My Last Post Of The Year (Holy Crap...)

So uhhh....hey guys! I can't believe this is going to be my last post for 2011, considering I've got hopefully awesome things planned out for 2012. I'm quite emotional, considering this is the first full year of my life in which I have been blogging and it's been pretty amazing. I've gotten to meet so many amazing bloggers, authors, and YOU GUYS! Seriously, my readers make all of the effort and work worth it. And so, to end the year, I want to go ahead and do my New Years Resolutions! Especially since I missed my Totally Booksessed video this week.

But before I do that, really: Thank You. Thank you so much for sticking around and reading and commenting because it means so much to me! There are going to be some changes in 2012, especially with my Youtube Channel which was only used for In My Mailbox! I will officially be Book Vlogging in addition to my Book Blogging (not as often as I do on here of course, but at least twice or three times a week!) so if you want, go ahead and subscribe to my channel: Harmony Beaufort. 

1. Post Every Day
       Now, I know I made this resolution last year but this year? I plan to get organized! You see, I write my reviews/discussions/everything RIGHT when it goes up. Every one of my reviews is written in about 10-20 minutes and then immediately put up. I don't schedule, I don't write posts the night before but that's going to change! I'm not gonna start scheduling because I feel it takes the fun out of it but I intend to post every day so help me! Haha.

2. Comment More
      I am the suckiest blogger when it comes to commenting on other people's blogs. I really NEVER do it, ever. And I want to be more social when it comes to that! I'm on twitter all the time and such, but I want to venture out and discover some new blogs since i'm usually so apprehensive about them.

3. Read More Classics
     I do not read classics, but I want that to change!

4. Actually Participate In The Challenges I Enter
    I read a lot of debuts this year, but I didn't actually put in any of my reviews or participate! I've signed up for...I think three challenges this coming year and I intend to do them all right this time around!

5. Learn How To Read At Home
    I'm going to sound crazy but: I don't read at home. I can't read in silence and having no noise around while i'm reading just completely unnerves me and I can't do it. I read very, very fast which is how I manage to read about three to four books a week just reading during the 20 minutes each of my classes give for "Sustained Reading" at school but I seriously need to start learning how to read at home! I hardly get any books gone during Summer Vacation because of this and no more!

6. Reply To Comments
      Starting in 2012, I can going to be installing a comment system that allows other people and I to reply to comments left on my posts. It will be awesome considering I want to see some discussions going on in the comments when I do discussion posts! Haha.

And that's really all I can think of at the moment! Although there will be changes, no worries, me and my big mouth aren't going anywhere! Happy Reading guys and SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!

Giveaway: Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

INCARNATE | JODI MEADOWS | JANUARY 31TH | HARPERCOLLINS 

NEWSOUL
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.
NOSOUL
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?
HEART
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?
Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life.

My review for this book will be going up like in two weeks but I LOVE THIS BOOK LIKE WHOA. So I wanted one of you guys to get the chance to read it!

rules are the same as always:

• you have to be 13 or older to enter unless you have parent's permission
• the giveaway ends January 18th, 2012
• US Only! 
• the form is below

Happy Reading and TOMORROW IS MY LAST POST IN 2011. Dear god. 

Favorite Books of 2011 (that aren't debuts)

Because it's SO much easier to break it up like that.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater: Absolutely amazing with the classic Maggie writing, compelling and beautiful characters, and a fantastic plot.

The Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor: The writing in this book was GORGEOUS. The setting was breath-taking and Karou was a total bad-ass. I loved the world-building and the romance and everything was SO LOVELY.

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins: LOOOOOVE. I loved Lola and Cricket and their romance and their self-discovery and I loved Anna and St.Clair's appearance in this book. 

A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young: I love this book so much! Charlotte and Harlin were amazing characters and the ending was so sad and bittersweet. I can't wait for the sequel!

Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst: Totally hilarious. A great take on Vampires and mythology that was so funny but still intriguing and action-packed.

Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement Moore: I love this author SO MUCH. The writing is compelling, the ghost witchy murder plot is to die for, and the romance? Slow, sizzling tension! 

Apothecary by Maile Meloy: An in-between of Middle Grade and Young Adult and I absolutely loved it. 

The Gray Wolf Throne by Cinda William Chima: These books are so brilliant, I can't even.

Where She Went by Gayle Forman: I liked If I Stay enough to buy the sequel, so I did. BUT OH MY GOD THE SEQUEL? So amazing. It was sad and beautiful and the writing! And Adam! And Mia! 

Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter: I thought Heist Society was alright but I got this one for review so I thought: Why not? OH MY GOD. It was funny and smart and the tension between Kat and Hale is as sizzling as ever and the CONS! The cons and the character development and the fact that Hale is the richest person EVA. So much love, can't wait for the second book!

Happy Reading!
Agree with me? Disagree? Should another book have been added?

Books I loved in 2011 that indeed, did not come out in 2011

Because I need to talk about my love for the oldies, right?

note: when you make a list like this, you start to realize that as a blogger, you don't deviate too much from the year in which you're in.

Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves: Totally insane and twisted but in such a fascinating and awesome way that i'm going to read all of Dia's books for the rest of eternity!

The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen: Yeah, you guys were outraged I hadn't read a Sarah Dessen so I went out and did it! And this one is my favorite!

Looking For Alaska by John Green: Again, you guys were outraged and I LOVE the Vlogbrothers so bam! Loved this book. 

The Thief by Megan Whale Turner: for hardcore high fantasy lovers; brings on the prose and the action and everything I love. Plus, the characters are awesome!

The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S King: Pirates! A kick-ass heroine! I fell in love with this book the minute I opened it.

The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima: She is brilliant. This series is brilliant. She has me completely entranced and I can't wait for The Crimson Crown. And the romance is exquisite (saying this because people seem to think High Fantasy can't have romance in it)

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins: Because guys, this came out in DECEMBER. So many of you tried to nominate it for Best Book/Contemporary of 2011, but no dice! But it's funny, sweet, and absolutely brilliant. A thousand recommends. 

The Queen's Daughter by Susan Coventry: Smart and brilliant and a beautiful view into Richard The Lion-heart's younger sister and how her life might've been like (considering history skims over her very, very briefly). The author changes from history a bit, considering I always wiki historical characters after I finish, but i'm so glad she did and subtly. 

Eon by Alison Goodman: Just absolutely amazing in every aspect of the word. High-Fantasy at it's best. I didn't even care there was no romance, which is SAYING something (but I did comfort myself with the fact it seems there will be in Eona)

Happy Reading!

Best Debuts of 2011

AND I'M BACK! And since it's the end of 2011, it's time to do the obligatory 2011 Favorites posts you're going to be seeing everywhere this week! Don't worry; it won't be painful.

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi: Everything about this book was beautiful and amazing and I completely loved it. Especially the writing, gah!

Legend by Marie Lu: I didn't actually expect this one to make it but when I was scrolling through my covers, I had to put it! Action-packed, nerve-wreaking, kick ass protagonists, must!

Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick: a brilliant, heart-pumping post-acopalyptic (I like hyphen words a lot) that I couldn't stop thinking about once I finished!

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson: An amazing High Fantasy that is a lot like Graceling and definitely lived up to my exceptions. It was everything a High Fantasy should have: beautiful setting, kick-ass heroine with lots of character development, and a heck of a lot of sacrifice.

All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin: A lot of people thought this book was "okay" but I completely loved it! A lot of people went into it wanting different things, but the minute it turned into more of a mafia crime story, I was hooked!

Divergent by Veronica Roth: No surprise there, right? Divergent was thrilling and absolutely amazing in every way. Tris is one of my favorite all-time heroines. 

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand: That romance was completely breath-taking and Clara was an amazing heroine. Angel mythology gone right, considering I haven't had too great of an experience with it!

Wither by Lauren DeStefano: I want to eat her words for breakfast, people! I have a holy grail of beautiful prose authors: Maggie Steifvater, Tahereh Mafi, and? Lauren DeStefano.

Hourglass by Myra McEntire: Like you guys haven't heard me rave enough? This book is smart, sexy, funny, and everything a time travel book should be! (and it makes sense!)

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys: I wanted to make this cover the biggest because this book is absolutely breathtaking. It makes you think and cry and it's so raw and sad and hopeful that I just felt a million things while reading it. And because it's historical and about a delicate time a lot of people won't pick it up but PLEASE: do it. You won't regret it. I thank Ruta a million times for writing this book about a whole country of people that most people didn't even know were suffering.

Happy Reading!
Anything you think I should've added?

p.s I AM SO EXCITED FOR YOU GUYS TO SEE WHAT'S COMING IN 2012 OH MAI GOD.

Mini-Hiatus

Hey guys!

Don't panic, but yes, I am going to be taking a hiatus this week leading up to Christmas.

I've just gotten off for Winter Break and school has simply sliced me to pieces. I want to take a break and not have to worry about posting anything, just for a week!

I'll constantly be on twitter because I can't stay away from you guys, but I really just wanted to step back for a little bit and relax from having such a stressful few months in school!

Love you guys and see you soon! And as always Happy Reading!
-Harmony

Waiting On Wednesday (18)

Title: My Life Next Door
Author: Huntley Fitzpatrick
Publisher: Dial Books (Penguin)
Release Date: June 14th, 2012
Pages: 304 ; Hardcover

"One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time."

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen year old Samantha wishes she was one of them… until the day Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything.
Jase can sense that his beautiful neighbor is missing something in her sterile home, and as the two fall fiercely in love, his family makes her one of their own.

But when the bottom drops out of Sam's world, which perfect family will save her–and will her perfect love survive?

Set among the haves and have-nots of a coastal New England town, My LIFE NEXT DOOR captures the angst, the heartache, and the raw-nerve emotions of first time love—and biting loss.

Contemporary that sounds very Sarah Dessen/Sarah Ockler like? YES PLEASE!


Happy Reading!

Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey

Who: Mary Lindsey
What: Shattered Souls
When: December 8th, 2011
Where: Penguin
Why: Cover/Premise Love
How: For Review (Tour)

Lenzi hears voices and has visions - gravestones, floods, a boy with steel gray eyes. Her boyfriend, Zak, can't help, and everything keeps getting louder and more intense. Then Lenzi meets Alden, the boy from her dreams, who reveals that she's a reincarnated Speaker - someone who can talk to and help lost souls - and that he has been her Protector for centuries.Now Lenzi must choose between her life with Zak and the life she is destined to lead with Alden. But time is running out: a malevolent spirit is out to destroy Lenzi, and he will kill her if she doesn't make a decision soon.

So when I started this book, I was kind of nervous. Initially it's very similar to Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton (warrior who gets reincarnated but doesn't remember this time around, guardian love interest that cannot be, having to learn the ropes again, etcc) but it's definitely not like that at all! Despite the similarities, Shattered Souls managed to impress me and I really liked it!

Lenzi was a fun main character to read about and her struggle with who she is vs. everything she's known in life was truthful and believable. Her character development was also wonderful: she went from this confused, scared girl to being a total badass and really coming into herself, even though she doesn't remember who she was and everything she had done before them. I liked Lenzi much more than I did Rose and I liked how Mary managed to show them to be the same person at the same time, very different from each other. Rose was much too detached and guarded and the contrast with Lenzi through Alden's memories was great to read!

The whole idea of Speakers was actually really interesting and I want to see it developed even further in the next book in the series. The whole idea of there being angry spirits in need of containing was fascinating, especially the whole possession factor and how exactly people went up or down in rank in their world. The whole idea of raking up the necessary weekly points of spirit-hunting? That was awesome! Mary packs a bunch with all the plot twists, heart-breaking scenes, and creepiness factors that are spread throughout the book!

And now we have side-characters! Zak: you didn't have my heart, EVA. While you could tell Zak really liked Lenzi, he went about the entire thing in a really aggressive and bad way. He was the only friend Lenzi had and he handled himself poorly and needs some serious help in the emotional stability department. Even though I did feel a little bad for him when Lenzi basically forgot about him the minute Alden arrives, I can't blame her! Alden was so lovely! Being her guardian, I loved how he was overprotective to a fault but never tried to push her to do something she didn't want to do without any sort of good reason. He was reasonable with slowly trying to get her back into the game and remember and the sexual tension between them was sizzling! I loved their attraction and the fact that Alden's so sweet and caring gave him major points!

Overall, I recommend the book, even if you did read Angelfire! Shattered Souls manages to stand on it's own!

Happy Reading!

YA WATCH (5)

COVER NEWS:

all from...everywhere

Title: Fade Out
Author: Nova Ren Suma
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Release Date: June 5th, 2012
Note: This is a book that's already released under the name
Dani Noir but is being repackaged and released to reach a more
Young Adult Audience!

If this were a movie, you'd open to the first page of this book and be transported to a whole other world. Everything would be in black and white, except maybe for the girl in pink polka-dot tights, and this really great music would start to swell in the background. All of a sudden, you wouldn't be able to help it--you'd be a part of the story, you'd be totally sucked in. You'd be in this place, filled with big lies, mysterious secrets, and a tween girl turned sleuth....

Zoom in on thirteen-year-old Dani Callanzano. It's the summer before eighth grade, and Dani is stuck in her nothing-ever-happens town with only her favorite noir mysteries at the Little Art movie theater to keep her company.

But one day, a real-life mystery begins to unravel--at the Little Art! And it all has something to do with a girl in polka-dot tights.... Armed with a vivid imagination, a flair for the dramatic, and her knowledge of all things Rita Hayworth, Dani sets out to solve the mystery, and she learns more about herself than she ever thought she could.

Title: The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1)
Author: Julie Kagawa
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: April 24th, 2012
Note: I AM SO EXCITED. I love Julie's Iron Fey series so i'm 
excited to see her take on vampires, especially since she says it's darker than Iron Fey! 

You will kill. The only question is when.

In the dark days since the insidious Red Lung virus decimated the human population, vampires have risen to rule the crumbling cities and suburbs. Uncontested Princes hold sway over diminished ranks of humans: their "pets." In exchange for their labor, loyalty and of course, their blood, these pets are registered, given food and shelter, permitted to survive.

Unregistered humans cling to fringes, scavenging for survival. Allison Sekemoto and her fellow Unregistereds are hunted, not only by vampires, but by rabids, the unholy result of Red Lung-infected vampires feeding on unwary humans. One night, Allie is attacked by a pack of rabids, saved by an unlikely hero...and turned vampire.

Uncomfortable in her undead skin, Allie falls in with a ragtag crew of humans seeking a cure, or cures: for Rabidism and for Vampirism. She's passing for human...for now. But the hunger is growing and will not be denied. Not for friendship—not even for love.

Title: Touching The Surface
Author: Kimberly Sabatini
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: September 4th, 2012
Note: I like the title BUT her neck is freaking me out...it seems like it's cracked. 

Life altering mistakes are meant to alter lives…

When Elliot dies for the third time, she knows this is her last shot. There are no fourth-timers in this afterlife, so one more chance is all she has to get things right. But before she can move on to her next life, Elliot will be forced to face her past and delve into the painful memories she’d rather keep buried. Memories of people she’s hurt, people she’s betrayed…and people she’s killed.

As she pieces together the mistakes of her past, Elliot must earn the forgiveness of her best friend and reveal the truth about herself to the two boys she loves…even if it means losing them both forever.

Title: Embrace
Author: Jessica Shirvington
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Release Date: March 1st, 2012
Note: It's been a while since i've read an Angel book! 

Violet Eden is dreading her seventeenth birthday dinner. After all, it’s hard to get too excited about the day that marks the anniversary of your mother’s death. The one bright spot is that Lincoln will be there. Sexy, mature and aloof, he is Violet’s idea of perfection. But why does he seem so reluctant to be anything more than a friend?

After he gives her the world’s most incredible kiss – and then abandons her on her front doorstep – Violet is determined to get some answers. But nothing could have prepared her for Lincoln’s explanation: he is Grigori – part angel and part human – and Violet is his eternal partner.

Without warning, Violet’s world is turned upside down. She never believed in God, let alone angels. But there’s no denying the strange changes in her body ... and her feelings for Lincoln. Suddenly, she can’t stand to be around him. Luckily, Phoenix, an exiled angel, has come into her life. He’s intense and enigmatic, but at least he never lied to her.

As Violet gets caught up in an ancient battle between dark and light, she must choose her path. The wrong choice could cost not only her life, but her eternity...

DEAL NEWS:

all this news comes from Publisher's Weekly. 

National Book Award finalist Beth Kephart signed with Philomel’s Tamra Tuller in a two-book deal brokered by Amy Rennert at the Amy Rennert Agency. Both titles will be YA novels and will follow Kephart’s Small Damages, about a teenager who goes to Spain to deal with an unplanned pregnancy, which Philomel is publishing in July 2012. The books in the new deal are currently untitled, and the first work is about a teenage graffiti artist in Berlin during the 1980s. Kephart has written over a dozen books—her latest YA novel, You Are My Only, was published by Egmont in October.


Amie Kaufman and Megan Spooner's WREAKED, pitched as Titanic in outer space, in which a wealthy teen socialite and a young war hero crash land on an uncharted planet after their flagship spaceliner goes down mid-voyage, forcing them to confront harsh conditions, otherworldly incidents, and their own mutual attraction, to Abby Ranger at Disney-Hyperion, in a significant deal, at auction, in a three-book deal, for publication in Summer 2013, by Josh Adam and Tracey Adams at Adams Literary (World English)

MOVIE NEWS:

all this news comes from Page To Premiere

"William Hurt is in talks to join the adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s ‘The Host‘ as Jeb, according to EW. The movie already has Saoirse Ronan, Jake Abel, and Max Irons attached to star. It tells the story of a future where a race called ‘Souls’ have taken over the bodies of humankind, and almost everyone has succumbed. However, Melanie Stryder (Ronan) won’t let go and ‘The Host,’ tells the story of Melanie and ‘Wanderer’ (the soul trying to inhabit her body, also to be portrayed by Ronan) throughout their struggle. The character Hurt would play, Jebediah or just “Jeb,” is Melanie and Jamie’s eccentric uncle, who some believe is crazy. He was one of the first humans to suspect an alien invasion, and thus constructed an elaborate hide-out in caves beneath the Arizona desert. ‘The Host‘ will be directed by Andrew Niccol (In Time), and will hit theaters March 29, 2013. "

"Gabriel Hugoboom posted today that he has read for the role of Ethan Wate in the Beautiful Creaturesadaptation. Hugoboom is the same actor who auditioned for the role of Jace in City of Bones. With casting beginning for the main character, Beautiful Creatures could be on the fast track to becoming a movie."

"Hailee Steinfeld, an Oscar nominee for her role in ‘True Grit,’ is in negotiations to join the adaptation of Orson Scott Card’s novel ‘Ender’s Game.’ The novel is about a future where the brightest young kids are brought together to fight an alien invasion. If everything works out, she’ll be playing Petra, “the lone female in the child army who develops a relationship with the lead character,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. Asa Butterfield recently confirmed that he is officially cast in the lead role, Ender Wiggin, while Harrison Ford is reportedly among a list of choices to join the cast as Colonel Hyrum Graff. "

"The screenwriter of ‘X-Men: First Class,’ Jane Goldman, has signed on to script ‘Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children,’ according to Deadline. Another notable adaptation that she’s scripted, is ‘Woman in Black,’ the dark horror flick headlined by Daniel Radcliffe. Tim Burton has been showing interest in directing ‘Miss Peregrine,’ so it is shaping up to be quite a high profile project. The novel by Ransom Riggs tells the story of 16-year-old Jacob, whose childhood was filled with stories his grandfather told him about an orphanage for unusual children. Among the residents: a girl who could hold fire in her hands, another whose feet never touched the ground, and twins who communicated without speaking. When his beloved grandfather dies unexpectedly but leaves a message behind for his grandson, the teen heads off to his grandfather’s home on an isolated island off Wales. There he discovers the abandoned remains of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children."

And that's all for today, see you next time!
Happy Reading!

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

Who: Jennifer E. Smith

What: The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight

When: Janurary 2rd, 2012

Where: Little Brown (Poppy)

Why: Premise Love

How: For Review (BEA)

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?
Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that 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 in seat 18B. Hadley's in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

A cute and quick-read for lovers of contemporary and a greatly told love story. 

First Sight (which is what i'm going to be calling it because that name? LONG) is about a girl named Hailey who misses her flight to London to go to her father's second wedding by four minutes. There, she was forced to take another flight that is leaving in three hours, in which she meets Oliver, a cute, funny brit who is now on the same flight as her. The book takes place over a 24 hour period but at any point did I ever roll my eyes and complain about insta-love. Hailey and Oliver had so much in common and had such quick and fun chemistry that I instantly loved the two of them together and were rooting for them from the very beginning! Plus, there's no: INTENSE EYE STARE, CUE HAIR FLIP moments. The two characters do into heavy conversations about their families and their lives but it never sounded melodramatic and cliche. 

Hailey was awesome! She was funny and I completely believed all the difficulties in her life. I also really liked the fact that the book is not only about her and Oliver's relationship, but also their relationship to other people. You get a lot of insight on her relationship with her father and about-to-be new step mom and how Hailey's coping with the fact she's basically being forced to attend this wedding. She was flawed in her own way but I'd be friends with her in a heartbeat! Oliver was a total sweetheart. I loved all of their conversations, they had a tone a lot like Stephanie Perkin's writing, light-hearted but at the same time heavy, witty, and lovely. Plus they were awkward and adorable and this is what teenagers are like people! TAKE NOTES. 

The entire time I was wondering just how Jennifer was going to tie everything together but she didn't fail me in the end! The book is a series of coincidences that were realistic and hopeful and I loved finding out about all the characters, even Hailey's step mom, who actually sounds like a lovely person! Overall, a great book that I definitely recommend! 

Happy Reading!

P.S it's almost the new year! some changes going on around here (nothing serious, don't worry!) but FUN stuff!

Waiting On Wednesday (17)

GILT | KATHERINE LONGSHORE | VIKING JUVINILE | MAY 2012

In the Tudor age, ambition, power and charismatic allure are essential and Catherine Howard has plenty of all three. Not to mention her loyal best friend, Kitty Tylney, to help cover her tracks. Kitty, the abandoned youngest daughter of minor aristocracy, owes everything to Cat – where she is, what she is, even who she is. Friend, flirt, and self-proclaimed Queen of Misrule, Cat reigns supreme in a loyal court of girls under the none-too-watchful eye of the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk.
When Cat worms her way into the heart of Henry VIII and becomes Queen of England, Kitty is thrown into the intoxicating Tudor Court. It’s a world of glittering jewels and elegant costumes, of gossip and deception. As the Queen’s right-hand-woman, Kitty goes from the girl nobody noticed to being caught between two men – the object of her affection and the object of her desire.
But the atmosphere of the court turns from dazzling to deadly, and Kitty is forced to learn the difference between trust and loyalty, love and lust, secrets and treason. And to accept the consequences when some lessons are learned too late.

Historical AND it takes place in the Tudor Court, which is only the most scandalous and awesome of all the courts! I'm dying for this book to come out!

What are you waiting for?
Happy Reading!

Sweetly by Jackson Pearce

Who: Jackson Pearce
What: Sweetly
When: August 23rd, 2011
Where: Little Brown
Why: Author Love
How: For Review

Twelve years ago, Gretchen, her twin sister, and her brother went looking for a witch in the forest. They found something. Maybe it was a witch, maybe a monster, they aren’t sure—they were running too fast to tell. Either way, Gretchen’s twin sister was never seen again.

Years later, after being thrown out of their house, Gretchen and Ansel find themselves in Live Oak, South Carolina, a place on the verge of becoming a ghost town. They move in with Sophia Kelly, a young and beautiful chocolatier owner who opens not only her home, but her heart to Gretchen and Ansel.

Yet the witch isn’t gone—it’s here, lurking in the forests of Live Oak, preying on Live Oak girls every year after Sophia Kelly’s infamous chocolate festival. But Gretchen is determined to stop running from witches in the forest, and start fighting back. Alongside Samuel Reynolds, a boy as quick with a gun as he is a sarcastic remark, Gretchen digs deeper into the mystery of not only what the witch is, but how it chooses its victims. Yet the further she investigates, the more she finds herself wondering who the real monster is, and if love can be as deadly as it is beautiful.

I felt a lot of the same things I did during Sister's Red that I did for Sweetly (in many ways, they are quite similar) so let's get started!

I really liked Gretchen. I liked that she was a nice girl with a bit of an attitude and I love how brave and determined she was! In the face of danger, she doesn't back down, she goes up to Samuel and tells him to teach her how aim a gun and fight the Fenris and I definitely give her a round of applause there! She felt a lot more genuine to me than Rosie did (but you know, I didn't like Rosie so) and reminded me a little bit of Scarlett just with a more subtle badassery. One thing that disappointed me was the fact that there wasn't a lot of sibling love going on in the story! Sister's Red was about sibling love and separation and identity and I was expecting that from the beginning of the novel. Instead, Ansel was pretty one-dimensional and like Rosie, fell flat the minute he fell in love.

Sophie, on the other hand, was fascinating. She was complex and scary and wonderful and like Gretchen, I wanted to trust her so much! But because it's a Hansel and Gretel retelling, I was suspicious of everyone. But her plot line was amazing and her desperation and love that eventually turned her to madness was so sad and I wish I had had more time with her to discover the depths of her character. Samuel, I liked! I thought he was a total sweetheart hidden under that whole "macho" guy exterior and he totally grew on me throughout the novel. I also love how he is Sila's (the love interest from Sister's Red) brother and that whole "kick ass" mentality was present even in him! But I definitely liked Samuel more than Silas since I vaguely remember wanting to kick Silas in the shins at one point in that novel.

Jackson brings back the Fenris and I love it! The Fenris, these werewolf monsters, are not to be taken lightly and will kill you anytime you let your guard down (especially if you're pretty). I really liked how we got a lot more detail into the inner workings of their work as well as character development from the animals themselves in this book and I cannot wait until Fathomless because there's all these little clues sprinkled throughout Sweetly that find towards what exactly it's going to be about!

I recommend if you like Fairy Tales and if you loved Sister's Red! A good addiction to the companion trilogy.

Happy Reading!

TOTALLY BOOKSESSED OSCARS FINAL VOTING SHEET

Welcome everyone, to the final voting round of Totally Booksessed Oscars! If you don't know what i'm talking about, the Youtube channel I run with Lauren, Bailey, Katie, and Audrey is hosting a Book Oscars this year and we got you guys to send in your nominations for 14 categories and here are the final results!

Please, only vote once. The results will be revealed the week of December 19th, in video form on Totally Booksessed and then at the end of that week, on all of our blogs! Okay? HERE WE GO!



Good luck to all! Happy Reading!

In My Mailbox (59)

Hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren

For Review:
Switched by Amanda Hocking
Dead To You by Lisa McMann
Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Other Stuff:
Books For Kids wristbands
Head Scratcher (dude...dude just watch.)

Happy Reading!
What did you get in YOUR mailbox?

Contemporary YA Challenge!

Hey guys! For 2012, I've decided I want to participate in more challenges and because of that i'm joining the lovely Katie from Katie's Book Blog's Contemporary Challenge for this year!

 

LINK IF YOU ARE INTERESTED: CLICK ME!

The list I will be working off to of will include:

1. Don't Breathe A Word by Holly Cupula 
2. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green
3. Life Is But A Dream by Brain James
4. The International Kissing Club by Ivy Adam
5. Winter's Kiss by Jennifer Echols
6. Try Not To Breathe by Jennifer Hubbard
7. Dead To You by Lisa McMann
8. The Fine Art of Truth Or Dare by Melissa Jensen
9. Someone Else's Life by Katie Dale
10. The Rivals by Daisy Whitney
11. Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig
12. Where It Began by Ann Redisch Stampler
13. Wanderlove by Kristin Hubbard
14. The List by Siobahn Vivian
15. Take A Bow by Elizabeth Eulburg
16. Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf
17. The Story Of Us by Deb Caletti
18. Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson
19. In Honor by Jessi Kirby
20. First Comes Love by Katie Kacvinsky
21. A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger
22. Something Like Normal by Trish Doller
23. 52 Reason To Hate My Father by Jessica Brody
24. The Thing About The Truth by Lauren Barnholdt
25. Isla And The Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

And BAM, there you go! Hopefully I introduced you to some new titles you've ever seen before and talk to you later! Happy Reading!