In My Mailbox #55

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Witchstruck (The Tudor Witch Trilogy,#1)

Summary:

"If she sink, she be no witch and shall be drowned. 
If she float, she be a witch and must be hanged. 
Meg Lytton has always known she is different—that she bears a dark and powerful gift. But in 1554 England, in service at Woodstock Palace to the banished Tudor princess Elizabeth, it has never been more dangerous to practise witchcraft. Meg knows she must guard her secret carefully from the many suspicious eyes watching over the princess and her companions. One wrong move could mean her life, and the life of Elizabeth, rightful heir to the English throne. 
With witchfinder Marcus Dent determined to have Meg's hand in marriage, and Meg's own family conspiring against the English queen, there isn't a single person Meg can trust. Certainly not the enigmatic young Spanish priest Alejandro de Castillo, despite her undeniable feelings. But when all the world turns against her, Meg must open her heart to a dangerous choice. 
The Secret Circle meets The Other Boleyn Girl in Witchstruck, the first book of the magical Tudor Witch trilogy"

Buy On:

Amazon

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The tone of the book, was actually quite realistic. Lamb did a good job at making you feel like you were in that era and what it would be like for someone who practices witchcraft. All the obstacles they would face. She was also able to make the witchcraft believable, not overly dramatic and fantasy-like. Needless to say I was impressed with hoe well the atmosphere of the book is set and the general plot was well done. It had always been rumored that Anne Boleyn was a witch... so to have a witch present with Elizabeth and for Elizabeth to maybe possess those powers herself is plausible. Add the mix of Catholic vs Protestant and forbidden love, family and witch hunters and execute it perfectly as Lamb did and you can't fail. I can only say I did feel that towards the middle-ish end that is slowed down a little and for a second I lost some interest. 

Meg has some gumption for a girl of her age and stature, but she still knows her place; although at times she has tested it. I enjoy that she is learning that she is scared but willing. She has a way of being empowering. Then there is the sexy Spaniard Alejandro. He can be quite frustrating and stubborn, but he is conflicted between his duties and his feelings. Personally, I find their connection to be forced and more lust than love. Elizabeth, Elizabeth, Elizabeth a Princess imprisoned. Lamb portrayed her perfectly. She is someone of royal stature, yet she is still a young girl. She has her beliefs that she wants to instill, yet she still doesn't want to upset her sister. She really just wants to know what her future will be and hopefully that future involves staying alive.

Honestly, I didn't expect much from this book at all. I requested it for two reasons the name Tudor and the pretty cover. So, I was pleasantly surprised when I found myself actually intrigued and enjoying it. What I most excited about though is reading the next book, since it ended at a great turning point. 

Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer

Summary:

"Colette Iselin is excited to go to Paris on a class trip. She’ll get to soak up the beauty and culture, and maybe even learn something about her family’s French roots.
But a series of gruesome murders are taking place across the city, putting everyone on edge. And as she tours museums and palaces, Colette keeps seeing a strange vision: a pale woman in a ball gown and powdered wig, who looks suspiciously like Marie Antoinette.
Colette knows her popular, status-obsessed friends won’t believe her, so she seeks out the help of a charming French boy. Together, they uncover a shocking secret involving a dark, hidden history. When Colette realizes she herself may hold the key to the mystery, her own life is suddenly in danger . . .
Acclaimed author Katie Alender brings heart-stopping suspense to this story of revenge, betrayal, intrigue — and one killer queen"

Buy On: 

Amazon

B&N

The concept of the plot was pretty nifty and in my opinion, well executed. It was pretty much everything I wanted Flirting in Italian to be. It gave me teen angst, it gave me cheesy, it gave me love, and mystery and history and foreign places. My only slight with it would be the ending... I just wasn't completely satisfied with it. However do I sense more?

I feel for Colette. She is in this odd position and time in her teenage life and her friend situation may seem kind of dumb to some people, but I have witnessed "friendships" like this first hand. I actually had a friend similar to Hanna. Not as bad, but similar. So, I see Colette's approach to Hanna has being more passive, than doormat. Hanna's character is the perfect domineering female friend. The second Colette does something a little diverse from the crowd, you instantly think.. "what will Hanna's reaction be?!" I enjoyed Pilar, but felt she could of added a little more the the trio.  As for Jules, what a crush worthy french boy he was! He was the perfect addition to the cast of characters. 

You need to be in the right mood for this book, you need to want cheesiness,travel and mystery... otherwise you will be disappointed. However, when you are in the right mood this book will be perfection for you. You will not want to put it down until you know every last detail. 

2013 Rewind

It is almost 2014! Man, did this year go by fast! I was hoping to accomplish a lot on my blog this year. Unfortunately, that was not the case. As I have said multiple times this year, I failed. My life schedule was so different and more hectic than I am use to that I could not get time in to be a good book blogger.

My Goals for 2014 are to...

- Get up earlier ( to work out and to get reading in)
- Update My Blog More Often
- Not only to post consistantly but to schedule post WAY in advance
- Improve my Youtube Channel
- Work on my Fundraiser (this involves my company as well)
- Go to my Author Events
- Be a better blog reader (i.e read,comment and share other bloggers posts more)
- Read 115 Books.

As you can see I didn't make this years goal and I missed last years by ONE book (99 out of 100)! I felt 125 was a good goal since I read at a fast and consistent pace in 2012. Unfortunately, I got no where near my goal this year and I feel 115 for 2014 is still an achievement, even if I am not setting a higher goal than the previous one. 

58 is the total I read this year and I think you can see all but one or two in the links at the upper left corner. 

My Favorite Book This Year: TIE Princess Forever By Meg Cabot and Paper Towns By John Green

My Favorite 2013 Release : The Truth About You & Me By Amanda Grace

Book That Made Me Cry The Most: Catching Fire By Suzanne Collins

Book That Surprised Me: Nantucket Blue By Leila Howard

Book That Wasted My Time: FlyGirl By Syd Blue

Book That I Hated The Most: Mockingjay By Suzanne Collins

Book That Let Me Down: The Diviners By Libba Bray

Favorite Series: Bloodlines Series By Richelle Mead

Anyways. Thank you VERY much to  all those people who continue to still read my blog, who comment, subscribe and interact with me. It means SO much to me. Thank You and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

As the Holiday's Approach and The Year Ends...

I think I have written a similar post a few times this year.. and every time I meant it. This year as been SO crazy busy for me, with my Mom and I's company launching, traveling a lot, family weddings, and starting my own new ventures...  with all of that my book blog has become neglected. I am sorry for that. Really I am.

I will post of few more reviews this month, but don't plan to be active much in December. This doesn't mean I am done blogging. In fact, I plan to start the new year better than ever. I have had a full year of crazy schedules, and I suspect my next few years will only get crazier... but I have begun to adapt and form a schedule... I have also turned to Youtube, as a source for becoming a better and more interactive book blogger. So thank you for being patient with me = )

Fairest of All : A Tale of the Wicked Queen

Summary:

"The tale of the young princess and her evil stepmother, the Wicked Queen, is widely known. Despite a few variations from telling to telling, the story remains the same--the Queen was jealous of the girl's beauty, and this jealousy culminated in the Queen's attempt on the sweet, naive girl's life. 
Another tale far less often spoken of is the one that explains what caused the Queen to become so contemptuously vile. Still, some have attempted to guess at the reason. Perhaps the Queen's true nature was that of a wicked hag and her beautiful, regal appearance a disguise used to fool the King. Others claim that the Queen might have hated the girl for her resemblance to the King's first wife. Mostly, the Queen is painted as a morally abhorrent woman who never loved another being during the course of her miserable life.
In fact, the theories about exactly what cause the Queen's obsessive vanity and jealous rage are too numerous to catalog. This book recounts a version of the story that has remained untold until now. It is a tragic tale of love and loss, and it contains a bit of magic. It is a tale of the Wicked Queen..."

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I's Recommend to My Husband

TB&TB

I choose my husband, because it is sort of a challenge. My husband isn't really a reader. Although EVERY year he finds a book he wants to read and convinces me to get it for him. I know he won't read it, but I still buy it for him, in the hopes that he will read! These are books, that I have read and if my husband were to magically become a reader .. I would recommend him to read and I think he would love!

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