Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy #1) by Richelle Mead

Publisher: Razorbill (August 2007)

Source: Bought (B&N)

Edition: Paperback

Pages: 332

Rating:

St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger. . . .
Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.

I've owned this book for longer than a year now and kept putting it off because the synopsis didn't really pull me in as much as I would've liked it to. Vampires are fun and all but the whole guardian thing seemed a little unappealing at first. But, since I've heard so many people rave about it, I figured I would give in and finally allow myself to indulge in it.

The first few chapters were a little slow (just like mostly any other book I've read) but it finally picked up and I was officially curious about how the story was going to play out. I really like Rose's sense of humor and how she approached gossip situations... hilarious! (By the way, the whole time I was reading this book I saw Mila Kunis playing Rose and Skyler Samuels playing Lissa.) Dimitri was absolutely to die for. Such an swoon-worthy character whom I predict will get even hotter as the series continues.

So from the paragraph above, I'm sure you can tell that I really loved the characters. The plot? It was good. Wasn't the most exciting plot but I feel like it's going to get much better as the series continues. This is the start of a series after all which sometimes can be the least action packed. I definitely have high hopes for the rest of the series and can't wait to get started on them =)

Kiss Me Deadly: 13 Tales of Paranormal Love by Trisha Telep

Publisher: Running Press Kids

Source: Publicist

Edition: Paperback

Pages: 432

Rating:

For those who thirst for accounts of paranormal romance, Trisha Telep has compiled some of the most thrilling takes of forbidden love in this collection. First crushes and last rites; dark spells and bright magic; forbidden lovers and enchanted beings -- and always, always the hungry games of desire. Pucker up for a darkly sweet collection of ghosts, shape shifters, fairies, unicorns, vampires, and demons in tales from today's biggest writers of the paranormal persuasion.

I hate giving a book a bad rating, especially in this situation. I was pondering what I should rate Kiss Me Deadly because I really don't think it's a crappy book. Some of the stories were kind of interesting but the reason I'm giving this book such a low rating is because of the style. After reading this book, I've finally decided that anthologies aren't for me. I wasn't a huge fan of them before reading this book but I thought it was just the book itself I didn't like, not the actual format. After reading Kiss Me Deadly, I'm positive that I should probably just ignore anthologies from now on.

Confession time: Some of the stories I didn't actually read all of the way through. I just kind of skimmed through them which led me to getting confused which then led me to move on to the next story. Sometimes I read the whole story, sometimes I didn't. I'm not going to review each story because I didn't really read all of them... but my favorite was probably The Spy Who Never Grew Up by Sarah Rees Brennan because Peter Pan is in it =P

Like noted above, this book isn't bad! I just didn't enjoy the style but if you like anthologies and paranormal romance, then this may very well be the book for you! Watch out for a giveaway in the future!

In My Mailbox (40)

In My Mailbox was inspired by Alea from Pop Culture Junkie and created by Kristi from The Story Siren. Click here to learn more about it.

(All titles are linked to their Goodreads page.)

People Mentioned:

Lauren from 365 Days of Reading --Thanks Lauren!

Review:

The Poisoned House by Michael Ford

Bought:

The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Won:

A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young

Delirium by Lauren Oliver Giveaway

Hey guys! I'm back with another giveaway. Unfortunately I haven't had much time to read because I've been moving into my new apartment! But hopefully after I move, I'll be able to read a bit more and post some reviews!

I have an extra copy of Delirium which I haven't read yet, but if you'd like to check out a review, a good friend of mine (Taschima from Bloody Bookaholic) just reviewed it at her blog so click here to read that. I actually bought a copy of this book at Sam's Club and then went to BEA and got a copy signed. Since I don't really need two copies, I figured I'd give one away!

• You don't have to be a follower of BAM Book Reviews to enter, but it is much appreciated since I bought the book myself and will be using my own money to ship it.
• I will only ship to the US (sorry, I'm a poor college kid!) but if you have someone in the US that is willing to ship the book to you, I will ship it to them no problem!
• Lastly, if you are a follower, you get an extra entry. But be warned, I DO check if you follow me and I will delete not only your extra entry but your original entry if you lie.

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

Click HERE to enter and good luck!

The winner of Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver was Rae from Throuthehaze Reads.

In My Mailbox (39)

In My Mailbox was created by The Story Siren. Click here to learn more about it.

Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver Giveaway

Hey guys! Like I mentioned in my BEA vlog, I accidentally got an extra copy of Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver. Before anyone judges, I would like to explain myself =P. The first day BEA had a book drop (basically just a hand out of unsigned titles,) and I grabbed a copy of Liesl and Po. The next day, Lauren Oliver had a signing for Delirium so I thought I would get an autographed copy. It turns out that Lauren Oliver was signing both Delirium and Liesl and Po so I got a copy of both without remembering of previous copy I received the day before. Now that that's out of the way, let's talk about the giveaway!

Since I am going to be spending my own money on shipping costs, I would really appreciate it if you would follow BAM Book Reviews, but it is not required to be able to enter.

This contest will be limited to just US citizens, sorry! =( I promise I'll have an international giveaway for a special occasion. The giveaway will end July 23rd at 11:59 PM.

Click here to enter the giveaway!

We meet Liesl the night after the day her young father has died. That same day she is visited by a ghost, Po, an eight year old boy who lives on the other side, the territory between life and death that runs parallel to the living world. Po has come to tell her that her father is stuck on the other side, and that she is the only one who can help him cross over. A couple of wooden boxes. Some ashes. Some magic dust. A ghost, its pet, and a boy who forgot to wear a hat in the cold. From these seemingly odd, random characters Oliver weaves the enchanting story of how, with the aid of Liesl, these elements come together over the course of one week to restore love and luster to a world gone grey and heartless.

**The winner of Ordinary Beauty (signed) by Laura Wiess was Indigo from Shattered Prose**

The Forbidden Game (The Forbidden Game #1-3) by L.J. Smith

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Source: Publisher

Edition: Paperback

Pages: 768

Rating:

To lose the game is to lose your life in bestselling author L.J. Smith's
THE FORBIDDEN GAME.

To capture the love of Jenny Thorton, Julian--a visitor from a dark world--draws Jenny and her friends into forbidden games; the contest for a human soul. The prize is Jenny's freedom. The stakes are all of their lives. Jenny's friends are determined to help her win. But Julian is the master of the Game. Jenny's most desperate fight will be with him, this eerily handsome boy with electric blue eyes. He knows her deepest secrets, her darkest fears. He has almost infinite power. And the only thing he wants is for Jenny to surrender to him--body and soul.

L.J. Smith is one of my favorite authors. I find most people enjoy her books but not a lot of people find them amazing, aside from myself. Her books are always really good, in my opinion, and The Forbidden Game is certainly no exception! This book is really cool, somewhat scary and different but I love the originality and the concept of the "forbidden game" in the novel.

The book is very fast paced and compelling. The beginning is intruiging and I was already engrossed in the story by the second chapter. For me, The Forbidden Game is an excellent book, maybe not because of the way it's written but because it took me on a rollercoaster ride of obssesion, love, nightmares and much more. Several chapters in the novel or in other words, several of the characters' nightmares were definitely scaring me as I read and I'm not one to get scared by books or movies easily. That was one of the reasons why I couldn't put the book down. It made my heart race and my blood pump in anticipation. There's also several plot twists that I really didn't see coming and although all three books are excellent in this omnibus, the first book of the three is by far the best. As for the conclusion of the trilogy, I find it to be kind of a cliffhanger ending with which L.J. Smith could definitely get right back into in a spinoff series of sorts.

As for the characters, I love all of them especially, of course, Julian! He's one of the most complex and mysterious characters of all I've read about. I believe that he in fact did love Jenny but his view of love is quite different from the average person's view of love. All of the characters are likeable and endearing in their own way which is also another reason why I love this book!

I recommend this book to those who like a good thrill and those who are fans of Jumanji and the Saw movies! Obviously the book is not half as gory as the Saw movies but there some definite similarities :)

Hourglass (Hourglass #1) by Myra McEntire

Publisher: Egmont USA (May 2011)

Source: Publisher

Edition: ARC

Pages: 397

Rating:

One hour to rewrite the past . . .

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.

Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

I don't know where to start with this review. I loved every single part of it and I don't really have anything bad to say about it. I'll start off with the characters. I. Love. Emerson. Her personality is adventurous and very relatable and her name is incredible! Last semester (in college) I had to read a few of Ralph Emerson's essays so I'm actually pretty happy with myself that I know where the name came from. Michael is a total swoon-worthy MC who I fell in love with more and more every page. One of the reasons I liked him so much is probably because Emerson couldn't have him! I'm a sucker for forbidden love, in case you didn't already know ;)

It took me a few chapters to really get into the story but once I was, I was hooked. The plot was pretty fast paced, but to be honest, the plot isn't what made me fall in love with the book. The characters are what made me fall in love. Their personalities, their physical attraction ;), and the individuality.

It's taken me quite a while to write this review because I really had to think about why I loved the book so much. Other than the reasons listed above, I simply just connected with the story. I laughed and cried because I truly cared about these characters. Lastly, the cover is incredible if you couldn't tell, which was half the reason I chose this book for review.