New Blog Layout!

In case you haven't noticed I changed up the look of my blog. A LOT. I have the same basic theme of Snow White and other snow-related things, but I changed the header and changed all my meme buttons (most have the same pictures but the lettering is different). I even took the time (pain-staking as it was) to make my own page buttons. As I said when I announced my 300 followers: I have a whole new respect for HTML. It can do glorious, unimaginable things when you get it right. If any of the new page tabs don't send you to the right page, please let me know!

So you're probably wondering in what way have I prettified my buttons. Well, first check out the side bar at my new blog button and my modified giveaway button. I really liked the simplicity of the bitten apple with the black background. My old button had way too much going on. Feel free to update the button if by some miracle it's on your blog. Here are some of the other changes I made:

 What do you guys think? I've basically spent the past three days straight working and reworking everything because I'm hoping I won't have to mess with my blog any time soon. I also added some new buttons, like the Signing Event Recap and the Book-to-Movie Review button. Hopefully you guys like these new buttons and all my hard work wasn't for nothing.

Is there something you see on my blog that you absolutely hate or just think should be changed? Let me know in the comments! I'd love to hear any and all feedback :) Also, for fellow bloggers, how long have you worked on almost complete reconstructions of your blog?

In My Mailbox (32)

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted 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.

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.

BOUGHT

~Pretty Monsters by Kelly Link: I saw this at my local Crown Books and was intrigued. Besides, it was like $2!

~Hamlet by William Shakespeare: I bought this because it's the Arden edition and my Shakespeare teacher used to always tell us that these editions had the best footnotes. And Hamlet is my favorite!

~Jinx by Meg Cabot: I hadn't even heard of this book until I spotted it in the store. Really love this cover. I may be reviewing this one.

~Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton: I have been wanting a copy of this for some time now, and I picked up the last copy in the store. I will be reviewing this one.

~Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Poster: I saw this hanging up on the wall in the Crown Books and I knew that I needed it. This is definitely coming with me when I go to college.

FOR REVIEW

~The Kiss Off by Sarah Billington: I got this for a blog tour, but it looks really good. I haven't read contemporary for a while so it'll help me to force myself to read it.

~Defy (Firstborn #1) by Raine Thomas: Also for a blog tour. I haven't read this author's previous series (check below), but if things go as planned I should before the tour.

~Becoming, Central & Foretold (Daughters of Saraqael #1-3): I'm going to try and read this series before I host a tour stop for the author's newest novel. A special thanks to the author for offering these.

~Dark Kiss (Nightwatchers #1) by Michelle Rowen: I'm so glad Harlequin posted this on Netgalley!! I already a physical copy of Immortal Rules and Goddess Interrupted AND The Girl in the Clockwork Collar, so I was happy to see this up there.

~Kill Me Softly by Sarah Cross: LOVE THIS COVER!! It also sounds pretty amazing. Thanks to Netgalley and Egmont.

~Yesterday by C.K. Kelly Martin: Random House has been piling on the review books on Netgalley!! Hopefully I get all of my requests approved! But this one looks like another great dystopian. Thanks to Random House and Netgalley.

~Until Next Time (The Angel Chronicles #1) by Amy Lignor: Another blog tour book, but I've been seeing this everywhere and I saw that I could still sign up, so I did! Love angel books so I can't wait to read this.

What did you guys get in your mailbox? Let me know in the comments!

300 Followers!

So sometime today, while I was slaving away at school, I reached 300 followers on the blog!! AAAAHHHHH!!!! I want to say hello to all my new followers and thank you to all you old followers that have stuck it out with me. Also, if you didn't notice, I changed up the look of the blog, like, a lot! I even changed some of my buttons (technically I changed the lettering of all of them, but most of the pictures are the same). I also made a different blog button, blog header, and even made page tabs separate from the blogger template. I so have a new respect for HTML!

In honor of 300 followers... I've got nothing. Sorry. My gift to you is my new blog look. I actually already have two giveaways going on right now, so consider those your presents. Also, a few days from now, I'll be giving away a copy of The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa! So look for that. Enjoy the new buttons (click on the page tabs to see some of them) and whatnot and enter these contests:

Month of the Fallen Angels Comment Giveaway

The Dark Divine trilogy by Bree Despain (3 winners)

Waiting on Wednesday (17)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where you feature an upcoming release that you're highly anticipating.

My featured book this Wednesday is a book I actually just won an ARC of, but it doesn't come out until November. Still it looks AMAZING! And that cover!!

Black City (Black City Chronicles #1) by Elizabeth Richards

RELEASE DATE: November 13th

A dark and tender postapocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war

In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable—they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection, that causes Ash’s long dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they’re caught they’ll be executed—but their feelings are too strong. When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.

 What do you guys think? Has anyone read this yet? Let me know in the comments!

The Savage Grace (The Dark Divine #3) by Bree Despain: review and GIVEAWAY!

Goodreads rating: 4.26

Hardcover, 488 pages

Published March 13th 2012 by EgmontUSA 

Series: The Dark Divine #3

A troubled soul. An impossible choice. A final battle.

Wrestling with the werewolf curse pulsing deep inside of her, Grace Divine was finally able to find her brother, but it nearly cost her everything.

With her boyfriend, Daniel, stuck in wolf form and Sirhan's death approaching, time is running out for Grace to stop Caleb Kalbi and his gang of demons. If she fails, her family and hometown will perish. Everything rests on Grace's shoulders.

The final installment in The Dark Divine trilogy brings Daniel and Grace's love story to a breathtaking conclusion.

WARNING: This review is slightly spoilery, as it's the 3rd book in a series. If you haven't at least read the first book, just skip right down to the giveaway.

For me, this has always been one of those series that I definitely enjoyed but hasn't been my complete favorite. I've been wary of werewolves ever since Twilight (I'm not exactly Team Edward, just more like Anti-Team Jacob), but this really has a very different spin on it. When this series began, Grave Divine hadn't seen Daniel in years, when they would play together with her brother Jude. A brother who's been missing for some time now. Grace begins falling for Daniel, but she begins to realize that he is not what he seems, and her safety is in more peril than she could have ever imagined.

There is a lot of religion in this series. It's not completely overbearing, but Grace's father is a pastor and the neighborhood ancient werewolf is a man of god as well, so it's kind of hard to ignore. In The Savage Grace though, with Daniel MIA, she is forced to question her religion. But she finds her way back with the help of Gabriel (neighborhood werewolf) and her father and even Daniel. But there's a bigger storm coming: the night Daniel and Grace spent locked up in the warehouse full of traitorous werewolves has severe consequences, and the most powerful werewolf in the world is about to die. And his son? He's the bad guy, and he will do ANYTHING to take his father's place. But there is another...

The romance in this book is different, in a very good way. Daniel and Grace had been living next to each other for all their lives before Daniel had to move away. So already I'm loving this. But it's not an easy road for these two. When we come into the 3rd book, Daniel is unable to turn back into a human. Because Grace cured him of the disease in book 1, he no longer has the curse of the werewolf, but is now a Hound of Heaven, what the Urbats were originally supposed to be before they corrupted themselves (think Lucifer Morningstar in werewolf terms). So, on top of Daniel being unable to change back into a human, and because of what happened at the end of book one, Grace has to fight her inner demons without Daniel, in a town that likes to hunt wolves. And Daniel has been making a lot of noise. So much heartache in the first part of this book! Then we're forced to focus on the bad werewolves.

This was a perfect ending to a wonderful, heart-wrenching series. I'm also in love with Bree Despain's writing. I'll pretty much read anything she writes! I'm sad to say farewell to the Dark Divine series, but it was a good way to go out.

THE GIVEAWAY

Intrigued by this series? Well you should be! And you can be one of three lucky peeps to win the entire series! Yep, that's all three books for three people.

Rules: 

~Read my giveaway policy (the tab at the top) and make sure you understand those.

~Fill out the Rafflecopter below.

~Ends April 10th at 12:01 (EST)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Building My Bookshelf

If you want to know more about this meme, please refer to the tab labeled Building My Bookshelf.

This is a meme I've created here at The Reader's Antidote, which was inspired by the meme Dusty Reads from Giselle at .Xpresso Reads and the meme Books to Pine For from Kristi at The Story Siren. Here's what to do:

~ Feature two books I have on my shelf but haven't read yet. These are likely books that I would want to read if I had more free time.

~Feature two books that are on my Wishlist, one that is already released and another that will be released within the next year.

On my shelf:

The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walking #1) by Patrick Ness

RELEASE DATE: July 14th, 2009

Todd Hewitt is the only boy in a town of men. Ever since the settlers were infected with the Noise germ, Todd can hear everything the men think, and they hear everything he thinks. Todd is just a month away from becoming a man, but in the midst of the cacophony, he knows that the town is hiding something from him -- something so awful Todd is forced to flee with only his dog, whose simple, loyal voice he hears too. With hostile men from the town in pursuit, the two stumble upon a strange and eerily silent creature: a girl. Who is she? Why wasn't she killed by the germ like all the females on New World? Propelled by Todd's gritty narration, readers are in for a white-knuckle journey in which a boy on the cusp of manhood must unlearn everything he knows in order to figure out who he truly is.

NOTES: I'm hopefully going to have this signed by the end of April, but it was recommended to me by Cynthia Hand, so I'm hoping it's awesome!!

Fury (The Fury Trilogy #1) by Elizabeth Miles

RELEASE DATE: August 30th, 2011

Sometimes sorry isn't enough....

It’s winter break in Ascension, Maine. The snow is falling and everything looks pristine and peaceful. But not all is as it seems...

Between cozy traditions and parties with her friends, Emily loves the holidays. And this year’s even better--the guy she’s been into for months is finally noticing her. But Em knows if she starts things with him, there’s no turning back. Because his girlfriend is Em’s best friend.

On the other side of town, Chase is having problems of his own. The stress of his home life is starting to take its toll, and his social life is unraveling. But that’s nothing compared to what’s really haunting him. Chase has done something cruel...something the perfect guy he pretends to be would never do. And it’s only a matter of time before he’s exposed.

In Ascension, mistakes can be deadly. And three girls—three beautiful, mysterious girls—are here to choose who will pay.

Em and Chase have been chosen.

NOTES: I've always been in love with this cover, but I have not heard barely any good reviews from reviewers that I respect, so that does not make me want to read it. But I met the author and had it signed so I'll probably read it for that reason and it's on my Mythology Challenge list...

On my wishlist:

Embrace (The Violet Eden Chapters #1) by Jessica Shirvington

RELEASE DATE: March 6th

It starts with a whisper: “It’s time for you to know who you are…”

Violet Eden dreads her seventeenth birthday. After all, it’s hard to get too excited about the day that marks the anniversary of your mother’s death. As if that wasn’t enough, disturbing dreams haunt her sleep and leave her with very real injuries. There’s a dark tattoo weaving its way up her arms that wasn’t there before.

Violet is determined to get some answers, but nothing could have prepared her for the truth. The guy she thought she could fall in love with has been keeping his identity a secret: he’s only half-human—oh, and same goes for her.

A centuries-old battle between fallen angels and the protectors of humanity has chosen its new warrior. It’s a fight Violet doesn’t want, but she lives her life by two rules: don’t run and don’t quit. When angels seek vengeance and humans are the warriors, you could do a lot worse than betting on Violet Eden… 

NOTES: I have been pining for this one for FOREVER!! If anyone has a copy that they would like to let me borrow, I'd love you forever :) Also, the cover is beautiful!

The Selection (The Selection #1) by Kiera Cass

RELEASE DATE: April 24th

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

NOTES: There's some bad blood with this book already which I've talked about before, but it still looks really good and it's gotten decent reviews. And that cover! I must simply push my preconceived notions aside for this one.

What do you guys think of these? Have you read any of them? Let me know in the comments!

Audiobook Review: Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer

 Goodreads rating: 4.11

Narrator: Rebecca Soler

Audio CD, 0 pages

Published January 3rd 2012 by Macmillan Audio

Edition language: English

Series: Lunar Chronicles #1

Characters: Kai, Cinder

A wicked mash-up of fairy tale and Terminator—set in a Star Wars kind of world—Marissa Meyer's Cinder is a fresh and fiercely ingenious futuristic retelling of Cinderella


Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

AUDIOBOOK RATING: 

As you all know, I fell in love with Cinder when I first read an ARC of it that I borrowed from Anna at Literary Exploration. Then I did that whole Cinder Sunday thing, and then someone from Macmillan Audio contacted me about reading my review and asking me to post a clip of the audiobook (which you can find on my review of the novel HERE). I was so impressed by the clip that when she asked me if I would like some audiobooks to review, Cinder was at the top of my list. It was my first experience with an audiobook, and I wasn't sure if I was going to like it. Some people enjoy them, some people don't. And I didn't know when I was going to find the time to listen to it. A found a thrilling solution to all of these things and fell in love with audiobooks.

The voice was a little hard to get used to. It's strange someone telling you what's going on: describing places and people and emotions to you. But I think Rebecca did a great job of capturing the emotion of the book. I love this book somehow even more now after listening to the audio. It was also strange when she had to do different voices (there seem to be SO many characters she had to do) but she pulled it off really well and most of the time I could tell who was talking even without her having to say their name. While she can't perfectly nail every voice, she got the part where all the leaders of the world are speaking together pretty down pat. I was impressed.

Now, this is still the only audiobook I've listened to, so this may just be an anomaly and it'll turn out that audiobooks aren't my thing. But I really enjoyed listening to it in my car on the way to school and back and on random road trips. You should definitely give audiobooks a try if you haven't yet. I definitely enjoyed myself and it was well-done.

The Hunger Games: A Movie Review & What to Read After

A quick note before we start: In case you didn't notice, I did NOT do an IMM this week (can't remember the last time this happened). In an earlier post, I mentioned how my computer got a Trojan virus (the worst of the worst), and I don't want to take any chances of my camera getting corrupted when I try to download the photos from the USB cable. Next week, though, will be a two-week compilation IMM.

My thoughts on The Hunger Games

I just got back from seeing The Hunger Games this afternoon, and I'm sure most of you are off to see it either tonight or tomorrow. And it went far beyond my expectations. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time (not literally because that would be annoying) even thought I already knew what was going to happen. At first, though, I was a little apprehensive:

I was actually pretty excited for this first installment. I gave the whole series a 4/5, but my rating for the first book was 4.5/5. The only thing I was really fearing was that the acting would be as bad as it was in Twilight. I feel like the acting in these young-adult-books-turned-movies has forever been tainted because of Twilight, and that was really my only apprehension. But I was wrong, it was AMAZING!! What I'm not as excited about is the two after this one. Check out the review I linked above to see why.

There were some minor differences that I won't share and honestly don't remember. But it was really well done. My boyfriend even liked it, so props to the movie-makers. There was a good amount of shaky camera work, but it really set the mood. The scenes at the capital were never like this, but whenever Katniss was in danger (which is, let's be honest, most of the movie) it gave you a sense of being there. Another huge surprise for me was how well Josh Hutchinson played Peeta. I haven't seen too much potential in him, but he really stepped it up. He absolutely stole the show. Seriously, go see this movie, even if you haven't read the book. I'm kind of hoping that the movie people will find a way to make Catching Fire and Mockingjay better...

But I know that a lot (and I mean A LOT) of people loved this series, so I've compiled a list of what to read after the awesomeness of The Hunger Games! Obviously most of them are dystopian.

My top 5 TBRAHG (TBR After Hunger Games):

1. Divergent (Divergent #1) by Veronica Roth

The obvious choice here. There's the same action in The Hunger Games but it's completely different. And the romance is much better than THG.

2. Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1) by Tahereh Mafi

The writing is absolutely breath-taking, and the romance is so addicting. There is nothing like this book, not just in YA but anywhere. If you haven't read this book, DO IT!

3. Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer

This is my favorite book of this year so far. Not only is it a dystopian but it's also a fairytale retelling. I also listened to the audio of this one and loved it even more.

4. Blood Red Road (Dustlands #1) by Moira Young

This was a surprise for me. When I first started reading it, I wondered if I could get past the strange writing. Now it's one of my favorite dystopians ever.

5. Under the Never Sky (Under the Never Sky #1) by Veronica Rossi

I'd heard good things about this one but I was still surprised by how much I liked it. It was very unique and had a few interesting elements to it that were unexpected but awesome.

The rest of my suggestions are ones I enjoyed but aren't my favorite. These are in a sort of order, with the ones that interested me more near the top:

The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1) by Julie Kagawa

The Host (The Host #1) by Stephanie Meyer

Eve (Eve #1) by Anna Carey

Partials (Partials #1) by Dan Wells

Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld

Across the Universe (Across the Universe #1) by Beth Revis

Wither (The Chemical Garden #1) by Lauren DeStefano

Article 5 (Article 5 #1) by Kristen Simmons

Legend (Legend #1) by Marie Lu

Delirium (Delirium #1) by Lauren Oliver

The Forest of Hands and Teeth trilogy by Carrie Ryan

What do you guys think? Have you read any of these? Let me know in the comments!

Kick-Butt Characters Giveaway Hop

Hi everyone and welcome to my stop on this awesome giveaway hop! Today I'm giving away...

Original Sin (Personal Demons #2) by Lisa Desrochers

I'm always surprised by how much I liked this series, but be sure to check out the link above for Goodreads to see if it's a book you'd enjoy. Frannie, the main character, is definitely a kick-butt character! She'll do anything for her friends (to the point where it's almost a fault) and she knows a bunch about cars. Enough said.

You can check out my review of this book here.

What do you have to do to win? Just fill out the rafflecopter below! Also, check out my giveaways policy tab and make sure you understand it all. THIS GIVEAWAY IS US ONLY! Thanks for entering and good luck :)

Cover Poison: Ashen Winter, Heaven & a rant by yours truly

So I'm on a bit of a short fuze right now, as I lost EVERYTHING on my computer to a virus that was lurking on an author's website. If I get snappy in this post, don't worry it's not you. Another reason to dislike the Trojans (if you've heard of people getting viruses or have gotten it yourself, you know this is the worst one out there). The only thing I lost that was blog-related was the photo-shopped picture I was going to use for my blogoversary (maybe they'll have a new version of Adobe Photoshop that I can try out by then) and a review that I started a while ago for a book that doesn't come out for a couple months still. So this only affects you all in the context that I may be in a bad mood for at least a few days. Just don't unfollow me please, I promise it will get better :)

If you've read this far, I seriously love you forever! For those of you who are visiting my site for the first time, I apologize. I'm not usually like this. The first cover is the third book in the Halo series.

Heaven (Halo #3) by Alexandra Adornetto

Bethany, an angel sent to Earth, and her mortal boyfriend, Xavier, have been to Hell and back. But now their love will be put to its highest test yet, as they defy Heavenly law and marry. They don’t tell Beth’s archangel siblings, Gabriel and Ivy, but the angels know soon enough, and punishment comes in a terrifying form: the Sevens, who are rogue angels bent on keeping Beth and Xavier apart, destroying Gabriel and Ivy, and darkening angelic power in the heavens.

The only way Bethany and Xavier can elude the Sevens is to hide in the open, and blend in with other mortals their own age. Gabriel and Ivy set them up at college, where they can’t reveal their relationship, and where there is still danger around each corner. Will Bethany be called back to Heaven – forever – and face leaving the love of her life?

My thoughts: I still haven't started this series and I'm not exactly inclined to. I haven't heard very good things about it and bad angel books really bother me now. But I really do love the covers.

This next one is the cover for the sequel to Ashfall...

Ashen Winter (Ashfall #2) by Mike Mullin

It’s been over six months since the eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano. Alex and Darla have been staying with Alex’s relatives, trying to cope with the new reality of the primitive world so vividly portrayed in Ashfall, the first book in this series. It’s also been six months of waiting for Alex’s parents to return from Iowa. Alex and Darla decide they can wait no longer and must retrace their journey into Iowa to find and bring back Alex’s parents to the tenuous safety of Illinois. But the landscape they cross is even more perilous than before, with life-and-death battles for food and power between the remaining communities. When the unthinkable happens, Alex must find new reserves of strength and determination to survive.

My thoughts: I won a copy of the first book, but I haven't read it yet. It looks amazing thought and I really like this cover.

What do you guys think of these covers? Let me know in the comments!

Waiting on Wednesday (16)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where you feature an upcoming release that you're highly anticipating.

This week I'm featuring another dystopian sequel, but I really want this one early so that I don't have to show up to the signing next month completely empty-handed. And that book is...

Once (Eve #2) by Anna Carey

RELEASE DATE: July 3rd

 Sixteen years have passed since a deadly virus wiped out most of the Earth’s population. After learning of the terrifying part she and her classmates were fated to play in the rebuilding of New America, eighteen-year-old Eve fled to the wilds and Califia, a haven for women determined to live outside the oppressive rule of the king of New America. However, her freedom came at a price: she was forced to leave Caleb, the boy she loves, wounded and alone at the city gates. Eve quickly learns that Califia may not be as safe as it seems and soon finds herself in the City of Sand and the palace of the king. There she uncovers the real reason he was so intent on her capture, and the unbelievable role he intends her to fill. When she is finally reunited with Caleb, they will enact a plan as daring as it is dangerous. But will Eve once again risk everything—her freedom, her life—for love?

Brimming with danger and star-crossed romance, and featuring a vivid dystopian landscape, this electrifying follow-up to Eve, which bestselling author Lauren Kate called “a gripping, unforgettable adventure—and a fresh look at what it means to love” is sure to appeal to fans who crave the high-stakes adventure of The Hunger Games and the irresistible love story of Romeo and Juliet.

What do you guys think? Are you looking forward to this release? Let me know in the comments!

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books On My Spring To-Be-Read List

This week I'm featuring the...

Top Ten Books On My Spring To-Be-Read list (could be new releases or just books you hope to read this spring) 

1. Illuminate (Gilded Wings #1) by Aimee Agresti

I have an ARC of this from Anna @ Literary Exploration, and I'm really excited to read it! I'm hoping I can put it on the awesome fae book list.

2. Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin #1) by R.L. LeFevers

I have a copy of this on Netgalley and I'm really psyched to read it! I may be meeting her at the LA Times Festival of Books so that would be amazing.

3. Tempest (Tempest #1) by Julie Cross

I have been wanting to read this one for a while, and I also have the audiobook so I'll definitely be getting on that. 

4. Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

I've been waiting for this one so I super excited to see it on Netgalley. Can't wait to read it! I'm going to a signing with this author.

5. Starters (Starters #1) by Lissa Price

Okay, I really don't like this cover, but I've heard good things about it. I may be meeting her at the LA Time Festival of Books as well.

Building My Bookshelf (9)

Is it possible to totally suck at keeping up with your own meme? Well, I found a way to do it. But, Building My Bookshelf is back on track. It's hard keeping up with everything, but I figured that I never post anything on Monday, so why not my own meme! Be strong followers; I will give you what you want.

If you want to know more about this meme, please refer to the tab labeled Building My Bookshelf.

This is a meme I've created here at The Reader's Antidote, which was inspired by the meme Dusty Reads from Giselle at .Xpresso Reads and the meme Books to Pine For from Kristi at The Story Siren. Here's what to do:

~ Feature two books I have on my shelf but haven't read yet. These are likely books that I would want to read if I had more free time.

~Feature two books that are on my Wishlist, one that is already released and another that will be released within the next year.

(It's sad that I had to read through this to remind myself what I had to do)

On my shelf:

The Splendor Falls by Rosemary Clement-Moore

RELEASED: January 11th, 2011

Sylvie Davis is a ballerina who can't dance, she lost everything important to her in one missed step.

Uprooting her from her Manhattan apartment, and shipping her to Alabama is her mother's solution for Sylvie's unhappiness. But life might not be any more simple down south.  As it turns out, her family has a lot more history than Sylvie ever knew. More unnerving, though, are the two guys that she can't stop thinking about.

Then Sylvie starts seeing things. A girl down by the lake. A man peering into the window. And a graveyard with an oddly placed headstone. Sylvie's lost nearly everything—is she starting to lose her mind as well?

NOTES: I actually bought this signed at the RT Convention in LA last spring and somehow I still haven't gotten around to reading it. There are definitely mixed reviews though, which is probably why...

The Forbidden Game (The Forbidden Game #1-3) by L.J. Smith

RELEASE:  June 8th, 2010

To lose the game is to lose your life in bestselling author L.J. Smith's THE FORBIDDEN GAME.

To capture the love of Jenny Thorton, Julian--a visitor from a dark world--draws Jenny and her friends into forbidden games; the contest for a human soul. The prize is Jenny's freedom. The stakes are all of their lives. Jenny's friends are determined to help her win. But Julian is the master of the Game. Jenny's most desperate fight will be with him, this eerily handsome boy with electric blue eyes. He knows her deepest secrets, her darkest fears. He has almost infinite power. And the only thing he wants is for Jenny to surrender to him--body and soul.

NOTES: I think I bought this from a Borders that was closing. I think I don't read certain books because I got them from somewhere that doesn't have a pleasant memory. Borders closing down is a very unpleasant memory.

 On my wishlist:

Possession (Possession #1) by Elana Johnson

RELEASE: June 7th, 2011 (hardcover release)

Vi knows the Rule: Girls don't walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the Rules more than Zenn...and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi's future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself.

But the Thinkers are unusually persuasive, and they're set on convincing Vi to become one of them...starting by brainwashing Zenn. Vi can't leave Zenn in the Thinkers' hands, but she's wary of joining the rebellion, especially since that means teaming up with Jag. Jag is egotistical, charismatic, and dangerous--everything Zenn's not. Vi can't quite trust Jag and can't quite resist him, but she also can't give up on Zenn.

This is a game of control or be controlled. And Vi has no choice but to play.

NOTES: Maybe I'm just drawn in by this cover (either the hardcover or the paperback), but this looks pretty great. It doesn't have the best rating, but you know how I love my dystopians!

Rebel Heart (Dustlands #2) by Moira Young

RELEASE DATE: October 23rd, 2012

The Tonton have been defeated. Lugh has been rescued.
The heartstone has brought Saba and Jack together.
Now, Saba and her family head west to meet him and start a new life. All should be well.
But shadows of the dead are stalking Saba.
And another kind of shadow is creeping over the dustlands.
Then a messenger shows up.
With news of Jack.

NOTES: Ever since I read Blood Red Road, the first book in the series, I have been dying for this book! I got to meet the author, but I hadn't read the book yet. I sincerely wish I had so I could have squeed more!! Also, I wasn't sure about the cover change, but if that's Jack... mmmmmmmmm... Cover accepted.

What do you guys think of these? Have you read any of them? Let me know in the comments!