Waiting on Wednesday (40)

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

February 7, 2012

Harper Collins

Synopsis:
Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland—nicknamed The Death Shop—are slim. If the cannibals don’t get her, the violent, electrified energy storms eventually will. In this dystopia, even the very air she breathes could kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He’s wild, dangerous—a savage. He’s also her only hope.

Perry needs Aria, too. She alone holds the key to his redemption. And their unlikely alliance will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

Debut author Veronica Rossi is accumulating fans from all over the globe—the book has already sold to more than twenty countries. It’s not surprising that foreign rights for this title have been flying off the shelf. It’s a tantalizing romance in any language.

Why I'm Excited:
WOW! This one sounds like it will be a phenomenal dystopian debut with a great romance! I can't wait!!

Sweet Venom 2 Title Hunt

It is time to find out the title for Sweet Venom 2 by Tera Lynn Childs. But to discover what it is first and win prizes, Tera is making you work for it. ;) But it is sure to be tons of fun and the hunt is open Internationally!! Yay!

To participate, go to every blog that is posted on Tera Lynn Childs Blog HERE and write down the letter's that are in bold. Once you have all of them, put them together and then fill out Tera's form with your answer. You have a chance to win five signed copies of Sweet Venom and a grand prize $50 bookstore gift card if you guess right. 


And here is the letter for my stop:


S

Have fun!

New YA Book Releases: August 30, 2011

Fury by Elizabeth Miles
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.

Soul Thief by Jana Oliver

Riley Blackthorne is beginning to learn that there are worse things than death by demon. And love is just one of them…
Seventeen-year-old Riley has about had it up to here. After the devastating battle at the Tabernacle, trappers are dead and injured, her boyfriend Simon is gravely injured, and now her beloved late father’s been illegally poached from his grave by a very powerful necromancer. As if that’s not enough, there's Ori, one sizzling hot freelance demon hunter who’s made himself Riley’s unofficial body guard, and Beck, a super over-protective “friend” who acts more like a grouchy granddad.  With all the hassles, Riley’s almost ready to leave Atlanta altogether.
But as Atlanta’s demon count increases, the Vatican finally sends its own Demon Hunters to take care of the city’s “little” problem, and pandemonium breaks loose. Only Riley knows that she might be the center of Hell’s attention: an extremely powerful Grade 5 demon is stalking her, and her luck can't last forever…

Witchlanders by Lena Coakley

High in their mountain covens, red witches pray to the Goddess, protecting the Witchlands by throwing the bones and foretelling the future. It’s all a fake.
At least, that’s what Ryder thinks. He doubts the witches really deserve their tithes—one quarter of all the crops his village can produce. And even if they can predict the future, what danger is there to foretell, now that his people’s old enemy, the Baen, has been defeated?
But when a terrifying new magic threatens both his village and the coven, Ryder must confront the beautiful and silent witch who holds all the secrets. Everything he’s ever believed about witches, the Baen, magic and about himself will change, when he discovers that the prophecies he’s always scorned—
Are about him.

The Fox Inheritance by Mary E. Pearson

Once there were three. Three friends who loved each other—Jenna, Locke, and Kara. And after a terrible accident destroyed their bodies, their three minds were kept alive, spinning in a digital netherworld. Even in that disembodied nightmare, they were still together. At least at first. When Jenna disappeared, Locke and Kara had to go on without her. Decades passed, and then centuries.
Two-hundred-and-sixty years later, they have been released at last. Given new, perfect bodies, Locke and Kara awaken to a world they know nothing about, where everyone they once knew and loved is long dead.
Everyone except Jenna Fox.

Twisted by Gena Showalter

His vampire girlfriend might have brought him back to life, but he's never felt more out of control. There's a darkness within him, something taking over…changing him. Worse, because he was meant to die, death now stalks him at every turn. Any day could be his last.Once upon a time, the three souls trapped inside his head could have helped him. He could have protected himself. But as the darkness grows stronger, the souls grow weaker—just like his girlfriend. The more vampire Aden becomes, the more human Victoria becomes, until everything they know and love is threatened.
Life couldn't get any worse. Could it?

Hades by Alexandra Adornetto

Bethany and Xavier are even closer since battling Jake Thorn and his evil influence (in Halo) and Beth and her angel siblings must still protect Venus Cove from the Dark Forces.

When a party game – a séance – inadvertently releases Jake from the Underworld, he disguises himself and tricks Beth into taking a ride on his motorcycle. When the highway opens up and swallows them, Beth learns too late that she’s now a prisoner in hell. What happens to angels there? As her archangel brother, Gabriel, her sister Ivy, Xavier, and her best friend, Molly search for her, Beth must weigh Jake’s bargaining for her freedom: one night with him, and she will be released back to Earth.
Can Jake be trusted in this wager? And is he also using Beth to engineer the fall of the archangel Gabriel? Xavier has already lost one love – when Jake tricks him into thinking that Bethany is dead, his grief and anger result in a betrayal that will leave Bethany – and readers – wondering if he is so good after all.

It will be up to Beth to use everything she’s learned about her powers as an angel – and about love – to free herself and those she loves from the clutches of Hades.

Damned by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguié

There is a fine line between love and sacrifice…. Antonio would do anything for his beloved fighting partner Jenn. He protects her, even suppresses his vampire cravings to be with her. Together, they defend humanity against the Cursed Ones. But tensions threaten to fracture their hunting team and his loyalty—his love—is called into question.

With an even more sinister power on the rise, Jenn must overcome her personal vendettas.

Antonio and Jenn need each other to survive, but evil lurks at every turn. With humanity’s fate hanging in the balance, they must face down the darkness…or die trying.

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.
So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.
When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.
But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas's life.

Dust and Decay by Jonathan Maberry

Six months have passed since the terrifying battle with Charlie Pink-eye and the Motor City Hammer in the zombie-infested mountains of the Rot & Ruin. It’s also six months since Benny Imura and Nix Riley saw something in the air that changed their lives. Now, after months of rigorous training with Benny’s zombie-hunter brother Tom, Benny and Nix are ready to leave their home forever and search for a better future. Lilah the Lost Girl and Benny’s best friend Lou Chong are going with them. Sounds easy. Sounds wonderful. Except that everything that can go wrong does. Before they can even leave there is a shocking zombie attack in town. But as soon as they step into the Rot & Ruin they are pursued by the living dead, wild animals, insane murderers and the horrors of Gameland –where teenagers are forced to fight for their lives in the zombie pits. Worst of all…could the evil Charlie Pink-eye still be alive?
In the great Rot & Ruin everything wants to kill you. Everything…and not everyone in Benny’s small band of travelers will make it out alive.

The Gray Wolf Throne by Cinda Williams Chima

Han Alister thought he had already lost everyone he loved. But when he finds his friend Rebecca Morley near death in the Spirit Mountains, Han knows that nothing matters more than saving her. The costs of his efforts are steep, but nothing can prepare him for what he soon discovers: the beautiful, mysterious girl he knew as Rebecca is none other than Raisa ana’Marianna, heir to the Queendom of the Fells. Han is hurt and betrayed. He knows he has no future with a blueblood. And, as far as he’s concerned, the princess’s family killed his own mother and sister. But if Han is to fulfill his end of an old bargain, he must do everything in his power to see Raisa crowned queen.

Meanwhile, some people will stop at nothing to prevent Raisa from ascending. With each attempt on her life, she wonders how long it will be before her enemies succeed. Her heart tells her that the thief-turned-wizard Han Alister can be trusted. She wants to believe it—he’s saved her life more than once. But with danger coming at her from every direction, Raisa can only rely on her wits and her iron-hard will to survive—and even that might not be enough.
 

Review: Fury by Elizabeth Miles

Fury by Elizabeth Miles

August 31, 2011

Simon Pulse

Synopsis:
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.


My Review:
Fury is a somewhat confusing yet engaging read that I devoured within hours! It is dark and depressing but it will make you think about the decisions you make in your life. Chase and Em have both done some things that are awful and the Furies are out to make their lives miserable.

I had absolutely zero sympathy for Em. She is someone who is easily manipulated by guys and lets her best friend walk all over her. I couldn't see why she would fall for Zach!! He was such a tool and I couldn't believe how dense she was around them. However, even though she made a few terrible mistakes, I don't believe she deserved what the Furies brought upon her. Although it finally opened her eyes, the Furies are terrifying and I wouldn't wish them on anyone!

Chase is equally as conflicted as Em but I liked him much more. I felt for what he had to go through growing up poor with a low-life dad. At least he has an amazing mom who makes so many sacrifices for him. Honestly, I wasn't sure at first why the Furies went after him but when it was all revealed I was shocked.

Fury is a wonderfully crafted novel full of twists and turns that are sure to surprise readers! While Em is slightly annoying, the storyline more than makes up for it. Definitely pick this one up when it releases!!

My Rating:

Happy Birthday to Angela at Reading Angel!!

 
Guess what?? Today is my blog bestie Angela's birthday!! She is such an awesome friend and blogger and I don't know where I would be if I hadn't "met" her. She is the sweetest person in the world and you are definitely missing out if you aren't following her. So what are you waiting for? Stop on by her blog or her twitter and wish her a happy birthday. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANGELA! I LOVE YOU!

(Thank you to Parajunkee for making the button. :))

In My Mailbox (34)

I got so many fantastic books this week! =) I am excited to share them with you all!

For Review:
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Cleopatra's Moon by Vicki Alvear Shecter

Bought:
Dead Beautiful by Yvonne Woon
Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma
Moonglass by Jessi Kirby
The Nature of Jade by Deb Caletti
Scandal by Kate Brian
Boys, Girls, and Other Hazardous Materials by Rosalind Wiseman

Teen Book Scene:
Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

Borrowed:
Audition by Stasia Ward Kehoe

Swag:
Team Draki postcards, stickers, and bracelets

Thanks to:
Kari at A Good Addiction
HarperTeen
Scholastic
Sophie Jordan

Review: Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris

Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris

July 12, 2011

Delacorte Press

Synopsis:
Someone's been a very bad zombie.

Kate Grable is horrified to find out that the football coach has given the team steroids. Worse yet, the steroids are having an unexpected effect, turning hot gridiron hunks into mindless flesh-eating zombies. No one is safe--not her cute crush Aaron, not her dorky brother, Jonah . . . not even Kate!

She's got to find an antidote--before her entire high school ends up eating each other. So Kate, her best girlfriend, Rocky, and Aaron stage a frantic battle to save their town. . . and stay hormonally human.

My Review:
Bad Taste in Boys is a light and quirky read that is guaranteed to make you giggle! Who would've thought that zombies could be so creepy yet hilarious?? I am not usually a fan of zombie novels, but this one was so cute that I couldn't help but enjoy myself! I am so glad I took a chance on this one!

Kate is just adorable. She is geeky, smart, and a bit of a klutz. I love that she didn't spend the entire book moaning about her inadequacies. She embraced her smarts and was determined to figure out what was causing people to turn into zombies. Honestly, she was a bit too smart to be believable, but it wasn't that big of a deal for me. I love her relationship with her brother Jonah. They are too funny together! Definitely one of my favorite brother and sister pair of YA.

The romance takes a back seat to the zombies, but I have to say, I really didn't mind that at all. I wanted to know how these people were turning into zombies! It was so creepy. I love Kate's reaction to the zombies. She gets so freaked out, but can't help laughing at how they act! And then there is her crush Aaron. She finally gets the opportunity to spend time with them, but the zombies keep distracting her. What a dilemma!!

Bad Taste in Boys was a hilarious and creative debut that I really enjoyed. My only problem is that it isn't that memorable of a book in the YA genre. If you are looking for something light to read though, definitely go for Bad Taste in Boys!

My Rating:

Follow Friday and Book Blogger Hop (8/26/2011)

 

Q. In books like the Sookie Stackhouse (True Blood) series the paranormal creature in question "comes out of the closet" and makes itself known to the world. Which mythical creature do you wish would come out of the closet, for real?

I wish that faeries would come out of the closet. By faeries, I mean like the Fey from Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series! =D

Book Blogger Hop

Do You Have Pets?


I have 4 miniature pinschers who I absolutely adore. Their names are Suzy Q, Rocky Joe, Little Bit, and Boomer. =)

While you're here, check out my giveaway for your choice of any one of Simon Pulse's Lauren Barnholdt YA novels! There will be 4 winners and it ends Monday so hurry and enter. =) 

Also, I am soo close to 1000 followers. When I do get there, I promise your a hugely awesome giveaway!!

Thanks for stopping by! Leave a comment so I can stop by your blog as well. =)

Review: Two-Way Street by Lauren Barnholdt

Two-Way Street by Lauren Barnholdt

June 26, 2007 

Simon Pulse

Synopsis:
There are two sides to every breakup.

This is Jordan and Courtney, totally in love. Sure, they were an unlikely high school couple. But they clicked; it worked. They're even going to the same college, and driving cross-country together for orientation.

Then Jordan dumps Courtney -- for a girl he met on the Internet.

It's too late to change plans, so the road trip is on. Courtney's heartbroken, but figures she can tough it out for a few days. La la la -- this is Courtney pretending not to care.

But in a strange twist, Jordan cares. A lot.

Turns out, he's got a secret or two that he's not telling Courtney. And it has everything to do with why they broke up, why they can't get back together, and how, in spite of it all, this couple is destined for each other.

My Review:
Two-Way Street is a dramatic and intelligently written contemporary novel that made me realize again just what a fantastic author Barnholdt is. She knows how to get readers' emotions going and create sizzling chemistry between two very complicated and heart-broken teens. After two amazing novels in a row, Barnholdt is a shoe-in for my list of favorite authors!

Courtney is a sensitive, kind-hearted girl who is still nursing a broken heart from Jordan's sudden break-up with her. I was a little shocked that she still planned to go on the road trip to college with Jordan, but in the end it did make sense. I could feel how much she still loved Jordan and how upset she was that they couldn't be together anymore. I wanted to smack Jordan over the head for causing Courtney such pain, but I knew there had to be more to the story. And boy was there a complicated and messed up story surrounding their break-up!

Even though I wanted to hate Jordan, it was so hard to when I got to read some of the book from his point of view. I could tell that he still loved Jordan and that whatever made him break things off between them was serious. Jordan may have acted like a playboy and a total jerk towards Courtney, but I could see that underneath he was a total sweetheart who would do anything he could to protect Courtney. I could feel his pain and I hurt for him just as much as Courtney.

Even though Two-Way Street has its tear-jerking moments, Barnholdt threw in some characters who made for some much needed comic relief. Jordan's friend B.J is crazy and hilarious! There are two memorable scenes in the book involving him that had me laughing out loud! All that I will tell you is that they involve Leprechauns and car tailing. Courtney's friend is equally funny and is involved in one of these scenes!

Two-Way Street is an honest and heartfelt novel that you need to pick up! I can guarantee that you will become a fan of Barnholdt's (and her characters)!

My Review:

Waiting on Wednesday (39)

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

March 6, 2012

HarperTeen

Synopsis:
Lauren Oliver captivated readers with Delirium, the first book in a thrilling dystopian trilogy in which Lena Haloway dared to fall in love with Alex and escape the cure, the government-mandated procedure that renders a person immune to the disease of love. Lena and Alex staked their lives on leaving their oppressive society, but only Lena broke free.

Pandemonium continues Lena’s gripping story. After escaping from Portland, Maine, Lena makes it to the Wilds and becomes part of an Invalid community, where she transforms herself into a warrior for the resistance. A future without Alex is unimaginable, but Lena pushes forward and fights, both for him and for a world in which love is no longer considered a disease. Swept up in a volatile mix of revolutionaries and counterinsurgents, Lena struggles to survive—and wonders if she may be falling in love again.

Full of danger, forbidden romance, and exquisite writing, Lauren Oliver’s sequel to Delirium races forward at a breathtaking pace and is sure to appeal to fans who crave the high-stakes action of The Hunger Games and the bittersweet love story of Romeo & Juliet.

Why I'm Excited:
DELIRIUM was one of my favorite dystopian novels from this year so I cannot wait for PANDEMONIUM!

Review: Hades by Alexandra Adornetto

Hades by Alexandra Adornetto

August 30, 2011

Feiwel & Friends

Synopsis:
Bethany and Xavier are even closer since battling Jake Thorn and his evil influence (in Halo) and Beth and her angel siblings must still protect Venus Cove from the Dark Forces.

When a party game – a séance – inadvertently releases Jake from the Underworld, he disguises himself and tricks Beth into taking a ride on his motorcycle. When the highway opens up and swallows them, Beth learns too late that she’s now a prisoner in hell. What happens to angels there? As her archangel brother, Gabriel, her sister Ivy, Xavier, and her best friend, Molly search for her, Beth must weigh Jake’s bargaining for her freedom: one night with him, and she will be released back to Earth.
Can Jake be trusted in this wager? And is he also using Beth to engineer the fall of the archangel Gabriel? Xavier has already lost one love – when Jake tricks him into thinking that Bethany is dead, his grief and anger result in a betrayal that will leave Bethany – and readers – wondering if he is so good after all.

It will be up to Beth to use everything she’s learned about her powers as an angel – and about love – to free herself and those she loves from the clutches of Hades.

My Review:
While I wasn't all that impressed by what Halo had to offer, I decided to give Hades another try. The synopsis made it sound much more action-packed and exciting so I was happy to give the series another chance. I have to say, I am very glad that I did because Hades delivered. The main characters were still painful to read about, but at least the action was there!

Bethany is back and just as annoying as ever, but her trip to Hell really shapes her into someone that I could be friends with. She actually gains a backbone and isn't afraid to let those around her know that she isn't happy. Of course, she is still pining for Xavier and that is the main reason why she wants to go home, but I give her props for standing up for herself.

I still cannot stand Xavier. He acts like he is big and strong and can save Bethany for anything. Well, he is sure in for it this time because he can't go to Hell and back to get Bethany, no matter how much he wants to. I hate how Xavier and Bethany have to spend every minute of their time together. That is not a healthy relationship, no matter what they say about it.

Thankfully, I only had to deal with my complaints about Xavier and Bethany for a few chapters in the beginning. When Bethany gets brought to Hell by Jake, the story starts getting good! So many plot twists were thrown in and I was cringing at how Adornetto described parts of Hell. We get to really know who Jake is and I was shocked at how bad he could really be. We also get introduced to some new characters who are likable and make the story much more interesting.


Even if you weren't crazy for Halo, I would still give Hades a chance. Sure, Bethany and Xavier will still drive you crazy, but you will have a much better time in this one.

My Rating: