In the Best Worlds

Graffiti Moon - Cath Crowley

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:36:38 -0600

Synopsis: Senior year is over, and Lucy has the perfect way to celebrate: tonight, she’s going to find Shadow, the mysterious graffiti artist whose work appears all over the city. He’s out there somewhere—spraying color, spraying birds and blue sky on the night—and Lucy knows a guy who paints like Shadow is someone she could fall for. Really fall for. Instead, Lucy’s stuck at a party with Ed, the guy she’s managed to avoid since the most awkward date of her life. But when Ed tells her he knows where to find Shadow, they’re suddenly on an all-night search around the city. And what Lucy can’t see is the one thing that’s right before her eyes. (From Goodreads)

I have so much love in my heart for Graffiti Moon. Everything about it was just so perfectly executed. It takes place in one night and its one of those nights that you always wish you had, or if you did have a night like this, it lives on repeat in your memory. Not because it was extraordinary (even though this night could probably be considered extraordinary) but because it marked a transition from one chapter of your life to another. This is about one of those nights where you are celebrating the end to something major, and you find all the ways you’ve been changing over time, suddenly colliding and confronting.

Continue reading this review.

January Top 5

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:18:00 -0600

Every month I pick out the top five books I read that month. This month was completely full of awesome books - both new releases and older books. You can see the whole list of books I read by clicking on my “Read in 2012” tab. I read so much this month and this list was a little difficult to generate. A couple, like Under the Never Sky, were no-brainers, but others had to beat out competition. So here’s my top five, most awesome reads from January.

1. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

I finished this book almost a week ago and I haven’t been able to read. It was that amazing. I was afraid it would be disappointing after it was so hyped up, but it exceeded every expectation I had. If it wasn’t only January and if I wasn’t an optimist, I’d say this is the best book I’ll read all year.

2. Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer

A heartbreaking end to a heartbreaking series. I’m going to miss Calla and the pack so much. Check out my review here.

3. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

I didn’t really know a lot going into this book, but it looked adorable. Plus, I’ll probably pick up any book with an English boy. Anyways this turned out to be so wonderful. It had great literary layers that I didn’t expect. Read my review here.

4. Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

I finally got around to reading Angelfire and it was fabulous. I had so many Buffy flashbacks while reading this book, so naturally I freaking loved it. Ellie is like a ninja and then she has the angel version of Batman to back her up. How do you not love that? Read my review here.

5. Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

I just wish I was friends with Clara. And Tucker. And even Christian. I have so much love for these characters - they kind of are friends (she says without trying to sound like she doesn’t have real friends…I do, I swear). I laughed and sobbed my way through this book and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Clara. Read my review here.

And because I can’t help myself: the Honorable Mention:

Past Perfect by Leila Sales

Just because it made me so happy.

What were your top reads this month?

The Way We Fall - Megan Crewe

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:01:17 -0600

My review of The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe is up!

Synopsis: It starts with an itch you just can’t shake. Then comes a fever and a tickle in your throat. A few days later, you’ll be blabbing your secrets and chatting with strangers like they’re old friends. Three more, and the paranoid hallucinations kick in. And then you’re dead. When a deadly virus begins to sweep through sixteen-year-old Kaelyn’s community, the government quarantines her island—no one can leave, and no one can come back. Those still healthy must fight for dwindling supplies, or lose all chance of survival. As everything familiar comes crashing down, Kaelyn joins forces with a former rival and discovers a new love in the midst of heartbreak. When the virus starts to rob her of friends and family, she clings to the belief that there must be a way to save the people she holds dearest. Because how will she go on if there isn’t? (From Goodreads)

Check out my review HERE!

Hello gorgeous. It’s the cover review for City of Lost...

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 13:26:00 -0600

Hello gorgeous. It’s the cover review for City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare! Swoon. Read the article AND the prologue here! The book will be released on May 8!

New Releases This Week

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 11:38:00 -0600

Happy New Year! It’s 2012 - which means if the Mayans were right, you better read while you can! If the Mayans aren’t right, then it’s still going to be a fantastic year of reading. Starting with the fabulous books out this week.

Sunday, January 1

Irises by Francisco X. Stork
The Storyteller by Antonia Michaelis

Monday, January 2

Darkness Falls (Immortal Beloved, 2) by Cate Tiernan

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
The Queen of Kentucky by Alecia Whitaker

Tuesday, January 3

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Tempest by Julie Cross
Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer

Dreaming Awake (Falling Under, 2) by Gwen Hayes

Fracture by Megan Miranda

Switched (Trylle) by Amanda Hocking

Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler

Unraveling Isobel by Eileen Cook

The Alchemy of Forever by Avery Williams
Don’t Breathe a Word by Holy Cupala
Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse by Lucas Klauss

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Looks like an amazing first week of the new year, right? What book are you most excited for?

neil-gaiman: It’s nice to see a New Year’s Wish rendered as a...

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 09:38:37 -0600

neil-gaiman:

It’s nice to see a New Year’s Wish rendered as a poster…

Happy New Year!

Catching Jordan - Miranda Kenneally

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 02:58:24 -0600

I loved Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally so much. It reminded me about all the best things about my senior year in high school. This book is so amazing and it was definitely a hard, wonderful hit on my emotions.

Synopsis: What girl doesn’t want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn’t just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that’s just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there’s a new guy in town who threatens her starting position… suddenly she’s hoping he’ll see her as more than just a teammate.

Read my review HERE!

Perfect Chemistry - Simone Elkeles

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:39:04 -0600

My review of Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles is up! I don’t think I’m as crazy about it the Fuentes brothers as everyone else, but I did thoroughly enjoy this read. It’s great for a swoony kind of romance read - which is what you need sometimes.

Synopsis: When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she’s worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more. In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.

Read my review HERE!

The DUFF - Kody Keplinger

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:33:51 -0600

Check out my review of The DUFF by Kody Keplinger! I love this book - it’s a great contemporary novel about body image, learning to love yourself, loving others, and, most importantly, it’s about friendship. It’s a book that I think every girl can relate to in some way. Plus, it has a fun, cynical narrator that you can’t help but adore.

Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn’t think she’s the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She’s also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her “the Duff,” she throws her Coke in his face.
But things aren’t so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for a distraction. She ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.
Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn’t such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she’s falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone. And eventually, through this realization, Bianca begins to see how harmful her unhealthy way of dealing with her problems has been, and finds a way to confront them head on.

Read my review HERE!

Remembrance - Michelle Madow

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 20:06:00 -0600

Check out my review of Remembrance by Michelle Madow! If you’ve ever fallen in love with a Taylor Swift song - you’ll love this book.

Synopsis: New Hampshire high school junior Lizzie Davenport has been reincarnated from Regency Era, England … but she doesn’t know it yet.
Then Drew Carmichael transfers into Lizzie’s school at the beginning of the year, and she feels a connection to him, almost like she knows him. She can’t stop thinking about him, but whenever she tries talking with him about the mysteries behind her feelings, he makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with her. Reaching him is even more difficult because she has a boyfriend, Jeremy, who has started to become full of himself after being elected co-captain of the varsity soccer team, and her flirtatious best friend Chelsea starts dating Drew soon after his arrival. So why can’t she seem to get him out of her mind?
Even though Lizzie knows she should let go of her fascination with Drew, the pair of them soon find that fighting fate isn’t going to be easy.

Click HERE to read my review!

Top 10 of 2011

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 22:21:45 -0600

It was a slightly painful decision making process, but I picked my top 10 books that I read in 2011 (that were also released in 2011). This was a great year, and in my opinion these are the best of the best.

1. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

2. Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky

3. Hourglass by Myra McEntire

4. Starcrossed by JosephineAngelini

5. Divergent by Veronica Roth

6. Brooklyn, Burning by Steve Brezenoff

7. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

8. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

9. Wildefire by Karsten Knight

10. Love Story by Jennifer Echols

If you click HERE I’m giving away one of these incredible books!

What were your top reads this year?

Daughter of Smoke and Bone - Laini Taylor

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 22:13:00 -0600

Check out my review of Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor!

Best book of the year, I think…

Synopsis: Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious “errands”; she speaks many languages—not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.

When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

Check out my review HERE!

Trailer for Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer - The final installation...

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 12:29:04 -0600

Trailer for Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer - The final installation in the Nightshade trilogy will be out in two weeks! Eeep. Can’t wait!

Vespertine - Saundra Mitchell

Sat, 17 Dec 2011 22:45:00 -0600

Check out my review of The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell! If you are interested in Victorian spirituality and the theatrics of contacting the spirits - you’ll love this book. Such a great historical fantasy novel!

Synopsis: It’s the summer of 1889, and Amelia van den Broek is new to Baltimore andeager to take in all the pleasures the city has to offer. But her gaiety is interrupted by disturbing, dreamlike visions she has only at sunset—visions that offer glimpses of the future. Soon, friends and strangers alike call on Amelia to hear her prophecies. However, a forbidden romance with Nathaniel, an artist, threatens the new life Amelia is building in Baltimore. This enigmatic young man is keeping secrets of his own—still, Amelia finds herself irrepressibly drawn to him.

When one of her darkest visions comes to pass, Amelia’s world is thrown into chaos. And those around her begin to wonder if she’s not the seer of dark portents, but the cause.

Check out my review HERE!

Magnolia League - Katie Crouch

Sat, 17 Dec 2011 22:42:21 -0600

My review of The Magnolia League by Katie Crouch is up. Quite an interesting book - and definitely one to check out if either hoo doo or a hippie girl’s entrance into a Southern debutant society interest you.

Synopsis: When her free-spirited mother dies in a tragic accident, sixteen-year-old Alexandria Lee is forced to leave her West Coast home and move in with a wealthy grandmother she’s never known in Savannah, Georgia. By birth, Alex is a rightful if unwilling member of the Magnolia League-Savannah’s long-standing debutante society. But white gloves and silk gowns are a far cry from the vintage t-shirts and torn jeans shorts she’s used to.

Alex is the first in decades to question the Magnolia League’s intentions, yet even she becomes entangled in their seductive world. The members enjoy youth, beauty and power…but at what cost? As Alex discovers a pact between the Magnolias and the Buzzards, a legendary hoodoo family, she discovers secrets-some deadly-hidden beneath the glossy Southern veneer.
New York Times bestselling author Katie Crouch’s poignant and humorous voice shines in this enchanting and mysterious story about girls growing up in a magical Southern city.

Check out my review HERE!

Giveaway: Signed Copy of Beautiful Chaos

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 01:20:00 -0600

I was going to wait until I hit 100 followers for this giveaway, but I couldn’t wait. My last semester of grad classes is coming to an end and I’m feeling like celebrating (I might not when I get my Romanticism grade, so we’re going to go with this feeling for now…) which means sharing the love!

If you recall, I was lucky enough to go to YAll Fest in the beginning of November and I still have a book that I picked up for a lucky one of you to give away!

So I have a copy of Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl that is signed by both authors. I love the Beautiful Creatures series and I can’t wait to read this one!

But there’s more! Since this was originally going to be my 100 follower giveaway, I’m going to turn this into something that will revolve around 100 followers. I really can’t believe I have 83 right now, it’s crazy and I love you all. So here’s what I’m thinking - when I reach 100 followers I’m going to add another prize and another winner. I haven’t quite decided yet, but I can promise it’ll be awesome. An ARC of an upcoming title perhaps…

And I’ll go further and say for every 20 followers beyond that I’ll add something else. Because it’s Christmas and I want to give presents =)

You can enter the giveaway HERE!

Deadly Cool - Gemma Halliday

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 05:00:06 -0600

Check out my review of Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday. This is perfect if you want both a fun, quick read, and something that actually has some importance and depth. I was totally shocked by where this book ended up. It deeply impressed me. Plus, Hartley has to be one of my favorite narrators. I loved her voice and I felt like she became one of my best friends over the course of the novel. I highly recommend this book - it was one of my favorite reads last month.

Synopsis from the back of the book: First I find out that my boyfriend is cheating on me. Then he’s pegged as the #1 suspect in a murder. And now he’s depending on me to clear his name. Seriously?

As much as I wouldn’t mind watching him squirm, I know that he’s innocent. So I’m brushing off my previously untapped detective skills and getting down to business. But I keep tripping over dead bodies and I’m still no closer to figuring out who did it. And what’s worse: all signs seem to point to me as the killer’s next victim.

I really need to pick a better boyfriend next time.

You can find my review HERE!

All These Things I've Done - Gabrielle Zevin

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 23:56:25 -0600

Check out my review of All These Things I’ve Done by Gabrielle Zevin. This is classified as a dystopian novel, but it doesn’t quite fit into that category. It’s a futurist novel (2083) in which coffee and chocolate are social problems - much like alcohol and drugs are now. I love it because it’s like prohibition, but in the future and with coffee instead of booze. Add in a dose of the mafia, a dying grandmother who is the last link to the generation that uses “OMG” in regular speech, and a beautiful boy who can pull off a fedora, and it’s a winner. Definitely check this one out!

Synopsis: In 2083, chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is hard to find, water is carefully rationed, and New York City is rife with crime and poverty. And yet, for Anya Balanchine, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the city’s most notorious (and dead) crime boss, life is fairly routine. It consists of going to school, taking care of her siblings and her dying grandmother, trying to avoid falling in love with the new assistant D.A.’s son, and avoiding her loser ex-boyfriend. That is until her ex is accidently poisoned by the chocolate her family manufactures and the police think she’s to blame. Suddenly, Anya finds herself thrust unwillingly into the spotlight—at school, in the news, and most importantly, within her mafia family.

You can find my review HERE!

Releasing this Week

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:52:44 -0600

This is going to be a great book week! So many highly anticipated books are releasing! Here’s a few of them.

Monday, December 5

Winter Town by Stephen Edmond

Tuesday, December 6

Surrender (Haunting Emma) by Lee Nichols

Ruthless (Pretty Little Liars) by Sara Shepard

Clockwork Prince (Infernal Devices) by Cassandra Clare
Eternal Starling by Angela Corbett

Thursday, December 8

Illuminated by Erica Orloff

The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder

Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey

Vengeance (Transcend Time) by Michelle Madow

Which release this week are you most excited for?

The Name of the Star - Maureen Johnson

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 23:23:43 -0600

Check out my review of The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson! There’s so much awesome in this book I hardly know where to start. Mostly, I just love how it has that literary aspect, where you feel like what you are reading is incredibly layered and no matter how many times you read it, you’ll see something different. Plus, it takes place in London, which equals automatic love.

Synopsis: The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it’s the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.
Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn’t notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.

You can find my review here!