Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1) by Tahereh Mafi

"You can't touch me," I whisper.

I'm lying, is what I don't tell him.

He can touch me, is what I'll never tell him.

But things happen when people touch me.

Strange things.

Bad things.

No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal, but The Reestablishment has plans for her. Plans to use her as a weapon.

But Juliette has plans on her own.

After a lifetime without freedom, she's finally discovering a strength to fight back for the very first time—and to find a future with the one boy she thought she'd lost forever.(synopsis from Goodreads)

Shatter Me, has been on my wish list since I began reading the reviews of fellow readers and bloggers. A group I belong to on Goodreads chose it as their January Book of the Month. (sorry guys I couldn’t wait) So I bought it with B&N gift cards I received for Christmas.  This is the last book I read for 2011 and boy did I go out with a bang. I absolutely loved, flipped out over ,loved, couldn't get enough of, loved loved this novel. I was immediately captured by Mafi’s lyrical writing style and her use of metaphors. This novel was beautifully written and I found the story line engaging. Shatter Me is so refreshing and the writing style so unique that each line is poetry. When I finished reading I was spent and wanted more...

Protagonist Juliette is seventeen years old and has been imprisoned in an asylum since she was fourteen. She has been told she is a freak, a monster, and murderer.  She hasn’t touched another human being in years.  She keeps a secret journal and watches from her cell window for a white bird. Despite all that has happened to her, she cares, she loves and she hopes. I love that she isn't a whiner, that she is fearless and hasn't lost her humanity. 

The world she lives in is controlled by the Reestablishment. They control the food and water supply and are ruthless; killing anyone who opposes them. We aren’t told a whole lot about how this change occurred. Often the first book of a new series is bogged down with back history and details. Mafi slowly feeds us these details and truths.  The seasons have changed, birds no longer fly in the sky and animals have sicken and died. People have committed suicide over hunger. Only parts of the earth are inhabitable and towns and cities are abandoned; as survivors move to sanctioned areas.

Juilette has not spoken to anyone in three years and is told she will have a cellmate. In walks Adam. Gorgeous blue eyed Adam.  I have never declared myself team anything…but I am a new member of team Adam. The way, in which Mafi describes his emotions through facial gestures and actions makes you fall in love him. The chemistry between Juliette and Adam is almost overpowering, bittersweet and eternal.  The connection and back story of their meeting is touching.  You immediately want these two to be together, to escape and somehow find a happily ever-after in this godforsaken world they live in.

Warren is the son of the Reestablishment leader. He has been placed in control of his own sector. He has been raised in a twisted way and the mention of his mother unhinges him. He seeks power, control and most of all Juliette. I detest Warren. He makes my skin crawl. He is feared by his soldiers and is ruthless in obtaining what he wants. He demands total allegiance. I don’t think he will ever stop pursuing Juliette…unless he is dead.

The ending sets us up perfectly for book two; which is yet untitled. The expected publication is November 2012 with a third book set to be released in 2013. I will be checking netGalley and B&N like an insane fan waiting to get my hands on it  patiently waiting for the release of book two. Mafi has earned a spot on my list of must read authors. I highly recommend Shatter Me to fans of dystopias, fantasies and romances.

I gave this book 5 coffee cups out of 5.                Kimba

                                    

Author's website:Tahereh Mafi

Buy it at B&N here(click book cover):           

Or at Amazon here :

I Declare January 2012 to be NetGalley Month

I'm declaring myself!! 

 January is NetGalley month, and I've signed up.  I have quite a few NG books to get through in January, so it's perfect.  If you'd like to participate, head over to Red House Books and sign up.

Kimba

Hidden Summit (Virgin River #17) by Robyn Carr

ROMANCE UNDER CONSTRUCTION…

Sick of running into her cheery ex-husband and his new wife, Leslie Petruso accepts a job at the Virgin River branch of Haggerty Construction and takes the high road right out of town. Now she’s got Paul Haggerty’s business running like a well-oiled machine. In fact, things are so busy Paul jumps at the chance to hire an extra set of hands.  Just like Leslie, Conner Danson has been burned by love. But if Leslie was disappointed by her relationship going bad, Conner was decimated. He’s got no time for women…although he spends an awful lot of time pretending not to notice Leslie. And she’s pretty busy “ignoring” the chemistry between them. According to Conner and Leslie, they have only one thing in common—they’re done with love. But everyone in Virgin River can see that things are heating up at Haggerty Construction. And as far as Paul Haggerty can tell, the best thing he can do is hang on to his hard hat and watch the sparks fly!(Synopsis from Goodreads)

I pre-ordered Hidden Summit and was ecstatic when it appeared on my Nook Tablet.  As I have stated before this is one of my favorite contemporary romance series.  Carr has a gift for spinning delightful tales about this small California mountain town. Each time I visit, she brings fresh characters and a storyline that captures me from page one.

In Hidden Summit we meet two new strangers. First we meet, Leslie Petruso, who needs a fresh start after her divorce. She is a spunky blonde, who has no trouble handling men at the job site; but on the inside her self-confidence is in ruins. Next we meet sexy, hard-working, blue-eyed Conner Danson. He is the only witness to a violent crime. After his business is burned to the ground and his life threatened the DA arranges for him to hideout in Virgin River until the trial. Alone and with way too much time on his hands, Conner begins to access his priorities.  Both have suffered from prior relationships and are trying to regroup.  The chemistry between them is immediate, believable and smokin’. Carr amps up the loves scenes in this novel and she does so beautifully. 

One of the things I love about the town of Virgin River is the way in which the community comes together to protect their own.  Unlike a lot of small towns, they immediately welcome Leslie and Conner into their fold.  While the main focus of the story is Conner and Leslie, we get to know more about the comings and goings of the town.  We reconnect with the young mother of two, whose husband drops her in Virgin River and leaves. The town drunk is finally getting her happily-ever-after and we meet up with plenty of familiar faces at Jack’s tavern.

There were quite a few twists and turns in Hidden Summit, that kept me turning the pages. I finished this in one evening, simply because I couldn’t put it down.  I highly recommend this series to fans of small town romances and feel good series. While some of the stories have made me shed a tear; for the most part I walk away from my visit feeling good and anxious to return.


I am delighted to inform you that I have received an ARC of Carr’s next book in the series, entitled Redwood Bend. It is expected to be published February 28^th, 2012. I will share my review with you in early February.

I gave this 5 coffee cups out of 5                        Kimba

Author's website:Robyn Carr

Buy it here at B&N:                             

 or at Amazon here:                                                       

11/22/63 by Stephen King

On November 22, 1963, three shots rang out in Dallas, President Kennedy died, and the world changed. What if you could change it back? Stephen King's heart-stoppingly dramatic new novel is about a man who travels back in time to prevent the JFK assassination, a thousand-page tour de force. Following his massively successful novel Under the Dome, King sweeps readers back in time to another moment a real life moment when everything went wrong: the JFK assassination. And he introduces readers to a character who has the power to change the course of history.  Jake Epping is a thirty-five-year-old high school English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine, who makes extra money teaching adults in the GED program. He receives an essay from one of the students a gruesome, harrowing first person story about the night 50 years ago when Harry Dunning's father came home and killed his mother, his sister, and his brother with a hammer. Harry escaped with a smashed leg, as evidenced by his crooked walk. Not much later, Jake's friend Al, who runs the local diner, divulges a secret: his storeroom is a portal to 1958. He enlists Jake on an insane and insanely possible mission to try to prevent the Kennedy assassination. So begins Jake's new life as George Amberson and his new world of Elvis and JFK, of big American cars and sock hops, of a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald and a beautiful high school librarian named Sadie Dunhill, who becomes the love of Jake's life a life that transgresses all the normal rules of time.  A tribute to a simpler era and a devastating exercise in escalating suspense, 11/22/63 is Stephen King at his epic best. (synopsis from Goodreads)

I received 11/22/63 from Klout as a perk. As a life long fan of Stephen King, I was delighted. I have read all of King’s work and can honestly say I have enjoyed them all. Some of my favorites were the Talisman written with Peter Straub, Lawnmower Man, It, the Gunslinger and my personal favorite the Stand.  11/22/63 is a breathtaking glimpse at one of the most talked about events in US History and the era in which it occurred.  King’s research on the subject is evident, as he accurately details the past. Being a fan of sci-fi and Dr. Who, I found the subject of time travel and its effects fascinating.

I love the way King draws you into a story and doesn’t let you go until the end. Despite that fact that his novels are long, I continually find myself sadden at how quickly they come to an end.  The protagonist Jake Epping is a likable English teacher, who cares about his students and friends. He is drawn into time travel by a dying friend.  I absolutely loved the way King explained the trips back, the effects and the characters he created there. The transformation from Jake to George Amberson was incredible. The character growth and personality changes were very believable. King's ability to take us into the psyche of his characters never ceases to amaze me.   


When Jake went back in time, I went with him. I slipped into an era of simpler times and yet an era filled with segregation, fear and prejudice.  With a stroke of a pen, King paints a vivid picture. He takes us back to Derry in the years after IT. I totally loved the references to his prior novels. It's so typical of the King to add these little treats for fans. As Jake alters events from the past, strange things begin happening.You begin to feel uneasy as the timeline tries to prevent Jake from changing it. I loved the people in the town of Jodie Texas, and would have enjoyed living there. The romance between Jake and Sadie, was romantic and genuine. I shed tears for them both. My only complaint was the sappy ending. I am not sure why King felt the need to wrap it up in a cute little bow. 

Classifying this book was difficult, its historical fiction, a romance and a science fiction/fantasy. While it’s not a true horror story, it has elements of horror and parts of it scared me.  I have been walking around repeating creepy phrases and quoting lines from the book.  I highly recommend this to any reader; as it has elements that will please everyone. 11/22/63 is available in paper, audio and eBook formats.

I gave this book 4 coffee cups out of 5.              Kimba

                                     

Author's website:Stephen King

Buy it at B&N here:

Or at Amazon here:

New Year's Weekend Giveaway

Author T.P. Boje is here to share her YA Paranormal series
 Afterlife with us. 

She has generously offered to give away
4 eBooks and 2 paperbacks of her 
first novel in the series entitled Beyond

 Enter with Rafflecopter below.
Begins December 29th at Midnight
 Giveaway ends January 1st at 12:01am(EST)
 Winners will be announced on New Year's Day 2012.

Please give her a warm welcome!!

Happy New Year!

 Kimba

About the Author

T. P. Boje is a mother of two, a stepmother of another two and a hardcore cartoon lover, Tim Burton enthusiast, and enjoys any movie the Coen Brothers have made (with the big Lebowski being her favorite strongly followed by Burn after Reading). She is also a writer of Y/A Paranormal Romance, fantasy and mystery. She is originally from Denmark but currently living in Florida, USA. Her books are translated into several languages. 


To learn more follow her on:


Twitter: @TPBoje
Facebook fan page: T.P. Boje
Website: T.P. Boje

Afterlife Series

Book 1 Beyond

Have you ever wondered where you go when you die?

Meghan is 16 when it happens to her. She wakes up on a flying steamboat on her way to a school run by Angels in a white marble castle. She meets Mick who helps her through a difficult time in a different world filled with heavenly magic. One day she finds a mirror in the cellar of the school and goes through it. She ends up back on earth where she meets Jason. But Jason is in danger and Meghan knows something important.
Soon she will have to choose between the two worlds.
The one she belongs to now, and the one she left.

 Book 2 Serenity

It is Meghan’s second year at The Academy. While trying to help and care for Jason on earth she is struggling to keep up in school, where they this year will learn both to ride Pegasus’ and fly through severe storms. Meanwhile Mick is becoming more than a friend to her and soon she finds herself facing the unavoidable choice.

But something evil is threatening the students at the Academy and Meghan is no longer safe within the walls of the castle. Something causes several of the students to be caught in the middle of a nightmare, that they can’t wake up from. 

Soon they suspect that there might be a traitor in their midst

Book 3 Endurance

Meghan’s training at the Academy is coming to an end. Everything is going great for her as she comes closer to the graduation. She is engaged to be married and the wedding is very near when she hears some disturbing news that makes her rethink all of her coming life.

In class they are taught to catch dreams and fly with the speed of light. Meghan soon discovers that she has a lot of special talents and that she is much stronger than she thought. But unfortunately that doesn’t help her as she faces the truth about her own death which will be revealed to her at the end of the year.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

In My Mailbox

In my Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren. It's a chance to share books and things we have received, purchased or won. December was a great month for me and I am only going to only list a few. Next month, I will try to share with you twice a month on the 15th and 30th.

Here are some of the ARC's and Books I received for December:

Swag I received:

The complete set of Clockwork Christmas trading cards from author J.K.Coi 

who wrote Far From Broken.

Books I Purchased and Pre-ordered:

Books and things that I won this month:

$10 GC to Max and Mabe

Thanks for checking out some of the goodies I received in December.

Kat Richardson and the Greywalker Series

Dear Reader,
I want to share one of my favorite authors and series with you. I read all of the books before I began my blog and so I decided to share them with you today. I was introduced to the Greywalker series by Kat Richardson at B&N's Paranormal and Urban Fantasy book club forum. The Greywalker series all center around Harper Blaine. She is a successful private investigator, who has a near death experience that changes her. Harper Blaine has to be one of my favorite female protagonists. She is tough, smart, independent and witty. The ARC Richardson has created in this series is fresh and original. I have absolutely loved watching both the protagonist and writer grow as the series develops.  Harper's romantic relationship is genuine and progresses over several novels. In each new case Harper learns more about her gift/curse. Watching her skill set evolve has been delightful. The next book in this series entitled Seawitch will be published in August of 2012. All of the books are available in paper, audio and eBook formats. While each book deals with a specific case and can be read as a standalone, I recommend reading them in order. 
I have had an opportunity to chat with Kat Richardson on the B&N forums, twitter and Google+. She has to be one of the nicest, humblest authors I have ever had the pleasure to chat with. 
Please take a moment to read the synopsis from the first six books in the series. I hope you will try them. If you do, be sure and let me know what you think.                      
                                                    Kimba

Kat Richardson

Author of the Greywalker paranormal detective novels. Lives on a boat in Seattle with her husband and the ghosts of ferrets.

website:Kat Richardson
twitter @katrchrdsn

Greywalker (Greywalker #1)

Harper Blaine was slogging along as a small-time P.I. when a two-bit perp's savage assault left her dead. For two minutes, to be precise. When Harper comes to in the hospital, she begins to feel a bit ...strange. She sees things that can only be described as weird-shapes emerging from a foggy grey mist, snarling teeth, creatures roaring. But Harper's not crazy. Her "death" has made her a Greywalker-able to move between our world and the mysterious, cross-over zone where things that go bump in the night exist. And her new gift (or curse) is about to drag her into that world of vampires and ghosts, magic and witches, necromancers and sinister artifacts. Whether she likes it or not.(synopsis from Goodreads)

Poltergeist (Greywalker #2)

Harper Blaine was your average small-time PI until she died - for two minutes. Now she's a Greywalker - walking the thin line between the living world and the paranormal realm. And she's discovering that her new abilities are landing her all sorts of "strange" cases.   In the days leading up to Halloween, Harper's been hired by a university research group that is attempting to create an artificial poltergeist. The head researcher suspects someone is faking the phenomena, but Harper's investigation reveals something else entirely - they've succeeded. And when one of the group's members is killed in a brutal and inexplicable fashion, Harper must determine whether the killer is the ghost itself, or someone all too human.(synopsis from Goodreads)

Underground (Greywalker #3)

Harper Blaine was your average small-time P.I. until she died for two minutes. Now Harper is a Greywalker-- walking the thin line between the living world and the paranormal realm. And she's discovering that her new abilities are landing her all sorts of "strange" cases.  Pioneer Square's homeless are turning up dead and mutilated, and zombies have been seen roaming the underground--the city buried beneath modern Seattle. When Harper's friend Quinton believes he may be implicated in the deaths, he persuades her to investigate. But the killer is no mere murderer--it is a creature of ancient legend. And Harper must deal with both the living and the dead to stop the monster and its master…...unless they stop her first.(synopsis from Goodreads)

Vanished (Greywalker #4)

Harper Blaine was your average small-time P.I. until she died-for two minutes. Now Harper is a Greywalker-walking the line between the living world and the paranormal realm. And she's discovering that her new abilities are landing her in all sorts of "strange cases." But for Harper, her own case may prove the most difficult to solve. Why did she-as opposed to others with near-death experiences-become a Greywalker? When Harper digs into her own past, she unearths some unpleasant truths about her father's early death as well as a mysterious puzzle. Forced by some very demanding vampires to take on an investigation in London, she soon discovers her present troubles in England are entangled with her dark past back in Seattle-and her ultimate destiny as a Greywalker.(synopsis from Goodreads)

Labyrinth (Greywalker #5)

Harper Blaine was your average small-time P. I. until she died-for two minutes. Now she's a Greywalker, walking the line between the living world and the paranormal realm. There are others who know about her new powers-others with powerful tools and evil intentions, and now that the man who "killed" her has been murdered, the police are also paying close attention. That means Harper has to watch her step while searching for the ghost of her "killer"-who could be a valuable clue in the puzzle of Harper's past and her father's death, as well as a key to figuring out who's trying to manipulate her new powers and why. But with her growing powers pulling her into the Grey, Harper might not be able to come back out...(synopsis from Goodreads)

Downpour (Greywalker #6)

After being shot in the back and dying-again- Greywalker Harper Blaine's only respite from the chaos is her work. But while conducting a pre-trial investigation in the Olympic Peninsula, she sees a ghostly car accident whose victim insists that he was murdered and that the nearby community of Sunset Lakes is to blame.  Harper soon learns that the icy waters of the lake hide a terrible power, and a host of hellish beings under the thrall of a sinister cabal that will use the darkest of arts to achieve their fiendish ends…(synopsis from Goodreads)

Seawitch (Greywalker #7)


Expected publication is August of 2012.















Buy them at Barnes and Noble here: Greywalker
or at Amazon here:  Greywalker (Greywalker, Book 1)

A Message from Me to You

"From home to home, and heart to heart, from one place to another

The warmth and joy of Christmas, brings us closer to each other."

Emily Matthews

Buon Natale

Frohe Weihnachten
Joyeux Noël
Feliz Natal
メリークリスマス
С Рождеством
Vrolijk kerstfeest
God jul
Veselé vánoce
Mutlu Noeller
Merry Christmas! 

Wishing you a Very Merry Christmas! Thank you for all of your support 


- Kimba

Ripped Apart by Miriam Minger

TWO MOTHERS DESPERATELY WANT ONE THING...THE SAME LITTLE BOY.

Winning awards for master storytelling and fast-paced plots, bestselling author Miriam Minger presents her edge-of-your-seat thriller RIPPED APART against the violent backdrop of the drug trade along the Texas-Mexico border.

SHE WILL DO ANYTHING TO GET HER SON BACK. THEY WILL KILL HER TO KEEP HIM.

Unspeakable tragedy and cold-blooded murder conspire against Clare Carson when her six-year-old son is kidnapped after a heart transplant and his abductors want her dead. A dying cop’s last words lead her to former Special Ops Jake Wyatt, who helps her discover the horrific truth behind her son’s abduction and offers to help her get Tyler back. With nowhere else to turn, Clare entrusts her life to Jake not knowing he has a deadly agenda of his own that could destroy them both.(synopsis from Goodreads)

Ripped Apart was a gripping physiological thriller with a dash of romance.  This tale had me riveted from page one.  Minger’s plot is filled with danger, suspense, lots of twists and a storyline you aren’t sure to forget.

The protagonist Clare Carson has a six year old son named Tyler. Tyler suffers from a heart defect, which will one day require surgery. When he stops breathing at the mall, he is rushed to the hospital.  Meanwhile, a bus load of kids on their way to camp are hit by a semi-truck. Two little boys die on the bus that day. One boy’s parents donate his organs; the other's realize there has been a mistake.  The doctors are able to revive Tyler, and miraculously a heart is available.  I really liked Clare. She is one tough cookie and no one messes with her little boy. The tale that unfolds involves the drug cartel, a sexy, rugged, ex-militia man named Jake, two mothers who undeniably love their sons and a man who lives by greed and control.  The action and chase scenes were intense and genuine.  I couldn’t put this book down.  The romance that develops between Jake and Clare is honest, heated and believable.

I highly recommend Ripped Apart to fans of psychological thrillers and romance. This novel is currently available in eBook format. 

I want to thank the BookRooster team for providing this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

I gave this book 4 coffee cups out of 5. 

                                         Kimba

Buy this at B&N now            

Click on the cover below:

                                   
Buy from Amazon :