Captivate by Carrie Jones (Need #2)

I love, love, love this book! With Need, it took me a while to get hooked. I was hooked from the first page. Captivate picked up where Need left off. In this installment, we see the development of Nick and Zara's relationship, which is super cute and loving. They work together with Devyn and Issie to try and solve the pixie problem. While her pixie king father is out of commission, two new kings show up to try and take over pixies and territory. Astley, the main king in this book, seems nice and trustworthy, without a bloodlust. The other king is completely evil.

In Captivate, there are several major changes: Nick dies (yes I was stunned), Valkyries and mythological Valhalla exist (cool), Zara turns pixie and becomes a queen, and Devyn and Issie are finally a couple. I was hoping to see more of Devyn and Issie as a couple versus just friends. They didn't really get together until the last five pages and then it was like, we're a couple, which was sort of a let down. But the idea of Zara now being a pixie queen is interesting. I like the addition of the new character Cassidy, who is half elf.

For me the funniest part of the book was all the references to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which is one of my favorite shows. I love how Issie basically equates this pixie war to Buffy having to save the world from the apocolypse.

Ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley

Cute story of a girl who has a major crush on a popular jock. She finally snags a "job" tutoring him in physics when she chokes on a gummi bear and dies. Unable to leave her "life" behind, she continues to hang with the living, making friends with the popular girl's sister. Hoping that she can finally make her dream come true (a date to the dance and a kiss by the popular jock) she does whatever it takes, even turning her back on her "ghost friends" from Dead Ed who really need her help.

Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

I've read her whole series of Shopaholic books. In the beginning, the Becky character was very endearing, having no clue about finances and trying to get herself out of big messes. In Mini Shopaholic, Becky is now a mother. Still clinging to her old ways. She gets herself into big messes, acts like a child and has no control over her own child. I was really looking forward to reading this book but very disappointed. I had to force myself to finish reading. I think if there are anymore shopaholic books to come out, I'll have to pass.

Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Could be I"ve blogged about this book before. Definitely too lazy to look through my blog to see. But I love this book!

Patch and Nora. Love, love, love them. Patch, who tends to be sarcastic, inappropriate and passive/aggressive is an interesting character in that he comes to find Nora for a specific purpose. To kill her. He's desperate for a human body and knows of the "rumor" from the book of Enoch. So he has a plan. One flaw in the plan is that he can't seem to go through with it. Nora is a great character too. She isn't whiny or self absorbed. She's a good student, good friend and is fiesty. She goes toe to toe with Patch, despite her fear of him, but doesn't back down.

There were a few different twists in this angel story. First new thing I've heard is that angels cannot feel. Patch cannot feel physically but still can emotionally. This is the reason for possessing human bodies. Another interesting thing was Nora being able to see Patch's past by touching his scars. I thought this was definitely a unique detail, one I've never heard.

Another book with a beautiful cover (that I hope my blogger will allow me to upload).

Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith

First book in a werewolf (well actually were everything: oppossum, armadillo, cat, wolf...you get the idea) and vampire series. I love vampire/werewolf stories. I"ll read any type. But this one.....well let's just say it wouldn't top my list of my favorite all time reads. I don't even think I would say that I really liked it. There were many things wrong with this book. First and Foremost, the main character gets "turned" by drinking spiked wine (yes, spiked with blood). When I say "she", I mean the main female character, who's name I cannot even remember despite finishing the book an hour ago. That's how memorable it wasn't. So going along with the spiking, the main character is not of legal age to drink. So for everyone in the book to see her drinking and not bat an eye, well that's just sad. Then comes the werewolf aspect. The main male character Kieren (he was far more interesting) is a hybrid. Part wolf, part human and cannot even fully transform. Boring. Then throw in the aspect of trying to re-open her family's restaurant with a vampire theme, and things just get worse.

13 to Life (#1) by Shannon Delany

The Rusakovas move to a small town, under strange circumstances. Jessica is trying to put her life back together after her mother died in a car accident and her now best friend is to blame. Pietr and Jessica have an attraction which she tries to deny. She knows Pietr is hiding something, but doesn't know what.

Love the cover! Unfortunately, my blogger is not allowing a picture upload (Grrr).This is what originally drew me to the book. For me it was a slow start. But I really enjoyed Pietr's humor and the fact that Jessica totally acted like a martyr. She was dealing with the aftermath of a major tragedy but still found the time to help Sarah, even though she was responsible for her mom's death. At times I felt like the story jumped here and there and a couple of times I had to reread to get back on track. The ending of the book, or the way it actually ended, wasn't what I expected. I expected it to wrap up somehow and the author definitely left you hanging.

Need (book 1) by Carrie Jones

I didn't really know what this book was about when I started reading it. I honestly chose it for the cover. Yes I guess that is a bit shallow. But it's a gorgeous cover. And I'm all about the cover.

Come to find out, this was a pixie story. In the past I read fairy stories and such and they just didn't float my boat. No draw. But I absolutely loved this story. The characters were believable and I loved reading how Zara really struggled with real world issues but also had to deal with this other very real threat. Nick was awesome (who doesn't love a werewolf) and the introduction of other were's was pretty interesting.

Definitely can't wait to read the second book and see yet another gorgeous cover.

My Immortal by Erin McCarthy (book one)

Damien has asked for immortality. In exchange he serves the Grigori Demons. After two hundred years of sin, he finally finds the one he wants to spend his life with. But things aren't that simple. The Demon Alex wants her and has set Damien up to get her.

Interesting storyline, but not as easy or fun of a read as other Erin McCarthy books I've read.