The Vintage Bookworm

Under the Never Sky, by Veronica Rossi

noreply@blogger.com (The Vintage Bookworm) — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Series: Under the Never Sky, #1
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: January 3, 2012
Hardcover: 374 pages
Genre: YA - Dystopian
Read it in: 6 days
Source: Library
Challenge: Debut Author, Dystopian
Rating: ★★★★★

Since she'd been on the outside, she'd survived an Aether storm, she'd had a knife held to her throat, and she'd seen men murdered. This was worse.
Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland - known as The Death Shop - are slim. If the cannibals don't get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She's been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He's wild - a savage - and her only hope of staying alive.
A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile - everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria's help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

Oh. My. God. SO many AMAZING dystopians for 2012. Seriously. I can't get enough of them. I checked this out from the library and made my husband read it while I was reading another book. He likes Dystopians as well and I'm always throwing books at him to read. He liked it, so I knew I would definitely like it. Not that I didn't already know that from the summary!

I finished this over a week ago, but I still get all happy and excited when I think about it. It was just SO amazing. I seriously had to read TWO contemporary books just to try and get out of its world. The world that Aria lives in is REALLY scary. But so amazingly real! Every time I picked up this book to read I was drawn into it and felt like I was right there experiencing everything.

I got frustrated, and sad, and scared, and embarassed EVERYTIME Aria did. Her emotions were so well and the writing was so descriptive that everything was real. It's also told in alternating perspectives between Aria and Perry. I really loved being able to get into Perry's head. It really helps to understand the things he does and not just what Aria thinks he's doing when she experiences it.

At first I really wanted to smack Perry for being so mean to Aria, but I quickly fell in love with him and he's one of my top favorite characters from the book. I loved nearly all the characters, except for Soren and his dad and of course the creeps they met along the way. Not going to go into too much detail because you just really need to read it yourself.

Overall, this is a wonderful dystopian. I don't really have any complaints at all about it. If you haven't read this yet, do so immediately. Definitely addicting and one of my top favorite dystopians now.

Author Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Buy: Amazon | The Book Depository
Add It: Goodreads | Shelfari

The second book in this series is called Through the Ever Night. It will be released on January 8th, 2013.

Also, as a side note, this is definitely one of the BEST book trailers I have ever seen. It seriously makes me want this book turned into a movie even more than I already do.

Past, Present, & Future Reads, #39

noreply@blogger.com (The Vintage Bookworm) — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 03:54:00 +0000

Past, Present & Future Reading Pile is a feature I do on my blog every Sunday to keep track of the books I read the week before, the book I'm currently reading, and the books I'm hoping to read in the upcoming week.

Queen of Babble in the Big City, by Meg Cabot
(Queen of Babble, #2)
Publisher: William Morrow
Release Date: June 26, 2007

Lizzie Nichols is back, pounding the New York City pavement and looking for a job, a place to live, and her proper place in the universe (not necessarily in that order).
When "Summer Fling" Luke uses the L word (Living Together), Lizzie is only too happy to give up her plan of being postgrad roomies with best friend, Shari, in a one-room walk-up in exchange for cohabitation with the love of her life in his mother's Fifth Avenue pied-a-terre, complete with doorman and resident Renoir.
But Lizzie's not as lucky in her employment search. As Shari finds the perfect job, Lizzie struggles through one humiliating interview after another, being judged overqualified for the jobs in her chosen field--vintage-gown rehab--and underqualified for everything else. It's Shari's boyfriend Chaz to the rescue when he recommends Lizzie for a receptionist's position at his father's posh law firm. The nonpaying gig at a local wedding-gown shop Lizzie manages to land all on her own.
But Lizzie's notoriously big mouth begins to get her into trouble at work and at home almost at once--first at the law firm, where she becomes too chummy with Jill Higgins, a New York society bride with a troublesome future mother-in-law, and then back on Fifth Avenue, when she makes the mistake of bringing up the M word (Marriage) with commitment-shy Luke.
Soon Lizzie finds herself jobless as well as homeless all over again. Can Lizzie save herself--and the hapless Jill--and find career security (not to mention a mutually satisfying committed relationship) at last?

I wasn't very far into this book when I posted last week's P, P, & F post. But I finished it on Monday and it was really good! LOVE this series.

Queen of Babble Gets Hitched, by Meg Cabot
(Queen of Babble, #3)
Publisher: William Morrow
Release Date: June 24, 2008

Big mouth. Big heart.Big wedding. Big problems.It's the wedding of the century.
Things are looking up at last for Lizzie Nichols. She has a career she loves in the field of her choice (wedding gown restoration), and the love of her life, Jean-Luc, has finally proposed. Life's become a dizzying whirl of wedding gown fittings--not necessarily her own--as Lizzie prepares for her dream wedding at her fiance's chateau in the south of France.
But the dream soon becomes a nightmare as the best man--whom Lizzie might once have accidentally slept with . . . no, really, just slept--announces his total lack of support for the couple, a sentiment the maid of honor happens to second; Lizzie's Midwestern family can't understand why she doesn't want to have her wedding in the family backyard; her future, oh-so-proper French in-laws seem to be slowly trying to lure the groom away from medical school and back into investment banking; and Lizzie finds herself wondering if her Prince Charming really is as charming as she once believed.
Is Lizzie really ready to embrace her new role as wife and mistress of Chateau Mirac? Or is she destined to fall into another man's arms . . . and into the trap of becoming a Bad Girl instead?

Oh. My. God. I wish I could tell you! :O I finished this on Tuesday. I wish there were books in the series. :(

Everneath, by Brodi Ashton
(Everneath, #1)
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Release Date: January 24, 2012

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath. Now she's returned--to her old life, her family, her boyfriend--before she's banished back to the underworld . . . this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.
Nikki longs to spend these precious months forgetting the Everneath and trying to reconnect with her boyfriend, Jack, the person most devastated by her disappearance--and the one person she loves more than anything. But there's just one problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who enticed her to the Everneath in the first place, has followed Nikki home. Cole wants to take over the throne in the underworld and is convinced Nikki is the key to making it happen. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back, this time as his queen.
As Nikki's time on the Surface draws to a close and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she is forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's queen.
"Everneath" is a captivating story of love, loss, and immortality from debut author Brodi Ashton.

I have less than a hundred pages left of this to read. I started reading this on Wednesday. It's really interesting. :D Already know I'm going to be impatiently awaiting the next book.

The Near Witch, by Victoria Schwab
Publisher: Hyperion
Release Date: August 2, 2011

"The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children. "" ""If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company. "" ""And there are no strangers in the town of Near." These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life. But when an actual stranger--a boy who seems to fade like smoke--appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true. The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him. As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi's need to know--about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy. Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab's debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won't soon forget.

After I finish Everneath I plan to read this one. I've been wanting to for a while, but I still haven't gotten to. By the way, I thought I'd mention that Victoria Schwab is hilarious on Twitter....
Wings of the Wicked, by Courtney Allison Moulton
(Angelfire, #1)
Publisher: Katherine Tegen
Release Date: January 31, 2012

Life as the Preliator is harder than Ellie ever imagined.Balancing real life with the responsibility of being Heaven’s warrior is a challenge for Ellie. Her relationship with Will has become all business, though they both long for each other. And now that the secret of who she really is has come out, so have Hell’s strongest reapers. Grown bold and more vicious, the demonic threaten her in the light of day and stalk her in the night.
She’s been warned.Cadan, a demonic reaper, comes to her with information about Bastian’s new plan to destroy Ellie’s soul and use an ancient relic to wake all the souls of the damned and unleash them upon humanity. As she fights to stay ahead of Bastian’s schemes , the revelations about those closest to her awaken a dark power within Ellie that threatens to destroy everything—including herself.
She’ll be betrayed.Treachery comes even from those whom she loves, and Ellie is broken by the deaths of those who stood beside her in this Heavenly war. Still, she must find a way to save the world, herself, and her love for Will. If she fails, there will be hell to pay.

Ever since finishing Angelfire, I've been DYING to read this. Just haven't gotten to it....But anyway, I'm SO excited!

Waiting on Wednesday, #63

noreply@blogger.com (The Vintage Bookworm) — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Waiting on Wednsday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine. WOW spotlights upcoming releases that you are dying to read and can't wait to get your hands on!

Undeadly, by Michele Vail
(The Reaper Diaries, #1)
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: Novemebr 20, 2012
Pre-Order: Amazon

The day I turned 16, my boyfriend-to-be died. I brought him back to life. Then things got a little weird...
Molly Bartolucci wants to blend in, date hottie Rick and keep her zombie-raising abilities on the down-low. Then the god Anubis chooses her to become a reaper-and she accidentally undoes the work of another reaper, Rath. Within days, she’s shipped off to the Nekyia Academy, an elite school that trains the best necromancers in the world. And her personal reaping tutor? Rath. Who seems to hate her guts.
Rath will be watching closely to be sure she completes her first assignment-reaping Rick, the boy who should have died. The boy she still wants to be with. To make matters worse, students at the academy start turning up catatonic, and accusations fly-against Molly. The only way out of this mess? To go through hell. Literally.

Why Do I Want It?

This sounds REALLY good and unique. The only books I think I've read that have reapers in it is the Soul Screamers books by Rachel Vincent, which I absolutely LOVE. And there's an academy for necromancers?! Can't wait to get my hands on a copy of this book to read!

What are you waiting for this week??

Incarnate, by Jodi Meadows

noreply@blogger.com (The Vintage Bookworm) — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 04:30:00 +0000

Series: Newsoul, #1
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: January 31, 2012
Hardcover: 374 pages
Genre: YA - Dystopia
Read it in: 2 days
Source: Library
Challenge: Dystopian
Rating: ★★★★★

New soul
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.
No soul
Even Ana's own mother thinks she's a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she'll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?
Heart
Sam believes Ana's new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana's enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else's life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?
Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life.

Wow. That is the word that still comes to mind when I think about this book. I finished this book on the 3rd of this month and the power of this book still stays with me. It completely blew me away and makes me want to go back right away and re-read it. I wish I would of been able to read this sooner!

As some of you may know, I'm a sucker for the Dystopian genre. And this Dystopian? Wow! This book was SO unique! I love Dystopians, but if you read a lot of Dystopians you see that some of them may be unique, but also have around the same type of things in them. (If that makes sense!) But I can't think of ANYTHING that is anywhere near this book.

Another thing that I happen to love and be really interested in is reincarnation. Which is also something that really drew me to this book. (Other than that GORGEOUS cover! I mean look at it! Every time I see it I have to stare at it for at least 5 minutes straight.) There is just something about reincarnation that is really interesting. And the people in this book know everything about their past lives! It's SO cool!

One thing bad about them knowing, is that they have all known each other for millions of years so when it comes to a random person popping up with a new and fresh soul, no one really signs up for the welcome committee. Except, for you know, Sam. *swoon* Saaaammmm. Him alone makes me want to grab a copy of this and read it again. He's so sweet and caring and hot and smart and is it getting hot in here?? *Shakes head to clear it.* Anyway, I absolutely LOVED his character. LOVED. I can't wait to see what will happen with him and Ana in the sequel. ( I am dying for the sequel SOOO bad. Anyone have an extra copy they want to send me as a Christmas prezzie? :P)

Although Ana bothered me sometimes, I really liked her character. She kept her guard up when it was needed and she was really smart. She may have been a newsoul and didn't have millions of years of experience, but she was really smart. And even when a lot of the people didn't welcome her with open arms, she still put her life at stake to help protect them when it was needed. She's extremely brave, and I really liked that about her. Plus, she was just fresh. You know what I mean, right?

Also, just to let you know, a lot of characters in YA nowadays are falling in love at first sight, which gets really old. That didn't happen with Sam and Ana. Yes, Sam was friendly toward Ana and they both put their lives at stake to help each other. But their relationship grew and grew after spending time with each other and as they learned more about each other. And their relationship was so pure and beautiful and after a while I was BEGGING for something to happen with them. It drove me CRAZY, but in a good frustrating way.

Overall, this book was amazing. I am definitely getting my own pretty copy soon so I can read it over and over again. It had everything in it that a great, amazing, and just beautiful book needs! Oh, and some dragons and sylphs too! :P If you haven't read this book, you need to ASAP. And if you don't have it on your TBR list yet, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?! :O

Author Info: Website | Facebook | Twitter
Buy: Amazon | The Book Depository
Add it: Goodreads | Shelfari

The second book in this series is called Asunder. It will be released on January 29, 2013.

Past, Present, & Future Reads, #38

noreply@blogger.com (The Vintage Bookworm) — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 04:33:00 +0000

Under The Never Sky, by Veronica Rossi
(Under the Never Sky, #1)
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: January 3, 2012

Since she'd been on the outside, she'd survived an Aether storm, she'd had a knife held to her throat, and she'd seen men murdered. This was worse.
Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland - known as The Death Shop - are slim. If the cannibals don't get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She's been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He's wild - a savage - and her only hope of staying alive.
A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile - everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria's help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

I absolutely adored this book. It was so addicting and amazing. Even my husband loved it! <3 Can't wait for the sequel. January can't get here fast enough!

Total: 1

Queen of Babble in the Big City, by Meg Cabot
(Queen of Babble, #2)
Publisher: William Morrow
Release Date: June 26, 2007

Lizzie Nichols is back, pounding the New York City pavement and looking for a job, a place to live, and her proper place in the universe (not necessarily in that order).
When "Summer Fling" Luke uses the L word (Living Together), Lizzie is only too happy to give up her plan of being postgrad roomies with best friend, Shari, in a one-room walk-up in exchange for cohabitation with the love of her life in his mother's Fifth Avenue pied-a-terre, complete with doorman and resident Renoir.
But Lizzie's not as lucky in her employment search. As Shari finds the perfect job, Lizzie struggles through one humiliating interview after another, being judged overqualified for the jobs in her chosen field--vintage-gown rehab--and underqualified for everything else. It's Shari's boyfriend Chaz to the rescue when he recommends Lizzie for a receptionist's position at his father's posh law firm. The nonpaying gig at a local wedding-gown shop Lizzie manages to land all on her own.
But Lizzie's notoriously big mouth begins to get her into trouble at work and at home almost at once--first at the law firm, where she becomes too chummy with Jill Higgins, a New York society bride with a troublesome future mother-in-law, and then back on Fifth Avenue, when she makes the mistake of bringing up the M word (Marriage) with commitment-shy Luke.
Soon Lizzie finds herself jobless as well as homeless all over again. Can Lizzie save herself--and the hapless Jill--and find career security (not to mention a mutually satisfying committed relationship) at last?

I started reading this Saturday, and so far it's so good! Just like I remember the first book being. I mean, c'mon, it's Meg Cabot. I just checked the date when I read the first book, and my review was posted November 7, 2011! So it's been a whole year since I read the first book! *gasp* HOW!?

Queen of Babble Gets Hitched, by Meg Cabot
(Queen of Babble, #3)
Publisher: William Morrow
Release Date: June 24, 2008

Big mouth. Big heart.Big wedding. Big problems.It's the wedding of the century.
Things are looking up at last for Lizzie Nichols. She has a career she loves in the field of her choice (wedding gown restoration), and the love of her life, Jean-Luc, has finally proposed. Life's become a dizzying whirl of wedding gown fittings--not necessarily her own--as Lizzie prepares for her dream wedding at her fiance's chateau in the south of France.
But the dream soon becomes a nightmare as the best man--whom Lizzie might once have accidentally slept with . . . no, really, just slept--announces his total lack of support for the couple, a sentiment the maid of honor happens to second; Lizzie's Midwestern family can't understand why she doesn't want to have her wedding in the family backyard; her future, oh-so-proper French in-laws seem to be slowly trying to lure the groom away from medical school and back into investment banking; and Lizzie finds herself wondering if her Prince Charming really is as charming as she once believed.
Is Lizzie really ready to embrace her new role as wife and mistress of Chateau Mirac? Or is she destined to fall into another man's arms . . . and into the trap of becoming a Bad Girl instead?

I am most likely going to read this after I finished the 2nd book in the series. I'm 99% positive! I love this series.

Everneath, by Brodi Ashton
(Everneath, #1)
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Release Date: January 24, 2012

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath. Now she's returned--to her old life, her family, her boyfriend--before she's banished back to the underworld . . . this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.
Nikki longs to spend these precious months forgetting the Everneath and trying to reconnect with her boyfriend, Jack, the person most devastated by her disappearance--and the one person she loves more than anything. But there's just one problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who enticed her to the Everneath in the first place, has followed Nikki home. Cole wants to take over the throne in the underworld and is convinced Nikki is the key to making it happen. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back, this time as his queen.
As Nikki's time on the Surface draws to a close and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she is forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's queen.
"Everneath" is a captivating story of love, loss, and immortality from debut author Brodi Ashton.

So if I actually manage to finish the second and third Queen of Babble books this week, I most likely may be diving into this one. I've been dying to read it. :) It's my last book that I need to read from my last library haul before the eight I just got....

Sorry I haven't been doing much on the blog lately. I've been in such a rut and haven't felt like reading much or blogging much. But since I've been reading some wonderful books lately (i.e. the last two books I finished were Incarnate, by Jodi Meadows and Under the Never Sky, by Veronica Rossi and they are both 5 star books!), but I hope to get back into things ASAP! Please bear with me! :)

What did you read this week? Any great 5 star books? Were any of them Dystopian like mine? What are you currently reading? What's next up on your list? Let me know in the comments below!

Waiting on Wednesday, #62

noreply@blogger.com (The Vintage Bookworm) — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 06:35:00 +0000

Waiting on Wednsday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine. WOW spotlights upcoming releases that you are dying to read and can't wait to get your hands on!

Bad Hair Day, by Carrie Harris
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: November 13, 2012
Pre-Order: Amazon

Kate Grable is geeked out to shadow the county medical examiner as part of her school’s pre-med program. Except when he’s arrested for murder, she’s left with the bodies. And when Kate’s brother Jonah stumbles upon a dead gamer girl, she realizes that the zombie epidemic she cured last fall was only the beginning of the weirdness taking over her town. Someone’s murdering kids—something really hairy. And strong. Possibly with claws.
Is it werewolf awesomeness like Jonah and his dorktastic friends think? Kate’s supposed to be a butt-kicking zombie killing genius...but if she can’t figure out who’s behind the freakish attacks, the victims—or what’s left of them—are going to keep piling up.
It’s scary. It’s twisted. It’s sick. It’s high school.

Why Do I Want It?

After finishing the first book, Bad Taste in Boys, I definitely want to read this. ASAP. I read the first book in February and I enjoyed it. I know that I will enjoy this one as well. The first book was light and funny and wasn't supposed to be taken too seriously. Just what I need! I hope I can grab a copy soon!

So what is on your list this week?

A Touch Morbid, by Leah Clifford

noreply@blogger.com (The Vintage Bookworm) — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 15:53:00 +0000

Series: A Touch Trilogy, #2
Publisher: Greenwillow books
Release Date: February 28, 2012
Hardcover: 299 pages
Genre: YA - Paranormal
Read it in: 9 days
Source: Library
Challenges: Sophomore
Rating: ★★★★

Eden won the battle-she saved her true love from the darkest evil. But the war has only just begun. With secrets swirling around her, powerful allies unraveling, and life-and death-as she knows it eroding, Eden and those she loves tread dangerous ground. Can she trust anyone? Will her unearthly powers be her salvation or her downfall? A sweeping, dark, and sexy paranormal romance that will haunt readers with an inventive mythology and a cinematic New York City filled with shadows and longing.

When I read the first book, A Touch Mortal, last year; I fell in love. It was one of my top favorite books last year. It's taken me a while to finally grab a copy of this at the library, and I'm so mad for it! Though I didn't love A Touch Morbid as much as the first book, I still really liked it and I am still absolutely in love with this series.

The writing is amazing and flows extremely well and when I did have the time to read, I flew through the pages. I hate how long it took me to finish this because of not having time! If I could have, I would of sat there and finished the book in one sitting.

So much happens through this book and you learn more about how everything works in Eden's world and some of it is scary, but so intriguing! This series is so unique and I love it! I don't want to give anything away and spoil anything, so I won't go into too much detail.

Eden has grown a lot since the first book, but you can tell she's fighting something. She's having problems in this book and being really secretive about it. I was worried about it through the whole book, I was curious as to what it was, but still had a good idea of what it could be.

The point-of-views change between Eden, Gabe, Jarrod and Kristen, which I LOVED! I loved getting more in sync with Jarrod and also getting into Kristen's head. You get to learn a lot more about the character's and I was happy for that because though Kristen is really weird and a bit insane, I love her. Sometimes she aggravates the crap out of me where I just want to shake her and slap her, but she's one of my favorite characters. She's written extremely well!

There's a new character that pops up and she really bugged me at first, but I finally started being able to tolerate her and I'm REALLY curious as to how she's going to be in the third book because of what happens in the end!

And gah Luke. I hate him, but then I like him with Kristen. Is that bad?! He's so evil, but when he's around Kristen you get this kind of sweet and caring side of him. You can tell he really loves Kristen. But gah he's so EVIL!

And Gabe was one of my favorite characters in the first book, and I'm sad that you don't get to see TOO much of him in this book, but he is fighting something (Which you most likely know what if you've read the first book.). I really liked how he was fighting something, but still kind of was himself through parts of it. He fought it REALLY hard.

Which leads me to the ending of the book. WOW! I am just....wow. Leah really knows how to screw up your emotions. I cried through some of this because there was a part that was just heart-wrenching! I'm not going to say what, but just know that this will happen when you read this!

Overall, this was REALLY good. I'm sad that I didn't like it AS much as the first book, though very close, but I wasn't disappointed. I knew I wouldn't be! I can't wait to see all the amazing and epic things that will be happening in A Touch Menacing!

Author Info: Website | Facebook | Twitter
Buy: Amazon | The Book Depository
Add it: Goodreads | Shelfari

The third book in this trilogy is A Touch Menacing. It will be released March 5, 2013.

Read my other review for this trilogy: A Touch Mortal

Why do I Love YA?

noreply@blogger.com (The Vintage Bookworm) — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 04:41:00 +0000

Beth Revis is having an AMAZING giveaway. If you enter you will have a change to win at least FIFTY SIGNED books! Yes. Yes you did hear me correctly. FIFTY SIGNED BOOKS!!

(Click here to learn how and to enter!)

For 10 extra entries she has asked to explain something that I get asked A LOT. And it's sad to say, but every time someone asks me this questions I get tongue tied. My heart starts pounding and a million things run through my mind at once and I want to blurt my answer out, but at the same time I'm scared that I won't be able to describe why I truly love YA. There are just so many reasons. So many reasons that I can't possibly even try to describe. Even though I will try.

My love for YA started a very long time ago. I don't even really truly remember where I crossed the line from middle grade fiction into young adult fiction. Does it even matter? All I can say is it has been a LONG time, so it has been there with me through my teenage years and is still there for me.

When I get sad, or depressed, or even when I'm extremely happy I turn to YA books; no matter what my current emotion is. Because as soon as I start reading a YA book. A GREAT YA book, I don't feel my emotions anymore. All I feel are the character's emotions. I AM the character. And what makes it so much more special, and that most of the time --at least 95% of the time-- I can relate to the character in some way. No matter what world the character is from. No matter the character's circumstance, I can relate.

Don't get me wrong, I love some Adult books. But I'd much rather be reading a YA book. I read that 99.9% of the time anyway.

They allow me to step into another character's point-of-view and become someone else. It allows me to feel a lot of things for the first time again. Say a character is falling madly in love with another character, so am I. I'm allowed to have that feeling of falling in love with someone for the first time. Again.

And not only that, but I get to experience magic. I don't have REAL magic in my life, like magical powers and magical beings and magical worlds, etc. So I can experience that just by picking up the right YA book. Some of my favorites, for example, are Harry Potter, Hex Hall, Vampire Academy, Paranormalcy, and so many more.

And I get to experience some worlds that are interesting to me, but I'd never want to live in because it's too terrifying, such as The Hunger Games, Starters, The Demon Trappers, Chemical Garden series, Shatter Me, and more.

And I get to feel like I'm living in a different era! With historical YA fiction. Like The Season, The Cahill Witch Chronicles, The Vespertine trilogy, and more.

There are so many genres and sub-genres under YA. So many great ones that you just can't keep up! I never fail at knowing what I'm going to read next. I have way too many YA books on my list that I can't possibly ever even attempt to make a dent in! For every book I finally read off my list, I add 5 more new ones.

I'll add some of my favorites now. And just so you know this is definitely not all of them. Just a few that pop off the top of my head immediately that are favorites.

Favorite books/series: Vampire Academy, Harry Potter, Hex Hall, Hourglass by Myra McEntire, Incarnate by Jodi Meadows, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin, Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi, The Chemical Garden trilogy, Timeless by Alexandra Monir, Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood, Angel Burn by L.A. Weatherly, and more.

Favorite Authors: Richelle Mead, Rachel Vincent, J.K Rowling, Rachel Hawkins, Scott Westerfeld, Lauren DeStefano, Claudia Gray, Meg Cabot, Sarah Dessen, Libba Bray, Rachel Caine, Sarah Shepard, and more.

Favorite genres: Romance, Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, Dystopian, Historical Romance.

I know I probably didn't explain it very well. But that's the best I can explain it at the moment. I love YA. :) It's helped me through a lot and continues to put a smile on my face. Continues to make me cry like a baby and make my husband walk in and walk away slowly while giving me odd looks. Continues to make me laugh so hard that my side aches. Continues to let me relive firsts. :)

Thank you Beth Revis for making me try and explain this. :)

Shatter Me, by Tahereh Mafi

noreply@blogger.com (The Vintage Bookworm) — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 04:35:00 +0000

Series: Shatter Me, #1
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: November 15, 2011
Hardcover: 338 pages
Genre: YA Dystopian
Read it in: 2 days
Source: Library
Challenges: Dystopian, Book Blogger Recommendation
Rating: ★★★★★

Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.
The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.
The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war– and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.
Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

Oh my God! I finished this book nearly three weeks ago and it was the last book I finished! The book I started after finishing Shatter Me, I haven't been able to finish. I'm still reading it slowly while reading another book that I knew would get me back into the gear of reading because it's a sequel to a book I loved.

Anyway, back to the OH MY GOD! This book was amazing. It's taken me so long to write a review of this book because after finished it I was going through so many emotions about it and I didn't know what to say about this book. It's a cross with SO much stuff to say, but all I can do is ramble, to not having anything at all to say because it was THAT good.

I'm still having issues with this review. All I can say is my review is going to suck, but this book most definitely does NOT suck. I can't believe I waited so long to read it! I've been dying to FOREVER, but just haven't gotten around to grabbing a copy from the library. I know this will most definitely be one of the next books I order when I do order any books because I want, no NEED, a copy of this sitting on my shelf.

1) The cover is GORGEOUS!
&
2) I need access to it 24/7!

Mafi's writing style was so awesome! Created vivid scenes in my head. SO vivid I really did get sucked in and thought I was truly living as Juliette. I love how she had Juliette writing in her book and crossing things out. I love how things were crossed out! It was extremely unique and I can say I have never seen that in a book. There probably are a few out there, but I've never come across one. I thought it was weird, but unique, at first. But quickly fell in love!

And Juliette's abilities! OMG. It reminds me of Rogue from X-Men, and I LOOOOVE Rogue. I still can't figure out which one is more bad-ass in my head yet. They both come to a close tie. :)

And Adam. God. All I can say is: MEGA. FREAKING. AMAZING. HOTTIE! I about died when he entered. He was an asshole at first, but god he's not. Definitely not. He's so sweet and amazing and I totally freaking swooned every time he was in a scene.

Overall, there isn't really much I can say. This is an amazing dystopian. I would also kind of say for those of you weird people who don't really dystopians I really do recommend this because it's not JUST dystopian. It has a supernatural element in it with Juliette's unique ability and it's a romance. And boy did I LOOOVE that romance. I can't wait for the sequel. I'm dying a little inside each and every day it doesn't pop into my head. BOO!

Author Info: Blog | Twitter | Tumblr | Facebook
Buy: Amazon | The Book Depository
Add it: Goodreads | Shelfari

The second book in this series is called Unravel Me. It will be releaseed on February 5, 2013.

Waiting on Wednesday, #61

noreply@blogger.com (The Vintage Bookworm) — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 04:57:00 +0000

Waiting on Wednsday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine. WOW spotlights upcoming releases that you are dying to read and can't wait to get your hands on!

Burning Blue, by Paul Griffin
Publisher: Dial
Release Date: October 25, 2012
Pre-Order: Amazon

How far would you go for love, beauty, and jealousy?
When Nicole Castro, the most beautiful girl in her wealthy New Jersey high school, is splashed with acid on the left side of her perfect face, the whole world takes notice. But quiet loner Jay Nazarro does more than that--he decides to find out who did it. Jay understands how it feels to be treated like a freak, and he also has a secret: He's a brilliant hacker. But the deeper he digs, the more danger he's in--and the more he falls for Nicole. Too bad everyone is turning into a suspect, including Nicole herself.
Award-winning author Paul Griffin has written a high-stakes, soulful mystery about the meaning--and dangers--of love and beauty.

Why Do I Want It?

I haven't heard of this book until I went looking up a great book that will be released this week. And I saw this and knew it was perfect. It sounds amazing! I love when two people are brought together that are completely different and run in different circles. I love seeing them fall in love with each other! And it seems to have a bit of mystery to it, so this sounds amazing! :)

So what is on your list this week?

Spell Bound, by Rachel Hawkins

noreply@blogger.com (The Vintage Bookworm) — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Series: Hex Hall, #3
Publisher: Hyperion
Release Date: March 13, 2012
Hardcover: 327 pages
Genre: YA - Paranormal
Read it in: 1 day
Source: Library
Challenge: none
Rating: ★★★★★

Hailed as “impossible to put down,” the Hex Hall series has both critics and teens cheering. With a winning combination of romance, action, magic and humor, this third volume will leave readers enchanted.
Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.
Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late?

Spell Bound was freaking AMAZING. Even though I'm EXTREMELY upset that this is the last book in the series, it did have a great ending. Hawkins did an amazing job tying up all the lose ends. Though, then again, I am STILL extremely sad. I loved this trilogy so much. But I do hear that there most likely will be a spin-off. Not sure if that is 100% true, but I'm very intrigued!

I don't want to go into too much detail on what happened in this book--though my mind is going miles a minute right now with everything because it totally blew my mind--because I don't want to give anything away or spoil anything.

There is a point in this book, which I'm not going to say, that I really wanted to throw the book across the room and I even tweeted Rachel to tell her I was upset about it. Though I tweeted her again after I read the next chapter and understood what happened, ha! I was SO upset. (If anyone is curious, it's the last line in chapter 10.)

I do like the new characters that come up in here, though I'm not going to say who. They weren't my absolute favorite, but they were surprising and grew on me by the end of the book.

The writing was amazing as ever and had be so absorbed in the book I didn't really notice much around me. I just flew through the pages and devoured this book. This was another book that I really needed to read to get me back into reading and out of this rut.

Overall, AMAZING. Perfect ending. If you haven't read this series yet, please do us all a favor and do it.Including yourself. It's unique and the perfect trilogy to take your mind to another place. HIGHLY recommend!

Author Info: Website/Blog | Twitter |  Facebook | Tumblr
Buy: Amazon | The Book Depository
Add it: Goodreads | Shelfari

Read my other reviews for this trilogy:

* Hex Hall

* Demonglass

Waiting on Wednesday, #60

noreply@blogger.com (The Vintage Bookworm) — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Waiting on Wednsday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine. WOW spotlights upcoming releases that you are dying to read and can't wait to get your hands on!

Break My Heart 1,000 Times, by Daniel Waters
Publisher: Hyperion
Release Date: October 16, 2012
Pre-Order: Amazon

Living in the aftermath of the Event means that seeing the dead is now a part of life, but Veronica wishes that the ghosts would just move on. Instead, the ghosts aren't disappearing--they're gaining power. When Veronica and her friend, Kirk, decide to investigate why, they stumble upon a more sinister plot than they ever could have imagined. One of Veronica's high school teachers is crippled by the fact that his dead daughter has never returned as a ghost, and he's haunted by the possibility that she's waiting to reappear within a fresh body. Veronica seems like the perfect host. And even if he's wrong, what's the harm in creating one more ghost? From critically acclaimed Generation Dead author Daniel Waters, comes a delectably creepy and suspenseful thriller. Break My Heart 1,000 Times will leave readers with the chills. Or is that a ghost reading over the page?

Why Do I Want It?

I admit, I'm starting to run out of books on my Goodreads to use in WoW posts. I try and spread them out. I haven't been looking around much lately, I'm sure glad I looked around now. I've only read one of Daniel Waters books, but I did like it. It was the first book in his zombie series, Generation Dead. I need to continue the series! I saw this book and it sounds amazing! Dystopian/Paranormal sounding, right up my alley. And ghosts?! Hello! Awesome! Then I saw the author's name and freaked and added it. Also, that cover is kind of creepy, but SO COOL!

So what is on your list this week?

Fever, by Lauren DeStefano

noreply@blogger.com (The Vintage Bookworm) — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Series: The Chemical Garden, #2
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Release Date: February 21, 2012
Hardcover: 341 pages
Genre: YA - Dystopian
Read it in: 3 days
Source: Bought
Challenges: Dystopian, Sophomore
Rating: ★★★★★

Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but danger is never far behind.
Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago - surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness.
The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous - and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion...by any means necessary.
In the sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price - now that she has more to lose than ever.

So some of you may know that I read Wither pretty late. I didn't read it until May! I instantly fell in love though. I quickly ordered Fever after finishing, but sadly I didn't start it right away! Other books got in the way and I started it twice I think, but then had to read other books again and it drove me nuts!

Fever picks up where Wither left off, with Rhine and Gabriel on the run, but as soon as they think they are safe they fall into another place they will need to escape. Not going to go into too much detail as I don't want to give anything away. But that frustrated me to no end! It was seriously a *headdesk* kind of moment.

I had very high hopes for this sequel. And I was right, never had any doubts about it. Lauren's writing is just one that you know won't let you down. And this world is so awful, but so interesting and real. It's really scary to think this could be the future one day! What will happen if something like this is what is going to become our future? Our children's future? It's just so scary to think about.

And the writing is just so beautiful as always. You fly through the pages so fast and the descriptions are perfect and so detailed and you picture everything. EVERYTHING. It's amazing. And the characters....gosh.

Rhine is so unbelievably strong and brave. She doesn't give up! She keeps going no matter what obstacle falls in front of her. She keeps fighting. I admire that SO much about her. She's such a great character and even though she's a fictional character in a dystopian novel, she's REAL.

And Gabriel, oh Gosh, Gabriel. I'm so happy he's in this book every moment. I loved him so much in Wither and couldn't get enough of him. You learn more about him in here and he goes through a lot too and you just get to see Rhine and Gabriel's relationship blossom and see them take care of each other and I was always going, "Awwwww" at them because they are seriously cute and I just wanted to hug them!

Overall, I loved this book. I'm dying to read Sever, ESPECIALLY after that last sentence of the book. I mean WHAT?! I was late reading Wither, so I didn't have to really wait for Fever, but Sever is 4 months and some days away. I'm DYING for Sever so bad. If you haven't read this series, you need to. Hopefully you aren't reading this if you haven't read Wither, but READ. NOW. I HIGHLY recommend it.

Author Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr
Buy: Amazon | The Book Depository
Add it: Goodreads | Shelfari

The third book in this series is called Sever. It will be releasing on February 12th, 2013.

Read my other reviews for this series:

* Wither

Past, Present, & Future Reads, #37

noreply@blogger.com (The Vintage Bookworm) — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 01:27:00 +0000

Fever, by Lauren DeStefano
(The Chemical Garden, #2)
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Release Date: February 21, 2012

Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but danger is never far behind.
Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago - surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness.
The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous - and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion...by any means necessary.
In the sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price - now that she has more to lose than ever.

GAH! Need. Sever. Now. My review of Fever will be up tomorrow (10/8/12).

Spell Bound, by Rachel Hawkins
(Hex Hall, #3)
Publisher: Hyperion
Release Date: March 13, 2012

Hailed as “impossible to put down,” the Hex Hall series has both critics and teens cheering. With a winning combination of romance, action, magic and humor, this third volume will leave readers enchanted.
Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.
Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late?

OMG. It's over. I'm so sad. But gosh it was SO good! My review for Spell Bound will be up Monday, October 15th.

Shatter Me, by Tahereh Mafi
(Shatter Me, #1)
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: November 15, 2011

Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.
The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.
The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war– and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.
Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

AMAZING! I have no other words. Actually, I do. But way too many of them that they would spill all out in a fit of rambles and you'd think I was crazy. My review will be up on Monday, October 22nd. I need Unravel Me, NOW!

Total: 3

Where It Began, by Ann Redisch Stampler

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Release Date: March 6, 2012

A teen’s world comes crashing down in this compulsively readable YA debut that’s as literary as it is commercial.Gabby Gardiner wakes up in a hospital bed looking like a cautionary ad for drunk driving—and without a single memory of the accident that landed her there. But what she can recall, in frank and sardonic detail, is the year leading up to the crash.
As Gabby describes her transformation from Invisible Girl to Trendy Girl Who Dates Billy Nash (aka Most Desirable Boy Ever), she is left wondering: Why is Billy suddenly distancing himself from her? What do her classmates know that Gabby does not? Who exactly was in the car that night? And why has Gabby been left to take the fall?
As she peels back the layers of her life, Gabby begins to realize that her climb up the status ladder has been as intoxicating as it has been morally complex...and that nothing about her life is what she has imagined it to be.

So far I've only read about 20 pages. So far I'm curious about it. So we'll see how it goes. :D

Awake at Dawn, by C.C. Hunter
(Shadow Falls, #2)
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: October 11, 2011

Step into the world of Shadow Falls, a camp that helps teens tap into their special…talents. Once you visit, you’ll never forget it—and you’ll never, ever be the same.
From the moment Kylie Galen arrived at Shadow Falls Camp, she’s had one burning question: What am I? Surrounded by vampires, werewolves, shape-shifters, fairies and witches, Kylie longs to figure out her own supernatural identity…and what her burgeoning powers mean. And now she’ll need them more than ever, because she’s being haunted by a new spirit who insists that someone Kylie knows—and loves—will die before the end of the summer. If only she only knew who she was supposed to save. And how…
But giving Kylie the most trouble is her aching heart. Gorgeous werewolf Lucas left camp with another girl, but he’s still visiting Kylie in her dreams. And Derek, a sexy half Fae who’s always been there for her when she needed him, is pushing to get more serious—and growing impatient, especially when Lucas returns. Kylie knows she needs to decide between the boys, and it’s tearing her up inside.
Yet romance will have to wait, because something from the dark side of the supernatural world is hiding in Shadow Falls. It’s about to threaten everything she holds dear…and bring her closer to her destiny.

I loved Born at Midnight, so I've been dying to read the sequel since finishing. So happy I'm finally getting to!

Taken at Dusk, by C.C. Hunter
(Shadow Falls, #3)
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: April 10, 2012

Step into Shadow Falls, a camp for teens with supernatural powers. Here friendship thrives, love takes you by surprise, and our hearts possess the greatest magic of all.

Kylie Galen wants the truth so badly she can taste it. The truth about who her real family is, the truth about which boy she’s meant to be with—and the truth about what her emerging powers mean. But she’s about to discover that some secrets can change your life forever…and not always for the better.

Just when she and Lucas are finally getting close, she learns that his pack has forbidden them from being together. Was it a mistake to pick him over Derek? And it’s not just romance troubling Kylie. An amnesia-stricken ghost is haunting her, delivering the frightful warning, someone lives and someone dies. As Kylie races to unravel the mystery and protect those she loves, she finally unlocks the truth about her supernatural identity, which is far different—and more astonishing—than she ever imagined.

After I finish Awake at Dawn, I'll be reading this one. :D So happy!

So what did you read this week? What are you currently reading? What's next up in your reading pile?? Let me know in the comments below! :)

Waiting on Wednesday, #59

noreply@blogger.com (The Vintage Bookworm) — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Waiting on Wednsday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine. WOW spotlights upcoming releases that you are dying to read and can't wait to get your hands on!

Valkyrie Rising, by Ingrid Paulson
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: October 9, 2012
Pre-Order: Amazon

Nothing ever happens in Norway. But at least Ellie knows what to expect when she visits her grandmother: a tranquil fishing village and long, slow summer days. And maybe she’ll finally get out from under the shadow of her way-too-perfect big brother, Graham, while she’s there.
What Ellie doesn’t anticipate is Graham’s infuriating best friend, Tuck, tagging along for the trip. Nor did she imagine boys going missing amid rumors of impossible kidnappings. Least of all does she expect something powerful and ancient to awaken in her and that strange whispers would urge Ellie to claim her place among mythological warriors. Instead of peace and quiet, there’s suddenly a lot for a girl from L.A. to handle on a summer sojourn in Norway! And when Graham vanishes, it’s up to Ellie—and the ever-sarcastic, if undeniably alluring Tuck—to uncover the truth about all the disappearances and thwart the nefarious plan behind them.
Deadly legends, hidden identities, and tentative romance swirl together in one girl’s unexpectedly-epic coming of age.

Why Do I Want It?

This sounds freaking awesome! Norway? Something powerful and ancient??Mythological warriors? Disappearances?? Yes, please!! Oh, and a beautiful cover?! Double yes! =D

So what is on YOUR list this week? :)

Possess, by Gretchen McNeil

noreply@blogger.com (The Vintage Bookworm) — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 05:39:00 +0000

Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Release Date: August 23, 2011
Hardcover: 279 pages
Genre: YA - Urban Fantasy
Read it in: 8 days
Source: Library
Challenges: YA/MG Fantasy
Rating: ★★★★

Rule #1: Do not show fear.Rule #2: Do not show pity.Rule #3: Do not engage.Rule #4: Do not let your guard down.Rule #5: They lie.
Fifteen-year-old Bridget Liu just wants to be left alone: by her mom, by the cute son of a local police sergeant, and by the eerie voices she can suddenly and inexplicably hear. Unfortunately for Bridget, it turns out the voices are demons – and Bridget has the rare ability to banish them back to whatever hell they came from.
Terrified to tell people about her new power, Bridget confides in a local priest who enlists her help in increasingly dangerous cases of demonic possession. But just as she is starting to come to terms with her new power, Bridget receives a startling message from one of the demons. Now Bridget must unlock the secret to the demons' plan before someone close to her winds up dead – or worse, the human vessel of a demon king.

I'm so glad I was finally able to read this. I added it to my TBR list last year before it had a cover and I remember getting goosebumps when I saw the cover finally. It's beautiful and creepy and fits very well, I think! But anyway, I won a giveaway last year for an awesome bottlecap necklace (You can see a pic of it I found on the net here.). After I got it I fell in love more and knew I needed to read it ASAP. But that didn't happen, sadly. Ha!

This book was so unique and enjoyable! I'm so mad I waited so long to read it, but at the same time I'm glad I waited because I've been in such a reading slump and this really made me want to read. And not only was it unique and enjoyable, but it was suspenseful and creepy as HELL! It made me SO paranoid while reading it at night. I kept waiting to hear whispers from the demons in my room.

There was also one scene that was SO creepy that made me thankful I don't have porcelain dolls anymore. My mom used to buy them all the time (She loves them...*shudders*) and have them in a glass cabinet and she would also buy some for me to put up in my room and I always had trouble falling asleep. Knowing those dead, glassy eyes were staring at me. Watching me. *shudders* I've always been creeped out by them, but this scene in this book REALLY made it that much worse.

The ghost kitty also kind of freaked me out. I was on edge for hours after reading that, ha!

Bridget. The main character. OMG. She was snarky, sarcastic, strong, doesn't need anyone to help her, and just so freaking kick ass. She was hilarious at times and other times I would feel bad for her for having this gift. She's definitely a great character and super fun to read about.

And Matt Quinn, oh God. At first I was kind of iffy about him but it didn't take me long to start talking to Bridget and telling her how stupid she was being with him. I wanted to smack her so many times and tell her to just give in to her feelings for him. He was a jock, yes, but oh so sweet and just...hot. *drools*

There is one guy who creeped me out from the start and I suspected him long before Bridget found anything out. Not going to name his name, though, don't want to give it away. But he was always weird to me. Glad my gut feeling was right!

The writing was amazing as well. I was hooked from the first page. I love how it basically launches right into things. Sometimes its a great thing when that happens. With some back story thrown in there so you can learn about the main character. Loved it.

Overall, this was a great book. The only thing I had a problem with was some parts were just weird to me....Can't really explain them. But other than that this book is amazing and I really hope they make a sequel. I've heard different things about that. Some people say there is a sequel planned, and others say there aren't. Does anyone know if there will be? It could be a standalone, but it does leave a few things left out there where a sequel could be added. I really hope there is, I want to see more Bridget and Matt. <3

I highly recommend this to fantasy lovers! I have never read a book about possession and this one was amazing!

Author Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Buy: Amazon | The Book Depository
Add it: Goodreads | Shelfari

Past, Present, & Future Reads, #36

noreply@blogger.com (The Vintage Bookworm) — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 04:26:00 +0000

Possess, by Gretchen McNeil
Publish: Balzer + Bray
Release Date: August 23, 2011

Rule #1: Do not show fear.Rule #2: Do not show pity.Rule #3: Do not engage.Rule #4: Do not let your guard down.Rule #5: They lie.
Fifteen-year-old Bridget Liu just wants to be left alone: by her mom, by the cute son of a local police sergeant, and by the eerie voices she can suddenly and inexplicably hear. Unfortunately for Bridget, it turns out the voices are demons – and Bridget has the rare ability to banish them back to whatever hell they came from.
Terrified to tell people about her new power, Bridget confides in a local priest who enlists her help in increasingly dangerous cases of demonic possession. But just as she is starting to come to terms with her new power, Bridget receives a startling message from one of the demons. Now Bridget must unlock the secret to the demons' plan before someone close to her winds up dead – or worse, the human vessel of a demon king.

This took me eight days to read, but oh my God it was so good! And so creepy! O_O My review will be posted tomorrow! Sorry my schedule has been so effed up, guys!

Total: 1

Fever, by Lauren DeStefano

(The Chemical Garden, #2)

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Release Date: February 21, 2012

Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but danger is never far behind.
Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago - surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness.
The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous - and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion...by any means necessary.
In the sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price - now that she has more to lose than ever.

I'm finally reading this again. I'm started it and put it down I don't know how many times. I've been dying to read it and I know it's going to be amazing. So excited I'm reading it. :D I'm only about a chapter and a half in so far, but will definitely be changing that later tonight. <3

Spell Bound, by Rachel Hawkins

(Hex Hall, #3)

Publisher: Hyperion

Release Date: March 13, 2012

Hailed as “impossible to put down,” the Hex Hall series has both critics and teens cheering. With a winning combination of romance, action, magic and humor, this third volume will leave readers enchanted.
Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.
Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late?

I can't wait to start this! I love this series so much. Can't wait to see what happens. I'm all jittery with excitement knowing this is next!! Fever and Spell Bound is what I need to get me back into reading.

Shatter Me, by Tahereh Mafi

(Shatter Me, #1)

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: November 15, 2011

Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.
The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.
The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war– and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.
Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

SO. FREAKING. EXCITED. TO. READ. THIS. GAAAAH! I'm soooo behind. I should of read this months ago! But finally...I willl. *giggles like a maniac* *pets cover*

Waiting on Wednesday, #58

noreply@blogger.com (The Vintage Bookworm) — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Waiting on Wednsday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine. WOW spotlights upcoming releases that you are dying to read and can't wait to get your hands on!

Ironskin, by Tina Connolly
(Ironskin, #1)
Publisher: Tor Books
Release Date: October 2, 2012
Pre-Order: Amazon

Jane Eliot wears an iron mask.
It’s the only way to contain the fey curse that scars her cheek. The Great War is five years gone, but its scattered victims remain—the ironskin.
When a carefully worded listing appears for a governess to assist with a "delicate situation"—a child born during the Great War—Jane is certain the child is fey-cursed, and that she can help.
Teaching the unruly Dorie to suppress her curse is hard enough; she certainly didn’t expect to fall for the girl’s father, the enigmatic artist Edward Rochart. But her blossoming crush is stifled by her own scars, and by his parade of women. Ugly women, who enter his closed studio...and come out as beautiful as the fey.
Jane knows Rochart cannot love her, just as she knows that she must wear iron for the rest of her life. But what if neither of these things is true? Step by step Jane unlocks the secrets of her new life—and discovers just how far she will go to become whole again.

Why Do I Want It?

Did you not READ that summary? And see that BEAUTIFUL cover?! If not, go do that now. You'll understand. Really. You will.

Fallen in Love, by Lauren Kate

noreply@blogger.com (The Vintage Bookworm) — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Series: Fallen, #3.5
Publisher: Delecorte Press
Release Date: January 24, 2012
Hardcover: 201 pages
Genre: YA - Paranormal Romance
Read it in: 7 days
Source: Library
Challenges: None
Rating: ★★★

Unexpected. Unrequited. Forbidden. Eternal. Everyone has their own love story.
And in a twist of fate, four extraordinary love stories combine over the course of a romantic Valentine's Day in Medieval England. Miles and Shelby find love where they least expect it. Roland learns a painful lesson about finding-and losing love. Arianne pays the price for a love so fierce it burns. And for the first -and last- time, Daniel and Luce will spend a night together like none other.
Lauren Kate's FALLEN IN LOVE is filled with love stories . . . the ones everyone has been waiting for.
True love never says goodbye. . .

If you're a fan of the Fallen series, I recommend reading this. While it wasn't AS addicting as the first three books, it was enjoyable. It's four short stories compiled into one book. Each short story is with a different point of view, but they all happen on the same day; Valentines Day.

The first story, in my opinion, was the cutest. It was Shelby's point-of-view and it was about Shelby and Miles. It was my favorite story of all four of them. It was the start of something and I can't wait to read Rapture to see if it continues! I was hoping Shelby and Miles would get together!

The second was Roland's point-of-view. It was weird reading through Roland's eyes, but also a great opportunity to learn more about him. This one completely broke my heart. I've always seen Roland as this strong, cool, mysterious sort of character. He's hilarious sometimes, really. But seeing him completely tormented by a choice he had to make for him and the woman he loved, just tore me apart. I feel for Roland so much. I think this one was the saddest one.

The third was of Arianne. I've always loved Arriane and to see this side of her made me understand why she tries to help Daniel and Luce so much. She had a forbidden love too, and it ended badly. You also get to see how she got her scars, and I'm glad we get to find that out because I've been curious about that since the first book.

The final story is, of course, Luce and Daniel. You can't have a Fallen novel, even if Novella, without Luce and Daniel. While their story wasn't very long, you do get to read about the only Valentines Day they've ever been together for. It's always fun to read about Luce and Daniel, but I really hope they get a break in Rapture. They've been through SO much and it just isn't fair!

Overall, this was an enjoyable extra to the series. It's quick paced and I could of read it pretty fast, but I've been in a bit of a rut so it took me a week. Can you believe that? Ha! If you're a fan, definitely read it. It's not the BEST, but it IS a compilation of short stories. Not an actual novel. Read it! :)

Author Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Buy: Amazon | The Book Depository
Add it: Goodreads | Shelfari

The final book in this series is Rapture. It was released on June 12, 2012.

Read my other reviews for this series:

Past, Present, & Future Reads, #35

noreply@blogger.com (The Vintage Bookworm) — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Fallen in Love, by Lauren Kate
(Fallen, #3.5)
Publisher: Delecorte Press
Release Date: January 24, 2012

Unexpected. Unrequited. Forbidden. Eternal. Everyone has their own love story.
And in a twist of fate, four extraordinary love stories combine over the course of a romantic Valentine's Day in Medieval England. Miles and Shelby find love where they least expect it. Roland learns a painful lesson about finding-and losing love. Arianne pays the price for a love so fierce it burns. And for the first -and last- time, Daniel and Luce will spend a night together like none other.
Lauren Kate's FALLEN IN LOVE is filled with love stories . . . the ones everyone has been waiting for.
True love never says goodbye. . .

It took me a week to read this, but I finished it early Saturday morning before I went to sleep. My review will be up on Monday, September 24th.

Total: 1

Possess, by Gretchen McNeil

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Release Date: August 23, 2011

Rule #1: Do not show fear.Rule #2: Do not show pity.Rule #3: Do not engage.Rule #4: Do not let your guard down.Rule #5: They lie.
Fifteen-year-old Bridget Liu just wants to be left alone: by her mom, by the cute son of a local police sergeant, and by the eerie voices she can suddenly and inexplicably hear. Unfortunately for Bridget, it turns out the voices are demons – and Bridget has the rare ability to banish them back to whatever hell they came from.
Terrified to tell people about her new power, Bridget confides in a local priest who enlists her help in increasingly dangerous cases of demonic possession. But just as she is starting to come to terms with her new power, Bridget receives a startling message from one of the demons. Now Bridget must unlock the secret to the demons' plan before someone close to her winds up dead – or worse, the human vessel of a demon king.

I just started this on Saturday. I'm not very far into it yet, only on the 4th chapter, but so far it's really interesting. I'm so glad to finally be reading this. Can't wait to see how it plays out!

Fever, by Lauren DeStefano
(The Chemical Garden, #2)
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Release Date: February 21, 2012

Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but danger is never far behind.
Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago - surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness.
The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous - and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion...by any means necessary.
In the sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price - now that she has more to lose than ever.

I know I've had this on past posts before, but I haven't gotten around to reading it yet. I hope I do get to this time because I'm dying to read it. I absolutely adored Wither! Need to know what happens next!

Spell Bound, by Rachel Hawkins
(Hex Hall, #3)
Publisher: Hyperion
Release Date: March 13, 2012

Hailed as “impossible to put down,” the Hex Hall series has both critics and teens cheering. With a winning combination of romance, action, magic and humor, this third volume will leave readers enchanted.
Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.
Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late?

I can't wait to read this! I love this series. :D Sad this is the end though. :(

What did you read this week? Was it great? What are you currently reading? What's up next on your reading list? I'd love to know, so let me know in the comments so I can add more books to my TBR list. =)

Stefan's Diaries: Origins

noreply@blogger.com (The Vintage Bookworm) — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Series: Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries, #1
Publisher: HarperTeen | Hodder's Children
Release Date: November 2, 2010
Paperback: 256 pages
Genre: Young Adult - Paranormal Romance
Read it in: 6 days
Source: Hodder's Children
Challenges: ABC Reading
Rating: ★★★

Set during the Civil War, against a backdrop of grand estates, unimaginable riches, and deadly secrets, three teenagers in Mystic Falls, Virginia enter a torrid love triangle that will span eternity.
Brothers Stefan and Damon Salvatore are inseparable until they meet Katherine, a stunning, mysterious woman who turns their world upside down. Siblings turned rivals, the Salvatores compete for Katherine's affection, only to discover that her sumptuous silk dresses and glittering gems hide a terrible secret: Katherine is a vampire. And she is intent on turning them into vampires so they can live together-forever.
Based on the popular CW TV show inspired by the bestselling novels, Stefan's Diaries reveals the truth about what really happened between Stefan, Damon, and Katherine--and how the Vampire Diaries love triangle began.

I don't really know what to say about this book or where to begin. I love the original Vampire Diaries series, and I love the show. But the books lately have just gotten...wow. I read the four original Vampire Diaries books and then got excited a couple of years later when a fifth was coming out. But then when it came out and I attempted to read it, I couldn't finish it! It was just really weird.

And now there's a ghostwriter involved and the newer books aren't even written by L.J. and it's sad and horrible. And then these books come out and they aren't involved with the original books. These are based off the SHOW. Which I was kind of curious about because I love the show and want to know more about Stefan and Damon.

Also, by the way, does anyone know who actually writes these books?! It just says based off the novels by L.J. Smith and off the show written by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. But who wrote THIS book??

Anyway, as much as I loved learning more about Stefan, Damon and Katherine and it was fun to read through Stefan's eyes, it wasn't great. I loved reading and being able to see some of the scenes because they were in the show, and knowing more about their history and what happened before they were turned, but something just wasn't right for me. It took me a lot longer than necessary to read this and I just wasn't in it a hundred percent.

Overall, it was enjoyable, but I could only read so much of it at one time. I had to keep putting it down. I love hearing more history than is seen in the show, but something just isn't right. Hard to explain. My husband says the next book is better, hopefully it will be. I'll read it soon, but I'm not absolutely DYING to read it.

Buy: Amazon| The Book Depository
Add it: Goodreads | Shelfari

The second book in this series is called Bloodlust. It was released on January 4, 2011.

Waiting on Wednesday, #57

noreply@blogger.com (The Vintage Bookworm) — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Waiting on Wednsday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine. WOW spotlights upcoming releases that you are dying to read and can't wait to get your hands on!

Alice in Zombieland, by Gena Showalter
(White Rabbit Chronicles, #1)
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: September 25, 2012
Pre-Order: Amazon

She won’t rest until she’s sent every walking corpse back to its grave. Forever.
Had anyone told Alice Bell that her entire life would change course between one heartbeat and the next, she would have laughed. From blissful to tragic, innocent to ruined? Please. But that’s all it took. One heartbeat. A blink, a breath, a second, and everything she knew and loved was gone.
Her father was right. The monsters are real….
To avenge her family, Ali must learn to fight the undead. To survive, she must learn to trust the baddest of the bad boys, Cole Holland. But Cole has secrets of his own, and if Ali isn’t careful, those secrets might just prove to be more dangerous than the zombies….

I wish I could go back and do a thousand things differently.I'd tell my sister no.I'd never beg my mother to talk to my dad.I'd zip my lips and swallow those hateful words.Or, barring all of that, I'd hug my sister, my mom and my dad one last time.I'd tell them I love them.I wish... Yeah, I wish.

Why Do I Want It?

Alice in Wonderland + Zombies??

That is all.

Waiting on Wednesday, #56

noreply@blogger.com (The Vintage Bookworm) — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Waiting on Wednsday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine. WOW spotlights upcoming releases that you are dying to read and can't wait to get your hands on!

The Raven Boys, by Maggie Stiefvater
(Raven Cycle, #1)
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Release Date: September 18, 2012
Pre-Order: Amazon

“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”
It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.
Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.
His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.
But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.
For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.
From Maggie Stiefvater, the bestselling and acclaimed author of the Shivertrilogy and The Scorpio Races, comes a spellbinding new series where the inevitability of death and the nature of love lead us to a place we’ve never been before.

Why Do I Want It?

It's Maggie Freaking Stiefvater! Do I really need to explain why I want it?? I haven't read The Scorpio Races yet, sadly, but I love her Wolves of Mercy Falls series. She's on my author-watch list where I have to read EVERY single book that she puts out. And this one? Oh, this one sounds AMAZING! More than Amazing. A girl named BLUE who has a CLAIRVOYANT MOTHER. A group of hot brothers known as The Raven Boys?? Sounds like trouble, but oh so good trouble.

What are you waiting for?? Is this on your TBR list as well? No? Oh, well then ADD IT! =D

Born Wicked, by Jessica Spotswood

noreply@blogger.com (The Vintage Bookworm) — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Series: The Cahill Witch Chronicles, #1
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Release Date: February 7, 2012
Hardcover: 330 pages
Genre: Young Adult - Historical Paranormal Romance
Read it in: 2 days
Source: Library
Challenges: Debut Author, YA Fantasy
Rating: ★★★★★

Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave.
Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word... especially after she finds her mother’s diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family’s destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.
If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren’t safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other.

If you saw the genre part of the book info at the top, you may have noticed I put Historical Paranormal Romance. I did not know which one to put it in, Historical Romance or Paranormal Romance, ha! So I mashed them together. When I first read the summary of this book, I fell in love, but I did NOT know it was historical! I wish I would of known because I would of tried to get this even sooner. Though my library doesn't get books in very fast after release dates.

When I snagged this from the library, I was ecstatic and couldn't wait to read it. Once I started reading it, I was hooked from the first couple of pages! I kept picking it up throughout the night and reading it and then throughout the day and I just couldn't stop. I was sneaking pages of it in between chores and even letting my 17 month old jump around on my back and head as long as I was able to read.

I can't really describe how amazing this book is. There are no words, and I definitely don't want to give anything away.

I love the plot and I love the suspense you feel whenever the Brotherhood are brought up and/or are around Cate. I noticed myself holding my breath each time, especially if they showed up at her house out of the blue, because I was scared she'd be next! That she was caught!

The writing flows SO well, it was so beautiful and you would fly through the pages without even noticing! I am VERY impressed with Mrs. Spotswood. VERY! She's definitely on my author watch list now and I am DYING to read Star Cursed. Why can't it be February now?! I NEED that book. NEED IT!

Oh, gosh, and the characters! Cate drove me crazy sometimes, though she was loyal and she knew her responsibility and kept watch over her sisters. But sometimes I wanted her to be selfish ever once in a while. Just a little bit. But that's not how Cate is. I liked her sisters, though Maura was definitely my least favorite. She just got so annoying sometimes. GAH!

I liked Paul at first, he seemed pretty nice. But then Finn came into the picture and Paul was history in my eyes!

Overall, this was an amazing debut. I am seriously kicking my own self in the butt for not reading this sooner. I loooved it! I loved its time period, and its magic, and its writing, and just EVERYTHING. If you haven't read it yet, DO SO NOW! This definitely got me out of my reading rut, but now I hope that I don't dive back into it after this amazing book.

Author Info: Website | Facebook | Twitter
Buy: Amazon | The Book Depository
Add it: Goodreads | Shelfari

The second book in this series is called Star Cursed, it will be released on February 7, 2013.

Past, Present, and Future Reads, #34

noreply@blogger.com (The Vintage Bookworm) — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 03:14:00 +0000

Two Truths and a Lie, by Sara Shepard
(The Lying Game, #3)
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: February 7, 2012

Sutton Mercer watches from the afterlife as her long-lost twin, Emma Paxton, takes over her identity to solve her murder. But after ruling out her early leads, Emma still hasn’t found Sutton’s killer. A lot of people wanted her dead—but one name keeps popping up: Thayer Vega. When the gorgeous and mysterious Thayer returns to town, Emma has to move fast to figure out whether he’s back for revenge…or if he already got it.
Set in a town where friends can turn into dangerous enemies and everyone harbors dark secrets, The Lying Game is a juicy new series that fans of the #1 New York Times bestselling Pretty Little Liars series—and the hit ABC Family show—will love.

I really need the next book so I can continue. Great mystery. =) You can read my review here.

Born Wicked, by Jessica Spotswood
(The Cahill Witch Chronicles, #1)
Publisher: Putnan Juvenile
Release Date: February 7, 2010

Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave.
Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word... especially after she finds her mother’s diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family’s destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.
If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren’t safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! My review will be up tomorrow, Monday, September 10th!

Total finished: 2

The Vampire Diaries; Stefan's Diaries: Origins
(Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries, #1)
Publisher: HarperTeen|Hodder Children's
Release Date: November 2, 2010

Set during the Civil War, against a backdrop of grand estates, unimaginable riches, and deadly secrets, three teenagers in Mystic Falls, Virginia enter a torrid love triangle that will span eternity.
Brothers Stefan and Damon Salvatore are inseparable until they meet Katherine, a stunning, mysterious woman who turns their world upside down. Siblings turned rivals, the Salvatores compete for Katherine's affection, only to discover that her sumptuous silk dresses and glittering gems hide a terrible secret: Katherine is a vampire. And she is intent on turning them into vampires so they can live together-forever.
Based on the popular CW TV show inspired by the bestselling novels, Stefan's Diaries reveals the truth about what really happened between Stefan, Damon, and Katherine--and how the Vampire Diaries love triangle began.

I'm currently 44% done with this, on page 104. Not very far, but almost halfway done. It's not a very big book. I'm not sure how I feel about this yet. I'm a HUGE VD fan, but these books aren't the same. And I can't even figure out who actually wrote this one because it wasn't L.J. Some ghostwriter I guess.... I'll be done with this soon and my review should go up on Friday.

Fallen in Love, by Lauren Kate
(Fallen, #3.5)
Publisher: Delecorte Press
Release Date: January 24, 2012

Unexpected. Unrequited. Forbidden. Eternal. Everyone has their own love story.
And in a twist of fate, four extraordinary love stories combine over the course of a romantic Valentine's Day in Medieval England. Miles and Shelby find love where they least expect it. Roland learns a painful lesson about finding-and losing love. Arianne pays the price for a love so fierce it burns. And for the first -and last- time, Daniel and Luce will spend a night together like none other.
Lauren Kate's FALLEN IN LOVE is filled with love stories . . . the ones everyone has been waiting for.
True love never says goodbye. . .

Really excited to be reading this next! Can't wait to learn more about the characters. =D

Possess, by Gretchen McNeil
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Release Date: August 23, 2011

Rule #1: Do not show fear.Rule #2: Do not show pity.Rule #3: Do not engage.Rule #4: Do not let your guard down.Rule #5: They lie.
Fifteen-year-old Bridget Liu just wants to be left alone: by her mom, by the cute son of a local police sergeant, and by the eerie voices she can suddenly and inexplicably hear. Unfortunately for Bridget, it turns out the voices are demons – and Bridget has the rare ability to banish them back to whatever hell they came from.
Terrified to tell people about her new power, Bridget confides in a local priest who enlists her help in increasingly dangerous cases of demonic possession. But just as she is starting to come to terms with her new power, Bridget receives a startling message from one of the demons. Now Bridget must unlock the secret to the demons' plan before someone close to her winds up dead – or worse, the human vessel of a demon king.

YES! I can't wait to read this! I won a necklace from McNeil a whiiile ago and it's BEAUTIFUL. It has part of the cover in a bottle cap and it's just gorgeous and amazing and I love it! And I've been dying to read this for SO long, but just haven't had the chance to. But now I will and I'm so happy. Doesn't this sound amazing!?

So what did you read this week? Anything amazing? What are you currently reading? What do you think you'll read next? Let me know in the comments!!