Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore

Who: Jaclyn Dolamore
What: Between The Sea and Sky
When: October 25th, 2011
Where: Bloomsbury
Why: Premise Interest
How: From Author

For as long as Esmerine can remember, she has longed to join her older sister, Dosinia, as a siren--the highest calling a mermaid can have. When Dosinia runs away to the mainland, Esmerine is sent to retrieve her. Using magic to transform her tail into legs, she makes her way unsteadily to the capital city. There she comes upon a friend she hasn't seen since childhood--a dashing young man named Alandare, who belongs to a winged race of people. As Esmerine and Alandare band together to search for Dosinia, they rekindle a friendship . . . and ignite the emotions for a love so great, it cannot be bound by sea, land, or air.

Gah, what a sweet book! It's this blend of the magic in middle grade and the romance and writing style of YA combined to make a luscious, light high fantasy that everyone can enjoy!

The book definitely doesn't read like a High Fantasy, which makes it very accessible for people who don't really like High Fantasy in the first place. While you're reading it, even though they're are people with sings and mermaids, it never feels like you're in a completely different world. Jacklyn's writing is so subtle when she slips me details that half-way through the novel was when I realized, this isn't in an alternate Earth, but a whole new land!

Esmerine was such a sweet (sweet is going to be a common word in this review, because that is just the overall feel of the novel!) and determined girl, and you really see her grow up and come into her own throughout the novel. She's conflicted the whole time about her duty to her community and her duty to herself, which is a problem most people face, and she was, at times, was so level-headed about it that I just loved her from the start. Alandare is awkward and doesn't really know how to talk to people and it's adorable and I just wanted to give him a big hug (which would probably confuse him, but what do I care?)

I loved reading about the concept of the mermaids and how Sirens were these esteemed kind of guardians for the mermaid world underwater. The society functions very much like a dystopian government in the sense that you only know what they tell you, and no one ever talks about the bad things. I also loved how the entire plot of the novel revolves around Esmerine trying to find her sister, right? But it's not to force Dosinia to come back to her or make her feel awful, but just to see if she was alright and if she was happy! Because in family, that's the important thing!

Alandare and Esmerine's relationship was so lovely to read. You get to hear about their past when they were children and then when there are reunited as late teenagers and how difficult it is for them to be two completely different people with an almost impossible romance but still love and care for one another. I adored the ending and the way that Jacklyn solves everything is neat and makes sense, which is always a plus.

Overall, I definitely recommend!
Happy Reading!

YA WATCH (1)

OKAY, so when I did my survey, a lot of you said you wanted me to do a post every week with all the YA news circling in the sphere. So I chose Saturdays but I have one more question for you:

do you want me to do them in post form? or in vlog form? Doing the "news" in vlog form would be awesome, but I know some people don't like stopping everyday to watch a video. I am also do it in both, like I do In My Mailbox but whichever floats your boat is fine with me!

This week i'll be doing it in Post form so here we go!

________________________________________________________________________

COVER REVEALS:

Who: Gina Damico
What: Croak
When: March 20th, 2012
Where: Graphia/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Sixteen-year-old Lex Bartleby has sucker-punched her last classmate. Fed up with her punkish, wild behavior, her parents ship her off to upstate New York to live with her Uncle Mort for the summer, hoping that a few months of dirty farm work will whip her back into shape. But Uncle Mort’s true occupation is much dirtier than that of shoveling manure.
He’s a Grim Reaper. And he’s going to teach her the family business.
Lex quickly assimilates into the peculiar world of Croak, a town populated entirely by reapers who deliver souls from this life to the next. Along with her infuriating yet intriguing partner Driggs and a rockstar crew of fellow Grim apprentices, Lex is soon zapping her Targets like a natural born Killer.
Yet her innate ability morphs into an unchecked desire for justice—or is it vengeance?—whenever she’s forced to Kill a murder victim, craving to stop the attackers before they can strike again. So when people start to die—that is, people who aren’t supposed to be dying, people who have committed grievous crimes against the innocent—Lex’s curiosity is piqued. Her obsession grows as the bodies pile up, and a troubling question begins to swirl through her mind: if she succeeds in tracking down the murderer, will she stop the carnage—or will she ditch Croak and join in?

" I'm not a fan of the cover, but that premise sounds awesome! Grim Reapers? Count me in

Who: Myra McEntire
What: Timepiece (Hourglass #2)
When: June 12th, 2011
Where: Egmont?
Note: This cover WAS leaked online, it wasn't supposed to be revealed until March 2012.

This lovely book's premise isn't out to the public yet but I assure you, it's EPIC. 

" I really don't need to explain my love for this frigging AMAZING COVER AND THESE BOOKS AH.

YA DEALS:

Eve Silver's RESPAWN, the first book in a teen series about a girl who finds herself inside a "game" where she must hunt aliens, or be hunted by them, to Sarah Shumway at Katherine Tegen Books, in a pre-empt, in a three-book deal, by Robin Rue at Writers House (NA).

Kimberley Griffiths Little's GODDESS, pitched as "the YA Red Tent", to Karen Chaplin at Harper Children's, in a pre-empt, in a three-book deal, for publication in beginning in 2013, by Tracey Adams at Adams Literary (US).

 " Respawn sounds completely awesome! There's been a lot of buzz about Sci-Fi going on lately and this is definitely proof!

Michelle Rowen writing as Morgan Rhodes’s REBEL SPRING, the first novel in the high fantasy series FALLING KINGDOMS, in which an ensemble cast led by a princess-turned-queen see their fortunes tangle together in times of war, pitched as GAME OF THRONES for teens, to Laura Arnold at Razorbill, in a two-book deal, by Jim McCarthy at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management.

"GUYS. I LOVE GAME OF THRONES.

MOVIE ANNOUNCEMENTS:

The HOURGLASS books have been optioned for feature film by TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX.

WARNER BROS to Adapt Young Adult Fantasy Novel THE SCORPIO RACES

They're chosen the screen writers for Upcoming YA Novel: THE FUTURE OF US by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler ; Isaac Aptaker, 24 & and Elizabeth Berger, 26

THE HUNGER GAMES posters are released so go to this link and check them out! 

________________________________________________________________________

So what'd you guys think? I'm SO psyched for all this Hourglass related news and those deals sound amazing! If you have anything else I missed, don't be afraid to add it in the comments and i'll edit it in :)

Happy Reading!

Frost by Marianna Baer

Who: Marianna Baer
What: Frost
When: September 13th
Where: HarperTeen
Why: Premise
How: For Review

Leena Thomas’s senior year at boarding school begins with a shock: Frost House, her cozy dorm of close friends, has been assigned an unexpected roommate: confrontational, eccentric Celeste Lazar. But while Leena’s anxiety about a threat to her sanctuary proves valid, it becomes less and less clear whether the threat lies with her new roommate, within Leena’s own mind, or within the very nature of Frost House itself. Mysterious happenings in the dorm, an intense triangle between Leena, Celeste, and Celeste’s brother, and the reawakening of childhood fears, all push Leena to take increasingly desperate measures to feel safe. Frost is the story of a haunting. As to whether the demons are supernatural or psychological . . . well, which answer would let you sleep at night?

Okay, this book is going to take some explaining!

Frost is so creepy but not in a literally scary sense, but a psychological scary that leaves you with chills until you don't even know what's real and what isn't. Definitely do not recommend reading at night, people!

We come to the characters! See, I never really connected with Leena or Celeste or David. They were the main characters, but it was Frost House that was running the show (which I think, was really the whole point) and it has you gripped from the very first page. It's subtle. It's not gory and there's no raging ghost lunatic trying to murder everyone. Instead it's whispers in the dark, noises, things disappearing or breaking. So subtle, that by the end of the novel you don't even know whether or not it actually happened, or if Leena is just a plain unreliable narrator. I quite love unreliable narrators, because they bring you such a warped image of what's going on that it's like putting together a puzzle when they haven't even given you the right pieces in the first place  (another example would be The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin). Everything seems to have some sort of semblance of an explainable and that's so... eerie. And that's what a good scary story is all about!

I found David to be quite...strange. I mean, in the beginning, him and Leena's budding romance was cute and adorable but halfway through the novel everyone is just...weird. You don't what anyone's intentions are and everyone looks like the bad guy and Leena has some seriously twisted thoughts from living at Frost House. I didn't like either of her friends but they didn't seem like very good friends, and I think Celeste was a total crazy.

Kind of a short review, but in the end: read this book for Halloween if you're in need of a eerie psychological story!

Happy Reading!

Waiting On Wednesday (13)

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking The Spine where we feature an upcoming book that we're super excited to read!

HEMLOCK | KATHLEEN PEACOCK | KATHERINE TEGAN (HARPER TEEN) | 2012

Mackenzie and Amy were best friends. Until Amy was brutally murdered.
Since then, Mac’s life has been turned upside down. She is being haunted by Amy in her dreams, and an extremist group called the Trackers has come to Mac’s hometown of Hemlock to hunt down Amy’s killer: A white werewolf.

Lupine syndrome—also known as the werewolf virus—is on the rise across the country. Many of the infected try to hide their symptoms, but bloodlust is not easy to control.

Wanting desperately to put an end to her nightmares, Mac decides to investigate Amy’s murder herself. She discovers secrets lurking in the shadows of Hemlock, secrets about Amy’s boyfriend, Jason, her good pal Kyle, and especially her late best friend. Mac is thrown into a maelstrom of violence and betrayal that puts her life at risk.

Kathleen Peacock’s thrilling novel is the first in the Hemlock trilogy, a spellbinding urban fantasy series filled with provocative questions about prejudice, trust, lies, and love.

This book sounds totally beautiful. And that cover is lovely and DYSTOPIAN WEREWOLVES. I love when people combine genres.

What do you guys think? Yay or Nay?
Happy Reading!

Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey

Who: Amy Garvey
What: Cold Kiss
When: September 20th
Where: HarperTeen
Why: Premise
How: For Review

It was a beautiful, warm summer day, the day Danny died.
Suddenly Wren was alone and shattered. In a heartbroken fury, armed with dark incantations and a secret power, Wren decides that what she wants—what she must do—is to bring Danny back.
But the Danny who returns is just a shell of the boy Wren fell in love with. His touch is icy; his skin, smooth and stiff as marble; his chest, cruelly silent when Wren rests her head against it.
Wren must keep Danny a secret, hiding him away, visiting him at night, while her life slowly unravels around her. Then Gabriel DeMarnes transfers to her school, and Wren realizes that somehow, inexplicably, he can sense the powers that lie within her—and that he knows what she has done. And now Gabriel wants to help make things right.

But Wren alone has to undo what she has wrought—even if it means breaking her heart all over again.If I could pick one word for this book, it'd definitely be: bittersweet.

Cold Kiss tells the story of Wren who just lost her boyfriend in a car crash. But the thing is she's a bit...magical. So in a grief-stricken attempt to be happy again, she tries to bring him back to life. And it works. But now he's not Danny, just a strange, moody, cold shell and she has to reverse everything she's done with the (mostly unwanted) help of psychic new boy, Gabriel.

This is the kind of book that tears you apart but you can't stop turning the pages because you need to knew what Wren is going to do to correct all her mistakes. Wren was a beautifully flaws character and I just wanted to wrap her in a bear hug (even though she definitely wouldn't have appreciated that). She was vulernable and made some selfish decisions but in the end she was just grieving and her love for Danny plus her confusion with being able to move on captured my heart from the beginning. Her journey is a hard one and I loved reading every minute of it.

Amy's writing doesn't even make things sound remotely paranormal. I mean, you know she's a witch but it feels more like a comtemporary that just happens to feature a heroine that can do badass magic. It's a beautiful in between that I definitely loved!

I wish I had gotten to see more flashbacks of Danny in the story, just because he sounded so sweet and lovely and perfect for Wren and I wanted to see them interact more as a couple! Wren does go back a bit and she talks all high praise for Danny, to the point where I missed him! I loved Gabriel as well, and how stubborn and determined he was to not let Wren go through this alone, no matter how much she tried to push him away.

Overall, a beautiful bittersweet story about what comes after and how you get through it. Definitely recommend!

Happy Reading!

Beautiful Chaos Giveaway

Hey guys! So I have a TWO copies of Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl to give away! This is the third book in the Caster Chronicles and Big Honcho Media was nice enough to let me host this giveaway!

Ethan Wate thought he was getting used to the strange, impossible events happening in Gatlin, his small Southern town. But now that Ethan and Lena have returned home, strange and impossible have taken on new meanings. Swarms of locusts, record-breaking heat, and devastating storms ravage Gatlin as Ethan and Lena struggle to understand the impact of Lena's Claiming. Even Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals is affected - and their abilities begin to dangerously misfire. As time passes, one question becomes clear: What - or who - will need to be sacrificed to save Gatlin?
For Ethan, the chaos is a frightening but welcome distraction. He's being haunted in his dreams again, but this time it isn't by Lena - and whatever is haunting him is following him out of his dreams and into his everyday life. Even worse, Ethan is gradually losing pieces of himself - forgetting names, phone numbers, even memories. He doesn't know why, and most days he's too afraid to ask.
Sometimes there isn't just one answer or one choice. Sometimes there's no going back. And this time there won't be a happy ending.

So just enter in the form below and all of my usual rules stand:

• US/Canada Only
• You must be 13 or older to enter
• giveaway ends November 8th 
• form is down below

Happy Reading!

In My Mailbox 54

Hosted by The Story Siren 

For Review:

Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon

Gifted:

Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers (signed!)

Happy Reading!

What did YOU get in your mailbox?

The Pledge by Kimberly Derting

Who: Kimberly Derting
What: The Pledge
When: November 15th
Where: McElderly Books (S&S)
Why: Dystopian!
How: For Review

In the violent country of Ludania, the language you speak determines what class you are, and there are harsh punishments if you forget your place—looking a member of a higher class in the eye can result in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina (Charlie for short) can understand all languages, a dangerous ability she’s been hiding her whole life. Her only place of release is the drug-filled underground club scene, where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. There, she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy who speaks a language she’s never heard, and her secret is almost exposed. Through a series of violent upheavals, it becomes clear that Charlie herself is the key to forcing out the oppressive power structure of her kingdom….

As you guys maybe know, I'm not exactly a huge fan of The Body Finder books (mostly because I LOVE the plot but in each book, one of the main characters just annoys the hell out of me) but this sounded awesome and dystopian and I really wanted to give it a try!

And again, I loved the storyline. Charlie's world is crazy, composed of a harsh caste system that all speak different languages and the punishment for defiance of these rules is always, you guessed it, death. Each class has a different language as well a universal language, and no one in a different class can understand the language of the caste you're in (confused? Example: Merchant Class can't understand when the Council Class is talking, unless they're speaking the universal language.) But Charlie has a crazy ability to understand every language, regardless of how old or high up in social status it is. And this is bad: considering if anyone finds out, she'll be killed. Kimberly really pushes through dystopian and adds an almost high-fantasy like element to it, which I totally appreciated.

The idea in itself is crazy and awesome, but as usual, the characters just fell flat for me. I never felt connected with any of the characters and I never felt like I was completely invested in their story, but just scratching the surface instead. Charlie and Max was a bit too much of instalove for my liking, considering he just automatically uses the cop-out answer for why the hell he's everywhere she is: "you intrigue me?" WTF? If someone tells me that, i'd think he was psycho, not that he was in any way romantically inclined! And then the rest of the romance just develops in the sense that he shows up at random times to tell her that he cares about her and tell her to watch herself!

Two characters that I did love, however, was Charlie's dad and her best friend Aron, because they were simultaneously rebellious but quiet and I wished they had gotten more face time! And ALSO: Charlie has a best guy friend who isn't in love with her! This is one of my pet peeves in literature, because it always ends up that the best guy friend has been in love with the heroine since they were in diapers. Seriously? Always? Aron was protective and like a big brother to her (like most guy friends are!) and that was it!

The ending ties up PERFECTLY, and I have no idea why there is going to be a sequel according to goodreads because there's like....nothing else to say. It's a great standalone ending so I am definitely confused.

Overall, a great plot with some lacking character development and instalove-y romance! But some people will definitely like it for Kimberly's writing and fast-paced story-telling!

Happy Reading!

Read A Thon Time !

I'M DOING A READ A THON.

I've only done one in my lifetime and it ended up as a disaster so i'm trying again this year!

I'm not actually entering the read a thon (but if you want to: LINK) because I am lazy and won't even bothering doing any of the mini-challenges or anything. Just a weekend of reading (and then Logan Lerman at night because i'm watching the Three Musketeers tomorrow night and guys. I love Logan Lerman).

All the information is at the link because i'm doing this infinitely different but I just wanted a post to keep track of my progress and all that. So really...you guys aren't going to care. Haha!

FIRST: the Dewey Read A Thon is only a day long. But it's the biggest Read A Thon that exists and apparently the mini-challenges are amazing and SO many people do it so you'll get a lot of support!

SO WHAT I'M READING:

1. The Death Catchers by Jennifer Ann Kogler - i KEEP saying i'm going to read it and then something awesome comes along but no more waiting!

2. Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey - a september book I haven't gotten too yet

3. The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle - another september book I haven't started yet.

4. The Shattering by Karen Healey - very excited for this one!

5. Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa - a book i'm SO EXCITED FOR AHHH.

6. Incarnate by Jodi Meadows - because i told Julie I wanted sexy and awesome and she told me this.

7. Variant by Robison Wells - an october book i haven't gotten too yet.

8. Bunheads by Sophie Flack - same as above.

9. How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr - same

10. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater - guess what? ...same.

11. Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver - i've been trying to read more middle grade-ish novels. Apothecary was kind of middle grade so i'm giving this one a shot! Plus, LAUREN OLIVER.

12. Sweetly by Jackson Pearce - book i've been meaning to read!

13. Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs - loved her Oh My Goddess books!

14. The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima - HIGH FANTASY FTW.

15. You Are My Only by Beth Kephart - Pam loved this, so i'm excited!

16. Forever by Maggie Stiefvater - finally got it back from letting a friend borrow it...i am prepared. kinda. sorta. not really.

You guys are probably like: HARMONY THAT IS A LOT. And yeah, i'm an overachiever. But I read quite quickly, about 2-3 for a book of 400 pages so i'm not too worried! And besides, better to aim high than low! Alright, my inspirational speech is done for the day.

Happy Reading!

Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez

Who: Jessica Martinez
What: Virtuosity
When: October 18th
Where: Simon Pulse
Why: Premise Love
How: For Review

Now is not the time for Carmen to fall in love. And Jeremy is hands-down the wrong guy for her to fall for. He is infuriating, arrogant, and the only person who can stand in the way of Carmen getting the one thing she wants most: to win the prestigious Guarneri competition. Carmen's whole life is violin, and until she met Jeremy, her whole focus was winning. But what if Jeremy isn't just hot...what if Jeremy is better?
Carmen knows that kissing Jeremy can't end well, but she just can't stay away. Nobody else understands her--and riles her up--like he does. Still, she can't trust him with her biggest secret: She is so desperate to win she takes anti-anxiety drugs to perform, and what started as an easy fix has become a hungry addiction. Carmen is sick of not feeling anything on stage and even more sick of always doing what she’s told, doing what's expected.
Sometimes, being on top just means you have a long way to fall....

I think one of the best things about good books is how easily you fall into the story and characters, and the writing just flows and you want to turn back to page one and start all over again. And that's exactly what I felt reading Virtuosity.

Virtuosity is about a girl named Carmen who is a famous violinist competing for the Guarneri award, which everyone expects her to win. But when she needs Jeremy, really her only competition, and gets caught up in this  relationship with her rival while struggling to make her love of music come back and escaping the tight hold her mother, a singer that had a short-lived career and is definitely bitter about, has on not only her, but the pills she is obligated to take before performing.

The summary makes it seem like the book is focused on her pill usage, but it really isn't. It's more of a subtle reminder in the back of her head when she stops, and every time she's nervous she's wishing she could drown it out. It also suggests the book is a complete romance, and while it is in some sense, it's about Carmen's struggle to find herself in her music and see how far she's willing to go to get to her dreams. It's also about family and learning when it's time to say no to the people you love the most and start living your life by yourself. Carmen's voice is so real and the writing so beautiful, and you can really see her genuine love for playing shine through her struggle to win. She was strong, honest, and brave, even when she thought she wasn't being any of those three.

Her relationship with Jeremy was much like my relationship with him as well. I instantly liked him, fell in love with his character in the process of the novel, but that little voice in the back of my head was always going: is he faking just to crush her heart? To make sure he wins? Are his intentions true? And Jessica writes with such an air surrounding the boy that you're honestly never really sure, but you will every step of the way. I adored Jeremy and just their entire relationship together! They understood each other perfectly: the pull to the instrument, the pressure, and the sacrifices that have to be made to live this sort of life.

In the end, this novel is brilliant and subtle and exactly what i'm always looking for. Definitely one of my favorites of 2011!

Happy Reading!

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Bought for the Cover/Title

Let's just jump right into it! As always, this is hosted by the lovely ladies over at The Broke and the Bookish!

1. Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves

Totally didn't know what this one was about when I doubt but that cover! And the title! Who's bleeding? Why are they bleeding? THIS IS A FIGURE OF SPEECH RIGHT?

2. What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

This may be my favorite Dessen Title! I immediately wanted to know what happened to goodbye and what the heck was going on and bought it right away!

3. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Dude, with that title? I bought it in a heartbeat.

4. Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

Okay see...does buying it just for the author count? Because when I bought this, I had NO idea what it was about but it was by Scott and that was good enough for me!

5. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

I love beautiful titles. And this one is so beautiful!

6. Ten Things We Did and Probably Shouldn't Have by Sarah Mlynowski

What did they do? They shouldn't they have done it? ALMOST KISSING? What is going on?!

7. A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young

Again with the gorgeous titles! So lyrical! Love! And the cover is wonderful as well, gold and pretty!

8. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini taylor

When I saw it, I was just like IMMEDIATELY: give it to me. That sounds epic.

9. Au Revior, Crazy European Chick by Joe Schreiber

Funny title, so I wanted to read it automatically!

10. The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

I love me that cover, people! It's so pretty and dark-looking and simple, I adore it!




And that's it! Happy Reading!

Cover Reveal: Innocent Darkness by Suzanne Lazear

Hey guys! So I have a cover reveal for you today, which probably surprises you, considering I don't do cover reveals on here unless they're for Lisa (Desrochers) but today is a grand occasion!

I am the assistant to lovely author Suzanne Lazear, whose steampunk faery (YES YOU READ RIGHT) novel is coming out August 8th 2012 from Flux!

Now this book is totally awesome. It's got romance and awesome Victorian steampunk and faeries! All of the things I love! Don't know what steampunk is? It's when you take modern day or futuristic technology and throw it into a historical setting, one of the most popular being the Victorian Age! Some popular steampunks include Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld and traces of it are in Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare.

And without further ago, the cover!

Doesn't it scream steampunk? Love it!

It's a bit too early for ARCs but Suzanne is giving away a necklace that plays an extremely big role in the novel to one of you guys!

So just go to this link and comment on the blog post and bam! You're entered! (All extra entry instructions are on her blog post)

So see you guys tomorrow and happy reading!

New Look + Survey !

So....see anything different?

I decided to give the blog a little bit of a makeover, so here it is! Any of you really old follower will probably recognize the banner, because I had it for a short period of time around the beginning of this blog's life and i'm bringing it back in style!

But the main point of this blog post is....a SURVEY!

Now I've never had one for you lovelies to fill out because..I've never really felt like it. But i'm almost breaking 600 followers AND it's nearly a year and a half old, I decided why not? I love hearing you guys in the comments and it's about time for a more formal way of you guys to tell me what you think and offer some feedback on the lovely blog.

This is only if you feel like it of course, but I would appreciate it if you took some time aside to fill it out and just let me know what you think of the blog!

Here is the link; it's not very long, but very helpful!

No In My Mailbox this week, by the way, because I only got one book in the mail and it's a finished copy of an ARC I already reviewed (that being Carrier of the Mark)

Happy Reading
and thanks for the support, as always, everyone!

A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies

Who: Jocelyn Davies
What: A Beautiful Dark
When: September 27th, 2011
Where: HarperTeen
Why: Recommended
How: For Review (BEA)

On the night of Skye’s seventeenth birthday, she meets two enigmatic strangers. Complete opposites—like fire and ice—Asher is dark and wild, while Devin is fair and aloof. Their sudden appearance sends Skye’s life into a tailspin. She has no idea what they want, or why they seem to follow her every move—only that their presence coincides with a flurry of strange events. Soon she begins to doubt not just the identity of the two boys, but also the truth about her own past.
In the dead of a bitingly cold Colorado winter, Skye finds herself coming to terms with the impossible secret that threatens to shatter her world. Torn between Asher, who she can’t help falling for, and Devin, who she can’t stay away from, the consequences of Skye’s choice will reach further than the three of them could ever imagine.

So for A Beautiful Dark, I'm going to separate my review into the good and the bad, just to make things a bit easier on my poor soul.

So the good things! I loved the plot. The idea behind the Guardians and the Rebels was fascinating and I wish we would've gotten a closer look at each side when Skye was trying to decide which one to go too! The writing was definitely fast-paced and entertaining and I never got bored throughout the novel, which shows excellent pacing! All of the side-characters (with the exception of Ellie because..urgh) were funny and sweet, especially her two best friends and Ian. Poor Ian, i'd accept his coffee anytime.

And now we get onto the bad things which mainly just concerns that darn love triangle. So expected. Pretty much it's divided like this:

Skye: girl who doesn't know what she was; totally confused but still pretty funny.

And that's not the problem, because while I was reading it, I liked Skye! But then came the love triangles, and it's just so...done. You guys know my love/hate relationship with love triangles. I don't want them to never exist ever again. I think when done well, they are fabulous. But when it's just the same old thing again and again. I get a bit tired of it! And I think we've all seen this one before:

Asher: arrogant asshole (because honestly, that whole excuse with Ellie? Not acceptable) bad boy with a "heart of gold". pompous, loud, overpowering.

Devin: quiet, distant, shy. just a nice guy! although i did like this characters, because I liked watching his struggle between following the rules and following his heart.

But yeah, that? My major problem with the book. But hey, maybe you'll love it! I know plenty of people who completely adore this book. Who knows: maybe Personal Demons just spoiled all over Light/Dark love triangles for me. Darn.

Overall, a great plot and story, just with an over-used love triangle!

Happy Reading!

Apothecary by Maile Meloy

Who: Maile Meloy
What: Apothecary
When: October 4th, 2011
Where: Penguin
Why: Premise Love
How: For Review (BEA)

It's 1952 and the Scott family has just moved from Los Angeles to London. Here, fourteen-year-old Janie meets a mysterious apothecary and his son, Benjamin Burrows - a fascinating boy who's not afraid to stand up to authority and dreams of becoming a spy. When Benjamin's father is kidnapped, Janie and Benjamin must uncover the secrets of the apothecary's sacred book, the Pharmacopoeia, in order to find him, all while keeping it out of the hands of their enemies - Russian spies in possession of nuclear weapons. Discovering and testing potions they never believed could exist, Janie and Benjamin embark on a dangerous race to save the apothecary and prevent impending disaster.

I have so much love for this book, guys!

It's a historical set during the Cold War about a girl named Janie who moves from Hollywood where her parents are TV writers to go to London and she meets a boy named Benjamin who thrusts her into this magically scientific world of potions and spies and adventure!

Janie is an awesome heroine! She's brave, funny, smart, and exactly the type of girl i'd love to be friends with! I loved watching her become strong through her adventures and you really see her mature throughout the course of the novel. Really, all the characters are fantastic. Benjamin is brave and completely headstrong and impulsive and I adored him. Pip was a hoot and is definitely up there with Tiki with my favorite pickpockets. Sergei was so adorable and a bit slow, but I wanted to hug him. Even Sarah Pennington, with her snotty (although, she was nice at heart) attitude and money-bags parents.

Her writing is that perfect space between simple and descriptive and I want to nestle into that space for the rest of my life, because I love it! Speaking of middle grounds: the book is that in-between of Middle Grade and YA. Jamie is fourteen, but it has a bit of a Middle Grade feel to it (maybe because the romance isn't the main focus and adventure takes more precedence) so the fact that I completely loved it regardless of it being MG is saying something! The romance does take a backseat but I wouldn't have it any other way. It was so innocent and charming and completely adorable and seeing Benjamin and Janie's relationship (and friendship!) grow was so heartfelt and I loved it.

Overall, a fantastic read that I recommend to everyone I can! And there's illustrations! SO MUCH PRETTY.

Happy Reading!

Waiting On Wednesday (12)

Sorry I haven't been very active, my dears, but alas, I had about 1000 school things this week but with PSATs coming to a close today, I am free!

The Butterfly Clues | Kate Ellison | Egmont USA | February 14th 2012

Penelope (Lo) Marin has always loved to collect beautiful things. Her dad's consulting job means she's grown up moving from one rundown city to the next, and she's learned to cope by collecting (sometimes even stealing) quirky trinkets and souvenirs in each new place--possessions that allow her to feel at least some semblance of home.But in the year since her brother Oren's death, Lo's hoarding has blossomed into a full-blown, potentially dangerous obsession. She discovers a beautiful, antique butterfly pendant during a routine scour at a weekend flea market, and recognizes it as having been stolen from the home of a recently murdered girl known only as "Sapphire"--a girl just a few years older than Lo. As usual when Lo begins to obsess over something, she can't get the murder out of her mind.


As she attempts to piece together the mysterious "butterfly clues," with the unlikely help of a street artist named Flynt, Lo quickly finds herself caught up in a seedy, violent underworld much closer to home than she ever imagined--a world, she'll ultimately discover, that could hold the key to her brother's tragic death.

This sounds seedy and mysterious and generally awesome! Egmont always publishes books I LOVE (Ashes, Brightly Woven, Hourglass) so I can't wait to dive into this! 


Happy Reading!

In My Mailbox (53)

Hosted by The Story Siren

For Review:
Awake At Dawn by C.C Hunter
After the Snow by S.D Crockett
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Life is but a Dream by Brian James
When the Sea is Rising Red by Cat Hellisen
Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa
Sweetly by Jackson Pearce
The Shattering by Karen Healey
Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey

Happy Reading!
What did YOU get?

Carrier Of The Mark by Leigh Fallon

Who: Leigh Fallon

What: Carrier of the Mark

When: October 4th
Where: HarperTeen

Why: Cover Love
How: For Review

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 DeRís.
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.

Carrier of the Mark is a highly addictive novel complete with a beautiful setting, fun characters, and some mythology that's both intriguing and intense!

The story centers around a girl named Megan who moves to Ireland with her father after he gets a new job, and definite strange things start happening the minute she arrives. And to add to the fact that she thinks she's seeing things and random bursts of violent wind seem to appear whenever she feels emotional, the DeRis family has taken a particular interest in her, especially a boy named Adam. The Celtic mythology that Leigh managed to infuse into the story was very likely my favorite part, because it was just so intriguing! The entire history behind the Carrier of the Mark and the rest of the Marked was fascinating to read and made the story for me. 

My favorite character would probably be Aine, Adam's twin sister. She was funny and very down-to-earth (HAHA, you only understand my joke if you've read the book...). She was also a very loyal friend and sister and I can't wait to see more of her in the second book. A lot of people might say that Adam and Megan's relationship was some major instalove, but the things is...it doesn't read like it. Leigh provides enough back story  and chemistry to the two that I never found myself annoyed with how quickly their relationship and attraction formed (and you guys know how much I hate instalove) Plus, there are outside forces involved with that so it made a lot more sense with how instant their attraction was. 

I also happened to love how sure Megan was of fulfilling her destiny (although, as natural, she does get a little blurred around the middle-end) and embracing her power. She was excited about what she could do! She didn't cower at the idea of having some kind of magical ability but quickly embraced it and wanted to learn and do good things with it. I loved that!

Overall, a fast, entertaining, and intense read that I definitely recommend! 

Happy Reading!

So Silver Bright by Lisa Mantchev

Who: Lisa Mantchev
What: So Silver Bright
When: September 13th, 2011
Where: Feiwel & Friends
Why: Series Love
How: For Review

All Beatrice Shakespeare Smith has ever wanted is a true family of her own. And she’s close to reuniting her parents when her father disappears. Now Bertie must deal with a vengeful sea goddess and a mysterious queen as she tries to keep her family – and the Theatre Illuminata – from crumbling. To complicate it all, Bertie is torn between her two loves, Ariel and Nate.

The series finale of Lisa Mantchev's Theatre Illuminata trilogy was everything I expected it to me: fun, beautiful, and enchanting!

You will cry like a baby reading the end of this book guys. Lisa takes us through Beatrice's final journey trying to discover herself, her family, and what she's going to do with her life now that she's discovered so many things about her past (and her increasing complicated relationship with both Nate and Ariel.)

Lisa has a writing style that is so beautiful and has an air of magic even about it that blends perfectly with the plot! Each of her characters are lovable, funny, and no one can write a sweet (and bittersweet in some days) ending like she can. The faeries that hang out with Bertie from A Midsummer Night's Dream are all hilarious and obsessed with food and provide comedic relief to any sad or hopeless situation! Bertie is a wonderful heroine: headstrong and stubborn, but not always brave. Sometimes she doesn't know what she's doing with herself, and that subtle vulnerability is always so realistic in a character, especially with a life as complicated as hers. Out of everything in this trilogy, I still find her parent's story to the saddest out of all of it and I loved hearing even more about it in this book than in Perchance to Dream.

And then we have our two love interests, which i'll briefly speak about because I don't want to give away who she chooses, of course! Ariel was lovely and ethereal as always. I've loved him since the beginning, because he is gentle in the way he pushes Bertie to think outside the box and discover more of herself than she would've been able to do alone. And then there's Nate, who is charming but I can never seem to like him. Maybe it's just because Lisa writes his pirate accent phonetically, so when he talks it's like: "Ay, lass, you nee' be careful of what ye do." Or something like that. And it irritated me SO MUCH. Plus, I didn't like how he often portrayed Bertie as someone who was a "damsel in distress" when she was strong!

Overall, this series is amazing and i'm sad to see it end!
Happy Reading!

Waiting on Wednesday (Day Who the Hell Knows)

Slide by Jill Hathaway
March 27th, 2012
Balzer + Bray | Harper Collins

Vee Bell is certain of one irrefutable truth—her sister’s friend Sophie didn’t kill herself. She was murdered. 
Vee knows this because she was there. Everyone believes Vee is narcoleptic, but she doesn’t actually fall asleep during these episodes: When she passes out, she slides into somebody else’s mind and experiences the world through that person’s eyes. She’s slid into her sister as she cheated on a math test, into a teacher sneaking a drink before class. She learned the worst about a supposed “friend” when she slid into her during a school dance. But nothing could have prepared Vee for what happens one October night when she slides into the mind of someone holding a bloody knife, standing over Sophie’s slashed body. 
Vee desperately wishes she could share her secret, but who would believe her? It sounds so crazy that she can’t bring herself to tell her best friend, Rollins, let alone the police. Even if she could confide in Rollins, he has been acting off lately, more distant, especially now that she’s been spending more time with Zane. 
Enmeshed in a terrifying web of secrets, lies, and danger and with no one to turn to, Vee must find a way to unmask the killer before he or she strikes again. 

This book sounds suspenseful and awesome and she can SLIP INTO PEOPLE'S MINDS, GUYS. I love original concepts. Can't wait to read this!

What do you think?
Happy Reading!

Tyger, Tyger Out In Paperback! + Contest

Hey guys! So I have some news to let you know about and it's the fact that Tyger, Tyger came out in paperback recently!

So I totally love this book and reviewed it a seriously long time ago (link HERE!) so I definitely think you all should check it out. Here's a summary!

Teagan Wylltson's best friend, Abby, dreams that horrifying creatures--goblins, shape-shifters, and beings of unearthly beauty but terrible cruelty--are hunting Teagan. Abby is always coming up with crazy stuff, though, so Teagan isn't worried. Her life isn't in danger. In fact, it's perfect. She's on track for a college scholarship. She has a great job. She's focused on school, work, and her future. No boys, no heartaches, no problems.    Until Finn Mac Cumhaill arrives. Finn's a bit on the unearthly beautiful side himself. He has a killer accent and a knee-weakening smile. And either he's crazy or he's been haunting Abby's dreams, because he's talking about goblins, too . . . and about being The Mac Cumhaill, born to fight all goblin-kind. Finn knows a thing or two about fighting. Which is a very good thing, because this time, Abby's right. The goblins are coming.

And, because I love you guys and i've been getting kind of emotional because i've been gaining a lot of readership and such and that mean you guys LIKE ME, YOU REALLY LIKE ME ;) I'm having a giveaway for the second book, In The Forest of the Night!

• the contest form is down below
• giveaway is for IN THE FOREST OF THE NIGHT by Kersten Hamilton 
• contest ends november 1st
• you have to be 13 or older to enter
• US/Canada ONLY

ALSO, if you're a librarian and want to win 1,000 dollars for your library, tada!

Happy Reading!

In My Mailbox (52)

Hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren

For Review:
The Death Catchers by Jennifer Ann Kogel
Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Borrowed:
Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Bought:
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

Happy Reading!
What did YOU get in your mailbox?

The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton

Who: Kiki Hamilton
What: The Faerie Ring
Where: Tor Teen
When: September 27th
Why: Historical! Fey! Awesomeness!
How: For Review (BEA)

The year is 1871, and Tiki has been making a home for herself and her family of orphans in a deserted hideaway adjoining Charing Cross Station in central London. Their only means of survival is by picking pockets. One December night, Tiki steals a ring, and sets off a chain of events that could lead to all-out war with the Fey. For the ring belongs to Queen Victoria, and it binds the rulers of England and the realm of Faerie to peace. With the ring missing, a rebel group of faeries hopes to break the treaty with dark magic and blood—Tiki’s blood.
Unbeknownst to Tiki, she is being watched—and protected—by Rieker, a fellow thief who suspects she is involved in the disappearance of the ring. Rieker has secrets of his own, and Tiki is not all that she appears to be. Her very existence haunts Prince Leopold, the Queen’s son, who is driven to know more about the mysterious mark that encircles her wrist.
Prince, pauper, and thief—all must work together to secure the treaty…

Brilliant, absolutely brilliant! Kiki blends faerie lore, historical intrigue, and good old fashioned street life into a great debut!

Tiki is an amazing heroine. Head-strong, a thief not by nature but by skill, and someone who cares deeply for everyone she loves! She is so fiercely loyal to her rag-tag group of orphans she calls family; especially since she barely has enough for herself. She's clever and gets herself wound up in so much trouble, it was addicting reading about her getting out of it!

The book takes place in 1871, and you guys know how much I adore historical! The setting is perfect for the novel and it really shows you the other side of the Victorian age you usually don't be in books -- the street orphans forced to fend for themselves. But don't think the tone of the book is sad; Tiki and the rest of the cast are determined, charming, and funny individuals that don't need any pity to get what needs to be done, done! The entire mythology behind the faerie mark, Larkin, and the ring was so fascinating and I can't wait to dive deeper into the Otherworld and everything that is going on there.

All the side-characters are so lovable. Fiona and Shamus were great friends to Tiki, and really stuck by each other when things got tough. Clara and Toots were adorable, and the whole back-story behind the entire family was endearing and made me love Tiki even more! Prince Leopold offers a more skeptical insight to the fey world and the workings it has with the royal court, which was definitely interesting to read. I liked how all three of the characters (being Leo, Tiki, and Rieker) stories were so wound up around each other and everything revealed in the end made perfect sense (and I really didn't see coming!) Speaking of Rieker, I adored him. He is protective without being overbearing (although Tiki might disagree), funny, and completely lovely. I loved him and Tiki's relationship and banter from the beginning!


The book does wonderfully as a standalone but I am SO GLAD it's a four-book series! Whew!


Happy Reading!