Review: Flesh and Bone by Jonathan Maberry

Flesh & Bone by Jonathan Maberry

Hardcover, 469 pages

Published September 11th 2012 by Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Source: Own
Buy the book:  Amazon : B&N : Goodreads

From Goodreads:

Reeling from the tragic events of Dust & Decay, Benny Imura and his friends plunge deep into the zombie-infested wastelands of the great Rot & Ruin. Benny, Nix, Lilah and Chong journey through a fierce wilderness that was once America, searching for the jet they saw in the skies months ago. If that jet exists then humanity itself must have survived…somewhere. Finding it is their best hope for having a future and a life worth living.

But the Ruin is far more dangerous than any of them can imagine. They are hunted by fierce animals escaped from zoos and circuses. They must raid zombie-infested towns for food and medical supplies. They discover the very real truth in the old saying: In the Rot & Ruin…everything wants to kill you.

And what is happening to the zombies? Swarms of them are coming from the east, devouring everything in their paths. These zoms are different. Faster, smarter, infinitely more dangerous. Has the zombie plague mutated, or is there something far more sinister behind this new invasion of the living dead?

In Flesh & Bone, Benny Imura, Nix Riley, Lou Chong and Lilah the Lost Girl are pitted against dangers greater than anything they've ever faced. To survive, each of them must rise to become the warriors Tom trained them to be.

 One of my favorite series and it just keeps getting better and better. This installment takes the previous dangers met by our heroes and makes them look like teardrops falling into a five gallon bucket. The Rot & Ruin brings some horrific surprises for Benny and his crew!

  The journey has already hurt them physically and mentally, but it continues to give our heroes grief. Things don't turn out anything like they thought they would. The cults they encounter are far more crazy than what they could have imagined. This takes their lives and journey into an entire new direction. The incident with Chong was one I was waiting for, just was not sure which character it would happen to. It will be interesting to see how the plot winds that one out. Especially with Lilah involved. We get to see so much more of her and her thoughts this time around and I loved every minute of it. She's become my favorite character. 
Benny and Nix take on some almost hilarious scary events. They are totally plausible, but also laughable because that is all I would be able to do in those situations. Its that sad and horrific and I would be screwed. You will really get to see these two grow up in this book. They are learning the complete in's and out's of a relationship and time will tell if it is something they want to hold on to. 

For a time their journeys are divided, but then combine again at the end. Both paths are filled will potholes, especially when they learn about the airplane and the real history of life after First Night. This opens a whole new can of worms to deal with. The crew's Sanctuary and new friends may not be all they are cracked up to be. From what we learn towards the end, Sanctuary could actually be anything but what it implies. The anxiety you will feel at the end of this book will make you extremely mad. There is so much left wide open, you will be sitting in a corner, rocking, and waiting for the final book in the series, Fire & Ash, to come out in September. Don't worry, you won't be alone. I will be patiently biting my nails until the end of this saga!

Waiting on Wednesday - February 27, 2013

 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 love the concept of this one! It'll be interesting to see the perspective that Brody takes on it.

Unremembered by Jessica Brody

Hardcover, 320 pages

Expected publication: March 5th 2013 by Farrar, Straus, & Giroux

From Goodreads:

The only thing worse than forgetting her past... is remembering it.

When Freedom Airlines flight 121 went down over the Pacific Ocean, no one ever expected to find survivors. Which is why the sixteen-year-old girl discovered floating among the wreckage—alive—is making headlines across the globe.

Even more strange is that her body is miraculously unharmed and she has no memories of boarding the plane. She has no memories of her life before the crash. She has no memories period. No one knows how she survived. No one knows why she wasn’t on the passenger manifest. And no one can explain why her DNA and fingerprints can’t be found in a single database in the world.

Crippled by a world she doesn’t know, plagued by abilities she doesn’t understand, and haunted by a looming threat she can’t remember, Seraphina struggles to piece together her forgotten past and discover who she really is. But with every clue only comes more questions. And she’s running out of time to answer them.

Her only hope is a strangely alluring boy who claims to know her from before the crash. Who claims they were in love. But can she really trust him? And will he be able to protect her from the people who have been making her forget?

From popular young adult author, Jessica Brody comes a mesmerizing and suspenseful new series, set in a world where science knows no boundaries, memories are manipulated, and true love can never be forgotten.

Review: Sacrifice by Cayla Kluver

Sacrifice by Cayla Kluver

Paperback, 438 pages

Published October 23rd 2012 by Harlequin Teen 

Source: ARC, NetGalley
Buy the Book: Amazon : B&N : Goodreads

From Goodreads:

This is not the time for the fight to end. Now is when the fight will begin. This is the time to regain what has been lost.

Alera

Queen of a fallen kingdom, secretly in love with the enemy.

Shaselle

Daughter of a murdered father, rebel with a cause.

One lives behind the former Hytanican palace walls and walks the razor's edge to keep the fragile peace in her beloved homeland. The other slips through the war-torn streets, seeking retribution for her family's tragedy, following whispers of insurgency.

Both face choices that will separate them from those they cannot help but love. As their stories intertwine, a conspiracy ignites that may end in slavery or death—or lead to freedom anew, if only each can face what must be sacrificed.

A phenomenal ending to a brilliant series. Period. 

I had questioned myself on whether I wanted to continue with the series after reading Legacy. I thought it was a good story, but took too long to get to where it was going. Thankfully I did carry on and this book was definitely worth the wait. 

The two POV's in this book was iffy to me and I did not think that it would work well. It ended up being a great compliment to the story, especially being able to see the conflicts from both sides. I loved the pacing and placement of action in this installment. It was right where it needed to be and always held my attention to keep flipping pages. The plot didn't necessarily go the way I thought it would, or should really, but I understand the concessions Kluver made and the results of them. The culminating events that decide Hytanica's fate will leave you breathless!

The characters are fully matured now and the reader gets to enjoy the effects of their full circle. Alera and Narian are the essential "life-bloods" of the story. Everything that is to be decided is determined by their actions and influence. It was wonderful to see Alera step-up from childhood and truly embrace being decisive and tactical ruler. She finally learned how to put her foot down and inspires her country to do so as well. Narian takes an interesting journey this time around. We get to learn so much more about him and this information ends up being a significant player in the game. I wasn't convinced until this book that he would be a suitable leader or counterpart to Alera. Shaselle offers a great alternate POV to the events. I believe she is the girl that Alera would have been had she not been born into higher level royalty. She is very perceptive, but there were many times I wondered what in the world she was thinking. That was always with a decision that I knew would bring her grief and ultimately did in the end. The other characters pretty much played out the story as I thought they would. We find out a little more information here and there, but you will probably find the background on London and someone else really interesting. 

Overall, this was my favorite book in the series. The characters and plot were right where they should be and Kluver's writing improved leaps and bounds. It is definitely worth the wait, but reading the previous books are a must. There is no starting in the middle of this series, you'd be completely lost. A highly recommended set of books by all means!

Waiting on Wednesday - February 20, 2013

 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 have followed this series since the beginning and cannot wait to see what happens next. The Goddess Legacy was a great addition to the series and I believe it'll really help clarify many of the choices and attitudes of the characters in this installment. It'll be interesting to see how it is wrapped up!

The Goddess Inheritance by Aimee Carter

Paperback, 384 pages

Expected publication: February 26th 2013 by Harlequin Teen

From Goodreads:

Love or life.
Henry or their child.
The end of her family or the end of the world.
Kate must choose.

During nine months of captivity, Kate Winters has survived a jealous goddess, a vengeful Titan and a pregnancy she never asked for. Now the Queen of the Gods wants her unborn child, and Kate can't stop her--until Cronus offers a deal.

In exchange for her loyalty and devotion, the King of the Titans will spare humanity and let Kate keep her child. Yet even if Kate agrees, he'll destroy Henry, her mother and the rest of the council. And if she refuses, Cronus will tear the world apart until every last god and mortal is dead.

With the fate of everyone she loves resting on her shoulders, Kate must do the impossible: find a way to defeat the most powerful being in existence, even if it costs her everything.

Even if it costs her eternity.

YA Paranormal Hop Giveaway!

Our friends at I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and YA Between the Lines have joined together to bring us the ultimate YA paranormal book hop! Over 150+ blogs have signed up to offer you the chance to win a plethora of our favorite paranormal books.

To sweeten the deal, I am going to offer up a book by a couple of my favorite authors. Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl are famous for their outstanding series, Beautiful Creatures. However, this year they are striding out on their own. Kami's Legion series and Margaret's Icons series both begin this year with Unbreakable and Icons respectively.

So here is the deal:

Enter the Rafflecopter below to win a book of your choice from these authors. For the sake of my budget, this will be US ONLY. Choose one to complete the Beautiful Creatures series you may have already started or choose to begin one of their next paranormal adventures!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Hardcover, 392 pages

Published July 31st 2012 by Harlequin Teen 

Source: ARC, NetGalley
Buy the book:  Amazon : B&N : Goodreads

From Goodreads:

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

 An absolutely amazing book. Do not let my 3 stickies fool you into thinking otherwise. While it is not something that I would normally read or purchase for my own, the book has wonderful characters and deals with so many teen social issues. The writing is so well done the story and characters flow fluidly right through to the end. There is a whole roller coaster of emotions in this one. You'll cover extreme anger to gut-wrenching sadness within a few pages. This is one that will awe you over and over again.

The main characters, Echo and Noah, have both been traumatic experiences in their life. Echo's has left her scarred mentally and physically to the point that her mind has blocked the event out entirely. Noah has the opposite issue of dealing with his problems on a daily basis. Together they face their demons and come to an absolution. The journey to that point is both beautiful and tragic, but readers will enjoy watching them grow and mature along the way. They were, however, very melodramatic and a little too full of angst for my taste. 

Issues such as depression and other mental illnesses, drugs, sex, and peer pressure are covered thoroughly throughout the book. Fortunately, the book is also written well enough that it does not feel like you're reading a pamphlet that would be usually found in the counselor's office. This makes the book drag in spots though and it could have been a lightened a little bit. If you deal with any extreme emotions about these topics, consult a friend before reading this book. 

For the Love of Swoon Giveaway Hop!

The Book Hookup and I Am A Reader, Not A Writer have joined forces to bring you a completely swoon-worthy event. The blogs involved in this giveaway hop are offering up some of their favorite books that have just that "one thing" that makes their heart flutter. Well friends, this was an easy choice for me and  I came up with some options for you!

Julie Kagawa is one of my favorite authors. Period. There are always so many aspects of her books that inspire my imagination and fill my dreams with wonder. Where's the swoon-worthiness? It is in her magnificent characters. Ash from the Iron Fey series is my top "swoon-worthy" character. He has the  personality and protection of a true knight and has taken my breath away more than once. Yes, our Puck is adorable with his sarcasm and wit, but he just doesn't have the edge that Ash does. A couple of very close runner ups and heroes in their own rights are Megan's brother Ethan from the Call of the Forgotten series and the charm of Zeke from the Immortal Rules series. None of these will leave you short-handed in the swoon department!

So, to share the swoon love this Valentine's Day, I am offering up one (1) of the books by Julie Kagawa to be shipped to you via Amazon. If you've already started on a series, awesome. This will help you get the next installment or finale of that series. If not, prepare yourself for the ride that awaits you from the very first book!

 The Iron Fey

 The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten

The Immortal Rules

Releases April, 2013

 For budget reasons, this one will have to be US ONLY.

Fill in the Rafflecopter for your chance to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Waiting on Wednesday - February 13, 2013

 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 know, a day late and dollar short, but I just had to fit this one in. This series was actually a tough sale for me. I loved many of the characters, but the main heroine needed some guts. Finally, towards the end of Glitch, she started to get them. That's why this book is probably in the top ten of my "waiting for" list for this year. :)

Override by Heather Anastasiu

Paperback, 320 pages

Expected publication: February 12th 2013 by St. Martin's Griffin

From Goodreads:

Zoe is free. She has escaped the enslavement of the Community, disconnected from the hardware that had controlled her every thought and emotion, and evaded capture by the Chancellor intent on killing her. She is finally free, but she is far from safe.

Zoe and Adrien hide themselves from detection at the Foundation, an academy that trains teen glitchers to fight in the Resistance movement. Together, Zoe and her new team of superhuman fighters must risk their lives to rescue other glitchers and humans from the Chancellor's control. Challenges abound at every turn, and Adrien, who has become silent, distant, and tormented by his visions of the future, only adds to the growing certainty of defeat. But worst of all, as Zoe's team fights against impossible odds, distrust and betrayal leads to the terrible discovery that their greatest threat could already be lurking behind the safe walls of the Foundation.

Full of high-adrenaline action and shocking twists, Heather Anastasiu's Override is an exciting continuation of this popular young adult trilogy.

Review: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Hardcover, 563 pages

Published December 1st 2009 by Little, Brown and Company
Source: Own
Buy the book: Amazon : B&N : Goodreads

From Goodreads:

"There were no surprises in Gatlin County.
We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.
At least, that's what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.
There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave."

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

There's a lot of "differences" in this book when compared to others. Love, love the different perspective taken on magic in this book.Another is the POV that it is written from, Ethan's, instead of the heroine's. That itself should tell you the thought that the authors put into this book. It comes from a male perspective in a period there were very few of them, even compared to today. 

There is A LOT of back story in the beginning of the book. Yes, it is somewhat long to a few people, but I see it as an essential tool. Otherwise, the rest of the story would not have the meaning that it did, especially Ethan's reason and purpose for his actions. The pacing in this book is awesome once you get the back story. You always want to just keep turning pages because something else is happening and you can't wait to see where it goes. The concept of Casters and other magical creatures in this book is eerie and utterly realistic. I've even had friends stop reading the book because they say it hit too close to home and they could see these events happening. It is that well written and reflects a lot of the southern aspects that I grew up in and love. Toss in the Gothic style southern POV on the setting and it is a fantastic foundation for magic.

The characters in this book are phenomenal, especially the villains. Ethan is a great example of a steadfast southern boy. He will absolutely make you laugh until you hurt and then melt your heart the next minute. I would like to keep him in a box just for safekeeping. Lena has so many layers to her that it takes the entire book to just begin to fold them back. It makes for long journey as you watch her spread her "magical" wings as the days to her claiming tick away. Even the supporting characters like Link and Macon are amazing. I could read books about either of them as well and be happy. Link is that friend that would not question you if you called him and said "I need your help, bring a shovel and a bag of lye." He would simply show up and nod his head. Macon is the parental figure that everyone wants growing up, but, be warned, he will break your heart by the end of the book. And the villains....wonderful. Creepy, mean people that makes you wonder and question if everyone has a side like that. You won't even look at your neighbor the same way again after getting to know these characters. 

Be prepared to be wowed and ready to crave more after this book. Actually, buy the set. You won't regret it.   

The movie is coming out on February 13th, learn more at IMDB!

Review: Dreamless by Josephine Angelini

Dreamless by Josephine Angelini

Hardcover, 487 pages

Published May 29th 2012 by HarperTeen 

Source: Own
Buy the book: Amazon : B&N : Goodreads

From Goodreads:

Can true love be forgotten?

As the only scion who can descend into the Underworld, Helen Hamilton has been given a nearly impossible task. By night she wanders through Hades, trying to stop the endless cycle of revenge that has cursed her family. By day she struggles to overcome the fatigue that is rapidly eroding her sanity. Without Lucas by her side, Helen is not sure she has the strength to go on.

Just as Helen is pushed to her breaking point, a mysterious new Scion comes to her rescue. Funny and brave, Orion shields her from the dangers of the Underworld. But time is running out--a ruthless foe plots against them, and the Furies' cry for blood is growing louder.

As the ancient Greek world collides with the mortal one, Helen's sheltered life on Nantucket descends into chaos. But the hardest task of all will be forgetting Lucas Delos.

Josephine Angelini's compelling saga becomes ever more intricate and spellbinding as an unforgettable love triangle emerges and the eternal cycle of revenge intensifies. Eagerly awaited, this sequel to the internationally bestselling Starcrossed delivers a gritty, action-packed love story that exceeds all expectations.

 Angelini continues to impress me. Reading through her books are like watching a vivid movie: all encompassing and surreal. The writing is as superb as Starcrossed and she takes the story to a whole new level this time around. 

Poor Helen has already been through so much and isn't even half way where she needs to be in life. Now she has to battle walking through Hades every night on top of everything else.Due to her journeys to the Underworld, Helen is pushed to her breaking point, physically and mentally, because of lack of sleep and rest. Sadly, I can understand where she is coming from. (Basically, she's going through the worst grad school experience ever, except with better purpose. :D) However, during her escapades she brings in a brand new character to the mix, Orion. He has an entrance to Hades as well, but he comes with more mysteries. I won't give away too much, but he is my favorite character thus far. Orion's perspective on life and particular situations is sometimes hilarious, but correct and informative too. And dear Lucas. It kills me to see what he has to go through just to keep everything going and keep people alive. The intricate web of character interactions lays a solid foundation for an amazing plot.

Get ready for a thrill ride with the storyline and plot in this one as well. If it wasn't steady paced and rolling, you were reading and flipping pages as quick as you can to see what happens next. It is simply. that. exciting. Sometimes it is simply the bad luck of the characters of course, but a good chunk of it was plot essentials and came at you from every angle. During the culminating events you will be holding your breath one minute and crying the next. And that ending...talk about leaving me wanting more. One word describes it all and it is what you will say when you finish the book: "Wow." 

Waiting on Wednesday - February 6, 2013

 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 grand finale of the Starcrossed series! This series has been a page turner since the beginning and I can't wait to see what Angelini has decided to put us through next!

Goddess by Jospehine Angelini

Hardcover, 432 pages

Expected publication: May 28th 2013 by HarperTeen

From Goodreads:

After accidentally unleashing the gods from their captivity on Olympus, Helen must find a way to re-imprison them without starting a devastating war. But the gods are angry, and their thirst for blood already has a body count.

To make matters worse, the Oracle reveals that a diabolical Tyrant is lurking among them, which drives a wedge between the once-solid group of friends. As the gods use the Scions against one another, Lucas’s life hangs in the balance. Still unsure whether she loves him or Orion, Helen is forced to make a terrifying decision, for war is coming to her shores.

In Josephine Angelini’s compelling conclusion to the masterfully woven Starcrossed trilogy, a goddess must rise above it all to change a destiny that’s been written in the stars. With worlds built just as fast as they crumble, love and war collide in an all-out battle that will leave no question unanswered and no heart untouched.