Amanda Hocking

A while ago, I was turned onto an "indie" author by the name of Amanda Hocking. The first time I ever saw her name was on the Amazon Kindle site the day I was gifted my Kindle--last Christmas. I wasn't expecting much when I bought her book, Hollowland, for $0.99 that day. All I was really expecting was a quick read that would entertain me for however long it lasted.
Hollowland turned out to be a fantastic read classified as Zombie Appocolyptic Fiction. It was highly addictive and not quickly digested by my brain. It was action and suspense and a tiny bit of romance (miniscule, really). Think of the AMC show, "The Walking Dead," except with characters between the ages of 15 and 25 and a different method to pretty much the same madness. The idea of the Zombie Appocolypse never used to seem entertaining to me; I didn't really like the idea of the world as we know it being over-run by the walking dead--a man-eat-man world... Now, I've changed my tune.
Amanda Hocking also authored a series called My Blood Approves. My Blood Approves is a series a kin to the Twilight Saga, but better (if I do say so myself). It's a lighter mood than Hollowland, maybe not as good; I enjoyed it all the same!
I highly recommend these books and I would like to know what any of you think--if you do actually read them.
Read on!
Amanda

Recent Reading

I don't have time to add the reviews for the following just yet, but I figured that keeping this updated would remind me to do so when I have a spare moment:
Today I have finished both Wildefire by Karsten Knight and Lean Mean Thirteen. I probably won't add a review for Lean Mean Thirteen anyway; at least not until I have added one for One For The Money. As soon as I possibly can, I will put something up for Wildefire, though. For now, all I can tell you is, "Pick it up if you're in the mood for mythological gods from all diffferent belief systems. Pick it up if you're in the mood for laughter as well as action. Pick it up if you like sibling rivalry...Well, just pick it up!"
Read on,
Amanda

Twelve Sharp

Twelve Sharp is yet another installment to the laugh-out-loud funny Stephanie Plum series. Janet Evanovich is a master with wit and action—as well as some steamy attraction.

In this edition, Stephanie—a Trenton, New Jersey bounty hunter—is tracking down the usual suspects when an insane woman dressed in black and carrying a 9mm Glock starts stalking her. The woman claims to be the wife of Carlos Manoso, street name Ranger, who just so happens to be Stephanie’s friend and bounty hunter mentor—oh, and did I mention the attraction factor between the two of them? (I’m pretty sure more would have happened between them, if Joe Morelli, Stephanie’s on-again, off-again boyfriend, wasn’t in the way. I’m not complaining, though; I like Morelli more!)

Throw into the mix a missing kid, a murder, and a Ranger gone M.I.A. and you have the fixings for another of the soon-to-be disasters that make up Stephanie’s life (like exploding cars). The real question is, will this be the last of Stephanie Plum?

Evanovich is hilarious with her dialogue as well as with the inner workings of Stephanie; I’m left trying to figure out where she comes up with the humorous words and characters. She is one of the many authors I would aspire to write like. Twelve Sharp kept me on my toes. It wasn’t entirely fast-paced, but definitely up-beat. There is kidnapping, murder, and some other crime that I’ll leave to catch you by surprise. Definitely another success at the hands of Evanovich!

If you have yet to read this series and are in the mood for a good laugh, I highly suggest picking up the first, One for the Money. Meet the characters, get in a lot of laughs, and fall in love! I swear, if you pick it up for the right reasons, you’ll read straight through to the last page—if not the last book!

(There are whispers of a Stephanie Plum movie… Anyone else even a little bit excited?)

Read on!

Amanda

P.S: I’ll probably put up a review of One for the Money. You’ll know if I do.

A Touch Mortal

I just recently finished the novel  A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford (just recently being this morning). It was a great read, kept me turning pages all the way up to the end. Definitely a book worth talking about:

Eden is a suicidal teen, everyone in her life is forgetting about her and, on a beach in New Jersey, she is contemplating a way out of it all. That’s until Az and Gabe walk up to her and Az pulls out a cheesey pick-up line, finally putting a smile on her face.

But Az isn’t like everyone else; he’s not even mortal. Az is a half-Fallen angel, struggling between holding on and becoming fully Fallen.

On top of that, Eden’s not quite normal herself, not that she knows it yet. When an act of betrayal finally pushes her to act on her urge to end her life, though, she joins a group of immortals, the ‘Siders. Even out of them, she isn’t quite normal; her strange abilities make her an asset in the never-ending conflict between Heven and the Fallen.

And that’s just the beginning!

A Touch Mortal was a great read. It had an angsty edge to it, combining love, death, and disloyalty. It was utterly unique in Clifford’s portrail of angels as well her take on the fall. Clifford’s ‘Siders are something I’ve never seen (read about) and their part in the war between Heven and Hell is new (I didn’t think suicide could ever be helpful to a religious story).

The cliff-hanger ending leaves you praying for a sequal (Please, God, let her be planning a sequal!). It leaves you wondering who exactly walked away with the upper hand.

I definitely suggest you pick it up and give it a try!

Read on!
Amanda

Fallen

Recently (yesterday), I rekindled my love for Lauren Kate’s Fallen. Though the book was released in 2009, it is still completely relevant, what with the release of the series' third installment having just recently passed us by. I’m just jogging my memory of the plot before rushing out to grab a copy!

****

—The novel is the story of Lucinda “Luce” Price. After a terrible tragedy that can’t be explained by anyone—Luce included—Luce is sent off to the Sword & Cross reform school. Even though she feels completely out of place and the schools atmosphere and sole purpose have her feeling downtrodden, she meets two students: Arianne and Pennyweather Van Sickle-Lockwood—Penn. She receives a warm welcome from one of her male peers, Cam. And then an ice-cold middle finger from Daniel Grigori.

That should make her choice cut and dry—why have the hurt and heartbreak of a hot/cold relationship when you could have the romance of someone who is already interested? Only it’s not that simple; at least, not for Luce.

Luce has this overwhelming feeling she has seen Daniel somewhere before, though she can’t recall when, where, or why. Her feelings of déjà vu complicate her world and lead her to dig deeper into her classmate’s life. She will get to the bottom of his secrets, even if she must pay… With her life.—

****

Lauren Kate has a wonderful way with words and a great talent at spinning stories. She brings readers such as me into the world she has woven into reality—right onto the Sword & Cross reform school campus. Her characters are unique, even on top of not all being quite what you expected!

In a genre where everything has probably been done before, Kate keeps you intrigued and then leaves you wanting more—which is exactly where the sequels Torment and Passion come in!

And I Am a Book-Aholic!

Hello, I'm Amanda-Marie and I am a book-aholic.
Now, this is not a self-help blog; I will not be trying to help you overcome your addiction--if you are, in fact, a fellow book addict. Quite the contrary, actually. I will be fueling the fire!
At least, that's the plan!
I see nothing wrong with a good love for books; it can sustain one's attention and expand one's horrizons. That's not to say it should occupy most of you waking moments (I have learned from experience that that's not the best cousre of action!). Just keep it healthy.
I will start posting reviews ASAP. If anyone's reading, I would appreciate opinions and feedback if you please.
Read on!
Amanda