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!
Today I am participating in a scavenger hunt for Renegade by Jessica Souders. A few bloggers will be revealing pieces of the cover today and you just have to collect the words from each blog to enter the contest (will be posted on Monday, along with the full cover!). So be sure to collect the words, unscramble the phrase, and enter the giveaway on Monday!
Puzzle Piece
Secret Word: IS
Go here to find all of the words 7 AM: Woven Strands 9 AM: Writer's Ally 10 am: The Oasis 11 am: Fire and Ice 1 pm: Confessions of a Bookaholic <--You are here 3 pm: Jessie Harrell-The Daily Harrell
For the final cover reveal, go here on Monday Reading Teen Books Complete Me Mundie Moms Simple Love of Reading Stuck in Books
Bio: J.A. Souders was born in the heartland with an overactive imagination and an over abundance of curiosity that was always getting her into trouble. She first began writing at the age of 13, when she moved to Florida and not only befriended the monsters under the bed, but created worlds for them to play together. Because she never grew up, she decided she’d put her imaginary friends to work and started writing. She still lives in the land of sunshine and palm trees with her husband and their two children and is an active member of the RWA, CFRW, YARWA and SCBWI. She is represented by Natalie Lakosil of the Bradford Literary Agency. Her debut book, RENEGADE, surfaces Fall 2012 from Tor Teen.
I have the lovely and fabulous author of Article 5 here today. Kristen Simmons is a debut author and Article 5 is just incredible! My review will be posted later today. So who does she want to play her characters? Look below to find out and don't forget to enter the giveaway for a signed copy!
My Article 5 Casting List
Chase Janenings – Channing Tatum? I have a hard time deciding between the ever beautiful Channing Tatum and Mark Salling. I think Channing could be a perfect brooding/conflicted Chase. Plus he’s tall, and exudes that protective vibe that makes me a little wobbly in the knees.
Chase Janenings – Mark Salling? I do think that Puck might be a little closer physical match to Chase though. He would be perfect for Ember’s flashbacks of the sweet, fun bad boy she fell in love with. I can totally see him on a motorcycle. What do you think?
Ember Miller – Sophia Bush I also had a hard time choosing an actress to play Ember, but then someone pointed me in the direction of Sophia Bush, and I think she might be perfect. Ember lives in a world where women are forbidden from wearing makeup and dressing up, but she has a natural beauty that attracts those around her. Sophia easily captures Ember’s beauty, and her innocence, but definitely has a strength about her as well.
Tucker Morris – Kellen Lutz Tucker is handsome — blonde with an athletic build. He’s arrogant, but is also bound by his role as a solider. I think Kellan could play the perfect bad guy.
Rebecca – Dianna Agron In my second Glee choice of the evening, I nominate Quinn Fabray to play the part of Rebecca, Ember’s reform school roommate. She looks exactly how I imagine Rebecca looking, and can totally be both manipulative and fierce.
Sean – Alex Pettyfer Like Rebecca, Sean also has to play a dual role at reform school – he’s a guard, but he also has a secret life the FBR doesn’t know about. I think Alex has both a serious and a playful side, plus we already know he looks good with Dianna Agron!
Thanks for letting me stop by and play Jess! This was fun!
Thank you Kristen for sharing your cast (and hot pictures!). A movie with Channing, Kellen, and Alex?? I'm there!!
Article 5 by Kristen Simmons Publisher: Tor Teen (January 31st, 2012) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 368 pages Series: Article 5 #1 New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned.
The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.
There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don't come back.
Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren’t always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it’s hard for her to forget that people weren’t always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It’s hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different.
Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow.
That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Janenings… the only boy Ember has ever loved.
Prize:
1 winner will receive a SIGNED copy of Article 5.
4 winners will receive a bookmark.
Rules:
You must be at least 13 to enter.
Name and email must be provided.
Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
Contest is US only and ends February 15th.
Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers Publisher: Tor Teen (September 14th, 2010) Reading Level: Young Adult Paperback: 364 pages Source: Purchased Series: Personal Demons, book #1 Rating: 5 of 5 stars Frannie Cavanaugh is a good Catholic girl with a bit of a wicked streak. She's spent years keeping everyone at a distance—even her closest friends—and it seems her senior year will be more of the same… until Luc Cain enrolls in her class. No one knows where he came from, but Frannie can't seem to stay away from him. What she doesn't know is that Luc works in Acquisitions—for Hell—and she possesses a unique skill set that has the King of Hell tingling with anticipation. All Luc has to do is get her to sin, and he’s as tempting as they come. Frannie doesn’t stand a chance.
Unfortunately for Luc, Heaven has other plans, and the angel, Gabe, is going to do whatever it takes to make sure that Luc doesn’t get what he came for. And it isn't long before they find themselves fighting for more than just her soul.
But if Luc fails, there will be Hell to pay… for all of them. Review: I'll admit that I am a sucker for the love triangle and this brought that concept to amazing heights. In this story Frannie is stuck between Heaven and Hell, literally, and as much as this refers to her soul, it also refers to her heart. Luc is sent to tag her soul for Hell but he has a few problems along the way. First, Frannie takes him by surprise and he is suddenly drawn to her. Second, Gabe shows up. Luc knows Gabe and he wonders why there seems to be such a struggle to tag Frannie's soul. As he discovers more surrounding the mystery of Frannie's ability, he begins questioning his own intentions towards Frannie. Personal Demons switches from Luc and Frannie's perspective. Sometimes I am not a fan of various points-of-view but it worked in this story. I enjoyed getting to know Luc on a new level and without that chance, I don't think his feelings could have been as easily understood. This is as much Frannie's story as it was Luc's. I do wish I could have learned a little more about Gabe. He remains a bit of a mystery for me but I do think he has a heavier focus in the sequel, Original Sin. A big part of this book isn't simply the external struggle for Frannie; it's her own internal struggle as well. Frannie has a lot of guilt regarding her brother's death. Even though she is from a Catholic family she questions her own faith. I honestly felt for this character and what she had been through. I could understand her reasoning and see how difficult her situation would be. Although Personal Demons could be seen as mainly that dark internal struggle, Lisa provided so many opportunities for humor. I found myself laughing out loud often! One of my favorite characters was Frannie's grandfather. He was a no-nonsense type of guy and brought some very loving conversations to the mix. I enjoyed his strong connection with Frannie and his hopes for her. But c'mon this book immediately gained my interest because of the concept (choosing between Heaven and Hell) and the characters (Hot guys!) Luc is hot, sexy, mysterious, hot, funny, and did I mention hot? What I found interesting was that he could have been the one who remained a mystery but through his perspective we are able to learn a lot about his character. To me even now, Gabe is the mystery. I truly look forward to learning more about him. Personal Demons is a roller-coaster of emotions for Frannie and the reader! One choice and two amazing guys makes for one hot read! *My apologies for using"Hot" so often in this review; however, no other word would suffice. Thank you. Original Sin, book #2, will be released July 2011. Cover art is not available right now. Find Lisa Desrochers Lisa Desrochers / Blog / Twitter / Goodreads Purchase Personal Demons Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository
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!
Article 5 by Kristen Simmons Publisher: Tor Teen (January 31st, 2012) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 368 pages Source: ARC from Publisher Series: Article 5 #1 Rating: 5 of 5 stars New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned.
The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.
There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don't come back.
Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren’t always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it’s hard for her to forget that people weren’t always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It’s hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different.
Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow.
That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Janenings… the only boy Ember has ever loved. Review: This review is difficult to write because I enjoyed this book so much! I could never find words to express exactly what this book captures. The world inside Article 5 is startling. The War has changed everything. The rights of each citizen have been revoked and everyone must adhere to the Mortal Statutes. Ember gets a stark dose of reality when she finds out a new revision in Article 5 puts her and her mother's life in danger.
Ember knows of only some of the dangers around her. The world has changed and now people get arrested for the simplest thing. One day when Ember arrives at home, officers soon come to her door — a familiar face included. Chase, the boy from next door and the boy who had Ember's heart is standing there as Ember and her mother fight to stay together. Ember knows Chase is one of them now. An officer doing what he is told. Ember's mother is soon taken away and Ember is forced into a Girls' Reformation and Rehabilitation Center where she is to stay until she is 18.
While there, Ember is determined to break free and find her mother. Soon she gets her chance but it doesn't come as she would have expected. All of this puts her on a course to rely on Chase, the boy she doesn't know if she can trust, as they try to find her a safe place away from the pains of reality.
Ember is a fighter. She is a bit stubborn but willing to give whatever it takes in order to find her mother. She has a difficult time dealing with Chase because he doesn't seem like the person who used to live next door. He can be cold, deadly, and eerily quiet.
Chase may have changed, but his care for Ember remains the same. He would do anything to keep her safe. He is dangerous but so passionate and selfless. The demons inside of him may keep him more distant but he has a good heart. And, I'd like to mention that he is super hot! That's always important. Oh, and Kristen describes him as being similar to Channing Tatum. Need I say more?
Okay, now for the plot. I was so nervous while reading this book! I couldn't put it down but my eyes were wide and I had to even re-read passages to make sure I didn't miss any little detail. It has an incredible amount of action! I don't think there was one single page where something dramatic didn't happen.
The world inside of Article 5 is truly a bleak depiction of what a country could be after a devastating war. People fighting for food, clothing and shelter. A type of government who can come into any home, take anything, and arrest anyone for any reason. All supplies are scarce and everyone is fighting just to survive.
Kristen Simmons constructed and described this world flawlessly. Each new place Ember explored has its own set of troubles and characteristics. I felt as if I could see it all through Ember's eyes. Everything from the barren lands and deserted homes, to the desperate people. It was haunting and poignant.
Article 5 transported me into a world that was unfamiliar but all too possible. The charming characters, heart-stopping action, and imaginative plot quickly made this book a favorite. Kristen Simmons did an outstanding job and I can't wait to see where she goes next with this series.
Original Sin by Lisa Desrochers Publisher: Tor Teen (July 5th, 2011) Reading Level: Young Adult Paperback: 400 pages Source: Publisher Series: Personal Demons #2 Rating: 4 of 5 stars Luc Cain was born and raised in Hell, but he isn’t feeling as demonic as usual lately—thanks to Frannie Cavanaugh and the unique power she never realized she had. But you can’t desert Hell without consequences, and suddenly Frannie and Luc find themselves targeted by the same demons who used to be Luc’s allies.
Left with few options, Frannie and Luc accept the protection of Heaven and one of its most powerful angels, Gabe. Unfortunately, Luc isn’t the only one affected by Frannie, and it isn’t long before Gabe realizes that being around her is too… tempting. Rather than risk losing his wings, he leaves Frannie and Luc under the protection of her recently-acquired guardian angel.
Which would be fine, but Gabe is barely out the door before an assortment of demons appears—and they’re not leaving without dragging Luc back to Hell with them. Hell won’t give up and Heaven won’t give in. Frannie’s guardian exercises all the power he has to keep them away, but the demons are willing to hurt anyone close to Frannie in order to get what they want. It will take everything she has and then some to stay out of Hell’s grasp.
And not everyone will get out of it alive. Review: Personal Demons was such a fabulous book and I couldn't wait to get my hands on Original Sin. While I didn't love it as much as Personal Demons, it was still an incredible read!
May Contain Spoilers!
Original Sin started out with something I wasn't fond of --- Gabe leaves *gasp!* Gabe, you anger me! Not that Luc isn't hot and sexy enough on his own for this book, but I just missed Gabe being there to bring him down a notch. The interactions between Frannie, Gabe, and Luc can be hilarious!
But Original Sin seemed to have a darker turn and Frannie is finally able to test out her potential. She brings a lot of fight to this book and that was very nice to see. Luc is still a character I just can't help but love. His struggles with good and evil could really be felt all throughout this book. In addition, his love and passion for Frannie could not be denied. Could.not! And, although we don't get much of Gabe, when he is there, wow! I really want him to stick around.
We do get a chance to really get to know a new character here but I won't mention the name in case people haven't read book 1 because it is a BIG part of this book. I enjoyed him, but he infuriated me at the same time. He seemed to be a tad bit selfish and it made me question Gabe's thoughts in putting him in that position.
One thing that tended to bug me in this book was the fact that Frannie seemed so worried about her friend, but not very worried about Luc when he needed help. That confused me a bit and made me angry at her because she seemed too caught up in herself to see what Luc was going through. And, in traditional Frannie fashion, she seemed completely confused on what she wanted by the end of the book but it did make her seem a bit hypocritical.
But although it didn't grab me as strongly as Personal Demons, I highly enjoyed the plot in this one. It is dark, twisted, and much heavier in my opinion. I am really excited to see what happens next in book 3.
Find Lisa Desrochers Lisa Desrochers | Blog | Twitter | Goodreads Purchase Personal Demons Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository
The Immortals: Everlasting (The Immortals #6) by Alyson Noel (Macmillian Children's Books 7/1/2011) Fins Are Forever (Fins #2) by Tara Lynn Childs (Katherine Tegen Books 7/1/2011) Settling (Solid #2) by Shelley Workinger (CreateSpace 7/4/2011)
Original Sin (Personal Demons #2) by Lisa Desrochers (Tor Teen 7/5/2011) Twisted (Pretty Little Liars #9) by Sara Shepard (HarperTeen 7/5/2011) Sirensong (Faeriewalkers #3) by Janena Black (St. Martin's Griffin 7/5/2011)
Paradise by Jill S. Alexander (Feiwel & Friends 7/5/2011) Falling For Hamlet by Michelle Ray (Poppy 7/5/2011) Forever (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #3) by Maggie Stiefvater (Scholastic Press 7/12/2011)
Sass & Serendipity by Janenifer Ziegler (Delacorte Books for Young Readers 7/12/2011) Dragon's Oath (House of Night Novellas #1) by P.C. & Kristin Cast (St. Martin's Press 7/12/2011) Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore (Delacorte Books for Young Readers 7/12/2011)
Starstruck by Cyn Balog (Delacorte Books for Young Readers 7/12/2011) Sometimes it Happens by Lauren Barnholdt (Simon Pulse 7/12/2011) Undercurrent (Siren Trilogy #2) by Tricia Rayburn (EgmontUSA 7/12/2011)
Lost Voices (Lost Voices #1) by Sarah Porter (Harcourt Children's Books 7/4/2011) Luminous by Dawn Metcalf (Dutton Children's Books 7/7/2011) Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris (Delacorte Press 7/12/2011) If you know of any other new releases for July 1st-13th feel free to add them in the comments so others will know about them!
The premise of my novel, Personal Demons, is that angels and demons are moving among mortals looking for reasons to “tag” our souls to be either Heaven or Hell bound after death. At a recent signing I was asked how I knew what my characters looked like. I answered that I picked the most cliché appearances for a demon and angel I could think of. My thought was, if there truly were angels and demons walking the earth, would we ever allow ourselves to believe that’s what we were seeing, even if they looked and acted exactly how we would think an angel or a demon would? My main character, Frannie, is more jaded than most her age. A loss in her life has caused her to question her belief in anything she can’t touch. So, when “bad boy” Luc and the angelic Gabe show up to fight for her soul, it takes her a while to put the pieces together. This concept is something I’ve tossed around in my mind for a long time, since an encounter several years ago, in my reckless youth, left me wondering. Have you ever had the feeling you were being watched? You know, that skin-crawly feeling you get when you’re sure someone is following you? Yeah. Me too. So, as best as I can remember through the creepiness, here’s what happened. I was probably 14ish at the time and I was at our family cabin, which in a very quiet, secluded area in the Sierras. There are lots of peaceful hiking trails that meander through the thick woods. I’d spent my whole life wandering those woods. So, this day, I was out for a walk and had just picked my way across a stream, deeper into the woods, when I got that crawly feeling. There’s lots of wild life up there, so my first thought was that it was just some animal watching me. As the feeling got stronger, I started to worry it might me something like a bear or mountain lion, which would be a problem. Several times I stopped and listened, but heard nothing. Eventually, I creeped myself out enough that I decided, instead of making the whole loop of the trail, I’d turn around and head back the way I’d come. I hadn’t made it five feet back up the trail when I saw the girl. She was sitting on a boulder in the shadows a little off the path, and there seemed to be something dark and misty around her. Except, when I really focused my eyes on where she was, there was no one there. Just a shadow where the sun was filtering through the trees. In my defense, you have to remember that I’d spent the previous ten minutes creeping myself out, and my heart was racing, so I took off running. I slowed down a little crossing the stream (not as much as I did on my way out) and picked my way quickly across the stones. When I looked up, the girl was standing in the path in front of me. She was less foggy and I remember she had very light skin and dark hair. She was standing there, staring at me, so, of course, I stumbled back and fell on my butt in the water. And this is where I don’t really remember what happened very well. I remember my butt hitting the rocks (I had a huge bruise later) and the REALLY COLD water. Maybe it was the combination of the pain and the cold, but everything went foggy. I don’t remember pulling myself out of the stream or how I got home, but the next thing I do remember is sitting on the stairs of the cabin, sure I’d been having a conversation with someone, but unable to remember with who or what we said. I’d think I dreamed the whole thing, but my clothes were still damp—and my butt was sore. It was so easy to convince myself the girl had just been a figment of my over-active imagination. I didn’t say anything to my family, because I didn’t know what to say, but I never went walking alone after that. Thinking back on it now, though, I can’t help but wonder if the girl was really there. Was she a ghost? An angel? A demon? But, see, those things don’t exist… do they?
Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers Publisher: Tor Teen (September 14th, 2010) Reading Level: Young Adult Paperback: 364 pages Series: Personal Demons, book #1 Frannie Cavanaugh is a good Catholic girl with a bit of a wicked streak. She's spent years keeping everyone at a distance—even her closest friends—and it seems her senior year will be more of the same… until Luc Cain enrolls in her class. No one knows where he came from, but Frannie can't seem to stay away from him. What she doesn't know is that Luc works in Acquisitions—for Hell—and she possesses a unique skill set that has the King of Hell tingling with anticipation. All Luc has to do is get her to sin, and he’s as tempting as they come. Frannie doesn’t stand a chance.
Unfortunately for Luc, Heaven has other plans, and the angel, Gabe, is going to do whatever it takes to make sure that Luc doesn’t get what he came for. And it isn't long before they find themselves fighting for more than just her soul.
But if Luc fails, there will be Hell to pay… for all of them.
Prize:
1 winner will receive a signed copy of Personal Demons and swag (bookmarks, and Team Luc and Team Gabe tattoos).
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 November 12th.
Once contacted the winner will have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address.
The form must be filled out to enter.
- Thanks so much Lisa for the amazing story and book/swag donation. Go Team Luc.just sayin'; )
Find Lisa Desrochers Lisa Desrochers / Blog / Twitter / Goodreads Purchase Personal Demons Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository
Book Trailer: (And since I AM Team Luc, guess which trailer I picked.ha!)
* 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.
