Shadow and Bone Trailer

Check out this great book trailer for the upcoming novel, Shadow and Bone, from Leigh Bardugo:

 
 

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

(@LBardugo)

June 5th 2012 by Henry Holt and Co.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Rise of Nine

The Rise of Nine by Pitticus Lore

Book #3 - Lorien Legacies

August 21st 2012 by HarperCollins

It all began with nine. Nine aliens who left their home planet of Lorien when it fell under attack by the evil Mogadorians—who scattered on Earth and went into hiding. They look like ordinary teenagers, but they have extraordinary skills. The Mogadorians killed Number One, Number Two, and Number Three. They tried to kill Number Four ... and failed.

Number Four (aka John Smith) has now teamed up with Number Nine, while Six has gone off to find the others. With the Mogadorians hot on their trail and time running out, they must find a way to come together, before it's too late. Power in numbers will save them all.

Yes!  Book three is finally here...well, in August, but that's almost here, right? Close enough. I love these books. I love the action and the adventure. I can't wait to read The Rise of Nine!  What are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Top Ten Tuesday: 5/29/2012

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's topic is:

Top Ten Books Written In the Past 10 Years

I Hope People Are Still Reading In 30 Years

  

Divergent trilogy by Veronica Roth

 I seriously love this series.  It's one of my favorites. I know book 3 is not out yet, but I'm going to assume it will rock because there is no other option!

Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins

Really? Do you have to ask?  This is an amazing series with a kick butt female lead character. I think she will stand the test of time.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

I think this was one of the best books I have ever read. Not just this year, but pretty much ever. And I have read some books. I really think in 30 years, if I'm still a librarian, well, even if I'm not, I will be recommending this book to people to read. It is that awesome.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

While I have only read book 1 in this series, I'm just going to go ahead and give it to Laini Taylor. Daughter of Smoke and Bone was like nothing I had ever read before. So, books 2 and 3 can only get more amazing.  I can't wait to read them!

Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

THE BEST. In 30 years, kids, teens, and adults will still be reading this series. I will still be reading this series. Harry Potter is something to stay with you no matter what. You give it to your kids and your grandkids.

172 Hours on the Moon Review

172 Hours on the Moon
Johan Harstad
April 17th 2012 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Goodreads

It's been decades since anyone set foot on the moon. Now three ordinary teenagers, the winners of NASA's unprecedented, worldwide lottery, are about to become the first young people in space--and change their lives forever.

Mia, from Norway, hopes this will be her punk band's ticket to fame and fortune.

Midori believes it's her way out of her restrained life in Japan.

Antoine, from France, just wants to get as far away from his ex-girlfriend as possible.

It's the opportunity of a lifetime, but little do the teenagers know that something sinister is waiting for them on the desolate surface of the moon. And in the black vacuum of space... no one is coming to save them.

172 Hours on the Moon. Thanks, Mr. Harstad. You freaked me out pretty well.  I used to think if I could just somehow get off this planet and into outer space, imagine the greatness of space and the infinite possibilities of what could happen.  When I was younger, I thought I might want to be an astronaut, but then I grew up and saw the big suits, how they had to go to the bathroom (so not going to happen), and the incredible pressure astronauts were under as the rockets blasted into space. I have since rethought my dream and decided to go with reading about kids who were able to travel to space. A much better dream, especially after finishing 172 Hours on the Moon.

172 Hours on the Moon is the story of Antoine, Mia, and Midori, three teenagers who are chosen to be part of a mission to the moon. They are chosen as part of a contest put on by NASA and spend a week on a moon base named DARLAH2.  Each of the three teenagers has his or her own reasons for signing up: parents’ demands, dreams of a new future, or to forget the past. Once on the moon they will encounter something NASA did not prepare them for because something is on the moon.  NASA did not want anyone to know about, so they lied to the astronauts, the public, and the teenagers. They lied to the public about why they were sending a mission back to the moon. So now the questions are: What exactly is out on the moon? and Can the crew make it back to Earth alive, or are they doomed?

This novel is intense, shiver inducing, and makes me peek around the corner, and it should be your next YA read. 172 Hours on the Moon was a novel I had to read constantly.  I read in the morning for five minutes before leaving for work, at lunch, when I got home, and before I went to bed. I think the best thing about 172 Hours on the Moon is the way you, as the reader, know something is going to happen on the moon, and you know the teens and the crew don't know it's coming, so you are even more hyperaware of what is going to happen.  I love books like this!

Lagniappe

Don't you want to go to the moon?

In My Mailbox

In my mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren to spotlight the books received for review, swapped, purchased, or checked out from the library!

 

This week was a good week from the library, but considering I work there, this also a bad thing.  I am always finding great books to take home. My TBR pile is actually more like a TBR bookcase, but I do have delusions of reading them all (one day, some day)!

 

So, this week three new books came in for me and 1 "found" one book that somehow slipped through my fingers. :)

 

Until I Die by Amy Plum

(@AmyPlumOhLaLa)

Bk #2 - Revenants series

May 8th 2012 by HarperCollins Publishers

 

Late Rite by Lisa Desrochers

(@LisaDez)

Bk #3 - Personal Demons series

May 8th 2012 by Tor Teen

 

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

(@morgan_m)

May 8th 2012 by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

 

Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins

(@ladyhawkins)

Bk #3 - Hex Hall series

March 13th 2012 by Hyperion Book Children's

 

I love my IMM. Now, if only I could take a few days off to tackle the TBR bookcase, right?

 

What did you get this week in your mailbox?

Black Dawn Review

Black Dawn

Rachel Caine (@rachelcaine)
Bk #12 in Morganville Vampires series
May 1st 2012 by NAL Hardcover
Goodreads

The hotly-anticipated twelfth instalment in the Morganville Vampires series

In Last Breath, the rain brought a new and dire threat to Morganville and its vampires... their ancient enemies, the draug. Now, the vampires are fighting a losing war, and it will fall to the residents of the Glass House: Michael, Eve, Shane and Claire, to take the fight to an enemy who threatens to destroy the town, forever.

Lovers of Morganville, rejoice: Black Dawn takes the intrigue, romance and nail-biting suspense of the series to its highest level yet!

Black Dawn is the twelfth book in the Morganville Vampire series, and the momentum has not slowed down. Wow. What an accomplishment for Rachel Caine.  In Black Dawn, the residents are still being plagued by the horrible draug who have infested Morganville.  Many including Michael and Amelie were hurt by the draug in the last book, Last Breath. The draug live in water, even the smallest puddle, and have a way of calling to vampire similar to the sirens of mythology. The vampires can't help but go when they hear the draug calling. When the draug capture the vampires, it usually means the end.  They drain the vampires of all their blood, sometimes slowly, sometimes not so slowly. When the draug have you in their thrall, it's intense.  During a raid to kill the druag, Shane is captured by the druag, and as he is being drained, the draug show him possibilities. Possibilities for Michael, Eve, and Claire. What-could-happen. For Shane, it is all real.

Black Dawn is an intense, rollercoaster ride full of emotional scenes, battle scenes, love scenes, and death scenes. As a reader, you are taken from high to low and high again. You really don't know who is going to survive or die in this book. When the enemy can move through water, even the rain is your enemy. Black Dawn brilliantly holds you in its grip waiting as you read the page as fast as you can.  I am eagerly awaiting Bitter Blood in November.

Lagniappe
Check out the amazing book trailer for Black Dawn:




And, if you ever want to channel Myrnin, these vampire bunny slippers are available at Think Geek,  Amazon, and Computer Gear & More.

No Safety in Numbers Book Trailer

No Safety in Numbers by Dayna Lorentz

(@DaynaLorentz)
May 29th 2012 by Dial

 

Waiting on Wednesday: Etiquette & Espionage

Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger

@gailcarriger 

Book #1 - The Finishing School series

It's one thing to learn to curtsy properly. It's quite another to learn to curtsy and throw a knife at the same time. Welcome to finishing school.

Fourteen-year-old Sophronia is the bane of her mother's existence. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper etiquette at tea--and god forbid anyone see her atrocious curtsy. Mrs. Temminnick is desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady. She enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.

But little do Sophronia or her mother know that this is a school where ingenious young girls learn to finish, all right--but it's a different kind of finishing. Mademoiselle Geraldine's certainly trains young ladies in the finer arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but also in the other kinds of finishing: the fine arts of death, diversion, deceit, espionage, and the modern weaponries. Sophronia and her friends are going to have a rousing first year at school.

First in a four book YA series set 25 years before the Parasol Protectorate but in the same universe.

AHHH!!  I am so excited about this book! :)

1. I love the Parasol Protectorate books. I've read them all - I own them all!

2. I love that Gail Carriger is making a YA series.

3. I love the cover!

The Serpent's Shadow Teaser

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

*Grab your current read.

*Let the book fall open to a random page.

*Share with us “teaser” sentences from that page.

*You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!

The Serpent's Shadow by Rick Riordan

(@camphalfblood)\

May 1st 2012 by Hyperion Books for Children

"In the voice of Apophis, they spoke in unison: 'No one leaves this place alive. Good-bye, Sadie Kane.'

 Would you be surprised to learn that things went badly from there?

  I didn't think so.

  Our first casualties were Felix's penguins. The criosphinxes blew fire at the unfortuante birds, and they melted into puddles of water.

  'No!' Felix cried.

  The room rumbled, much stronger this time." (pg. 16-17)

The Way We Fall Review

The Way We Fall
Megan Crewe (@megancrewe)
January 24th 2012 by Disney-Hyperion
Goodreads

It starts with an itch you just can’t shake. Then comes a fever and a tickle in your throat. A few days later, you’ll be blabbing your secrets and chatting with strangers like they’re old friends. Three more, and the paranoid hallucinations kick in.

And then you’re dead.

When a deadly virus begins to sweep through sixteen-year-old Kaelyn’s community, the government quarantines her island—no one can leave, and no one can come back.

Those still healthy must fight for dwindling supplies, or lose all chance of survival. As everything familiar comes crashing down, Kaelyn joins forces with a former rival and discovers a new love in the midst of heartbreak. When the virus starts to rob her of friends and family, she clings to the belief that there must be a way to save the people she holds dearest.

Because how will she go on if there isn’t?

The Way We Fall pulled me in from the moment I started this book to the second I finished it.  I was drawn into Kaelyn's world on a island off the coast, of what I'm assuming, is Canada. Everything is going great, she is smart, has an adorable cousin, and loves nature. It's when her friend's father makes an unusual comment one day when Kaelyn is over at their house, Kaelyn gets her first clue of things to come.  Friends start sneezing and coughing and then, insane itching that won't stop no matter how much you scratch begins...and more and more people become infected and dying, and the island is quarantined by the government. What Kaelyn does not know is this virus will devastate her family and her small community and force everyone to decide exactly what they will do to survive.

I love how The Way We Fall was written in a diary format.  You don't know if this diary is Kaelyn's up-to-date account of the events or something someone found years after the catastrophic events which killed everyone.  I went through the story hoping it was the first, but fearing it was the second. What really got to me while reading this book was how I became a part of this story. If I sneezed or had an itch, just for a moment, I would pause and think to myself, what if this is the beginning?  What if this guy coughing next to me in line at the grocery store is how an epidemic begins? The Way We Fall creeped me out even when I wasn't reading it!  That's the sign of a great story!

Lagniappe

Check out the great book trailer for The Way We Fall:




 

Books recommended by Megan Crewe for after you read The Way We Fall

If you liked The Way We Fall, check out these stories of suspense and survival:

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff

Tomorrow When the War Began by John Marsden

Z for Zachariah by Robert C. O'Brien

Plague by Jane Ure

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Taylor Five by Ann Halam

If I Stay by Gayle Foreman



In My Mailbox

In my mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren to spotlight the books received for review, swapped, purchased, or checked out from the library!

This week I'm having some serious Netgalley love. I have been eyeing these 3 books for a while now, one even since August of last year. I'm so glad to finally be getting the chance to read them and see how they are!  I love Netgalley for offering up the chance to see book like these before purchasing them for the library. It has been a huge help! :)

Origin by Jessica Khoury

September 4th 2012 by Razorbill 

Pia has grown up in a secret laboratory hidden deep in the Amazon rain forest. She was raised by a team of scientists who have created her to be the start of a new immortal race. But on the night of her seventeenth birthday, Pia discovers a hole in the electric fence that surrounds her sterile home—and sneaks outside the compound for the first time in her life.

Free in the jungle, Pia meets Eio, a boy from a nearby village. Together, they embark on a race against time to discover the truth about Pia’s origin—a truth with deadly consequences that will change their lives forever.

Origin is a beautifully told, shocking new way to look at an age-old desire: to live forever, no matter the cost. This is a supremely compelling debut novel that blends the awakening romance of Matched with the mystery and jungle conspiracy of Lost.

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry
July 31st 2012 by Harlequin Teen

"I won't tell anyone, Echo. I promise." Noah tucked a curl behind my ear. It had been so long since someone touched me like he did. Why did it have to be Noah Hutchins? His dark brown eyes shifted to my covered arms. "You didn't do that-did you? It was done to you?" No one ever asked that question. They stared. They whispered. They laughed. But they never asked.  

So wrong for each other...and yet so right.

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.

Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian
September 18th 2012 by Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers

BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY...
THEY GET EVEN.

Lillia has never had any problems dealing with boys who like her. Not until this summer, when one went too far. No way will she let the same thing happen to her little sister.

Kat is tired of the rumours, the insults, the cruel jokes. It all goes back to one person– her ex-best friend– and she's ready to make her pay.

Four years ago, May left Jar Island because of a boy. But she's not the same girl anymore. And she's ready to prove it to him.

Three very different girls who want the same thing: sweet, sweet revenge. And they won't stop until they each had a taste.

Shatter Me Review

Shatter Me
Tahereh Mafi (@taherehmafi)
November 15th 2011 by HarperCollins
Goodreads
Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting as The Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel.



In Shatter Me, Juliette doesn't have to imagine knowing her touch could kill.  One day, just a day like any other day, she didn't know her touch could kill, and she touched someone at the grocery store. It was just an accident. She had no idea. She didn't mean to kill the little boy. Now this accident, no, murder, has Juliette lock up in prison. She has touched another person, or been touched herself by any person in 264 days. To test her, "they" put someone, a boy, in her cell with her. Who is Adam, and what does he represent to Juliette? Why would they do this to her? Don't they know how dangerous this is to him and to her?

After all this time alone the Reestablishment has decided Juliette's power could be harnessed as a weapon . She can be used to fight. The only problem is Juliette doesn't want to fight for the Reestablisment. Will she be able to break free?  Does Juliette have a curse, or a gift? Is she lethal, or is she powerful? Can she fight back? Will she be strong enough? Is she alone in her fight or are there others with powers?

This book left me with so many questions! I enjoyed this book, and I think Shatter Me was an enjoyable read, but at the end, when I set it down to think about it, I needed more!!! Which I guess is an indicator of a good cliffhanger.  I understand it is the first book in a trilogy, and I can't wait for the next book in this series.

I love the world Mafi built in Shatter Me.  This is one intense ride.  In Shatter Me you have the sweet good guys, the creepy bad guys, and a very believable threat to Juliette. This trilogy can only get better!

Lagniappe

Check out the awesome book trailer for Shatter Me:

 

The Last Princess Trailer

The Last Princess by Galaxy Graze
            May 1st 2012 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Waiting on Wednesday: Burn for Burn

Burn for Burn by Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian

@jennyhan and @siobhanvivian

September 18th 2012 by Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers

BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY...
THEY GET EVEN.

Lillia has never had any problems dealing with boys who like her. Not until this summer, when one went too far. No way will she let the same thing happen to her little sister.

Kat is tired of the rumours, the insults, the cruel jokes. It all goes back to one person– her ex-best friend– and she's ready to make her pay.

Four years ago, May left Jar Island because of a boy. But she's not the same girl anymore. And she's ready to prove it to him.

Three very different girls who want the same thing: sweet, sweet revenge. And they won't stop until they each had a taste.

Seriously, you guys - Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian together!! I'm dying waiting for September or for this to magically pop up on Netgalley. What a great team, premise, and cover!

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Dreamless Teaser

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

*Grab your current read.

*Let the book fall open to a random page.

*Share with us “teaser” sentences from that page.

*You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!

Dreamless by Josephine Angelini

@josieangelini

May 29th 2012 by HarperTeen

She hauled herself out of bed and noticed that her shirt was half torn off, there were odd sticks and dead leaves tangled in her hair, and she'd lost a shoe. Of course, she ran into Lucas on her way to the bathroom. He stared at her for a moment, his eyes ticking up and down her bedraggled frame while the rest of his body remained rigid.

"What? You going to yell at me again?" Helen challenged, to tired to be careful.
"No." His voice broke. "I'm done fighting with you. It obviously isn't helping."
"Then what?"
"I can't do this, " he said, more to himself than Helen. "My father was wrong."

Her bleary brain was still processing his words when he opened the nears window and jumped out of it. (pg. 110-111 of eARC)

The Hunt Review

The Hunt

Andrew Fukuda (@andrewfukuda)

May 8th 2012 by St. Martin's Griffin

Goodreads

Don’t Sweat.  Don’t Laugh.  Don’t draw attention to yourself.  And most of all, whatever you do, do not fall in love with one of them. Gene is different from everyone else around him.  He can’t run with lightning speed, sunlight doesn’t hurt him and he doesn’t have an unquenchable lust for blood.  Gene is a human, and he knows the rules.  Keep the truth a secret.  It’s the only way to stay alive in a world of night—a world where humans are considered a delicacy and hunted for their blood.

When he’s chosen for a once in a lifetime opportunity to hunt the last remaining humans, Gene’s carefully constructed life begins to crumble around him.  He’s thrust into the path of a girl who makes him feel things he never thought possible—and into a ruthless pack of hunters whose suspicions about his true nature are growing. Now that Gene has finally found something worth fighting for, his need to survive is stronger than ever—but is it worth the cost of his humanity?

In Andrew Fukuda's The Hunt, life is hard for Gene.  Gene knows no other humans. He is constantly on guard hoping his every move will allow him to survive, unlike his parents and sister. Unlike most other humans. For years he has to hide the truth about who he really is from everyone around him for one reason.  The truth will get him killed.  The truth is Gene is not a vampire. His father has trained him everyday to keep his humanity a secret: to always bathe, to never smile or cry, to always remain stoic because emotions will give him away, and to stay out of the sun. Because if he is a vampire, how will Gene ever be able to explain a sunburn or suntan? Gene lives everyday, especially at school, by these rules just trying to survive one more day.

Then life gets difficult. The vampire ruler announces to everyone a heper hunt will take place for the last surviving humans. Everyone gathers to see if his or her lottery number is chosen.  All want to patricipate in the hunt.  Just waiting to see who will be picked, the vampires can almost smell the hepers' blood, imagine chasing them down, tearing into them as they wait to see who will be the lucky winners. As the numbers are called out one by one, and vampire by vampire is out of the running, Gene finds himself one of the "lucky" one...one of the winners. Now, he is in the spotlight, after years of following the rules and laying low. He is now surrounded by vampires being trained in ways to hunt humans. Can Gene survive in this extremely hostile environment? Will he somehow find a way to overcome the stronger, faster, and deadlier vampires?

The Hunt is an insane adventure as you run along with Gene trying to outsmart the vampires.  This novel was an interesting take on the vampire as the bad guy after so many books where the vampire is the good guy.  I loved Fukuda's vampires beliefs about humans, and how vampires are surprised humans had higher brain function, knew how to use tools, or didn't understand why the humans would sing.  I read The Hunt with a sense of dread from the moment Gene knew he was going to the hunt.  I was so invovled in this plot I had to know how Gene was going to survive!  If you are looking for something different in the vampire world, maybe a story of a human survival, then The Hunt is the book for you.

Lagniappe

So, if you want to get a visual to go along with the book, just so you can freak yourself out even more while you read the book, check out the book trailer:

  

In My Mailbox

In my mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren to spotlight the books received for review, swapped, purchased, or checked out from the library!

This was an awesome week at the library for me! Probably because it was an awesome week in the world of YA publishing, right? So many great books came out this last week.

From the library:

Black Dawn by Rachel Caine

(@rachelcaine)

Book #12 - Moganville Vampire series

May 1st 2012 by NAL Hardcover

 Destined by Aprilynne Pike

(@aprilynnepike)

Book #4 - Wings series

May 1st 2012 by HarperCollins

 Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin

(@_bethanygriffin)

Book #1 - Masque of the Red Death series

April 24th 2012 by Harper Collins

  

 Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

(@jkagawa)

Book #1 - Blood of Eden series

 April 24th 2012 by Harlequin Teen

From NetGalley:

Anything but Ordinary by Lara Avery

(@LaraAvery)

September 11th 2012 by Disney/Hyperion

An inspiring, bittersweet love story about making every day count.
Bryce remembers it like it was yesterday. The scent of chlorine. The blinding crack and flash of pain. Blood in the water.

When she wakes up in the hospital, all Bryce can think of is her disastrous Olympic diving trial. But everything is different now. Bryce still feels seventeen, so how can her little sister be seventeen, too? Life went on without her while Bryce lay in a coma for five years. Her best friend and boyfriend have just graduated from college. Her parents barely speak. And everything she once dreamed of doing—winning a gold medal, traveling the world, falling in love—seems beyond her reach.

But Bryce has changed too, in seemingly impossible ways. She knows things she shouldn’t. Things that happened while she was asleep. Things that haven’t even happened yet. During one luminous summer, as she comes to understand that her dreams have changed forever, Bryce learns to see life for what it truly is: extraordinary.

 

Beautiful Lies by Jessica Warman

August 21st 2012 by Walker Childrens

A shocking, ambitious mystery full of twists and turns from the globally embraced author of Between.

Rachel and Alice are an extremely rare kind of identical twins—so identical that even their aunt and uncle, whom they've lived with since their parents passed away, can't tell them apart. But the sisters are connected in a way that goes well beyond their surfaces: when one experiences pain, the other exhibits the exact same signs of distress. So when one twin mysteriously disappears, the other immediately knows something is wrong-especially when she starts experiencing serious physical traumas, despite the fact that nobody has touched her. As the search commences to find her sister, the twin left behind must rely on their intense bond to uncover the truth. But is there anyone around her she can trust, when everyone could be a suspect? And ultimately, can she even trust herself?

Master storyteller Jessica Warman will keep readers guessing when everything they see-and everything they are told-suddenly becomes unreliable in this page-turning literary thriller.

So, that was my IMM.  I think I may actually need a vacation just to be able to read all the great books I have been getting. Really. I'm going to look into that.

What did you get in your mailbox this week?

Immortal City Review

Immortal City
Scott Speer (@_scott_speer)
April 3rd 2012 by Razorbill
Goodreads

Jackson Godspeed is the hottest young Angel in a city filled with them.
He's days away from becoming a full Guardian, and people around the world are already competing for the chance to be watched over by him. Everyone's obsessed with the Angels and the lucky people they protect - everyone except for Madison Montgomery.

Maddy's the one girl in Angel City who doesn't breathlessly follow the Angels on TV and gossip blogs. When she meets Jackson, she doesn't recognize him. But Jackson is instantly captivated by her, and against all odds the two fall in love.

Maddy is swiftly caught up in Jackson's scene, a world of glamour, paparazzi - and murder. A serial killer is on the loose, leaving dead Angels' wings for the police to find on the Walk of Fame. Even the Guardians are powerless to protect themselves in the face of this threat & and this time it's up to Maddy to save Jackson.

I love a good angel book like most YA readers, and I was hooked pretty much right away with Immortal City. I don't know what exactly it was, but I was caught, and I'm thinking it was Maddy. I read this book in 2 days because I had to know what was going to happen to Maddy & Jackson!

If you love angels and are into those reality TV shows and magazines, I think you will like Immortal City. If you are looking for an inside scoop into the world of angels.   Immortal City offers readers a look at Jackson Godspeed, next in line to become a Guardian Angel.  He is not just any angel. He is handsome, rich, and his gorgeous face graces billboards all across Angel City. You can't go anywhere or be anyone without knowing who or what Jackson Godspeed is, right?  He has everything going for him, everything he could every ask for or want is given to him. 

Maddy lives with her uncle and is a waitress in his diner before and after school. All she is wants is to go college and work on her scholarship applications so she can hopefully, one day soon, leave Angel City. She is the one person in Angel City who doesn't care about the angels or the media surrounding them. So, one night when Jackson ducks in to the diner to avoid trouble, she has no idea who he is. The connection is made, although both sets of parental units wish otherwise. What is it between the human and angel that has hostile words flying?  Why should Maddy and Jackson avoid each other? Very interesting situation...read to find out!

If angels and forbidden friendships weren't enough, someone is killing angels in Angel City, and that someone can only be another angel.  All angels are on guard as more angels start dying.  All signs point to Jackson as the next in line to be killed.  Will the killer be found in time? Will Maddy and Jackson be able to deal with their differences? Scott Speer offers readers an action,  mystery, and romance novel all rolled into one! This book has glamour, guys, fights, fashion, intensity, and intrigue - everything! I couldn't put it down!

Lagniappe
For your entertainment purposes, the awesome book trailer to Immortal City:

Wanderlove Review

Wanderlove

Kirsten Hubbard

@kirstenhubbard

March 13th 2012 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Goodreads

It all begins with a stupid question:

Are you a Global Vagabond?

No, but 18-year-old Bria Sandoval wants to be. In a quest for independence, her neglected art, and no-strings-attached hookups, she signs up for a guided tour of Central America—the wrong one. Middle-aged tourists with fanny packs are hardly the key to self-rediscovery. When Bria meets Rowan, devoted backpacker and dive instructor, and his outspokenly humanitarian sister Starling, she seizes the chance to ditch her group and join them off the beaten path.

Bria's a good girl trying to go bad. Rowan's a bad boy trying to stay good. As they travel across a panorama of Mayan villages, remote Belizean islands, and hostels plagued with jungle beasties, they discover what they've got in common: both seek to leave behind the old versions of themselves. And the secret to escaping the past, Rowan’s found, is to keep moving forward.

But Bria comes to realize she can't run forever, no matter what Rowan says. If she ever wants the courage to fall for someone worthwhile, she has to start looking back.

Kirsten Hubbard lends her artistry to this ultimate backpacker novel, weaving her drawings into the text. Her career as a travel writer and her experiences as a real-life vagabond backpacking Central America are deeply seeded in this inspiring story.

Wow. I truly enjoyed Wanderlove.  I don't know if my review will do it justice, especially with the great synopsis above. I found everything good in YA contemporary fiction in this novel. I found real teens with real questions about life dealing with real situations. Yes, maybe you will not decide one day to just pack up a suitcase and head to Central America, but your journey can be small steps. Just take the first step, right? :)

Finding yourself is never easy, especially as a 17 or 18 year old, ready to head off to college. In Wanderlove, Bria, after a breakup with her boyfriend, a personal loss with something with something essential to her very core and future, decides to strike out on her own, not counting the tour group she signed up with, and have an adventure - to find herself, a couple of cute guys, and just live the good life. Too bad life has a funny way of turning what you expect on its head!

Wanderlove is about dealing with you you were, learning about who are becoming, and somehow accepting the two parts of yourself. If you happen to have an adventure riding in chicken trucks, seeing beautiful lakes, meeting fascinating people you will never forget, doesn't that just shape you into a better person (especially the chicken truck)?

Lagniappe

FAQ for Kirsten Hubbard from her website:

*Name five random things about yourself.

I have a fraternal twin sister. I love to draw, but I fail at crafts — except, inexplicably, steampunk jewelry. I am a food hippie. Some of my favorite books include Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov, Watership Down by Richard Adams, Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta, Feed by M.T. Anderson, Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card, and The Road by Cormac McCarthy. I played water polo and worked in a pet store in high school. Yes, there were chinchillas.

*Why Wyoming? I was raised in Southern California, but the Wyoming badlands are in my blood. My mother grew up in a small Wyoming town, and we visited my grandparents there many times. I was fascinated with the small town way of life, and the starkly beautiful badlands.

*Where did you come up with the name Mandarin?
When I was 13-15, I was obsessed with unusual names. (Still am.) I also kept elaborate sketch journals documenting my life. In every volume, I created a different girl, who I drew comics about throughout the book. One of these girls was named Mandarin. Another was named Starling – a character in Wanderlove. I love paying homage to these imaginary girls from my past in the books I’m writing now.

*Did you have a Mandarin Ramey?
Not one in particular, but there were always girls throughout my teen years I longed to be like. There are still girls I long to be like! Such as Natalie Portman. She’s amazing.

*Where’s your favorite place you’ve traveled? That’s really hard. I’ll name a few: Utila, Honduras. Ko Phi Phi, Thailand. Ljubljana, Slovenia. Lake Tonle Sap, Cambodia. Budapest, Hungary. Boquete, Panama. Lake Atitlan, Guatemala, and the Belizean Cayes – both a huge part of Wanderlove. And of course, the Wyoming badlands.

*Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
First, embrace the power of setting – both on a large scale, and a scene-by-scene scale. Second, give your readers what they want, not what they expect. In other words, surprise them with a story that takes them unpredictably perfect places. Third, and most importantly, write that next book. Nothing helps beat the rejection blues like a new project you’re excited about. Don’t wait around! Keep writing, and writing, and writing.

*What’s your life philosophy?
Live simply so others can simply live. Also, Googling “baby sloth photos” helps cure every heartsickness.

Revived Trailer

Revived by Cat Patrick @seecatwrite May 8th 2012 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers  
 



Revived hit stores May 8th! Super excited about this one guys. I love the trailer, and it just makes me want to read it even more!

The Selection Giveaway Winner

Congrats to our very first giveaway winner:

Carla

The Selection by Kiera Cass is on its way to you!  I hope you enjoy it!

Waiting on Wednesday: Reunited

Reunited by Hilary Weisman Graham

@hilarygraham 

June 12th 2012 by Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers

1 Concert
2000 Miles
3 Ex-Best Friends

Alice, Summer, and Tiernan are ex-best friends.

Back in middle school, the three girls were inseparable. They were also the number one fans of the rock band Level3.

But when the band broke up, so did their friendship. Summer ran with the popular crowd, Tiernan was a rebellious wild-child, and Alice spent high school with her nose buried in books.

Now, just as the girls are about to graduate, Level3 announces a one-time-only reunion show.

Even though the concert’s 2000 miles away, Alice buys three tickets on impulse. And as it turns out, Summer and Tiernan have their own reasons for wanting to get out of town. Good thing Alice’s graduation gift (a pea-green 1976 VW camper van known as the Pea Pod) is just the vehicle to get them there.

But on the long drive cross-country, the girls hit more than a few bumps in the road. Will their friendship get an encore or is the show really over?

I am bouncing in seat as I type this because I really love road trip books, and I can't wait for this book! What about you?  Have you heard about this book? Read it already? I hate you if you have! Just kidding, maybe.

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?  Anything spectacular like Reunited?

Insurgent Teaser

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

*Grab your current read.

*Let the book fall open to a random page.

*Share with us “teaser” sentences from that page.

*You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

(@veronicaroth)

May 1st 2012 by HarperTeen

"For a moment I see Will standing before me, both our guns between us - his hand, I could have shot his hand, why didn't I, why? - and I almost scream his name.

Then he's gone.

I get out of bed and lift the mattress with one hand, propping it up on my knee. Then I shove the gun beneath it and let the mattress bury it. Once it is out of sight and on longer press to my skin, my head feels clearer."  (pg. 9)