Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday: Beauty by Nancy Ohlin

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. It spotlights books that have not yet been released, but ones that you should pre-order today! This week's book that we are anxiously awaiting is BEAUTY by Nancy Ohlin.  BEAUTY releases on May 7, 2013 from Simon Pulse.

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Looks to kill for...

Ana is nothing like her glamorous mother, Queen Veda, whose hair is black as ravens and whose lips are red as roses. Alas, Queen Veda loathes anyone whose beauty dares to rival her own—including her daughter.

And despite Ana’s attempts to be plain to earn her mother’s affection,
she’s sent away to the kingdom’s exclusive boarding school.

At the Academy, Ana is devastated when her only friend abandons her for the popular girls. Isolated and alone, Ana resolves to look like a true princess to earn the acceptance she desires.

But when she uncovers the dangerous secret that makes all of the girls at the Academy so gorgeous, just how far will Ana go to fit in?
 
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First off....Cover LOVE!!!!  I think this cover is gorgeous!  The sweeping dress is beautiful, and I love the single rose that is so deep it looks almost black.  Ohhhh...the symbolism!
 
This sounds kind of like Snow White to me in a way, and I love fairy tale retellings, so if it is, Yay!  But then, it also sounds a little like Cinderella--being plain to not anger her mother.  Maybe its a mixture of many fairy tales.  Either way, I love the mystery surroundind the boarding school; and I'm a sucker for powerful women villains.  So, Go Queen Veda Go!!  If only May weren't so far away!
 
What are you waiting on?

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

JLA Come to Austin Pleeeease! :D

This is old news for those of you who have been following the YA Sisterhood, but...

WE LOVE JENNIFER. L. ARMENTROUT!

And for the OPAL Tour, Entangled is running a contest to let the readers decide where the Release Party should be. And we think it should be in Austin, TX! There are so many reasons-- for one, Austin is a great book town and there are so many bloggers here! And there are EVEN MORE Bloggers across Texas who might be able to travel for the event since Austin is centrally located. Austin is also a great town-- good food, good music, good people. AND... JLA hasn't been to Texas yet, and we're all DYING to meet her. If that spiel wasn't enough to convince you, perhaps this video will. 

WARNING: We are technologically deficient, but we did the best we could. No Daemons were harmed in the making of this video.

Also, thanks to Ana for your assistance! :)






If you think that the OPAL Release Party should be in Austin, post on your blog too (and then let Entangled and JLA know)! Tweet about it to Entangled! Spread the word to every one you know! 

Monday, October 29, 2012

DEITY by Jennifer L. Armentrout Blog Tour, Interview & Giveaways


Welcome, welcome, welcome to the DEITY blog tour!  Deity is book 3 in Jennifer L. Armentrout's COVENANT Series.  And, I will boldy proclaim that 'yes, this book is the best JLA book yet!'  Also, one of the best books I've ever read, EVER!!!  I read this book a few months back, and I still am in the process of picking my jaw up off the ground. 

While we were at ALA, Baby Sister Britt read it the first night night we were there.  She proceeded to shreak, squeal and basically pass out right in front of us until middle sis, Jen and I almost locked her in the bathroom.  We wouldn't allow her to say one word to us about the book, so she had to go fan-girl to her computer.  The post under this one is the review/fan-girl session she had that 1st night at ALA.  The review is perfect and says everything that we would dream of saying about this book, so be sure to scroll down and read it!  And, preorder DEITY ASAP!!! AMAZON | BARNES AND NOBLE

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INTERVIEW WITH JENNIFER L. ARMENTROUT


YA Sisterhood: In the past we've when given the opportunity to host an interview on a blog tour, we've always chosen book characters. On this blog tour, we decided that we wanted to get to know you better! You know that you are our favorite author, and all 3 of us are in complete awe of you! We're not really sure how it is possible that The Covenant series and the Lux series both came from your amazing mind! Seriously, we're blown away every time we think about it!
Jennifer: Aw, thank you so much! I'm so glad to be here. And I'm pretty much in awe of you gals!

YA Sisterhood:  **Blushes** Thank you!  Okay first off, when did you know that you wanted to pursue writing? Was there a particular ah-ha moment or was it something you just always knew?

Jennifer: As cliche as it sounds, I always wanted to be a writer. I started off when I was wee little and wrote my first book in the 8th/9th grade, but it wasn't until 2007 that I decided I wanted to pursue it seriously. I'm not sure what the changing point was. I think it was more of put your money where your mouth is.

YA Sisterhood: Everyone knows that you are super woman when it comes to how many books you write in a year! Generally, how long does it take you write your first draft?
Jennifer: Ha. Depends. Sometimes it can take two weeks. The shortest was seven days and that was Obsidian. On average it is about a month give or take a week.

YA Sisterhood:  When you are writing, where is your (as Happy Gilmore would say) your "Happy Place"?
Jennifer:  Any place where I'm not being bothered is my happy place. 



YA Sisterhood:  With 3 kids, I would say that is my happy place too!  Since you are the hands down QUEEN of creating crush-worthy boys, we are all dying to know if you have based them on anyone that you know? (if yes, can you please give us his address! :D)
Jennifer:  Haha. No. I don't know anyone like the guys I write. Though, that would be really sweet, wouldn't it?


YA Sisterhood:  Bummer! A girl can always hope though right? Can you tell us about how you got the idea for the Covenant Series?
Jennifer:  I've always been interested in Greek Mythology, but I didn't want to retell a myth. When I started writing Half-Blood in 2007, I was really into reading adult books and I loved how kickass the heroines could be in those books--fighting, standing toe to toe with the guys--and I wanted my character to be like that. So I took the myth of demigods and stretched it to the children of demigods and based their social structure on ancient Greece and their stratified society. 


YA Sisterhood:  We are so thankful you did!  We can't imagine our lives without Alex, Aiden and Seith now!  Now onto some personal questions, (if you don't mind).
What is something that you have done that you have never told your parents?
Jennifer:  Oh wow. I'd have to pick just one thing?


YA Sisterhood:  What is in your refrigerator right now?
Jennifer:  Soda. Cheese. Milk. Eggs. Pumpkin Pie. I need to go grocery shopping.
YA Sisterhood:  If you could be ANY fictional character who would you be?
Jennifer:  Kaylee from Soul Screamers.

YA Sisterhood:  Oh, great choice!  What is something you would NEVER do?
Jennifer:  Sky diving. I have a problem with jumping out of a fully functional plane for no reason.

YA Sisterhood:  Oh man, me either!  And lastly, just because I want to know, which of your fictional boys would you date? Are you more of an Aiden type girl or Seth (or maybe Daemon type girl)?
Jennifer:  I think I'd probably be a Seth/Daemon type, because I like the snarky humor, but I would want an Aiden. 

YA Sisterhood:  You are definitely in our club then!!! Give us the snarky!!!
Thank you so much letting us invade your privacy today, Jen!!! You stinkin' rock our faces off!!!!!!
Jennifer: Thank you so much for having me!


DON'T FORGET TO JOIN THE TWITTER PARTY ON NOVEMBER 2ND. GET ALL THE DETAILS AND ENTER ANOTHER AWAY HERE!

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GIVEAWAYS

This 1st one is the Grande Prize Giveaway from Spencer Hill which includes a grande prize of a $25 Amazon gift card and the prize packs include DEITY, a t-shirt and swag.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This is the US only giveaway:

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This is the international giveaway:


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A HUGE THANK YOU TO VALERIE FROM STUCK IN BOOKS FOR PUTTING THIS AMAZING TOUR TOGETHER!  YOU ROCK FRIEND!!!

DEITY by Jennifer L. Armentrout


Deity by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Reviewed by: Baby Sister Brittany
The Sisters Say: Delicious. Delightful. TO DIE FOR. 



"History is on repeat, and things didn't go so well the last time. "


Alexandria isn't sure she's going to make it to her eighteenth birthday--to her Awakening. A long-forgotten, fanatical order is out to kill her, and if the Council ever discovers what she did in the Catskills, she's a goner... and so is Aiden. 
If that's not freaky enough, whenever Alex and Seth spend time "training"--which really is just Seth's code word for some up-close and personal one-on-one time--she ends up with another mark of the Apollyon, which brings her one step closer to Awakening ahead of schedule. Awesome. 
But as her birthday draws near, her entire world shatters with a startling revelation and she's caught between love and Fate. One will do anything to protect her. One has been lying to her since the beginning. Once the gods have revealed themselves, unleashing their wrath, lives will be irrevocably changed... and destroyed. 
Those left standing will discover if love is truly greater than Fate...




OOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHH MMMMYYYY LLLLOOOORRRRDDDDD…… Deity.

I’ll try to keep this review spoiler-free. But that means it may be a whole lot of what you see above. J

I received an ARC of Deity at ALA Annual. I received so many amazing ARCS that week courtesy of so many amazing publishers, but the very first ARC I picked up to read was DEITY.

And do you know what?

BEST. CHOICE. EVER.

I am in awe of this book and of Jennifer L. Armentrout.

Those of you who have been around the blog for a while, know our love for JLA. We adore each of Jennifer’s books. But DEITY might be the best one of them all! 

This book has everything you could possibly want—romance, action, suspense, and some killer plot twists. And beyond that—Jenn has a gift for writing compelling and interesting characters that we can’t help but adore.

Alex is as awesome as always—witty and strong and passionate. And in this book—she’s dealing with some pretty heavy things, namely the prospect of Awakening and what that means for her. Will she lose her own identity and will? Can she trust her own emotions about Seth or is that a by-product of the bond? She’s dealing with the fallout from that certain death in PURE, and there’s the entire situation with Aiden. Girl has got A LOT going on. It’s so fascinating to watch the way she handles these complex situations. Sometimes she’s her normal, bad A self. Other times there’s a vulnerability that we haven’t gotten to see from her very much so far.

I feel like DEITY is a book of breaking points.

There’s so much tension in this series—both relationship and plot based. And in Deity—several things (ahhh… soo vague :D) reach that point where they cannot be ignored any longer. They must be dealt with. And that sets events in motion that will keep your eyes glued to this book until it’s over.

So many HUGE things happen in this book that there is definitely NO GOING BACK. Not for Alex. Not for Aiden. Not for Seth. Not for any Pures or Halfbloods.

Seriously.

There’s no other way to tell you how epic this book is except to say that EVERYTHING CHANGES.

JLA is definitely not resting on her laurels with this one. She doesn’t pull any punches. There are twists and emotional upheavals and moments that will make you scream (in excitement, fear, and surprise—sometimes all three at once).

One of my favorite things about this book (besides Alex, Aiden, and Seth) was that we get to know the gods so much more in this installment. I won’t tell you which gods we get to meet, but there are several, and each one is pretty freaking awesome.

Like I said earlier—JLA is a master of tension, especially of the sexual variety. And this book is no exception. And just when you think you’re going to get a break, something crazy happens that ratchets up the tension even more.

I was on the edge of my seat for this book, and when I wasn’t reading, it was all I could think about.

I’m struggling to further express my love for this book without giving any spoilers away.

So I’ll leave with a couple bold, but vague statements.

1. DEITY IS THE BEST JLA BOOK SO FAR! Yep. I said it. I LOVED IT THAT MUCH.

2. DEITY IS THE BEST BOOK I’VE READ IN MONTHS. POSSIBLY ALL YEAR.

3. DEITY HAS A TWIST IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BOOK THAT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND. I’M TALKING EPIC PROPORTIONS HERE.

4. DEITY HAS SEXY TIMES. (that’s all I’m saying about that. I know some of you are like WHAT? Sexy times and it’s NUMBER FOUR on your list? :D )

5. OBVIOUSLY, WE’RE ONLY ON BOOK THREE OF THIS SERIES, BUT I’M GOING TO GO OUT ON A LIMB AND SAY IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE MY NEW FAVORITE SERIES, SECOND ONLY TO HARRY POTTER, WHICH IS MORE LIKE A LIFESTYLE ANYWAY.

Have I convinced you yet? Are you salivating over this book? Screaming because you don’t have it?

Good. :D

Jennifer L. Armentrout’s books are best served with a side of tension anyway.


Friday, October 26, 2012

Cover Reveal: Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins

Today we have the extreme pleasure of helping reveal the cover for Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins!  Sweet Peril is book 2 in her Sweet Series, with Sweet Evil being book 1.

The YA Sisterhood loved, loved, loved Sweet Evil, and we cannot wait to read Sweet Peril!  We are dying for more Kaidan--as I'm sure many are considering how many nominations he got for the YA Crush Tourney this summer!  Sweet Evil had only been out for a few months, and Kaidan made the tourney!  That's amazing!!!

Sweet Peril will be released April 30, 2013
Book 3, Sweet Reckoning, is slated for spring/summer 2014


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Never read Sweet Evil?  Check out what it's about:

 

Embrace the Forbidden

What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences?

This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels.

Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She's aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but Anna, the ultimate good girl, has always had the advantage of her angel side to balance the darkness within. It isn't until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage and her willpower is put to the test. He's the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?
 
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So...without further ado!!!!
 
 
 
Anna Whitt, daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, promised herself she’d never do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such a claim. She’d been naive about a lot of things.

Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means embracing her dark side and earning an unwanted reputation as her school’s party girl. Her life has never looked more bleak. And all the while there’s Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart and mind.

When an unexpected lost message from the angels surfaces, Anna finds herself traveling the globe with Kopano, son of Wrath, in an attempt to gain support of fellow Nephilim and give them hope for the first time. It soon becomes clear that whatever freedoms Anna and the rest of the Neph are hoping to win will not be gained without a fight. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and face the ultimate question: is loving someone worth risking their life?
 
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Isn't it gorgeous?  I love the look of the sky in this cover---the orangy-red and black!  I'm betting its symbolic of the turmoil that Anna and Kaidan are going to go through!  Oh...the angst!  I can't wait!
 
Well, there it is!  I hope you like it!
 
Let us know what you think in the comments!!!
 
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Author Bio:
Wendy Higgins was born in Alaska, grew up an Army brat, and lived all over the United States before settling in the Washington, DC area. She attended George Mason University for her undergrad degree in creative writing, and Radford University for her masters in curriculum and instruction. Wendy taught 9th and 12th grade English in a rural school before becoming a mother and author. She now lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, daughter, and son. Sweet Peril is her second novel.
 
 
 
Links:

Wendy Higgins on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Wendy_Higgins
Character Kaidan Rowe on Twitter: https://twitter.com/KaidanRowe
 


Thursday, October 25, 2012

Blog Tour: Conjure by Lea Nolan

 
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Lea Nolan couldn’t read until the third grade. After a lot of hard work she finally got the hang of it and devoured any book she could find with a shiny Newberry Award sticker on the cover. Today she writes the stories she sought as a teen—smart paranormals with bright heroines, crazy-hot heroes, diabolical plot twists, plus a dose of magic, a draft of romance and a sprinkle of history. She holds degrees in history and women’s studies concentrating in public policy and lives with her heroically supportive husband and three brilliant children in Maryland.

Social Media links:
Website: http://www.leanolan.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lea_Nolan
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheHoodooApprentice
Group blog: http://honestlyya.blogspot.com/
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Conjure by Lea Nolan
eARC received from Entangled Publishing
Release Date:  Available Now
Reviewed by:  Middle Sis Jenn
Be careful what you search for...

Emma Guthrie expects this summer to be like any other in the South Carolina Lowcountry--hot and steamy with plenty of beach time alongside her best friend and secret crush, Cooper Beaumont, and Emma’s ever-present twin brother, Jack. But then a mysterious eighteenth-century message in a bottle surfaces, revealing a hidden pirate bounty. Lured by the adventure, the trio discovers the treasure and unwittingly unleashes an ancient Gullah curse that attacks Jack with the wicked flesh-eating Creep and promises to steal Cooper’s soul on his approaching sixteenth birthday.

When a strange girl appears, bent on revenge; demon dogs become a threat; and Jack turns into a walking skeleton; Emma has no choice but to learn hoodoo magic to undo the hex, all before summer—and her friends--are lost forever.
“Only white magic can fight black.  Just like only light can defeat darkness.”
Curses.
Larceny.
Spells.
Impromptu make-out sessions.
These are just a few of the things you will run in to while reading Lea Nolan’s Conjure.  Emma, Jack, and Cooper are spending the summer on the perfect island setting—beautiful beaches, crashing waves, ancient ruins.  It’s the perfect vacation, especially since Emma is head over heels for her brother’s best friend, Cooper.  The summer is the perfect time for her to get a little closer to him.  However, their perfect summer vacation is shattered when Jack becomes obsessed with finding pirate treasure, and in the course of his search, unleashes a terrible curse upon himself. 
I enjoyed the idea of this book—the pirate treasure, the curse, and the magic to reverse it.  The book starts out with a bang when the three of them find a message in a bottle at the beach.  From that moment, Emma keeps getting the willies.  I liked how honest Emma was, and I loved how she would sketch in order to play out her hopes and frustrations.  I did bother me a bit that she was so young (14), and I felt that her immaturity played into the fact that the three of them keep getting deeper and deeper into trouble. 
My favorite part of this book was the minor characters, Miss Delia and Maggie.  Miss Delia was strong and confident, and I liked that there was an air of mystery surrounding her.  She becomes Emma’s teacher, and I felt like Emma was much more mature when she was around her.  I liked that Emma much more than the Emma around Jack and Cooper.  And then Maggie—I loved that you couldn’t guess what her motives were.  Is she good or evil?  I had absolutely no idea, and that made it so much better!  I mean, you get very little information about her, and the entire book, I kept asking myself, “Who is she?”  I really liked that her character was unpredictable.
As for the major characters—Emma, Jack, and Cooper; they were interesting in their own right, but there was nothing stand-out about them.   Jack was the most annoying character I’ve ever read—and I know that it is supposed to be that way to show his obsession, but I got to the point where I just wanted to skip over him every time he opened his mouth.  It got so bad that I actually w
ished the Creep would explode his entire body.  Again, I believe this was intentional, it just still annoyed me.  And then we have Cooper—hottie.  I liked Cooper—he was sweet and endearing, and I felt like he really cared for Emma and Jack.  I think lots of readers will really like him, but I wish he would have done something to make himself stand out more.  However, even if Emma and Cooper didn’t blow me away, I did enjoy their romance.  You want a sneak peak, don’t you?  Why not…
“The only thing that keeps me from collapsing back onto the sand are his strong hands that reach to caress my back.  I melt, consumed by the electric inferno building in my belly.  ‘You’re amazing,’ he whispers, ‘Kissing you is better than I imagined.’”
Overall, this story was cute and unique, although slow.  There were some great moments, like when Emma and Cooper must steal and important artifact, or when Emma and Cooper kiss for the first time; but I felt like the parts between lagged with unnecessary details.
I recommend this to readers who want something different (hoodoo, curses, pirates), and who don’t mind reading through slow parts to get to the action-packed and steamy moments.
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Want to purchase Conjure?  Use the following sites.
 



Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday: Spellcaster by Claudia Gray

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. It spotlights books that have not yet been released, but ones that you should pre-order today! This week's book that we are anxiously awaiting is SPELLCASTER by Claudia Gray.  SPELLCASTER releases on March 5, 2013 from Harper Teen.

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When Nadia’s family moves to Captive’s Sound, she instantly realizes there’s more to it than meets the eye. Descended from witches, Nadia senses a dark and powerful magic at work in her new town. Mateo has lived in Captive’s Sound his entire life, trying to dodge the local legend that his family is cursed - and that curse will cause him to believe he’s seeing the future … until it drives him mad. When the strange dreams Mateo has been having of rescuing a beautiful girl—Nadia—from a car accident come true, he knows he’s doomed.

Despite the forces pulling them apart, Nadia and Mateo must work together to break the chains of his family’s terrible curse, and to prevent a disaster that threatens the lives of everyone around them. Shimmering with magic and mystery, New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray’s new novel is sure to draw fans of the Hex Hall and Caster Chronicles series, and fans of the hit CW TV show The Secret Circle.
 
 
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Witches.
Curses.
Accidents.
Disasters.
Claudia Gray.
What more you could want?  I'm really looking forward to this one!  Claudia definitely knows how to write swooon-worthy guys, and I'm sure that Mateo will have his moments!  Plus, there are not enough books that focus on the paranormal aspect of witches.  Most books that have witches also have vampires or werewolves or some other mythical creature that the story centers around, so it will be nice to read one where witches are the focus. 
 
If you haven't read Claudia's other books, the Evernight Series and Balthazar, you should check them out!
 
What are you waiting on?

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Cover Reveal and Giveaway: Shadow of the Mark by Leigh Fallon

Hey everyone!  Today is a great day because today we get to reveal Leigh Fallon's cover for Shadow of the Mark, the second book in her Carrier Trilogy.  The cover is absolutely gorgeous, and we know you will love it just as much as we do!!! 

Before we start talking about Leigh and her series and reveal the cover, let me thank Leigh and HarperTeen for allowing us to be a part of this cover reveal. 

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I started out life in South Africa. A year later
my parents moved home to Dublin, Ireland. When I was older and realized my
parents had moved me from exotic Durban, to sedate Rathfarnham, Dublin 16, I
was rightly ticked off.

Giving up lions for sheep, I grew up in the foothills of
the Dublin Mountains where I went to a convent school and had to contend with
uniforms, gabardines, and nuns. When not dodging the beady glare of  
the Sisters
of Mercy, I was devouring every book I could get my hands on.

I traveled all over Europe while working in banking and
treasury, but I gave up my calculator in favor of a keyboard and haven?t
stopped writing since. My first book, Carrier of the Mark, was published by
HarperTeen in 2011.

Our home is in Cork in the south of Ireland, but we?re currently on loan
to Massachusetts in the US where I continue to write books about  
magic, ghosts,
and romance, with a bit of Irish flavor.
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The Carrier Trilogy
Book 1
Carrier of the Mark

Their love was meant to be.

When Megan Rosenberg moves to Ireland, everything in her life seems to fall into place. After growing up in America, she's surprised to find herself feeling at home in her new school. She connects with a group of friends, and she is instantly drawn to darkly handsome Adam DeRÍs.

But Megan is about to discover that her feelings for Adam are tied to a fate that was sealed long ago—and that the passion and power that brought them together could be their ultimate destruction.

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Okay, so reasons why you should read this book if you have not already:
1.) It's set in Ireland--Home of leprechauns, Guinness, and hot boys with accents!
2.) Adam DeRIs--hottie!
3.) The mystery of fate
4.) Gorgeous cover!

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Okay...it's that time!
The Carrier Trilogy Book 2
Shadow of the Mark

Life for Megan Rosenberg just got a lot more complicated.

While she evoked the air element, and her feelings for Adam intensified, a web of lies, deceit, and betrayal was spun around her. With the Order tightening its hold, and the reinstatement of the Mark Knights, Megan has more questions than answers as the Marked Ones grow in strength.

New people arouse suspicion, the DeRises start behaving strangely, and Megan begins to unravel a destiny shrouded in mystery. It’s a destiny the Order has struggled to hide, and a destiny someone from the past… far in the past, has already laid claim to.

Alliances will be made, and friends will be lost, as the Order’s dark secrets are revealed by the very thing they sought to destroy.

About the cover (from Leigh)

I know, there's no mistaking it. This is definitely a Carrier Series  
cover, but that was the intention. After the amazing reception to the
cover of Carrier of the Mark, HarperCollins wanted Shadow's cover to  
be instantly recognizable. And it is, but the new darker color palette 
  reflects the darker tone that this installment brings, and the pink  
and purple really make it pop. I love it and think HarperCollins have  
done another amazing job. I hope you like it too.

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So, what do you think?  I love it!  I love that it echoes the original cover, only with color changes and it's a little more full with the dress.  It's commanding and ethereal, and I'm guessing the darker palette is going to be symbolic of the trials and tribulations that are to come in book 2! 

Thanks for stopping by, and don' forget to use the links below to pre-order it now!

Also, don't forget to enter the giveaway!!  There are some absolutely amazing prizes, including an ARC of Shadow of the Mark!


Links
Pre-order on Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Mark-Leigh-Fallon/dp/0062128000/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1350828346&sr=1-1&keywords=shadow+of+the+mark+by+leigh+fallon

My website
http://www.leighfallon.com




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Monday, October 22, 2012

Harper Spotlight: The Peculiar by Stefan Bachmann

Looking for an amazing MG read?
 
Check out The Peculiar by Stefan Bachman!
 
 
Don't get yourself noticed and you won't get yourself hanged.

In the faery slums of Bath, Bartholomew Kettle and his sister Hettie live by these words. Bartholomew and Hettie are changelings--Peculiars--and neither faeries nor humans want anything to do with them.

One day a mysterious lady in a plum-colored dress comes gliding down Old Crow Alley. Bartholomew watches her through his window. Who is she? What does she want? And when Bartholomew witnesses the lady whisking away, in a whirling ring of feathers, the boy who lives across the alley--Bartholomew forgets the rules and gets himself noticed.

First he's noticed by the lady in plum herself, then by something darkly magical and mysterious, by Jack Box and the Raggedy Man, by the powerful Mr. Lickerish . . . and by Arthur Jelliby, a young man trying to slip through the world unnoticed, too, and who, against all odds, offers Bartholomew friendship and a way to belong.

Part murder mystery, part gothic fantasy, part steampunk adventure, "The Peculiar" is Stefan Bachmann's riveting, inventive, and unforgettable debut novel.
 
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This MG book was written by the 18 year old writer and musical talent, Stefan Bachmann.  Don't forget to read a sample and hear Stefan's original score written for The Peculiar here.
 

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Harper Spotlight: Pre-Order Roar and Liv!

Before Perry and Aria, there was Roar and Liv.

After a childhood spent wandering the borderlands, Roar finally feels like he has a home with the Tides. His best friend Perry is like a brother to him, and Perry's sister, Liv, is the love of his life. But Perry and Liv's unpredictable older brother, Vale, is the Blood Lord of the Tides, and he has never looked kindly on Roar and Liv's union. Normally, Roar couldn't care less about Vale's opinion. But with food running low and conditions worsening every day, Vale's leadership is more vital—and more brutal—than ever. Desperate to protect his tribe, Vale makes a decision that will shatter the life Roar knew and change the fate of the Tides forever.

Set in the harsh but often beautiful world of Veronica Rossi's "unforgettable" Under the Never Sky (Examiner.com), this captivating prequel novella stands on its own for new readers and offers series fans a fascinating look into the character of Roar. Poignant and powerful, Roar and Liv is a love story that will "capture your imagination and your heart." (Justine on Under the Never Sky)


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If you are like the YA Sisterhood, then you are a HUGE fan of Under the Never Sky and Veronica Rossi.  Brittany and I have met Veronica, and let me tell you, she's as awesome as her book!  Through the Ever Night (Book 2) comes out in January, and we have been pining away for it--which I am sure you have, too.  So what crazy luck is it that Veronica's novella, Roar and Liv, comes out on October 30th.  It's Veronica's present to us--a little more insight into this dystopian world.  And what perfect timing--hopefully it will quench our thirst for a little while before the next book comes out!
 
So....want to read Roar and Liv?  Then PreOrder it Now!!!

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Check out What's New at EpicReads!!

Hey everyone!

So, I have a confession to make.  I have recently become obsessed with EpicReads.  I have a tendency to go there every day to check on new contests, book trailers, etc.  And then while I'm there, I end up checking out Pitch Dark and Story Crush--because, I'm slightly obsessed there, too.

Okay, so, confession--check.

Now...EpicReads Contests:

Signed Shatter Me Giveaway!  You can enter to win a signed hardcover (original cover) of Shatter Me, plus a copy of the new paperback version!  There are 20 winners!!

 
If you've read this book, then you exactly why you should enter!  If not, then I command you to run to the bookstore and purchase it!  It is a fantastic romantic dystopian, and once you read it, your life will forever be changed!  At least mine was!  Now I might Twitter stalk Tahereh....might.
 
All Hallows Read Giveaway!  You can enter to win a prize pack with multiple books! 
 
 
I have only read Sweet Evil and Masque of the Red Death from this stack of prize books, and those were some of the Best of 2012!  I love, love, love them!  And I have heard good things about the other books!
 
So, go check out EpicReads to see what's new!!!!  But be careful, or you might become obsessed like me.


Thursday, October 18, 2012

Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake


Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake
ARC received by Tor Teen via ALA
Release Date:  On Shelves Now
Reviewed by:  Middle Sis Jenn
The Sisters Say: A gritty tale of ghosts and gore
It's been months since the ghost of Anna Korlov opened a door to Hell in her basement and disappeared into it, but ghost-hunter Cas Lowood can't move on.

His friends remind him that Anna sacrificed herself so that Cas could live—not walk around half dead. He knows they're right, but in Cas's eyes, no living girl he meets can compare to the dead girl he fell in love with.


Now he's seeing Anna everywhere: sometimes when he's asleep and sometimes in waking nightmares. But something is very wrong...these aren't just daydreams. Anna seems tortured, torn apart in new and ever more gruesome ways every time she appears.


Cas doesn't know what happened to Anna when she disappeared into Hell, but he knows she doesn't deserve whatever is happening to her now. Anna saved Cas more than once, and it's time for him to return the favor.

“This place is the thing behind madness.  There is nothing good here.  Off the map.  If you eat frustration it chokes you.  This place exists in the wake of a scream.”  ARC, pg. 286

Grotesque and gorgeous, Kendare’s writing will drag you, kicking and screaming, into a world of ghouls and goblins; a world where evil lurks inside the shadows and death is only the beginning.  She will plunge you head first into her hell, and if you make your way out, there will be blood on your hands.  Kendare knows horror, and she doesn’t hold back—so prepare yourself for the ride of your life.

If you’ve read my review of Anna, then you know that I don’t do horror stories.  Nope.  Never.  You can paint a sign that says “Big wuss,” and point it at me, and I won’t take offense.  Because it’s the truth!  But, I took a chance on Anna, and I am so glad I did.  I loved her story, from the first meeting in the Victorian house all the way to hell.  Anna, in all her splendid gore, swept me away.  So, naturally, I went straight for the sequel, and I’m so glad I did!

While I didn’t like it as much as the first book (and I’ll explain why later), I still found myself loving this world.  I love how the world of the living and the world of the dead coexist side by side, like spoons in a drawer.  You can’t touch one without disturbing the other.  Cas understands this, but he is still willing to go to hell and back to save Anna.  And that is why I love him so much!

In GoN, you can see bits and pieces of Cas start to flake away as he falls deeper into despair over Anna.  He keeps seeing horrible visions of her, and all he wants to do is save her, like she saved him.  But, in order to do that, he must put the lives of himself and his friends in the crosshairs.  Cas is such a great hero, and I loved going on this quest with him.

And of course, you couldn’t have a great story without the Scooby gang—Thomas and Carmel.  We see Thomas break out of his mold in this book, coming to grips with his power, and learning to harness it for good.  Yet, he was still the same bashful, quirky guy that is such great comic relief.  I will admit, I got frustrated at times with Carmel in this book because I felt she was being selfish.  Now I completely understand her decisions, but I felt like she flaked when she should have been stronger.

Kendare’s writing was brilliant.  There were no loose ends, and no times when I felt like something was off.  Once I entered her world, I was caught up in it, and I could not put the book down.  I just had to know how it all ended!  I love Kendare’s writing style—I’ll call it grotesque poetry.  She knows exactly when the story needs a splash of blood and exactly when it needs a sympathetic word.  Have you ever read a quote and felt the need to close your eyes and just think on it because it was just so great?  I found myself doing that quite often (ex 1:  the quote I started the review with).  I’ll say it again, her writing style is brilliant.  BRILLIANT!

Okay…so, why did I like the first book better?  One word:  Anna.  This was the first series where my favorite character was the girl mc.  Usually, I love the guy and focus on him.  But, with this book, Anna was the star, and I was disappointed that she didn’t play a bigger role in this novel.  I wanted more scenes with her—even if they were gory because she made the passion and the fear and the danger come to life. 

I also had a slight disappointment with the ending.  It was a good ending, and I understanding why it had to end that way, but a part of me wanted something different.  I won’t tell you anything more; you’ll have to read for yourself!

So, I’ll leave you with a few more of my favorite quotes from the book:

“’We don’t have a choice,’ Thomas says.  ‘The clock ticks.  Caution’s become a luxury.” Pg 218

“But even now I feel the lake over my shoulder, sitting still and sinister as the yawning jaws of a trap.  I must prefer Superior, with her waves and rages.  She doesn’t keep her violence a secret.”  Pg 219  

“She crossed over death to call me.  I crossed through Hell to find her.”  Pg 326

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Waiting on Wednesdsay: Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. It spotlights books that have not yet been released, but ones that you should pre-order today! This week's book that we are anxiously awaiting is MEANT TO BE by Lauren Morrill.  MEANT TO BE releases on November 13, 2012 from Delacorte BFYR.

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Meant to be or not meant to be . . . that is the question.

It's one thing to fall head over heels into a puddle of hazelnut coffee, and quite another to fall for the—gasp—wrong guy. Straight-A junior Julia may be accident prone, but she's queen of following rules and being prepared. That's why she keeps a pencil sharpener in her purse and a pocket Shakespeare in her, well, pocket. And that's also why she's chosen Mark Bixford, her childhood crush, as her MTB ("meant to be").

But this spring break, Julia's rules are about to get defenestrated (SAT word: to be thrown from a window) when she's partnered with her personal nemesis, class-clown Jason, on a school trip to London. After one wild party, Julia starts receiving romantic texts . . . from an unknown number! Jason promises to help discover the identity of her mysterious new suitor if she agrees to break a few rules along the way. And thus begins a wild goose chase through London, leading Julia closer and closer to the biggest surprise of all: true love.

Because sometimes the things you least expect are the most meant to be.
 
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Doesn't this just sound so cute?  I was such a goody-two-shoes in high school, so this book is right up my alley.  Plus, every girl daydreams about that perfect guy!  And, most of the time, we end up falling for the complete opposite.  I love that this book is set in London, and I just know that we are going to be in for some laughs as Julia starts to break out of her mold.  Less than a month until this one is released!!!

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Teaser Tuesday: ELIXIR by Jennifer L. Armentrout


Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading!
To participate all you have to do is:

•Grab your current read
•Open to a random page
•Share "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
(make sure what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)

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I might as well just give up on life now and go sit at Jennifer L. Armentrout's feet to beg from scraps of her books!  EVERYTHING, I mean EVERYTHING she writes just blowI moved so fast s me away!!!  I've had so many amazing things to say about her, that my words are exhausted!  There are literally no more words left to express how much I LOVE JLA'S books!  So, to have Elixir is my hands or more correctly in my kindle, I am giddy and overcome with excitement!  Let me tell you something else, it is UNPARALELLED to be inside Aiden's head!  I cannot wait for everyone to read this!  But in the meanwhile, I will give you a little teaser... (now which to choose...there are so many good ones)

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"I moved so fast I startled her.  My hands shot through the bars, clasping the sides of her face.  My forehead pressed against the cold bars and my lips were on hers.  The kiss was hard and fast.  Angry.  Desperate.  She went still, unsure how to respond.  Several times in the past forty-eight hours it had been the only way to shut her up." (page 2)

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"Shooting forward, I wrapped my arms around her, clamping her arms to her sides.  Using my weight, I brought her to the floor as carefully as I could, but she thrashed and struggled.  From behind her, I got my legs around her waist and locked them down over hers....

"No! No!" She screamed over and over, each word a punch straight to my heart. "No! No!"

Pressing my cheek again hers, I forced her head back.  "I'm sorry, Alex, I'm so sorry." (page 38)

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Elixir (Covenant, #3.5)



Aiden St. Delphi will do anything to save Alex. Even if it means doing the one thing he will never forgive himself for. 
Even if it means making war against the gods.








**Elixir will be available for a free download on Spencer Hill's site in November.  You can also pre-order a print copy through Amazon and Barnes and Noble.**