Cover love Sunday #3

Cover Love Sunday is a weekly feature hosted at The Quiet Girl Talks, where you choose your 3 favorite covers for each weekly theme. Anybody can do it, just check the Features page for themes ahead of time! :) 

This week's theme is...

FLOWERS!

 

So I know I missed last weeks which sucks and I'm sorry. This week I'm afraid I don't know of a lot of book covers with flowers but I did manage to find three. One of which we all know:

 

 

Yep New Moon, simple, yet elegant. Don't really go with the book though.

 

 

 

Erotic take on a sleeping beauty tale. The rose matches her lips, she's laying on silk, its sexy.

 

 

 

I haven't read this but I like the cover.  You can see by the girls hands the flowers are frosted. I like the border of the title. Theres that kind of dull coloring and the only thing in focus is her hands holding the flowers.

 

Whats your picks?

Liebster Award

   So I was recently nominated for the Liebster Award by Mrs. B's Books. Thanks you so much. I don't feel like I deserve it though. I've only been a blogger for such a short time still trying to learn the ins and outs, I don't think I'll ever learn everything though, lol. This award is given to bloggers by fellow bloggers who have less than 200 followers to get a boost in exposure and hopefully give readers a chance to see some of the smaller blogs that are out there doing great things around the web.

There are a few rules to this award:

1. Link back to the blogger that tagged you.

2. Nominate 10 others and answer the questions of the one who tagged you.

3. Ask 10 questions for the bloggers you nominate.

4. Let your nominees know of their award.

 

Here are the questions Mrs. B's Books asked:

 

1. Why did you set up your blog.

To get rather personal I'm trying to make a change in life for the better and find things that I enjoy doing and no one else can tell me how and when or what to do only I'm in control of it. I enjoy reading so why not put my opinion out there about the books I read, and if my voice is heard all the better.

2. Who is your favourite author?

Hmm, you know I don't think I ever really paid much attention to what author I like, I mean yea sometimes I look for a certain author, but most the time I just pick up a book that seems appealing. Though I cant not count the series' I've read and those authors. You cant go wrong with J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter. I really want to read more of Sherrilyn Kenyon I've read only a couple of her books and really enjoyed them.

3. Which book are you most looking forward to coming out?

There are so many books that I want to read that are out I really couldn't tell you what book I'm looking forward to being released. Though one book I know that is coming out soon that seems like an interesting read is Teardrop by Lauren Kate however I don't know when I'll be getting it.

4. Print version or ebook?

I don't have an e-reader sadly so right now its the print version however I've read some free e-books on my laptop and I seem to read faster however if I stare at the screen for so long I get a little headache, usually only when I don't have any other lights on.

5. If you were stranded on a desert island, what book or series would you wish to have with you?

A long series that's already completed so that when I get to the last one I'm not wondering what happened next, lol.

6. If you could talk face to face with an author, who would it be and why?

 

7. Are there any books that you have not been able to finish?

That would be the books they wanted me to read in school, I don't think I ever finish any of them, lol.

8. Would you buy a book purely because of the cover? 

I pick up book for the cover but I read the synopsis to see if its interesting.

9. How has your reading changed since you set up your blog?

Before this year I was sort of out of commission when it came to reading for a couple years, either cause I was busy doing other things or I didn't have the money for new books, I did still read I had books to read I just didn't read as much as I used to. I made it a point to get back into reading again this year because I enjoy it and it takes me somewhere. Since starting this blog I wouldn't say my reading has changed much I have days where I don't read and days where I'm reading nonstop, I think I've always been like that. However that being said when I'm done with the book I'm reading I wont to get the review out as soon as possible and I find myself thinking ok now how can write about what I just read and not just tell about it.

10. How do you choose what books you read?

It depends on what mood I'm in lately I've been reading romance books.

 Blogs I nominate
The Quiet Girl Talks
Listful Booking
My Nook, Books and More
Beauty and the Book
I think that's just about all the blogs Im following at the moment.

  My Questions:

1. Do you manage how long you spend working on your blog, how do you?

2. When you were starting your blog and the thoughts you had about how you would carry on with it, has it proved more difficult and/or time consuming than you first thought?

3. How often do you get into a book niche where you just read the same genre or get caught up in books that have reoccurring aspect? i.e. magic, vampires, innocent girl falls for bad boy, list goes on.

4. We all get into a reading ditch/slump/block, how do you get out of them?

5. What do you hope to get from your blog?

6. When reading a book what do you want to see, what makes it good?

7. Cover, Title or Synopsis or all three?

 

Well that all the questions I can think of. And Thanks again to Mrs. B's Books.

A Past Catching Up

   This one is by far the best of the first three Law of the Lycan series. However that being said theres some things that just didn't make since and people coming out of nowhere. The Finding is three years after The Keeping and you really need to read that before you read this one, then again is goes over some things that happened that you can get the jest of it but still, and if you don't want some spoilers about The Keeping I suggest you read it then read this review.

   Finally Bryan has a love granted it was pointed out in The Mating that what he felt for Elise was more a familiarity love because they grew up together but still they both cared for each other very much and now Elise is in love with Kane while he gets what, loses he friend, ok maybe not loses her but they go separate ways end up not seeing each other for 3 years, but becomes a Beta in Canada, and sort of becomes a ladies man too. But I felt he needed to something else other than being a Beta, so I'm real happy that he now has a love, however it doesn't come overnight.

   We met Cassandra Grayson at the end of The Keeping where we, and she as well, learned that she's a werewolf but knows nothing about them because she was raised by Grayson as her Uncle who hid the fact and kept her VERY sheltered. When she sees Grayson shot and Aldrich attacked by a werewolf she runs scared for her life. She somehow found herself in Vegas.
   So that's where we find her living with Kellen whose now her friend after he found her in an alley and gave her a place to stay. For a sheltered rich girl she's adjusted very well she has a job, pays bills, does her own laundry. Cassie's relationship with Kellen I didn't really like their friends yes but also its like she's stringing him along, she loves him but not 'that way' yet it is 'that way'. She even sleeps with him ONCE, granted when she did it was like she wasn't in control of herself, but you cant expect me to believe that a guy can continue to live with a girl, and they both like each other, love even, after having sex for the first time and then not ever again, get real. They continue to be kind of a couple only not a couple. Kellen isn't perfect he has a gambling problem which causes arguments and financial problems between them. On the full moon she drugs herself to keep her wolf at bay afraid of what she is believing she's some kind of monster because she's only been taking one thing into account from what she saw and heard three years ago, just the attack, not the rest of what she saw and heard.

   Bryan has been searching for Cassie off and on for the past three years not seeming to get her out of his mind. When he finally has a break about where she is he in Vegas he goes right away. When he finds her the way he talks to his wolf is so funny. However he's not the only one looking for her Kellen has got into some trouble from his gambling and owes a lot of money to a money launderer Eddie Perini whom it is repeatedly said that he has no business running Dollar Niche and coincidentally is owned by one Leon Aldrich. When Kellen finds a flier that says Cassie is an heiress things heat up, well they heat up more. Unlike the two before where there were minor things that lead to the big face off at the end this one has action throughout the whole thing it still leads to a big face off of course.
   You see more of Kane and Elise and Ryne and Melody in this which I'm so glad about as The Keeping didn't have a lot of Kane and Elise. You didn't see much or the way Ryne and Kane are together as brothers yet and this one you do, they are so funny together joking each other but when it comes to their packs they are all business. Due to the size of the pack Kane is very busy and so that's putting a little rough patch with Elise, but they make it through.

   Theres a lot of internal struggle with Cassie and her wolf, she been afraid of it for so long and then when Bryan shows up, with the fact that her wolf likes him, theres a lot of mixed feelings. You also have Marla, who is working for Aldrich, with an internal struggle of her own with her wolf, she hates her wolf and her just want to accept her. I like to think there an under line message with both of them of finding yourself accepting who are, who you were born as, at least that's what I got wither anyone else would see that who knows.

   They all end up in Chicago when the muscle of Dollar Niche takes Kellen there to lure Cassie so that Aldrich can have her lock up. With Cassie going back with Bryan she opens herself up to being what she is and following her wolfs instincts better she still weary of the other wolfs but no longer as afraid of them since Bryan explained what had happen. Obviously the big take down happens, Marla's wolf takes control and redeems her.
   The last chapters has with everything going on with the battle and the aftermath  there are so many emotions passion, strength, sadness, its all there, I might of even a tear or two. This wouldn't be a romantic is Bryan and Cassie didn't end up together which they did. Theres so much more I could say about this but then I would be telling you everything. There so spots where I was like ok lets get through this and a lot of repeating about things at the start but overall I really enjoyed it. It seems Nicky Charles has improved on her writing not saying that the past two books were bad they weren't but this one has a lot more spark that I didn't feel with the other two.

   Sorry I didn't share any quotes with you I wanted to but I don't remember where ones I liked were and I really want to get to the next book. Its hard to find quotes when reading an e-book guess I need to learn to use the highlight or sticky note next time and when I find something like mark it that way other wise I'll be strolling through it forever, lol.
Well I hope you enjoyed its definitely worth a read especially being the whole series is free.

A Secret that need to be kept

   The second in Law of the Lycans series is The Keeping, as far as the describing of everything goes its much better. You actually get a location this time. This one focuses on Melody(Mel) and Ryne, we met Ryne in The Mating as Kane's older half brother. After the whole misleading evidence that pointed to Ryne being the cause for the attacks on the pack is taken care of in the big battle in The Mating, he is starting his own pack with Bryan, now his beta, and Daniel in a small town Stump River, Ontario, Canada. Mel, human, is struggling to make ends meet journalism student when she get hired to research and interview photographer Ryne Taylor.
   The beginning drags a little bit I think, we learn who hired Mel is the person who bought a photo of a wolf, i.e. photo of Kane that was mentioned in The Mating, Mr. Grayson but reasons get twisted since she only has contact with his lawyer whose rather a scumbag Mr. Aldrich. Melody is first in Oregon where she knows is where the photo was sold, but it takes some sneaking around to find out where Ryne is because no one is talking about him. Kane and Elise are only briefly in this one which I felt a tad disappointed about. With Mel asking questions about Ryne and this photo it has Kane and Ryne worried about the pack cause they have a law that they need to uphold if the existence becomes known.

   With Melody in town now she quickly makes friends with everyone in this small town, the couple who own and run the local paper, the couple who owns the small diner, and the waitress works at the diner and the bar, its your typical nice small town, as trying to get an interview with Ryne is harder than she thought it would be. He is constantly playing around her and dragging it out hoping to get the reason but also because his wolf keeps urging to be with her. With each passing day they both feel a connection Ryne feel drawn to her and Mel cant seem to not be attracted to him. With Ryne bringing her close until logic reminds him about their impending threat and pushes her away.
   With one last fall out that angers, frightens, and upsets Mel she goes back home to Chicago and that's where some action starts to happen, Aldrich kidnaps Mel, we learn why Grayson was looking for Ryne, of course Ryne is there to save the day, so don't fear.

   I really like Melody every time Ryne has something to say, when he's being sarcastic that is, she has a come back. However throughout the book you get the since that there's something about her. Something a little surprising happens and also someone I liked in the story dies, not Melody but still someone I liked. Oh and at the very end you find out someone who is working for Aldrich, I wont spoil who but youd be surprised.

   Cant wait to see where the next one goes I've already started it and its 3 years later.

A Werewolfs Bonding, Deception from Within

   I was informed about a series from a page I follow on facebook called Law of the Lycans by Nicky Charles, paranormal romance, free e-book series you can download it on goodreads, smashwords, feedbooks, I think B&N and Amazon also might have them though I'm not 100% sure. I liked that they are, or at least so far as I'm only on book 2 of the series, an actual length of a book not those 20 -50 pagers that is like one or two scenes and then you have to pay for the next one which will only take you five minutes to read, not that I have anything against those its just I with I could read the whole story. More often then not I find the five minute reads so it refreshing when I find a 300+ book for free online, wish I know the secret to find the long ones more often. I read the first book in one day, I don't know if its like this with any of you but the few books I've read online I think I read them faster than a actual book, unfortunately I don't have an e-reader/tablet, yet, so I read e-books on my laptop.

   The Mating is the first in the series, it focuses on Elise the youngest daughter of the Alpha in the eastern territory and Kane, new Alpha of a werewolf pack, after the death of the former Alpha. If the very title isn't enough to tell you they've been mated, i.e. arranged marriage. There are a few things about it that could be better, like the setting, she doesn't really say where this story takes place and some things could of been described better, I didn't feel like I was there the way I like. But I did like it, how could I not when I read it in a day.
   Elise is young still only 19, she also is in love with Bryan, a pack member and friend she grew up with. But she suddenly is forced to be bonded with Kane and move. Without a care in the world and to suddenly be married to someone you never even meet before and move she handles herself well, nervous about everything, but well, though she's also sometimes ignorant. Kane as new Alpha has responsibilities to fulfill and so a lot of his time goes to that. Luckily most everyone is nice and friendly and welcoming, of course being the Alpha's mate your guaranteed some respect, however she by no means abuses or enforces that respect, and makes quick friends. The pack is like a family as is any wolf pack. Helen is like the mom she's the former Alpha's mate and she even puts it straight to Kane several times in fact that he needs to spend time with his mate, and she almost the only person who dares to say what may or may not be liked by the Alpha, Kane. You also have the Beta and his mate whose expecting their first and Julia and her mate. You also have the snobby thinks she's better than everyone B, Marla.

It was strange, but even after such a short time together, she found herself inexplicably comfortable with the idea of belonging to him.

   They fall into a dating like pattern quickly and even more quickly seem to form a bond with each other that at first Elise thought was only a physical one, but soon sees him and herself open up with each other. Faced with the normal challenges of being a new Alpha, Kane is also faced with what seems like a string of bad luck for the pack but is really intentional attacks on the pack supposedly by former pack member and co-beta Ryne. With the different pieces coming together slowly for Elise she starts to see a pattern emerge pointing to Marla involved, and by creating a fight between Kane and Elise after Elise sees Bryan, as a friend since they both realized that what they had was more like a brother/sister bond after she left.

   I like the writing it was sort of old fashioned she used "seed" instead of, well you know, and other things that you just don't see in writing these days, I think that added to the effect that the packs are still a little old fashioned about some things. The way it flowed was consistent. The sex scenes I thought could be better there was really only one and two that got me hot, lol. I want to tell you so much more about it but feel I'll give to much away and spoil it which I don't want to do. Some much happens that leads to a big chase and battle. It'll get your heart pumping, at least it got mine going anyway.