons were identified throughout the book. It's always nice to read a well thought out book like that.
I didn't like that Untamed and Hunted were so closely related — I'm glad that I started reading this series late because it would have driven me mad with the way Untamed ended, absolutely no closure, if I couldn't have immediately picked up Hunted.
The boy thing, again, bothered me. Three guys, come on — I know this is fiction, but please! Heath — please, we all know what needs to happen to him. Erik — she doesn't deserve him. Stark — I'm drawn to him, but I also have a pathological inability to be a good judge of character. Zoey just drives me crazy with all of these boys — I mean, it's just ridiculous. It's also slightly petty. I'm kind of getting annoyed with how quickly Zoey feels an attraction to the male species — it took her and Stark all of five minutes! I just feel like it's so one dimensional and fake. Now I realize that this isn't supposed to be a romance novel so I shouldn't expect mounds of development — but it seems as thought the Casts' were torn between romance and the supernatural. And if you are going to attempt to do it all, then you should attempt to make it worth reading by adding some depth(in regards to the relationship triangle, square, whatever). I could go with the flow of Zoey having an unexplained connection with one guy — but two, possibly three? That's stretching it a bit for even this English major.
Zoey's friends are starting to bother me too (besides Aphrodite, of course). I think that the Casts' have a very skewed view of bisexuals, African Americans, and even rich people (so pretty much everyone). I liked Damien, before he met Jack — now the two of them are just ridiculously cliche. And having more than one best friend who is a bisexual, it is kind of offensive. They must also believe that African American characters like Kramisha don't use proper grammar and in actuality have HORRIBLE grammar — again this is slight offensive and annoying. Finally, "the Twins" are beginning to drive me crazy. If you've at all read the books, I think you know why. Speaking of crazy — the recapping has gotten ridiculous. If readers have made it to book five, I don't think you need to recap the whole thing starting with book one! I found myself skipping entire paragraphs and eventually pages because of all the recapping — and not just of major events. But little things that should be put into the category of "show don't tell" — like that Damien is a nerd, Jack is Damien's boyfriend (therefore, they are gay), 'the Twins' aren't really twins, Zoey likes brown pop, etc etc. The list just goes on! It's sickening. I kind of hope the next book is the last because eventually I'll be skipping chapters of recapping!
Now I know I say I loved the book, but there are all these things I can point out that I really dislike about it. And the only thing I can say about that is that it's much easier to find the faults of a novel, for me anyway, than to point out exactly what makes it good. I really did enjoy the book and cannot wait for October — but at the same time, I need a break. I've read the last three books in the last three days and need a 'time out' from Zoey and her boy problems. I will be happy to begin reading The Man Who Loved Jane Austen tomorrow.
Check out my reviews for the first four books: Marked, Betrayed, Chosen, and Untamed.

I had starred this post awhile ago — like in April at Good Books and Good Wine and have been meaning to put together a post. I can now cross this off my endless To Do list!

I did okay (read 24/100) — but I'd like to have done much better. I look forward to reevaluating where I stand later on in the year!

Read
On my TBR List

100. Hate List by Jennifer Brown
99. Abhorsen Trilogy by Garth Nix
98. A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly
97. Among The Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix
96. Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Claus
95. Forever by Judy Blume
94. The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
93. Tithe by Holly Black
92. Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott
91. Wings by Aprillynne Pike
90. An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
89. Angus, Thongs And Full Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison
88. Marked by PC And Kristin Cast
87. Maximum Ride series by James Patterson
86. The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
85. 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
84. I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak
83. Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
82. The Mediator series by Meg Cabot
81. The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen
80. Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin
79. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
78. Along For The Ride by Sarah Dessen
77. Evernight by Claudia Gray
76. If I Stay by Gayle Foreman
75. Life As We Knew It series by Susan Beth Pfeffer
74. Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston
73. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
72. Alana: The First Adventure series by Tamora Pierce
71. Stardust by Neil Gaiman
70. Unwind by Neil Shusterman
69. Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
68. Paper Towns by John Green
67. Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
66. A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith
65. Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
64. The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night Time by Mark Haddon
63. The Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
62. Blue Bloods series by Melissa De La Cruz
61. Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
60. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
59. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
58. Just Listen by Sarah Dessen
57. Eragon by Christopher Paoloni
56. Morganville Vampires series by Rachel Caine
55. The Vampire Diaries by LJ Smith
54. Fallen by Lauren Kate
53. The Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
52. The Princess Diaries series by Meg Cabot
51. Inkheart series by Cornelia Funke
50. Number The Stars by Lois Lowry
49. Lord Of The Flies by William Golding
48. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
47. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series by Ann Brashares
46. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
45. The Summoning series by Kelley Armstrong
44. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
43. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
42. Ender's Game series by Orson Scott Card
41. Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
40. Wake series by Lisa McMann
39. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
38. Are You There God? It's Me Margaret by Judy Blume
37. Looking For Alaska by John Green
36. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
35. A Great And Terrible Beauty series by Libba Bray
34. His Dark Materials trilogy by Phillip Pullman
33. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
32. Romeo And Juliet by William Shakespeare
31. The Dark Divine by Bree Despain
30. Wicked Lovely series by Melissa Marr
29. Forest of Hands And Teeth by Carrie Ryan
28. Holes by Louis Sacher
27. The Outsiders by SE Hinton
26. The Catcher In The Rye by JD Salinger
25. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
24. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
23. The Diary of Anne Frank by Anne Frank
22. Uglies series by Scott Westerfield
21. Beautiful Creatures by Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia
20. Poison Study series by Maria V. Snyder
19. Book Thief by Markus Zusak
18. Ella Enchanted by Gail Carlson Levine
17. Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead
16. Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
15. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
14. Anne of Green Gables series by LM Montgomery
13. The Giver by Lois Lowry
12. The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare
11. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
10. Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis
9. A Wrinkle In Time series by Madeline L'engle
8. Graceling series by Kristin Cashore
7. Percy Jackson And The Olympians by Rick Riordan
6. Nick And Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
5. Pride And Prejudice by Jane Austen
4. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
3. Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer
2. Harry Potter series by JK Rowling
1. The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins

Stolen Away by Alyxandra Harvey (Walker Childrens 1/17/2012) The Asylum (The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries #5) by L.J. Smith (HarperCollins 1/17/2012) Hallowed (Unearthly #2) by Cynthia Hand (HarperCollins 1/17/2012)

Truth (XVI #2) by Julia Karr (Speak 1/19/2012) Try Not to Breathe by Janenifer R. Hubbard (Viking Juvenile 1/19/2012) Havoc (Deviants #2) by Jeff Sampson (Balzer + Bray 1/24/2012)

Fallen in Love (Fallen #3.5) by Lauren Kate (Delacorte Press for Young Readers 1/24/2012) Daughter of the Centaurs (Centauriad #1) by Kate Klimo (Random House Books for Young Readers 1/24/2012) Forbidden by Syrie James & Ryan M. James (HarperTeen 1/24/2012)

The Way We Fall (The Way We Fall #1) by Megan Crewe (Disney 1/24/2012) Drowning Instinct by Ilsa J. Bick (Lerner Publishing Group 1/28/2012 Destiny and Deception (13 to Life #4) by Shannon Delany (St. Martin's Griffin 1/31/2012)

Lenobia's Vow (House of NightNovellas #2) by P.C. and Kristin Cast (St. Martin's Griffin 1/31/2012) Wings of the Wicked (Angelfire #2) by Courtney Allison Moulton (Katherine Tegen Books 1/31/2012)

Fracture by Megan Miranda (Walker & Company 1/17/2012) Halflings (Halflings #1) by Heather Burch (Zonderkidz 1/17/2012) Tempest (Tempest #1) by Julie Cross (St. Martin's Griffin 1/17/2012)

Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic (HMH Children's Books 1/17/2012) Everneath (Everneath #1) by Brodi Ashton (Balzer + Bray 1/24/2012) Incarnate (Newsoul #1) by Jodi Meadows (HarperCollins 1/31/2012)

Article 5 (Article 5 #1) by Kristen Simmons (Tor Teen 1/31/2012) New Girl by Paige Harbison (Harlequin Teen 1/31/2012)
What books are you most excited to read?

If you know of any other new releases for January 16th-31st feel free to add them in the comments so others will know about them!

This week was an amazingggg book week! I got 2 huge packages from HarperTeen, and books from Scholastic, Penguin, Spencer Hill Press (Thanks Kate!), Tor, St. Martin's, and a surprise from Jordan Deen!

Review
Wanted (ARC) by Heidi Ayarbr
Dreamless (ARC) by Josephine Angelini (!!!!!)
Darkness Before Dawn (ARC) by L.A. London
Hemlock (ARC) by Kathleen Peacock
Until I Die (ARC) by Amy Plum
The Lost Code (ARC) by Kevin Emerson
Sweet Evil (ARC) by Wendy Higgins
Destined (ARC) by Aprilynne Pike
Vesper by Jeff Sampson
Havoc by Jeff Sampson
Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
Lenobia's Vow by P.C. and Kristin Cast
A Confusion of Princes (ARC) by Garth Nix
Never Fall Down (ARC) by Patricia McCormick
All the Right Stuff (ARC) by Walter Dean Myers
Fall From Grace (ARC) by Charles Benoit
Trafficked (ARC) by Kim Purcell
Perception (ARC) by Kim Harrington
Minder (SIGNED) by Kate Kaynak
Half Moon (SIGNED) by Jordan Deen

Purchased
The Fault in Our Stars (SIGNED) by John Green

What did you get in your mailbox this week?

*IMM is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren and it was inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie.

Thanks to Random House, St. Martin's Griffin, HarperTeen, Kensington/ The Teen Book Scene, Poppy, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, and Simon & Schuster for the amazing books this week!

Review
Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton
You Don't Know About Me by Brian Meehl
Tighter by Adele Griffin
My Not-So-Still Life by Liz Gallagher
Jane Jones: Worst Vampire Ever by Caissie St. Onge
Slicker by Lucy Jackson
Twisted: Pretty Little Liars #9 by Sara Shepard
Dragon's Oath by P.C. and Kristin Cast
Falling For Hamlet by Michelle Ray
The Familiars: Secrets of the Crown (ARC) by Adam Jay Epstein & Andrew Jacobson
Deadly Cool (ARC) by Gemma Halliday
Touch of Frost (and bookmark) by Janenifer Estep
Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma (*2nd copy- read and it is a great book!)
Forgotten by Cat Patrick (*2nd copy- LOVED it!)

What did you get in your mailbox this week?

*IMM is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren and it was inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie.

I've finished the third of the House of Night books — Chosen — by P.C. and Kristin Cast. This is going to be kind of a different review, mostly because I'm not completely sure how I feel about it.

From Amazon.com

"Dark forces are at work at the House of Night and fledgling vampyre Zoey Redbird’s adventures at the school take a mysterious turn. Those who appear to be friends are turning out to be enemies. And oddly enough, sworn enemies are also turning into friends. So begins the gripping third installment of this “highly addictive series” (Romantic Times), in which Zoey’s mettle will be tested like never before. Her best friend, Stevie Rae, is undead and struggling to maintain a grip on her humanity. Zoey doesn’t have a clue how to help her, but she does know that anything she and Stevie Rae discover must be kept secret from everyone else at the House of Night, where trust has become a rare commodity. Speaking of rare: Zoey finds herself in the very unexpected and rare position of having three boyfriends. Mix a little bloodlust into the equation and the situation has the potential to spell social disaster. Just when it seems things couldn’t get any tougher, vampyres start turning up dead. Really dead. It looks like the People of Faith, and Zoey’s horrid step-father in particular, are tired of living side-by-side with vampyres. But, as Zoey and her friends so often find out, how things appear rarely reflects the truth…"

First of all, I was absolutely mortified and bored for the first 2/3rds of the book. Every page, it seemed, recounted what had happened in the first two books, Betrayed and Marked. While I understand why it's necessary, I think it was over done. The repetitive information, not only the vital information but the tidbits as well, was insufferable. My biggest problem with Zoey is that I cannot relate to her. She's gotten to be 'too' big of a person. People might argue that Harry is 'too' big a person, but because he's got such a humble attitude and great friends — it works. Zoey, however, in my opinion is a failure of a character. Her endless boyfriends and whore-ish actions (I mean, my God!) drive me to hate the character. How can one person have it all — one, two, three boyfriends (all of whom are amazingly attractive), affinities for one, two, three, four, five (all) the elements, visions blessed by Nyx, I mean the list just goes on. I think that characters need to be believable — and Zoey has hit the jack pots of all things unbelievable. How can one, seemingly normal, character get so lucky! I honestly feel bad for all her boy toys. Ridiculous! Another thing — she needs to stop kidding herself about being all innocent and what not — really! Read the book and you'll understand. Her inability to be decisive is maddening! At the end of the book — she gets what she deserves.

It may be a bit too quick in ordinary standards (the ending I mean), but because of her whorish actions she kind of deserves it to end quick. I know I sound like a heartless reviewer, I'm just extremely disappointed.

What did I like about the book?

Well — the ending was different, which is a nice change up from the previous two. I felt like the ending was justified — a bit harsh, but justified. The part about Blake and Neferet (don't worry I won't give anything away) is extremely gripping and exciting. I had to put the book down I was so excited — isn't that weird. When I get really excited about a book I have to put it down for a minute before I continue reading — anyone else?

Aphrodite is my new favorite character — I mean, wow. Her character is so developed, funny, and there's just a slight sense of... let's call it edginess... that keeps readers riveted.
And besides all my aparent problems with the book — I was still clutching the pages for the last third of the book. Gasping out loud, turning the page feverishly, even skimming the bulk of paragraphs because I just had to find out what was going to happen (I know that this is an awful habit, I usually have to go back to read because I've missed something — go figure).

So really, I have no idea what I think about this book or this series, for that matter. When reading them — they drive me crazy! Maddeningly crazy! But as soon as I've finished, I can't wait to pick up the next book — so they can't be all that bad can they? Or maybe it's just because they get good towards the end? I don't know. But I do know that I'm going to skip The Man Who Loved Jane Austen for Untamed. I should have known that I wasn't going to get anything read until after I finished the series.

So tell me, what do you think about the series? Are you running into the same frustrations that I am?

Here are my reviews for Marked and Betrayed.

*Alright, so I understand that this is a pretty 'rough' review. But you wanted honesty, right? And you have to know that the book is somewhat good if it's moved me to such an irritation!

The Immortals: Everlasting (The Immortals #6) by Alyson Noel (Macmillian Children's Books 7/1/2011) Fins Are Forever (Fins #2) by Tara Lynn Childs (Katherine Tegen Books 7/1/2011) Settling (Solid #2) by Shelley Workinger (CreateSpace 7/4/2011)

Original Sin (Personal Demons #2) by Lisa Desrochers (Tor Teen 7/5/2011) Twisted (Pretty Little Liars #9) by Sara Shepard (HarperTeen 7/5/2011) Sirensong (Faeriewalkers #3) by Janena Black (St. Martin's Griffin 7/5/2011)

Paradise by Jill S. Alexander (Feiwel & Friends 7/5/2011) Falling For Hamlet by Michelle Ray (Poppy 7/5/2011) Forever (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #3) by Maggie Stiefvater (Scholastic Press 7/12/2011)

Sass & Serendipity by Janenifer Ziegler (Delacorte Books for Young Readers 7/12/2011) Dragon's Oath (House of Night Novellas #1) by P.C. & Kristin Cast (St. Martin's Press 7/12/2011) Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore (Delacorte Books for Young Readers 7/12/2011)

Starstruck by Cyn Balog (Delacorte Books for Young Readers 7/12/2011) Sometimes it Happens by Lauren Barnholdt (Simon Pulse 7/12/2011) Undercurrent (Siren Trilogy #2) by Tricia Rayburn (EgmontUSA 7/12/2011)

Lost Voices (Lost Voices #1) by Sarah Porter (Harcourt Children's Books 7/4/2011) Luminous by Dawn Metcalf (Dutton Children's Books 7/7/2011) Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris (Delacorte Press 7/12/2011)
If you know of any other new releases for July 1st-13th feel free to add them in the comments so others will know about them!