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[Flashback Friday] - #50

Flashback Friday is a weekly event, hosted here, that highlights a past release that we're dying to get our hands on...

See something you like here?
Click the book title to add it to your Goodreads TBR List!



Title: Wintergirls
   Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
   Release Date: March 19th, 2009

     “Dead girl walking,” the boys say in the halls.
     “Tell us your secret,” the girls whisper, one toilet to another.
     I am that girl.
     I am the space between my thighs, daylight shining through.
     I am the bones they want, wired on a porcelain frame.

     Lia and Cassie are best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies, competitors in a deadly contest to see who can be the skinniest. But what comes after size zero and size double-zero? When Cassie succumbs to the demons within, Lia feels she is being haunted by her friend’s restless spirit.

     In her most emotionally wrenching, lyrically written book since the multiple-award-winning Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson explores Lia’s descent into the powerful vortex of anorexia, and her painful path toward recovery.


My Stance:

     Wintergirls is a book that I never thought I would get interested in. However with The Impossible Knife of Memory fully intriguing me, I sought out other books by her. In it came this book which at first I thought it would be a paranormal book based on the first part of the synopsis, boy was I wrong. I never would have thought from the cover it would be a coming of age/recovery tell.

     Lia and Cassie two girls who compete to be the skinniest? How is that even normal. I love the question, what comes after a size double-zero? However, I don't think that's a healthy question to ask. This book reminds me of what Christian Bale did to himself for the role he had in Machinist. I don't think what these girls are doing is at all right and what it would take to bring yourself back out of that lifestyles and change who you are, would be beyond gut wrenching. I am anxious and I want to see more of the brutal world Anderson gives her readers.

[Book Review] - Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

Title: Beautiful Disaster
   Author: Jamie McGuire
   Series: #1 - Beautiful
   Format: Hardback
   Release Date: August 28th, 2012
   My Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0

     INTENSE. DANGEROUS. ADDICTIVE.

     Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate number of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance from the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University’s Walking One-Night Stand.

     Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby wants—and needs—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.

My Review:

    Okay I am probably going to get a lot of grief over this review, and while I understand what some people are saying about this book. I just didn't see it. First off other bloggers viewed the relationship between Travis and Abby as abusive and controlling. I didn't see it. Travis is intense and the two together go through a lot of altering and changing events that to be honest, the fact that they fought as hard as they did makes the story interesting and believable. Further Abby wasn't weak by any means, she had the strength I thought to stand up to Travis and take his crap and not only dish it back but make him regret the pain he put her through.

     Now to my review. Beautiful Disaster was a great great romance novel that I thoroughly enjoyed. I will admit that sometimes this could be compared to Fifty Shades of Grey, and at certain scenes it is. Overall though not at all. I thought this book was a better representation of how teen or young adult life is. It's not all pretty rainbows and green grass. I love how Jamie just captures a world that's turned completely on head and at times seems to take things to the complete extreme.

     Abby ("Pidge") is this ultra average girl, with her best friend America and America's boyfriend Shep, make the prime example of what ordinary relationships and young adults are like. I loved Abby though, she was hard drive, she didn't put up with anyone's crap. I found more often than not she acted on what she thought, and said exactly what was on her mind. She had this air about her that I loved, and when she had her mind set on an action, she was stubborn and determined to see it through.

     Travis "Mad Dog" Maddox was a muscular alpha male that no one looked at him the wrong way. In fact I doubt that anyone in the Maddox family had anyone cross them. Travis is this underground boxer/fighter, that is undefeated and even argues that no one can him him, if he doesn't let them. The fighting is how he makes his money for rent and tuition, which to be honest would have to be rather steep. How much money is bet on those fights? Case one of the extremes.

     He can have any women he wants, and I will admit he's a bit inconsiderate of women. There was one bit of the book that stuck in my head with Abby after a girl he was just with leaves. He mentions that the girl expected more out of the night with him, but she was still willing to give it up. He never asked or anted more there was no talk before, so what did she expect and if she wanted more she could look elsewhere. He does have a point as twisted as it sounds, if a girl had any sense of self dignity she would take time to get to know the guy before just sleeping with him. It makes the girl sound like a complete whore and yeah he's not much worse, but he know what he was getting out of it, not living in some delusion in just the first few seconds of meeting an attractive guy.

     Which is why he falls for Abby so hard. Abby doesn't give him the time of day. Even when he tries so hard. I loved that Travis never gave up, it's a great metaphor for how he perceives love. He loves neverending, and pushes hard and hard. The book is so great with love quotes from Travis, “I know we're fucked up, alright? I'm impulsive, and hot tempered, and you get under my skin like no one else. You act like you hate me one minute, and then need me the next. I never get anything right, and I don't deserve you...but I fucking love you, Abby. I love you more than I loved anyone or anything ever. When you're around, I don't need booze, or money, or the fighting, or the one-night stands...” He fully loves her, and knows that their relationship isn't pretty, isn't rainbows and butterflies, but he loves her nonetheless. Their relationship is far from perfect, and that's what makes this book so good.

     The book being told by Abby, yea I understand why a lot of women would think that Travis is a womanizer and completely psycho. I suggest reading Walking Disaster to get an inside look into his mind. It shows a great person and how his thought process works. However, with Abby the book is fluid and the story flows great from one extreme to the next. Travis's persona doesn't come through all the time, but when it does she notice. I would love to go further into the book, but I think that would ruin some of the book and the buildup of the relationship. I want you to come to your own opinion of the character and McGuire's style of plot and writing.

[Waiting on Wednesday] - #48

     Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted over at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

See something you like here?
Click the book title to add it to your Goodreads TBR List!


Title: Toxic Heart
   Author: Theo Lawrence
   Format: Hardcover
   Release Date: April 8th, 2014

     A city in flames. A trust betrayed. A perfect love destroyed.

     Has Aria lost Hunter, her one true love?

     Ever since rebellion broke out in Mystic City, pitting the ruling elite against the magic-wielding mystics, Aria has barely seen her boyfriend. Not surprising, since Hunter is the leader of the mystic uprising, and he'll do whatever it takes to win freedom for his people—even if that means using Aria.

     But Aria is no one's pawn. She believes she can bring the two warring sides together, save the city, and win back the Hunter she fell in love with.

     Before she can play peacemaker, though, Aria will need to find the missing heart of a dead mystic. The heart gives untold powers to whoever possesses it, but finding it means seeking out a fierce enemy whose deepest desire is for Aria to be gone—forever.

My Stance:

     I just bought the first book, Mystic City, on a whim when I was looking for an odd book that wasn't on my wishlist or anything that was on my radar at all. I haven't gotten around to the book yet, but when I started the first chapter in the mall I was captivated. I loved the style of the book, or what I saw of it. I just don't have the time to read like I used to.

     Toxic Heart is one of those books that strikes me as unique but a sort of twist on books that I've already seen. Like Shatter Me in this case, It looks like Juliette and Aaron from Shatter Me, in this book. How they are almost not at all for each other but Aaron seems to think there is. Aria and Hunter are dysfunctional, and by that I mean Hunter doesn't seem to value Aria at all. I mean any guy would stand behind his girlfriend and want to be with her, if he loves her. I expected that from at least the synopsis, and I hope that Aria kicks his ass if Hunter isn't man enough to take the harder road and be with someone he cares about.

[Teaser Tuesday] - #6

Hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.
  1. Take your Current Read.
  2. Grab 2 Teaser sentences from the book (please be sure to avoid spoilers)
  3. Post it on your blog with the title and author, so other Teasing Tuesday participants can add it to their To Be Read list.
  4. When visiting other Teasing Tuesday participants, leave a link with your current TT in their comments.

Title: Attachments
   Author: Rainbow Rowell
   Release Date: April 14th, 2011

     Quote: "<< Beth to Jennifer >> You make it sound like they're inseminating artificial tigers. That is pretty kinky.

     << Jennifer to Beth >> He just asked Danielle if she blacks out all the words in her Harlequin romances.

     << Beth to Jennifer >> He's going to get fired."

--- Page 247


[Movie Review] - Divergent

Divergent by Veronica Roth


Title: Divergent
   Director: Neil Burger
   Author: Veronica Roth
   Release Date: March 21st, 2014
   Rating: 8.5 Out of 10

     In a world divided by factions based on virtues, Tris learns she's Divergent and won't fit in. When she discovers a plot to destroy Divergents, Tris and the mysterious Four must find out what makes Divergents dangerous before it's too late.

From the Book:
     In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

     During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.


Review

      First off I loved the movie, and the reason I gave it a lower rating that what most people think I should is rather ridiculous. The interpretation of the movie was spot on, even if it was slightly different from mine. The actors got the characters and captured them spot on, for the most part (I'll dive into that later). I loved the plot, even if at times I thought the movie seemed to breeze past important events. Divergent, so far in my movie experience was a great capture from Book to Movie. I applaud Neil for that and capturing exactly what everyone was hoping for in the time he was allotted.

     The characters were beyond amazing. Shailene Woodley's presentation of Beatrice (Tris) was perfect. I don't think you could have found a better actress for this movie. Shailene is a force, a natural actor and someone every and all fans should look at and watch closely. She's going to move you, make you explode and dance in the middle of the isles. Ansel Elgort was another character that, even though you don't see a lot of, takes a character and perfects it. Ansel's vision and capture of Caleb makes the family his, and another actor I look at and want more of. Ashley Judd as Natalie (Tris's mother) was another spot on cast.

     Kate Winslet, Jeanine, was remarkable. I loved every time she showed up on the screen. She took your breath away with the character. She was brilliant and cocky, and just took the character and ran with it. She was probably the best cast person in this movie next to Shailene Woodley. Jeanine was the perfect antagonist for this book, and Kate just captured it perfect.

     Now to where I viewed the downside of the cast. Ray Stevenson as Marcus was decent. I thought he was cast right, however the role he was given was shallow. I wanted more of Marcus and to see him interact more. It was almost like he was breezed over and than "Hello, here I am again." I didn't see him play as big a role in the movie as he did in the book, and I think that'll come into play in the second movie. I hope it gets addressed.

     Theo James, now this is where I'll bite the bullet and take on the entire swooning community and say I was a bit let down with the performance. I understand that his persona of Tobias (Four) was unique and completely different from what I expected, and I enjoyed it. However, I really only saw this hard side of Tobias that was cut and dry. I wanted more of this romantic, compassionate side of him that we saw in the book, and maybe there just wasn't enough time to build him as much as there was, it was just a let down.

     Plot wise the, the Movie was sound. I loved how Neil stays almost on the nose with the book. There are a few scenes that were cut out, my assumption is that gouging an eye out with a spoon/knife wouldn't have given you the rating you were after. Which I understand why they were removed. The scene with Al was great, I just wish they would have played on it a little longer a good minute or two more. It didn't have that "Wow" factor for me, like the book captured it.

     The love/relationship between Four and Tris was a bit washed. I thought there wasn't enough time to build the relationship and than just out of left field they are entangled. It was rushed and I thought with the time there would have been better places to rush and cut things (use more monologue if you wanted to rush things faster). Now I'm not saying that the relationship wasn't there, it was by the end of the movie. I just wasn't ready for it or thought it was even at that stage when things started to get heavy.

     There were so many character that seemed glossed over, that by the end of the movie I was left wondering who the heck was that? I loved the movie, it was great. I just wish Neil had petitioned for another half hour or so to tack on the end and character build so more in the early stages. When the book got underway, about halfway through, it was sound it was great. The beginning needed a little more beef to support the heavy weight and impact of the hard-hitting events of the last half.

     Nonetheless the movie was sound, and great. I can't wait to see Insurgent next year. Shailene is an actor that I'll follow and keep an eye on. She's the new girl on the block and Jennifer Lawrence should watch her back. There is another actor on the field that is threatening her stardom. Theo James and Ansel Elgort both take the cake as well, their interpretations are fantastic. So in ending I am happy to say, I am looking forward to the next movie with Shailene and Ansel in it (The Fault in our Stars). Til than, GO SEE DIVERGENT!

[Stacking the Shelves] - #51

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga’s Reviews and is all about sharing the books you are adding to your bookshelf, be it the physical one or your digital one!


     Sorry this is late, I had some errands and went out of town this morning. I had a stockpile of books that I wanted to resell, that try to get new books to add to my shelf. I ended up picking up a few books at a nearby Half Price Bookstore. I love that place, but I had a few other books that I was looking at. I hate some of the condition of books and what they are kept in. Personally I try to save the best condition books that are on my wishlist. It's a personal perogative of mine. This weekend was great! I managed to get out of town and knab a few books. Furthermore, Sunday afternoon I went out and saw Divergent. I will have a review of the movie coming.

     This week is a collection of books, that were a good continuation of series, a set of newer books that as well continue two series, and two standalone novels. Two of these books have been signed and I hope to update the list later. All of these books are series are books that I am looking to get into quickly. I would love for the books to be read and the time to get binge read. I need to take a week off work I think to do that.

     So without further adieu:

Dreamless
The Lives We Lost
Rise
Tidal
The Impossible
Knife of Memory
Echo in time
Hollow City
Maybe One Day

Older Shelf Additions:

Title: Dreamless
   Author: Josephine Angelini
   Format: Hardcover
   Release Date: May 29th, 2012

     Can true love be forgotten?

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

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

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

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






Title:  The Lives We Lost
   Author: Megan Crewe
   Format: Hardcover
   Release Date: February 12th, 2013

     First, the virus took Kaelyn’s friends. Then, her family. Now it’s taken away her home.

     But she can't look back—the life she once had is gone forever.

     A deadly virus has destroyed Kaelyn’s small island community and spread beyond the quarantine. No one is safe. But when Kaelyn finds samples of a vaccine in her father's abandoned lab, she knows there must be someone, somewhere, who can replicate it. As Kaelyn and her friends head to the mainland, they encounter a world beyond recognition. It’s not only the “friendly flu” that’s a killer—there are people who will stop at nothing to get their hands on the vaccine. How much will Kaelyn risk for an unproven cure, when the search could either destroy those she loves or save the human race?

     Megan Crewe's second volume in the Fallen World trilogy is an action-packed journey that explores the resilience of friendship, the ache of lost love, and Kaelyn’s enduring hope in the face of the sacrifices she must make to stay alive.






Title: Rise
   Author: Andrea Cremer
   Format: Hardcover
   Release Date: January 8th, 2013

     The sequel to Rift and the prequel to the New York Times bestselling novel Nightshade.

     Everything Conatus stands for is at risk. Hoping to gather enough resistance to save their order, Ember and Barrow attempt a desperate escape. But fate offers little mercy. When their mission is exposed, the couple face relentless pursuit by the supernatural horrors that act on the commands of Eira’s ally: the mysterious Bosque Mar. A shocking revelation forces Ember out of hiding, sending her back into the heart of dark magic at Tearmunn keep, where she must convince her old friend Alistair of her love or face dire consequences. Ember’s deception offers the only chance for the resistance to succeed, but what she discovers in the shadows beneath the keep will shatter her world and bring about the Witches’ War.

     Richly sensual and full of magic, action and danger, Andrea Cremer's fifth book set in the Nightshade world is an edge-of-your-seat page turner.






Title:  Tidal
   Author: Amanda Hocking
   Format: Hardcover
   Release Date: June 4th, 2013

     The magical world of Watersong is about to change forever. The answers Gemma and her friends have been searching for are finally revealed - but evil is closing in and time is running out....

     Gemma and Harper Fisher are facing the fight of their lives. Gemma has been cursed with extraordinary powers that have a terrifying dark side, but she's finally found what she needs - a way to break the curse and become human again. However, finding the means to do it will be her greatest challenge yet. And now Penn, Lexi, and Thea - the gorgeous but deadly creatures who cursed her - are determined to kill her before she has a chance. Making matters worse, Penn has her sights set on Daniel - the guy Harper loves - and Penn always gets what she wants.

     As Gemma and Harper race to break the curse before it's too late, they're thrust deeper into a mythical world of immortal secrets. They must into their enemies' past to find the answers they need, even if it means being drawn deeper into their savagely beautiful world. But one of the girls is not what she seems...and Gemma finds an unlikely ally as she struggles to save herself. Will it be enough to break an ancient curse that no one has ever escaped from alive?






Title: The Impossible Knife of Memory
   Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
   Format: Hardback
   Release Date: June 7th, 2014

     For the past five years, Hayley Kincain and her father, Andy, have been on the road, never staying long in one place as he struggles to escape the demons that have tortured him since his return from Iraq. Now they are back in the town where he grew up so Hayley can attend school. Perhaps, for the first time, Hayley can have a normal life, put aside her own painful memories, even have a relationship with Finn, the hot guy who obviously likes her but is hiding secrets of his own.

     Will being back home help Andy’s PTSD, or will his terrible memories drag him to the edge of hell, and drugs push him over? The Impossible Knife of Memory is Laurie Halse Anderson at her finest: compelling, surprising, and impossible to put down.






Title: Echo in Time
   Author: C.J. Hill
   Format: Paperback
   Release Date: December 23rd, 2013

     Echo in Time delivers on "the possibility of an equally thrilling sequel" (Kirkus Reviews) to Erasing Time.

     After being pulled 400 years into the future, twins Taylor and Sheridan have found some refuge from the government of Traventon, which used the dangerous Time Strainer to yank the girls from the past. Yet the threat of the dangerous technology still looms. Taylor and an ally, Joseph, are selected to go on a mission to destroy the time machine and weapon. But their actions before they do may have major consequences for the future and the past.

     Action-packed and romantic, this futuristic sequel to Erasing Time is perfect for fans of dystopian and sci-fi novels such as The Maze Runner by James Dashner, Across the Universe by Beth Revis, and Matched by Ally Condie.






Title: Hollow City
   Author: Ransom Riggs
   Format: Hardback
   Release Date: January 14th, 2014

     The extraordinary journey that began in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children continues as Jacob Portman and his newfound friends journey to London the peculiar capital of the world. But in this war-torn city, hideous surprises lurk around every corner. Like its predecessor, this second novel in the Peculiar Children series blends thrilling fantasy with never-before-published vintage photography to create a one-of-a-kind reacting experience.






Title: Maybe One Day
   Author: Melissa Kantor
   Format: Hardback
   Release Date: February 18th, 2014

     Critically acclaimed author Melissa Kantor masterfully captures the joy of friendship, the agony of loss, and the unique experience of being a teenager in this poignant new novel about a girl grappling with her best friend's life-threatening illness.

     Zoe and her best friend, Olivia, have always had big plans for the future, none of which included Olivia getting sick. Still, Zoe is determined to put on a brave face and be positive for her friend.

     Even when she isn't sure what to say.

     Even when Olivia misses months of school.

     Even when Zoe starts falling for Calvin, Olivia's crush.

     The one thing that keeps Zoe moving forward is knowing that Olivia will beat this, and everything will go back to the way it was before. It has to. Because the alternative is too terrifying for her to even imagine.

     In this incandescent page-turner, which follows in the tradition of The Fault in Our Stars, Melissa Kantor artfully explores the idea that the worst thing to happen to you might not be something that is actually happening to you. Raw, irreverent, and honest, Zoe's unforgettable voice and story will stay with readers long after the last page is turned.

[Flashback Friday] - #49

Flashback Friday is a weekly event, hosted here, that highlights a past release that we're dying to get our hands on...

See something you like here?
Click the book title to add it to your Goodreads TBR List!



Title: Nerve
   Author: Jeanne Ryan
   Release Date: September 13th, 2012

     A high-stakes online game of dares turns deadly

     When Vee is picked to be a player in NERVE, an anonymous game of dares broadcast live online, she discovers that the game knows her. They tempt her with prizes taken from her ThisIsMe page and team her up with the perfect boy, sizzling-hot Ian. At first it's exhilarating--Vee and Ian's fans cheer them on to riskier dares with higher stakes. But the game takes a twisted turn when they're directed to a secret location with five other players for the Grand Prize round. Suddenly they're playing all or nothing, with their lives on the line. Just how far will Vee go before she loses NERVE?


My Stance:

     Nerve, a different twist than The Declaration which I did earlier today. However, this book appealed to me shortly after I finished The Hunger Games, when I first started reading again. At that point I will admit I was picking up anything that sounded remotely close to that series and sought it out long and hard. Good things came out of that time, like Divergent, Matched, and The Maze Runner; However, at the same time some of the books I have removed from my wishlist also came out of that.

     With that in mind, I came back to this book and revisited the synopsis. And I'm not sure where I stand on this book, I could either love this book or hate it. I don't think there's that much grey area here. On Goodreads I left the top art of their brief out, because it was a comparison that I hate. "For Fans of The Hunger Games," well, yes, okay any book that has slightly the same proposed plot is going to use that. And I hate to say it, but most books that try to compare to that series and what Suzanne Collins captured, fall miles and miles away from where they could have been if they did something original.

     So yes, I am worried that the comparison is too harsh and frankly the expectation is going to be extremely high if you want to hold that standard. Yet, there is some joy in what I see. It's a game of sorts, or what starts out as a game, that people date the contestants and their actions are broadcast live. I just picture everyone on Facebook daring me to do random things and I have to comply or what? Do I get to leave, what's the downside? I don't see how the book turns a "reality tv/game show" into a "life-or-death hunger games," it is just too much of a stretch. But I'll bite for the simple fact that it would be a good comparison to another novel that came out this last week!

[Flashback Friday] - #48

Flashback Friday is a weekly event, hosted here, that highlights a past release that we're dying to get our hands on...

See something you like here?
Click the book title to add it to your Goodreads TBR List!



Title: The Declaration
   Author: Gemma Malley
   Release Date: October 2nd, 2007

     In the year 2140, it is illegal to be young. Children are all but extinct. The world is a better place. Longevity drugs are a fountain of youth. Sign the Declaration, agree not to have children and you too can live forever. Refuse, and you will live as an outcast. For the children born outside the law, it only gets worse – Surplus status. Not everyone thinks Longevity is a good thing, but you better be clear what side you’re on. . . . Surplus Anna is about to find out what happens when you can’t decide if you should cheat the law or cheat death.


My Stance:

     This was a great week and so far I have been keeping ahead on everything. So it's Friday, and the first part of this weeks two part Flashback Friday is here. I am running out of older books to pick up, mainly because a lot of the bargain place I have been looking at have had a good selection and I've already picked up a good majority of the books on that list. Now I'm not saying that The Delaration is any less of a book than my first selection, or I want it less. Mainly I just look at my list and choose a book a random, first one that catches my eye.

     The Declaration, now here is a book which I has a bit of sentiment to me. I want to find a good edition of this book, and is why it's still on my list after so long. I view this book as part of the beginning and the start of Dystopia. For that reason and Dystopia being among one of my favorite genres, I want to pay respect to it and the author. I am not saying it played a more important role than George Orwell's 1984, but it helped and to me is one of the more recognized novels of the genre.

     I love the world, and it almost sounds like the movie In Time. A world where no one is allowed to have children, and those who are born are a surplus and labeled as an "extra." I wonder at some point what it would be like to see or how it would be if someone could live forever. What kind of power that person would have, and just how many people would be after that ability. I love the premise of the book, but the question I have: Is Surplus Anna the main character or who is. I love the introduction to the world, and the trouble and dilemma the world is faced with, or mainly just the surpluses. I am just confused on who the main character is, not about anything else and that being said I am anxious to get my hands on a copy of this book.

[Book Review] - Defiance by C.J. Redwine

Title: Defiance
   Author: C.J. Redwine
   Series: #1 - Defiance Trilogy
   Format: Hardback
   Release Date: August 28th, 2012
   My Rating: 3.5 out of 5.0

     Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city's brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses, host dinner parties, and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father's apprentice, Logan--the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same boy who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father's survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.

     At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city's top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor's impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared.

     As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can't be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.

My Review:

    Defiance took my breath away, but left me asking why there wasn't more. This was one of those books that I loved that main character. Rachel was very impulsive but she did so with a reason behind every action. She wasn't rash by any means, okay there was a few times she was, but she knew the risks and wanted to face them no matter what. Yet as much as she risked, and however many times she defied everyone trying to protect her, and those frankly trying to oppress her, she never is punished harshly. A few slap on the wrists, okay a horrid traumatic event, but nothing to her. It just confuses me how she could risk so much without really anything to show for it.

     Baalboden, is a great medieval world, or what I envisioned from the description. The world is safe within the small town, well okay compared to modern towns it would be small. I would say there would be thousands to tens of thousands of people in the village. They all live under the rule of one Commander, who is (for the lack of better words) very sadistic. I'll save more on him later, but I don't understand how a revolt hasn't come sooner. In the world though going out is nearly suicide, the outside world is ravaged by well giant dragons that bury under the ground.

     The females are made to look completely useless and like the fancy/self-indulged or well, maybe self-indulged isn't the word for it, but I think of the 1800's and the ruffle dresses and the women who were just so high and might when I envision this girls. The catch is Rachel, who against most rules is taught to fight and and scout. She was the stark contrast to the norm in the village and the difference and strength in her to fight against the Commander early on, even if in small forms of defiance, it makes her character shine. Oh I forgot to mention that every female is tagged. I believe it was a bracelet, that transmits their location, so they can't leave their male Protectors. Lovely.

     Logan is a character that I wanted more of. He was an inventor, and every invention he makes is strict defiance. To Jammers for the bracelets, and even another invention to reverse track someone's location from their bracelet. He's a unique character that is inspiring, and smart. He tends to think things through and be a stark opposite to Rachel, and when things finally get underway, he wants nothing more than to protect Rachel, more so than his appointed duty. The issue I found with him, was that more than anything he internalized nearly everything. Most of what was going on in his mind, never really came out, and it was frustrating reading her perspective and not knowing that Rachel didn't know.

     The Commander, one of my favorite villains of the year and that's not hard to do. I haven't had a lot of good villains this year. Okay, Allegiant, but I found that villain was a bit soft and that's for another day. The commander is just brutal, he kills and maims and tortures throughout this book. The best scene of his nature is with Rachel and him in a wagon/covered carrier. It's just brutal, and the most gut wrenching feeling for Rachel to go through. I can't even imagine going through what she went through, and witnessing it. I wanted more of him in the book.

     Now what drug the book down? I found that with the split between Rachel and Logan, more of their internalization got jumbled and confused in the mess of the dialogue. I found I had to re-read pages to make sure that what I had read wasn't said and was internalized. I loved the idea though, I just don't think the style was great in this book/case. Furthermore, when Rachel left to go out and find her father, the pace slowed down. It wasn't that a lot of character building was happening during that time. You knew what Rachel was like, so it was just boring.

     The pace picked up when Logan came to her rescue, well to help her rescue. There were times, when I thought he was more of a hinder to her than help. However, he pulls her up out of a dark place and I loved that interaction. The best character building was when those two were together. I understand that Rachel's personality meant that she need and felt the need to leave Baalboden. And when you finally learn about Logan's feelings and why he feels the way he does about Rachel, it's just a bit too late, and I couldn't do much to make up what the book was lacking. I wanted more of them together, even if fighting or romance, it needed more.

[Book Review] - The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Title: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer
   Author: Michelle Hodkin
   Series: #1 - Mara Dyer
   Format: Hardback
   Release Date: September 27th, 2011
   My Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0

     Mara Dyer doesn’t think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.
     It can.

     She believes there must be more to the accident she can’t remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.
     There is.

     She doesn’t believe that after everything she’s been through, she can fall in love.
     She’s wrong.

My Review:

    The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer was a book that I didn't think I would enjoy and didn't expect at all. I thought at first it would be a good classical romance novel and that I would swoon over. The characters were great, and Mara just caught me completely off guard. Than there is Noah Shaw, the counterpart to Mara, and there were parts of him that just didn't seem natural to me. I wanted to see more of Noah to be honest, and when he did show up I was worried that I wouldn't get a chance to follow or get into his character.

     My thought of this book as a contemporary romance was far far off. While there is parts of that romance in this book, I would classify this book as a Thriller sort of, with some sci-fi twists to it near the end. I loved how the book just toyed with my perception, based on the synopsis and some reviews from fellow bloggers, and tore it to shreds. Normally that would be a downside to a book, twisting that way and dramatically doesn't end well from previous books. However, in Michelle Hodkin's case, this book pulled it off.

     The book starts off with Mara trying to figure out what happened to her that killed her friends in an abandoned building collapse. The story is revealed slowly throughout the book. I loved the flashbacks and how the story is slowly unveiled, and aids in showing just how far Mara has grown. This adds a layer of growth on top of the current growth to her character as well. Furthermore, in the current time the book circles around a series of murders around town at the same time. Which adds to the suspense and eeriness the book conveys nearly the entire way through it.

     Mara Dyer was a great weird snarky character that just caught me right off the get go. I thoroughly thought of her looking like the girl on the cover. She's just everything I would love to have in a girlfriend, maybe that's why she's probably one of my favorite Female characters so far. However, at times I think she's a little too assertive. There are times where she could act and you get the feeling she wants to, yet doesn't in the end. It makes me mad and anxious. I wanted more action from her, but that flaw makes her believable and just how dire the situation was at the time.

     Now for one of my more mysterious character, and one that I just don't know what to make of yet, Noah Shaw. He's a great guy and while he wants the best for Mara, there is the idea he's too good for Mara. Yeah, I understand that "too good" is a shitty excuse, but when you look at what he has. What he's come from, and the style of life he has compared to Mara, it's obvious he's in a completely different country than Mara. While I understand that he took interest in her, it still doesn't convince me. Other than that though, Noah is a great, sensible guy, that seems to look after, follow, and trust Mara completely, even when he probably shouldn't.

     This book does have sci-fi in it. While I would love to go into it, it gives some of the story away and I don't want to spoil any of that for potential readers. This would normally turn people away and I would love to see everyone read it. I have to acknowledge that the sci-fi bits of this book would turn some off, so I war everyone that if sci-fi isn't your style of book, there is some here and may not be your type of read. However, saying that, the sci-fi wasn't that big of a part. About halfway through the book it starts to focus on the Romance bit, instead of the sci-fi part.

     Michelle Hodkin's writing was fantastic. The book flowed and the plot was great; characters were well developed and showed what she is capable of. I found I kept turning the pages and I always wanted to know what happened on that next page. She left you questioning, but provided just enough of an answer to make you keep going. Great Style, Great Twist at the end, and I cannot wait to read the sequel.

[Waiting on Wednesday] - #47

     Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted over at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

See something you like here?
Click the book title to add it to your Goodreads TBR List!


Title: Dreams of Gods & Monsters
   Author: Laini Taylor
   Format: Hardcover
   Release Date: March 20th, 2014

     By way of a staggering deception, Karou has taken control of the chimaera rebellion and is intent on steering its course away from dead-end vengeance. The future rests on her, if there can even be a future for the chimaera in war-ravaged Eretz.

     Common enemy, common cause.

     When Jael's brutal seraph army trespasses into the human world, the unthinkable becomes essential, and Karou and Akiva must ally their enemy armies against the threat. It is a twisted version of their long-ago dream, and they begin to hope that it might forge a way forward for their people.

     And, perhaps, for themselves. Toward a new way of living, and maybe even love.

     But there are bigger threats than Jael in the offing. A vicious queen is hunting Akiva, and, in the skies of Eretz ... something is happening. Massive stains are spreading like bruises from horizon to horizon; the great winged stormhunters are gathering as if summoned, ceaselessly circling, and a deep sense of wrong pervades the world.

     What power can bruise the sky?

     From the streets of Rome to the caves of the Kirin and beyond, humans, chimaera and seraphim will fight, strive, love, and die in an epic theater that transcends good and evil, right and wrong, friend and enemy.

     At the very barriers of space and time, what do gods and monsters dream of? And does anything else matter?

My Stance:

     Well this spoils a lot of what I am looking for in the series. Okay maybe not so much, but I know that there characters live through the second book, which is spoiler-ish. I just started the first book and Karou is one of those female characters that sears into my brain. It's not that she's this hard, self-sufficient character like some of the others that top my lists. However Karou is different and makes me want to see more of her character and try to understand her completely. I have the second book on my shelf, and while I may not read it by the time this book comes out, I still am eager to add it to my shelf.

     The characters int he series make the book great, but the covers help lure me in. Akiva I am not so sold on though, but that'll come with the review. Either way the war with Chimaera and the Seraph is still ongoing and while I expected it to, I just wonder what the point of the second book is now. I guess that's why I should read it before reading these synopsis. I didn't used to, but things happened when I was looking for books to feature this week and this one cropped up. I enjoyed the cover so much I couldn't help myself.

[Waiting on Wednesday] - #46

     Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted over at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

See something you like here?
Click the book title to add it to your Goodreads TBR List!


Title: Salvage
   Author: Alexandra Duncan
   Format: Hardcover
   Release Date: April 8th, 2014

     Ava, a teenage girl living aboard the male-dominated deep space merchant ship Parastrata, faces betrayal, banishment, and death. Taking her fate into her own hands, she flees to the Gyre, a floating continent of garbage and scrap in the Pacific Ocean, in this thrilling, surprising, and thought-provoking debut novel that will appeal to fans of Across the Universe, by Beth Revis, and The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood.

My Stance:

     Salvage is a book that I never would have found if it wasn't for the girls on Tea Time at Epic Reads. I always love listening to them and seeing what they are reading and the new books they show off. So I got myself caught up this last weekend when I had some time to myself, finally. In doing so, this book cropped up and caught my eye. I first thought this would be like These Broken Stars, and while I look further it occurs to me that I was sadly wrong. While I wish for another great space and survival story, I doubt this will be it.

     Salvage could be a good survival story about Ava. However, I am nervous of this book, simply for the reason of what it's being compared to. The Handmaid's Tale, a classic, and a wonderful Space Sci-fi novel, Across the Universe. Books that try to make a name for themselves this way just put me on edge and make me wonder why they don't try to do it on their own. I hope I am wrong and this book will stand out on its own without needed those comparisons and the comparisons are justified.

     Furthermore from the synopsis of the book that is available at the time, there's just not a lot to go on. I wish I knew more about Ava other than she needs to escape wherever she is at, and where is that? I just nearly hate this synopsis and if the Epic Reads hadn't shown this book, I probably wouldn't be at all interested in this novel, based on what's available.

[Teaser Tuesday] - #5

Hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.
  1. Take your Current Read.
  2. Grab 2 Teaser sentences from the book (please be sure to avoid spoilers)
  3. Post it on your blog with the title and author, so other Teasing Tuesday participants can add it to their To Be Read list.
  4. When visiting other Teasing Tuesday participants, leave a link with your current TT in their comments.

Title: Attachments
   Author: Rainbow Rowell
   Release Date: April 14th, 2011

     Quote: "<<Jennifer to Beth>> Okay, I can see him now. Harrison Ford plus John Wayne plus the Hulk plus the Brawny Guy.

     <> Plus Jason Bateman."

--- Page 143


[Teaser Tuesday] - #4

Hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.
  1. Take your Current Read.
  2. Grab 2 Teaser sentences from the book (please be sure to avoid spoilers)
  3. Post it on your blog with the title and author, so other Teasing Tuesday participants can add it to their To Be Read list.
  4. When visiting other Teasing Tuesday participants, leave a link with your current TT in their comments.

Title: Daughter of Smoke & Bone
   Author: Laini Taylor
   Release Date: September 27th, 2011

     Quote: "The mention of teeth brought a dangerous flicker to his eyes, but he said only, 'Long life is a burden, when it's spent in misery.'

     Misery. Did he mean himself? She asked me."

--- Page 206


[Stacking the Shelves] - #50

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga’s Reviews and is all about sharing the books you are adding to your bookshelf, be it the physical one or your digital one!


     This is the second part of this weeks Stacking the Shelves I'm going to do this weeks, since I missed last week. I hope you all understand and can accept my apologies for missing last week.

     So without further adieu:

Proxy
Fragments
Shattered Souls
The Eleventh Plague
Control
Unforgotten
Half Bad
Panic

Older Shelf Additions:

Title: Proxy
   Author: Alex London
   Format: Hardcover
   Release Date: June 18th, 2013

     Knox was born into one of the City’s wealthiest families. A Patron, he has everything a boy could possibly want—the latest tech, the coolest clothes, and a Proxy to take all his punishments. When Knox breaks a vase, Syd is beaten. When Knox plays a practical joke, Syd is forced to haul rocks. And when Knox crashes a car, killing one of his friends, Syd is branded and sentenced to death.

     Syd is a Proxy. His life is not his own.

     Then again, neither is Knox’s. Knox and Syd have more in common than either would guess. So when Knox and Syd realize that the only way to beat the system is to save each other, they flee. Yet Knox’s father is no ordinary Patron, and Syd is no ordinary Proxy. The ensuing cross-country chase will uncover a secret society of rebels, test both boys’ resolve, and shine a blinding light onto a world of those who owe and those who pay. Some debts, it turns out, cannot be repaid.






Title:  Fragments
   Author: Dan Wells
   Format: Hardcover
   Release Date: Februry 26th, 2013

     Kira Walker has found the cure for RM, but the battle for the survival of humans and Partials is just beginning. Kira has left East Meadow in a desperate search for clues to who she is. That the Partials themselves hold the cure for RM in their blood cannot be a coincidence—it must be part of a larger plan, a plan that involves Kira, a plan that could save both races. Her companions are Afa Demoux, an unhinged drifter and former employee of ParaGen, and Samm and Heron, the Partials who betrayed her and saved her life, the only ones who know her secret. But can she trust them?

     Meanwhile, back on Long Island, what's left of humanity is gearing up for war with the Partials, and Marcus knows his only hope is to delay them until Kira returns. But Kira's journey will take her deep into the overgrown wasteland of postapocalyptic America, and Kira and Marcus both will discover that their greatest enemy may be one they didn't even know existed.

     The second installment in the pulse-pounding Partials saga is the story of the eleventh hour of humanity's time on Earth, a journey deep into places unknown to discover the means—and even more important, a reason—for our survival.






Title: Shattered Souls
   Author: Mary Lindsey
   Format: Hardcover
   Release Date: December 8th, 2011

     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.






Title:  The Eleventh Plague
   Author: Jeff Hirsch
   Format: Hardcover
   Release Date: September 1st, 2011

     In an America devastated by war and plague, the only way to survive is to keep moving.

     In the aftermath of a war, America’s landscape has been ravaged and two-thirds of the population left dead from a vicious strain of influenza. Fifteen-year-old Stephen Quinn and his family were among the few that survived and became salvagers, roaming the country in search of material to trade. But when Stephen’s grandfather dies and his father falls into a coma after an accident, Stephen finds his way to Settler’s Landing, a community that seems too good to be true. Then Stephen meets strong, defiant, mischievous Jenny, who refuses to accept things as they are. And when they play a prank that goes horribly wrong, chaos erupts, and they find themselves in the midst of a battle that will change Settler’s Landing--and their lives--forever.






Title: These Broken Stars
   Author: Lydia Kang
   Format: Hardback
   Release Date: December 26th, 2013

     An un-putdownable thriller for fans of Uglies

     When a crash kills their father and leaves them orphaned, Zel knows she needs to protect her sister, Dyl. But before Zel has a plan, Dyl is taken by strangers using bizarre sensory weapons, and Zel finds herself in a safe house for teens who aren’t like any she’s ever seen before—teens who shouldn't even exist. Using broken-down technology, her new friends’ peculiar gifts, and her own grit, Zel must find a way to get her sister back from the kidnappers who think a powerful secret is encoded in Dyl’s DNA.

     A spiraling, intense, romantic story set in 2150—in a world of automatic cars, nightclubs with auditory ecstasy drugs, and guys with four arms—this is about the human genetic “mistakes" that society wants to forget, and the way that outcasts can turn out to be heroes.






Title: Unforgotten
   Author: Jessica Brody
   Format: Hardback
   Release Date: February 24th, 2014

     Some memories are better left forgotten...

     After a daring escape from the scientists at Diotech who created her, Seraphina believes she is finally safe from the horrors of her past. But new threats await Sera and her boyfriend, Zen, at every turn as Zen falls prey to a mysterious illness and Sera’s extraordinary abilities make it more and more difficult to stay hidden. Meanwhile, Diotech has developed a dangerous new weapon designed to apprehend her. A weapon that even Sera will be powerless to stop. Her only hope of saving Zen’s life and defeating the company that made her is a secret buried deep within her mind. A secret that Diotech will kill to protect. And it won’t stay forgotten for long.

     Packed with mystery, suspense, and romance, this riveting second installment of Jessica Brody’s Unremembered trilogy delivers more heart-pounding action as loyalties are tested, love becomes a weapon, and no one’s memories are safe.






Title: Half Bad
   Author: Sally Green
   Format: Hardback
   Release Date: March 4th, 2014

     Half Bad by Sally Green is a breathtaking debut novel about one boy's struggle for survival in a hidden society of witches.

     You can't read, can't write, but you heal fast, even for a witch.

     You get sick if you stay indoors after dark.

     You hate White Witches but love Annalise, who is one.

     You've been kept in a cage since you were fourteen.

     All you've got to do is escape and find Mercury, the Black Witch who eats boys. And do that before your seventeenth birthday.

     Easy.






Title: Panic
   Author: Lauren Oliver
   Format: Hardback
   Release Date: March 4th, 2014

     Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.

     Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.

     Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he’s sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.

     For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most.

[Stacking the Shelves] - #49

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga’s Reviews and is all about sharing the books you are adding to your bookshelf, be it the physical one or your digital one!


     Well since I had a busy week and didn't get around to posting anything last week. I'm going to try to catch up, and do a double week. I want to make it up to my viewers. Last week was just crazy. I had a lot of work to do, and with church we had a St. Patrick's day supper I helped with. I just had a lot going on and a stressful week at work. However, things are looking better and I will try my best to get the content out to you guys at a decent time.

     So this week here is part one of the Stacking My Shelves, the next version will be up later tonight and I will continue with the normal weekly routine and hope you all enjoy it. I appreciate everyone who stops by and leaves comments. This week brings a series of eight books, four older and four newer. I hope you all enjoy this weeks selection and what got added to my shelves the past few months.

     So without further adieu:

The Way We Fall
Phoenix
The Testing
Reboot
These Broken Stars
September Girls
Archetype
Prince of Shadows

Older Shelf Additions:

Title: The Way We Fall
   Author: Megan Crewe
   Format: Hardcover
   Release Date: January 24th, 2012

     Read a Sneak Peek below!

     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 sixteen-year-old Kaelyn lets her best friend leave for school without saying goodbye, she never dreams that she might not see him again. But then a strange virus begins to sweep through her small island community, infecting young and old alike. As the dead pile up, the government quarantines the island: no one can leave, and no one can come back.

     Those still healthy must fight for the island’s 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?

     Poignant and dizzying, The Way We Fall is the heart-wrenching story of one girl's bravery and unbeatable spirit as she challenges not just her fears, but her sense of what makes life worth living.






Title:  Phoenix
   Author: Elizabeth Richards
   Format: Hardcover
   Release Date: June 4th, 2013

     Ash and Natalie are just starting to build a life together when things in the United Sentry States go from bad to worse. Ash and Natalie find themselves at the center of turmoil when dictator Purian Rose threatens Natalie’s life unless Ash votes in favor of Rose’s Law—a law that will send Darklings and other dissenters to a deadly concentration camp known as the Tenth.

     When Ash can’t bring himself to trade Natalie’s life for those of millions of Darklings, her fate is sealed. Enter Elijah Theroux, the handsome Bastet boy Natalie once saved from her mother’s labs, where he’d been experimented on and tortured. It was his venom the Sentry used to create the lethal Golden Haze, the heart of the government conspiracy that led to Black City’s uprising and Ash’s rebirth as the Phoenix, the face of the rebellion. Elijah is back and Ash doesn’t like him; it’s clear he’s taken with Natalie, and Ash fears she may have feelings for him as well.

     But Elijah also may have the answer to taking down Purian Rose for good—a powerful weapon called the Ora. Ash, Natalie and Elijah just have to escape Black City undetected to find it. But fleeing the city and finding this weapon (if it even exists) are easier said than done, and the quest could tear Ash and Natalie apart, even pushing them into the arms of others.

     This enthralling sequel to Black City is just as absorbing, delicious and steamy as the first book, leaving readers hungry for the series conclusion.






Title: The Testing
   Author: Joelle Charbonneau
   Format: Hardcover
   Release Date: June 4th, 2013

     Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Isn’t that what they say? But how close is too close when they may be one in the same?

     The Seven Stages War left much of the planet a charred wasteland. The future belongs to the next generation’s chosen few who must rebuild it. But to enter this elite group, candidates must first pass The Testing—their one chance at a college education and a rewarding career.

     Cia Vale is honored to be chosen as a Testing candidate; eager to prove her worthiness as a University student and future leader of the United Commonwealth. But on the eve of her departure, her father’s advice hints at a darker side to her upcoming studies--trust no one.

     But surely she can trust Tomas, her handsome childhood friend who offers an alliance? Tomas, who seems to care more about her with the passing of every grueling (and deadly) day of the Testing. To survive, Cia must choose: love without truth or life without trust.






Title:  Reboot
   Author: Amy Tintera
   Format: Hardcover
   Release Date: May 7th, 2013

     Five years ago, Wren Connolly was shot three times in the chest. After 178 minutes she came back as a Reboot: stronger, faster, able to heal, and less emotional. The longer Reboots are dead, the less human they are when they return. Wren 178 is the deadliest Reboot in the Republic of Texas. Now seventeen years old, she serves as a soldier for HARC (Human Advancement and Repopulation Corporation).

     Wren’s favorite part of the job is training new Reboots, but her latest newbie is the worst she’s ever seen. As a 22, Callum Reyes is practically human. His reflexes are too slow, he’s always asking questions, and his ever-present smile is freaking her out. Yet there’s something about him she can’t ignore. When Callum refuses to follow an order, Wren is given one last chance to get him in line—or she’ll have to eliminate him. Wren has never disobeyed before and knows if she does, she’ll be eliminated, too. But she has also never felt as alive as she does around Callum.

     The perfect soldier is done taking orders.






Title: These Broken Stars
   Author: Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
   Format: Hardback
   Release Date: January 28th, 2014

      It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.

     Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.

     Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

     Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.

--

     A timeless love story, THESE BROKEN STARS sets into motion a sweeping science fiction series of companion novels. The Starbound Trilogy: Three worlds. Three love stories. One enemy.






Title: September Girls
   Author: Bennett Madison
   Format: Hardback
   Release Date: May 21st, 2013

      When Sam's dad whisks him and his brother off to a remote beach town for the summer, he's all for it-- at first. Sam soon realizes, though, that this place is anything but ordinary. Time seems to slow down around here, and everywhere he looks, there are beautiful blond girls. Girls who seem inexplicably drawn to him.

     Then Sam meets DeeDee, one of the Girls, and she's different from the others. Just as he starts to fall for her, she pulls away, leaving him more confused than ever. He knows that if he's going to get her back, he'll have to uncover the secret of this beach and the girls who live here.






Title: Archetype
   Author: M.D. Waters
   Format: Hardback
   Release Date: February 6th, 2014

     Introducing a breathtakingly inventive futuristic suspense novel about one woman who rebels against everything she is told to believe.

     Emma wakes in a hospital, with no memory of what came before. Her husband, Declan, a powerful, seductive man, provides her with new memories, but her dreams contradict his stories, showing her a past life she can’t believe possible: memories of war, of a camp where girls are trained to be wives, of love for another man. Something inside her tells her not to speak of this, but she does not know why. She only knows she is at war with herself.

     Suppressing those dreams during daylight hours, Emma lets Declan mold her into a happily married woman and begins to fall in love with him. But the day Noah stands before her, the line between her reality and dreams shatters.

     In a future where women are a rare commodity, Emma fights for freedom but is held captive by the love of two men—one her husband, the other her worst enemy. If only she could remember which is which. . . .

     The first novel in a two-part series, Archetype heralds the arrival of a truly memorable character—and the talented author who created her.






Title: Prince of Shadows
   Author: Rachel Caine
   Format: Hardback
   Release Date: February 4th, 2014

     A thrilling retelling of the star-crossed tale of Romeo and Juliet, from the New York Times bestselling author of the Morganville Vampires series.

     In the Houses of Montague and Capulet, there is only one goal: power. The boys are born to fight and die for honor and—if they survive—marry for influence and money, not love. The girls are assets, to be spent wisely. Their wishes are of no import. Their fates are written on the day they are born.

     Benvolio Montague, cousin to Romeo, knows all this. He expects to die for his cousin, for his house, but a spark of rebellion still lives inside him. At night, he is the Prince of Shadows, the greatest thief in Verona—and he risks all as he steals from House Capulet. In doing so, he sets eyes on convent-bound Rosaline, and a terrible curse begins that will claim the lives of many in Verona…

     …And will rewrite all their fates, forever.
 
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