Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

@Bunnitaz #NewReleaseTuesday #takecontroltbr
rating: 5stars (4.8)

From Kobo:
Galen, a Syrena prince, searches land for a girl he's heard can communicate with fish. It’s while Emma is on vacation at the beach that she meets Galen. Although their connection is immediate and powerful, Galen's not fully convinced that Emma's the one he's been looking for. That is, until a deadly encounter with a shark proves  that Emma and her Gift may be the only thing that can save his kingdom. He needs her help--no matter what the risk.

My Review:
You know I have a habit of putting off reading books. Such is the case with Of Posidon. I had seen the cover pop up on Y.A. book searches and booktube. So I finally took the hint. I still wasn't sure if I was going to like the book so I checked it out of the library.

I am glad that I did. I like that the story is about merpeople...excuse me Syrena. In this telling of Syrena, Emma McIntosh is a Syrena but she does not know it. Galen is a Royal Syrena who has heard about Emma from his human friend Dr. Milligan.

When Galen finds her he has two surprises. One, she doesn't seem to know what she is. Two, there is an intense physicalk spark between them. The latter is significant because though Syrena can sense each other in the water it doesn't not happen on land.

As the pair are dealing with their feeling for another they are also trying to piece together why Emma has been living life as a human. He knows that she hasn't actually broken the law that probids them from spending too much time on land since she has been on land from birth. The question is how is it possible for her or rather her parents to have escape the notice of Syrena and why did they leave in the first place?

Meanwhile Grom, Galen brother, has become King of Triton. He had avoided mated since his previous mate Nailia was killed during an underwater human mine explosion. As king he will have to have an heir at some point. This is where Jagen and his daughter Paca come in to play. They are from Poseidon. The two kingdoms have been at odds with one another since Nailia died. King Atonis of Poseidon blamed Galen for his daughters death. Now as King, Grom has an obligation to marry someone from the other kingdom if she has the Gifts of Poseidon which Paca claim to have.

The ending is a great set up for the next book. Rayna discovers that Paca isn't who she claims to be and Galen confirms it. Grom for some reason (perhaps because it costed him so much to consider mating with Paca as he states that he feels that at times it feels as though he is betraying Nailia) doesn't believe them and ends up expelling them. Galen and Rayna return to land learning that Emma mom is not who she claims to be either.

The story is well written at times downright poetic. It is descriptive without being overly narrative. I like the explanations as to how the Syrena bodies adapt from water to land. The intermingling of history and myth makes the story believable. All I can say is, shame on me for waiting so long to read this.

Quotes:
The wind whispers through the dune grass just off our back porch, making it look like a gathering of hula dancers.

Characters:
Emma McIntosh - (didn't know she is a Syrena)
Galen Forza (last name is fake for human purposes) - A Royal from Triton
Chole - Emma best friend who dies during a shark attack while on vacation in Florida
Rayna (Samantha Forza for human purposes)- Galen sister
Toraf - Triton tracker and Rayna mate
Dr. Jerry Milligan - human friend to Galen
Grom - King of Triton and older brother to Galen and Rayna
Rachel - Galen personal assistant
Mark Baker - quarterback and admirer of Emma
Mr. Pinner - History teacher
King Atonis - King of Poseidon mother to Nailia
Nailia - mated to Grom (deceased)
Yudor - Triton tracker and trainer of Toraf
Romul - Archive, oldest living Trident, and a teacher of sort to Galen
Dr. Morton - friend to Emma's father and her doctor
Mrs, Poindexter - works in school office
Jagen - Distant cousin to King Atonis father to Paca
Paca - Daughter to Jagen, rumored to have the Gift of Poseidon,
Herof - Past king of Triton, father to Grom, Galen, Rayna
Atta - Archive
Officer Downing - a town policeman
Hal - a town paramedic

Setting

• Destin, FL
• Jersey Shore
• Titanic
• various place under water
• England
• Mexico
• Taressos (human name Atlantis) - city built for Poseidon

Challenges:
2014 Book Bingo Reading Challenge
I Love Library Books Reading Challenge 2014
YA Bingo Reading Challenge 2014

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallow by J.K. Rowling

@Bunnitaz #ThrowbackThursday
5stars

From Goodreads:
'His hand closed automatically around the fake Horcrux, but in spite of everything, in spite of the dark and twisting path he saw stretching ahead for himself, in spite of the final meeting with Voldemort he knew must come, whether in a month, in a year, or in ten, he felt his heart lift at the thought that there was still one last golden day of peace left to enjoy with Ron and Hermione.' With these words "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" draws to a close. And here, in this seventh and final book, Harry discovers what fate truly has in store for him as he inexorably makes his way to that final meeting with Voldemort. In this thrilling climax to the phenomenally bestselling series, J.K. Rowling will reveal all to her eagerly waiting readers.

My Review:
This is going to be long so you have been warned.

The List

• Lily is older than James by a couple months.
• There are 80+ characters names in the first 250 pages (I stopped counting after that)
• Causaliteies - Hedwig, Mad-Eye Moody (body not recovered), Ted Tonks, Dirk Cresswell, Gornuk (goblin), Bathilda Bagshot, Dobby, Fred, Remus, Tonks, Colin Creevey you can find a complete list here because I stopped counting 
• Tonks and Remus got married on the low and Tonks is pregnant
• Tonks dad is a muggle and mother is sister to Narcissa and Bellatrix
• Dudley had become accustomed to having Harry around (I think he thought of him as a brother)
• This list can go on forever so here's the review
• Harry and the Weasleys are distantly related

This is the last book of the series. :( Though it has been years, it is still sad to know that we will longer have any more adventures in Harry Potter land. For seven books, we have read about this ordinary boy forced into the extraordinary role of the-boy-who-lived. 

In the Deathly Hallows, the trio has dropped out of school to search for horcruxes. They don't, however, know where any of them are. At the beginning of there journey there are at Bill's and Fleur's wedding when the ministry falls. Thanks to Hermonine they end up in a diner where Death Eaters end of finding them. With no other place to go they return to Grimmauld place. It is there that they find out who R.A.B. is. Kreacher tells them what they need to know about the locket.

During retrieval of the locket Hermonine inadvertly takes a Death Eater to Grimmauld place. They end up in the woods. From that point on the story starts to pick up...a bit. They have the locket but unable to destroy it. Each take a turn wearing it (to keep track of it) as it intensify any negative feeling of the wearer. While wearing the locket Ron argues with Harry and leaves. But I'm not going to summarize the whole book. This is towards the beginning.

What we learn during this book is that Harry has a sense of wanting to know the truth. He was unable to understand that people were not always who they grew into being. It is a very black and white view. He learns that what you see is not always what is going on. We also learn the biggie. Snape had always had Dumbledore's back. He did not kill Dumbledore. He carried out his last wish. Snape had always loved Lily and that love made it impossible for him to betray the promise he made to Dumbledore years ago.

Harry finds out that was always suppose to subject himself to the killing curse, it just doesn't end the way he thinks. During he visit with Dumbledore while he (Harry) was in the "in-between" he get the answers he was seeking. Once he returns to his physical body (unbeknownst to anyone other than Narcissa) Voldemort has Hagrid carry Harry to the castle thinking that this will be the end of the resistance. However, the fight continue. Neville, the boy who many wonder why he was in Gryffindor, killed the snake Negini. Mrs. Weasley kills Bellatrix, showing that is stronger witch than some many have ever thought.

In the end, Harry and Voldemort square off. Harry tries to give Voldemort an out explaining to him the magic he doesn't understand. We all know, however, that Voldemort would have never taken the out. His ego wouldn't allow the possibility that he could be defeated by anyone especially a kid. Voldemort is a warning to value those things we think are small or even insignificant. It is those things that usually have the most impact in the grand scheme of things. Really it has been the thread throughout the series. Something that was mention in one book could come along 2 books later as being part of a big deal.

Well that is it isn't? The end of the Harry Potter series. Ah...so sad. Alas, there is always rereads and the movies. I must confess I like the movies but only love the first two and maybe the third one but the rest were just to different from the book to have love status. Anyway, it's been such a ride. Speaking of ride. Universal studios is yet another way we can continue to get our Harry Potter fix. I will say this. I think the Hogwarts castle ride was a mistake. Qudditch would have made an excellent ride. The castle would have made an excellent and unique hotel experience. Who wouldn't want to stay there. The Great Hall could've have been the hotel restaurant. First floor classes could have been interactive perhaps with classes or other hands on experience. The castle along with Hogsmeade would have given those who don't want or unable to go on the ride to have a full Harry Potter experience. Regardless, it's definitely on my to do list. Well I guess there's only one think left to say is...mischief managed.

The List of Question Unanswered

• What did Harry end up doing for a living
• Did the trio go back to school to finish especially Hermonine
• Did George keep Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes going
• What happened to Teddy Lupin cause he's not enroll in Hogwarts
• What's going on with the Weasley now that Fred is gone especially with George

Challenges:

2014 TBR Pile Reading Challenge

Hogwarts Reading Challenge 2014 Sign Up

YA Bingo Reading Challenge 2014

Take Control of Your TBR Pile March 2013

While I do an excellent job of keeping up on new releases and ARC reviews, my own personal bookshelf has suffered, so I decided that for the entire month of March I would focus on cleaning up my TBR pile, catching up on some series and finally cracking the spines on some of those books I cannot wait to read. So I am clearing my schedule, setting aside the ARC's and drowning myself in my own pile of lovely books. (new releases on my gotta have it now or die list-excluded..I will still read those, even though they will not count..LOL) 

So I am inviting you to join me! Glance over your shoulder at your own TBR pile...*yep it's that big!* Ya know you want at them and to encourage you for every book you read you'll get one entry into a Rafflecopter drawling to win a new 2013 release of your choice! 

Rules

• Link-up! This is open to everyone. If you do not have a blog then link your Facebook or Goodreads account. 
• Beginning March 1st, 2013 and ending March 31, 2013 at midnight read books from your TBR pile ALL books must have been published before March 2013. 
• Post a review to Goodreads, your blog or Facebook then link it to the Rafflecopter for an entry. 
• Rafflecopter will close on April 2, 2013 at midnight and a winner will be chosen. Open internationally as long as Book Depository or Barnes and Noble ship to you. Prize: New 2013 release. I will do pre-orders as well.  

You can use hashtag #TakeControl on twitter and share your progress. Share the Take Control Button or this post on your blog, Facebook or twitter to earn an extra entry for each place you share. (Rafflecopter will post March 1st, so be sure and enter them)

*note this challenge can be done in conjunction with any other TBR challenge as long as the book is read between March 1st and 31st.

I hope you will link up and join me! Spread the word and let's

Take Control of our TBR piles! 

Hopefully I will do well in on of these read-a-thons. This one is a month long so chances are good I will have read at least 2 books for this.

My Progress:

Week Ending 03/02

Books: None :-(

Week Ending 03/09
Books: Knit the Seasons, Death Match, Nightlife, A Faint Cold Fear (audiobooks)