IN THE MAIL: PERFECT CHEMISTRY

I would like to thank Rhiana of Rhiana Reads for hosting the 150 Followers Giveaway! which made it possible for me to win Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles!

About Perfect Chemistry:

Get ready for a whole new take on
star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet,
West Side Story, bad boy meets good girl...
At Fairfield High, everyone knows that south siders and north siders aren’t exactly compatible elements. So when cheerleader Brittany Ellis and gang member Alex Fuentes are forced to be lab partners, the results are bound to be explosive.

Neither teen is prepared for the most surprising chemical reaction of all – love. Can they break through the stereotypes and misconceptions that threaten to keep them apart?

Source: Info in the About Perfect Chemistry was taken from the book's website at http://www.perfectchemistrythebook.com/ on 07/05/2010.

Author link(s):
Simone Elkeles

THANK YOU!!!
(((muah)))

I SO WANT TO READ THIS...

WISHLIST:

A Devil In The Details by K.A. Stewart

Publication Date: 6th July 2010

About A Devil In The Details:

Every lost soul needs a champion.

Jesse James Dawson was an ordinary guy (well, an ordinary guy with a black belt in karate), until the day he learned his brother had made a bargain with a demon. Jesse discovered there was only one way to save his brother: put up his own soul as collateral, and fight the demon to the death.

Jesse lived to free his brother--and became part of a loose organization of Champions who put their own souls on the line to help those who get in over their heads with demons. But now experienced Champions are losing battles at a much higher rate than usual. Someone has changed the game. And if Jesse can't figure out the new rules, his next battle may be his last...

Source: Info in the About A Devil In The Details was taken from amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Devil-Details-Jesse-James-Dawson/dp/0451463439/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1 on 06/05/2010.

Can't wait for July to roll around already!!

Review: SHADE by JERI SMITH-READY

Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready

Genre: urban fantasy, YA

About Shade:

Love ties them together.
Death can't tear them apart.

Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last.

Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone.

Well, sort of.

Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan’s violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost.

It doesn't help that Aura’s new friend Zachary is so understanding—and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit.

As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart…and clues to the secret of the Shift.

Source: Info in the About Shade was taken from the author's website at http://jerismithready.com/books/shade on 19/04/2010.

I would like to thank IBT for letting me read the review copy of Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready!

Author link(s):
Jeri Smith-Ready

My Take On this Book:

I would describe this book in a few words as: Tear jerker

Character development is good and right at the start I could really sympathise with the female protagonist for the pain she was going through. And anger for her that it ever happened. The author gives us characters who lingers in my head long after I finished reading the book... The author also weaves a very convincing world where ghosts feels so real to the reader. I would give the "suspension of disbelief" a 4.5 out of 5. The story itself though does not seem to have any clear structure where there is a central conflict and a climax. The story? I'd give it a 1.5 out of 5. The book feels like a simple retelling of events. I didn't want a history class, I want a story with a beginning, a middle and an end. The end therefore did not sufficiently close the story because there was not much of a story dilemma to close with. And it was sort of a cliffhanger, I would give the ending a 2 out of 5. The whole book reads like it is a first chapter of a bigger book.

The author knows how to play emotional manipulation with the reader though and I cried at about the last three quarters of the book. But this does not compensate for the fact that the story lacks a strong dilemma centrepoint. I would give the story-telling quality a 3.5 out of 5. I found this book to be a quick read and the pace to be nice and steady until you get towards the end where it gets quicker and quicker, which I like and is a definite plus. I enjoyed this book and would say the book has an overall entertainment value of 3.5 out of 5.

Cherry's Rating: 3.5 out of 5 cherries


Other reviews on Shade:
Just Bookin Around
Steph Su at Steph Su Reads

WW28: SHADOWFAE

WW28
A chance to showcase your favourite!

• First you grab our Wicked Wednesday pic.
• Then you grab a book. Turn to page 28. Take the first sentence. And then you post it in your site with a link back to WW28.
• Come back to Cherry Mischievous - WW28 and give us the url of your post (in a comment at a WW28 post) so that other WW28 readers can find your WW28 offering.

WW28 book offering: Shadowfae by Erica Hayes
Page 28, 1st Sentence:

Rajah, bites his toungue, blood spurting, but the thrall bangles sear and itch.

I have no clue what that line is saying, you?

MAY LOVE

I was racking my brain as to what to do for May. What I wanted was to give you, my dear readers, something really really good... something that I would want for myself... and I thought... geesh! It's a no brainer! I'd give you John Matthew!! So, fill in the form and grab yourself the chance to bag John for free ;)

To Enter: Register HERE.

Rules:

• Open only to Cherry Mischievous followers (via Google Friend Connect) and/or to CherryD community members. Because the main reason I am hosting this contest in the first place is to reward my readers, therefore this contest is for followers only :)
• Not yet a follower? Just click the "FOLLOW" button on the sidebar on the left. Easy peasy!
• You do not have to be a CherryD member if you are already a Cherry Mischievous follower to enter this contest. But being a CherryD member as well, will gain you 5 extra entry credits. Extra entry credits will increase your chances of winning.
• This contest is open internationally where Book Depository ships to. Please check here if your country is one of them before entering the contest to avoid disappointment.
• Please note that the book will be purchased by us to be sent directly to winner from Book Depository. Your book therefore may not have the same cover art as the pic with this post. This post used stock photo from the internet. Cherry Mischievous will not also be responsible for the condition of the book when it gets to the winner since that is the responsibility of the bookseller entirely and out of our control. Please also note that cover in this post may not be the same as the one that you will get.
• A participant of this contest gets one extra entry credit every time he/she spreads the word about this contest after verification of the url address given in the form. However, only one extra entry will be credited per site. Like for example, you can tweet as many times as you like but that will count only as one extra entry credit. Although we do appreciate it if you tweet multiple times about this contest!
• Contest ends on the 30th of May 2010.
• The Black Dagger Brotherhood series by JR Ward is not for under 18s. Therefore, you have to be 18 or over to enter this contest.
• Please note that comments here, although very much appreciated, will not enter you in the contest. You will have to fill out the form.
• Questions? Ask! michivus101-maylove [at] yahoo [dot] com.
• Please read the blog's Disclaimer as it forms part of the contest rules.

WINNER: APRIL GIVEAWAY

Our APRIL GIVEAWAY has ended, and our winner is.... (((drum roll)))

Anna ♥ of Good Gone Girl!

Congratulations to Anna!! Please respond to my email with your postal addy so I could send your books to you! And thank you to everyone who entered the contest!! You didn't win this time, but there are more contests here, so make sure you grab your chance to win... it could be you on our next winner announcement :)

A GLIMPSE IN TOWN WITH GLENDA LARKE

I met an awesome author in town yesterday! I couldn't believe my luck!! *squeeeee* I found out that Glenda Larke was in Cardiff and of course I just had to be in Cardiff too :) She and her daughter were strolling by Cardiff Castle and I shamelessly took advantage... asked her to sign my book (The Last Stormlord) and take pictures too! woo-hoo!!!!! What a nice lady she is, I tell yah!! Well, I guess she gotta be to put up with insane fans like me, eh? And in that brief encounter I learned that the Watergiver series will comprise of three books... so, a wonderful trilogy is heading our way! (Yay!) And by the way, that's Cardiff Castle behind us :) Beautiful Natasha (Glenda's daughter) kindly took the pic for us. (And what a lovely young lady she is!)

Glenda's current/upcoming releases:

The Last Stormlord:
Book 1 of the Watergiver trilogy

The Cloudmaster and his stormlords command wealth and power. But can they save themselves from a rogue rainlord?

Terelle is on the run when an old man with the ability to paint pictures on water employs her as his apprentice—and paints her portrait. She thinks she is safe, until she discovers his floating artworks can fix an immutable future for those portrayed in them. She has become a prisoner of her own painted future.

The Cloudmaster and his stormlords keep the land alive with their power over water and rain. However, the current Cloudmaster is dying and has no stormlord heir because all the promising young men and women have died in troubling circumstances.

An expedition mounted to scour the countryside for a potential stormlord locates a young village lad called Shale. Kidnapped and imprisoned, Shale finds himself a tool in a struggle between the warring factions of the land—because whoever commands a stormlord, commands the water of a nation...

Source: The book synopsis above was taken from the author's website at http://glendalarke.com/books/watergivers/the_last_stormlord/ on 01/05/2010.

The Last Stormlord was just released this April and book 2, Stormlord Rising is coming out in August here in the UK. But it is actually already out in Australia! *sigh* Why does UK always releases last!! *moan*

Stormlord Rising:
Book 2 of the Watergiver trilogy

Shale Flint has skills needed in a world in which water is worth more than gold, yet he can't control his own destiny. Circumstances force him to continue helping the devious rainlord, Taquar Sardonyx, to create rain—even though Taquar is using his control of water to further his own lust for power…

Terelle has been forced to leave the Scarpen with her great-grandfather, Russet; his painting of her future has trapped her into doing his will. Russet will not give up until he has regained his status as a Watergiver lord in his homeland—but Terelle is determined to resist, no matter what the price.

Meanwhile, Ryka Feldspar has been captured and taken as a concubine by a Reduner tribemaster. She discovers her rainlord husband, Kaneth, in the slave lines, but he has no memories of their time together. She is desperate to flee—but how can she leave him to his fate?

Source: The book synopsis above was taken from the author's website at http://glendalarke.com/books/watergivers/stormlord_rising/ on 01/05/2010.