"Tiger's Destiny" by Colleen Houck

Tiger's Destiny (Tiger Saga #4)
by Colleen Houck
350 pages (nook edition)

Short Version: Kelsey, Ren and Kishan have come to the final quest to break the tiger curse.

Why I Read It: I have been waiting for this book since I finished the third one. I couldn't wait to see how the saga would end.

The Book: (From Goodreads)
With three of the goddess Durga's quests behind them, only one prophecy now stands in the way of Kelsey, Ren, and Kishan breaking the tiger's curse. But the trio's greatest challenge awaits them: A life-endangering pursuit in search of Durga's final gift, the Rope of Fire, on the Adaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal. 

It's a race against time--and the evil sorcerer Lokesh--in this eagerly anticipated fourth volume of the bestselling Tiger's Curse series, which pits good against evil, tests the bonds of love and loyalty, and finally reveals the tiger's' true destiny once and for all.

My Thoughts: (WARNING: This review contains spoilers!!!)
Overall, Tiger's Destiny was a great ending to the Tiger Saga. Tiger's Voyage left off with Kelsey being kidnapped by Lokesh and her making the decision to be with Kishan, although she was unsure about it. With an ending like that I could NOT wait for book 4.
We picked up right where we left off. Lokesh has Kelsey and the boys are out to save her. I'm going to skip the actual details of everything and just focus on a few parts of the book though. Kelsey's heart is so unsure of the brother she should be with. When Ren turned her down and she chose Kishan, she promised to stay with him and see it through. When Kishan proposed her heart was even more twisted up. Ren was beside himself for pushing Kelsey away, but he stayed devoted waiting for her at all times. Houck did a great job of making it hard to guess who Kelsey would choose in the end. I have always thought it to be Ren since they had such a connection, but Houck would put in lines such as "I kissed the one I loved..." and you would have no idea which tiger it was since Kelsey loved both.
The final battle in Durga's quest is where I figured it out. The whole ending of the book was amazing. Meeting Durga in the past, the emotions of their quest coming to an end, the battle, and the final sacrifice. I was so close to tears a few times, which is not something that happens to me often.
Usually I am sad when a series like this ends, but it was done so well that I feel satisfied and complete. Some day I'm going to have to come back and read them all over again.

4.5/5 Stars

#17 in 2012 Ebook Challenge
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#7 in 2012 Wishlist Challenge

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Update

It has been just over a month since I have touched my blog, which makes me kind of sad to think about. But that month has just flown by. I can honestly say I have had so much going on there really has been no time to read a book, let alone work on my blog. I hope you all understand. Unfortunately, my neglecting may continue a little while longer. I have 5 trips coming up in the next month, which is something I should be used to considering I used to travel non-stop. These trips are a bit different though. I will be with the client the entire time, and when I am not with them I have be working on my other programs or studying. 

Studying - that is the biggest thing that has kept me from touching books lately. Whenever I have reading time I make myself grab a study book instead. That did change this past week when Tiger's Destiny came out. I had to read it right away (review to follow). My certification test is in November so after that I can really get back into reading like I used to.

I apologize for neglecting my blog and followers. I promise I will be back. Thanks for sticking around :)

Another Friday Find...

Last Friday I discovered the Civil Library inside of a brewery and this Friday I had another bookish find! We were on our way to dinner with a couple friends, all riding in the same car. As we were about to drive over a speed bump I saw a book laying in the middle of the road. Of course I yelled "omg there is a book!" Everyone was laughing but we stopped and I ran out to grab it. I couldn't leave a book out there to possibly be ruined! It really is in quite good condition for being found in the road (it is a very quiet street), the cover is a bit dented up but not too terrible. The book is Killing Moon by Rebecca York - anyone ever heard of it? Sounds like a mystery or something along those lines. I don't know that I will read it anytime soon. I may even just pass it along. Although my friends were laughing at me for saving a book like it was a stray animal or something, this quite made my night. Here is a picture... if anyone is interested in reading this, let me know and I will send it your way!

The saved book!

Did you have any bookish finds this week? I'd love to hear about them!!

Life is crazy...

I have been thinking this over for a few days and I think I have to take a little step back from blogging for a bit. I am so busy the month of August with starting my new job, being a bridesmaid in 2 weddings and attending a few others, as well as trying to study for a certification test. I am trying to adjust to my new lifestyle with my job, but then every free moment is spent getting things together for a wedding. I am not going to stop blogging all together, I just will not be participating in all of the weekly memes such as Teaser Tuesday, Booking Through Thursday, and Feature & Follow Friday. If I have time during the week, I will definitely participate though. I plan on still posting my Picture Post!, book reviews (if I find time to finish reading a book), and other bookish things I find along the way. I hope you understand- I'm sure everyone has experienced times of craziness in their lives. I will definitely be back in full swing as soon as I can get a grip on my schedule and routine.


Until then, Happy reading!

"In Leah's Wake" by Terri Giuliano Long

In Leah's Wake
by Terri Giuliano Long
306 pages (Nookbook edition)

Short Version: Leah wants to make her own decisions in life, not be ruled by soccer or her parents.

Why I Read It: I think I downloaded this book when it was $.99 for a day. It sounded interesting so I thought I'd check it out.

The Book: (From Goodreads)
The Tylers have a perfect life--beautiful home, established careers, two sweet and talented daughters. Their eldest, Leah, an exceptional soccer player, is on track for a prestigious scholarship. Their youngest, Justine, more responsible than seems possible for her 12 years, just wants her sister's approval. With Leah nearing the end of high school and Justine a seemingly together kid, the parents are set to enjoy a peaceful life...until Leah meets Todd, a former roadie for a rock band.

As Leah's parents fight to save their daughter from a world of drugs, sex, and wild parties, their divided approach drives their daughter out of their home and a wedge into their marriage. Meanwhile, twelve-year-old Justine observes her sister's rebellion from the shadows of their fragmented family-leaving her to question whether anyone loves her and if God even knows she exists.

Can this family survive in Leah's wake? What happens when love just isn't enough?

My Thoughts: I was disappointed by this book. I don't really know what I expected but it definitely wasn't what I got. 
Most of the characters drove me crazy. I understand Leah's wanting to act out because of all the pressure from her parents to play soccer. I'd probably get sick of it too if I were her. She starts hanging out with Todd thinking he is the coolest guy ever. He pressures her into things like drinking, drugs, and sex that Leah probably wouldn't have gotten into if it was not for him. Then Leah's mind just seems to get lost. She believes she is going to marry Todd even though she gets mad at him quite often, she thinks her parents don't love her at all, and she believes she can truly make it on her own as a 17 year old with no job experience or even a high school degree. At least in the end she starts to figure herself out.
Then there are Leah's parents. They cannot seem to get along enough to try to get their daughter back, which ultimately pushes her away even more. Instead of being a united front, they were completely divided. They were so focused on Leah and her problems they sort of forgot Justine was even around.
Justine is the only character I liked. She is smart and sees way more that everyone expects her too for a 12 year old. She wants to protect Leah and sees how her parents push her away even more. 
As I think over this book, I think I was expecting more action and emotion. I expected more of the drugs, sex and parties from Leah's side of it, and more devotion and trying from her family. Overall the book lacked these strong emotions, which could have made it more enjoyable to read.

2/5 Stars

#8 in 2012 Mount TBR Challenge
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#16 in 2012 Ebook Challenge
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Picture Post! (Aug 8)

Now that I have started my new job I am not traveling to someplace fabulous every week. So for this week's Picture Post I went back through my photos and decided to share some from my trip to Paris last August. I had one day to see everything I could and I did just that. I started at Pompidou and walked the entire river down to the Eiffel Tower seeing everything along the way - Notre Dame, Louvre, Tuileries Gardens, Princess Diana's memorial, and of course the Eiffel Tower. Here are a few pics from along my walk...

Prayer candles in Notre Dame

Feeding the birds outside of Notre Dame

Enjoying a drink before getting to the Eiffel Tower

And of course, the Eiffel Tower!

Teaser Tuesday (Aug 7)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. Here's how it works...

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure what you share does not give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author too so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here are my teasers...

"You're not back together? How could you, Lee?"

p. 187, In Leah's Wake by Terri Giuliano Long 

 

This made my week....

Last night I went to have a beer at the Civil Life Brewing Company. It is a local micro brew in St. Louis. The atmosphere was awesome - all wood paneling and decor, done very simply but looks amazing. I walked upstairs since the bar was full and at the top of the stairs there was a library!!! That's right, a library in a bar! I was so excited. They had an eclectic mix of books and a few games as well. It was called The Library at The Civil Life. After taking a picture and being fully amazed, I went back downstairs and asked the bartender if I could have a bookmark (I saw them sticking out of the books and I collect them). He said yes especially since I collect them :). On the bookmark it states the books are curated by Hurley House. As soon as I got home I looked up the website. Come to find out Patrick Hurley was one of the bartenders and brewers at Civil Life. His website and blog are interesting and I think I'm going to have to look into buying books from him. I kind of want to go back today and talk to him about books! I love finding bookish things in everyday life and especially someone who loves books and would like talking about them. This totally made my week!

The Library at The Civil Life

Did you have any bookish finds this week? I'd love to hear about them.

Booking Through Thursday: Picking & Choosing

This week's Booking Through Thursday asks...


Overall, what factor most influences your choice of your next read? And what is it that makes you want to read a book by an author you've never read before?


Well my next read usually depends on what I am in the mood for. Sometimes I stick to the same genre for numerous books then want to mix it up a bit. As I am finishing a book I usually have an idea of a couple books I will pick from to read next. When it comes to reading authors that are new to me, I am always doing this. I tend to read anything that the story line grabs me so I am open to reading books by different authors. 


How do you choose your next read? And what makes you go for a new author? I'd love to hear your answers so leave a comment!

July RAK: Wrap Up

Another great RAK month! I missed June RAK so I was happy to get back into it. In case you were wondering, RAK is Random Acts of Kindness. It is hosted by Book Soulmates. Those who participate share their wishlist and others can send books as a Random Act of Kindness. Pretty awesome!

This month I sent RAKs to...

Devan @ Bookstrings
I sent Devan The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

I received RAKs from...

Emily @ Doodle's Book Blog sent me The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult

And Christa sent me Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

So excited to read both of these books! Thanks for another wonderful month of RAKs!

Picture Post (Aug. 1)

I just got home from an AMAZING last trip as a Travel Director, in Ireland. Ireland was one of my favorite places I've ever been. We stayed in Killarney, at a hotel right on the lake. The weather was great while we were there - sunshine with little rain. I kissed the Blarney Stone, went on a ghost tour of Killarney, visited Ross Castle, at yummy food, went shopping and of course made a couple visits to the pubs. I can't wait to go back to see more. I'm sharing 5 photos this week that sum up my trip. Enjoy!

Blarney Castle

The ghost tour bus. Wish I would have gotten a
pic of the inside, the decor was awesome!

Derek telling us the tragic love story that
took place at Ross Castle (all love stories
end in tragedy in Ireland apparently so I was
told not to fall in love with an Irish guy - bummer.)

Muckross Abbey at night = creepy!

Beautiful view from our final function at the hotel.
I was in love with all of the bright flowers.

Teaser Tuesday (July 31)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. Here's how it works...

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure what you share does not give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author too so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here are my teasers...

Please, God, take care of my sister. Bring her back home.

p. 141, In Leah's Wake by Terri Giuliano Long 

Feature & Follow Friday #26

Q: Summer Reading - What was your favorite book that you were REQUIRED to read when you were in school?


A: I think The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald was my favorite required reading and I have read it again since. I remember enjoying To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee but I really need to re-read it for the details. I will be adding this to my list. Oh and Life of Pi by Yann Martel was good too. I have that on my nook to re-read also.


What was your favorite required reading? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Booking Through Thursday: Reading

This week's Booking Through Thursday asks...


Do you have a favorite season of the year that you read more? (example - during snow storms, rainy weather, sunny/warm weather) Where is your favorite place to read - on the beach, inside, outside?


I read all times of the year. With traveling the past couple years there has not really been a certain season that I have read more than others. I love snuggling up on a cold, rainy day and reading just as much as I love taking my book to the pool to read while I work on my tan. Favorite place ever to read would be on the beach with my toes in the sand!


What is your favorite season and place to read? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Picture Post! (July 25)

I am on my last program as a Travel Director in Ireland! I couldn't ask for a better place to end this journey my life has taken the past 2 years. Today's pictures are just a couple of the places I hope to sneak off to and read at some time this week (after getting rid of my jet leg of course).

Reading space #1 - The Library! This room is so cozy
for when the weather is dreary.

Reading space #2 - Outside on the grounds overlooking
the lake. I especially like the area with the flowers
around the tree. Everything is so bright and green even
with the grey clouds. I love it!

Teaser Tuesday (July 24)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. Here's how it works...

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure what you share does not give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author too so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here are my teasers...

"She has no choice. She made a commitment."

p. 1 In Leah's Wake by Terri Giuliano Long 

"Shadow of Night" by Deborah Harkness

Shadow of Night (All Souls Trilogy #2)
by Deborah Harkness
593 pages


Short Version: Diana & Matthew travel back in time to learn more about her magic and search for the missing manuscript.


Why I Read It: I loved Discovery of Witches so I had to continue on with the series.


The Book: (From Goodreads)
Deborah Harkness exploded onto the literary scene with her debut novel,A Discovery of Witches, Book One of the magical All Souls Trilogy and an international publishing phenomenon. The novel introduced Diana Bishop, Oxford scholar and reluctant witch, and the handsome geneticist and vampire Matthew Clairmont; together they found themselves at the center of a supernatural battle over an enchanted manuscript known as Ashmole 782.
Now, picking up from A Discovery of Witches’ cliffhanger ending,Shadow of Night plunges Diana and Matthew into Elizabethan London, a world of spies, subterfuge, and a coterie of Matthew’s old friends, the mysterious School of Night that includes Christopher Marlowe and Walter Raleigh. Here, Diana must locate a witch to tutor her in magic, Matthew is forced to confront a past he thought he had put to rest, and the mystery of Ashmole 782 deepens.
Deborah Harkness has crafted a gripping journey through a world of alchemy, time travel, and magical discoveries, delivering one of the most hotly anticipated novels of the season.


My Thoughts: I have to admit when I read Discovery of Witches (All Souls Triology #1) I did not know that it was part of a triology. I assumed it was a stand alone book, even when the ending was left pretty open. When I found out there was a book #2 I was so excited. Shadow of Night was very good, but I have to admit I liked Discovery of Witches just a little bit more.


I really enjoyed the historical aspect of this novel. Matthew and Diana travel back to 1590 in search of a witch to help Diana with her magic and to search for the manuscript that holds the secrets of the creation of all creatures - witches, vampires, and daemons. In 1590 Matthew de Clairmont was friends with people such as Christopher Marlowe, William Shakespeare, Queen Elizabeth and more. The way Harkness integrated their lives into the past as well as with the other creatures was very believable and creative. Matthew and Diana grow as characters as they find out more about each other. Matthew reverts back to his former self as he was the first time he lived in 1590, keeping his many secrets to himself. Diana has to learn to fit in to this time period instead of just studying it as a historian from the future. Eventually both characters grow to trust each other and share their secrets as well as blend to the lifestyle. Occasionally there is a chapter from the present about Matthew's family finding pieces that are clues to his and Diana's actions in the past. Paintings of them, letters, and slight changes in history are just a few disturbances to the past that the de Clairmont family find in the future.


One slight disappointment was the magic. In Discovery of Witches, Diana's power is exploding from her as she accepts who she is. With these outbursts she learned just how powerful she may be. In Shadow of Night she goes to the past to find a more powerful witch who can help her understand her magic. But going into the past has changed her powers; they are no longer exploding from her. I felt like it took awhile for her to find a teacher and start to learn about it. I missed the random outbursts of fire, water or glowing when Diana was upset. Eventually Diana and Matthew make progress with her magic as well as with locating the manuscript, Ashmole 782. They realize they are a huge part of life and death, and possibly the creation of creatures. 


I cannot wait for more info about Book 3 (Title and release date are TBD). I'm sure it will be an amazing ending to a wonderful story!

#15 in 2012 Ebook Challenge
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#6 in 2012 Wishlist Challenge
Click here to see full list

Feature & Follow Friday #25

Q: Christmas in July!!! Someone give you a gift card for two books (whatever that costs). What two books will you buy?


A: This is like the hardest question ever for me! I never know which book I will buy next. It depends what I feel like reading or if the next book in a series is available. I also impulsively buy books when I see deals on them, like from the Nook Lovers Daily Cheap Read. If I had to pick two I would try to pre-order Tiger's Destiny (Tiger Curse Series #4) by Colleen Houck and also pre-order The Rainbow Maker's Tale by Melanie Cousick-Jones (second book in the Ambrosia Sequence). Those are 2 books I am anxiously awaiting to come out. I'm not even sure if you can pre-order them yet but I will pretend you can.


What 2 books would you want? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Booking Through Thursday: One or Many

This week's Booking Through Thursday asks...


Series or Stand-alone?


For me it is both. A couple years ago I seemed to read more stand-alones. Now I'm in the middle of a few series, waiting for the next book to come out (that is the frustrating part about series). I like to keep it mixed up.


What do you prefer? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Picture Post! (July 18)

This Wednesday I am spending time at home so here are a couple pics from a previous trip that I stumbled across the other day...

Love taking pics of flowers!

This is one of my favorite pictures

Teaser Tuesday (July 17)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. Here's how it works...

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure what you share does not give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author too so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here are my teasers...

"It is a game that Ysabeau and I play. When one of us is away, we leave messages hidden in the pages of books. So much happens in a day, it is impossible to remember everything when we see each other again. This way we can come upon little memories like this one when we least expect it, and share them."

p. 201, Shadow of Night, by Deborah Harkness 

"A Discovery of Witches" by Deborah Harkness

A Discovery of Witches
by Deborah Harness
588 pages (nook book)


Why I Read It: This is a re-read for me. I wanted to refresh my memory before reading Shadow of Night. 


The Book: (From Goodreads)
Deep in the stacks of Oxford's Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell.


My Thoughts: SPOILER ALERT! MY REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED  :o)
This book is just as good as I remembered. The first time I read it I believe it was the first book with witches that I had read and I was mesmerized. The historical references are also very interesting to me. They make the story seem more real, as if there could be vampires, witches, and daemons living in this world.


There are a lot of small details and connections in this book so I am unsure of where to go with this review. A Discovery of Witches focuses on Diana Bishop, daughter of two very powerful witches, and Matthew Clairmont, century old vampire. Diana refuses to use her magic after her parents died when she was seven. But after calling up an enchanted manuscript and falling in love with a vampire, she soon can't ignore her magic any longer if she wishes to survive what is ahead. The Congregation is made up of 3 vampires, 3 witches, and 3 daemons and act as a governing law over the three species. They want the enchanted manuscript Diana called up as well as the secret to her powers, and they will use any means to try to get what they want. With the Congregation out to get her, Diana must face the fact that she is a witch, and a powerful one. She steps up to learn her magic, which is much more powerful than anyone ever expected.


I really enjoy the relationship between Diana & Matthew. There are no immediate, love at first site feelings, especially between a witch and vampire. Of course, when love is forbidden it only seems to become stronger and eventually that does happen. Their feelings grow for each other slowly through the first few chapters before announcing their love for each other. Their relationship is a big part of the book since they are determined to change the hundred year old rules about species mixing with each other. 


Reading through the different settings is also fun. They begin in Oxford where Diana is studying for the year. Then Diana and Matthew head to France, Sept Tours to be exact. Here Diana learn more about Matthew since he is in his home with his mother. Matthew is full of a century of secrets that he is very closed off about. The descriptions may not be the most detailed but I can still picture myself in the castle settings. My favorite part is when they are in the Bishop house in New York. It is the exact image of a witches home, and is haunted too. I love being able to picture the scenes and feel like I'm watching what is happening as I read. In the end they time travel back to the year 1590 in England. I'm sure this is where Shadow of Night will pick up and I can't wait to begin reading it. The first time I read A Discovery of Witches I did not think Matthew and Diana survived their trip back in time. At the time I did not know there would be another book coming out. After re-reading I have reconsidered my previous conclusion and I am hoping they fulfill their goal in travel back in time.


5/5 Stars

#14 in 2012 Ebook Challenge
Click here to see full list

Happy Monday!

This is what my Monday consists of...

In case you were wondering, I'm finishing A Discovery of Witches
so I can begin Shadow of Night both by Deborah Harkness.

How are you spending your Monday?

Feature & Follow Friday #24

Q: What drove you to start blogging in the first place?


A: I needed an outlet for all my bookish thoughts. For awhile I tried getting my mom to read all the books I read so we could talk about them, but she wasn't keeping up haha. I had too many book thoughts and no where to share. I had no idea there was even a book blogging community when I started. Now Reading Kelly is like a diary of my books with the occasional travel post thrown in and I love it.

Why did you start blogging? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Picture Post! (July 11)

I am a day late with this but was having some problems uploading my pictures. This week I am visiting Invermere, BC (Canada). It is absolutely gorgeous here. Of course I am working so I do not get to go hiking or rafting or camping (boo!) but I did get to enjoy the scenery yesterday while driving to the resort. It was a looong drive after flying all morning but the beauty of the landscape was totally worth it. I'm hoping to get a little time to sneak away and read with the mountains as my backdrop. But for now here is a glimpse at what I saw while driving (courtesy of my friend & coworker since I was driving).

Gorgeous mountains

The colors in this pic are amazing!

Booking Through Thursday: Guilty Pleasure

This week's Booking Through Thursday asks...

What book(s) have you read that you are secretly ashamed to admit?

This is easy. Last week I read the Fifty Shades Trilogy. They books were terribly written but I could not put them down. I was actually staying up all night to finish the books. This is not something I am willing to share with most people so Shhh! It's our secret.

What is your guilty pleasure book? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Teaser Tuesday (July 10)

I am really late in posting this, but here it is! 






Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. Here's how it works...

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure what you share does not give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author too so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here are my teasers...

"I don't know where to begin," he said shakily. (Matthew Clairmont)
"At the end, of course. Why did you pick up the phone and call me?" (Hamish Osborne)
"I needed to get away from a witch." (Matthew)

p. 104, A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness



"Fifty Shades Freed" by E L James

Fifty Shades Freed (Fifty Shades #3)
by E L James
448 pages (nook book)

Short Version:

Why I Read It: Once I started the trilogy I had to finish it.

The Book: (From Goodreads)
When unworldly student Ana Steele first encountered the driven, damaged young entrepreneur Christian Grey, it sparked a sensual affair that changed both their lives irrevocably. Shocked, intrigued, and ultimately repelled by Christian's singular sexual tastes, Ana demanded a deeper commitment; determined to keep her, Christian agreed. Now, together, they have more-love, passion, intimacy, wealth, and a world of infinite possibilities. But Ana always knew that loving her Fifty Shades would not be easy and being together poses challenges neither of them ever anticipated. Ana must somehow learn to share Christian's opulent lifestyle without sacrificing her own integrity, identity, or independence; Christian must somehow overcome his compulsion to control and lay to rest the horrors that blighted his past and haunt his present. Just when it seems that together their love can conquer any obstacle, tragedy, malice and fate combine to make Ana's worst nightmares come true.

My Thoughts: WARNING MAY CONTAIN CONTENT NOT SUITABLE FOR THOSE UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE & SPOILERS!!!
Well I think this was my least favorite book of all three of them. James should have stopped after Fifty Shades Darker. The beginning starts out good- Ana & Christian are on their honeymoon. I enjoyed how flashbacks of their wedding was incorporated so you still get the details of the wedding and beginning of their honeymoon. Once they return to life at home things start to go down hill for me. Ana and Christian seem to constantly argue about the same things. He wants to control everything about her but she wants to maintain some of her independence. Fight - makeup sex - happy couple. That is the cycle for most of the book. And there is the fact that Christian is "fifty shades" and Ana is trying to make him realize he is a good person with a heart.
I knew Jack Hyde would be involved some how since that is what Fifty Shades Darker ended with. We see nothing of him until he tries to kidnap Ana, in which case he is caught immediately. This happens fast with nothing really leading up to it and now that the bad guy is caught there is not much else to write about except their sex lives.
In the middle of the book James passes time by just showing emails back and forth between Christian and Ana about how they enjoyed what they did the night before. You have to pay attention to the dates to realize time is passing. It seems as if James ran out of things to write about. After the emails there are little problems that pop up just to keep things going, like Leila visiting Ana at work.
At the end we find out Ana is pregnant and this is like the grand finale. Christian freaks, runs to Elana, while Ana is mad at the way he handles things. Then Jack Hyde pops up again kidnapping Christian's sister and calling Ana for ransom money. This part of the story was ok but just seemed out of no where since we heard nothing of Jack Hyde since he was captured. Ana saves Mia and ends up in the hospital. Christian thought he lost Ana again so he all of a sudden realized what she has been saying the entire time - that she really does love him and he is worthy of it. He is no longer "fifty shades of fucked up."
I still enjoyed Ana's character. Being Mrs. Grey suits her. She seems to gain composure and confidence with her new lifestyle. In Fifty Shades of Grey, Ana was a clumsy innocent girl, now she is confidently, sexy, and always learning new tricks from her husband. Christian is still his same sexy character, but you slowly see him changing and learning from Ana also. He becomes romantic and patient, learning how to deal with his emotions. I knew he would eventually come to terms with himself and no longer be "fifty shades."
Overall, not my favorite in the trilogy but I am happy to have read all the books and know what all the hype is about.

2/5 Stars

#13 in 2012 Ebook Challenge
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"Fifty Shades Darker" by E L James

Fifty Shades Darker (Fifty Shades #2)
by E L James
403 pages (nook book)

Short Version: Christian and Ana further explore their relationship as Ana learns more of Christian's past.

Why I Read It: The first book, Fifty Shades of Grey, left of with a very open ending so I had to find out what was going to happen.

The Book: (From Goodreads)
Daunted by the singular sexual tastes and dark secrets of the beautiful, tormented young entrepreneur Christian Grey, Anastasia Steele has broken off their relationship to start a new career with a Seattle publishing house.

But desire for Christian still dominates her every waking thought, and when he proposes a new arrangement, Anastasia cannot resist. They rekindle their searing sensual affair, and Anastasia learns more about the harrowing past of her damaged, driven and demanding Fifty Shades.

While Christian wrestles with his inner demons, Anastasia must confront the anger and envy of the women who came before her, and make the most important decision of her life.

My Thoughts: WARNING MAY CONTAIN CONTENT THAT IS NOT SUITABLE FOR THOSE UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE!
The second book in the trilogy picks up exactly where the first left off. It was like just starting the next chapter. Again, this book was ok just like the first. The writing is still not the greatest and some of it started to get repetitious, but I still enjoyed reading it.
I have to admit some of the scenes in the book had me gripping to know what was going to happen. With Leila, Jack and Elana things always seemed to get out of control. (I'm not going in to details so I don't spoil anything!)
It seemed that all of the sex scenes started to be the same. There are so many of them! The place and time where they do it may change but the descriptions and feelings conveyed were beginning to be the exact same every time. The same is with Christian and Ana's insecurities. They are constantly questioning each other's devotion. I understand that is part of who they are but it was getting a bit old towards the end.
Speaking of the end, the books could have finished after this one and everyone would have lived happily ever after. However, James had to add just a few more paragraphs of Jack, Ana's ex boss, trying to seek revenge. I'm just going to make a wild guess and say that is what book 3 will be about. I am wondering how it will turn out since the focus has really been on Christian's issues which have now been somewhat cleared up.
I liked Christian more in this book. Maybe because he is no longer a Dom with subs. I like his bossy attitude but he is also learning to control himself. I still enjoy Ana as well. For the most part she stands up for herself even when head over heals for Mr. Grey. Any girl that can hold her own is ok in my eyes.

Well I am on to the third book of Fifty Shades to see what it is about.

3/5 Stars

#12 in 2012 Ebook Challenge
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