Winner of the Mega Fury Giveaway!

Hey everyone! Just wanted to let you all know that the winner of the Fury Giveaway- which includes not only a signed copy of Fury but a "Revenge is Shirt" T shirt and an exclusive invite to a chat session with Elizabeth Miles- is Erica from The Book Cellar! Congrats, Erica- you should be receiving an email from Paper Lantern Lit sometime this week. As for everyone else, there's still time to enter my Beautiful Chaos giveaway as well as my Bridger giveaway. 

That's all for now, and by the way, Happy Halloween! :) 

Blog Tour: Guest Post by Angela Kuilg, author of Skeleton Lake

The Truth About Vampires, Werewolves, and What I Do

Hi, I’m Angela Kulig and I like to make things up. I know that’s pretty obvious, with what me being a writer and all, but there is something else. I don’t like to play by other peoples rules. I am mostly unapologetic for this, but you should be warned, if you’re looking for werewolves you won’t ever get them from me. Trust me, that is a good thing.

Have you ever heard of a vampire that didn’t need/want/actually drink blood? Well, then they wouldn’t really be a vampire would they? With classic monsters, whether you’d want to admit it or not, there is lore and someone will hold you to it. Of course you can blur the lines, rebel, and have your own way with things. Some people will love you for it, and others will hate you for it. It happens. Because people have made up truths about vampires for years before you were born. Some of those truths are vary wildly, but some things resonate differently for people. Years after Twilight, some still think all vampires should sparkle; while others prefer the kind of vampires that kill people and haphazardly dump bodies in dark streets. It’s nothing personal, it just is. You are rarely going to change a person’s mind about it.

It doesn’t matter that the truths can’t be true. I personally prefer my imaginary beasts, well, imaginary. If I make up something new completely, I don’t have to battle against other peoples preconceived notions of what my creatures should be or do. I’m free, and so is the reader.

The monsters of Skeleton Lake aren’t really monsters at all, and yet the monsters like to swarm around them--they have even been known to keep other creatures in the house. There are skeletons, moving, walking, soul shattering, with bruised bones and hearts. There are hollow beasts, and people who feel hollow inside. There are trees that move and creak, as they eat flesh from bones.

And there is love.

I will never be satisfied by monster stories, and things that go bump in the night alone. There should be all that and more. There should be an ache, and desire for things just out of reach. There should be anxiety, and relief, and any other emotion you can squeeze in between being a afraid.

The truth of the matter is, vampires and werewolves aren’t so different than what I do. It’s a different approach to the same end. Any creature can lead you on and adventure, it all depends on who is wielding the pen.

About Skeleton Lake:

Unsure if she's drowning or being saved, all Marlow wants to do is run away. Ensnared in a haunting love triangle, she realizes both boys have holes in their hearts; gaping spaces she can never hope to fill. Scars from loving the same girl, a girl who managed to stay dead. Now she is being hunted, for what she has become and what she never asked to be. Even as a Skeleton Marlow isn’t the worst thing in the night—she isn’t even close.

To find out more about Angela and her books, head on over here.

My review for Shelton Lake will be posted sometime within the next few weeks! 

Bookish News: Cover Reveal for Awaken, a New Short Story by Jennifer Weiner, & More!

I was recently alerted of a three very awesome things so I thought I would share them with everyone here today.

First of all, Jennifer Weiner is releasing Recalculating, a new ghostly short story, tomorrow (October 31st) just in time for Halloween, and if you're a big Jennifer Weiner fan like I am, I'm sure you can't wait to read it!

 Here's all you need to know:

After Maureen's husband dies, she imagines that the years of abuse are over, but while looking for the Halloween decorations in the attic, Maureen finds a gift-wrapped GPS with her name on the box: an early birthday present from her late husband. When the voice from the machine starts giving her sinister directions, she learns that sometimes the dead are restless . . . and she's locked in a battle not just for her life but for her soul.

It's now available for pre-order now on Apple iBooks and Barnes & Noble Nook, and Amazon Kindle.

Jennifer also recently posted a short blog entry about the short story and how it came to be. Here's a short snippet from it:

"I spoke at an event Tuesday night, out in the suburbs, and I was driving home, letting my trusty GPS be my guide. As I tooled through the darkness, along a deserted road I’d never been on, I thought, What if this thing doesn’t want me to get home?

What if it sends me somewhere else entirely?

On Wednesday morning, I sent out a tweet asking if anyone had ever written a story about a possessed GPS."

You can read the rest here.

~~~

In YA news, Ednah Walters and Spencer Hill Press are teaming up to re-release Betrayed, book two in the Guardian Legacy series, and with the re-release has come a really awesome new cover. Want to see it? Well, look below:

Lil isn't just an average teenager. She's one of the Nephilim--the descendants of humans and angels--which gives her some serious psi skills and a mission for redemption. Just when Lil thinks she's found a balance between her normal life with human friends and her training to become a Guardian, she's warned that someone close to her will betray her. When the boy she loves starts acting strangely and one of her human friends acquires a supernatural ability, Lil begins to realize that someone is manipulating the people she loves... and won't stop until she's been lured to the dark side.

Betrayed will be released sometime next June! 

~~~

Furthermore, I was also recently informed that award-winning science fiction, fantasy and horror novelist Suzy McKee Charnas has re-released some her previous YA Fantasy novels in Kindle format. The two books --- both originally published in the 1980s and 1990s --- are The Bronze King, which is the first of a trilogy, and The Kingdom of Kevin Malone, a stand-alone novel.

~~~

In My Mailbox (143 & 144)

For Review:

Don't Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala (Already read and loved! Look for my review sometime early next year!)
Faking Faith by Josie Bloss (Read this one as soon as it came as well. It was really good- look for my review soon!)
Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan (Can't wait to read this one!)
Lexapros and Cons by Aaron Karo (The publicist who pitched this one to be made it sound hilarious so I can't wait to dive in!)
Various Positions by Martha Schabas (Looks really good!)
Scored by Lauren McLaughlin (Not the biggest fan of the cover but I'm still willing to give it a try!)
After the Snow by S.D. Crockett (Ice Age Dystopian?! Count me in for sure!)
The Humming Room by Ellen Potter (I've heard some pretty amazing things about this one-can't wait to get started on it!)
The Stalker Chronicles by Carley Moore (Looks like a cute read!)

From Holly Cupala:

Tell Me a Secret Audiobook  (Holly sent this as a thank you for being part of her Tell Me A Secret blog tour last year.)

Much thanks goes to Holly Cupala, the people at Flux, Esther at Macmillan Audio, and Ksenia at FSG!

Have a great week everyone! :)

PS) Don't forget to enter my HUGE Fury giveaway- it ends tomorrow at 12:00 PM EST! 

Blog Tour: Bridger by Megan Curd (Review & Giveaway!)

Summary/Cover Image from Goodreads:

Ashlyn McVean doesn't believe in fairy tales. That is, until Ashlyn is thrown into the crosshairs of grudges her grandmother created long ago. After finding out she is one of two people able to cross between faerie realms, Ashlyn is faced with trying to understand her abilities, along with navigating a new relationship with her boyfriend, Liam. As if being on a centuries old hit list and dealing with crazed pixies isn't enough, her new abilities mean trouble for Liam. Knowing her new life puts everyone she loves in danger, Ashlyn must decide what's most important in her life between friends, family, love, and ultimately, realms.

Review:

Bridger is without a doubt one of my favorite debuts of 2011. Not only because it is wonderfully written but also because it contains a spunky main character, swoon worthy romance, and a well-executed premise.

Ashlyn’s life hasn’t been all that fabulous lately. Her dad just died in a freak accident, her grandmother’s keeping secrets from her, and her mom and brother aren’t coping well with all the changes they’ve been dealt. So when Ashlyn is given the option to go to Ireland with her best friend, she jumps at the chance, because it will be a much deserved change of scenery. Moreover, it offers the chance to meet extended family members…one who may hold the same secrets her grandmother hides from her. However, Ireland isn’t at all what she expected. Her best friend is pulling away and acting a little sketchy. She’s finding out secrets and her family and herself she could never have imagined possible. Lastly, she’s falling in love for the first time. Everything is about to change once again, though. Ashlyn will have to face enemies and for friends, come to terms with her past and welcome the future, and also decide whether or not falling in love is worth it…

There’s a lot of amazing things contained in this gem of a novel, and one of them is without a doubt the premise. I always love when an author decides to tackle mythology in their book, especially when it’s done well, and thankfully, that was just the case with Bridger. Megan Curd was able to provide a thoroughly vivid world of fairies as well as the various other creates they face. The best part, though, was the Bridger aspect. Fully unique, it was an interesting addition to the plot, one that constantly had me guessing.

I also really enjoyed the characters. Ashlyn was fierce and dauntless even when the going got tough. Furthermore, Megan did a fabulous job of displaying Ashlyn’s various emotions over her dad’s death to the future and the destiny she faced, but the best part of Ashlyn’s character was seeing the relationships as well as friendships that she began with others throughout the novel. Her one with Liam was especially fun as well as steamy…I can only hope there will be plenty more of it in the sequel. I also loved seeing Ashlyn interact with her grandmother, because not only was their bond sweet but her grandmother was one of a kind to say the least…

The only aspect I wasn’t too big on in Bridger was the slight love triangle that seemed to occur in the middle. I’m never the biggest fan of love triangles, especially when they don’t make much sense in terms to other parts of the book. However, by the end, everything was resolved in a nearly perfect way. 

Suspenseful, unique, and romantic, Bridger is sure to enchant many, many readers, and I can only hope you’ll be one of them. As for Megan Curd, she’s defiantly an author to keep an eye if Bridger’s any indication!

Grade: A

Bridger (Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Goodreads) is now available as an eBook as well as in paperback!

Source: Author via blog tour

Thanks to Megan, I also have one eCopy of Bridger to giveaway. 

To enter, leave a comment below with your email address. This giveaway is open to everyone and will close on November 4, 2011 at 12:00 PM EST. 

This giveaway is now over!

There will also be a grand prize giveaway of a SIGNED copy of the book and swag at the end of the tour. To see the full schedule, head on over here. 

Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

A thrilling debut story of death, love, destiny and danger

Lenzi hears voices and has visions - gravestones, floods, a boy with steel gray eyes. Her boyfriend, Zak, can't help, and everything keeps getting louder and more intense. Then Lenzi meets Alden, the boy from her dreams, who reveals that she's a reincarnated Speaker - someone who can talk to and help lost souls - and that he has been her Protector for centuries.

Now Lenzi must choose between her life with Zak and the life she is destined to lead with Alden. But time is running out: a malevolent spirit is out to destroy Lenzi, and he will kill her if she doesn't make a decision soon.

Review:

When Shattered Souls showed up in my mailbox this past week, I could not have been happier. Not only because I adored the cover to pieces but also because the premise sounded fascinating. Thankfully, Shattered Souls turned out to be a marvelous book!

Lenzi has not been having the greatest of years. Not only because she is still reeling from the sudden loss  of her dad a few months earlier but also she’s hearing voices…ones that won’t seem to go away. Hearing voices is a big problem on its own, but for Lenzi it is extra scary because voices are the reason behind her dad’s death, and she cannot be like him…she will be not like him. However, just as things are turning for the worse, a new mysterious guy shows up in her life. Alden isn’t like anyone she’s meant before. He’s sweet, stunning, and he says he can explain the voices- that they aren’t the evil things she thinks they are. Lenzi doesn’t know what to think…should she trust him or not? More importantly, she can’t deny the feelings she has for him, but there’s one tiny problem she already has a boyfriend...What will Lenzi do? Only time and more pages can tell in this sexy and exciting new paranormal debut!

I have to admit that when I first started this book I wasn’t too sure if I was going to like it. The start was a bit too slow for my liking and everything just seemed a bit too jumbled for my taste. However, as the novel progressed, it got better and better due to several reasons.

One of those reasons was the characters. I really enjoyed Lenzi’s character in particular. I felt Mary did a great job of presenting Lenzi’s problem with the voices as well as her confusion over the stories Alden told her of the past as well as her future. Alden was another great addition, and I especially enjoyed seeing his romance with Lenzi bloomed, because it was sweet as well as sexy and its development had a decent pace for a YA novel.

The plot of Shattered Souls was also fabulous. The idea of Speakers and Protectors was creative as well as well executed, which made it an A+ in my eyes. Better yet, I loved all the tension as well as twists and turns that came with it. I was never sure what was going to occur next especially towards the end. Moreover, seeing Alden and Lenzi interact and help the ghosts was definitely fun!

Full of romance, mystery, and thrill, Shattered Souls is one of the most promising debuts of the year. So, my words of advice: if you read one book this upcoming December let it be Shattered Souls. You won’t be disappointed…that’s for sure! 

Grade: A-

Shattered Souls (Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Goodreads) will be released December 8, 2011!

Source: Teen Book Scene ARC tour

Waiting on Wednesday (118)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

My picks this week are:

Belles by Jen Calonita

Fifteen-year-old Isabelle Scott loves her less-than-charmed life by the boardwalk on the wrong side of the tracks in North Carolina, but when a social worker must place her to live with a long-lost uncle and his preppy privileged family, she's taken away from everything she's ever known.

Unfortunately, inserting Isabelle into the glamorous lifestyle of Emerald Cove doesn't go so well. Cousin Mirabelle Monroe isn't thrilled to share her life with an outsider, and, she is ready to pull her hair out of her head over all the rumors and backstabbing that lurk beneath their classmates' Southern charm about her new family member. Like each other or not, Izzie and Mira are going to learn to get along, especially when they learn a life-changing secret that will turn both their worlds upside down.

Jen Calonita is one of my favorite YA authors so when I first heard about this one I knew I had to read it. Not only because the premise sounds wickedly awesome but also because the cover is stunning!

Belles will be released April 10, 2012! 

Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder

Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan assumes their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Territories, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos.

Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture. Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own, is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince—leader of a campaign against her people. As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because the price of peace may well be her life...

This one sounds like just my kind of read. Magic, princes, dangers...what's not to like?! Plus, after reading Maria V. Snyder's amazing Outside In and Inside Out, I've been looking forward to reading more by her!

Touch of Power will be released December 20, 2011!  

Giveaway: Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Thanks to Little, Brown and Big Honcho Media, I have TWO copies of Beautiful Chaos, the latest book in the bestselling Beautiful creatures series, to giveaway! 

About Beautiful Chaos:

Ethan Wate thought he was getting used to the strange, impossible events happening in Gatlin, his small Southern town. But now that Ethan and Lena have returned home, strange and impossible have taken on new meanings. Swarms of locusts, record-breaking heat, and devastating storms ravage Gatlin as Ethan and Lena struggle to understand the impact of Lena's Claiming. Even Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals is affected - and their abilities begin to dangerously misfire. As time passes, one question becomes clear: What - or who - will need to be sacrificed to save Gatlin?

For Ethan, the chaos is a frightening but welcome distraction. He's being haunted in his dreams again, but this time it isn't by Lena - and whatever is haunting him is following him out of his dreams and into his everyday life. Even worse, Ethan is gradually losing pieces of himself - forgetting names, phone numbers, even memories. He doesn't know why, and most days he's too afraid to ask.

Sometimes there isn't just one answer or one choice. Sometimes there's no going back. And this time there won't be a happy ending.

About the Books:

Sometimes there isn't just one answer or one choice. Sometimes there's no going back. And this time there won't be a happy ending. Ethan and Lena’s mesmerizing romance continues in the highly anticipated new Beautiful Creatures novel, coming October 18th. You can find out more about the series at beautifulcreaturesnovels.com.

How to Enter:

Fill out the form below.

Official Giveaway Rules:

~ Must be 13 years or older to enter

~ Must have a US mailing address

~ This giveaway will close on November 1, 2011 at 12:00 PM EST

This giveaway is now over!

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.

Elisa is the chosen one.

But she is also the younger of two princesses. The one who has never done anything remarkable, and can’t see how she ever will.

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs her to be the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he’s not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies, seething with dark magic, are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior, and he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do.

Review:

Ever since I first heard about The Girl of Fire and Thorns, I've been dying to read it. Not only because the premise sounded fascinating but also because it seemed like it would be something similar to Graceling and Fire, two of my favorite books. Luckily, it was pretty good overall, but in some ways I was a bit underwhelmed...

One of the things I enjoyed most about this book was the characters. Elisa was flawed yet it made her even more real in my eyes. It was interesting to see her overcome her self-esteem issues as the novel progressed, especially when it ended up landing her in an even better place mentally because of it. What I also enjoyed was seeing how Elisa went from being a timid, diffident girl to one who is not afraid to call the shots and say what's on her mind. It was a long process but an important one to the story as well as the reader nonetheless. I also enjoyed the addition of the revolutionaries such as Cosme and Humerbto. All of them truly brought a great spark to the novel. 

The plot of this was also decent. I enjoyed seeing how Rae Carson shaped the world Elisa and her friends and foes in as well as the different aspects of it such as religion and politics. Every aspect (little to large) was fully developed as well making it even better. Another portion of this novel I enjoyed was finding out more about Elisa's powers, because not only did they bring many twists and turns as well as secrets out of the woodwork but also it was an interesting sub plot overall. The hint of romance in this was fabulous as well, and even though I would have loved some more development to it, I still found it to be satisfactory overall.

However, there were some parts of The Girl of Fire and Thorns that lacked. One was pacing. Sometimes this novel moved at rocket speed and had me fully captivated while at others it moved at snail pace and barely had me following along. Second, it just didn't have that flare I was looking for. Don't get me wrong, it was good but it wasn't as good as I had hoped it would be. I don't know if this was because my expectations were so high or if because I wanted something more similar to a Kristin Cashore book, but either way it was just missing something in my eyes.... Hopefully, it will be cleared up in the sequels.

Last but not least, Rae Carson's writing was great. I loved the way in which she developed the characters and plot lines as well as the way she was never afraid to do something extreme to the plot lines and characters...though I will say the ending was a little bit too morbid for my liking. In addition, I enjoyed the focus on religion. It was never pushy. Instead, it was woven into the story in a way the book wouldn't be the same without.

In all, The Girl of Fire and Thorns is certainly a good debut, and while it wasn't always what I expected and hoped for I did end up enjoying it quite a bit, and I'm now eagerly awaiting the sequel. 

Grade: B

The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Goodreads) is now out!

Source: Publisher via Netgalley

In My Mailbox (142)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

For Review:

Unison Spark by Andy Marino (Looking forward to reading this one!) 

Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey (For a Teen Book Scene tour. I'm in the middle of reading it currently and it's pretty good so far.) 

From Paper Lantern Lit:

~ A PLL Tote (Isn't it adorable?!)

Much thanks goes to Kathryn at Macmillan, Mary Lindsey + Teen Book Scene, and the lovely people at Paper Lantern Lit! 

What did you get this week? Anything exciting? Let me know in the comments, and feel free to link to your IMM post as well.

Have a great everyone! :)  

PS) Have you entered my mega awesome Fury Giveaway yet? If not, you totally should!

Fury Giveaway (Signed Book, T-shirt, and MORE!)

As one of Paper Lantern Lit's Preferred Bloggers, I have an amazing giveaway for you all today involving Elizabeth Miles' Fury. 

What You Can Win:

~ A SIGNED copy of Fury (Trust me, this book is AMAZING!)

~ An adorable "Revenge is Sweet" t-shirt

~ Invitation to a chat season with author Elizabeth Miles!

How to Enter:

~ Simply leave a comment below with your email address so I can contact you if you win! And if you have a story about a time when revenge was sweet for you leave that too if you want but it's optional.

Want Some Extra Entries?

~ Spread the word about this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, etc. Leave your links with your comment and you'll get a +1 for each time!

Official Giveaway Rules:

~ Must be 13 years or older
~ Open Internationally! 
~This giveaway will close on October 31, 2011 at 12:00 PM EST

Ready, Set, Go! :) 

A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

On the night of Skye’s seventeenth birthday, she meets two enigmatic strangers. Complete opposites—like fire and ice—Asher is dark and wild, while Devin is fair and aloof. Their sudden appearance sends Skye’s life into a tailspin. She has no idea what they want, or why they seem to follow her every move—only that their presence coincides with a flurry of strange events. Soon she begins to doubt not just the identity of the two boys, but also the truth about her own past.

In the dead of a bitingly cold Colorado winter, Skye finds herself coming to terms with the impossible secret that threatens to shatter her world. Torn between Asher, who she can’t help falling for, and Devin, who she can’t stay away from, the consequences of Skye’s choice will reach further than the three of them could ever imagine.

A Beautiful Dark is the first book in a captivating trilogy by debut author Jocelyn Davies.

Review:

A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies has been high on my wish list ever since I first saw the cover for it. I loved and still do the elegant simplicity of it, and after reading the summary for it, I knew it was a book for me. However, while I did end up enjoying A Beautiful Dark in some ways, in other ways it was just a bit too much for me.

All Skye wants for her seventeenth birthday was a fun night out with her three closest friends, not a big flashy party filled with the majority of her grade. Much to her dismay, though, she ends up with the later of two. However, everything takes a turn for the better when she meets two new boys at the party...Asher and Devin. Asher is the apple of everyone's attention, as he drags nearly everyone in with his model-worthy good looks and his wild yet captivating personality. Devin, on the other hand, is broody and sensitive, someone who takes a long time to warm up to new people. Skye is quickly taken to both of them, and before she knows it, she begins to become friends with both. What she doesn't know, though, is that they're going to change her world with their secrets and the way they make her question her past as well as future. However, will it be for the better or for the worse? Only more time and pages can tell in this exciting new debut!

One of the biggest ways A Beautiful Dark failed in my eyes was character wise. Not because the characters were annoying or shallow but because I just could not connect to them or even come to like them all that much. For one, Skye was a bit wish-washy, in my opinion. I never liked how she was always afraid to go after what she wanted as well as the way she tended to push the ones closest to her away. Moreover, even though she had the ability to do extraordinary things, I felt that she never truly lived up to her full potential. The boys, on the other hand, were okay. Sometimes I liked them (especially Asher) but in other ways, they felt more like devices used to further the plot than characters, especially in the beginning. I did enjoy reading about Skye's friends and family, though, especially when they ended up providing a fun twist or side plot to the book.

The plot of this one was the great though. I enjoyed the use of mythology in it as well as the way Jocelyn presented. I also enjoyed that throughout A Beautiful Dark I was never sure what supernatural powers lurked inside because it ended up having me guessing for the majority of the book and entertained for the long run. What I did not enjoy about the plot, though, was the abundance of clichés found within the romance as well as the characters and plot lines. One or two is okay, but when a book is based on them, it does bring it down a notch or two.

Even with its faults, A Beautiful Dark is still a decent book, one I'm sure lovers of mythology and supernatural will enjoy thoroughly, and while it wasn't always the book for me, I will be reading the sequel just because I want to know what will happen next after that crazy ending.

Grade: C+

A Beautiful Dark (Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Goodreads) is now out!

Source: Publisher via Netgalley

Waiting on Wednesday (117)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

The Difference Between You and Me by Madeleine George

"Sweet, tender, and true!" - Laurie Halse Anderson

Jesse cuts her own hair with a Swiss Army knife. She wears big green fisherman's boots. She's the founding (and only) member of NOLAW, the National Organization to Liberate All Weirdos. Emily wears sweaters with faux pearl buttons. She's vice president of the student council. She has a boyfriend.

These two girls have nothing in common, except the passionate "private time" they share every Tuesday afternoon. Jesse wishes their relationship could be out in the open, but Emily feels she has too much to lose. When they find themselves on opposite sides of a heated school conflict, they each have to decide what's more important: what you believe in, or the one you love?

This book sounds like an interesting twist on the "forbidden love" trend. Plus any book that Laurie Halse Anderson takes the time to blurb is a book I'll be reading for sure! :)

The Unquiet by Jeannine Garsee

Sixteen-year-old Rinn Jacobs has secrets: One, she’s bipolar. Two, she killed her grandmother.

After a suicide attempt, and now her parents' separation, Rinn and her mom move from California to the rural Ohio town where her mother grew up. Back on her medications (again!) and hoping to stay well, Rinn settles into her new home and school. She refuses to be daunted by the fact that the previous owner hanged herself in Rinn's bedroom, or that her classmates believe the school pool is haunted by Annaliese, a girl who drowned there. But when a reckless séance goes awry, and terrible things start happening to her new friends—yet not to her—Rinn is determined to find out why she can’t be "touched" by Annaliese...or if Annaliese even exists.

With the help of Nate Brenner, the hunky “farmer boy” she’s rapidly falling for, Rinn devises a dangerous plan to uncover the truth. Soon reality and fantasy meld into one, till Rinn finds it nearly impossible to tell the difference. When a malevolent force threatens the lives of everyone she cares about--not to mention her own--she can't help wondering: who should she really be afraid of?

Annaliese? Or herself?

Ooh, this one sounds so good! There's not many books with bipolar main characters so that will be an interesting aspect for sure. Plus the séance part sounds awesome as well! And the cover? Gorgeous!

Eve by Anna Carey

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

Where do you go when nowhere is safe?

Sixteen years after a deadly virus wiped out most of Earth’s population, the world is a perilous place. Eighteen-year-old Eve has never been beyond the heavily guarded perimeter of her school, where she and two hundred other orphaned girls have been promised a future as the teachers and artists of the New America. But the night before graduation, Eve learns the shocking truth about her school’s real purpose—and the horrifying fate that awaits her.

Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Arden, her former rival from school, and Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust . . . and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

In this epic new series, Anna Carey imagines a future that is both beautiful and terrifying. Readers will revel in Eve’s timeless story of forbidden love and extraordinary adventure.

Review:

If you have been reading my blog for any length of time, you will probably know that I absolutely adore the dystopian genre. There's just something so fresh and exciting about it, so when I heard about Anna Carey’s Eve, one of the latest additions to the genre, I jumped at the chance to read it, and I’m so happy I did because Eve rocked my world reading wise.

One of the things I enjoyed most about this book was the characters, primarily Eve. Eve was someone who had been sheltered for most of her life due to her upbringing. However, even with that slight setback, she was still someone who would go to the end of the world to get what she wanted and needed as well as save the ones closest to her, and while she sometimes could be a bit naïve, she was still very likable based on her loving personality alone. Another favorite character of mine was Arden. At first look, she seemed was a bit rough and timber, but by the end, she brought a lot to the book, most of which Eve wouldn’t be the same without.

Another enjoyable portion of this was the world building as well as the plot. One of my favorite parts of dystopians is seeing how the author presents the world in the future, especially if it’s presented in a three dimensional and intricate way. Luckily, Eve was just that way. The world provided was scary and thrilling, which went even farther to aid the plot in the long run. Now the plot was great. I was never sure where everything was going to go, and when some new twist or turn came out of the woodwork, I was most times surprised, especially towards the end. Talking about the plot, I also adored the romance edge to this one. Eve and her main man were adorable together, and given to the ending, I can’t wait to see what’s up next for them in the sequels!

Anna Carey’s writing in this was also pretty great. I truly felt she did a great job of bringing the characters and story to life, and even though I felt that some parts of the book were a little farfetched, she still provided a thrilling new story overall.

If you enjoy a good dystopian book or just a great book in general, Eve by Anna Carey is the book for you! Combining romance, mystery, a scary New America, and some pretty fierce main characters, Eve had me hooked from the first page to the very last…something I’m sure will happen to many other readers as well!

Grade: A-

Eve (Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads) is now out!

Source: Publisher via Netgalley

Winners & Other Bookish News!

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First of all, I've been behind on announcing winners, so here they are finally ...

After Obsession by Carrie Jones and Steve E. Wedel...Melissa!

Everblue by Brenda Pandos...Ronda! 

A Rather Remarkable Homecoming by C.A. Belmond....Cindy! 

Dark Souls by Paula Morris...Jessica and Katie! 

Where You Left Me by Jennifer Gardner Trulson...Michele! 

Fury by Elizabeth Miles....Vivien!

Between by Jessica Warman...Becky!

Congrats to you all! You should be receiving your books shortly! :) 

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In other news, did you know that The Drake Chronicles in one shiny, paperback bind up? Well, if you didn't here's all the info you need to know:

MEET the Drakes:

A darkly romantic, irresistibly alluring family of royal vampire blood

READ Alyxandra Harvey's Ruling Passion:

A haunting, humorous saga, now gathered into one juicy volume!

"A refreshing take of the familiar teenage vampire drama . . . Harvey builds an engaging world of vampire cultures balanced wit a smart mix of darknewss and humor." -Publishers Weekly

A fabulous and fast-paced read! The action is superb . . . this is the perfect escape read." -Romantic Times

Isn't the cover gorgeous?! To get your own copy, head on over here. You can also find an excerpt for Hearts at Stake here, one for Blood Feud here, and one for Out for Blood here.

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Do you LOVE Simone Elkeles' books? Do you live in CA? Well, you're one lucky person, since Simone Elkeles has FOUR upcoming signings in CA, including an extra special one. Here's all the info you need to know:

October 10th at 7:00 pm: 

Not Your Mother’s Book Club w/Becka Fitzpatrick (Hush series), Michelle Hodkin (The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer) & Moira Young (Blood Red Road)
Books Inc
Opera Plaza
601 Van Ness Ave.
San Francisco, CA
Wednesday, October 12th 6:00 pm:
Conversation & Book Signing
Barnes & Noble
6050 El Cerrito Plaza
El Cerrito, CA

Thursday, October 13th 6:00 pm:

Conversation & Book Signing
Barnes & Noble
2615 Vista Way
Oceanside, CA

Friday, October 14th 6:00 pm:

Conversation & Book Signing
Barnes & Noble
7881 Edinger Ave
Huntington Beach, CA

Simone Elkeles will also be showing a book trailer, giving a presentation, and attending a book-signing event at 3:15 p.m. on Oct. 19. in the Santa Barbara High School Theater, 700 E. Anapamu Street. Actors Alex Rodriguez, Giancarlo Vidrio, and Gabriele Chavarria (who play the Fuentes brothers in Simone’s popular book trailers) will be there as well!

Food, beverages and music will follow the event, in the Dons Net Café in Room 70 at Santa Barbara High. All three books will be on sale at the event. Half the proceeds from book sales will go to the Santa Barbara High School library.

Doesn't that last event sounds amazing?! I so wished I lived in CA...

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In My Mailbox (140 & 141)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

For Review: 

Are You Going to Kiss Me Now? by Sloane Tanen  (I've heard this one is hilarious!) 

Everything We Ever Wanted by Sara Shepard x2 (Can't wait to read this one!)

Slayers by C.J. Hill (2nd copy) 

Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez (Absolutely ADORED this book! My review will be posted this upcoming week!) 

Paris Noire by Francine Thomas Howard (unsolicited review copy)

Page from a Tennessee Journal by Francine Thomas Howard (unsolicited review copy)  

Until There Was You by  Kristan Higgins (Loved Kristan's other book so I'm hoping I'll enjoy this one just as much-if not more!) 

Hidden Summit by Robyn Carr (unsolicited review copy)

Going Underground by Susan Vaught (Really looking forward to reading this one!) 

Hooked by Catherine Greenman (Already read this one and it was pretty good! My review will be posted this upcoming week!) 

From Netgalley: 

 

Between Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore (Love the cover of this one!)

Surrender (Haunting Emma #3) by Lee Nichols (I've been REALLY looking forward to this one!) 

 

Cinder by Marissa Meyer (I've heard so many good things about this one!) 

Little Women and Me by Lauren Baratz-Logsted (Looks great as well!) 

From Galley Grab:

 

Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts (This is one I've been looking forward to as well!) 

Death Watch (The Undertaken #1) by Ari Berk (Looks creepy!) 

Legacy by Molly Cochran (Love the cover of this one!) 

In all, these last two weeks have been fabulous book wise, and since books I've read of this bunch already have been amazing, I have a feeling the rest will be just the same, if not more! Though, enough about me, what did you get this week? Anything exciting? Let me know in the comments and feel free to link to your IMM! 

Reading and Blogging Slumps aka why I Only Read One Book in September

Reading slumps and blogging slumps…You hear about them happening to bloggers all the time, but for me I never thought one would occur, let alone both. I mean, yes, I had been blogging for over three years and reading heavily for at least double that time, and while one would expect such a thing to occur, I never really encountered such a thing. Sure, at times I wasn’t reading or blogging as much as I would’ve liked to but I was still attempting to do a little of both every day. Basically, I thought I was immune to them. However, last month that way of thinking changed because I finally faced the dreaded reading and blogging slump…

I’ll admit right out (and my Goodreads profile can attest to this) I only finished one book last month. I know ONE book. How is that even possible for someone who enjoys reading so much? I know I personally couldn’t believe it and I still can’t really get my head around it. I tried to read other books (and even made it to the middle of some ) but I just wasn’t able to get into any book besides that one. And because of that reading slump, my blog also began to suffer in some ways. I didn’t have a lot of books to write reviews for and I just wasn’t able to update my Twitter feed nearly as much with bookish news. Instead, I found other things to occupy my time…watching TV, doing homework, hanging out with my friends…anything besides reading and blogging. Both just became nonessential to me in September, and the only way I can put a reason behind this is because I was burned out with both.

I’ve spent a lot a time blogging and reading in the last few years, and even though I hate to admit, I found this past month that I needed a much needed and deserved break. I needed time to adjust to my junior year of high school (which I’m loving by the way) as well as to just reevaluate my priorities in general and make a schedule accordingly. In some ways, it was nice to take a break from reading and blogging because it just wasn’t as much fun for me anymore. Towards the end of August it was beginning to feel like something I NEEDED to do rather than WANTED to do and that killed me because that’s never how I wanted this blog to turn out as. In other ways, though, I ended up really missing the joy in it all…the people, the books, and just having such a fantastic community to talk to… this rang especially true towards the end of the month.

Thankfully, I’m starting to find my way back to reading and blogging.  I’ve already finished one book so far this month (Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez which was such an INCREDIBLE book!) and I’m slowly working my way back into reading in general- I’m hoping to finish Damage by Anya Parish as well as Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst soon)! I have to admit straight out that it may take me a while to get back to where I was, but after much thought about whether or not I should continue with Lauren’s Crammed  Bookshelf I’ve decided that I will simply because reading and blogging are big parts in my life, ones that I wouldn’t be the same without, and even though I needed a brief break, they’re something I’m going to be sticking with for the long haul.

So, in all, this is why I haven’t been around as much as I wanted to in the last month…I’m sorry about it all but in the long run it was good for me and Lauren’s Crammed Bookshelf. I’m now able to restart with a fresh pair of eyes, hopefully ones that will make this blog even better in the near future.  

However, I’m leaving you with a few questions: Have you ever faced a reading or blogging slump? How did you overcome them? Let me know in the comments!

PS) The inbox will be tackled soon. So if you’ve sent me an email in the past month, I will be responding to it ASAP!