Review for Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck

Tiger's Curse
By Colleen Houck
Published by Splinter
Source: Public Library
Library Challenge
416 pages

"The last thing Kelsey Hayes thought she’d be doing this summer was trying to break a 300-year-old Indian curse. With a mysterious white tiger named Ren. Halfway around the world.  But that’s exactly what happened. Face-to-face with dark forces, spell- binding magic, and mystical worlds where nothing is what it seems, Kelsey risks everything to piece together an ancient prophecy that could break the curse forever. " - Goodreads

   Tigers Curse is a very captivating, original book that is centered on love and adventure! I really enjoyed reading about Kelsey's experiences. I will definitely be looking for Tiger's Quest (The Tigers Series #2).

    I liked Kelsey as the main character, she's sassy and a go-getter, not afraid to go out and tackle big obstacles (although at the end I was very upset with her). The tiger/Ren is quite the man! Very charming indeed. Very swoon-tastic! I enjoyed when Kelsey and Ren interacted together, some of the conversation got me grinning and my stomach tingled with butterflies at the romance. That being said I did have a few problems with this book. Kelsey's foster parents were a little too easy going to just let her go off to India with a complete stranger. The other characters were well writtenin ways, I mean sometimes what they said sounded way too planned. It didn't sound natural. But all the characters grow on you and I found myself getting attached to them. Anyways, the love story between the two main characters is what made me love 'em!

   The plot was very adventurous... wow once it got going -> could-not-put-it-down! The things Kelsey and Ren have to face are described well, make sense, and are so on the edge of your seat action packed! Up until we meet a person named Kishan, I found the events set up and boring in a way (did that just condradict that last statement? Because that action comes a little before Kishan enters btw). Things went too smoothly for Kelsey, she encountered no problems with the whole arrangement. Like I said, when it came to the part where Kishan enters, I found the story began flowing more easily, it felt like it could happen. The conversations went smoothly and  I also loved where this book took place it was awesome! India, you just got on my 'places to travel' list... beautiful place, the mythology was awesome!

  I recommend this to lovers of adventure, swoon worthy romance, and mythology! I had a fun time reading this, just a warning to those who read - it is slow in the beginning BUT be sure to keep reading, it gets fast paced soon!

Excerpt:

  The light shot toward the prince with groping fingers that pierced his chest and clawed its way through his body. Though strong, he wasn’t prepared for the pain. The captive screamed as his body suddenly became inflamed with a prickly heat and he fell to the floor.
He reached out with his hands to brace himself, but he managed only to scratch feebly on the cold, white tile of the floor. The prince watched helplessly as both Yesubai and his brother attacked Lokesh, who shoved both back viciously. Yesubai fell to the ground, hitting her head hard on the dais. The prince was aware that his brother was near, overtaken by grief as the life drained from Yesubai’s limp body. Then he was aware of nothing except the pain.

Falling In To Books Hop: GIVEAWAY!!

Falling In To Books Blog Hop is hosted by Michelle @ Oh For the Love of Books -> BE SURE to click on the link to enter more giveaways, you have a great chance of winning :) I want to send a shout out to Michelle, thanks for hosting this!

 Rules:

-To enter fill out the form below (I NEED your email address for contacting)
- Must have a US or Canadian mailing address (sorry international people... I'm paying D:)
-Winner will be chosen randomly by Random.org and will be contacted via email
-Ends September 30

Much appreciated:

-Follow my blog (only if you like it)
-Follow me on twitter, goodreads, shelfari, or facebook
-Please, please, can you spread the word? I don't have many readers and I want it to be fair, so at least some entries are needed (Thanx!!)

Info on the book:

-Read only once, no rips, tears, marks, scratches etc. in truth its in new condition
-Fun fact is that this was the first book I ever won :)

Here is the book I will be giving away:


Where I Belong
By Gwendolyn Heasley

"Meet Corrinne. She's living every girl's dream in New York City—shopping sprees at Barneys, open access to the best clubs and parties, and her own horse at the country club. Her perfect life is perfectly on track. At least it was. . . . When Corrinne's father is laid off, her world suddenly falls apart. Instead of heading to boarding school, she's stripped of her credit cards and shipped off to the boonies of Texas to live with her grandparents. On her own in a big public school and forced to take a job shoveling manure, Corrinne is determined to get back to the life she's supposed to be living. She doesn't care who she stomps on in the process. But when Corrinne makes an unlikely friend and discovers a total hottie at work, she begins to wonder if her life B.R.—before the recession—was as perfect as it seemed."- Goodreads

Interested? Fill out the entry form.... And be sure to check out the other giveaways!

Thanks for reading and participating in the Hop.... I can't wait to give something back to my readers :) Happy reading!!

Review for Sapphique by Catherine Fisher

Sapphique (Incarceron #2)
By Catherine Fisher
Published by Hodder Children's Books
Source: Library
Library Challenge
480 pages

"Finn has escaped from the terrible living Prison of Incarceron, but its memory torments him, because his brother Keiro is still inside. Outside, Claudia insists he must be king, but Finn doubts even his own identity. Is he the lost prince Giles? Or are his memories no more than another construct of his imprisonment? And can you be free if your friends are still captive? Can you be free if your world is frozen in time? Can you be free if you don't even know who you are? Inside Incarceron, has the crazy sorcerer Rix really found the Glove of Sapphique, the only man the Prison ever loved. Sapphique, whose image fires Incarceron with the desire to escape its own nature. If Keiro steals the glove, will he bring destruction to the world? Inside. Outside. All seeking freedom. Like Sapphique."- Goodreads

   A great sequel or conclusion to the Incarceron series although some threads are still hanging. This book held my interest and left me feeling relatively satisfied. If you have read Incarceron, be sure to pick up Sapphique otherwise you might miss out on some action!

   As I said it held my interest and intirgued me. Some characters annoyed me in  parts of the book though. Claudia for one. This was only in the beginning... she was so hard on Finn. I mean, I know he should be showing more Princely qualities but give him some time. And she would say things that irked me because that wasn't what she was thinking; what she was thinking was kind and if she would have said that Finn would have acted differently. That was one example. We are introduced to a couple new people and for good or bad that worked well. Finn I really liked in this book for some reason, even if he was brooding and scowling, that's just him. The POV's also change through this story so we get to see or rather read through a few secondary characters eyes. That gave dimension to the story. As well as Claudia and Finn, there is still Attia, Keiro, The Warden, The Prision, Jared and the Queen (ect.).

   The plot was definitely action packed, at times it was slower but conversations made up for that. It was a little predictable but the ending was sure not! (At least for me). I was still captured by the Prison and so interested that I lost myself in the events again. The world building/fantasy was great too. But with that beings said, I was sometimes confused. Some events didn't make sense and the descriptions weren't doing anything for me. Anyways, it was a strong finish to the Incarceron story, things wrapped up... not as expected. I don't know if there will be a third, it is fine as it is but it could continue. I would love to see more of Claudia and Finn. But can I have a little word with the editor? Yes, I know things can be over-looked I mean one letter isn't a biggie even a word but some of the phrasing is just wrong (not to mention quite a few spelling mistakes), next time can you double check? Thanks.

  I recommend this to those who have read Incarceron and enjoyed it because it does do the series justice. They are meant to be read together and you might miss out on some pretty hard core nail biting!

Excerpts:

Suddenly, without warning, the room tipped. It spoke. It said, My body...

Finn staggered, slamming against the desk. The sword clattered out of his hand as he grabbed at Claudia but she slid back with a gasp, missing her footing, crashing into the chair, falling back into its seat.

And before she could stand up, she was gone.

*********

And as he watched she re-emerged from the darkness, pixel by pixel, atom by atom, the reassembly of a fragmented being, all its thoughts and limbs and dreams and features, and it wasn't Claudia, it was someone else.

*********

The two of them raced across the snowy waste of the hall. On the walls the hangings were frozen in their folds. Claudia grabbed the nearest and tugged, dust and shards of ice crashing around her. "Rix! Help us!

The magician sat on the pedestal, all knees and elbows. He was rippling coins through his hands, muttering to himself. 'Heads they kill us. Tails we Escape.'

'Forget him.' Attia jumped up and heaved the tapestry down. 'He's crazy. They both are.'

Waiting On Wednesday (18)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine to showcase unreleased novels that we're waiting for.

What am I waiting for?

Tiger's Voyage (Tiger Series #3)
By Colleen Houck
Release Date: November 1, 2011 by Create Space                     

"With the head-to-head battle against the villainous Lokesh behind her, Kelsey confronts a new heartbreak: in the wake of his traumatic experience, her beloved Ren no longer remembers who she is. As the trio continues their quest by challenging five cunning and duplicitous dragons, Ren and Kishan once more vie for her affections--leaving Kelsey more confused than ever." - Goodreads

Why Am I Waiting?

Lots of people have got caught up in this series, including myself. You can read my review for Tigers Curse (Tiger Series #1). Doesn't this description scream action? I love those types of books! Plus do I smell romance *evil grin* ? I think I do. I hope November comes soon :)

What are you waiting for? Share links and I'll visit :)

Review for Tower of Parlen Min by Matt Xell

Tower of Parlen Min (The Narrow Escapes of Ves Asirin, #1)
By Matt Xell
Published by Matt Xell
Source: Author's review request
Format: PDF
345 pages

"Ves Asirin wins a trip to the Tower of Parlen Min. There, with 19 other children, he competes in the Sword Challenge; a series of puzzles and tasks, for $12 million. As fantastic and glorious as the tower seems to be, Ves finds that it keeps a dark and secret history that he has been connected to for over 150 years, a secret that will define his destiny ... if he can escape 'The shadow'." - Goodreads

    If I had to describe this book or summarize the events I don't think I could. You will know why if you continue reading this review. This is technically not a bad thing but it's not the greatest. I was asked to review this by the author Matt Xell (self publisher - I give you a *pat* on the back for that!) so thank you for contacting me Matt!

     In the beginning and further into the book we are introduced to lots and lots of characters. Some people may find that hard to follow but for me I found that as time went by I started realizing and connecting with a the main people. The center character that the whole story revolves around it Ves Asirin. He is quite the unique boy! He is an orphan and has a memory loss disease, after 12-15 hours he forgets everything. If he has pictures or sketches of certain events, memories come back to him. But he handles this quite well and has learned to keep his sketchbook close (as it cotains all his memories). I found he grew as a character from beginning to end. His feelings, actions, and demeanor took the turn for the better. I really liked him, though I would say he did have a short temper at some points! The other characters grow on you too and even though the were a lot, I think the story needed every single one of them.

     There is a lot of ideas in this book. The auther had some great events going on but at some points it seemed like a little too much, although again, I think for the story to develop like it did, it needed basically everthing. There was always something that kept you reading. Now, the summary does 'sum' up the book but it can be misleading in a way. I wasn't expecting the story I got! I thought the Sword Challenge would be the center focus but it was not. I really enjoyed the challenges or riddles and puzzles... they were very well thought out and I had so much fun trying to figure it out! But this is quite the gloomy and dark book. It is not a happy go lucky one by any means! "The Shadow" as mentioned in the summary is a very dangerous thing and it's hard to describe without spoilers. So I will jsut say there is death and fore-warning to readers - don't read it at night like I did! Expect the unexpected! The writing is quite simplitic and there are a lot of explanations but it works well to describe the scenarios.

You can try this book, I think as  debut novel it was ok. I dove into it not knowing what it was really about and it took me out of my comfort zone. I would just say to read more reviews before deciding. And thank you Matt again!

Excerpt:

“A cryptogram …” she gasped.

“A what?” Ves asked.
“A cryptogram - it’s a cryptogram!” Vikey repeated.
“Are you sure?” Jerod asked.
“Yeah, I think so,” Vikey said. “But if I’m right, then we need a code word in order to decipher the message.”
“Maybe it’s Angilis. Let’s try that.”
Vikey thought for a second … then she counted all the words on the note.
“No, it’s not Angilis,” she said.
“Look,” Ves said, pointing at the figurine. “There’s a word on the back of the figurine. Maybe that’s it.”
“Here, let me see,” Jerod said.
Ves handed the figurine to him and he read the word on its back.
“‘Lkl’?” he said. “That doesn’t sound like any word I know.”
“Yeah, me either,” Vikey said, taking the figurine from Jerod and examining the word on its back as well.
“Besides, the code word has to be about eighteen letters long.”
Vikey gasped again.
“What is it?” Ves asked her.
“‘Lkl’ isn’t a word!”
“I think we’ve already established that,” Jerod said.
“No. What I’m trying to say is that its not ‘Lkl’ but

L – K – L… not a word, but an acronym.”

“An acronym? For what?”
“Lost – Kingdom – Legends!”

In My Mailbox (10) EPIC :)

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren where we get to post about the books we recieve each week through publishers/authors, our own purchases, contests, and libraries!

What's in My Mailbox? Lets see...



I just had to take pictures of these awesome books, I also had to make the setting as beautiful as the books with some decorations :)

When I came out of the bookstore and got in the vehicle I took out the River of Time series to take a look. I actually PETTED the covers and said in a weird soft voice to my mom "Aren't they preettty?" She gave me a look like I was crazy, sigh, no one shows interest in my love for books. Anyways, I have been waiting ages for them and they came in! Plus at the library look at the two gems I found! I couldn't believe it! That day made it to the 'best days of my life' list :) I'm so excited I could squeal with joy, no joke!

For Review:

Sapphique by Catherine Fisher

Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck

Waterfall by Lisa Tawn Bergren

Cascade by Lisa Tawn Bergren

Torrent by Lisa Tawn Bergren

Now I'd like to hear what was in your mailbox! Leave links :) I'll visit!



Making it to the TBR List (7)

Ever read a rave review? Did it make you want to run to the nearest bookstore or library? Tell us about those books that have made it to your To Be Read list. Hosted by The Bookworm is Here!

SIDE NOTE: If you want to participate - feel free! The more the merrier, just link back here :) Thanks!

My Pick this Week is:

Sapphique (Incarceron #2)
By Catherine Fisher
Published by Hodder Children's Books, September 18, 2008
480 pages

"Finn has escaped from the terrible living Prison of Incarceron, but its memory torments him, because his brother Keiro is still inside. Outside, Claudia insists he must be king, but Finn doubts even his own identity. Is he the lost prince Giles? Or are his memories no more than another construct of his imprisonment? And can you be free if your friends are still captive? Can you be free if your world is frozen in time? Can you be free if you don't even know who you are? Inside Incarceron, has the crazy sorcerer Rix really found the Glove of Sapphique, the only man the Prison ever loved. Sapphique, whose image fires Incarceron with the desire to escape its own nature. If Keiro steals the glove, will he bring destruction to the world? Inside. Outside. All seeking freedom. Like Sapphique." - Goodreads

Why was this added to my TBR list? I just finished Incarceron and am excitedly looking forward to reading this one. Incarceron didn't end in a cliff hanger but it did leave me wanting the story to continue. My review for Incarceron is the post below, be sure to stop by and read it (if you have time :D) I really hope this will be a good book, I really liked the first and hope that Finn and Claudia find a way to their freedom!

Have you ever seen or read this book? Would you be interested in it? Recently what book has made it to yourTo-Be-Read list?
Thanks for reading!!

Review for Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

Incarceron
By Catherine Fisher
Published by Hodder Children's Books
Source: Public Library
Library Challenge
458 pages

"Incarceron -- a futuristic prison, sealed from view, where the descendants of the original prisoners live in a dark world torn by rivalry and savagery. It is a terrifying mix of high technology -- a living building which pervades the novel as an ever-watchful, ever-vengeful character, and a typical medieval torture chamber -- chains, great halls, dungeons. A young prisoner, Finn, has haunting visions of an earlier life, and cannot believe he was born here and has always been here. In the outer world, Claudia, daughter of the Warden of Incarceron, is trapped in her own form of prison -- a futuristic world constructed beautifully to look like a past era, an imminent marriage she dreads. She knows nothing of Incarceron, except that it exists. But there comes a moment when Finn, inside Incarceron, and Claudia, outside, simultaneously find a device -- a crystal key, through which they can talk to each other. And so the plan for Finn's escape is born ..." - Goodreads

Catherine Fisher took me on a crazy ride of emotions; from excited, terrified, curious, anxious, laughing, cringing to gasping... you name I probably did it. It took me until the next day to let go of my "Incarceron" brain, that story just kept rolling around in my head.

We start off with Finn who I really connected with in this book. He has a desire to find out who he was because he believes he was from the Outside. Nobody believes him besides Gildas who is a Sapienti (just ignore that part, I can't really explain it) but he really believes he was born Outside. Keiro is his oath brother who I found very annoying and haughty which I guess served his purpose. The main person to be concerned with is Finn and I found him likable because he used his brains and was not afraid to take action.

In the Outside world we have Claudia, who I liked for the most part. On the outside her personality is very confident and witty but since I could read her thoughts I knew it was all a fluke in a way. That made her more relatable. Jared is her tutor and I found his character charming. He protected her and cared about her safety. Then there was the Warden who is Claudia's father. I hated him in the beginning (as the reader should have) but by the end of the book things changed, we see his true feelings in a small way.  Regardless of Outside or Inside Incarceron, all characters added to the story.

The plot. Hmm this is a give or take situation. I found that some outcomes were predictable and you could guess where things were going. BUT on the other hand, there are major revealers in here that made me gasp. Yes, gasp. And there was so much action/tension that I found myself biting my lip (seriously, I actually hurt myself with all the anticipation) especially when Finn and Claudia started to communicate. That is why I liked the plot, it was full of action and secrets. On every page there was either something happening or interesting coversations going on. ... I also enjoyed how Catherine switched POV's with Finn and Claudia and sometimes other secondary characters.

I recommend this to those who like action packed, full of twists, mystery/fantasty, and romance books. I will definitely be picking up Sapphique if I can, I hear there is only two in this series so I am happy about that!

Excerpt:

"No! No. My name's Claudia. Who are you?"
"Quiet! They'll wake up."
"Who will?"
There was a pause. Then he said, "My friends." He sounded breathless, oddly terrified. "Who are you?" she said. "Where are you? Are you a Prisoner? Are you in Incarceron?"

He jerked his head back and stared at the Key in disbelief. There was a small blue light in the heart of it; he bent closer so that it lit his skin. "Of course I am. Do you mean... Are you... Outside?"
************
"I have to go," he said hurriedly. "I'll try and speak to you again... now we know... that is, if you want to. But you have to," he added urgently. "You have to help me."
The girls answer surprised him. "How can I help you? What can be wrong in a perfect world?"
Finn's hand tightened as the blue light faded. Desperately, he whispered. "Please. You have to help me Escape."