Escape In A Book

Book Review: New Girl by Paige Harbison

2012-01-30T07:26:00.000+01:00

They call me 'New Girl'...

Ever since I arrived at exclusive, prestigious Manderly Academy, that’s who I am. New girl. Unknown. But not unnoticed—because of her.

Becca Normandy—that’s the name on everyone’s lips. The girl whose picture I see everywhere. The girl I can’t compare to. I mean, her going missing is the only reason a spot opened up for me at the academy. And everyone stares at me like it’s my fault.

Except for Max Holloway—the boy whose name shouldn’t be spoken. At least, not by me. Everyone thinks of him as Becca’s boyfriend but she’s gone, and here I am, replacing her. I wish it were that easy. Sometimes, when I think of Max, I can imagine how Becca’s life was so much better than mine could ever be.

And maybe she’s still out there, waiting to take it back.

My thoughts:

New Girl is a retelling of the classic Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. I have not read Rebecca, so I can't say anything about how it compares, but New Girl felt very much like its own, original story when I read it. I am somewhat split in my opinion of this book. On one side I loved the mystery, the characters and the way the story was told. On the other side, I was a little bugged by how much everyone cared about 'New Girl', and I had some problems with Max.

To start with the good, I loved the way the story was told from both 'New Girl' and Becca's sides. It really made it clear how different the two girls were, and how crazy it was for everyone to think 'New Girl' was trying to take over Becca's place. All through the book I found myself trying to guess what really happened to Becca - was she actually dead, had she run away, or was she just waiting for the perfect time to reclaim her throne as queen of Manderly Academy?

'New Girl' (it takes a while before we learn her name, so I'll let you discover it on your own) is a very strong character, despite all her insecurities, and I loved how she was not afraid to stand up for herself and be her own person. Most of her fellow students only see her as a poor copy of Becca and never gives her a chance to show her own personality, but she handles it all very well.

My problem with New Girl mostly comes down to Max. I don't see why on earth he stayed in a relationship with Becca when he was clearly not happy with her, because let's be honest - most teenage boys don't care that much about hurting a girl's feelings, so if they want to dump a girl that's what they do. Then in comes 'New Girl', and all of a sudden we're supposed to believe that he cares about her, even if he treats her like dirt to start with. It just wasn't a believable relationship for me.

Despite the few issues I had with New Girl I enjoyed it quite a bit, and can recommend it to anyone who likes a little mystery, some good boarding school drama and a strong protagonist.

Cover:

As much as I like underwater covers, there's something off about this one. I just don't like this girl's facial expression.

My rating of this book:

Want to know more?

Add New Girl to your Goodreads wish list

Visit Paige Harbison's website
Read Paige's blog
Follow Paige on Twitter

Full disclosure:
ARC received from NetGalley

This book can be purchased from a number of local retailers and online book stores like Amazon and The Book Depository (I'm not an affiliate of either). The latter store has free shipping to about 100 countries.

Book Review: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

2012-01-26T11:00:00.000+01:00

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being 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 months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's 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...

My thoughts:

Another 2012 debut novel with a gorgeous cover, and a story to match! I made the mistake of starting to read Everneath right before bedtime one day. Big mistake. Seriously, this book will suck you in from the very start, and there's nothing to do about it but continue to read!

Everneath tells Nikki's story from the before and the after, and I loved how this let us see exactly what lead to her decision to join Cole in the Everneath, as well as how much had changed in the months she was gone. I could feel her desperation, her fear and anger, and even after getting to know the consequences, I could actually understand why she would make such a horrible decision. Because who of us haven't gone through times where the promise of feeling nothing - no hurt, no betrayal - would be very tempting?

Cole. Ugh, how I hated him. He has got to be one of the most manipulating characters of all time, and I just wanted Nikki to stay away from him. Or kill him, but the whole "immortal" thing makes that a little harder. And yet he's incredibly charming, sincere despite all the omissions of the truth he keeps making, and you can tell he's trying so hard to understand why Nikki wouldn't want to join him for all eternity.

I think my favorite part of Everneath, aside from the amazing use of old mythology in a new setting, was the relationship between Nikki and Jack. You can tell they have a history way beyond what's spelled out for us, and they are both so very willing to fight for what they have. Unlike many unhealthy YA romances, this is one I would happily let my (future) teenage daughter read about, as it shows true love, kindness and a connection beyond mere attractiveness.

Everneath is an amazing debut novel, one I'm sure will be getting many more five star reviews in the weeks to come, and I can't wait to read the yet unnamed sequel, as well as anything else Brodi Ashton might write in the future.

Cover:

So pretty! I'm a little tired of the girls in pretty dresses, but I still love this cover!

My rating of this book:

Want to know more?

Add Everneath to your Goodreads wish list

Visit Jodi Meadows' website
Read Jodi's blog
Follow Jodi on Twitter

Full disclosure:
ARC received from NetGalley

Guest post: Jerri Hines, author of the Whispers of a Legend serie.

2012-01-23T11:18:00.000+01:00

Inspiration to me as a writer comes from my surroundings and experiences. I've had a vivid imagination since childhood coming from growing up on a small rural farm. I remember lying on my back in the grass and finding figures in the floating clouds above me. Quickly, a story would emerge within me about those figures...all sorts of figures: horses, castles, dragons, even damsels in distress. Stories have always lived inside of me.

From the inception of Whispers of a Legend, I realized that the premise of the story came from my youth searching the skies. I always wondered what it would feel like to fly the skies, free and unrestricted. To rule the skies! That's the wonder of writing a fantasy. There are no restrictions on you. The worlds are yours to create. Freedom!

I visualized a world of myth and legend, ascetically real and full of magic and wonder. Mysteries unearthed; dangers untold. Creating worlds without limits where Sordarins, a valiant warrior race of hawkmen rule the sky and face an evil like no other, Asmeodai. Moreover I had a vision of Kela, a strong heroine, a real heroine. I saw clearly the lands of Scarladin and Witheleghe.

Influences in my writings, come from many areas of my life. I'm an avid reader. I love literature. One of my favorite books is Lord of the Rings. As an author I'm envious of J.R. Tolkien's ability to create such a realistic fantasy realm. A classic without question. But if I have one complaint with the series it would be that the characters are too perfect. In my writings, I never strive for perfection in my characters. Contrary, I want them to be imperfect. Flaws define us. Perfection in itself is a fantasy.

Whispers of a Legend is under the new genre, New Adult, for a reason; best explained in Whispers of a Legend overview... Whispers of a Legend follows Kela along this conflicting path, where as a young woman unsure of her ability and her confidence in facing the challenges before her to where she emerges as a strong leader who learns to lean upon her own strength, to stand not behind, but side by side with her warrior.

It's during this time in our life we make decisions that will define our course...our path. Decisions will be made- some good...others not so much. Some circumstances we won't have control over...others we created ourselves. I believe Gunilda says it best to Kela, "The road you walk is not straight, my child. Remember that. All roads wind."

If there is a message within Whispers of a Legend, I believe it would be perseverance.

Whispers of a Legend holds all that I love when I read- Adventure, Romance, and Suspense. I'm excited with the series both Shadows of the Past and The Path Now Turned. Vision of Destiny, the third part in the series, is set to be released at the end of January. Afterwards, I will be putting together an anthology of the first three into one book, Whispers of a Legend, Volume I.

One other inspiration I haven't mentioned is quotes. I will leave you with one.

"There's no comparison between what's lost by not trying and what's lost by not succeeding." - Francis Bacon

Links to my books:
Whispers of a Legend, Part One- Shadows of the Past is free everywhere except Amazon.

Smashwords
Barnes & Noble
Amazon

Whispers of a Legend, Part Two- The Path Now Turned
Smashwords
Barnes & Noble
Amazon

Want to know more about Jerri and her books? Check out these links below:
Castles in the Air
Twitter
Facebook
Fanpage, Novel Works

Thank you so much for sharing your sources for inspiration with us, Jerri. I loved what you sad about the heroine standing beside the hero, not behind!

I'm not sure if I dare to admit to this but I haven't read much of Tolkien, just a short story :/ Shame on me.

IMM(159)

2012-01-22T17:58:00.001+01:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kirsti at The Story Siren. Want to see what I got this week? Feel free to share a link to your IMM when you leave a comment.

I spiced the collage with a couple of nature photos that I have captured with my iPhone :)

Bought:
Legend by Marie Lu
Night School by C.J. Daugerty - currently reading(& loving it!)
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Saving Daisy by Phil Earle

For review:
Ripper by Amy Carol Reeves

Gifted by the lovely Line over at Moonstar's Fantasy World:
A Witch in Winter by Ruth Warburton

So what did you get in your IMM?

Intl' giveaway: The Tiger Saga by Colleen Houck.

2012-01-20T10:54:00.000+01:00

Would you like a chance to read the three first books in The Tiger series by Colleen Houch? If the answer to that question is yes then all you have to do to enter this giveaway is to leave your email in the Raffelcopter widget below. BTW did you know that Paramount Pictures bought the movie rights to The Tiger Series?

Last year the wonderful UK publisher Hodder & Stoughton was kind enough to provide me with advanced reading copies of The Tiger series so I wanted to give them and Colleen something back. I thought it would be nice to host a giveaway :) If you are curious about the series then click here to read my review of Tiger's Curse(I would also recommend to click here to read Vivienne's review of the book, because it is awesome). Under the giveaway you will find the covers and the synopsis for each one of the books. I wouldn't recommend reading more than the first synopsis though; it might be spoilers for you there ;)

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Passion. Fate. Loyalty.
Would you risk it all to change your destiny?

The last thing Kelsey Hayes thought she’d be doing this summer was trying to break a 300-year-old Indian curse. With a mysterious white tiger named Ren. Halfway around the world. But that’s exactly what happened. Face-to-face with dark forces, spellbinding magic, and mystical worlds where nothing is what it seems, Kelsey risks everything to piece together an ancient prophecy that could break the curse forever

Back in Oregon, Kelsey tries to pick up the pieces of her life and push aside her feelings for Ren. But danger lurks around the corner, forcing her to return to India where she embarks on a second quest--this time with Ren's dark, bad-boy brother Kishan, who has also fallen prey to the Tiger's Curse. Fraught with danger, spellbinding dreams, and choices of the heart, TIGER'S QUEST brings the trio one step closer to breaking the spell that binds them.

In the third installment of the Tiger series, Kelsey Hayes pushes through the pain of lost love and strengthens her friendship with Kishan. Despite his strong feelings for her, Kishan has agreed to be her ally in helping her reunite with the man she still loves. Together, they seek to help Ren regain his memory and begin the search for the third magical gift—an object of power that will help break the curse that causes them to live part of their lives as tigers.
They board a luxury yacht and seek Durga's aid once again, who supplies them with her golden weapons. With Nilima, Mr. Kadam, Ren, and Kishan at her side, she soon learns that the task ahead will be even more difficult than the others. Confronting a dark magician, multiple dragons, and terrifying denizens of the deep seems easy when compared to facing the daunting task of stitching up her heart. Just when she thinks she's ready to set her feet on a new path, she is yanked back with a jolt to the one she's determined to leave behind.
The jarring tug-of-war that ensues for Kelsey's heart leaves her anxious and confused. Combined with the stress of almost being killed every other day, it would appear that saving the tigers is almost more than she can handle. Still, she presses on, knowing that a choice is looming on the horizon. One she cannot put off making for long.
Tiger's Voyage is an irresistible romance with a barrage of action on the high seas, where a reader will find a treasure chest full of dragons, sea monsters, knights in shining armor, fabled weapons, and enduring love. The tropic waters of India create the backdrop for the latest installment in the tiger series. This novel, a multicultural take on the classic Beauty and the Beast tale, delves into the complex emotional turmoil and pressure associated with not only making the best choice for a nation but also the best choice for yourself.

Book Review: The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges

2012-01-19T11:30:00.000+01:00

St. Petersburg, Russia, 1888. As she attends a whirl of glittering balls, royal debutante Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, tries to hide a dark secret: she can raise the dead. No one knows. Not her family. Not the girls at her finishing school. Not the tsar or anyone in her aristocratic circle. Katerina considers her talent a curse, not a gift. But when she uses her special skill to protect a member of the Imperial Family, she finds herself caught in a web of intrigue.

An evil presence is growing within Europe's royal bloodlines—and those aligned with the darkness threaten to topple the tsar. Suddenly Katerina's strength as a necromancer attracts attention from unwelcome sources . . . including two young men—George Alexandrovich, the tsar's standoffish middle son, who needs Katerina's help to safeguard Russia, even if he's repelled by her secret, and the dashing Prince Danilo, heir to the throne of Montenegro, to whom Katerina feels inexplicably drawn.

The time has come for Katerina to embrace her power, but which side will she choose—and to whom will she give her heart?

My thoughts:

My first impression of The Gathering Storm was a little overwhelming, because there are a lot of names and titles to keep straight. Most of the characters are at different times addressed by their double first name, their nickname, their last name and their title, and this was a little confusing at first. But don't worry, you'll get into it!

I absolutely loved the St. Petersburg setting! The snow and icy winds contrast perfectly to the warm ballrooms, and the descriptions made me feel like I was really there. I am impressed by how accurate all the details seemed (I am no expert on Russian history, but everything was very believable), and I let myself get carried away by all the gallant gentlemen, the sparkling diamonds, the colorful balls and the paranormal aspects that lie beneath it all.

Katerina was a great lead character. She was so strong, always trying to protect everyone around her, yet also questioning herself and her power. She does make some stupid decisions, but only the kind that any teenage girl would have made in her situation. I loved her determination, and felt myself cheering for her to find a way out of the mess she was in. I also liked her relationships with George Alexandrovich and Prince Danilo, two very, very different young men. Let's just say that they both of them have their own secrets, and their own reasons for wanting Katerina.

The Gathering Storm is a very promising debut from Robin Bridges, and a wonderful start to a new series. I am excited to see what comes next!

Cover:

It matches well with the story, even if the girl on the cover looks nothing like what I imagined Katerina to look like.

My rating of this book:

Want to know more?

Add The Gathering Storm to your Goodreads wish list

Visit Robin Bridges' website
Follow Robin on Twitter

Full disclosure:
ARC received from NetGalley

Waiting on Wednesday: Glitch by Heather Anastasiu

2012-01-18T07:06:00.000+01:00

What if the government could find a way to remove all destructive emotions? In author Heather Anastasiu's debut novel Glitch the Community has removed certain human feelings and thoughts are replaced by a feed. Wouldn't it be nice if someone could just take all bad feelings away?! Or are those feelings a part of what makes life worth living?

I'm in love with this cover, looks a bit like Across the Universe by Beth Ravis
but I can totally forgive that! Looooove that purple color.

Why am I pining for Glitch by Heather Anastasiu?

Computer chips inside human brains is an idea that both terrifies and interest me at the same time. What if they were misused like in Glitch? Now that is one scary scenario, I love my computer as much as the next gal' but I wouldn't want a motherboard stuck in my brain. No thanks. the computer belongs on my desk not in my head. Not having destructive emotions would seem like a great thing, at first, but how would we learn to appreciate the good things when we have nothing to compare them with?

Synopsis borrowed from Goodreads:

In the Community, there is no more pain or war. Implanted computer chips have wiped humanity clean of destructive emotions, and thoughts are replaced by a feed from the Link network.

When Zoe starts to malfunction (or "glitch"), she suddenly begins having her own thoughts, feelings, and identity. Any anomalies must be immediately reported and repaired, but Zoe has a secret so dark it will mean certain deactivation if she is caught: her glitches have given her uncontrollable telekinetic powers.

As Zoe struggles to control her abilities and stay hidden, she meets other glitchers including Max, who can disguise his appearance, and Adrien, who has visions of the future. Both boys introduce Zoe to feelings that are entirely new. Together, this growing band of glitchers must find a way to free themselves from the controlling hands of the Community before they’re caught and deactivated, or worse.

In this action-packed debut, Glitch begins an exciting new young adult trilogy.

Add Glitch to your Goodreads shelf
Check out Heather's homepage

Published by: St. Martin's Press
Release date: August 7th 2012.

What are you waiting for this week?

"Waiting On" Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This event spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. Please visit Jill's blog to find out what other book bloggers are waiting for.

Book review: Weetzie Bat by Francesca Lia Block

2012-01-17T20:14:00.000+01:00

Weetzy Bat is an original YA novel for the mature YA reader. The author is addressing a lot of important subjects in this novel such as premarital sex, drugs, HIV and homosexuality.

Weetzy Bat doesn't like high school, the other students doesn't care for the same things she does. One day Weetzy befriends tall and handsome Dirk, turns out Dirk is gay. Dirk and Weetzy is inseparable and they do everything together. They move in together and live with their respective partners like one big happy family, well almost..

My thoughts:
I had absolutely no expectations what so ever when I picked up Weetzy Bat at the library. The only thing I knew about the book before hand was the author's name. I'm lost for words on how to review this book. It felt like I was reading some kind of traveling guide to LA written by someone on a trip of one kind or another(and I felt like that was the intention but I might be wrong)... It felt like I was reading the script of a David Lynch movie. This, for me, was a book about love, loss and being different. There was a bit of magic in this story but I'm wondering if the main character was a bit delusional, not A4 that's for sure :)

Author Francesca Lia Block has created a set of characters with the most unusual names ever! I would have loved to connect with them but sadly it felt kind of hard. I think it was to the fact that they all was supposed to be such a huge happy family and sad stuff did occur but everything felt like it was a blur, some kind of dream. I'm not sure who else to explain it.

I would recommend that you read it and get back to me and tell me what you think. It's a fairly short read so I read it in just a couple of hours.

My rating of this book:

- Original and weird.

This book can be purchased from a number of local retailers and on-line book stores such as Amazon or The Book Depository (I'm not an affiliate of either). The latter store does by the way have free shipping to about 100 countries.

Teaser + Giveaway of Titan Magic by Jodi Lamm. YAlit, fantasy.

2012-01-16T20:02:00.000+01:00

Look at that gorgeous cover!

I'm thrilled to be able to welcome author Jodi Lamm on Escape In A Book today. Jodi will be sharing a teaser from her YA fantasy novel titled Titan Magic and she has also kindly offered to giveaway a signed paperback(internationally). Check out the teaser and the giveaway below:

A dark blanket of clouds crept like sea foam across the sky. In that shadow, the stag became a formidable silhouette. It stood on three legs and towered over Maddy, who remained on her knees. Part of her knew that this thing, this talking animal, was more dangerous to her than anything else in the world. She knew because no matter how hard she tried to be frightened of it, she could not overcome the feeling of total peace she had in its presence.

“Who are you?” she asked.

“You used to call me Jas.” The stag bowed its head. “You were the only one who called me Jas.”

Maddy closed her eyes and dug her fingers into the ground. “That’s not what I meant.”

“You meant to ask me what I am.”

She nodded.

“You should always say what you mean.”

Maddy forced herself to look up at the shape of her abductor—of Jas. It was strange, talking to someone who could hear her. “Are you… Are you a woodsprite?”

The stag chuckled. “No.”

“A forbidden creature?”

“You could say that.”

Maddy didn’t want to know more, but her instincts would not let her be until she asked. “A Titan?”

The stag lifted its head at that, and Maddy shifted back in horror. Had she guessed correctly? If he said yes, she was dead. Titans didn’t let people who met them survive the meeting. Everyone knew that. Only no one believed in Titans. No one believed in talking animals either.

The stag huffed and limped toward the forest, but turned back once to answer her. “It was a Titan who did this to me.”

Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful teaser with us, Jodi! If you want to win a signed paperback copy of Titan Magic then don't forget to enter in the giveaway below.
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Guest post + giveaway : Underdog by Lori Culwell, author.

2012-01-14T13:29:00.000+01:00

We're so pleased to have author of the young adult novel The Dirt, Lori Culwell over today. Lori is stopping by today to tell us about her inspiration for the lead character's personality. Lori and her publisher have most kindly offered to giveaway an e-book copy of The Dirt. The book is also available in paperback but not in this giveaway, why you might ask. There is a very logic reason for that; to make the prize available to all of our readers, not only the ones living in the US :) Without further ado here is Lori's post:

I must admit, I am a sucker for the underdog, and most of my protagonists fall under this category. By “underdog,” of course, I mean anyone who feels less-than, or awkward, or somehow “other” from their circumstances, like they just don’t fit in. Writing teachers sometimes use the term “stranger in a strange land” to describe a scenario where the hero of the story, for instance, time-travels to a place where the rules aren’t the same and where he or she finds him or herself quite out of place.

I feel like the underdog is that stranger, only the “strange land” circumstance is just their regular life. This brings me to the lead character in my latest novel—Lucy, from “The Dirt.” Having myself grown up in a fancy-pants town near Palm Springs, California, and not being particularly fancy myself, I did feel that sense of “other” ness in middle school and high school, like when my 16 year old friends started coming to school in BMWs (my first car was a Volkswagon Rabbit, in case you’re wondering). I also was a late bloomer, so to speak, so as a teenager I always kind of felt like everyone was more sophisticated and better looking than me.

In “The Dirt,” I put the awkward lead character inside a wealthy, mysterious family, mostly because I thought it would be funny to see something like that from the underdog’s perspective. Lucky (our hero) is the younger sister of Sloane Whitley—beautiful, perfect, and the evil mean-girl leader of a super-secret mean girl society known as PG. Since we’ve all known a Sloane at some point in our lives (probably high school), I put that character in to contrast Lucy, who is so self-conscious it’s almost painful at time. Everything Sloane is and does is mysterious to Lucy, from the effortless way she always looks good, even when she is sick or tired, the way she wields power over everyone in town—even the fact that Sloane is so totally comfortable with being ruthless and ice-cold, even to her own family members. Lucy and Sloane are polar opposites, and them being sisters and in such close proximity just raises the stakes of the story.

I can’t go too far into the plot of this book without uncovering some pretty major plot points, but I definitely do feel like you go on the roller coaster ride with Lucy of what it’s like to be a normal, awkward person in the middle of a rich, glamorous family (and town). I like to think that even rich and glamorous people feel this way sometimes, though I have my doubts.

As anyone who read my first novel, “Hollywood Car Wash,” can attest, I really like to explore situations from the inside, sometimes to the point of absurdity. In “Hollywood Car Wash,” that world was the Hollywood machine. In “The Dirt,” it’s Mean Girls and high society in Palm Desert, California. I like to look at situations like that from an “other’s” perspective, for comical effect. My readers seem to like it (or at least that’s what they tell me).

Thank you so much for sharing this with us, Lori. It was very interesting to read why you love an underdog protagonist and why you have chosen that kind of lead character for The Dirt.

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Cover reveal: Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

2012-01-13T13:52:00.001+01:00

Check out the lovely UK cover for Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver! What do you think?

Recommendation of BookTubers

2012-01-12T11:57:00.002+01:00

I love to watch bookish videos on YouTube! There are so many talented people out there making great YouTube channels featuring book reviews, interviews and other bookish stuff. I thought I'd share a couple of my favorites with you guys.

I would love it if you shared links to your favorite bookish YouTube Channels in the comment section below or told me what you think of the channels I like.

First we have the InterrobangYA channel and I thought I'd share a video from one of my favorite bloggers there and that is Cat from Beyond Books, here she fangirls over Cinder by Marissa Meyer:

Then we have TotallyBooksessed which I also adore! Check out one of the vloggers, Lauren, she is such a natural talent!

I asked the same question on my Norwegian book blog back in 2011 and got a bunch of wonderful recommendations for new channels to watch(all English speaking of course) I have some new favorite among those, so make sure you check them all out:

JASaare - author

Favorite Heroines from 2011

2012-01-11T11:36:00.000+01:00

Mari's favorite heroines from 2011:

So I've noticed a trend in my choice of favorite heroines.. most of them have a violent streak to them. I'm not pro violence IRL by no means but when it comes to vampires, zombies and outright cruel people in literature I have to admit that I enjoy me some ass kicking! Hell (pardon the language) I would never give in to a brain sucking zombie or a vampire drooling for my blood without putting up a damn good fight. They all stand up for themselves, something I believe is very important that every girl does! Anyways here are my choices for 2011:

Val from Bite Me by Parker Blue:

Val is just such a great and entertaining heroine. She is vulnerable yet strong and a ace when it comes to kicking some serious vampire ass. This is a young adult series to pick up when you need a fast paced purely entertaining read!

Click here to read my review of Bite Me.

Mim from All I Ever Wanted by Vikki Wakefield:

Mim is one of the best female characters I’ve ever come across. We connected from the very first page. Mim is a dreamer and she has a set of rules that will help her achieve her goal. Through out the novel Mim has to confront her own rules and one by one they fall.. A very strong, level-headed, engaging character I couldn’t help but fall head over heels for her. Great personality and bff material. If you haven’t heard of this excellent debut novel I strongly recommend that you take a look at it!

Click here to read my review of All I Ever Wanted.

Nina's favorite heroines from 2011:

After writing down the following three names for my favorite heroines, I realized that they're all strong, independent women with a somewhat sarcastic sense of humor - and they're all readers! MacKayla loves Harry Potter, and always prefers the book over the movie. Georgina works in a bookstore, and crushes on her favorite author. Merit was, before being turned, a grad student at the English department of the University of Chicago, and loves spending time in the Cadogan library. So I guess my favorite heroines are all different versions of who I kinda wanna be. If that makes sense;)

MacKayla Lane from the Fever series by Karen Marie MoningIt's hard for me to describe Mac without giving away five books worth of spoilers, so let's just say that this girl goes through more sh*t in a year than any of us will in a lifetime, and still comes out on top. She is an inspiration, not because she is perfect, but because she is so human in her flaws, and she knows this better than any.
Georgina Kincaid from the Georgina Kincaid series (Succubus) by Richelle MeadGeorgina has the perfect life, if you look away from the whole "recruited by Hell to steal souls" part. She works as an assistant manager at a bookstore, she has shapeshifting powers as part of the succubus deal so there's no such thing as a bad hair day for her, and she hangs out with vampires, a demon and an angel - usually at bars. I just love Georgina's sarcastic humor, her dry been-there-done-that attitude (after millennia as a succubus, she really has), and the fact that she's still a hopeless romantic after all these years.
Merit from The Chicagoland Vampires by Chloe Neill Merit is snarky, strong and confident, and never backs down for anyone - hottie vampire and her creator Ethan Sullivan included. I love that Merit starts out with this "Why should I care?" attitude, yet ends up caring more about protecting her vampires than anyone. She may not always make the smartest decisions, but she always gets results.

Who was your favorite heroine from 2011?

Book review: Angelfall((Penryn & the End of Days #1)) by Susan Ee

2012-01-10T21:23:00.000+01:00

Angelfallen by Susan Ee is a surprisingly dark and exiting new addition to the dystopian YAlit genre. Did I mention that this book features some HOT angels? No, well it certainly does ;)

In a broken city Penryn is desperately trying to bring her little family to safety. By accident the little group finds themselves nearby a small gathering of angels. The angels are all attacking a lone angel. The situation is out of Penryn's control and an angel kidnaps her younger sister, Paige. The group of angels disperses and leaves the broken angel behind.

Now a beaten and disabled angel, Raffe is Penryn’s only hope. Will she ever find her little sister again, alive....?

My thoughts:
I have to admit that the first thing that caught my eye when I discovered Angelfallen was the gorgeous cover. I decided that this was a book I had to find out more about, one brilliant review later and a click on Amazon and I was the lucky owner of the e-book(also available in paperback) edition of Angelfallen.

I didn't have all that high expectations when starting out so I was pleasantly surprise by the story. The angels have taken over earth and humans live in fear, in hiding. Human gangs roams the streets during daylight but at night everything is quiet, something, even worse than the angels, cruel and predatory stalks the streets at night.

Penryn, the main character, plays the part as the head of the family; taking care of a disabled sister and a mother with a mental illness. She reminded me quite a lot of Katniss from The Hunger Games, taking care of the family and having such a strong bond to her little sister. Angelfallen has several interesting characters and since this is the first book in a series I'm hoping to get to know them all even better in the future. Raffe, "the fallen one", was one of those characters there were so many small hints as to his past and I can hardly wait to find out more about his past in the aerie.

The drama was built up nicely, I wanted to keep turning pages and towards the end the story I was completely taken by surprise. Let me tell you it is equally parts scary and repulsive and still you have to keep on reading. I will most definitely pick up the next book.

Teaser Tuesday: In The forest of the night by Kersten Hamilton

2012-01-10T12:37:00.002+01:00

“A ghrá mo chroí,” Finn said. “The love of my heart."

It's been awhile since I read the first book in this series, Tyger, Tyger - read my review here, but I really enjoy this series based on Irish legends and mythical creatures.

MizB of Should Be Reading host this meme called Teaser Tuesday . Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Winner of Master That Be series by Lynna Merrill

2012-01-09T20:44:00.000+01:00

Congratulations, Maria :) I have passed along your email to Lynna :) I hope you enjoy your new books.

In my mailbox - my first in 2012.

2012-01-08T23:43:00.003+01:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kirsti at The Story Siren.

It's still Sunday here for another 20 minutes so I thought I might share my mailbox content with you guys and girls. On Saturday I got this lovely gift from book blogger MoonStar, thanks hon! Can't wait to read By Midnight by Mia James :) I've heard great things about it.

From NetGalley I got Ripper by Amy Carol Reeves for review, a paranormal about Jack The Ripper:

So did you get any fun stuff in your mailbox?

Book Review: Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

2012-01-06T09:30:00.000+01:00

NEWSOUL
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

HEART
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

My thoughts:

First of all, how gorgeous is that cover?! I am not ashamed to admit that beautiful covers draw me in, but in Incarnate the story was just as beautiful. If only every YA fantasy was as exciting, original and well written as Incarnate, but it really is the butterfly of its genre. I can already tell that Incarnate will be on my Top 10 of 2012 lists, and I'm saying that in January!

Ana is incredible. For the first eighteen years of her life, she has been taught that she is a nosoul, unworthy of love, happiness and life itself. And like I am sure many of you know; if you're told something often enough, you start believing it. I felt so bad for her, and was really rooting for her to find the truth about who she really is. I really enjoyed discovering the small pleasures of life alongside her, and seeing her regain faith in herself, and trust in the world around her.

Sam. Wow. I think I'm in love with him. He was such a kind, gentle soul, showing Ana the kind of friendship and love she had never known before. It was really interesting to see how he deals with being over five thousand years old, to carry all that knowledge and pain from past lives into the future. When he talked of his past lives and deaths I could feel the pain as if it was my own, and I really got to see what a blessing and curse reincarnation was for him. And his love for music was so beautiful!

The story is perfectly paced, with excitement well mixed in with Ana's daily life. I never felt like anything was rushing or going to slow, but was happy for the story to take me where it wanted to go. And wow - that twist toward the end had me crying out in anger! Still the ending itself came together perfectly, with just enough unanswered questions to make me want the sequel, yet without any of the cliffhangers that just make me frustrated.

I really don't feel like anything I say can do this beautiful, beautiful book justice, so please just pre-order a copy and see for yourself! Incarnate is a new favorite for me, and I can't wait to read more of what Jodi Meadows writes in the future.

Cover:

GORGEOUS! And so fitting to the story!

My rating of this book:

Want to know more?

Add Incarnate to your Goodreads wish list

Visit Jodi Meadows' website
Read Jodi's blog
Follow Jodi on Twitter

Full disclosure:
ARC received from NetGalley

Attention: Awesome February Valentine's Event Alert!

2012-01-05T10:56:00.000+01:00

One of my favorite Aussie book bloggers, Brodie from Elusinian Mysteries, is co-hosting an awesome Valentine's event along with Lisa from Read Me Book Mark Me Love Me.

You should totally go check out Brodie's post about this event, just click on this link and you're there!

According to Brodie there will be drool-worthy giveaways and:

We will be getting deleted scenes, early teasers, characters interviews, author interviews, guest posts, and MORE. Remember, this is a LOVE event so all of these features will be LOVE-THEMED. Yes, that means sexy deleted scenes. Romantic teasers. Couple character interviews..... You get the picture.

They have some amazing authors contributing, just check out this list:

Amy Plum
Julie Kagawa
Jennifer L. Armentrout

Maria V. Snyder

Veronica Rossi

Sarah Alderson

Kim Harrington

Marissa Meyer

… and many more!!!

Doesn't it sound like pure awesomeness will be going on over there in February?!

Favorite Fictional Boyfriends from 2011

2012-01-04T08:12:00.001+01:00

Welcome to a week where Nina and I share some of our favorites from the reading year we just left behind. We're starting out with our Favorite Fictional Boyfriends from 2011. We would love it if you shared your favorites in the comment section below or told us what you think of our choices.

Mari's Favorite Fictional Boyfriends from 2011:
I have such a hard time deciding a favorite boyfriend(fictional mind you!) from 2011. I have three favorites and I don't want to choose cause' I love em' all equally.

First out there is Jake:
For those of you not familiar with Jake he is the love interest in Blood Red Road by Moira Young. You haven't read the book? Well shame on you, now you should totally go and read my review of Blood Red Road and be convinced that you should grab yourself a copy. Yes, yes I was going to tell you all about Jake, I'm sorry I just tend to get a little sidetracked sometimes.

Jake is just such a no-nonsense down to earth kind of guy, just how I like it. I can think of several nice adjectives to describe him : sensible, kind, patience and fair. Now who wouldn't want a guy like that in his life? A bonus: Your mom will love this polite guy as well, nothing to worry about when you bring him home for dinner for the first time.

Then there is Jules Marchenoir from
Die For Me by Amy Plum(yet again a book you should read if you haven't - read My Die For Me Review here):
A Jules, how I love thee! Your charming banter makes my pulse higher and make me go weak in the knees. Funny how a kind of dead guy can evoke these kind of reactions in a girl huh?! ;)

Last but not least we have Tucker Avery from
Unearthly by Cynthia Hand(read my review here):

Tucker is just a wonderful, friendly, bantering boy next-door kind of a guy. I think I fell for him alongside with Clara the main character in the story.

Nina's Favorite Fictional Boyfriends from 2011:

Jericho Barrons from the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning
Grrrrr. Seriously, hottest guy (or whatever he is) ever. Barrons is the very definition of an alpha male, and there's just something so raw about him that I can't help loving him even despite all his flaws.

Cam Caballero from Blood Bound by Rachel Vincent
Mmmm, muscles. If even a kick-ass heroine like Liv has trouble forming complete sentences when Cam walks around without a shirt on, I'm pretty sure I'd be even less coherent. He doesn't always think things through before acting, but you can always count on him to have your back in a fight.

Click here to read Nina's Review of Blood Bound.

Sam Henry from Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
What puts Henry apart from the other guys on this list is that he feels real. He's exactly the kind of guy I would have loved to know in high school, and well, he's adorable. Too bad guys like him always ends up in the friend zone.

Click here to read Nina's review of Catching Jordan.

Book Review: Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

2012-01-03T09:30:00.000+01:00

Aria is a teenager in the enclosed city of Reverie. Like all Dwellers, she spends her time with friends in virtual environments, called Realms, accessed through an eyepiece called a Smarteye. Aria enjoys the Realms and the easy life in Reverie. When she is forced out of the pod for a crime she did not commit, she believes her death is imminent. The outside world is known as The Death Shop, with danger in every direction.

As an Outsider, Perry has always known hunger, vicious predators, and violent energy storms from the swirling electrified atmosphere called the Aether. A bit of an outcast even among his hunting tribe, Perry withstands these daily tests with his exceptional abilities, as he is gifted with powerful senses that enable him to scent danger, food and even human emotions.

They come together reluctantly, for Aria must depend on Perry, whom she considers a barbarian, to help her get back to Reverie, while Perry needs Aria to help unravel the mystery of his beloved nephew’s abduction by the Dwellers. Together they embark on a journey challenged as much by their prejudices as by encounters with cannibals and wolves. But to their surprise, Aria and Perry forge an unlikely love - one that will forever change the fate of all who live UNDER THE NEVER SKY.

My thoughts:

The concept and setting of Under the Never Sky is great. With the way global warming is going, it's not out of the question that we would some time in the future be living in enclosed environments to protect us from the dangers of outside. And would it not be likely for some people to refuse living in these cities, and prefer facing the danger instead of letting themselves be controlled?

I have to be honest, after the first fifty pages I was asking myself if every review I'd seen so far could be wrong. Even with as much action as those first chapters held, they still felt slow to me. I think part of the problem is that both Aria and Perry were telling so much about themselves, their lives, friends and personalities, but didn't support any of it with their actions.

Luckily it gets a lot better after that. As soon as Aria is thrown out of the pod and meets Perry we start seeing some actual character building. On his own, Perry is arrogant, makes rash decisions, and doesn't seem to care about anyone except for his abducted nephew. On her own, Aria is curious, inexperienced, and has lived a life protected from not just danger, but from life itself. Together, they have to learn how to trust each other with their lives, and slowly they form a bond that's so much stronger than anyone would have expected from a mole and a savage.

I really, really liked Aria and Perry's relationship. It was so slow and reluctant at first, yet growing with every situation they handled together. I also loved two of the characters introduced in the second half, and especially one of them gave some much needed lightness to an otherwise dark story. The ending was a little WTF in a good "oh my good, I want the sequel now" kind of way, but it also answered some important questions as to not leave us completely hanging.

All in all I thought Under the Never Sky was a great beginning of a new series, with enough action, intrigue, friendship and romance to make me interested in reading the rest.

Cover:

Very pretty, and I like how it stands out from all these girl-in-pretty-dress covers we've been seeing lately.

My rating of this book:

Want to know more?

Add Under the Never Sky to your Goodreads wish list

Visit Veronica Rossi's website
Read Veronica's blog
Follow Veronica on Twitter

Full disclosure:
ARC received from NetGalley

Merry Christmas! Intl' Giveaway + Short blogging break

2011-12-25T14:29:00.000+01:00

Stop by for a end of the year giveaway. One lucky winner = gets four of the most popular Young adult novels of 2011.

Merry Christmas!

Here in Norway we celebrate Christmas on December 24th, Christmas Evening as we call it. If you would like to know a little of our Norwegian Christmas traditions I wrote a post about that last year, just follow this link to read more. Since Nina is living in the US now I reckon she is celebrating with her in-laws today :) I only got one book for Christmas this year but it was a wonderful surprise, Nina gave me Entwined by Heather Dixion. Thank you so much, Nina!

Giveaway:
We're near the end of 2011 and this will be the last contest of the year. I'll be giving away four of the young adult novels voted as best YA in the 2011 Goodreads choice awards to one lucky reader.
Note: I've been given feedback that some of the extra information isn't possible to add in Rafflecopter, just leave a comment and provide the information there :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blogging break:
We're taking a break from blogging for the rest of the Holiday Season but we'll be back in the begining of Januar sharing some of our favorites from 2011. Take care and enjoy Christmas!

For the Delirium fans! Hana - a short story from Lauren Oliver

2011-12-23T09:21:00.000+01:00

For all of us who LOVED Delirium by Lauren Oliver(and are desperately awaiting the release of Pandemonium), I'm super exited to announce that Lauren and her publisher Hodder & Stoughton has a Christmas treat for us! A short story told from Hana(yes, Lena's bff) point of view.

For those of you who's just crept out from under a rock I can tell you that Delirium is a young adult dystopian novel :) I just loved Delirium, check out my Delirium review here btw, I would like to help Lauren promote her short story.

You might have guessed that Hana has some secrets of her own… There's a shocking twist to her tale that will leave you with your heart in your mouth.

The short story is out exclusively in eBook this Christmas - it's available to buy for just 99p for a limited time only over the festive season.

If your anything like me you'll be desperate to order it immediately, but Hodder & Stoughton has a favour to ask all of us. In order for us all to join in to give Lauren the best Christmas present ever: seeing Hana at number one in the eBook charts on Christmas Day, will you wait to order the book until 24th December? If we all do one big Christmas Eve push and buy the Hana on the 24th December, that will propel it up the charts into (hopefully!) the top spot.

If you find the waiting difficult you can read a short extract from Hana here and as an extra bonus you'll get to learn how to make some pretty cool Christmas decoration for your Christmas three.

Cover reval: Chosen One's by Tiffany Truitt. First book in a new Young adult dystopian series.

2011-12-22T00:30:00.000+01:00

Do you like the cover?

Today I'm super exited to be part of a group of bloggers who has the honor of revealing the pretty cover for a new young adult dystopian called Chosen Ones by Tiffany Truitt. Check out the intriguing synopsis below:

What if you were mankind’s last chance at survival?

Sixteen-year-old Tess lives in a compound in what was once the Western United States, now decimated after a devastating fourth World War. But long before that, life as we knew it had been irrevocably changed, as women mysteriously lost the ability to bring forth life. Faced with the extinction of the human race, the government began the Council of Creators, meant to search out alternative methods of creating life. The resulting artificial human beings, or Chosen Ones, were extraordinarily beautiful, unbelievably strong, and unabashedly deadly.

Life is bleak, but uncomplicated for Tess as she follows the rigid rules of her dystopian society, until the day she begins work at Templeton, the training facility for newly created Chosen Ones. There, she meets James, a Chosen One whose odd love of music and reading rivals only her own. The attraction between the two is immediate in its intensity—and overwhelming in its danger.

But there is more to the goings-on at Templeton than Tess ever knew, and as the veil is lifted from her eyes, she uncovers a dark underground movement bent not on taking down the Chosen Ones, but the Council itself. Will Tess be able to stand up to those who would oppress her, even if it means giving up the only happiness in her life?

Chosen One's is due out in April 2012 by Entangled publishing, if you liked the synopsis why don't you add the book to your Goodreads shelf?

Book Review: The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

2011-12-21T20:31:00.000+01:00

It's 1996, and Josh and Emma have been neighbors their whole lives. They've been best friends almost as long - at least, up until last November, when Josh did something that changed everything. Things have been weird between them ever since, but when Josh's family gets a free AOL CD in the mail, his mom makes him bring it over so that Emma can install it on her new computer. When they sign on, they're automatically logged onto their Facebook pages. But Facebook hasn't been invented yet. And they're looking at themselves fifteen years in the future.

By refreshing their pages, they learn that making different decisions now will affect the outcome of their lives later. And as they grapple with the ups and downs of what their futures hold, they're forced to confront what they're doing right - and wrong - in the present.

My thoughts:

There is so much I loved about this book that I don't even know where to start. First, it's Jay Asher! Thirteen Reasons Why is my all time favorite young adult contemporary, and so I will always pick up any book I see with his name on it. Second, I loved the '90s. I remember the first time I got to use the Internet at our school computer, the first time I signed up for an email account, and even if it was ten years later; signing up for Facebook. But let me get to my review.

I was a little skeptical to the author collaboration as I've never read anything by Carolyn Mackler, but I could honestly not tell who had written what. The chapters alternate between Josh and Emma, and I loved how they each had their own distinct voice. I especially connected to Emma, because I saw so much of myself in her. I am exactly the kind of girl who would obsess about every little detail of both the future and the present, over-analyze every status update, and try hard to change things if I wasn't perfectly happy with them. Josh gave some comic relief to otherwise serious situations, and I just adored the way he changed his behavior after first seeing his Facebook future.

The ending was slightly predictable, but the journey to get there was not. I was just as excited as Josh and Emma to see how their Facebook profiles would change every time they logged on, and the different romances and crushes were so much fun. Yet despite all the normal teenager-y everyday action, what really got to me was the bigger questions. If you knew your future, would you try to change it? Would you obsess over your future to the point that you're no longer living in the present? And why on Earth do we feel the need to share with hundreds of "friends" online what we just had for dinner?

The Future of Us is a great read filled with fun, friendship and thoughts of the future, and if you were a teenager in the '90s I'm sure you'll exclaim "ohmygod, I had/did/read/heard that too!" more than once.

Cover:

Very Internet-ish, but perhaps not the most exciting.

My rating of this book:

Want to know more?

Add The Future of Us to your Goodreads wish list

Follow Jay on Twitter
Follow Carolyn on Twitter

Full disclosure:
Purchased at my local bookstore.