Joined Twitter

Just a quick little note that I'm now on Twitter. I haven't a clue how to use it yet, but my BEA roomies have promised to hook me and get me going smoothly. Come help me out or say hi.

You will notice that there is now a Twitter icon on the top right with the other social buttons for easy finding.

On My Wishlist #56

On My Wishlist is a weekly meme hosted by Cosy Books. Every week I'll introduce you to a book that's on my extensive wishlist. Sometimes they are new books, but quite often they aren't. Let me know if you've read it, and what you think.

Shattered Love by Heather Topham Wood

When Alice Barrie, an administrative assistant in her late twenties, lost a baby and her boyfriend in the same week, she thought she’d hit rock bottom-little did she know the worst had yet to come and haunting depression and violence would push her to the edge.

Alice thought her life was over when her boyfriend left after her miscarriage. Months later, the promise of love with handsome Peter gives her the hope to escape her past. As their relationship blossoms, Peter shows a dark side that Alice finds hard to accept. As danger closes in, Alice doesn’t know who to trust. Is Peter after her? Or has depression and anxiety consumed her to a point where she can’t tell the difference between reality and truth. When her ex-boyfriend re-enters the picture and wants a second chance, Alice has to decide not only who to love, but who she can trust.

Shattered Love is a debut novel that focuses on how to move on after loss and the bad decisions made when gripped in the throngs of depression.

After reading Heather's second book, First Visions for a book tour later this month, I immediately wanted more from her. The second book in the Second Sight series isn't available yet, so I turned my eye to her debut novel. It sounds very different from the book I just read, but very intriguing and emotional.

The cover is gorgeous with only the red colour popping. Also very emotional. The cover model looks so sad. It fits the summary pretty well.

June Round-up: 2012 Self-Published Challenge

Welcome to the June round-up for the reviews for the 2012 Self-Published Reading Challenge. Before you enter your reviews in the linky tool below, ensure you have signed up.

For every review that is entered in the linky below, you will get one entry into the giveaway for the month. What's available for June?

Mystery prize for now because I got a little disorganized and forgot to arrange which books would be available this month. I'll let you know once I figure out what will be given away.

Enter the links to your reviews using the following linky tool. Please enter them as Name (Title), ie my reviews will be entered as Workaday Reads (Book Title). I would encourage everyone to visit some of the other participants and find some new books for yourself.

June Round-up: 2012 Ebook Challenge

Welcome to the June round-up for the reviews for the 2012 Ebook Challenge. Before you enter your reviews in the linky tool below, ensure you have signed up.

For every review that is entered in the linky below, you will get one entry into the giveaway for the month. What's available for June?

Mystery prize for now because I got a little disorganized and forgot to arrange which books would be available this month. I'll let you know once I figure out what will be given away.

Enter the links to your reviews using the following linky tool. Please enter them as Name (Title), ie my reviews will be entered as Workaday Reads (Book Title). I would encourage everyone to visit some of the other participants and find some new books for yourself.

RAK: June

RAK is a chance to give books to and receive books from other book loving people. You sign up each month with a wishlist, and then choose other people to send books to. In a perfect month you give as many, or more, books than you receive. At the end of the month you share the goodies you got and sent.

Sign-ups and lists of participating people for the month are viewable at Book Soulmates.

This month was better for RAKs, at least in terms of equality. I sent and received the same number of books during the month.

Received:  
Storm Front (The Dresden Files #1) by Jim Butcher - from Melissa at Writer Grrl Reads
The Giver by Lois Lowry - from Adam at Roof Beam Reader

Sent: The Pledge by Kimberly Derting- to Shayna at ShaynaGier.com

My Wishlist:
I prefer either paperback or ebook (for my Sony reader from either the Sony Store or Smashwords). 
My full wishlist is here on Goodreads.
My top 5 choices are:

• WWW: Watch (WWW #2) by Robert J Sawyer
• WWW: Wonder (WWW #3) by Robert J Sawyer
• First Grave on the Right (Charley Davidson #1) by Darynda Jones
• Sins of the Son (Grigori Legacy #2) by Linda Poitevin
• ...

If you want to send me something, email me at helpersarah2009[at]gmail.com

May in review

May was a busy month. I think I covered most of what happened this month in my weekly review posts, so I haven't really got much else to share today.

Books read:
In May - 14
Year-to-date - 67 - I'm still ahead of schedule.

Posted in May:
Reviews -17
Discussion posts - Only my week in review posts
Author interviews - Gene Doucette, Catherine McKenzie, Anna DeStefano, Lauren Sweet, Nancy Richardson Fischer
Author guest posts - Chynna Laird, Rex Evans Wood, Selah Janel, Gregory G Allen, Juliet Nicolson

Challenge Status:

2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge - 29/30
Speculative Fiction Challenge 2012 - 32/48
2012 Audio Book Challenge - 10/24
2012 Ebook Challenge - 43/100
2012 Self-Published Reading Challenge - 15/50 - the only challenge I am behind schedule for

Canadian Book Challenge 5 - 26/13 - completed but still tracking until June 30

What's coming in June?
Three letters: BEA
There are also two big giveaways coming this month: Indie Author Giveaway Hop and "Clean Your Shelf" Giveaway Hop.

Amped

Amped by Daniel H Wilson
Source: Review copy from Doubleday via Netgalley
Links: Amazon, Goodreads, Author's website

Technology makes them superhuman. But mere mortals want them kept in their place. Enter a stunning world where technology and humanity clash in terrifying and surprising ways.

Some people are implanted with upgrades that make them capable of superhuman feats. The powerful technology has profound consequences for society, and soon a set of laws is passed that restricts the abilities—and rights—of “amplified” humans.

On the day that the Supreme Court passes the first of these laws, 29-year-old Owen Gray discovers that his seizure-supressing medical implant is actually a powerful upgrade. Owen joins the ranks of a new persecuted underclass known as “amps” and is forced to go on the run, desperate to reach an outpost in Oklahoma where, it is rumoured, a group of the most enhanced amps are about to change the world—or destroy it.

This book was full of scary possibilities, of technology that is plausible and beliefs and actions that are recognizable. This book is Robopocalypse on drugs. The author has definitely taken his experience with that book and amped it up a notch.

Even though it was easy, and sad, to see how quickly people turn to hate and discrimination, there was a deeper message the people are inherently good. People rallied together and looked after one another. There seemed to be a message that while there will always be extremists, most people are good.

My favourite character was, without a doubt, Nick. His hyper, nonstop attitude brought a smile to my face every time. Even with everything happening around him, he was still very much a kid. And just any kid, but the type you're glad to know. The one that drives you crazy, but that you love without a thought.

Overall, this was a great read. The possibilities are scary, and people's reactions were both predictable and saddening, but overall, it was a thrilling adventure.

Challenges read for:

Speculative Fiction Challenge 2012

2012 Ebook Challenge