Waiting on Wednesday - August 31, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme from Jill at Breaking the Spine. To join in, share the book or books that you are currently drooling over as you await their release and report back to Breaking the Spine with the link to your post. The gorgeous badge above is brought to us by Lindsay at The Violet Hour!

I had seen the widget for this book on several blogs and never thought to look it up. Someone was talking about it the other day and I finally researched it a little. Needless to say, I was more than intrigued!

The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton

Hardcover, 352 pages

Expected publication: September 27th 2011 by Tor Teen / Macmillan

From Goodreads:

Debut novelist Kiki Hamilton takes readers from the gritty slums and glittering ballrooms of Victorian London to the beguiling but menacing Otherworld of the Fey in this spellbinding tale of romance, suspense, and danger.

The year is 1871, and Tiki has been making a home for herself and her family of orphans in a deserted hideaway adjoining Charing Cross Station in central London. Their only means of survival is by picking pockets. One December night, Tiki steals a ring, and sets off a chain of events that could lead to all-out war with the Fey. For the ring belongs to Queen Victoria, and it binds the rulers of England and the realm of Faerie to peace. With the ring missing, a rebel group of faeries hopes to break the treaty with dark magic and blood—Tiki’s blood.

Unbeknownst to Tiki, she is being watched—and protected—by Rieker, a fellow thief who suspects she is involved in the disappearance of the ring. Rieker has secrets of his own, and Tiki is not all that she appears to be. Her very existence haunts Prince Leopold, the Queen’s son, who is driven to know more about the mysterious mark that encircles her wrist.

Prince, pauper, and thief—all must work together to secure the treaty…

Review: 2/5 for Fallen by Lauren Kate

Fallen by Lauren Kate
Hardcover, 464 pages
Published December 8, 2009 by Random House Children's Books
Source: eBook, Purchased
Buy the book: Amazon : B&N

From Amazon:

There's something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price's attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He's the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce--and goes out of his way to make that very clear--she can't let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic, Fallen is a page turning thriller and the ultimate love story

I think "book-hype" got to me on this book, very badly. I had such epic hopes for this series. While I was not totally let down, it just was not all it was cracked up to be for me. Loved the synopsis, but in many ways that's all I got with the book itself as well.

The characters kept me going through this book. They're easy to get along with and also have good personalities and interesting backgrounds. I also like the way in which the characters are intertwined with one another. As a group they flow so well. However, as individuals it is like they run in circles and never get anything done. This is because there is so much secrecy between the characters it's like no one knows what to do next.

The plot is fairly simple, but drags in many places. Some of my issues may stem from a good chunk of the book happening in a "juvenile detention" like setting. My career field gives me enough of this. Secrecy has a major effect on the plot line, everything is based around it. Most of the time this does not bother me. Unfortunately by the end of the book it felt like I did not know anymore about what was going on than what I did in the beginning.

I've seen other mixed reviews for this series, so maybe it just depends on who reads them. I like the book enough to carry on with the series. A lot of it is the characters and I genuinely want to know where they end up. Hopefully, it'll be a less twisted road to get there though.

It's Monday! What are you reading? - August 29, 2011

It's Monday! What are you reading? is a weekly meme that is hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. To be a part of it, just post what you finished in the past week and what you plan to read this week. After writing your post, go to Sheila's blog and leave you post's link on the link entry form at the bottom of the What are you reading? post.

What I've read this week:
















Fallen, Torment, & Passion by Lauren Kate
- I'm still deciding how to write the reviews for these. I've got so many mixed emotions about them that if I tried to write them right now it would not make sense.





What I'm reading right now:

Entwined by Heather Dixon
- Very different concept than what I thought it was. :)










What's up next:

Hereafter by Tara Hudson
Legacy by Cayla Kluver












AND

In case you didn't sit through the ENTIRE VMA's last night, here's the teaser for The Hunger Games Movie as posted on Mockingjay.net. So, SO excited!

In My Mailbox: August 28, 2011

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. It is a great way for bloggers to socialize and network their blogs and to share upcoming releases! To join in all the fun, simply:

1. Make your own IMM post! You can post about books you've bought, gotten from the library, received for review... books don't have to arrive via your mailbox.
2. You can post weekly, every other week, or one week out of the month, it’s up to you and it doesn't have to be on Sunday.
3. Once you have your IMM posted, go to The Story Siren on her Sunday post and add your link to the list.
4. Comment on other bloggers IMM posts.

I've been trying to build my Nook library to see if I could ever truly be only an ereader bookie. So far, I have issues with it, but it is growing on me.

Here's my bag of books I nabbed for a decent price on my Nook this week:

Passion by Lauren Kate - I'm having mixed emotions about this series. I like it one minute and want to throw it out the window the next. If I had realized it was a four book series I would have waited to start this series.

































The Forest of Hands and Teeth, The Dead Tossed Waves, The Dark and Hollow Places, and Hare Moon by Carrie Ryan - I have read the first book in this series and really liked it. I thought they would be excellent books to really get my Nook library started with. Their concepts are different compared to other "zombie" books I've read lately.

Review: 4/5 for Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Hardcover, 397 pages

Published June 14th 2011 by EgmontUSA
Source: Purchased, Signed by Author
Buy the Book: Amazon : B&N : Goodreads

From Goodreads:

One hour to rewrite the past . . .

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.
So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.
Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Full of atmosphere, mystery, and romance, Hourglass merges the very best of the paranormal and science-fiction genres in a seductive, remarkable young adult debut.

Ok, if it has time travel in it I try my best to read it. I love the theory of being able to see past and future events. This book puts a spin on it that is very intriguing. Mix in apparitions, a really hot guy, and a really sinister villain and you have this book in a nutshell. It offers a great perspective and story for time travel that will leave you wanting more.
The characters shine throughout this book. McEntire's writing illuminates them through snarks, quips, and situations that made me giggle many times over. If you read this book for nothing else, it should be this. The personalities of the main and secondary characters mesh so well together because of it. Emerson is a very interesting character. She knows something is different about her and she runs with it. I believe you could put her in any situation and she would be able to adapt to ride it out regardless of what it is. Her sarcasm is how she deals with the difficult situations that she has to experience. While not so great for her, it does wonders for a reader! Oh yeah, that "dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy", he has to be one of the most chivalric persons I've ever read about. He is definitely an intriguing compliment to Emerson and they create a plot that keeps you turning the page.
There's many layers to paths taken by Emerson and her comrades. She first has to deal with the issues within herself, but then that opens up a whole new set of scenarios. The books shifts easily between situations in which you learn more about the characters and situations that make you hold on to the edge of your seat. I do like how the book turned out and the way in which it gets there, but it felt like it just lagged at little in some spots. This was especially true for the ending for me. It had a great action sequence and then the book wrapped up nice and tidy. I was expecting just a little more "umph" in it I think. I really do look forward to seeing where this story goes, it has endless potential for making your toes tingle.

Follow Friday - August 26, 2011

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. It's a way to connect with fellow bloggers! First, blog about Follow Friday and weekly question, then leave your name on the Linky list, and visit as many blogs as you can on the list and tell them "Hi!" in their comments on their FF post. You follow them, they follow you. Win. Win. Just make sure to follow back if someone follows you!

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?

Ok, this is difficult for me to narrow down. I think I will stick to the first answer that came to mind instead of wrestling back and forth. Pegasus has always been my favorite for a lot of reasons. I love horses in general and it's always been my childhood dream to be able to ride and fly. To me, that would absolutely be surreal. :)

Review: 5/5 for The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

Hardcover, 288 pages

Published August 2nd 2011 by Hyperion Books CH
Source: Purchased, Signed by author
Buy the Book: Amazon : B&N : Goodreads

From Goodreads:

The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.

If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.

And there are no strangers in the town of Near.
These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.
But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.
The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.
As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.
Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab’s debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won’t soon forget.

Just by reading the synopsis alone I knew this was going to be a different kind of fairy tale. The idea behind it is different compared to a lot of books I've read lately and it was really refreshing. It has some of the best writing I've seen in a while. It is absolutely beautiful in many parts of the book. Descriptions and details make this book. It will feel like you are walking through the scenes with characters. The musical and story-telling attributes in this book will melt your heart.

The town's setting is a little different than what I am used to, but it really gives a great base for the story to build on. Lexi is a very genuine character; what you see is what you get with her. She has many personality traits that I admire: loyalty to herself and family, ingenuity, and resourcefulness. Her relationship with both her parents and sister is one to be admired by all. It also plays key parts in the plot of the book because of the lengths that her mother would go for her, the wonderful influence her father has on her life, and the absolute trust of her sister. On the other hand, Lexi's love interest and their relationship is interesting, but I'm not completely sold on it. It has its complexities, but is just slightly over the top. It is not something that I consider detrimental enough to drop a "sticky", but just enough for me to notice. A factor in this may be the length of the book. It's a short book compared to many others and I guess things just have to happen quicker.

I loved the concept and layout of this book. For the length of the book, there are many, many depths to it. The plot flows fluidly through the stories and songs of Near and keeps you entertained and glued till the last page. It has almost the perfect balance of romance, trials and tribulations, and creepiness that kept me mesmerized and enthralled. Yes, I said creepy. Was I expecting that? Ha. No. That was definitely a bonus for me. It fits so well in the plot, it's almost hidden...until it jumps out at you!

I could not recommend this book enough to everyone of all ages. It's storyline, details, mystery, and creepiness make for an amazing combination and a great read.

Gripped into Books 1000 Follower Giveaway!

There are some serious prizes in this giveaway. Enough said. :)

A message from Mia at Gripped into Books:

This is such an amazing thing! And so I'm hosting a giveaway and it's massive. There's going to be FIVE prize packs, yes you've heard me FIVE!You can enter all the prize packs so you don't have to worry! And oh yes, there's going to be 8 winners so there's more of a chance to win!

Congrats again, Mia!

Fellow Blogger Giveaways/Contests & The Fairytale Nerd: Giveaway, The Iron Knight

Hello friends,

A few other bloggers have had a great contests going on lately and I thought I'd try to spread the word. There's a lot of awesome prizes to be had for those interested!

This one comes from The Fairytale Nerd. She's spreading her birthday joys of October by giving away a copy of the The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa. Stop by and say hello!

Birthday Month Giveaway: IRON KNIGHT by Julie Kagawa (Pre-Order)

• Giveaway Rules: Open to persons 13 years old or older. Only one person per entry please. Those exceeding one will not be considered.

• This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL, or as long as either Amazon US or Book Depository delivers books to where you live.

• Contest ends on OCTOBER 1, 2011.

Requirements (a MUST):
- leave your email address so I have a way of contacting you if you win.
- follow my blog The Fairytale Nerd (Google Friend Connect) .
- follow me on twitter

Extra entries if:
- add me as a friend on FaceBook (+1)
- spread the word about this awesome giveaway on Twitter (+2)
- blog about this giveaway (+3)

For a more detailed information on the giveaway and contest rules, please visit The Fairytale Nerd.

Happy reading!

Waiting on Wednesday - August 24, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme from Jill at Breaking the Spine. To join in, share the book or books that you are currently drooling over as you await their release and report back to Breaking the Spine with the link to your post. The gorgeous badge above is brought to us by Lindsay at The Violet Hour!

The lucky book of choice this week comes from a series that I stumbled upon. I found Unearthly by accident at a used book store and thought I'd heard some good things about it. Whether I actually had or not, I'll never know. What I do know is that they had to have been understated regardless. The concepts and characters in this series is fascinating and I can't wait to see where Ms. Hand takes it!

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Hardcover, 320 pages

Expected publication: January 24th 2012 by HarperCollins Publishers

From Goodreads:

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought. Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

Described by Richelle Mead as “utterly captivating,” Unearthly received outstanding reviews, garnered accolades from New York Times bestselling authors, and was named an Indie Next Pick. In this heart-wrenching sequel, Cynthia Hand expertly captures the all-consuming joy of first love—and the agony of loss. This beautifully woven tale will appeal to fans of Lauren Kate, Becca Fitzpatrick, and Aprilynne Pike.

Happy reading, friends!

Congrats to LC's Adventure's in Wonderland! - 500 Follower Giveaway!

From LC:

LC's Adventures in Wonderland has reached another blogging milestone by reaching 500 wonderful followers! I am so incredibly happy and excited to have met such amazing readers and fellow bloggers, and it has been so much fun talking about my love of books with all of you!

So... in celebration of having reached the 500 mark, I will be giving away TWO (2) BOOKS to a first place winner, and ONE (1) BOOK to a second and third place winner!!

Stop by and congratulate LC on this awesome milestone! Happy reading, friends!

#boutofbooks Read-a-Thon!

The Bout of Books Read-a-thon is hosted by Amanda at On a Book Bender and runs from August 22 to August 28. If you want to join in, here's the link to put your name in the bucket. Oh, and yeah, there's GIVEAWAYS involved too! Pop on over and join us!

Finally! A read-a-thon I join! Most others are a short 2-3 days and are over before I can really get going. I just started graduate school and I think this may be the last chance for me to read this many books in a week. So yeah, I'm going to throw as many of my TBR's in as possible. Realistically I will try for only 5 books, but ideally I want 2-3 more than that if possible. I'm excited about this, I love seeing how far I can get! Or insane for seeing how much stress I can create! LOL

Quick Notes from Amanda:

• You must be signed up in order to enter any of the TEN super awesome giveaways.
• The sign up form for the read-a-thon will be open through Saturday 8/27.
• Find a list of everyone signed up to participate on my Bout of Books Master List page. Please say hi to your fellow readathoners! You may make new blogging friends.
• I’ve got a list on Twitter of everyone who indicated they’d be updating on Twitter. It includes everyone but me because apparently I can’t add myself to my own list. I’d suggest using it for finding other Bout of Books Readathoners rather than staying updated on their progress.
• If you do want to track everyone’s progress run a search for #boutofbooks (or click my link). Just don’t forget to use #boutofbooks yourself! It will be easier to keep track of everyone and cheer them on this way.

Nikki's Read-a-Thon Goals

• Read at least 5 books. 5 is a bare minimum; 8-10 would be my ultimate goal. (Eh, that's really dreaming for me, but it may still be possible.) I will start my goal on the 23rd since I found out about the read-a-thon late.
  
• Still complete required readings for grad school. (I've got my priorities in the correct order, right? LOL)
  

Books to Plow through:

• Entwined by Heather Dixon
  
• Fallen by Lauren Kate
  
• Hereafter by Tara Hudson
  
• Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld
  
• Goliath by Scott Westerfeld
  

Books to hit after that:

• Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz
  
• Legacy by Cayla Kluver
• Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough
• Lament by Maggie Stiefvater
• Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater
  

Updates

The following is a variation of Amanda's format. You can take it, change it, use something different, not update us until the very end, whatever. :)

8/23
Number of books I’ve read today:
Total number of books I’ve read:

8/24
Number of books I’ve read today:
Total number of books I’ve read:

8/25
Number of books I’ve read today:
Total number of books I’ve read:

8/26
Number of books I’ve read today:
Total number of books I’ve read:

8/27
Number of books I’ve read today:
Total number of books I’ve read:

8/28 — will go into a “wrap-up” post on 8/29 or 8/30

In My Mailbox - August 7, 2011

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. It is a great way for bloggers to socialize and network their blogs and to share upcoming releases! To join in all the fun, simply:

1. Make your own IMM post! You can post about books you've bought, gotten from the library, received for review... books don't have to arrive via your mailbox.
2. You can post weekly, every other week, or one week out of the month, it’s up to you and it doesn't have to be on Sunday.
3. Once you have your IMM posted, go to The Story Siren on her Sunday post and add your link to the list.
4. Comment on other bloggers IMM posts.

JACKPOT!!!

That's what this week has been for me! I have been gathering books in preparation for the Ash2Nash tour that is stopping in Nashville tomorrow. I wasn't able to get as many as I had wanted because of moving cost, but I still ended up with a fair amount of them. :)

This week I bought...
























Hourglass by Myra McEntire
The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab
Hex Hall and Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

-All of these goodies will be added to some of last week's IMM and are going with me tomorrow for signing. Yay!

This is what I picked up in Nashville at Maggie Stiefvater's signing:
























Lament, Ballad, and, of course, Forever. All written and signed by Maggie! I also had my copies of Shiver and Linger with me so those are signed as well. Such a wonderful week for books. I wish every week was like this one!

Busy, busy weekend!

Hello, friends!

The weekend is upon me and a couple of big events have finally arrived! This weekend I move in to my new house and my trip to Nashville for the Ash2Nash tour stop is Monday. Yes, it is exciting, but this means I will be running non-stop for the next few days. I do have my IMM scheduled and ready to go up. I think this is my favorite one thus far. So many great books this week! However, with the combination of my Macbook Pro in the shop and long weekend, it might be a couple of days before I can reply back to comments. I'm not being rude, I promise. I am just experiencing plenty of amazing life events! I will give a full report once it all settles down after the signing and my laptop comes off of life support. Until then, friends, happy reading!

Ash2Nash Tour - Nashville, August 8th

Just in case that you've not heard through the grapevine, there's an awesome tour about to light a path through the southern states! Myra McEntire, Victoria Schwab, and Beth Revis will be hitting all events ranging from Asheville, NC to Nashville, TN. Specials guests such as Rachel Hawkins, Julie Kagawa, and Ruta Sepetys will be spotted at different locations throughout the tour. Now, if this is not a star-studded tour for the YA community, I don't know what is. It will be a fabulous sight to see this much talent, and larger-than-life personalities, in one room together.

My friend Marla, from Starting the Next Chapter, and I will be making the trek to Nashville once again! This will be our second trip in a week to the area for an author event. Last Sunday, we attended Maggie Stiefvater's event at the Nashville Public Library! (My Macbook Pro is going in the shop, so it will be a couple of days before I can post pics and info on this event. *weeps*) So yes, after this week our "signed-by-author-and-to-be-guarded-with-life" book shelves will have exploded. I can't wait to get everything posted about our adventures with both of these signings. I'll let you all know ASAP when my Pro is back and to be looking for some sweet pics with everyone!

Waiting on Wednesday - August 3, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme from Jill at Breaking the Spine. To join in, share the book or books that you are currently drooling over as you await their release and report back to Breaking the Spine with the link to your post. The gorgeous badge above is brought to us by Lindsay at The Violet Hour!


My "Waiting on..." pick pulls at the kid in my heart. First, there was the Percy Jackson series that I fell in love with. Riordan then continued on this journey with The Lost Hero and introduced a great new set of characters and plot. Needless to say, it dug its hooks in me just as much as the other. I love it when not only does the author continue an amazing story, but also mixes the old and new characters seamlessly. If you've not guessed by now, this week I am anxiously awaiting:

The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan

Hardcover, 384 pages

Expected publication: October 4th 2011 by Hyperion Book CH

From Goodreads:

In The Lost Hero, three demigods named Jason, Piper, and Leo made their first visit to Camp Half-Blood, where they inherited a quest:

Seven half-bloods shall answer the call,
To storm or fire the world must fall.
An oath to keep with a final breath,
And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.

Who are the other four mentioned in the prophecy? The answer may lie in another camp miles away, where a new camper has shown up and appears to be the son of Neptune, god of the sea...

Happy reading, friends!

It's Monday! What are you reading? August 1, 2011

It's Monday! What are you reading? is a weekly meme that is hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. To be a part of it, just post what you finished in the past week and what you plan to read this week. After writing your post, go to Sheila's blog and leave you post's link on the link entry form at the bottom of the What are you reading? post.

Another busy, busy week for me, but I still managed to get a little reading done. This weekend will be very hectic due to moving, but I should still be able to sneak some in. I've also got a couple of great posts about authors and signings in the next few days. Keep an eye for some wonderful names to appear on here!

What I've read this week:

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
-If you only have time for one book in a week, make this one of your options. I highly recommend this one to everyone. It is stunning!










What I am reading now:


Entwined by Heather Dixon - Different concept than what I thought it was going to be, really like it thus far.

Fallen by Lauren Kate - Second week on this one. It's on my Nook so I only get to read on it a little at a time while in waiting rooms, doing laundry, etc. I am more than half way through and should finish in today or tomorrow.




What's up next:













Hereafter by Tara Hudson
Ironside by Holly Black
Legacy by Cayla Kluver


So yeah, all in all it's been a great couple of weeks book-wise and I have a lot to look forward to.


ALSO:

Don't miss out on the chance to enter for a signed ARC of Forever by Maggie Stiefvater! My good friend, Marla @ Starting the Next Chapter, has hers up for grabs for one lucky reader!