Dear YouTube...

YOU SUCK!!!

So it's Friday and Vanessa & I were up until midnight last night recording this week's vlog which we were excited to share with you all today. However, it seems that YouTube has decided to be an a**hole today...

Our MP4 videos average 8 to 10 minutes long which is about 350-400 MB {very large files}. No lie, it takes me about 3 to 4 hours to upload one video - a bit excessive, eh?!

I spent the ENTIRE morning trying to upload today's video only to get a message letting me know that "upload failed due to unknown error". Grrrrr!! By this point, it was past noon and my video would theoretically be done by now. However, it was still taking forever to get past even 1%.

There has to be a faster way!! I have been scouring the internet: Googling, Yahooing, FAQ's, help desk...you name it, I searched it and I'm still empty-handed.

If any fellow Vloggers have any suggestions on how to make the upload process faster, I'll be happy to hear them.

I have a new computer, a good internet connection, I've shut off the screensaver and power saver settings...what more can I do?

Thanks!!

Cover Art: AfterLife By Claudia Gray

Afterlife
Book # 4 in the Evernight Series
by Claudia Gray

Scheduled to be released on December 8, 2010 by HarperTeen [per Goodreads].

Synopsis:

The fourth book in this electrifying vampire series has all the romance, suspense, and page-turning drama that have made Claudia Gray’s Evernight books runaway successes.

Having become what they feared most, Bianca and Lucas face a terrifying new reality. They must return to Evernight Academy, Lucas as a vampire and Bianca as a wraith. But Lucas is haunted by demons, both personal and supernatural. Bianca must help him fight the evil inside him, combat the forces determined to drive them apart—and find the power to claim her destiny at last.

Readers have fallen in love with Bianca and Lucas, and they will be thrilled to read this exciting conclusion to their romantic adventure.

Blog Tour / Review: The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller

Title: The Eternal Ones

Author: Kirsten Miller
Published: August 24, 2010 by Puffin
ISBN-10: 0141331992 | ISBN-13: 9780141331997
Pages: 352 pgs, Mass Market Paperback

Reason for reading: Participating in Blog Tour/Review courtesy of Book Report Network.

Synopsis:
What if love refused to die?

Haven Moore can’t control her visions of a past with a boy called Ethan, and a life in New York that ended i...more Because my review is so long-winded, I'm not including the synopsis here. To read it, please visit The Eternal Ones GOODREADS page.

Isalys's Review:
Haven Moore has never been normal. The vivid visions and fainting spells from which she's suffered since her childhood have branded her an outcast in the small and close-minded community of Snope City, TN. In her visions, she is a girl named Constance who was in love with a boy named Ethan. They both died tragically in a house fire in 1925. She knows that she was Constance in her past life. The question is, who was or for that matter, IS Ethan?

She had managed to put the visions behind her and instead focus on the flourishing designer dress line that she and her best friend, Beau, started. She knew she was destined for more than a sheltered life in Snope City so she saved her money which would one day take her to New York City - a city that has called to her for as long as she can remember.

Just when things are looking on the up and up, she sees a newscast about celebrity playboy Iain Morrow who is suspected of killing musician Jeremy Johns. She immediately faints and the visions come back stronger than ever. Her holier-than-thou grandmother is convinced that she's possessed by a demon and seeks help from the church. Unfortunately the pastor, a man Haven once thought she could trust has turned the town against her and she's forced to flee Snope City, albeit a bit prematurely.

She manages to make it to NYC knowing that that's where her visions are taking her. Does Constance want her to find Ethan? Could Iain be him? Almost immediately after arriving in NY, she's swept into a whirlwind of past lives clashing with current ones. She soon realizes that it's not as simple as falling into the arms of her past and maybe future love. Not knowing whom to trust, she seeks the help of the Ouroboros Society, a group of people who recall their past lives in some form or another. It's not until it's too late that she learns that the Ouroboros Society is at the very heart of a web of lies and deceit that involve both Haven and Iain. As Haven gets closer to the truth, she discovers that there is a much greater danger ahead. An evil immortal has set his eyes on Haven and every form she has ever taken. He is determined to possess her no matter what the cost. Together, Haven and Iain, must solve the mysteries of their pasts in order to secure their future and hopefully avoid suffering the same fate over & over again.

The concept of soulmates, reincarnation or past lives is not new or untried. However, Miller proves herself a masterful storyteller by creating a story that is complex, fresh and really interesting. Haven's story really starts in the 1920's with her life as Constance. We are then taken on a journey that starts in Snope City (and rural Tennessee), then off to NY (old and new) and even modern & ancient Rome.

Haven and Iain are complex characters that are a mystery as much to us as they are almost to themselves. They are each reminiscent of all the lives they have lived and it's fascinating to think that certain qualities stay with you no matter who you are or when you lived. I enjoyed unraveling their mystery and learning who these characters were. I also loved that Haven's character was feisty and independent. My only critique of her is she was a bit too uncertain, going from hot to cold at times...but I guess considering the circumstances of her story, that's only fair. Miller also focuses a lot on the secondary characters that live right on the edges of Haven and Iain's lives. They too are interesting characters that are relevant to the story, but we have to focus on whom was who in the past in order to truly understand what's going on in their present. As readers, we are trying to distinguish the good guys from the bad guys and we are thrown for a few loops. It was a bit of a brain exercise, lol.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book and by how captivated I was by Haven/Constance and Iain/Ethan's story. At 400+ pages, the book is lengthy but I feel that Miller did a great job of breaking down the rather convoluted plot. The story of love and loss was incredibly romantic! This novel also offers a certain depth that is rare in YA novels and that I found refreshing.

Bottom line: The Eternal Ones may be a bit slow to start but stick with it because it is entirely worth it! It's not perfect, but it is incredibly engaging. It will make you think and feel and it will probably haunt you after you turn the last page. It certainly stayed with me after I finished!

*Mark your calendars, The Eternal Ones hits stores on August 10, 2010!

RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 1/2

Note: Recommended for older teens due to some very suggestive scenes.

Covert Art: The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Queen

Book # 3 in the Iron Fae Series
by Julie Kagawa
Scheduled to be released on February 2011 by HarlequinTeen [per Goodreads].

Visit the Iron Fae World Website

Synopsis:Not yet available :(

Isn't the cover pink-tastic?! Love love love it!

It's a shame the synopsis isn't available yet!

Enjoy!

Blog Tour / Giveaway: Deadly Fear by Cynthia Eden

Title: Deadly Fear

Author: Cynthia Eden

Published: Aug 1, 2010 by Forever

ISBN-10: 0446559245 |ISBN-13: 9780446559249

Pages: 402 page, Mass Market Paperback

Reason for reading: Participating in Blog Tour/Giveaway courtesy of Hatchette Book Group.

Synopsis:
FBI Special Agent Monica Davenport has made a career out of profiling serial killers. But getting inside the twisted minds of the cruel and the sadistic has taken its toll: She's walled herself off from the world. Yet Monica can't ignore fellow agent Luke Dante, the only man who ever broke through her defenses.

Luke has the unique ability to put victims at ease . . . professionally, he and Monica made a perfect team. Now they're reunited to catch a murderer who uses his victims' deepest, darkest fears for sport - but their investigative skills aren't enough. Luke and Monica will have to face the secrets from their past, the ones that terrify them the most, if they are to have a future together.

But can they catch a killer whose weapon is . . .DEADLY FEAR.

Visit CynthiaEden.com
Follow @CynthiaEden on Twitter
Go to Facebook.com/CynthiaEden

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Giveaway
July 28 - Aug 4
{ 5 Copies available }

FILL OUT THIS FORM TO ENTER GIVEAWAY
{Important: Please leave a comment on this post stating you filled out the form! Thank you!}

Rules:
• To enter the giveaway you must complete the form (linked above) and leave a comment indicating that you've completed the form.
• Books will be delivered directly from the publishers so the giveaways are only available for U.S. and Canada residents. No P.O. boxes please.
Note: It may take several weeks to receive your prize so please be patient!
• Winners will be drawn soon after the contest ends and posted thereafter.
• Winners will be chosen using random.org!

♥ Feel free to contact us via email at booksoulmates[at]gmail[dot]com if you have any questions ♥

Good luck!

Teaser Tuesday 7.27.10

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading and it asks us to...

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

Share a couple of “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 Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

"I need one favor," I finally said in a small voice that sounded more like a stranger's than my own. "Tell Vee I walked home. I need to be alone."

"Angel?" Patch reached for my hand, but I pulled free. I felt my feet walking away, one step in front of the other. Farther and farther from Patch they took me, as if my mind had gone numb and turned all action over to my body.

~ p. 235 of "Crescendo" by Becca Fitzpatrick

New Releases 7.27.10

Crack open that piggy bank 'cuz here are this week's new releases :)

♥ Contemporary / Fiction ♥

Star Island by Carl Hiaasen
Super Sad True Love Story: A Novel by Gary Shteyngart

♥ Mystery / Thriller ♥

Queen of the Night: A Novel of Suspense by J.A. Jance

The Holy Bullet by Luis Miguel Rocha

♥ Biography ♥

Velocity 2.0: Paint, Pixels and Profitability by Dale Pollak

♥ Historical Fiction ♥

Order in Chaos (Templar Novel) by Jack Whyte

♥ Historical Romance ♥

Three Nights with a Scoundrel (Stud Club, #3) by Tessa Dare

♥ Paranormal Romance ♥

Water Bound (Sisters of the Heart, #1) by Christine Feehan
Eternal Kiss of Darkness (Night Huntress World, #2) by Jeaniene Frost
Tempting the Fire (ACRO, #5) by Sydney Croft

Dark Warrior Untamed (The Talions, #3) by Alexis Morgan
Captured by Moonlight (Moonlight Trilogy, #3) by Nancy Gideon

♥ Fantasy ♥

Waking The Witch (Women of the Otherworld, #11) by Kelley Armstrong
Bring On The Night (WVMP Radio, #3) by Jeri Smith-Ready

Dragongirl (The Dragonriders of Pern) by Todd McCaffrey

As Lie the Dead (Dreg City, #2) by Kelly Meding
A Wild Light (Hunter Kiss, #3) by Marjorie M. Liu
City of Ghosts (Downside Ghosts, #3) by Stacia Kane

Rise of the Poison Moon (Jennifer Scales, #5) by MaryJanice Davidson, Anthony Alongi
The Cartel 3 by Ashley Antoinette Snell, JaQuavis Coleman

♥ YA ♥

Daniel X: Demons and Druids (Daniel X, #3) by James Patterson, Adam Sadler
Fat Vampire: A Never Coming of Age Story by Adam Rex
Jealousy (Strange Angels, #3) by Lilith Saintcrow {July 29th}

Guardian of the Gate (Prophecy of the Sisters, #2) by Michelle Zink {Aug 1st}
Accomplice by Eireann Corrigan {Aug 1st}
The Thin Executioner by Darren Shan {Aug 1st}

Happy Shopping and Happy Reading!

Book Break-Up #1

It's not me, it's you!

Sometimes a book fails to grab you...or sometimes it grabs you, struggles to hold on and then you are forced to just let go! Either way, you will find yourself on occasion "breaking up" with a book or series. That's what this meme is all about.

We were inspired to participate by Lori at Pure Imagination who was in turn inspired by Carla at The Crooked Shelf...and thus, Book Breakups is born! We thought this was a very cool idea and are going to make it a regular post so we hope to have a button ready for it next time :)

This week, Isalys is breaking up with:

Black Dagger Brotherhood
by J.R. Ward
Let's settle down now...I'm sure most of you just fell out of your chairs, but get it, dust yourself off and let me 'splain. I loved this series, I really did...but somewhere along the way, J.R. Ward just lost me. Let me break it down for you:

1) The Heroines: I love strong female leads! Women that are feminine, yet can still hold their own against the strong male leads. I felt that most of the female leads in these books were either too weak {Marissa} or too "butchy" {Xhex}. I didn't feel that I, as a woman, could connect or relate to any of them. Bella from book # 1 was the exception.

2) The M/M Vibe: This is not a personal attack on homosexuality or in any way related to my views on the subject, but it's not something I'm entirely comfortable with reading either. I have read several books with gay & lesbian characters, but they are fun & playful and the kind of character you can see yourself being friends with. In this series, it's much more sexually intense. The way I see it, these books were written by a woman for women...why would I want to visualize two guys going at it? Not a turn-on for me, sorry!

3) The Lessers: Granted, these are the bad guys and they are critical to the plot and storyline. It's important to know what is going on, however, I don't want to be in their heads ALL the time. The narrative throughout the books flipped back and forth too much for me. Some of the scenes from the Lessers POV seemed inconsequential and I was oh-so-tempted to skip them altogether. Besides, some of those guys were just downright irritating (Ex, Mr. O *grrrr*)!

4) Too many stories in one book: I feel like Ward tried to tell us too much in one book. We were being led through a maze of drama between the main characters, the Lessers and the many secondary characters. It is important to set up the storyline for the following BOOK, but I only want a taste...not a mouthful!

I don't think it's fair for me to say that I'm so much as "breaking up" with the Brotherhood...it's really more along the lines of "taking a break". I have gotten half way through the series and I am curious to find out what happens with some of the characters...I'm just not in a hurry to!

Covert Art: Darkest Mercy by Melissa Marr

Darkest Mercy
Book # 5 in the Wicked Lovely Series
by Melissa Marr

Scheduled to be released on March 1, 2011 by HarperCollins [per Goodreads].

Synopsis:
The Summer King is missing; the Dark Court is bleeding; and a stranger walks the streets of Huntsdale, his presence signifying the deaths of powerful fey.

Aislinn tends the Summer Court, searching for her absent king and yearning for Seth. Torn between his new queen and his old love, Keenan works from afar to strengthen his court against the coming war. Donia longs for fiery passion even as she coolly readies the Winter Court for battle. And Seth, sworn brother of the Dark King and heir to the High Queen, is about to make a mistake that could cost his life.

Love, despair, and betrayal ignite the faery courts, and in the final conflict, some will win…and some will lose everything.

The exhilarating conclusion to Melissa Marr’s New York Times bestselling Wicked Lovely series will leave readers breathless.

Covert Art: The Lost Saint by Bree Despain

The Lost Saint
Book # 2 in the Dark Divine Series
by Bree Despain

Scheduled for release on December 28, 2010 by EgmontUSA [per Goodreads]

Synopsis:

Grace Divine made the ultimate sacrifice to cure Daniel Kalbi. She was infected with the werewolf curse while trying to save him, and lost her beloved brother in the process. When Grace receives a haunting phone call from Jude, she knows what she must do. She must become a Hound of Heaven.

Desperate to find Jude, Grace befriends Talbot—a newcomer to town who promises her that he can help her be a hero. But as the two grow closer, the wolf grows in Grace, and her relationship with Daniel is put in danger—in more ways than one.

Unaware of the dark path she is walking, Grace begins to give into the wolf inside of her—not realizing that an enemy has returned and a deadly trap is about to be sprung.

Blogger Hop and Follow!

It's time for The Blogger Hop and Follow Friday again. The Blogger Hop is hosted by Crazy-for-Books and Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee's View. They created these memes to give bloggers and readers a chance to network, support each other and find new blogs to read & enjoy.

Today's question is:
TELL US ABOUT THE BOOK(S) YOU ARE CURRENTLY READING!

Isalys is currently reading The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller.
It's about a girl who's been having visions and fainting spells since she was young. As a little girl talked about being someone else and falling in love with a boy named Ethan.

Now she's getting ready to go to college in NY and the visions have started again. She thinks she's recalling a past life. She meets someone who she thinks might have been her Ethan, but in this life he's suspected of murder which raises a whole new set of questions.

Seems interesting huh?! I just started so we'll see how it goes :)

Vanessa is currently reading Heist Society by Ally Carter.
Essentially Ocean's 11 for teens. Kat's dad was framed in a robbery and the only way to save him from being killed (by the bad guy) is for the stolen paintings to be returned. So Kat and her group of thieving friends contrive a plan to locate the paintings and return them before it's too late to save her dad.

♥Vlog ♥
Sorry guys, no vlog today :( Isalys had some family members in town from Chicago so she spent her free time with them and wasn't able to vlog.

♥ Books We Received ♥

Captured by Desire by Kira Morgan {Isalys / via mail}

♥ Books We Purchased or Borrowed ♥
The Heist by Ally Carter {Vanessa}
"This Lullaby", "That Summer", and "Someone Like You" by Sarah Dessen {Vanessa}
Nobody's Prize by Esther Friesner {Vanessa}
Stealing Athena by Karen Essex {Vanessa}
Heist Society by Ally Carter {Vanessa}
Dirty Girls Social Club by Alisa Valdes - Rodriguez {Vanessa}

♥ Books We've Read ♥
Isalys Read:
Seduction Wears Sapphires by Renee Bernard
Kiss of the Rose by Kate Pearce

Isalys is Reading:
The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller

Vanessa Read:
Kisses and Lies by Lauren Henderson

Vanessa is Reading:
Heist Soceity by Ally Carter

Have a SUMMERY weekend!!

Thanks for stopping by and if you're new to us, don't forget to leave a comment with your blog link so we can visit YOU too!

Free Book for Lucky Winners!

1. Lindy C. / "aromagik" {Submitted}

2. Allison S. / "The Allure of Books" {Submitted}

3. Jeanette J. {Submitted}

4. Amanda W. / The Mortal's Library {Submitted}

5. Terry M. {Submitted}

Winners were chosen using random.org. We will email those who we do not have addresses for already. You have until next Friday to get back to us with your address (if we don't already have it). If we haven't heard from you by then, a new winner will be chosen.

If you are still interested in more giveaways, check out our giveaways page {here}!

Cover Art: Last Sacrifice {Final} by Richelle Mead

Hi guys!

Back in June, I did a random "Waiting on Wednesday" POST in which I told you about how VERY EXCITED I am for the final book in the Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead. On that post, I included the unofficial cover art for Last Sacrifice.

Well, the OFFICIAL cover has now been released [per Richelle Mead's blog] and here it is:

Scheduled to release December 7, 2010 by Penguin USA.

In the previously released version of the cover, the model was blond. This was a bit confusing because the main characters isn't blond, but her best friend (important secondary character) is...so for a moment there, we thought it was Lissa on the cover. Penguin did some tweaking and this is the final product.

Here's a little extra info:
Sometime next year, Richelle will introduce another series set in the VA world with characters that we already know *woohoo*. For now, it's being referred to as the "the spin-off series," but it will eventually have its own name. So, in short, Vampire Academy is ending...and yet not ending! Rose will have walk-on roles in the next series *woohoo again*, but expect other characters to be the stars. Unfortunately, we'll have to wait to find out the "who, what, and where". She also tells us with absolute certainty that the VA series is not ever going to be retold from Dimitri's point of view. The saga must go forward!

Teaser Tuesday 7.20.10

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading and it asks us to...

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

Share a couple of “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 Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

Isalys's Teaser:
"She touched the corner of her mouth. He'd almost kissed her...with a shudder, she sat down on the bed. He already tried to scare her off by being overfamiliar; had he hoped that she would run away because of the blood-stained rose? She smiled slowly. She'd seen far worse than a drop of vampire blood and she'd been kissed far more competently. Rhys was right. Christopher Ellis didn't know her at all."

*I have a feeling Christopher Ellis is about to find out just who she is!*

*Update 7/21: Yesterday I forgot to mention...on the Hottness Scale of 1-10, the guy on the cover is an 11 - holy hottness batman!!*

~ p. 32 of "Kiss of the Rose: The Tudor Vampire Chronicles" by Kate Pearce