The Goddess Legacy by Aimee Carter

The Goddess Legacy by Aimee Carter
Release Date: July 31, 2012
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Source: Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Summary

For millennia we've caught only glimpses of the lives and loves of the gods and goddesses on Olympus. Now Aimée Carter pulls back the curtain on how they became the powerful, petty, loving and dangerous immortals that Kate Winters knows.Calliope/Hera represented constancy and yet had a husband who never matched her faithfulness….

Ava/Aphrodite was the goddess of love and yet commitment was a totally different deal….

Persephone was urged to marry one man, yet longed for another….

James/Hermes loved to make trouble for others#151;but never knew true loss before….

Henry/Hades's solitary existence had grown too wearisome to continue. But meeting Kate Winters gave him a new hope…(courtesy of Goodreads)

Review

The Goddess Legacy is a companion novel to the Goddess Test series. I've read the first two books in this series and have enjoyed, although not loved, them. I picked up The Goddess Legacy partially out of curiosity and partially because it was there. Let me tell you, The Goddess Legacy has entirely changed my feelings about this series. I went from a quasi-admirer to a full-fledged Goddess Test fan girl! The Goddess Legacy is the best book of the series so far and has made the prior two books much more meaningful and interesting.

A Book Lover's Holiday Shopping Guide

What do us book lovers need for Christmas? Books, obviously. But that's just the beginning of the things you truly need to enrich your literary life. I found tons of cool book related items on Etsy (as I always do) that would be a unique gift for any book lover.

Leather Book Bracelet

Breaking Dawn Wreath

Mr. Darcy Proposal Sweatshirt

Harry Potter Cuff Bracelet

Vampires Dog Collar

Harry Potter Hanging Lamp

Pride and Prejudice iPhone Charger

Deathly Hallows Necklace

Book Necklace

Harry Potter Snowman Christmas Ornament

Harry Potter High Heels

Marauders' Map iPhone Case

Bookcase Charm

Golden Snitch Necklace

Perks of Being a Wallflower Necklace

Harry Potter E-Reader Case

The Fault In Our Stars Locket

Harry Potter Purse

Pride & Prejudice Necklace

DFTBA Necklace - For all you Nerdfighters

Perks of Being a Wallflower Print

Pride and Prejudice Print

Heaven to Betsy Pendant - Anyone else love the Betsy Tacy series?

The Secret Garden Book Safe

The Mortal Instruments Rune Bracelet

Book Nativity Scene

What's your favorite item? Any recommendations for other things on Etsy?

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
Release Date: July 10, 2012
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Source: Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Summary

Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.

Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered—in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen's Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.

In her exquisitely written fantasy debut, Rachel Hartman creates a rich, complex, and utterly original world. Seraphina's tortuous journey to self-acceptance is one readers will remember long after they've turned the final page.(courtesy of Goodreads)

Review

Seraphina is one of those rare books that has something for everyone. Strong plot, incredible world building, and complex main and side characters. It is one of the most astounding high fantasies I've ever read. I can't believe this is Rachel's debut novel.

Manga Mondays #132: Skip Beat vol. 29 by Yoshiki Nakamura

Manga Mondays Meme!

I've been doing Manga Mondays every week since I started my blog 2 and a half years ago. It's always been a personal feature, but now I'm going to try turning it into a meme. There are quite a few people who do Manga Mondays. I don't claim by any means that I owned or created the idea of Manga Mondays - it's an obvious choice given the alliteration. I think a meme would be a good way for everyone to publicize their own Manga Mondays and get a little more publicity.

The linky will be below my review.

Skip Beat vol. 29 by Yoshiki Nakamura

Summary

Kyoko Mogami followed her true love Sho to Tokyo to support him while he made it big as an idol. But he's casting her out now that he's famous! Kyoko won't suffer in silence--she's going to get her sweet revenge by beating Sho in show biz!

On the way to the Dark Moon wrap party Kyoko bumps into her cast mate Kijima. He’s never paid her any attention before, but he heard that people called her beautiful when they saw her in her Natsu role. Kijima can’t contain his curiosity and buys Kyoko a total makeover for the party. But is his interest innocent, or does he have wicked plans in store?! (courtesy of Goodreads)

Review

*Warning: Potential spoilers. My manga reviews tend to be more of a summary than a review. I find it hard to review manga in the same way I do regular books.

Volume 29 of Skip Beat is a scattered addition to the series. Well, I suppose the whole series is scattered, but this is particularly so. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it is one of numerous reasons that - especially when I step away from it for awhile - it's hard to take it seriously.

Bookish Recap

I'm joining Tynga's Reviews' meme Stacking the Shelves and The Story Siren's In My Mailbox meme today. Thanks for hosting Tynga and Kristi!

My first Bookish Recap in 2 months! Excited to get back into it. 

On the Blog This Week

Manga Mondays:

Skip Beat vol. 28 by Yoshiki Nakamura

Reviews:

The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda

52 Reasons to Hate My Father by Jessica Brody

Books Received the Past Few Months

Feature and Follow Friday #126

Welcome to the Feature & Follow

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Gain new followers and make new friends with the Book Blogger Feature & Follow! If this is your first time here, welcome! You are about to make some new friends and gain new followers -- but you have to know -- the point of this hop is to follow other bloggers also. I follow you, you follow me.

The Feature & Follow is hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of Parajunkee's View and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it'll allow us to show off more new blogs!

How does this work? First you leave your name here on this post, (using the linky tools -- keep scrolling!) then you create a post on your own blog that links back to this post (easiest way is to just grab the code under the #FF picture and put it in your post) and then you visit as many blogs as you can and tell them "hi" in their comments (on the post that has the #FF image). You follow them, they follow you. Win. Win. Just make sure to follow back if someone follows you!

What sets this Hop apart from others, is our Feature. Each week we will showcase a Featured Blogger, from all different genres and areas. Who is our Feature today? Find out below. Just remember it is required, if you participate, to follow our Features and you must follow the hosts (Parajunkee & Alison Can Read) as a courtesy. How do you follow someone? Well, if you have a preference, state it in your #FF post. A lot of blogs are transitioning to Wordpress in which they do not have the luxury of GFC, so an RSS subscription is appreciated or if you choose an email subscription. If you don't have GFC please state in your post how you would like to be followed.

52 Reasons to Hate My Father by Jessica Brody

52 Reasons to Hate My Father by Jessica Brody
Release Date: July 3, 2012
Publisher: Farrar, Straus & Giroux
Source: Library

Summary

Being America’s favorite heiress is a dirty job, but someone’s gotta do it.

Lexington Larrabee has never to work a day in her life. After all, she’s the heiress to the multi-billion-dollar Larrabee Media empire. And heiresses are not supposed to work. But then again, they’re not supposed to crash brand new Mercedes convertibles into convenience stores on Sunset Blvd either.

Which is why, on Lexi’s eighteen birthday, her ever-absent, tycoon father decides to take a more proactive approach to her wayward life. Every week for the next year, she will have to take on a different low-wage job if she ever wants to receive her beloved trust fund. But if there’s anything worse than working as a maid, a dishwasher, and a fast-food restaurant employee, it’s dealing with Luke, the arrogant, albeit moderately attractive, college intern her father has assigned to keep tabs on her.

In a hilarious “comedy of heiress” about family, forgiveness, good intentions, and best of all, second chances, Lexi learns that love can be unconditional, money can be immaterial, and, regardless of age, everyone needs a little saving. And although she might have 52 reasons to hate her father, she only needs one reason to love him.(courtesy of Goodreads)

Review

There's only 1 reason to love 52 Reasons to Hate My Father: It's a lot of fun. If you're looking for a light contemporary novel, 52 Reasons fits the bill.