Cover Poison: The Goddess Inheritance by Aimee Carter

Today I have for you the cover for the final book of The Goddess Test series by Aimee Carter, The Goddess Inheritance!

I've come to love this series and this cover is the most gorgeous yet. I don't want to wait until February of next year, but hopefully they'll put it on Netgalley and I'll be all over that thing! I hope this book will be amazing and a great end to a surprising series. I did not like The Goddess Test, but Goddess Interrupted was perfect, and so I have high hopes for this book

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

Tempt Me Thursday (5)

Tempt Me Thursday was created here at The Reader's Antidote, and is Teaser Tuesday on sexy YA steroids and then a synopsis of my current read.

The following quote is from Entice by Jessica Shirvington. Although this isn't my favorite angel series, I have to admit that Shirvington can write some steamy kiss scenes.

"At least it wasn't Ermina," I said. But Lincoln really wasn't interested. His lips found mine and though we had to go, nothing was going to stop us from sharing this moment. He pulled me close and the towel dropped from my back as my hands wrapped around him. His touch glided gently over the contours of my shoulders and down the sides of my body and suddenly there were a million places where I wanted them to be and I knew his hands wanted to be there too.

My current read (which I'm close to finishing) is an awesome book called Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris.

PUBLICATION DATE: April 24th, 2012

Two days before the start of her junior year, seventeen-year-old Janelle Tenner is hit by a pickup truck and killed—as in blinding light, scenes of her life flashing before her, and then nothing. Except the next thing she knows, she’s opening her eyes to find Ben Michaels, a loner from her high school whom Janelle has never talked to, leaning over her. And even though it isn’t possible, Janelle knows—with every fiber of her being—that Ben has somehow brought her back to life.

But her reincarnation, and Ben’s possible role in it, is only the first of the puzzles that Janelle must solve. While snooping in her FBI-agent father’s files for clues about her accident, she uncovers a clock that seems to be counting down to something—but to what? And when someone close to Janelle is killed, she can no longer deny what’s right in front of her: Everything that’s happened—the accident, the murder, the countdown clock, Ben’s sudden appearance in her life—points to the end of life as she knows it. And as the clock ticks down, she realizes that if she wants to put a stop to the end of the world, she’s going to need to uncover Ben’s secrets—and keep from falling in love with him in the process.

From debut author Elizabeth Norris comes this shattering novel of one girl’s fight to save herself, her world, and the one boy she never saw coming.

What's tempting you this Thursday? Let me know in the comments!

Defiance (Courier's Daughter Trilogy #1) by C.J. Redwine: review

Goodreads rating: 4.24

ARC, 416 pages

Expected publication: August 28th 2012 by Balzer + Bray

Source: ALA

Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city’s brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses, host dinner parties, and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father’s apprentice, Logan—the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same boy who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father’s survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.

At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city’s top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor’s impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared.

As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can’t be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.

This book was absolutely amazing! I think I related to it more because the main character is an older teenager and therefore had to make tougher decisions, but she also lived in the type of place where you have to grow up quickly. From the moment the book starts off, Rachel is hellbent on searching for her father, who has been declared dead Baalboden's tyrannical leader. Not only does the Commander (who is the only one who has kept them all safe from a horrible monster just outside the city walls) declare her father dead, but he also assigns Logan McEntire as her new guardian. And Rachel once told Logan that she was in love with him, and he turned her down. So you can imagine her chagrin, especially since she still feels something for him. But worse heartbreak is in store for Rachel when someone close to her is hurt because of her failed escape attempt to try and find her father. There was a lot of violence and death in this book, and at first I didn't think it was appropriate for YA (I didn't mind it), but this is a book for older teens, especially since the main characters are older. Defiance is painfully heartbreaking. I feel like there should be a warning on the book, for younger teens who don't need to know about that stuff yet. I've had this conversation with a few people now, and we all kind of agreed that the YA genre is getting more violent.

The story is also heartbreaking in the love department. Don't get me wrong; I loved the romance. There's so much pent-up tension between Logan and Rachel because of their past together. Logan knows that he hurt her when he turned her down years ago, but he felt the same way for her, he just didn't feel worthy of her. But because of that, Rachel hardened herself, especially to him. After her father goes missing, though, they're forced to spend time together, and that's where their pent-up feelings start to grow. Logan has a fierce loyalty when it comes to Rachel, but sometimes Rachel gets caught up in everything else and starts to lose herself. But that's what Logan's for. I guess the only bad thing I have to say about this book was that it was from both point of views. That's been showing up a lot lately, and part of the excitement of a book is that you have no idea what's going on in the other person's head. But there were times where they were apart, so I can see where it came in handy there.

Defiance is like a sci-fi dystopian, with mythical creatures and old traditions, but also insane inventions and chemicals. This book is smart and really has everything I could have asked for. Rachel got pretty dark at times as she let the horrible things consume her, but Logan was there at almost every turn to help her through it. It was when they were apart that it was the hardest. But there was a lot more going on than just the romance. The Commander, who has tried more than once to get rid of Logan and Rachel, has some something that scares off the creature outside the walls. But Rachel's father was delivering something specific on his way back, something the Commander has been dying to get. It could change the entire balance of power not only in Baalboden, but every other place under the rule of a Commander. And Rachel isn't the only one after it. This one is a must-read guys! But just be warned for younger teens that there is a little more violence. I seriously loved this book!

Book Blogger Confessions (4): Why I Have My Blog Set Up the Way It Is

The One Sidebar Issue: 

I've had some people tell me that they like the two sidebars better than one, but I disagree. I don't want it to be about all the little gadgets you can put on the side. They're fun to look at, and fun to click (you should try some of them out!), but they're not the main reason I built this blog. I built this blog to share reviews on books, YA book news, and now I have giveaways too! I have the sidebar there because you need easy links to things and sometimes I need to be reminded of giveaways on other people's blogs or even my own giveaways. I like the one sidebar because honestly I would never find enough to fill out two sidebars worth of stuff. So, as of now, I'm sticking with the one sidebar.

What I Have On My Sidebar and Why I Need It: 

The about me: I recently changed it to the Blogger version of this instead of my own text, and I like this better. I feel like the first thing people should know about this blog is that I created it. I want you to know who the maker of this place was.

Media places where you can find me: This is kind of part of the about me thing, so that we can connect in all different places!

Search this blog: Sometimes even I use this to find certain posts on my blog, but I know people that are looking for a certain things on my blog and I don't want you to have to go through every post.

The giveaways: I have a lot more giveaways now going on, and it actually helps me remember what giveaways are still going on. Obviously it also helps you guys find them when you're visiting my blog and hopefully you've entered them.

Follow by e-mail: I actually had someone comment and ask me to put this up, so that they can know when I put new posts up. Which was awesome for me, because it meant that someone actually wanted to be notified of my posts!

Current poison and upcoming antidotes: Just for you guys to know, and also for me keep track of. Sometimes I forget what book I have to review next!

Have a question: In case anyone wants me to answer a burning question, I've put this picture with a link to the Google form where you can ask me.

My blog button and giveaway button: I may get rid of the giveaway button, but if you like my blog, I want other people to be able to see that on your own blog! It can also help you get points in most of my giveaways.

Basic book ratings: I have a tab with these ratings in greater detail, but this way, you get the gist of what I believe these ratings mean and therefore more information on how I feel about a book.

Goodreads reading challenge: That's pretty much all for you guys to check out my progress, since I can see the same thing on my Goodreads main page.

GFC followers and Networked blogs: Kind of self-explanatory, but it helps publishers or authors who want to know my follower count when they check out my blog.

Blog tours: Just to let you guys know what blog tours I have coming up.

Past antidotes: This is almost obsolete with the search bar, but in case you want to know what I was up to in September of 2011 or March of 2012.

My blogoversary: Also has multiple purposes for you and I. This way, I know exactly when it is, and so do you!

Total page views: This is solely for you guys and publishers, since I can see my own stats any time I want.

Blog roll: This is for you guys to see what blogs I love and pay them a visit!

Favorite poisons: This is just something fun I did. It shows you guys the books I love, and I get to look at the cool banners of books I've enjoyed.

Book countdowns: To show the books I'm excited for, and when they come out.

Other blog giveaways: For me, and for you. I get extra points for putting it there and reminding myself to go back and tweet some more for points, and you guys get to check out awesome giveaways!

Pages: I just added this. Instead of going all the way back up to the top to go to a page, you just have to click on these.

Team buttons: Just like the book banners, this is for fun. Just so you know where I stand.

Why I Made My Own Page Tabs: 

I feel like Blogger needs to get a bit more creative with their page buttons, and so I made my own. I've gone through a few different background pictures, tab separators and funky fonts, but I'm pretty happy with creating my own. I love making things unique on my blog, which is why I was originally using different pictures for my blog features. But too much drama has been going on in the blogging world, and so I decided to make my own kind of picture for that as well. 

Personalized Memes:

These give my blog the feel of being unique, and I pride myself in that. Some of them have stemmed off of memes from other people's blogs, but ultimately they're my own creation. I know other people don't use them, and I also know that using the more famous ones where you can link up the posts will get more traffic on the blog. But that doesn't matter as much to me anymore. I still participate in blog tours and IMM and Top Ten Tuesday, but I love what I do with my own bloggety features.

Well, that's pretty much all I can think of!

Do you like or hate my blog setup? Let me know in the comments!

Hidden (Firelight #3) by Sophie Jordan: review

Goodreads rating: 4.42

ARC, 272 pages

Expected publication: September 11th 2012 by HarperTEEN

Series: Firelight #3

Jacinda was supposed to bond with Cassian, the "prince" of their pride. But she resisted long before she fell in love with Will—a human and, worse, a hunter. When she ran away with Will, it ended in disaster, with Cassian's sister, Miram, captured. Weighed down by guilt, Jacinda knows she must rescue her to set things right. Yet to do so she will have to venture deep into the heart of enemy territory.

The only way Jacinda can reach Miram is by posing as a prisoner herself, though once she assumes that disguise, things quickly spiral out of her control. As she learns more about her captors, she realizes that even if Will and Cassian can carry out their part of the plan, there's no guarantee they'll all make it out alive. But what Jacinda never could have foreseen is that escaping would be only the beginning....

Loyalties are tested and sacrifices made in the explosive conclusion to Sophie Jordan's Firelight trilogy.

I've always been in love with this series, so I was sad to see it end. But it was a perfect ending, in that it was imperfect in some things. As a recap for the last couple books, here are the few things that matter: Jacinda and Will are together, Jacinda is bonded with Cassian, Jacinda's mother ran away, and Miram got herself captured. Yeah, there are some problems. What annoyed me the most about this book was Miram. She was beyond annoying, she was weak, and when they escape the place they've taken her to (not really a spoiler, you know it's going to happen) she has a tracking device on her and puts them all in danger. I get that she's Cassian's sister, but I just wanted to choke her! While Jacinda's trapped with Miram, though, she meets other draki, and realizes that her coven isn't the only one out there. I wish we could have seen more of these characters than just in the beginning when they were all trapped. But one of the draki (Deghan) does follow Jacinda and the others out, and even saves Cassian. But he's also the one that had tried to kill Jacinda when the humans had released the draki into a controlled forest environment. So who is this guy?

I was glad that Jordan was able to add in another completely random piece of mystery, which was Deghan. I also liked Tamra, Jacinda's sister, being there for a lot of the book. I loved her growth and coming out of Jacinda's shadow. This thing between her and Deghan was interesting. They seem really drawn to each other, but it's never really explained why. But I really liked the introduction of Deghan's character--of Tamra being a new draki, and Deghan embracing his human side. At first, he wasn't able to turn back to being human since he hadn't done it in a while. Jacinda and Will were as strong as ever in their relationship. They each had moments of wondering if the other was going to leave them for one reason or another, but ultimately they were meant for each other. And I didn't mind Cassian, but he wasn't right for Jacinda. There was one thing I wish we would have seen happen between Jacinda and Will, but it didn't end perfectly.

There's one thing that really surprised me in this book, and that's who betrayed Jacinda's father. It was not who I was expecting, although it had been a while since Jacinda had been near the draki pride and so I couldn't remember who was there. But it was a surprise. This book was nonstop action and I loved every minute. It was too short!! I want more of this world, but sadly I don't think Jordan's doing anymore in the draki world. These books are fun, but also serious, and I'm sad to see this series go. Maybe she could write a novella for after Hidden ends from Tamra's POV, with her and Deghan. I don't why, but their story was so intriguing to me! I definitely recommend finishing this series.

Forbidden Friday (11) ~ In My Mailbox (49) + My Poison Pile (13) + On the Blog This Week (3)

Here's the deal with this blog feature: I wanted to make an easy title for when I do IMM and my two features My Poison Pile and On the Blog This Week. So I came up with the name of Forbidden Friday, and of course I made a button (above)! I am not saying the In My Mailbox meme is my own, as it belongs to Kristi of The Story Siren. I have simply put hers and mine together in one post and gave it a general name.

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.

BOOKS MENTIONED

Unraveling (Unraveling #1) by Elizabeth Norris

The False Prince (The Ascendance Trilogy #1) by Jennifer A. Neilson

Immortal City (Immortal City #1) by Scott Speer

Enclave (Razorland #1) by Ann Aguirre

Glow (Sky Chasers #1) Amy Kathleen Ryan

This Dark Endeavor (The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein #1) by Kenneth Oppel

When the Sea is Rising Red by Cat Hellisen

Entice (The Violet Eden Chapters #2) by Jessica Shirvington

Unraveling (Unraveling #1) by Elizabeth Norris

The False Prince (The Ascendance Trilogy #1) by Jennifer A. Neilson

SUNDAY

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1) by Sarah J. Maas

MONDAY

Building My Bookshelf (20)

TUESDAY

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Favorite Books You've Read During The Lifespan Of Your Blog

WEDNESDAY

Fractured Light Blog Tour: Review + GIVEAWAY of Fractured Light (Fractured Light #1) by Rachel McClellan

THURSDAY

Crown of Embers (Fire and Thorns #2) by Rae Carson

Crown of Embers (Fire and Thorns #2) by Rae Carson: review

Goodreads rating: 4.59

ARC, 410 pages

Expected publication: September 18th 2012 by Greenwillow Books

URL: http://www.raecarson.com/books/

Series: Fire and Thorns #2

"Carson joins the ranks of writers like Kristin Cashore, Megan Whalen Turner, and Tamora Pierce as one of YA's best writers of high fantasy."-Locus Magazine

In the sequel to the acclaimed The Girl of Fire and Thorns, a seventeen-year-old princess turned war queen faces sorcery, adventure, untold power, and romance as she fulfills her epic destiny.

Elisa is the hero of her country. She led her people to victory against a terrifying enemy, and now she is their queen. But she is only seventeen years old. Her rivals may have simply retreated, choosing stealth over battle. And no one within her court trusts her-except Hector, the commander of the royal guard, and her companions. As the country begins to crumble beneath her and her enemies emerge from the shadows, Elisa will take another journey. With a one-eyed warrior, a loyal friend, an enemy defector, and the man she is falling in love with, Elisa crosses the ocean in search of the perilous, uncharted, and mythical source of the Godstone's power. That is not all she finds. A breathtaking, romantic, and dangerous second volume in the Fire and Thorns trilogy.

WARNING: If you haven't read Girl of Fire and Thorns, this will be spoilery for you.

Oh my goodness, guys, this was even more amazing than I thought it'd be. A lot of times, sequels are just filler books. But Crown of Embers had a whole new story for us to unfold, and I loved ever minute of it. I love the world of Joya D'Arena. Carson has an uncanny way of really getting her descriptions across. But since Elisa didn't travel as much in this one, the descriptions were sightly lacking compared to the first one. That is, until she reaches a very important island, but I can say no more about that! The intrigue and mystery really kept the plot rolling, as an unknown amount of organizations either want to kill Elisa or kidnap her. Meanwhile, the king is dead and she's being pressured to find a husband. One thing we really didn't get to see in the first book is Elisa being queen and ruling the country without a king. Luckily, she has Hector he guard, an her ladies Mara and Ximena, all with their unfailing loyalty. On that note, I was surprised by the decision Elisa came to about Ximena at the end, but I can say no more! Elisa makes some bad decisions, but, because she had good people to fall back on, she grew as a queen and a woman.

The romance was beautiful. It was nothing like her and Humberto's relationship, but it built into something great and I loved the journey Carson took us on through their romance. Hector was more than just a swoon-worthy love interest. He was willing to sacrifice everything for Elisa, but he was quiet about it. It was so obvious that he cared for, and it took them almost dying for him to really admit it. He is definitely my fictional boyfriend for this month. This romance did not end the same way as the last book, thank god. Speaking of which, the one thing I really love about these books is that there is a lot about god in it, but there's also a well-built fantasy world, a heart-wrenching romance, and the constant uncertainty of what god wanted from Elisa and whether he would help her or not. Hector was more like Elisa's guiding light than her godstone as, and that's saying a lot for this book.

I liked the edition of one of the evil sorcerer race being somewhat friendly, though compliant seems more accurate. But he actually was loyal to Elisa, despite what race he came from. This book has so many life lessons, but it's set in such a fantastical world that you don't realize what they are until you've taken the time to go over everything that happened. And you can take everything in this book to heart, and even though this is a fantasy novel, I feel myself relating to it more than a lot of books out there that take place in current society. Carson weaves a beautiful tale in this highly anticipated sequel, and I cannot wait to see what happens next!!

Fractured Light Blog Tour: Review + GIVEAWAY of Fractured Light (Fractured Light #1) by Rachel McClellan

Goodreads rating: 4.09

Hardcover, 304 pages

Published February 8th 2012 by Sweetwater Books

URL: http://www.rachelmcclellan.com
Series: Fractured Light #1

Llona Reese is used to living on the run. After the Vykens killed her parents, she knew they would eventually come for her too. But she never felt ready to face them---until now. Defying the Auran Council and everything she's been taught, Llona must learn to use her power over light as a weapon if she wants to survive.

This was an interesting twist on an extremely overused mythical creature. But telling you which one would ruin it. Looking at the girl on the cover, I don't see Llona (pronounced Eona). Llona is careful and has to tak care of her depressed unce Jake, but she's also young and while she knows she has the Light, she has no idea how powerful she can really be. I'll be interested to see how McClellan expands the world of the Light and Vykens. I feel like the Light counsel are holding a lot back from everyone else. Llona's aunt, whom she doesn't particularly like but is the only one that can teach her about who she is, is on the counsel. She's been trying to convince Llona to come to the school specifically for those with the Light. But her parents had always kept that world from her, and she's used to taking care of herself. I read in a few reviews that this book was cliche. And it was. The villain was utterly predictable, and you knew who Christian really was even before he told Llona. But sometimes cliche is a nice break from authors trying to be "different" and failing.

The romance was pretty cliche as well. Llona meets Christian, a new guy at school, and of course she's attracted to him, although he did sound hot. And he's protective, but she can't understand why. When she tries to make a move on him though, he doesn't respond. He says he just wants to be friends, which devastates Llona. But when the Vyken that killed her parents starts stalking her, she decides that she wants to fight back. And she needs Christian's help with that, for a reason that you'll have to find out when you read the book. One thing I actually really liked about Llona was that she participated in school sports. Not only did it make her different from other people with Light (since they frown upon trying to be better than everyone else), but it also made her a more likable character. It also made Christian like her more as well, to see the fight in her. She really was like no one he had ever met. Too bad he stuck to his responsible guns for so long.

I did really enjoy this book, more than I thought I would. There were more cliche moments than others, but I loved the other characters. I felt like even the minor characters were at least beginning to be delved into enough. But now Llona won't be near them anymore, except maybe her best friend. She's going to be meeting all new people, and although she's changed slightly and has begun to trust people more, she still has that mindset of only looking out for herself. I just hope she doesn't change into some super girly character all of a sudden, and lose her fire. I also hope her and Christian can find some way to be together. There's a lot of things keeping them apart.

Here are the other blog on the tours:

And here's the giveaway!

ALL PRIZES ARE OPEN INTERNATIONALLY

Enter to win 3 Necklaces, 5 SIGNED Copies of Fractured Light, and 10 eBooks of Fractured Light

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Favorite Books You've Read During The Lifespan Of Your Blog

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week is a good one! Most of my favorite books have been ones I've read while I've had my blog, which  is pretty awesome!

Girl of Fire and Thorns (Fire and Thorns #1) by Rae Carson

To this day, this is my favorite YA fantasy novel! It has a little of everything and managed to break my heart more than any other book ever. If you haven't picked up this book, you need to. And the sequel is just as good, if not better.

Divergent (Divergent #1) by Veronica Roth

This was kind of a given. It was actually the first ARC I ever held in my hands (I won it on Facebook), and she was at one of the first signings I ever went to. Besides, this book is full of awesome!

Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1) by Tahereh Mafi

Shatter Me is the first ARC I ever received from a publisher as a surprise, so this holds a special place in my heart and on my bookshelf. Also, I've met Tahereh multiple times and her writing is breathtaking. I've even read the sequel already and it's amazing! I need to read it again...

Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer

I fell in love with this book, and Marissa's writing is perfection. I've also met Marissa a couple times and she is a sweetheart. I've read the sequel to this one as well, and it is awesome! I wouldn't say any better or worse than the first, but almost a completely different story.

Angelfire (Angelfire #1) by Courtney Allison Moulton

I met Courtney at a signing in Michigan that just happened to be there when I was in town. She's one of sweetest and coolest authors I've met, but sadly I read her amazing book after meeting her. I would have totally fan-girled.

Building My Bookshelf (20)

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 wish list, one that is already released and another that will be released within the next year.

On my shelf:

Starters (Starters and Enders #1) by Lissa Price

PUBLICATION DATE: March 13th, 2012

HER WORLD IS CHANGED FOREVER

Callie lost her parents when the Spore Wars wiped out everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty. She and her little brother, Tyler, go on the run, living as squatters with their friend Michael and fighting off renegades who would kill them for a cookie. Callie's only hope is Prime Destinations, a disturbing place in Beverly Hills run by a mysterious figure known as the Old Man.

He hires teens to rent their bodies to Enders—seniors who want to be young again. Callie, desperate for the money that will keep her, Tyler, and Michael alive, agrees to be a donor. But the neurochip they place in Callie's head malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, and going out with a senator's grandson. It feels almost like a fairy tale, until Callie discovers that her renter intends to do more than party—and that Prime Destinations' plans are more evil than Callie could ever have imagined. . . .

My thoughts: I've been meaning to read this, but every time I look at the cover I just can't. I know, it's bad of me to judge it like that, but I'll get to it eventually.

Awake at Dawn (Shadow Falls #2) by C.C. Hunter

PUBLICATION DATE: October 11th, 2011

Step into the world of Shadow Falls, a camp that helps teens tap into their special…talents. Once you visit, you’ll never forget it—and you’ll never, ever be the same.
From the moment Kylie Galen arrived at Shadow Falls Camp, she’s had one burning question: What am I? Surrounded by vampires, werewolves, shape-shifters, fairies and witches, Kylie longs to figure out her own supernatural identity…and what her burgeoning powers mean. And now she’ll need them more than ever, because she’s being haunted by a new spirit who insists that someone Kylie knows—and loves—will die before the end of the summer. If only she only knew who she was supposed to save. And how…

But giving Kylie the most trouble is her aching heart. Gorgeous werewolf Lucas left camp with another girl, but he’s still visiting Kylie in her dreams. And Derek, a sexy half Fae who’s always been there for her when she needed him, is pushing to get more serious—and growing impatient, especially when Lucas returns. Kylie knows she needs to decide between the boys, and it’s tearing her up inside. 

Yet romance will have to wait, because something from the dark side of the supernatural world is hiding in Shadow Falls. It’s about to threaten everything she holds dear…and bring her closer to her destiny.

My thoughts: I really enjoyed the first book of this series, but I just haven't gotten to continuing with it. I love the idea, and I'm interested in the love triangle drama.

On my wishlist:

Skylark (Skylark #1) by Megan Spooner

PUBLICATION DATE: August 1st, 2012

Sixteen-year-old Lark Ainsley has never seen the sky.

Her world ends at the edge of the vast domed barrier of energy enclosing all that’s left of humanity. For two hundred years the city has sustained this barrier by harvesting its children's innate magical energy when they reach adolescence. When it’s Lark’s turn to be harvested, she finds herself trapped in a nightmarish web of experiments and learns she is something out of legend itself: a Renewable, able to regenerate her own power after it’s been stripped.

Forced to flee the only home she knows to avoid life as a human battery, Lark must fight her way through the terrible wilderness beyond the edge of the world. With the city’s clockwork creations close on her heels and a strange wild boy stalking her in the countryside, she must move quickly if she is to have any hope of survival. She’s heard the stories that somewhere to the west are others like her, hidden in secret—but can she stay alive long enough to find them?

My thoughts: First I LOVE this cover! And second, I've been hearing pretty awesome things about this book. Not sure I like the idea idea of being "harvested" though.

Through the Ever Night (Under the Never Sky #2) by Veronica Rossi

PUBLICATION DATE: January 8th, 2013

A world-defying love is put to the ultimate test in the heart-stopping sequel to Veronica Rossi's "masterpiece," Under the Never Sky. (Examiner.com)

It's been months since Aria last saw Perry. Months since Perry was named Blood Lord of the Tides, and Aria was charged with an impossible mission. Now, finally, they are about to be reunited. But their reunion is far from perfect. The Tides don't take kindly to Aria, a former Dweller. And with the worsening Aether storms threatening the tribe's precarious existence, Aria begins to fear that leaving Perry behind might be the only way to save them both.

Threatened by false friends, hidden enemies, and powerful temptations, Aria and Perry wonder, Can their love survive through the ever night?

In this second book in her spellbinding Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi combines fantasy and dystopian elements to create a captivating love story as perilous as it is unforgettable.

My thoughts: I adored Under the Never Sky, and I'm super excited for this sequel. Too bad January is so far away! Although, it does come out just before my birthday *hint*

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

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1) by Sarah J. Maas: review

Goodreads rating: 4.29
ARC, 416 pages

Published August 7th 2012 by Bloomsbury USA Children's

Series: Throne of Glass #1

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom.

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

Throne of Glass is a gorgeously written book with intrigue, romance, and a kick-butt heroine. It took me a little while to get used to Celaena, but as soon as that happened, I couldn't put it down! We find Celaena in a prison where no one has ever made it out alive. But the prince comes to find her and offer her a choice: die in the prison or have a chance at freedom. It was really no choice, even when she realized that the king (who she has a special hate for) would be granting her the freedom. After Celaena got over her original vane attitude (which is pretty much how we're introduced to her), I really grew to love her. She's not afraid to tell people what she's thinking, and she has a fiery passion that drives her. Which is why I think two guys were drawn to her. Oh, and of course, she's a well-trained assassin. I wish I knew how to do have the things she did. But there's also so much mystery. Surprisingly, this book has fae mythology, but it is not a fae book. This is a fantasy where the fae were exterminated, and are actually all thought to be long gone. But Celaena keeps seeing these strange symbols, and no one will tell her what they mean. Even the visiting princess seems to know more than her. And then, of course, the other assassins fighting for their own freedoms, end up being murdered. And Celaena has to figure it out before she's next.

I'm kind of tired of love triangles. But Maas did this one very well. And yes, I have decided which one I like, and that's Westfall. Dorian has obvious charm, being a prince and all, and he obviously cares for Celaena. But Westfall shows how he feels in such subtle ways that at first, she thinks he hates her. But in little gestures,  he cares more about her than he lets on. Even at the end of the book, I was left wanting for Westfall. I think it's because I don't want a love for Celaena that's easy, because she deserves better. She hasn't exactly had the best life, and I just thought that while Westfall protected her, he also knew when she could handle herself, while Dorian didn't do that enough. But Celaena had a lot more to focus on than which guy she should be with (although both guys are basically off-limits). I have to admit that, while love triangles have become something I usually cringe at, Maas did an amazing job with convincing you of both parties. Although, I could have done with a little more of Westfall.

Overall, this met and exceeded my expectations. I've had books before where everyone has hyped it up so much that I go in with unrealistic expectations and so I end up getting let down. But Throne of Glass was no disappointment. I felt like I could really connect with all of the main characters, and I cared about what happened to them. There was mystery and murder, which was fun, and then the excitement of romance and the chance at true freedom. This fantasy is right up there with Girl of Fire and Thorns for me, and I can't wait to see what happens next! The only thing I will say is that I hope that the assassin's tournament has taught  Celaena  lesson in humility. I know girls care a lot about how they look, but while you're being dragged from a prison, looking good for someone else would be the last thing on my mind. I'm excited to see Celaena grow more as a character.

Forbidden Friday (10) ~ In My Mailbox (48) + My Poison Pile (12) + On the Blog This Week (2)

Yup, this post is one day late, but that's because I had to make room for the Authors ARE Rockstars post with the awesome Jennifer Bosworth!! Check out the interview and the GIVEAWAY here.

Here's the deal with this "new meme": I wanted to make an easy title for when I do IMM and my meme My Poison Pile. So I came up with the name of Forbidden Friday, and of course I made up a button (above)! I am not saying the In My Mailbox meme is my own, as it belongs to Kristi of The Story Siren. I have simply put hers and mine together in one post and gave it a general name.

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.

BOOKS MENTIONED

Michelle Madow, author of Remembrance, swag
Die For Me (Revenants #1) by Amy Plum
The Taker (The Taker Trilogy #1) by Alma Katsu

Fever (The Chemical Garden #2) by Lauren DeStefano

[From author event]
Personal Demons trilogy by Lisa Desrochers
Dark Companion by Marta Acosta
Girl of Nightmares (Anna #2) by Kendare Blake

Ironskin (Ironskin #1) by Tina Connelly
The Lost Prince (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #1) by Julie Kagawa

The Mephisto Kiss (The Mephisto Covenant #2) by Trinity Faegan
Mystic City (Mystic City #1) by Theo Lawrence

Covet (The Clann #2) by Melissa Darnell

The Kill Order (Maze Runner prequel) by James Dashner

BLOGGERS MENTIONED

Courtney @ Fuzzy.Coffee.Books
Kristi @ The Story Siren
Crystal @ Elegantly Bound Books

My Poison Pile is a meme created here at The Reader's Antidote, which features the next four books that I'm going to read next and a little about why I'm reading them.

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

Entice (The Violet Eden Chapters #2) by Jessica Shirvington

Rift (Nightshade Prequel #1) by Andrea Cremer

The Raven Boys (Raven Cycle #1) by Maggie Stiefvater

I'm going to give you the posts from the last couple weeks, since I didn't have one of these posts last week.

SATURDAY (8/4)

Once Weekend Day One: Anna Carey's Favorite Things

SUNDAY

Once Weekend Day Two: Repost Interview, Eve Book Trailer + GIVEAWAY

MONDAY

Until I Die (Revenants #2) by Amy Plum: review

TUESDAY
Kailmeyra Series Tour: Review + GIVEAWAY of Light of Asteria (Kailmeyra #1) by Elizabeth Isaacs

WEDNESDAY

ALA Read-A-Thon Starts Today!

THURSDAY

Tempt Me Thursday (4)

ALA Summer Read-A-Thon Day One Wrap-Up

FRIDAY

July Wrap-Up

ALA Summer Read-A-Thon Day Two Wrap-Up

SATURDAY (8/11)

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry: review, Q&A + GIVEAWAY

SUNDAY

Hemlock (Hemlock #1) by Kathleen Peacock: review

ALA Summer Read-A-Thon Day Three/Four Wrap-Up

MONDAY

Dearly, Beloved (Gone With the Respiration #2) by Lia Habel: review

ALA Summer Read-A-Thon Day Five Wrap-Up

TUESDAY

ALA Summer Read-A-Thon Final Wrap-Up

WEDNESDAY

The Goddess Legacy (The Goddess Test #2.5) by Aimee Carter

THURSDAY

500 Followers Giveaway

FRIDAY

Authors ARE Rockstars Tour Stop: Interview + GIVEAWAY