Emilie's Book World

Crossed by Ally Condie

2012-03-03T04:27:00.000-05:00

Title: Crossed (Matched #2)
Author: Ally Condie
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Release Date: November 1, 2011
Source: Gift
Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky - taken by the Society to his certain death - only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.

Cassia's quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander - who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia's heart - change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.

When I read Matched in 2010, I found myself to have been surprised by the book. By the end, I was really looking forward to the sequel. Crossed turned out to be just as good as the first book, if not even better, and it was a book that I had trouble putting down.

Cassia is slowly breaking out of the bonds of society, when she is thrust in a world where the rules have completely changed. Now on her way to the Outer Provinces in the hoped of finding Ky, Cassia discovers that doing so may be more difficult than she originally thought it would be. But things for Ky are not so easy either. Forced to run for his life on an almost daily basis, Ky and two other boys manage to escape the authorities but survival when on the run isn't easy. And soon enough Cassia also finds herself on the run. But she can't seem to catch up with Ky. And every step of the way, there seems to be something or someone trying to get between Cassia and Ky.

While I had enjoyed it, one of my main issues with Matched was that it took a while for the action to get going. This definitely wasn't the case with Crossed. Right from the beginning there was some action going on and it didn't let up until the end. The whole way thought, there was something happening. One thing I really liked about Crossed were the alternating points of view between Cassia and Ky. It was refreshing to be able to see the story through a new set of eyes. While I had liked seeing things from Cassia's point of view in the first book, also having Ky's point of view this time around really added to the story. And once again, the ending that Ally Condie wrote for Crossed has me looking forward to more to come in the final book.

I had said in my review of Matched that characters like Cassia are one of the reasons why I like dystopian novels so much. I can gladly say that this is still true after having read Crossed. Watching Cassia continue to grow and come into her own was something I really enjoyed throughout the book. Though sometimes I questioned some of the decisions she made, I liked seeing her learn from those decisions and grow some more. One character I really enjoyed was Ky. I really liked him in Matched, and I loved finding out more of his story in Crossed. Being able to find out more about his past definitely helped me understand him a lot better. The one character I wish I could have seen more of is Xander, but I am told that will happen in the final book.

Crossed by Ally Condie was a fantastic sequel to Matched. I was happy to be reunited with characters that I had grown to love and follow their stories some more. I can't wait to see how it will all come together in Reached, the final book in the trilogy.

Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin

2012-03-01T03:53:00.000-05:00

Title: Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters

Author: Meredith Zeitlin

Publisher: G. P. Putnam's Sons

Release Date: March 1, 2012

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

Kelsey Finkelstein has a plan for greatness…but that doesn't mean the rest of the world is in on it.

Okay, so let's say you're fourteen and live in New York City. You'd think your life would be like a glamorous TV show, right? And yet…

You don't have a checking account, much less a personal Black American Express Card. The only couture in your closet is a Halloween costume your mom made out of an old laundry bag when you were eleven. You've never been to a club, or had a drink served in a martini glass, or frankly, done anything really NYC-ish at all.

You definitely don't have any secret powers or friends who are vampires. You're about as normal and totally boring as a human being living in the most editing city on the planet could possibly be.

In other words? You're me: Kelsey Finkelstein.

But don't despair, people--this is going to be the year that I live up to all my untapped potential--finally.

I have to say…I'm feeling almost optimistic.

When I first heard about Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters, I thought it sounded like it would be a very fund and light read. After having read it, I can say that it was exactly that. It was definitely a book I enjoyed reading, but I still had some small issues with it.

Kelsey Finkelstein is all ready to start high school, and make her mark during her freshman year. She even has a plan to be the star of the JV soccer team and finally start dating her long-time crush. Except the rest of the world doesn't seem to be in on that plan. Right from the first day of school, nothing seems to be going quite according to Kelsey's plan. When she isn't being harassed by the captain of the JV girls soccer team, unflattering pictures of Kelsey mysteriously appear in the school newspaper. And if that wasn't enough, her group of friends seems to be falling apart and it feels like everyone is keeping secrets from each other. For Kelsey, freshman year is turning out to be a lot more complicated than she originally thought it would be.

As I've said, when I first heard about Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters I thought it would be a fun and adorable read and that's exactly what it ended up being. It was definitely a book I enjoyed and it even had me laughing out lout on more than one occasion. And at the time when I read it, it was exactly what I needed. But that doesn't mean the book was perfect. Since it covers an entire year, parts of the story felt kind of rushed but that was something I was able to overlook. My main issue was with the characters, but I'll get to that later. As far as the story goes, Meredith Zeitlin wrote a pretty great one in Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters, and it's one that made me laugh more than I thought it would.

While I actually liked the characters themselves, what I had a problem with was how their age didn't match up with some of their behaviour throughout the book. Maybe I had a sheltered childhood, but it struck me as odd that fourteen-year-olds would be going to parties and getting completely drunk. And without giving too much away, I also found it a little weird that high school juniors would be interested in dating freshmen, and everyone saw that as normal. But aside from that, I liked Kelsey and her friends as far as their personalities were concerned. There were definitely aspects of their personalities, especially Kelsey's, that reminded me of my own freshman self. And in spite of everything , I still found myself rooting for Kelsey by the end of the book.

Despite some of my issues with the book, Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters was still a really enjoyable read. If nothing else, this is a book that is likely to make you laugh out loud on more than one occasion.

Waiting on Wednesday (37)

2012-02-29T02:29:00.000-05:00

For those of you who don't know, Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine where book bloggers devote a post to an upcoming book release they are particularly looking forward to reading.

THIS WEEK'S PICK:

UNDERWORLD BY MEG CABOT

Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back.

Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera isn’t dead.

Not this time.

But she is being held against her will in the dim, twilit world between heaven and hell, where the spirits of the deceased wait before embarking upon their final journey.

Her captor, John Hayden, claims it’s for her own safety. Because not all the departed are dear. Some are so unhappy with where they ended up after leaving the Underworld, they’ve come back as Furies, intent on vengeance…on the one who sent them there and on the one whom he loves.

But while Pierce might be safe from the Furies in the Underworld, far worse dangers could be lurking for her there…and they might have more to do with its ruler than with his enemies.

And unless Pierce is careful, this time there’ll be no escape.

I love everything that Meg Cabot writes, and I really enjoyed Abandon when I read it last year. So basically I can't wait to read Underworld to find out what happens next to John. Plus the fact that Meg Cabot is one of my favorite authors ever doesn't hurt.

Underworld by Meg Cabot will be published May 28th, 2012 by Point.

Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep

2012-02-27T03:24:00.000-05:00

Title: Kiss of Frost (Mythos Academy #2)

Author: Jennifer Estep

Publisher: Kensington Teen

Release Date: November 29, 2011

Source: Purchased

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

Logan Quinn was trying to kill me. My Spartan classmaterelentlessly pursued me, swinging his sword at me over and over gain, theshining silver blade inching closer to my throat every time. A smile tugged uphis lips, and his ice-blue practically glowed with the thrill of battle…

I’m Gwen Frost, a second-year warrior-in-training at MythosAcademy, and I have no idea how I’m going to survive the rest of the semester.One day, I’m getting schooled in swordplay by the guy who broke my heart – the drop-deadgorgeous Logan, who slays me every time. Then, an invisible archer in theLibrary of Antiquities decides to use me for target practice. And now, I findout that someone at the academy is really a Reaper bad guy who wants me dead. I’mafraid if I don’t learn how to live by the sword – with Logan’s help – I justmight die by the sword…

When I read Touch of Frost, I immediately loved it, so I was more than happy to be able to read Kiss of Frost right away. And as much as I loved the frist book, I have to admit that I loved the sequel even more.

Now that she has discovered the truth about her heritage, Gwen Frost is finding it a little easier to fit in at Mythos Academy. Except that the discovery means that she has a lot of catching up to do, especially when it comes to weapons training. Now Gwen gets to spend all her mornings with Logan Quinn, the resident Spartan bad boy, and his Spartan buddies Kenzie and Oliver. On the bright side, this means more time with Logan, but unfortunately for Gwen, Logan still isn't available. But nothing is ever simple in Gwen's life, and it would appear that one again, someone wants her dead. Hoping to escape, Gwen goes to the Winter Carnival with her friends, but she may not be as safe as she thought, judging by recent events.

Where I found the action a little slow to start in Touch of Frost, with Kiss of Frost I was thrown right into it. With this being the second book in the series, there was a lot less background information that needed to be given, and I think that definitely helped the story move along at a quicker pace. And that is definitely something I loved about this book. The story kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way through. There were many plot twists that I definitely didn't see coming. And the mythology that I loved in the first book was definitely still there, and I got to find out more about it, which was fantastic. Kiss of Frost definitely didn't fall in the trap that a lot of sequels do. If anything, it was even better than the first book.

Gwen was still the same girl that I loved in the first book. She was still sarcastic and absolutely hopeless when it comes to weapons training. And of course, she is still totally in love with Logan Quinn, who incidentally, is still totally unavailable. He also still sounds as gorgeous as he did in the first book of course. I loved that Daphne and Carson were still present and they still make an absolutely adorable (and somewhat quirky) couple. I also really liked the addition of new characters in the form of Spartans Kenzie and Oliver. I feel like I got to know Oliver more, but I'm hoping to find out more about Kenzie in future books.

Kiss of Frost was an absolutely fantastic book and sequel. It was everything I hoped it would be and kept me guessing the whole way through in the best possible way. Now I just have to wait for Dark Frost to find out what's going to happen next.

In My Mailbox (30)

2012-02-25T16:27:00.000-05:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It is a post where book bloggers share the books they received for review, bought, borrowed or were gifted each week.

While I only received three books for review this week, I bought quite a few. From Monday to Wednesday I was in New York, and like any good book addict, I made a trip to the Strand. Right as I walked in to the store, I felt at home and had to limit myself both in terms of the number of books I bought and the amount of time I spent in the store. The store really is an incredible as everyone says it is, and if you ever go to New York I recommend you make a stop there. So without further ado, here's what I got this week.

Review:

- Among Others by Jo Walton - I hadn't really heard much about this book until it was offered to me for review. But it definitely sounds really interesting. It's also not technically a YA title but from what I can gather from the summary, the main character is a teen. At any rate, I'm really excited to be reading this one soon.

- Of Poseidon by Anna Banks - This book has been getting quite a fair amount of attention and it sounds like that attention is well deserved. It sounds like a really great mermaid book and I can't wait to get to reading it, though that might have to wait a little since the book doesn't come out until May.

- Thief's Covenant by Ari Marmell - This is another title I hadn't heard much about, but it sounds like a really interesting read. I find myself venturing more and more into fantasy and this sounds like it has a lot of potential. Hopefully, I'll be able to read it soon.

Thank you to Raincoast Books and Prometheus Books for sending me these for review!

Bought:

- The Wood Queen by Karen Mahoney - This is the sequel to The Iron Witch, which I really enjoyed. I'm looking forward to finding out what happens next in this story. And with some luck, I'll be able to do that soon.

- The One That I Want by Jennifer Echols - I'm a pretty big fan of Jennifer Echols and I love her romantic dramas. I've yet to read any of her romantic comedies, so I thought that The One That I Want would be a good way to start.

- Stupid Fast by Geoff Herbach - I remember hearing so many good things about this book when it first came out last spring but never really got around to reading it. When I found it for only $5 at The Strand, I decided to pick it up, and hopefully I'll be reading it soon.

- Article 5 by Kristen Simmons - This book sounds like a really great dystopian read and I have heard plenty of good things to confirm this. I was really excited to find it at The Strand since none of my local bookstores have had it in stock since it's release.

- A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young - I have heard nothing but absolutely wonderful things about this book since it's release last spring. I decided it was finally time I picked it up, especially with the release of the sequel quickly approaching.

- The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg - I have been wanting to read this book for the longest time. I'm definitely going to be reading it soon and hopefully I'll see for myself if it's as wonderful as everyone has been saying it is.

- I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella - I have loved Sophie Kinsella's books since I picked up the first Shopaholic book (which may not have been the most appropriate read when I picked it up in great 7 or 8). I'm really excited to be able to soon read her most recent release and hopefully I'll be reading it soon.

So that's all for me this week. Hopefully the coming weeks will be somewhat quieter book wise that way I can get a handle on my TBR pile...but that is unlikely to happen with all the great releases coming up. Leave me a link in the comments and I'll come check out what you go in your mailbox!

Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep

2012-02-25T03:26:00.000-05:00

Title: Touch of Frost (Mythos Academy #1)

Author: Jennifer Estep

Publisher: Kensington Teen

Release Date: July 26, 2011

Source: Purchased

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

My name is Gwen Frost, and I got to Mythos Academy – aschool of myths, magic and warrior whiz kids, where even the lowliest geeksknows how to chop off somebody’s head with a sword and Logan Quinn, the hottestSpartan guy in school, also happens to be the deadliest.

But lately, things have been weird, even for Mythos. First,mean girl Jasmine Ashton was murdered in the Library of Antiquities. Then,someone stole the Bowl of Tears, a magical artifact that can be used to bringabout the second Chaos War. You know, death, destruction and lots of other bad,bad things. Freaky stuff like this goes on all the time at Mythos, but I’mdetermined to find out who killed Jasmine and why – especially since I shouldhave been the one who died…

Touch of Frost is one of those books that didn't get as much attention when it came out, so I didn't really pay too much attention to it. But then I randomly decided to pick it up, and I am more than happy that I did. It ended up being a fantastic read.

Gwen Frost was perfectly happy living with her mother and grandmother while leading a normal life. But then her mother died in a car accident and Gwen was forced to transfer to Mythos Academy, a school for mythological warriors. Because the thing about Gwen is that she isn't exactly normal. Just by touching someone she can find out everything about that person. And that gift also applies to objects, which comes in handy to make extra cash off of her fellow students by finding things they lose. But then a student is mysteriously killed, and Gwen feels she should have beent he one killed. Even though she's alive, Gwen may still be in grave danger. Going to a school for warrior whiz kids may be even more complicated than Gwen originally thought.

I definitely have a soft spot for mythology, and the whole subject matter kind of fascinates me. All that to say that I'm always on the look out for a good book that deals with mythology. While there are many books like that out there, Touch of Frost dealt with the subject differently: instead of focusing on just one culture's mythology, this book looks at all the different warrior mythologies. It was definitely interesting and made for an action-packed story. Jennifer Estep wrote a story here that really captivated me and it wasn't too long before I found myself having difficulty putting the book down.

Gwen was a fantastic character and I loved getting to know her. Plus she had a great voice. She just had a way of telling the story that just made me smile, even at times when smiling wasn't necessarily the most appropriate thing to do. I also loved seeing her friendship with Daphne develop. It was definitely an unlikely one, but that's what made it special. And Daphne herself just had me laughing most of the time. She was full of contradictions and that just made me love her even more. And that leaves Logan Quinn. I can definitely understand why Gwen fell for him. But at the same time, he didn't seem quite right. Though by the end of the book, I totally felt the same way about him as Gwen did.

Touch of Frost was a fantastic and fast-paced read. Jennifer Estep definitely hit the mark with the mythology she chose to write about and definitely made me want to find out more. I was also very happy to have the second book on hand to start reading when I finished this one. It won't leave you hanging, but you still definitely want to know what happens next.

Picture the Dead by Adele Griffin & Lisa Brown

2012-02-23T03:11:00.000-05:00

Title: Picture the Dead

Author: Adele Griffin & Lisa Brown

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Release Date: February 1, 2012

Source: Finished Copy from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

Jennie feels the tingling presence of something unnatural in the house now that Will is dead.

Her heart aches without him, and she still doesn't know how he really died. It seems that everywhere she turns, someone is hiding yet another clue. As Jennie seeks the truth, she finds herself drawn ever deeper into a series of tricks and lies, secrets and betrayals, and begins to wonder if she had ever really know Will at all.

Before being contacted by the publisher, I hadn't rally heard anything about Picture the Dead, but it sounded like a really interesting read. In the end, it wasn't what I originally thought it was going to be, but it was still a very enjoyable read.

After the death of their parents, Jennie and her twin brother were forced to go live with their aunt and uncle at Pritchett House. But then her brother and cousins left to go fight for the Union, leaving Jennie alone. Now alone with her aunt and uncle, Jennie is eagerly awaiting the return of her cousins Will and Quinn, because their return mean she can be married to Will. But when only a wounded Quinn comes home from the war, Jennie is devastated and wants nothing more than to find out what happened to Will. Except that Quinn, the only person who really knows the truth, won't tell her what really happened. So Jennie sets off, attempting to find whatever clues she can, hoping they may lead her to the truth about Will's death. Except that the truth Jennie finds may not be the one she wants.

I don't read as much historical fiction as I would like to, so I was happy to have the opportunity to read Picture the Dead. It was also something different, the story being supplemented by illustrations and photographs. The story itself was interesting and captivating, though at times I found it to be moving a little slow. But regardless of that, I found myself continuing to read because I wanted to find out the truth about Will's death as much as Jennie did. As for the illustrations, they definitely added to the story and helped me better picture some parts of the story. In the end, Picture the Dead ended up being a very interesting story.

It's hard to talk about any characters other than Jennie. The story is told from her point of view, so I fell like I got to know her really well. But with the other characters, it feels like I only got to know them superficially and I wish I could have found out more about them. But that isn't to say that I didn't like Jennie. At first, I really liked her and loved how determined she was to find out the truth about what had happened to Will. I wanted nothing more than for her to find out the truth so she could finally have some closure and move on. But then she did something that seemed completely out of character and caused me to sort of question everything I thought about her. But at the end of the book, everything was made clear and Jennie stood up for herself and I once again found myself really liking her.

Overall, Picture the Dead was a really interesting read. If you are in the mood for something a little different, then I recommend you pick this one up and see what it's all about for yourself.

Waiting on Wednesday (36)

2012-02-22T02:24:00.000-05:00

THIS WEEK'S PICK:

UNRAVELING BY ELIZABETH NORRIS

Two days before the start of her junior year, seventeen-year-old Janelle Tenner is hit by a pickup truck and killed—as in blinding light, scenes of her life flashing before her, and then nothing. Except the next thing she knows, she's opening her eyes to find Ben Michaels, a loner from her high school whom Janelle has never talked to, leaning over her. And even though it isn't possible, she knows—with every fiber of her being—that Ben has somehow brought her back to life.

But her revival, and Ben's possible role in it, is only the first of the puzzles that Janelle must solve. While snooping in her FBI agent father's files for clues about her accident, she uncovers a clock that seems to be counting down to something—but to what? And when someone close to Janelle is killed, she can no longer deny what's right in front of her: Everything that's happened—the accident, the murder, the countdown clock, Ben's sudden appearance in her life—points to the end of life as she knows it. And as the clock ticks down, she realizes that if she wants to put a stop to the end of the world, she's going to need to uncover Ben's secrets—and keep from falling in love with him in the process.

From debut author Elizabeth Norris comes this shattering novel of one girl's fight to save herself, her world, and the boy she never saw coming.

I've been wanting to read this book since I first heard about it sometime last fall. The story sounds really interesting and I love a good mystery with some action. You can bet I'll be getting this book when it comes out.

Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris will be published April 24th, 2012 by Balzer + Bray

Fever by Lauren DeStefano

2012-02-20T03:55:00.000-05:00

Title: Fever (The Chemical Garden #2)

Author: Lauren DeStefano

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Release Date: February 21, 2012

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion but haven't outrun the danger. On the outside, they encounter a landscape as mysterious and threatening as the one they left behind. Despite the perils, the two are determined to get to Manhattan and to relative safety with Rhine's twin brother, Rowan. But in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men to age twenty-five, time is precious. Even worse, they can't seem to elude Rhine's father-in-law Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion…by any means necessary.

In this sequel to Lauren DeStefano's harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price--now that she has more to lose than ever.

I had been waiting for Fever ever since I read the last page of Wither last year. So you can imagine that I had very high expectations going in to the book. And those expectations were beyond surpassed. Fever was possibly even better than Wither.

Having escaped from her polygamous marriage, Rhine is on her way to Manhattan hoping to be able to be reunited with her twin brother. Except it might not be as easy as she originally thought. Now Rhine and Gabriel find themselves prisoners once again, this time of a sick and twisted carnival, trying once more to escape eventual death. But even after they escape the carnival, things aren't easier. With Vaughn hot on their trail, Rhine and Gabriel can only keep hiding for so long. And it seems the further they get from Florida and the mansion, the more Rhine is getting sick. From the looks of things, Rhine may never be able to fully escape the year she spent at the mansion being Linden's bride.

Fever was an incredible read. I'll admit that I may have liked it even more than Wither. With this book, the action starts almost right from page one and it doesn't stop until the last page. Not only that, but the book also took me on and incredible journey, both physically and emotionally. Fever is definitely an emotional roller coaster. One minute I was happy to see there may be hope for Rhine and Gabriel, and the next I would be in a state of total despair. And then if the story wasn't enough, the ending definitely left me hanging. With it, Lauren DeStefano made sure that her readers would be eagerly awaiting the final book in her Chemical Gardens trilogy.

I was very happy to be back with Rhine and Gabriel, both of whom I had come to love in the first book. I was happy to see they wer still the same people, despite everything they have gone through. Rhine was as determined as ever and still worried more about everyone around her's lives than she did about her own. And Gabriel was still the same boy, though he was definitely hardened by everything he saw and went through in the word outside of the mansion. While I was happy to see Rhine and Gabriel again, I also really liked the addition of all the new characters. My favorites were definitely Maddie and Silas. Despite not talking, Maddie was a great addition to the story. And Silas was more than he appeared to be. I'm hoping to see more of him in the future.

With Fever, Lauren DeStefano delivered an incredible sequel. This is a book that will take you on an emotional roller coaster. And once it's over, you're just going to want even more.

In My Mailbox (29)

2012-02-18T16:08:00.003-05:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It's a post where book bloggers talk about the books they received for review, bought, were gifted or borrowed from the library each week.

This week, A LOT of books came into my house. Last Sunday, I met up with four other Ottawa bloggers--Kathy from A Glass of Wine, Meaghan from Feeling a Little Bookish, Katherine from The Lady Critic's Library and Katie from Bookishly Yours--and I got a lot of books that way. Kathy had arranged for us to receive goodie bags with books from publishers and then we traded books with each other. And on top of all that we then went to Chapters and bought more books. And then later this week I received some for review as well. So all in all, it was a most excellent book week. Here's what I got.

For Review:

- The Chaos by Nalo Hopkinson - Until this one showed up in my mailbox, I hadn't really heard anything about it. But now that I've read the summary, I can say that it sounds really interesting. Since it comes out in April, I should be getting to it soon.

- Dark Eyes by William Richter - I've seen this one pop up around the blogosphere but haven't actually seen too many reviews. From the summary, it sounds really interesting and I will definitely be reading it soon since it comes out next month.

- Lightbringer by K.D. McEntire - Until I was asked to review this one, I hadn't really heard anything about it. But after doing some research, I decided it was probably going to be really interesting and it sounds different from what I normally read. Hopefully I'll be reading it soon.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada, Penguin Canada and Prometheus Books for these books!

Bought:

- Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout - I didn't think I would ever get this book since it got lost in the mail. But it finally showed up. I've read it already and really enjoyed it, though I have to admit that I still liked Half-Blood better. But I'll still be reading this series.

- Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler - I really like Sarah Ockler and Twenty Boy Summer is definitely one of my favorite books. I've been wanting to read Bittersweet since long before it came out so I was happy that my local Chapters finally had some copies in stock.

- Incarnate by Jodi Meadows - This seems to be one of those books that people either really like or don't really get into as much. I'm hoping to enjoy it, but at any rate it sounds like a really interesting premise and I can't wait to read it.

Traded:

And now I get into the books I got from the Ottawa Blogger Meet-Up. First off, we had all brought books to trade and here is what I traded for.

- Variant by Robison Wells - I've heard really good things about this one and I'm happy to now have a copy. Plus, from what I can gather, it is told from a boy's perspective and I love reading those books. Hopefully I'll be able to read it soon.

- So Much Closer by Susane Colasanti - I've only read one book by Susane Colasanti but I really enjoyed it. When one of the girls had this book up for grabs, I decided to take it and hopefully I'll enjoy it as much as the other Susane Colasanti book I've read.

- The Lying Game by Sara Shepard - I really like The Lying Game TV show but haven't read the books yet. Now that I have a copy I'm hoping to read it soon so I can see how the books and TV show compare.

- Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor - I haven't read this one yet and I don't really know why. Now that I have a copy, I'm hoping to be able to read it soon and see for myself what it's all about.

Goodie Bag Books:

Like I said, Kathy from A Glass of Wine had organized for us all to receive goodie bags with books from publishers in them. From this I got books from both HBG Canada and HarperCollins Canada. I got both adult titles and YA titles so I've split them up here.

- The Flying Man by Roopa Farooki - This is one of the adult titles I received. I don't know anything about it but I will probably end up reading it in the future when I'm in need of a break from YA.

- All For You by Sheila O'Flanagan - Most of the adult titles I read are chick lit and this one sounds exactly like that. It sounds like a really fun read and hopefully I'll be reading it in the near future.

- This is a Love Story by Jessica Thompson - This is another chick lit type book and it sounds like it has a lot of potential. Like with all the others, I'm hoping to be able to read it in the near future.

- Arcadia by Lauren Groff - This one was sent our way by Shannon at HarperCollins Canada. She explained in a note that Lauren Groff is one of her favorite authors and she hoped that we would enjoy Arcadia. It sounds really interesting and I'm hoping to read it soon.

And now for the YA titles I got in my goodie bag:

- Dreamless by Josephine Angelini - Shannon at HarperCollins had also gone through each of our blogs and sent us, along with Arcadia, a book she thought we would enjoy the most. She had seen my post about my most anticipated books of 2012 and decided to send me Dreamless. I was absolutely thrilled to see this in my goodie bag and I will definitely be reading it soon.

- It's Our Prom (So Deal With It) by Julie Anne Peters - I hadn't heard anything about this one until I found it in my goodie bag but it sounds like it could be a really cute read. I mean, it's about prom so how could it not end up being a fun book to read?

- Belles by Jen Calonita - I've seen this one pop up around the blogosphere and from what I know about it, it sounds like a book I would really enjoy. Since it comes out in April, I should be able to read it soon. Hopefully it will be as good as it sounds.

Swag:

This week I was also lucky enough to receive a ton of swag, thanks to the amazing Denise Jaden (author of Losing Faith and upcoming Never Enough). I also received a bookmark and signed bookplate from Gina Damico, author of Croak, for having participated in the Apocalypsies' YAmazing Race.

So that is all for me this week. As you can see, it was pretty much epic and it is going to be hard to top. But on the other hand, if every week were like this one I would never have any hope of making a dent in my TBR pile.

Leave me a comment letting me know what you got and I'll come check it out!

The Rivals by Daisy Whitney

2012-02-17T02:53:00.000-05:00

Title: The Rivals (The Mockingbirds #2)

Author: Daisy Whitney

Publisher: Little, Brown

Release Date: February 6, 2012

Source: Finished Copy from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

When Alex Patrick was assaulted by another student last year, her elite boarding school wouldn't do anything about it. This year Alex is head of the Mockingbirds, a secret society of students who police and protect the student body. WHile she desperately wants to live up to the legacy that's been given to her, she's now dealing with a case unlike any the Mockingbirds have seen before.

It isn't rape. It isn't bullying. It isn't hate speech. A far-reaching prescription drug rings has sprung up, and the students are using the drugs to cheat. But how do you try a case with no obvious victim? Especially when the facts don't add up, and each new clue drives a wedge between Alex and the people she loves most -- her friends, her boyfriend, and her fellow Mockingbirds.

As Alex unravels the layers of deceit within the school, the administration, and even the student body the Mockingbirds protect, her struggle to navigate the murky waters of vigilante justice threaten to reveal even more about herself.

When I read The Mockingbirds at the end of 2010, I absolutely loved the book and once I finished reading I couldn't wait for more. So you can imagine I was really excited when it was announced that there would be another book focusing on Alex and her friends. I was extremely excited when my copy of The Rivals came in the mail, and once I sat down to read the book, I didn't get up again until I was finished reading it. Yeah, it was THAT good.

It's a new year at Themis Academy and now Alex Patrick is the head of the Mockingbirds, the school's underground justice system. Alex is eager to be able to help fellow students the way the Mockingbirds helped her last year when she was date-raped. When a case lands in her lap, Alex doesn't know exactly what she's supposed to do. The case is unlike any other case the Mockingbirds have ever dealt with. But Alex decides to take on the case, because there is no way a school-wide drug ring can end well. But every step of the way Alex finds herself being led in different directions, and nothing seems to be adding up. Not only that, but Alex also finds herself being personally affected by the case and lying to her friends and her boyfriend. At the end of the day, could this case be the one that causes the Mockingbirds to fall?

Daisy Whitney's writing is addicting. While reading The Rivals I kept telling myself that I would only read one more chapter, but really, I just kept reading until there were no more chapters to read. The Rivals is not just one of those books that is incredibly addicting, it's also a book that will stay with you in more than one way. In her books, Daisy Whitney likes to deal with subjects that aren't easy. And those are the kinds of books I wish there were more of in YA. But beyond just that, I loved the story itself. There was something about it that just pushed me to keep reading. It was packed with twists and turns, and with every new piece of evidence that was presented, the culprit seemed to change. If nothing else, I wanted to keep reading just to finally be able to find out who was responsible for the drug ring.

Alex Patrick is a character I have come to love. I love how in spite of everything she has gone through, she never gave up and stood up for herself. In The Rivals, that same Alex is back and ready to help others do what she did for herself in the first book. And she doesn't succeed at it right away, and I loved that. I liked seeing her struggle and eventually work her way through it because it showed me that she wasn't perfect. And of course, in her place, I probably wouldn't have done much better. Another refreshing character is Martin. He isn't a bad boy or a complete jerk, but instead a total science geek and I love him for it. Martin was a great character to see again, and I love his relationship with Alex and the way he is with her. After everything she's been through, she deserves a boy like Martin…though I am tempted to steal him and keep him for myself.

The Rivals was a fantastic read. I've said it already and I'll say it again, but Daisy Whitney's writing is absolutely addictive. I just couldn't seem to get enough of this book and I am seriously hoping there are more books to come with these characters.

For more information about the book, be sure to check out the HBG website.

Waiting on Wednesday (35)

2012-02-15T02:19:00.000-05:00

THIS WEEK'S PICK:

DREAMLESS BY JOSEPHINE ANGELINI

As the only Scion that can enter Hades at will, Helen descends to the Underworld in search of a way to overcome the Furies and end the cycle of revenge that has cursed the Scions. But she’s running out of time. Each descent weakens her both in mind and spirit. A mysterious stranger might be her only salvation, but the price may be her love for Lucas Delos.

As an unforgettable love triangle emerges, Josephine Angelini’s compelling saga becomes ever more intricate and spellbinding. The eagerly awaited sequel to the internationally bestselling Starcrossed, Dreamless delivers with a huge emotional impact that will leave readers satisfied—and longing for more.

I absolutely loved Starcrossed when I read it last year. And it kind of left off on a bit of a cliffhanger so I'm greatly anticipating the sequel. That and I love Greek mythology so this is basically a great series. I can't wait for Dreamless to be released.

Dreamless by Josephine Angelini will be published May 29th, 2012 by HarperTeen.

The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour

2012-02-13T04:28:00.000-05:00

Title: The Disenchantments

Author: Nina Lacour

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

Release Date: February 16, 2012

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

Colby & Bev have a long-standing pact: graduate, hit the road with Bev's band, and then spend the year wandering around Europe. But moments after the tour kicks off, Bec makes a shocking announcement: she's abandoning their plans--and Colby--to go her own way in the fall.

But the show must go on and The Disenchantments wave through the Pacific Northwest, playing in small twins and dingy venues, while roadie-Colby struggles to deal with Bev's already-growing distance and the most important question of all: what's next?

Morris Award-finalist Nina LaCour draws together the beauty and influences of music and art to brilliantly capture a group of friends on the brink of the rest of their lives.

Before reading The Disenchantments, I had heard of Nina LaCour in passing, but I hadn't read her other book. So I didn't really know what to expect when I started reading. All I can say now is that I was absolutely blown away by Nina LaCour and this book.

Since freshman year, Colby and Bec have been planning the year they will spend in Europe after they graduate high school. But before that happens, they will tour along the West Coast with Bev's band, The Disenchantments. As summer and the tour roll around, Bev becomes more and more distant and Colby can't seem to figure out why. That is until the day Bev tells him that she's going to college in the fall and won't be going to Europe with him after all. Now Colby isn't sure what he has to do anymore. The only thing he knows for sure is that the show has to go on and so he stays on the road with The Disenchantments. And somehow, along the way, things start to fall into place again and maybe Colby will find out what his next move should be.

At first, I didn't really much of The Disenchantments. Don't get me wrong, it was an enjoyable read, but not necessarily one that was exceptional. But then something happend and I loved this book. All of a sudden I couldn't put the book down and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to find out what would happen next. The Disenchantments, if nothing else, took me by surprise and I absolutely loved it for that. And a large part of that was Nina LaCour's writing. Even when the story was slower, what kept me reading was her writing. There was something about it that took me in and wouldn't let me go. Despite the book being a contemporary novel, it still somehow felt magical.

Nina LaCour definitely knows how to write characters. Every single one of them felt completely real, even the more secondary characters. But not only did they feel real, each of the characters was also incredibly unique. And more than anything I loved that, despite this being mostly Colby and Bev's story, I still got to know the other people in the story, especially Meg and Alexa. I loved reading about everyone's stories and seeing how in the end they all came together and ended up all being connected. Even now, about two weeks since I've finished reading the book, I can still remember these characters, even the more minor ones, very clearly. All this to say that Colby, Bev, Meg and Alexa are definitely characters that are going to stay with me for a while.

I fell in love with everything about The Disenchantments. It was a book that took me by surprise in the best possible way. Even two weeks later, I'm still thinking about it all.

In My Mailbox (28)

2012-02-11T21:41:00.001-05:00

This week was a slow week for books, which is a good thing considering the number of books I got last week. Though I may end up getting more books tomorrow (Sunday) when I meet up with some lovely Ottawa bloggers for lunch. But at any rate, here's what I got this week.

Review:

- Jessica Rules the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey (Thank you Thomas Allen & Sons) - I just recently bought the first book in this series so I am happy to now have both books in order to read them in a row. Hopefully I'll be able to get to it soon.

Bought:

- Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins - I wasn't originally planning on buying this one, but when I met up with a bookish friend on Friday, she convinced me to buy it. Hopefully I'll be able to read this one (and Hex Hall) soon.

So that's it for me this week. I'm happy I didn't get too many books, if only because it is allowing me to sort of make a dent in my TBR Pile. But like I said, I may just end up with more books tomorrow!

My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent

2012-02-11T04:22:00.000-05:00

Title: My Soul to Take (Soul Screamers #1)

Author: Rachel Vincent

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Release Date: August 1, 2009

Source: Purchased

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

Something is wrong with Kaylee Cavanaugh.

She doesn’t see dead people, but…

She senses when someone hear her is about to die. And whenthat happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder.Literally.

Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention ofthe hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seemsto know more about her need to scream than she does. And when classmates startdropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who’ll be next…

I have been hearing about the Soul Screamers series for the longest time and have had the books sitting on my shelf for quite a while, but I only just picked up My Soul to Take. And then I got hooked and had trouble putting the book down. It was a fantastic start to what I'm sure is a fantastic series.

For the most part, Kaylee Cavannaugh has a normal life. At least as normal as can be when her mother died when she was three and her father left, leaving Kaylee with her aunt and uncle. And then there's the whole screaming thing, which doesn't really make her the most popular girl in school. Because the thing about Kaylee is that she can sense when people are about to die and that causes her to scream. But now things are looking up. Nash, one of the most popular boys in school, is paying attention to her and seems to know more about Kaylee's screaming than he's willing to let on. But then girls start dropping dead left and right. And Kaylee can only hold in the screams for so long.

So why I waited so long to start reading the Soul Screamers series has become a mystery to me. I've had the books sitting on my shelf for the longest time but never really felt compelled to pick them up. But now that I've read My Soul to Take, I regret not having started this series earlier. It was a fantastic read, and one that quickly drew me in. It didn't take very long for me to have trouble putting the book down. I just wanted to find out what was going on with Kaylee and all the mystery surrounding her family. Rachel Vincent really wrote an incredible story here, and made it so I want nothing more than to find out what would happen next.

I liked Kaylee right from the start. She was a great character and I was happy she was the one telling the story. She had a fantastic voice and I loved finding things out at the same time as she did. I also loved seeing her grow and come into her own. The only issue I had with her was how quickly her relationship with Nash took off. But at the same time I really liked their relationship, so it was something that I was able to overlook. And I also, obviously, really liked Nash. He was a great counterpart to Kaylee and I loved all he was willing to do for her. As for the other characters, I would have liked to see more of them, especially when it comes to Tod. But I'm told that I should be patient and the time for more Tod will come.

I'm glad I finally picked up My Soul to Take and started reading the Soul Screamers series. I can't wait to find out what happens in the next book.

Dead to You Blog Tour: Q&A with Lisa McMann

2012-02-10T03:54:00.000-05:00

Today I am lucky enough to be participating in Simon & Schuster Canada's blog tour for Dead to You by Lisa McMann. I had the pleasure of asking author Lisa McMann a few questions and here is what she had to say.

Many of your books, and especially Dead to You, have a thriller feel to them. What is it about that genre that attracts you to it?

I’m not really sure. All I know is that I like books where the ‘enemies’ are bigger than the ordinary teen, because it’s so freaking awesome when a teen character successfully overcomes it. Often one of those enemies is internal. And I like books with action. Where something’s terribly wrong, and maybe there isn’t a perfect way to make it right, but people will go through strange, sometimes sinister feats to make it right as they can, even if that only makes it more wrong. (Was that deep or what?)

Dead to You is about a boy who returns to his family after having been missing for 9 years. Where did the inspiration come from for writing this story?

The inspiration came from a story in The New Yorker, though I took the concept in a different direction. I think the story title was The Chameleon – don’t Google it if you haven’t read DEAD TO YOU yet, because it will spoil the ending.

How did you go about doing the research for Dead to You?

I had several conversations with a child/teen social worker and spoke with someone at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. I also did a lot of online research.

Are any of the characters in Dead to You, or any of your other books, based on or inspired by people you know?

I guess all the characters I write have characteristics in them of people I know or have met along the way. Some of them have traits I admire and wish I had. In The Unwanteds, Mr. Today is inspired by a combination of two people I know – a mentor of mine, and a mentor of my daughter’s. In the WAKE trilogy, Captain is a lot like my friend Diane.

How would you describe Dead to You in one sentence for people who haven't heard about it?

DEAD TO YOU is about a boy who was abducted at the age of seven. Now he’s sixteen and he’s found his family back…but he doesn’t really remember them. (Sorry, that was two sentences. J)

Thank you to Lisa McMann for answering my questions, and to Simon & Schuster Canada for letting me be a part of this blog tour. Before you go be sure to check out the trailer for Dead to You below, and if you haven't already be sure to also check out my review to know what I thought of the book.

Blog Tour - The Miseducation of Cameron Post

2012-02-09T02:59:00.000-05:00

Today I have the pleasure of having Emily M. Danforth, author of the recently released The Miseducation of Cameron Post, here on the blog to talk more about her book and telling us what it was like to write a book that is set in the 1990s. So without further ado, here is what she had to say.

CameronPost, the eponymous narrator of my first novel, comes-of-age in a world that’snow two decades old. Her experiences as a teenager slogging through the insistent gray muck (thanks to Colson Whitehead’snovel Sag Harbor for that phrase) thatwas the pop culture of the early 1990s, while sometimes identical to those of fifteen year-olds today—certainsongs on the stereo, teen movies with memorable catchphrases, particular kindsof style and slang—are also, in many ways, completely alien when contrastedwith the American adolescent experience of 2012. In 1991 you made somebody youliked a mixtape, you didn’t link them to your playlist on Spotify. In 1991 theinternet wasn’t even commercialized yet (in fact, the very first website—as in one website—was built in a research labin 1991). Meaning that your average teenager, even the nerdiest and mosttech-savvy teenager, would not have “been on” the internet, because there wasno internet (at least not as we know of it today, or even as we knew of it adecade ago). And here’s just one more: in 1991, not only was Ellen DeGeneresnot yet out as a lesbian, she didn’t even have a TV show. And when she got onein 1994, it was a sitcom, not a talk show. And she played a straight characteron it for several seasons. (Heck, in 1991 even Melissa Etheridge—yes—singer-songwriter, folk-festival-appearing, lady-loving Melissa Etheridge) wasn’t out of the closet. That didn’t happen,for the record, until 1993). Which brings me to my point (in case you thoughtthat I didn’t have one): if one of the things that popular culture often “does”for us (especially for teenagers) is reflect our lives—our selves anddesires—back to us, there just wasn’t a whole lot of easily accessible,non-straight popular culture to come by in eastern Montana in 1991 to be“reflected back” to non-straight audiences. Don’t get me wrong: there was aheckuva lot more than there was even five years before, or five years beforethat. But there were no online communities to join, or episodes of Skins or Pretty Little Liars (or even reruns of Will & Grace) to catch up on, or Lady Gaga songs to sing alongwith for empowerment or affirmation or even just moments of recognition. (Wedid, however, have Lady Gaga’s predecessor: Madonna. And 1990 gave us thisclassic queer gem: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vogue_%28Madonna_song%29).

Because ofall of this, teens who were eager to find non-straight representations inpopular culture but who lived in rural communities or small towns, suburbs oreven insulated urban neighborhoods, had to seek it out in often unexpectedplaces—and usually in complete secrecy. And while there’s certainly a kind ofthrill in privately discovering a scene in a movie or a character in a novelthat you can relate to, the energy and joy of sharing that with your friends,of watching a movie—a “mainstream” movie in a theater or in someone’s livingroom—with non-straight adolescent characters falling in love or hooking up orjust growing up—is lost if you have to do all of this discovering in privateand don’t feel like you can share it. By the end of the 1990s, things hadchanged dramatically in terms of LGBTQ representation in popular culture, but The Miseducation of Cameron Post takesplace just before many of those changes occurred.

Luckily,Cameron is resourceful; she learns to look for subtext and subtlety in the moviesshe rents constantly, and she’s willing to sit through an otherwise terriblemovie if there’s the slightest chance of a powerful female lead or a tomboyishsidekick. And it just so happens that there’s a video rental store just a fewblocks from her house, and since her parents’ death she’s moved a TV and VCRinto her bedroom, so those things definitely help. Even luckier, she soon meetsLindsey, a girl who lives most of the year with her mom in Seattle, but whospends her summers in Montana with her dad. And streetwise “riot-grrrl intraining” Lindsey knows all kinds of things that become crucial to Cameron’seducation (and maybe sometimes to her miseducation,too). Lindsey introduces Cam to books and movies, magazines and music, even toslang terms and acronyms, that make her feel like she’s part of a community;one that’s imperfect, to be sure, but one that she can claim even from thewindswept prairie of eastern Montana.

If you’restraight you’re used to having lots of characters and situations in the worldaround you that reflect the way you love, or the way you crush, or maybe justthe way you want to be in love. I’mnot suggesting that you’re necessarily enthralled by or even interested in eachof those stories or situations, but you can’t deny their presence. From thepages of novels to the big screen to the small screen to advertising to aglossy spread in a bridal or entertainment magazine: guys and gals are alwaysfalling in love, or falling out of love, or struggling through love, in popculture. So it makes sense then, that non-straight teens are so hungry fornon-straight stories and representations to identify with that they sometimesdedicate a whole lot of time to the pursuit of those representations, totracking down obscure and low budget 1960’s vampire movies or novels fromnow-defunct publishers, and when they find them it becomes sort of like badgeof honor to have recognized one more, to have joined in a quasi-secretconversation. At least that was the case for Cameron Post, back in 1991.

Thank you Emily for stopping by the blog today. Be sure to continue following the tour through The Teen Book Scene.

Waiting on Wednesday (34)

2012-02-08T02:13:00.000-05:00

THIS WEEK'S PICK:

CITY OF LOST SOULS BY CASSANDRA CLARE

The New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments continues—and so do the thrills and danger for Jace, Clary, and Simon. Can the lost be reclaimed? What price is too high to pay for love? Who can be trusted when sin and salvation collide? Love. Blood. Betrayal. Revenge. Darkness threatens to claim the Shadowhunters in the harrowing fifth book of the Mortal Instruments series.

This is the best summary I could find for the book, but even with just that I am incredibly excited for the release of this book. The Mortal Instruments series is one of my all time favorite series, and I love pretty much everything that Cassandra Clare writes. All that to say I am very excited for City of Lost Souls.

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare will be published May 8th, 2012 by Margaret K. McElderry Books.

Dead to You by Lisa McMann

2012-02-06T03:23:00.000-05:00

Title: Dead to You

Author: Lisa McMann

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Release Date: February 7, 2012

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

Some memories are best left untouched.

Ethan was abducted from his front yard when he was justseven years old. Now, at sixteen, he has returned to his family.

It’s a miracle…at first.

Then the tensions start to build, and his family starts fallingapart all over again. If only Ethan could remember something, anything, abouthis life before, he’d be able to put pieces back together.

But there’s something that’s keeping his memory blocked.

Something unspeakable…

Until I read Dead to You, I had heard plenty about Lisa McMann but had never actually read any of her books. But once I started reading, I pretty much read the whole book in one sitting. I'm definitely glad I've finally picked up a Lisa McMann book.

For nine years, Ethan lived with a woman who wasn't his mother. But Ethan doesn't really remember having any other life. That's because when he was seven years old, Ethan was abducted from his front yard an all his memories from before that time seem to be blocked. Now sixteen, Ethan is reunited with his family and everything is going great. At first. But not long after Ethan's return, things start to take a turn for the worst. Right when Ethan starts feeling at home with his family, his younger brother starts doubting that Ethan isn't who he says he is. And from there, everything spirals downwards. But unless Ethan can remember his life from before the abduction, non one will know the truth.

I am very happy that I have now discovered what a fantastic writer Lisa McMann is. Dead to You was an incredible book. It kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading, and I just couldn't seem to put the book down. Every time I told myself I would stop after just one more chapter, I found myself reading on and on. It was just that good. The way Lisa McMann wrote the story, I couldn't help but want to find out more about everything that was going on. A lot of that also had to do with the fact she decided to tell the story from Ethan's perspective. This way, the reader would get as frustrated with everything as Ethan, and would want to understand what was going on as much as him. And the ending was great, though I'm not sure I was fully satisfied by it. A few weeks later I'm still sort of trying to make sense of it.

With this book, it's really hard to say anything about the characters, mainly because the story focuses mostly on Ethan and how he's reacting to being back with his family after nine years of being away. But that doesn't mean that Ethan wasn't an interesting character, because he really was. I loved that even though he was the one telling the story, there was still a lot of mystery surrounding him because he was missing some of his memories. I really enjoyed puzzling everything out at the same time as he did. But I also really liked finding out more about him and just getting to know him. He was definitely the most important part of the story. Ethan's family was also interesting, but I felt like I didn't know enough about them. But at the same time, knowing more about them would have completely changed the story.

Overall, Dead to You was an incredible story and I'm happy I've now discovered Lisa McMann as a writer. If you're in the mood for a mystery and a thriller, I definitely recommend you pick up Dead to You and give it a chance.

In My Mailbox (27)

2012-02-04T15:54:00.000-05:00

This week was pretty awesome, both in terms of books I bought and books I received for review. The only downside to all of this is that by TBR pile has grown once again. But how was I supposed to resist all the wonderful books that came out this week. So here's what I got in my mailbox!

Review:

- The Boy Recession by Flynn Meaney - This book sounds like a really fun and amusing read. How could a book about a school where there are almost no boys left not lead to fun and laughs? Despite the fact that it doesn't come out until August, I may just have to pick it up sooner.

- Purity by Jackson Pearce - Maybe this book will finally be the one that will get me to read something by Jackson Pearce. I've said it before and I'll say it again, if she's anything in writing like she is in her videos, I'm sure I'm going to love her books. And Purity sounds like a great read, so what could go wrong?

- Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin - This book is another one that sounds like an absolutely fun and adorable read. The release date is quickly approaching and so hopefully I will be reading it soon. I just have a feeling it's a book I'm going to really enjoy.

- The Rivals by Daisy Whitney - I absolutely LOVED The Mockingbirds when I read it in 2010 so I am really excited about having received a copy of this one for review. Hopefully it will be just as good as the first one and I will be able to read it soon.

Bought:

- The Edumacation of Jay Baker by Jay Clark - I remember reading the description for this book a while back and thinking that I just had to read this book once it came out. So when I saw it at the bookstore, I immediately picked it up and bought myself a copy. It sounds like a really enjoyable read and I can't wait to get to it.

- Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood - I have heard nothing but absolutely amazing things about this book. It sounds like a fantastic read and I can't wait to be able to read it. Hopefully that will happen in the near future because I'm not sure how long I'll be able to resist the book's call.

- Graceling by Kristin Cashore - This book has been out for a while, but with the release of the third book in the series coming up soon, I've been hearing a fair amount about this one. While fantasy doesn't tend to be my cup of tea, I have read enough good reviews about this book and have decided to give it a try.

- Wings of the Wicked by Courtney Allison Moulton - I have been waiting for this book to be released for the longest time. I absolutely loved Angelfire when I read it last year and it left me wanting more. Hopefully I'll get around to reading it soon because I don't know how long I'm going to be able to put it off.

So that's what I got in my mailbox this week. Leave me a comment and I'll come check out what you got in yours!

Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout

2012-02-03T02:21:00.000-05:00

Title: Half-Blood (Covenant #1)
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Release Date: October 18, 2011
Source: Purchased
Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, andthe children of two Hematoi – pure-bloods – have godlike powers. Children ofHematoi and mortals – well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options:become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons of become servants in thehomes of the pures.

Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her lifefighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming itanyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alexhas problems with them all, but especially rule #1:

Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden.

Unfortunately, she’s crushing hard on the total hotpure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn’t her biggest problem – staying alivelong enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails inher duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into adaimon, and being hunted by Aiden.

And that would kind of suck.

Despite hearing nothing but rave reviews about Half-Blood, I kept putting off reading it. But then I picked it up off my shelf and didn't put it back down until I was finished reading it. And then boy did I realize what everyone was talking about.

Alexandria Andros has been living a normal life for the past few years. But one day she comes home to find that her mother has been killed by daimons. So Alex goes on the run to escape the daimons, but soon enough Sentinels catch up with her and drag her back to the Covenant. That's the last thing Alex wants but now that her mother is dead she doesn't have much of a choice. Now back at the Covenant in company of other half-bloods and pure-bloods, Alex isn't really sure how well she fits in anymore, especially considering she's fallen behind in everything. The one upside to that is that Alex gets to have extra training sessions with Aiden, the gorgeous and older pure-blood Sentinel who brought her back to the Covenant. And Alex may just be falling for him. But that would mean breaking the most important rule in their world: half-bloods and pure-bloods can't be together.

So Jennifer L. Armentrout is kind of amazing and I'm kicking myself for not having picked up Half-Blood sooner. But when I did pick it up I pretty much fell in love. With the book, with the story, with the characters, with the world. Basically I fell in love with everything about this book. The mythology was interesting and was in large part what drew me in to the book at first. Jennifer L. Armentrout wrote an incredible story that captivated me completely from start to finish. Every time I tried to put the book down, I found myself reading just one more chapter. The next thing I knew, I had read the entire book in one day. So yeah, all that to say that the book was amazing.

I loved Alex right from page one. Though she appeared just to be your typical sarcastic teenage girl, she turned out to be so much more than that. Every page I turned I discovered something new about her and I loved her even more. It was great to see her come into her own as the story moved forward. But Alex also kept me amused for most of the book. Sometimes I seriously questioned her thought process, but that didn't stop me form wanting to become her new best friend. And I don't blame her for falling for Aiden, even though that was breaking the number one rule of their world. Aiden was mysterious and strong and handsome and kinda dreamy. It was easy to see why Alex fell for him, and I admit that I kind of did too.

Half-Blood was an absolutely wonderful book. I cannot wait for more in Pure and from now on I will make sure to read everything written by the fantastic Jennifer L. Armentrout.

Waiting on Wednesday (33)

2012-02-01T03:21:00.000-05:00

THIS WEEK'S PICK:

DARK FROST BY JENNIFER ESTEP

I’ve seen so many freaky things since I started attending Mythos Academy last fall. I know I’m supposed to be a fearless warrior, but most of the time, I feel like I’m just waiting for the next Bad, Bad Thing to happen. Like someone trying to kill me — again.

Everyone at Mythos Academy knows me as Gwen Frost, the Gypsy girl who uses her psychometry magic to find lost objects — and who just may be dating Logan Quinn, the hottest guy in school. But I’m also the girl the Reapers of Chaos want dead in the worst way. The Reapers are the baddest of the bad, the people who murdered my mom. So why do they have it in for me? It turns out my mom hid a powerful artifact called the Helheim Dagger before she died. Now, the Reapers will do anything to get it back. They think I know where the dagger is hidden, but this is one thing I can’t use my magic to find. All I do know is that the Reapers are coming for me — and I’m in for the fight of my life.

I recently read both Touch of Frost and Kiss of Frost and I absolutely loved both books (they were good company while I was suffering from jet lag). The Mythos Academy series is a really great one and I can't wait to find out what happens next to Gwen in the next installment.

Dark Frost by Jennifer Estep will be published May 29th, 2012 by Kensington Teen.

Falling in Love with English Boys by Melissa Jensen

2012-01-30T03:11:00.000-05:00

Title: Falling in Love with English Boys
Author: Melissa Jensen
Publisher: Speak
Release Date: December 23, 2010
Source: Purchased
Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

Sixteen-year-old Catherine Vernon has been stranded in London for the summer-no friends, no ex-boyfriend Adam the Scum (good riddance!), and absolutely nothing to do but blog about her misery to her friends back home.

Desperate for something-anything-to do in London while her (s)mother's off researching boring historical things, Cat starts reading the 1815 diary of Katherine Percival her mom gives her-and finds the similarities between their lives to be oddly close. But where Katherine has the whirls of the society, the parties and the gossip over who is engaged to who, Cat's only got some really excellent English chocolate. Then she meets William Percival-the uber-hot descendant of Katherine-and things start looking up . . .

When I saw Falling in Love with English Boys at the bookstore, I hadn't really heard much about it. All I really knew was that Melissa Jensen had another book coming out soon. But the story sounded quite interesting, and as it turned out, I really enjoyed the book.

Cat has been sentenced to a summer in London while her mother researches a woman who's been dead for close to 200 years. While most teenage girls would die for the chance to spend a summer in England, Cat wants nothing more than to be back home in Philadelphia, spending the summer hanging out with friends. But then Cat meets Will, a handsome British boy and descendant of the woman her mother is studying. With Will in the picture, Cat all of a sudden finds herself a lot more interested in London and the history of the Percival family. Between spending time reading the 200 year old diary of Katherine Percival and complaining about her mother, Cat finds herself making new friends and maybe, possibly falling for a certain handsome British boy.

I am a big fan of stories that take place in two different time periods. In the case of Falling in Love with English Boys, there were two parallel stories, one taking place in the present tie and the other at the beginning of the 1800s. What makes the story even more interesting is that even thought the two storylines were 200 years apart, they were still connected, mainly by a diary. And because of the diary, Cat was quite aware of the story going on in the past. I really enjoyed seeing the two stories develop side by side and even more so, I loved seeing Cat get so wrapped up in Katherine's stories. Despite the two girls being 200 years apart, I loved seeing them come together.

Cat and Katherine were wonderful characters and I loved all the similarities between them. Both were new to London and felt kind of lost in their new environment and at times wanting to be elsewhere. But I still preferred Cat over Katherine, probably because we were from the same time period. At any rate, I loved seeing both girls grow and come into their own, neither one afraid of going after what they wanted, even if it had the possibility of ending in heartbreak. And of course, in the present day there was aslo Will. Will was the charmingly handsome descendant of Katherine's family. He was perfect for balancing Cat's slightly crazy personality, thought sometimes he kind of failed int eh communication department. But that flaw was easily overlooked and forgiven in the end. ANd not just because of the British accent.

Falling in Love with English Boys was a great read, one I really enjoyed from start to finish. I now can't wait to read Melissa Jensen's upcoming book, The Fine Art of Truth or Dare.

In My Mailbox (26)

2012-01-28T16:00:00.000-05:00

This week was good. I didn't go too crazy buying too many new books and I only received one for review. This is really helping me keep my TBR pile under control...though I may just be slightly delusional about that since it's pretty big. So here's what I got this week!

Review:

- Picture the Dead by Adele Griffin & Lisa Brown - I was offered this one for review and it sounds really good. I love ghost stories and this one is a historical fiction on top of that so it should be a really great read. Hopefully it will be as great as it promises to be.

Bought:

- Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta - I will admit I have yet to read anything by Melina Marchetta despite having had Jellicoe Road on my shelf for quite some time now. But I have heard nothing but amazing things about Saving Francesca so I decided I would pick it up. Who knows, maybe having two books by Melina Marchetta will push me to actually read them.

- Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann - I recently read Lisa McMann's upcoming Dead to You and absolutely loved it. So I decided to pick up Cryer's Cross at the bookstore hoping I would enjoy it as much as I did Dead to You. I can't wait to get to it and hopefully I will love it as much as the other book.

- Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi - I've been hearing about this book and have been wanting to read it for the longest time. I've also heard really good things about it and I can't wait to get to it. Hopefully I'll be able to get to it soon and see for myself what it's all about.

So that's it for me this week. Let me know what you got in your mailbox and I'll come check it out!

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

2012-01-27T02:52:00.000-05:00

Summary (from book):

One of the boys.

What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though--she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university.

But everything she's ever worked for is threatened when Ty Green moves to her school. Not only is he an amazing QB, but he's also amazingly hot. And for the first time, Jordan's feeling vulnerable. Can she keep her head in the game while her heart's on the line?

Review:

It's been close to a month since I read Catching Jordan and I still don't know how to put into words how much I loved this book. It has definitely found a place on my list of favorite books of all time. It was simply fantastic and I loved everything about it.

Jordan has always wanted to play football and wants nothing more than to play at the college level. Except that Jordan is a girl and not many universities will accept a girl on their team. But she's been lucky enough to play quarterback and be captain of her high school football team. And she's one of the best quarterbacks the school has had. Not only that, but she fits in on the team and all her best friends are her teammates. But then Ty Green shows up in town and he wants Jordan's position on the football team. Now not only is Jordan worried about playing college football, she also has to worry about Ty taking her sport on the team. But Jordan may have to protect more than just her position as quarterback. Because when Ty is around, all of a sudden Jordan feels more like a girl than ever.

Before I say anything else, I will say that I will try to limit the gushing. But I will say that I absolutely loved this book. Right from the start I fell in love with the story, with the characters and with Jordan's voice. I even enjoyed the football. Football isn't usually one o my favorite sports, but with Catching Jordan, it might as well have been. It was just perfect with this story and I couldn't imagine it with another sport. But in the end, football wasn't what was important in the story. What really matters is Jordan's story and how that story works with the story of the other characters. Really, all that to say that I absolutely adored this book.

Like I've said, what's important in this book are the characters' stories. Even though Jordan is the one who is telling the story, the book revolves around more than just her. But that doesn't mean I didn't like Jordan, because I loved her. It was refreshing to read about a girl who was into sports more than anything else. I loved seeing her struggle with feelings she didn't really understand and then seeing her act on those feelings once she figured them out. And of course, boys were definitely not lacking in this book. And my favorite was Sam Henry. I would love to have him as a best friend, Jordan was definitely lucky to have him in her life. Sam Henry was pretty much as good as they come, he was loyal and would have given his life for Jordan. And I'm glad things ended the way they did for everyone. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect ending.

Catching Jordan was a perfect read. I loved absolutely everything about the book and plan on rereading it over and over again. Definitely pick this book up if you get a chance, odds are you won't regret it.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

2012-01-24T02:15:00.000-05:00

Summary (from book):

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. Having missed her flight, she's stuck at JFK airport and late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's sitting in her row.

A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more?

Quirks of timing play out in this romantic and cinematic novel about family connections, second changes, and first loves. Set over a twenty-four-hour period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

Review:

When it comes to love at first sight in Young Adult books, I often have issues with it, mostly because it feels very unrealistic. But in this books the love at first sight felt extremely real. It was an absolutely adorable read and I loved every single page of it.

Everything would have been different if Hadley hadn't been late and hadn't missed her flight to London. If Hadley hadn't been late, she wouldn't have almost missed her dad's second wedding to the future stepmother she has never met. But most importantly, if Hadley hadn't been late she wouldn't have met Oliver and she wouldn't have found herself sitting next to him on the flight from New York to London. Between Hadley and Oliver everything is easy and fund despite all the drama that is going on in their lives. But when they get to London, they get separated at the airport and lose sight of each other. But fate is determined to bring them back together, and over 24 hours, Hadley and Oliver keep coming back together.

What was there not to love about this book? Right from the beginning I was drawn in to the story wanting to find out what would happen between Hadley and the mystery boy from the airport. And the whole love at first sight thing? It didn't feel overdone and it was done in a way that made the whole thing really realistic. But more importantly I loved that it all took place in the span of 24 hours. To me, that just made it seem even more realistic. It made for a really fast-paced story, and I just wanted nothing more than to find out what would happen to Hadley and Oliver. And what's even better is that the title, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, actually has something to do with the story.

You can't help falling in love with Hadley and Oliver. Right from the start I found myself getting invested in their potential relationship and in their individual lives. Both characters felt realistic and right from the start you could tell they were perfect for each other. Neither one of them has had an easy life, particularly in the last few years. But thought they had somewhat similar experiences and family situations, they themselves were quite different. And because they were different is why they worked so well together. And while reading, I wanted nothing more than for them to end up together, but something always seemed to get in the way. But when they would come together, everything would fall into place, though they didn't necessarily see it. Let me just say that Hadley and Oliver are characters you will love and not forget.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight was absolutely adorable and a fantastic read. It was the perfect book for a grey Saturday afternoon and I definitely recommend you pick it up should the opportunity arise.

In My Mailbox (25)

2012-01-22T10:00:00.000-05:00

Though I didn't receive any books for review this week, I still got a fair amount of books. Wednesday was my birthday so I decided to make a special trip to the bookstore to buy myself a birthday present, and then I received books that I had ordered online. All in all it was pretty great. So here's what I got in my mailbox this week.

Bought:

- The Squad: Perfect Cover by Jennifer Lynn Barnes - This is one of Jennifer Lynn Barnes' older titles that hasn't really gotten much attention lately. I've read some of her other books and love them so I decided to pick this one up to see if I would like it as much as the others.

- If I Die by Rachel Vincent - I mostly just bought this book so I now have the complete series. I haven't started reading it yet but I will be starting soon, and like I said last week, The Soul Screamers Reading Challenge will definitely help with that.

- Hallowed by Cynthia Hand - I absolutely loved Unearthly when I read it last year so I am extremely excited to finally be able to read the sequel. Plus I've read nothing but good reviews for it so that just makes me that much more excited

- Angel Burn by L.A. Weatherly - This book has been around for a while, especially since it was out in the UK before coming to North America, and I have read nothing but good things about it. And it's about angels but a different kind of angels so it should be very interesting.

- Daimon by Jennifer L. Armentrout - I read Half-Blood at the end of last year and absolutely loved it, I couldn't put it down. So I went on the Book Depository and ordered Jennifer L. Armentrout's other books and Daimon came in this week. I can't wait to read it to be back in Alex's world.

So that's all I got in my mailbox this week and I'm really excited to get to all those wonderful books, though who knows when that will actually happen? And if you haven't already done so, be sure to enter by 21st Birthday Giveaway - click on the button below and it will take you to the post with all the information.

So leave a comment below and I'll come check out what you got in your mailbox too!

Tempest by Julie Cross

2012-01-20T02:50:00.000-05:00

Summary (from Goodreads):

The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.

Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler. Recruit… or kill him.

Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.

Review:

Of all the books coming out this month I think Julie Cross' Tempest is probably the one that has gotten the most hype. It feels like I've been hearing about this book for the longest time. When I finally started reading it, I had really high expectations. Most of those were met but there are still some elements that I would have liked to be different.

While he just seems like a spoiled rich kid from Manhattan, Jackson Meyer is a little more than that. Jackson can jump through time. He can't travel very far back and nothing he ever does in the past changes the present. So he doesn't worry about it too much. But when strange men barge in to his girlfriend Holly's dorm room pointing guns, things change. Holly gets shot and Jackson finds himself two years in the past and unable to get back to the present to save Holly. Stuck in the past, Jackson digs around and discovers that everything in his life may not be exactly as it seems, especially where his father is concerned. And when he discovers the truth, everything in Jackson's life changes, both in the past and in the present.

This book has been getting hype for the longest time an the movie rights were sold long before the book was scheduled to be released. Based on that alone, I had very high expectations going into the book. And then I kept reading positive reviews which only served to raise my expectations even more. So all that to say that the bar was set very high. And so I started reading and I found myself getting frustrated with the book. It was definitely a slow start and a little confusing. But I kept reading and eventually things picked up and became clearer. And I also found myself enjoying the book more and more. By the end I really liked it and things were getting interesting. Hopefully the next book will start right where this one left off and jump right in to the action.

It took me a really long time to figure Jackson out. It may have had something to do with the fact that she constantly had to change his identity based on what time he was in. But once I finally figured him out, I kind of liked him. His only fault was that he had a bit of a one-track mind at times. All he could seem to focus on was Holly when there was so much else going on. Holly, both 007 and 009 Holly, was someone I could really get along with if she really existed. She seemed genuine and in a refreshing twist, wasn't boy crazy. Though my favorite character was probably Adam. He was an absolute nerd and I loved him for it. Whenever he said something I just couldn't help but smile. It's hard to say anything about the other characters without revealing too much. All I will say is that Jackson's father was the one who surprised me the most.

Tempest was an enjoyable read and one that suggests the rest of the trilogy holds a lot of promise. While I was not disappointed per say, I expected more from the book and I hope to see more action and development in future installments.

21st Birthday Giveaway

2012-01-18T02:20:00.000-05:00

Today is my 21st birthday and to celebrate I thought I would give you guys the chance to win some books. Keep on reading to find out just what you can win!

So here's the deal. At the end of 2011/beginning of 2012 I posted two different lists of books: one was my favorites of 2011 and the other the books I was most looking forward to in 2012. So for this giveaway 2 lucky winners will get the chance to pick a one book from each list and I will buy the books for them. Simple, right? So here are the books.

Favorites of 2011:

You can check out the full post right here to see exactly why I loved each of these books as much as I did.

Most Anticipated of 2012:

Once again, you can check out the full post right here to see exactly why I'm looking forward to all of these wonderful books.

And here is the nitty-gritty stuff (details and such):

- Contest is open INTERNATIONALLY, where the Book Depository ships (please check this list to confirm that the store will ship to your location)

- Must be 13 years old or older to enter

- Contest will end January 24, 2011 at 11:59 PM EST

- There are no extra entries or additional requirements, though following and comments is always appreciated

- To enter fill out THIS FORM - while they are appreciated, comments will not gain you entry into the giveaway

GOOD LUCK!

Cinder Audiobook Clip

2012-01-17T04:16:00.000-05:00

Last week I posted my review of Cinder by Marissa Meyer. It was a book I highly enjoyed and I definitely recommend you pick it up. Today I am offering you a clip from the audio version of the book. I've listened to it myself, and I have to say that it is pretty good. Check it out below.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing this clip.

If you haven't already, be sure to check out my full review of the book to find out exactly what I thought of this retelling of Cinderella.

Enjoy!

Don't Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala

2012-01-16T03:22:00.000-05:00

Summary (from book):

Joy Delamere is suffocating.

From asthma, from her parents, and from her boyfriend, Asher, who is smothering her from the inside out. She can take his cruel words, his tender words...until the night they go too far.

Joy escapes to the streets of nearby Seattle and accepts the help of a homeless boy called Creed. He introduces her to a world of fierce loyalty, the rules of survival, and to love--a world she won't easily let go.

Holly Cupala's powerful new novel explores the subtleties of abuse, the secrets we keep, and the extraordinary lengths one girl will go to discover her own strength.

Review:

When Holly Cupala's debut book Tell Me a Secret Came Out in 2010, I heard nothing but good things about her and her book but never really got around to reading it. So when I got the opportunity to read Don't Breathe a Word, I jumped at the chance. And of course I found out for myself just how great Holly Cupala is.

Though on the surface Joy appears to be living the perfect life in the suburbs with her family, when you scratch the surface a little everything isn't so idyllic. The truth is, Joy is suffocating in more ways than one. To escape the suffocation, Joy runs away to the streets of Seattle, hoping to find the boy who once said he would help her if she needed it. Now living as a homeless teen on the streets of Seattle, Joy finds running away may be more difficult than she originally thought. But with Creed's help, Joy just may be able to survive and escape her old life. But there are some parts of her life she just may not be able to leave behind.

Wow. Just wow. That was pretty much my initial reaction when I finished reading the book. Right from the start I found myself getting very invested in Joy's story. But soon that story grew to involve more and more people who lives I also found myself getting invested in. Everyone felt very real, an I couldn't help but want things to work out for the best for everyone. But aside from the characters and their lives, I loved just about everything about this book. I most especially loved how well it dealt with the subjects of teen homelessness and abuse. Nothing felt overdone, it was just perfect.

Like I've already said, right from the start of the book I found myself getting invested in Joy's life. But I also found myself loving her as a person right from the start. I could really feel her pain despite having never gone through what she has. But more than anything, Joy was just someone trying to find her place in the world in order to survive. And that's something I admired about her. She definitely had some good people looking out for her, the best probably being Creed. Right from the start, Creed seemed like someone you could count on despite the fact that he didn't even know Joy. And I'll admit that I even developed a bit of a crush on him. He was just so great with Hoy, always reading to jump in and defend and protect her, even when he barely knew her. And that's something that really made me respect him.

Dont't Breathe a Word was absolutely amazing. The further I got into the book, the more I loved it. Definitely pick this book up if you get the chance, you might just be surprised by how much this book as to offer.

In My Mailbox (24)

2012-01-14T14:35:00.000-05:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren. It's a post where book bloggers talk about the books they received for review, bought, were gifted or borrowed from the library each week.

This book was a really great week for books for me. I went to the bookstore multiple times and every time I found something new to take home with me. And the Bargain table at Chapters is my new best friend. Nothing beats coming out of the bookstore with three hardcover books in perfect condition and having payed only $15. All that to say, it was a great week. So here's what I got!

Review:

- Black Heart by Holly Black - I was beyond excited when I opened the envelope from Simon & Schuster and saw Black Heart in there. Thankfully I was alone, so my roommates did not make fun of me for getting so excited about a book. But yes, I will be getting to this book very soon, even if it doesn't come out until April. I am just that excited to find out how it all works out for Cassel Sharpe.

Bought:

- My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent - I haven't read this series yet (I know, bad), but I was missing this one in order to have a full set. So since it was in stock at my bookstore I decided to pick it up. Though I am planning on participating in Fiktshun's Soul Screamers Reading Challenge so hopefully I will be able to read this book soon.

- The Fault In Our Stars by John Green - I now own all of John Green's books yet have only read one of them. Though everything I have already heard about this one is only making me want to curl up and read this book all in one sitting. Plus it was just sitting at the bookstore, signed, begging me to buy it. Yes, I know, I have a problem.

- Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes - I loved Jennifer Lynn Barnes' Raised by Wolves book so I'm very excited to be reading this one. I have heard mixed reviews about it but hopefully I will love it as much as her other books. At any rate, the premise sounds really interesting so hopefully it will be as good as it promises to be.

- Sophomore Switch by Amy McDonald - I have heard absolutely nothing about this book. But it was sitting on the Bargain table at Chapters and the summary sounded interesting so I thought I would pick it up. From what I gather, it sounds like it's older young adult since the characters are in college so it should be interesting.

- Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey - I've heard really great things about this book, and this series in general, so I decided to pick it up when I saw the hardcover at reduced price at the store. Hopefully it will be as good as everyone has been telling me that it is.

- Deadly Little Games by Laurie Faria Stolarz - I already owned the first two books in this series and decided to continue completing it when I saw that the book was on the Bargain table. I haven't read it yet, but hopefully I will get to it soon and see if it's as good as everyone says it is.

So that's all I got in my mailbox this week. Leave me a comment to let me know what you got in yours and I'll come check it out!

Hunted by Cheryl Rainfield

2012-01-13T03:36:00.000-05:00

Summary (from Amazon):

Caitlyn, 15, a Paranormal, is on the run with her mom, trying to stay one step ahead of the ParaTroopers who would enslave her just like anyone who has powerful psychic abilities. Attempting to have somewhat of a normal life, Caitlyn and her mom hide in plain sight, living in a seedy hotel in a big city, where Caitlyn hopes to blend in by enrolling at the local high school. She secretly fights back against government oppression by blogging about equal rights for all Paras, protecting herself by signing them Teen Para. When she discovers her long ago kidnapped brother Daniel at school, she's elated, but is saddened to find he's controlled by the government ParaTroopers as a Para-slave. As Para Cleansing Day nears, increasing numbers of Paras are turned in to the authorities and things grow tenser and more dangerous, especially at school. When a group robs a bank and threatens Normals, the shadow of guilt is cast on Teen Para. A killer, the Para Reaper, secretly goes hunting for Paras to drain the life out of them. Despite everything, Caitlyn befriends a Normal girl, Rachel, who is a Para sympathizer, and falls for a cute classmate, Alex, also a Normal, who always makes her feel so good whenever he's around. But it's not safe for Paras to date Normals, and it would put Caitlyn in grave danger of being discovered. When ParaTroopers crack down at school after several Paras are discovered, Caitlyn finds herself under increasing scrutiny. Fearing for Caitlyn, her mom is anxious to pack up and bolt, but Caitlyn s growing attachments make her reluctant to leave. Will she evade capture, or will she be caught and turned into a Para Slave? And just who is trying to frame her? A tautly written, suspenseful thrill ride, Hunted will keep readers on the edge of their seats.

Review:

When I was first approached to review Hunted by author Cheryl Rainfield, I hadn't actually heard a single thing about the book. But the summary made it sound really interesting. And after a bit of a slow start I found myself having difficulty putting it down and really enjoying the story.

Caitlyn and her mom have been on the run pretty much her whole life. Both of them are paranormals trying to escape the government and the ParaTroopers who believe paranormals are a threat. But it wasn't always that way for Caitlyn and her mom. There was a time when they were a family living a relatively normal life. That is until the day her dad was killed by the government and her brother, Daniel, was kidnapped by a woman in the crowd. Now in a new town and at a new school, things seem to be changing in Caitlyn's life. She makes new friends and even starts to fall for Alex, a normal boy. But one day Caitlyn comes face to face with Daniel. Except he's not the same Daniel that Caitlyn remembers. And the threatens everything that Caitlyn believes in.

I hadn't really heard all that much about Cheryl Rainfield or her books until she approached me to review Hunted. I decided to give it a shot and didn't go in with too many expectations. And I came out on the other side having really loved the story. Though I'll admit that at first I thought the story was a little slow to start. I even worried that it wouldn't pick up. But when the story did get moving I found myself getting hooked. Soon enough I had trouble putting the book down, and I wanted nothing more than to find out what would happen next. And from the way it ended I'm hoping there might just be a sequel.

The concept of paranormals simply as people who have different abilities. I especially liked that everyone's power was different and it wasn't necessarily obvious that they had a psychic ability. As for the actual characters in the story, I really liked Caitlyn. You could tell that she didn't exactly have an easy life and I wanted nothing more than for things to work out for her. And every time things seemed to be turning around something bad happened in her life. All this to say that I was rooting for Caitlyn the whole way through. The other characters provided an interesting mix of personalities. Rachel and Alex were definitely great friends to Caitlyn. You couldn't have asked for more loyal people considering the circumstances. And Daniel almost seemed like he had a split personality at times. Either that, or he was a really good actor. But that still doesn't mean I liked him very much.

Hunted was a surprising read. I enjoyed it a lot more than I originally thought I would. If the opportunity arrises, I definitely recommend that you pick it up and give it a chance, it might just surprise you.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

2012-01-09T03:41:00.000-05:00

Summary (from book):

Even in the future, the story begins with once upon a time...

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth's fate hinges on one girl...

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She's a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world's future.

In this thrilled young adult debut novel, the first of a quartet, Marissa Meyer's rebooted fairy tale introduces readers to a heroine and a masterfully crafted world that isn't the Cinderella you remember--but it's the one you won't forget.

Review:

I remember when I first heard about Cinder I was a little hesitant to read it, but then I heard from trusted sources that it was actually really good. And then I received a copy for review and when I started reading the book, I was drawn in right away. Who knew re-imagining Cinderella in futuristic world with humans, cyborgs and androids would work so well? I certainly didn't but I ended up enjoying every single page.

When she was 11 years old, Cinder was in a terrible hover craft accident which killed both her parents and caused her to undergo surgery that made her a cyborg. Now she works as a mechanic in the market in the city of New Beijing, all her earnings going to her stepmother. Not only does she have nothing to her name, but she gets blamed for everything including her little sister getting sick. But one day, none other than Prince Kai walks up to her mechanic stand to ask for her services. After that day, everything in Cinder's life changes and she finds herself being dragged into affairs she never even knew existed before. And she starts falling for Prince Kai, and against all odds, he seems to be falling for her too.

I am a big lover of fairy tales, so whenever I read a retelling I always go in with pretty high expectations. With Cinder, those expectations were beyond surpassed. It wasn't long before I forgot I was reading a retelling of Cinderella. The story definitely stood on its own and felt like it was a story that hadn't actually been told before. I loved the world that Marissa Meyer created, wehre humans, androids and cyborgs all live together and it felt really real. And her writing was also absolutely great. I was immediately drawn in, and when I finished reading the book, I just wanted more.

Cinder was a whole new kind of Cinderella. Right from page one I loved her and she pretty much made me forget all about the original Cinderella. Granted there were many aspects of her life that were very Cinderella-esque, Cinder was her own character and her own person. She wasn't afraid of standing her ground and doing what she wanted to do. And that was something I really loved about her. Prince Kai was definitely the dreamy kind of prince. My main issue with him was his occasional communication problems. I mean, why couldn't he just say what he meant when it was so obvious how he felt? But other than that he really was Prince Charming. Other than these two, one of the characters that really made the book for me was Iko. Basically she was the android equivalent of the mice in the original story. She was a great character and also a great source of humor and really added to the story.

Overall, Cinder was a really great read. This new take on the classic story of Cinderella will not let you down. If anything, you will forget the old story all together in favor of this new one. It will definitely stay with you once you have finished reading the book.

In My Mailbox (23)

2012-01-08T10:04:00.003-05:00

This is my first IMM post of 2012 and it's kind of exciting. Basically, this post will cover books that I have gotten since Christmas up until now. I didn't actually get too many books over the holidays which is kind of a good thing considering just how many books I have sitting on my shelf that I haven't read. I have to admit it's getting kind of ridiculous. So here's what I got over the past few weeks.

Won/Gifted:

- Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson - This is a British title but I have heard nothing but absolutely great things about it. So I'm really looking forward to reading it and finding out for myself if it's as good as everyone says it is. Thank you to Kathy from A Glass of Wine for this book.

- Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan - Despite all the attention that this book has gotten, I don't really know that much about it beyond what it says in the summary. I've also seen mixed reviews about this book so I'm looking forward to finding out what I will think about it.

- Across the Universe by Beth Revis - I'm currently reading this one and I have to admit that so far it's been kind of slow but things appear to be picking up. Hopefully it will become as good as everyone has told me it is. The good thing is that once I finish I'll be able to pick up the sequel soon after.

- Crossed by Ally Condie - I've already read this one (expect a review soon). When I read Matched last year I enjoyed it but didn't think it was exceptional. With Crossed my opinion changed. I really enjoyed reading it and now I look forward to the final book in the series.

Bought:

- Vesper by Jeff Sampson - This book came out around this time last year and I've been eyeing it ever since but never picked it up. So when I saw it in the Bargain section I couldn't resist picking it up. Hopefully it's as good as everyone says it is.

- Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse by Lucas Klauss - I first heard about this book through the 2012 Debut Author Challenge and immediately thought I had to read it. It just sounds like a great read so I'm really excited to start reading it.

So those are all the books I got in the last couple of weeks. I'm really excited to read the ones I haven't read yet, and you should look forward to seeing a review of Crossed pop up on the blog in the very near future. Leave me comment and I'll come see what you got in your mailbox.

Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer

2012-01-02T00:15:00.000-05:00

Summary (from book):

Calla has always welcomed war. But now that the final battle is upon her, there's more at stake than fighting. There's saving Ren, even if it incurs Shay's wrath. There's keeping Ansel safe, even if he's been branded a traitor. There's proving herself as the pack's alpha, facing unnamable horrors, and ridding the world of the Keepers' magic once and for all. And then there's deciding what to do when the war ends. If Calla makes out alive, that is.

In the final installment of the Nightshade trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Andrea Cremer creates a novel with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat until its final pages. A dynamic end to a breathtaking trilogy.

Review:

When I finished Wolfsbane, I was definitely left wanting more and I was way more than happy to have a copy of Bloodrose on hand to start reading right away. And it was incredible. This book took me on an emotional roller-coaster and I did not want to get off. Andrea Cremer definitely wrote a great conclusion to this trilogy.

Now allied with the Searchers and reunited with most of her pack, Calla is preparing for the battle of her life against the Keepers and the rest of the Guardians. But even before doing that, Calla and the pack have to help Shay and the Searchers get the final pieces of the Elemental Cross, the only weapon that can stop the Keepers and their magic. And then she has to prove to her pack once again that she's their legitimate alpha, but she also has to pick who will be alpha alongside her. Will it be Ren, the boy she's been destined to be with since birth? Or will it be Shay, the boy who stole her heart when he showed up in her life? Calla must find a way to keep her pack safe through all of this, but to what lengths is she willing to go to keep those she loves safe? But more importantly, what will happen when the battle is over? Will Calla and her pack even be alive to see the world without Keepers?

I loved this book. I tried as hard as I could to make it last longer, but I just couldn't put it down in order to do something else. It was absolutely amazing. I couldn't have asked for a better conclusion to this trilogy. Andrea Cremer really brought everything full circle, though in the process she caused my heart to break over and over again. This book is a crazy emotional roller-coaster. I would go from laughing out loud one page to crying like a baby the next. Whatever you do, if you read this book make sure you have a box of tissues close. To say the very least, there was never a dull moment in this book. When the pack wasn't on some crazy adventure, they were just hanging out with the Searchers doing who knows what. It was just an amazing end to a really incredible trilogy.

Since the beginning of this series, I have loved Calla. She's strong, she's kind and she will do anything to protect the people she loves. In Bloodrose she is definitely put through a lot and how she survives it all is a mystery to me. In her position, I would be a complete mess. But she somehow manages it all. While I love Shay, I've been Team Ren from the start and I was very happy to see that he had a much bigger role in this book. He was back and he was ready to take up his position as alpha with Calla, if only she would let him. As for Shay, I still loved him but I found that in some parts of the book he would become someone I didn't particularly like, though I was able to overlook that for the most part. Like I mentioned in my review of Wolfsbane, I loved the Searcher characters and I was glad that they were even more present in Bloodrose. I can only hope that I will be able to see more of them in the future in some way or another.

Bloodrose was a thrilling read, and a fantastic conclusion to a fabulous trilogy. While reading this book, you will be taken on a crazy emotional ride and, if you are anything like me, you will be begging for it not to end. While it was an incredible read, I was still very sad to see this series come to an end.

Hello 2012

2012-01-01T00:47:00.000-05:00

Today is the first day of 2012 and, at least in my opinion, it promises to be a good year. If only by looking at all the books coming out, it will most definitely be a great year. I'm really excited to see all that it will bring, the expected and the unexpected.

I already mentioned there are a lot of wonderful books coming out this year, many of which I am really looking forward to reading. So here is my Top 12 Anticipated books of 2012, in no particular order.

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Divergent was among my favorite books of 2011 and with the way it ended I can't wait to be able to read Insurgent come May 2012. And, you know, getting to see more of Four won't hurt either.

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Unearthly was also one of my favorite books of 2011. I really loved the way the angel story worked. I can't wait to find out more about it all in Hallowed, and maybe get to see Tucker and Christian again. How Clara ever picks one is a mystery to me.

Wings of the Wicked by Courtney Allison Moulton

Many of the books I read in 2011 were the start of a series and now the sequels are coming out. Wing of the Wicked is one of those sequels I absolutely cannot wait to read it to find out what happens to Ellie and Will in the world filled with reapers.

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Princess is the conclusion to The Infernal Devices series and I can't wait for it. Especially with the way Clockwork Prince finished. It wasn't really so much that it was a cliffhanger but that it was a sort of emotional cliffhanger.

Black Heart by Holly Black

I absolutely love Cassel Sharpe and this series. Holly Black created an incredible world and I can't wait to see how she brings it all together in Black Heart. The only thing that bugs me is that they changed the covers so now it won't match the rest of my books.

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Lauren Oliver has become one of my favorite authors and I can't wait for Pandemonium. The ending to Delirium completely broke my heart and I can't wait to see how it will all work out.

Taken by Storm by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

I only just read the first two books in this series this year but I fell completely in love with it. I love the idea of a teenage girl leading a pack of wolves and I can't wait to see what happens next in Taken by Storm.

The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead

Bloodlines was a great start to a new series from Richelle Mead and I can't wait to see where she's going to take the story next. Plus from the last line of the first book, I can tell that things are going to get really interesting in The Golden Lily.

Dreamless by Josephine Angelini

I love Greek mythology and Josephine Angelini brought it to life in a really interesting way in this series. I absolutely loved the first book and I can't wait to find out what happens next to Helen and Lucas.

Underworld by Meg Cabot

Meg Cabot is one of my favorite authors and I love pretty much everything she writes. I'll pick up one of her books without even knowing what it's about. I can't wait to see where she's going to take the story that started in Abandon next in Underworld.

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

Like I said in my post yesterday, I am a huge Cassandra Clare fan. I'll read just about everything she writes and her Shadowhunter series are absolutely fantastic. So basically I cannot wait to read City of Lost Souls.

The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg

This is the only book on this list that isn't actually part of a series. This story just sounds adorable and everyone who has already read it has said that it is just as awesome as it sounds. In my books, that makes it a book I just need to read.

So these are the Top 12 books I'm anticipating the most in 2012. Of course there are A LOT more that I am looking forward to, but these happen to top the list. Hopefully I will get the chance to read all of these books and many more in the coming year.

Goodbye 2011

2011-12-31T00:41:00.000-05:00

Today is the last day of 2011 and I thought I would take the opportunity to look back on the year, and look to what's coming in the future in 2012. While I've been blogging for over a year already, 2011 was my first full calendar year of blogging. Let me just say that I never would have thought blogging would be such an important part of my life. I admit that sometimes my roommates get sick of hearing me talk about blogging and books and in those moments I am happy that there is this whole online community of people I can talk to about this stuff. Overall, 2011 was a great year and I am sad to see it go, but at the same time I am really looking forward to 2012 and all that it will bring.

I've read many books in 2011--I don't know the exact number, but it was A LOT. It's always hard for me to pick favorites and I've tried to narrow it down. So here are my Top 11 books of 2011 (and a few honorable mentions).

In no particular order:

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

I only read Catching Jordan recently and haven't reviewed it yet but it was awesome. It was a perfect fun and light read that also had a deeper layer to it. It was a lot of fun to spend a day reading this book.

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

If I thought that Clockwork Angel was good when I read it last year, Clockwork Prince was even better. How I'm going to wait until Clockwork Princess next year is a total mystery to me.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

With Delirium, Lauren Oliver became one of my favorite authors. This book was absolutely incredible and it totally broke my heart. I loved every moment of it and can't wait for more in the new year.

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

What was there not to love about this book? Stephanie Perkins is a genius when it comes to writing romances and I can't wait to be able to read more of them and get a glimpse of the characters I already love.

Once Every Never by Lesley Livingston

I don't know how to put into words how much I loved this book. It was such a great story and the present and past blended together seamlessly. And when Lesley Livingston announced there were going to be more I was ecstatic.

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

It's not secret that I'm a huge Cassandra Clare fan. I love pretty much everything she writes, and City of Fallen Angels was no exception. I was happy to be back with characters I loved and I can't wait for the next two books.

Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout

This is another book I only just read recently. And despite having to study for exams, I just couldn't put it down. I loved it and the way mythology played in to the story. I can't wait for the next installment.

Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

Kody Keplinger and her books are absolute genius. I loved Shut Out, it was the perfect read for me at the time when I read it. Plus Kody Keplinger is pretty good at creating yummy boys like Cash.

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

I loved the Vampire Academy series, and while I was Team Dimitri for Rose, I still loved Adrian. I was very happy with Bloodlines and a greater focus on Adrian and other VA characters. Now I can't wait for the next book in the series.

Goliath by Scott Westerfeld

I absolutely adore this series and I loved the conclusion that was Goliath. Scott Westerfeld recreated an incredible world and I found myself believing every aspect of it. Except I'm a little sad that it's over.

Wildefire by Karsten Knight

At first I really didn't think much of the book. And then I read it and couldn't put it down. And that ending, oh that ending. Basically this book was all kinds of awesome and I absolutely loved it.

So those were my Top 11 of 2011 but there are some other books I would also like to mention. These didn't make the list but they were great books nonetheless.

- Abandon by Meg Cabot
- Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton
- Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
- Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles
- Divergent by Veronica Roth
- Hereafter by Tara Hudson
- Original Sin by Lisa Desrochers
- Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Be sure to check back tomorrow for the Top 12 books of 2012 I am looking forward to. And if you haven't already, check out my post about some of my favorite debut books of 2011.

2011 Debut Author Challenge Wrap-Up

2011-12-28T00:53:00.000-05:00

This year was my first year participating in the Debut Author Challenge and I have to say that I quite enjoyed it. At the end of last year I had set myself the goal of reading at least 15 books by debut authors and I am proud to say that I have met that goal. In the process I discovered some fantastic new authors and books, and since this is the end of the year I though I would showcase a few of my favorites. So here are some of my favorite 2011 books by debut authors, in no particular order.

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Unearthly was definitely one of my favorite debut books, if not one of my favorite books this year in general. I loved the premise and the way Cynthia Hand made the angel story her own. It was definitely a great read and if you haven't read it yet I really recommend that you do so as soon as possible.

Witchlanders by Lena Coakley

I did not expect to enjoy Witchlanders nearly as much as I did which is why I'm including it on this list. High fantasy stories don't tend to be my cup of tea but with this one I found myself being drawn into the story and loving every minute of if. It was a truly fantastic read.

Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

Everyone kept saying how good Angelfire was but I didn't end up reading it until quite a while after it released. And then I was kicking myself for having waited so long. I loved Ellie's story and everything about the world Courtney Allison Moulton created. This is definitely another book you want to read.

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

When I first heard about Wither, I wasn't really sure how I would feel about a story that involves polygamy. But then I started reading and couldn't put it down. And the dystopian world that Lauren DeStefano created felt completely realistic and her writing had me captivated the whole way through.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

I couldn't not include Divergent on this list. It was by far one of the best debuts and one of the best books I read this year. Despite its length, I read this one pretty much in one sitting because it was impossible to put it down. If you haven't read this yet, you absolutely need to because you are seriously missing out.

So these are some of my favorite 2011 debuts. There are many more that I enjoyed quite a lot as well, but none quite as much as I did these ones. And now I can't wait to read the sequels to many of these and find out what happens next.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T19:43:00.001-05:00

I just wanted to take the time to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! I'm greatly enjoying my time with my family and I hope everyone is also enjoying their time off. And if you don't celebrate Christmas, I hope you enjoy this holiday period!

WinterTown by Stephen Emond

2011-12-23T04:28:00.000-05:00

Summary (from book):

Every winter, straight-laced, Ivy League-bound Evan looks froward to a visit from Lucy, his childhood best friend who moved away after her parents' divorce. But when Lucy arrives this year, she's changed. The former "girl next door" now has choppy black hair, a nose stud, and a scowl. But Evan knows that somewhere beneath the Goth exterior, Old Lucy still exists, and he's determined to find her...even if it means pissing her off.

Can opposites attract? Or does growing up mean having to grow apart?

Review:

When I first read the description of Wintertown, I was immediately drawn in, wanting to know more about Evan and Lucy's stories. And then started reading the book and it grew on me even more. By the end of it, the characters and the story had definitely found a place in my heart.

Evan and Lucy were best friends growing up. But then Lucy's parents divorced and she moved away with her mom. Now Evan only sees Lucy once a year during the Christmas holidays, and they pick up where they left off the previous year each time. Except when she arrives this year, Lucy isn't exactly the girl Evan remembers. She's changed and he can't seem to figure out what caused the change. At times Lucy is exactly like she used to be, but at others Evan doesn't recognize her and doesn't know what to do about it all. But Evan is determined to make it work and enjoy the one week a year he gets to spend with Lucy. And at first everything seems to be going great and Lucy and Evan are able to pick up where they off the year before, but then things really change.

This story was absolutely great without falling into clichés or being overdone. I really liked all the illustrations, and the comics at the end of each chapter were incredibly amusing and I loved them. But at first I wasn't exactly sure what to make of the story but the more I read, the more it grew on me and eventually wormed its way into my heart. The way it was told, the first half from Evan's point of view and the second half from Lucy's perspective was the best way it could have been told. It gave away just enough information. I almost liked it better than if the points of view had alternated the whole way through. For this story it was just perfect.

I think I pretty much fell in love with Evan and Lucy. They were incredibly real and I really felt like I could relate to them both, though to Evan more than to Lucy. And I have to admit that for the first half of the story, I didn't really like Lucy. Once I got to know him, I really wanted nothing but the best for Evan and Lucy was most definitely not that. He was just such a genuinely good person and he didn't deserve everything Lucy was putting him through. But then I found out more about Lucy and my opinion of her completely changed. Once I understood everything she had gone through, I hoped that she would do something about it and change her situation. In the end, I was very happy with where both characters ended up and how things turned out for them.

Wintertown was a great and fun read. It is a book I highly recommend, especially for those cold winter days when you want to do nothing more than curl up with a good book. And then you'll just fall in love with the characters and their story.

For more information about the book, be sure to check out the HBG website.

In My Mailbox (23)

2011-12-18T10:14:00.000-05:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren where book bloggers share the books they received/bought each week.

This week was a good week. I didn't buy any books for myself and still got 4 books so I was quite happy. I don't know that I'll be doing an In My Mailbox post next week as it will be Christmas Day and I will be spending the day in a car driving some 1000 km with my family to go skiing. It should be a fun time though. So here is what I got in my mailbox this week.

For Review:

- In the Forests of the Night by Kersten Hamilton (Thank you Thomas Allen & Sons)

- Wherever You Go by Heather Davis (Thank you Thomas Allen & Sons)

- The White Assassin by Hilary Wagner (Thank you Thomas Allen & Sons)

Traded:

- Everneath by Brody Ashton (ARC - Thank you Krista @ Cubicle Blindness)

So that's it for me this week. What did you guys get in your mailboxes?

Blog Tour - Happy Birthday to Me

2011-12-16T00:51:00.000-05:00

Today I have the pleasure of having Brian Rowe, author of the Happy Birthday to Me trilogy, here on the blog as part of his blog tour. He will be answering some questions, so be sure to keep reading to find out what he has to say.

Coffee or Tea: Tea. I like a latte from time to time, but anything coffee usually upsets my stomach. I prefer a tall hot glass of chamomile tea.

Summer or Winter: Winter. As much as I love summer, I have to go with winter. I love winter because it's the time for my favorite holidays, like Christmas, and the best films of the year, during Oscar season.

Day or Night: Night. I love horror films, so how could I possibly pick Day?? I also do my best writing at night, after everyone's gone to sleep, after the sun's gone down, when it's quiet and I can concentrate on my work.

Light or Dark Chocolate: Dark Chocolate. Always. I love the taste, and I love that it has antioxidants that have been proven to prevent cancer! Bring on the dark chocolate!

Mac or PC: Mac. I switched over to the Mac in October of 2002 to use the editing software Final Cut Pro, and I've never looked back since.

Sweet or Salty: Sweet. I'm just like my grandma: I've got the biggest sweet tooth. The day is never complete without a bite of something sweet after dinner, even it's just a wedge of chocolate or a scoop of plain vanilla ice cream!

Physical Book or E-Book: Physical Book. As great as the e-book revolution has been for indie authors like me, I always prefer a physical book. I actually haven't even read an e-book in full yet. But maybe that will change in the coming years.

Outdoors or Indoors: Indoors. I do love the outdoors, and I try to get out everyday, for a jog, for a hike, for golf, for skiing. But at the end of the day, I love the indoors, because it allows me to curl up with my cat on my bed, or write my book, all with the glory of air conditioning.

Handwrite or Type: Type. All the way. I do love the intimacy of handwriting, but it's 2011. It's just not practical anymore.

Phone Call or Text: Text. Up until 2006 I refused to use texting, because I didn't like to type out my conversations with others. But now I'd say 95% of my cell phone use is texting. I still prefer talking to someone over the phone versus texting, but let's be honest: texting's easier!

Movies or TV: Movies. I've been a huge movie buff ever since I was a little kid. In fact I'd say film is my number one passion in life. Rarely a day goes by when I don't watch a movie. I do love television, too; I'm currently making my way through about nine or ten TV shows at the same time! But movies are my go-to at night after dinner. My favorite film of all time is Billy Wilder's Sunset Boulevard, and my favorite director is the great Alfred Hitchcock.

E-mail or Snail Mail: E-mail. Again, like handwriting, snail mail is quickly becoming obsolete. It just costs less, and takes less time, to send our bills and letters and information by e-mail. I remember in 2005 or 2006 receiving a letter from a friend through snail mail, and it was like I had time travelled back to the early 90's. I do think we should handwrite a letter to an old friend, like, once a year, just for fun. Maybe I'll try doing that before 2011's remaining days pass me by!

Thank you to Brian Rowe for stopping by and be sure to keep following the rest of the tour through The Teen Book Scene's website!

Blog Tour - Bloodstone Saga

2011-12-15T00:01:00.000-05:00

Today I have the pleasure of being a part of the blog tour for Courtney Cole's Bloodstone Saga. Keep reading to find out more about the author, the first book in the saga and to read an excerpt from it, and to enter two great giveaways.

About Courtney Cole - website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads

Courtney Cole is a YA novelist who loves thunderstorms, cake batter and insane amounts of coffee. She wrote her first story at the age of 9, although thankfully it has remained hidden away in an old cedar chest beneath musty blankets. Her more recent efforts are much better.

About Every Last Kiss, the first book in the saga - goodreads, Amazon, B&N, Indiebound

What would you do if you held Fate in your hands

17-year old Macy Lockhart has the weight of the world on her shoulders. For thousands of years, she has been a Keeper in the ancient organization, the Order of the Moirae… and she literally holds fate in her hands. But this is something that she forgets because her memories are wiped clean in every life until it is time for her cycle to start again.

For the last two thousand years, this has never been a problem.

Until now. And now…

Fate, the very thing that Macy was born to keep, is being challenged and she has only one choice: To return to a previous life to fix it; a life where she was Cleopatra’s handmaiden, Charmian. And that’s not all. Unless she interferes with the fabric of time, the very thing she has returned to repair, her soul mate will die leading Marc Antony’s forces against Rome. Can she really stand aside and allow the love of her life to die all over again?

Excerpt from Every Last Kiss

“How did you get in here?” I demanded. “How did you get past the guards?”

Shesmiled peacefully at me, but didn’t answer.
“Canyou speak?” I asked. “Who are you?”
Shestudied me again, unmoving and silent from her perch on my bed. She wore silvery robes embroidered with richblue which were spread around her and her long fingernails were silver. They sparkled in the muted light from mywindow. She reminded me of what a fairywould be like. An odd sensation began tobuild in my chest and I hesitated.
“Whoare you?” I whispered again.
“You know who I am,” she said gently, as sherose from the bed. She was so gracefulthat it seemed as though she floated as she walked toward me.
“Idon’t,” I argued, as she came to a stop behind me.
“Youdo,” she insisted softly, as she placed her hands on my shoulders. And in that instant, the second that herhands touched me, I did.
Iwas standing face to face with Lachesis, the middle sister of the Fates. Terrifying and powerful, the last time I hadseen her, she had been an ancient, stooped hag. My eyes flew in amazement to her lovely, young face.
Shesmiled.
“Ican appear as I wish, Charmian,” she said lightly. “You are beautiful. So, of course I wanted to appear beautiful,as well. I have no wish to scare you.”
“Thenwhat is your wish?” I asked quietly, keeping my eyes locked on her face.
Shereached past me and picked up the jar of oil, dipping her long fingers into it.Picking up my arm, she gently began rubbing the scented oil into my skin as shespoke.
“Youare one of twelve, Charmian. Did youknow that?” I shook my head, instantly intrigued.
“Yes. Twelve very important people were chosen solong ago to assist us throughout the millennia. You were chosen for your bravery and your heart.”
Sheturned my wrist over and fingered my scar.
“Iplaced the mark of the phoenix upon your wrist myself. The phoenix is sacred to the order,Charmian. It symbolizes re-birth andlife, the very thing that we stand for… the things that we protect. And we gaveyou that mark. It is an honor.”
Inodded. “Yes, of course it is.”
“Thenwhy have you been doubting us?” she turned her large blue eyes to me,beseeching me.

The Giveaways

There are two giveaways you can enter here today.

#1: You can win a signed copy of Every Last Kiss as well as an authentic Greek Drachma, something which is necessary to pay the ferryman to the Underworld (see the picture below). To enter, leave a comment on this post with a way for me to contact you if you win. This giveaway is open for 24 hours only and is only open to those in the USA/Canada.

#2: You can win a Kindle Touch, fully loaded with Courtney Cole's books and made to match the fourth book in the saga. To enter please fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Once again, the giveaway is only open to participants in the USA/Canada.

Good Luck!

Waiting on Wednesday (32)

2011-12-14T03:27:00.000-05:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where book bloggers showcase books they are looking forward to. As I've been doing in the last few weeks, I am showcasing 2012 titles, month by month, often grouped by published. So this week it's HaperTeen (and its imprints) titles from February 2012.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. DanforthFebruary 7th, 2012

When Cameron Post’s parents die suddenly in a car crash, her shocking first thought is relief. Relief she’ll never have to tell them that, hours earlier, she had been kissing a girl.

But that relief soon turns to heartbreak, as Cam is forced to move in with her conservative aunt Ruth. She knows that from this point on, her life will forever be different. Survival in Miles City, Montana, means blending in and not making waves, and Cam becomes an expert at this—especially at avoiding any questions about her sexuality.

Then Coley Taylor moves to town. Beautiful pickup-driving Coley is a perfect cowgirl with the perfect boyfriend to match. To Cam’s surprise, she and Coley become best friends—while Cam secretly dreams of something more. Just as that starts to seem like a real possibility, her secret is exposed. Ultrareligious Aunt Ruth takes drastic action to “fix” her niece, bringing Cam face-to-face with the cost of denying her true self—even if she’s not quite sure who that is.

This book sounds like an incredible story, and I am absolutely loving how there seem to be more LGBT books coming out next year. I can't wait to read it and find out if the story is as great as the summary makes it sound. I'm also going to be a part of the blog tour for this book, which just makes me that much more excited about the book.

Wings of the Wicked by Courtney Allison Moulton

February 14th, 2012

Life as the Preliator is harder than Ellie ever imagined.
Balancing real life with the responsibility of being Heaven’s warrior is a challenge for Ellie. Her relationship with Will has become all business, though they both long for each other. And now that the secret of who she really is has come out, so have Hell’s strongest reapers. Grown bold and more vicious, the demonic threaten her in the light of day and stalk her in the night.

She’s been warned.
Cadan, a demonic reaper, comes to her with information about Bastian’s new plan to destroy Ellie’s soul and use an ancient relic to wake all the souls of the damned and unleash them upon humanity. As she fights to stay ahead of Bastian’s schemes , the revelations about those closest to her awaken a dark power within Ellie that threatens to destroy everything—including herself.

She’ll be betrayed.
Treachery comes even from those whom she loves, and Ellie is broken by the deaths of those who stood beside her in this Heavenly war. Still, she must find a way to save the world, herself, and her love for Will. If she fails, there will be hell to pay.

I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT! This is basically what has been going through my mind since I finished reading Angelfire earlier this year. It was such a great read and the story was absolutely incredible. I can't wait for February to come so I can find out what happens next to Ellie.

Arcadia Awakens by Kai Meyer

February 14th, 2012

To Rosa Alcantara, the exotic world of Sicily, with its network of Mafia families and its reputation for murder and intrigue, is just that—exotic and wholly unknown. But when her life in Brooklyn begins to fall apart, she must travel there, to her family’s ancestral home, where centuries of family secrets await her.

Once there, Rosa falls head over heels for Alessandro Carnevare, the son of a Sicilian Mafia family, whose handsome looks and savage grace both fascinate and unsettle her. But their families are sworn enemies, and her aunt and sister believe Alessandro is only using Rosa to infiltrate the Alcantara clan. And when Rosa encounters a tiger one night—a tiger with very familiar eyes—she can no longer deny that neither the Carnevares nor the Alcantaras are what they seem.

Hidden caves, dangerous beasts roaming the hills, and a history of familial bloodlust mean that Rosa can’t trust anyone. Torn between loyalty to her family and love for their mortal enemy, Rosa must make the hardest decision of her life: stay in Sicily with her new love…or run as far and as fast as she can.

The premise for this book just sounds really interesting. Plus it takes place in Sicily which is an absolutely gorgeous place. And you know, the idea of the mafia and dangerous animals also make the story sound that much more interesting and intriguing. I can't wait to find out more about it.

So those are the February 2012 HarperTeen titles that I am looking forward to. The books coming out in early 2012 are definitely going to be putting a dent in my wallet. But regardless of that, I can't wait for February so I can get my hands on these three wonderful books.

Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon

2011-12-13T03:31:00.000-05:00

Summary (from book):

THEIR LOVE WAS MEANT TO BE.

When Megan Rosenberg moves to Ireland, everything in her life seems to fall into place. After growing up in America, she's surprised to find herself feeling at home in her new school. She connects with a group of friends, and she is instantly drawn to darkly handsome Adam DeRis.

But Megan is about to discover that her feelings for Adam are tied to a fate that was sealed long ago--and that the passion and power that brought them together could be their ultimate destruction.

Review:

I have been hearing about Leigh Fallon and Carrier of the Mark for the longest time so I was really looking forward to being able to finally read it. And at first, I really didn't think much about it, but the next thing I knew I couldn't put the book down.

Megan never really felt like she fit in at any of the schools she went to in America, but when she and her dad move to Ireland she began feeling at home right away. Right from day one, she made new friends and fit right in. But soon enough, weird things start happening everywhere Megan goes and she can't seem to find a logical explanation for any of it. And then there's the DeRis family. Any times one of them is around, those weird happenings just seem to follow. But Megan also feels strangely attracted to Adam DeRis, despite the fact that everyone keeps telling her that she should stay away. And as Megan gets closer and closer to Adam, she discovers that her destiny is much greater than she ever thought imaginable. And that maybe she shouldn't try so hard to resist her attraction to Adam.

I'm not being honest if I don't say that at first I didn't really think much of Carrier of the Mark. For about the first 50 pages or so I was wondering when stuff would happen and things would start picking up, I found myself having trouble putting the book down. It was like all of a sudden, everything was happening all at once and I started loving the story more and more. I can now say that Leigh Fallan wrote a really great story. I loved the Irish folklore in the book and found the way the four elements were included in the story very interesting. It was definitely something new and different.

Though there wasn't much action going on at first, I still liked Megan right from the start. I felt like I could really relate to her, especially when it comes to the whole moving around and changing schools often. But other than that, Megan still felt really real to me and I felt like I could really understand her. Adam DeRis sounded very dreamy and I could totally see why Megan was so attracted to him. But Adam was a lot more than just a dreamy exterior. He was fiercely loyal and more than willing to stand up for those he cared about and loved. Most importantly, I loved how much he cared about Megan and he was always there to protect her. As for the rest of the characters, I loved all the Irish expressions and traditions they had. And from what I know, Irish people tend to often be really great.

Overall, Carrier of the Mark was a really great read and I loved discovering Leigh Fallon and her fantastic writing. And the way it ended, I can't wait for the next book to come out to find out what happens next.

In My Mailbox (22)

2011-12-10T15:14:00.001-05:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren and inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. It's a post where we talk about the books we received during the week either for review, from the bookstore or anywhere else.

This week was relatively slow for books. I didn't receive any books in the mail for review (at least I hadn't on Wednesday night) and I only have books that I bought but I'm still happy since they were all books I've been meaning to get for a while. I may have received more books but I'm not home so I don't know, and I also don't have a proper picture of the books either since I left them behind. At any rate, here's what I got this week.

Bought:

- Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare - I have already read and reviewed this book (read my review) but I wanted a pretty finished copy which I may just reread over my Christmas holidays. Plus it's the "Collector's First Edition" which the bonus content, so how exactly was I supposed to resist buying it?

- Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi - I have heard nothing but absolutely incredible things about this book. I haven't read it yet, but it is definitely high on my list of books to read over the Christmas holidays. It just sounds really interesting and I can't wait to read it.

- Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep - This book came out earlier this year, and I still hear a lot of good things about it so I decided I would give it a go. The premise sounds really interesting and it takes place at a school for supernatural teens, which is a type of setting I just love.

- Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep - This one just came out recently and is the sequel to Touch of Frost. And since I bought the first one, I figured I might as well buy the second so I would have it on hand to start when I finish the first.

So that's all for me this week. Maybe I'll have a few surprises when I get back home next week, but for now that's it. What did you get in your mailbox?

Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer

2011-12-09T03:09:00.000-05:00

Summary (from book):

When Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemies, she's certain her days are numbered. But then the Searchers make her an offer--one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack--and the man--she left behind. Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side no matter way? Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must figure out which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can endure and still survive.

Review:

I have had Wolfsbane sitting on my shelf pretty much since its release date. But I only just read it, and now I'm kicking myself for that. I had forgotten how much I loved this story and these characters. This second installment proved to be just as good, if not better, than the first.

After running away from her union with Ren, Calla was taken by the Searchers. When she wakes up in their lair, she doesn't know what's going on and what happened to Shay. Last she saw him, he was also being taken away by the Searchers. As Calla finds out more about the Searchers and everything she's been told by the Keepers, she realizes that the enemy may not be who she thought it was. Calla and Shay decide to join forces with the Searchers in an attempt to take down the Keepers. But Calla won't be able to do it alone, she needs her pack back. Except she left them behind when she ran away from Vail with Shay. But more importantly, Calla needs an Alpha. Will it be Ren, the boy she's known her whole life, or Shay, the boy who came into her life and stole her heart.

Werewolves, or just wolves, are probably my favorite paranormal creatures. I don't really know why, but they just are. And Andrea Cremer may also have something to do with it. The world she created in this series feels incredibly real, every page I felt like I was right there alongside the characters. And if the world isn't amazing enough, the story she tells through Calla is absolutely incredible. I loved every single minute of it, and never saw any of it coming. The story was packed with action and at every corner there were new twists and turns. This book just took me on an incredible ride.

Calla is an amazing character. She's strong, she's not afraid of anything and she'll do just about anything to help the people she loves. And then there's the whole love triangle thing. Normally it would annoy me that Calla keeps going back and forth between Ren and Shay, but here the story wouldn't work without Calla not being able to choose. And in her position I wouldn't know show to choose between Ren and Shay (though I do lean more towards Ren). Shay pretty much swept her off her feet when he showed up in town and she ran away to save him. But she has a history with Ren and she grew up thinking that's who she would be with. And on top of it all the boys are not making it any easier on her. The new Searcher characters were really great. I loved getting to know them and they were a great addition to the story. And I have to admit that Connor and Adne were my favorites, I just loved the relationship between the two.

Wolfsbane was a great sequel, and an even greater read. This book will take you on an incredible journey and you won't want it to end. It was a good thing I was lucky enough to have a copy of Bloodrose on hand to read when I finished this one.