Stolen Away by Alyxandra Harvey (Walker Childrens 1/17/2012) The Asylum (The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries #5) by L.J. Smith (HarperCollins 1/17/2012) Hallowed (Unearthly #2) by Cynthia Hand (HarperCollins 1/17/2012)
Truth (XVI #2) by Julia Karr (Speak 1/19/2012) Try Not to Breathe by Janenifer R. Hubbard (Viking Juvenile 1/19/2012) Havoc (Deviants #2) by Jeff Sampson (Balzer + Bray 1/24/2012)
Fallen in Love (Fallen #3.5) by Lauren Kate (Delacorte Press for Young Readers 1/24/2012) Daughter of the Centaurs (Centauriad #1) by Kate Klimo (Random House Books for Young Readers 1/24/2012) Forbidden by Syrie James & Ryan M. James (HarperTeen 1/24/2012)
The Way We Fall (The Way We Fall #1) by Megan Crewe (Disney 1/24/2012) Drowning Instinct by Ilsa J. Bick (Lerner Publishing Group 1/28/2012 Destiny and Deception (13 to Life #4) by Shannon Delany (St. Martin's Griffin 1/31/2012)
Lenobia's Vow (House of NightNovellas #2) by P.C. and Kristin Cast (St. Martin's Griffin 1/31/2012) Wings of the Wicked (Angelfire #2) by Courtney Allison Moulton (Katherine Tegen Books 1/31/2012)
Fracture by Megan Miranda (Walker & Company 1/17/2012) Halflings (Halflings #1) by Heather Burch (Zonderkidz 1/17/2012) Tempest (Tempest #1) by Julie Cross (St. Martin's Griffin 1/17/2012)
Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic (HMH Children's Books 1/17/2012) Everneath (Everneath #1) by Brodi Ashton (Balzer + Bray 1/24/2012) Incarnate (Newsoul #1) by Jodi Meadows (HarperCollins 1/31/2012)
Article 5 (Article 5 #1) by Kristen Simmons (Tor Teen 1/31/2012) New Girl by Paige Harbison (Harlequin Teen 1/31/2012) What books are you most excited to read?
If you know of any other new releases for January 16th-31st feel free to add them in the comments so others will know about them!
Never to Sleep (Soul Screamers 5.5) by Rachel Vincent (Harlequin 1/1/2012) Irises by Francisco X. Stork (Arthur a. Levine 1/1/2012) The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Janenifer E. Smith (Poppy 1/2/2012)
Darkness Falls (Immortal Beloved #2) by Cate Tiernan (Poppy 1/2/2012) Unraveling Isobel by Eileen Cook (Simon Pulse 1/3/2012) Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler (Simon Pulse 1/3/2012)
Bloodrose (Nightshade #3) by Andrea Cremer (Philomel 1/3/2012) Don't Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala (HarperTeen 1/3/2012) Pretty Little Liars: A Pretty Little Liars Collection (HarperCollins 1/3/2012)
Dreaming Awake (Falling Under #2) by Gwen Hayes (NAL Trade 1/3/2012) Charmfall (Dark Elite #3) by Chloe Neill (NAL Trade 1/3/2012) Dragonswood by Janey Lee Carey (Penguin Young Readers 1/5/2012)
Love? Maybe by Heather Hepler (Dial 1/5/2012) The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (Dutton Juvenile 1/10/2012) A Million Suns (Across the Universe #2) by Beth Revis (Razorbill 1/10/2012)
Jessica Rules the Dark Side (Jessica #2) by Beth Fantaskey (Harcourt Children's Books 1/10/2012)
Cracked by K.M. Walton (Simon Pulse 1/3/2012) Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi (HarperCollins 1/3/2012) The Alchemy of Forever by Avery Williams (Simon & Schuster 1/3/2012)
Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer (Feiwel & Friends 1/3/2012) Switched (Trylle Trilogy #1) by Amanda Hocking (St. Martin's Griffin 1/3/2012) A Witch in Winter (Winter Trilogy #1) by Ruth Warburton (Hodder Children's Books 1/5/2012)
Destiny's Fire by Trisha Wolfe (Omnific Publishing 1/10/2012) Ditched: A Love Story by Robin Mellom (Disney Hyperion 1/10/2012) The Gathering Storm (The Katerina Trilogy #1) by Robin Bridges (Delacorte Books for Young Readers 1/10/2012)
What books are you most excited to read?
If you know of any other new releases for January 1st-15th feel free to add them in the comments so others will know about them!
This year we wanted to add to the excitement of Top 10 lists by making it an event! Lisa from A Life Bound By Books, Rachel from Fiktshun & Jaime & Patricia from Two Chicks on Books and and I are hosting a top 10 week where everyone can join the fun! You can check out this post for more information. Each day you add your top 10 list to the linky (below), you get an extra entry into the giveaway for a $50 amazon gift card! Just remember, each day will have a linky for THAT Top 10 topic and your list has to be for that top 10.
Today is Top 10 Book Covers of 2011!
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi HarperCollins (November 15th, 2011)
Why: This cover is beautiful! It's one you have to see in person to truly see the beauty of it. I think the girl really shows a strong personality — which is exactly what Juliette is. Read My Review Add it to Goodreads Summary:Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.
The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.
The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.
Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.
Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini HarperCollins (May 31st, 2011) Why: I fell in love with this cover from day one and it is another one you have to see in person. The shimmer effect some of these newer books have is just incredible! Read My Review Add it to Goodreads Summary: 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.
Divergent by Veronica Roth Katherine Tegen Books (May 3rd, 2011)
Why: This cover screams"powerful" to me and that perfectly describes this book. I can't imagine a better cover for this title. Read My Review Add it to Goodreads Summary: In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself. During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves… or it might destroy her.
Brightest Kind of Darkness by P.T. Michelle Patrice Michelle (June 27th, 2011) Why: Isn't this so pretty? Everything about this cover drew me in — the colors, the trees, the girl, the dress — all perfect! Plus I really think it fits the vibe of the book. Read My Review Add it to Goodreads Summary: Nara Collins is an average sixteen-year-old, with one exception: every night she dreams the events of the following day. Due to an incident in her past, Nara avoids using her special gift to change fate… until she dreams a future she can’t ignore.
After Nara prevents a bombing at Blue Ridge High, her ability to see the future starts to fade, while people at school are suddenly being injured at an unusually high rate.
Grappling with her diminishing powers and the need to prevent another disaster, Nara meets Ethan Harris, a mysterious loner who seems to understand her better than anyone. Ethan and Nara forge an irresistible connection, but as their relationship heats up, so do her questions about his dark past.
A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young Balzer & Bray (June 21st, 2011)
Why: I really like the golden look of this cover. I know some people are turned off when a person is on the cover but I like it. I like having a glimpse at a character and this was another cover that I felt showed off the theme of the story. Read My Review Add it to Goodreads Summary: We all want to be remembered. Charlotte's destiny is to be Forgotten…
Charlotte’s best friend thinks Charlotte might be psychic. Her boyfriend thinks she’s cheating on him. But Charlotte knows what’s really wrong: She is one of the Forgotten, a kind of angel on earth, who feels the Need—a powerful, uncontrollable draw to help someone, usually a stranger.
But Charlotte never wanted this responsibility. What she wants is to help her best friend, whose life is spiraling out of control. She wants to lie in her boyfriend's arms forever. But as the Need grows stronger, it begins to take a dangerous toll on Charlotte. And who she was, is, and will become--her mark on this earth, her very existence--is in jeopardy of disappearing completely.
Charlotte will be forced to choose: Should she embrace her fate as a Forgotten, a fate that promises to rip her from the lives of those she loves forever? Or is she willing to fight against her destiny--no matter how dark the consequences.
Love Story by Janenifer Echols MTV Books (July 19th, 2011) Why: I admit it, I'm a hopeless romantic. If a guy and girl are on a cover being all"cutie patootie" together, it grabs my heart. This is one of many of these covers but this one was my favorite"couple" cover. Read My Review Add it to Goodreads Summary:She's writing about him. he's writing about her. And everybody is reading between the lines.
For Erin Blackwell, majoring in creative writing at the New York City college of her dreams is more than a chance to fulfill her ambitions--it's her ticket away from the tragic memories that shadow her family's racehorse farm in Kentucky. But when she refuses to major in business and take over the farm herself someday, her grandmother gives Erin's college tuition and promised inheritance to their maddeningly handsome stable boy, Hunter Allen. Now Erin has to win an internship and work late nights at a coffee shop to make her own dreams a reality. She should despise Hunter.. so why does he sneak into her thoughts as the hero of her latest writing assignment?
Then, on the day she's sharing that assignment with her class, Hunter walks in. He's joining her class. And after he reads about himself in her story, her private fantasies about him must be painfully clear. She only hopes to persuade him not to reveal her secret to everyone else. But Hunter devises his own creative revenge, writing sexy stories that drive the whole class wild with curiosity and fill Erin's heart with longing. Now she's not just imagining what might have been. She's writing a whole new ending for her romance with Hunter.. except this story could come true.
Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey Penguin (December 8th, 2011)
Why: Who wouldn't think this is beautiful?? The colors are amazing and the way the dress turns into flower petals. so pretty! Even the text is so nice and detailed. Read My Review Add it to Goodreads Summary:A thrilling debut story of death, love, destiny and danger
Lenzi hears voices and has visions — gravestones, floods, a boy with steel gray eyes. Her boyfriend, Zak, can't help, and everything keeps getting louder and more intense. Then Lenzi meets Alden, the boy from her dreams, who reveals that she's a reincarnated Speaker — someone who can talk to and help lost souls — and that he has been her Protector for centuries.
Now Lenzi must choose between her life with Zak and the life she is destined to lead with Alden. But time is running out: a malevolent spirit is out to destroy Lenzi, and he will kill her if she doesn't make a decision soon.
Wither by Lauren DeStefano Simon & Schuster (March 22nd, 2011) Why: The detail work that went into this cover is outstanding. Each part has significance to the story (which is a big perk to me) and it just gave off that"dystopian" look. Another book you gotta make sure to see in person! Read My Review Add it to Goodreads Summary: Obviously, something went terribly wrong. Genetic mutations have festered, reducing human longevity to twenty-five, even less for most women. To prevent extinction, young girls are kidnapped, mated in polygamous marriages with men eager to procreate. Sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery, a recent victim of this breeding farm mentality, has vowed to break loose from its fetters; but finding allies and a safe way out is a challenge she can only hope she will survive. A dystopian fantasy series starter with wings.
Hourglass by Myra McEntire Egmont (June 14th, 2011)
Why: This cover really makes you think. It's so unique and I do love the color (obviously!). Read My Review Add it to Goodreads Summary:One hour to rewrite the past.. For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.
So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past. Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?
Falling Under by Gwen Hayes New American Library (March 1st, 2011) Why: Beautiful!! I never thought I'd love a cover that was mostly black with just a touch of color, but wow, this one is perfect! The girl is gorgeous (and that hair, OMG), and the black flowers really make the red dress pop out. Read My Review Add it to Goodreads Summary: 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.
Tomorrow's Topic — Top 10 Book Boyfriends!
Don't forget to link each day! Signing up & then linking your Top 10 posts early you EXTRA entries into the $50.00 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway. The last day to share your posts is January 8th, 2012. The winner will be picked using Random.org and announced during the week of the 9th, 2012. Good Luck!
NOTE: this is the SAME Linky on each of the Co-Hosts Blogs, so please only enter your Name, Blog Name and URL once. Thanks!
Kimberly Derting, who is one of the sweetest people on the planet, has given me an absolutely amazing honor! I get to bring to you, for the first time anywhere, the Desires of the Dead prologue. *happy dance!* I am a huge fan of The Body Finder (you can see my review of it HERE) and I can't wait to read Desires of the Dead! So now, I give to you… the prologue!
Prologue Violet leaned forward on her hands and knees over the frozen landscape. Inside her boots, her toes felt as if icy shards were burrowing beneath her skin and slithering into her veins. Her fingers were very likely frostbitten within her gloves. The flashlight’s beam slashed through the veil of blackness that had settled over the wintry forest, creating a spotlight where Violet had been trying to uncover the ground beneath the soft layer of snow. In her drugged state, she couldn’t be certain that she wasn’t hallucinating as she stared at the man who towered over her. His weathered skin seemed to glow with an unnatural life of its own. It was both strange and beautiful. But her thoughts were thick, and she struggled for each one, dredging them up from the swampy depths of her confused mind. He spoke to her, unaware that her brain filtered his words, jumbling them and making them something less than coherent. She tried to concentrate as the tranquilizing sensation bled through her, deadening her senses. But she was cognizant enough to be afraid—terrified, even—of this man. She could understand enough of what he was saying to recognize that he was disturbed. And dangerous. He’d followed her. In the middle of the night. And even through the haze that distorted her awareness, she realized that he must have known why she was there. That he somehow knew she had found the body. She glanced down at his hand, at what he held there, and her tangled thoughts immediately cleared. She watched while he gripped the handle of the shotgun tightly in his fingers, and then he looked at her. “I’m really sorry that you found her,” he explained sadly. “I didn’t want anyone else to die.”
Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting Publisher: HarperCollins (March 21st, 2011) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 368 pages Series: The Body Finder, book #2 The missing dead call to Violet. They want to be found.
When Violet Ambrose's morbid ability to sense the echoes of those who've been murdered leads her to the body of a young boy, she draws the attention of the FBI. She is reluctantly pulled into an investigation that will endanger more than just her secret… but her relationship and possibly her life as well.
- Kim- I can not thank you enough for letting me post the Desire prologue! Enter for a chance to win The Body Finder swag Add Desires of the Dead to your Goodreads page
To find out more about Kimberly Derting: Kimberly Derting / Twitter / Goodreads / Facebook / HarperTeen
Pre-Order Desires of the Dead: Amazon / The Book Depository / Barnes & Noble
*Check out Lisa's Haunted Halloween post with Kelly Keaton and an international giveaway for an ARC of Darkness becomes her. *Reminder: If you are interested in the COMMENT CONTEST, remember to include your email address with your comment for an extra entry! Please read full entry rules here.
Always a Witch (Witch #2) by Carolyn MacCullough (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 8/1/2011) Want to Go Private? by Sarah Darer Littman (Scholastic Press 8/1/2011) Circle of Fire (Prophecy of the Sisters #3) by Michelle Zink (Little Brown and Company 8/1/2011)
Betrayed (The Guardian Legacy #2) by Ednah Walters (Firetrail Publishing 8/1/2011) Popalazzi by Elise Allen (Harcourt Children's Books 8/1/2011) Never Have I Ever (The Lying Game #2) by Sara Shepard (HarperCollins 8/2/2011)
Between by Jessica Warman (Walker and Company 8/2/2011) Blood Ties (Blood Coven #6) by Mari Mancusi (Berkley Trade 8/2/2011) Eternal (Immortal #3) by Gillian Shields (Katherine Tegen Books 8/2/2011)
Dark Angel (Dark Angel #1) by Eden Maguire (Hodder Children's Books 8/4/2011) All You Desire (Eternal Ones #2) by Kirsten Miller (Razorbill 8/9/2011) Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay (Delacorte Books for Young Readers 8/9/2011)
Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik (HarperTeen 8/2/2011) The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab (Hyperion Books 8/2/2011) Dark Parties by Sara Grant (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 8/3/2011)
Hooked by Catherine Greenman (Delacorte Books for Young Readers 8/9/2011)
If you know of any other new releases for August 1st-15th feel free to add them in the comments so others will know about them!
Yes, it's true! Lisa Desrochers is coming out with a new book and this one is NEW ADULT, EEK!! Be sure to check out the giveaway below! A LITTLE TOO FARComing September 17th, 2013 from HarperCollins
SYNOPSIS: Have you ever gone just a little too far? Lexie Banks has. Yep. She just had mind-blowing sex with her stepbrother.In her defense, she was on the rebound, and it’s more of a my-dad-happened-to-marry-a-woman-with-a-super-hot-son situation. But still, he’s been her best friend and confidant for better part of the last few years… and is so off limits. It’s a good thing she’s leaving in two days for a year abroad in Rome.But even thousands of miles away, Lexie can’t seem to escape trouble. Raised Catholic, she goes to Confession in hopes of alleviating some of her guilt… and maybe not burning in hell. Instead, she stumbles out of the confessional right into Alessandro Moretti, a young and very easy on the eyes deacon… only eight months away from becoming a priest. As Lexie and Alessandro grow closer, and when Alessandro’s signals start changing despite his vow of celibacy, she doesn’t know what to think. She’s torn between falling in love with the man she shouldn’t want and the man she can’t have. And she isn’t sure how she can live with herself either way.
—"More than a ridiculously sexy, HOT read, Desrochers takes you on a wild ride of self-discovery and bittersweet romance." — Janenifer L. Armentrout (J. Lynn) , New York Times bestselling author of Wait for You
Title: Insurgent Author: Veronica Roth Publisher: HarperTeen Add to Goodreads One choice can transform you--or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves--and herself--while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.
Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable--and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.
"New York Times" bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian"Divergent" series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.
Title: Dreamless Author: Josephine Angelini Publisher: HarperTeen Add to Goodreads Can true love be forgotten?
As the only scion who can descend into the Underworld, Helen Hamilton has been given a nearly impossible task. By night she wanders through Hades, trying to stop the endless cycle of revenge that has cursed her family. By day she struggles to overcome the fatigue that is rapidly eroding her sanity. Without Lucas by her side, Helen is not sure she has the strength to go on.
Just as Helen is pushed to her breaking point, a mysterious new Scion comes to her rescue. Funny and brave, Orion shields her from the dangers of the Underworld. But time is running out--a ruthless foe plots against them, and the Furies' cry for blood is growing louder.
As the ancient Greek world collides with the mortal one, Helen's sheltered life on Nantucket descends into chaos. But the hardest task of all will be forgetting Lucas Delos.
Josephine Angelini's compelling saga becomes ever more intricate and spellbinding as an unforgettable love triangle emerges and the eternal cycle of revenge intensifies. Eagerly awaited, this sequel to the internationally bestselling Starcrossed delivers a gritty, action-packed love story that exceeds all expectations.
Title: Under the Never Sky Author: Veronica Rossi Publisher: HarperCollins Add to Goodreads Since she'd been on the outside, she'd survived an Aether storm, she'd had a knife held to her throat, and she'd seen men murdered. This was worse.
Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland — known as The Death Shop — are slim. If the cannibals don't get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She's been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He's wild — a savage — and her only hope of staying alive.
A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile — everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria's help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.
Title: Easy Author: Tammara Webber Add to Goodreads A girl who believes trust can be misplaced, promises are made to be broken, and loyalty is an illusion. A boy who believes truth is relative, lies can mask unbearable pain, and guilt is eternal. Will what they find in each other validate their conclusions, or disprove them all?
When Jacqueline follows her longtime boyfriend to the college of his choice, the last thing she expects is a breakup two months into sophomore year. After two weeks in shock, she wakes up to her new reality: she's single, attending a state university instead of a music conservatory, ignored by her former circle of friends, and failing a class for the first time in her life.
Leaving a party alone, Jacqueline is assaulted by her ex's frat brother. Rescued by a stranger who seems to be in the right place at the right time, she wants nothing more than to forget the attack and that night--but her savior, Lucas, sits on the back row of her econ class, sketching in a notebook and staring at her. Her friends nominate him to be the perfect rebound.
When her attacker turns stalker, Jacqueline has a choice: crumple in defeat or learn to fight back. Lucas remains protective, but he's hiding secrets of his own. Suddenly appearances are everything, and knowing who to trust is anything but easy.
Title: The Coincidence of Callie & Kayden Author: Jessica Sorensen Add to Goodreads There are those who don’t get luck handed to them on a shiny platter, who end up in the wrong place at the wrong time, who don’t get saved.
Luck was not on Callie’s side the day of her twelfth birthday when everything was stolen from her. After it’s all over, she locks up her feelings and vows never to tell anyone what happened. Six years later her painful past consumes her life and most days it’s a struggle just to breathe.
For as long as Kayden can remember, suffering in silence was the only way to survive life. As long as he did what he was told, everything was okay. One night, after making a terrible mistake, it seems like his life might be over. Luck was on his side, though, when Callie coincidentally is in the right place at the right time and saves him.
Now he can’t stop thinking about the girl he saw at school, but never really knew. When he ends up at the same college as Callie, he does everything he can to try to get to know her. But Callie is reserved and closed off. The more he tries to be part of her life, the more he realizes Callie might need to be saved.
Title: Sweet Evil Author: Wendy Higgins Publisher: HarperTeen Add to Goodreads Embrace the Forbidden
What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences?
This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels.
Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt 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 Anna, the ultimate good girl, has always had the advantage of her angel side to balance the darkness within. It isn't until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage and her willpower is put to the test. He's the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.
Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?
Title: Pushing the Limits Author: Katie McGarry Publisher: Harlequin Teen Add to Goodreads No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with"freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.
Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.
Title: Stealing Parker Author: Miranda Kenneally Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire Add to Goodreads Red-hot author Miranda Kenneally hits one out of the park in this return to Catching Jordan's Hundred Oaks High.
Parker Shelton pretty much has the perfect life. She’s on her way to becoming valedictorian at Hundred Oaks High, she’s made the all-star softball team, and she has plenty of friends. Then her mother’s scandal rocks their small town and suddenly no one will talk to her.
Now Parker wants a new life.
So she quits softball. Drops twenty pounds. And she figures why kiss one guy when she can kiss three? Or four. Why limit herself to high school boys when the majorly cute new baseball coach seems especially flirty?
But how far is too far before she loses herself completely?
Title: Everneath Author: Brodi Ashton Publisher: HarperCollins Add to Goodreads Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath. Now she's returned--to her old life, her family, her boyfriend--before she's 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 precious months forgetting the Everneath and trying to reconnect with her boyfriend, Jack, the person most devastated by her disappearance--and the one person she loves more than anything. But there's just one problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who enticed her to the Everneath in the first place, has followed Nikki home. Cole wants to take over the throne in the underworld and is convinced Nikki is the key to making it happen. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back, this time as his queen.
As Nikki's time on the Surface draws to a close and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she is 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 queen.
Everneath is a captivating story of love, loss, and immortality from debut author Brodi Ashton.
Title: The Edge of Never Author: J.A. Redmerski Add to Goodreads Twenty-year-old Camryn Bennett had always been one to think out-of-the-box, who knew she wanted something more in life than following the same repetitive patterns and growing old with the same repetitive life story. And she thought that her life was going in the right direction until everything fell apart.
Determined not to dwell on the negative and push forward, Camryn is set to move in with her best friend and plans to start a new job. But after an unexpected night at the hottest club in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, she makes the ultimate decision to leave the only life she’s ever known, far behind.
With a purse, a cell phone and a small bag with a few necessities, Camryn, with absolutely no direction or purpose boards a Greyhound bus alone and sets out to find herself. What she finds is a guy named Andrew Parrish, someone not so very different from her and who harbors his own dark secrets. But Camryn swore never to let down her walls again. And she vowed never to fall in love.
But with Andrew, Camryn finds herself doing a lot of things she never thought she’d do. He shows her what it’s really like to live out-of-the-box and to give in to her deepest, darkest desires. On their sporadic road-trip he becomes the center of her exciting and daring new life, pulling love and lust and emotion out of her in ways she never imagined possible. But will Andrew’s dark secret push them inseparably together, or tear them completely apart? Don't forget to share YOUR list on the Linky Below! Today's Top 10 of 2012 Giveaway is being hosted by — Jaime from Two Chicks on Books! Note: This is the SAME Linky on all Co-Hosts Blogs.
Andrew Jacobson is one of the co-authors of the middle grade fantasy adventure series, THE FAMILIARS.
I grew up in the same house my entire life. It was a brown and white, two story colonial in the suburbs of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Save for the white picket fence, Norman Rockwell himself would have approved. Like any kid, I feared the basement laundry room, and the old heaters made some awful noises, but I knew those noises well. I didn't imagine monsters under my bed. I slept with the lights off. Then one night, when I was 14, I found myself running down the upstairs hallway into my parent's bedroom, screaming bloody murder. My older brother was a freshman in college, and had returned home for the weekend. He and I were having a late night chat in my bedroom, catching up on all things into the wee hours. As we whispered in the dark, the closet door — which I always kept securely shut — creaked open. My brother and I tip-toed out of my bed and walked over to the now ajar door. I reached out and pushed it shut again. As we turned back for my bed, the door creaked back open. And that's when I ran screaming. The next thing I remember is my mom and dad waking in a panic, and my brother standing in the hallway behind me looking at me as if I had lost my mind. After that, my closet door would creak open on its own periodically, and whenever it did, I felt a cold chill. What lurked among my plaid button downs and doc martens? A ghost? I have never been able to sleep soundly in any bedroom since unless all the closet doors were closed tight. … Now, that might be my scariest paranormal experience, but for those of you who don't believe in ghost stories, here's a different kind of scary story… I still remember the summer afternoon in 1991, when as a grade schooler in Milwaukee, I came home to the news that a man named Jeffrey Dahmer had been arrested for the murder of 17 men. It was one of the most gruesome serial killing sprees in history, and it had all happened just a few minutes away from my sheltered little house in the suburbs. This would have just been a footnote to my otherwise idyllic Midwestern upbringing, but for the fact that my father, an attorney, represented nearly all of the families of the victims of Dahmer. Together, they sued Dahmer and won settlements totaling tens of millions of dollars — not a penny of which Dahmer would (or could) ever pay. So my dad got creative. He decided to go after any profits that Dahmer or anyone else tried to make off the exploitation of his murders. This included comic books, movies, and even trading cards. Really sick stuff. It also included a book that Jeffrey Dahmer's father wrote about the murders, which he was going to make a healthy payday from. That's when my dad decided to sue Dahmer's father so the money he was making would go to the victims' families. And this is when the story gets scary. I'm not talking bump in the night scary, or I think there's a ghost in the closet scary, or I heard something in the attic scary. No, this is the worst serial killer in history threatened to make my dad sorry scary. Although Dahmer was locked up in a maximum security prison for life, it was no less unsettling when I returned home from school that fall to learn that my dad had received a letter from Jeffrey Dahmer. It was typed on a typewriter, and was actually quite polite. But there was no mistaking the subtext of his note. In essence, he was warning my dad that if he went after Dahmer's father, he would be very, very sorry. My mind raced, as any 13 year old boy's mind would. What if Dahmer escapes from prison, or gets out one day? What if he comes after my dad or my family… or me?! This was a guy who dismembered people and cannibalized them! I was terrified. And then, a few months later, news broke that Jeffrey Dahmer was shanked in a prison laundry room, murdered and left dead on the floor. I'm not going to lie. I was relieved. Happy Halloween everyone!
The Familiars by Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson Publisher: HarperCollins (September 7th, 2010) Hardcover: 368 pages After three young wizard apprentices are kidnapped by the evil queen of a distant land, it is up to their familiars, their magical animal companions — a street smart alley cat, a precocious blue jay, and a bumbling tree frog — to save them.
Thank you so much Andrew for the story!
Find Andrew Jacobson The Familiars / Blog / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads Purchase The Familiars Amazon / The Book Depository / Barnes and Noble
*Reminder: If you are interested in the COMMENT CONTEST, remember to include your email address with your comment for an extra entry! Please read full entry rules here.
"The plot isn't necessarilynewand the characters aren't exactlyoriginal, but there is definitely something different about this story... somehow a generic (albeit tragic) plot with cliche characters has completely won me over. " — Miss Remmers
"Anyone who’s had something truly crappy happen to them will tell you: It’s all about Before and After. What I’m talking about here is the ka-pow , shake-you-to-your-core-and-turn-your-bones-to-plastic kind of crappy.
Sixteen-year-old Laurel’s world changes instantly when her parents and brother are killed in a terrible car accident. Behind the wheel is the father of her bad-boy neighbor, David Kaufman, whose mother is also killed. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Laurel navigates a new reality in which she and her best friend grow apart, boys may or may not be approaching her out of pity, overpowering memories lurk everywhere, and Mr. Kaufman is comatose but still very much alive. Through it all there is David, who swoops in and out of Laurel’s life and to whom she finds herself attracted against her better judgment. She will forever be connected to him by their mutual loss—a connection that will change them both in unexpected ways." "The Beginning of After" starts like almost every other contemporary YA novel that revolves around tragedy. At first the "cliche-ness" of it all really bothered me — you know, the good girl who gets straight A's, super anal-retentive, and the ultimate perfectionist who, of course, suffers some huge tragedy and along with the bad boy "gang member" who also suffers some huge tragedy. They fall in love. End of story.
Right?
Sort of. About page twenty when I felt like I had this entire story figured out I was about to put it down and say "Okay, back to paranormal fiction for me!" But I didn't. Maybe I'm stubborn or maybe I am just desperate to finish a book — but I kept reading. [I read the first half of this book in the car on the way to our "mini-moon" vacation] Soon I was annoyed when the car stopped for bathroom breaks and meals and decided that it was in my best interest (and the hubby's) for me to continue reading and skip the breaks. I couldn't pull myself away from the story — not necessarily the plot (two very different things) but the story.
Once we arrived at our destination I didn't necessarily have the time to read because of all the activities planned and of course we were surrounded by family who wanted to celebrate our first two months of marriage together and Laurel's situation slowly became a subtle rhythm (rather than a loud banging drum) in my subconscious. Until the baseball game on Tuesday night (the second baseball game of our vacation). I brought my Nook only to read during the pre-game/batting practice. But page by page (or click by click) I found myself running out of time. The game was about to start at any minute and I wasn't ready to be done reading. After the "Star Spangled Banner" I put down my Nook but by half way through the first inning I was sneaking peeks at the screen. By the end of the second inning I was down right reading shamelessly. The in-laws, friends, and my amazing husband were (for the most part) very understanding and just let me finish. I just kept saying "I'm almost done. I'm almost done."
I finished after the fifth inning. There were times when my heart literally hurt — but I have a hard time explaining why. The plot isn't necessarily new and the characters aren't exactly original, but there is definitely something different, something I can't put my finger on, about this story by Jennifer Castle. Perhaps it is the way it's told, or the subtle progression of the character's grief process — I don't know. It reminded me of "If I Stay" by Gayle Forman because "The Beginning of After" challenged me to consider my own life without my loved ones. But unlike Mia, Laurel doesn't have a choice to stay or go — she must simply continue on.
Despite the genericness of it all, I somehow found Laurel to be refreshing and easy to relate to and David mysterious and more than slightly selfish. I fell in love with the American Boy Joe Lasky. I felt for Laurel and David (although with each additional animal in Laurel's house I felt like I lost more and more of my sanity). I saw and understood the different ways that Laurel, David, and Laurel's grandmother dealt with their grief. It's almost as if Castle has somehow reinvented this plot and these characters through her fantastic story telling ability and has created something entirely different and heartbreaking.
The truth is somehow a generic (albeit tragic) plot with cliche characters has completely won me over. I highly recommend this book to any one who enjoys contemporary YA if for no other reason than to give Laurel (and Castle) the opportunity to prove that the whole "parents die in a car accident" plot is not entirely washed up.
-Visit Jennifer around the web here: Website | Blog | Goodreads | Twitter -BUY THE BOOK: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes and Noble | Nook
The Eternal Sea (Everlasting #2) by Angie Frazier (Scholastic Press 6/1/2011) Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari (Scholastic 6/1/2011) Stupid Fast by Geoff Herback (Sourcebooks Fire 6/1/2011)
The Vampire Stalker by Allison van Diepen (Point 6/1/2011) The Ivy: Secrets (The Ivy #2) by Lauren Kunze and Rina Onur (Greenwillow 6/1/2011) Forgiven (Faithful #2) by Janet Fox (Speak 6/2/2011)
He's So Not Worth It (He's So/She's So Trilogy #2) by Kieran Scott (Simon and Schuster 6/7/2011) The Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have) by Sarah Mlynowski (HarperTeen 6/7/2011) Nyx in the House of Night (House of Night) by P.C. Cast and others (Smart Pop 6/7/2011)
Everlasting (The Immortals #6) by Alyson Noel (St. Martin's Griffin 6/7/2011) My Life Undecided by Jessica Brody (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux (6/7/2011) Chicks Kick Butt (Shifters) by Various Authors (Tor Books 6/7/2011)
Crush Control by Janenifer Jabaley (Razorbill 6/9/2011)
Possession (Possession #1) by Elana Johnson (Simon & Schuster 6/7/2011) Hereafter (Hereafter #1) by Tara Hudson (HarperCollins 6/7/2011) Forgotten by Cat Patrick (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 6/7/2011)
If you know of any other new releases for June 1st-13th feel free to add them in the comments so others will know about them!
The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting Publisher: HarperCollins (April 17th, 2012) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 358 pages Source: ARC from Publisher Series: The Body Finder #3 Rating: 5 of 5 stars In the end, all that's left is an echo… 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…
Review:
I have adored Kimberly Derting for years and her Body Finder series was one of my first paranormal loves. I remember finishing Desires of the Dead and desperately wanting to read the next book just to see what would be in store for Violet and her new job with the mysterious Rafe and the rest of the psychic team led by Sara Priest. Not that I would ever want Violet to forget about Jay (impossible as that would be), but it's always nice to throw something new in there and see what happens.
We all know Violet can see imprints of the dead and it helps her to find out who committed the murder. Now Violet has found others with unique abilities as well. Finally, Violet is able to get to know others who know what she is going through. She doesn't have to keep the big secret all bottled up as she had in the past. She spends more and more time with this group and it takes her a while to feel part of it. She worries about the purpose of her ability, but soon finds her place and appreciates the fact that these individuals know what she has been going through.
I did miss Jay a lot in this story. It seems that as the series progresses, we can really see Violet mature and notice how her situations mature as well. She is no longer a girl worried about high school issues, she has an important job to do. Her situations are much more dark and scary.
If there is one thing I know about Kimberly, she can sure come up with some creepy characters! In The Last Echo we meet"The Girlfriend Collector" and wow, he is very sinister and disturbing. One very unique factor in this series is that we get the point-of-view of the killers. We may not know who they are exactly, but we get a glimpse into their minds and see how they pick out and treat their victims. This particular character wishes for someone to love him and when they don't, he gets rid of them.
If I was Kimberly, I wouldn't be able to sleep at night after writing this stuff, eek! Definitely a book that kept my heart racing and my eyes darting around making sure no one is lurking in the dark. I think Kimberly must really enjoy knowing her readers are absolutely terrified and sleeping with a night light after reading her stories.
If you have been lucky enough to get your hands on the first 2 books in this series, you will devour this one as well. Kimberly Derting never fails to rise to the occasion and bring us heart pounding action, unique plot twists, and a brilliant romance. Delightfully chilling! I can't wait to get my hands on the next installment!
Recommended: Anyone looking for a YA that is truly terrifying! Be sure to start by reading The Body Finder and Desires of the Dead so you don't miss a second of the action!
Today is the official kick-off of the 4th leg of the Dark Days tour! Kimberly Derting will be visiting my blog next Tuesday, the 10th, with an interview and giveaway so please stop back by!
Schedule for leg 4
4/3 — Kimberly Derting at Confessions of a Bookaholic 4/5 — Jill Hathaway at Down the Rabbit Hole 4/10 — Kimberly Derting at Confessions of a Bookaholic 4/12 — Jill Hathaway at Down the Rabbit Hole 4/17 — Dan Wells at Bookalicious
See the authors in person
Kimberly Derting (THE LAST ECHO), Jill Hathaway (SLIDE), and Dan Wells (PARTIALS) April 18th @ 7pm | Books & Co | Dayton, OH | Supernatural Snark April 19th @ 7pm | Anderson’s Bookshop | Naperville, IL | Live to Read April 20th @ 7pm | Barnes & Noble | Burlington, MA | Books Complete Me
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Follow @pitchdarkbooks and use #pitchdarkdays in your tweets Stay connected to all things Dark Days on the Pitch Dark Facebook page, including exclusive content features every Wednesday! Make sure you check out this amazing widget that will tell you everything you need to know about the Dark Days authors and their books.
Radiance by Alyson Noel Publisher: Square Fish (August 31st, 2010) Reading Level: Middle Grade Paperback: 192 pages Series: Radiance, book #1 Riley Bloom left her sister, Ever, in the world of the living and crossed the bridge into the afterlife—a place called Here, where time is always Now. Riley and her dog, Buttercup, have been reunited with her parents and are just settling into a nice, relaxing death when she's summoned before The Council. They let her in on a secret—the afterlife isn't just an eternity of leisure; Riley has to work. She's been assigned a job, Soul Catcher, and a teacher, Bodhi, a curious boy she can't quite figure out.
Riley, Bodhi, and Buttercup return to earth for her first assignment, a Radiant Boy who's been haunting a castle in England for centuries. Many Soul Catchers have tried to get him to cross the bridge and failed. But he's never met Riley…
Find out more about Alyson Noel Alyson Noel / Blog / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads
Purchase Radiance Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository
Book Trailer
Mistwood by Leah Cypess Publisher: HarperCollins (April 27th, 2010) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 304 pages The Shifter is an immortal creature bound by an ancient spell to protect the kings of Samorna. When the realm is peaceful, she retreats to the Mistwod.
But when she is needed she always comes.
Isabel remembers nothing. Nothing before the prince rode into her forest to take her back to the castle. Nothing about who she is supposed to be, or the powers she is supposed to have.
Prince Rokan needs Isabel to be his Shifter. He needs her ability to shift to animal form, to wind, to mist. He needs her lethal speed and superhuman strength. And he needs her loyalty--because without it, she may be his greatest threat.
Isabel knows that her prince is lying to her, but she can't help wanting to protect him from the dangers and intrigues of the court.. until a deadly truth shatters the bond between them.
Now Isabel faces a choice that threatens her loyalty, her heart.. and everything she thought she knew.
Find out more about Leah Cypess Leah Cypess / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads
1 winner will receive a SIGNED copy of Radiance by Alyson Noel, a Radiance and Dark Flame bookmark, and a SIGNED Mistwood bookmark.
Rules:
You must be at least 13 to enter.
Name and email must be provided and counts as 1 entry.
Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
Contest is US ONLY and ends October 17th.
Once contacted the winner will have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address.
The form must be filled out to enter.
*Reminder: If you are interested in the COMMENT CONTEST, remember to include your email address with your comment for an extra entry! Please read full entry rules here.
I am so excited to have Holly Cupala on the blog today because she is sharing an exclusive with us! Not only is she sharing some amazing pictures from"Halloweens past" but she is presenting chapters 18 and 19 from Tell Me A Secret through the free podcast. I am so honored that for the first time, for little ole' me, Holly has released 2 chapters at once! If you haven't checked out the podcast yet, DO IT! The information will be listed below. But first, pictures!
When Holly and her husband were dating. How adorable!
The year they got married.
Tell Me A Secret And here is a teaser section from chapter 18:
“We have to go to Dylan’s Halloween party next year,” Delaney had told me last spring. “It’s an Elna Mead legend. He’s been throwing them since, like, his junior year. You have to know him or one of his housemates to get in—but you’ll be with me.” When I asked her about the party before class, she shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t think he’s having one this year—I was thinking about going to visit my mom in L.A. What are you doing?” Apparently Milo didn’t get the top secret memo, because now he stood in the hall with a stack of party flyers, handing them out with a lazy smile to any reasonably attractive female. “Heeeey, see you there?” A pack of sophomore girls took the flyer, not realizing they had received one of the school’s most coveted invitations. They giggled, rolling their eyes as they bustled by and let the paper flutter to the ground. I snatched it up, slipping it into one of my folders, completely unnoticed… In art class, I pulled Milo’s flyer out for a closer inspection. Delaney’s initials were scrawled in the corner with a red pen—the key to opening Dylan’s door. Underneath the address and time, the scrabbled shape of a black crow stood out in relief against the white half sheet, an inversion of the white bird in my drawing. Like a sign left by Xanda, bidding me to follow.
Podcast
In order to get access to the Tell Me a Secret podcast, click on the banner or HERE to get to the page. Once there you can listen via iTunes or click RSS and pick the chapter you would like to listen to. Holly added Chapters 18 and 19 to help us celebrate Halloween because these chapters involve the"Halloween party" in the book.
Tell Me A Secret by Holly Cupala Publisher: HarperCollins (June 22nd, 2010) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 256 pages In the five years since her bad-girl sister Xanda’s death, Miranda Mathison has wondered about the secret her sister took to the grave, and what really happened the night she died. Now, just as Miranda is on the cusp of her dreams—a best friend to unlock her sister’s world, a ticket to art school, and a boyfriend to fly her away from it all—Miranda has a secret all her own.
Then two lines on a pregnancy test confirm her worst fears. Stripped of her former life, Miranda must make a choice with tremendous consequences and finally face her sister’s demons and her own.
- Thank you so much Holly for putting up 2 new chapters for Haunted Halloween! The podcast is amazing and I am truly honored that you did that for the event!: ) Also, you can find ME on Holly's blog today! I was so excited when Holly asked me to be part of her feature"What YA Bloggers Want". If you would like to check out the posts from this feature you can USE GOOGLE to see the bloggers that have already appeared so far this month.
Purchase Tell Me A Secret Amazon / The Book Depository / Barnes & Noble Book Trailer
* Check out Lisa's Haunted Halloween post.
*Reminder: If you are interested in the COMMENT CONTEST, remember to include your email address with your comment for an extra entry! Please read full entry rules here.
We all love Four, right? Yesss, we do! So what we really need to do is FREE FOUR! How can we do this? From Harper: Can’t get enough of Four? Dying to hear more from him? If we reach 35,000 preorders of INSURGENT, HarperCollins will release a piece of never-before-seen original writing by #1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth—a pivotal scene from DIVERGENT retold from Four’s point of view (squeal)! Grab the widget, pre-order your copy today (if you’ve already pre-ordered, it counts toward our goal!) and spread the word to your friends. Let’s FREE FOUR, Divergent Nation! YES, it's true! We can actually hear from Four's point-of-view! EPIC! So if you planned on pre-ordering a copy, do it now! Help spread the word so we can all be rewarded with this amazing prize!
And as always, help support #TEAMDAUNTLESS by tweeting and clicking the links below. http://bit.ly/dauntlessfaction http://bit.ly/choose_dauntless
Hello everyone! Sorry this is late. I didn't get back from vacation till late Friday and it took me a few days to get back on track. BUT I was super excited when I did get home because I came home to lots of packages! Some of those, however, will remain a mystery because they are prizes for the Haunted Halloween event which starts Friday!
Thanks to HarperCollins, EgmontUSA, Feiwel & Friends, Ednah Walters, Kurt Frenier, Aliseonlife, Book Faery, Fantastic Book Review, Christine Johnson, Albert Borris.
Review The Lost Saint (ARC) by Bree Despain Virgin Territory (ARC) by James Lecesne Rich and Mad (ARC) by William Nicholson Raised by Wolves (ARC- Not Pictured cause I'm reading it!) by Janenifer Lynn Barnes Desires of the Dead (ARC) by Kimberly Derting I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett Firelight by Sophie Jordan Halo by Alexandra Adornetto The Study Train by Kurt Frenier (came with wax sealed letter) Awakened (signed) by Ednah Walters Crash Into Me (signed) by Albert Borris (2 copies & cards for tour giveaway)
Won White Cat by Holly Black- won from Aliseonlife Siren (signed) by Tricia Rayburn- won from Book Faery Bring on the Night by Jeri Smith-Ready- won from Fantastic Book Review Claire de Lune bookmark and signed bookplate- won from Christine Johnson
Purchased Girl v. Boy by Yvonne Collins & Sandy Rideout Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers I Love Lucy bookmark from the beach!
*IMM is a weekly meme hosted by Kristie at The Story Siren and it was inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie.
Hallowed by Cynthia Hand Publisher: HarperCollins (January 17th, 2011) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 416 pages Source: ARC from publisher Series: Unearthly, book #2 Rating: 5 of 5 stars 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. Review: For the first time, I feel the need to start my review with a letter.
My letter to Christian:
Dear Christian, How can you do this to me? I have always liked you but my heart belonged to Tucker. Then there you go, flapping your beautiful wings in front of my face and POOF, you fly away with my heart. It's not fair to play with my emotions like this Christian! Maybe it's your eyes, or your protective nature that makes you so irresistible. Either way, you have me flustered and questioning my feelings for Tucker. Tucker, who's rugged hotness and farm-boy ways made me swoon. Don't give me that look! You know exactly what you're doing. You haven't made this easy for me.
Sincerely, Jessica
What can I really say about Hallowed that will do it justice (besides my heartfelt letter to Christian). Hallowed picks up where Unearthly leaves off and if you are worried that it won't live up to Unearthly's awesomeness, don't be! In Hallowed, Clara is struggling to figure out her purpose after the fire. There are still big mysteries surrounding what really happened and what it could mean to Clara.
Hallowed brings even more obstacles for Clara when she is faced with something devastating. I felt this was a turning point for her. She seemed to grow and mature in a way I didn't expect. During this time she wants to depend on Tucker but sometimes it's hard for him to understand her world. For this reason, it seemed inevitable that she will be linked to Christian. I must say that the tension this brings was strong for all characters involved. I admit, I enjoyed the.friction. between Tucker and Christian. It brought a lot of"typical teenage drama" to the story, which was a nice touch and helped ease some of the paranormal drama. If that makes sense: )
Christian grew on me during Hallowed. He has complicated my feelings! I have been 100% Team Tucker since the first time he annoyed Clara but now, I just don't know. If you are a fan of love triangles (raises hand!) then you will love this book!
Another thing I liked about Hallowed is that we get a chance to meet the community Clara is now part of. She learns a lot about her past and what could be ahead of her. I think this was another thing that really made her change and mature. She is getting a better grasp of what she may have to deal with later on.
While Unearthly may have introduced us to a world of White Wings and Black Wings, Hallowed explores more of the connection between the characters and the conflicts that come from a battle that may be impossible to win. Cynthia Hand has created a magical world with intriguing characters you can't help but love.
Chain Reaction (Perfect Chemistry #3) by Simone Elkeles (Walker Books for Young Readers 8/16/2011) Bargains and Betrayals (13 to Life #3) by Shannon Delany (St. Martin's Griffin 8/16/2011) Bloodlines (Bloodlines #1) by Richelle Mead (Razorbill 8/23/2011)
Sweetly (Sisters Red #2) by Jackson Pearce (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 8/23/2011) The Power of Six (Lorien Legacies #2) by Pittiacus Lore (HarperCollins 8/23/2011) Nocturne (Claire de Lune #2) by Christine Johnson (Simon Pulse 8/23/2011)
Hades (Halo #2) by Alexandra Adornetto (Fiewel & Friends 8/30/2010) Anna Dressed in Blood (Anna Dressed in Blood #1) by Kendare Blake (Tor Teen 8/30/2011) Damned (Crusade #2) by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie (Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing 8/30/2011)
Twisted (Intertwined #3) by Gena Showalter (Harlequin 8/30/2011) The Fox Inheritance (Jenna Fox Chronicles #2) by Mary E. Pearson (Henry Holt and Company 8/30/2011) Soul Thief (The Demon Trappers #2) by Jana Oliver (St. Martin's Griffin 8/30/2011)
Possess by Gretchen McNeil (Balzer & Bray 8/23/2011) Descended by Blood (Vampire Born #1) by Angeline Kace (Accendo Press 8/23/2011) Fury (Fury #1) by Elizabeth Miles (Simon Pulse 8/30/2011)
If you know of any other new releases for August 16th-31st feel free to add them in the comments so others will know about them!
The cover of Destined, House of Night book 9, was just released and oh la la, HOTNESS! I am still a fan of this series and even Heath (who is on this cover). I mean c'mon, he's HOT! This series lost me somewhere around the middle but don't give up! It does get better (in my opinion) so if you are thinking of picking these books back up, do it!
Destined (House of Night #9) by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast Publisher: St. Martin's Press (October 25th, 2011) Hardcover: 336 pages Add it on Goodreads In Destined, the forces of Light and Dark collide as their epic struggle focuses on Tulsa's House of Night. Zoey is home where she belongs, safe with her Guardian Warrior, Stark, by her side and preparing to face off against Neferet. Kalona has released his hold on Rephaim, and, through Nyx's gift of a human form, he and Stevie Rae are finally able to be together if Rephaim can truly walk the path of the Goddess and stay free of his father's shadow.
But is Zoey really safe? Does she truly know those who are closest to her? And will love win when it is tested by the very soul of Darkness? Find out what s destined in the next thrilling chapter of the House of Night series.
Here is the cover for A Beautiful Evil, book 2 in the Gods & Monsters series by Kelly Keaton. Very spooky!
A Beautiful Evil by Kelly Keaton Publisher: Simon Pulse (February 21st, 2012) Hardcover: 320 pages Add it to Goodreads A power she can’t deny. A destiny she’s determined to fight.
When Ari first arrived in the dilapidated city of New 2, all she wanted was to figure out who she was. But what she discovered was beyond her worst nightmare. Ari can already sense the evil growing inside her—a power the goddess Athena will stop at nothing to possess.
Desperate to hold on to her humanity and protect her loved ones, Ari must fight back. But Athena’s playing mind games, not just with Ari but with those she cares about most. And Athena has a very special plan for the brooding and sexy Sebastian.
Ari is determined to defeat Athena, but time is running out. With no other options, Ari must unleash the very thing she’s afraid of: herself.
And a section of this post I will title "Book I Just Want to Talk About 'Cause it Sounds Amazing"! I picked up, and finished, Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles on Tuesday and Wow, it is awesome! The Perfect Chemistry series is one of my all-time favorites! I realized that I love that type of love story. When I went looking for more like it, I discovered KISS CRUSH COLLIDE by Christina Meredith. First, let's check out the cover.
*fans self* loveeee it! And now, the summary. Kiss Crush Collide by Christina Meredith Publisher: Greenwillow Books (December 27th, 2011) Hardcover: 336 pages Add it to Goodreads Leah has the life most high school girls would kill for—popularity, glowing grades, a rich, athletic boyfriend. So why does she feel like she can’t breathe? And why can’t she stop thinking about the boy from the country club? The one who isn’t her boyfriend, the one that her mother would never, ever approve of, the one that her perfect older sisters would never, ever look at twice. The one who is always looking back at her. Irresistible attraction, smoldering glances, the bad boy and the good girl—Kiss Crush Collide has everything that a steamy forbidden romance should, and then some.
With graceful and honest writing and an electric love story, this is a book about growing into your own skin. For fans of Perfect Chemistry ( <---THAT'S ME!), Sarah Dessen ( <--- THAT'S ME TOO!), and John Green (<--Haven't read anything by him yet). Gotta love a good forbidden romance! So how many of you want to get your hands on this book???
Bookperk News
You all probably know I'm a huge fan of the Bookperk site from HarperCollins. I've purchased a signed (by the movie cast) version of I Am Number Four and a signed copy of Guy Fieri's cookbook from them already. They add new offers all the time and I just wanted to mention a few of the new ones.
You can USE GOOGLE to see the current deals going on. If you haven't signed up, you can use that link as well. It's good to at least be signed up because amazing deals pop up all the time and sometimes they have very limited quantities.
Tell Me A Secret is a fabulous story that I will not soon forget. I posted my review of it HERE and now I am thrilled to be a stop on the blog tour. Today I am honored to get a chance to speak with Miranda herself!
J: Thank you Miranda for being on my blog today.Can you tell us one thing that teens may not realize when they feel they are in a serious, romantic relationship? Miranda: I don’t think there is anything wrong with serious romantic relationships, but it’s easy to get caught up in them and lose sight of the bigger picture—that’s part of what happened between Kamran and me, both of us for different reasons. Remember to stay grounded in your friendships, your goals, and the things you know to be true. J: If you could go back to before you were pregnant and give yourself advice, what would you say? Miranda: I think I would tell myself to take a step back. I did good things for the wrong reasons and some not-so-good things for the right ones. It’s hard to see things clearly when you’re right in the middle of them. It helps to have good friends to stand by you through the hard times, and the confusing times. Sometimes it’s difficult to find a true friend, but it’s worth it.
J: Out of everything you have had to experience, what sticks out as the hardest part? What one thing did you learn the most from? Miranda: The hardest part was losing my sister and learning to stand on my own. I think I was looking for myself in her, and later in Delaney and other people. It seems so distant, now that my life has taken such a different turn. When you learn something with your heart and not your head, it changes everything.
J: Most teens don't have a good understanding of what pregnancy is actually like. Can you share with us what part of it surprised you the most? Miranda: I think it surprised me that you could get so close to something you’ve never seen or heard. After Lexi was born, I just kept staring at her, like, Is that you? Is that really you? Someone you know and don’t know at the same time. It still surprises me every day.
J: If Xanda had been alive when you learned the news of your pregnancy, what do you think her first words to you would have been?
Miranda: I’m not sure what she would say, but I can picture what she might do: she would spin around with her hands over her mouth. She might say, “That’s terrible.” Or she might say, “That’s wonderful!” She might even say, “I can’t believe it’s you and not me.” But after the initial shock, she would throw her whole self into sticking by me through it all.
J: Do you have a new outlook on life and loss, or a new philosophy you now try to go by? Miranda: What sticks out for me the most is when Nik talked about why difficult things happen. She said, “We don’t always know why things happen until down the road.” The future is where the hope is, she said. I don’t know what’s in the future, but I know I’m hopeful now.
And here is a BONUS! A video from Holly where she discusses her deepest, darkest secrets! Wouldn't you like to know some of Holly's Secrets?
Tell Me A Secret by Holly Cupala Publisher: HarperCollins (June 22nd, 2010) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 256 pages In the five years since her bad-girl sister Xanda’s death, Miranda Mathison has wondered about the secret her sister took to the grave, and what really happened the night she died. Now, just as Miranda is on the cusp of her dreams—a best friend to unlock her sister’s world, a ticket to art school, and a boyfriend to fly her away from it all—Miranda has a secret all her own.
Then two lines on a pregnancy test confirm her worst fears. Stripped of her former life, Miranda must make a choice with tremendous consequences and finally face her sister’s demons and her own.
Giveaway
Prize:
1 winner will receive a TELL ME A SECRET ART PRINT — Inspired by the book trailer.
(As pictured above) Rules:
You must be at least 13 to enter.
Name and email must be provided and counts as 1 entry.
Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
Contest is US Only and ends December 15th.
Once contacted the winner will have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address.
The form must be filled out to enter.
Podcast To access the Tell Me a Secret podcast, click on the banner or HERE to get to the page.
Find Holly Cupala Holly Cupala / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads Purchase Tell Me A Secret Amazon / The Book Depository / Barnes & Noble Book Trailer
Thanks so much Holly for the post, giveaway, and VIDEO!
The Tell Me A Secret blog tour is hosted by Teen {book} scene.You can USE GOOGLE to visit the other stops on the tour.
Release Date: August 26th, 2011 Publisher: HarperCollins Challenges: Off the Shelf, 100+ Reading Challenge
"I've seen him on the news. Followed the stories about what happened in Ohio. John Smith, out there, on the run. To the world, he's a mystery. But to me... he's one of us. Nine of us came here, but sometimes I wonder if time has changed us—if we all still believe in our mission. How can I know? There are six of us left. We're hiding, blending in, avoiding contact with one another... but our Legacies are developing, and soon we'll be equipped to fight. Is John Number Four, and is his appearance the sign I've been waiting for? And what about Number Five and Six? Could one of them be the raven-haired girl with the stormy eyes from my dreams? The girl with powers that are beyond anything I could ever imagine? The girl who may be strong enough to bring the six of us together?They caught Number One in Malaysia.Number Two in England.And Number Three in Kenya.They tried to catch Number Four in Ohio—and failed.I am Number Seven. One of six still alive.And I'm ready to fight."
A year ago today I actually reviewed "I Am Number Four " — how crazy is that! I can't believe it's already been a year!
"The Power of Six" was a book that I had been looking forward to for months, probably since a year ago today! I loved the first book, the movie was okay, and "The Power of Six"... well, "The Power of Six" was definitely surprising. There were several times throughout this book that I couldn't help but say "Shut up!" or other such responses. I enjoyed the two different perspectives (John and Marina) but I will warn you, it is a bit confusing at first who is who. Your hint is that there are (slightly) different fonts between the two — at least in the ARC.
I enjoyed Six and Sam even more than before although the various romances throughout the novel did get to be a bit tiresome. I just wanted something to happen — anything! But I digress...
In all aspects, "The Power of Six" was great. I loved the characters, I loved the plot, and I fell in even more love with the history of Lorien. But for some reason, I'm just not as passionate about this novel as I thought I'd be. Again, I loved it — but I'm not racing to tell everyone about it. I think this book may be a victim of the Series Syndrome (post to come next week). With all the different series out right now (it feels like every book I'm reading is the first of a trilogy or something like that), I am finding that I adore the first book but by the time the second book comes out my overwhelming passion and love has some how subsided into this indifferent subtlety. And this makes me sad. I mean, I hate that that happens to great books and fantastic series. Does this ever happen to you?
-Visit Pittacus around the web here: Goodreads -BUY THE BOOK: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes and Noble | Nook
To the FTC, with love: ARC from Publisher and Gift from Michelle atHooked to Books
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