Shell's Stories

ARC Bonanza Giveaway Winner

2012-03-03T06:44:00.003-08:00

The winner of the ARC Bonanza Giveaway is...

Latisha!

I've already e-mailed her and she has 72 hours to contact me before I choose another winner.

Thanks to everyone who entered!

Partials Review

2012-03-01T16:11:00.003-08:00

Partials by Dan Wells

The human race is all but extinct after a war with Partials—engineered
organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the population. Reduced to only
tens of thousands by RM, a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity
is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island
while the Partials have mysteriously retreated. The threat of the Partials is
still imminent, but, worse, no baby has been born immune to RM in more than a
decade. Our time is running out.

Kira, a sixteen-year-old medic-in-training, is on the front lines of this
battle, seeing RM ravage the community while mandatory pregnancy laws

have pushed what's left of humanity to the brink of civil war, and she's not content to stand by and watch. But as she makes a desperate decision to save the last of her race, she will find that the survival of humans and Partials alike rests in her attempts to uncover the connections between them—connections that humanity has forgotten, or perhaps never even knew were there.

My Review:

Partials was different from other dystopian YA books out there. It's a book that would appeal to any gender and wasn't full of mushy romance. (Not that I'm against mushy romance.)

Kira is a strong character. She's smart and serious and doesn't take no for an answer. Her introduction in the book doesn't exactly have you sympathizing with her character, but that's okay, she doesn't need your sympathy. She knows what she believes, she stands up for what she believes and she will make what she wants to happen, happen or she will die trying. Kira leads a completely crazy quest to save everyone she loves and despite some people not believing in her, she refuses to break down.

Some of the secondary characters were easy to read about while others kind of fell a little flat. An easy to read about character included a certain new addition to Kira's group and the not-so-easy included a very friendly friend of Kira's.

If you truly wish to read this book just be prepared that it is LONG. It's about 500 pages and you can tell it. It's not a quick read at all due to the slightly less action-packed scenes. Also at times during this story the dialogue was a bit...different.

The world-building was interesting and I hope Wells will be able to explain more about the Partials and what they are, as well as give us some more insight into their abilities.

3/5 stars

*Note: I received an ARC of this book to review from the publisher. This did not alter my review/opinion.

Cover Changes: Good or Bad?

2012-02-25T17:20:00.009-08:00

So, everyone who has read my blog posts knows that I abhor cover changes in most cases. However, I'm not totally sure of what I think about the changes to Jennifer L. Armentrout's Lux series.

The first editions of the books looked like this:

And the second editions like this:

I'm not sure which one I like better. I loved the color of the first editions, but the second ones are edgier. I'm just glad that I didn't buy the first book in paperback yet, that would have sucked.

What are your thoughts?

Defiance Cover

2012-02-23T16:04:00.003-08:00

Defiance by C.J. Redwine

Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city’s brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses, host dinner parties, and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father’s apprentice, Logan—the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same boy who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father’s survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.

At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city’s top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor’s impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared.

As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can’t be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.

Author, C.J. Redwine is holding a giveaway of Defiance on her blog, here. Also, here's the official cover reveal post.

Your Top 5 Must-Haves

2012-02-22T16:54:00.000-08:00

So, I''ve got nothing to talk about... I tried to think of a meaningful post, but at the moment it's not happening...

The lack of a stimulating idea has given me no choice but to do a Top 5 post. This post is for my top five books that I must get my hands on this year. This is going to be really difficult due to the sheer amount of awesomeness that is being released in 2012, but I'll try.

5. Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins

I loved Demonglass. It was such a maze of twists and turns that I couldn't help but fall in love. Spell Bound may be the last in the Hex Hall trilogy, but Rachel Hawkins won't be able to stop me from reading her other books when they're published.

4. Underworld by Meg Cabot

Meg Cabot is a writing genius and Abandon introduced me to someone that I could adore even more than the Mediator's Jesse and that was ever-so-sexy John Hayden. Swoon!

3. Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

I freakin' LOVE this cover! It is the most gorgeous thing I've ever seen to grace the front of a book. Major kudos to whoever did this! I just wish it was coming out in Hardback...

2. Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

COVER TO BE REVEALED

Ethan, how dare you make me squeal like a fangirl! After what you did in Beautiful Chaos I should seriously hate you, but I just can't...

1. Onyx by Jennifer L. Armentrout

I try to make myself forget about Obsidian. No, I'm serious. I've tried to banish it from my mind. The release date for Onyx is just too far away and having to think about how much I absolutely LOVE these characters might kill me if I don't take preventive measures. Darn people moving the publication date back to August.

There you have it. My Top 5 Must-Haves. You should so totally make your own list in the comments so we can compare! And yes, mine are all YA Paranormal Romance, thanks for noticing. I just love me some sexy supernatural.

Hidden Cover

2012-02-20T15:12:00.000-08:00

I'm normally not into bashing book covers, but this thing is U-G-L-Y!

The second cover, Vanish, was absolutely gorgeous and book one, Firelight, was really pretty too.

But Hidden is just BLUH! The colors don't go together, there's WAAAY too much red and I was hoping that Will or Cassian would grace the cover of this book. I'm really disappointed in HarperTeen this time.

What are you guys' thoughts?

The first and second book covers are pictured below.

ARC Bonanza Giveaway

2012-02-11T08:49:00.001-08:00

In spirit of the month of love, I'm giving away some ARCs.

Here's the ARCs you can choose from:

This is a U.S. only giveaway. There will be one winner of one ARC. Giveaway ends March 1st.

This is my first Rafflecopter giveaway so if something's wrong, just leave it in the comments.

Sorry I've Been MIA

2012-02-05T08:32:00.001-08:00

I've been gone for like, eva! Sorry about that. My immune system decided that it wanted to malfunction. I may be gone for the next couple of days due to some make-up work. Hopefully I'll be back super soon. Until then, TTFN!

Goddess Interrupted Review

2012-01-27T16:01:00.000-08:00

Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter

Kate Winters has won immortality.

But if she wants a life in the Underworld with Henry, she’ll have to fight for it.

Becoming immortal wasn’t supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she’s as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he’s becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate’s coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans.

As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future.

Henry’s first wife, Persephone.

Release Date: March 27, 2011

My Review:

Okay, I admit it, I loved this book! Book 1 was okay. There were a couple of problems, however this thing was a stroke of pure freakin' genius!

When Kate comes back to live with Henry for 6 months, everything's changed and it's all complete chaos! And I absolutely loved it!

The characters in this book are so much more developed than they were in The Goddess Test. Kate has some serious issues that she has to face and I feel bad for her. However, she has this amazing backbone throughout this whole whirlwind. Sure, she has her breakdown moments, but I would too if my "husband" was talking to his ex-wife/my sister again after hundreds and hundreds of years. James, Henry, Ava, Calliope and every other side character had their own backstory. You got to see why they were the way that they were.

The plot was completely unpredictable! I had no idea where this book was going until like 100 pages in and then that brief instance of predictability vanished in the next 2 pages. There are so many twists and turns that it leaves you totally shocked! And for those of you out there who aren't the biggest fans of HUGE cliffhangers, I advise you to wait until The Goddess Inheritance (Book #3) before you start reading. 'Cause holy cow did I not see that one coming!

I absolutely loved this book! And waiting for the last one might just break my heart a little bit...

5/5 stars

*I won an ARC of this book from the publisher. This in no way altered my opinion/review.

What's Your Dealbreaker?

2012-01-22T08:44:00.000-08:00

I love books. It's kind of obvious, however there are certain books that I just can't make myself read. Here they are in no particular order:

*the main character has purple/pink/blue/some other unnatural hair color

I'm not sure why this freaks me out so much, but once I hear that the person I'm reading about has dyed their hair to make themselves stand out, I just can't read the book anymore. I guess I want my main character to be relatable to me and brightly colored hair just doesn't do that.

*the main character has a multitude of tattoos covering her body

I think this has to do with the relatable thing as well... I don't personally understand why a teenage girl would have no skin left on her arms/legs/face. I don't care if they have one or two, that's not a big deal, but being covered in ink, in my opinion, isn't attractive. This might sound super sexist to some people, and I'm uber sorry if it does, but tattoos on guys don't bug me at all. Although on the face is still an ick factor to me.

*a short love interest

I kind of want to punch myself for this one. It makes me sound horrible! My problem though is that I'm almost 5'9" and having a guy who is under 6 feet tall be the love interest just doesn't make him as attractive as I wish he would be.

I can't think of anymore dealbreakers for me and my books. If you have any dealbreakers you'd like to discuss, comment away! There shall be no judging here!

Hallowed Review

2012-01-18T15:40:00.000-08:00

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire.

And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

My Review:

Cynthia Hand did her thing once again! This book is beautiful in every way, writing, storyline, everything!

I was seriously scared when I received this book to review. I didn't know if I even wanted to read this at all. Unearthly was such an amazing story that following it up seemed like an impossible task however Ms. Hand squashed my fears into little tiny bits.

Clara is still the same girl. Don't let anyone tell you differently. She's loyal, kind and above all, she's just like every other teenage girl, minus the angel bit of course. She's awkward and a little self-centered at times and that's perfectly okay.

The other characters were just as captivating. Tucker! Oh Tucker! How I wish I had you all to myself! You're perfect in every single way. Christian, I love you too, just not nearly as much. That's what made this book so great though, it made you enjoy EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER and not many books lately have let me do that.

The plot of this book was agonizing! But not in the bad way! With every page you want to know what the heck is going to happen next to poor Clara and why the heck the book has to be so darn long. When I finally got towards the endish of the book, I was bawling my eyes out! It was horrible (once again, in a good way)! I won't spoil anything for anybody, but reading this book is a definite must.

There are only two problems that I had with this book. One, was that there was no big climax. Everything was just kind of a smooth-leveled area except for a few bumpy patches along the way. I didn't really notice this until after I sat and thought about the book however. My second problem was a personal problem, I guess you could say. Tucker was kind of... gone. He was in the book, but he wasn't really, if you catch what I mean.

Please go buy this book! And while you're at it, buy me a finished copy as well!

4/5 stars

*I received a copy of this book to review via Netgalley. This in no way altered my opinion/review.

WTC aka What the Crap!?!

2012-01-13T15:49:00.000-08:00

So, I almost had a meltdown in the middle of my high school's library. Why, you ask. I read a review of Dreamless by Josephine Angelini on Goodreads. Why would that make me sick, you ask. Because of character I read about that is introduced in this book. I actually thought I was going to cry and puke at the same time. It was awful. This character, Orion, was a character that I wanted to write about. I love Greek mythology and I love the story of Orion. I still haven't gotten to the point of my meltdown yet, have I?

Well, the reason I freaked out was because I had a story to write about Orion. I wanted to write about this idea that I had about him and a girl (of course). And when I read this person's review I just knew that if I wrote this story, it would come out as sounding waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too similar to Ms. Angelini's.

It's really sad and totally bumming. I'm a little scared that reading this Starcrossed sequel will make me want to puke and cry throughout the whole book.

Excuse me while I go wallow in my misery.

HALLOWED by Cynthia Hand

2012-01-11T15:58:00.000-08:00

Hallowed Book Trailer

2012-01-07T07:05:00.000-08:00

My Top 5 Most-Loved Love Triangles

2012-01-04T14:30:00.000-08:00

My Top 5 Love Triangles Revealed! I recently posted the Top
5 Most-Hated Love Triangles of mine, one of which turned out exactly the way I
had expected and I’m a tad bit upset, however on a happier note, these love
triangles have (for the most part) made me happy! Be ye warned, SPOILERS MAY
LIE HERE!

Most-Loved

5. Asher vs. Devin
A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies
This book didn’t leave me with a very lasting impression; I
read it so long ago, and so fast that I can’t remember much. However, Asher and
Devin are such central characters in this story that there’s no way you can
love just one of them. Granted, Asher is my favorite type of boy, bad, but
Devin’s really sweet. I just can’t choose and I think Skye should just keep
them both.

4. Will vs. Cadan
Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton
I love Will. Cadan can’t hold a candle to him. End of story.

3. Jesse vs. Paul
The Mediator series by Meg Cabot
Jesse is a ghost with a six-pack. What more do you want? Paul’s
just a rich boy with a complex. Plus, since this whole series is out, I can
just tell you that it… Well, maybe I can’t tell you how it ends.

2. Will vs. Cassian
Vanish by Sophie Jordan
Will has changed his whole life around for Jacinda and so
has Cassian. They both love her, they’re both good guys, and they’re both
extremely sexy. But I think Will has this one in the bag.

1. Tod vs. Nash
If I Die by Rachel Vincent
These guys are brothers! They’re
both so tortured that it breaks your heart! Nash is just a boy with some
not-so-healthy problems while Tod is just… Tod. I am a Tod girl, but Nash can
evoke sympathy from me from time to time and the fact that they are two
super-sexy brothers just means that their interactions are guaranteed to bring
about my fan-girl moments.

Kiss of Frost Review

2012-01-02T09:51:00.000-08:00

Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep
Logan Quinn was trying to kill me. My Spartan classmate relentlessly pursued me, swinging his sword at me over and over again, the shining silver blade inching closer to my throat every time. A smile tugged up his lips, and his ice-blue eyes practically glowed with the thrill of battle...

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

My Review

I really love this series. It's fresh and funny with some butt-kicking characters thrown in.

Gwen continues to be her sarcastic, fantastic self. She's learning to fight and trying to fit in all at the same time and she makes the process she's going through to do so absolutely HIL-AR-I-OUS! Her snippy remarks make me laugh out loud constantly! It's refreshing to have a female main character with a witty side.

Logan Quinn is of course his same bada** self. He's mysterious and sexy and everything I really want in a guy. The only thing I have to complain about, which I think I mentioned in the first book's revew, is that Logan isn't given a very big appearance. I love these books for being more about the mystery, less about the romance, but if there is going to be romance, it needs to be thrown in there just a wee bit more.

The plot had one downfall, but it was still super-duper good. It seemed that the plot was a little too similar to the first book, don't get me wrong, it had it's differences, but it was a tad bit too alike. If you've read them you might understand what I'm talking about, if you haven't then you'll see what I'm talking about. :)

Even though there were a couple of things I didn't like about this book, the things that I did like totally threw the the bad stuff out the window. There's a hilarious something going on between Logan's friends, a mysterious mystery and every chapter is filled with teenage sarcasm.
This is a great series that is a must-read for every mythology or paranormal fan out there.

4/5

*I received an ARC of this book to review from the publisher. This in no way altered my opinion/review.

I'm a Little Mad and I Overslept

2011-12-31T10:02:00.000-08:00

Weird title, right? Well, I overslept and once I woke up I finished reading Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer. Now I am slightly ticked off. What does this mean? That there will be no post for today. It's a horrible excuse and I should be given a stern staredown, but I just can't post my top 5 love triangles when the one that I hated so badly ended even more awfully than I expected.

If you've ever had a reason for not blogging, other than a birthday, holiday, vacation, etc. feel free to comment on my lazy post. I will totally understand.

Top 5 Most-Hated Love Triangles

2011-12-30T07:32:00.000-08:00

Everyone knows about the love triangle. It graces our books in some form or another. A girl, who for some reason, has these two SUPER HAWT guys fighting over her when the rest of us have no guys at all. Boo... Some love triangles however, are more lovable than others. Here's my list and beware there may be spoilers ahead...

Hated Love Triangles

5. Lend vs. Reth

Supernaturally by Kiersten White

Personally, I just can't stand the thought of poor Lend getting his heart broken if Evie even dares to choose Reth. Lend is so sweet and cute! Don't be tempted Evie!

4. Archer vs. Cal

Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

I thought Cal was such a cute character! He was introduced in Hex Hall, but he wasn't really given an appearance. He got a major appearance in Demonglass only to have Archer steal all of his thunder. Don't get me wrong, I love Archer, but the introduction to Cal, only to have him lose out in the end (if that's what happens in Spell Bound) will be soooo sad...

3. Peeta vs. Gale

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

I don't know about you, but this one just made me mad. At the end of Mockingjay *spoiler alert* Katniss just ends up with Peeta. She doesn't choose him nor does she even state that she loves him. She just gets with him because Gale left and that was it. Grr! I am a Peeta girl all the way, but come on Katniss! Show a little emotion, will ya?!

2. Tucker vs. Christian

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

There should be absolutely no contest in my mind about who Clara should choose! Tucker is way too good to be thrown into one of these ridiculous love triangles! Tucker is like my favorite book bf of all time! If Clara can't realize what a great guy she has waiting for her then I don't know if I can like her, at all.

1. Ren vs. Shay

Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer

Here it is. My most dreaded love triangle. Why I hate this one with such a passion? One reason. Ren doesn't stand a chance. All the polls have a majority vote for Ren, but I have this horrible feeling that Ms. Cremer has written Shay as the other half of Calla in Bloodrose. Who knows, maybe Calla will end up alone, but that still doesn't solve my problem. Ren is AMAZING and I really want him to end up with Calla because she is a very strong character and if she did end up with him this series would be sooo much better for me. Please do the right thing Calla and pick Ren. Please...?

There you have it. My top 5 most-hated love triangles. And despite my ranting, I do love these books, just so you know. I'll be back for tomorrow's most-loved love triangles so stay tuned!

A Book That I'd Kill to Have

2011-12-29T08:45:00.000-08:00

I need this book! I don't think anyone can understand how much I need this book! I just finished Obsidian but I really want to read this! And it doesn't even come out until May! I'm gonna die!

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies...

Fear the Reaper ARC Contest

2011-12-28T09:43:00.001-08:00

An ARC of Courtney Allison Moulton's upcoming Wings of the Wicked is what's up for grabs on CAM's Fear the Reaper contest. Check it out here.

Dating The Undead

2011-12-27T16:45:00.000-08:00

Everneath Review

2011-12-26T08:09:00.001-08:00

Everneath by Brodi Ashton
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...

Release Date: January 24, 2012

My Review

This book was gorgeous! It was fantastic! It was amazing! It was superb! This book had all of the makings of greatness! Now I'll tell you why.

The main character, a strong, but broken girl named Nikki, is given a very mysterious opening in this story that makes all other stories cry. Nikki leaves the readers questioning every detail of her life. We are told in little snippets what happened, and while those little snippets sometimes got unbelievably frustrating, they gave the story a serious rush of danger.

The plot to this story was like nothing I've ever read before. While the main story is chronological, there are parts to the story that happened awhile ago. I couldn't believe an author could actually do this so amazingly well.

The boys of Everneath are, in one word, awesome. Cole, the guy that gets Nikki into a serious mess of trouble, is unrelenting and unbelievably smooth. He has answers for everything and is very sexy. Jack on the otherhand is the boy that Nikki grew up with. He's the boy that saved her. And he wants her back. At first I was a Cole girl, now however, I'm leaning towards Jack. You'll see why.

The ending to this book, while somewhat predictable, does set up for a very, VERY, good sequel starter. I'm uber excited to read Everneath #2. And for those of you who are wondering whether or not to purchase this book, there is no need to wonder. You HAVE to buy this book! It is way too good to pass up.

5/5

*Note: I received an ARC of this book to review from the publisher. This in no way altered my opinion/review.

Fear the Reaper Contest Part 2 is Up!

2011-12-23T10:30:00.000-08:00

Courtney Allison Moulton is giving away a T-shirt. And it's not just any shirt. It's a shirt with Will's face on it. (swoon!) Here's a pic:

To learn the deets and enter the giveaway head here.

Vanish Review

2011-12-18T06:35:00.000-08:00

Vanish (Firelight #2) by Sophie Jordan

To save the life of the boy she loves, Jacinda did the unthinkable: She betrayed the most closely-guarded secret of her kind. Now she must return to the protection of her pride knowing she might never see Will again—and worse, that because his mind has been shaded, Will’s memories of that fateful night and why she had to flee are gone.

Back home, Jacinda is greeted with hostility and must work to prove her loyalty for both her sake and her family’s. Among the few who will even talk to her are Cassian, the pride’s heir apparent who has always wanted her, and her sister, Tamra, who has been forever changed by a twist of fate. Jacinda knows that she should forget Will and move on—that if he managed to remember and keep his promise to find her, it would only endanger them both. Yet she clings to the hope that someday they will be together again. When the chance arrives to follow her heart, will she risk everything for love?

In bestselling author Sophie Jordan’s dramatic follow-up to Firelight, forbidden love burns brighter than ever.

My Review:

First I have to discuss this amazing cover. How freakin' awesome is it?! 'Cuz I think it's unbelievably gorgeous! I love the shininess and the purple and well, everything!

Now that that's over let's get to the review. This book jumped right into the action from where Firelight ended. It was so well done that Vanish didn't even feel like another book. It was just a continuation of Firelight. There were no long spiels that you wanted to skip over because you already knew what happened, it was just BAM! here's the action, like it or don't. I, for one, chose to not only like it, but love it supremely.

Jacinda is still the strong, loving draki from before. She manages to stay strong in a lot of horrible situations and her and Will together hasn't changed a bit since book one. All of the characters were gorgeous in their descriptions and dialect. Even Cassian, who I didn't really like in Firelight, is given a part that totally makes me want to love him (but I am firmly Team Will!).

The only aspect of the book that I found I didn't like was how Jordan seemed to put all of the blame on poor Jacinda. She was constantly being blamed despite the fact that it was her mother, not her, who made all of the bad decisions.

All in all it was a beautifully written, totally amazing book of awesomeness. If you haven't read Firelight, go read it and then pick up Vanish. You seriously won't regret it!

5/5

*I received a copy of this book via Netgalley. This in no way altered my opinion/review.

Wings of the Wicked Fear the Reaper Contest!

2011-12-16T14:48:00.000-08:00

It's back ladies and gentlemen! What's back you ask? The Fear the Reaper contest brought to you by author Courtney Allison Moulton! Woot! She's giving away a signed ARC of her second book, Wings of the Wicked (Angelfire #2).

Check out the deets here.

Eve Review

2011-11-20T07:30:00.000-08:00

Eve by Anna Carey

The year is 2032, sixteen years after a deadly virus—and the vaccine intended to protect against it—wiped out most of the earth’s population. The night before eighteen-year-old Eve’s graduation from her all-girls school she discovers what really happens to new graduates, and the horrifying fate that awaits her.

Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust...and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

My Review:

This book started out amazingly! Carey somehow made this dystopian so similar to the ones you love like the Hunger Games, Matched, Divergent and Delirium, yet she went in a direction that made it entirely different from them as well. From the first chapter I was hooked.

Eve is an innocent girl who thinks that she can grow up and be something in her society. Unfortunately for her, it doesn't happen like that. What happens in the plotline after that is predictable, but totally interesting. I loved the trek through the woods and the mysterious Lost Boys (that's who they remind me of). However once she meets the boys, something weird happened in the book and to me.

I started realizing that the innocence that made Eve so likable and realistic wasn't quite... right. She would constantly do childish and immature things that would risk the lives of her friends. She would never just tell someone what happened, she had to instead think about it, make the wrong assumption in her head, and then tell everyone what her assumption was. So that innocence Eve supposedly had made me wonder if it was instead stupidity she possessed.

Even though Eve got extremely annoying, the plotline and secondary characters were really good. I'll probably still read the second book, I might even buy it... Although Caleb's dreadlocks didn't do anything for me.

2/5

*I received a copy of this book from HarperTeen on Netgalley to review.

My Favorite Cover of 2012 (so far)

2011-11-19T08:12:00.000-08:00

Guys, I love this cover. It is so beautiful! It makes me want a huge poster of it pinned to my wall so that I can stroke it lovingly (and creepily).

Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences? This is life for sons and daughters of fallen angels in Sweet Evil.

Anna, a tender-hearted southern girl, was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage, and her will-power is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

A cross-country trip forces Anna and Kai to face the reality that hope and love are not options for their kind. When it's time for Anna to confront her demons, will she choose to embrace her halo or her horns?

Awesome, right? I can't wait for May 2012!

Attack of the Blues

2011-10-30T12:50:00.001-07:00

These books are blue, and not in the sad way. Some may be entirely blue and others just tinted with a blue-ish green or purplish blue. 2012 is going to be a very one color year... Here they are in all their bluish glory:

Underworld by Meg Cabot

Untile I Die by Amy Plum

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

The Calling by Kelley Armstrong

Body and Soul by Stacey Kade

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

Struck by Jennifer Bosworth

Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter

A Touch Morbid by Leah Clifford

Wings of the Wicked by Courtney Allison Moulton

White Glove War by Katie Crouch

Jessica Rules the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Timepiece by Myra McEntire

Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock

Undeadly by Michele Vail

Note: All covers may not be final.

Destined -- Book 9 of the House of Night Series

2011-10-26T15:05:00.000-07:00

Until I Die UK cover

2011-10-23T06:34:00.000-07:00

Until I Die by Amy Plum

This is the UK cover so I'm not sure how different the US one will look, I hope that they're similar because this is gorgeous!

It Means Something to Me...

2011-10-19T16:07:00.000-07:00

During my junior year of high school I was assigned a project by my Creative Writing teacher. I seriously dreaded doing this project because it was... a movie. We were supposed to make a ten-minute movie, script and all. Unfortunately, once I wrote the script I realized that we didn't have enough people in our movie group to get things rolling. I was planning on redoing the whole thing.
However, one of my friends generously offered to help us film and even to act in the movie. She didn't have to, but she did. She said it was because she wanted to see one of my movie-buddy's acting skills, but still, she stayed after school every day for almost 2 weeks to help us make this movie.
The final movie was amazing! It was titled How to Kill a Mean Girl and it got a 100%! She really helped our group out and it was unbeliavably generous of her. Thanks for that pal!

This post was brought to you by Brenna Yovanoff's The Space Between Contest here. Just tell about a generous act that you did, or that someone did for you. Make sure to check the post out and get all of the deets.

My Items

2011-10-01T14:39:00.000-07:00

I have these things that are extremely important. They're so important that I haven't thrown them away, even though everyone else would view them as a piece of trash to throw away at the first opportunity and these items are ...

4 Prince Caspian Ticket Stubs!

Whenever Prince Caspian came out in theaters in 2008, I couldn't wait to see it! I made my dad and sister go with me to my nearest theater, which isn't as close as it needs to be, and sit through almost 3 hours of awesomeness! Unfortunately, they didn't think so...

Then I went to stay with my sister and her husband for a few days and during that time we went to see it. Then, I begged my sister to go see it again with me and she got so sick of my whining that she agreed (eventually). A few weeks later, I wanted to go see it again. I know, I know. You all think I'm a freak, but who in their right mind wouldn't want to go see William Moseley in all of his Kingly glory?! I ended up seeing the movie for the fourth and final time with my Uncle who went to see it a few weeks ago but was stuck in the front row craning his head up towards the screen which cause him to have a headache and not be able to pay attention to the movie. Lucky me!

These tickets remind me of how totally rockin' my family is! And how HAWT Peter is! The reason for this random post is to spread the word for Brenna Yovanoff's contest involving a change to win an ARC/book jacket of The Space Between. Go here to find out more.

Is change good, or bad?

2011-09-19T17:35:00.000-07:00

Recently there have been numerous cover changes like Wolfsbane's cover change from this: To this:

And even more recently, this:

To this:

And even more recently, this:

To this:

What I want to know is what do you guys, as readers, think of these changes? Like, dislike, don't really care...

A Book That Looks HAWT!

2011-09-18T15:14:00.000-07:00

I've been coveting a certain book that's been floating around some people's In My Mailbox Posts lately. The book looks seriously tantalizing and I need it like yesterday! It's called Embrace by Jessica Shirvington and it's originally an Australian release.

And those are just the ARC pictures! March 2012 is the tentative release date and I don't think I can wait that long!

Here's the blurb:

I slowly opened my eyes. The sun speared its first bright rays of golden orange into the sky and I leapt from the cliff, with the sorrowful knowledge that no matter what the outcome, at least part of me would die that day...

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...

SHUT OUT Book Trailer

2011-09-04T06:28:00.000-07:00

Spread the Book Love

2011-08-21T11:42:00.000-07:00

I recently became fascinated by a book that releases this November and I thought that I'd share it.

Destined by Jessie Harrell

When Psyche receives a prophecy gone horribly wrong, she learns that even the most beautiful girl in Greece can have a hideous future. Her fate? Fall in love with the one creature even the gods fear.

As she feels herself slipping closer into the arms of the prophecy, Psyche must choose between the terrifyingly tender touch she feels almost powerless to resist and the one constant she's come to expect out of life: you cannot escape what is destined.

Destined is a fresh and heartachingly romantic retelling of the Cupid & Psyche myth from debut novelist, Jessie Harrell.

Release Date: November 17th

Sounds good right?

Elemental Reality Review

2011-08-16T19:00:00.000-07:00

Elemental Reality by Cesya Marae Cuono

When Callie Pierce was ten, her mother disappeared without a trace. On the eve of her disappearance twelve years later, the Earth seemingly comes alive. The elements speak to Callie, and that's only the beginning. Everything she has ever known was a twisted fabrication to protect her. Now the truth is set free. Callie and her sister are more powerful than any Faerie ever born. Now they have to use their powers to save their mother and family from the evil hands of fate that threaten to tear them apart. Welcome to her elemental reality.

My Review:

Holy cow! This book was totally not what I was expecting. The first thing I noticed about this book was most definitely the cover, I mean look at it! It's gorgeous! What I wasn't expecting was an awesome story to go with the fabulous cover!

Callie Pierce is unlike the other main female characters of YA paranormal these days. She has a backbone. She also has this cute sense of style that I wish I could pull off! I adored her and her quirkiness. The side characters also held their own amount of fabulousness. Her sister had me laughing at practically every oppurtunity. (Red Bull!) And the love interest is so cute! He blushes! OMG how adorable!

Now that I'm done gushing about characters let's talk about the plot. It was nothing like I was expecting! The characters weren't what I was expecting! But I loved it! Who the heck would have thought that they'd be *******!? (No spoilers here people. ;)

I really loved Cuono's writing style and I'm excited to get my hands on a finished copy of Elemental Reality along with the next two books in this HAWT new series!

Release Date: August 21, 2011

4.5/5 stars

Cesya MaRae Cuono hails from a small town in northeastern Pennsylvania. She is a graduate of Alvernia University where she majored in Business Administration and also received her certificate of Multi-Media & Production makeup from Cosmix School of Makeup Artistry. You can find any updates from Cesya on her website at www.cesyacuonobooks.blogspot.com.

*I received an eARC of this book to review from Revolution Publishing. This in no way altered my opinion/review.

Has anyone read Half-Blood???

2011-08-15T08:02:00.001-07:00

Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout

The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi-pure-bloods-have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals-well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures.Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden.Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.

Release Date: September 15th

I've heard some great things about this book and I was just wondering if it's as good as people say. If you've read it and loved it, please tell me because I'm really thinking about buying it.

POSSESS by Gretchen McNeil

2011-08-13T12:58:00.000-07:00

My Most Anticipated Book of 2011

2011-07-27T06:50:00.000-07:00

The book I am most looking forward to releasing in the next five months is most definitely Rachel Vincent's If I Die.

If I Die by Rachel Vincent

No one wants to be this teacher’s pet . . .

Everyone else is talking about Eastlake High’s gorgeous new math teacher, Mr. Beck, but Kaylee Cavanaugh has bigger things on her mind. Kaylee’s a banshee—her scream is a portent of death.

But the next scream might hit too close to home. Kaylee’s borrowed lifeline has almost run out.

Yeah—it’s a shock to her, too. So to distract herself from her own problems, Kaylee is determined to defend her school against the latest supernatural threat. That hot new teacher is really an incubus, who feeds from the desire of unsuspecting students. The only girls immune to his lure are Kaylee and Sabine, her boyfriend’s delinquent ex-girlfriend. Now the unlikely allies have to get rid of Mr. Beck…before he discovers they aren’t quite human either.

But Kaylee’s running out of time, and those who love her will do anything to save her life.

Anything.

Soul Screamers: The last thing you hear before you die.

Release Date: September 20th

Touch of Frost Review

2011-07-24T08:41:00.001-07:00

Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep

My name is Gwen Frost, and I go to Mythos Academy — a school of myths, magic and warrior whiz kids, where even the lowliest geek knows how to chop off somebody's head with a sword and Logan Quinn, the hottest Spartan guy in school, also happens to be the deadliest.

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

My Review:

Okay, a mystery with a Greek God, or should I say Goddess, twist is definitely my cup of tea. The idea that all of these descendents from the gods, Spartans, etc. could be in one place is amazing in itself, but having them as wild, moody teenagers is so much better!

Gwen Frost is a sarcastic good girl with a heart of gold. When everyone gave up and left a student's murder go unappreciated, she made it her personal duty to stand up and find the killer. I really liked that she was a character who didn't lie down and take "No" for an answer. She also wasn't one to sob out her problems like some YA characters. But even though she wasn't a vulnerable girl, she was still totally approachable.

The swoon-worthy Logan Quinn is a Spartan hotty that will melt your socks off. (Just thinking about him gives me shivers.) He's extremely mysterious, which I think is appropriate for this mystery, and he can kick butt like nobody's business! I really hope to see a lot more of him in the next book because there wasn't a whole lot of him in this one, just enough to make me want so much more!

All in all this book is a definite must-read for any fan of Greek gods, 300, or gypsies.

5/5 stars

*I received a copy of this book to review from Kensington Books. This in no way altered by opinion/review.

The Cover of My Dreams

2011-07-21T07:40:00.001-07:00

I know that this cover has already been spread across the internet, but I just had to have it on my blog. It is SOOOOO awesome!

Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins

Hailed as “impossible to put down,” the Hex Hall series has both critics and teens cheering. With a winning combination of romance, action, magic and humor, this third volume will leave readers enchanted.

Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.

Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late?

I can't believe that this series is almost over, but at least this cover's going to help it go out on a BANG!

Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country

2011-07-18T10:46:00.001-07:00

Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country by Allan Richard Shickman

The prehistoric saga continues in Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country, the sequel to the award winning Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure. In this story, Zan's troubled twin brother, Dael, having suffered greatly during his earlier captivity, receives a ruinous new shock when his wife suddenly dies. Disturbed and traumatized, all of his manic energies explode into acts of hostility and bloodshed. His obsession is the destruction of the wasp men, his first captors, who dwell in the Beautiful Country. When he, Zan-Gah, and a band of adventurers trek to their bountiful home, they find that all of the wasp people have died in war or of disease. The Beautiful Country is empty for the taking, and Zan's people, the Ba-Coro, decide to migrate and resettle there. But the Noi, Dael's cruelest enemies and former tormentors, make the same migration from their desert home, and the possibility develops of contention and war over this rich and lovely new land.

My Review:

After everything that poor Zan-Gah has been through, he still can't seem to catch a break. Poor Dael is causing way too much trouble and old foes are popping up left and right.

The book starts out with an introduction to a character that I absolutely LOVED! Her name is Pax. She's smart, witty, and she can totally show up the boys with all of their macho-ness. I thought that having her introduced in this book will definitely appeal to the girls out there who are wanting to read or are reading this book.

Dael who is in the forefront of this story is crazy with grief. I feel bad for him, but at the same time I want to scream at him. (Does that make sense?) And Zan-Gah, who has already done so much for Dael, now has to deal with all of Dael's moodswings.

The plot of this book wasn't as straight-laced as the first Zan-Gah book mainly because there is no main journey like when Zan-Gah wanted to find Dael in Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure. In this book there are a couple adventures that all come together to form this epic journey.

This book, in my opinion, added to the audience of the first book by throwing in Pax and getting into some female empowerment.

4/5 stars

* I recieved this book to review via Earthshaker Books. This in no way altered my opinion/review.

Vacay here I come!

2011-07-12T10:26:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! Just wanted you to know that I will be gone tomorrow through Saturday due to a spontaneous vacation. We're going to Minneapolis, Minnesota's Mall of America!

If you need to contact me for any reason here's my e-mail address: oreo_93(at)hotmail(dot)com

Bite Me, Try Me, Fang Me Reviews

2011-07-11T17:35:00.000-07:00

Bite Me by Parker Blue

An edgy book for teens that spans the gap between YA and adult fiction. Life after high school is tough enough without having to go 15 rounds with your inner demon. Val Shapiro is just your ordinary, part-demon, teenaged vampire hunter with a Texas drawl. And a pet hellhound named Fang. Soon enough she finds herself deep in the underbelly of the city, discovering the secrets of the Demon Underground and fighting to save those she loves. Whether they love her back or not.

My Review:

I couldn't believe how amazing this book was! Val is a sassy, smart and totally willing to kick anyone's butt to get what she wants! Her partners in good are hilarious, especially a certain hellhound named Fang. I guarantee everyone will love him!

The plot of the story is very original and funky. The supposedly "evil" creatures aren't as bad as they seem and everything is just thrown together in this great plotline that has Val Shapiro running around trying to find answers.

There were only a couple of problems I had with this book and that was that at some points toward the end, Val would revisit the same places and still not get any information. To me it just seemed unimportant.

4/5 stars

Try Me

This part-demon teen vampire fighter and her faithful terrier hellhound are once again patrolling the dark city streets of San Antonio, Texas. Val's hunky human partner, Detective Dan Sullivan, is giving her the cold shoulder since she beheaded his vampire ex-fiancée. Vamp leader Alejandro is struggling to keep the peace between vamps, demons and humans. The mucho powerful Encyclopedia Magicka has been stolen, someone in the Demon Underground is poisoning vamps, and Val's inner lust demon, Lola, is getting very restless since Val's now partnered with sexy Shade, the shadow demon with the blond good looks of an angel.

The second book in Parker Blue's Demon Underground urban fantasy series plunges readers deeper into a heady world of passion, friendship, intrigue and mystery.
Parker Blue lives in the wilds of Colorado with her own faithful hellhound, and she's hard at work on the next Val Shapiro book in the Demon Underground series.

My Review:

The book started in a really fresh way that had me thinking that it was going to be just as good, if not better than the first book. Val Shapiro is still kicking butt and taking names with her faithful sidekick, Fang. However, some characters just start getting a little annoying, along with Val's attitude. Now, it may sound bad, but it's just a few small parts that annoyed me. Maybe it was just the author trying to make Val sound stressed, but it just irked me.

Another thing that irked me was that Val towards the end was once again revisiting places just like she had in the first book. I was highly upset that when she tried to solve the case she ended up going back and forth and learning nothing.

There were some really good points in the book, like a certain crush blooming into something more than sly glances. And Val becoming more and more confident with herself.

3/5 stars

Fang Me

The vampires want it. The demons want it, too. And someone is willing to kill Val for it.Val and Fang have to find the powerful Encyclopedia Magicka before either of San Antonio's warring underworld factions locate it or the consequences will be deadly for the entire city. As usual, Val's vampire enemies (they still call her The Slayer) want her dead.

Even some of her fellow demons may be less than trustworthy, since they'd like to grab the legendary book of spells before she does. Val has a personal claim to the Encyclopedia--her demon father left it to her when he died--but someone stole it recently. And that can't be good.Battling vamps and dodging demons, Val struggles to unravel the mystery and find the thief.

At the same time, she's fighting her attraction to sweet, sexy Shade--her favorite shadow demon. Rumor has it that Val will lose her part-demon, vampire-fighting powers if she gives herself to him.With a crowd of vamps and demons out to trick her or kill her, it's not a good time for her to risk her job as the city's best vampire hunter by falling in love. The stakes are high and aimed right at her heart. But Lola, Val's hungry little lust demon, doesn't like being denied. Will Lola finally get her way?What's a part-lust-demon-teen supposed to do? Whatever it takes.

My Review:

After the first two books, I was a little scared to read this one so I waited awhile. I was glad I did. The world seemed newer even though I had already read the previous books.

But some things still stayed the same in the world of Val Shapiro. Val and Fang were still their funny selves. And Fang's friend still had me rolling with laughter. Some things were totally different however. Val for instance became really bossy at times and she seemed to be completely ignoring other people's feelings. She also, in my opinion, began to believe that she was the only one who could do anything.

But most of that pales in comparison to the fact that the ending of this book was freaking awesome! It was nothing like the first two books and it made me want the fourth book so much that it hurts!

3/5 stars

*I received these books via Netgalley. This in no way altered my opinion/reviews.

The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa: Behind the Scenes cover shoot

2011-07-06T09:18:00.000-07:00

Cursed Cover

2011-07-05T16:22:00.001-07:00

Cursed by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Dying sucks--and high school senior Ember McWilliams knows firsthand. After a fatal car accident, her gifted little sister brought her back. Now anything Ember touches dies. And that, well, really blows.

Ember operates on a no-touch policy with all living things--including boys. When Hayden Cromwell shows up, quoting Oscar Wilde and claiming her curse is a gift, she thinks he’s a crazed cutie. But when he tells her he can help control it, she’s more than interested. There’s just one catch: Ember has to trust Hayden's adopted father, a man she's sure has sinister reasons for collecting children whose abilities even weird her out. However, she’s willing to do anything to hold her sister's hand again. And hell, she'd also like to be able to kiss Hayden. Who wouldn't?

But when Ember learns the accident that turned her into a freak may not've been an accident at all, she’s not sure who to trust. Someone wanted her dead, and the closer she gets to the truth, the closer she is to losing not only her heart, but her life. For real this time.

Release Date: September 2012

I love that this cover isn't another girl wearing a swirly dress. Don't get me wrong, I love the dresses, it's just so refreshing to see a cover that is unique. Plus I really wish I had red hair!

Zan-Gah Review

2011-07-03T07:58:00.001-07:00

Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure by Allan Richard Shickman

Zan-Gah, seeking his lost twin brother in a savage prehistoric world, encounters adventure, suffering, conflict, captivity, and final victory. In three years hero passes from an uncertain boyhood to a tried and proven manhood and a position of leadership among his people. Themes include survival, brotherhood, cultures, gender roles, psychological trauma, and nature's wonders and terrors. This is the electronic version of Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure, which has been awarded Mom's Choice Gold Medal for Series, the Eric Hoffer Notable Book Award, and was a finalist for ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year.

My Review:

I had no idea what to expect from this book except for it being set in a prehistoric era. When I picked it up to start reading, I wondered if I really wanted to begin it when I had so many other books to read. However, once I actually made my way through the book I became fascinated with this boy-to-man story.

Zan starts off as that kid who is trying so hard to be a man. His journey to manhood had me gasping, laughing and ready to turn the next page so I could see what happened next! Zan is the type of character that you don't expect to like, until you get to know him. He's honest, meaning he won't hold back his true feelings on the matter at hand. He's athletic, meaning he'll harm you if necessary, or get your dinner. The side characters like Zan's Uncle Chul, Aunt Siraka-Finaka, and Rydl made me smile through almost all of their story mentions.

The plotline of the story was completely unpredictable, well maybe not the ending, but every other aspect was something I didn't expect. One minute Zan-Gah would be scrambling over cliffs, and the next he would be wandering in the desert.

All in all, I'd recommend this book for anyone who just wants to try something different from the paranormal, fantasy, or contemporary books that rule your life. Also, I know this would have been one of my favorite books when I was in middle school/junior high, so anyone who has relatives or neighbors that age, you might want to prod them into reading this book, especially boys who are coming of age.

4/5 stars

*I received a copy of this book from the Earthshaker Books to review. This in no way altered my opinion/review.

Would you like to see my bookshelves?

2011-06-29T14:52:00.000-07:00

I've been watching a lot of bookshelf tours lately, because I am an avid book peeper. (I can't help it they're just soooo pretty!) And I realized that I need to do one. However, I don't want to do one if there isn't any interest because yes, I am lazy. :)

So if you would like to see me in all my bookshelf glory, just leave a comment saying "Yes!" or "Ick!" (for "NO I don't want to see your bookshelves, you weirdo!") or perhaps "I really just don't care."

If you do want to see my books, would you like me to pull out the books so you can look at the covers like some bloggers do, just skim through the books, or a combination of both? Tell me what you desire and it shall be yours!

If there is a high interest, I will post my bookshelf tour as soon as I get my new shelf, which should be in the next week or so.

ORIGINAL SIN by Lisa Desrochers - book trailer

2011-06-29T08:35:00.000-07:00

Glorious Covers

2011-06-27T17:16:00.001-07:00

Hallowed (Unearthly #2) by Cynthia Hand

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought. Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

Expected Publication Date: January 24, 2012

The Last Echo (The Body Finder #3) by Kimberly Derting

Violet kept her morbid ability to sense dead bodies a secret from everyone except her family and her childhood-best-friend-turned-boyfriend, Jay Heaton. That is until forensic psychologist Sara Priest discovered Violet’s talent and invited her to use her gift to track down murderers. Now, as she works with an eclectic group of individuals—including mysterious and dangerously attractive Rafe—it’s Violet’s job to help those who have been murdered by bringing their killers to justice. When Violet discovers the body of a college girl killed by “the girlfriend collector” she is determined to solve the case. But now the serial killer is on the lookout for a new “relationship” and Violet may have caught his eye...

Expected Publication Date: April 17, 2012

The Calling (Darkness Rising #2) by Kelley Armstrong

Maya Delaney’s paw-print birthmark is the sign of what she truly is—a skin-walker. She can run faster, climb higher, and see better than nearly anyone else. Experiencing intense connections with the animals that roam the woods outside her home, Maya knows it’s only a matter of time before she’s able to Shift and become one of them. And she believes there may be others in her small town with surprising talents.

Now, Maya and her friends have been forced to flee from their homes during a forest fire they suspect was deliberately set. Then they’re kidnapped, and after a chilling helicopter crash, they find themselves in the Vancouver Island wilderness with nothing but their extraordinary abilities to help them get back home. Plentiful action and romance in this second installment in the Darkness Rising series will keep readers enthralled to the very last page!

Expected Publication Date: April 2012

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland—nicknamed The Death Shop—are slim. If the cannibals don’t get her, the violent, electrified energy storms eventually will. In this dystopia, even the very air she breathes could kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He’s wild, dangerous—a savage. He’s also her only hope. Perry needs Aria, too. She alone holds the key to his redemption. And their unlikely alliance will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

Expected Publication Date: February 7, 2012

All books are Published by HarperTeen.

Persephone Triplets

2011-06-25T07:42:00.000-07:00

New from #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot, a dark, fantastical story about this world . . . and the underworld.

Though she tries returning to the life she knew before the accident, Pierce can't help but feel at once a part of this world, and apart from it. Yet she's never alone . . . because someone is always watching her. Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back.

But now she's moved to a new town. Maybe at her new school, she can start fresh. Maybe she can stop feeling so afraid.

Only she can't. Because even here, he finds her. That's how desperately he wants her back. She knows he's no guardian angel, and his dark world isn't exactly heaven, yet she can't stay away . . . especially since he always appears when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most.

But if she lets herself fall any further, she may just find herself back in the one place she most fears: the Underworld.

This book is so amazingly awesome! Meg Cabot is a literary genius.

Publisher: Point, Scholastic

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

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

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

I really liked this book, and I'm super excited for the sequel.

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

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.

This book sounds fantastic! I really wish it was coming out sooner!

Release Date: January 3, 2012

Publisher: Balzer + Bray, Harper Teen

These books may all have the same myth surrounding them, but I can't help but love every single one of them (even the one I haven't read).

Born Wicked Cover Reveal

2011-06-20T13:56:00.001-07:00

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

Cate Cahill and her sisters are considered eccentric bluestockings—a little odd, a little unfashionable, and far too educated for their own good. The truth is more complicated; they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it could mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave. Before their mother died, she entrusted Cate with keeping them safe and keeping everyone, including their father, in the dark about their powers.

When her father employs a governess and Cate begins to receive notes from her missing, presumed-mad godmother, her task becomes much more difficult. As Cate searches for answers in banned books and rebellious new friends, she must juggle unwanted proposals, tea parties, and an illicit attraction to the new gardener. Cate will do anything to protect her sisters, but at what cost to herself.

Release Date: February 7th 2012

Dreaming Awake Cover

2011-06-16T07:15:00.001-07:00

Dreaming Awake by Gwen Hayes

Is this cover not simply gorgeous?! I thought the first cover was haunting, but this is heart-stopping! I can't wait for this book!

Hourglass by Myra McEntire Book Trailer

2011-06-16T06:18:00.000-07:00

The Girl in the Steel Corset Review

2011-06-13T13:06:00.001-07:00

The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross

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.

My Review:

This novel was such a breath of fresh air! There wasn't a whiny girl who fell in love with this perfectly perfect guy who magically made her life ten times more difficult than it previously was. Instead there was a girl who already had some major problems and who found a boy that could solve them.

Finley Jane at first seemed too "Eh" for me. I just didn't connect with her character, but then she started kicking butt. It immediately felt like this story had punched its way into my mind just like Finley punched the nasty bad guys. My thoughts were consumed by these awesome characters Cross had put together. To me, the characters who weren't front and center in the book all the time were the ones that captivated me even more than Finley and Griffin King. Emily, Sam, Jasper and Jack Dandy were hilarious and suprisingly lovable (especially Sam, I love me some Sam).

The plot was everywhere! And I ADORED it! You hardly ever knew what was going to happen. (I say hardly because at one point there is a very predictable twist.) I tried putting down this book a few times and a good majority of the time my hands wouldn't let go.

This is the first Steampunk novel I've read, besides Clockwork Angel, and I am gaga over this genre now. I look forward to reading the sequel.

4/5 stars

*I received a copy of this to review via Netgalley. This in no way altered my opinion/review.

Contest over on Courtney Allison Moulton's Blog for Wings of the Wicked

2011-06-09T06:37:00.000-07:00

If you want to win a copy of Wings of the Wicked, pictured below, go here.

*I was going to pretty up this post, but my computer isn't letting me put pictures on right now. Sorry.

Wings of the Wicked by Courtney Allison Moulton

2011-06-08T17:02:00.000-07:00

Wings of the Wicked Cover Revealed

2011-06-08T04:21:00.001-07:00

Life as the Preliator is harder than Ellie ever imagined.

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

She’s been warned.

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

She’ll be betrayed.

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

EVERLASTING - Immortals Series by Alyson Noel

2011-06-04T11:15:00.000-07:00

Passion by Lauren Kate

2011-06-02T05:09:00.000-07:00

Spellbound Review

2011-05-28T06:53:00.000-07:00

Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz

What's a girl to do when meeting The One means she's cursed to die a horrible death?

Life hasn't been easy on sixteen-year-old Emma Conner, so a new start in New York may be just the change she needs. But the posh Upper East Side prep school she has to attend? Not so much. Friendly faces are few and far between, except for one that she's irresistibly drawn to—Brendan Salinger, the guy with the rock-star good looks and the richest kid in school, who might just be her very own white knight.

But even when Brendan inexplicably turns cold, Emma can't stop staring. Ever since she laid eyes on him, strange things have been happening. Streetlamps go out wherever she walks, and Emma's been having the oddest dreams: visions of herself in past lives—visions that warn her to stay away from Brendan. Or else.

Release Date: June 28th 2011

My Review:

I started this book hoping that it would be a cute, light read. I was dead wrong.

The beginning of the story starts off with the main character Emma and her first day at her new school. I almost stopped reading right there. Meeting the sexy guy on the first day of school thing has been way overdone, but it's even worse in this book because of the writing style. Emma sounds like a junior high student, not a highschool girl. And typically I like my main character to be deep and somewhat mature, but I didn't see any of that with her. Then there's Brenden, the love interest, he honestly was a good character. Not a great one. He could have had a little more depth to him as well, but due to the mysterious vibe, I get why there wasn't that much about him mentioned. However, I really don't see what would attract him to Emma, she is an awful character.

The plotline was overused. Girl goes to new school after something bad happens in her past, she meets cute boy, and they fall in love after they find out that they share a secret. Basically it was a retelling of Evermore by Alyson Noel, without the cool powers.

I was very disappointed with this book. It took way too long to read, despite it's average length, due to it's dumbed-down writing style. I really hate to hate-on this book, but I just didn't enjoy it.

2/5 stars

*I received a copy of this book via Netgalley. This in no way altered my opinion/review.

Solstice by P.J. Hoover

2011-05-27T06:18:00.001-07:00

Solstice by P.J. Hoover

My world is dying. Global warming will kill every living thing on Earth. I endure the endless summer, and do what I can to help. Until one day...

I open a box, and everything changes.

I discover a world of mythology parallel to my own. A world where gods battle for control, and monsters feed in the rivers of the Underworld. This dark world pulls me in and tells me I belong.

I meet Shayne, who keeps secrets from me. And Reese, who makes me feel alive. But I almost lose my best friend and my life. I don't want to leave this new world. But can I choose the life I want, without sacrificing the people I love?

SOLSTICE is P.J. Hoover's debut YA novel and is the first front-list novel to be independently published by an Andrea Brown Literary Agency author.

Katniss Everdeen

2011-05-27T05:39:00.001-07:00

This is awesome! Jennifer Lawrence looks amazing as Katniss!

What do you think?

Author Andrea Cremer gives sneak peek at WOLFSBANE, the sequel to NIGHTS...

2011-05-26T09:43:00.000-07:00

While I don't agree with her opinion of the covers, I love the bomb analogy!

Wither and Fever ARC Giveaway

2011-05-23T19:09:00.001-07:00

Lauren DeStefano is giving away a personalized ARC of Wither along with... an ARC of Fever! Just enter here.

Courtney Allison Moulton's Giveaway

2011-05-22T05:23:00.001-07:00

Author of the brilliant Angelfire book, Courtney Allison Moulton, is giving away all of these goodies:

Now, I really want to win so if you don't enter that's okay with me, but if you do I promise not to hold it against you. ;)

Go here to enter.

The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross

2011-05-18T17:47:00.000-07:00

Anyone want to give a poor blogger an ARC of Wolfsbane?

2011-05-16T19:19:00.000-07:00

I am aware that I just posted this question a few days ago, and I am really sorry that my desperation is so obvious, but I just NEED that cover! So if anyone is willing to trade an ARC of Wolfsbane for a book/some books just e-mail me at oreo_93(at)hotmail(dot)com.

Here's a list of books for trade:

Afterlife by Claudia Gray

Clockwork Angel ARC by Cassandra Clare

Haven by Kristi Cook

Wither ARC by Lauren DeStefano

Evernight by Claudia Gray

AND SWAG!!!

If those don't make you wanna trade, then just contact me and I'll see what else that I can do for you!

Forever - a stop motion book trailer

2011-05-15T11:38:00.000-07:00

You can buy an Autographed copy of Forever here.
Purchase Forever from Amazon here.

SOMETHING DEADLY THIS WAY COMES by Kim Harrison

2011-05-14T09:27:00.000-07:00

OOO! The new book covers for books 1 and 2 are HAWT!

Good Choice Reading is Giving Away Vanish!

2011-05-12T05:33:00.000-07:00

Good Choice Reading is giving away Vanish here.

Anyone have an ARC of Wolfsbane???

2011-05-11T15:44:00.000-07:00

I was just curious to see if anyone had an ARC of Wolfsbane that they'd like to trade for another book/some books. Why you ask? Well, I really want that cover! So if you do have one and would like to trade I would be VERY willing to do so. :)

Just contact me at oreo_93(at)hotmail(dot)com.

STARCROSSED by Josephine Angelini: Book trailer

2011-05-10T16:50:00.000-07:00

Angel Burn Review

2011-05-07T06:49:00.001-07:00

Angel Burn by L.A. Weatherly

Willow knows she’s different from other girls, and not just because she loves tinkering with cars. Willow has a gift. She can look into the future and know people’s dreams and hopes, their sorrows and regrets, just by touching them. She has no idea where this power comes from. But the assassin, Alex, does. Gorgeous, mysterious Alex knows more about Willow than Willow herself. He knows that her powers link to dark and dangerous forces, and that he’s one of the few humans left who can fight them. When Alex finds himself falling in love with his sworn enemy, he discovers that nothing is as it seems, least of all good and evil. In the first book in an action-packed, romantic trilogy, L..A. Weatherly sends readers on a thrill-ride of a road trip — and depicts the human race at the brink of a future as catastrophic as it is deceptively beautiful.

Release Date: May 24, 2011

My Review:

I was extremely excited to read this book. All of the reviews for the UK edition were really positive, so when I saw it on Netgalley I just HAD to read it! The beginning of the book starts out with a huge head twister. It had my head reeling! And I liked it! Weatherly created an entirely new world and some awesome characters.

Willow was such a breath of fresh air! She is a real person! She doesn't let a certain someone push her around without complaining, like normal teenage girls would, and she has an actual hobby! She works with cars! It gives her character a big boost in my opinion. And Alex, while mysterious and sexy, has so many issues inside his head, that you can't help but feel sorry for the guy. He made me want to help him out so badly that I felt like leaping into the book and kicking some butt with him! Unfortunately that wasn't possible, so I had to remain content with Willow helping him, and thank the laws of nature, because she did a much better job than I would have.

The plotline of the book while somewhat predictable, made my head turn at other times. However, there were some kind of slow moments that took away from the awe of the brilliant concept Weatherly created. In the middle, things wind down a little too much, it was like a slow motion button had been pushed on the T.V. But once the middle was over the action started right back up! The ending left me in an uproar! I was totally shocked and angry and sad all at once! How could Weatherly have left such a cliff-hanger!?!

Needless to say I will definitely be purchasing Angel Burn, and meanwhile, anxiously awaiting the sequel.

4/5

*I received a copy of Angel Burn to review on Netgalley. This in no way altered my opinion/review.

Spring Blog Carnival

2011-04-30T11:15:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my Spring Blog Carnival Giveaway!

I'm giving away:

All you have to do is be a follower, 13 or older, and fill out this FORM.

US only and it ends on May 8th at midnight.

Extra entries include:

Subscribing by e-mail and spreading the word.

DARK DAYS of Supernatural - Summer Tour 2011

2011-04-28T17:12:00.000-07:00

Awesome Covers!

2011-04-28T16:36:00.001-07:00

If I Die by Rachel Vincent

No one wants to be this teacher’s pet . . .

Everyone else is talking about Eastlake High’s gorgeous new math teacher, Mr. Beck, but Kaylee Cavanaugh has bigger things on her mind. Kaylee’s a banshee—her scream is a portent of death.

But the next scream might hit too close to home. Kaylee’s borrowed lifeline has almost run out.

But Kaylee’s running out of time, and those who love her will do anything to save her life.

Anything.

Soul Screamers: The last thing you hear before you die.

Twisted by Gena Showalter

SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD ADEN STONE HAS HAD A HELL OF A WEEK. HE’S BEEN:

Tortured by angry witches. Hypnotized by a vengeful faery. Spied on by the most powerful vampire in existence. And, oh, yeah. Killed – twice.

His vampire girlfriend might have brought him back to life, but he’s never felt more out of control. There’s a darkness within him, something taking over . . . changing him. Worse, because he was meant to die, death now stalks him at every turn. Any day could be his last.

Once upon a time, the three souls trapped inside his head could have helped him. He could have protected himself. But as the darkness grows stronger, the souls grow weaker – just like his girlfriend. The more vampire Aden becomes, the more human Victoria becomes, until everything they know and love is threatened.

Life couldn’t get any worse. Could it?

Aren't these covers absolutely fantabulous?

Bad Blogger

2011-04-26T17:05:00.000-07:00

I'm so sorry that I've been MIA again! I probably will be gone for awhile due to a lot of homework and End-of-Course exams. Once again, I'm REALLY sorry and I should be back at the end of next week with a contest and some great reviews!

Make sure to enter my I'm Back Giveaway.

Soul Purpose

2011-04-24T16:35:00.000-07:00

This has now been retitled Shattered Souls.

Hades (Final?) Cover

2011-04-19T18:36:00.000-07:00

Here's what I hope is the final cover for Hades by Alexandra Adornetto:

Isn't it gorgeous?! I'm so glad that the characters are in shadow like the first book. Also, that red is blistering!

I'm a Liar

2011-04-17T07:22:00.000-07:00

So, apparently I've been lying to you all without realizing it. Instead of putting the ARC of Nightshade in my I'm Back Giveaway I put the ARC of Clockwork Angel in there. OOPS! So to make up for it, I'm offering up Nightshade now, along with Clockwork Angel, Wither, Evernight and Vampire Crush.

Be sure to check it out here.

Haven Review

2011-04-16T12:23:00.000-07:00

Haven by Kristi Cook

One month into her junior year, sixteen-year-old Violet McKenna transfers to the Winterhaven School in New York’s Hudson Valley, inexplicably drawn to the boarding school with high hopes. Leaving Atlanta behind, she’s looking forward to a fresh start--a new school, and new classmates who will not know her deepest, darkest secret, the one she’s tried to hide all her life: strange, foreboding visions of the future.

But Winterhaven has secrets of its own, secrets that run far deeper than Violet’s. Everyone there--every student, every teacher--has psychic abilities, 'gifts and talents,' they like to call them. Once the initial shock of discovery wears off, Violet realizes that the school is a safe haven for people like her. Soon, Violet has a new circle of friends, a new life, and maybe even a boyfriend--Aidan Gray, perhaps the smartest, hottest guy at Winterhaven.

Only there’s more to Aidan than meets the eye--much, much more. And once she learns the horrible truth, there’s no turning back from her destiny. Their destiny. Together, Violet and Aidan must face a common enemy--if only they can do so without destroying each other first.

My Review:

This book initially caught my interest with the "psychic abilities" phenomenon and I thought that maybe this book would be a more modern version of Dark Visions by L.J. Smith. It was nothing like it.

The beginning of the story starts out with the overused boarding school and the girl-who-thinks-she's-a-freak-and-who-doesn't-know-what's-really-happening-to-her routine. Now don't get me wrong, sometimes this routine isn't bad, and here it isn't horrible either, it's just predictable. The new girl meets the bad boy and BOOM! an instant connection. I personally didn't feel like this connection was well connected.

Violet is a little clueless, but otherwise, she's a likable character. She's on the school fencing team which I really like about her character development because with all of these female characters in YA paranormal romance, they hardly ever participate in any after school activities. Aiden doesn't seem like the dark, tortured soul Ms. Cook tries to make him out to be, in fact he reminds me of Aiden from Being Human, who you sometimes just want to yell at and pull out your hair in frustration whenever you listen to him.

The plotline like the boarding school routine was predictable. I never felt like I didn't know what was coming. Also, when reading this book I found a strong resemblance to Twilight. Almost everything about it screamed Edward Cullen!

I know it sounds like I've been dissing this book tremendously, but it actually was a decent read. I encourage you to pick it up from your local library or borrow it from a friend, but I wouldn't waste your money buying it.

3/5

P.S. I don't think I've ever used this many references in a review before.

*I received a copy of this book to review from Simon Pulse. This in no way altered my opinion/review.

Angel Burn by L. A. Weatherly - Alex Teaser Trailer

2011-04-14T15:50:00.000-07:00

This book is SO pretty!

Do you miss it?

2011-04-11T14:48:00.000-07:00

I just realized something, about three and a half years ago I was blissfully oblivious. To what? you ask. The book blogging world. I used to be able to walk in a bookstore, browse around, and pick up a random book. Granted, that didn't always go in my favor, but it was kind of exciting. Now however, I know what's out, what I want, and if I should buy it.

So I just want to ask one question, Do you miss just being able to walk in a bookstore and grab a random book without knowing who the author actually is, or if it sounded swell on Goodreads?

I Think I Need a New Look

2011-04-07T15:08:00.000-07:00

So, I stumbled upon this contest. And I really think I need this, but you should feel free to enter too. :)

If you need a new blog design GO ENTER!

A Beautiful Dark

2011-04-05T18:30:00.000-07:00

A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies

Skye never questioned the story of her life. Her Aunt Jo adopted her after the death of her parents when she was just a child, and together they flip through memories the way some people flip through photo albums.

She never questioned if the stories were true. Until the night of her 17th birthday, when the arrival of two strangers intrudes on her cozy life. Polar opposites, like fire and ice, Asher is dark and wild, while Devin is fair, cold, and aloof. Skye has no idea what they want—only that their presence coincides with the beginning of some shockingly strange events. Events that Skye, if she dares to think it, might be responsible for causing.

High up in the mountains of Boulder, Colorado, Skye finds herself caught in the middle of an ancient battle, one that began untold millennia ago. Torn between unpredictable Asher, whom she loves, and the infuriating Devin, who she can’t stay away from, her fate is murky as a starless night. And as the secrets of her true identity are revealed, Skye realizes that her destiny may reside in the Heavens—or somewhere darker.

Doesn't this sound awesome?!?!?

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

2011-04-02T07:18:00.000-07:00

So excited to read this now! I was a little iffy about it for multiple reasons, but this trailer is HAWT!!!

Starcrossed Review

2011-03-27T07:32:00.001-07:00

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

How do you defy destiny?

Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

Release Date: May 31, 2011

My Review:

Starcrossed starts out phenomenally! The usual boy meets girl, girl falls in love with boy, has no part here. I was so shocked with the beginning that I just had to keep reading, there was no other option.

Once the beginning part was over however, the book kind of falls into that YA Paranormal Romance schlump. I was disappointed, but it was still really good.

The main character, Helen, reminds me of all teenage girls. She's awkward, shy and insecure. What teenage girl isn't at least one of those things? You really feel for her and her impossible situation.

Lucas is an aloof character, which made him extremely sexy in my eyes. You never knew what he was going to do, or why he was going to do it. And let me just say, that a lot of the scenes with Lucas in them are so cute and lovey-dovey that I felt like squealing with delight! The other characters also were highly likable and very funny.

One thing I didn't like about this book was that it was written in third person. I'm just not that big a fan of it. Also, the book made a surprise couple of switches between character narrations that left me a tad confused because the story had been following Helen for so long and just BAM! went to a different character.

This book is a definite must-buy!

4/5 stars

*I received this book to review via Netgalley. This in no way altered my opinion/review.

Official Trailer for Abandon

2011-03-25T13:42:00.000-07:00

I can't wait for this book to come out in Hardback! However, I am a little disappointed with the trailer actress and actor picks. They seem WAY too different and WAY older than the characters actually are.

Lisa Desrochers is Having a Giveaway

2011-03-24T16:20:00.000-07:00

Lisa Desrochers, author of Personal Demons and the upcoming book Original Sin, is giving away some amazing prizes this month.

Just go here to enter.

I'm Back Giveaway!

2011-03-22T13:46:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know I've been gone for a really long time. In order to make it up to you, I've decided to have a giveaway! EEK!

You can win one of these:

An ARC of Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Check out my review here.

An ARC of Vampire Crush by A.M. Robinson

Check out my review here.

An ARC of Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Check out my review here.

Or, a paperback copy of Evernight by Claudia Gray

An ARC of Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

Main Entry:

1. Be a blog follower and fill out this FORM.

Extra Entries:

1. Subscribe to this blog by e-mail.

2. Follow me on twitter.

3. Follow my friend Sara's blog.

4. Visit this page and share The Darkest Secret somewhere.

5. Share this giveaway.

Rules:

1. You must be thirteen or older to enter.

2. The giveaway ends May 1st at midnight (Central time)

3. Winner will be chosen by Random.org

4. If the winner does not respond in 48 hours, I will pick another winner.

5. U.S. only because I'm a teenager.

Coverlicious: Laying Down

2011-03-14T06:13:00.001-07:00

I just realized that I haven't done a cover post in a *really* long time, so here are the covers depicting laying down models:

The D ark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan

There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on her sister's face before Annah left her behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, her first glimpse of the Horde as they swarmed the Dark City, the sear of the barbed wire that would scar her for life. But most of all, Annah would like to forget the morning Elias left her for the Recruiters. Annah's world stopped that day, and she's been waiting for Elias to come home ever since. Somehow, without him, her life doesn't feel much different than the dead that roam the wasted city around her. Until she meets Catcher, and everything feels alive again. But Catcher has his own secrets. Dark, terrifying truths that link him to a past Annah has longed to forget, and to a future too deadly to consider. And now it's up to Annah: can she continue to live in a world covered in the blood of the living? Or is death the only escape from the Return's destruction?

Release Date: March 22nd, Delacorte Books for Young Readers

I haven't fully read the first two, so I'm weary to read this one. It's just that this cover is stunning!!!

Abandon by Meg Cabot

New from #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot, a dark, fantastical story about this world . . . and the underworld.

When Pierce first sees him, she thinks he is a murderer. She's right about one thing -- he does take lives. But not in the way she ever imagined. Pierce is drawn to the dark stranger even as she tries to uncover the mystery surrounding the tragic death of someone close to her. As she gets closer to the truth -- and the stranger -- unexpected secrets are revealed, even in her own heart.

Release Date: April 26th, Scholastic, Inc. Point

I've already read this book, and I LOVED the cover for the ARC soooo much that I can't even imagine how the hardcover edition will top it!

Falling Under by Gwen Hayes

Theia Alderson has always led a sheltered life in the small California town of Serendipity Falls. But when a devastatingly handsome boy appears in the halls of her school, Theia knows she's seen Haden before- not around town, but in her dreams.

As the Haden of both the night and the day beckons her closer one moment and pushes her away the next, the only thing Theia knows for sure is that the incredible pull she feels towards him is stronger than her fear.

And when she discovers what Haden truly is, Theia's not sure if she wants to resist him, even if the cost is her soul.

Release Date: March 1st, New American Library

This was a beautiful book with a beautiful cover and I cannot wait to get my chubby little hands on a finished copy!

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

Every girl who has taken the test has died.

Now it's Kate's turn.

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

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

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

If she fails...

Release Date: April 19th, Harlequin Teen

This cover is fantabulous! While the book was okay, I can definitely say that I'll be buying this pretty thing.

Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton

This page-turning debut novel will entice fans who like their paranormal romances dark and disturbing. It's a natural next-read for fans of Stephanie Meyer, Carrie Jones, and Becca Fitzpatrick. But instead of mythical creatures, blood magic has everything to do with primal human desires like power, wealth, and immortality. Everywhere Silla Kennicott turns she sees blood. She can't stop thinking about her parents alleged murder-suicide. She is consumed by a book filled with spells that arrives mysteriously in the mail. The spells share one common ingredient: blood, and Silla is more than willing to cast a few. What's a little spilled blood if she can uncover the truth? And then there's Nick—the new guy at school who makes her pulse race. He has a few secrets of his own and is all too familiar with the lure of blood magic. Drawn together by a combination of fate and chemistry, Silla and Nick must find out who else in their small Missouri town knows their secret and will do anything to take the book and magic from Silla.

Release Date: May 24th, Random House Books for Young Readers

This cover is interesting. I'm not sure whether I like it, or not.

What cover currently has your mind in a twist?

Beth Revis Is Giving Away Signed Breathless Reads Books

2011-03-12T06:18:00.000-08:00

Author Beth Revis is giving away signed copies of all 5 of the Breathless Reads books here.

Now I don't know about you, but that deal is just too awesome to ignore!

Wolfsbane Cover Change

2011-03-11T14:35:00.001-08:00

The cover was changed from this:

To this:

Now while I like the cover, it doesn't match my copy of Nightshade at all and I love for my books to match. So yes, I am highly agitated. Is anyone else a little ticked off that the hardback versions aren't going to look similar???

Here's the PB version of Nightshade:

The Goddess Test Review

2011-03-06T14:56:00.001-08:00

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

Release Date: April 19th, 2011

Every girl who has taken the test has died.

Now it's Kate's turn.

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

If she fails...

My Review:

I have to be honest, this book started out and all I could think was WHAT A MESS! The characters were shallow and made zero sense. I just couldn't believe that this beautiful cover was going to waste!

I read the first one hundred-ish pages of this book and had to stop between every chapter. I didn't think I was going to be able to get through it, but then I made it past the first half of the book and I was flying through chapters!

The pace started to slow down in areas that it needed to and speed up in areas as well. The plot became much easier to understand and the characters got a little deeper. I was happy that I had finished it.

So all in all, this novel was a little hot and cold for me. In the beginning I couldn't take it, but at the end I wanted the story to keep going. Let's hope the sequel is like the last half of this book!

3/5

*Thanks to Harlequin for letting me read this on Netgalley! This in no way altered my review.

** P.S. Sorry for being MIA, I've had a huge school project to work on. Probably won't be blogging much in the next couple of weeks.

Gotta Go Grab

2011-03-02T17:37:00.000-08:00

Gotta Go Grab is a weekly feature I post on my blog. It highlights books that I need to buy that have already been released.

I need to go grab:

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

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

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

This book has been blown all over the web and I feel so left out. I want to read it, but I'm afraid that it might not live up to the hype.

What book do you need to go grab?

Abandon Review

2011-02-25T16:13:00.001-08:00

Abandon by Meg Cabot

Release Date: April 26, 2011

New from #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot, a dark, fantastical story about this world . . . and the underworld.

When Pierce first sees him, she thinks he is a murderer. She's right about one thing -- he does take lives. But not in the way she ever imagined. Pierce is drawn to the dark stranger even as she tries to uncover the mystery surrounding the tragic death of someone close to her. As she gets closer to the truth -- and the stranger -- unexpected secrets are revealed, even in her own heart.

My Review:

Meg Cabot knows no boundaries. From ghosts to middle-graders to surprise princesses, she wows us with her words. And with Abandon I felt so wowed that I read it in one sitting!

The book immediately starts sucking you in with the promise of answered secrets. I badly wanted those answers, which meant stopping for even a second was impossible. Every page you learn something new and so totally mind-blowing about Pierce and Him. There were no stale moments, every scene was fresh and witty.

Another great thing about this book was that Pierce was independent. She didn't cling to this guy like most other YA heroines would, she stood up for herself and had her own voice. Pierce makes me extremely proud to say that I read YA Paranormal Romance.

The end of the book happened so quickly that I felt like bawling! I can't believe that I have to wait for the next book to come out in order to learn more secrets! This book is most definitely one of my top reads of 2011.

If you haven't read any books by Meg Cabot (What is wrong with you?), then go pick up Abandon on April 26th and start!

5/5

*I received an ARC of this book from Point/Scholastic this in no way altered my review/opinon.

**Thank you so much for sending me an ARC Scholastic!

Wither Review

2011-02-22T13:43:00.000-08:00

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Release Date: March 22, 2011

What if you knew exactly when you would die?

Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home.

But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limted time she has left.

My Review:

This concept is brillant! The people are so young when they die, yet they are so much older than the people who live out their lives in today's society. They are forced to grow up, forced to have children and forced to die. They have no control.

I was sucked in from the first chapter! This book leapt straight into the action and left me desperate to flip the page. I told myself to stop and take a break multiple times and I just couldn't do it.

The side characters are so well-defined that I couldn't find fault in any of them. They were surviving. They knew what they wanted and they made their decisions. I loved them!

Rhine was in an impossible situation, she had been taken from everything and yet she knew blubbering in her room all day wouldn't solve anything. She had the willpower to escape. However, Rhine needed to express herself more in the end. It just felt like she should be screaming about how they had messed up her life and how she shouldn't be here. I just wanted her to fight more.

The ending is a somewhat satisfactory cliffhanger. There's no mid-scene stop and I like that. I'm kind of tired of other books and their necessity to keep the reader on edge.

All in all I'd have to say that this Dystopian novel is one of the best I've read. It's on its way to beating the Hunger Games book (the first book only because the last two weren't anywhere near as good as the first one) as my favorite Dystopian book and if the next installment in the series is even a smidge better than this one I will safely be able to say that this is my favorite series in that genre.

4.5/5

*I received an ARC of Wither from Simon & Schuster this in no way altered my review/opinion.

Gotta Go Grab (4)

2011-02-21T13:23:00.000-08:00

I've gotta go grab:

Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow

Dru Anderson has what her grandmother called “the touch.” (Comes in handy when you’re traveling from town to town with your dad, hunting ghosts, suckers, wulfen, and the occasional zombie.)

Then her dad turns up dead—but still walking—and Dru knows she’s next. Even worse, she’s got two guys hungry for her affections, and they’re not about to let the fiercely independent Dru go it alone. Will Dru discover just how special she really is before coming face-to-fang with whatever—or whoever— is hunting her?

I've already read this book on Kindle however, I bought the second and third books in the series in paperback, so now I have to buy the first one in paperback too.

What do you need to grab?