WWW-Wednesday (5)

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?





01. Currently Reading:
Yes, I am still reading A Dance With Dragons (George R.R. Martin), one day I will commit and finish this massive book. If only other delicious sounding novels would stop tempting me to read them.






02. Recently Finished:
The Mind Readers by Lori Brighton. Amazing plot full of secrets and lies and betrayal. The second novel, The Mind Thieves has been added to my TBR, too bad it's currently at the bottom.






03. Reading Next:
Tears of the Broken (Dark Secrets) by A.M. Hudson. Free for Kindle right now on Amazon, this novel asks if love is enough to forgive murder. Add vampires to the mix and Hudson has me dying to read this one.

The Mind Readers

"Cameron Winters is a freak. Fortunately, no one but her family knows the truth …that Cameron can read minds. For years Cameron has hidden behind a facade of normalcy, warned that there are those who would do her harm. When gorgeous and mysterious Lewis Douglas arrives he destroys everything Cameron has ever believed and tempts her with possibilities of freedom. Determined to embrace her hidden talents, Cameron heads to a secret haven with Lewis; a place where she meets others like her, Mind Readers.

But as Cameron soon finds out some things are too good to be true. When the Mind Readers realize the extent of Cameron’s abilities, they want to use her powers for their own needs. Cameron suddenly finds herself involved in a war in which her idea of what is right and wrong is greatly tested. In the end she’ll be forced to make a choice that will not only threaten her relationship with Lewis, but her very life." - Amazon Blurb

* *

Lori Brighton does a fantastic job in bringing the reader into the life of a mind reader, detailing a power that everyone has wished to have at least once. Though, after this novel, that power doesn't seem so tempting. 

I was impressed with the detail of The Mind Readers. The intricacies of the plot were fascinating. At points, I was feeling exactly what Brighton described Cameron feeling. All of the secrets that surround the story line truly have readers wondering which side of the war Cameron should be on and asking the same question: Who should she trust?

However, The Mind Readers did fall short in the aspect of reader-character connection. The novel didn't pull me in enough to form a bond with the main character. I never felt the gut-wrenching need to know how her story ended like I normally do. Cameron's character qualities are expected in a seventeen year old girl. She worries what others think about her, wants to have real friends, and a life of her own. But, it just wasn't enough for me. 

The story surrounding Cameron was incredible, but she fell into the background. The plot is definitely what kept me reading, and I do want to read the sequel, but not because of Cameron. It isn't so much what happens to her that has me craving more -- it's what she got in the middle of. I want to know how the story ends rather than how her story ends. 

The Mind Readers

on Amazon

rating: 3/5 cups

Teaser Tuesday (13)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

The Mind Readers (Kindle Loc. 3901-2)
                   - Lori Brighton

There were three things I knew for sure. One, I could no longer trust -----. Two, I wasn't any safer here than I'd been at home. Three, I knew, without a doubt, I had to escape as soon as I could.






Should Be Reading @ Wordpress


*(The name in the teaser has been left out because I didn't want to include a spoiler. Happy Reading!)

Duplicity (Spellbound #2)

"If Graylee Perez thought sharing a body with her twin sister was bad, dealing with a duplicate of herself is two times worse. Gray the second doesn’t seem to get that Lee’s boyfriend, Raj McKenna, is off limits. Then there’s the problem of Adrian Montez. He expects one of the Grays to be his.

Nearly a year later, the council is onto them for past misdeeds; Lee, along with the rest of the coven, has lost control of her powers; and Gray is being stalked by what looks like the Grim Reaper.

If they work together, they may stand a chance of setting things right and making it out alive."

*May Contain Spoilers* 

And then there were two. At the end of Nikki Jefford's first novel in the Spellbound Trilogy, Entangled, Gray had just been purged from her twin sister's body. In spirit form, Gray went to Stacey Morehouse's body (who was in a coma) and claimed it. And, readers find out in Duplicity, she then went to Charlene's body in France, six months later, and claimed her body as well. 

"Lee," Graylee's name for herself in Stacey's body, has been living her life for the past ten months, loving her family, her newly acquired father (Stacey's), and her boyfriend, Raj. 

But to "Gray," the Graylee that took over Charlene's body, no time has passed. It was just last week when Adrian Montez saved her from her sister's murderous attempts. When Gray comes back home (after waking up in France), someone has a lot of explaining to do. 

But according to everyone, there can only be one Graylee Perez. The main problem being: which one is the real Graylee and which is the duplicate? 

In the first novel, Entangled, readers had a chance to connect with Graylee. The connection remains strong as readers are introduced to two versions of their favorite character. As the plot continues to twist, readers will find themselves choosing sides with one of the versions of Graylee, hoping their version is the one that survives. 

Raj is back and he's sweeter than ever. :) But how does he know which Graylee version is the real one, the one that he loves? The love triangle between Raj and the two versions of Graylee adds to the already amazing plot (i.e. magic gone awry, vengeance, a grim reaper?!, and betrayal) that Nikki Jefford has written in Duplicity. Readers beware, you won't be able to take a break from this book until it's finished either. Perfect sequel to Entangled. 

Duplicity 

on Amazon

rating: 4/5 

WWW-Wednesday (4)

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…
• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

01. Currently Reading:
Still working my way through A Dance With Dragons by George R.R. Martin. The story is wonderful but the length is what's forcing me to really slow down and pay attention. Which is why other books that I plan on reading are becoming simultaneous reads.


02. Recently Finished:
Once Bitten by Trina M. Lee and I just posted the review. This novel was deathly entertaining! I'm glad that I picked it up even though I was a little disappointed. Still a great read!


03. Reading Next:
Duplicity by Nikki Jefford is the next on my reading list. I read book one, Entangled, last week and since the second one came out a couple of days ago I'm determined to finish it off too.

Once Bitten

"Alexa O'Brien has never been like other people. A hunter of supernatural rogues, she is a werewolf with unusual but extraordinary power. Power that draws her to Arys Knight, the mysterious vampire who awakens her dark side. What they create together is dangerous and binding, forcing her to question the source of her abilities. It threatens not only her remaining humanity, but her relationship with fellow werewolf, Shaz Richardson, as well.

When Alexa's womanizing former lover and the Alpha of her pack is framed for murder, he draws public attention that could earn him a death sentence unless she steps in to help him. Alexa would love to watch karma at work but as the body count rises, long buried secrets are exposed. She's forced to face the painful truth that not everyone is who she thinks they are."

* * 

Trina M. Lee's novel, Once Bitten, is full of suspense, mystery, and horror. This makes for a very interesting plot, but the characters fall a bit short. Readers won't find an easy connection with Alexa O'Brien. Her main attributes include being hot-headed, selfish, and a little smug. She suffers from a terrifying past, having been attacked by a werewolf at age 16. An attack that only she survived, while her family did not.

Alexa tends to hurt everyone she cares about because of her selfishness. Lee does explain that her temper aligns with her begin a werewolf, but come on... She puts herself in the middle of a love triangle with a man she only wants power from and a fellow wolf who holds her heart. Shouldn't this be an easy decision?

The plot, I must say, is very interesting. It grabs the reader from the start. Alexa is a vampire hunter for hire. She takes out the trash of the supernatural world, hoping to make it a better place. The opening scene where she and her werecat friend, Jez, are fighting a serial killing vamp hooked me. But I wanted more from the characters.

It isn't easy connecting with a supernatural character. In previous fantasy novels, what makes the character human is the main question to ask when trying to form a bond with them. However, Alexa lets her werewolf side control her, and when she gets a taste of vampire power -- that controls her even more dominantly. She does have likable qualities, they just aren't easy to pick out.

Alexa is haunted by her tragic past, and readers can relate to that because they have traumatic events that scar their histories as well. She is also torn between being human and being a wolf. That's a personality dilemma which readers can often times go through. The question, "Who Am I?" is universal. She's also very "in-the-moment." Alexa thinks little of consequences and how she'll have to deal with the outcome. Readers will sympathize with her on these actions, because they've experienced similar situations.

Once Bitten is the first novel in the Alexa O'Brien series. Entertaining is a definite descriptor for this novel, though whether I'll read the next one is still up in the air.

Once Bitten 

on Amazon

rating: 3/5 cups

Teaser Tuesday (12)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Once Bitten (p.6)
  - Trina M. Lee

He recovered fast and came at me with fangs bared. As if he really believed he'd get a chance to use them.


Should Be Reading @ Wordpress

Fifty Shades Freed

"When unworldly student Anastasia Steele first encountered the driven and dazzling young entrepreneur Christian Grey it sparked a sensual affair that changed both of their lives irrevocably. Shocked, intrigued, and, ultimately, repelled by Christian's singular erotic tastes, Ana demands a deeper commitment. Determined to keep her, Christian agrees.

Now, Ana and Christian have it all--love, passion, intimacy, wealth, and a world of possibilities for their future. But Ana knows that loving her Fifty Shades will not be easy, and that being together will pose challenges that neither of them would anticipate. Ana must somehow learn to share Christian's opulent lifestyle without sacrificing her own identity. And Christian must overcome his compulsion to control as he wrestles with the demons of a tormented past.

Just when it seems their strength together will eclipse any obstacle, misfortune, malice, and fate conspire to make Ana's deepest fears turn to reality."

*May Contain Spoilers*

E L James introduces the characters readers have come to love, in her third book in the Fifty Shades series, Fifty Shades Freed, as Mr. and Mrs. Grey. Throughout the previous two novels readers have formed a strong connection with Christian and Anastasia: a bond that will be challenged as the newlyweds struggle to find their "happily ever after." 

As readers delve into the pages of Fifty Shades Freed, they see more of what drives Christian and why he feels as if he must protect Ana from the world they live in. As plots to ruin the happiness of Mr. and Mrs. Grey are revealed, their relationship hangs in the balance. Readers have a chance to see Christian and Ana as a singular unit, creating a thicker bond from the separate connections readers have formed with both of them. 

The plot promises the ups and downs of marriage, even though for people like Mr. Grey and his family, they are much more extreme. While it seems someone is trying to sabotage the Grey family, Christian must learn to rely on Anastasia, as his wife. And as all readers know, that won't be an easy feat for Mr. Grey and, as expected, Anastasia will always take things into her own hands. 

Whereas the previous two novels were about the characters themselves, trying to love each other for who they are inside. This novel pairs them together, facing the cruelty that is the world around them. Their success depends on them depending on each other and fighting against that which threatens to tear them apart. 

Fifty Shades Freed is the story after the end, and readers will love what E L James has set Christian and Ana up against. Definitely a must read for all of the Fifty fans. 

Fifty Shades Freed 

on Amazon

rating: 5/5 cups

WWW-Wednesday (3)

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…
• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?


01. Currently Reading:
A Dance With Dragons by George R. R. Martin. This is the last book in the series that is published, and the last one on my Spring Into Reading 2012 Challenge. At around 1000 pages, it should take me a bit of time, but absolutely worth it because all my favorite characters are back! :D


02. Recently Finished:
Entangled by Nikki Jefford, Spellbound #1. This novel was a wonderful break from the genres I've been reading lately. I love reading young adult literature every now and again. Now that I've read this first installment in the series, I'm sure I'll be following it up with the second book, as soon as it comes out. 


03. Reading Next:
Fifty Shades Freed by EL James. The third and final book of the Fifty Shades trilogy will be the next book I pick up, though it will probably turn into a simultaneous read with A Dance With Dragons. After all, it's sitting on my coffee table begging me to begin. 

Teaser Tuesday (11)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

A Dance With Dragons (p.45)

         - George R. R. Martin

"It were the black one," the man said, in a Ghiscari growl, "the winged shadow. He came down from the sky and... and..."

No. Dany shivered. No, no, oh no. 

Should Be Reading @ Wordpress

Entangled (Spellbound #1)

"Twin witches Graylee and Charlene Perez agree on one rule: No dating warlocks. Not so easy when a certain rogue warlock is convinced he and Graylee belong together and will use anything, including magic, to try and impress Gray. When Charlene's boyfriend dumps her, she threatens to kill either herself or the girl who stole Blake. Somehow, Gray ends up dead.

A Resurrection Spell Gone Wrong

Two months after dying, Gray wakes up in Charlene's body. As a witch, can anyone blame her mother for attempting to bring her daughter back to life? Only now Gray's stuck sharing her sister's body 50/50 in twenty-four hour shifts. The race is on for Gray to find a way back inside her own body before Charlene purges her from existence. Raj McKenna is rumored to meddle in the black arts, not to mention he's after Gray's invisibility spell and worse - her heart. But Raj might be the only one powerful enough to save Gray from fading away forever." - Amazon Blurb

* *

Nikki Jefford's first entry in the Spellbound series, Entangled, is an enchantment that readers will love. Not to mention, they won't be able to put it down. The bond between readers and characters begin to form throughout this novel, and will only increase in strength with the following installments. 

Graylee is your typical teenage witch. Perhaps a little on the selfish side, but not as bad as her twin sister, Charlene. She's the easiest character to connect with because most of the novel is told from her point of view. Readers will find themselves wanting to help Gray get her life back, after she mysteriously dies at age 17 and her mother brings her back. The mission to separate Graylee from her twin's body evolves into a necessity to reclaim her life, as she realizes that her sister has been keeping her subdued. 

Charlene is the character that readers will love to dislike. She's incredibly selfish, superficial, and controlling. She's also using her magic, as a young witch, to outshine her sister. But how far would she really go to be the more popular and loved twin... perhaps the only twin? 

The narrator, other than Gray, is Raj. He's a warlock with a bad boy reputation and his sights are set on Graylee. He'll do anything to help her and readers will come to see that what's underneath the bad boy persona isn't what they expect. A strong connection will form between readers and Raj, as his back story comes to light, and will (hopefully) continue through the next book in the series. 

Entangled (Spellbound #1)

on Amazon

rating: 4/5 cups

Dead is the New Black

Laura Carnegie gave up on the man of her dreams a long time ago. He's fashion designer Jeremy St. James, and not only is he her boss, everyone knows he's gay.

When he's arrested for murder, secrets come to light and nothing is what it seems. If Laura can just solve this crime, keep the cops off her tail, break up a counterfeiting ring, and get the show on the runway by Friday, she might stop being Seventh Avenue's perpetual loser.

* *

Christine DeMaio-Rice introduces the fashion world in a whole new way with her novel, Dead is the New Black. Not only does it take readers through the ins and outs of the industry, it piques their interest with a dead body. 

When Laura Carnegie walks into her boss's office, the last thing she expects to see is a dead body with her boss holding the murder weapon. Even though he's arrested, Laura knows that Jeremy St. James couldn't have killed Gracie, the financial backer for his company. But the police are only trying to prove his guilt. So Laura takes it into her own hands to prove his innocence. 

Laura is a very likeable character. Scratch that - an incredibly lovable character! She's smart, a great pattern-maker, in love with her gay boss, and has no filter between her brain and mouth. The latter trait being what gets her into the most trouble. And, it really does get her in heaps of it, causing readers to laugh out loud.

Readers will love the main character of this fashion murder mystery, along with the ever-twisting plot. The only downside is that for those readers who don't all ready have a small understanding of the fashion industry, the details can be a little tiresome. As well as the vast number of characters that work in the Jeremy St. James office. 

However, it's all worth it when the mystery is unraveled and the outcome is no where near what readers will predict. 

Dead is the New Black

on Amazon

rating: 4/5 cups

Thank You to VMS Coffee

I received a sample of VMS Coffee, "The Original,"  in the mail as a gift from the company and just wanted to share the excitement! It is beyond delicious, smooth with a great simple flavor coffee drinkers will love.

This is a new company based in Florida and I have no doubt my new friends would love to ship you your own delicious bag! They try to ensure every order is delivered on the following Friday, so that your weekend, spent curled up with a great book, will have a great cup of coffee to go with it. :D

Looking Forward Friday (1)

Want to know what's coming up for The Coffee Pot? Well here it is! :D The official to-be-read list (not specifically in the following order). Bring on the reading and reviews!

A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin

This will be the final book for the Spring Into Reading 2012 challenge and I'm full of excitement to finish The Coffee Pot's first reading challenge so I can look forward to the next challenge I take on.





Dead is the New Black by Christine DeMaio-Rice

This novel promises a romp through the fashion world with one of the main characters being accused of murder. Very intriguing!





Entangled, Spellbound #1 by Nikki Jefford

Main character, Gray, wakes up in her sister's body after her mother witch attempted to bring her back to life. Show me the way out of this one!





Fifty Shades Freed by E L James

The conclusion of the Fifty Shades trilogy where reader's will find out if Mr. Grey and Ana will end up happily ever after or...





Now what's on your TBR list? :D

Fifty Shades Darker

"Daunted by the singular tastes and dark secrets of the beautiful, tormented young entrepreneur Christian Grey, Anastasia Steele has broken off their relationship to start a new career with a Seattle publishing house.

But desire for Christian still dominates her every waking thought, and when he proposes a new arrangement, Ana cannot resist. They rekindle their searing sensual affair, and Ana learns more about the harrowing past of her damaged, driven, and demanding Fifty Shades.

While Christian wrestles with his inner demons, Ana must confront the anger and envy of the women who came her, and make the most important decision of her life."

* May Contain Spoilers *

In the first novel, Fifty Shades of Grey, by EL James, the reader came to know Anastasia. Much was revealed about her personality, goals, hopes, dreams, and fears. But in book two, Fifty Shades Darker, shifts the focus on to Christian and suddenly the reader is introduced to a shade of Mr. Grey no one knew existed. 

Fifty Shades of Grey introduced Christian as a f*ed-up-control-freak-sexual-slave-master. While, on the other hand, Fifty Shades Darker introduces a whole new proposition, no contracts involved...well maybe one, towards the end.

Christian promises Anastasia that he will give her the "more" she wanted. And suddenly he becomes a f*ed-up-control-freak-sexual-slave-master-who-asks-permission-and-tries-to-give-hearts-and-flowers. But along with "more," Ana wants to know who he is, and how he came to be that way. Thus, the blooming of Christian's character. 

Readers finally learn what happened to Christian as a child and how he coped with that at such a young age. Who helped him, who thought they helped him, and who cares for him more than he realizes. Readers discover the view Christian has of himself and that allows them to connect deeper with his character. EL James also gives the readers a peek into Mr. Grey's psyche, letting Anastasia discuss Christian with Dr. Flynn, his therapist. 

All the disconnection that readers felt with Christian throughout the first book, has disappeared. The main focus of this novel is the connection with Christian which allows readers to better understand Ana's sweet Fifty Shades. Perhaps, they'll even have an opinion change. I know I did. 

Fifty Shades Darker

on Amazon

rating: 4/5 cups