Wishlist Wednesday (61)

Wishlist Wednesday is a book blog hop hosted by Pen to Paper where we share and post about a book that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added, that we can't wait to get off the wishlist.

Whilst I have read both Dark Kiss by Michelle Rowan and Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry I read them thanks to NetGalley and I loved both books so much I want to get them in paperback too :3

Dark Kiss Synopsis: I don't do dangerous.  
Smart, über-careful, ordinary Samantha-that's me. But I just couldn't pass up a surprise kiss from my number-one unattainable crush. A kiss that did something to me...something strange. Now I feel hungry all the time, but not for food. It's like part of me is missing-and I don't know if I can get it back. 
Then there's Bishop. At first I thought he was just a street kid, but the secrets he's keeping are as intense as his unearthly blue eyes. If he's what I think he is, he may be the only one who can help me. But something terrifying is closing in, and the one chance Bishop and I have to stop it means losing everything I ever wanted and embracing the darkness inside me.... 
NIGHTWATCHERS 
When angels and demons must work together, something beyond evil is rising...

Pushing the Limits Synopsis: No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

Being Jamie Baker by Kelly Oram - Review

Being Jamie Baker by Kelly Oram

Published: 15th June 2010 by Bluefields
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy / Paranormal / Supernatural
Page Count: 353
Series: Jamie Baker #1
Format: eBook
Source: Kelly Oram

Synopsis: An accident that should end in tragedy instead gives seventeen-year-old Jamie Baker a slew of uncontrollable superhuman abilities. To keep her secret safe Jamie socially exiles herself, earning the title of Rocklin High's resident ice queen. But during a supercharged encounter with star quarterback Ryan Miller she literally kisses anonymity goodbye. Now the annoyingly irresistible Ryan will stop at nothing to melt the heart of the ice queen and find out what makes her so special. Unfortunately, Ryan is not the only person on to her secret. Will Jamie learn to contain her unstable powers before being discovered by the media or turned into a government lab rat? More importantly, can she throw Ryan Miller off her trail before falling in love with him?

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon UK* / Amazon US / B&N / TBD*

Review: 

5 / 5 stars

I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of Being Jamie Baker from Kelly Oram in preparation for reading More Than Jamie Baker in exchange for an honest review shortly after its release, this will in no way effect my opinion on the book!

Even though I had hoped to get both of these read before MTJB released I hit a reading slump thanks to moving and what not this hasn't happened but I did finish this book on the release date of MTJB so I'm hoping I can make a swift start and finish on it too.

Anyway back to the review.

Being Jamie Baker actually has the perfect synopsis, its sums up the story perfectly without giving anything anyway, plus the cover is to die for. Jamie is the Ice Queen of her school, the loner and "freak", as she alienated herself from day one. But the Ice Queen image she has built starts to melt and crack after a kiss with Mr Popular - Ryan.

I think usually that kind of summary would leave me rolling my eyes and scoffing how silly it is one should change after an encounter with a boy, or because of the image she's created and trying to maintain but luckily this book isn't one that left me doing either of those.

And that is because Jamie has a reason to be the Ice Queen, she has super powers that she can't control all too well, that can be triggered by her emotions and whilst her school may know her as Ice Queen, her family know her as a Drama Queen so having super powers that like to go off when you're angry, sad, excited or well anything too emotional isn't the best of things.

The kiss changed Ryan before it changed Jamie though. He got a little super charged from the kiss and was surprised by her reaction and genuinely wanted to get to know her more, the trouble is Jamie had created this persona of herself to keep everyone safe and the truth about her hidden but as a class assignment happens that needs you to write a biography on another class mate, Ryan leaps at the chance to pair up with Jamie Baker.

I absolutely adored the development of their relationship, it was so gradual and lovely. You could see how hard to wanted to fight letting someone get close but eventually Ryan was just too persistent. Usually I'd probably be like "ugh stop being so needy or pushy" but it was done well in the book especially because you knew that Jamie did actually want to say yes and he was actually really patient with her.

But the book isn't just about their relationship no.

We also get to find out more about Jamie too, exactly what powers she does have, how and where they came from and the truth about the accident that gave them to her, plus we get to see her learning to have control over them and practising her ability to keep her emotions under control. Its great.

Plus there are a few other surprises outside of this that I don't really want to talk about because it'd just spoil it.

Of course we do come face to face with a bad guy, or two, which is all done really well.

But more importantly I want to talk about Mike and Becky. What I'm going to talk about here some may consider spoiler-worthy but I picked up on the truth very early on. In short, Mike raped Becky but it was all hush hush, hidden and only briefly referred too until towards the ending but that's because we were seeing it from Jamie's view and she had other things going on than to realise what had happened between people who were't even her friends at the time. But I was happy this subject was addressed, even if it was only briefly because its a very real thing that happens to so many people and I think that yes rape does need to be addressed in YA novels because I think readers needs to be aware just how cruel the world can be but how we, even as humans, can tackle it, fight the past and hopefully become a stronger person and know that the blame is never with the victim. Whilst I don't agree with Becky not going to the police, it was nice to show her as a character being not the usual popular girl you'd expect, but then also stepping back in to take her crown and facing her demons - Mike - and knowing who her real friends were and who should could actually rely on in her time of need.

Overall I adored this book and how it tackled both real life issues and that of the super world too. Nice mix up of the two. I can't wait to read the sequel.

Kelly Oram: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

*When purchasing through this link, I will receive a small amount, once I have enough saved up I will put it towards a giveaway.

Wishlist Wednesday (60)

Wishlist Wednesday is a book blog hop hosted by Pen to Paper where we share and post about a book that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added, that we can't wait to get off the wishlist.

I know you're probably thinking why do I have Harry Potter books on my wishlist, but the truth is I've never owned these books, just borrowed from other people :c

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Synopsis: Harry Potter, along with his best friends, Ron and Hermione, is about to start his third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry can't wait to get back to school after the summer holidays. (Who wouldn't if they lived with the horrible Dursleys?) But when Harry gets to Hogwarts, the atmosphere is tense. There's an escaped mass murderer on the loose, and the sinister prison guards of Azkaban have been called in to guard the school...

A fantastic new story featuring Harry and his friends from the spellbinding J.K. Rowling.

Bought, Borrowed & Bagged (55)

BB&B (Bought, Borrowed and Bagged) is a weekly meme hosted by Braine and Debbie @ Talk Supe where we share with you the books that we have bought, borrowed or bagged (won or gifted) plus a recap of the previous week's reviews, upcoming reviews, on going events and book movie or television news and The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It's a chance to share news; a post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. As you can see I've decided to link on another weekly haul/wrap up meme because I'd like to start visiting some new blogs on the atmosphere and I find meme's are the best way to do so!

-Bagged-
A Storm of Swords: Steel and Snow and A Storm of Swords: Blood and Gold by George R. R. Martin
Ah, remember during the last readathon and I had my best friend Lewis posting, well we met up this weekend and he gave me these for my birthday! Also he swapped copied of Mockingjay with me because he knew how anal I am about book covers and was still upset about the fact I'd ripped mine!




This fortnight on Northern Plunder:
Sale: Being Jamie Baker by Kelly Oram
Wishlist Wednesday
Book Tour Review: No Ones Angel by Kelly Walker
Book Tour Review & GIVEAWAY: My Ex From Hell by Tellulah Darling
September Wrap Up
Attempting University
DNF Review: Gargoyle Addiction by Livia Olteano
Book Tour Review & GIVEAWAY: Burn Out by Ruthi Kight


Upcoming on Northern Plunder:
Wishlist Wednesday


Lauren's Progress:
Read in 2013: 59 / 60

Currently Reading:
The Walking Dead Compendium by Robert Kirkman (6%)
Later with Myself by Sheryl Sorrentini  (3%)
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (5%)
Being Jamie Baker by Kelly Oram (15%)


News from Lauren:
Lewis visited this weekend which was great, we explored a part of my new city that I have to draw for my course, did some gaming and just had a pretty chill time. It was nice not working 24/7 for once.



Also trying booktubing with one other girl, the group thing is really difficult. Hopefully this'll stick, I'll keep you updated with how that works out.