Thursday, February 28, 2019

Nerd Blast with Giveaway: The Cold is in Her Bones by Peternelle van Arsdale

Age Range: 12 and up
Grade Level: 7 - 9
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books (January 22, 2019)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1481488449
ISBN-13: 978-1481488440

Praise for THE COLD IS IN HER BONES

"A dark and enchanting tale about friendship, pain, revenge, and the power of love, The Cold Is in Her Bones is the perfect read for Greek mythology fans and YA readers alike." ―Bustle

“Fiercely written and beautifully feminist, The Cold is in Her Bones reminds us of the power of loyalty and love in the face of ignorance and fear. I loved this tale of dangerous girls with wild hair and tangled hearts.” ―Lisa Maxwell, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Magician

“A fresh, eerily compelling tale of betrayal, revenge, and the ties that bind. When van Arsdale paints a world, you can feel the fog against your skin.” ―Elly Blake, New York Times bestselling author of The Frostblood Saga

One girl must uncover secrets of the past to save her friend from a terrible curse in this dark and mesmerizing story of love, revenge, and redemption inspired by the myth of Medusa.

Milla knows two things to be true: Demons are real, and fear will keep her safe.

Milla’s whole world is her family’s farm. She is never allowed to travel to the village and her only friend is her beloved older brother, Niklas. When a bright-eyed girl named Iris comes to stay, Milla hopes her loneliness might finally be coming to an end. But Iris has a secret she’s forbidden to share: The village is cursed by a demon who possesses girls at random, and the townspeople live in terror of who it will come for next.

Now, it seems, the demon has come for Iris. When Iris is captured and imprisoned with other possessed girls, Milla leaves home to rescue her and break the curse forever. Her only company on the journey is a terrible new secret of her own: Milla is changing, too, and may soon be a demon herself.

Suspenseful and vividly imagined, The Cold Is in Her Bones is a novel about the dark, reverberating power of pain, the yearning to be seen and understood, and the fragile optimism of love.

You can purchase The Cold Is in Her Bone at the following Retailers:

Photo Content from Elena Seibert

Peternelle van Arsdale grew up in Newark, New Jersey, where she attended public school through the eighth grade. After that she attended three high schools in three different towns in four years, was deeply unpopular, and counted the seconds until graduation. She majored in English literature at Bryn Mawr College, and then landed in book publishing, thinking it was a good way to be paid to do what she liked to do anyway (she was only partly wrong). She worked her way up from editorial assistant to executive editor of adult fiction and nonfiction, and eventually struck out on her own as an independent editor.

Her first young adult novel, The Beast Is an Animal, is being developed by Amazon Studios for a feature film produced by Ridley Scott’s Scott Free and directed by Bert and Bertie. Her essays have been published by LitHub, Hypable.com, and Culturefly, and her short fiction has been published by The Whitefish Review.

Her second novel, The Cold is in Her Bones , will be published in January 2019. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, where she continues to edit and is at work on her third novel.

Giveaway:

*JBN is not responsible for Lost or Damaged Books in your Nerdy Mail Box*

Exclusive Framed Water color by Peternelle van Arsdale.

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Wednesday, February 27, 2019

Blog Tour Review with Giveaway: To Best the Boys by Mary Weber

Book info:

Title: To Best the Boys
Author: Mary Weber
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: March 5th, 2019
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Source: ARC received from publisher which did not influence my opinion
My rating: 5 stars

Synopsis:
Every year for the past fifty-four years, the residents of Pinsbury Port receive a mysterious letter inviting all eligible-aged boys to compete for an esteemed scholarship to the all-male Stemwick University. Every year, the poorer residents look to see that their names are on the list. The wealthier look to see how likely their sons are to survive. And Rhen Tellur opens it to see if she can derive which substances the ink and parchment are created from, using her father’s microscope.

In the province of Caldon, where women are trained in wifely duties and men are encouraged into collegiate education, sixteen-year-old Rhen Tellur wants nothing more than to become a scientist. As the poor of her seaside town fall prey to a deadly disease, she and her father work desperately to find a cure. But when her Mum succumbs to it as well? Rhen decides to take the future into her own hands—through the annual all-male scholarship competition.

With her cousin, Seleni, by her side, the girls don disguises and enter Mr. Holm’s labyrinth, to best the boys and claim the scholarship prize. Except not everyone’s ready for a girl who doesn’t know her place. And not everyone survives the maze.

Goodreads

Purchase Links:
Amazon Barnes and Noble The Book Depository iBooks - Apple

My Review:
This book was amazing! There was so much about it that was original, and yet so much of it that reminded me of other stories. Some things, like the clothing and also the interactions between the rich and poor, reminded me of Little House on the Prairie for some reason. And then there were parts with the competition that made me think of The Maze Runner. The romance was great, and the science was great, and all of the characters were interesting. So much of this fits into the type of climate of society and the world right now. There was even one scene where Rhen and her cousin Seleni, disguised as boys, hear the other boys discuss them, not knowing they're there since they think they are boys. And that bit reminded me somewhat of a scene in Twilight, from Rose's back story. There was also the one male character that as a reader I was unsure how much to trust them or if they would turn out to be good in the end. So I was surprised by one that turned out to not be good, to have double-crossed everyone, including his own partners in crime. And then the part at the end about they don't want a girl taking a test at the same place as the boys taking the test, because she would distract them? Wow, I totally rolled my eyes along with the girl character in that scene.

A great book, I'll look forward to reading more by this author in the future, or going back to pick up the ones I missed.

About the Author:

Hi. I write books. I eat things. I kiss things. I believe in mermaids.

I'm also the author of the Storm Siren Trilogy, The Evaporation of Sofi Snow series, and the March 2019 release, To Best the Boys. When not working, I sing 80’s hairband songs to my three muggle children, and ogle my husband who looks strikingly like Wolverine. We live in California, which is perfect for stalking aging movie stars while wearing fanny packs and sweatpants.

For those who like to know such things (mainly my mom), Storm Siren was featured in the Scholastic Book Fair and my novels have been endorsed by such nice humans as Marissa Meyer, CJ Redwine, Shannon Messenger, and Jonathan Maberry (in fact, Marissa Meyer and I have a fun interview in the paperback of her book, CRESS). Also, Boba tea and sweatpants are life. {We can chat about life (in sweatpants over tea, obviously) in my Newsletter.

Author Links:

Website Goodreads Twitter Facebook Pinterest Instagram

Tour Schedule:

http://fantasticflyingbookclub.blogspot.com/2019/01/tour-schedule-to-best-boys-by-mary-weber.html

Giveaway:

Prize: Win 1 of 2 finished copies of TO BEST THE BOYS by Mary Weber (1 INTERNATIONAL winner and 1 US ONLY winner)

Start Date: 25^th February 2019

End Date: 11^th March 2019

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Tuesday, February 26, 2019

Book Blitz with Giveaway: The Winnowing (Stanley and Hazel #2) by Jo Schaffer

Book info:
Title: The Winnowing
Author: Jo Schaffer
Series: Stanley and Hazel #2
Published by: Month9Books
Publication date: February 26th, 2019
Genres: Historical, Young Adult

Synopsis:

Darkness descends over St. Louis, a city already rocked by the Great Depression. More and more people are disappearing, and some have turned up dead. A sinister secret society is putting forward their plan known as “The Winnowing,” designed to wipe out those they consider “undesirable.”

After Stanley and Hazel foil the diabolical plans of Charles Chouteau, they become instant celebrities. Hazel is thrust into the role of debutante, and risks loses herself in it. Meanwhile, Stanley must deal with the horrific tragedy of his best friend’s death while being threatened by the unseen forces of the Veiled Prophet.

With things spiraling out of control, Stanley and Hazel’s relationship is tested, possibly beyond repair. As bodies pile up, people become more desperate. The divide between wealthy and poor grows ever wider, threatening to tear their worlds apart. Now, the two must find a way to work together if there is any hope at all of saving their relationship and their futures.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Kobo / Google Play

—

EXCERPT:

“Where do you go, Hazel Malloy?” Gabriel said in her ear.
“What?”
“I can feel you thinking hard.” He chuckled.
Hazel smiled. “I like this song,” she said, embarrassed as though he could actually tell that he’d caught her thinking about him.
“I do too.” He pressed his cheek to hers, and she let him.
As the song ended, there was a slight disturbance from the far end of the room. Hazel glanced up, and her heart paused.
Bananas.
Stanley stood in the entrance of the conservatory, tall and suited up, a hard look on his face, one eye almost swollen shut. He was flanked by some of his Knights, looking rough and out of place in suits, smirks on their faces as they scanned the room. It was like Eliot Ness and his Untouchables about to raid.
The “good people” of St. Louis stared uneasily and made way as the boys stalked into the room. Hazel sometimes forgot what they must look like to everyone else. They were a tough looking lot, battle scarred, and imposing.
The song ended and in the pause before the next one began, Stanley took long strides across the room, toward where Hazel and Gabriel stood, still holding hands.
Stanley’s eye twitched. “Heya, Haze.” He tilted his head toward Gabriel. “If it isn’t soft slugger trying to get to first base.” His jaw flexed, and he breathed in through his nose, and Hazel knew he was counting to ten.
Gabriel released Hazel’s hand and calmly replied, “Good to see you, Fields. You clean up nice.”

Author Bio:

Jo Schaffer was born and raised in the California Bay Area in a huge, creative family. She is a YA novelist, speaker, writer at Patheos.com, works in film production and is a Taekwondo black belt.

She's a founding member of Writers Cubed and co-founder of the Teen Author Boot Camp, one of the largest conferences in the nation for youth ages 13-19. She and a crew of local and international bestselling authors present writing workshops to hundreds of attendees at the Utah-based conference as well as hundreds of others worldwide who view the conference online.

Jo loves being involved in anything that promotes literacy and family. She is passionate about community, travel, books, music, healthy eating, classic films and martial arts. Her brain is always spinning new ideas for books and sometimes she even gets around to blogging.

Jo is mom to three strapping sons and lives in the beautiful mountains of Utah.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

GIVEAWAY!

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Monday, February 25, 2019

Release Blitz: Irresistible by Melanie Harlow

“Sexy, heartfelt--did I mention sexy? With the perfect touch of the forbidden, Melanie Harlow has outdone herself with single dad Mack and Frannie’s story!”

-- Ilsa Madden-Mills, Wall Street Journal bestselling author

Irresistible, an all-new fun and swoony standalone from USA Today bestselling author Melanie Harlow, is available now!

I’m a full-time single dad to three daughters and CFO at Cloverleigh Farms. I don’t have time to fall in love—I’m too busy trying to run a business, keep the red socks out of the white laundry, and get the damn pillowcases on without owing a dollar to the swear jar.

Sure, Frannie Sawyer is beautiful and sweet, but she’s twenty-seven, the boss’s daughter, and my new part-time nanny—which means she’s completely off-limits. It’s bad enough I can’t stop fantasizing about her, what kind of jerk would I be if I acted on the impulse to kiss her?

(Exactly the kind of jerk you’re thinking.)

Actually, I’m worse than that—because I didn’t stop with a kiss, and now I can’t stay away. She makes me feel like myself again. She reminds me what it’s like to want something just for me. She’s everything I ever needed, but nothing I ever imagined.

I’m a former Marine. I should have had the strength to resist her from the start.

But I didn’t. And now I have to choose between the life I want and the life she deserves.

Even if it means giving her up.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Nn9mUO

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/IrresistibleMH

Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/2XjHDsO

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2RCLvWs

About Melanie

Melanie Harlow likes her martinis dry, her heels high, and her history with the naughty bits left in. When she's not writing or reading, she gets her kicks from TV series like VEEP, Game of Thrones, House of Cards, and Homeland. She occasionally runs three miles, but only so she can have more gin and steak.

Melanie is the author of the AFTER WE FALL series, the HAPPY CRAZY LOVE series, the FRENCHED series, and the sexy historical SPEAK EASY duet, set in the 1920s. She lifts her glass to romance readers and writers from her home near Detroit, MI, where she lives with her husband, two daughters, and pet rabbit.

Connect with Melanie

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMelanieHarlow/?fref=ts

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1NPkYKs

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/melanie-harlow

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/melanieharlow2/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melanie_harlow/

Website: http://www.melanieharlow.com

Stay up to date, sign up for Melanie’s mailing list: http://www.melanieharlow.com/subscribe/

Sunday, February 24, 2019

Review: Shadow and Bone (Grisha Verse #1) by Leigh Bardugo

Book info:

Title: Shadow and Bone

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Series: Grisha Verse #1

Genre: YA Fantasy

Release Date: June 5th, 2012

Publisher: Henry Holt and Company

Source: Purchased copy of book

My rating: 5 stars

Synopsis:

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.

My Review:
I'm not sure what took me so long to get to this. Time, other books I'd rather read, but no matter what, now I get what all the fuss is about. I loved this book and am so eager to read on! I finally gave in and bought a copy of this, don't remember if it was on sale, or if I decided to use my extra employee appreciation discount back in November to save more on it, but I bought it, and it was one of my goals to get it read this year. One of my Bookish Resolutions. Now, because I'm new to the series, there are questions I have that probably those who have read them all know the answers to. Like, did we know the Darkling's real name? And then so much was left kind of up to not know what is true and who is good and who is bad, etc! I can't wait to have time to read on in this series. So while this is a pretty short review, that's because I know so many of you have probably already read it. But just know that I loved it and that I think the hype is totally well deserved!

Lisa's Looking Foward to #7 - February 26th, March 5th, and March 12th, 2019

So the next couple weeks either only have 1 book, or maybe 2, so I'm going to do three weeks worth of new releases.

From my ARC list for February 26th:

Of course, beautiful cover, and it sounds really good. Plus I've been seeing it all over the blogosphere from the lucky people who got ARCs of it.

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
After unwittingly helping her mother poison King Louis XIV, seventeen-year-old alchemist Mirabelle Monvoisin is forced to see her mother’s Shadow Society in a horrifying new light: they’re not heroes of the people, as they’ve always claimed to be, but murderers. Herself included. Mira tries to ease her guilt by brewing helpful curatives, but her hunger tonics and headache remedies cannot right past wrongs or save the dissenters her mother vows to purge.

Royal bastard Josse de Bourbon is more kitchen boy than fils de France. But when the Shadow Society assassinates the Sun King and half the royal court, he must become the prince he was never meant to be in order to save his injured sisters and the petulant Dauphin. Forced to hide in the derelict sewers beneath the city, any hope of reclaiming Paris seems impossible—until Josse’s path collides with Mirabelle’s, and he finds a surprising ally in his sworn enemy.

She's a deadly poisoner. He's a bastard prince. Together, they form a tenuous pact to unite the commoners and former nobility against the Shadow Society. But can a rebellion built on mistrust ever hope to succeed?

From my ARC list for March 5th:

I don't know, any time I see Manic Pixie Dream, I want to read it. I don't know why.

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
Riley lives in TropeTown, where everyone plays stock roles in novels. Riley, a Manic Pixie Dream Boy, is sent to group therapy after going off-script. Riley knows that breaking the rules again could get him terminated, yet he feels there must be more to life than recycling the same clich�s for readers' entertainment. Then he meets Zelda, a Manic Pixie Dream Girl (Geek Chic subtype), and falls head over heels in love. Zelda's in therapy too, along with several other Manic Pixies. But TropeTown has a dark secret, and if Riley and his fellow Manic Pixies don't get to the bottom of it, they may all be terminated.

I have a contact now with Simon and Schuster. She used to be at another publisher, and this is the type of book she would have emailed to ask if I was interested in. I'm hoping in the future I'll get on the list for those with her new publisher, although now I'm missing a contact at Disney and am missing out on books there it seems. Also, beautiful cover, besides how good it sounds!

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
At night, Las Mal Criadas own these streets.

Nalah leads the fiercest all-girl crew in Mega City. That roles brings with it violent throw downs and access to the hottest boydega clubs, but the sixteen-year-old grows weary of the life. Her dream is to get off the streets and make a home in the exclusive Mega Towers, in which only a chosen few get to live. To make it to the Mega towers, Nalah must prove her loyalty to the city's benevolent founder and cross the border in a search for a mysterious gang the Ashé Ryders. Led by a reluctant guide, Nalah battles other crews and her own doubts, but the closer she gets to her goal, the more she loses sight of everything—and everyone— she cares about.

Nalah must do the unspeakable to get what she wants—a place to call home. But is a home just where you live? Or who you choose to protect?

From my ARC list for March 12th

Okay, as soon as you read the blurb below, you'll understand why this one sounds so good! And then, that cover?! How could you not be drawn to it!

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
Pan's Labyrinth meets The Hazel Wood in this novel about a girl with terrifying visions and a wish-granting witch whose lives collide in the most unexpected of ways.

The waking forest has secrets. To Rhea, it appears like a mirage, dark and dense, at the very edge of her backyard. But when she reaches out to touch it, the forest vanishes. She's desperate to know more--until she finds a peculiar boy who offers to reveal its secrets. If she plays a game.

To the Witch, the forest is her home, where she sits on her throne of carved bone, waiting for dreaming children to beg her to grant their wishes. One night, a mysterious visitor arrives and asks her what she wishes for, but the Witch sends him away. And then the uninvited guest returns.

The strangers are just the beginning. Something is stirring in the forest, and when Rhea's and the Witch's paths collide, a truth more treacherous and deadly than either could ever imagine surfaces. But how much are they willing to risk to survive?

Final Thoughts:
Have you read any of these? Were you one of the lucky ones to get an ARC of any of these? Do you have contacts with certain publishers that you look forward to hearing from? Will you be adding any to your TBR list? And hey, while you're visiting, go check out my weekly giveaway on my Clear Your TBR post HERE.

Saturday, February 23, 2019

Promo Post Excerpt with Giveaway: Forgetting Aiden by Juliet Picard

Book info:

Title: Forgetting Aiden
Author: Juliet Picard
Series: Standalone novel with HEA
Genre: New Adult Second Chance Romance
Release Date: March 9th, 2019 (available for pre-order now!)

Blurb:

Welcome to Hollywood, where celebrities like me attend fancy galas, release new records, and star in classic films like Romeo and Juliet -- sometimes requiring simulated sex with their ex-boyfriend.

Aiden Press is Hollywood's newest bad boy, but he's no stranger to me. He traded in his sweet Country artist stardom for a shot at making it big as a pop star. I’m sure he’s on the verge of greatness with lyrics like big booty, cash money, and oh yeah.

Of course, he'll try to win me over with those baby blue eyes, gush-worthy smile, and deep V-line leading down to...

O Aiden!

I mean...

O Romeo, O Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?

Excerpt:

Damn, he has Aiden’s smile. That full-on grin with perfectly white teeth. It doesn’t help that he has Aiden’s tendency to swipe his bottom lip with his tongue. All smooth, slightly wet, and…. nope, I can’t go there. I just got out of a relationship. How can I get involved with Xavier if I’m still thinking about Aiden? My skin gets hotter. But, what if Xavier is the one to make me forget about him? I mean there’s no harm in finding out, right?

I place my hand on top of his hard thigh. I study his reaction, searching for any hesitance. There’s none. Only a hunger behind his eyes. I pull myself onto his lap, facing him. Sitting on the backless stool, all of his muscles tighten to hold me into place. The constricting sensation of his body sends heat shooting up from my pelvis to my head. I take his hands from his side and place them on my waist. My eyes are watching his lips part open. I can hear his breath growing heavier. The space between us is getting smaller until it's the size of a dime. His exhales become my inhales. What am I doing? It's the last question I think before my lips find his. Just like that, I'm at a loss for anything not connected to Xavier. His broad shoulders, soft tongue, and hot skin.

With my legs still wrapped around his back, he lifts me to the couch. I lay propped across his hard chest. I press my body closer to his. A low grunt escapes his body. It feels good to know that I can still make a man pant under my embrace. His hands grip my waist tighter. And, I feel him grow harder. He flips me on my back with ease.

Through a haze, I watch his head bobbing in and out of my skirt. His tongue massages and spreads my wetness around and around. I moan and grab onto the pillow behind me. Beads of sweat collect at my forehead. I almost forgot how good it feels to be touched. No, devoured. I cry out as I reach my climax, all too soon. Xavier looks up at me and has that same devious smile that started all of this.

I push him back onto the couch and release his belt buckle. I almost stop when I notice the black spandex boxers with a white dot. The very style I had bought Aiden for Christmas last year. He will not ruin this moment. I rip the boxers down harder than expected. Xavier is one blessed man. I gape in awe at his package. I’ve only seen Aiden’s in person, but I’ve seen plenty of dirty pics (not by choice) to know his size is exceptional. My lips wrap tightly around his tip. I push deeper and tug on the base of his shaft with my hand. His eyes widen and nostrils flare. The pleasure in his face sends a thrill through my body. I thrust harder so that he can feel the base of my throat, and I’m certain he’ll finish soon. With the last plunge, I feel his warmth run down my throat.

“Well, it was very nice meeting you Xavier,” I say, and he lets out a low chuckle.

“You have quite the sense of humor, Eva…among other things. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t shocked. I’ve always perceived you as reserved.”

“Well, there’s a first for everything,” I say.

Purchase Links

$2.99 for a limited time!

Amazon

Free in Kindle Unlimited

Paperback available on release-date

About the Author:

Juliet Picard has published articles for Girl Ambition, a tween online site, and has been a stringer for CosmoGirl! Magazine, a tween spin-off of Cosmopolitan. She graduated cum laude from Cornell University where she took a number of creative writing courses and studied business.

Juliet Picard is proud to present readers with Forgetting Aiden that draws on her mixed ethnicity as a Mexican-American writer and experiences as an actress. She also pays tribute to her husband's Colombian nationality and their frequent travels to this beautiful country.

Juliet Picard hopes to inspire young women to follow their dreams, even in the face of adversity.

For more information or to connect with Juliet visit www.JulietPicard.com

Author Links

Giveaway:

3 e-book copies of Forgetting Aiden

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Cleaning Up My TBR with a Giveaway: Down the TBR Hole #10

This meme was started by Lost in a Story. Here is how it works:

Go to your goodreads to-read shelf.
Order on ascending date added.
Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books
Read the synopses of the books
Decide: keep it or should it go?

Because I have so many to do, I'm going to try to do this weekly, and do 10 at a time.

1. Something To Talk About by Sarah Webb:

Lucy is determined to find a girlfriend for her best friend, Max and introduces him to her beautiful friend, Jenny. Soon easy-going Max is running scared of man-eater Jenny and would prefer to be out flying his power kites than falling into the dating pit again. But fate works in mysterious ways.

My thoughts:
Hmm, not a lot of info on this one to really go by. Makes it hard to decide if I would want to read this or not. I know I liked the other books I read by the author.

Verdict: Toss

2. 2 books by Leslie Schnur:

From the acclaimed author of "The Dog Walker" comes "Late Night Talking," a tender and funny novel about bad behavior, the fragility of friendship and family, and how we cannot choose whom we love.Jeannie Sterling, host of a late-night NYC talk show, vents with her listeners about everyday injustices, from rude cell phone users and poor gym etiquette to bad drivers and negligent pet owners -- the many aggravations of modern urban life. An idealistic California girl raised by two free-spirited parents, Jeannie believes in a life of value through activism. She's passionate about making a difference, about making the world a better place, one annoying person at a time.

For as long as she can remember, success in her career has been more than enough. But after all these years of being single, Jeannie realizes that some of the pieces of her perfect puzzle aren't fitting quite right. The people she thought she knew best all harbor secrets, secrets Jeannie isn't prepared for, secrets that can't be digested, processed, and solved in the neat three-hour window of her show. Her best friend, Luce, is growing distant and distracted; her wayward father unexpectedly moves in; and an ambiguous relationship with her college crush ignites.

When the radio station is bought by the maverick mogul Nicholas Moss, Jeannie's career, her one safe haven, also descends into chaos. She is pushed to increase ratings and goes too far, risking the loss of everything and everyone important to her.

Delightfully real and deliciously flawed, Jeannie Sterling is a character we can't help but root for as she faces her life's most hilarious -- and heartbreaking -- challenges.

My thoughts: I have no idea why this book is on my list. I haven't read anything else by the author. The reviews on Goodreads have it rated at below 3 stars. And it doesn't sound necessarily like one I'd want to read.

Refreshing and insightful, rich with humor and brimming with life, The Dog Walker is the story of Nina Shepard, Manhattan dog walker extraordinaire. With the keys to her clients' apartments, Nina has the freedom to cross several foyers and a moral boundary, and enter their lives...where she just might find the things that are missing in her own.

And so she falls in love with Daniel, a man she has never met but whom she thinks she knows from snooping around his apartment when she picks up Sid, his Weimaraner, for walks. But by the time each of them unleashes the truth about who the other really is--after all the mishaps, deception, and lost dogs--it's too late. Nina and Daniel will never be the same again.

The Dog Walker is the hilarious and heartwarming tale of a single woman's quest for fulfillment. It is about city living--any city, all cities--and the struggle to feel at home in the world. Finally, it is about life itself: unpredictable, bursting with love, and not to be missed.

My thoughts: Now this one sounds more like I might like it. And the rating on Goodreads is higher.
Verdict: Toss the first one, keep the second one for now.

3. Welcome to Promise City (The 4400 #3) by Greg Cox:

The 4400 were only the beginning. Now anyone can become extraordinary. The rewards are great. But so are the risks. . .Mere months have passed since a viral outbreak transformed Seattle. Over nine thousand people died horribly, while thousands more gained remarkable new abilities. The disaster has also left Jordan Collier, the charismatic leader of The 4400 Movement, in charge of the city, much to the dismay of the rest of the world.

To Collier's followers, the birth of "Promise City" heralds the dawn of a glorious new future that will forever change the face of humanity. But not everyone welcomes Collier's vision of tomorrow. An internationalconspiracy, composed of many of the world's most powerful figures, will stop at nothing to destroy the Movement, even if it means igniting an all-out war against Promise City.

NTACNTAC agents Tom Baldwin and Diana Skouris find themselves caught in the middle of a historic clash as they try to save Seattle from both Jordan Collier and his mortal enemies...with the future of the planet hanging in the balance.

The saga of The 4400 continues.

My thoughts:
I loved this tv show when it was on, well the first season or so. But then I lost interest. Don't know if I'll ever have the interest to go back to it.

Verdict: Toss

4. Rediscover the Joy of Creative Writing: Overcome Writer's Block, Boost Your Creativity, Reignite Your Creative Fuse by Paul Lima:

With over 50 exercises to get you started and to keep you writing, (re)Discover the Joy of Creative Writing will spark creative writing ideas - whether you are an aspiring writer or an experienced writer looking for a creative spark. It will help you discover, or rediscover, the joy of writing. Also includes chapters on character development and editing your own work.

My thoughts:
I don't know if I'm a big fan of too many books on "how to write". Not that I don't feel they are helpful. It's just that I have a few, and if I spend time reading instead of writing, I won't get any writing done.

Verdict: Toss

5. Angelology by Danielle Trussoni:

Sister Evangeline was just a girl when her care was entrusted to the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration. Now, at twenty-three, she discovers a 1943 correspondence between the convent's late mother superior and the famous philanthropist Abigail Rockefeller that plunges her into a secret history stretching back a millennium: an ancient conflict between the Society of Angelologists and the monstrously beautiful descendants of angels and humans, the Nephilim. Blending biblical lore, the Miltonic fall of the rebel Angels, the apocryphal Book of Enoch, and the myth of Orpheus, Angelology is a luminous, riveting tale of ordinary people caught up in a battle that will determine the fate of the world.

My thoughts: I still feel like I want to read this. I had a friend who read it and loved it.

Verdict: Keep

6. 2 books by Douglas Preston:

Yesterday, Special Agent Pendergast still mourned the loss of his beloved wife, Helen, who died in a tragic accident in Africa twelve years ago.

Today, he discovers she was murdered.

Tomorrow, he will learn her most guarded secrets, leaving him to wonder: Who was the woman I married? Why was she murdered? And, above all . . . Who murdered her?

FEVER DREAM

Revenge is not sweet: It is essential.

My thoughts:
I don't even know if I've made it this far in the Pendergast series, so not sure if that is why this one is saved to my list or not. I can probably get rid of it, and if I ever decided to move on in this series, I'll be able to figure out by which books I've got on my read shelf.

Wyman Ford is tapped for a secret expedition to Cambodia... to locate the source of strangely beautiful gemstones that do not appear to be of this world.

A brilliant meteor lights up the Maine coast... and two young women borrow a boat and set out for a distant island to find the impact crater.

A scientist at the National Propulsion Facility discovers an inexplicable source of gamma rays in the outer Solar System. He is found decapitated, the data missing.

High resolution NASA images reveal an unnatural feature hidden in the depths of a crater on Mars... and it appears to have been activated.

Sixty hours and counting.

My thoughts:
Now, I've read the first book in this series/trilogy. And I liked it. But I don't know if I'll read on. So, not sure this needs to be kept on my TBR either.

Verdict: Toss both

7. Wolfsbane and Mistletoe (Kitty Norville #2.5) by Charlaine Harris:

New York Times bestselling authors Charlaine Harris, Patricia Briggs, Keri Arthur, Carrie Vaughn, and Karen Chance-along with ten other masters of the genre-offer stories on werewolves and the holidays, a fresh variation on the concept of birthdays and vampires found in Many Bloody Returns.

The holidays can bring out the beast in anyone- particularly lycanthropes. Charlaine Harris and Toni L. P. Kelner have harvested the scariest, funniest, saddest werewolf tales by an outstanding pack of authors, best read by the light of a full moon with a silver bullet close at hand.

Whether wolfing down a holiday feast (use your imagination) or craving some hair of the dog on New Year's morning, the werewolves in these frighteningly original stories will surprise, delight, amuse, and scare the pants off readers who love a little wolfsbane with their mistletoe.

My thoughts: Hmm, this isn't the True Blood series, obviously, so I'll probably pass on it.

Verdict: Toss

8. My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding (There Be Pirates #1 - Dead Man's Chest) by P.N. Elrod:

Werewolves, vampires, witches, voodoo, Elvis---and weddings

An "ordinary" wedding can get crazy enough, so can you imagine what happens when otherworldly creatures are involved? Nine of the hottest authors of paranormal fiction answer that question in this delightful collection of supernatural wedding stories. What's the seating plan when rival clans of werewolves and vampires meet under the same roof? How can a couple in the throes of love overcome traps set by feuding relatives---who are experts at voodoo? Will you have a good marriage if your high-seas wedding is held on a cursed ship? How do you deal with a wedding singer who's just a little too good at impersonating Elvis? Shape-shifters, wizards, and magic, oh my!

"The Wedding of Wylda Serene" / Esther Friesner
"All Shook Up" /P.N. Elrod
"Tacky" / Charlaine Harris
"A Hard Day's Night-Searcher" / Sherrilyn Kenyon
"Something Borrowed" / Jim Butcher
"Spellbound" / L.A. Banks
"Dead Man's Chest" / Rachel Caine
"Charmed by the Moon" / Lori Handeland
"...Or Forever Hold Your Peace" / Susan Krinard

My thoughts:
Hmm, I'm going to go with the similar thoughts on the book above. Not sure I'll ever get to this one. There's one short story by Charlaine Harris, but I don't know if it is even part of the Sookie Stackhouse series.

Verdict: Toss

9. Meeting Your Half-Orange: An Utterly Upbeat Guide to Using Dating Optimism to Find Your Perfect Match by Amy Spencer:

How would you like to have a wonderfully well-suited, kind, adoring half-orange who feels like a teammate, a partner in crime, a true other half? "Half-Orange" refers to the Spanish term mi media naranja, which describes one's sweetheart, that perfect other half. What if you heard he or she would be coming along soon? Would you be relieved? Excited? Happy? Well those are the feelings that dating optimism can give you.
Rather than admonishing readers to make themselves more available, or turn dating into a full-time job, Spencer's program of dating optimism is a fun, results-oriented way to find a healthy happy relationship, based on brain science and psychology that can help you become a more positive dater. She'll guide you through sowing the orange seed of your ideal relationship and growing it to "fruit-ion." In essence, by focusing positively about dating, you can actually change your brain, which changes everything from your body language to the way you perceive others and what you ultimately attract.
Meeting Your Half-Orange is the pep talk that puts finding true love back into your own hands. It will guide you toward becoming so focused on the relationship you want and so happy in your own skin, the right person will be naturally drawn straight to you. You've never read a dating guide like this before. But best of all, it will be the last one you'll ever need.

My thoughts: Um, yeah, I don't care about self-help books for dating. I'm pretty much going to be alone, so why bother.

Verdict: Toss

10. 2 books by Maureen Johnson:

Sometimes you have to get lost . . .

The Girl: Clio Ford, seventeen, wants to spend the summer smooching her art-store crush, not stuck on a boat in the Mediterranean. At least she'll get a killer tan.

The Mission: Survive her father's crazy antics. Oh, and also find some missing underwater treasure that could unlock the secrets of civilization.

The Crew: Dad's wacky best friend Martin, his bizarre research partner Julia, her voluptuous daughter Elsa... and then there's Aidan, Julia's incredibly attractive, incredibly arrogant assistant. What's going on behind Aidan's intellectual, intensely green eyes, anyway?

As Clio sails into uncharted territory she unveils secrets that have the power to change history. But her most surprising discovery is that there's something deeper and more cryptic than the sea—her own heart...

...to find what you're looking for.

My thoughts:
I know that I'll always be interested in reading a book by Maureen Johnson, but I don't know that I need to keep those titles on my Goodreads TBR.

The funny thing about stop signs is that they're also start signs.

Mayzie is the brainy middle sister, Brooks is the beautiful but conflicted oldest, and Palmer's the quirky baby of the family. In spite of their differences, the Gold sisters have always been close.

When their father dies, everything begins to fall apart. Level-headed May is left to fend for herself (and somehow learn to drive), while her two sisters struggle with their own demons. But the girls learn that while there are a lot of rules for the road, there are no rules when it comes to the heart. Together, they discover the key to moving on -- and it's the key to their father's Pontiac Firebird..

My thoughts: Not sure on this one. It might be good, might not. Not sure I'll ever actually want to read it though.

Verdict: Toss both from my list. I might still read the top one, but the bottom one I probably won't.

Final thoughts:
I got rid of quite a few! I noticed a few of you decided to join in last week. If you want to join in and link up, I made a link-up below and we can go check your post out. I'd love to see if you do this and how well you do with cleaning up your TBR.

Now, while you're here, don't forget about my weekly giveaway! Just go fill out the Rafflecopter below.

Giveaway:
Once again this is a US only giveaway, unless you are International and see a book here you really want and would be willing to pay for the difference in the shipping through Paypal or some other way. Just as with the past weeks, you get to pick any book from the pictures below, as long as they don't get traded away, or picked by last week's winner, and I will pick a surprise book from the piles to add to your choice. Here are your choices: