18+ Blogger Tag Along!

Welcome everyone! It's another Friday which means another chance to get more followers and find some great new blogs! This week, I'm taking part in the 18+ Blogger Tag Along - a way of bloggers that post and review adult content can find similar blogs.

I'm not saying all of my content is adult, I certainly review a lot of Young Adult fiction as well, but if you've stuck around for any amount of time (and thank you to those that have!) you know I love me some hot and steamy romance.

So if you're here because of the tag along, thank you for stopping by, and welcome! I review a mix of things, whatever catches my fancy, really - but with an emphasis in anything and everything paranormal or otherworldly.

Also, I have some giveaways and guest posts coming up, so please be sure to check back! I also keep a list of "Upcoming Excitements" (guest posts, giveaways, interviews, etc) on the right sidebar so you know what/who/etc to look for.

Once again - Welcome! Feel free to stick around... I only bite if you ask nicely. =)
~!~ Amanda ~!~

CSN stores - Excellent service, excellent products.

If you've been around the blogosphere for... any amount of time, really - you would have come accross CSN stores. Housing more than one person could ever need in a lifetime, CSN has just about everything - from some modern furniture to spice up your new apartment, right down to the little necessities like notebooks and binders. I have been a huge fan of CSN for years, and I'll admit it, I enter contests for giftcards whenever I see one pop up. Just browsing the store for five minutes, I know I'll find at least five things that appeal to me.

In fact, two of my best bookcases came from CSNstores. Cheap, easy to put together, and the fastest shipping I've ever experienced, I haven't found a better online furniture store. When I get something from CSN, I know I'm getting a quality product that will last for a long time. And I really meant what I said - each bookcase was more than easy to put together. I am the farthest thing from a handy(wo)man. I'm lucky I can properly hammer a nail into a board! But both products I have gotten from CSN have been so easy, with excellent instructions.

All that said, I have received the opportunity to review another CSN product - but gosh, which one?! Excuse me while I go browse for the next several hours. =)

Expect a review of a CSN product in the upcoming weeks!
~!~ Amanda ~!~

And it rode a black horse - Review of "Hunger" by Jackie Morse Kessler

 Why this book?: A friend and fellow librarian suggested it after she read it. I'm rather glad I took her advice.

Disclaimer: This is a library book. I did not receive this book, nor anything else, in exchange for a review.

Type: Young Adult, Series (I think), Paranormal, Apocalypse, Life issues that make you shake, Death is kinda cool in the grunge rocker sort of way.

About the book: Lisabeth Lewis is not anorexic. Suicidal, maybe, but not anorexic. She's too fat to be anorexic, she just works out and counts calories. Lisa thought it was another weird dream, some weird twisting of her hungry thoughts - but no. Death really was at her door, and he really did name her Famine, one of the four horsemen. Armed with a set of scales and a black horse, Lisa must become one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, or face Death as more than just a coworker.

Review: Wow. This book is just... wow. So much power packed into such a small container. At only 174 pages, Hunger is deep, soulful, and packs one heck of a punch. I don't really know what I thought it would be about when I starting reading, except that the Horsemen of the Apocalypse were involved, but the story blew me out of the water. This isn't just a teen novel where a girl has an eating disorder, finds herself, and gets over it - "Hunger" is so much more than that. And what a scary, accurate portrayal of anorexia it is - Lisa weighing herself, hearing the Thin Voice tell her how many calories are in everything, the numb feeling, the loss of balance and the lightheadedness. I've read some scary stories, but this story was positively bone chilling.

Lisa is.. fascinating. I assume it was due to her anorexia and suicidal tendencies that made Death choose her as the new Famine, but maybe Death just picked someone at random. But who better to fulfill the role? Lisa's transformation into the Horseman was frightening and oddly.. right, fitting maybe. And Kessler's portrayal of the other Horsemen, Death especially, kept me on the edge of my seat with fascination and excitement. I might even say I'm in love with this book... and maybe a little with Death, there needs to be more Death.

Cover Loving: Definitely. A simple, yet gorgeous cover, perfect for "Hunger."

Recommendation: Oh yes. The second I finished this book, the word "Original" came to mind. And that's what it is - something new and fresh, something tragic and beautiful, and just right, just perfect.

Final rating: FIVE out of FIVE (5/5). It's been a while since I gave something a perfect rating, but this book definitely deserves it. "Hunger" is one of the keeper shelves. And I hope to check out "Rage" (War's story) coming later this year.

Have you read "Hunger"? Share your thoughts in the comments. Want to read it? Pick up your copy today from Amazon.com via the link on the left.

Until next time, campers..
~!~ Amanda ~!~

Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodniiiight- Review of "Goodnight Tweetheart" by Teresa Medeiros

 Why this book?: It... it just sounded so dang cute!

Disclaimer: This book was sent to me by a member in my critique group for fun. This book was originally sent to her for review.

Type: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Stand-alone, Comedy, Social Networks, Cute!, Chock full of pop culture-y goodness

About the book: Abby Donovan is an author, or was one. Her first book sold so well, and now she's too scared to continue, despite being way past her deadlines, and running out of money quicker than she thought. So in a last ditch effort to get her name back in the public eye, Abby's publicist sets up a twitter account for her. But it's not the fun or ease of twitter that keeps her coming back, it's fellow tweet-er Mark Baynard, the man who helped her figure it all out, and actually understands all her pop culture references. Can Abby and Mark fall in love in 140 characters or less?

Review: I'm not a huge fan of twitter, but I am a big fan of funny, cute contemporary romances. And this books was just that. Told mostly in tweets, Goodnight Tweetheart is the story of Mark and Abby, who meet on Twitter. And even though their conversations are short and quippy, they quickly begin to change each other's lives. There are some moments of traditional writing - Abby's in-person conversations with her editor, or with her best friend, but in my opinion, the best part are the tweets. They also make this a very quick book to read. And if it hadn't been quick, I would have made it so by reading faster to find out what happens.

This is one of the instances I wish I could reveal spoilers, but I refuse. But I will say that "Goodnight Tweetheart" turns out to be something deeper and more meaningful towards the end of the book. The cutesy humor is still there, but there's something so much more touching. And the ending, the last few pages in particular, nearly did me in. I wish there was more to this book, but at the same time - maybe it's best that there isn't. This way, the reader can imagine something better than there might have been. It's always hard when I know something that makes a book one of the best, but I can't share it with readers and prove my point. So in this case, you'll just have to take my word for it.

Cover Loving?: I think this cover really fits the book. And I love the tagline "A love story in 140 characters or less."

Recommendation: Definitely. Love some humor with your romance? Check it out. Want some deeper meaning? GET IT! Fans of contemporary romance, or romance in general, should jump all over "Goodnight Tweetheart."

Final rating: FOUR POINT FIVE out of FIVE (4.5/5). Seriously. The ending just did it for me. This book probably would have been a little under a four if it wasn't for the reveal and ending - I loved the final chapter that much.

Have you read "Goodnight Tweetheart," or anything else by Teresa Medeiros? Share your thoughts in the comments! Want to check it out? Buy it from Amazon.com via the link to the left. Trust me, you'll enjoy it. And then come back here and whine with me about wanting more. =)

Until next time: Happy Reading, everyone!
~!~ Amanda ~!~