Follow Friday (4)

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. 

I'm a little behind on these, but here it goes!

Here's the question of the week:

Q. What book that hasn't been turned into a movie (yet) would you most like to see make it to the big screen, and who would you like cast as your favorite character? 

A: Well my first choice would be City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, but since they've already cast that (I love Jamie Cambell Bower as Jace by the way), I'd love her other book Clockwork Angel to be made into a movie. I'm horrible with casting, so I have absolutely no idea who I would want as Tessa and Will and Jem. Beautiful people I guess? Another book I'd love to be made into a movie is Divergent by Veronica Roth. It's my favorite dystopian out there right now and I'd love to watch that world and story unfold onscreen. And who doesn't want to see how hot Four would be in real life?

Hush, Hush series book 4??

Becca Fitzpatrick announced on her blog today that we are going to get even more of our beloved Patch and Nora than we ever thought possible! But why should I spoil the news for her? Here it is, in her own words:

Hey everyone!

Thrilled to make this announcement: There will be a fourth book in the HUSH, HUSH saga! The book (untitled) will be out Fall 2012. Why the change in plans, you ask? First, I felt compelled to write a book set during Cheshvan, since it plays such a huge role in the HUSH, HUSH series. Second, fans and readers have been asking for a fourth book, and I wanted to deliver! I've spent the past couple months writing book 4, and I know how the story is going to end. The fourth book will be the final installment.

To read more about the fourth book, as well as Chapter 1 of SILENCE (10/4) visit USA Today for the scoop!

Also, MTV.com revealed the SILENCE trailer today. Watch it here!

-Becca

Could she any more awesome? I'll be going to a signing of hers with Moira Young and Elizabeth Miles on October 6th. I'll be sure to ask her about it. Check it all out on my signings page here.

In My Mailbox (8)

In My Mailbox is a meme posted by Kristi over at The Story Siren, where you create a post of the books you either received in the mail, bought at a bookstore, or borrowed from the library. If you'd like to know my thoughts about IMM, check out the link near the top of my blog called In My Mailbox. Simple, right? Anyway, onto the books!

NOTE: If you're unfamiliar with how I do things with my IMM, I basically give a little back story to the books I have pictured. Also, if there are ARC's, I'll give a synopsis and date published.

From Amazon:

~Plague by Michael Grant: I actually got this signed earlier today. There were literally only like 5 people there so it was a more personal author event. I'll post up a recap of the event soon. I'm very excited to start this series now that I've met the man behind the books.

~Hades by Alexandra Adornetto: So I thought this author was going to be part of the Pen Fatale tour with Alyson Noel, Jessica Brody, and Mary E. Pearson, and as I have yet to start this series, I bought it for that reason. But it turns out she's no longer with the tour... Oh well, I'll get to this series eventually. And I like the cover.

~Possess by Gretchen McNeil: On Sunday I'll be getting this copy signed by the author! I'm so excited to meet her and start this awesome book. Once I finish it and write up review, I'll also be featuring an interview with Gretchen, so look for that sometime this month. Obviously, I'll be reviewing this one.

~Fury by Elizabeth Miles: This is another event author, who I'll be seeing later this month with Becca Fitzpatrick and Moira Young. Lately this hasn't gotten the best reviews, but I always love mythology books, and the cover is just so perty! I'll likely be reviewing this one.

~All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin: I've had her first novel, Elsewhere, on my shelf for a while. She's also part of the Pen Fatale tour. I'm actually really excited to read this one, despite some reviews.

~Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon: I've always heard great things about this book and it sounds awesome. This is another author that I'll be meeting this Sunday. I hope to get pictures of every author for you to gander at.

Tune in next week for In My Mailbox (9)! And don't forget to check out the swag giveaway that's going on until the end of October (to which I'm probably adding even more goodies to)!! 

Iron Knight Full Trailer!!!

It's what you've been waiting for... the full trailer of most highly anticipated fourth installment in the Iron Fey series, Iron Knight!! It's pretty frickin' awesome if I do say so myself! I've already read the Iron Knight (I'll be posting my review soon) and let me tell you that this trailer is exactly how I imagined it. In order to view it, you have to have the link (it's unlisted on YouTube) and I am in possession of said link. If you want it for your own, "Like" the Harlequin TEEN Facebook page to find it. Here's the link to the trailer, and ENJOY!!!

Scott Westerfeld signing recap

Let me just say now that Scott Westerfeld is officially my favorite event author so far. He's hilarious and he brought a slideshow... a frickin' SLIDESHOW!! It was the greatest author event I've ever had the pleasure of attending. And the venue was small, so it was nice not being crowded like I was for the Cassandra Clare and Holly Black signing. I didn't even take a still shot of him with my camera because this man cannot be contained in a photograph. He actually talked about how the invention of the camera cut out the need for artistry in novels and it's slowly coming back through fan art. He also explained how the drawings in the Leviathan trilogy actually affected how he wrote the book. Some heavy stuff. Just check out the video:

See what I mean?? The main is a genius and a comedian on top of it. I have a couple more videos but my internet does not like me right now, so this will have to suffice. I cannot express how happy I am that I went to this signing. Also, I didn't know he was Australian, so while he signed my books we talked a little bit about his home country. Surprisingly there were some people even more excited to meet him than me, like he's their favorite author. I must have been that annoying when I met Cassie Clare!

And he thanked me for coming early when he signed Leviathan, because he thought it was going to be "one of those signings" where no one shows up. That was not a problem here.

As a reminder, on Wednesday I'll be going back to the same location for a Michael Grant signing. To be honest, nothing will live up to this one, but I hope Grant gives it a fighting try.

Today marks the beginning of my signings month

Today I'm attending a signing for Scott Westerfeld, whose best-selling dystopian series The Uglies I love. After today, I will be going to a signing at least once a week through the end of October, so brace yourself for some amazing signing recaps all this month. A few of them will even feature some giveaways of signed books, which I'm sure you will be anxious about. To give you a sort of clue as to how many books I'm getting signed, here is an image of all the books I have signed now:

Most of these are all my favorite authors (a few I have yet to read so I'm not sure if they can be counted as a favorite), so I'm pretty content with the books I have. Below is a picture of only some of the books I'll be getting signed this month:

If I piled it any higher, it would have fallen over and I have some books on the way that I ordered from Amazon AND I even forgot a few. In fact, the right stack did fall over. Anyway, I'm sure you want to know what two books I'll be giving away, but that'll have to wait until I give a synopsis of my crazy adventures at the end of the month. Meanwhile, you get to enjoy pictures and videos that will hopefully pique your interest. Until then, I'm off to lug my bag off Scott Westerfeld gold into the car.

White Cat (Curse Workers #1) by Holly Black: review

Goodreads rating: 3.96

Paperback, 310 pages

Published February 8th 2011 by McElderry (first published January 1st 2010)

ISBN

1416963979 (ISBN13: 9781416963974)

Series

Curse Workers #1

Characters

Cassel Sharpe, Sam Yu, Daneca Wasserman, Lila Zacharov, Barron Sharpe ...more

Literary awards

Andre Norton Award Nominee (2010), Kirkus Reviews 2010 Best Books for Teens (2010), BFYA 2011 list (2011), ALA Amazing Audiobooks List

Cassel comes from a family of curse workers — people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, by the slightest touch of their hands. And since curse work is illegal, they're all mobsters, or con artists. Except for Cassel. He hasn't got the magic touch, so he's an outsider, the straight kid in a crooked family. You just have to ignore one small detail — he killed his best friend, Lila, three years ago.

Ever since, Cassel has carefully built up a façade of normalcy, blending into the crowd. But his façade starts crumbling when he starts sleepwalking, propelled into the night by terrifying dreams about a white cat that wants to tell him something. He's noticing other disturbing things, too, including the strange behavior of his two brothers. They are keeping secrets from him, caught up in a mysterious plot. As Cassel begins to suspect he's part of a huge con game, he also wonders what really happened to Lila. Could she still be alive? To find that out, Cassel will have to out-con the conmen.

Holly Black has created a gripping tale of mobsters and dark magic where a single touch can bring love — or death — and your dreams might be more real than your memories.  

3/5

To be honest, I couldn't really get into this one. I felt so detached and I wondered why the author was being so vague. Coincidentally, I went to a book signing in Santa Monica with Holly Black and Cassandra Clare (as a side note: best book signing EVER!!), and Holly explained that as a Noir book, the main character has a crime/mob boss mentality, and so he doesn't often show his emotions. Be that as it may, that wasn't really my problem with this one. He showed his emotions just fine; especially around a certain girl character (if I tell you, it'll ruin everything).

But I just couldn't visualize myself in the places in this story except for the house he grew up in, which was the only place that involved enough detail where I could picture it. I guess his parents were hoarders, and he's helping his Grandad clean it up. Which takes up the whole first half of the story. I was so extremely bored. It's funny because I was thinking this all has to be a set-up for some big thing. And admittedly there were some twists, but I felt like the character was so indifferent that my heart wasn't in it, and so when it came to the climax I was like: really? I wasted my time on the first half for this??? It was a good ending though; really, it was. I made a lot of sense in the plot and it was a page turner. But the beginning just killed it. 

As a side note, this is my first Holly Black book, so I have no idea if her writing is any better or if this is it. Do you have any opinions? I'm hoping Red Glove (the sequel to this which I just featured in my last IMM) will surpass this first one. At the end I was wondering: where can the story go from here?

September 27th = crazy YA release day!

I was searching through some of the books that I'm really looking forward to coming out this month, and September 27th is like a gold mine! Here's what officially releases that day:

~The Mephisto Covenant by Trinity Faegan (I have the e-ARC of this on my Kindle, so I'll likely read it soon. What a cover!)

~Lost in Time (Blue Bloods) by Melissa de la Cruz (I went to a signing of hers at the Borders near my house that is now closed, but I have yet to start the series)

~If I Die by Rachel Vincent (This is one of my favorite series and I've been trying to win copies every chance I get on her blog tour! We also met at the RT Convention in L.A. earlier this year)

~The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton (I recently interviewed Kiki, so as soon as I read The Faerie Ring, I'll post that up)

~A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies (It was amazing! You can find my review of it here)

~Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (I'll be going to a signing of hers near the end of October)

~The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin (I've heard amazing things about this book from literally everywhere in the last month, so hopefully I'll be getting a copy soon)

Needless to say, September 27th is a good day. Actually, that whole week is pretty marvelous because I'm going to a Scott Westerfeld signing the day before and a Michael Grant signing the day after. Then starts my crazy month of October signings!

Frost by Marianna Baer: review

Goodreads rating: 3.88

Hardcover, 400 pages

Published September 13th 2011 by Balzer & Bray 

Leena Thomas’s senior year at boarding school begins with a shock: Frost House, her cozy dorm of close friends, has been assigned an unexpected roommate: confrontational, eccentric Celeste Lazar. But while Leena’s anxiety about a threat to her sanctuary proves valid, it becomes less and less clear whether the threat lies with her new roommate, within Leena’s own mind, or within the very nature of Frost House itself. Mysterious happenings in the dorm, an intense triangle between Leena, Celeste, and Celeste’s brother, and the reawakening of childhood fears, all push Leena to take increasingly desperate measures to feel safe. Frost is the story of a haunting. As to whether the demons are supernatural or psychological . . . well, which answer would let you sleep at night?

4/5

I'm surprised how much I loved Frost. It was creepy and chilling, but not so much that I needed to stop reading. The romance was sweet but mostly subtle, and had its moments where it got a little steamy. The F word was used a couple times, so this novel is not for the younger readers. Over all, I enjoyed it. I'm not a big ghost story person, because anything remotely creepy freaks me out. The first time I saw Zombieland, I was jumpy for the rest of the night.

Celeste really bothered me. She's one of those crazy drugged-out goth girls that you avoid in school. You don't mean to, but they just throw off these vibes that make you want to run the other way. But then it turns out she has a hot overprotective brother, that's nothing remotely like her. If only that happened in real life. I loved how the author left it open. Was it the maintenance problem with the Frost House, or had it been something else, something much more sinister.

The owl gave me the heebee-jeebees. Those wooden owls with the golden glass eyes have always creeped me out, but seeing what big of a role it played in this one... The next time I see one of these will be too soon. Last night was the first time in a while where I had the covers partially covering my head. Yeah, I admit it!

Leena and David were sweet. She started out with this whole moratorium thing where she wasn't going to date this semester. But when you're thrown together like that, there's not much you can do to stop it from happening. Especially when both are unconsciously willing. The middle of the book was my favorite, when they were spending time together in NY and before all the really bad stuff started happening. The scenes where they were together (any time they were together), it gave me little happy squirms in my stomach.

My only issue was how abrupt the ending was. Leena's pill addiction was slowly building, I'll give you that, and Frost House was slowly but surely sinking its claws into Leena's mind. But all of a sudden everything happened at once... and then there was no falling action. It just... ended. Maybe I'm asking for too much; maybe I needed more closure. But often it's never enough, when it's a stand-alone novel.

Definitely pick this one up. Even if you're not into ghost stories and hauntings (which, believe me, I am not), it's a good read and the house actually sounds like a place I would live. Without the ghosties of course.

Contest Craze mini challenge - Scariest Word

This next mini-challenge is hosted by Benji over at The Non Reluctant Reader.  But this time, instead of the number 7, we have the number 13. You go to the 13th chapter of the book you're reading and scan the chapter to find the scariest word.

Frost by Marianna Baer

(review for this one coming soon since I just finished)

I decided on this bone-chilling word:

CURRICULUM

Oooo scary kids! :D If school doesn't give you the chills, then there must be something wrong with you.

Waiting on Wednesday (4)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where you feature an upcoming release that you're highly anticipating. For this week, I'm going to feature...

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Published May 28th, 2012

From 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.

Bright, Young & Luxe Giveaway WINNER!!!!

Now that the Bright, Young & Luxe giveaway is officially over, I've found enough time to figure out the winner. And the winner is.......

AIK

Thanks so much to everyone who entered!! I will be e-mailing the winner shortly, so please check your e-mail and I'll mail your copy of The Luxe by Anna Godberson as soon as possible (which hopefully will be during this week). On that note, there's still a swag giveaway that's going on, so if you didn't win this time, stop over at this post to enter! I'll also hopefully be adding some great goodies, as October is basically my signing frenzy month. That giveaway ends OCTOBER 31st!!

In My Mailbox (7) + Bright, Young & Luxe Giveaway Hop reminder

In My Mailbox is a meme posted by Kristi over at The Story Siren, where you create a post of the books you either received in the mail, bought at a bookstore, or borrowed from the library. If you'd like to know my thoughts about IMM, check out the link near the top of my blog called In My Mailbox. Simple, right? Anyway, onto the books!

 

 NOTE: If you're unfamiliar with how I do things with my IMM, I basically give a little back story to the books I have pictured. Also, if there are ARC's, I'll give a synopsis and date published.

~Red Glove by Holly Black: All of these were cheap from Borders, but I'm glad I was able to find this one for such a low price. The first one in this series, White Cat, was okay. I'm hoping the series will get better with Red Glove. I also went to an event of hers with Cassie Clare, and she's pretty sweet.

~Undercurrent by Tricia Rayburn: I feel like I've been waiting for this one for such a long time. I really liked Siren and the series has promise. And I love the new covers. The old ones were kind of gaudy and to be honest a little ugly. I'm glad they decided to go with these new covers.

~Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler: I loved Ockler's first novel, Twenty Boy Summer, which I believe is a book that was banned from school libraries. I'm hoping this one will be as amazing as her first.

~Deadly Little Games by Laurie Faria Stolarz: I've already featured the first of these two in the series in previous IMM's, which is great because I already have the whole series, and all for a low price!

~Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce: I've heard really good things about this series, although I don't know much about it. But it sounds interesting.

~Girl at Sea by Maureen Johnson: I have Maureen Johnson's novel 13 Little Blue Envelopes, but I have yet to read it. Of course, I've heard great things about her, and I read a short story of hers that was in the book Let it Snow, so I'm excited to see more of her.

Tune in next week for In My Mailbox (8)! And don't forget to check out the swag giveaway that's going on until the end of October (to which I'm possibly adding even more goodies). Also don't forget about the Bright, Young, & Luxe Giveaway Hop which ends September 20th (TODAY!!!!!), where I'm giving away a copy of The Luxe by Anna Godberson.

Supernaturally (Paranormalcy #2) by Kiersten White: review

Goodreads rating: 3.92

Hardcover, US, 336 pages

Published July 26th 2011 by HarperTeen

ISBN

0061985864 (ISBN13: 9780061985867)

Series

Paranormalcy #2

Characters

Vivian, Raquel, Arianna, Evie, Reth Reth , Lend, David Pirello, Jack, Lin

Evie finally has the normal life she’s always longed for. But she’s shocked to discover that being ordinary can be . . . kind of boring. Just when Evie starts to long for her days at the International Paranormal Containment Agency, she’s given a chance to work for them again. Desperate for a break from all the normalcy, she agrees.

But as one disastrous mission leads to another, Evie starts to wonder if she made the right choice. And when Evie’s faerie ex-boyfriend Reth appears with devastating revelations about her past, she discovers that there’s a battle brewing between the faerie courts that could throw the whole supernatural world into chaos. The prize in question? Evie herself.

So much for normal. 

4/5 

Supernaturally brings you back reeling into Evie's world. But despite the fact that there's a lot going on, it gives you a little too much time to come up for air. Lately in YA, the second book in a trilogy has become a filler. No, not filler scenes, filler NOVELS. And honestly, even though we found out a couple spoilery things about Evie and there was a new mysterious character (Jack) introduced, I can't help thinking of this book in the same way. The second books also seem to be the ones where either the guy decides to ignore the girl and be an arse, or the girl decides to lie to the guy about everything. I hate this standard and plan on breaking it myself!

I loved Supernaturally though. Evie is smart and sassy and kick-butt! Lend is cute and sexy as always, and Arianna, is, well, a brooding vampire. When Evie goes back to the IPCA (I guess you can come back from the dead in the paranormal world, not including vampires), she gets all these random missions that mostly just end up putting her in danger. Not only that, but her soul-sucking power is flaring up and she doesn't have as much control over it as she'd like. And her and Lend, not doing so well. Lend is immortal, but he doesn't know it, and Evie doesn't want to tell him because she thinks she'll lose him. It's sad because it's realistic for a teenage girl, that she would keep so much from him that she knows he wouldn't agree with or that would chase him away. I'm not saying it's right, but it's so true.

I think the only thing that really bothers me about this series is the stupid bleeps! It honestly bothers me to the point where I cringe every time a characters says it.

But I guess I'll have to get over it, because this is an amazing series, and with the way Supernaturally leaves off, I can't wait to read the final book, Endlessly. I'm so curious to see what happens next, and I just know more than a few things are going to be big, and not everyone will come out unscathed.

Contest Craze: Lucky Number 7

Over at The Elliot Review is the second October Contest Craze Mini Challenge, where you pick up the book you're reading, go to the seventh word on the seventh page and type that word into Google. Find a picture that you're okay with posting, and then post it to her little linky list. The prize? A book from the Book Depository for up to $10! Ends September 25th.

Supernaturally by Kiersten White

7th word on the 7th page of Supernaturally (5th word actually, the rest were articles)
GLAMOUR

Picture:

Since Miley Cyrus seems to have gone a bit nuts, I thought this one was perfect.

Contest Craze (mini-challenge): My Top 5 2012 books

Contest Craze (hosted by Princess Bookie) has started and today is the day for the first mini challenge!

Here's my Top 5 2012 YA novels that I'm most looking forward to:

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare: In Clockwork Princess, Tessa and her companions travel all over the world as they race to stop the clockwork army before it's too late. As Jem's health worsens alarmingly and his friends search desperately for a cure, can Tessa choose between the two boys she loves — even if it means never seeing the other one again?

Insurgent by Veronica Roth: 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.

Wings of the Wicked by Courtney Allison Moulton: 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.

Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer: The Ultimate Sacrifice.
Calla has always welcomed war. But now that the final battle is upon her, there’s more at stake than fighting. There’s saving Ren, even if it incurs Shay’s wrath. There’s keeping Ansel safe, even if he’s been branded a traitor. There’s proving herself as the pack’s alpha, facing unnamable horrors, and ridding the world of the Keepers’ magic once and for all. And then there’s deciding what to do when the war ends. If Calla makes it out alive, that is.
In the final installment of the Nightshade trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Andrea Cremer creates a novel with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat until its final pages. A dynamic end to this breathtaking trilogy.

Enshadowed by Kelly Creagh: While Varen remains a prisoner in the dream-world, Isobel is haunted by his memory. He appears to her in her dreams and soon, even in her waking life. But is she just imagining it? Isobel knows she must find a way back to Varen. She makes plans to go to Baltimore. There, she confronts the figure known throughout the world as the Poe Toaster—the same dark man who once appeared to Isobel in her dreams, calling himself “Reynolds.”
Isobel succeeds in interrupting the Toaster’s ritual and, in doing so, discovers a way to return to the dream-world. Soon, she finds herself swept up in a realm which not only holds remnants of Poe’s presence, but has also now taken on the characteristics of Varen’s innermost self. It is a dark world comprised of fear, terror, and anger.
When Isobel once more encounters Varen, she finds him changed. With his mind poisoned by the dream world, he becomes a malevolent force, bent on destroying all—even himself. Now Isobel must face a new adversary, one who also happens to be her greatest love.

Cover reveal: Insurgent by Veronica Roth + My 2nd Liebster Blog Award!!!

The official cover for Insurgent (the second book in the Divergent series) by Veronica Roth, and my oh my is it gorgeous!

 

I cannot explain how happy this cover makes me. It's even better than the cover for Divergent, I think. The expected publication for this novel is May 2012. Next year is way too far away!!

And as if this wasn't already an awesome day with the release of this gorgeous cover, I've won another Liebster Blog Award!!! This is the second time, and it makes me so happy to realize that people actually do pay attention to my blog.

The Liebster Blog award is where a fellow blogger will choose their top 5 blogs that they enjoy that have under 200 followers, and I was chosen!! First, a special thanks to Rabiah at Confessions of a Readaholic who chose me as one of her top 5! I am definitely honored. It gives me the incentive to keep doing what I'm doing.

 

Onto the second part of this announcement, where I give my own top 5. Here they are:

1) Basically Books

2) Books Are Vital

3) Breaking the Bookshelf

4) It's a Book Thing

5) Jen's Bookshelf

For those 5 blogs I've listed, here's what you have to do in order to spread the award around the blogging community:

1. Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you.

2. Reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.

3. Copy and paste the award on your blog.

4. Have faith that your followers will spread the love to other bloggers.

5. And most of all - have bloggity-blog fun

Thanks again, Rabiah! I'll be contacting the other blogs soon! :) As for my followers, thank you. You all mean so much to me and I feel like I know you all already! I appreciate that you've decided to follow me.

Original Sin (Personal Demons #2) by Lisa Desrochers: reivew

Goodreads rating: 4.10

Paperback, 400 pages

Published July 5th 2011 by Tor Teen

ISBN

0765328097 (ISBN13: 9780765328090)

series

Personal Demons #2 

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.

 4/5

I'm always apprehensive before starting a book in this series. I psyche myself out by reading the reviews and having these, albeit inaccurate, preconceived notions before I even consider starting. Well, thank goodness I tend to ignore my own feelings of dread when it comes to reading books, because this was just as amazing as Personal Demons.

Authors like to write about these guys that we know can never exist in a world that hasn't been overrun with the paranormal, but we want so badly to exist. Lisa Desrochers is a pro at this. She has created not only one, but TWO boys that are completely and totally swoon-worthy... and have both messed up big time. The last book should be called Redemption because it seems every single character has something that they need to make up for.

If only Frannie knew how lucky she was to have Luc, that even after all the things he's done, he still loves her. She's his priority now that he's no longer a demon, and even when he was a demon in the first book, she became everything to him. The new addition of the character Lili changes everything. Everyone falls for her innocent charm (especially Matt, Frannie's twin brother who happens to be her guardian angel), but she turns out to be nothing like they thought.

There were some weird parts to this book, mostly involving sexual scenes, but don't let that deter you. If you've read the first one, then Original Sin isn't much different. Let's just say that succubi aren't particular when it comes to whether you're male or female. Obviously, this series is not for the younger YA audience.

This one really stressed me out. It has those moments where you almost want to rip your own heart out from the pain you're feeling from the other characters. It's one of those things where you don't want to read - shouldn't read - because you know it's going to hurt, but at the same time you can't stop. I can't help thinking how YA writers and readers alike are masochistic.

A great sequel to an awesome series. I cannot wait to read Last Rite!

Waiting on Wednesday (3)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where you feature an upcoming release that you're highly anticipating. Mine this week, since I just reread Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins, will be...

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Published September 29th, 2011

From Goodreads:

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

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

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Teaser Tuesday (3)

HarperCollins has announced its newest great debut, DARK EDEN, the riveting page-turner set in a mysterious place where teenagers go to face their fears. This new YA novel will be available everywhere on November 1st. Believe me, if you take a look at all the awesome adds they're putting out for this novel, it must be worth it. Already they have a Facebook fan page and an official website!

DARK EDEN, by New York Times bestselling author Patrick Carman is a provocative exploration of fear, betrayal, memory, and ultimately immortality.

 

SYNOPSIS: Will Besting, along with six other teenagers, all suffer from crippling secrets and phobias. Together they are sent to Fort Eden, an old, eerie and mysterious place that holds the promise of a cure for each of them. Not knowing what to expect but eager to be cured, they take turns in mysterious fear chambers and confront their worst nightmares. When the patients emerge from the chamber, they feel emboldened by the previous night’s experience, but each person soon discovers something strange and unexplainable has happened to them.

According to the publisher, DARK EDEN can be experienced in two ways: "The series is enhanced by a downloadable app that enriches the elements of the traditional narrative through innovative story artifacts including still images, audio recordings, videos, scans, and text entries. For a complete explanation of how the app experience works, check out this video from author Patrick Carman. The DARK EDEN app is available now on the iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and all Android enabled devices."

Also, here's the link to the trailer: DE trailer

 
To get a taste of what's to come, download THE ARRIVAL, the first free episode, available through the DARK EDEN mobile app in the Apple/iOS App Store and the Android Market.

This one sounds pretty awesome guys. I don't know about you, but I'm going to read it as soon as possible! 

And since this is Teaser Tuesday...

DARK EDEN, page 1:

Why are we hiding in this room all alone?

     There will be no shortage of questions about Fort Eden, the seven, Rainsford, David, Mrs. Goring, the program. But the first question, the one that will set all things in motion, will be a simple one. It will be asked when they find me.

Sound interesting? Then check out all the extra stuff before this teaser and get ready to get your own copy!

In My Mailbox (6)

In My Mailbox is a meme posted by Kristi over at The Story Siren, where you create a post of the books you either received in the mail, bought at a bookstore, or borrowed from the library. If you'd like to know my thoughts about IMM, check out the link near the top of my blog called In My Mailbox. Simple, right? Anyway, onto the books!

 

NOTE: If you're unfamiliar with how I do things with my IMM, I basically give a little back story to the books I have pictured. Also, if there are ARC's, I'll give a synopsis and date published.


I have gotten so many books these past couple weeks with Borders being in their final days, that I've had to split up all the books I've bought into nearly equal amounts of IMM's that will last me a literally a month and a half. But it seems only fair that every book get enough face time, and if I lump them all together, I get the feeling you'll be very bored.

~Pretty Little Devils by Nancy Holder: This was in the bargain section of Borders, and it surprised me because I had no idea Holder has written so many books. It'll be interesting to see if it's any good.

~Devoured by Amanda Marrone: You know I can't pass up a beautiful cover, and wow is this one provocative, and so is the title.

~Sweep by Cate Tiernan: This is the 3rd collection of her Sweep series. Luckily I have the first two, so we're good to go!

~Waiting For You by Susane Colasanti: I've heard great things about this author, so I'm interested to find out how good her books really are. I felt bad, because there were like 10 or so copies of her newish novel, Something Like Fate, on the last day the Borders nearest me was open. I'll be posting that in another IMM.

~Starlighter by Bryan Davis: In my last IMM, I mentioned getting the third book in this series (Diviner) in netgalley, which is why I decided to pick this one up. I gotta start somewhere!

~All You Desire by Kirsten Miller: I definitely love the new covers compared to the old ones. This series looks pretty interesting.

Tune in next week for In My Mailbox (7)! And don't forget to check out the swag giveaway that's going on until the end of October (to which I'm possibly adding even more goodies). Also don't forget about the Bright, Young, & Luxe Giveaway Hop which ends September 20th, where I'm giving away a copy of The Luxe by Anna Godberson.

Forever (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #3) by Maggie Stiefvater: review

Goodreads rating: 4.01

Hardcover, 390 pages

Published July 12th 2011 by Scholastic, Inc.

ISBN

0545259088 (ISBN13: 9780545259088)

Series

The Wolves of Mercy Falls #3

Characters

Shelby, Grace Brisbane, Sam Roth, Cole St. Clair, Isabel Culpeper ...more

Setting

Mercy Falls, Minnesota (United States)

 

The thrilling conclusion to #1 bestselling Shiver trilogy from Maggie Stievater

In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. In Linger, they fought to be together. Now, in Forever, the stakes are even higher than before. Wolves are being hunted. Lives are being threatened. And love is harder and harder to hold on to as death comes closing in.

4/5

Lately, I've been reading sequels of series where I'm - comfortable - with the series. Where I'm excited for the sequel, but I'm not waiting on pins and needles for it. This is one of those. If this were any other writer, I would have been bored to tears. Stiefvater has this way about her, where she makes even the tiniest details interesting. She finds a way to explain things that keeps your attention, even as nothing is really going on that couldn't be easily summarized. So far, this is my favorite werewolf series. Granted, I haven't read many, but I love this author's writing and honestly I'm sad to see the Wolves of Mercy Falls go.

I gave this one four stars because honestly, I didn't think all that much was solved. *POSSIBLE SPOILER: There was a possible antidote found, they have a new home for the wolves that survived, Grace is still a werewolf, and Sam is some half werewolf END* Every book in this series ends with you wanting more, and Forever is no different. It leaves enough loose ends untied that she could easily write a satisfying novella of what happens to Sam and Grace, and Cole and Isabel after the ending of Forever. But there was enough of an ending that I, as a reader, can grudgingly draw my own happy-ending conclusions.

All in all, a mostly satisfying ending to a wonderful series. No one writes quite like Maggie Stiefvater and I can't wait to see what else comes out of that head of hers. Her new novel, Scorpio Races, looks very intriguing. I'll also be going to a signing of hers. Check out my signings page for the details.

Bright, Young & Luxe Giveaway Hop!!

THIS CONTEST IS NOW OVER

Welcome to the Bright, Young, & Luxe Giveaway Hop! I am one of 16 blog stops, and each sight is giving you a chance to win an array of YA historical fiction! This event is hosted by For Those About to Read and LCs Adventures in Libraryland. There are a lot of great giveaways coming up on the blogs featured on the list below, so make sure you check them out!

All of the giveaways run from now until September 20th, so don't forget and realize it's too late to win any of these amazing books! I will be giving away a paperback copy of The Luxe by Anna Godberson. Check out this post by one of the hosts to find a review. I have yet to read this one but was able to get an extra copy, and hence why I have decided to give this one away to one luck winner! I've heard great things about The Luxe series and I'm happy to get one of you started on this series.

All you have to do to be entered is to be a follower of this blog and fill out this FORM. Hopefully I'll be able to tally up the entries quickly once its ended and contact the winner as soon as possible. I'm in college, so I'll do my best! Again, this giveaway (and all of the others in this hop) ends September 20th. Good luck everyone!!

And of course, here are the other blogs in this awesome hop!

Bright, Young, & Luxe Giveaway Hop:

1.	For Those About to Read...(HOST)	9.	Live To Read ~Krystal
2.	LC's Adventures in Libraryland (HOST)	10.	Hayley@TheFableFaerie
3.	Erin @ Let's Evaluate	11.	Gilbert & Gomez
4.	Jessica @ Chapter Chicks	12.	Nicole M
5.	Michelle Madow	13.	Amanda @ Not Another Book Blog
6.	Theresa @ The Book Nook	14.	Katrina @ Novel Nonsense
7.	Brenna @ Esther's Ever After	15.	Diana @ Little Miss Drama Queen
8.	Morgan (Smitten With Books)	16.	Rebecca's Book Blog

In My Mailbox (5)

I know this is a day late, but here's a good example of me posting less, sorry to say.

In My Mailbox is a meme posted by Kristi over at The Story Siren, where you create a post of the books you either received in the mail, bought at a bookstore, or borrowed from the library. If you'd like to know my thoughts about IMM, check out the link near the top of my blog called In My Mailbox. Simple, right? Anyway, onto the books!

 This is my first digital edition of this meme.

~The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross: This was a free eBook from Harlequin Teen Australia. I was so excited when I found out that I could sign up for e-mails and get a free eBook. I'm sure you can check it out and get a copy too, as long as you have Adobe Digital Editions on your computer. And of course I love steampunk novels.

~Storm Glass by Maria V. Snyder: Another free eBook from Harlequin Teen Australia. This has always looked so good and I'm happy to have a copy.

~Crave by Melissa Darnell: This one is from NetGalley. I've heard some good hype about this one, and I can't wait to start reading it.

~Diviner by Bryan Davis: Also from NetGalley. I have the first book and planning on getting the second soon, and then starting this one. It's so hard when I end up getting a book and it's second or third in the series.

~The Mephisto Covenant by Trinity Faegan: A NetGalley with a beautiful cover! Sounds really interesting and, well, that cover!!

~Blood by K.J. Wignall: I haven't heard much about this NetGalley, but I believe it was just released today or yesterday. Sounds intriguing.

~Dark Eden by Patrick Carman: This NetGalley sounds really good. I love reading books from the point of view of a crazy person. Tell Tale Heart anyone?

~The Poison Diaries: Nightshade by Maryrose Wood: I have yet to read the first one, but I was sucked in by the cover of this NetGalley.

~Prized by Caragh M. O'Brien: Another one where I still have to get the first one, but this sounds like a promsing series and I cannot wait to start it.

~Saving June by Hannah Harrington: This was a featured book on NetGalley. Hopefully it's as good as it sounds.

I also got a bunch of free classics on my Kindle, which is always exciting. That's one of the things I love about eReaders; free books are always an option and even free short stories from your favorite books.