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	<title>The Book SlayerThe Book Slayer</title>
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		<title>Review: Ditched &#8211; A Love Story by Robin Mellom</title>
		<link>http://slayingbooks.com/review-ditched-a-love-story-by-robin-mellom/</link>
		<comments>http://slayingbooks.com/review-ditched-a-love-story-by-robin-mellom/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 20 May 2013 09:14:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Lauren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Ditched: A Love Story]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Robin Mellom]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://slayingbooks.com/?p=5224</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p><b>Ditched: A Love Story</b> is a sweet, funny, and quirky read. Justina has what I can imagine to be, one of the...</p><p>The post <a href="http://slayingbooks.com/review-ditched-a-love-story-by-robin-mellom/">Review: Ditched &#8211; A Love Story by Robin Mellom</a> appeared first on <a href="http://slayingbooks.com">The Book Slayer</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="triberr_endorsement"></div><p><strong><a href="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Ditched.jpg"><img class="alignleft  wp-image-5313" style="margin-left: 6px; margin-right: 6px;" alt="Ditched" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Ditched-198x300.jpg" width="163" height="245" /></a>Released: </strong>January 10th, 2012<br />
<strong>Publisher:</strong> Disney Hyperion<br />
<strong>Author:</strong> <a href="http://www.robinmellom.com/">Website</a> ◆ <a href="https://twitter.com/robinmellom">Twitter</a><br />
<strong>Pages: </strong>277 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10194548-ditched">Goodreads</a><br />
<strong>Buy it: </strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1423143515/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=1423143515&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=theboosla-20">Amazon</a><img style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" alt="" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=theboosla-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=1423143515" width="1" height="1" border="0" /> ◆ <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ditched-robin-mellom/1110788289?ean=9781423143383&amp;itm=1&amp;usri=9781423143383">Barnes &amp; Noble</a></p>
<h6>There&#8217;s a girl. Justina Griffith was never the girl who dreamed of going to prom. Designer dresses and strappy heels? Not her thing. That said, she never expected her best friend, Ian Clark, to ask her. And there&#8217;s a boy. Ian, who always passed her the baseball bat, handle first. Ian, who knew exactly when she needed red licorice. Ian, who promised her the most amazing night at prom. Then there&#8217;s a ditch. But when Justina is ditched, figuratively and literally, she must piece together&#8211;stain-by-stain on her thrift store dress&#8211;exactly how she ended up dateless&#8230;with only the help of some opinionated ladies at the 7-Eleven. To get the whole store, Justina will have to face the boy who ditched her. Can losing out at her prom ultimately lead to finding true love?</h6>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://slayingbooks.com/review-a-need-so-beautiful-by-suzanne-young/mythoughts-4/" rel="attachment wp-att-4370"><img class="aligncenter  wp-image-4370" alt="mythoughts" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/mythoughts1.png" width="149" height="57" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Ditched: A Love Story</strong> is a sweet, funny, and quirky read. Justina has what I can imagine to be, one of the worst prom nights ever. Killer stains, and tattoos and dog-napping oh my! Plus much, much more. Regardless of all the sad and chaotic moments, I couldn&#8217;t help laughing and smiling as I read. Justina&#8217;s crazy night has all the makings of an epically funny movie.</p>
<p>Justina has a very strong personality, which wasn&#8217;t all positive. At times Justina was a bit over-dramatic. She got way too worried about what others thought. She was also controlling. She spends half her prom night trying to plan the perfect kiss in the perfect location at the perfect time. She also makes a lot of poorly thought-out decisions. But despite her action first, think later behavior, Justina was always trying to do the right thing. Which is something I can respect. Although her personality was grating at times, she was still a decent MC that I hoped got a happy ending.</p>
<p>I liked how <strong>Ditched</strong> mainly takes place the morning after prom. Justina, after being dumped out of a moving car containing a guy that was NOT her prom date, hobbles to the closest store. The closest one happens to be a 7-Eleven. She proceeds to recall her wild night to employee Gilda, and frequent customer Donna. Both ladies turn out to be great listeners and help Justina unload her many pent-up thoughts. They, along with other various customers helped provide commentary and wisdom on the past night&#8217;s events.</p>
<p>Besides Justina&#8217;s sometimes aggravating personality, one of the reasons I gave <strong>Ditched</strong> 3 stakes was because of the ending and its lack of surprise. Mellom&#8217;s clues to the &#8220;big picture&#8221; were too easy to decipher. I wish the ending hadn&#8217;t felt and been so obvious.</p>
<p><strong>Ditched</strong> was a great light summery read to kick-off Summer 2013. It was quick and fun.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/3stakes.png"><img class="aligncenter  wp-image-1953" alt="3stakes" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/3stakes.png" width="147" height="60" /></a></p>
<p>The post <a href="http://slayingbooks.com/review-ditched-a-love-story-by-robin-mellom/">Review: Ditched &#8211; A Love Story by Robin Mellom</a> appeared first on <a href="http://slayingbooks.com">The Book Slayer</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
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		<title>Stacking the Shelves: 5.18.13</title>
		<link>http://slayingbooks.com/stacking-the-shelves-5-18-13/</link>
		<comments>http://slayingbooks.com/stacking-the-shelves-5-18-13/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 18 May 2013 13:32:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Lauren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Stacking the Shelves]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://slayingbooks.com/?p=5276</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Checkout the goodies I got in the last two weeks. Part of me wants to skip work for a week just to read them all right now. Haha! </p><p>The post <a href="http://slayingbooks.com/stacking-the-shelves-5-18-13/">Stacking the Shelves: 5.18.13</a> appeared first on <a href="http://slayingbooks.com">The Book Slayer</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="triberr_endorsement"></div><p><a href="http://slayingbooks.com/stacking-the-shelves-1-26-13/stackingtheshelves/" rel="attachment wp-att-4462"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4462" alt="stackingtheshelves" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/stackingtheshelves.png" width="300" height="199" /></a></p>
<p>Hi everyone! It&#8217;s been a long time since I did a <em>Stacking the Shelves </em>(<a href="http://www.tyngasreviews.com/">Tynga&#8217;s Reviews</a>) post &#8212; like January &#8212; long time!! This week&#8217;s haul has actually been accumulated in the last 2 weeks. I apologize that you have to keep scrolling. For some reason I can&#8217;t get the pics side by side <img src='http://slayingbooks.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_sad.gif' alt=':(' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p><strong>ARCS:</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16045120-all-our-pretty-songs"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-5279" alt="AllOurPrettySongs" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/AllOurPrettySongs-199x300.jpg" width="119" height="180" /></a>  <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13599291-dance-of-the-red-death"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-5280" alt="DanceoftheRedDeath" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DanceoftheRedDeath-198x300.jpg" width="119" height="180" /></a>  <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16059446-extremities"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-5281" alt="Extremiities" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Extremiities-200x300.jpg" width="120" height="180" /></a>  <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16156293-the-deepest-night"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-5282" alt="TheDeepestNight" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/TheDeepestNight-196x300.jpg" width="118" height="180" /></a> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13494365-spirit"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-5283" alt="Spirit" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Spirit-200x300.jpg" width="120" height="180" /></a>  <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13265293-hidden"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-5285" alt="Hidden" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Hidden-195x300.png" width="117" height="180" /></a>  <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16002023-mortal-fire"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-5297" alt="MortalFire" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/MortalFire-193x300.jpg" width="116" height="180" /></a></p>
<p>Thanks <em>St. Martin&#8217;s Griffin, Green Willow Books, Tor Teen, Bantam, K Teen, Bloomsbury </em>&amp;  of course Netgalley for all these beauties. I just about died when I got approved for <strong>Dance of the Red Death</strong>. Also, that cover on <strong>Mortal Fire </strong>&#8212; gorgeous!!!</p>
<p><strong>E-Purchased:</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12872080-darkness-before-dawn"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-5286" alt="DarknessBeforeDawn" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DarknessBeforeDawn-198x300.jpg" width="119" height="180" /></a>  <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12291438-the-madman-s-daughter"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-5287" alt="TheMadMansDaughter" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/TheMadMansDaughter-198x300.jpg" width="119" height="180" /></a>  <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7514925-tiger-lily"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-5288" alt="TigerLily" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/TigerLily-199x300.jpg" width="119" height="180" /></a>  <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15838167-torched"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-5289" alt="Torched" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Torched-206x300.jpg" width="124" height="180" /></a>  <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8430916-where-i-belong"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-5290" alt="WhereIBelong" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/WhereIBelong-198x300.jpg" width="119" height="180" /></a></p>
<p>I can&#8217;t pass up &#8220;Epic Deals&#8221; obviously&#8230; So far I&#8217;ve read <strong>Darkness Before Dawn</strong> which blew me away. I can&#8217;t wait to dive into the rest, especially <strong>The Madman&#8217;s Daughter</strong>.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Well that&#8217;s it! What book or bookish things have you gotten lately? Link me up! </strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://slayingbooks.com/stacking-the-shelves-5-18-13/">Stacking the Shelves: 5.18.13</a> appeared first on <a href="http://slayingbooks.com">The Book Slayer</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>23</slash:comments>
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		<title>Waiting on Wednesday: 5.15.13</title>
		<link>http://slayingbooks.com/waiting-on-wednesday-5-15-13/</link>
		<comments>http://slayingbooks.com/waiting-on-wednesday-5-15-13/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 15 May 2013 09:08:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Lauren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Conjured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sarah Beth Durst]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Waiting on Wednesday]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://slayingbooks.com/?p=5256</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Checkout my pick for Waiting on Wednesday. This book sounds totally freaky!!</p><p>The post <a href="http://slayingbooks.com/waiting-on-wednesday-5-15-13/">Waiting on Wednesday: 5.15.13</a> appeared first on <a href="http://slayingbooks.com">The Book Slayer</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="triberr_endorsement"></div><p><center><img class=" wp-image-482 aligncenter" title="waiting" alt="" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/waiting.jpg" width="240" height="159" /></center>&nbsp;</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">A book meme hosted by <a href="http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/">Breaking the Spine</a> that spotlights upcoming releases.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Conjured.jpg"><img class="alignleft  wp-image-5258" style="margin-left: 6px; margin-right: 6px;" alt="Conjured" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Conjured.jpg" width="165" height="251" /></a>My Pick:</strong> <em>Conjured</em> by Sarah Beth Durst<br />
<strong>Release Date: </strong>August 27th, 2013<br />
<strong>Publisher:</strong> Walker Children</p>
<h6>Eve has a new home, a new face, and a new name—but no memories of her past. She’s been told that she&#8217;s in a witness protection program. That she escaped a dangerous magic-wielding serial killer who still hunts her. The only thing she knows for sure is that there is something horrifying in her memories the people hiding her want to access—and there is nothing they won’t say—or do—to her to get her to remember. At night she dreams of a tattered carnival tent and buttons being sewn into her skin. But during the day, she shelves books at the local library, trying to not let anyone know that she can do things—things like change the color of her eyes or walk through walls. When she does use her strange powers, she blacks out and is drawn into terrifying visions, returning to find that days or weeks have passed—and she’s lost all short-term memories. Eve must find out who and what she really is before the killer finds her—but the truth may be more dangerous than anyone could have ever imagined.</h6>
<p><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17286817-conjured"><img class="wp-image-3793 aligncenter" title="addtyogo" alt="" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/addtyogo.png" width="96" height="32" /></a></p>
<p>I won&#8217;t lie to you, the whole sew-buttons-into-skin-part pretty much sold me. Yes, there&#8217;s magic and a pretty awesome sounding murder mystery to unravel, but I&#8217;m mainly curious as to this whole button thing. It freaks me out just thinking about it &#8212; very <em>Coraline</em>-ish. But it also makes me super curious and want to know &#8220;why&#8221;.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>What is your WoW? Share them in the comments section!</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
<p>The post <a href="http://slayingbooks.com/waiting-on-wednesday-5-15-13/">Waiting on Wednesday: 5.15.13</a> appeared first on <a href="http://slayingbooks.com">The Book Slayer</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>7</slash:comments>
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		<title>Review: School Spirits by Rachel Hawkins</title>
		<link>http://slayingbooks.com/review-teen-spirits-by-rachel-hawins/</link>
		<comments>http://slayingbooks.com/review-teen-spirits-by-rachel-hawins/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 13 May 2013 09:07:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Lauren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Rachel Hawkins]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[School Spirits]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://slayingbooks.com/?p=5089</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Wow! I'm absolutely floored. Not that I expected to dislike <b>Teen Spirits</b>, I just had no idea I'd love it THIS much. I think I loved this book even more than Hex Hall. There. I...</p><p>The post <a href="http://slayingbooks.com/review-teen-spirits-by-rachel-hawins/">Review: School Spirits by Rachel Hawkins</a> appeared first on <a href="http://slayingbooks.com">The Book Slayer</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="triberr_endorsement"></div><p><strong><a href="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/SchoolSpirits.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-5238 alignleft" style="margin-left: 6px; margin-right: 6px;" alt="SchoolSpirits" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/SchoolSpirits.jpg" width="188" height="285" /></a>Released: </strong>May 14th, 2013<br />
<strong>Publisher:</strong> Disney Hyperion<br />
<strong>Author:</strong> <a href="http://readingwritingrachel.blogspot.com/">Blog</a> ◆ <a href="@LadyHawkins">Twitter</a><br />
<strong>Pages: </strong>304 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15826934-school-spirits">Goodreads</a><br />
<strong>Buy it:</strong> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1423148495/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1423148495&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=theboosla-20">Amazon</a><img style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" alt="" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=theboosla-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=1423148495" width="1" height="1" border="0" /> ◆ <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/school-spirits-rachel-hawkins/1113785620?ean=9781423148494&amp;itm=1&amp;usri=9781423148494">Barnes &amp; Noble</a></p>
<h6>Fifteen-year-old Izzy Brannick was trained to fight monsters. For centuries, her family has hunted magical creatures. But when Izzy’s older sister vanishes without a trace while on a job, Izzy&#8217;s mom decides they need to take a break. Izzy and her mom move to a new town, but they soon discover it’s not as normal as it appears. A series of hauntings has been plaguing the local high school, and Izzy is determined to prove her worth and investigate. But assuming the guise of an average teenager is easier said than done. For a tough girl who&#8217;s always been on her own, it’s strange to suddenly make friends and maybe even have a crush. Can Izzy trust her new friends to help find the secret behind the hauntings before more people get hurt?</h6>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Thanks Disney-Hyperion for providing me with this ARC in exchange for a honest review.</em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://slayingbooks.com/review-a-need-so-beautiful-by-suzanne-young/mythoughts-4/" rel="attachment wp-att-4370"><img class="aligncenter  wp-image-4370" alt="mythoughts" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/mythoughts1.png" width="149" height="57" /></a></p>
<p>Wow! I&#8217;m absolutely floored. Not that I expected to dislike <strong>School Spirits</strong>, I just had no idea I&#8217;d love it THIS much. I think I loved this book even more than <em>Hex Hall</em>. There. I said it.</p>
<p>Having read the <em>Hex Hall</em> series first, definitely makes it easier for one to jump into this new spin-off series. Although you could read <strong>School Spirits</strong> and then <i>Hex Hall</i> as a prequel, I wouldn&#8217;t recommend it. There&#8217;s a lot of big spoilers and terms like &#8220;prodigium&#8221; that benefit from a lengthier description given in the prior books. Also, it feels as though Hawkins is expecting us to have read <em>Hex Hall</em> first.</p>
<p>Isolde (Izzy), although not quite as sarcastically funny as <em>Hex Hall</em>&#8216;s Sophie, is still highly enjoyable. She&#8217;s smart, innocent (teen girl way &#8211; not &#8211; won&#8217;t shank you in a dark alleyway way) and humble. Izzy has never really had that normal high school experience because she, like her mother, come from a long line of female monster hunters that travel a lot for cases. <strong>School Spirits</strong> felt like the melding of two of my favorite shows <em>Buffy </em>and <em>Supernatural</em>. You got the young high school girl trying to manage nightly slayings with nightly school work. Then you have the parent who drags their kid all over the states, hunting down supernatural creatures and never really establishing any lasting roots.</p>
<p>There&#8217;s a couple of boys on Izzy&#8217;s mind in <strong>School Spirits</strong>. Some are studs &#8211; and cliche &#8211; others duds. From the start I immediately swooned over Dex. Seriously! Where was a &#8220;Dex&#8221; when I was in high school?!!! Hilarious, cute and marching to his own drum, Dex wasn&#8217;t afraid to be who he is, or whoever the hell he wanted to be. He was a total dork but in that adorkable way. I loved his and Izzy&#8217;s interactions. Although she constantly needed to question his motives, it was sweet watching Izzy and Dex gravitate towards one another.</p>
<p>Sometimes in <em>Hex Hall</em> I got irritated because magic was an easy fix for things. I think part of the reason I enjoyed <strong>School Spirits</strong> so much was because of the old-school way Izzy had to handle the supernatural. It was physical and time-consuming. There was no *poof* all betters.</p>
<p>What I love most about Hawkin&#8217;s books in general, is how easily you can jump into a story. With the exception of <em>Spell Bound</em> which had left me with mixed feelings, Hawkin&#8217;s books are always perfectly paced and full of action. They&#8217;re exploding with humor, budding romances, suspense and danger.</p>
<p>I&#8217;m so excited for the books to come in this new series. <strong>School Spirits</strong> leaves off with a big mystery to be solved as well as an exciting new development to be played out.</p>
<p><a href="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/5stakes.png"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1681" alt="5stakes" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/5stakes.png" width="291" height="75" /></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://slayingbooks.com/review-teen-spirits-by-rachel-hawins/">Review: School Spirits by Rachel Hawkins</a> appeared first on <a href="http://slayingbooks.com">The Book Slayer</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
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		<title>Blog Tour Stop: Chantress by Amy Butler Greenfield (excerpt + giveaway)</title>
		<link>http://slayingbooks.com/blog-tour-stop-chantress-by-amy-butler-greenfield-excerpt-giveaway/</link>
		<comments>http://slayingbooks.com/blog-tour-stop-chantress-by-amy-butler-greenfield-excerpt-giveaway/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 12 May 2013 01:27:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Lauren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Amy Butler Greenfield]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chantress]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[<p>Hi everyone! Today I’m participating in a blog tour for Amy Butler Greenfield's Chantress. Make sure to checkout the rafflecoptor below for a chance to win...</p><p>The post <a href="http://slayingbooks.com/blog-tour-stop-chantress-by-amy-butler-greenfield-excerpt-giveaway/">Blog Tour Stop: Chantress by Amy Butler Greenfield (excerpt + giveaway)</a> appeared first on <a href="http://slayingbooks.com">The Book Slayer</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="triberr_endorsement"></div><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/chantressbanner.png"><img class=" wp-image-5190 aligncenter" alt="chantressbanner" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/chantressbanner.png" width="280" height="167" /></a></p>
<p>Hi everyone! Today I’m participating in a blog tour for Amy Butler Greenfield&#8217;s <strong>Chantress</strong>. Make sure to checkout the rafflecoptor below for a chance to win! Follow the full tour <a href="http://itchingforbooks.blogspot.com/2013/02/blog-tour-sign-upchantress-by-amy.html">here</a>.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/chantress.jpg"><img class="alignleft  wp-image-5192" style="margin-left: 6px; margin-right: 6px;" alt="chantress" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/chantress.jpg" width="152" height="231" /></a>Release Date:</strong> May 7th, 2013<br />
<strong>Pages: </strong>336 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13721337-chantress">Goodreads</a><br />
<strong>Purchase it: </strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1442457031?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=httpwwwgoodco-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1442457031&amp;SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2">Amazon</a> ◆ <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/chantress-amy-butler-greenfield/1111781226?ean=9781442457034&amp;itm=1&amp;usri=9781442457034">Barnes &amp; Noble</a></p>
<h6>Lucy’s Chantress magic will make her the most powerful—and most hunted—girl in England. “Sing, and the darkness will find you.” This warning has haunted fifteen-year-old Lucy ever since she was eight and shipwrecked on a lonely island. Lucy’s guardian, Norrie, has lots of rules, but the most important is that Lucy must never sing. Not ever. Now it is 1667, Lucy is fifteen, and on All Hallows’ Eve, Lucy hears a tantalizing melody on the wind. She can’t help but sing—and she is swept into darkness. When she awakes in England, Lucy hears powerful men discussing Chantresses—women who can sing magic into the world. They are hunting her, but she escapes and finds sanctuary with the Invisible College, an organization plotting to overthrow the nefarious Lord Protector.</h6>
<h1 style="text-align: center;"><strong>Trailer</strong></h1>
<p><object width="560" height="315" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/biB-SZGbdk0?hl=en_US&amp;version=3&amp;rel=0" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed width="560" height="315" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/biB-SZGbdk0?hl=en_US&amp;version=3&amp;rel=0" allowFullScreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" /></object></p>
<h1 style="text-align: center;"><strong>Excerpt</strong></h1>
<blockquote><p>After the wind seized us, I could see nothing whatsoever. Not the candle, not the room, not even my own bare hands. Worse still, I touched only emptiness. There was no floor beneath me, no table, no walls. From the pressure around my wrist, I guessed Norrie was still with me, yet I could not see or hear her.</p>
<p>I nearly broke off singing then, but the song had a powerful grasp, and it refused to leave me so easily. It filled my throat and opened my lips and insisted on being sung. In that terrible void, it was all I had left, so I clung to it, taking each note as it came, giving each its full measure. And with each note I sang, I allowed myself to trust the song a little more&#8211;to believe that I was indeed leaving the island and going home.</p>
<p>Just as my confidence soared, the song fractured, splitting into harmonies I did not understand.</p></blockquote>
<hr />
<h1 style="text-align: center;"><strong>Author </strong><a href="http://www.amybutlergreenfield.com/">Site</a> ◆ <a href="https://twitter.com/ab_greenfield">Twitter</a></h1>
<h1 style="text-align: center;"><strong><a href="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/AmyBGreenfield.jpg"><img class="alignright  wp-image-5198" style="margin-left: 6px; margin-right: 6px;" alt="AmyBGreenfield" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/AmyBGreenfield.jpg" width="110" height="138" /></a></strong></h1>
<div id="yui_3_7_2_1_1367544068117_2243">Amy Butler Greenfield was a grad student in history when she gave into temptation and became a writer. Since then, she has become an award-winning author. Born in Philadelphia, Amy grew up in the Adirondack Mountains and later studied history at Williams College, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Oxford. She now lives with her family in England, where she writes, bakes double-dark-chocolate cake, and plots mischief</div>
<hr />
<p><a class="rafl" id="rc-64262937" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/64262937/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br />
<script type="text/javascript" src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script></p>
<p>The post <a href="http://slayingbooks.com/blog-tour-stop-chantress-by-amy-butler-greenfield-excerpt-giveaway/">Blog Tour Stop: Chantress by Amy Butler Greenfield (excerpt + giveaway)</a> appeared first on <a href="http://slayingbooks.com">The Book Slayer</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Review: The Sweetest Dark by Shana Abe</title>
		<link>http://slayingbooks.com/review-the-sweetest-dark-by-shana-abe/</link>
		<comments>http://slayingbooks.com/review-the-sweetest-dark-by-shana-abe/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 10 May 2013 00:52:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Lauren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Shana Abe]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Sweetest Dark]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://slayingbooks.com/?p=5063</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>I ridiculously loved <b>The Sweetest Dark</b>, in the sense that after I finished it, I just about cried before I found out that book two comes out in August. Or maybe I was still crying over the ending. *spoiler* It's heartbreaking. Basically there was...</p><p>The post <a href="http://slayingbooks.com/review-the-sweetest-dark-by-shana-abe/">Review: The Sweetest Dark by Shana Abe</a> appeared first on <a href="http://slayingbooks.com">The Book Slayer</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="triberr_endorsement"></div><p><strong><a href="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/TheSweetestDark.jpg"><img class="alignleft  wp-image-5095" style="margin-left: 6px; margin-right: 6px;" alt="TheSweetestDark" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/TheSweetestDark.jpg" width="169" height="257" /></a>Released: </strong>April 2nd, 2013<br />
<strong>Publisher:</strong> Bantam<br />
<strong>Author:</strong> <a href="http://www.shanaabe.com/">Website </a>◆ <a href="https://twitter.com/shana_abe">Twitter</a><br />
<strong>Pages: </strong>352 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13257637-the-sweetest-dark">Goodreads</a><br />
<strong>Buy it: </strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0345531701/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0345531701&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=theboosla-20">Amazon</a><img style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" alt="" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=theboosla-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0345531701" width="1" height="1" border="0" /> ◆ <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-sweetest-dark-shana-abe/1108022933?ean=9780345531704&amp;itm=1&amp;usri=9780345531704">Barnes &amp; Noble</a></p>
<h4><em>Lora Jones has always known that she’s different. On the outside, she appears to be an ordinary sixteen-year-old girl. Yet Lora’s been keeping a heartful of secrets: She hears songs that no one else can hear, dreams vividly of smoke and flight, and lives with a mysterious voice inside her that insists she’s far more than what she seems. England, 1915. Raised in an orphanage in a rough corner of London, Lora quickly learns to hide her unique abilities and avoid attention. Then, much to her surprise, she is selected as the new charity student at Iverson, an elite boarding school on England’s southern coast. Iverson’s eerie, gothic castle is like nothing Lora has ever seen. And the two boys she meets there will open her eyes and forever change her destiny.</em></h4>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Thanks Bantam for providing me with this ARC in exchange for a honest review.</em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://slayingbooks.com/review-a-need-so-beautiful-by-suzanne-young/mythoughts-4/" rel="attachment wp-att-4370"><img class="aligncenter  wp-image-4370" alt="mythoughts" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/mythoughts1.png" width="149" height="57" /></a></p>
<p>I ridiculously loved <strong>The Sweetest Dark</strong>, in the sense that after I finished it, I just about cried before I found out that book two comes out in August. Or maybe I was still crying over the ending. *spoiler* It&#8217;s heartbreaking. Basically there was a lot of feels going on towards the end of <strong>The Sweetest Dark</strong>. Funnily enough, I didn&#8217;t enjoy this book in the beginning. I nearly DNF&#8217;d.</p>
<p>I&#8217;ve never been a  fan of period novels. Besides having a hard time relating to individuals from another time, the writing style in period novels tends to be dense and therefore more time consuming. I knew I was taking a huge risk requesting/starting a book that takes place in the early 1900s. Of course, now that I&#8217;ve finished and adored <strong>The Sweetest Dark</strong>, there&#8217;s a part of me that wants to give others a chance. Yes the writing was denser, but because so, the emotions were amplified.</p>
<p>Abe&#8217;s writing style is so colorful and passionate. I really got a sense for 1900s-London, a setting that was absolutely perfect.  Dark and gritty, 1900s London was just right for <strong>The Sweetest Dar</strong>k which has an edgier, almost gothic quality. Taking place in the middle of World War I also heightened the sense of danger and despair.</p>
<p>Our main character, Eleanor a.k.a. Lora is quite plainly extraordinary. An orphan with a seriously dark and disturbing past, Lora has been through a lot. Yet, she prevailed. Wise beyond her years, Lora is  incredibly smart, quick, resourceful, brave and confident. She&#8217;s also witty and fast-thinking &#8211; able to throw verbal punch for verbal punch with anyone &#8211; even a certain smart-mouth highborn (Armand). She&#8217;s not afraid to stand up for herself, among males and the catty material girls that Iverson is known for.</p>
<p>When you see Jesse and Armand mentioned in the cover description you automatically think or dread &#8220;love triangle&#8221; &#8211; like I did. But don&#8217;t be afraid! There&#8217;s more to it. I found both boys to be completely different with their own faults and virtues. I thought that their roles were essential and enjoyable.</p>
<p>The myth/magic part in <strong>The Sweetest Dark</strong> is tastefully done. It&#8217;s mysterious, dark, sexy and dangerous.</p>
<p>There&#8217;s a lot of heartbreak and despair in <strong>The Sweetest Dark</strong>. I won&#8217;t lie, I teared up a bit&#8230; or you know&#8230; a lot. The ending was cruel yet probably essential (as I keep trying to tell myself).</p>
<p>I give <strong>The Sweetest Dark </strong>5 stakes for  it&#8217;s originality and shocking twists.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/5stakes.png"><img class=" wp-image-1681 aligncenter" alt="5stakes" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/5stakes.png" width="233" height="60" /></a></p>
<p>The post <a href="http://slayingbooks.com/review-the-sweetest-dark-by-shana-abe/">Review: The Sweetest Dark by Shana Abe</a> appeared first on <a href="http://slayingbooks.com">The Book Slayer</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Review: Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins</title>
		<link>http://slayingbooks.com/review-sweet-peril-by-wendy-higgins/</link>
		<comments>http://slayingbooks.com/review-sweet-peril-by-wendy-higgins/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 08 May 2013 09:11:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Lauren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Sweet Peril]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wendy Higgins]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[<p>When I fall in love with a novel, I fall hard. The minute I finish the last page, I'm flying across the room to my computer, biting my nails and anxiously searching for any tidbit (no matter how small) regarding a sequel. <b>Sweet Evil</b> was no...</p><p>The post <a href="http://slayingbooks.com/review-sweet-peril-by-wendy-higgins/">Review: Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins</a> appeared first on <a href="http://slayingbooks.com">The Book Slayer</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="triberr_endorsement"></div><h2 style="text-align: center;"> My review for <a href="http://slayingbooks.com/review-sweet-evil-by-wendy-higgins/">Sweet Evil</a></h2>
<p><strong><a href="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Sweet-Peril.jpg"><img class="alignleft  wp-image-5065" style="margin-left: 6px; margin-right: 6px;" alt="Sweet Peril" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Sweet-Peril.jpg" width="170" height="255" /></a>Released: </strong>April 30th, 2013<br />
<strong>Publisher:</strong> HarperTeen<br />
<strong>Author:</strong> <a href="http://www.wendyhigginswrites.com/">Website</a> ◆ <a href="https://twitter.com/Wendy_Higgins">Twitter</a><br />
<strong>Pages: </strong>371 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15768191-sweet-peril">Goodreads</a><br />
<strong>Buy it: </strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062265946/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0062265946&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=theboosla-20">Amazon</a><img style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" alt="" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=theboosla-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0062265946" width="1" height="1" border="0" /> ◆ <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sweet-peril-wendy-higgins/1113200731?ean=9780062265944&amp;itm=1&amp;usri=9780062265944">Barnes &amp; Noble</a></p>
<h4>Anna Whitt, the daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, promised herself she’d never do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such a vow. She’d been naive about a lot of things. Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means embracing her dark side and earning an unwanted reputation as her school’s party girl. Her life has never looked more bleak. And all the while there’s Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart and mind. When an unexpected lost message from the angels surfaces, Anna finds herself traveling the globe with Kopano, son of Wrath, in an attempt to gain support of fellow Nephilim and give them hope for the first time. It soon becomes clear that whatever freedoms Anna and the rest of the Neph are hoping to win will not be gained without a fight. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and face the ultimate question: is loving someone worth risking their life?</h4>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://slayingbooks.com/review-a-need-so-beautiful-by-suzanne-young/mythoughts-4/" rel="attachment wp-att-4370"><img class="aligncenter  wp-image-4370" alt="mythoughts" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/mythoughts1.png" width="149" height="57" /></a></p>
<p>When I fall in love with a novel, I fall hard. The minute I finish the last page, I&#8217;m flying across the room to my computer, biting my nails and anxiously searching for any tidbit (no matter how small) regarding a sequel. <em>Sweet Evil</em> was no exception. I read that baby in one sitting, having been captivated from the very moment Kaidan Rowe sauntered into the picture. Sure, the unique take on nephilim and demon spirits that whisper sweet sins into your ears was a fascinating concept, but Kaidan was at the core of my new obsession. Sexy, tantalizing and literally oozing with lust, I couldn&#8217;t get enough of this clearly damaged yet incredibly hot, British drummer.</p>
<p>Unfortunately Kaidan wasn&#8217;t physically (proximately) near Anna for a good chunk of <strong>Sweet Peril</strong>. Even though I emotionally suffered, I knew deep down it was for the best. A lot happened during the book, which covered Anna&#8217;s senior year of high school. Kaidan was given a lot of time to evolve as a character. He had a lot of self-discovery and changing to do. But that doesn&#8217;t mean he was completely silent throughout the majority of the novel. On the contrary, like myself, Anna felt his absence 24/7. He was always in our thoughts. What was he doing&#8230; who was he doing&#8230; we did not want to know. And yet&#8230;we couldn&#8217;t help thinking about it.</p>
<p>Anna does a lot of growing and changing in <strong>Sweet Peril </strong>as well. After the horror she witnessed in <em>Sweet Evil</em>, Anna has been given a rude-awakening. Not only has she had to succumb to her sinful nature for protection, she&#8217;s been growing more confident and in control. Taking self-defense and weapons training has also made her pretty kickass. I definitely wouldn&#8217;t want to startle her in a dark alleyway at this point, no matter how small, quiet and cute she looks. Regardless of the sin she&#8217;s had to encourage and lives she&#8217;s knowlingly put in danger, her heart still remains sweet and &#8220;pure&#8221;. Her ability to unconditionally love, care for and nourish, still draws in the confused and scared.</p>
<p>There is plenty o&#8217; steam and plenty o&#8217; kissin&#8217; in this book &#8212; thank you Higgins. There&#8217;s also a lot of action and sorrow. With the coming war looming higher &#8211; comes casualties &#8211; which unfortunately have started now. At this point I don&#8217;t even want to think about who else will be caught in the crossfire in the last book. I just have a gut feeling that all our favorites won&#8217;t make it out alive.</p>
<p>What I love most about this series, besides Lusty McLustersin Rowe of course, is that unlike most angel-types, it doesn&#8217;t focus solely on archangels or heaven for that matter. Yes they count and play a role, but <em>The Sweet Trilogy</em> mostly focuses on the dukes, nephilim and evil spirits a.k.a. whisperers and how their time on earth as affected its inhabitants  Famine, disease, murder, etc. encouraged and controlled by a select few, is an awesome concept and makes for a great storyline.</p>
<p><strong>Sweet Peril</strong> was a fabulous sequel which makes me confident that book three will be just as good or possibly better!!!</p>
<p>BTW &lt;3 Kaidan forevvs! Even though I still have a crush on sweet Kopano who comes at a close second in my heart.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/5stakes.png"><img class=" wp-image-4944 aligncenter" alt="5stakes" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/5stakes.png" width="233" height="60" /></a></p>
<p>The post <a href="http://slayingbooks.com/review-sweet-peril-by-wendy-higgins/">Review: Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins</a> appeared first on <a href="http://slayingbooks.com">The Book Slayer</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Review: The Collector by Victoria Scott</title>
		<link>http://slayingbooks.com/review-the-collector-dante-walker-1-by-victoria-scott/</link>
		<comments>http://slayingbooks.com/review-the-collector-dante-walker-1-by-victoria-scott/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 May 2013 01:23:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Lauren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[The Collector]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Victoria Scott]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[<p>Dante Walker is cocky and vain. He struts around with his tight-physique, wealth, and schmooze - like it's nobody's business. In the real world, a guy like Dante would have me turning the other cheek. But in <B>The Collector</b>... phew! I couldn't get enough. Told...</p><p>The post <a href="http://slayingbooks.com/review-the-collector-dante-walker-1-by-victoria-scott/">Review: The Collector by Victoria Scott</a> appeared first on <a href="http://slayingbooks.com">The Book Slayer</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="triberr_endorsement"></div><p><strong><a href="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/thecollector.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-4998 alignleft" style="margin-left: 6px; margin-right: 6px;" alt="thecollector" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/thecollector.jpg" width="165" height="245" /></a>Released: </strong>March 25th, 2013<br />
<strong>Publisher:</strong> Entangled Teen<br />
<strong>Author:</strong> <a href="http://www.victoriascottya.com/">Website</a> ◆ <a href="https://twitter.com/VictoriaScottYA">Twitter</a><br />
<strong>Pages: </strong>352 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13449677-the-collector">Goodreads</a><br />
<strong>Buy it: </strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1620612429/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=1620612429&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=theboosla-20">Amazon</a><img style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" alt="" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=theboosla-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=1620612429" width="1" height="1" border="0" /> ◆ <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-collector-victoria-scott/1113551985?ean=9781620612422&amp;itm=1&amp;usri=9781620612422">Barnes &amp; Noble</a></p>
<h6>Dante Walker is flippin’ awesome, and he knows it. His good looks, killer charm, and stellar confidence have made him one of hell’s best—a soul collector. His job is simple: weed through humanity and label those round rears with a big red good or bad stamp. Old Saint Nick gets the good guys, and he gets the fun ones. Bag-and-tag. Sealing souls is nothing personal. Dante’s an equal-opportunity collector and doesn&#8217;t want it any other way. But he’ll have to adjust, because Boss Man has given him a new assignment: Collect Charlie Cooper’s soul within ten days. Dante doesn&#8217;t know why Boss Man wants Charlie, nor does he care. This assignment means only one thing to him, and that’s a permanent ticket out of hell. But after Dante meets the quirky Nerd Alert chick he’s come to collect, he realizes this assignment will test his abilities as a collector…and uncover emotions deeply buried.</h6>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://slayingbooks.com/review-a-need-so-beautiful-by-suzanne-young/mythoughts-4/" rel="attachment wp-att-4370"><img class="aligncenter  wp-image-4370" alt="mythoughts" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/mythoughts1.png" width="149" height="57" /></a></p>
<p>Dante Walker is cocky and vain. He struts around with his tight-physique, wealth, and schmooze &#8211; like it&#8217;s nobody&#8217;s business. In the real world, a guy like Dante would have me turning the other cheek. But in <strong>The Collector<em>&#8230;</em></strong> phew! I couldn&#8217;t get enough. Told from Dante&#8217;s perspective, <strong>The Collector</strong> has a good mix of romance, humor, emotion and action. Even when Dante was at his ass-y-ess he still exerted heat and appeal that kept me wanting more.</p>
<p>Novels narrated by male-perspectives normally turn me off. Off the top of my head I can&#8217;t even think of a single book I&#8217;ve recently read that featured the sole-perspective of a male. When I first saw <strong>The Collector<em> </em></strong>sprouting up on blogs, I ignored it. As a severely selective reader, it&#8217;s like I&#8217;ve got firewalls in place. It takes a lot of buzz and praise for a book out of my norm to become a book I &#8220;have&#8221; to read. Sometimes less thought and more action is the key. Giving <strong>The Collector</strong> a shot &#8211; I was delighted when I ended up enjoying Dante&#8217;s POV &#8211; just as much as any females&#8217;.</p>
<p>Dante does a lot of questionable things and makes a lot of bad decisions in <strong>The Collector</strong>. In the beginning he felt like the villain, a near-nonredeemable character. Without Dante&#8217;s personal history accounts, thoughts and feelings, I&#8217;m not sure I&#8217;d have ever fell for him, let alone liked him. I definitely would never have 100% understood him. He recounts his life bit by bit to others such as Charlie, but it&#8217;s completely different when the person in question, personally shares with you who they are and why they do the things they do.</p>
<p>The relationship between Dante and Charlie was endearing, yet not completely suspenseful. Smoldering bad boy who slowly becomes smitten with sweet, innocent, and socially non-existent girl, isn&#8217;t really a twist these days. Regardless, this part didn&#8217;t deter me from loving their courtship which involved a lot of sweet, yet sorrow drama.</p>
<p>I felt like the characters in <strong>The Collector</strong> were raw and real. Their growths and relationships were so strong and complete that merely riding on the strengths of the characters, I could have easily enjoyed this novel – without supernatural bits.</p>
<p>If you&#8217;re looking for a book with a lot of emotion, a dab of supernatural and a hot lead, I&#8217;d definitely recommend picking up <strong>The Collector</strong>.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/4stakes.png"><img class="aligncenter  wp-image-1978" alt="4stakes" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/4stakes.png" width="189" height="60" /></a></p>
<p>The post <a href="http://slayingbooks.com/review-the-collector-dante-walker-1-by-victoria-scott/">Review: The Collector by Victoria Scott</a> appeared first on <a href="http://slayingbooks.com">The Book Slayer</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Review: Breathless (Elemental #2.5) by Brigid Kemmerer</title>
		<link>http://slayingbooks.com/mini-review-breathless-elemental-2-5-by-brigid-kemmerer/</link>
		<comments>http://slayingbooks.com/mini-review-breathless-elemental-2-5-by-brigid-kemmerer/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 04 May 2013 18:57:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Lauren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Breathless]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Brigid Kemmerer]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://slayingbooks.com/?p=5039</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Surprise, surprise - not really - here's another great elemental story from Brigid Kemmerer. I've yet to read a single thing from Kemmerer that I didn't love. No matter who's narrating, or which character is being focused on, I tear right through these stories.  Kemmerer...</p><p>The post <a href="http://slayingbooks.com/mini-review-breathless-elemental-2-5-by-brigid-kemmerer/">Review: Breathless (Elemental #2.5) by Brigid Kemmerer</a> appeared first on <a href="http://slayingbooks.com">The Book Slayer</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="triberr_endorsement"></div><h2 style="text-align: center;">Warning: This review is spoiler free for past books.</h2>
<p><strong><a href="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Breathless.jpg"><img class="alignleft  wp-image-5046" style="margin-left: 6px; margin-right: 6px;" alt="Breathless" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Breathless.jpg" width="176" height="263" /></a>Released: </strong>April 30th, 2013<br />
<strong>Publisher:</strong> KTeen<br />
<strong>Author:</strong> <a href="http://www.brigidkemmerer.com/">Website</a> ◆ <a href="https://twitter.com/BrigidKemmerer">Twitter</a><br />
<strong>Pages: </strong>65 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15819003-breathless">Goodreads</a><br />
<strong>Buy it: </strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B1UVSAY/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B00B1UVSAY&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=theboosla-20">Amazon</a><img style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" alt="" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=theboosla-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=B00B1UVSAY" width="1" height="1" border="0" /> ◆ <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/breathless-brigid-kemmerer/1114307180?ean=9780758285539&amp;itm=1&amp;usri=9780758285539">Barnes &amp; Noble</a></p>
<h6>Too many secrets. Not enough time. Nick Merrick is supposed to be the level-headed one. The peacemaker. Since it’s just him and his three hotheaded brothers against the world, that’s a survival tactic. But now he’s got problems even his brothers can’t help him survive. His so-called girlfriend, Quinn, is going quick as mercury from daring to crazy. Meanwhile, Quinn’s dancer friend Adam is throwing Nick off balance, forcing him to recognize a truth he’d rather shove back into the dark. He can feel it—-the atmosphere is sizzling. Danger is on the way. But whatever happens next, Nick is starting to find out that sometimes nothing you do can keep the peace.</h6>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Thanks KTeen for providing me with this ARC in exchange for a honest review.</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://slayingbooks.com/review-a-need-so-beautiful-by-suzanne-young/mythoughts-4/" rel="attachment wp-att-4370"><img class="aligncenter  wp-image-4370" alt="mythoughts" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/mythoughts1.png" width="149" height="57" /></a></p>
<p>Surprise, surprise &#8211; <em>not really</em> &#8211; here&#8217;s another great elemental story from Brigid Kemmerer. I&#8217;ve yet to read a single thing from Kemmerer that I didn&#8217;t love. No matter who&#8217;s narrating, or which character is being focused on, I tear right through these stories.  Kemmerer has a way of making you care about just about every character you meet. She makes you desperately want to know how that person ticks. Nick Merrick is no exception!</p>
<p>Nick has always been the quiet and calmer twin. In the previous books, surrounded by a bunch of brothers with A LOT of drama, Nick never really stood out to me. This is definitely remedied in <strong>Breathless</strong>. Even getting just a little taste of Nick&#8217;s POV and the future hurdles he&#8217;ll be jumping, makes me incredibly eager for his own book. He never seemed to struggle as much as the others, but <strong>Breathless</strong> proves that there&#8217;s a lot more to Nick than meets the eye.</p>
<p>So far Quinn has been another character that I could easily forget. Being Becca&#8217;s sarcastic and witty bff, I found Quinn&#8217;s part to be more of an essential best friend, and less of a bonus. <strong>Breathless</strong> gives us so much to think about and look forward to in regards to Quinn. Now that she has a more central role on the horizon, I&#8217;m looking forward to seeing her tough-as-nails attitude handle whatever is thrown her way.</p>
<p>Like it&#8217;s predecessors&#8217;, although I get attached to each book&#8217;s main character(s), the fact that the focus switches each time has kept the overall story fresh and interesting. <strong>Breathless </strong>is an easy 5 stakes, packing a lot of emotions for a 60+ page book. Even though Hunter has always been a personal favorite of mine, there&#8217;s a tiny part of me that wishes Nick&#8217;s book was next instead of Hunter&#8217;s.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/5stakes.png"><img class=" wp-image-1099 aligncenter" alt="5stakes" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/5stakes.png" width="233" height="60" /></a></p>
<p>The post <a href="http://slayingbooks.com/mini-review-breathless-elemental-2-5-by-brigid-kemmerer/">Review: Breathless (Elemental #2.5) by Brigid Kemmerer</a> appeared first on <a href="http://slayingbooks.com">The Book Slayer</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Blog Tour Stop: The Last Academy by Anne Applegate (review + giveaway)</title>
		<link>http://slayingbooks.com/blog-tour-stop/</link>
		<comments>http://slayingbooks.com/blog-tour-stop/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2013 02:43:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Lauren</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Anne Applegate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Blog Tour]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Last Academy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://slayingbooks.com/?p=5009</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>When it comes to books, I'm an instant sucker for pretty covers and/or mentions of  an "academy". Therefore, the decision to read The Last Academy, was pretty much inevitable. The minute I saw the blog tour sign-up - I applied. Although, <b>The Last Academy</b>...</p><p>The post <a href="http://slayingbooks.com/blog-tour-stop/">Blog Tour Stop: The Last Academy by Anne Applegate (review + giveaway)</a> appeared first on <a href="http://slayingbooks.com">The Book Slayer</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="triberr_endorsement"></div><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/academytour.png"><img class="aligncenter  wp-image-5011" alt="academytour" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/academytour.png" width="280" height="167" /></a></p>
<p>Hey everyone! Today I’m participating in a blog tour for Anne Applegate&#8217;s <strong>The Last Academy</strong>. Make sure to checkout  the rafflecoptor below for a chance to win a a finished copy! Follow the full tour <a href="http://itchingforbooks.blogspot.com/2013/03/blog-tour-sign-upthe-last-academy-by.html">here</a>.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/TheLastAcademy.jpg"><img class="alignleft  wp-image-5013" style="margin-left: 6px; margin-right: 6px;" alt="TheLastAcademy" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/TheLastAcademy.jpg" width="146" height="220" /></a>Release Date:</strong> April 30th, 2013<br />
<strong>Pages: </strong>320 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16043626-the-last-academy">Goodreads</a><br />
<strong>Purchase it: </strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0545502047?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=httpwwwgoodco-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0545502047&amp;SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2">Amazon</a> ◆ <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-last-academy-anne-applegate/1113024082?ean=9780545502047&amp;itm=1&amp;usri=9780545502047">Barnes &amp; Noble</a></p>
<p><em>Camden Fisher arrives at boarding school haunted by a falling-out with her best friend back home. But the manicured grounds of Lethe Academy are like nothing Cam has ever known. There are gorgeous, preppy boys wielding tennis rackets, and circles of girls with secrets to spare. Only . . . something is not quite right. One of Cam&#8217;s new friends mysteriously disappears, but the teachers don&#8217;t seem too concerned. </em><em>Cam wakes up to strangers in her room, who then melt into the night. She is suddenly plagued by odd memories, and senses there might be something dark and terrible brewing. But what? The answer will leave Cam—and readers—stunned and breathless, in this thrilling debut novel.</em></p>
<p><a href="http://slayingbooks.com/review-a-need-so-beautiful-by-suzanne-young/mythoughts-4/" rel="attachment wp-att-4370"><img class="aligncenter" alt="mythoughts" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/mythoughts1.png" width="149" height="57" /></a>When it comes to books, I&#8217;m an instant sucker for pretty covers and/or mentions of  an &#8220;academy&#8221;. Therefore, the decision to read <em>The Last Academy</em>, was pretty much inevitable. The minute I saw the blog tour sign-up &#8211; I applied. Although, <em>The Last Academy</em> didn&#8217;t end up making my all-time favorites list, the ending was nothing short of spectacular.</p>
<p>I&#8217;m going to keep this review short and sweet.</p>
<h2>Pros -</h2>
<p><strong>Ballsy main character.</strong> There&#8217;s a lot of spooky incidents and sketchy people running about <em>Lethe </em>Academy. If I was at this academy and like Camden, begun witnessing the extra-creepy that goes down, I&#8217;d probably be permanently attached to the underside of my mattress.  Even though she practically faints at the sight of her crush, Camden always managed to keep it together when it counted the most. When she felt like her friends were in danger, she fearlessly ran towards and stood-up to whatever or whomever was the cause.</p>
<p><strong>Amazing supernatural twist.</strong> So I&#8217;m kind of spoiling the fact that there is a supernatural aspect&#8230; but I won&#8217;t divulge any exacts. I will say however, that the ending was totally mind-boggling!!! I&#8217;m pretty good at guessing the big reveal, but not when it came to <em>The Last Academy</em>. My theories were not even close! Major props to Applegate for adding some new spice to the YA mix. She proves that there is still new material out there to work with.<br />
<strong><br />
</strong></p>
<h2>Cons -</h2>
<p><strong>A dragging storyline.</strong> Like I said, there was a lot of spooky bits to <em>The Last Academy</em>. Being personally freaked out a time or two, I was constantly begging for the big reveal &#8211; or heck even a tiny one &#8211; while reading. The ending was outstanding, but the beginning and middle included nothing near-as stellar. This book could have easily been cut in half and still have been a decent story.<br />
<strong style="line-height: 13px;"> </strong><br />
<span style="line-height: 13px;"><strong>Instant love. </strong>Nuff&#8217; said. </span><span style="line-height: 13px;"> </span></p>
<p>Overall, <em>The Last Academy</em> was an enjoyable couple hours. Sure, a lot of aspects frustrated me, but the ending left me with more positive than negative feelings which means I definitely look into future Applegate books.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/3stakes1.png"><img class="aligncenter  wp-image-1837" alt="3stakes" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/3stakes1.png" width="147" height="60" /></a></p>
<hr />
<h1 style="text-align: center;"><strong>Author Info</strong></h1>
<div id="yui_3_7_2_1_1367544068117_2243"><a href="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/anneapplegate.png"><img class="alignright  wp-image-5012" style="margin-left: 6px; margin-right: 6px;" alt="anneapplegate" src="http://slayingbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/anneapplegate.png" width="158" height="198" /></a>Anne Applegate was born in Chico, California.  Most of her childhood was spent moving across America with her family, nomad style. When Anne was fourteen, her parents sent her to boarding school so she could spend four years in a single educational system.  As it turned out, her family then promptly settled into a small mid-western town and lived there for the next sixteen years.  Anne still hasn’t figured out if this means something. After graduation, she went on to Tufts University in Medford, MA, where she had a wicked good time. Eventually, she  wound up back on the west coast, where she married a fantastic Californian guy.  Together, they have three children. For the last twelve years, Anne has lived  in San Luis Obispo County.  This is by far the longest time she has stayed in any one place her whole life.  She immensely enjoys living  where 1) the sun always shines and 2) she isn’t the weirdest person in town.</div>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><a href="http://www.anneapplegate.com/">Site</a> ◆ <a href="https://twitter.com/AnneApplegate">Twitter</a></strong></p>
<hr />
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h1 style="text-align: center;"><strong>Giveaway</strong></h1>
<p><a class="rafl" id="rc-64262944" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/64262944/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br />
<script type="text/javascript" src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script></p>
<p>The post <a href="http://slayingbooks.com/blog-tour-stop/">Blog Tour Stop: The Last Academy by Anne Applegate (review + giveaway)</a> appeared first on <a href="http://slayingbooks.com">The Book Slayer</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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