Timepiece

Timepiece by Myra McEntire

A threat from the past could destroy the future. And the clock is ticking...

Kaleb Ballard's relentless flirting is interrupted when Jack Landers, the man who tried to murder his father, timeslips in and attacks before disappearing just as quickly. But Kaleb has never before been able to see time travelers, unlike many of his friends associated with the mysterious Hourglass organization. Are Kaleb's powers expanding, or is something very wrong?

Then the Hourglass is issued an ultimatum. Either they find Jack and the research he's stolen on the time gene, or time will be altered with devastating results.

Now Kaleb, Emerson, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no choice but to use their unusual powers to find Jack. But where do they even start? And when? And even if they succeed, it may not be enough...

The follow-up to Hourglass, Timepiece blends the paranormal, science fiction, mystery, and suspense genres into a nonstop thrill ride where every second counts.

My Favorite Line(s):
"You aren't my keeper, Lily."
"No one is.  You're responsible for you.  I'm simply reminding you that you're worth more than what you'll find at the bottom of a bottle."

"You are sweetness and light.  Human cotton candy."

"Kaleb Ballard.  That hurts me in my feminism."

Why I Loved It:  I was so excited about the book that I didn't even bother to read a summary.  I just barreled through the first couple of pages only to have to check back and realize that I was not reading from Emerson's POV.  It was Kaleb Ballard.  And my heart did a flip flop.  A sad flip flop I'll admit because I already missed hearing Emerson's thoughts *which were really funny in Hourglass*, but I couldn't be sad for long because there was already so much swooning already taking place.  Kaleb is just the perfect "bad boy" character.  Mostly because he's really not that bad. I'm attracted to those guys that aren't bad all the time, but are perfectly capable when they choose.  So the book was off to a great swoony start.

For me, this book gave so much more insight into not only Kaleb's world, but Michael's as well because they were more involved with the world of Hourglass and of course Jack.  There is also a new group in town that are causing all kinds of chaos.  The last book left off with so many questions.  What does Jack want?  What's he up to?  How's he plan on accomplishing it?  Is Emerson safe?  Well Timepiece offered answers to all of those questions.  I have to say that there were some questions I had that were left unanswered.  Questions about Cat for instance.  Either way, I felt like there was so much of the world that was shown.

There is also a person pretty close to home that turns out to have a special ability involving that time gene.  Kaleb with the help of a pretty girl *of course* helps to save the time continuum and figure out much of his past and Emerson's as well.  There is lost of space for swooning, drooling, and maybe a few tears too.

Myra McEntire made a couple days of my life very fabulous.  I love the humor throughout the books, and the fabulous plots.  This book is a must-read.

Who Really Must Read It:  The genre is more sci-fi/fantasy with the whole time travel thing, but anyone who loves a good story should get busy and buy this next month.  If you haven't read Hourglass then you have time to get it read before Timepiece comes out!

Flirting in Italian

Flirting in Italian by Lauren Henderson

Source: NetGalley
Publishing Date: June 12

Four girls. One magical, and possibly dangerous Italian summer. Family mysteries, ancient castles, long hot nights of dancing under the stars . . . and, of course, plenty of gorgeous Italian boys!

Why I Loved It:  I gave this book a pretty high rating on Goodreads, something I'm sure not everyone will do, mainly because the book was exactly what I needed.  It's a perfect summer book.  I have to say that the book was not at all what I was expecting.  I think I just thinking typical foreign, tourist love story kind of thing.  I was NOT expecting the main character to be British.

Violet is a strong quirky character that is pretty confident in herself and loyal to those she cares about.  Growing up in England, she feels that she is much different that her mother and her father's family.  One day she discovers her twin in a painting from many years back.  She does some research that leads her to a summer program in Italy so she can learn more about the girl in that painting.  That search leads her to an adventure with another British girl and two American girls.

As a group they bond over their dislike of the snobby Italian girl living in the house and their love of cute Italian boys *and there are plenty of cute ones*.  I really liked the way Ms. Henderson developed each of the girls personalities.  I really felt like I knew each of the girls when I was finished reading the book.

Now to the good part: Luca.  As always, there is a boy.  A delicious and gorgeous, slightly bad-boy-isque boy.  Violet falls head over heels for him, despite her best effort, and it seems he may reciprocate. Those kisses seem to say so.  I'm pretty sure I would recommend this book only on the swoony kissing scenes between Luca and Violet.  Very well written, in my opinion.

I also enjoyed the way the author described so much of Italy.  If there is anywhere in the world that I could go, it would be Italy.  I may be a pit biased then when I say that the background of the book is a huge part of why I loved the book.  So much of the description is beautiful (and here we may be talking about things other than the Italian countryside wink*wink*).  *Tells herself that Luca is a fictional boy* And moving on.

My only sad thing is that the ending left me feeling more unresolved than I would have liked.. and maybe a little creeped out.  But regardless, I loved the book.  And the cover.  The cover actually makes a little sense because there is a Vespa scene, and really?  Who doesn't love a good Vespa scene?

Who Should Read It:  I think anyone wanting a good, lighter summer read should pick this up.  People who are into contemporary fiction, romance, and a good mystery are more than likely going to like this.  Girls, got a thing for guys with accents?  Well this book is for you!

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Authors I'd Like to See on Reality TV/Authors That Should Have Their Own Show

This meme is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.  Go check them out.  

I confess that I don't watch a lot of reality TV, and what I do watch is musically inclined.  Either way, I really like this topic.

1.  John Green

I love watching his videos along with his brother Hank.  I think they would make a great team on pretty much anything.  I think it would be pretty awesome if they could team up on The Apprentice.  Trump wouldn't know what to do.  

2 and 3. Myra McEntire and Rachel Hawkins

I saw another blog had listed these two together as well.  I got so excited.  These two crack me up on Twitter all the time.  No existing show is probably good enough.  They need their own where they can just make observations all the time.  Both of them are SO funny.  I'm reading Myra's Hourglass right now and there is so much giggling!

4 and 5.  Michael Grant and Suzanne Collins

I'm more than certain that this man could totally take on anyone in a round of Survivor.  When I listened to him on a panel last month, he talked about being homeless and dealing with all kinds of crazy.  But look at him now.  Yep, he could take on anybody.. except maybe Ms. Collins.  I mean after writing the Hunger Games, surely she has some survivor skills herself?  I'd bet on her. (wink*wink*)

6.  Stephanie Perkins

Really, I had to include Stephanie.  I'm pretty sure she's standing on a diamond-encrusted pedestal in my head, and I will meet her one day.  I think she deserves her own show, and anything else that will increase that celebrity status of hers.  She's SO funny on Twitter.  And I love her hair.  Really America needs such an idol to look up to.  They are free to borrow the diamond-encrusted pedestal.  

7.  Maggie Stiefvater

So, though I realize she is perfectly and happily married, I would love to see Maggie on The Bachelor.  For one, she's hysterical, and you never know what she'll say.  Secondly, she loves to watch people cry.  She'd be in heaven with all these girls bawling over this and that.  Besides, if the show won't get them to cry, she could just hand them one of her books.  

8.  Maureen Johnson

I'm pretty sure she's going to pop up on a lot of people's list.  She's too funny not to.  I'm think Real World UK.  Her observations in England from Twitter were just too funny, and always made my day.  

9.  Jesse Andrews

Put him on any show where he can wear really zany socks and wave his arms about when he talks.  He's very funny, a little hard on himself, and incredibly attractive in that slightly nerdy way that a lot of girls around the world love.  Hence, perfect for reality TV, right?

10.  Michelle Zink

I think a mom-type reality show.  She's such a mom in the absolutely best way.  Sure she likes creepy things and listening to creepy things and writing creepy things, but I bet she would totally beat out anyone on the mom front along with her mad writing skills. 

Did you make a list this week?  Leave me and link and let me check it out!

Insurgent

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

My Favorite Line(s):  Beware.  There are quite a few!
“I read somewhere, one, that crying defies scientific explanation. Tears are only meant to lubricate the eyes. There is no real reason for tear glands to overproduce tears at the behest of emotion.I think we cry to release the animal parts of us without losing our humanity. Because inside of me is a beast that snarls, and growls, and strains toward freedom, toward Tobias, and, above all, towards life. And as hard as I try, I cannot kill it.”

“Sometimes I feel like I am collecting the lessons each faction has to teach me, and storing them in my mind like a guidebook for moving through the world. There is always something to learn, always something that is important to understand.” 

"Got your gun?" Peter says to Tobias.
"No, " says Tobias, "I figured I would shoot the bullets out of my nostrils, so I left it upstairs."
"Oh, shut up."


Why I Loved It:  Ok first off, it's been about two weeks since I've posted on my blog.  I'm so sorry for the lack of activity, but finals were kicking my butt.  I had to study which mean I had little time for much else after studying and work.  But summer is here, and I'm back.  I chose to reward my summer kick-off with Insurgent.  There was never a doubt in my mind that I would love it.  I've read some mixed reviews, but I had faith.  Divergent was so amazing that I knew Insurgent would just get better.  It did.


I'm going to try my best to give this review without giving anything away.  
WARNING: IF YOU HAVE NO READ DIVERGENT, DON'T READ THIS REVIEW!
The dynamic of this book, to me, was completely different than Divergent, but in a good way nonetheless.  After the way Divergent ended, there is no more staying within just one faction.  I really loved how much world building filled the pages of Insurgent.  It was nice to see so much of the different faction's worlds.  Candor and Erudite have so much more coverage in the books, so you truly get an idea of every faction including the faction-less.  They also play a role in this book.

Keeping in mind what Tris went through at the end of Divergent, much of Insurgent covers how she deals with her grief, and how Tobias and Tris handle the craziness around them both separately and together.  There is so much that each one is facing on their own that figuring out how to be together seems a challenge.  There was so much of this book that I kind of wanted to scream at Tris to get it together, and just love Tobias the way he needed.  But grief doesn't always allow us to do what we should do, but only what we need to do to survive.  I had to keep that mindset as I read through the book.

I think, for me, there was a lot more action in this book on a more widespread scale.  Instead of just fighting other initiates in Dauntless, you have the conflict among the factions, betrayals, questionable loyalties, and or course love.  The relationship between Tobias and Tris is just incredible for me.  I love how much payoff you get from their relationship.  You don't have to wait till the end of the book to feel complete, but Ms. Roth allows you to experience throughout the whole story.

Overall, I find that the writing is incredible, the plot so exciting it's hard to put down the book, and the romance enough to melt your heart.  Tris is not the Tris from Divergent.  She's harder than that girl, but she is determined to do her parents proud, and that selflessness makes her brave and strong and worth admiring.

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. 

Right now, I'm still doing this.  I am considering finding an alternative way of showing my goodies.

eBooks I Got:  

I actually got all of these for a total of less than fifteen dollars.  Yea.  I'm good.

Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz

Ditched by Robin Mellom

Embrace by Jessica Shirvington

Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz

Stolen: A Letter to My Captor by Lucy Christopher

The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross

The Savage Grace Bree Despain
The Talents by Inara Scott
The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe

Books I Got:

Shrinking Violet by Danielle Joseph

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker, and Fifty Shades Freed by E L James  (emphasis: these are NOT YA!!!)

Library:

Finally, a John Green book.  I'm very much looking forward to listening to this audiobook.

NetGalley:

Dark Companion Mark Acosta

One Moment by Kristina McBride

Timepiece by Myra McEntire 

I love all the goodies!!!  Leave me a link, and let me check out yours!

Thursday Hunk Throwdown

I went and watched Mirror, Mirror with a friend of mine the day before my teaching certification test.  She as trying to distract me from studying.  I had over done it.  The movie was exactly what I needed.  It wasn't some overwhelming great movie, but it was funny.  I have noticed a Snow White trend this year.  There are three movies coming out this year.  One of them is called Snow White though I don't think it has much to do with the fairy tale.  I'm going to focus on Mirror, Mirror and Snow White and the Huntsman (coming out June 1).  So this weeks panel is:

Hunk #1: Armie Hammer who plays the Prince in Mirror, Mirror.  He has this voice.  I'm not sure what it is about his voice, but I love it.  It's like throaty and verging on a British type accent though he's not British.  He has even lived in Dallas, Texas before *which as a proud Texan, I love* but I don't know where he got that voice.  He's one of those guys that I see and think, man he's kinda cute.  Then he starts speaking, and *cue swoon*.  Seriously.  He was a lot of fun to watch.

Hunk #2: Chris Hemsworth who plays the huntsman in Snow White and the Huntsman.  Ok so he's not a prince.  I don't care.  I kinda just want to look at him.  Since the movie isn't out yet, I can't really say much about his role in the movie, but it seems like he's going to play a pretty big part.  So I thought it would be ok to include him.  He's so ruggedly handsome.  His hair is gorgeous.  I'm pretty sure its much better than my own.  So yea.  Chris Hemsworth.

Hunk #3:Sam Claflin who plays Prince William in Snow White and the Huntsman.  I have no idea what role the boy is going to play in the movie, but he's attractive in a strange kind of way.  That hair is just crazy, but I like the picture for some reason.  I love his chin.  Yes that may be a strange thing to focus on, but it's such a nice chin.

So there you go.  That's all folks.

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jilly at Breaking The Spine.   It features each blogger's most anticipated books.  This week, my pick is Insurgent by Veronica Roth.

Summary: One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

Why I Can't Wait:  If you have read Divergent, there is really no question there.  Veronica Roth did such an amazing job that she has won me over as a favorite author.  She almost reached Stephanie Perkins level for me.  I'm so ready to dive into the rebellion and seeing what is going to happen between Tris and Tobias.  The summary has me on my toes *with perhaps a little jumping* as I anticipate what may happen in the book.  I just can't wait to get my pre-ordered book.

Expected Publication: May 1, 2012 by HarperTeen