Book Review: The Magi by: Kevin Turner

Goodreads Summary: 


Thirteen-year-old Elijah Hawk has never heard of the Magi. He doesn't know about the secret power they have. He has never been to Savenridge, the Magi city hidden deep inside the northern forests. Most of all, Elijah is unaware of the dangers hunting him, in search for something he has. After one terrifying night, however, all of that changes! 

On a quest to solve the murder of his parents, Elijah stumbles upon the land of the Magi. Learning their secrets and training with their power is the least of his problems. In order to find out why his parents were killed, Elijah learns that he must confront the dangers that are hunting him. What's more terrifying is learning that stumbling upon this new world of the Magi may not have been an accident afterall.






My Review:

ReadingNook Rating: 4 out 5 stars

Anyone who knows my reading style, knows i'm not a huge fantasy fan and that my tastes are geared more towards contemporary fiction. The Magi is one of those books that makes me think why the heck do I not read more fantasy?? I absolutly loved this story. Kevin Turner is a brilliant writer who created this utterly magical world that any reading fan young or old can and would enjoy. If your a fan of Harry Potter, then you should check these books out because they have the potential to become as big as J.K. Rowling's series. I'm not alone in this characterization many of the other reviews i've read have also compared this series to Harry Potter, not because the storys are similar but because the magic is real and compeals you to want to keep reading.

The characters emotions were real and Elijah the main character was very relatable, and his emotions rang true. His emotions were up and down with the events that took place, as they should have been, and everything fell into place for me. This is the first of The Magi series and I cannot wait for Kevin Turner to continue the amazing character developing, and world building that started so strong in the first book. I have no complaints for this book other then I couldn't put it down, so not much else got done while reading this book.

Book Review: The Thorn and the Blossom by: Theodora Goss

Goodreads Summary: 


One enchanting romance. Two lovers keeping secrets. And a uniquely crafted book that binds their stories forever.

When Evelyn Morgan walked into the village bookstore, she didn’t know she would meet the love of her life. When Brendan Thorne handed her a medieval romance, he didn’t know it would change the course of his future. It was almost as if they were the cursed lovers in the old book itself . . .

The Thorn and the Blossom is a remarkable literary artifact: You can open the book in either direction to decide whether you’ll first read Brendan’s, or Evelyn’s account of the mysterious love affair. Choose a side, read it like a regular novel—and when you get to the end, you’ll find yourself at a whole new beginning.






My Review: 

ReadingNook Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Quirk books have really raised the bar as far as the creativity of published books (They are the publishers behind Pride and Predjuidice and Zombies as well as Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children). This book is different then any other book i've ever seen in the respect that its made in accordian style, there is no spine to the book, and either way you flip the book tells the same story but from two different perspectives; Brendan and Evelyn.


I choose to start with Brendan's perspective, and the length of the book (total is just over 80 pages; about 40 per story) was something I felt worked for me, because the story is the same but from two different perspectives, I feel like a book larger in size would have dragged on and felt repetative and drab. I didn't feel that with this book, I felt like the perspectives were different enough that it only added to the story, and felt new instead of repeating a lot of minut details.

I didn't think the story was anything to jump up and down It wasn't bad by any means, but didn't blow me away, BUT on the other hand the creativity and uniqueness behind this book lead me to enjoy it more then I thought I might have. If your a fan of love stories, or novellas I would definitely check this one out, if not for anything but the creativity and uniqueness of the presentation.

Chick Lit Plus Blog Tour Review: 5 Stages of Grief by: Bethany Ramos

Goodreads Summary: 


Danielle thinks that the worst is behind her, but she couldn't have been more wrong;

As a beauty editor of Denver's hot new High Life magazine, Danielle Starkey didn't have becoming a widow on her to-do list. Then nine months after her husbands death, she discovers he booked a vacation with another woman. Suddenly, Danielle sees Adams death in a whole new light and has to get over it - for the second time.

Hit with the truth when she least expects it, Danielle brings a fresh, funny, and honest approach to the grieving process as she struggles through online dating, stalking her dead husbands mistress, and, hopefully, finding the man of her dreams. With her stubborn and sassy best friend April by her side. Danielle refuses to let sleeping dogs lie. Will she finally face the truth about herself and her marriage? Or will she succumb to one of the five stages of grief?




My Review: 

ReadingNook Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 

Danielle Starkey's whole world turned upside down when she gets a phone call regarding a vacation planned for her dead husband and his secret mistress for a romantic getaway. Cherry James becomes the center of Danielle's focus, why did her husband cheat on her with Cherry, she needed answers and she needed them quick. A scheme to get her to attend a work gathering leads to a disasterous, melodramatic performance, that leaves her job and sanity on the line. When Gwen, Danielle's boss announces that Cherry will be working side-by-side with Danielle to create a website for her company does the real fun begin....

Bethany Ramos created the perfect blend of what Chick-Lit novels should be. 5 Stages of Grief was tragic, hilarious, smart, and utterly irresistable. I love when Chick-Lit books incorporate pop culture, and mentions of the Jersey Shore, Eharmony.com, and The Real Housewifes of New York only added the relatability of the story. Danielle's character was hilarious and relatable, as was April, her best friend, and assistant, even the infamous Cherry James was likeable in her own way. This story was fun and entertaining, and made me want to go grab a fruity cocktail and soak up some sun.

Whether you're looking for a good beach read, or want a story that will take your mind of you're own problems for a while and focus on someone elses for a bit, this book is a MUST-READ. I didn't want to put it down, and it kept me entertained from the beginning to the very last page. I can't wait to see what other books are up Bethany Ramo's sleeves, but she's definitely a name to look out for in the Chick-Lit genre.

Book Review: In Darkness by: Nick Lake

Goodreads Summary:


In darkness I count my blessings like Manman taught me. One: I am alive. Two: there is no two. In the aftermath of the Haitian earthquake a boy is trapped beneath the rubble of a ruined hospital: thirsty, terrified and alone. 'Shorty' is a child of the slums, a teenage boy who has seen enough violence to last a lifetime, and who has been inexorably drawn into the world of the gangsters who rule Site Soleil: men who dole out money with one hand and death with the other. But Shorty has a secret: a flame of revenge that blazes inside him and a burning wish to find the twin sister he lost five years ago. And he is marked. Marked in a way that links him with Toussaint L'Ouverture, the Haitian rebel who two-hundred years ago led the slave revolt and faced down Napoleon to force the French out of Haiti. As he grows weaker, Shorty relives the journey that took him to the hospital, a bullet wound in his arm. In his visions and memories he hopes to find the strength to survive, and perhaps then Toussaint can find a way to be free ... 










My Review: 

ReadingNook Rating: 4 out 5 stars

In Darkness is a perfect title for this book, because it is infact a really dark story. Nick Lake creates a rintimate and disturbingly real look into the situations in Haiti prior to the earthquakes of 2010 and after. Natural disasters have always intrigued me and I thought this book would more so focus on that, but was more a look into what life is like in the slums of Haiti before the earthquake. This book is filled with murder, gangs, poverty, drugs, and political backlash to the extreme. I never knew how poverty and crime striken Haiti was and is, so this was an eye-opener of a book for me.

Nick Lake's writing style was poetic in a way, and I felt like the story moved along smoothly alternating between now and then timelines. I'm almost at a loss for words when it comes to this review, because I don't really know what to say to give this book justice. All I can say is this is a POWERHOUSE of a book, and can definitely see it read in high schools as required reading, and recieving prestigious awards. If you want an eye-opening look into Haiti and the poverty-stricken society that is a reality there, then you definitely need to read this book. 

Check out the Book Trailer: Here!

Waiting on Wednesday (14)

Goodreads Summary:


Everything is in ruins. 

A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them. 

So what does Araby Worth have to live for? 

Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery make-up . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all. 

But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club. And Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither boy is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does. 

And Araby may find something not just to live for, but to fight for—no matter what it costs her.




Expected Publication: April 24th, 2012 from HarperCollins
Preorder: HERE!!




Why I Cannot Wait to Read This Book: Ok, first of all LOOK AT THIS FLIPPIN' COVER!! I cannot even express how awe-struck I am by this, and I'm sure in person it's going to be even more outstanding!! On top of that it sounds amazing, a plague kills a huge part of the population, a struggle to survive, an underground club-world, and a CUTE BOY! right up my alley! I can't wait for this book! 

Chick Lit Plus Blog Tour: Stay Tuned by: Lauren Clark

Goodreads Summary: 


What happens when a #1 news team becomes the top story instead of reporting it? 

For TV producer Melissa Moore, crisis management comes with the job. From employee disputes to her high-maintenance boss, there’s not much she hasn’t seen or can’t handle. 

But no one—including Melissa—expects a fistfight during the ten o’clock news. When sexy-but-crazy Alyssa Andrews lands a punch on her co-anchor’s face, Melissa jumps on set to help. She’s determined that WSGA’s reputation won’t be destroyed on her watch. 

Both anchors are fired and Melissa agrees to fill in—but not before polishing her look from haircut to heels. While the new Melissa wows WSGA viewers, her personal life starts fraying at the edges. Melissa’s husband is away more than he’s home, leaving cryptic Post-it notes in his wake. Her mother’s antics spiral out of control at the nursing home and a stalker decides Melissa is her next target. 

What happens next? Stay Tuned to find out…




Don't forget to go to Laurens tours page and leave a comment to win a $10 amazon giftcard!! 


My Review: 

ReadingNook Rating 3.5 out 0f 5 stars

Melissa Moore is a producer for the WSGA news station but when the two anchors who are also in an out-of-work relationship have a brawl on the air and are both fired, Melissa comes to the rescue and temporarly fills in as co-anchor, but while she's saving the day at work, her home life is coming apart at the seams. She's worried her unattentive, overworked husband is having an affair, she's worried about the "relationship" with her co-anchor, and memories of the past and not having the second child she had hoped for is coming back to haunt her. 

I found this Chick-Lit novel to have everything a Chick-Lit novel should have, a witty main character, a disaster or two, a failed/renewed relationship, and lots of fun, quirky moments. I really enjoyed the characters of this story. I feel like Lauren made them not only fun and well-developed, but also very believable. I enjoyed Melissa's best friend Candace and her two precious twin daughters, and although I had my doubts at first really enjoyed Ricks character. The only character I had some issues with was Melissas' husband Chris, who by the end of the novel had redeemed himself tremendisly. 

I felt like this novel was extremely predictable, and wasn't new or interesting in the respects that I feel like i've read this story before. I pretty much early on pin-pointed how the story would end, It didn't leave any element of suprise, and for that reason I wasn't compelled to keep reading. Don't get me wrong I really enjoyed the story, but just felt it was going to be predictable, and it was. For those who enjoy a fun, light-hearted read I think you'll really enjoy Lauren Clark, I really enjoyed her writing style and would like to see how her next novel compares. 

IMM January 15th

Book Review: Fracture by: Megan Miranda

Goodreads Summary:
Eleven minutes passed before Delaney Maxwell was pulled from the icy waters of a Maine lake by her best friend Decker Phillips. By then her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly fine 

-despite the scans that showed significant brain damage. Everyone wants Delaney to be all right, but she knows she's far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney finds herself drawn to the dying. Is her altered brain now predicting death, or causing it? 

Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who recently emerged from a coma with similar abilities. At first she's reassured to find someone who understands the strangeness of her new existence, but Delaney soon discovers that Troy's motives aren't quite what she thought. Is their gift a miracle, a freak of nature-or something much more frightening? 

For fans of best-sellers like Before I Fall and If I Stay, this is a fascinating and heart-rending story about love and friendship and the fine line between life and death.




Preorder: Here!! Release Date: January 17th, 2012 from Bloomsbury




My Review:

ReadingNook Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!!

Delaney Maxwell should have been dead, thats what medicine and science would say when she was pulled from the ice cold waters after being submerged for eleven minutes. Her heart had stopped, she had stopped breathing, and she did in fact die, but came back seemily unscathed. Delaney is thankful for her life back but when a new guy Troy shows up who went through a similar trama she starts being drawn to people who are dying. Is she drawn to them or is she killing them? She feels like its her fault that she can't save them.

Let me start by talking about the characters in this book. I loved them all from Delaney to her best friend Decker, and even had a bit of a love/hate relationship with Troy. I wanted to hate him at times, but still felt sorry for him/his situation. The characters were well-crafted, and thought out. They all played a significant part in the overall tone of the novel. Delaney was relatable, and I feel like pretty much anyone (boy or girl) could relate to her and the emotions that she faced.

Megan Miranda created an absolutly outstanding book, I honestly loved everything from the storyline, the characters, the plot, everything. This book was hard to put down and captivated me from the get-go. They say if your a fan of If I Stay by Gayle Forman, then you'll enjoy this book and I agree. its emotional, and heartbreaking and overall fantastic. This book tugs at your emotions and I was on the verge of tears through a good part of this book. Megan's writing style was beautiful and I couldn't have thought of a better way for this story to play out.

I have a feeling this book is going to end up in my top 12 of 2012, I know it's early in the year, but I'm calling it right now! If your doing the debut author challenge or just like supporting new debut authors, or just need a good book!! then check this book out. It's one of the best debut novels i've read in a long time! I loved its uniqueness and it had a lot of good messages within the novel, a reminder that your alive, but never know when your time or the time of a loved one will run out.

Waiting on Wednesday (13)

Goodreads Summary:
Sophomore year broke Clementine Williams’ heart. She fell for her best friend’s boyfriend and long story short: he’s excused, but Clem is vilified and she heads into summer with zero social life. 

Enter her parents’ plan to spend the summer on their sailboat. Normally the idea of being stuck on a tiny boat with her parents and little sister would make Clem break out in hives, but floating away sounds pretty good right now. 

Then she meets James at one of their first stops along the river. He and his dad are sailing for the summer and he’s just the distraction Clem needs. Can he break down Clem’s walls and heal her broken heart? 

Told in alternating chapters that chronicle the year that broke Clem’s heart and the summer that healed it, Unbreak My Heart is a wonderful dual love story that fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Susane Colasanti will flock to.






Expected Puplication Date: May 22nd from Bloomsbury 
Preorder Here!!




Why I Can't Wait for This Book: Because if you know me at all you know i'm a sucker for contempories, and this one is no exception. I would say that I love Melissa Walker but i'm a total failure and her first book, Small Town Sinners is still waiting to be read on my shelf, but i'm still just as excited to read this book none the less. 

Bout of Books Readathon 1/9-1/15

This is my second Bout of Books readathon and I can't wait, I had so much fun the first time around, that I decided to join in again.


Don't forget that if you are participating to join in the twitter chat using the hashtag #boutofbooks

I'm Hoping to Read:

Fever by Lauren Destefano (already started)

The Magi by: Kevin M. Turner (already started) 

Slide by: Jill Hathaway

Stay Tuned by: Lauren Clark

In Darkness by: Nick Lake

To Sign up for the Bout of Books Readathon Click Here!

Books For Sale/Trade

After moving, and realizing just how many books I have, I decided to rid myself of some of the books i've already read that I know I won't read again, not because there not good, but simply because my TBR is huge with books I haven't read that I still need to get too. All books have been read, but most are in new to like new condition.


The Following Books for Sale are $5 a piece which includes shipping costs!! BUT instead of cash, i'd prefer to have giftcards to either amazon or barnes and noble. (Ex. 2 books= $10 giftcard to amazon or barnes and noble) *US only Please!

For Sale $5:
Hollywood Ending by: Lucie Simone (signed)
Goodnight Tweetheart by: Teresa Medeiros
Cut by: Patricia McCormick
The Memory Keepers Daughter by: Kim Edwards
A Hopeless Romantic by: Harriet Evans
Chosen by: Chandra Hoffman
The Boy Next Door by: Meggin Cabot
Wicked Girls by: Stephanie Hemphill (HB)
Dashing Through the Snow by: Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark (HB)
The Thorn and the Blossom by: Theodora Goss (HB)
Tribulation Point by: Ricci Lake
The Lake House by: James Patterson (HB)
One for the Money by: Janet Evanovich (MM)
Wither by: Lauren DeStefano (HB)
The Lucky Ones by: Nicholas Sparks (MM)
Charmed Thirds by: Megan Mcafferty (HB)


Bossypants by: Tina Fey (audiobook) $10


For Trade: (Because these are all ARC copies, I will only trade these for other books)
Catching Jordan by: Miranda Kenneally
The Lens and the Looker by: Lory Kaufman
The Bronze and the Brimstone by: Lory Kaufman
The Hijab Boutique by: Michelle Khan
OyMG by: Amy Fellner Dominy
Lie by: Carolyn Bock
Sean Griswolds Head by: Lindsay Leavitt
Between the Sea and Sky by: Jaclyn Dolamore
Compulsion by: Heidi Ayarbe
Tuesdays at the Castle by: Jessica Day George


My Wishlist


Please email me at Thereadingnook123@gmail.com if you are interested in either trading or buying some books!!

TBR Pile For January

These are the books I plan on reading during the month of January, I usually post a vlog for these posts but because many of these are e-books, I figured I would just show pictures on a blog post!! 

Already read

Currently Reading

I think I can get to all of these in fact, I need to get to all of these because I have blog posts scheduled for all of them except for fever and cinder!! So hopefully I can complete my whole TBR pile, because i've been failing latley... 

Waiting on Wednesday (12)

Goodreads Summary: 


Jane runs away from Life House, a facility for kids with mental health disorders and addictions. She boards a plane to Montclair, New Jersey, though her destination does not matter—she doesn’t plan to be alive when the plane lands. Jane has planned the perfect suicide: she’ll fall asleep on the plane and never wake up. As she’s reaching for her pills in the cabin’s bathroom, the plane hits turbulence. Another jolt, and the engine’s down. The plane crashes into the mountains of Montana, and Jane and a boy named Paul are the only two survivors.

What starts out as a death mission quickly becomes a fight for life.






Expected Release Date: August 2nd, 2012 from Razorbill




Why I Cannot Wait for This Book: I Love anything that has to do with reading about mental illness/psych hospitals exetera, My minor is college was Psychology and it's always interested me. This book seems to have a really unique idea, and i've never read anything like it!! I cannot wait to read this book, in fact I think its one of my most anticipated books of the year!! 

Book Review: Everneath by: Brodi Ashton

Goodreads Summary: 


Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever. 

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists. 

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen. 

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's..






My Review: 

ReadingNook Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Nikki Beckett was brought into the underworld, but unlike most people who venture there she made her way back to earth, but doesn't have long to make a decision about whether or not she's going to go back to the underworld and become queen or if she's going to choose the tunnels, which would be a life of misery and pain.

I heard fabulous things about this book, and was estatic to recieve an ARC of it to read and review, but It didn't live up to the expectation for me. I took me forever to get through and It didn't captivate me the way I wanted I had hoped it would.

I couldn't stand the main character Nikki she drove me nuts, she had a limited time to come home and say a final goodbye and instead of spending it with her father and younger brother she spent her time chasing after the boyfriend she left behind and spending time with her friends, which really fustrated me. I guess thats the overall feeling the book gave me was fustration. I wanted to love the story, the characters, the plot, but i didn't love them, which left me feeling extremely fustrated.

I did however love Jack who was Nikki's boyfriend she left behind, I found him to be swoon-worthy, and a bit of a hunk. He was so supportive, and understanding, and I really grew fond of him by the end of the story. Jack was probably one of the only things that kept me reading, because I was invested in his character.

Paranormal books are always a huge hit or miss with me though, so if you're truly a fan of YA paranormal you should give this book a try, because the majority of reviews are all postive. I do think the book deserves a chance, it wasn't a bad book, just not a book for me.

Happy New Year!!! + Top 11 Books of 2011

I hope you guys all had a fun and safe New Years!! here's to looking at 2012!! which I feel is going to be an EPIC book year!! 

My Favorite Book of the Year:  1.) Ashfall by Mike Mullin

The rest are in no particular order.........

2.) Divergent by: Veronica Roth

3.) Shine by: Lauren Myracle

4.) Forbidden by: Tabatha Suzuma

5.) Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes by: Denise Grover Swank

6.) Anna and the French Kiss by: Stephanie Perkins

7.) Saving June by: Hannah Harrington

8.) If I stay by: Gayle Forman

9.) The Hunger Games by: Suzanne Collins

10.) Raven by: Suzy Turner

11.) Bedbugs by: Ben F. Winters

Total Books Read in 2011: 135

Goal for 2012: 150 books 

Total Pages Read: 36,835

Biggest Disapointment of 2011: Drink, Slay, Love by: Sarah Beth Durst (was a DNF for me :( )