Friday, September 30, 2011

Cover Spotlight

Book covers found on various blogs and site (8)


SQUEEE!! I love LOVE this cover. Not sure of the synopsis but found this on the author's site:

IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR 

Cryptid, noun:

1. Any creature whose existence has been suggested but not proven scientifically. Term officially coined by cryptozoologist John E. Wall in 1983.
2. That thing that's getting ready to eat your head.
3. See also: "monster."
The Covenant of St. George was founded to uphold one simple ideal: anything that was not present on the Ark—anything they deemed "unnatural"—needed to be destroyed. Monsters. Creatures of myth and legend. All of them would be wiped from the Earth in the name of Man's dominion. Unfortunately for them, not all the monsters agreed with this plan...and neither did all the human beings.
After their rather abrupt departure from the Covenant, Alexander and Enid Healy found themselves alone in the world, but with a simple mission of their own: to protect the cryptids of the world from those who would harm them without just cause. It was a cause that would eventually claim both their lives, leaving their children, and their childrens' children, to take up the fight. Now in the modern day, their descendants struggle to stay beneath the Covenant's radar, while defending the cryptids from humanity—and humanity from the cryptids.
[Publication date, March 6, 2012]

I like the previous cover more...this looks like a video game picture for some reason. 

Summary(via tor fb):
The power swelled inside me, burning, hurting, but I let it center me. Pain means I’m still here, fighting. I envisioned it swelling in my hand in a seething rush, gathering, gathering, and then I sent it out on my resolve like a dark and winged thing riding the magickal wind.
As a handler, Corine Solomon can touch any object and learn its history. Her power is a gift, but one that’s thrown her life off track. The magical inheritance she received from her mother is dangerously powerful, and Corine has managed to mark herself as a black witch by dealing with demons to solve her problems. 
Back home, Corine is trying to rebuild her pawnshop and her life with her ex Chance, despite the target on her back. But when the demons she provoked kidnap her best friend in retaliation, Corine puts everything on hold to save her. It’s undoubtedly a trap, but Corine would do anything to save those she loves, even if it means sacrificing herself…
[Publication date, April 3, 2012] 
  I love this cover, matches the previous covers.
Summary (via goodreads): 
Turned into a vampire against her will, twenty-eight-year-old Merit found her way into the dark circle of Chicago’s vampire underground, where she learned there was more to supernaturals than met the eye—and more supernaturals than the public ever imagined. And not all the secrets she learned were for sharing—among humans or inhumans.
Now Merit is on the hunt, charging across the stark American Midwest, tailing a rogue supernatural intent on stealing an ancient artifact that could unleash catastrophic evil on the world. But Merit is also the prey. An enemy of Chicagoland is hunting her, and he’ll stop at nothing to get the book for himself. No mercy allowed. No rules apply. No lives spared. The race is on
[Publication date, August 2012]  
  I love the cover of this book, finally get to see Cady's face!
Summary (via Goodreads):
Magick. Murder. Mayhem. It’s all in a night’s work. . . .

After narrowly escaping her fate as a sacrificial scapegoat, Arcadia Bell is back to normal. Or at least as ordinary as life can be for a renegade magician and owner of a tiki bar that caters to Earthbound demons. She’s gearing up for the busiest day of the year—Halloween—when a vengeful kidnapper paralyzes the community. The influential head of the local Hellfire Club taps Cady to track down the fiendish bogeyman, and now that she’s dating red-hot Lon Butler, the club’s wayward son, she can hardly say no.

Cady and Lon untangle a gruesome thirty-year trail of clues that points to danger for the club members’ children. But locating the person behind the terror will require some metaphysical help from Cady’s loyal bar patrons as well as her potent new Moonchild powers—and she’d better figure it out before the final victim disappears and her own darkest secret becomes her biggest enemy.
[Publication date, April 2012]

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

WoW: Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly post started by Breaking the Spine, to show books that we are patiently waiting for.  

This Book has a beautiful cover, and an interesting synopsis...teen reaper, how cool is that? 

Summary [via goodreads]: 
The day I turned 16, my boyfriend-to-be died. I brought him back to life. Then things got a little weird...
Molly Bartolucci wants to blend in, date hottie Rick and keep her zombie-raising abilities on the down-low. Then the god Anubis chooses her to become a reaper-and she accidentally undoes the work of another reaper, Rath.
Within days, she's shipped off to the Nekyia Academy, an elite school that trains the best necromancers in the world. And her personal reaping tutor? Rath. Who seems to hate her guts.
Rath will be watching closely to be sure she completes her first assignment-reaping Rick, the boy who should have died. The boy she still wants to be with.
To make matters worse, students at the academy start turning up catatonic, and accusations fly-against Molly. The only way out of this mess? To go through hell. Literally.
[Expected publication date February 28, 2012]

Monday, September 26, 2011

Short & Sweet Reviews: Shadow Kin by M.J. Scott



Tile: Shadow Kin
Author: M.J. Scott
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Th Half-Light City #1

Mass Market paperback, 336 pages
Published on September 6, 2011 by ROC

Summary (via AMAZON): On one side, the Night World, rules by the Blood Lords and the Beast Kind. On the other, the elusive Fae and the humans, protected by their steadfast mages..
Born a wraith, Lily is a shadow who slips between worlds. Brought up by a Blood Lord and raised to be his assassin, she is little more than a slave. But when Lily meets her match in target Simon DuCaine, the unlikely bond that develops between them threatens to disrupt an already stretched peace in a city on the verge of being torn apart... 



My thoughts: I remember the first time I saw this cover, and I was thinking to myself “I have to get my hands on that book!” For the cover alone, I would have bought the book…but the synopsis actually sounded very fascinating.  The story is told between two narratives, Lily a.k.a Shadow, a wraith that can fade into nothingness and Simon, a sunmage. Lily was raised by a blood lord (vampire) because her own mother, a fae didn’t want her.  Lily is a half-breed and in the eyes of everyone, she is an abomination. Lucius, the blood lord raised her to be the most feared assassin in the night world. As usual Lucius sends Lily out on an assignment, to dispose of a potential threat. The ‘’potential threat” turns out to be Simon Ducaine, a powerful sunmage. Lily not only fails to kill him, but ends up being attracted to him. Simon, who can’t get Lily off his mind, sets out on a rescue mission to take Lily away from the cruel night world and into his world (light, where humans, templers, and fae lives). Things turn for the worst, when Lucius discover that Lily is missing.

The world that Scott created is full of political intrigue, and unlikely love. Many readers found the duo narration hard to follow because it would switch mid-chapters.  I didn’t have a problem at all with this. The author placed symbols right before the narration so readers would know exactly who is speaking. The crescent symbol represents Lily’s pov and a Sun represents Simon’s pov. To be honest, I'm not a fan of multiple Point-of-Views, but the author made it work. It was a nice change to see what both characters were feeling. The book started out great, where we see Lily shadowed in the Simon’s room; you can tell there was automatic chemistry between the two lead characters. As we get to the half way point of the book, things kind of dragged and dragged and the ending was really anticlimactic. Another thing that I had a problem with is the trust issue between the two characters. I mean, I get where they’re both coming from but Simon would get mad at Lily, thinking that she has these alterative motives but in reality he isn't a saint either, who was hiding secrets of his own. It makes Simon a hypocrite, and made me dislike him more and more. Imagine the trust issue all the way till the end, they don’t fully resolve the problem till 2nd to the last chapter! Regardless of this, I want to see what happens to Lily and Simon and will be picking up Blood Kin, which is to be released June 2012. If you love vampires (blood), shifters(beasts) and faes, and want to try something new in the fantasy genre you should give Scott’s debut novel a go. 

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Followers Giveaway Winners


Elin204 and Gamergirl98

Congratulations! I will be sending you  guys an email shortly for your snail mail. Thank you to everyone who has supported the blog.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

In My Mailbox [11]

First off, In My Mailbox is a feature that was started over at The Story Siren. Where we share what books we receive in the mail each week.
 For Review: 
Wildefire by Karsten Knight 
*Thank you Simon & Schuster*

Bought:
Clarity by Kim Harrington
Damage by Anya Parrish
Among Thieves by Douglas Hulick

What did you guys get in your IMM? Please leave yours in the comment section, so I can check it out! :) Happy Reading!

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

WoW: Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly post started by Breaking the Spine, to show books that we are patiently waiting for.  


 Summary (via Amazon): Once she was Adrienne Satti. An orphan of Davillon, she had somehow escaped destitution and climbed to the ranks of the city's aristocracy in a rags-to-riches story straight from an ancient fairy tale. Until one horrid night, when a conspiracy of forces—human and other—stole it all away in a flurry of blood and murder.

Today she is Widdershins, a thief making her way through Davillon's underbelly with a sharp blade, a sharper wit, and the mystical aid of Olgun, a foreign god with no other worshippers but Widdershins herself. It's not a great life, certainly nothing compared to the one she once had, but it's hers.

But now, in the midst of Davillon's political turmoil, an array of hands are once again rising up against her, prepared to tear down all that she's built. The City Guard wants her in prison. Members of her own Guild want her dead. And something horrid, something dark, something ancient is reaching out for her, a past that refuses to let her go. Widdershins and Olgun are going to find answers, and justice, for what happened to her—but only if those who almost destroyed her in those years gone by don't finish the job first.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Short & Sweet reviews: Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep

Title: Touch of Frost
Author: Jennifer Estep
Series: Mythos Academy (#1)
Genre: Paranormal Young adult

Trade paperback, 350 pages
Published on July 26, 2011 by Kensington (Teen)


Summary (via Goodreads): My name is Gwen Frost, and I go to Mythos Academy — a school of myths, magic and warrior whiz kids, where even the lowliest geek knows how to chop off somebody's head with a sword and Logan Quinn, the hottest Spartan guy in school, also happens to be the deadliest.
But lately, things have been weird, even for Mythos. First, mean girl Jasmine Ashton was murdered in the Library of Antiquities. Then, someone stole the Bowl of Tears, a magical artifact that can be used to bring about the second Chaos War. You know, death, destruction and lots of other bad, bad things. Freaky stuff like this goes on all the time at Mythos, but I'm determined to find out who killed Jasmine and why—especially since I should have been the one who died. . .

My thoughts: I was really excited when I heard that Mrs. Estep was releasing a young adult novel,  because I absolutely adore her Elemental assassin series. The book is told in the first person            narrative, by sixteen year old Gwen Frost. She’s a new student at Mythos Academy, where magical warrior kids go to school. Gwen has been at Mythos Academy for about two months and is still         adjusting to the changes in location/school after the death of her mom.  While not a true believer in all things magic, Gwen starts to see and experience weird things at the school when she stumble       upon the dead body of a fellow classmate.                                                                                                

The whole mythological aspect of gods and goddesses in the novel was a refreshing change in what I usually read (vamps, weres, faeries…). Gwen was a likeable heroine, she’s snarky and witty without really trying. The secondary characters were great too, like Logan the love interest and Daphne the mean popular girl turned new bff.  The story takes place at a boarding school, and I thought that it would be like all the other typical YA books that I read, but it was fun and different.  The story was a tad slow in the first two or three chapter, but definitely picked up.  The ending was actually predictable, but overall I still enjoyed the storyline.
I would have rated this book a full 4 or 5 star but there was one thing that constantly bugged me throughout the book…REPEATS. The author continuously repeated various facts that were mentioned within the opening of the book…ALL THE WAY TILL the end.

Examples of what was repeated throughout the book:
1)      How things would have turn out different if her mother was still alive
2)      That Gwen was friendless
3)      Gwen is known as “that Gypsy girl”
4)      Logan is sexy and dangerous
5)      The popular girls are rich, and snobby

But regardless I am actually looking forward to reading KISS OF FROST (Mythos Academy #2) which will be publish this November 2011. 

 NEXT BOOK IN THE SERIES:
NOVEMBER 29, 2011



Sunday, September 18, 2011

In My Mailbox

First off, In My Mailbox is a feature that was started over at The Story Siren. Where we share what books we receive in the mail each week.
 
 
Bought:
Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton
Graveminder by Meslissa Marr
Other by Karen Kincey
After Midnight by Lynn Viehl

What did you get in your mail box? Leave your IMM in the comments :)

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Followers Giveaway!


Hey Guys! As promised, I have another giveaway for you. Wondering what you could win? :) Up for grabs are the first two books in Thea Harrison's The Elder Races series.




Sunmmary( via Goodreads): Half-human and half-wyr, Pia Giovanni spent her life keeping a low profile among the wyrkind and avoiding the continuing conflict between them and their dark Fae enemies. But after being blackmailed into stealing a coin from the hoard of a dragon, Pia finds herself targeted by one of the most powerful-and passionate-of the Elder races.











Summary (Via Goodreads): During the rule of her murderous Dark Fae uncle, Thistle "Tricks" Periwinkle found sanctuary among the Wyr in New York. Her ethereal beauty and sparkling personality won the hearts of the public, but after her uncle's death, there are those who don't want to see her ascend the throne...

Able to wield thunder and lightning, Wyr sentinel Tiago Black Eagle has ruled the skies for centuries. His massive build and thunderous power make him one of the Wyr's best weapons. And he's the one sent to protect Tricks when she's almost assassinated in Chicago.

Soon, both Tiago and Tricks will fall prey to the stormy hunger that engulfs them- a passion that will shake the very foundation of all the worlds.




[Giveaway rules]
There will be two (2 winners), one book each.

US ONLY, sorry international readers.
Books for readers 18 and older, contain mature contents

1. Must be a blog follower
2. Leave a comment about what was the last book that you read, and enjoyed, with your GFC name and email. 
3. State which book you would like!


Extra Entries:
 +1 tweet about giveaway
+1 blog post about giveaway


Giveaway Ends Saturday September 24th. Winners will be announced on blog and notified Sunday Setember 25th.





Friday, September 16, 2011

Cover Spotlight

Book covers found on various blogs and site (7)

 

Summary (via Goodreads): The second book in a new urban fantasy series featuring mosquito-sized fairies with poisonous bites that drive humans insane. 

It's only been three weeks since Annabelle helped solve the murder of Grace Beauchamp, and in the process, she discovered a secret world of invisible, magic-working people who have decided she might have what it takes to join their ranks. 

As best as she can determine, Annabelle’s attack by a group of fairies has infected her with paranormal ability she did not previously possess, including being able to mentally move objects and heal wounds. Her new abilities appear to have few negative side effects, aside from creepy dreams. But would that change if she stopped injecting herself with the mystery drug delivered to her by the even more mysterious Tucker, one of the Invisibles? Leery of trusting criminals with her health, Annabelle wishes she had someone she could talk to about the changes in her life. Enter Hitch, FBI agent and Annabelle’s ex, who’s back in Donaldsonville on an off-the-books investigation. Hitch suspects that there’s a government-funded illegal lab that’s developing a controversial fairy-killing spray that could adversely affect the existence of every living thing in the delta—including humans. And Hitch and Annabelle will have to find a way to work together if they're going to find a way to shut it down.

Releases on March 27, 2012  


Summary (via Goodreads): Just as Jane Jameson’s unlife seems to be stabilizing, fate sinks its fangs firmly into her butt. Despite her near-phobia of all things marital, her no-frills nighttime nuptials to her sexy boyfriend Gabriel are coming along smoothly. But the road to wedded bliss gets bumpy when a teenage acquaintance is fatally wounded in front of Jane’s shop and she turns him to save his life. The Council pronounces Jane responsible for the newborn vamp until he can control his thirst.

Jane’s kitchen at River Oaks barely holds enough Faux Type O to satiate the cute teen’s appetite and maintain Gabriel’s jealous streak at a slow simmer. As if keeping her hyperactive childe from sucking the blood out of the entire neighborhood isn’t enough to deal with, the persnickety ghost of Jane’s newly deceased Grandma Ruthie has declared a war on the fanged residents of River Oaks. Suddenly,
choosing monogrammed cocktail napkins and a cake that she can’t eat seems downright relaxing in comparison.

Tensions inside the house are growing…and outside, a sinister force is aiming a stake straight for the center of Gabriel’s heart. Most brides just have to worry about choosing the right dress, but Jane fears that at this rate, she’ll never make it down the aisle for the wedding all nice girls dream of…


Releases in March 2012  

 Summary: No description yet. 

Releases April 2012. Sequel to Moonshine.  














Summary (via Gooodreads): A LOUISIANA DETECTIVE OF SUPERNATURAL CRIME

The homicide beat in Louisiana isn’t just terrifying, it’s demonic. Detective Kara Gilligan of the supernatural task force has the ability to summon demons to her aid, but she herself is pledged to serve a demonic lord.

And now, people who’ve hurt Kara in the past are dying for no apparent reason. To clear her name and save both the demon and human worlds, she’s in a race against the clock and in a battle for her life that just may take her to hell and back.


Releases on January 3, 2012 





 Summary (via Goodreads): Babylon Steel, ex-sword-for-hire, ex-other things, runs the best brothel in Scalentine; city of many portals, two moons, and a wide variety of races, were-creatures, and religions, not to mention the occasional insane warlock. She’s not having a good week. The Vessels of Purity are protesting against brothels, women in the trade are being attacked, it’s tax time, and there’s not enough money to pay the bill. So when the mysterious Darask Fain offers her a job finding a missing girl, Babylon decides to take it. But the missing girl is not what she seems, and neither is Darask Fain. In the meantime twomoon is approaching, and more than just a few night’s takings are at risk when Babylon’s hidden past reaches out to grab her by the throat.




Releases December 27, 2011

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

WoW: Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly post started by Breaking the Spine, to show books that we are patiently waiting for.  
 
Summary (via Goodreads): Exiled from her comfortable home, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland – called the Death Shop – are slim. Violent energy storms can strike suddenly, and even the very air she breathes might kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He’s wild, dangerous – a savage. He’s also her only hope.

Because Aria alone holds the key to his redemption, Perry needs her, too. 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
 
 
Hardcover, 400 pages
Expected publication: January 3rd 2012 by HarperCollins

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Short & Sweet Reviews: Dragon Bound by Thea Harrison


Title: Dragon Bound
Author:Thea Harrison
Genre: Paranormal, Adult (age 17 & up, mature contents)
Series: The Elder Races #1

Format: Mass Market paperback, 336pages

Released on May 3, 2011


Summary( via Amazon) : Half-human and half-wyr, Pia Giovanni spent her life keeping a low profile among the wyrkind and avoiding the continuing conflict between them and their dark Fae enemies. But after being blackmailed into stealing a coin from the hoard of a dragon, Pia finds herself targeted by one of the most powerful-and passionate-of the Elder races.

My Thoughts: When I first saw this book on the new releases page on various sites, I dismissed it right away because of the cover. I know many of the books I read have cheesy cover, but a half naked male on a cover seem so cliché among paranormal romance novels. I decided to read this book because of all the wonderful reviews it has gotten since its release. I was a little skeptical at first because I never read a dragon book before. 

The book takes place in New York and follows two main characters Dragos, a dragon wyr one of the top Elder races (one of the strongest paranormal creature) and Pia a half-wyr who becomes entangles in a mess when her ex-boyfriend blackmails her into stealing from Dragos. The book had a good pacing and a lot of action through the entire book. Many people love the dynamic chemistry between the two leads, but I found it somewhat annoying. Pia, struggles to decide if she likes Dragos or not. Throughout the book she states that she likes him and can see goodness in him and other time she says he’s a monster. As for Dragos, he comes off really cold-hearted one minute and romantic the next. I also didn't find his whole "you're mine" attitude endearing. The book explains why he is the way he is, but just reading it was a turn off.

Overall it IS a good book, the world building is interesting. Although I may had some problems with the two main characters, I plan on reading the next book because it features two characters from this book who you'll meet; Tricks and Tiago. I think many paranormal romance readers will enjoy this more than me.

Warning: Mature content! 
3 Stars



Sunday, September 11, 2011

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox (8)

First off, In My Mailbox is a feature that was started over at The Story Siren. Where we share what books we receive in the mail each week.
 
 Bought:
Dark Oracle by Alayna Williams
Spellcast by Barbara Ashford
Blood Bound by Rachel Vincent
Shadow Kin by M. J. Scott
One Salt Sea by Seanan McGuire

What did you get this week? Leave your IMM link in the comments :)

Friday, September 09, 2011

Cover Spotlight

Book covers I found on various blogs and site (6)

Summary: (Sequel to DEAD BEAUTIFUL)
Renée Winters has changed. When she looks in the mirror, a beautiful girl with an older, sadder face stares back. Her condition has doctors mystified, but Renée can never reveal the truth: she died last May, and was brought back to life by the kiss of her Undead soul mate, Dante Berlin.
Now, her separation from Dante becomes almost unbearable. His second life is close to an end, and each passing day means one less that she will spend with the boy who shares her soul.
Just when Renée has almost given up hope, she learns of the Nine Sisters—brilliant scholars who, according to legend, found a way to cheat death. She can’t shake the feeling that they are somehow connected to her dreams, strange visions that hint at a discovery so powerful, and so dangerous, that some will stop at nothing to protect it.
Renée thought she knew the truth about life and death. But there is a secret woven through history that holds the only hope for Dante and Renée. Unless they find answers soon, their time together is doomed to be cut short.
 [FEBRUARY 2012]



Summary: 
Fight Back

Fifteen-year-old Billy Ballard is the kid that everyone picks on, from the school bullies to the teachers. Things change drastically when Billy learns that years ago, he’d been tricked by Pestilence, the White Rider of the Apocalypse. Now it’s Billy’s turn to wield Pestilence’s Bow and spread sickness through the world. He uses his new power to lash out at his tormentors…and accidentally causes an outbreak of disease. Horrified by his actions, he wants nothing more than to be rid of the Bow. For that to happen, Billy must track down the previous White Rider, who is hiding in a place where even Death cannot go.

Billy’s search takes him across the centuries: from ancient Phrygia, where a man called King Mita agrees to wear the White Rider’s Crown, to a mighty forest, where Pestilence plans to cheat Death; from the docks of Alexandria, where plague is packed into cartons of grain, to the Children’s Crusade in France, where the White Rider learns a truth that will break him. By the time Billy finds the man who had tricked him so long ago, the White Rider is completely insane—and is poised to unleash a plague that would make the Black Death look like a summer cold. And only Billy can stop him.

Does one bullied teenager have the strength to stand his ground—and the courage to save the world?

 [MARCH 2012] 



Summary: Avery and Ben are just beginning to explore the depth of the bond that links them. Their ability to sense each others' feelings and Avery's mysterious connection to the forest mean that their love is unlike any other. But even such a perfect bond can be strained by jealousy, and when Hope, a gorgeous girl from Ben's old life, arrives in town, Avery can't help but feel threatened. And in more ways than one-because someone is trying to kill her, again.
Also new in town are a pair of Hunters-men who know about werewolves and who seek only to destroy what they can't understand. Hope is connected to the Hunters somehow, but by the time Avery figures out her secret, it's too late-and someone will pay with their life. With the glowing, emotional language that made Low Red Moon such an irresistible read, Moonrise ups the romantic stakes with a heart-tugging sacrifice that testifies to the power of love.

[JANUARY 2012]





Summary: Emma Townsend has always believed in stories—the ones she reads voraciously, and the ones she creates in her head. Perhaps it’s because she feels like an outsider at her exclusive prep school, or because her stepmother doesn’t come close to filling the void left by her mother’s death. And her only romantic prospect—apart from a crush on her English teacher—is Gray Newman, a long-time friend who just adds to Emma’s confusion. But escape soon arrives in an old leather-bound copy of Jane Eyre…

Reading of Jane’s isolation sparks a deep sense of kinship. Then fate takes things a leap further when a lightning storm catapults Emma right into Jane’s body and her nineteenth-century world. As governess at Thornfield, Emma has a sense of belonging she’s never known—and an attraction to the brooding Mr. Rochester. Now, moving between her two realities and uncovering secrets in both, Emma must decide whether her destiny lies in the pages of Jane’s story, or in the unwritten chapters of her own…


[APRIL 2012]

Thursday, September 08, 2011

Back to Books Giveaway Hop Winner!



Marci Clark

Congratulations! I will be sending you an email shortly for your snail mail. For everyone else, thank you so much for supporting the blog. I will have another giveaway coming in the next week, so check back!

Wednesday, September 07, 2011

Back to Books Giveaway Hop

Today is the last day to enter the Back to Books Giveaway Hop! Giveaway will close exactly at 11:59pm (pst) tonight.

[update: giveaway now closed]

Winner will be announced here and notified by email tomorrow September 8th!!

Good luck everyone :)

WoW: Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly post started by Breaking the Spine, to show books that we are patiently waiting for.  
 
 BLURB: Shaman-for-hire Eugenie Markham strives to keep the mortal realm safe from trespassing entities. But as the Thorn Land's prophecy-haunted queen, there's no refuge for her and her soon-to-be-born-children when a mysterious blight begins to devastate the Otherworld...

The spell-driven source of the blight isn't the only challenge to Eugenie's instincts. Fairy king Dorian is sacrificing everything to help, but Eugenie can't trust the synergy drawing them back together. The uneasy truce between her and her shape shifter ex-lover Kiyo is endangered by secrets he can't--or won't--reveal. And as a formidable force rises to also threaten the human world, Eugenie must use her own cursed fate as a weapon--and risk the ultimate sacrifice..
 
RELEASES ON FEBRUARY 2, 2012

Monday, September 05, 2011

Review: A need so Beautiful by Suzanne Young

Title: A Need so Beautiful
Author: Suzanne Young
Genre: Paranormal Young Adult (ages 14 and up)
Series: A Need so Beautiful #1

Format: Hardcover, 272 pages

Released on June 21, 2011

I received this book for review from HarperCollins.

Summary:We all want to be remembered. Charlotte's destiny is to be forgotten.

Charlotte's best friend thinks Charlotte might be psychic. Her boyfriend thinks she's cheating on him. But Charlotte knows what's really wrong: She is one of the Forgotten, a kind of angel on earth who feels the Need—a powerful, uncontrollable draw to help someone, usually a stranger.

But Charlotte never wanted this responsibility. What she wants is to help her best friend, whose life is spiraling out of control. She wants to lie in her boyfriend's arms forever. But as the Need grows stronger, it begins to take a dangerous toll on Charlotte. And who she was, is, and will become—her mark on this earth, her very existence—is in jeopardy of disappearing completely.

Charlotte will be forced to choose: Should she embrace her fate as a Forgotten, a fate that promises to rip her from the lives of those she loves forever? Or is she willing to fight against her destiny—no matter how dark the consequences?

My thoughts
This is my first Young Adult that is centered around angels, and my second series that involved angels...so it was a nice change from all the other books I've been reading that had vampires and witches. The main narrator, Charlotte (First person POV) has been dealing with these so called "needs" to help people. Every time she gets these urges, her body goes through different symptoms to guide her to the person in which she need to help. Charlotte ends up finding out that she's a forgotten, an angel on earth whose purpose is to help people. It's great being able to help someone out, but in Charlotte's case she slowly gets erased from the memory of the people she love...like she never existed. Throughout the book we face every "need" that she encounters and see her fight against being 'forgotten'.

The entire premise of the book was intriguing and I think it is somewhat a new take/ outlook on angels. The pacing of the story was good, it seems like in every chapter Charlotte was helping someone new. The only cons that come to mine is that I wish we had more background information of how the 'Forgottens' came to earth and how the seers became their guide, and more on the shadow people. Also how the only thing that Charlotte cared about was her boyfriend, and doing everything to be with him...but than again this is a young adult, so it gotta have some teen angst! Overall a good book, interested in seeing what the author has in store for book #2, A Want so Wicked which comes out July 2012.

3 stars