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Sunday, October 28, 2012

Out This Week (Oct 28-Nov 3)

October continues to be a big month for releases. Check out all of these awesome books coming out this week: 
  •  10.30.12 The Secret Prophecy by Herbie Brennan
  • 10.30.12 Ruins (Pathfinder #2) by Orson Scott Card
  •  10.30.12 The Hunters (Brotherband Chronciles #3) by John Flanagan
  • 10.30.12 Sapphire Blue (Ruby Red Trilogy #2) by Kerstin Gier
  •  11.01.12 The Twisted Tragedy of Miss Natalie Stewart by Leanna Renee Hieber
  • 11.01.12 Rootless by Chris Howard
  •  11.01.12 Colin Fischer by Ashley Edward Miller and Zack Stentz
  • 10.30.12 Venom by Fiona Paul
  •  10.30.12 Dead Girl Moon by Charlie Price
  • 10.30.12 Death of a Kleptomaniac by Kristen Tracy
  •  11.01.12 The Bar Code Prophecy by Suzanne Weyn
  • 10.30.12 Rebel Heart (Dust Lands #2) by Moira Young

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Mystic City by Theo Lawrence

Title:Mystic City
Author: Theo Lawrence
ISBN: 9780385741606
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Page #: 352
Series: Mystic City
Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary:
"Aria Rose, youngest scion of one of Mystic City's two ruling rival families, finds herself betrothed to Thomas Foster, the son of her parents' sworn enemies. The union of the two will end the generations-long political feud—and unite all those living in the Aeries, the privileged upper reaches of the city, against the banished mystics who dwell below in the Depths. 

But Aria doesn't remember falling in love with Thomas; in fact, she wakes one day with huge gaps in her memory. And she can't conceive why her parents would have agreed to unite with the Fosters in the first place. Only when Aria meets Hunter, a gorgeous rebel mystic from the Depths, does she start to have glimmers of recollection—and to understand that he holds the key to unlocking her past. The choices she makes can save or doom the city—including herself."
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First Lines:

"The party has begun without me.
Slowly, I descend the main staircase of our apartment, which curves dramatically into the reception lounge, currently packed with important guests."
Page 3
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Review:

I've become a dystopian junkie :). And this book was just up my alley. Not to mention that I love finding a great debut author. I'm really glad I gave this one a shot. 

Aria lives in the privileged part of what's left of Manhattan. She is the daughter of one of the most powerful families in the city. But she's recently had memory loss because of a drug overdose. But soon she realizes there is something wrong with the explanations she's gotten from her family. Things don't seem right. And then she meets Hunter. And things start to get even more fuzzy.

This story has a little bit of the Romeo and Juliet vibe - which is actually mentioned throughout the book. Aria is engaged to a guy from a warring family. She has been told she loves him, but doesn't have the right feelings toward him. But the whole world hangs on the edge of this relationship. Well, their world at least. 

There is also a fantasy aspect to this story. The people who keep the city running are called Mystics. These people have special abilities that the people in charge drain from them in order to have energy. The Mystics are the most powerful people, but it is stripped from them. And Aria finds out just how much she didn't know about how these people impacted her life. I loved learning all about these people. Such a cool idea... even if they were being exploited through most of this book. 

Okay, so there was one thing that sort of bothered me. The first 100-150 pages is about Aria and her lack of memory. She's trying to figure out what has happened and all of that. But really, it was almost too much. As the reader, I understood what had happened WAY before we got there. I guess that's not a bad thing, but it was hard to continue reading when I just wanted her to figure things out. 

So, while things were slow moving at first, I loved how things ended up. There's a lot more action, a lot more love, and a hook to get you into the next book. I will definitely recommend this one to my dystopian lovers. It's another good book to an ever expanding genre. So give it a shot. I'm ready for the next book, for sure.
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Friday, October 26, 2012

Dear Teen Me Blog Tour

Title: Dear Teen Me: Authors Write Letters to Their Teen Selves
Editors: E. Kristin Anderson and Miranda Kenneally
ISBN: 9781936976218 

Publisher: Zest Books
Released: October 30, 2012
Page #: 192
Source: Advanced copy from the publisher for the Dear Teen Me Blog Tour

Summary:
"Dear Teen Me includes advice from over 70 YA authors (including Lauren Oliver, Ellen Hopkins, and Nancy Holder, to name a few) to their teenage selves. The letters cover a wide range of topics, including physical abuse, body issues, bullying, friendship, love, and enough insecurities to fill an auditorium. 

So pick a page, and find out which of your favorite authors had a really bad first kiss? Who found true love at 18? Who wishes he'd had more fun in high school instead of studying so hard? Some authors write diary entries, some write letters, and a few graphic novelists turn their stories into visual art. And whether you hang out with the theater kids, the band geeks, the bad boys, the loners, the class presidents, the delinquents, the jocks, or the nerds, you'll find friends—and a lot of familiar faces—in the course of Dear Teen Me."
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Review:

Have you ever wished you could go back and give advice to your teen self? I know I have - we pretend we know everything in high school. I wish I could kick myself into gear now that I'm so old and wise :).

Dear Teen Me is the brainchild of Miranda Kenneally and E. Kristin Anderson. Apparently it started with a Hanson concert and the need to gush to her teen self. And then the blog was born. Many people started writing letters to themselves and this book is finally the anthology of those letters.

I loved reading the stories from these YA authors. Not all of the authors are people I have heard of, but their stories ring loud and clear. This book contains everything from hair issues, friendships, love relationships, dealing with parents, and even abuse. There are some that are hilarious, but some that are so serious that you feel for them as teens.

But I think one thing that really made this book wonderful for me was the sense of success. Even those letters with heavy topics, they all end with "it will get better." Maybe not in five years, maybe not even in ten. But you will make it. That was sort of the overall theme for me. And that is a very possible message that I think all teens need to hear. Even if high school is awesome for them.

I know that I am often asked for real life stories from teens. There is something reassuring about hearing that things are the same for someone else. You're not alone. You're not the only one that feels that way. You're not the only one dealing with that thing. What a great message. I'm pretty sure I will recommend this book to just about everyone - teens and adults alike. I think any age can get something wonderful from this book.
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Other Blog Reviews:

Check out the other stops on the Dear Teen Me Blog Tour!

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday (127)

"Waiting on Wednesday" is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Here is what I'm waiting on this week...
The Darkest Minds
by Alexandra Bracken
To be released: December 18, 2012

Summary from Barnes and Noble:
"When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that’s killed most of America’s children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.
When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.

When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living."

Y'all have to know by now that I love all things dystopian and crazy-future-y. This one sounds like it's right up my alley. Yes, I do know that this one is on Netgalley and I cannot wait to get around to it!
  
What are you waiting on this week?
 

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Out This Week (October 21-27)

There are some great titles coming out this week. It's a big week for book releases. A few that I've been dying to get my hands on. Take a look:
 
  • 10.23.12 The Crimson Crown (Seven Realms #4) by Cinda Williams Chima
  • 10.23.12 Blind Spot by Laura Ellen

  • 10.23.12 Dark Star by Bethany Frenette
  • 10.23.12 Finale (Hush Hush #4) by Becca Fitzpatrick

  • 10.23.12 Beautiful Redemption (Beautiful Creatures #4) by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
  • 10.25.12 Burning Blue by Paul Griffin
  •  10.23.12 The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
  • 10.23.12 The Lost Prince (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #1) by Julie Kagawa
  • 10.23.12 Ask the Passengers by A.S. King 
  • 10.23.12 Sacrifice (Legacy Trilogy #3) by Cayla Kluver
  • 10.23.12 Flutter by Gina Linko
  • 10.25.12 This is Not a Drill by Beck McDowell

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday (126)

"Waiting on Wednesday" is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Here is what I'm waiting on this week...


Foretold (Demon Trappers #4)
by Jana Oliver
To be released: December 11, 2012

Summary from Barnes and Noble:
"In the fourth Demon Trappers novel, Riley faces the final battle for humanity and Beck's heart—and Hell is the least of her problems

Now that Riley’s managed to (just barely) fend off Armageddon, everything’s changed. Well . . . most things. After their passionate kiss before the big battle in the cemetery, Beck is back to treating her like a little girl, as if nothing ever happened. While she’d love to just tell him off and move on, Riley vowed to take care of Beck the way he’s taken care of her since her father’s death—but she’s about to get a whole lot more than she bargained for. When she’s commissioned to go with Beck to his hometown and help him care for his dying mother, they stumble too close to a dark and murderous secret, one that Beck fears will drive Riley away from him forever. As chaos breaks loose, Riley may be Beck's only hope for redemption . . . and survival.

Meanwhile, up in Atlanta, it’s quickly becoming clear that Heaven may have won a battle, but the war is far from over. Riley and Beck face a stormy future, as Lucifer's ex-right-hand-man, Sartael, proves himself to be more resilient than anyone thought. He has Atlanta in his grip and is about to begin a brutal war with the prince of Hell. As the seconds tick down toward a final confrontation, it's up to Riley and the man she loves to finally defeat their old enemy, or lose everything they've fought for."

Longest blurb ever. But let me tell you, I have loved this series. Sometimes it feels a little more like the pacing in adult novels, but it really is well done. I absolutely cannot wait for this book - especially with the emphasis on Beck! I'm totally in.

What are you waiting on this week?

Monday, October 15, 2012

The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Lost Prince
Author: Julie Kagawa
ISBN: 9780373210572
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Released: October 30, 2012
Series: The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten
Page #: 377
Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary:
"Don't look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.


That is Ethan Chase's unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he'd dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister's world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myth and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten."
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First Lines:

"My name is Ethan Chase.
And I doubt Il'l live to see my eighteenth birthday.
That's not me being dramatic; it just is. I wish I hadn't pulled so many people into this mess."
Page 9
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Review:

I'm sure many of you have read and loved the story of Meghan Chase in the Iron Fey series. Well, Julie Kagawa returns with another story set in the same world. But now it's Ethan, Meghan's brother. And it's a great continuation of her original stories.

He's been dodging the fey world his entire life, but now he is being forced to pay attention. Strange, ghostly fey are starting to haunt him - someone at school disappears and he knows it's because of these fey. He also starts to make friends in his new town. But that is dangerous when it comes to keeping others safe from the torments of faeries. He finds himself drawn into his sister's world and doesn't know how to handle it. And he accidentally takes someone with him.

Many of the original characters make an appearance in this book. It's nice to see them again. I had sort of fallen for many of them, so getting back into their lives was really easy for me. I loved seeing where they are now and how things are going for them - lots has changed since the first Iron Fey book! I would have liked to see more about Meghan, but I know there is more coming and she will probably be more prominant.

So, Ethan is sort of a tough-guy jerk. He's been pushing people away for most of his life because of the fey. And because of the past, he has made sure no one can get hurt because of him. Throughout this story, he starts to see the other side of things. He's able to put aside some of his fears and grow as a person. I do wonder if he changes a bit too much, but I think it helped the story along.

Can I just talk about the cover for a second? Is there a reason the guy doesn't have a shirt on? Cause at no point in the book is he shirtless. At least, not that I remember. I know the author has nothing to do with the cover, but it's now one of those books I wouldn't want to read in front of other people. As I'm old and he's clearly a teenager. :) But seriously, just a shirt would have helped.

I think any fans of the original Iron Fey series will love this book. It's very similar, but it's more of a human view of Nevernever. I guess that means it's more like the first Iron Fey book in that way. But I love how you get dropped into a whole other perspective and take on the life. I'm definitely a Kagawa fan and I look forward to the next book! Whenever that might be...
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Other Blog Reviews:

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Out This Week (October 14-20)


There are some big titles coming out this week - lots of series continuations and publisher hype titles. Very exciting! Take a look:
  •  10.16.12 Crewel by Gennifer Albin
  • 10.16.12 Second Chance (The Slayer Chronicles #2) by Heather Brewer
  • 10.16.12 Beta by Rachel Cohn
  • 10.16.12 Hidden (House of Night #10) by PC and Kristin Cast
  •  10.16.12 Sanctum by Sarah Fine
  • 10.16.12 Starstruck (Fame Game #2) by Lauren Conrad
  •  10.16.12 Have a Nice Day by Julie Halpern
  • 10.16.12 Ashen Winter (Ashfall #2) by Mike Mullin
  • 10.16.12 Zom-B by Darren Shan
  • 10.16.12 Break My Heart 1,000 Times by Daniel Waters

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday (125)

"Waiting on Wednesday" is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Here is what I'm waiting on this week...



Falling Kingdoms
by Morgan Rhodes
To be released: December 11, 2012

Summary from Barnes and Noble:
"In a land where magic has been forgotten but peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest is simmering. Three kingdoms grapple for power--brutally transforming their subjects' lives in the process. Amidst betrayals, bargains, and battles, four young people find their fates forever intertwined:


Cleo: A princess raised in luxury must embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of a magic long thought extinct.

Jonas: Enraged at injustice, a rebel lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country impoverished--and finds himself the leader of a people's revolution centuries in the making.

Lucia: A girl adopted at birth into a royal family discovers the truth about her past--and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.

Magnus: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, a firstborn son begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword...

The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?"

It's been a little while since I've read some high fantasy. I think this one sounds like the perfect book to jump back in with. I'm very interested to see how things pan out - especially because both girl characters are royals and the guys are fighters. Color me intrigued.

What are you waiting on this week?

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Out This Week (Oct 7-13)

October is a great month for new releases! Take a look at the stuff coming out this week...
  • 10.8.12 Beautiful Music for Ugly Children by Kristin Cronn-Mills
  • 10.9.12 After: Nineteen Stories of Apocalypse and Dystopia edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling
  • 10.9.12 Romeo Redeemed (sequel to Juliet Immortal) by Stacey Jay
  • 10.9.12 Mystic City by Theo Lawrence
  • 10.9.12 Jepp, Who Defied the Stars by Katherine Marsh
  • 10.9.12 Valkyrie Rising by Ingred Paulson
  • 10.9.12 Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone
  • 10.8.12 Demon Eyes by Scott Tracey

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