Harmony's Radiant Reads

Harper Spring Giveaway!

2012-02-13T16:35:00.002-05:00

Hey guys!

So I have a giveaway to do and thanks to HarperTeen, I have the following to give away to you!

1 PANDEMONIUM BY LAUREN OLIVER

1 PARTIALS BY DAN WELLS

1 BALTHAZAR BY CLAUDIA GRAY

all for you! Just enter below!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
And don't forget to check out this post to see if they're coming to a city (and a blog!) near you: TOUR INFORMATION.

Happy Reading!

In My Mailbox (63)

2012-02-12T14:57:00.002-05:00

Hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren

For Review:
Torn by Amanda Hocking
Being Friends with Boys by Terra McVoy
Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock
The Temptation by Elisa Valdes
Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

Happy Reading!
What did you get in YOUR mailbox?

Hana by Lauren Oliver -- Information!

2012-02-11T09:21:00.001-05:00

Hey guys! Usually I do a Show You Must Watch post today but since I have a post on Vampire Diaries this week, I want to talk to you guys about something else!

In Lauren Oliver's Delirium, Hana is Lena, the main character's, best friend and basically the one who initiates everything. Here's what Lauren Oliver had to say....

"Hana was intrigued by what lies on the other side of the borders, but ultimately destined to marry her pair and live a quiet, cushy life in the West End. Well, I have to tell you, there is more to her story. She actually has a story all to herself...
Hana is a companion e-novella to Delirium that I wrote from Hana's point of view. I wanted you all to get a better sense of who she is and let you in on some things even Lena might not know about her... Because trust me, when it comes to the trilogy, we ain't seen the end of Hana yet."

Now, do you want to get HANA for free? If enough people preorder Pandemonium, the sequel to Delirium, you can ensure that Hanna is release on Valentine's Day FOR FREE on MTV.com. But only for four days!

LINK TO PREORDER: B&N | AMAZON

Let's make this happen, guys!
Happy Reading!

“I don't want to love you if you're only going to die.”

2012-02-10T16:22:00.000-05:00

Title: Fire
Author: Kristin Cashore
Release Date: October 6th, 2009
Publisher: Dial
Pages: 461
Edition: Hardcover
Source: Bought
Goodreads: Link

It is not a peaceful time in the Dells. The young King Nash clings to his throne while rebel lords in the north and south build armies to unseat him. The mountains and forests are filled with spies and thieves and lawless men.

This is where Fire lives. With a wild, irresistible appearance and hair the color of flame, Fire is the last remaining human monster. Equally hated and adored, she has the unique ability to control minds, but she guards her power, unwilling to steal the secrets of innocent people. Especially when she has so many of her own.

Then Prince Brigan comes to bring her to King City. The royal family needs her help to uncover the plot against the king. Far away from home, Fire begins to realize there's more to her power than she ever dreamed. Her power could save the kingdom.

If only she weren't afraid of becoming the monster her father was.

Before I begin my review: I KNOW RIGHT? If you don't follow my twitter, you don't know that I've been book-bullied into reading this book for AGES. It's been almost two years of people telling me to JUST READ IT ALREADY because Graceling is my favorite book and I finally picked it up and read it. And i'm so glad I did! (And before you go asking: Graceling is still my favorite of all three.)

Cashore has the kind of writing ability that wows me, people. Where Graceling is fast-paced and actiony, Fire is slow and lush but still completely enthralling me with being in the mind of this girl! She has the ability to still have her writing style in a book but still manage to capture two completely different books and mind sets. Katsa is fire and impulsive and bold where Fire is much more mature and contemplative and I loved it!

Fire was a little mopey at times, but girl, if I was in her position? That kind of life gets awful fast. And while everyone is always pining for the type of beauty that makes people lose their heads; Fire's GOT THAT. AND IT SUCKS. I mean, Fire can't even walk into a village without two guys starting a fight over her or women glaring at her because they're husbands are suddenly cat-calling and salivating over her. And it's not her! And she also manages to write a character of immense beauty (I mean, guys, when she looks at HERSELF in the mirror; she takes her own breath away) without making them sound shallow or conceited. It was just a fact: Fire is a monster and as a monster, she is beauty. And she can control minds and be awesome.

The plot is a lot more slow-paced than Graceling but I found myself completely immersed in the court intrigue. Now that the Crazy King has stepped off the throne, being are getting all uppity and wanting to declare war and conquer the capitol city, which ain't gonna fly with King Nash or the rest of the royal family. It's a lot more traditional high-fantasy than Graceling is (in the sense that folks, it's slow. It's the type of book you read to savor, not to get your blood pumping) but I enjoyed it all the same. Also? The whole concept of monsters and their influence on people was fascinating. Seeing all that Fire and her father could do -- and did do -- was frightening and intriguing all at once.

But that really took it was the characters. The Royal Family: Clara, who I want as best friend; Garan, who is lovely and funny in his own way and also kind of a total genius; Nash, who i'm immensely proud of for learning how to use his head every once in a while; and Brigan, who is brave and kind-hearted and lovely. Then you have the guards like Mila and little Hanna and THEN ARCHER. Archer was definitely a special character. He was an asshat at times and then he was so desperate and lonely and lovely, and I can't help but keep a special place in my heart for him. Also: LECK IS SO EVIL ARGH. He's only 10 or 11 in this book and he still creeps me out. He doesn't make a LOT of appearance but when he does? *shudder*

The romance is slow and not the center of attention, considering this book is more focused on Fire finding out who she is as a person and how she fits into this crazy city and this crazy family, but it's lovely all the same. It's not obvious how the romance builds but it's there in glances and late night talks and it's so subtle that when it finally happens, you don't realize how desperate you were for it to happen!

In the end, not my favorite of the three but really good regardless!
Happy Reading!

The 5 Stages of Reading (A Great Book)

2012-02-09T16:45:00.001-05:00

Something I thought of one day and decided to finally do :P

*results may vary

1. Suspicion
Usually, good books get a reputation. They get HYPE. And the hype monster can be useful and amazing and wonderful BUT it can also be misleading and disappointing. So when you're this far in the game; hyped books? You're wary. You're curious. It's like going on a date with your friend's friend. You've heard so much great things about it that you're just instantly suspicious about the fact you think you know everything about him but you don't.

2. Comfortable
You've hit the groove! This book actually might have potential! The heroine is funny, the love interest is mysterious or sweet or both, the plot is starting to show itself little by little. Hey, maybe even the writing is beautiful! But you still haven't reached that point. The point of no return.

3. Mania
You've gotten to the point where you want to KICK YOURSELF for not reading this book earlier! It's well-paced and smart and everything you wanted and you just want to savor every word while simultaneously flipping through the pages as fast as you can!

4. DESPERATION
WHY HAVEN'T THEY GOTTEN TOGETHER YET? WHY CAN'T SHE SEE WHAT'S GOING ON? WHY IS HE SO EVIL? WHAT IS THE BIG SECRET? WHO IS THAT? WHAT IS HER POWER? WHAT ARE THEY HIDING? AHHHHHHHHH.

5a. Depression / Content
It's over. 5a is most common in stand-alones because there's nothing after! A neat package, a beginning, middle, and end. And you're happy! People got together, bad guys were thwarted, plot twists unraveled. But you're also sad because those characters are FOREVER YOURS and you want more adventures.

5b. Impatience
WHY DOES THE SEQUEL COME OUT IN A YEAR? THAT'S TOO LONG RJGNKDT OH MY GODDDDD.

5c. Catatonia
Rare, but it happens. That moment after you finish a book where you're either in tears or just awe because the sheer awesomeness was so great its blinded you a little bit. Your mind is a jumbled mess trying to put together the power of what you just read and you want to flip to the first page once you're coherent and start all over again!

Hope you like it! Happy Reading!

“I hope your bacon burns.”

2012-02-06T17:31:00.000-05:00

Title: Howl's Moving Castle
Author: Dianna Wynne Jones
Release Date: April 14th, 1986
Publisher: Greenwillow Books (HarperCollins)
Pages: 329
Edition: Paperback
Source: Bought
Goodreads: Link

Sophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate. But when she unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady. Her only chance at breaking it lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the Wizard Howl's castle. To untangle the enchantment, Sophie must handle the heartless Howl, strike a bargain with a fire demon, and meet the Witch of the Waste head-on. Along the way, she discovers that there's far more to Howl--and herself--than first meets the eye.

Now, I had HIGH expectations for this book. If you didn't know, Howl's Moving Castle is one of my favorite movies of all time, so when I decided to take a crack at the book, I was nervous! But you don't even have to worry because the book and the movie are two COMPLETELY different things and I didn't find myself comparing them plot-wise at any moment!

The book is still centered around Sophie and the fact that she is turned into an old lady by the Witch of the Waste because Sophie is a BIC* and that lady wishes she could be as awesome as her (you didn't think I was actually going to tell you the reason, right?) So when Sophie goes on a journey to try to turn herself back into a young girl, she stumbles upon Howl's Moving Castle, where three people live: Calcifer: a fire demon who is stuck in this house forever and ever; Michael: a fifteen year old boy (in the movie, he's like eight! I was like: WHAT) who is Howl's apprentice; and Howl: resident drama king and all-around powerful wizard and loving prick.

Book Sophie is hilarious. She's the eldest of three and in this magic world THE ELDEST GETS NOTHING. The youngest is the one who gets to marry money and have a happy life but the eldest? They have to work and inherit the family business and do boring stuff like make hats. I mean, there's a point where Sophie is inside so much that she's afraid to go outside! But the minute she turns into an old lady? She's a feisty thing! Her and Howl argue constantly and she isn't going to let him run her over with his attitude like he does Michael! Plus, nothing phases her. She sees she's an old lady and instead of wigging out and crying and going crazy, she's just like: "Well, better get out of here before Mom gets home."

The plot is a lot more complicated in the book than it is in the movie! Sophie has more than one sister and they play a big role in the story (instead of in the movie, where Lettie gets one scene where they talk about how Howl eats the souls of pretty girls) as well as the fact that people who are alive in the movie are DEAD IN THE BOOK. I was like -- what?! But all in all, it flowed well and sent me on a whirlwind of a story.

And then we have side-characters. Michael had to be my favorite; he was kind and funny and put up with Howl's insanity, which is more than I can say for a lot of people. Calcifer was the same as in the movie, which I approved of, and then we get to Howl. In the back of the book Jones talks about how in the movie, Sophie and Howl are a lot more gentle and noble and this is so true. Howl can be a total prick sometimes in the book! He's dramatic and unreliable and unpredictable but he's also sweet and loving and complex. Their relationship is hilarious and adorable and I like that there's never a dull moment between them!

Overall, the book and the movie are two total separate entities but equally wonderful!
Happy Reading!

*BIC - b**** in charge (used on heroines who are assertive, reliable, and go after what they want!)

YA WATCH (1/22 - 2/4)

2012-02-04T10:37:00.000-05:00

COVER NEWS:

Title: The Peculiars
Author: Maureen Doyle McQuerry
Release Date: May 1st, 2012
Publisher: Amulet Books
Pages: 354
Edition: Hardcover
Opinion: I LOVE IT. Steampunk-ish + Angels!
Goodreads: Link

On her 18th birthday, Lena Mattacascar decides to search for her father, who disappeared into the northern wilderness of Scree when Lena was young. Scree is inhabited by Peculiars, people whose unusual characteristics make them unacceptable to modern society. Lena wonders if her father is the source of her own extraordinary characteristics and if she, too, is Peculiar. On the train she meets a young librarian, Jimson Quiggley, who is traveling to a town on the edge of Scree to work in the home and library of the inventor Mr. Beasley. The train is stopped by men being chased by the handsome young marshal Thomas Saltre. When Saltre learns who Lena's father is, he convinces her to spy on Mr. Beasley and the strange folk who disappear into his home, Zephyr House. A daring escape in an aerocopter leads Lena into the wilds of Scree to confront her deepest fears.

Title: The Raven Boys
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Release Date: September 18st, 2012
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 416
Edition: Hardcover
Opinion: Mysterious looking!
Goodreads: Link

Filled with mystery, romance, and the supernatural, The Raven Boysintroduces readers to Richard “Dick” Campbell Gansey, III and Blue Sargent. Gansey has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on the hunt to find Glendower, a vanished Welsh king. Legend has it that the first person to find him will be granted a wish—either by seeing him open his eyes, or by cutting out his heart.

Blue Sargent, the daughter of the town psychic in Henrietta, Virginia, has been told for as long as she can remember that if she ever kisses her true love, he will die. But she is too practical to believe in things like true love. Her policy is to stay away from the rich boys at the prestigious Aglionby Academy. The boys there—known as Raven Boys—can only mean trouble. When Gansey and his Raven Boy friends come into her life, Blue realizes how true this is. She never thought her fortune would be a problem. But she was wrong.

Title: Spectral
Author: Shannon Duffy
Release Date: April 10th, 2012
Publisher: Tribute Books
Pages: --
Edition: ebook
Opinion: I am...not a fan. It's just quite typical.
Goodreads: Link

Convinced she’s a part of the witness protection program, sixteen-year-old Jewel Rose is shuffled around the globe with her family like a pack of traveling gypsies. After arriving at lucky home twenty-seven, she stumbles upon a mysterious boy with magical powers claiming to be her guardian . . . and warning of imminent danger. Despite the obvious sparks between them, Jewel discovers a relationship is forbidden, and the more she learns about dark, brooding Roman, she begins to question who she can even believe—the family who raised her, or the supposed sworn protector who claims they’ve been lying to her all along.

As she struggles to uncover who her family has really been running from, she is forced to hide her birthmark that reveals who she is. With new realities surfacing, unexplained powers appearing, and two tempting boys vying for her heart, Jewel battles to learn who she can trust in an ever growing sea of lies, hoping she’ll make it through her seventeenth birthday alive.

Title: Live Through This
Author: Mindi Scott
Release Date: October 2nd, 2012
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: --
Edition: --
Opinion: I like t! I like the dots around her and the font and the exposition.
Goodreads: Link

Sometimes hiding the truth requires more than a lie . . .

From the outside, Coley Sterling’s life seems pretty normal . . . whatever that means. It’s not perfect—her best friend is seriously mad at her and her dance team captains keep giving her a hard time—but Coley’s adorable, sweet crush Reece helps distract her from the annoying drama. Plus, she has a great family to fall back on—with a stepdad and mom who would stop at nothing to keep her and her siblings happy and safe.

But Coley has a lot of secrets. She won’t admit—not even to herself—that her almost-perfect life is her own carefully-crafted façade. That for years she’s been burying the shame and guilt over a relationship that crossed the line. Now, Coley and Reece are getting closer, and as Coley has the chance at her first real boyfriend, a decade’s worth of lies are on the verge of unraveling.

TITLE NEWS:

Sequel to Darker Still by Leanna Heiber has a name:

THE TWISTED TRAGEDY OF MISS NATALIE STEWART

As does The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe:

THE LIVES WE LOST

And also includes a few non-spoilery facts about The Lives We Lost:

-It begins with one last brief journal entry, and the rest of the book is in regular first person, from Kaelyn’s point of view.
-The reason it isn’t in journal format is that this book has quite a bit more action than TWWF, and I felt the format wouldn’t work believably with the story.
-The character Kaelyn sees at the end of TWWF plays a major role in this book.
-You will get to see what’s happening outside the island.

And then the sequel to Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor got a name AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL:

DEAL NEWS:

Scholastic has announced the publication of a new four-book series from Stiefvater. The first book in the series, The Raven Boys, will be published by Scholastic Press on September 18; three additional books in the Raven Cycle will follow.
The book introduces Richard “Dick” Campbell Gansey, III, a handsome private school student seeking a vanished Welsh King, and Blue Sargent, the daughter of a psychic, who has been told that if she kisses her true love, he will die. “I grew up on a diet of exceptional fantasy series for children—The Dark Is Rising, The Black Cauldron, A Wrinkle in Time, The Chronicles of Narnia—and I’ve always wanted to write one of those sprawling epic sagas built from intimate moments,” said Stiefvater in a statement.
Scholastic holds world rights to the series, which will have simultaneous launches in the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. The Raven Boys will be available in audio and e-book in September, as well. More than 1.7 million copies of Stiefvater’s Shiver trilogy are in print.

Shannon Messenger's debut young adult novel LET THE SKY FALL, about a teen who survives a deadly tornado but loses his memory, only to discover that the beautiful girl who haunts his dreams is both real and the key to the mysteries of his past, to Liesa Abrams at Simon Pulse, in a good deal, for two books, in a pre-empt, for publication beginning in spring 2013, by Laura Rennert at Andrea Brown Literary Agency (NA).

Stacey Barney of Putnam Books for Young Readers acquired world English rights to Scan and a sequel, Burn, by Walter Jury and S.E. Fine. Jury is a manager/producer for film and television, and Fine is a child psychologist; this is their first collaboration, and it’s a high-action YA thriller about a 16-year-old boy who has been prepared his whole life for "something important," only to discover it means he's one of the last humans left on earth. The first title is due out in 2013. Joanna Volpe of Nancy Coffey Literary & Media Representation did the six-figure deal.

Cindy Eagan at Little, Brown’s Poppy imprint has bought Bianca Turetsky's third novel in the Time-Traveling Fashionista middle grade series. In The Time-Traveling Fashionista in the Kingdom of Cleopatra, a seventh-grader receives a mysterious invitation to a vintage fashion sale in the mail and has her life magically transformed into a time-travel adventure, this time to Cleopatra's empire in ancient Egypt. Publication is set for fall 2013. Elisabeth Weed at Elisabeth Weed Literary Agency did the deal for world rights.

MOVIE/TV NEWS:

The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green, is about a 16-year-old girl whose life is pleasantly upended when she falls for a boy who joins her cancer support group. It was optioned for producer Wyck Godfrey by Fox 2000, the 20th Century Fox division run by Elizabeth Gabler. Godfrey’s company Temple Hill has worked on a number of high profile children’s book-to-film productions including the Twilight saga (with Summit Entertainment) and Eragon. Gabler is overseeing the project along with Fox 2000 v-p of production, Erin Siminoff. via Publishers Weekly

The CW has ordered for a pilot based on THE SELECTION by Kiera Cass. Now, I really didn't like this book BUT I think it'd actually make a decent TV show. And the CW has a reputation for making shows better than the books so I will look forward to seeing how it goes!

The first bit of casting news for the big-screen adaptation of Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl's "Beautiful Creatures" has finally been conjured, and it is spellbinding indeed: Oscar-nominated actress Viola Davis has signed on to play Amma, according to a statement from Alcon Entertainment.

TRAILER NEWS:

Get More: Movie Trailers, Movies Blog

Love, love, love this trailer. LOVE THE COVERS.

I see what they were trying to do but i'm not too big a fan of the trailer..

Oh, you guys know how I love Incarnate! The one thing that bothered me about the trailer was the guy depicting Sam's voice but that's likely because I imagine Sam having a very soft, unimposing voice!

And that's all for this week!

Happy Reading!

The Dark Days Of Supernatural -- Information!

2012-02-03T14:26:00.000-05:00

Hey guys! So The Dark Days, which is a tour hosted by HarperTeen for their authors, is well under-way at the moment and i've been chosen to be the Live Blogger for their event at Miami in March!

So because of that, I have tour dates for you guys so you can go planning where you'll be heading to check out these amazing authors! This will also include the bloggers that are both live-tweeting, recapping, and likely having giveaways for the event (I will be having one soon!) so here we go!

_________________________________________________________________

Includes: Cynthia Hand (HALLOWED), Brodi Ashton (EVERNEATH), Jodi Meadows (INCARNATE) and Courtney Allison Moulton (WINGS OF THE WICKED)

February 16^th @ 5pm | Barnes & Noble | Southlake, TX | A Good Addiction

February 17^th @ 7pm | Barnes & Noble | Austin, TX | Mundie Moms

February 18^th @ 4pm | Blue Willow Bookshop | Houston, TX | Once Upon a Twilight

Includes: Lauren Oliver (PANDEMONIUM), Claudia Gray (BALTHAZAR), and Dan Wells (PARTIALS)

March 9^th @ 6:30pm | Books & Books | Coral Gables, FL | Harmony's Radiant Reads
*That's me! Now, I will be live-tweeting and recapping AND i'm planning on doing a live show so you guys can go ahead and see the event and get some questions in! So hopefully that works out well.

March 10^th @ 2pm | Barnes & Noble | Alpharetta, GA | TK

March 11^th @ 4pm | Vroman’s | Los Angeles, CA | TK

*LIVESTREAM event

Includes: Kimberly Derting (THE LAST ECHO), Jill Hathaway (SLIDE), and Dan Wells (PARTIALS)

April 18^th @ 7pm | Books & Co | Dayton, OH | TK

April 19^th @ 7pm | Anderson’s Bookshop | Naperville, IL | TK

April 20^th @ 7pm | Barnes & Noble | Burlington, MA | TK

And then of course there's a blog tour!

2/7 Brodi Ashton at The Readiacs

2/9 Courtney Allison Moulton at Reading Teen

2/21 Lauren Oliver at All Things Urban Fantasy

2/22 Claudia Gray at A Life Bound By Books

2/23 Alex Flinn at Mundie Moms

2/28 Dan Wells at Bookalicious

3/1 Lauren Oliver at All Things Urban Fantasy

3/6 Claudia Gray at A Life Bound By Books

3/7 Alex Flinn at Mundie Moms

3/8 Dan Wells at Bookalicious

TK Jill Hathaway at Down the Rabbit Hole

TK Kimberly Derting at Confessions of a Bookaholic

And I will be having an interview with them at the event so you'll have that to look forward too!

For more information and things such as widgets, photos, and excerpts go to: http://harperteen.com/feature/darkdays/

“Remembering is easy. It's forgetting that's hard.”

2012-02-02T16:59:00.000-05:00

Title: Everneath
Author: Brodi Ashton
Release Date: January 24th, 2012
Publisher: Harperteen
Pages: 370
Edition: Hardcover
Source: For Review
Goodreads: Link

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's..

As I do when I do negative reviews for some reason...LIST TIME:

1. The plot for this book really is intriguing. Nikki has been taken down to the Underworld by Cole who is an Everling, someone who can live forever as long as every 100 years, they take a human and suck out their emotions/soul. But when the century passes and Nikki is released, she isn't a shriveled piece of dust, she's still herself! So when faced with the opportunity of immortality, she chooses to go up to Earth for 6 months to see her family and the boyfriend (ex?) she left behind, Jack. And since it's a Hades and Persephone-ish retelling, I was so excited!

2. Sadly, I felt like the world wasn't as fascinating as I expected it to be. I think it mostly because I wanted all this crazy mythology and when you really read it, all you do is scratch the surface. Which really isn't the problem considering it's a trilogy, but I just wanted more. Maybe it's the hype monster, but I had high expectations.

3. I've said before that for me, characters make a story. Your plot can be lacking but if you have captivating, interesting, and strong characters, I can forgive a lot of things. Sadly, Nikki didn't hit the mark for me. I never really connected with her or was invested in her story, even though I read the whole thing through. I felt like an outsider and i'm not a particular fan of it; I must prefer to immerse myself completely, feel just how much the heroine has to lose. And she kept saying how selfish she was for going up when she was going to have to go back down again but I wanted her to do something! Act before she had to go! And until about the last month, nothing really progresses besides her strange relationship with Cole. (more on that later)

4. Jack was a problem for me because i'm immediately expected to love him and I just...didn't. We're trying to be convinced through flashbacks that he's this mega-player turned super faithful boyfriend after being with Nikki for three months, and he just had this...air to him that I didn't find appealing. Plus, the whole reason him and Nikki separated before she went down made me SO MAD. It's not the fact that he did it, which he didn't, but the fact that he said if the opportunity had presented itself, he likely would've. UH WHA? Intention is everything. And I feel like everyone just brushed over that and that just sealed my dislike for Jack.

5. Cole, on his own, was an amazing character. Conflicted, slightly evil, and delectably tortured, I wanted to see just exactly was going through that head of his as he started to slowly wear his humanity on his sleeve. But as a love interest? I don't think so. Maybe it's just because i'm tired of being stuck in the "Bad Boy vs. Noble Hero" love triangle and he wasn't good to Nikki at all. But simultaneously, I understand their connection considering he fed off her for a century.

6. I think the main problem was when I was reading through, I was itching to just keep turning the pages, and not in a good way. I wasn't captivated by the story BUT everyone else seems to like it so you certainly don't have to take my word for it!

Happy Reading!

Waiting On Wednesday (22)

2012-02-01T09:32:00.000-05:00

Title: Shadow and Bone
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Release Date: June 19th, 2012
Publisher: Holt Childrens
Pages: --
Edition: Hardcover
Goodreads: Link

Inspired by Tsarist Russia, SHADOW & BONE brings to life a fantasy world of superstition and science, saints and samovars, in which a lonely refugee must leave behind her best friend- and first love- to save her country from the growing darkness of the Unsea. But first she must contend with the dangerous and decadent world of the kingdom’s magical elite and their powerful leader, a creature of dark charm and deadly ambition.
-from goodreads

Inspired by Tsarist Russia? FANTASY WORLD? Yes please!

Happy Reading!

"If I only get one life, I don't want to waste it by hesitating.”

2012-01-30T17:01:00.000-05:00

Title: Incarnate
Author: Jodi Meadows
Release Date: January 31st, 2012
Publisher: Harperteen
Pages: 384
Edition: Hardcover
Source: For Review
Goodreads: Link

NEWSOULAna 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.
NOSOULEven 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?
HEARTSam 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.

Oh this book, this book, this book. Incarnate is a beautiful and languid tale of a girl named Ana who is trying to find herself in a world that has been quite adamant about the fact they don't want her.

Incarnate takes place in an alternate world (High Fantasy, but not as 'in your face' about it as books like Graceling and The Demon King) where everyone is reincarnated over and over again into different bodies, so everyone has basically been around for 5,000 years. But then Ana shows up and she's a New Soul because this is the first time she's cycled into existence. The problem? For Ana to appear, Ciana, a girl who has been reincarnated, had to die. So everyone thinks she's evil and awful and so she goes to the capitol city of Heart to find her purpose and why everything that happened, happened.

Ana's got some guts and I totally respect her for it! She's lived with an evil mother who thinks she has no soul for all her life and she still has a big heart and a smart mind, so good on her! Even though she has little to no education, she learns through her own mistakes and actions and she's just a lovely heroine! And yes, sometimes she's confused or melodramatic but I was never annoyed because when you take in how she was raised, did you expect any different?

The plot was fascinating. Maybe it's my obsession with reincarnation but I just found the entire thing intriguing. Imagine living in a world where you know everyone because you've been living with them for 5,000 years, just with different appearances! Or the fact that you can be born one day and be in a guy's body even though you're a girl! The whole society reads like a dystopian and it was quite interesting to read about. I especially like the whole 'bonding' idea, because it sounds sweet and adorable and THAT MASQUERADE PARTY. We'll get to that.

All the characters in this book are either helping or hindering Ana but the point is? They have a purpose! Lee is a total douche-nugget, Stef was funny and smart, and all the other characters of Heart are well-rounded and interesting, even the bad ones! And the "bad ones" is an operative term! Everyone in this story has something to win or lose, so even the people like the Council have a point there.

And then we have Sam. Oh Sam. Sam is a kind and loving soul and I loved reading every minute of him. The minute him and Ana met, I knew I was going to love them together! Sometimes he was hot and cold, which was frustrating (and I like that Ana calls him out of it!) but I could see where he was coming from and the minute they come together was just beautiful. Their relationship has so many obstacles in the way even if they have resolved some but with that kind of connection, I know they can plow through it. Also, the masquerade bonding ball. Dear god, that scene. Just goes to show you don't have to be super sexual steamy to BE steamy.

Happy Reading!

In My Mailbox (62)

2012-01-29T13:00:00.001-05:00

Hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren

For Review:
Vesper by Jeff Sampson
Havoc by Jeff Sampson

From Kari:
Gilt by Katherine Longshore
Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore (ETA: I have since this video finished Bitterblue and....guys. Oh guys. Beautiful.)

From Katie:
Secret Letters by Leah Scheier

Happy Reading!
What did you get in YOUR mailbox?

A Show You Must Watch: Once Upon A Time (2)

2012-01-28T15:35:00.002-05:00

I started this one recently with my sister and i'm actually really, really liking it so far!

Once Upon A Time is a sort-of fairy tale retelling show, where the evil queen from Snow White traps all the Fairy Tale characters in a small town in Maine, imprisoning them and preventing anyone from being able to return to their world and stop her. Until Emma comes along, the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming who is basically the only one who can break the curse.

I love the fact that in most of the episodes, it's two stories happening at once. You have a story going on in Fairy Tale land and then you have the real-time story going on in Storybrook with the same characters!

Snow White and Prince Charming have to be my favorites, ESPECIALLY their Fairy Tale counterparts. Snow White is cunning and smart (while in the real-life world, she's a lot more gentle and kind) and Prince Charming is just witty and awesome (while in the real-life world, he's...recovering. No spoilers!)

Emma is pretty kick-ass, considering she's not taking no flack from anyone who tells her that she needs to leave town, including Evil Witch Mayor!

While the show doesn't have a lot in the way of character development, it is fun and entertaining to watch!

Happy Watching!

P.S I'm only on episode five so NO SPOILERS IN THE COMMENTS!

Interview: Jodi Meadows, author of Incarnate

2012-01-27T16:23:00.001-05:00

Hey guys! Today I have the lovely, lovely Jodi Meadows here for an interview! My review for Incarnate should be up on Sunday but for now, all you need to know is that I think this book is brilliant!

__________________________________________________________

1. If you could live with any three YA characters; who would they be and why?

I'm not sure I'd want to live with any YA characters. They tend to have a lot of problems and I don't want to get roped into that. Drama-free zone here!

2. That's the first time I've gotten that answer, haha! Heart, the city in which Ana finds herself in, is full of different people fulfilling different roles! What do you think you’d be doing if you lived in Heart?

Because the people of Heart don't have a real concept of other people, at least until Ana shows up, they don't really have . . . fiction. My job -- making things up about people who don't exist -- would be pretty useless there. I'd probably get stuck with a crappy job no one else wanted to do. Maybe Dossam would let me be in the orchestra sometimes.

3. Which character do you think is most like you? Least?

I hope I'm nothing like Li! Or some of the other antagonists!

One of my friends thinks Sam and I are alike because we're both calm. That might be true! I'd love to be as patient and open-minded as Sam. But I'd also love to be as brave and big-hearted as Ana. Sadly, we share a lot of insecurities; we both strongly feel the need to be better than we are, especially when it comes to things we care about. (Music for her, writing for me!)

4. If you could choose a side character to write a story about, who would you choose and why?

Sometimes I think about writing a story from Menehem's (Ana's dad) point of view. He's just so oblivious to what other people feel and think. He'd be interesting to write about, anyway.

5. If you could say something to your younger writing self; what would it be and why?

"Just keep writing." I'd have to be vague on purpose (thus frustrating the heck out of my younger self) because I wouldn't actually want to change anything about my journey to publication, as hard as it was. It made me stronger and a better writer.

__________________________________________________________

Title: Incarnate
Author: Jodi Meadows
Release Date: January 31st, 2012
Publisher: Harperteen
Pages: 384
Edition: Hardcover
Goodreads: Link

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.

Happy Reading!

"I Like It. Very un-dead chic."

2012-01-26T16:14:00.000-05:00

Title: Getting Over Garrett Delaney
Author: Abby McDonald
Release Date: January 24th, 2012
Publisher: Candlewick
Pages: 336
Edition: Hardcover
Goodreads: Link
Source: For Review
Note: I don't know why she looks so young in the cover when she's seventeen in the book...O.O

Can a twelve-step program help Sadie kick her unrequited crush for good? Abby McDonald serves up
her trademark wit and wisdom in a hilarious new novel.
Seventeen-year-old Sadie is in love: epic, heartfelt, and utterly onesided. The object of her obsession - ahem, affection - is her best friend, Garrett Delaney, who has been oblivious to Sadie'sfeelings ever since he sauntered into her life and wowed her with his passion for Proust (not to mention his deep-blue eyes). For two long, painful years, Sadie has been Garrett's constant companion, sharing his taste in everything from tragic Russian literature to art films to '80s indie rock- all to no avail. But when Garrett leaves for a summer literary retreat, Sadie is sure that the absence will make his heart grow fonder - until he calls to say he's fallen in love. With some other girl! Aheartbroken Sadie realizes that she's finally had enough. It's time for total Garrett detox! Aided by a barista job, an eclectic crew of new friends (including the hunky chef, Josh), and a customized selfhelpguide, Sadie embarks on a summer of personal reinvention full of laughter, mortifying meltdowns, and a double shot of love

Getting Over Garrett Delaney is a cute, funny, and totally heart-warming contemporary!

GOGD is about a girl named Sadie who has been in love with her best friend, Garrett, from day one. But when he goes off to literary camp for the summer and she gets a call about his latest romantic tryst just days after he said he had something special and important to tell her, she decides she needs to go through a full and total Garrett detox! Sadie is a dear. She's a typical teenager, which is something I can always appreciate in YA! Her voice is genuine and I understood her struggle to find out who she was outside of Garrett, because that was the thing.

I liked that this book wasn't about Sadie finding someone else, but about finding out who she was when she was apart from Garrett, someone who influenced her decisions and her life SO much in the past few years. He was her best and really only friend and her opinions were so warped from being with him, she realized she didn't even know who she was! And she spends the book trying new things and meeting new people and simply stepping out of her comfort zone and having fun, which is what the detox was all about! And it's not all breezy for her, I mean, when you've been in love with someone for two years, it's hard to just return your feelings to something platonic. She fails and she has to retrace her steps and sometimes she pisses people off, but that was part of the journey!

The side-characters all had their little quirks and back stories that made them become Sadie's support group, which I liked. LuAnn with her crazy outfits and sucky love life, Aiko, Josh, and Kayla were all funny and wanted to shake some sense into Sadie as much as I did!

This book isn't heavy on the romance, which I actually appreciated. It isn't about Sadie finding someone else, it's about Sadie finding herself! But there is the adorable chef Josh and then there is Garrett, who I found to the biggest ass-hat in the universe. He's one of those pretentious literary writers who think genre fiction is trash and to be a writer means being a slave to your work and writing for money is like selling your soul because you must be poor to be a writer and GOD GARRETT SHUT UP ALREADY. I was so glad Sadie got away from him!

Overall, a cute and light contemporary read!
Happy Reading!

Top Ten Books: You Might Not Have Read

2012-01-24T17:21:00.005-05:00

LET'S DO THIS.

as always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovelies over at The Broke And Bookish!

1. The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S King - She's known for her other books like Please Ignore Vera Dietz but no one talks about her debut! AND HER DEBUT IS AWESOME.

2. The Splendor Falls by Rosemary Clement Moore - I've said this before and i'll say it again: she is one of the most underrated authors in the universe. THIS BOOK IS AWESOME. And her most recent novel, Texas Gothic? EVEN MORE AWESOME.

3. Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken - Epic, so epic, so epic. This one got quite a lot of buzz in the blogosphere but I still don't think enough people have read it!

4. Lament by Maggie Stiefvater - Everyone is always going crazy about her Wolves of Mercy Falls Trilogy but what about her books about homicidal faeries she wrote before those? Lament? Was amazing! Maggie's writing with a twisted plot and amazing characters.

5. Epic Fail by Clarie LeZebnik - So much cute is contained in this book that I can't EVEN. It's for fans of Anna And The French Kiss and Lola! Light-hearted, funny and a Pride & Prejudice retelling!

6. The Thief by Megan Whale Turner - This isn't for people who can't handle slow, intriguing, amazing books. This isn't "IN YOUR FACE" about its epicness, but it's slow and twisty and awesome.

7. The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton - Didn't get as much buzz as it deserved! LOVE this book!

8. Apothecary by Maile Meloy - This got some pretty major buzz but i'm sure a lot of you haven't read it, am I right? It was amazing. It's magical and adventurous and the characters are well-rounded and brave!

9. Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves - Now I have a theory about this book: people either LOVE it or absolutely hate it and think the author is crazy. I am of the opinion this book is brilliant! Dia's writing isn't for the lighthearted, just a warning. It's gritty and dark and SO twisted. Bleeding Violet is about a girl with bipolar disorder and there's things like monsters and crazy people and naked torture scenes so....you know. But it's epic.

10. The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima - Now this one is WAY more popular. This is a best-selling series but i'm including it because WHY HASN'T THE ENTIRE WORLD READ THIS SERIES? WHY?

Happy Reading!

"What a slut time is. She screws everyone."

2012-01-23T17:09:00.000-05:00

Title: The Fault In Our Stars
Author: John Green
Release Date: January 10th, 2012
Publisher: Penguin (Dutton)
Pages: 313
Edition: Hardcover
Goodreads: Link
Note: If you haven't read it yet, enjoy the song Permafrost while you can. Now I can't listen to it without wanting to burst into tears.

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

So I know you might be thinking: "Why is she even reviewing this book? Of course it's amazing. IT'S JOHN GREEN". But I, unlike others, am a Nerdfighter that doesn't partake in the fangirling of John Green's book. The only one i've read is Looking For Alaska (which was pretty awesome) and I never finished Paper towns. But this? The Fault In Our Stars is an instant classic and John Green is everything Nicolas Sparks should be (and well, isn't.)

First: don't be afraid to read this book because the main characters happen to have cancer. This isn't a Cancer Book. It is a book about friendship and love and trust and finding your purpose in a universe that you're not sure really wants you around anymore. Hazel is an amazing heroine: smart, funny, and strong. My type of girl! But she's not all perfect. Sometimes she's insecure and confused and angry and I loved both sides of the coin so much. I'd be her friend in a heartbeat.

John Green doesn't shy away from the hard questions in this writing and I really appreciate that. He doesn't treat teens like they're idiots, point blank. He takes things like grief and love and faith and puts a big question mark at the end of them so you can fill in the blanks yourself, which I love. This is the kind of book that makes you think about life and death and what kind of mark you want to leave on the world.

I'm not going to say I never cry during books, because that's a big fat lie. But I was in the middle of my 3rd period Math Class while I was reading this and I couldn't even hold it in; I burst into tears. I hid it, but I totally did. And I don't believe in people who say they don't read books that make you cry because that's the whole experience! Feeling something! John Green will make your heart ache, guys.

While writing this review, I realize there's still so much I want to say but can't. This is the kind of book that I want to force everyone to read but recommend doing it by yourself on a day where you don't have anything to do. Do it where you can cry and you don't hold it in and you're not being rushed. You're going to want to savor every single word. And sometimes, you're going to have to stop reading because you can't handle every emotion rushing at you at once, and that's alright!

And finally, Augustus Waters. You live in my heart forever and I love you so damn much. Him and Hazel were beautiful and amazing together despite their differences and arguments. No relationship is perfect and I like how we weren't told to believe that is so, because they had something so special in those 313 pages. Gah, so much love for this book.

Happy Reading!

Time For A Challenge!

2012-01-23T10:31:00.000-05:00

So Julie and I have decided to do a challenge together to make us finally read the books we've been telling the other to read FOR AGES. She did this with Lanna, her co-blogger, last year and since she has Graceling and hasn't read Graceling, she thought this would be the perfect opportunity.

So basically I have to read all these books in a month and the week of February 6th, I'm going to review all five. And here are the books!

DON'T BREATHE A WORD BY HOLLY CUPALA | JANUARY 3RD, 2012 | HARPER TEEN

AMY & ROGER'S EPIC DETOUR BY MORGAN MATSON | MAY 4TH, 2010 | SIMON & SCHUSTER

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE BY JANE AUSTEN | ...1813? | EVERYONE

MAGIC UNDER GLASS BY JACLYN DOLAMORE | FEBRUARY 1ST, 2010 | BLOOMSBURY

THE FALSE PRINCESS BY EILIS O'NEAL | JANUARY 25TH, 2011 | EGMONT

So all of those books? Shall be read!
Have you read any of them? DO YOU LOVE THEM?
Happy Reading!

YA WATCH (1/6 - 1/21)

2012-01-21T15:44:00.001-05:00

COVERS:

Title: Stealing Parker

Author: Miranda Kenneally
Release Date: October 2012
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Pages: --
Edition: --
Goodreads: Link

About a 17-year-old girl named Parker who falls for the new 23-year-old coach of the baseball team.

Companion to CATCHING JORDAN.

Title: The Space Between Us

Author: Jessica Martinez
Release Date: October 16th, 2012
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: --
Edition: --
Goodreads: Link

From the author of Virtuosity, a novel about two sisters and the secrets they tell, the secrets they keep, and the secret that tears them apart.

Amelia is used to being upstaged by her charismatic younger sister, Charly. She doesn’t mind, mostly, that it always falls to her to cover for Charly’s crazy, impulsive antics. But one night, Charly's thoughtlessness goes way too far, and she lands them both in serious trouble.

Amelia's not sure she can forgive Charly this time, and not sure she wants to…but the situation is even worse than either of them realizes. Amelia has no choice but to give up everything--her friends, her future, her dream--in order to cover for Charly’s huge mistake.

Amelia doesn't understand how her sister could have done this to them both. What she doesn't know is that Charly is hiding a terrible secret—one with the potential to change everything.

Title: Keeper of the lost Cities

Author: Shannon Messenger
Release Date: October 2nd, 2012
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Pages: --
Edition: Hardcover
Goodreads: Link

Twelve-year-old Sophie has always been different -- she's years ahead of the other kids in school and can read minds. She's always assumed there's some kind of logical explanation for her talents, but when she meets an adorable and mysterious boy, she finds out the shocking truth. She's never felt at home because she, well, ... isn't.

There are secrets buried deep in her memory, secrets about her true identity and why she was hidden among humans, that others desperately want and would even kill for. And she must figure out why she is the key to her brand-new world, before the wrong person finds the answer first.

Title: The Assassin and the Pirate Lord (Throne of Glass Novella #1)

Author: Sarah J. Maas
Release Date: OUT NOW.
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Pages: --
Edition: Ebook
Goodreads: Link
Note: One of FOUR novellas coming out until the release of Throne of Glass! SO EXCITED.

On a remote island in a tropical sea, Celaena Sardothien, feared assassin, has come for retribution. She's been sent by the Assassin's Guild to collect on a debt they are owed by the Lord of the Pirates. But when Celaena learns that the agreed payment is not in money, but in slaves, her mission suddenly changes - and she will risk everything to right the wrong she's been sent to bring about.

Title: Between The Lines

Author: Jodi Picoult & Samantha Van Leer
Release Date: June 26th, 2012
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: --
Edition: --
Goodreads: Link
Note: You know you're famous when your name is larger than the title.

What happens when happily ever after…isn’t?

Delilah is a bit of a loner who prefers spending her time in the school library with her head in a book—one book in particular. Between the Lines may be a fairy tale, but it feels real. Prince Oliver is brave, adventurous, and loving. He really speaks to Delilah.

And then one day Oliver actually speaks to her. Turns out, Oliver is more than a one-dimensional storybook prince. He’s a restless teen who feels trapped by his literary existence and hates that his entire life is predetermined. He’s sure there’s more for him out there in the real world, and Delilah might just be his key to freedom.

Delilah and Oliver work together to attempt to get Oliver out of his book, a challenging task that forces them to examine their perceptions of fate, the world, and their places in it. And as their attraction to each other grows along the way, a romance blossoms that is anything but a fairy tale.

DEALS:

"Jennifer L. Armentrout's DON'T LOOK BACK, pitched as Black Swan meets Pretty Little Liars, featuring a teen girl who had it all until the night she and her friend go missing, and she loses all recollection of who she is, but must piece together a life she no longer wants and the events that led to her friend's disappearance, to Emily Meehan at Disney-Hyperion, in a pre-empt, in a two-book deal, by Kevan Lyon at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency (World English). Foreign rights: Taryn Fagerness Agency"

In a world English rights deal with Little, Brown Books for Young Readers’ Poppy imprint and Headline (one of Hachette’s U.K. divisions), ICM’s Jennifer Joel sold Jennifer E. Smith’s YA novel, This Is What Happy Looks Like. Elizabeth Bewley acquired the book stateside, and the title is set for a spring 2013 publication. The deal continues LBYR’s relationship with Smith; Poppy published the author’s third book this month. In This Is, an e-mail is the catalyst for an unlikely transatlantic romance between two teenagers.

TRAILERS:

SNEAK PEEKS:

Veronica gave us a little teaser on the Divergent Facebook page for Insurgent and AHHH:

"Before I chose Dauntless...I felt assured of my long lifespan, if nothing else. Now there are no reassurances except that where I go, I go because I choose to."

OTHER:
Sarah J. Maas is FULL of news this week!

Her book, Queen of Glass, just got a name change to Throne of Glass.
It now has a release date of August 7th, 2012
Bloomsbury has bought the next two books in the series.

Happy Reading!

Waiting On Wednesday (21)

2012-01-18T09:20:00.000-05:00

Title: Wentworth Hall
Author: Abby Grahame
Release Date: May 1st
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 320
Edition: Hardcover
Goodreads: Link
Pre-order: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

It’s 1912, and the Darlingtons of Wentworth Hall have more than just the extensive grounds to maintain. As one of Britain’s most elite families, they need to keep up appearances that things are as they have always been…even as their carefully constructed faÇade rapidly comes undone.

Maggie has a secret. And she’s not the only one…the handsome groom Michael, the beautiful new French nanny Therese, the Darlingtons’ teenage houseguests Teddy and Jessica, and even Maggie’s younger sister Lila are all hiding something. Passion, betrayal, heartache, and whispered declarations of love take place under the Darlingtons’ massive roof. And one of these secrets has the power to ruin the Darlingtons forever.

When scandalous satires start appearing in the newspaper with details that closely mirror the lives of the Darlingtons, everyone is looking over their shoulder, worrying their scandal will be next. Because at Wentworth Hall, nothing stays secret for long.
-from Goodreads

This has a very Downton Abbey feel to it, like Julie said in her Waiting On Wednesday a few weeks ago, AND I SAW DOWNTON ABBEY IN THE BEGINNING OF JANUARY AND SO OBSESSED OH MAI GOD. Guys, it is SO good. If you love historical settings and drama and scandal and love and awesome thing, you will love Downton Abbey.

And if you do watch it, let me know in the comments: how much do you just want Mary and Matthew to GET TOGETHER ALREADY?

Happy Reading!

The Way We Fall + Minimergency Kit Giveaway

2012-01-17T16:03:00.001-05:00

GIVEAWAY TIME!

*by the lovely people over at Big Honcho Media.

Title: The Way We Fall
Author: Megan Crewe
Release Date: January 24th, 2012
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Pages: 304
Edition: Hardcover
Goodreads: Link

It starts with an itch you just can't shake. Then comes a fever and a tickle in your throat. A few days later, you'll be blabbing your secrets and chatting with strangers like they’re old friends. Three more, and the paranoid hallucinations kick in.

And then you're dead.

When a deadly virus begins to sweep through sixteen-year-old Kaelyn’s community, the government quarantines her island—no one can leave, and no one can come back.
Those still healthy must fight for dwindling supplies, or lose all chance of survival. As everything familiar comes crashing down, Kaelyn joins forces with a former rival and discovers a new love in the midst of heartbreak. When the virus starts to rob her of friends and family, she clings to the belief that there must be a way to save the people she holds dearest.
Because how will she go on if there isn't?

a Rafflecopter giveawayEnter! Woo!

"We’re on a cliff, all of us, and surviving isn’t about who’s the best or the brightest."

2012-01-16T16:53:00.001-05:00

Title: The Way We Fall
Author: Megan Crewe
Release Date: January 24th, 2012
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Pages: 304
Edition: Hardcover
Goodreads: Link

It starts with an itch you just can't shake. Then comes a fever and a tickle in your throat. A few days later, you'll be blabbing your secrets and chatting with strangers like they’re old friends. Three more, and the paranoid hallucinations kick in.

And then you're dead.

When a deadly virus begins to sweep through sixteen-year-old Kaelyn’s community, the government quarantines her island—no one can leave, and no one can come back.
Those still healthy must fight for dwindling supplies, or lose all chance of survival. As everything familiar comes crashing down, Kaelyn joins forces with a former rival and discovers a new love in the midst of heartbreak. When the virus starts to rob her of friends and family, she clings to the belief that there must be a way to save the people she holds dearest.
Because how will she go on if there isn't?

The Way We Fall is about an island in Canada that becomes infected by a deadly virus and a girl trying to survive in the midst of it. Now, if you know, you know i'm a med student at my school. And although I don't exactly want to be a doctor; i'm fascinated by diseases and outbreaks. I love watching movies like Contagion and such, plus, my sister is a microbiologist like Kae's father. The story is written in the form of a sort of diary to Kae's best friend Leo, who she fought with a few months back and she wants to keep close to her.

Kae was a determined heroine. She was smart and brave and had a survival instinct that wasn't enough to drive her to madness, like some other people on the island. She always stayed true to herself and protected the ones she loved. And I like that we got to see a more emotional side of her through the letters to Leo, since he was her former best friend. At the same time; I never connected with her character. We were told a lot of things about her and how she was selfish and her fight with Leo was awful and things like that; but we never saw that side of her. She wasn't as dimensional as I would've wanted her to be.

This would make a great movie; if they ever decided to make another plague movie using a teen heroine. Even though it's written in diary format, it never seems slow or boring. There are people dying, people going crazy, and people trying to survive. Everyone has something to lose and it seemed like every minute, people were dropping like flies. The story has that desperation for a cure and the confusion when the government turns it's back on you when you need them the most.

The book has a sweet romance that doesn't overpower the main focus of the story but definitely contributes to it. Kae and her man were excellent partners that divulged into a friendship that turned into something more. I like that it's a subtle chemistry and not super steamy. It's more that they're there for each other than anything else, and you can really tell they care about each other.

Happy Reading!

In My Mailbox (61)

2012-01-15T14:11:00.000-05:00

My video didn't upload :(

As always, hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren!

For Review:
The Selection by Kiera Cass
Slide by Jill Hathaway
Don't Let Me Go by J.H Trumble
Last Rite by Lisa Desrochers (Thanks a million, Lisa!)

Traded:
The Calling by Kelley Armstrong

Borrowed:
The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

Happy Reading!
What did YOU get in your mailbox?

A Show You Must Watch: Sherlock (1)

2012-01-14T18:29:00.000-05:00

Why haven't I been posting on the blog, you ask? Because tomorrow is the season two finale of SHERLOCK THAT IS WHY. So I have watching all the episodes so I can be ready (and also, you know, school stuff.)

Sherlock is amazing. One of the best depictions I've ever seen (even better than Robert Downey Jr's!), Benedict brings on Sherlock's snarky, complex, and anti-social personality to the surface. In this modern retelling of the awesome adventures of Sherlock Holmes, he helps out the cops (as well as the British government) by solving crimes with his epic deductive skills. And dear god, they are epic. He doesn't just come to the conclusions but he takes you with him while he rapidly dissects everything about a person just by glancing at his suit.

Also the fact that Benedict is beautiful and I want his cheekbones and as my friend told me yesterday: His eyes are so blue they're SILVER.

And then we have Dr.Watson; who was an army doctor in Afghanistan and got shot so he's back in London and his friend offered to get him a flatmate. The way the two meet is endearing and they just have the best bromance in the entire world. Sherlock is insensitive and rude which is balanced by Watson's sweet and caring nature. They form a bond of epic bro-portions and I LOVE IT. Plus, everyone is constantly calling them a couple because of it, which is hilarious because Sherlock doesn't even try to dispel this and Watson is just bumbling and outraged.

And then we have our villain, Moriarty. This guy is downright insane. His motivations aren't really clear, considering he thinks this whole 'killing people and doing awful things' business is all a game and he's got some major psycho problems, but he's really got the world wrapped around his little finger!

I just like this show like WHOA. Sherlock is the character development I live for, guys.
-Harmony

“Wisdom ain't a virtue I ever aspired to.”

2012-01-12T17:00:00.000-05:00

Title: Blood Red Road (Dustlands #1)
Author: Moira Young
Release Date: June 7th, 2011
Publisher: McElderly Books (Simon & Schuster)
Pages: 459
Edition: Hardcover
Goodreads: Link

Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives, along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba's world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back.Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she's a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization.

If you haven't read this book, I suggest you go out RIGHT NOW and buy it. I'm not even kidding, i'm so sad I didn't read this boo k last year to have put it on my Top Ten List.

Blood Red Road follows Saba on a journey across the Dustlands to rescue her twin brother Lugh whose been kidnapped and taken far, far away from her. Writers, take notes. Saba is an amazing heroine and possibly my favorite part of the novel. She was fearless and flawed and I loved reading every minute of her dangerous and heart-wrenching story. What I loved about Saba was simply this: she was built to survive. She wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty, sacrifice things, or even mess up herself to help the people she loved and get what she wanted. But she was also emotionally detached and way too used to living in her brother's shadow and sometimes mean and stubborn and I loved watching her open up to the people she kept trying to push away throughout the book. (I especially loved everything in Hopetown, which is where we really see her come to life.)

And man, does Saba take on some unlikely companions in her journey. We have Emmi, her little sister that she completely resents, who follows her no matter how many tries Saba tries to leave her behind. Epona and Ash, who were funny and brave and the Free Hawks sounded like just about the biggest, baddest girls I've ever seen. Ike, who is the one who said the quote above and is my favorite, just for being one of the most loyal characters I've ever read about. Even Nero, Saba's bird (who is much more human than bird, I can tell you that) was completely kickass and intelligent. And most of all? The loyalty. Every person in this novel is interconnected in some way and the fierce and devoted trust they have for each other over the course of the novel is heartfelt and sincere.

The world-building is beautiful. Moira does not have complicated and long prose, which makes her writing stark and fast-paced. You'll never be bored because with the way she writes, the stakes are always high and there's anyways something to lose. Now, the thing is about the writing is this: it's written in Saba's dialect. Now I didn't think I was going to be able to look past this (after all, the reason I don't like Nate from Eyes Like Stars is because he talks like a pirate) but the second you're sucked into Saba's journey, you hardly even notice. You're much too busy rooting her on!

And then we have Jack and Saba and GUYS. Seriously. The slow building of this relationship just made me swoon. They were sweet and sad and he was just essential in breaking Saba out of her shell. He wasn't pushy but he tested her boundaries, made her think in ways she hadn't really expected herself too, and made her reevaluate the things she thought were important, which I think was necessary for her to come to the revelations she did about herself. And guys? Cave scene? It's only like a page long and I was fanning myself.

MUST READ! Happy Reading!

Waiting on Wednesday (20)

2012-01-11T08:30:00.000-05:00

Title: The Vicious Deep (The Vicious Deep #1)
Author: Zoraida Córdova
Release Date: May 1st, 2012
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Pages: 384
Edition: Hardcover
Goodreads: Link
Pre-order: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

Set against the backdrop of a Coney Island summer comes The Vicious Deep, the story of sixteen year old Tristan Hart whose life is turned upside down when the mermaids make an unscheduled return to land in search of their new king.

When a sudden storm pulls Tristan from lifeguard duty into a deadly riptide, he discovers what he really is—a prince of the Sea Court. Turns out, his girlfriend hopping and talents as a swimmer aren’t caused by his teenage prime hormones after all.

In this modern Arthurian tale with a twist, when all a guy wants to do is get The Girl and enjoy the freak show that is a Coney Island summer, Tristan has to fight for his life, the lives of his friends, and his humanity, if he still wants it, as he’s caught in a race for a throne that is as ancient as the gods.
--from goodreads

This sounds so dark and mysterious, I love it! Plus: male protagonist!

Happy Reading!

"Imagine there was a cure, but finding it would cost you everything."

2012-01-10T17:09:00.000-05:00

Title: Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1)
Author: Marissa Meyer
Release Date: January 3rd, 2012
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (Macmillan)
Pages: 390
Edition: Hardcover
Goodreads: Link

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

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

I was very surprised by Cinder, considering how much I liked it!

I want to go ahead and start with the things I didn't like really quick, because it's not much! One being almost all of the plot points? I totally guessed from the beginning. And not just because it's a Cinderella retelling but the plot points that had to do with the entire civilization and the Lunar people and Cinder herself; totally called it. So that did take a bit of the "dramatic" effect off all the big reveals which is no fun for me! But simultaneously, it doesn't detach from the experience and I was just as happy reading about Cinder getting there even though I knew where she was going. And another thing is: the villain.

I didn't think Levana was a very fleshed-out villain, and you guys know I LOVE my villains to be realistic and have ulterior motives and be very conniving and tricky. And yeah, I get it: world domination sounds awesome. But I wanted to know more about her and how she came to be the way she is (an amazing example of a wonderfully constructed villain is Warner from Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi) throughout the story. ON THE OTHER HAND,

Every other character was so much fun and awesome to read about! Cinder was strong and independent and my heart broke for her on so many levels every time she'd find out another thing she didn't want for herself or did want and couldn't have. She makes some tough decisions and I applaud her for them! Each side character is fleshed out perfectly from Ido, who brought on some comedic relief when needed and Dr.Erland, who is one of the most complex characters in this book and I loved reading about him!

As for plot; it read a lot more like a Fantasy than a Sci-Fi Dystopian to me but maybe that's just because of the whole idea of it being turned into sectors and the kind of magic element incorporated into the story with the Lunar people. Dr.Erland explains it in his scientific way but I don't really buy it; that's magic! And I didn't mind at all; because you guys know I love Fantasy like WHOA. Meyer definitely packs the punches when it comes to high stakes and sacrifices on both Cinder AND Kai's part, which I appreciated. They both had a lot to lose.

BONUS FACTOR? Totally the whole plague aspect of the novel. The entire civilization in which Cinder lives is being killed by a disease called Letumosis and no one has any idea how the hell they're going to fix this. Maybe it's the fact i'm in the Medical Academy at my school but plague books always fascinate me. The whole progession of the disease is strange and curious and I was just as desperate at times (and for certain people) to find a cure as well!

As for the romance; Kai and Cinder don't disappoint! Your heart's going to be breaking because it is not a steady road for these two! There's a lot of secrets (Cinder's fault or otherwise) being kept between these two and it just becomes so much that everything seems to fall apart at times. But they were sweet together and i'm excited to see where she's going with this because that ending! Gah!

Happy Reading!

The Fault In Our Stars Trailer

2012-01-08T17:09:00.001-05:00

No IMM today BUT LOOK AT THIS:

SO good, right? I absolutely love Book Trailers and this is one is definitely one of my favorites!

YA WATCH (12/11-1/5)

2012-01-07T10:40:00.000-05:00

COVER NEWS:

Title: Chosen Ones
Author: Tiffany Truitt
Release Date: April 2012
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Pages: --
Edition: Hardcover
Goodreads: Link
Note: This sounds pretty awesome!

Sixteen-year-old Tess lives in a compound in what was once the Western United States, now decimated after a devastating fourth World War. But long before that, life as we knew it had been irrevocably changed, as women mysteriously lost the ability to bring forth life. Faced with the extinction of the human race, the government began the Council of Creators, meant to search out alternative methods of creating life. The resulting artificial human beings, or Chosen Ones, were extraordinarily beautiful, unbelievably strong, and unabashedly deadly.

Life is bleak, but uncomplicated for Tess as she follows the rigid rules of her dystopian society, until the day she begins work at Templeton, the training facility for newly created Chosen Ones. There, she meets James, a Chosen One whose odd love of music and reading rivals only her own. The attraction between the two is immediate in its intensity—and overwhelming in its danger.

But there is more to the goings-on at Templeton than Tess ever knew, and as the veil is lifted from her eyes, she uncovers a dark underground movement bent not on taking down the Chosen Ones, but the Council itself. Will Tess be able to stand up to those who would oppress her, even if it means giving up the only happiness in her life?

Title: The Girl In The Clockwork Collar
Author: Kady Cross
Release Date: May 22nd, 2012
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Pages: 304
Edition: Hardcover
Goodreads: Link
Note: I really liked The Girl In The Steel Corset so i'm excited for part two!

In New York City, 1897, life has never been more thrilling - or dangerous.

Sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne and her "straynge band of mysfits" have journeyed from London to America to rescue their friend Jasper, hauled off by bounty hunters. But Jasper is in the clutches of a devious former friend demanding a trade-the dangerous device Jasper stole from him...for the life of the girl Jasper loves.

One false move from Jasper and the strange clockwork collar around Mei's neck tightens. And tightens.

They changed the covers of Holly Black's Curseworkers Trilogy and they are so awesome! They're very simply and classic and AWESOME.

On the left, you see the cover that was released for Destiny's Fire by Trisha Wolfe a week or two ago. But as you can see, it's pretty awful! So the publisher took in all of the comments and decided to redesign the cover! And now it's SO PRETTY. I like the pink and the goggles and the girl!

Title: If I Lie
Author: Corrine Jackson
Release Date: August 23rd, 2012
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: 288
Edition: Hardcover
Goodreads: Link
Note: Very excited for this one!

A powerful debut novel about the gray space between truth and perception.

Quinn’s done the unthinkable: she kissed a guy who is not Carey, her boyfriend. And she got caught. Being branded a cheater would be bad enough, but Quinn is deemed a traitor, and shunned by all of her friends. Because Carey’s not just any guy—he’s serving in Afghanistan and revered by everyone in their small, military town.

Quinn could clear her name, but that would mean revealing secrets that she’s vowed to keep—secrets that aren’t hers to share. And when Carey goes MIA, Quinn must decide how far she’ll go to protect her boyfriend…and her promise.

DEALS:

HarperCollins Publishers announced today that it has preempted rights to a three-book middle-grade series, House of Secrets by iconic Hollywood director and producer Chris Columbus, co-authored by acclaimed young adult novelist Ned Vizzini. This is Columbus's debut series for young readers with the first book slated for global publication in Spring 2013.

______________________________________________________________________

Ilsa Bick's WHITE SPACE, pitched as The Matrix meets Inkheart, about a seventeen-year-old girl who jumps between the lines of books and into the white space where realities are created and destroyed - but who may herself be nothing more than a character written into being from an alternative universe, to Egmont, in a two-book deal, by Jennifer Laughran at Andrea Brown Literary Agency (NA).

MOVIE NEWS:
all news comes from Page To Premiere

Independent financier and production company Kerry, Kimmel and Pollack has acquired rights to Keary Taylor's novel "Eden," a dystopian thriller described as a cross between "The Hunger Games" and "The Terminator." Story follows Eve, a teenage girl living in a post-apocalyptic world where humanity is on the brink of extinction and robots that were created to serve humans have turned against them. As Eve struggles to fight the Fallen and help her friends find safety, she must choose between a boy she has always trusted and one who holds the secrets to her past.

______________________________________________________________________

Interesting news has been released via TheFabLife today regarding the Mortal Instruments movie. The two leads were chosen around six months ago — Lily Collins as Clary, and Jamie Campbell Bower as Jace. So why haven’t we gotten any more casting news? Turns out there have been major script issues! Marlene King, screenwriter of the hit TV show Pretty Little Liars, was brought on for rewrites, and the script is awaiting approval from the studio. The original script was deemed ‘not close enough to the book.’

In the original script, the pivotal character later in the series, Magnus, was left out entirely. The warlock is important because he becomes the boyfriend of another central character, Alec. Cassandra Clare, author of the series, adds, “I feel like the whole twist with Jace and Clary and their relationship was really important and guides the next two books, and you can’t really take it out. It’s so taboo at the same time, but they’re just going with it. That’s what makes these books.” What would you have thought if they had left out Magnus? Are you happy with Lily and Jamie as Clary and Jace?

______________________________________________________________________

The adaptation of Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison will be directed by Kat Coiro, according to Deadline. The story is about a narcissistic high school student named Bridget, who dies in a car crash and must confront all the people she belittled, or was mean to, to in a ‘limbo.’ This collection of people will ultimately decide if she goes to heaven or hell. The director says, “Here Lies Bridget is a profound coming of age story wrapped in the glossy packaging of a teen comedy -– think an edgy It’s A Wonderful Life meets Mean Girls.” The script was written by Leah Rachel, and casting is underway.

_____________________________________________________________________

"Eden" will be produced by Mark Morgan ("The Twilight Saga"), Kami Garcia (the "Beautiful Creatures" series), Brett Hudson ("Fast Flash to Bang Time") and Michael Pollack ("Black Forest").“Infinity Ring,” a seven-book series on time travel with an online game component, will begin its rollout in September, the publisher plans to announce officially on Tuesday. The first book, “A Mutiny in Time,” will be written by James Dashner, the best-selling author of “The Maze Runner.” Scholastic, the American publisher of the Harry Potter novels, is set to introduce another major successor to that blockbuster franchise by J. K. Rowling.

TRAILERS:

SNEAK PEEKS:

Rae Carson, in an interview with the lovely Mundie Moms, revealed the flap summary of Crown Of Embers, book two in the Girl Of Fire and Thorns Trilogy!

Hero, foreigner, queen. At the age of 17, Elisa is all three. And all three draw enemies.Faced with assassins, court politics, and the threat of civil war, Elisa despairs of being the ruler her people need, for she is too young, she thinks. Too inexperienced. Her only hope is the Godstone. She has no choice but to master its power once and for all.Accompanied by a one-eyed warrior, an enemy defector, and the man she is falling in love with, Elisa takes a leap of faith and crosses an ocean in search of the ultimate source of the Godstone’s power.But her faith has always had a price, and doing the right thing might mean giving up the power she desperately needs. And it might mean giving up the man she desperately loves.

And then Cassandra Clare posted her fair share of teasers these past weeks for YA Tourney so here's the Clockwork Princess One:

And the gold of her ruined wedding dress.

And then the City of Lost Souls One:

Clary looked at Alec steadily. She remembered what Isabelle had told her earlier, about knowing whether Jace was dead or not, and what she had said back. “Alec,” she said. “Don’t you feel anything?”
Alec’s eyes flew open, their blue darkening, and for a moment, Clary remembered the boy who had hated her when she first arrived at the Institute, the boy with bitten nails and holes in his sweaters and a chip on his shoulder that seemed immovable. “I know you’re upset, Clary,” he said, his voice sharp, “but if you’re suggesting that Iz and I care less about Jace than you do —”
“I’m not,” Clary said. “I’m talking about your parabatai connection.”

Happy Reading!

"Why are you staring at me?"

2012-01-06T16:19:00.001-05:00

Title: Switched
Author: Amanda Hocking
Release Date: January 3rd, 2012
Publisher: St.Martin's Griffin
Pages: 336
Edition: Paperback
Goodreads: Link
Buy: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

When Wendy Everly was six years old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. Eleven years later, Wendy discovers her mother might have been right. She’s not the person she’s always believed herself to be, and her whole life begins to unravel—all because of Finn Holmes. But it isn’t long before he reveals the truth: Wendy is a changeling who was switched at birth—and he’s come to take her home.

Finn is a mysterious guy who always seems to be watching her. Every encounter leaves her deeply shaken…though it has more to do with her fierce attraction to him than she’d ever admit.

Now Wendy’s about to journey to a magical world she never knew existed, one that’s both beautiful and frightening. And where she must leave her old life behind to discover who she’s meant to become…

So this book was not a win for me. List? YES LIST TIME:

1. Wendy was a pretty dull heroine. She never really had a personality, was constantly putting herself down or saying things were her fault, and she didn't really do anything to move forward the plot.

2. I thought the whole idea of the Trylle was pretty frigging awesome and we hardly got any of it! I don't really understand what the plot of this was, considering there was a lot of: THERE IS DANGER BUT SECRET DANGER. No one really told Wendy anything and therefore, *we* didn't know anything. At all. And where's the action? I was expecting some action from how dangerous the bad guys sounded.

3. The instalove in this book! From page 15, I knew it would be the downfall. Wendy has JUST met Finn formally after he'd intense creepy stared at her for a week. THEN he meets her up at a dance and asks her a dance and THEN is a TOTAL DOUCHE. Plus, he sounds completely insane in the beginning. And she says this to herself and she's like: but I really, really like him. WUT? Their entire relationship was based on something that I never saw in the first place. They didn't have any chemistry or spark; they were just tossed together and I didn't like it at all.

4. Speaking of Finn, he was much like Wendy on the personality scale. I can see he's very protective and pushy and likes to foreshadow lots of stuff and never explain it, but I would've liked some more information. ON THE OTHER HAND...

4. Rhys, will you marry me? This boy is the saving grace of this book! He was funny and charming and completely adorable. I mean, if you're going to for someone you can't have, pick the not-creepy, not-pushy boy! He was so sweet and awesome to Wendy and they had SO much chemistry!

5. By the end of the novel, we really don't know anything. We don't know why the bad guys want Wendy, what's so special about her, and if she's even as awesome as everyone keeps reminding her she is! And speaking of that ending, what she did was TOTALLY wrong and why was she going all about "I don't like using my powers like that" and THEN USES HER POWERS LIKE THAT.

Overall, I was very sad I didn't enjoy this book since I've heard SUCH good things about it but definitely not my cup of tea.

Happy Reading!

Slide by Jill Hathaway Giveaway!

2012-01-05T10:39:00.000-05:00

So I got an extra copy of Slide by Jill Hathaway and I thought: HEY. GIVEAWAYS ARE AWESOME.

Title: Slide
Author: Jill Hathaway
Release Date: March 27th, 2012
Publisher: Balzer + Bray (HarperCollins)
Pages: 256
Edition: Hardcover
Goodreads: Link

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.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy Reading!

p.s Rafflecopter? Is awesome. If you're a blogger, I recommend it SO much! I was apprehensive at first but I did this in like, one minute.

Waiting On Wednesday (19)

2012-01-04T08:20:00.000-05:00

Title: Harbinger
Author: Sara Wilson Etienne
Release Date: Feburary 2nd
Publisher: Putnam (Penguin)
Pages: 320
Edition: Hardcover
Goodreads: Link
Pre-order: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

Girl, Interrupted meets Beautiful Creatures in this fast-paced thriller
When sixteen-year-old Faye arrives at Holbrook Academy, she doesn't expect to find herself exactly where she needs to be. After years of strange waking visions and nightmares, her only comfort the bones of dead animals, Faye is afraid she's going crazy. Fast.
But her first night at Holbrook, she feels strangely connected to the school and the island it sits on, like she's come home. She's even made her first real friends, but odd things keep happening to them. Every morning they wake on the floors of their dorm rooms with their hands stained red.
Faye knows she's the reason, but what does it all mean? The handsome Kel tries to help her unravel the mystery, but Faye is certain she can't trust him; in fact, he may be trying to kill her - and the rest of the world too.
Rich, compelling writing will keep the pages turning in this riveting and tautly told psychological thriller.
--from goodreads

This sounds like it's going to be MEGA-CREEPY but completely awesome. I love the idea of unreliable narrators such as Mara Dyer and I have a feeling this might be like that as well! And even if not, it sounds like a wild ride!

Happy Reading!

BUT DID YOU DIE? - On Character Development

2012-01-03T09:07:00.000-05:00

So this week on Totally Booksessed, we're talking about things we like/dislike in a heroine. And I wanted to think of extend it onto here to share some more thoughts I had.

I love strong heroines. I think everyone can agree that strong heroines are basically the best kinds. People like Tris, Katsa, and Elisa who kick ass and take names and aren't afraid to stand up for themselves and what they believe in.

BUT.

There's a huge but in this because one of the most important things in novels to be is something so simply, yet sometimes lacking: character development. I don't want characters that start out with NO flaws and NO weaknesses because what kind of person is that? Who wants to read about someone who can do no wrong and can resolve any conflict with no sort of inner turmoil? To me, a good heroine is someone who grows. Someone who starts off in the novel as alone or scared or self-conscious and grows into this confident and strong person not only because of the things they've been through and the experiences they've had, but because they realize that the person they were before wouldn't have been able to survive.

I'll take the three heroines I used: Tris, Katsa, and Elisa

Tris starts out the novel as someone who wants to be something but has no idea if she can even achieve it in the first place. She's smaller and quieter than everyone else and no one thinks she wants a chance but she's got the guts to make things happen. And over the course of the novel, she learns. She learns how to be selfish (and that's a big thing for me: I like characters that sometimes choose themselves, because sometimes you don't want to sacrifices you things you want or need; and that's alright) and make her own decisions and fight and by the end of the novel, she comes out ten thousand times stronger than she ever would've thought to be in the beginning.

Then you have Katsa! Which people probably thought: "Katsa was a kick-ass all throughout the book; so what?". But in her case, we're talking about something much more emotional and mental. Katsa has always been able to kick some major ass but she learns not to think herself as monster and open herself up to people throughout the novel, and that makes her a stronger person in the end.

And then you have Elisa; who is my favorite example of OUTSTANDING character development i've ever seen. Elisa starts out the novel self-conscious, scared, alone, quiet, and completely not in control of herself and her situations. The journey she has to go through in the book changed her into a strong, confident, mature person but didn't change her. She was still the sweet girl from the beginning, but she got a backbone and learned how to fight for herself and for her people!

So next time you're going (and I know I do this A LOT) :

Remember, they're growing. Sometimes it's alright to complain and feel weak and like you can't do it; but a REAL heroine can pick themselves up from the ground, dust themselves off, and never give up. Unless of course this is them throughout the entire novel in which case: EH.

Happy Reading!
And DEFINITELY tell me your thoughts below!

"A world of nevers under a never sky"

2012-01-02T09:39:00.000-05:00

Title: Under the Never Sky (Under The Never Sky #1)
Author: Veronica Rossi
Release Date: January 3rd, 2012
Publisher: Harper Collins
Pages: 400
Edition: Hardcover
Received: For Review
Goodreads: Link
Pre-order: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

Aria is a teenager in the enclosed city of Reverie. Like all Dwellers, she spends her time with friends in virtual environments, called Realms, accessed through an eyepiece called a Smarteye. Aria enjoys the Realms and the easy life in Reverie. When she is forced out of the pod for a crime she did not commit, she believes her death is imminent. The outside world is known as The Death Shop, with danger in every direction.

As an Outsider, Perry has always known hunger, vicious predators, and violent energy storms from the swirling electrified atmosphere called the Aether. A bit of an outcast even among his hunting tribe, Perry withstands these daily tests with his exceptional abilities, as he is gifted with powerful senses that enable him to scent danger, food and even human emotions.

They come together reluctantly, for Aria must depend on Perry, whom she considers a barbarian, to help her get back to Reverie, while Perry needs Aria to help unravel the mystery of his beloved nephew’s abduction by the Dwellers. Together they embark on a journey challenged as much by their prejudices as by encounters with cannibals and wolves. But to their surprise, Aria and Perry forge an unlikely love - one that will forever change the fate of all who live UNDER THE NEVER SKY.
--from goodreads

Man, the FIRST book I read in 2012 and I already know it's going to be one of my favorites of this entire year! Under the Never Sky is a brilliant debut with heart-breaking characters, exquisite world-building, and a bittersweet romance that already has me dying for a sequel.

Even though the book is a Dystopian, the writing is as lush and beautiful as a High Fantasy. It really reads like a fantasy novel because the world-building is that detailed and scary and somewhat magical in the sense of things! Aria and Perry come from two completely different worlds and I loved the insight that we got to both of them throughout the novel, especially The Death Shop! The journey that the two of them have to take not only physically but emotionally was written beautifully. I want to say I can't imagine what it's like to be in The Death Shop but with her writing, I can! I wouldn't last a day! Haha.

As for the characters; they were definitely the best part of the novel. Each character was carefully crafted to have their own little quirks and personalities, which made every character unique and real to me. Aria was headstrong and brave and I was rooting for her even from the beginning. She's a girl who knows what she wants but is impulsive and sometimes makes mistakes but she's got heart and she's tough! I definitely know why it's recommended to fans of Graceling; she has the strength of Katsa! Perry was fascinating to me. The entire idea behind his kind of people and their different abilities was amazing and I can't wait to learn more about it and his past! He was sweet and protective and my heart ached for him.

As for side characters, this book is full of awesome ones! There was Talon: who was cute and young and I loved reading about his relationship with Perry and how much they cared for each other. There was Roar: who was definitely one of my favorites! He was flirty and witty and completely loyal and then you have Cinder: who was simply under all his harsh words, a little boy terrified of what he was capable of. None of them were flat or boring and each had their story!

And finally; the romance. My heart ached for Perry and Aria the entire time but especially the last half of the book. It was all about the subtle touches and sweet longing and because of that; it was so much more meaningful and steamy than a hot and fast romance will ever be for me. They were so calm and accepting for their fate and I just wanted to shout at the rooftops for giving me a romance this amazing when there is SUCH big obsticles in the way for these two. But even though they never say it, they love each other and the way Rossi presents it makes you believe it the second they know themselves. It's a slow romance for them; considering they absolutely hate each other in the beginning. I loved how they first got to know each other and trust each other and then just fell completely for each other. It was beautiful!

NOTE: you can read the first few chapters right here!

Overall? I recommend a thousand times.
Happy Reading!

IN MY MAILBOX (60) + DID YOU SEE?

2012-01-01T14:27:00.000-05:00

What a nice round number to start the new year!
Hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren

For Review:
Struck by Jennifer Bosworth
Winter's Kiss by Jennifer Echols and Catherine Hapka
Ditched by Robin Mellom
Tempest by Julie Cross
Just Flirt by Laura Bowers
52 Reasons To Hate My Father by Jessica Brody
All These Lives by Sarah Wylie
The Raft by S.A Bodeen
Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama
Of Poseidon by Anna Banks
Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris

Christmas Haul:
Percy Jackson Boxed Set by Rick Riorden
Fire by Kristin Cashore (Yeah yeah, I know.)
Magic Under Glass by Jacklyn Dolamore
Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
Blood Red Road by Moira Young
The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal
Eona by Allison Goodman

Also: DID YOU SEE? I got a new blog design to welcome the New Year! It was all done by the lovely Katie at KD Designs (she also runs Sophistikatied) and i'm so happy with how it turned out! Also: you may notice all my comments are gone and that's because i've installed DISQUS so people can reply to other people and I can reply to comments!

Happy Reading!
Link your IMM down below and i'll comment!

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

2011-12-31T09:40:00.000-05:00

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

2011-12-30T18:04:00.000-05:00

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)

2011-12-28T15:55:00.005-05:00

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

2011-12-27T14:09:00.001-05:00

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

2011-12-26T09:56:00.000-05:00

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

2011-12-16T16:25:00.000-05:00

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)

2011-12-14T17:03:00.001-05:00

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

2011-12-12T17:03:00.003-05:00

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)

2011-12-10T12:50:00.001-05:00

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

2011-12-08T16:34:00.001-05:00

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)

2011-12-07T17:02:00.001-05:00

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

2011-12-06T16:52:00.001-05:00

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

2011-12-05T16:14:00.001-05:00

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!

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Good luck to all! Happy Reading!

In My Mailbox (59)

2011-12-04T14:07:00.001-05:00

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!

2011-12-01T16:50:00.001-05:00

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:

Don't Breathe A Word by Holly Cupula
The Fault In Our Stars by John Green
Life Is But A Dream by Brain James
The International Kissing Club by Ivy Adam
Winter's Kiss by Jennifer Echols
Try Not To Breathe by Jennifer Hubbard
Dead To You by Lisa McMann
The Fine Art of Truth Or Dare by Melissa Jensen
Someone Else's Life by Katie Dale
The Rivals by Daisy Whitney
Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig
Where It Began by Ann Redisch Stampler
Wanderlove by Kristin Hubbard
The List by Siobahn Vivian
Take A Bow by Elizabeth Eulburg
Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf
The Story Of Us by Deb Caletti
Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson
In Honor by Jessi Kirby
First Comes Love by Katie Kacvinsky
A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger
Something Like Normal by Trish Doller
52 Reason To Hate My Father by Jessica Brody
The Thing About The Truth by Lauren Barnholdt
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!

Waiting On Wednesday (16)

2011-11-30T17:02:00.001-05:00

FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS | DIANA PETERFREUND | BALZER + BRAY | JUNE 12th, 2012

Generations ago, a genetic experiment gone wrong—the Reduction—decimated humanity, giving rise to a Luddite nobility who outlawed most technology.
Eighteen-year-old Luddite Elliot North has always known her place in this caste system. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family’s estate over love. But now the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jumpstarting the wheel of progress and threatening Luddite control; Elliot’s estate is floundering; and she’s forced to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth—an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliott wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she abandoned him.
But Elliot soon discovers her childhood friend carries a secret—-one that could change the society in which they live…or bring it to its knees. And again, she’s faced with a choice: cling to what she’s been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she’s ever loved, even if she has lost him forever.
Inspired by Jane Austen’s PERSUASION, FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS is a breathtaking romance about opening your mind to the future and your heart to the one person you know can break it.

THAT COVER. AND THAT SUMMARY. AND THAT TITLE. Gah, so much love.

Happy Reading!

Daughter of Smoke And Bone by Laini Taylor

2011-11-28T16:29:00.001-05:00

Who: Laini Taylor
What: Daughter of Smoke And Bone
When: September 27th, 2011
Where: Little Brown
Why: Premise
How: For Review (BEA)

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

The plot was astounding. The whole idea behind Brimstone's shop and the wishes and the teeth was so beautifully constructed and woven into Laini's writing that I find myself wanting to look for Brimstone's store myself even though it kind of sounds scary as hell! Maybe i'd just peek inside, I don't want to have to wear one of Issa's scary snakes around my neck. The hidden world in the back of Brimstone's shop was also completely unbelievable and everything that went into it: the chimera myths and the angels and the war? I loved every second of it. AND THE SETTING? Urgh, I want to go to Prague so bad. The whole time I was reading this, my sister knew it was set in Prague and she kept telling me stuff about the city when she'd gone and I was just like: I hate you.

Karou was so kickass, guys. She was funny and fierce but she was also vulnerable and, like Akiva once said, had this sad loneliness about her that made me just want to jump into the book and give her a bear hug. But when things get bad, she doesn't cringe in fear of it! Instead, she bursts out of her shell and becomes this total BAMF, determined to do what she needs to do to find Brimstone and find out that exactly she saw behind that door. I love her courage and also just the way she spoke to people. She always sounded so sure of herself and confident and you guys know I love heroines like that that take charge, even if they're feeling lost. Zuzanna was an awesome best friend and like a true best friend, stuck by Karou no matter how crazy things got! I thought Kaz was hilarious and so full of himself that he provided some funny moments, particularly the opening scene!

Laini's writing is one of those that speak to my soul (a la Maggie Stiefvater, Lauren DeStefano) and her prose was magnificent. The descriptions of Prague and the Other World (which has a name but it's escaping me) were lush and beautiful and seriously made me feel like I was there. Also: the book is divided into three parts by these little sections that give a taste of the story and I loooooved that. One example being:

Gorgeous! And finally, we have the love story. Karou and Akiva were...strange in a good way. They fell together in such a fashion that I didn't know how I felt about the two of them together. I felt the tension and the attraction but it was all rushed and random but THEN. Then everything is revealed. And when you find out everything you find out, their romance is beautiful and lovely and I want more!

Overall? Recommend!
Happy Reading!

In My Mailbox 58

2011-11-27T12:19:00.001-05:00

Hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren

For Review:
Under The Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Bought:
Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez

+ Awesome Pledge Swag

Happy Reading!

YA WATCH (4)

2011-11-26T04:43:00.000-05:00

COVER NEWS:

TRISH DOLLER | SOMETHING LIKE NORMAL | BLOOMSBURY | JUNE 19th 2012

OPINION? KISSY COVER OH MY GOD. But at least it's not too visible and doesn't irritate me as much.

A powerful debut novel about a young Marine's return home from Afghanistan and the new life and love he finds while fending off the ghosts of war.

When Travis Stephenson returns home from Afghanistan, his parents are on the brink of divorce, his brother has stolen his girlfriend and his car, and nightmares of his best friend getting killed keep him completely spooked. But when he runs into Harper Gray, a girl who despises him for trashing her reputation with a middle school lie, life actually starts looking up. As Travis and Harper see more of each other, he starts falling for her and the way through the family meltdown, the post-traumatic stress, and the possibility of an interesting future begins to emerge.

His sense of humor, sense of his own strength, and incredible sense of honor make Travis an irresistible and eminently lovable hero in this fantastic and timely debut novel.

SARAH BETH DURST | VESSEL | SIMON AND SCHUSTER | SEPTEMBER 11th, 2012

OPINION? I love this cover. Love the colors and the girl and the scarf billowing out and the text and EVERYTHING.

In a desert land where serpents made of unbreakable glass fly through the sky and wolves made of only sand hunt within storms, Liyana is destined to be a vessel, to sacrifice herself so that her clan's goddess can inhabit her body... but her goddess never comes.

BRIDGET KEMMERER | STORM | KENSINGTON | APRIL 24th, 2012

OPINION? this looks like the cover of a book about a Boy Band or something...not a fan.

Earth, Fire, Air, Water – they have more power than you dream.

Ever since her ex-boyfriend spread those lies about her, Becca Chandler is suddenly getting all the guys—all the ones she doesn't want. Then she saves Chris Merrick from a beating in the school parking lot. Chris is different. Way different: he can control water—just like his brothers can control fire, wind, and earth. They’re powerful. Dangerous. Marked for death.

And now that she knows the truth, so is Becca.

Secrets are hard to keep when your life’s at stake. When Hunter, the mysterious new kid around school, turns up with a talent for being in the wrong place at the right time, Becca thinks she can trust him. But then Hunter goes head-to-head with Chris, and Becca wonders who’s hiding the most dangerous truth of all.

The storm is coming . . .

DEAL NEWS:

all information comes from either Publisher's Weekly or the author's blog.

Tessa Gratton has signed a three-book, six-figure deal with Suzy Capozzi at Random House Children’s Books for a new YA trilogy. Laura Rennert at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency handled the world rights deal for Gratton; the series is called the Songs of New Asgard. The series presents an alternate history of the U.S. in which the country was founded on elements of Norse religions, and gods walk among humans, with some maintaining powerful positions in the government. Rennert said Gratton’s inspiration was, in large part, her own translation of Beowulf. The first book, Weight of Stars, follows two teenagers who embark on a cross-country search for a missing god. As the kids travel through the United States of Asgard they encounter, as Rennert put it, “smalltown zealots, trickster gods, and sadistic field trolls.” Gratton’s YA debut, Blood Magic, was published by RH Children’s in May 2011, and the companion book to that title, The Blood Keeper, is coming out in August 2012.

AH! I'm so excited for this, it sounds awesome. You knows how I love mythology!

NYT, WSJ, and USA Today bestselling author Ally Carter's sixth and final novel in the Gallagher Girls series, and the third novel in the Heist series, to Stephanie Owens Lurie and Cat Onder at Disney-Hyperion.

I loved Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter, the second book in the Heist Society Series, SO BAD! I can't wait for the third book for more Kat & Hale! And this sixth Gallagher Girls Book WILL be the last one!

In a six-figure, two-book acquisition, Tamra Tuller at Philomel took world rights to the next two YA titles from its current author, Ruta Sepetys. (Philomel released Sepetys’s debut, Between Shades of Gray, in March.) Agent Ken Wright, at Writers House, brokered the new deal for Sepetys, and the first novel, which is set near the end of WWII and is currently untitled, follows a family aboard the doomed ocean liner the Wilhelm Gustloff, which was sunk by a Soviet submarine as it was carrying thousands of European refugees trying to escape war-torn Europe. Wright said that Sepetys, who had family members aboard the ship, will draw from personal histories for the novel.

Between Shades of Gray was one of my favorite books this year so i'm quite excited!

In a six-figure, two-book pre-empt, Molly O’Neill at HarperCollins’s Katherine Tegen Books bought North American rights to Hilary Smith’s YA debut, Midnight at the Radio Temple. Laura Rennert at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency handled the auction for O’Neill and said the novel, which is scheduled for summer 2013, is a coming-of-age story about a teenage musician who uncovers shocking family secrets during “an unforgettable summer of love and chaos, music and madness.” Smith was behind the formerly anonymous publishing blog, The Intern (www.internspills.blogspot.com), in which she chronicled toiling away as an unpaid laborer in the editorial department at a nameless publishing house; the blog became something of an industry phenomenon in 2009, drawing, at its height, 10,000 visits per month.

I LOVE HER BLOG! So excited for this!

MOVIE NEWS:

all movie information comes from the awesome site, Page To Premiere.
" BEAUTIFUL CREATURES movie is now underway! A script has been written, casting is starting this week, and it's set to start shooting April 2012! "

How exciting!

And that's actually all for this week! See you next week on YA WATCH.
Happy Reading!

Another One Bites The Dust: Keep Your Side Characters!

2011-11-25T11:26:00.001-05:00

So i've been thinking about Vampire Diaries a lot lately (but this isn't going to be a post about it, don't worry! YET!) But that got me to thinking about side characters. Because I feel like the show does such an amazing job of intertwining different subplots between characters (evident by the fact my favorite plot line is not Elena's, but Caroline's) and as always, my brain is wired to think about books no matter what the subject:

Acute triangles? LOVE TRIANGLES. Cellular Respiration? OH MY GOD [INSERT BOOK HERE] COMES OUT TOMORROW! Black Plague? I WONDER WHAT DYSTOPIAN I'M GOING TO READ NEXT.

I feel like side characters are an important part of any story and if you do it right, you can incorporate them flawlessly into a story and still give them a voice!

sidenote: not in the way TV shows can, obviously. Unless it's told in Third Person, you can't really have more than one plot line going on and that's alright! But this is something I totally hate:

1. WHEN THE BEST FRIEND DISAPPEARS

Ummm...remember her/him? That kid you've known since you were in diapers that sat next to you in lunchduring Kindergarten and pushed all the bullies that tried to bother you? YEAH THEY ARE STILL ALIVE. I hate hate hate when the Heroine discover her TRUE PATH/LOVE OF HER LIFE and suddenly, it's like they're the only two characters! WHA? No! I understand you can't tell them but dude, don't just pretend your friends don't even exist!

And then the Best Friend tells her something and the Heroine starts complaining and i'm like WELL THEY SHOULD TELL YOU YOU'RE A SUCKY FRIEND.

An example of this that really stood out to me was in The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin. Jamie. Jamie was Mara's first friend when she moved to her new school and was super sweet and tutored her and was funny and awesome and halfway through the book...WHO'S JAMIE? He just..disappears. You can't just bring in a character and then once he's done serving his purpose, make him disappear!

THIS ISN'T THE MAFIA.

And something I do like?

2. WHEN A BEST FRIEND SERVES A PURPOSE IN THE STORY

My favorite example of this is Hanna from Delirium by Lauren Oliver. If it wasn't for Hanna, Lena's story wouldn't even exist. Hanna is the one that drags her to the party thing that made Lena meet Alex and sent her on this whirlwind quest of love and awesomeness.

And does Hanna disappear? Nope! Hanna sticks around throughout the entire novel, helping Alex and Lena as well as just being a good best friend and being happy for Lena and her new discoveries of love and such. This is what I want to see more of! Side characters (also like Puck from The Iron Fey Series by Julie Kagawa, Jenna from Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins, etcc) that have their own back stories and contribute to the story and make me want to be their best friends.

And even if the heroine is being a bad friend, stick by then as much as they can.

Here's another post on Best Friends if you haven't seen it by me: Best Friends: You're Doing It Wrong.

Happy Reading!

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

2011-11-23T16:50:00.001-05:00

Who: Maggie Stiefvater
What: The Scorpio Races
When: October 18th, 2011
Where: Scholastic
Why: AUTHOR LOVE
How: For Review (BEA)

It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen

This is no doubt one of my favorite books of 2011.

Maggie takes you away from faeries and werewolves and into this alternate universe in which there is an island where these dangerous water horses are captured once a year and used in a deadly and amazing competition called The Scorpio Races. Sean has won four years in a row and plans on making this his next win while Puck, a girl (which in itself is a problem, because this is a MAN'S GAME), is going in because she has no choice. The plot was wonderful and I loved reading about everything that leads up to the races: the festival, all the foreigners that come in, the training. All the tradition that was woven into the writing was a beautiful touch.

And the WRITING? Maggie Stiefvater never disappoints in that field. The writing was lush and lyrical but still rough depending on who was talking. This book, like most of Maggie's books, is told in a dual perspective: Puck and Sean. And I wouldn't have wanted it any other way! Both writing styles and voices contrasted and worked together in complete harmony and I enjoyed the interactions and emotions between the two form when I could read both sides to the story.

My favorite character had to be Sean, because his relationship with Corr, his water horse, was beautiful and sad and I just felt something pulling at my heart every few minutes. Sean was so sweet and determined and everyone took him for granted and didn't realize how important he was (but I DID. I LOVE YOU SEAN.) Plus, I like that he wasn't so outwardly strong but he was respected and reveled in town and had this sort of air about himself that showed what an amazing person he was, through simple, subtle gestures.

Puck was much more volatile. She was always feeling a million different emotions at once and she yelled and got confused and was so brave, I loved her for it. Really, one of the bravest characters I've ever read about. She's riding in a race with horses twice the size of hers, she's raising a family virtually by herself, plus she's joined this race just so she could save her family and make sure they didn't lose their house. She was so strong, I applaud her. The romance was subtle but sweet, and watching Sean and Puck become friends and then more was one of my favorite parts. Especially since they both have so much to lose if they don't win the race.

Overall, a fantastic, fantastic book that I recommend a million times over.

Happy Reading!

So you know whose Birthday it is today?

2011-11-22T16:00:00.001-05:00

JULIE'S.

I write a post every year on her birthday because she is my bestest friend ever and she's lovely and her blog is amazing so you should definitely go check her out (even though you likely do considering she's way more popular than me, haha!)

But seriously, I've known this girl for over two years and she's the person who inspired me to start blogging so really, if you love this blog, you should be thanking her because it wouldn't exist without her! I know for a fact I wouldn't be where I am today if I hadn't met her on Jackson Pearce's chats so I like doing these little things to remind her she's the awesomest friend ever.

SO YES. HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIE! If you want to wish her happy birthday, her twitter handle is: @JulieHeartBooks.

-Happy Reading!

2011 BOOK OSCARS

2011-11-21T16:35:00.001-05:00

ARE YOU READY?

FOR THE 2011 BOOK OSCARS?

So Totally Booksessed, the Youtube Collab Channel I created along with Lauren, Katie, Bailey, and Audrey, are hosted something called the 2011 Book Oscars! Here's the lowdown:

There are 14 categories on the form below and I want you to nominate your favorites! ONLY BOOKS THAT HAVE COME OUT THIS YEAR WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO WIN.

November 30th: Nominations End
December 5th: Final Voting Begins

During final voting, the team over at Totally Booksessed will have narrowed all the nominations down to a top four for each category. You will vote and on DECEMBER 19TH, we will announce all the winners in our videos for the week very fancy-like!

MORE RULES:

if you're feeling conflicted, you CAN put more than one. But please no more than three because i'm gonna have to do all of this! Haha.
again, ONLY books that have come out this year will be eligible to win.
which means as much as you like Anna & St.Clair, they came out December 2010.
you can't have to be subscribed to Totally Booksessed to put in nominations, i'll also be announcing the winners on the blog!

So here's the form and vote away!

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In My Mailbox (56)

2011-11-20T10:26:00.001-05:00

Hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren

For Review:
Fever by Lauren DeStefano (Already Read -- OH MY GOD GUYS.)
Slide by Jill Hathaway
The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers by Lynn Weingarten

Swag:
Cinder mirror!

What did YOU get In Your Mailbox?
Happy Reading!

CONTEST: The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers

2011-11-18T16:31:00.001-05:00

Hey guys! So Harper was lovely enough to send me another copy of The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers by Lynn Weingarten and i'm giving it away to you guys! There will also be a big swag giveaway going on on Twitter later tonight, since it's my TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY on there. Woo!

THE SECRET SISTERHOOD OF HEARTBREAKERS | JANURARY 2012 | HARPERTEEN

When her boyfriend breaks up with her on the first day of sophomore year, Lucy has no idea how she’s going to make it through homeroom, let alone the rest of her life. Enter three stunning girls with a magical offer Lucy can’t refuse. All she has to do is get a guy to fall in love with her in the next seven days, and then…break his heart and collect one of his brokenhearted tears. As the girls teach Lucy how to hook a guy (with the help of a little magic), she quickly discovers how far she is willing to go—and who she is willing to cross—to get what she wants.

Fans of Lauren Myracle, Jodi Lynn Anderson, and Meg Cabot will love this tale of breakups, friendship, new crushes, and magic. Told with wit and charm, The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers is sure to be one of this winter’s most irresistible reads!

the same rules as always apply:

you must be 13 or older to enter
US and Canada Only
giveaway ends NOVEMBER 30TH
fill out the form below to enter!

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alright, see you guys! Happy Reading!

p.s there will be no YA WATCH tomorrow since there wasn't much news this week but that means next week will be FILLED WITH GOODIES.

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

2011-11-16T17:04:00.001-05:00

Who: Tahereh Mafi
What: Shatter Me
Where: HarperTeen
When: November 15th, 2011
Why: DUDE EVERYTHING
How: For Review

Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

THE WRITING. THE WRITING, PEOPLE.

The writing in this book is really what blew me away. Tahereh's prose is lyrical, elegant, and lush but still abrupt and perfectly in sync with Juliette's thoughts. There was no confusing, un-characteristic descriptions and I love that it was very much like how thoughts are in our real heads: short bursts, not long-winded paragraphs of info-dump. Her writing had me rereading pages just to really dive into the words because they were so well-crafted and gorgeous.

The society Tahereh has set up sounds absolutely awful and I loved every minute of it. You learn much more about the internal affairs of the military base were Juliette is taken than the outside world and what has become of it; but I expect to learn much more in book 2 about what exactly is going on there! Juliette is a lovely heroine: strong, determined, and for every new experience she had, I felt it as vividly as she did. I couldn't even imagine going through everything she's gone through without going insane. The idea behind her not even knowing how being touch feels like (and not just intimacy, but a pat on the back or a kiss to the cheek) was heartbreaking and I wanted to just reach out and hug her myself as she grew into this brave heroine by the end of the book. All of her weaknesses even up simultaneously being her strengths and that's good character development people!

Next on the character chain: we have Warner. Warner, Warner, Warner. Is it wrong that I kind of love him? He's sick and twisted and completely and absolutely evil but...he has this desperate vulnerability that really surprised me and you can't help but sympathize with all his cruel, but in his own mind well-meaning, motivations. I loved hating him and I hated loving him.

And then we have our love interest, Adam, who is sweet and lovely and is really the only person who Juliette can be herself around. Their interactions were so simple, yet loaded with sexual tension as well as total sweet adorableness. And don't think this book is lacking in steaminess because HOT DAMN, Tahereh, those shower scenes? To quote my friend who read the book (and furthermore, this friend is a GUY. Which means guys, read the darn book.): "Holy Shit."

As for side characters, Kenji rocked my socks off and I loved every second of reading about him. He really brought the funny side of the story out and his wise-cracking and loyalty made me love him the minute he was introduced. James, Adam's little brother, and Adam had such a sweet relationship and again, fell in love with his character the minute this happened:

Juliette: "How old are you?"

James: "I turn 11 in a year."

Juliette: "So you're ten."

James: "I turn 12 in two years."

Overall, possibly my favorite book of the year. Complete, absolute love.

Happy Reading!

Top Ten Tuesday: Collecting Cobwebs

2011-11-15T16:07:00.001-05:00

So this week on Top Ten Tuesday we are talking about books we bought and then...never read. So there are just there, collecting cobwebs until we finally pick them up! And I have plenty of these:

1. The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak.

DUDE. I've heard such good things about this book and yet...I haven't picked it up since I bought it around two years ago.

2. City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

I was so excited! But now...I don't think i'm ever going to read it. I like her Infernal Devices Trilogy soooo much more these, so maybe i'll pick it up some day.

3. Dead Beautiful by Yvonne Woon

Yeah....never picked it up after it just arrived on my doorstep! It's kind of a funny story (i.e not funny at all) but I was thinking about buying it when UPS arrives with a package from Hyperion, including this book in it! Super random, wasn't expecting it at all

4. The Faerie Path by Frewin Jones

Faeries! I love the fey! Yup...never got to it. I read the beginning and it sounded kind of ridiculous and the font was huge and weird so...haha!

5. Prophecy of Days by Christy Raedeke

Won this in a contest, was SO excited, never got around to it!

6. Another Faust by Daniel & Dani Nayeri

Another contest win I never got around too but i'm planning on reading soon since I met Daniel multiple times back during BEA and he's hilarious!

7. Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

Along with the three other Sarah books I have yet to read...yeah. I just never get around to them and they're not a top priority on my list of TBR books.

8. Tempestuous by Lesley Livingston

I love this series! The Wondrous Strange books are awesome and funny and I was dying for the last book in the trilogy and...never got read. Still sitting there, waiting for me!

9. Pretty Little Liars by Sarah Shepard

I loooooove this show. Like, I love this show. But I can't seem to get myself to pick up the book and start reading it!

10. The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima

I have the ENTIRE series and I still haven't read Book One...and this pains me because it's HIGH FANTASY. Guys, you know what I love. So ridiculous!

What about you? What kind of books are hidden in your TBR pile? Happy Reading!

Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa (Review + Excerpt)

2011-11-13T10:15:00.001-05:00

Who: Julie Kagawa
What: Iron Knight (Iron Fey #4)
When: October 25th, 2011
Where: HarlequinTeen
Why: Series LOVE
How: For Review (Blog Tour)
Note: This review is SPOILER FREE to the series

With the (unwelcome) company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end— a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.
To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.
And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

No surprise, Julie's final book in the Iron Fey Saga was heart-breaking, beautiful, and absolutely lyrical with an ending that had me smiling so hard.

This last book in the Iron Fey series shifts from Meghan's head to our favorite icy love interest, Ash, who is setting off on a journey with our favorite side characters, Grimm and Puck, to fufill the promise he made to Meghan at the end of Book Three. his ourney with realizing just how much he's sacrificing to do this was both heart-breaking and heart-warming at the same time. Ash, as always, is loving and conflicted but even more so in this book. The closer he gets to his goal, the more he starts realizing everything he has to give up.

Julie makes you so connected to the characters that I felt jealous every time Ariella came into Ash's thoughts! I was like: STOP DOING THAT. MEGHAN. MEGHAN. And trust me, the winter faerie plays a larger role in the book than you realize. Speaking of her (highlight the white section for the spoiler part):

I didn't like her, at all. Mostly because I ship Ash and Meghan like, hardcore, but I hated how she kept trying to suck Ash back into his old life even though he was obviously on this insane, deadly quest for Meghan. But by the end of the book, I at least had respect for her because she was noble and loyal to Ash until the very end.

My favorite part of this book had to be Ash and Puck's relationship throughout the entire novel. You really get to see what you didn't in the books as told by Meghan: just how much Ash regrets everything that's happened up 'till now with Puck. And their sort-of friendship is so complicated and funny that I loved reading every second of it. You can really tell that they used to be best friends and watching them struggle with the past to maybe to back to him was so sweet and lovely.

And I want to thank Julie's editor over at HarlequinTeen a THOUSAND TIMES because if it wasn't for her, we wouldn't have this book and would've been stuck with the ending of Iron Queen which made me burst into a thousand tears. As Julie said: Her Editor wanted a Happily Ever After. So she wrote one. And it was totally worth it.

_________________________________________________________________________

AND since I am part of the Iron Knight Blog Tour that's running, here is my excerpt for you:

“We’re heeeeere,” Puck sang softly. “And can I say that theold gal hasn’t gotten any less creepy than when I saw her last.”I narrowed my eyes at him. “Just shut up and let me do thetalking this time. It was bad enough when you insulted the centaur chief.”“All I suggested was that we could’ve used a ride out of themeadow. I didn’t mean from him.”

Dying to read more? The rest of the except will be on Life Bound By Books tomorrow AND you can buy this lovely book right here: IRON KNIGHT as well as the rest of the series HERE.

Happy Reading!

YA WATCH (3)

2011-11-12T12:26:00.001-05:00

Hey guys! And welcome to another edition of YA WATCH! Lots of cover reveals going on this week so here we go (and sorry, no video this week because my webcam has decided to go bonkers!):

COVER REVEALS

Who: Megan McCafferty
What: Thumped (Bumped #2)
When: April 24th, 2012 (THAT'S MY BIRTHDAY!)
Where: HarperTeen
Note: I didn't finish the first book, but I might give it another shot!

It’s been thirty-five weeks since twin sisters Harmony and Melody went their separate ways. And now their story has become irresistible: twins separated at birth, each due to deliver twins…on the same day!
Married to Ram and living in Goodside, Harmony spends her time trying to fit back into the community she once believed in. But she can’t forget about Jondoe, the guy she fell for under the strangest of circumstances.
To her adoring fans, Melody has achieved everything: a major contract and a coupling with the hottest bump prospect around. But this image is costing her the one guy she really wants.
The girls’ every move is analyzed by millions of fans eagerly counting down to “Double Double Due Date.” They’re two of the most powerful teen girls on the planet, and they could do only one thing to make them even more famous:
Tell the truth.

Who: Elizabeth Norris
What: Unraveling
When: April 24th, 2012
Where: HarperTeen
Note: I'm actually very excited for this one!

Two days before the start of her junior year, seventeen-year-old Janelle Tenner is hit by a pickup truck and killed—as in blinding light, scenes of her life flashing before her, and then nothing. Except the next thing she knows, she’s opening her eyes to find Ben Michaels, a loner from her high school whom Janelle has never talked to, leaning over her. And even though it isn’t possible, Janelle knows—with every fiber of her being—that Ben has somehow brought her back to life.
But her reincarnation, and Ben’s possible role in it, is only the first of the puzzles that Janelle must solve. While snooping in her FBI-agent father’s files for clues about her accident, she uncovers a clock that seems to be counting down to something—but to what? And when someone close to Janelle is killed, she can no longer deny what’s right in front of her: Everything that’s happened—the accident, the murder, the countdown clock, Ben’s sudden appearance in her life—points to the end of life as she knows it. And as the clock ticks down, she realizes that if she wants to put a stop to the end of the world, she’s going to need to uncover Ben’s secrets—and keep from falling in love with him in the process.

The cover was also changed for Jennifer Hubbard's novel: Try Not To Breathe

TRY NOT TO BREATHE | JENNIFER HUBBARD | VIKING | JANURARY 19th

A dark and provocative novel from the author of The Secret Year
Ryan spends most of his time alone at the local waterfall because it’s the only thing that makes him feel alive. He’s sixteen, post-suicidal, and trying to figure out what to do with himself after a stint in a mental hospital. Then Nicki barges into his world, brimming with life and energy, and asking questions about Ryan’s depression that no one else has ever been brave enough—or cared enough—to ask. Ryan isn’t sure why he trusts Nicki with his darkest secrets, but that trust turns out to be the catalyst that he desperately needs to start living again.

Who: Suzanne Young

What: A Want So Wicked
When: June 26th, 2012
Where: HarperTeen
Note: I LOVED A Need So Beautiful! Can't wait to see where she's going with this!

Elise is a normal seventeen-year-old girl until the day she wakes up in a desert park, with no idea who she is.

After that episode, her life takes a bizarre turn. She’s experiencing unexpected flashes of insight into people’s lives—people she’s never met before. Strangers frighten her with warnings about the approaching Shadows. And although Elise has never had a boyfriend, she suddenly finds herself torn between two handsome but very different young men: Abe, the charming bad boy whose affect on her both seduces and frightens her, and the mysterious Harlin, who’s new to town but with whom Elise feels an urgent, elemental connection—almost as if they are soul mates.

Now Elise begins to question everything about her life. Why do these guys both want her so desperately? What are the Shadows? Why does the name Charlotte inspire a terrifying familiarity? And who is Elise, really?

For the paperback cover of Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Soma, they changed it! This makes me sad, since I love the beauty and originality of the first cover!

Who: Heidi Ayarbe
What: Wanted
When: May 1st, 2012
Where: Balzer + Bray Note: Summary is cryptic but it sounds interesting!

A one-word text message: That’s all Michal Garcia needs to gather a crowd. Michal is a seventeen-year-old bookie, and “sanctuary” is where she takes bets for anyone at Carson City High with enough cash. Her only rule: Never place a bet for herself.Then Josh Ellison moves to town. He pushes Michal to love her life- play the game, he urges, stop being a spectator.So Michal breaks her one rule. She places a bet, feels the rush, lives.And loses.In an act of desperation, she and Josh concoct a plan: Steal from the rich to pay Michal’s debt. Then they’ll give the rest of the haul to those who need it the most. How can burglary be wrong if they are making things right?

Who: Susan Dennard
What: Something Strange And Deadly

When: July 24th, 2012
Where: HarperTeen

There’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…
Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper—
The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.
And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother.
Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance

BOOK TRAILERS:

GUYS. You must know I love this book like whoa. LIKE WHOA. Possibly my favorite book of the year.

MOVIE NEWS:

all my information comes from the awesome website: Page To Premiere.

"Max Irons lands the role of Jared from THE HOST"
Oo, I like him! I'm much more excited to see whose going to star as IAN though, because
he is so sweet.

And that's it! See you next week and happy reading!

Legend by Marie Lu

2011-11-11T12:14:00.001-05:00

Who: Marie Lu
What: Legend
When: November 29th, 2011
Where: Putnam (Penguin)
Why: Premise
How: For Review (BEA)

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.
From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

THE ACTION. THE ROMANCE. THE BADASS-ERY.

Marie Lu sure knows how to write some awesome characters. When you're first introduced to June, she is in trouble with her headmaster at her UNIVERSITY (this girl is fifteen, people) because she was caught scaling a building (a very tall, very dangerous SCARY building). She defends herself by saying she was practicing while everyone else is sitting on their asses. You already know that June is what i'm doing to be what I refer to from now on as BAP also known as Bad Ass Prodigy. I loved how calculating and intelligent she was, especially when it came to instances of strategy and her inner monologue when trying to find her brother's killer. But she's not the only BAP in this story, people! We have TWO PRODIGIES, because really? Who else can keep up with a genius but another genius?

And in comes Day. Day is the most wanted criminal in the republic, complete with a rap sheet of dozens of crazy missions he's done to the Republic (although his motives are questionable). Do you know what age he is? FIFTEEN! Do you know who else is fifteen? ME. And here I am, writing a blog post while fictional fifteen year olds are rebelling against their governments and getting into all sorts of shenanigans. Makes a person feel accomplished! Haha!

Alright: back to book. Day was charming and I loved reading from his perspective. The book does have a dual narrative between June and Day, and I really think it completed the story. If I had been from simply June's perspective, I don't think I would've liked Day as much as I did. But seeing his internal struggles between trying to stay alive while protecting his family from the constant plagues that are out in the slums really makes him a memorable and lovable character. He's the warm, impulsive side of the story while June is much more calculating and meticulous. They balanced each other out perfectly.

The plot was crazy as well. I loved the heavy military aspect of it and how much June was integrated in it, especially because of her brother. I wasn't very surprised when they announced the killer because I KNEW IT WAS HIM I NEVER LIKED HIM ANYWAY but I loved reading every thing unfold through June's eyes, especially since she was so blind to the flaws in her system of life. But because she is a BAP, she's quick to come back and always ready with a plan, no matter how risky it is.

And their romance doesn't overpower the story, which I also liked. It was definitely there and I liked that it happens when neither of them know who the other is, because it took out all prejudices that the other might have and they could just be themselves and get together on their own accord. It was a little fast-paced but I didn't mind because it's not some weird, total instalove. Plus, I feel like when characters are thrown into tough and scary situations for an entire book, that brings them closer together and I can accept their romance much more if they fell in love with each other quickly while in school.

Overall, an action-packed debut that I definitely recommend!

Happy Reading!

2012 Debut Author Challenge + The End of my Semi-Hiatus

2011-11-10T16:20:00.001-05:00

So Kristi (The Story Siren) finally put the entry form for the 2012 DEBUT AUTHOR CHALLENGE! Woo! I didn't participate much this year but next year? I'M KILLING IT.

This year, my goal was to read 30 debuts for the challenge, and I did it! But for 2012? I'm upping that number to FIFTY books. Because I mean business.

And of course, here is my list of 2012 Debuts I hope to get to next year! There are some crazy good books coming out in 2012 (one of them being INCARNATE by Jodi Meadows, which i'm mentioning because I can't include it since I read it this year and INNOCENT DARKNESS by Suzanne Lazear, for the same reason) and I can't wait to dive into them all!

LIST:

UNDER THE NEVER SKY by Veronica Rossi
FRACTURE by Megan Miranda
CINDER by Marissa Meyer
BORN WICKED by Jessica Spotswood
WHEN THE SEA IS RISING RED by Cat Hellisen
LOVE & LEFTOVERS by Sarah Tregay
TEMPEST by Julie Cross
SLIDE by Jill Hathaway
WHERE IT BEGAN by Ann Stampler
QUEEN OF GLASS by Sarah J. Maas
THE CATASTROPHIC HISTORY OF YOU AND ME by Jess Rothenberg
SOMEONE ELSE'S LIFE by Katie Dale
THE GATHERING STORM by Robin Bridges
LEVEL TWO by Lenore Appelhans
REUNITED by Hilary Weisman Graham
PRETTY CROOKED by Elise Ludwig
SOMETHING STRANGE AND DEADLY by Susan Dennard
BREAKING BEAUTIFUL by Jennifer Shaw Wolf
OF POSEIDON by Anna Banks
WHAT'S LEFT OF ME by Kat Zhang
IF I LIE by Corrine Jackson
SHOOTING STARS by Alison Rushby
THE SELECTION by Kiera Cass
WHAT SHE LEFT BEHIND by Tracy Bilen
UNRAVELING by Elizabeth Norris
SOMETHING LIKE NORMAL by Trish Doller
DEFIANCE by C.J Redwine
SWEET EVIL by Wendy Higgins

.... and more, of course, will be added as we go along!

Also: I have been on a Semi-Hiatus these past two weeks, since i've barely been posting. It's been a particularly stressful two weeks, since I go to an academically rigorous school, but now things are calming down a bit and we'll be back to our normal posting! WOO!

Happy Reading, guys!

The Girl In The Steel Corset by Kady Cross

2011-11-07T17:09:00.003-05:00

Who: Kady Cross
What: The Girl In The Steel Corset
When: May 24th, 2011
Where: Harlequin Teen
Why: Steampunk!
How: For Review (BEA)

In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne has no one except the "thing" inside her.

When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But no normal Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man with one punch...

Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her that says she's special, says she's one of them. The orphaned duke takes her in from the gaslit streets against the wishes of his band of misfits. Emily, who has her own special abilities and an unrequited love for Sam, who is part robot; and Jasper, an American cowboy with a shadowy secret.

Griffin's investigating a criminal called The Machinist, the mastermind behind several recent crimes by automatons. Finley thinks she can help-and finally be a part of something, finally fit in.

But The Machinist wants to tear Griff's little company of strays apart, and it isn't long before trust is tested on all sides. At least Finley knows whose side she's on, even if it seems no one believes her.

So I loved the plot. I love Steampunk because the entire idea of placing technology in a Victorian setting is the best of both worlds in the most awesome way. Finley's world has both corsets and automatons which is always fun. I loved seeing as her and the rest of the team banded together to solve everything that was going on with the Machinist while simultaneously trying to trust each other (particularly them learning to trust Finley). Something I didn't like about the plot was the fact that around the middle the book gets so, so slow. I mean, I seriously considered just skipping to the end at one point. But then it picks up again and i'm thrown into another clue and adventure and crazy theory.

I loved all the characters! They were well-rounded and felt real to me. Neither was just funny and just frustrating, everyone was both! Emily was a total sweetheart and my second favorite character. She was a total genius and I admired her a lot for that! I loved to hate Sam, because of his pig headed stubbornness and general douche-bag air about him. Griffin was lovely and sweet and forever logical, even though his sometimes hesitant nature made me want to pull my hair out. Jasper the American Cowboy was AWESOME and funny and flirty and I adored him.

Finley was fierce! It was so intriguing to read about her fighting the two sides of herself: one dark and violent, the other lady-like and timid and also watching them mesh together to form everything that was her. She was strong, confident, and way ahead of her time! Haha. And then we get to my deliciously multi-layered favorite character: Jack Dandy. Resident notorious crime lord and charming heartthrob. He was a bad boy in every way a man can't be one. Does that make sense? Let me explain:

He had a reputation. A bad one, obviously. But he was also a gentlemen and never a douche-bag, always willing to help Finley and be concerned about her regardless of whether or not she actually returned away of his feelings. And that is frigging amazing. But while he was my favorite character, Griffin was who I wanted Finley with most of all! They were so sweet together.

Probably my only other complaint: it kind of leaves you hanging, particularly with Finley's romantic relationships. You're like: alright, 400 pages and there's no real decision? Nada? Thank god there's a sequel. Because that ending? WHAAA?

Happy Reading!

In My Mailbox (55)

2011-11-06T01:38:00.001-04:00

Hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren

For Review:
Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Hallowed by Cynthia Hand
The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers by Lynn Weingarten
Getting Over Garrett Delaney by Abby McDonald

Gifted:
Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender
+ swag

Publisher Related Stuff:

VIP IRON KNIGHT TOUR BADGE

What did you get in YOUR mailbox?
Happy Reading!

YA WATCH (2)

2011-11-05T09:12:00.000-04:00

Welcome to another edition of YA WATCH! This week, I have plenty of awesome stuff to share!
These WILL start coming with vlogs NEXT WEEK.

COVER REVEALS:

and whoa, have there been a lot this week!

Who: Amanda Hocking
What: Wake
When: 2012
Where: St.Martins
Note: NO information about this book on goodreads!

Who: Josephine Angelini
What: Dreamless (Starcrossed #2)
When: May 29th, 2012
Where: Harperteen
Note: The first book was a DNF for me but I still haven't met someone who hasn't liked it so I might give it another shot!

Who: Kiersten White
What: Endlessly (Paranormalcy #3)
When: July 24th, 2012
Where: HarperTeen
Note: HarperTeen pulled out a lot of covers this week! And ah, it's lovely! I love that it matches all the other covers and i'm completely dying to read this.

The third book in the Paranormalcy trilogy.

The final chapter of Evie's adventures. Old friends, new ones, all wrapped up in impossible decisions. And some ball gowns. Because what's a life of normal and paranormal drama without a ball gown or two?

Who: Kiera Cass
What: The Selection
When: April 24th, 2012
Where: HarperTeen
Note: I AM SO EXCITED. This is pitched as Hunger Games meets The Bachelor and GAH.

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

And finally, the SHADE TRILOGY by Jeri Smith Ready got a cover change for the last book coming out! What is up with publishers doing this? And of course, it definitely ISN'T for the better. While I can see them appealing to more teens, the original covers were much prettier:

BOOK NEWS & DEALS:

" Aimee Carter, author of THE GODDESS TEST, announced this earlier this week!

"There's going to be a free Goddess Test e-novella entitled THE GODDESS HUNT, and Harlequin Teen will release it in e-book form on March 1, 2012, about a month before Goddess Interrupted. Without giving too much away, it takes place between the first and second book, and it features multiple POVs - one of which is Henry's!"

" Sarah Ockler's novel THE LANGUAGE OF IMPOSSIBLE DREAMS has had a cover revamp (see Waiting On Wednesday for cover) and also got a new release date (JANUARY 3rd) and a new title: BITTERSWEET "

So there is a book called QUEEN OF GLASS that is coming out Fall 2012 from Bloomsbury by Sarah J. Maas. It is a High Fantasy and a Cinderella retelling where Cinderella is an imprisoned assassin so when I saw this? I was EXCITED:

" Starting early next year, Bloomsbury will be releasing FOUR (4!!) QUEEN OF GLASS novellas, all set before the events of Book 1. They’ll be ebooks, and the first novella will release around January, with the other three novellas released every 1.5-2 months afterward, leading up to the Fall 2012 release of Book 1.

All of the novellas will be about Celaena, and are set in the 9 months leading up to her imprisonment (so about 2 years before the events of Book 1). While each of the novellas will stand on their own, the four novellas combined form the arc of events that explain how she went from being the world’s greatest assassin to getting captured and sent to the Salt Mines. "

MOVIE NEWS:

all my information comes from the lovely, lovely site called Page to Premiere.

" Liam Hemsworth, Thomas McDonell,and Max Irons Are All Auditioning for roles in THE HOST. "

MAN, this makes me excited! I actually loved that book (I have no idea why Twilight was so badly written because The Host was lengthy, but quite good) so i'm excited to see it on the big screen

" FORGOTTEN by Cat Patrick gets a screenwriter: Oren Uziel. This movie also already has Hailee Steinfeld attached as the heroine "

this book would make an AMAZING movie!

AWESOME LINK OF THE WEEK:

Oh my god, this was SO funny: If Historical Events Had Facebook Statuses.

Lola And The Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

2011-11-04T15:55:00.002-04:00

Who: Stephanie Perkins
What: Lola And The Boy Next Door
When: September 29th, 2011
Where: Dutton (Penguin)
Why: DUH
How: For Review (BEA)

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

Yup, she's done it again. Stephanie Perkins has given us a funny, heart-warming and whirlwind contemporary that reminded me why I love her writing so much!

Lola was a lovely heroine. She's vibrant and fun and loves putting on costumes almost as much as she loves making them and I loved every little qiurk about her, even the bad ones. And that's what I love: there are bad ones. Stephanie's characters always have two sides to a coin, like everyone in the world does. And while Lola was wonderful, she was also naive and a tad impulsive and she refused to see what was right in front of her eyes until it was almost too late. But it's Lola's journey of self-discovery and finding out who she really is under all the colors and feathers.

The plot revolves around first love, and what it's like when someone who completely disappeared from your life comes barreling back into it. It was so sweet and unique, because Perkins can take any idea and make it hilarious and amazing, that I actually loved it even more than I did Anna and the French Kiss! It was such a slow build for Lola to realize everything that she should've understood in the first place that you'll be cheering the minute she makes the decisions she needed too.

But this is a character-driven story, so let's talk about characters! Lola's parents are two gay men who basically adopted her. Both of them were funny and so caring and loving that...gah. I wanted to give both of them hugs. Especially Andy, considering the difficulties we had to go through when Lola's mother (his sister) comes back into town. Lindsey was so sweet and sounded like a great friend and Calliope sounds like that girl you can't help but envy, but can't even gather up enough hate to...well, hate.

And then you have Cricket who is one of the best YA boys I have read in a long time. He was sweet and awkward and a fumbler who didn't really know what he was doing but he was so sure about his feelings that I just completely adored him. Plus, he was charming and an inventor! Max was a total douche and I hated him and that's that.

And of course, i'm going to mention the cameo appearance of Anna and St.Clair. I loved this. I loved that they didn't just waltz in for one scene but both were recurring characters and an important part of Lola's journey. You get to learn about where there relationship went and more St.Clair loveliness and how much their relationship grows. Out of the two, Anna and St.Clair are still my favorite couple and I loved that I got both of them in this book.

Happy Reading!

Waiting On Wednesday (15)

2011-11-03T15:27:00.002-04:00

THIS? Was supposed to go up yesterday. But Blogger is dumb. So here it is!

BITTERSWEET (used to be: THE LANGUAGE OF IMPOSSIBLE DREAMS) | SARAH OCKLER | SIMON PULSE | JANUARY 3RD

Once upon a time, Hudson knew exactly what her future looked like. Then a betrayal changed her life, and knocked her dreams to the ground. Now she’s a girl who doesn’t believe in second chances... a girl who stays under the radar by baking cupcakes at her mom’s diner and obsessing over what might have been.

So when things start looking up and she has another shot at her dreams, Hudson is equal parts hopeful and terrified. Of course, this is also the moment a cute, sweet guy walks into her life...and starts serving up some seriously mixed signals. She’s got a lot on her plate, and for a girl who’s been burned before, risking it all is easier said than done.

It’s time for Hudson to ask herself what she really wants, and how much she’s willing to sacrifice to get it. Because in a place where opportunities are fleeting, she knows this chance may very well be her last....

I love Sarah Ockler like WHOA. So i'm dying for her new book! It sounds like just her style and I know she'll do it justice!

Happy Reading!

Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore

2011-10-31T17:09:00.001-04:00

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!