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12.31.2011
Goodbye 2011 & Hello 2012
Overview of 2011
2011 was overall a good year. While it started out a bit rocky in the book world for me, it really picked up by the summer. I started a new Meme called YASaves Sunday and started a new Reading Challenge called 2012 YA Saves Reading Challenge. Overall it was a good year - I even got a fancy new blog design!! To end in short here are my overall specs:- YA Books Read: 76
- YA Books Reviewed: 89 - - there are some reviews done in 2011 but read in 2010
- Children's Books Read: 92
- Children's Books Reviewed: 25
- # of Pages total Read: 25, 978
- 2011 Challenges conclusions: 100 Books, 2011 Debut, A-Z, YA Series, Support Your Local Library
Goals for 2012
I have many goals that I hope to reach in 2012, literally starting January 1st 2012....- Read & Review at least 120 YA Books
- Read & Review more Children's Books
- Re-organize YA Saves Meme to a Bi-Weekly Meme instead of a Weekly Meme
- Have more Giveaways!!
- Become more organized
- Only participate in a new Reading Challenges
- Comment more on other blogs - - I actually feel I did better on this in 2011 but I know I can do better!
- Read at least 1 hour a day!
- Move blog over to Wordpress
12.30.2011
Top 10 Books I’m looking forward to in 2012
Now this was hard... choosing just 10 books I can't wait to read in 2012... I seriously need space to list 50 or more! But here goes...
P.S. Sorry to any books/authors that might have been left out of this list...
Before I Wake (Soul Screamers #6) by Rachel Vincent
Harlequin Teen (June 22nd 2012)
Synopsis unavailable
Why: I LOVE LOVE this series! I find it to be unique, dark, touching and so much fun! I love the characters and the plot lines.
In Honor by Jessi Kirby
Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (May 8th 2012)
Why: I fell in love with Jessi Kirby as an author this past year through her debut novel, Moonglass. Her writing is a blessing to read and absolutely gorgeous. Not only does this book sound fun to read, I cannot wait to read more of Jessi Kirby's words.
Summary: Honor receives her brother’s last letter from Iraq three days after learning that he died, and opens it the day his fellow Marines lay the flag over his casket. Its contents are a complete shock: concert tickets to see Kyra Kelly, her favorite pop star and Finn's celebrity crush. In his letter, he jokingly charged Honor with the task of telling Kyra Kelly that he was in love with her.Grief-stricken and determined to grant Finn's last request, she rushes to leave immediately. But she only gets as far as the driveway before running into Rusty, Finn's best friend since third grade and his polar opposite. She hasn't seen him in ages, thanks to a falling out between the two guys, but Rusty is much the same as Honor remembers him: arrogant, stubborn. . . and ruggedly good looking. Neither one is what the other would ever look for in a road trip partner, but the two of them set off together, on a voyage that makes sense only because it doesn’t. Along the way, they find small and sometimes surprising ways to ease their shared loss and honor Finn—but when shocking truths are revealed at the end of the road, will either of them be able to cope with the consequences?
Incarnate by Jodi Meadows
HarperCollins Children's Books (January 31st 2012)
Summary: NEWSOUL
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.
NOSOUL
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?
HEART
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?
Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life.
Publication date unknown
Summary unavailable
Why: I know there isn't much information about this book available yet, but having read the first book in this series, I fell in love with Dragons. J.F. Jenkins really allows her dragons to be human in a beautiful way.
Delacorte Books for Young Readers (June 12th 2012)
GoodReads | Amazon
Why: I am a huge sucker for this series. I cannot exactly put my finger on my I fell in love with this series but I did. Plus the covers are always absolutely gorgeous!
Summary: The sky is dark with wings. . . .
In RAPTURE, the highly anticipated fourth and final novel in the FALLEN series, Luce and Daniel are together . . . but for how long? Can history be rewritten? Or are some punishments eternal?
Dial Books For Young Readers ( June 14th 2012)
GoodReads | Amazon
Why: Simply put, the summary sounds amazing!
Summary: "One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time."
The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen year old Samantha wishes she was one of them… until the day Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything.
Jase can sense that his beautiful neighbor is missing something in her sterile home, and as the two fall fiercely in love, his family makes her one of their own.
But when the bottom drops out of Sam's world, which perfect family will save her–and will her perfect love survive?
Set among the haves and have-nots of a coastal New England town, My LIFE NEXT DOOR captures the angst, the heartache, and the raw-nerve emotions of first time love—and biting loss.
Hyperion (May 29th 2012)
GoodReads
Summary: The Ghost
I’ve been trapped in the body of Lily “Ally” Turner for a month now. Talk about a fashion crisis on an epic scale. What worries me more, though, is sometimes I catch Will looking at me like he thinks I’m Lily...or that he wishes I were. Without the good looks of my former self, I don’t know who I am, or if who that is is good enough. I need out of this mess. Now.
Will and I have been looking for a solution, one that would separate me from Lily without killing her. But it’s not going well. Then, when it seems like things couldn’t get any worse, we run into Misty, my former best friend and boyfriend-stealer extraordinaire, who claims she’s being haunted...by me. Seriously?
I’m determined to get to the bottom of who’s pretending to be the spirit of Alona Dare (while I’m pretending to be someone else) and then get the heck out of this body. Or die trying...
The Goth
I’ll admit it. It’s really weird to look at Alona but see Lily. I do know the difference, though, contrary to what Alona might be saying. And Alona is more than a pretty face to me, not that she would believe that.
Our one lead for some help in this messed up situation might be a page torn from the yellow pages-—the “Psychics” section-—I found in my dad’s stuff. One of the “fakes” seems a bit more real-—and odd-—than the others. Before I can investigate further, though, Alona is off and chasing a ghost that’s probably nothing more than a figment of Misty’s guilty imagination. Now Lily’s family is freaking out because she didn’t come home, my mom is ordering me to stay out of it, and something is definitely wrong with the person formerly known as Lily “Ally” Turner...
Atheneum (August 28th 2012)
GoodReads | Amazon
Why: The moment I picked up the first book of this series I knew this one would be unique and different. Creagh really takes Poe to an new level, creating a wonderful dark and mystical world. I can't wait to see what happens next!
Summary: While Varen remains a prisoner in the dream-world, Isobel is haunted by his memory. He appears to her in her dreams and soon, even in her waking life. But is she just imagining it? Isobel knows she must find a way back to Varen. She makes plans to go to Baltimore. There, she confronts the figure known throughout the world as the Poe Toaster—the same dark man who once appeared to Isobel in her dreams, calling himself “Reynolds.”
Isobel succeeds in interrupting the Toaster’s ritual and, in doing so, discovers a way to return to the dream-world. Soon, she finds herself swept up in a realm which not only holds remnants of Poe’s presence, but has also now taken on the characteristics of Varen’s innermost self. It is a dark world comprised of fear, terror, and anger.
When Isobel once more encounters Varen, she finds him changed. With his mind poisoned by the dream world, he becomes a malevolent force, bent on destroying all—even himself. Now Isobel must face a new adversary, one who also happens to be her greatest love.
Speak (February 16th 2012)
GoodReads | Amazon
Why:Well this just looks like a fun and cute read!
Summary: Ella is nearly invisible at the Willing School, and that's just fine by her. She's got her friends - the fabulous Frankie and their sweet cohort Sadie. She's got her art - and her idol, the unappreciated 19th-century painter Edward Willing. Still, it's hard being a nobody and having a crush on the biggest somebody in the school: Alex Bainbridge. Especially when he is your French tutor, and lessons have started becoming, well, certainly more interesting than French ever has been before. But can the invisible girl actually end up with a happily ever after with the golden boy, when no one even knows they're dating? And is Ella going to dare to be that girl?
Simon & Schuster Childrens Books (February 2nd 2012)
GoodReads | Amazon
Why: I love how raw this book sounds.
Summary: When seventeen-year-old Rosie’s mother, Trudie, dies from Huntington’s Disease, her pain is intensified by the knowledge that she has a fifty-per-cent chance of inheriting the crippling disease herself. Only when she tells her mum’s best friend, ‘Aunt Sarah’ that she is going to test for the disease does Sarah, a midwife, reveal that Trudie was not her biological mother after all... Devastated, Rosie decides to trace her real mother, hitching along on her ex-boyfriend’s GAP year to follow her to Los Angeles. But all does not go to plan, and as Rosie discovers yet more of her family's deeply-buried secrets and lies, she is left with an agonising decision of her own - one which will be the most heart-breaking and far-reaching of all...
** Top 10 of 2011 is co-hosted by Jessica from Confessions of a Bookaholic, Lisa from A Life Bound By Books, Rachel from Fiktshun & Jamie & Patricia from Two Chicks on Books.
12.29.2011
J.F. Jenkins Book Tour Sign Up - CLOSED
In February I will be hosting a tour for the amazing author J.F. Jenkins and her new book, Legend of the Inero Dragon. I can attest that this series is an amazing series! You can read my review of her first novel, Legend of the Oceina Dragon, of the Dragon Series HERE.
Official Blurb of Legend of the Inero Dragon:
Official Blurb of Legend of the Inero Dragon:
Twin brothers Jason and Matthias Inero are the favorite sons of the great dragon lord of fire. More often than not they get whatever they want. Matt wants to do great things for his people while Jason wants to go off and explore the world. Both can have what they desire, but not until they take a bride and enter into adulthood.
Enter Kat and Gwen, two girls from very different backgrounds. Kat is happy to leave her home when the royal guard comes to bring her to loving arms of her childhood sweetheart, Matt. Gwen on the other hand is livid to be taken from her farm only to be thrust into Jason's life, and he's not to thrilled with the idea either. They have one year to find happiness with each other, or else they will be placed at the mercy of the ruthless dragon lord Lynx. Favorite or not, dragon law must be obeyed.
As their nation begins to prepare for war against a neighboring tribe, the brothers find themselves as key components in the battle plans. A dark prophet has had a vision of Inero victory, but at what cost? Both must decide where their loyalties lie and what they're willing to sacrifice – including each other – to achieve their goals.
I am looking for eager fellow book bloggers who would love to review an amazing book!
Each participant will receive an e-copy of Legend of the Inero Dragon. For those that have not read the first book (Legend of the Oceina Dragon) and would like to read it, J.F. Jenkins is happy to send an e-copy as well.
Participants can choose as many forms of involvement:
- Review (highly recommended for all)
- Author Interview
- Author Guest Post
- Giveaway
If you are interested in participating in this Book Tour for February please fill out THIS FORM.
For more information on J.F. Jenkins and her works visit her website
For more information on J.F. Jenkins and her works visit her website
Cover Reveal: Before I Wake by Rachel Vincent
12.28.2011
Review: Life Is But A Dream by Brian James
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (March 27th 2012)
Format: ARC
Series: None
Source: Around the World Tours
Challenge: None
Alec and Sabrina are crazy in love. Problem is: Sabrina’s really crazy.
Sabrina, an artist, is diagnosed with schizophrenia, and her parents check her into the Wellness Center. There she meets Alec, who is convinced it's the world that's crazy, not the two of them. They are meant to be together; they are special. But when Alec starts to convince Sabrina that her treatment will wipe out everything that makes her creative, she worries that she'll lose hold of her dreams and herself. Should she listen to her doctor? Her decision may have fatal consequences.
Who is attracted to books that take place in a Psych Ward? You are almost guaranteed adventure, mystery and wonder. You are also guaranteed raw reality with a touch of dream world. Life Is But A Dream offers such a world. Sabrina doesn't see the world like others do - she sees the world around her in colors that are not only vivid but have a life of their own with movement and wonder. After some time at the Wellness Center Sabrina's view of the world and their colors start to alter a bit, back to what is 'real'. Then she meets Alec, who makes her feel that there is nothing wrong with her, she is special and unique just the way she is. But what is 'real'??
I fell in love with Sabrina's character right away - in the way she sees the world there is something almost whole and good. Even though you know she is being treated for schizophrenia you can't help but love how she sees things - Brian James has done a FANTASTIC job at creating Sabrina's world into a canvas, which is painted on with vibrant and brilliant colors that blend together in a gorgeous way. To say that the imagery in this book was lacking would be a grave understatement.
Even though you know Sabrina is sick and Alec holds her back from what is considered 'real' by their doctors, you also can't help but like Alec as well. Seeing how easily Sabrina succumbs to Alec's suggestions makes you see that while her way of seeing things is beautiful they are also childish in a way, as she can be. On one hand she wants help but on the other hand she follows Alec blindly. However, Alec is definitely a character I would love to learn more about.
Life Is But A Dream makes you question what is 'real' and 'right' for people. What is reality? Is Sabrina's world wrong? Is she really sick? Brian James has done an amazing job in creating a real yet fantastical novel that pushes you to view things in a different way while imagining a beautiful world in colors.
Find Brian James
Read More About This Book & Buy It
Cover Reveals & Book Trailers Fun
Over the last week or so there have been a few new and exciting new cover reveals!!
Jessi Kirby's Moonglass has been given a new paperback design. I love it! I love the colors and muteness of it. Gorgeous.
You can read my review of Moonglass - a new favorite!
From Jessi Kirby, a debut novel about confronting the past in order to move ahead.
I read once that water is a symbol for emotions. And for a while now, I've thought maybe my mother drowned in both.
Anna's life is upended when her father accepts a job transfer the summer before her junior year. It's bad enough that she has to leave her friends and her life behind, but her dad is moving them to the beach where her parents first met and fell in love- a place awash in memories that Anna would just as soon leave under the surface.
While life on the beach is pretty great, with ocean views and one adorable lifeguard in particular, there are also family secrets that were buried along the shore years ago. And the ebb and flow of the ocean's tide means that nothing- not the sea glass that she collects on the sand and not the truths behind Anna's mother's death- stays buried forever.
Sleepers (The Swarm #1) by Meg Jensen
There is going to be a re-launcher of Meg's novel - along with it an amazing new cover!
An adoptee raised in a foreign land, sixteen-year-old Lianne was content with her life as handmaiden to the queen, until a spell cast on her at birth activated. Now she's filled with uncontrollable rage and access to magic she thought had been bled from her people years ago. Even her years of secret training in elite hand-to-hand combat and meditation can’t calm the fires raging inside her.
Her heart is torn between two boys, the one she’s always loved and the one who always ignored her. But when the kingdom threatens to tear itself apart due to rumors surrounding the queen’s alleged affair, who will Lianne protect and who will she destroy?
If I Lie by Corrine Jackson
To be released August 2012
A powerful debut novel about the gray space between truth and perception.
Quinn’s done the unthinkable: she kissed a guy who is not Carey, her boyfriend. And she got caught. Being branded a cheater would be bad enough, but Quinn is deemed a traitor, and shunned by all of her friends. Because Carey’s not just any guy—he’s serving in Afghanistan and revered by everyone in their small, military town.
Quinn could clear her name, but that would mean revealing secrets that she’s vowed to keep—secrets that aren’t hers to share. And when Carey goes MIA, Quinn must decide how far she’ll go to protect her boyfriend…and her promise.
To be released February 2012
The last thing Dawson Black expected was Bethany Williams. As a Luxen, an alien life form on Earth, human girls are…well, fun. But since the Luxen have to keep their true identities a secret, falling for one would be insane. Dangerous. Tempting. Undeniable.
Bethany can’t deny the immediate connection between her and Dawson. And even though boys aren’t a complication she wants, she can’t stay away from him. Still, whenever they lock eyes, she’s drawn in. Captivated. Lured. Loved.
Dawson is keeping a secret that will change her existence...and put her life in jeopardy. But even he can’t stop risking everything for one human girl. Or from a fate that is as unavoidable as love itself.
Exposed by Kimerbly Marcus** Paperback cover **
To be released February 2012
In the dim light of the darkroom/I'm alone, but not for long.
As white turns to gray, Kate is with me.
background of the dance studio blurred,
so the focus is all on her--legs extended in a perfect soaring split.
The straight line to my squiggle, my forever-best friend.
Sixteen-year-old Liz is Photogirl—sharp, focused, and confident in what she sees through her camera lens, confident that she and Kate will be best friends forever. But everything changes in one blurry night. Suddenly, Kate is avoiding her and people are looking the other way she passes in the halls. As the aftershocks from a startling accusation rip through Liz's world, everything she thought she knew about photography, family, friendship, and herself shifts out of focus. What happens when the picture you see no longer makes sense? Told in breathtaking, searingly raw free verse, Kimberly Marcus's unforgettable debut will appeal to fans of Ellen Hopkins and Laurie Halse Anderson.
Unbreak My Heart by Melissa Walker
To be released May 2012
Sophomore year broke Clementine Williams’ heart. She fell for her best friend’s boyfriend and long story short: he’s excused, but Clem is vilified and she heads into summer with zero social life.
Enter her parents’ plan to spend the summer on their sailboat. Normally the idea of being stuck on a tiny boat with her parents and little sister would make Clem break out in hives, but floating away sounds pretty good right now.
Then she meets James at one of their first stops along the river. He and his dad are sailing for the summer and he’s just the distraction Clem needs. Can he break down Clem’s walls and heal her broken heart?
Told in alternating chapters that chronicle the year that broke Clem’s heart and the summer that healed it, Unbreak My Heart is a wonderful dual love story that fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Susane Colasanti will flock to.
And finally a new cover has already been given to Trisha Wolfe's Destiny's Fire.
Bloodrose book trailer!
Switched book trailer!
It’s the year 2040, and sixteen-year-old Dez Harkly is one of the last of her kind—part of a nearly extinct race of shape-shifters descended from guardians to the Egyptian pharaohs. Her home and her secret are threatened when the Council lowers the barrier, allowing the enemy race to enter the Shythe haven.
As the Narcolym airships approach, Dez and her friends rebel against their Council and secretly train for battle. Not only is Dez wary of war and her growing affection for her best friend Jace, but she fears the change her birthday will bring. When Dez’s newfound power rockets out of control, it’s a Narcolym who could change her fate… if she can trust him.
Dez’s guarded world crumbles when she discovers why the Narcos have really come to Haven Falls, and she's forced to choose between the race who raised her and the enemy she's feared her whole life.
Bloodrose book trailer!
Switched book trailer!
Top 10 Book Boyfriends in 2011
This was fun!
((IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER))
Cathcing Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
Sixteenth Summer by Michelle Dalton
Sourcebooks Fire (December 1st 2011)
Read My Review
Why: Henry can be considered the perfect boyfriend - he's good looking, athletic yet soft in compassion and understanding, and he is a smart-ass. Love him!
Summary: What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though - she leads them as the captain and quarterback on her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starring position on the team... and has her suddenly wishing to be seen as more than just a teammate.
Simon Pulse ( May 3rd 2011)
Read My Review
Why: Who doesn't love a summer boy on the beach like Will. He is patient with Anna and overall amazing!
The Secret of the Keepers (Kailmeyra #2) by Elizabeth Isaacs
EFIsaacs (November 1st 2011)
GoodReads | Amazon
Read My Review
Why: Gavin is by far one of the best male characters I have read when it comes to Boyfriend material - he is forever patient and understanding and overall outstandingly loving. He encompass the perfect male!!
Summary: Anna is dreading another tourist-filled summer on Dune Island that follows the same routine: beach, ice cream, friends, repeat. That is, until she locks eyes with Will, the gorgeous and sweet guy visiting from New York. Soon, her summer is filled with flirtatious fun as Anna falls head over heels in love.
But with every perfect afternoon, sweet kiss, and walk on the beach, Anna can’t ignore that the days are quickly growing shorter, and Will has to leave at the end of August. Anna’s never felt anything like this before, but when forever isn’t even a possibility, one summer doesn’t feel worth the promise of her heart breaking…
If I Die (Soul Screamers #5) by Rachel Vincent
Harlequin (September 27th 2011)
Read My Review
Why: I am not talking about Nash here people - - I am all about Todd!! He is a smart ass and always there for Kaylee, no matter what. Plus he is one bad ass Reaper!
Summary: The entire school's talking about the gorgeous new math teacher, Mr. Beck. Everyone except Kaylee Cavanaugh. After all, Kaylee's no ordinary high-school junior. She's a banshee—she screams when someone dies.
But the next scream might be for Kaylee.
Yeah—it's a shock to her, too. So to distract herself, Kaylee's going to save every girl in school. Because that hot new teacher is really an incubus who feeds on the desire of unsuspecting students. The only girls immune to his lure are Kaylee and Sabine, her boyfriend's needy ex-girlfriend. Now the unlikely allies have to get rid of Mr. Beck…before he discovers they aren't quite human, either.
But Kaylee's borrowed lifeline is nearing its end. And those who care about her will do anything to save her life.
Anything.
EFIsaacs (November 1st 2011)
GoodReads | Amazon
Read My Review
Why: Gavin is by far one of the best male characters I have read when it comes to Boyfriend material - he is forever patient and understanding and overall outstandingly loving. He encompass the perfect male!!
Summary: Life for Nora couldn't be better; she has married the man of her dreams and loves living in the pristine land of Kailmeyra.
That is, until the darkness threatens her perfect world.
Now war is upon the land. She and Gavin must strengthen their clan and prepare to fight. But the enemy has an ally—one that not only wields power, but holds knowledge of the ancients' secrets. Secrets that could destroy creation itself.
As the darkness grows, doubt seeps in ... protectiveness hinders progress ... and the unthinkable comes to pass.
Bewildered and alone, Nora shoulders the responsibility of leading an entire race to war. As she struggles with decisions that seem impossible to make, she is haunted by one choice.
Unraveled (Intertwined #2) by Gena Showalter
Harlequin (August 31st 2010)
GoodReads | Amazon
Read My Review
Why: Aden is complex, dangerous, funny and loyal. Then you also have Riley, who is also loyal in a complete different way. Both boys are unique.
Legend of the Oceina Dragon (Dragon Sagas #1) by J.F. Jenkins
Astraea Press, LLC (February 21st 2011)
GoodReads | Amazon
Read My Review
Why: Darien is far from human, being a dragon and all, but he couldn't be more human in his love for Tai - swoon worthy!
Waterfall (River of Time #1) by Lisa T. Bergren
Cook, David C. (February 1st 2011)
GoodReads | Amazon
Read My Review
Why: Who doesn't love a hunky Itallian man from the past? Enough said....
Entice (Need #3) by Carrie Jones
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC (January 3rd 2011)
GoodReads | Amazon
Why: Oh Astley... a Pixie who is out for good. You know him and Zara are ment to be, even when he stands by Zara while she looks for Nick.
Between by Jessica Warman
Walker & Company (August 2nd 2011)
GoodReads | Amazon
Why: Alex is real - he is real and honest with Elizabeth.
Harlequin (August 31st 2010)
GoodReads | Amazon
Read My Review
Why: Aden is complex, dangerous, funny and loyal. Then you also have Riley, who is also loyal in a complete different way. Both boys are unique.
Summary: Since coming to Crossroads, Oklahoma, former outcast Aden Stone has been living the good life. Never mind that one of his best friends is a werewolf, his girlfriend is a vampire princess who hungers for his blood, and he's supposed to be crowned Vampire King—while still a human! Well, kind of. With four—oops, three now—human souls living inside his head, Aden has always been "different" himself. These souls can time-travel, raise the dead, possess another's mind and, his least favorite these days, tell the future.
The forecast for Aden? A knife through the heart.
Because a war is brewing between the creatures of the dark, and Aden is somehow at the center of it all. But he isn't about to lie down and accept his destiny without a fight. Not when his new friends have his back, not when Victoria has risked her own future to be with him, and not when he has a reason to live for the first time in his life….
Astraea Press, LLC (February 21st 2011)
GoodReads | Amazon
Read My Review
Why: Darien is far from human, being a dragon and all, but he couldn't be more human in his love for Tai - swoon worthy!
Summary: Darien Oceina is the youngest son of the Great Dragon Lord of the Water. For years he's loved and cherished Tai Dawson from afar. Tai is a simple, ordinary girl who doesn't even know Darien exists. On his eighteenth birthday, he chooses her as his wife. But there’s one problem: She thinks his choice means she's going to be offered as a sacrifice to the Dragon Lord, but instead, she’s forced to move to his home, far away, to give up her life and be his bride.
When she first sees Darien after the ceremony, she doesn’t expect to feel anything but hatred toward him. The two are struggling with the complications of a new marriage when their nation is attacked by a rival dragon species. Together they learn to love one another while they struggle to stay one step ahead in a game where the prize is their survival.
Cook, David C. (February 1st 2011)
GoodReads | Amazon
Read My Review
Why: Who doesn't love a hunky Itallian man from the past? Enough said....
Summary: What do you do when your knight in shining armor lives, literally, in a different world?
Most American teenagers want a vacation in Italy, but the Betarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives among the romantic hills with their archaelogist parents. Stuck among the rubble of the medieval castles in rural Tuscany, on yet another hot, dusty archaeological site, Gabi and Lia are bored out of their minds...until Gabi places her hand atop a handprint in an ancient tomb and finds herself in fourteenth-century Italy. And worse yet, in the middle of a fierce battle between knights of two opposing forces.
Suddenly Gabi's summer in Italy is much, much more interesting.
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC (January 3rd 2011)
GoodReads | Amazon
Why: Oh Astley... a Pixie who is out for good. You know him and Zara are ment to be, even when he stands by Zara while she looks for Nick.
Summary: Zara and Nick are soul mates, meant to be together forever.
But that's not quite how things have worked out.
For starters, well, Nick is dead.
Supposedly, he's been taken to a mythic place for warriors known as Valhalla, so Zara and her friends might be able to get him back. But it's taking time, and meanwhile a group of evil pixies is devastating Bedford, with more teens going missing every day. An all-out war seems imminent, and the good guys need all the warriors they can find. But how to get to Valhalla?
And even if Zara and her friends discover the way, there's that other small problem: Zara's been pixie kissed. When she finds Nick, will he even want to go with her? Especially since she hasn't just turned...she's Astley's queen.
Walker & Company (August 2nd 2011)
GoodReads | Amazon
Why: Alex is real - he is real and honest with Elizabeth.
Summary: Elizabeth Valchar-pretty, popular, and perfect-wakes up the morning after her eighteenth birthday party on her family's yacht, where she'd been celebrating with her six closest friends. A persistent thumping noise has roused her. When she goes to investigate, what she finds will change everything she thought she knew about her life, her friends, and everything in between. As Liz begins to unravel the circumstances surrounding her birthday night, she will find that no one around her, least of all Liz herself, was perfect-or innocent. Critically acclaimed author Jessica Warman brings readers along on a roller-coaster ride of a mystery, one that is also a heartbreaking character study, a touching romance, and ultimately a hopeful tale of redemption, love, and letting go.
Remembrance (Transcended Time Saga #1) by Michelle Madow
Dreamscape Publishing (July 27th 2011)
Why: Who doesn't love a guy from the Victorian Era? Drew is mysterious and oh so romantic!
Read My Review
Summary: New Hampshire high school junior Lizzie Davenport has been reincarnated from Regency Era, England ... but she doesn't know it yet.
Then Drew Carmichael transfers into Lizzie's school at the beginning of the year, and she feels a connection to him, almost like she knows him. She can't stop thinking about him, but whenever she tries talking with him about the mysteries behind her feelings, he makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with her. Reaching him is even more difficult because she has a boyfriend, Jeremy, who has started to become full of himself after being elected co-captain of the varsity soccer team, and her flirtatious best friend Chelsea starts dating Drew soon after his arrival. So why can't she seem to get him out of her mind?
Even though Lizzie knows she should let go of her fascination with Drew, the pair of them soon find that fighting fate isn't going to be easy.
** Top 10 of 2011 is co-hosted by Jessica from Confessions of a Bookaholic, Lisa from A Life Bound By Books, Rachel from Fiktshun & Jamie & Patricia from Two Chicks on Books.
12.27.2011
Top 10 Book Covers of 2011
And the hard decisions keep on coming! There were so many gorgeous covers that came out in 2011... How to choose just 10?!?
((IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER))
Bad Taste in Boys (Kate Grable #1) by Carrie Harris
Why: Beyond the gorgeous colors and how they blend into each other, you can't help but be attracted to the glitter/shine in her eye.
Why: Beyond being a sucker for anything that is set in England, I love the shadow and background, set in mist. Very mysterious!
Delacorte Press (July 12th 2011)
Read My Review
Why: Why not?! I love the lips and colors in this cover. The gray scale of the cover makes the lips POP!
Summary: Someone's been a very bad zombie.
Kate Grable is horrified to find out that the football coach has given the team steroids. Worse yet, the steriods are having an unexpected effect, turning hot gridiron hunks into mindless flesh-eating zombies. No one is safe--not her cute crush Aaron, not her dorky brother, Jonah . . . not even Kate! She's got to find an antidote--before her entire high school ends up eating each other. So Kate, her best girlfriend, Rocky, and Aaron stage a frantic battle to save their town . . . and stay hormonally human.
Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey
Possession (Possession #1) by Elana Johnson
Why: Again, a white background can really allow colors to pop! I also love the imagery used with a butterfly half-way stuck in ice (a prison of sorts). Plus the colors are beautiful!
Leverage by Joshua C. Cohen
Philomel/Penguin (December 8th 2011)
Read My Review
Why: I love how Lenzi's dress breaks apart into rose petals.
Summary: A thrilling debut story of death, love, destiny and danger
Lenzi hears voices and has visions - gravestones, floods, a boy with steel gray eyes. Her boyfriend, Zak, can't help, and everything keeps getting louder and more intense. Then Lenzi meets Alden, the boy from her dreams, who reveals that she's a reincarnated Speaker - someone who can talk to and help lost souls - and that he has been her Protector for centuries.
Now Lenzi must choose between her life with Zak and the life she is destined to lead with Alden. But time is running out: a malevolent spirit is out to destroy Lenzi, and he will kill her if she doesn't make a decision soon.
And Then Things fall Apart by Arlaina Tibensky
Why: I love the simplicity of the cover. The white background really makes the old style type-writer pop. I also love the way the title is made into a heart.
Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (July 26th 2011)
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Summary: Keek’s life was totally perfect.
Keek and her boyfriend just had their Worst Fight Ever, her best friend heinously betrayed her, her parents are divorcing, and her mom’s across the country caring for her newborn cousin, who may or may not make it home from the hospital. To top it all off, Keek’s got the plague. (Well, the chicken pox.) Now she’s holed up at her grandmother’s technologically-barren house until further notice. Not quite the summer vacation Keek had in mind.
With only an old typewriter and Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar for solace and guidance, Keek’s alone with her swirling thoughts. But one thing’s clear through her feverish haze—she’s got to figure out why things went wrong so she can put them right.
Simon & Schuster (June 7th 2011)
Read My Review
Summary: Vi knows the Rule: Girls don't walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the Rules more than Zenn...and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi's future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself.
But the Thinkers are unusually persuasive, and they're set on convincing Vi to become one of them...starting by brainwashing Zenn. Vi can't leave Zenn in the Thinkers' hands, but she's wary of joining the rebellion, especially since that means teaming up with Jag. Jag is egotistical, charismatic, and dangerous--everything Zenn's not. Vi can't quite trust Jag and can't quite resist him, but she also can't give up on Zenn.
This is a game of control or be controlled. And Vi has no choice but to play.
Cathcing Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
Sourcebooks Fire (December 1st 2011)
Read My Review
Why: The colors in this cover are rich. Plus who doesn't love a bad-ass girl walking down a football field with a helmet in her hand. Girl Power!
Summary: What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though - she leads them as the captain and quarterback on her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starring position on the team... and has her suddenly wishing to be seen as more than just a teammate.
Dutton Juvenile (February 17th 2011)
Read My Review
Why: You can tell how raw and gritty this book will be just by the veins in the arm. Again and again a white background really can make a difference.
Summary: The football field is a battlefield
There's an extraordinary price for victory at Oregrove High. It is paid on - and off - the football field. And it claims its victims without mercy - including the most innocent bystanders.
When a violent, steroid-infused, ever-escalating prank war has devastating consequences, an unlikely friendship between a talented but emotionally damaged fullback and a promising gymnast might hold the key to a school's salvation.
Told in alternating voices and with unapologetic truth, Leverage illuminates the fierce loyalty, flawed justice, and hard-won optimism of two young athletes.
Love & Leftovers by Sarah Tregay
Why: I just low how cute the cover is. I love the touch of the converse!!
Katherine Tegen Books (December 27th 2011)
Summary: My wish is to fall cranium over Converse in dizzy daydream-worthy love.
If only it were that easy.
Marcie has been dragged away from home for the summer—from Idaho to a family summerhouse in New Hampshire. She’s left behind her friends, a group of freaks and geeks called the Leftovers, including her emo-rocker boyfriend, and her father.
By the time Labor Day rolls around, Marcie suspects this “summer vacation” has become permanent. She has to start at a new school, and there she leaves behind her Leftover status when a cute boy brings her breakfast and a new romance heats up. But understanding love, especially when you’ve watched your parents’ affections end, is elusive. What does it feel like, really? Can you even know it until you’ve lost it?
Love & Leftovers is a beautifully written story of one girl’s journey navigating family, friends, and love, and a compelling and sexy read that teens will gobble up whole.
Remembrance (Transcended Time Saga #1) by Michelle Madow
Dreamscape Publishing (July 27th 2011)
Why: Who doesn't love masks!? I love that the mask hides the real girl.
Read My Review
Summary: New Hampshire high school junior Lizzie Davenport has been reincarnated from Regency Era, England ... but she doesn't know it yet.
Then Drew Carmichael transfers into Lizzie's school at the beginning of the year, and she feels a connection to him, almost like she knows him. She can't stop thinking about him, but whenever she tries talking with him about the mysteries behind her feelings, he makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with her. Reaching him is even more difficult because she has a boyfriend, Jeremy, who has started to become full of himself after being elected co-captain of the varsity soccer team, and her flirtatious best friend Chelsea starts dating Drew soon after his arrival. So why can't she seem to get him out of her mind?
Even though Lizzie knows she should let go of her fascination with Drew, the pair of them soon find that fighting fate isn't going to be easy.
Earth (Elementals #1) by Shauna Granger
CreateSpace (May 2nd 2011)Read My Review
Summary: Shayna and her two best friends have the abilities to manipulate and control the four elements, earth, air, water and fire. While learning to hone their growing powers, they discover a new and malicious presence in their sleepy beach town. Someone is performing blood magic and threatens to expose their small magical community. So far only small animals have been slaughtered, but then the nightmares start.
Shayna suffers nightmares of being chased and sacrificed only to wake up bloodied and bruised. She thinks her magical blood is the ultimate target for the final blood rite. When an innocent girl, Tracy, is kidnapped Shayna knows it's only a ploy to draw her out; she can't let someone die because of her.
The Name of the Star (Shades of London #1) by Maureen Johnson
Putnam Juvenile (September 29th 2011)Read My Review
Summary: The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.Soon "Rippermania" takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.
** Top 10 of 2011 is co-hosted by Jessica from Confessions of a Bookaholic, Lisa from A Life Bound By Books, Rachel from Fiktshun & Jamie & Patricia from Two Chicks on Books.
12.26.2011
Top 10 Books I've Read in 2011
Boy was this hard... there were so many AMAZING books that I read in 2011 (and I know I still have a few days left too). But after much thought I think I've finally chosen my top 10 of 2011...
((IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER - that would too hard!))
Leverage by Joshua C. Cohen
The Secret of the Keepers (Kailmeyra #2) by Elizabeth Isaacs
EFIsaacs (November 1st 2011)
GoodReads | Amazon
Read My Review
Why: Where to begin with my I loved this book (and series) so much... it is really hard to explain why it is one of all time favorites. Elizabeth shows a unique talent and craft for writing, making nature itself come alive. While reading you become part of the story.
Impulse (Impulse #1) by Ellen Hopkins
Simon Pulse (January 23rd 2007)
GoodReads | Amazon
Read My Review
Why: Ellen Hopkins has become a favorite author in 2011, Impulse being my favorite of her's... so far. I felt very connected to each character and their unique "impulse". Each character also was very well developed through verse.
Waterfall (River of Time #1) by Lisa T. Bergren
Cook, David C. (February 1st 2011)
GoodReads | Amazon
Read My Review
Why: Waterfall is probably one of the first Historical novels that I have actually liked, and in this case loved. You have suspense, romantic history, romance, and so much more!
Moonglass by Jessi Kirby
Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (May 3rd 2011)
GoodReads | Amazon
Read My Review
Why: Jessi Kirby's YA debut blew me away. You feel like you are really on the beach along with Ann, experiencing every emotion as if they were your own.
Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy #6) by Richelle Mead
Penguin Group (December 7th 2010)
GoodReads | Amazon
Why: There is finally closure while leaving you to wonder what happens next. The character development is amazing, even to the very last page. Rose is one of the strongest characters I have ever read.
Unraveled (Intertwined #2) by Gena Showalter
Harlequin (August 31st 2010)
GoodReads | Amazon
Read My Review
Why: Intertwined is another favorite YA Series recently discovered. I love that this series is told mainly from a man's P.O.V.. I also really loved the voices inside Aden's head - they were a hoot.
Legend of the Oceina Dragon (Dragon Sagas #1) by J.F. Jenkins
Astraea Press, LLC (February 21st 2011)
GoodReads | Amazon
Read My Review
Why: Even though this was about Dragons I didn't get the 'tacky' imagery in my mind while reading this book. J.F. Jenkins really makes the Dragons human.
Cathcing Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
Sourcebooks Fire (December 1st 2011)
Read My Review
Why: As a debut author, Miranda Kenneally blew me away with her talent at writing as well as character development. The main character, Jordan, is not only very strong but very real and relateable. There really was not one thing wrong with this book.
Summary: What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though - she leads them as the captain and quarterback on her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starring position on the team... and has her suddenly wishing to be seen as more than just a teammate.
Dutton Juvenile (February 17th 2011)
Read My Review
Why: This book was real, gritty, raw, and even hard to read at times, but I promise it will stick with you for a long time if not for a lifetime. As a YA Debut Author for 2011, Joshua C. Cohen has shown he is not afraid to write about what is real, shoving such issues in your face - making him a favorite author and a favorite read.
Summary: The football field is a battlefield
There's an extraordinary price for victory at Oregrove High. It is paid on - and off - the football field. And it claims its victims without mercy - including the most innocent bystanders.
When a violent, steroid-infused, ever-escalating prank war has devastating consequences, an unlikely friendship between a talented but emotionally damaged fullback and a promising gymnast might hold the key to a school's salvation.
Told in alternating voices and with unapologetic truth, Leverage illuminates the fierce loyalty, flawed justice, and hard-won optimism of two young athletes.
EFIsaacs (November 1st 2011)
GoodReads | Amazon
Read My Review
Why: Where to begin with my I loved this book (and series) so much... it is really hard to explain why it is one of all time favorites. Elizabeth shows a unique talent and craft for writing, making nature itself come alive. While reading you become part of the story.
Summary: Life for Nora couldn't be better; she has married the man of her dreams and loves living in the pristine land of Kailmeyra.
That is, until the darkness threatens her perfect world.
Now war is upon the land. She and Gavin must strengthen their clan and prepare to fight. But the enemy has an ally—one that not only wields power, but holds knowledge of the ancients' secrets. Secrets that could destroy creation itself.
As the darkness grows, doubt seeps in ... protectiveness hinders progress ... and the unthinkable comes to pass.
Bewildered and alone, Nora shoulders the responsibility of leading an entire race to war. As she struggles with decisions that seem impossible to make, she is haunted by one choice.
Impulse (Impulse #1) by Ellen Hopkins
Simon Pulse (January 23rd 2007)
GoodReads | Amazon
Read My Review
Why: Ellen Hopkins has become a favorite author in 2011, Impulse being my favorite of her's... so far. I felt very connected to each character and their unique "impulse". Each character also was very well developed through verse.
Summary: Sometimes you don't wake up. But if you happen to, you know things will never be the same.
Three lives, three different paths to the same destination: Aspen Springs, a psychiatric hospital for those who have attempted the ultimate act -- suicide.
Vanessa is beautiful and smart, but her secrets keep her answering the call of the blade.
Tony, after suffering a painful childhood, can only find peace through pills.
And Conner, outwardly, has the perfect life. But dig a little deeper and find a boy who is in constant battle with his parents, his life, himself.
In one instant each of these young people decided enough was enough. They grabbed the blade, the bottle, the gun -- and tried to end it all. Now they have a second chance, and just maybe, with each other's help, they can find their way to a better life -- but only if they're strong and can fight the demons that brought them here in the first place.
Cook, David C. (February 1st 2011)
GoodReads | Amazon
Read My Review
Why: Waterfall is probably one of the first Historical novels that I have actually liked, and in this case loved. You have suspense, romantic history, romance, and so much more!
Summary: What do you do when your knight in shining armor lives, literally, in a different world?
Most American teenagers want a vacation in Italy, but the Betarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives among the romantic hills with their archaelogist parents. Stuck among the rubble of the medieval castles in rural Tuscany, on yet another hot, dusty archaeological site, Gabi and Lia are bored out of their minds...until Gabi places her hand atop a handprint in an ancient tomb and finds herself in fourteenth-century Italy. And worse yet, in the middle of a fierce battle between knights of two opposing forces.
Suddenly Gabi's summer in Italy is much, much more interesting.
Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (May 3rd 2011)
GoodReads | Amazon
Read My Review
Why: Jessi Kirby's YA debut blew me away. You feel like you are really on the beach along with Ann, experiencing every emotion as if they were your own.
Summary: From Jessi Kirby, a debut novel about confronting the past in order to move ahead.
I read once that water is a symbol for emotions. And for a while now, I've thought maybe my mother drowned in both.
Anna's life is upended when her father accepts a job transfer the summer before her junior year. It's bad enough that she has to leave her friends and her life behind, but her dad is moving them to the beach where her parents first met and fell in love- a place awash in memories that Anna would just as soon leave under the surface.
While life on the beach is pretty great, with ocean views and one adorable lifeguard in particular, there are also family secrets that were buried along the shore years ago. And the ebb and flow of the ocean's tide means that nothing- not the sea glass that she collects on the sand and not the truths behind Anna's mother's death- stays buried forever.
Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy #6) by Richelle Mead
Penguin Group (December 7th 2010)
GoodReads | Amazon
Why: There is finally closure while leaving you to wonder what happens next. The character development is amazing, even to the very last page. Rose is one of the strongest characters I have ever read.
Summary: The astonishing final novel in Richelle Mead's epic series!
Murder. Love. Jealousy. And the ultimate sacrifice. Now, with Rose on trial for her life and Lissa first in line for the Royal Throne, nothing will ever be the same between them.
Harlequin (August 31st 2010)
GoodReads | Amazon
Read My Review
Why: Intertwined is another favorite YA Series recently discovered. I love that this series is told mainly from a man's P.O.V.. I also really loved the voices inside Aden's head - they were a hoot.
Summary: Since coming to Crossroads, Oklahoma, former outcast Aden Stone has been living the good life. Never mind that one of his best friends is a werewolf, his girlfriend is a vampire princess who hungers for his blood, and he's supposed to be crowned Vampire King—while still a human! Well, kind of. With four—oops, three now—human souls living inside his head, Aden has always been "different" himself. These souls can time-travel, raise the dead, possess another's mind and, his least favorite these days, tell the future.
The forecast for Aden? A knife through the heart.
Because a war is brewing between the creatures of the dark, and Aden is somehow at the center of it all. But he isn't about to lie down and accept his destiny without a fight. Not when his new friends have his back, not when Victoria has risked her own future to be with him, and not when he has a reason to live for the first time in his life….
Astraea Press, LLC (February 21st 2011)
GoodReads | Amazon
Read My Review
Why: Even though this was about Dragons I didn't get the 'tacky' imagery in my mind while reading this book. J.F. Jenkins really makes the Dragons human.
Summary: Darien Oceina is the youngest son of the Great Dragon Lord of the Water. For years he's loved and cherished Tai Dawson from afar. Tai is a simple, ordinary girl who doesn't even know Darien exists. On his eighteenth birthday, he chooses her as his wife. But there’s one problem: She thinks his choice means she's going to be offered as a sacrifice to the Dragon Lord, but instead, she’s forced to move to his home, far away, to give up her life and be his bride.
When she first sees Darien after the ceremony, she doesn’t expect to feel anything but hatred toward him. The two are struggling with the complications of a new marriage when their nation is attacked by a rival dragon species. Together they learn to love one another while they struggle to stay one step ahead in a game where the prize is their survival.
If I Die (Soul Screamers #5) by Rachel Vincent
Harlequin (September 27th 2011)
Read My Review
Why: Soul Screamers is one of my favorite YA Series. Kaylee finally shows her true strength, fighting for her life by own strength and will.
Summary: The entire school's talking about the gorgeous new math teacher, Mr. Beck. Everyone except Kaylee Cavanaugh. After all, Kaylee's no ordinary high-school junior. She's a banshee—she screams when someone dies.
But the next scream might be for Kaylee.
Yeah—it's a shock to her, too. So to distract herself, Kaylee's going to save every girl in school. Because that hot new teacher is really an incubus who feeds on the desire of unsuspecting students. The only girls immune to his lure are Kaylee and Sabine, her boyfriend's needy ex-girlfriend. Now the unlikely allies have to get rid of Mr. Beck…before he discovers they aren't quite human, either.
But Kaylee's borrowed lifeline is nearing its end. And those who care about her will do anything to save her life.
Anything.
** Top 10 of 2011 is co-hosted by Jessica from Confessions of a Bookaholic, Lisa from A Life Bound By Books, Rachel from Fiktshun & Jamie & Patricia from Two Chicks on Books.
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