Hex Hall (Hex Hall #1) by Rachel Hawkins

Genre: paranormal, mystery
Series and Book #: Hex Hall #1
Pages: 323
Synopsis:

Three years ago, Sophie Mereer discovered that she was a witch. It’s gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie’s estranged father—an elusive European warlock—only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it’s her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters.

By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.

As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.

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This was such a fun, suspenseful, unique book with a hilarious and sarcastic MC. All of Rachel's characters were well put together and she did an amazing job of explaining Sophie's world.

Sophie was brilliant. She was so witty and sarcastic while everyone else was serious. Her situation was different than other Prodigium because she was raised by her human mother, so she has to learn everything about being a witch from scratch, and she hates it. But with her friend Jenna, the only vampire student at Hex Hall, she's back to her usual self, cracking jokes that virtually no one else finds funny. I think Rachel did an excellent job building up the secondary characters as well.

Hex Hall was a perfectly written place, from Sophie's first impressions, to when she's exploring for fun. Rachel wasn't very detailed, but she did show us what Hex Hall was like, and I could see the people and places as I read the book. The old-looking mansion on the outside, the woods surrounding the school, and the classrooms were all explained very well, and I loved that I was able to have a picture in my head.

Overall, this was a fantastic read and I'm totally zipping through Demonglass, the sequel. Rachel's writing was amazing, Sophie was the best, and the rest of the characters, figures, and places in Hex Hall were awesome. I can't wait to learn more about Sophie's magical abilities and the rest of the magical world in the next book!

The Cover: I love how it has both Sophie and her ghostly friend on the cover, along with the pond that's beside Hex Hall. It's pretty awesome.

Lipstick Apology by Jennifer Jabaley

Genre: social issues, mystery
Series and Book #: none
Pages: 321
Synopsis:

Four little words written in lipstick mean Emily must say goodbye to everything she knows.

One minute, Emily Carson is dancing on her kitchen counter at an end-of-school party. The next, she’s staring at the news, witnessing the wreckage of a plane crash—the plane her parents were on. Her mother’s last words are scrawled in lipstick on a tray table: EMILY PLEASE FORGIVE ME.

Now it’s fall in New York City, and Emily is desperate to leave tragedy behind. It helps that Darlington High’s swim team champion has his irresistible green eyes on her. And then there’s her quirky chemistry partner slash baker-by-night, Anthony, with his classroom jests, delicious frosted donuts and firm just-friends status.

But Emily is still haunted by her mother’s mysterious apology. She must find out what it means. Only then can she choose between the two boys in her life: the one who makes her forget, or the one who helps her remember, and ultimately, heal.

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I first heard about Jennifer's novels when I found the novel Crush Control. It sounded very interesting (a girl who hypnotizes a boy to fall in love with her? Count me in!) When I went to my local library, looking for great summer reads, and spotted this, there was no question in me ripping the book from the shelves. I didn't get into the book right away. I didn't even get into the book halfway through reading it and I was hoping so much that it picked up. Then I talked to a friend of mine who had read it, and she said that it did get better towards the end. And it did! YAY!

After Emily's parents died, she was a very monotone character. Her thoughts always wrapped around the same things, "What am I doing here?" "What did Mom mean?" "I'm not going to fit in." She was a devastated mess. But when she meets Andi and Lindsey, there's not doubt that she perks up. And when Owen, the captain of the swim team and Mr. Popular himself shows interest in her, then she starts to forget her Mom's apology and worry about her life now. Also Anthony perked her up a bit...when he wasn't reminding her that her parents are dead and gone and that she should really find out what that apology means. I liked Anthony. He was very sarcastic, witty, and intelligent, seeing people for who they were rather than what they looked like. But Emily and him disagreed on many things, like Owen. And when he keeps prying Emily to continue her search for her mother's apology, she fittingly kicks him out in an angry rage. But things get better and that had to be my favorite part of the whole book, when Anthony and Emily make up.

Overall, I liked this book, but more towards the end. I thought Jennifer's characterizations were good. She did a great job of showing us their true colors, whether it was right away or more towards the end of the story. Her description of New York was very detailed as well, naming streets, specific trains, and mentioning shops, cobblestone streets, and other minor details. I can't wait to read Crush Control.

The Cover: I like the colors and the New York skyline, but I don't see how it really connects with the book. It's cute.

Release: Supernaturally by Kiersten White and Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer

Evie finally has the normal life she’s always longed for. But she’s shocked to discover that being ordinary can be . . . kind of boring. Just when Evie starts to long for her days at the International Paranormal Containment Agency, she’s given a chance to work for them again. Desperate for a break from all the normalcy, she agrees.
But as one disastrous mission leads to another, Evie starts to wonder if she made the right choice. And when Evie’s faerie ex-boyfriend Reth appears with devastating revelations about her past, she discovers that there’s a battle brewing between the faerie courts that could throw the whole supernatural world into chaos. The prize in question? Evie herself.
So much for normal.

When Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemies, she’s certain her days are numbered. But then the Searchers make her an offer—one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack—and the man—she left behind. Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can endure and still survive.

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I loved Paranormalcy by Kiersten White! It was a hilarious paranormal debut and I can't wait to read the sequel.

I have yet to read Nightshade by Andrea Cremer, but I'm looking forward to it. I've heard its a great, original werewolf story that will have you wanting more.

These are two great releases that everyone will be clamoring for!

Daily Dose (29)

Daily Dose is a weekly meme hosted by Good Golly Miss Holly where we share inspirational photos we've found on the Internet.

Please remember the people of Norway through their terrible tragedy.

Uncommon Criminals (Heist Society #2) by Ally Carter

Genre: adventure
Series and Book #: Heist Society #2
Pages: 298
Synopsis:

Katarina Bishop has worn a lot of labels in her short life: Friend. Niece. Daughter. Thief. But for the last two months she’s simply been known as the girl who ran the crew that robbed the greatest museum in the world. That’s why Kat isn’t surprised when she’s asked to steal the infamous Cleopatra Emerald so it can be returned to its rightful owners.

There are only three problems: First, the gem hasn’t been seen in public in thirty years. Second, since the fall of the Egyptian empire and the suicide of Cleopatra, no one who holds the emerald keeps it for long—and in Kat’s world, history almost always repeats itself. But it’s the third problem that makes Kat’s crew the most nervous, and that is…the emerald is cursed.

Kat might be in way over her head, but she’s not going down without a fight. After all, she has her best friend—the gorgeous Hale—and the rest of her crew with her as they chase the Cleopatra around the globe, dodging curses and realizing that the same tricks and cons her family has used for centuries are useless this time.

Which means, this time, Katarina Bishop is making up her own rules.

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An awesome sequel to an equally awesome first novel. Uncommon Criminals had my nerves on end, had me biting my nails in anticipation, and laughing out loud! Kat and her crew were awesome characters and I was so happy to revisit them.

The stakes were higher than before in this novel, and the con was more complex. At first, it was simple. But after Kat initially stole the Cleopatra Emerald, Ally threw in a twist that I didn't see coming. After that, everything grew more risky, and Kat was taking emotional tolls throughout the whole story. She was forced to uncover some nasty family secrets, confront some feelings for Hale, and through it all she had to believe in herself even when things got tricky. She would be all into the heist, then back away, nervous and afraid. Then something would go right, and she'd be all for the con again. I think she was forced to choose between the family business and doing what she had been before the Emerald had appeared--stealing for the original owners of lost pieces.

The same cast from Heist Society was back and still as awesome as before! Hale, Gabrielle, Simon, the Bagshaw brothers, and even Nick were included. I loved the character that Ally put into each one of Kat's crew members, making them all very real.

Overall, Ally did a marvelous job with this sequel. The heists were just as fun as before, and had just as much detail. The characters all had minds of their own, and weren't just two-dimensional. And the secrets and mysteries that Ally added made everything especially interesting. Can't wait to see if Ally has more planned for Kat and crew!

The Cover: Just like Heist Society's, I love Kat's shades and the Emerald reflected in them.

My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison

Genre: fantasy
Series and Book #: none
Pages: 311
Synopsis:

When you wish upon a star…if you’re Savannah Delano, you end up with a gum-chewing, cell phone-carrying, high heel-wearing, teenage fairy godmother named Chrysanthemum (Chrissy) Everstar.

After Savannah’s picture-perfect boyfriend, Hunter, dumps her to go out with her older sister, Jane, she idly wishes she could find a true prince to take her to the prom. Instead, she gets Chrissy. Only a “fair” godmother (because she’s not a very good fairy student).

Chrissy attempts to grant Savannah three wishes, which get her sent back to the Middle Ages: once as Cinderella, once as Snow White, and once to save Tristan, the surprisingly cute boy from her school who’s also found himself a victim of Chrissy’s mistaken wish-granting. From trolls to dragons to the mysterious Black Knight, Savannah and Tristan must beat the odds to make it back to modern times together.

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I love fairy tales, romances, and humor and this book had it all. Savannah was a great MC, and the people who surrounded her were great too. I don't think that we saw much of Chrissy, but what we did see really showed her character. Same with some of the other minor characters that I only caught snippets of.

The story starts with letters from Chrissy to the Honorable Master Sagewick Goldengill, about her previous godmother assignments and the extra-credit one for Jane and Savannah Delano. I loved that I got the back story before diving into the actual tale, because then I wasn't left in the dark about what happened between Jane, Savannah, and Hunter, Savannah's ex-boyfriend and Jane's newest boyfriend. And when we did go into the story, Savannah told her side of the whole thing and that brought us more into touch with her character.

The story flowed wonderfully through the wishes. Whenever Savannah came home from the Middle Ages, you could tell she was rattled, angry, and grateful for indoor plumbing. I felt that the first two wishes were rushed but they gave me just enough information to open up for the final wish. Most of the story was centered around the final wish, which was so great. Janette wrapped up the story perfectly, including all three wishes into the final wish, which was something different that I loved.

Overall, this is one of my all time faves! It was a stellar book that flowed great, wrapped up nicely, and the characters were so awesome. Janette made every character real, with their own unique personality, including the magical creatures. Janette also pulled off the Middle Ages great, giving the culture without reading too much like a history book. And it was hilarious! A perfect, wonderful novel.

The Cover: The girl looks impeccably like Chrissy, and I think it's funny that she's on the roof.

Cover Reveal: Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins

Two days ago on her blog, Rachel Hawkins, the author of Hex Hall and Demonglass, revealed the cover of the thrid book in the series, Spell Bound:

Having not read Hex Hall (but looking forward to it) I can't sing any praises to the books, but I've heard such great things about the series. I do love the cover and how close it is the previous ones, though.

The reflections and the cats are so cool. I can't wait to read this series!

Spell Bound is released May 13th, 2012

Intertwined (Intertwined #1) by Gena Showalter

Genre: paranormal
Series and Book #: Intertwined #1
Pages: 377
Synopsis:

There’s something about the new guy at Crossroads High….

Most sixteen-year-olds have friends. Aden Stone has four human souls living inside him:

One can time travel. Once can raise the dead. One can posses another human. One can tell the future.

Everyone thinks he’s crazy, which is why he’s spent his entire life shuffled between mental institutions and juvie. All of that is about to change, however. For months Aden has been having visions of a beautiful girl—a girl who carries centuries-old secrets. A girl who will either save him or destroy him.

Together they’ll enter a dark world of intrigue and danger…but not everyone will come out alive.

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At first, I thought this book was all about the four souls living inside Aden and others with really strange abilities, like Aden's friend Mary Ann. But when we meet Riley, a werewolf, and Victoria, a vampire, and they tell Aden and Mary Ann that witches, faeries, and goblins exist, I realized that it wasn't just about Aden's abilities, it was also about other paranormal creatures.

I loved the originality Gena had with her creatures, and the twists that she included in the story. Her vampires were wildly different from any I've read before and I've never read of goblins in other books. Her ghosts were also different; they weren't just transparent people. Along with Aden and Mary Ann, it created a very original paranormal novel.

Aden's interactions with the souls was so much fun. Elijah--the one who predicts the future--was milder than some of the others. Eve--the one who time travels--was a sweet, motherly person whom Aden loved like his own mother. Caleb--the one who can possess others--and Julian--the one who can raise the dead--were so funny. They made me laugh a ton. Near the end when we learn they're actual people, I thought it was so cool since Aden had been wanting to give them lives of their own for such a long time. You can tell that Aden loves them, and you get to know their personalities throughout the novel. I thought giving them personalities was better than just having them be on the side and the cause of Aden's problems.

Overall, this was a hilarious, original, fun ride with awesome romances thrown in. Aden's relationship with Victoria was spectacular and the same goes for Riley and Mary Ann's. The creatures they encounter and the suspense was awesome. I can't wait to see what happens next in Unraveled!

The Cover: I think it really sets the tone for the novel, along with having Aden on the cover. The text is awesome too.

Heist Society (Heist Society #1) by Ally Carter

Genre: adventure
Series and Book #: Heist Society #1
Pages: 287
Synopsis:

When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her to the Louvre…to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria…to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own—scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving “the life” for a normal life proves harder than she’d expected.

Soon, Kat’s friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring her back to the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has good reason: a powerful mobster’s priceless art collection has been stolen and he wants it returned. Only a master thief could have pulled off this job, and Kat’s father isn’t just on the list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat’s dad needs her help.

For Kat there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it’s a spectacularly impossible job? She’s got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully, just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in her family’s (very crooked) history—and with any luck, steal her life back along the way.

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I've read Ally Carter's Gallagher Girl Series (except for the more recent novel Only the Good Spy Young) and I loved those. This was another stunning debut from Ally. I love a great con, as I mentioned in my review of White Cat by Holly Black, and this definitely lived up to my standards.

Kat was a great MC. You understood the way she resisted Hale when he came to ask her for help with the con that she really wanted to leave "the life" when she joined Colgan School. But I loved the joy she felt when she was involved in the con and I loved the people who helped her along the way. Hale, her best friend; Gabrielle, her perfect cousin; the Bagshaw brothers, two very mischievous boys; and Simon, a completely nervous wreck. I loved the way Ally brought everything together and explained everyone. But sometimes I was really confused about what she was talking about. It seemed to me that she was sharing a inside joke with the novel and I wasn't a part of it.

The heist was amazing. Ally explained the mastermind behind it and she told us every detail about what was happening when it was happened. She also added just enough twists to keep you interested until the end, where she added just a twinge of mystery to keep you excited for the next novel.

Overall, I can't wait to read the sequel! I loved the con and the people in Kat's life. Ally is such a great author in creating an exciting world, both legal and not. I loved her Gallagher Girl series and I am hooked on Heist Society. The detail in every chapter, the suspense leading to the heist, and the characters in the story were all perfectly executed. Once I get my hands on Uncommon Criminals, Heist Society's sequel, I am going to pick it up with no hesitation. This was such a great novel.

The Cover: I love the missing painting in Kat's other lens and her crooked smile. It's a great fit for this novel.

Release: Love Story by Jennifer Echols

Title: Love Story

Author: Jennifer Echols

She's writing about him. He's writing about her. And everybody is reading between the lines.

For Erin Blackwell, majoring in creative writing at the New York City college of her dreams is more than a chance to fulfill her ambitions—it’s her ticket away from the tragic memories that shadow her family’s racehorse farm in Kentucky. But when she refuses to major in business and take over the farm herself someday, her grandmother gives Erin’s college tuition and promised inheritance to their maddeningly handsome stable boy, Hunter Allen. Now Erin has to win an internship and work late nights at a local coffee shop to make her own dreams a reality. She should despise Hunter . . . so why does he sneak into her thoughts as the hero of her latest writing assignment?

Then, on the day she’s sharing that assignment with her class, Hunter walks in. He’s joining her class. And after he reads about himself in her story, her private fantasies about him must be painfully clear. She only hopes to persuade him not to reveal her secret to everyone else. But Hunter devises his own creative revenge, writing sexy stories that drive the whole class wild with curiosity and fill Erin’s heart with longing. Now she’s not just imagining what might have been. She’s writing a whole new ending for her romance with Hunter . . . except this story could come true.

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I haven't read anything by Jennifer yet, but I've heard she's amazing at writing love stories and I do love a good romance, so I can't wait to read this debut and her previous novels Forget You and Going Too Far. Another great novel of 2011!

Daily Dose (28)

Daily Dose is a weekly meme hosted by Good Golly Miss Holly where bloggers feature moving pictures that they've found on the Web lately.

Desires of the Dead (Body Finder #2) by Kimberly Derting

Genre: paranormal mystery
Series and Book #: Body Finder #2
Pages: 355
Synopsis:

The missing dead call to Violet. They want to be found.

Violet can sense the echoes of those who’ve been murdered—and the matching imprint that clings to their killers. Only those closest to her know what she is capable of, but when she discovers the body of a young boy she also draws the attention of the FBI, threatening her entire way of life.

As Violet works to keep her morbid ability a secret, she unwittingly becomes the object of a dangerous obsession. Normally she’d turn to her best friend Jay, except now that they are officially a couple, the rules of their relationship seem to have changed. And with Jay spending more and more time with his new friend Mike, Violet is left with too much time on her hands as she wonders where things went wrong. But when she fills the void by digging into Mike’s tragic family history, she stumbles upon a dark truth that could put everyone in danger.

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I read The Body Finder back in May, and I didn't enjoy it. I had said that I may read the sequel, and when I happened upon it in the library, I decided, Whatever, I might as well give it a chance. And I'm somewhat glad that I did.

I still have problems with the sequel. I felt as if Kimberly enunciated words way more than she needed to, and I was tired of there being so much force behind the simplest words. And despite what the summary says, the story wasn't really about the little boy Violet found or the FBIs awareness of Violet's ability. It was about a person who was silently threatening Violet, trying to scare her, and that was the mystery. But it was a great mystery. Kimberly dropped hints suggesting who was threatening Violet, but she added the tiniest details that had you questioning who it really was. Once she told you who it had been, there was still a lingering mystery that held Violet's interest, and I was so intrigued by the story.

Unlike my concerns in The Body Finder, I don't think that Violet and Jay's relationship covered the mystery. I felt that the book was more about the threats than their relationship. There was still the subplot of Jay and Violet's love life, but I didn't think it was completely taking over the story.

Overall, much better than The Body Finder. I felt as if Kimberly had more mystery instead of romance. My favorite character was Chelsea, Violet's friend. I also thought that the new kids Mike and Megan were a brilliant add to the novel. I'm excited for The Last Echo, the next installment in the Body Finder series.

The Cover: Not as great as the first. I think the pink defeated the darkness that I think the book really is about. But I love the flower. It again reminds me of the echoes of the dead.

Going Bovine by Libba Bray

Genre: social issues
Series and Book #: none
Pages: 480
Synopsis:

All sixteen-year-old Cameron wants is to get through high school—and life in general—with a minimum effort. But that’s before he’s given some bad news: he’s going to die.

Hope arrives in the winged form of Dulcie, a loopy punk angel/possible hallucination with a bad sugar habit. She tells Cam there’s a cure—if he’s willing to go in search of it. With the help of Gonzo, a death-obsessed, video-gaming dwarf, and a yard gnome who just might be the Viking god Balder, Cam sets off on the mother of all road trips through a twisted America…into the heart of what matters most.

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The second book I've read of Libba Bray's, and again I fell in love! This was a hilarious and sad story that makes you think about life and how quickly it can be taken away from you.

Cameron was one of the best MCs I've met. He was honest and didn't care what people thought of him. He was just so real and he didn't pretend he was something he wasn't. I think that Libba did a great job of writing Cam so that later on you felt happy for him, or you mourned with him, or you laughed with him. The same goes for Gonzo and Balder. I didn't think that we saw a ton of Dulcie. She popped up here and there and Cam's relationship with her grew, but I thought it all came on so fast. I wasn't as hooked onto Dulcie as I was with the other characters.

Libba described every scene perfectly! Cam, Gonzo, and Balder's adventures were so vivid and I couldn't stop reading. I wanted to see how everything turned out. I was flipping pages so fast that once in awhile I had to look back and see what exactly had happened. She did an amazing job of knitting every experience together so that no detail was unimportant.

Overall, this was freakin' hilarious! I laughed so much and I was sad and I was rooting everyone on. Libba is seriously one of my all-time favorite authors. I can't wait to read her Gemma Doyle series. I recommend that you READ THIS BOOK! Like, don't wait. This is a perfect summer read that will have you doubling-over with laughter and realizing that you should live life to its all-time fullest. One of the best books I've ever read. 'Nuff said.

The Cover: The cow, the feather, the yard gnome.... It just brings back so many memories.

Cover Reveals: Hallowed by Cynthia Hand and Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Two days ago, I saw the cover of Cynthia Hand's second book, Hallowed, on the blog The Book Bubble. Many thanks to Athena!

Look at how pretty it is:

I love how it looks really close to the first book, Unearthly. I loved the lettering and the girl on the cover of that book and I love the same with this one. It's so pretty! I hope its as shiny as the previous novel!

P.S. I have not read Unearthly, but its on my list.

On to the next book....

I loved Lauren Oliver's Before I Fall. Her writing was fantastic and her characters had depth. I bought Delirium, Lauren's next book, and I haven't gotten around to it yet.

Yesterday on her blog, Lauren revealed the newest cover of the second book in the Delirium Trilogy, Pandemonium. Check it out:

You've all probably seen the original blue cover for Delirium, and are wondering what happened with the girl and the cut out letters and all of that. Earlier in the year, Lauren revealed the new cover to Delirium that looks like this:

Even though the original cover was spectacular, I think Delirium's new cover and Pandemonium's cover is beautiful. Can't wait to read more from Lauren!

The Big Crunch by Pete Hautman

Genre: romance
Series and Book #: none
Pages: 280
Synopsis:

June and Wes do not “meet cute.” They do not fall in love at first sight. They do not swoon with scorching desire. They do not believe that they are instant soul mates destined to be together forever.

This is not that kind of love story.

Instead, June and Wes hang around in each other’s orbits…until eventually they collide. And even after that happens, they’re still not sure where it will go. Especially when June starts to pity-date one of Wes’s friends, and Wes makes some choices that he immediately regrets.

This is a love story for people not particularly biased toward romance. But it is romantic, in the way that the truth can be romantic and uncertainty can be the biggest certainty of all.

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I was a bit unsure when I was handed this book and told that it was cute and funny and worth the read. And through the first couple of chapters, that uncertainty followed me. But as June and Wes continue to talk and meet, I felt that the story was picking up and soon I couldn't put the book down!

True to the summary, this is not the average book love story. It's an average, everyday love story--sort of--with two people who see each other, notice one another, and eventually talk. June travels a lot because of her dad's job and Wes just ended his long-time relationship with his girlfriend, Izzy. They both weren't looking for a romance. I thought Pete did a wonderful job of having them come together, then go apart, somewhat teasing the reader. He was also great in writing June and Wes's relationship. They obviously loved each other, but they had their fights and they had their moments of well, what now?

Overall, I thought this was a well-written romance, with just enough stuff to make it interesting and to keep me engaged, but also the average fights and times when they didn't quite know where the relationship was going. I also thought that Pete did a great job of showing us who Wes and June were without adding too many details, along with the side characters. This is a great, under-the-radar summer read and a wonderful romance.

The Cover: Its exactly how Wes and June's relationship goes throughout the seasons. I liked it the moment I was given the book.

Release: Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: Forever
Author: Maggie Stiefvater

In Maggie Stiefvater's SHIVER, Grace and Sam found each other. In LINGER, they fought to be together. Now, in FOREVER, the stakes are even higher than before. Wolves are being hunted. Lives are being threatened. And love is harder and harder to hold on to as death comes closing in.



Admittedly, I have not read any of Maggie's books. You can scream now. Or comment scream. And tell me I'm crazy.

I read the first couple of chapters in her novel Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception, but I had to stop because I had other, more important things to read. I picked up Shiver, and I was going to read it, but again life took over and I had no time. I WILL READ THEM!!! I WILL!!!

Anyway, for those of you who have read Forever and think it's bleeping awesome, comment below and I'll be sure to get right onto reading it...eventually.

Daily Dose (27): DOCTOR WHO EDITION!

Daily Dose is a weekly meme hosted by Good Golly Miss Holly where we share wonderful pictures that we've found on the Wonderful World Wide Web (WWWW for short).

Has anyone seen Doctor Who, the British sci-fi series chronicling a time traveling doctors journeys through space and time (with his faithful sidekicks)? I just finished the first season and it was so funny and action packed and wonderful. I highly suggest you watch it. Anyway, this Daily Dose (the first in two weeks. So sorry! If you've been waiting for for Daily Doses and have been disappointed, I'm terribly sorry! Please excuse its absence!) is all dedicated to Doctor Who! Enjoy!

Blog Changes (Part 3)

This is the end of the changes, don't worry! Excuse the sudden change from orange to blue to neutral. It's been quite a shock for me, but I think I've gotten it right this time. I love the books running along the side. Hope I didn't shock you too much. Comment on your opinions, if you want.

Keep on reading, Paige

White Cat (Curse Workers #1) by Holly Black

Genre: fantasy
Series and Book #: Curse Workers Series #1
Pages: 310
Synopsis:

Cassel comes from a family of curse workers—people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, by the slightest touch of their hands. And since curse work is illegal, they’re all criminals. Many become mobsters and con artists. But not Cassel. He hasn’t got magic, so he’s an outsider, the straight kid in a crooked family. You just have to ignore one small detail—he killed his best friend, Lila, three years ago.

Cassel has carefully built up a façade of normalcy, blending into the crowd. But his façade starts to crumble when he finds himself sleepwalking, propelled into the night by terrifying dreams about a white cat that wants to tell him something. He’s noticing other disturbing things too, including the strange behavior of his two brothers. They are keeping secrets from him. As Cassel begins to suspect he’s part of a huge con game, he must unravel his past and him memories. To find out the truth, Cassel will have to outcon to conmen.

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I loved Holly Black's Spiderwick Chronicles, and I was really excited when I heard she was making a series about conmen. I love the complexity behind a con (I know I'm weird) and I enjoyed this book and the cons and whatnot involved.

I was a little disappointed with the mystery behind the white cat in this novel. It became really obvious to me in the beginning what was going on, and I was frustrated that it took Cassel so long to figure it out. I didn't like Holly's characterization. I didn't care for Cassel, and the other side characters were more 2D. I was upset that I didn't know the characters well enough throughout the book.

I loved the curse workers and conmen world that Holly built. It's our regular world, with the same history and everything, except that it all involves curse workers. I thought it was really interesting that she didn't make an entirely new world. It was unique from other novels because of this.

Overall, I was disappointed that this novel wasn't as great as I'd hoped it would be. It was still pretty awesome (I love the conmen and curse workers) but I thought it could use more characterization. The world was fun to live it, and the cons were so great. I can't wait to see what happens to Cassel in friends in Red Glove!

The Cover: I think it speaks the novel perfectly. Unlike the original cover, I think this speaks to boys as well. It's not a girly novel and I think that the cover says that.

Darkest Mercy (Wicked Lovely #5) by Melissa Marr

Genre: romance & fantasy
Series and Book #: Wicked Lovely #5
Pages: 327
Synopsis:

Send the messengers for the Faery Courts. This is the end.

The Summer King is missing; the Dark Court is bleeding; and a stranger walks the streets of Huntsdale, his presence signifying the deaths of powerful fey.

Aislinn tends to the Summer Court, searching for her absent king and yearning for Seth. Torn between his new queen and his old love, Keenan works from afar to strengthen his court against the coming war. Donia longs for fiery passion even as she coolly readies the Winter Court for battle. And Seth, sworn brother of the Dark King and heir to the High Queen, is about to make a mistake that count cost his life.

Love, despair, and betrayal ignite the Faery Courts, and in the final conflict, some will win…and some will lose everything.

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Finally, finally, finally I've been able to read the final Wicked Lovely book! As much as I'd obsessed over it since February, I hadn't been given an opportunity to read it until now. It was such a kaleidoscope of love and loyalty, choices and deaths, and twists that were heart-wrenching and tear-jerking.

I haven't read the previous book, Radiant Shadows, since last year and I had mostly forgotten what had happened in some aspects. Melissa did a wonderful job of filling in the gaps by explaining little things about the prequels. She was also wonderful in developing her characters. During the fight against Bananach, you really are rooting for all the regents and their courts. And when people died (not saying who) I really felt for them, which you don't get to often in books.

What I loved about this finish is that Melissa tied up every loose end and answered every question. She also gave us peeks inside each court and from each perspective, although the Shadow Court wasn't really featured in this book (which I thought was disappointing since I was in love with Devlin and Ani) but you saw glimpses of the Winter, Summer, and Dark courts, and there were thoughts from Aislinn, Donia, Keenan, Niall, and other miscellaneous but important faeries. I thought it brought the story together so you weren't left wondering what was happening elsewhere.

Overall, this was a perfect conclusion to what is one of my all-time favorite series. Melissa's characters really stick to you and you can't help but love them no matter how idiotic they can be. She also added so many different twists in the story that left me speechless. Seriously, if you've been holding off reading this book, don't because it's absolutely amazing.

The Cover: You know what I found interesting? It's the exact opposite of the first cover. On the first one, it was Aislinn holding a frozen flower and on this cover it's Donia holding a flower filled with sunlight. Clever, very clever indeed.

Releases: Sirensong by Jenna Black and Twisted by Sara Shepard

When Dana is invited to Faerie to be officially presented at the Seelie Court, it’s no easy decision. After all, everyone knows Titania, the Seelie Queen, wants her dead. But Titania claims not to be the one behind the death threats; and her son, Prince Henry, makes the decision a whole lot easier when he suggests Dana might be arrested for (supposedly) conspiring with her aunt Grace to usurp the Seelie throne. So she and her father better do as they're told…
The journey through Faerie is long – and treacherous. Dana thought it would be a good idea to have friends along, but her sort-of-boyfriend, Ethan, and her bodyguard’s son, Keane, just can’t seem to get along, and Kimber’s crush on Keane isn’t making things any easier. When a violent attack separates Dana from their caravan, the sexy Erlking saves her just in the nick of time… and makes it clear that he hasn’t given up on making her his own.
Arriving at Titania’s beautiful palace should be a relief. But Dana is soon implicated in an assassination attempt against Titania’s granddaughter, and is suddenly a fugitive, forced to leave her father behind as she and her friends flee for their lives. Will she be able to prove her innocence before the forces of the Seelie Court – or, worse, the Erlking – catch up with her? And will she save her father before he pays the ultimate price in her stead?

 
It’s been a year since the torturous notes from A stopped and the mystery of Alison DiLaurentis’s disappearance was finally put to rest. Now seniors in high school, Aria, Spencer, Hanna, and Emily are older, but they’re not any wiser. The pretty little liars have more secrets than ever—twisted secrets that could destroy the perfect lives they’ve worked so hard to rebuild.
Aria’s jealous of her boyfriend’s new exchange student. Spencer’s getting a little too cozy with her soon-to-be-stepbrother. Hanna’s one scandalous photo away from ruining her dad’s Senate campaign. And Emily will do anything to get a swim scholarship.
Worst of all: Last spring break in Jamaica, they did something unforgivable. The girls are desperate to forget that fateful night, but they should know better than anyone that all secrets wash ashore . . . eventually.

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I've heard great things about the Faeriewalker series, and I plan on reading them soon. And then there's the ninth installment of the Pretty Little Liars series, which I have yet to read but are, again, on my list. These are both such great novels that are sure to be a hit. What are your thoughts?

In My Mailbox (5): June

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren where we share what books we've bought, received, or borrowed over the last week or, in my case, month. I don't get enough books over the week to cover a weekly IMM but I always do one every month. Here's May's! (Some of these books I've already read, so if you click on the links they should bring you to the review)

Bought:

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

Library Finds:

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

Why I Let My Hair Grow Out by Maryrose Wood

Intertwined by Gena Showalter

The Big Crunch by Paul Hautman

White Cat by Holly Black

Going Bovine by Libba Bray

Heist Society by Ally Carter

Darkest Mercy by Melissa Marr

Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins