Now in Paperback:

Of Triton by Anna Banks

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! Let me start off with, oh my goodness!! This book was so AWESOME!!.

Ok, so this book basically started off from where Of Poseidon ended, where Emma’s mom is Nalia. Well, let’s just say at the beginning Emma’s mom isn’t the best person in the world. Grom finds Nalia and he doesn’t want to be mated to Paca anymore. So Grom, Galen, Toraf, and Nalia go to the boundary so Nalia can live with the Syrena again and Grom can get unsealed from Paca. Well, I can tell you that is NOT what happens. They have to have a tribunal, which is like court, only in Syrena world. Meanwhile, back to Emma, she’s stuck with Rayna and Rachel and let’s just say that is not a good pairing. Plus a lot of secrets are spilled and “gifts” are uncovered, which keeps the book twisting and turning the whole way through.

I literally loved this book. It felt so good when I finished it because I haven’t read a book in a while, actually since I finished Call of the Wild for school. I’m so happy I picked this book to read first. It was full of humor, love, loss, and pretty much everything in between. There is so much emotion it’s like you want to literally reach into the book and hug Galen or slap Toraf. I will say this one was a good sequel. You have those series that the first book is really good, but the second or third or whatever are let downs. This one was not like that. It actually was more than what I thought.

If you’re debating whether or not you should read these books, you know have a great review and opinion to go towards the “read this” list.

So, Top Ten Books Dealing with Tough Subjects. This one is sort of fitting for me because I just had a conversation with someone on GoodReads about this the other day. I had mentioned in my review of Laurie Halse Anderson’s Wintergirls that Speak was one of my all time favorite novels.

The person commented on my review that they thought it was interesting that I found it difficult to read Wintergirls but that one of my favorite books was about rape. Initially I took a defensive stance and explained that it wasn’t the subject matter that made the book my favorite. It was that the author took the initiative to bring the subject matter to light and not only that but she continued to be an advocate for victims and has changed people’s lives because of it. The commentor then explained that they had a hard time reading certain serious subjects and that is was more of just an observation rather than a negative comment.

I totally understood where they were coming from. These books aren’t easy to read, but I think that’s what makes them so important. A lot of these books are my favorite and not because of the subject matter but because of the strong emotion that they evoked in me while I read them. They’ve made me a more compassionate and caring person. They’ve made me recognize issues that I dismissed before. And that is something worth talking about.

Now in Paperback:

Release Date:

Maggie is a spy. Well actually she’s a safecracker, her parents are the international spies. But together they’ve  taken done some bad guys. Now it’s time for Maggie’s solo assignment! The agency is sending her to high school. All she has to do is befriend the insanely cute Jesse Oliver, and get the information to bring down his dad. Oh, and not blow her cover. Easy peasy… right?

This book was adorable! It was fun, cute, quick and just what I needed after a super serious read. This was my first experience with Robin, even though I’ve heard awesome things about her previous books, and I can assure this will not be my last. I dare you to read this book and not instantly connect with Maggie. She might be a safecracker, which I have absolutely no shared experience with, but she is such a relatable character you can’t help but love her instantly. And it’s not only Maggie you’ll love. Her “mean” but endearing friend Roux, Angelo, even Jesse. I LOVED the characters in this novel.

And the story wasn’t too bad either! Sure Maggie makes a lot of mistakes, but that’s what made the story so much fun to read.

If you’re looking for something that’s fun and is going to make you feel good at the end, I definitely recommend Also Known As!

If this is your first visit to the blog, I do “Books to Pine For” sporadically, it’s a regular feature but it doesn’t have a set date I post every month or what not.

You can check out all the books to pine for posts, they start chronologically from the most recent. In case you want to check out some earlier ones I’ve done. Okay I’ve rambled enough, on to the goods!

Just a note.. all the links in the titles go to their Goodreads page… easier to add to your wish list!

*ALL SUMMARIES ARE FROM GOODREADS OR AMAZON!

Mistwalker by Saundra Mitchell

Release Date: February 4, 2014
Publisher: Harcourt Children’s Books

When Willa Dixon’s brother dies on the family lobster boat, her father forbids Willa from stepping foot on the deck again. With her family suffering, she’ll do anything to help out—even visiting the Grey Man.

Everyone in her small Maine town knows of this legendary spirit who haunts the lighthouse, controlling the fog and the fate of any vessel within his reach. But what Willa finds in the lighthouse isn’t a spirit at all, but a young man trapped inside until he collects one thousand souls.

Desperate to escape his cursed existence, Grey tries to seduce Willa to take his place. With her life on land in shambles, will she sacrifice herself?

Witchstruck by Victoria Lane

Release Date: September 24th 2013
Publisher: Harlequin Teen

If she sink, she be no witch and shall be drowned. If she float, she be a witch and must be hanged.

Meg Lytton has always known she is different-that she bears a dark and powerful gift. But in 1554 England, in service at Woodstock Palace to the banished Tudor princess Elizabeth, it has never been more dangerous to practise witchcraft. Meg knows she must guard her secret carefully from the many suspicious eyes watching over the princess and her companions. One wrong move could mean her life, and the life of Elizabeth, rightful heir to the English throne.

With witchfinder Marcus Dent determined to have Meg’s hand in marriage, and Meg’s own family conspiring against the English queen, there isn’t a single person Meg can trust. Certainly not the enigmatic young Spanish priest Alejandro de Castillo, despite her undeniable feelings. But when all the world turns against her, Meg must open her heart to a dangerous choice.

Unbreakable by Kami Garcia

Release Date: October 1, 2013
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

I never believed in ghosts. Until one tried to kill me.

When Kennedy Waters finds her mother dead, her world begins to unravel. She doesn’t know that paranormal forces in a much darker world are the ones pulling the strings. Not until identical twins Jared and Lukas Lockhart break into Kennedy’s room and destroy a dangerous spirit sent to kill her. The brothers reveal that her mother was part of an ancient secret society responsible for protecting the world from a vengeful demon — a society whose five members were all murdered on the same night.

Now Kennedy has to take her mother’s place in the Legion if she wants to uncover the truth and stay alive. Along with new Legion members Priest and Alara, the teens race to find the only weapon that might be able to destroy the demon — battling the deadly spirits he controls every step of the way.

Exile (Keeper of the Lost Cities #2) by Shannon Messenger

Release Date: October 1, 2013
Publisher: Aladdin

Sophie Foster thought she was safe. Settled into her home at Havenfield, surrounded by friends, and using her unique telepathic abilities to train Silveny–the first female alicorn ever seen in the Lost Cities–her life finally seems to be coming together.

But Sophie’s kidnappers are still out there. And when Sophie discovers new messages and clues from the mysterious Black Swan group, she’s forced to take a terrifying risk—one that puts everyone in incredible danger.

As long buried secrets rise to the surface, it’s once again up to Sophie to uncover hidden memories—before someone close to her is lost forever.

In this second book in the Keeper of the Lost Cities series, Sophie must journey to the darkest corners of her luminous world in a sequel that will leave you breathless for more.

The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White

Release Date: September 10, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen

Isadora’s family is seriously screwed up.

Of course, as the human daughter of Egyptian gods, that pretty much comes with the territory. She’s also stuck with parents who barely notice her, and a house full of relatives who can’t be bothered to remember her name. After all, they are going to be around forever—and she’s a mere mortal.

Isadora’s sick of living a life where she’s only worthy of a passing glance, and when she has the chance to move to San Diego with her brother, she jumps on it. But Isadora’s quickly finding that a “normal” life comes with plenty of its own epic complications—and that there’s no such thing as a clean break when it comes to family. Much as she wants to leave her past behind, she can’t shake the ominous dreams that foretell destruction for her entire family. When it turns out there may be truth in her nightmares, Isadora has to decide whether she can abandon her divine heritage after all.

Inhuman by Kat Falls

Release Date: September 24th 2013
Publisher: Scholastic

In a world ravaged by mutation, a teenage girl must travel into the forbidden Savage Zone to recover lost artifacts or her father’s life is forfeit.

America has been ravaged by a war that has left the eastern half of the country riddled with mutation. Many of the people there exhibit varying degrees of animal traits. Even the plantlife has gone feral.

Crossing from west to east is supposed to be forbidden, but sometimes it’s necessary. Some enter the Savage Zone to provide humanitarian relief. Sixteen-year-old Lane’s father goes there to retrieve lost artifacts—he is a Fetch. It’s a dangerous life, but rewarding—until he’s caught.

Desperate to save her father, Lane agrees to complete his latest job. That means leaving behind her life of comfort and risking life and limb—and her very DNA—in the Savage Zone. But she’s not alone. In order to complete her objective, Lane strikes a deal with handsome, roguish Rafe. In exchange for his help as a guide, Lane is supposed to sneak him back west. But though Rafe doesn’t exhibit any signs of “manimal” mutation, he’s hardly civilized . . . and he may not be trustworthy.

This Wicked Game by Michelle Zink

Release Date: November 14th 2013
Publisher: Dial

Claire Kincaid’s family has been in business for over fifty years.

The voodoo business.

Part of the International Guild of High Priests and Priestesses, a secret society that have practiced voodoo for generations, the Kincaid’s run an underground supply house for authentic voodoo supplies. Claire plays along, filling orders for powders, oils and other bizarre ingredients in the family store, but she has a secret.

She doesn’t believe.

Struggling to reconcile her modern sensibilities with a completely unscientific craft based on suspicion, Claire can’t wait to escape New Orleans – and voodoo – when she goes to college, a desire that creates almost constant conflict in her secret affair with Xander Toussaint, son of the Guild’s powerful founding family.

But when a mysterious customer places an order for a deadly ingredient, Claire begins to realize that there’s more to voodoo – and the families that make up the Guild – than meets the eye.

Including her own.

As she bands together with the other firstborns of the Guild, she comes face to face with a deadly enemy – and the disbelief that may very well kill her.

Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2) by Sarah J. Maas

Release Date: August 27, 2013
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens

After a year of hard labor in the Salt Mines of Endovier, eighteen-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien has won the king’s contest to become the new royal assassin. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown – a secret she hides from even her most intimate confidantes.

Keeping up the deadly charade—while pretending to do the king’s bidding—will test her in frightening new ways, especially when she’s given a task that could jeopardize everything she’s come to care for. And there are far more dangerous forces gathering on the horizon — forces that threaten to destroy her entire world, and will surely force Celaena to make a choice.

Where do the assassin’s loyalties lie, and who is she most willing to fight for?

Shadows by Robin McKinley

Release Date: September 26, 2013
Publisher: Penguin Group

Maggie knows something’s off about Val, her mom’s new husband. Val is from Oldworld, where they still use magic, and he won’t have any tech in his office-shed behind the house. But—more importantly—what are the huge, horrible, jagged, jumpy shadows following him around? Magic is illegal in Newworld, which is all about science. The magic-carrying gene was disabled two generations ago, back when Maggie’s great-grandmother was a notable magician. But that was a long time ago.

Then Maggie meets Casimir, the most beautiful boy she has ever seen. He’s from Oldworld too—and he’s heard of Maggie’s stepfather, and has a guess about Val’s shadows. Maggie doesn’t want to know . . . until earth-shattering events force her to depend on Val and his shadows. And perhaps on her own heritage.

In this dangerously unstable world, neither science nor magic has the necessary answers, but a truce between them is impossible. And although the two are supposed to be incompatible, Maggie’s discovering the world will need both to survive.

The Iron Traitor (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #2) by Julie Kagawa

Release Date: October 29th 2013
Publisher: Harlequin Teen

After his unexpected journey into the lands of the fey, Ethan Chase just wants to get back to normal. Well, as “normal” as you can be when you see faeries every day of your life. Suddenly the former loner with the bad reputation has someone to try for-his girlfriend, Kenzie. Never mind that he’s forbidden to see her again.

But when your name is Ethan Chase and your sister is one of the most powerful faeries in the Nevernever, “normal” simply isn’t to be. For Ethan’s nephew, Keirran, is missing, and may be on the verge of doing something unthinkable in the name of saving his own love. Something that will fracture the human and faery worlds forever, and give rise to the dangerous fey known as the Forgotten. As Ethan’s and Keirran’s fates entwine and Keirran slips further into darkness, Ethan’s next choice may decide the fate of them all.

Racing Savannah (Hundred Oaks #4) by Miranda Kenneally

Release Date: December 3, 2013
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Author of Catching Jordan, Miranda Kenneally’s Racing Savannah, about an underprivileged girl training to be a jockey while working in the barn at a high-stakes horse farm whose on-again, off-again relationship with the owner’s son has an upstairs/downstairs effect on race day.

Release Date:

I wasn’t really sure about this one. Then I had the opportunity to listen to the audio book, so I thought why not give it a try. I ended up LOVING IT. I didn’t read the book in print at all, so I can’t really comment on that experience, but if you’ve not listened to the audio book, I so highly recommend it. I’m not an audio book person. I’m really really picky about the narration, thus I start a lot of audio books and end up not finishing them. (This just happened to me recently.) Eleanor & Park was one of, if not the best audio books I’ve ever had the pleasure of listening to.

It’s read by Rebecca Lowman and Sunil Malhotra. Rebecca reading the part of Eleanor and Sunil reading the part of Park. You can listen to an excerpt at Random House Audio.

Eleanor & Park is set in the late 80′s. 1986 I do believe, and although I was born in the 80′s this was a little bit before my time, though I knew most of the pop culture references so that made it fun. But don’t assume that you have to be a child of the 80′s to enjoy this novel. I don’t think the story would have worked quite as well in any other decade.

This book had me gasping, crying, laughing, and laughing so hard I was crying. It’s not at all your typical love story. It’s so much more than a love story, I even hate to use the words love story to describe it. It’s more about two teens finding themselves and falling in love with each other in the process.

I didn’t know much about the story line when I started the book and I think I liked it better that way. There was some serious issues that I didn’t anticipate at all, and that’s all I’ll say about that.

There’s been a lot of hype surrounding Eleanor & Park and it’s well deserved. If you’re debating on picking this one up, I can’t tell you enough, DO IT!. Looking forward to more from this fabulously talented author.