January Wrap-up & Best of the Bunch :0)

Cool Bookish Things!

                                                                                                                                                 

Also, if you want to see the cutest, and most creative, book jewelry I have ever seen, check out Savannah at her twitter account @BookswithBite! She has a bunch of pics, on her profile, of all the cool charms she's been making :0)

                                                                                                                                                

Reviews:

"Bittersweet" by Sarah Ockler

"The Disenchantments" by Nina LaCour

"The Alchemy of Forever" by Avery Williams

"Incarnate" by Jodi Meadows

"Love? Maybe." by Heather Hepler

"Never Eighteen" by Megan Bostic

"New Girl" by Paige Harbison

"Someone Else's Life" by Katie Dale

"Under the Never Sky" by Veronica Rossi

                                                                                                                                                

"Cinder" by Marissa Meyer

*Release Date: January 3rd, 2012*

She had me at cyborg Cinderella, so reading this was a no-brainer. Once I got started I couldn't get enough! Such wonderful storytelling and world building. I am so glad this is part of a series and we'll be getting more of these wonderful characters. Unfortunately, I have to wait a whole year for the next one :0(

*My Review*

"New Girl" by Paige Harbison

Release Date: January 31st, 2012
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Format: eGalley
Age Group: Young Adult

They call me 'New Girl'...

Ever since I arrived at exclusive, prestigious Manderly Academy, that’s who I am. New girl. Unknown. But not unnoticed—because of her.

Becca Normandy—that’s the name on everyone’s lips. The girl whose picture I see everywhere. The girl I can’t compare to. I mean, her going missing is the only reason a spot opened up for me at the academy. And everyone stares at me like it’s my fault.

Except for Max Holloway—the boy whose name shouldn’t be spoken. At least, not by me. Everyone thinks of him as Becca’s boyfriend but she’s gone, and here I am, replacing her. I wish it were that easy. Sometimes, when I think of Max, I can imagine how Becca’s life was so much better than mine could ever be.

And maybe she’s still out there, waiting to take it back.


You know those teen movies from the late 90's and early 2000's, that took place in prep schools or country clubs, and they always had this ominous feeling hanging over them. You feel like something bad is happening, or is about to happen, and it's always just on the edge of everything. That's what this book was like for me. The whole time I was reading, I felt like I was watching one of those movies. And bravo, to Paige Harbison, for being able to consistently convey that feeling throughout the whole story.

I like that we don't get a name for the main character until the very end. In the beginning people actually call her new girl, but as the story goes on, she's just never refered to by name. It was an interesting choice by the author, but it added to the mystery of the whole thing. When we first meet her everything is tinged with a sense of dread, because she does not want to be at Manderly. Her homesickness is only made worse when she finds out the girl who's room she now lives in, is missing, and people don't really seem to want her as the replacement. The characters in this story were pretty intense, for so many different reasons. Dana, her roommate, was best friends with the missing girl and is on the verge of complete crazy. Max is very closed off, secretive, and hot and cold with his feelings. Johnny is the kind of overly nice, trying to care for everyone kind of guy. Sometimes it's a good thing, but sometimes it's creepy in it's own way.

We get alternating viewpoints from "new girl" and Becca, the missing girl. It was definitely nice to be able to really read the differences in personality between our main character, and the girl everyone is comparing her to. Becca seeks out trouble and pushes people into liking her, while "new girl" just wants to fit in and doesn't understand why people can't see that she is worth knowing. I originally thought this book was going to be the type of mystery, where the mc is desperately searching for clues and trying to solve what happened to the missing girl, but it didn't end up being like that at all. And it's better for it. It was definitely mysterious, because no one really knows what has happened and there is the added element of gloom all around. It's really just a story about people trying to move on, or not, with their lives now that someone important is gone.

Overall I really enjoyed the story. I liked that it was a little dark and intense, but I also really liked how the different characters meshed with one another to create this world. I look forward to more from Ms. Harbison in the future :0)

In My Mailbox (24)

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.It's a weekly showcase of the contents of our mailboxes!

For Review:

"The Gods of Gotham" by Lyndsay Faye

I decided I need to start reading books other than YA, at least a couple times a month, and this ARC came into the bookstore I work at and sounded fantastic. So I picked it up!

Bought:

"Article 5" by Kristen Simmons

I was late to the game on this one, but once I found out about I was pining like crazy! I was so excited that we got it in early at my bookstore :0)

"Awkward" by Marni Bates

I honestly didn't know about this book until last week, but I don't know how I missed it. This sounds like exactly my type of book, and I can't wait to read it :0)

"Forbidden" by Syrie James and Ryan James

Another angel book...I just can't help myself. They aren't always a win for me, but I just keep reading them. I'm looking forward to starting this one.

"Wither" by Lauren DeStefano

This one has been talked about so much and I finally decided to give it a go. I'm really looking forward to it!

"Beautiful" by Amy Reed

I've got her upcoming book "Crazy" in my review pile and I really wanted to read one of her other books first. I just LOVE the cover on this one and it sounded really good, so I picked it up.

"The Book of Awesome" by Neil Pasricha

This book is really cool. I've started paging through it and I'm really enjoying it :0)

The Shopping List January 29th - February 5th

The Shopping List showcases the exciting new releases for the upcoming week :0)

"Incarnate" by Jodi Meadows
Release Date: January 31st, 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins

NEWSOUL
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

HEART
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

"Wings of the Wicked" Courtney Allison Moulton
Release Date: January 31st, 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins

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

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

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






"Article 5" by Kristen Simmons
Release Date: January 31st, 2012
Publisher: Tor Teen

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 Jennings…the only boy Ember has ever loved.









"Destiny and Deception" (13 to Life #4) by Shannon Delany
Release Date: January 31st, 2012
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

The sensational fourth novel in the 13 to Life series sees Jessica and the Rusakuvas fighting to overcome one of their biggest challenges yet--the possibility of a cure for lycanthropy. With the threat of the mafia seemingly gone and the company's headquarters in Junction destroyed, Pietr Rusakova is adjusting to being a normal teen and Jess is realizing normalcy may not be what she wanted after all. But both Jess and Cat know the truth--that normal can't be taken for granted.

Their precious cure isn't permanent--and when a new danger stalks into their small town, Alexi decides he must overcome his issues with the mother who abandoned him to be raised by wolves and make a brand new deal to save his adopted family.








"The Dead of Winter" by Chris Priestley
Release Date: January 31st, 2012
Publisher: Bloomsbury

An orphaned boy, a desolate house, and a poltergeist with a terrible itch for revenge…

After Michael's parents die, he is invited to stay with his guardian in a desolate country house. He begins to suspect something is not quite right on the day he arrives when he spots a mysterious woman out in the frozen mists. But little can prepare him for the solitude of the house itself. His guardian is rarely seen, and there's a malevolent force lurking in an old hallway mirror.

As the chilling suspense builds, Michael realizes that the house and its grounds harbor many more secrets-both dead and alive.

"Harbinger" by Sara Wilson Etienne
Release Date: February 2nd, 2012
Publisher: Putnam

When sixteen-year-old Faye arrives at Holbrook Academy, she doesn't expect to find herself exactly where she needs to be. After years of strange waking visions and nightmares, her only comfort the bones of dead animals, Faye is afraid she's going crazy. Fast.

But her first night at Holbrook, she feels strangely connected to the school and the island it sits on, like she's come home. She's even made her first real friends, but odd things keep happening to them. Every morning they wake on the floors of their dorm rooms with their hands stained red.

Faye knows she's the reason, but what does it all mean? The handsome Kel tries to help her unravel the mystery, but Faye is certain she can't trust him; in fact, he may be trying to kill her - and the rest of the world too.

Rich, compelling writing will keep the pages turning in this riveting and tautly told psychological thriller.

"This One Time with Julia" by David Lampson
Release Date: February 2nd, 2012
Publisher: Razorbill



The story of Joe, a boy who can fall in love but can’t grow up

After Joe’s parents died, he stopped growing up. He doesn’t know where his money comes from. His diet consists primarily of cheeseburgers from McDonald’s. He plays basketball on the level of
a pro, but he has only ever played on the streets.

Then his brother disappears, and Julia shows up. Joe falls in love with Julia as quickly as his twin brother, Alvin, did. And like Alvin did before him, he runs away with Julia to her parents’ hotel. There, he’s so blinded by her seductive, dysfunctional family that he can’t see the truth of his brother’s disappearance
… until he accidentally stumbles upon Alvin’s killer.







"Pure" by Julianna Baggott
Release Date: February 2nd, 2012
Publisher: Grand Central

We know you are here, our brothers and sisters . . .
Pressia barely remembers the Detonations or much about life during the Before. In her sleeping cabinet behind the rubble of an old barbershop where she lives with her grandfather, she thinks about what is lost-how the world went from amusement parks, movie theaters, birthday parties, fathers and mothers . . . to ash and dust, scars, permanent burns, and fused, damaged bodies. And now, at an age when everyone is required to turn themselves over to the militia to either be trained as a soldier or, if they are too damaged and weak, to be used as live targets, Pressia can no longer pretend to be small. Pressia is on the run.
Burn a Pure and Breathe the Ash . . .
There are those who escaped the apocalypse unmarked. Pures. They are tucked safely inside the Dome that protects their healthy, superior bodies. Yet Partridge, whose father is one of the most influential men in the Dome, feels isolated and lonely. Different. He thinks about loss-maybe just because his family is broken; his father is emotionally distant; his brother killed himself; and his mother never made it inside their shelter. Or maybe it's his claustrophobia: his feeling that this Dome has become a swaddling of intensely rigid order. So when a slipped phrase suggests his mother might still be alive, Partridge risks his life to leave the Dome to find her.
When Pressia meets Partridge, their worlds shatter all over again.

What's on your shopping lists?

Book Dominoes :0)

I've been under the weather for most of the week and because of this, I have fallen a bit behind on my blog schedule...so I have don't have a new review for today...BUT!!! I have another really cool book video to share. I never realized how awesome youtube really is :0)

"Graffiti Moon" by Cath Crowley

Release Date: February 14th, 2012
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Format: eGalley
Age Group: Young Adult

Senior year is over, and Lucy has the perfect way to celebrate: tonight, she's going to find Shadow, the mysterious graffiti artist whose work appears all over the city. He's out there somewhere—spraying color, spraying birds and blue sky on the night—and Lucy knows a guy who paints like Shadow is someone she could fall for. Really fall for. Instead, Lucy's stuck at a party with Ed, the guy she's managed to avoid since the most awkward date of her life. But when Ed tells her he knows where to find Shadow, they're suddenly on an all-night search around the city. And what Lucy can't see is the one thing that's right before her eyes.




This book makes me want to spend my days looking at all kinds of art exhibits, and my nights wandering the city looking for graffiti art. I loved how much this book focuses on art and what it means to different people. I especially liked how it recognized so many different things as being art. I have always liked art and gotten enjoyment out of looking at it, but after reading this I think I have a whole new appreciation.

The story takes place over the course of one day, but nothing feels rushed or artificial about any of it. The two main characters, Lucy and Ed, have a little history between them and it makes for some hilarious moments. There is something about spending time with them in the dark, that makes it feel like you can say almost anything. It's like the darkness will keep the secrets you share. And Cath Crowley wrote the darkness, the secrets and all the moments between these characters beautifully. I like that we know from the

Book Blogger Love-A-Thon hosted by Kate's Tales of Books and Bands!

In case any of you weren't sure, Katelyn is probably the most thoughtful person out there. With Valentine's Day coming up, she wanted to do a blog event, so what even does she come up with? Book Blogger Love-A-Thon, an event that gets people out there sharing the love and spreading the word about all the sites they love in the blogging community!

She put together all of the information about this Love-A-Thon in a great post, so I am going to copy and paste it, that way you can fully understand this awesome thing she is starting :0)

What is a Love-A-Thon, you may ask? It is quite similar to a Read-A-Thon but instead of reading books for an extended period of time, you will be spreading the love to bloggers all over! I am still working out a lot of minor details but here’s what I hope to accomplish with this love-fest:

Who: Anyone and everyone can sign up just as long as you remember to keep it friendly! I would like it if you had a place to post stuff so having a blog is required (I don’t think anyone without a blog would try to sign up for a Blog Love-A-Thon but sometimes you can never be too careful!)

What: A Blogger Love-A-Thon! This will be a day full of commenting on blogs, following blogs, tweeting about blogs, thanking blogs, sharing the word about awesome blogs, telling another blogger how freaking awesome they are, the list goes on and on. Basically it will consist of fun posts, mini challenges, lots of commenting, and perhaps a giveaway or two! I do not have a full schedule completely detailed out yet but I will be e-mailing it to everyone who hopes to participate. Since I am a simple person and like to keep things that way, it will most likely be a fairly easy-to-follow schedule!

When: February 17th 2012 at 12:00 a.m. EST until February 18th 2012 at 12: a.m. EST. I understand that life gets in the way which is why I am not putting in major time restrictions on how long you have to actually be participating! If you can only do it for 12 hours, then do it for those 12 hours!

Where: Twitter, blogs, Facebook! All of your posts will be on your blog but OF COURSE links are welcomed on Twitter and Facebook!

Why: I doubt any of you were asking this question but just in case, it is because there are SO MANY book bloggers that I love! I want to take this opportunity to tell them how much I appreciate all the time and energy they put into their blogs. I know this is hard work and we have all had that moment of feeling like “is there anyone even paying attention to what I’m saying?” I just really hope that a day like this will be good to lift the spirits of book bloggers everywhere! (There I go sounding all cheesy! I am sure I’ll be regretting my wording in about 2 hours but oh well, it gets the point across!)

How: If you would like to participate it is easy to sign up! (Or as easy as I can make it!)

If you want to sign up, which I can't imagine not wanting to, click HERE and it will take you to Katelyn's site!

We all know the blogging community can be a wonderful place, so let's all sign up and spread the love :0)

Waiting on Wednesday - Cold Fury

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted over at Breaking the Spine, that showcases our most wanted upcoming releases.

 

Going with another paranormal this week! This one sounds so awesome, I just had to share :0)

 

"Cold Fury" by T.M. Goeglein

*Release Date: July 24th, 2012*

 

Sara Jane Rispoli is just a normal sixteen-year-old girl coping with school and a developing crush— until her parents and younger brother are kidnapped, and she discovers her family has been a key figure of Chicago’s Outfit (aka the mob) for decades. Her father, grandfather and great grandfather all used their special ability, cold fury, to settle disputes between the two mob factions—the muscle and the money. And unless Sara wants the mob to think her now missing family has turned state’s evidence, she will have to fill her father’s shoes as the mob’s peacemaker, using her own cold fury.

What could possibly be wrong with a paranormal mob story? Nothing, that's what. This sounds so unbelievably cool and I can't wait to dive into Rispoli family's story and learn about their cold fury. Alos, it doesn't hurt that the main character and I share a first name :0)

 

"Incarnate" by Jodi Meadows

Release Date: January 31st, 2012
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Format: eGalley
Age Group: Young Adult

NEWSOUL
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

HEART
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

I was under the false assumption that this was a straight up dystopian novel. And that does a disservice to this story. Incarnate brings us into a wonderfully realized world of fantasy. We are introduced to Ana as she sets off for Heart, the city where all of her people live. She wants to find out why she is here and where she comes from. She's been secluded her whole with her mother, Li, because she is embarassed that Ana is new and doesn't feel like she belongs here. Li is so horrible to Ana, mostly because Ana replaced her friend, who was supposed to be reincarnated. Of course it doesn't take long for her to run into trouble. She runs into a Sylph, these shadowy monsters that burn you to death. One attacks Ana and nearly kills her, but after she manages to out run it and jumps into the freezing lake, she is saved by Sam. She's never been able to trust another, because Li always lied and abused her, so he has a hard time accepting Sam's help at first. Eventually she does and the two of them head back to Heart, only to be met with more troubles.

The story had such an intriguing premise and I was so curious to learn more about the mysteries of Herat, and how the people there were able to be. Unfortunately, it was really slow going for about the first half of the book. We spent a lot of time reading about day to day activities and there wasn't a lot of action happening in the book. We learn quite a bit about Heart and the people who inhabit it, but nothing very exciting really happens until quite a ways in. That's not necessarily a bad thing, because the things we found out were interesting and provided a nice picture of who all of these people might be, but sometimes it dragged for me and I was anxious for something to happen. Of course, once things started happening, they didn't let up. My favorite thing about this book, were the dragons. I was not expecting them and I am so glad they appeared. It gave the world just a little more depth and brought out the fantasy elements even more. We get some shocking twists, secrets revealed, and even  more mysteries for the next book to flesh out. I love the idea of reincarnation and what Jodi Meadows has done with it here.

Now let's talk a little about Ana and Sam. There is definitely a great romance in there, but it's not the stuff of fairy tales. There is no instant love connection, or the creepy dependency going on here. The romance is slow and tentative, it builds throughout the story and feels very authentic. By the end of the book you really believe that they have these feelings for one another, it doesn't seem false or forced, because of their situation. I really enjoyed the two of them as the main characters, too. They are very much their own people, but they also have so much in common. Ana started out distrustful and strong willed, and by the end of the book she is still strong willed, but has learned that she can count on others. Sam is an old soul, literally, and because of this he could have been completely patronizing and unwilling to believe Ana could do anything for herself. At first he had moments where he treated her as new, but for the most part he was encouraging and wanted her to learn. The two of them together made for some very enjoyable reading.

Despite it being a little slow for me at times, this was an excellently written and fully realized world. It had great characters, both good and bad, and I can't wait to find out more about what we learned at the end of this book. I'm even more excited to figure out the new mysteries along with all of these wonderful characters :0)

Giveaway: The Catastrophic History of You and Me + Wristcutters: A Love Story DVD :0)

One of my favorite books is coming out next month, "The Catastrophic History of You and Me" by Jess Rothenberg, and I wanted to celebrate by hosting a giveaway for it! But wait, that's not all! The book always makes me think of one of my favorite movies, "Wristcutters: A Love Story", because there are some things in both that are similarly awesome. So, I'm giving a copy of the movie away with the book! I highly recommend both the book and the movie, and I love to share, so this giveaway was born :0)

Both items will be shipped together from amazon, so unfortunately, this one is US only. It's a little too much for international shipping costs, but don't worry, I'll be doing more international giveaways in the future :0)






One winner will receive both the book and the movie! "The Catastrophic History of You and Me" doesn't come out until February 21st, so that's when the winner will be chosen! To enter just go to the rafflecopter below. Good Luck :0)

Check out the new book trailer for "The Catastrophic History of You and Me"! It's so fun :0)




a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Joy of Books! SO cool :0)

I saw this video on youtube and just had to share it, SO cool!! :0)

"The Disenchantments" by Nina LaCour

Release Date: February 16th, 2012
Publisher: Dutton
Format: ARC
Age Group: Young Adult

Colby and Bev have a long-standing pact: graduate, hit the road with Bev's band, and then spend the year wandering around Europe. But moments after the tour kicks off, Bev makes a shocking announcement: she's abandoning their plans - and Colby - to start college in the fall.

But the show must go on and The Disenchantments weave through the Pacific Northwest, playing in small towns and dingy venues, while roadie- Colby struggles to deal with Bev's already-growing distance and the most important question of all: what's next?


This book is everything you would expect going on tour with a band should be. It was entertaining, crazy, dramatic, full of heart and so much fun! The Disenchantments are the worst girl group, but you will have the best time seeing them. Bev, Meg and Alexa may not be technically good, but they are so passionate about their music and love what they do so much, that people can't help but have a great time while at their shows. The summer after graduation the girls hit the road for their tour, along with Bev's best friend and loyal roadie, Colby.

I loved that this was from Colby's point of view. I haven't read very many books with a male point of view and Colby had a great voice. It was fun being inside his head while on tour with three girls, one of them being the love of his life and also the girl who's just informed him that she is abandoning their plans. I don't know about most people, but when I was a teenager I never really thought of guys having the same types of emotional reactions to things that girls did. Obviously guys have feelings, but it was cool to read Colby reacting to Bev's news in the same way I might have at that age. He was pretty brave, too. When facing a sudden uncertain future, I don't know that I could have stayed in the van. Meg and Alexa were so much fun. They are sisters and complete opposites, but they balance each other out so well. Alexa is the planner. She keeps schedules and lists, and does her best to keep them all on track. Of course, on any good road trip, things never go exactly as they are planned. Meg is a little more carefree and is about living for the moment. One of the best detours in their trip, was a direct result of one of Meg's impulsive moments. Bev was the hardest character to get to know. After bailing on her plans with Colby, she stays pretty closed off for most of the tour. We get some background on her, from flashbacks, but it isn't until the end of the book that we start to see who Bev really is. In the end they are four friends, who are just regular teenagers, that are about to start their lives in seperate directions.

This is such a great story of growing up and figuring out who you want to be. Plans are a great source of comfort, but life can't really be planned and the best things come from the unexpected. I went back and forth during this whole book on how I hoped it would end, and even though it didn't turn out exactly as I imagined, the ending was my favorite part of the whole story. It was the exact ending that all of these characters needed and it left me feeling excited and hopeful for their futures. After this book I am a huge fan of Nina LaCour and I can't wait to read what she has for us in the future. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone, it's feel good and honest, fun and dramatic, and has everything a story like this needs :0)

In My Mailbox (23)

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.It's a weekly showcase of the contents of our mailboxes!

Won from Tammi @ Young Adult Book Reviews:
"Enthralled" by Melissa Marr & Kelley Armstrong
(Thanks, Tammi! It's really cool!)
Won from Jordan Dane's Blog Tour:
"On A Dark Wing" by Jordan Dane

For Review:
"Partials" by Dan Wells
"Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters" by Meredith Zeitlan
"Embrace" by Jessica Shirvington

Bought:
"Amplified" by Tara Kelly
"Cinder" by Marissa Meyer
"Hallowed" by Cynthia Hand
"Under the Never Sky" by Veronica Rossi

*Thanks Sourcebooks Fire, Anne @ G.P. Putnam, HarperTeen, Tammi, NetGalley & Jordan Dane!*

The Shopping List: January 23rd-29th

"Everneath" by Brodi Ashton

Release Date: January 24th, 2012
Publisher: Balzer + Bray

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

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists. Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

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







"There Is No Dog" by Meg Rosoff
Release Date: January 24th, 2012
Publisher: Penguin

Meet your unforgettable protagonist: God, who, as it turns out, is a 19-year-old boy living in the present-day and sharing an apartment with his long-suffering fifty-something personal assistant. Unfortunately for the planet, God is lazy and, frankly, hopeless. He created all of the world's species in six days because he couldn't summon the energy to work for longer. He gets Africa and America mixed up. And his beleagured assistant has his work cut out for him when God creates a near-apolcalyptic flood, having fallen asleep without turning the bath off.

"Getting Over Garrett Delaney" by Abby McDonald
Release Date: January 24th, 2012
Publisher: Candlewick

Can a twelve-step program help Sadie kick her unrequited crush for good? Abby McDonald serves up
her trademark wit and wisdom in a hilarious new novel.

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

"Fallen in Love" by Lauren Kate
Release Date: January 24th, 2012
Publisher: Delacorte


What makes your heart race a little faster? Just in time for Valentine's Day, it's FALLEN IN LOVE, four wholly original new stories collected in a new novel set in the Middle Ages by Lauren Kate. FALLEN IN LOVE gives fans the much-talked about but never-revealed stories of FALLEN characters as they intertwine with the epic love story of Luce and Daniel. The stories include: Love Where You Least Expect It: The Valentine of Shelby and Miles , Love Lessons: The Valentine of Roland; Burning Love: The Valentine of Arriane; and Endless Love: The Valentine of Daniel and Lucinda.

"Pink Smog" by Francesca Lia Block
Release Date: January 24th, 2012
Publisher: HarperTeen

The girl in the mirror wasn’t who I wanted to be, and her life wasn’t the one I wanted to have.

Despite how much Louise insists, no one will call her Weetzie. It’s her dad’s nickname for her, but it won’t stay put. Neither will her dad. Charlie left Louise and her mom and he took everything with him: her family, her home—and her understanding of who she’s meant to be.

But Los Angeles is a city full of strange angels, and Louise embarks on a journey to sift through the smog of her heartbreak, to grow her own wings, to become Weetzie.

"Life Eternal" by Yvonne Woon
Release Date: January 24th, 2012
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Renée Winters has changed. When she looks in the mirror, a beautiful girl with an older, sadder face stares back. Her condition has doctors mystified, but Renée can never reveal the truth: she died last May, and was brought back to life by the kiss of her Undead soul mate, Dante Berlin.

Now, her separation from Dante becomes almost unbearable. His second life is close to an end, and each passing day means one less that she will spend with the boy who shares her soul.

Just when Renée has almost given up hope, she learns of the Nine Sisters—brilliant scholars who, according to legend, found a way to cheat death. She can’t shake the feeling that they are somehow connected to her dreams, strange visions that hint at a discovery so powerful, and so dangerous, that some will stop at nothing to protect it.

Renée thought she knew the truth about life and death. But there is a secret woven through history that holds the only hope for Dante and Renée. Unless they find answers soon, their time together is doomed to be cut short.

So what's on your shopping lists?!?

The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour ARC Giveaway!!

I just finished this book this week and I can't say enough good things about it. I absolutely LOVED it and I want to share it with you! (My Review)

A good book deserves to be read by as many people as possible, and my hope is that when I pass it on to one of you, you'll pass it on again after you've read it. This one should be spread around guys, it's such a great story and fabulously written. Share the love :0)

The giveaway is for my ARC copy of "The Disenchantments"! Just go to the Rafflecopter below and put in your entries!

Good Luck :0)





a Rafflecopter giveaway

With so many books, how do you keep your reading in check? Let's share what's working for us :0)

I don't know about you guys, but since I've been blogging, reading doesn't seem to be as easy and just reading anymore. There are so many books out there and all of the subsequent reviews that need to be written. Unfortunately, with blogging my book addiction only seems to be getting worse. I was having a hard time fitting in all of the books that needed to be read. I figured I'm not the only one that has a hard time keeping their reading on track, at least on occasion, and I thought others might like to share what has worked or is working for them.

I've started making lists, review schedules, and most importantly, a reading schedule. It's been working alright for me so far, but it's only been a little over week, so I'm sure I'll continue having to tweak things.

The blogging community is such a great and encouraging one, and plenty of people have given me advice along the way. It's nice to work with one another so we can all have the best blogging experience, possible.

So what are you guys doing to keep your reading in check and lessen your blogging stress??
(Please leave your thoughts in the comments)

Thanks for sharing, guys :0)

"Never Eighteen" by Megan Bostic

Release Date: January 17th, 2012
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Format: Paperback
Age Group: Young Adult

Austin Parker is on a journey to bring truth, beauty, and meaning to his life.

Austin Parker is never going to see his eighteenth birthday. At the rate he’s going, he probably won’t even see the end of the year. The doctors say his chances of surviving are slim to none even with treatment, so he’s decided it’s time to let go.

But before he goes, Austin wants to mend the broken fences in his life. So with the help of his best friend, Kaylee, Austin visits every person in his life who touched him in a special way. He journeys to places he’s loved and those he’s never seen. And what starts as a way to say goodbye turns into a personal journey that brings love, acceptance, and meaning to Austin’s life.



I knew going in that this book was going to make me cry. Austin is going to die and this is the story of him trying to make a difference in other people's lives, before his time is up. I've never been faced with my own mortality, but I'm not sure my last thoughts would be to make other people see that life is for living. Austin was such a noble character.

The book takes place, mostly, over the course of one weekend. Austin has a list of people who were important to him in his life, one way or another, and life has dragged them down. He enlists his best friend Kaylee, and her car, to set out and talk to all of these people. He wants to make them see that things may have been bad, but they are worth overcoming. He wants those close to him, and some not so close to him, to live the life he no longer has. I especially loved the parts with Austin and his parents, they were the most tear inducing, but also the most touching. Parents don't always know everything and sometimes the kid has to do whatever they can to make them see what they are missing, even if it's using their death as leverage.

Compared to the 400 page books that are so common these days, this book was quick read. It didn't matter, though, because Megan Bostic packed one heck of a story into those 200 pages. Spending the weekend with Austin, Kaylee and all of the other characters felt real and by the end I felt for every single one of them. I can't believe how many emotions I felt in such a short time, but it was the best kind of emotional rollercoaster. The end is simply that, for Austin, but for the rest of his world there is so much hope and so much life.

This is definitely one I would recommend picking up, it's such a great story and one that shouldn't be missed. Grab the book, some tissues and spend a couple of hours getting to know Austin, while he reminds you that your life is important.

"Fracture" by Megan Miranda

Release Date: January 17th, 2012
Publisher: Walker
Format: ARC
Age Group: Young Adult

Eleven minutes passed before Delaney Maxwell was pulled from the icy waters of a Maine lake by her best friend Decker Phillips. By then her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly fine despite the scans that showed significant brain damage. Everyone wants Delaney to be all right, but she knows she's far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney finds herself drawn to the dying. Is her altered brain now predicting death, or causing it?

Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who recently emerged from a coma with similar abilities. At first she's reassured to find someone who understands the strangeness of her new existence, but Delaney soon discovers that Troy's motives aren't quite what she thought. Is their gift a miracle, a freak of nature-or something much more frightening?

I loved this book! The story was intriguing, which is why I wanted to read it in the first place, but I never expected it to make me feel so much. There are so many raw and real emotions throughout Delaney's story. Although, I guess this isn't just her story, it starts with something horrible happening to her and then grows to show how it has affected her entire world.

There is a bit of a supernatural element woven into the story and it could have become an epic paranormal about finding out where it stems from and what she can really do, but ultimately this story is about the people. That's not to say Delaney's "ability" is ignored and never really explored, because we do learn about it and its implications, but it's not the driving force behind everything. Delaney's family and friends are what really make this story. They are all people just trying to deal with this terrifying and miraculous thing that has happened. None of them are perfect and they are constantly

"Love? Maybe." by Heather Hepler

Release Date: January 5th, 2012
Publisher: Dial
Format: Hardcover
Age Group: Young Adult

Just because Piper's birthday is on Valentine's Day does not mean she's a romantic. In fact, after watching her father and then her stepfather leave, she's pretty sure she doesn't believe in love at all. Then her friends concoct a plan to find them all Valentine's dates, and somehow Piper finds herself with the most popular guy in school. But true love never follows a plan, and a string of heartfelt gifts from a secret admirer has Piper wondering if she might be with the wrong guy.

In this heartwarming romance, true love is more than a maybe - and it might be closer than you think.




Candy, cute neighbor boys, Valentine's Day, crazy best friends and secret admirer's! This book has it all. I actually really liked that the main character, Piper, was really cynical about love. I'm not saying it's good for such a young person to have such a jaded view, but it definitely added something different to the story. It also meant there was more to the story and I couldn't wait to find out why she was so down on love.

Despite her hate relationship with love, I thought Piper was an excellent character. Her mom was crazy, busy with her flower shop and it often fell on Piper to take care of her little brother and sister. The kids were way more than a handful, but it was so clear how much she loved her siblings and would do anything to help out no matter how much trouble they caused. The book also spends a lot of time in the candy shop she works at, and who doesn't love candy? Her boss, Jan, was so much fun. He dispensed fatherly advice as much as he dispensed crazy truffles (kalamata caramel, anyone?). Quite a bit of the story actually takes place in his candy shop, Piper and her best friends helped him out on a regular basis. I was a fan of both of her besties. Claire was on the more sensible side and knew Piper so well. She'd suffered recent heartbreak, but she wouldn't give up on love. She was almost the anti-Piper. Jillian was the newest to their little group. She was the loud, zany friend who's always got a plan. And her plan was for them all to have love by Valentine's Day. Unforunately, you can't really plan to fall in love. Then there was Charlie, he and Piper have been neighbors and best friends forever. They frequent the roof outside Piper's bedroom for late night chats, which I loved, and he was also excellent with her younger siblings. Even though Piper is sort of dating the popular boy, Charlie is the kind of character that makes you want to shout at her and asking her why she doesn't realize how special he is.

This was a fun, romantic read that had a lot of heart and a few deeper issues. Even though some parts were fairly predictable, I didn't care. I enjoyed this one all the way through and came out grinning at the end. This is definitely one worth a read :0)

"Under the Never Sky" by Veronica Rossi

Release Date: January 3rd, 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins
Format: eGalley
Age Group: Young Adult

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

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

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

There have been no shortage of majorly hyped debuts over the past few months, and this one was among the top. I was a little concerned when starting it, because some of the others didn't win me over like I had hoped, but I shouldn't have worried. For me, this book lived up to all the hype and then surpassed it. The world building in this was just amazing. I really felt like I was wandering the forests with Aria and Perry. And even though it was deadly and dangerous, I kept wishing I could actually see an aether filled sky. The gadgets and realms that Aria grew up with were really cool to read about. It's the type of technology that you can really imagine being a part of our future, but as cool as it was with all of it's endless possibilities, I much prefered spending time in the open with the Outsiders. They weren't exacly like us either. Side effects of the aether storms have caused mutations in genetics and some of the outsiders have seriously heightened senses. The heightened sight and hearing that some of them had was really cool, but I think my favorite had to be the Scires. They could scent peoples tempers and feelings. That was one I'd never heard of before.

The book is told in alternating perspectives, between Aria and Perry. I can't pick a favorite between the two of them, they were both excellent characters. They start out hating each other, because that is how they were raised to feel, but as the story goes on they form better understandings of each other and learn to accept things they always been told to despise. Aria was such a fun character to get to know. At first she was fragile and scared of almost everything, just being outside was a completely new experience for her. It actually made me a little nervous at first, because I was afraid she was going to be the wimpy, needy girl. She didn't behave that way for long, though, and the more days they spent traveling the more of a spark you saw in her. The first time we meet Perry, he's a lot mysterious and hot tempered. Once him and Aria end up traveling together, he's an ass. He blames Aria for things and doesn't try to hide it, but as the story goes on you get to see that he isn't exactly what he puts on. I love a story where there is true character growth and bonds forming. Nothing about this book was quick or easy with the characters or their journey, and I was never sure which direction it was going to go.

This one has got action, rich story, vivid characters and an excellent world. It's an excellent start for this series and I am definitely looking forward to reading what's next. So much progress was made for Aria and Perry, but there are still so many obstacles that need to be overcome. Bring on book two :0)

In My Mailbox (22) - Birthday Edition :0)

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.It's a weekly showcase of the contents of our mailboxes!

 

Since today is my birthday, I placed a nice big pre-order with B&N while they were having the 50% off YA sale. And I was lucky enough that they all came in the mail yesterday! I also got a few books from Kristi at The Story Siren, for donating to Books for Kids and her cousin :0)

 

 

Birthday Presents to Myself:

"The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green

"Every Other Day" by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

"Never Eighteen" by Megan Bostic

"The Mockingbirds" by Daisy Whitney

"The Space Between" by Brenna Yovanoff

"Nightshade" by Andrea Cremer

Present from my friend Olivia:

"Seeds to Harvest" by Octavia E. Butler (This one sounds really cool! It's about African mythology, gods and demigods. It's one of her favorites and I'm really looking forward to reading it!)

From Kristi:

"The Hunger Games Companion" by Lois H. Gresh

"Kiss Crush Collide" by Christina Meredith (ARC)

"Melody Burning" by Whitley Strieber (ARC)

"The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers" by Lynn Weingarten (ARC)

When I saw that the first season of 'Awkward.' was available on dvd from amazon, I had to get it. I can't help it, I just adore this show :0)

What did you guys get in your mailboxes?!?