This not post is brought to you by....

This seriously epic song:

Hope you're having an awesome Sunday guys. No IMM this week, and my brain is too mushed from the quince party I went to last night to think of something to write!

-Harmony

Clarity by Kim Harrington

Who: Kim Harrington
What: Clarity
Where: Scholastic
When: March 1st, 2011
Why: Hype
How: For Review

When you can see things others can't, where do
you look for the truth?

This paranormal murder mystery will have teens
reading on the edge of their seats.

Clarity "Clare" Fern sees things.
Things no one else can see. Things like stolen kisses and long-buried secrets.
All she has to do is touch a certain object, and the visions come to her. It's a
gift.

And a curse.

When a teenage girl is found murdered,
Clare's ex-boyfriend wants her to help solve the case--but Clare is still
furious at the cheating jerk. Then Clare's brother--who has supernatural gifts
of his own--becomes the prime suspect, and Clare can no longer look away.
Teaming up with Gabriel, the smoldering son of the new detective, Clare must
venture into the depths of fear, revenge, and lust in order to track the killer.
But will her sight fail her just when she needs it most?

Funny, clever, and entertaining, Clarity is a fabulous debut that includes a fiery and honest heroine, hot boys, and a murder mystery that left me guessing! Kim is an author to watch!

Clarity "Clare" Fern was a fun, quirky, and snarky character. I loved reading about her, mostly because her reactions seemed so genuine. I especially loved the first time she sees Gabriel, mostly because she goes, out loud to her friend and brother, "Yummy." YES. THANK YOU! Mostly because I would've done the same thing, not cower into the seats and mentally think about the hot god he is. She's strong and willing to go to great lengths for family, even to the people she's supposed to be telling the truth too. I loved her sense her loyalty and also her confidence, because I just don't think enough heroines are like that these days!

Clarity revolves around a murder that happens in their small town, and Clare teaming up with her ex-boyfriend Justin and new hot junior detective, Gabriel, to find the killer. I, personally, never suspected the killer to be who it was. I thought lots of different people, whenever Clarity's opinion swayed, so did mine.

Finally, the boys. Honestly, I'm a little bit in favor of both. I just don't think the book was long enough to allow enough character development for a decision! Justin was sweet and nice, even if he made that one mistake. On the other hand, Gabriel was hot, lovely, and they had fantastic chemistry together! I'm rooting for her and Gabriel, but with some little time reading about them, my preference just might sway!

My rating? AMAZINGNESS
Happy Reading!
-Harmony

Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

Who: Courtney Allison Moulton
What: Angelfire
When: Feburary 15th, 2011
Where: Harperteen
Why: Epicness
How: For Review

When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers -
monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell - she finds
herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the
Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul.

A mysterious
boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only
one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an
immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Now that Ellie's powers have been
awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He
has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her - an assassin who has already
killed her once.

While balancing her dwindling social life and
reaper-hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant
creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to
ignite the End of Days and to destroy Ellie's soul, ending her rebirth cycle
forever. Now, she must face an army of Bastian's most frightening reapers,
prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her
past lives - including truths that may be too frightening to remember.

Oh man, I finally get to write my review for this one! I've been raving about Angelfire since November, and trust me, this is the book to get! With a witty, snarky, and realistic heroine, drop-dead wonderful hero, and bad beasties on every turn, Courtney's debut is absolutely amazing.

Usually I talk a little bit about world-building and plot (AWESOME plot, just saying.), but I'm just going to dive into Ellie. Because she is so. Freaking. Badass. Seriously, she could kill her with one hand tied behind her back. Also, I love love love the fact that Will, the hero, is considered a creepy stalker in the beginning, because hello? You'd be thinking that too if some random guy starting appearing out of nowhere! She was witty and definitely the kind of person I'd want to be friends with in real life! Ellie can take care of herself, and doesn't need Will around to do it. Will's kind of like a sidekick to Ellie's badass heroine skills, which just made me love the book even more.

Reapers? Are some scary things, ladies and gents. They were ugly, they are mean, and they won't hesitate to rip out your innards. And neither is Courtney. I love how she wasn't afraid to draw out the gory stuff. People get impaled (I can never write this without thinking of Kari from A Good Addiction.), beheaded, stabbed, sliced, and they're all written in epically crafted fight scenes. Now I've read a few angel books in my day, but none have been as original and epic as Angelfire.

Now we get to talk about Will (YAY.) I won't say he's mine, for fear Kari will throw me into a pit of fire, but can I haz one? He's sweet, sexy, and cares so much about Ellie that even while their relationship is progressing (and it's progresses thank GOD. Instant love kills me.) He's a loyal person and knows what has to be done, even when Ellie is reluctant to see that. Their relationship was well-paced, and you can really see the dedication and devotion they have for each other by the end. Plus, he's so socially awkward which I just thought was so adorable and unlike usual heroes where they're all cool and the heroine's floundering all over the place.

And that ending? OMG COURTNEY FINISH EDITING FAST.

My rating? AWESOMESAUCE

Happy Reading!
-Harmony

Crazy Cover Reveals

So I was gonna do a review of Clarity today, but I decided to push that back and show you the amazing amount of covers that were revealed this week!

Supernaturally by Kiersten White

Life's never fair when faeries are involved.
The sequel to Paranormalcy.

Sequel to Paranormalcy, must I say more?

Jessica Rules the Dark Side by Beth Fantasky

When Jessica Packwood found out she was a Romanian vampire princess, she had the shock of her teenage life. Turns out that was the easy part. Now, married to Prince Lucius Vladescu, she has to claim her throne and convince a vampire nation she’s fit to be their queen. But Jess can’t even order a decent meal from her castle’s Romanian staff, let alone deal with devious undead subjects who would love to see her fail.

And when Lucius is accused of murdering a vampire Elder and imprisoned without the blood he needs, Jessica finds herself alone, fighting for both their survivals.

Desperate to clear her husband’s name and win his release, Jess enlists the help of her best friend Mindy Stankowicz and Lucius’s mysterious Italian cousin, Raniero Lovatu. But both of them are keeping some dark secrets. Can Jess figure out who to trust – and how to rise to power – before she loses everything, including the vampire she loves?

Full of romance, mystery, and danger, the highly anticipated sequel to Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side shows that sometimes a princess has to earn her “happily ever after” – with a sharpened stake in hand

AH OMG SEQUEL SEQUEL SEQUEL TO JESSICA'S GUIDE TO DATING ON THE DARK SIDE. So. Excited. *squeals*

Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez

Now is not the time for Carmen to fall in love. Two weeks before the most important violin competition of her career, she has bigger things to worry about—like growing out of that suffocating “child prodigy” label, and not disappointing her mother. But it isn’t just the wrong time. It’s the wrong guy. Jeremy is Carmen’s most talented rival, and according to her mother, he’s only interested in one thing: winning.

He isn’t the only one.

Carmen is so desperate to win she takes anti-anxiety drugs to control performance nerves. But what started a year ago as an easy fix is now a hungry addiction. Her mother insists now is not the time to quit, but Carmen is sick of not feeling anything on stage and even more sick of doing what she’s told.

When the darker side of the classical music industry and her mother's ambition collide, Carmen must choose between her career and her love for music

So. Freaking. Excited for this one! It sounds like an absolutely amazing read and that cover is just gorgeous!

Happy Reading!
-Harmony

In My Mailbox 27

This is hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren!

For Review:
Wildefire by Karsten Knight
Hourglass by Myra McEntire
The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter
Divergent by Veronica Roth

Contest:
Heavenly by Jennifer Laurens
Penitence by Jennifer Laurens

Bought:
Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting
A Blue So Dark by Holly Schindler
The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa (Needed my own copy!)
Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins (Needed my own copy!)
Nine Rules to Break when Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean

Happy Reading!
-Harmony

Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

Who: Rachel Hawkins
What: Demonglass (Hex Hall #2)
Where: Disney Hyperion
When: March 1st, 2011
Why: Series love
How: For Review

Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch.

That was
the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent
Prodigium (aka witches, shapeshifters, and fairies). But that was before she
discovered the family secret, and that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent
for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth.

Turns out, Sophie’s a demon, one of only two in the world—the other
being her father. What’s worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of
everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London
for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will destroy her powers.

But
once Sophie arrives she makes a shocking discovery. Her new friends? They’re
demons too. Meaning someone is raising them in secret with creepy plans to use
their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting
Sophie down, and they’re using Archer to do it. But it’s not like she has
feelings for him anymore. Does she?

I doubt I've laughed this hard while reading something before (side note: plus, I was in a car on a 16 hour trip to Tennessee so the fact that I was still capable of LAUGHING is a big thing.) and Rachel Hawkins pulled off Demonglass with flying colors.

Demonglass starts off where Hex Hall left off, Sophie has found out she's not only a witch, and she's moving to England with Jenna and Cal to be with her father and find out more about who she is and how to control it. That twist in Chapter 2? Did not see coming. Those twists everywhere else? Did not see coming. Rachel drops small hints to keep you guessing, but never enough to let you know the end result until you're reading the answers.

Sophie. Is. Too. Funny. She's snarky, witty, and always ready for a quick retort. She and Evie from Paranormalcy could be best friends! Although she does take a bit more of a serious side in this, she never loses herself and her spunk from the first book. Jenna, as always, is a great best friend and companion to Sophie's adventures. Though they did have a few rocky moments in Demonglass, it was obvious they cared a lot about each other and just wanted to see the other happy.

While Archer left us in Hex Hall thinking GAH, hate you evil jerk, I thought he redeemed himself in Demonglass and he's back to Sexy Warlock Boy. But a new love interest gets introduced, and you know who he is! Guesses? Cal is super sweet, lovely, and really cares a lot about Sophie. I didn't notice until reading Demonglass all the little hints Rachel dropped in Hex Hall! Sophie can have Archer, and I'll keep Cal for myself!

Quotes (because they're seriously necessary):

"Dad, she's just going to freak. And probably come here
and get me, and then you guys will start yelling at each other, and I'll have to
act out by wearing lots of eyeliner and doing the drugs ..." -Sophie

"I expected him to do his usual thing of "Oh, Sophie, but that is impossible b/c of
this big word, and that big word, and also this abstract concept." (CAN I get
this on a SHIRT?)

"It wasn't like I'd been hyperaware of his presence and
jumped the three times his knee bumped mine. And after that third time, he
definitely hadn't shot me a kind of disgusted look and said, "Chill out, will
you?"
And when Jenna gave us both a quizzical look, we hadn't snapped, in
unison, "Nothing!" Because all of that would have been weird, and Cal and I
weren't weird. We were cool."

My rating? AWESOMESAUCE

Happy Reading!
-Harmony

Interview with Angelfire character: Kate

Today we have Kate, Ellie's best friend from the amazing debut Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton! I read this book next in November and its fantastic! Plus, it's out this week with a gorgeous cover.

__________________________________


1. Tell us a little bit about yourself!

My name's Kate, I'm 18, I have a car named Ruby. I love to shop and party and make Ellie uncomfortable in social situations. She's too easy to tease.

2. How did you and Ellie become friends?

Okay, there's some debate on this. We were in kindergarten and she had toy pony she brought that I was playing with. She totally threw a tantrum and is to this day convinced I tried to steal it. In time-out, we realized we were soul mates.

3. What do you think of Will?

Stone-cold-fox. Kind of socially retarded, but he's a good guy. It's easy to see how much he cares about Ellie. I'm also convinced he's not her econ tutor. He's too hot to be a tutor.

4. If you could be anywhere with anyone right now, where and who?

At a posh night club with Marilyn Monroe. She's my idol.

5. If you were to find out something like, say, your best friend is really spending her nights killing beasties, what would you think?

I'd think you were on drugs.

Thanks for stopping by, Kate! Be sure to pick up Angelfire!

Happy Reading!
-Harmony B.

In My Mailbox 26

This is hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren
(side note: no worries guys, no matter all this controversey going on right now with both IMM and blogging in general, i'm not going anywhere and the vlogs will keep coming! Just thought i'd let you know =P)

For Review:
Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Bought:
Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Cloaked by Alex Flinn
Hate List by Jennifer Brown

& SWAG!

Happy Reading!
-Harmony

Waiting and Wanting (1)

So, I suck at posting Waiting on Wednesday ON Wednesday so I'm just gonna post Waiting and Wanting whenever I can to show you guys some upcoming titles I'm super excited for! Of course, inspiration from Jill at Breaking the Spine since WoW is hers!

Hourglass by Myra McEntire
May 24, 2011 from EgmontUSA

Since the age of fourteen, Emerson Cole has seen strange things – dead things – swooning Southern Belles, soldiers, and other eerie apparitions of the past. She’s tried everything to get rid of the visions: medication, counseling, asylums. Nothing’s worked.

So when Emerson's well-meaning brother calls in yet another consultant from a mysterious organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to give it one last try.

Michael Weaver is no ordinary consultant. He's barely older than she is; he listens like no one she's ever met before; and he doesn't make her feel the least bit crazy. As Emerson ventures deeper into the world of the Hourglass, she begins to learn the truth about her past, her future--and her very life.


The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter
April 19th, 2011 from Harlequin

It's always been just Kate and her mom--and now her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall.

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld--and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Kate is sure he's crazy--until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess.
If she fails...

Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey
December 8th from Penguin

(This one doesn't have an official summary yet, so this
is what I managed to pull out for you guys)Mary Lindsey's SHATTERED SOULS, a
dark and dangerous forbidden love story about a Speaker who helps lingering
ghosts pass to the spirit world and the Protector who has pledged to serve
her.

Happy Reading! Hope I managed to introduce you to some awesome new debuts!
-Harmony B.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Who: Lauren Oliver
What: Delirium
When: February 1st, 2011
Where: Harper Collins (Harperteen)
Why: Lauren Novel Love (and holy Jesus, THAT PLOT.)
How: Bought

Before scientists found the cure, people thought
love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria --
blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now.
Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all
citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked
forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without
pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days
left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in
love.

Did anyone doubt I wasn't gonna love this? I mean, 1) it's by LAUREN freakin' OLIVER. 2)Romance AND Dystopian? Love. And 3) DAMN, I wish I had come up with this. And that doesn't happen often.

Lauren takes us into a world after war and Independence broke us apart. The government in turn, blame everything bad on something called amor deliria nervosa, which we all know as love. Everyone receives "the cure" when they turn eighteen, freeing them from the ability to love and letting them live happy, long lives. Lena can't wait to get this, until the circumstances make her challenge everything she's been taught in her city. Lauren weaves a deep and rich writing with a plot fast enough to make you never want to put it down.

Lena, for me, was an incredibly realistic character. Sometimes I wanted to hug her, and sometimes I wanted to shake her shoulders. But that's something I love in characters because really, what person do you know where you never want to give them a good smack to the head? She was kind and compelling. I found her journey to discovering not only herself, but the world around her, beautiful and, like all Lauren novels, heart-breaking.

Alex, oh Alex. God, did that boy care about her. They're amazing together really, and watching them interact made me smile. Her friend, Hana, seriously surprised me. I didn't think she'd play such a good part in the story, and even be that dimensional. But she was caring and made ideas of her own that really made the story flow. A lot of things happen because of Hana, and I like that some of her decisions were a lot of a catalyst for Lena.

And that ENDING? Why must every Lauren Novel make me cry? I cannot WAIT for the rest of the trilogy. This is a complete and definite must read, as is her debut novel, Before I Fall.

My rating? AWESOMESAUCE

Happy Reading!
-Harmony B.

Interview with So Shelly character: John Keats

Today I have John Keats, a character from Ty Roth's great debut, So Shelly, to answer a few questions! (For the record, you won't understand why I asked the third question unless you've read the book =P)

__________________________________

1. When was the moment you decided to act on wanting to be an author?

I’m not sure that being an author is something I “decided” to do. It’s more like something that chose me. Although I’ve received none of the popular and critical acclaim of Gordon (to speak none of the rewards of fame and fortune) nor even the modicum of praise Shelly earned through her contributions to Trinity’s literary magazine, The Beacon, I feel that writing is the one thing I’m especially good at and the one means through which I might do something for which I might be remembered. But to answer the question specifically, I knew I wanted to be a writer the moment I read Gordon’s novel, Manfred.

2. What is your favorite memory with Shelly?

When I think of Shelly, I rarely think of a single moment. Shelly was so ephemeral and flitting that she was nearly impossible to pin down in a moment, so it’s fitting that a memory of her would be the same way. For Shelly, there was always something to be done. Life was a dynamic experience. To stop was to die.

In the story, I describe her as a butterfly. To answer your question and identify a single “favorite memory with Shelly” would force me to place her in a jar, and there are few things sadder than a butterfly in a jar. Only Gordon could or had the audacity to do such a thing, and in the end, she suffocated. So I won’t, I can’t, do that with my memory of her.

3. If you could guess, which disease do you think could be the end of you?

That’s really a strange question. I actually try not to think about the “how” I will die. As I say in the book, together, Shelly and Gordon have taught me to focus my energies on living rather than dying. It’s the living that I have some control over; the dying will take care of itself. I suppose, I could attempt to lock myself away in some kind of germ and accident-free bubble, but that in itself would be a sort of death, a death-in-life you might call it. So, for now at least, my attention is directed towards making the most out of the time I do have and trying to leave something behind for others worth remembering. It’s like Gordon said, “We all die young.” It doesn’t matter if you live to be sixteen, thirty-six, or ninety-six; there’s never enough time to experience all that living has to offer.

4. What were your first thoughts when you met Gordon Byron?

My first thought was that he was both everything I dreamed he would be and everything I knew I never would. It was on both of our first days of school at Trinity. I was a freshman; Gordon was transferring in as a sophomore. I didn’t actually “meet” him that day, but I’ll never forget the way he strutted down the main hall like he already owned the place. You have to remember, he was already a published author and a media sensation; kids in the hall gave way and parted as he approached as if he were some sort of messiah. In that moment, I loved him, but in that moment, I also envied and hated him.

Happy Reading and make sure to pick up Ty Roth's debut novel, So Shelly, it's out now!

-Harmony B.

BOOKSHELF tour

So, you guys have been asking me for forever to do a bookshelf tour and since I only got one book in my mailbox so no IMM, I decided to finally do it!

Happy Reading!
-Harmony B.

Bleeding Violet

Who: Dia Reeves
What: Bleeding Violet
Where: Simon and Schuster (Simon Pulse)
When: January 5th, 2010
Why: Hype
How: Bought

Love can be a dangerous thing....

Hanna
simply wants to be loved. With a head plagued by hallucinations, a medicine
cabinet full of pills, and a closet stuffed with frilly, violet dresses, Hanna's
tired of being the outcast, the weird girl, the freak. So she runs away to
Portero, Texas in search of a new home.

But Portero is a stranger town
than Hanna expects. As she tries to make a place for herself, she discovers dark
secrets that would terrify any normal soul. Good thing for Hanna, she's far from
normal. As this crazy girl meets an even crazier town, only two things are
certain: Anything can happen and no one is safe.

What a wonderfully twisted book this was! Dia weaves together a city full of hidden doors and evil spirits together with a mentally unstable (manic-depressive) girl named Violet perfectly that I just could not stop reading!

I think the best thing about this was the fact that Hannah isn't a likeable character. She's insane, she's rash, and her thinking is totally screwed up. But Dia makes it work so that I was rooting for Hanna and her insane ways. Bleeding Violet was at times dark and scary, while at others, touching and sweet! The town of Portero was an interesting one, and I loved getting another look at it since I read Slice of Cherry before this one! The fact of a strange town where everything weird happens, so a relief from those Southern Town stories where nothing happens until That happens. Sure, this is an odd book, but I mean that in the best possible way!

There is a romantic plot in Bleeding Violet and I found the relationship between Wyatt and Hanna intriguing and sweet. I also loved her attachment to her mother, since she had never seen her before. If her mother loved her (and her mother was seriously twisted as well), she thought everything was gonna turn out alright. Even if she had to do bad things to win her mother's favor.

All in all, this is an amazing debut from a great author Dia Reeves, whose books are whimsical, and insane, but she works it! This really is a hit or miss book, you either LOVE it or you're going "WTF?"

My rating: AWESOMESAUCE

Happy Reading!
-Harmony B.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephine Perkins

Who: Stephine Perkins
What: Anna and the French kiss
When: December 2nd, 2010
Where: Penguin Group (Dutton)
Why: HYPE
How: Bought

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in
Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the
verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being
shipped off to boarding school in Paris—until she meets Étienne St. Claire:
perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy
accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna
might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.

As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near-misses end
with the French kiss Anna—and readers—have long awaited?

Just...wow. Don't let that fluffy cover and title deceive you, because this was a beautiful, genuine, and slow (you KNOW I love slow!) first love story on the bright streets of Paris.

The main character, Anna, is right up there with funny protagonists near Sophie from Hex Hall and Evie from Paranormalcy. I loved how relatable she was (and easy to laugh with!) I mean, how many of us have seen ourselves in that bumbling "OMG, is he looking at me? He's looking at me isn't he?! OH GOD" way? A lot of us, which is what made Anna and the French Kiss so genuine. It was an budding and intense romance, but it was also awkward and sweet, plus they fumbled sometimes and misunderstood each other!

The plot's been done before, but Stephine has a unique and quirky writing voice that never made me feel like I had read something like this before. All the side characters are quirky, fun, and realistic. Meredith, Josh, and Rashmi were perfect to the story and definite comic relief when it came to tense moments. Meredith was a great friend, and that "moment" (Ha, not spoiling THAT), I totally understood her reaction! I mean, wouldn't you react like that too?

Finally, St.Clair. Etienne. Oh, how you make me swoon. He wasn't perfect, which again I looooove, but he was sweet and intense but he was also awkward and fumble-y and got pissed off as well! And it develops slowly and sweetly and god, you know I love slow romances. Anne and Etienne are friends, then best friends, and incredibly close as there relationship develops. PLUS, I love that she didn't throw herself at him because she KNEW he had a girlfriend! I mean, girlfriend? You don't go after dudes with girlfriends! I like that Anna keep herself (tried at least) under control.

My rating? AWESOMESAUCE, definitely.

Happy Reading!
-Harmony B.