Review: Shattered Dreams (Midnight Dragonfly #1) by Ellie James

Title: Shattered Dreams

Series: Midnight Dragonfly #1

Author: Ellie James

Genre: YA, urban fantasy

Publication date: December 06, 2011

Published by: Macmillan--St. Martin's Griffin

Source: the publishers via Netgalley (Thanks!)

Add it to your Goodreads shelf

Buy it: Amazon| Book Depository

Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Trinity Monsour wants nothing more than to live a normal life. But that isn’t as easy as it seems. Trinity is different. She is special. She sees visions, and for those she’s seen, it’s already too late.

Trinity arrives on her aunt’s doorstep in New Orleans with virtually no knowledge of her mysterious heritage. She begins settling into life at a new school and even starts making friends. But all too quickly her dreams accelerate; twisted, terrifying visions of a girl locked in a dark room. And when the head cheerleader, Jessica, goes missing, Trinity knows she has no choice but to step forward with what she’s seen.

But people believe that Trinity has information about Jessica’s disappearance not because of a dream, but because she is involved. She is kind-of dating Jessica’s ex-boyfriend, Chase, and Jessica did pull a nasty prank on Trinity. Revenge seems like the likeliest scenario.

Nothing prepares Trinity for the dark odyssey that ensues while searching for Jessica, including the surprising romance she finds with Chase, or the shocking truths she learns, not just about the girl who has gone missing, but the past that has been hidden from her.

My rating: ★★★★☆

I really like books like this...where the main character has some super cool supernatural ability. Supernatural abilities, and how they work, always fascinate me! In this case Trinity sees visions...of the future you could say. These visions were very descriptive and kinda creepy, but I loved them!

1st in a Series Reading Challenge 2012

Are you an avid series reader? Do you want to give a few new series a try? Then this is the reading challenge for you! Participants in the 1st in a Series Challenge decide to start a certain number of series in 2012 and then share their reviews with the community! For more info and to sign up, click here!

In this challenge there are 4 levels you can choose from...and I'm gonna go for level 4!

Series Fanatic: Read 20 books that are the first in any series.

I'm keeping track of my 2012 reading challenges on this page, so feel free to check them out!

Showcase Sunday (#8) + FREE e-books!

Welcome to Showcase Sunday, hosted by Books, Biscuits and Tea. The aim of this event is to showcase our newest books or book related swag and to see what everyone else received for review, borrowed form the libraries, bought in bookshops and downloaded onto eReaders this week. For more information about how this feature works and to join in, click here.

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Here is what I got this week...Part 2 to my prize that I won in a Giveaway held by Jessica Therrien! (Thanks Jessica!)

 

Oppression playlist (which I am super excited to listen to!), an Oppression lined notebook, and a signed paperback! :D

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These next e-books I got yesterday from Amazon for FREE (click on the pic to take you to the Amazon page)

   

More FREE Amazon e-books:

  

 

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And this last one I also got for FREE, but from Smashwords (click on the pic to take you to the Smashwords page)

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What did bookish things did you get this week?? Tell me in comments or leave me a link!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (#11)

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey.

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Oooh, I haven't done one of these in a while! But school is over and I'm free to read all I want! Whooo! Until September, that is, lol.

Here is what I have finished reading:

Lies Beneath (Lies Beneath #1) by Anne Greenwood Brown

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Currently reading:

 

Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions

Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1) by Tahereh Mafi

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Up next:

Unnatural law (Darwin's Children #2) by Natasha Larry

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Have you read any of these?? What books will you be reading this week? Tell me in comments or leave me a link to your post!

Showcase Sunday (#7)

Welcome to Showcase Sunday, hosted by Books, Biscuits and Tea. The aim of this event is to showcase our newest books or book related swag and to see what everyone else received for review, borrowed form the libraries, bought in bookshops and downloaded onto eReaders this week. For more information about how this feature works and to join in, click here.

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I didn't do one of these last week 'cause I was "busy studying" for my finals last Sunday. In reality, I get distracted super easily so I ended up spending the afternoon at my cousins graduation party :P hehe

Anyway, I went book shopping earlier that week and I found a Fear Street book and some Greek mythology books for the nerd in me ;)

 

At the beginning of the month I found out that I had won an awesome giveaway held by author Jessica Therrien! Check out all the cool stuff I got:

A poster, part of her manuscript with all the corrections and stuff, and more than enough signed bookmarks! So be on the look out, 'casue I just might be giving away some of these extra bookmarks *wink wink*

I got the next book FREE on Amazon:

And lastly, the next one I got from Netgalley to review:

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What did bookish things did you get this week?? Tell me in comments or leave me a link!

Off The Shelf 2012 Reading Challenge

This challenge is to read those books you own a copy of, print, digital, and audio, you have been meaning to read, but never gotten to. For more info and to sign up, click here!

I'm gonna go with Level the Tempted level – 5 books. I feel like I should try for more, but I have a ton of review books to get through! But hopefully I'll be able to read more than 5, 'cause honestly, I've got a lot of books I own that have been unread for a while.

I'm keeping track of my 2012 reading challenges on this page, so feel free to check them out!

2012 Support Your Local Library Challenge

This challenge is pretty simple: borrow and read as many books from you public library. Audio, e-books (some libraries allow e-books to be checked out), bound books are okay. No re-reads. For more info and to sign up, click here.

I'm gonna go with Level 2: read 24 library books

I'm keeping track of my 2012 reading challenges on this page, so feel free to check them out!

2012 Read Your Name Challenge

The challenge is to read your name in book title first letters, ultimately spelling out your name. You can use your first name, or blogger name, or your pets name, or even your favorite literary character's name; whichever you like, choose books with first title letters that spell out your name. The challenge runs from Jan. 1st 2012, to Dec. 31st 2012. You may join at any time between Jan 1st and Nov 30th. For more info and to join, click here.

I'm keeping track of my 2012 reading challenges on this page, so feel free to check them out!

Witches and Witchcraft 2012 Reading Challenge

So, this year I've joined quite a few reading challenges, and I just realized that I haven't posted any intro posts to these challenges! So, yes, half way into the year, I'm going to write up these posts ;)

The 1st one is the 2012 Witches and Witchcraft Reading Challenge. This challenge will run from Jan 1, 2012 - Dec 31, 2012 and the books read should be about a witch as a main character, or major witchcraft elements counts. Click here for more info and to sign up!

I LOVE anything witchy! Witches are my favorite supernatural beings! So this challenge is just awesome! I'm gonna go for the Maiden Level...I have to read  6-10 witchy books.

I'm keeping track of my 2012 reading challenges on this page, so feel free to check them out!

If you like anything magical and love witches, this is the reading challenge to join! Hope you have some witchy fun ;)

Review: The Vanishing Game by Kate Kae Myers

Title: The Vanishing Game

Author: Kate Kae Myers

Genre: YA, mystery, horror

Publication date: February 14, 2012

Published by: Bloomsbury Children's Books

Source: The publishers via Netgalley

Add it to your Goodreads shelf

Buy it: Amazon | Book Depository

Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Jocelyn follows clues apparently from her dead twin, Jack, in and around Seale House, the terrifying foster home where they once lived. With help from childhood friend Noah she begins to uncover the truth about Jack's death and the company that employed him and Noah.

Jocelyn's twin brother Jack was the only family she had growing up in a world of foster homes-and now he's dead, and she has nothing. Then she gets a cryptic letter from "Jason December"-the code name her brother used to use when they were children at Seale House, a terrifying foster home that they believed had dark powers. Only one other person knows about Jason December: Noah, Jocelyn's childhood crush and their only real friend among the troubled children at Seale House.

But when Jocelyn returns to Seale House and the city where she last saw Noah, she gets more than she bargained for. Turns out the house's powers weren't just a figment of a childish imagination. And someone is following Jocelyn. Is Jack still alive? And if he is, what kind of trouble is he in? The answer is revealed in a shocking twist that turns this story on its head and will send readers straight back to page 1 to read the book in a whole new light.

My rating: ★★★★☆
 "...A shocking twist that turns this story on its head..." This line in the blurb describes exactly how I felt at the end! It was so shocking that my jaw almost literally hit the floor and stayed there for about 5 minutes! It was CRAZY! I could not stop thinking about it even after I was done reading!