Spotted! Cover of Between Here and Forever by Elizabeth Scott

I haven't heard any official word from Elizabeth Scott via her blog or anything yet but I've seen the cover on the publisher's page, so I'm thinking this is the official cover of Scott's next upcoming novel, Between Here and Forever. Elizabeth Scott is one of my favourite contemporary authors, and I highly recommend you read at least one of her novels if you haven't yet done so!

Release Date: May 24, 2011

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Summary (from Goodreads):

A romantic but dark coming-of-age teen novel by the author of Perfect You and Living Dead Girl. 

Abby accepted that she can’t measure up to her beautiful, magnetic sister Tess a long time ago, and knows exactly what she is: Second best. Invisible.

Until the accident.

Now Tess is in a coma, and Abby’s life is on hold. It may have been hard living with Tess, but it's nothing compared to living without her.

She's got a plan to bring Tess back though, involving the gorgeous and mysterious Eli, but then Abby learns something about Tess, something that was always there, but that she’d never seen.

Abby is about to find out that truth isn't always what you think it is, and that life holds more than she ever thought it could...

I really like this pretty cover!! It's kind of light with the girl holding the sunflower but hints at darkness with its background. I definitely can't wait to learn more about this one! 

Waiting on Wednesday (13) - Tempestuous by Lesley Livingston

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine spotlighting upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

Publisher: Harper Trophy Canada
Release Date: December 21, 2010

Summary:

*WARNING: THIS SUMMARY MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE PREVIOUS NOVELS!!*

“I don’t love Sonny Flannery.”  

With a single lie, seventeen-year-old Kelley manages to protect the boy she loves and send him retreating into a haven for Lost Fae hidden below New York City. If she can figure out who’s after Sonny’s magick and uncover the reason why Janus Guards are being recruited to hunt innocent Faerie, Kelley might stand a chance at getting him back…but not before she must finally confront her own Faerie powers and master them. 

The much-anticipated finale of Lesley Livingston’s ravishing trilogy that began with Wondrous Strange and gathered force in Darklight comes to a stormy head. Fans new and old will revel in the lush romance—and be swept away by the chaotic tempest that’s swirled Kelley and Sonny together. 

Tempestuous has such a gorgeous cover... it is definitely my favourite one compared to Wondrous Strange and Darklight! But more than that, I also can't wait to see how Lesley will conclude this trilogy! If you were on Team Sonny, I'm sure your hearts were crushed after reading the end of Darklight, but there's still plenty of twists and turns to come- that I'm sure of!

Book Trailer! - Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

The book trailer for Crescendo, the sequel to Hush, Hush, by Becca Fitzpatrick was unveiled Saturday on FallenArchangel.com, the official fansite of the trilogy. They've also updated the look of the site, so if you have a moment, why not check it out? You can also check out the weekly Crescendo cookies there too!

Release Date: October 19, 2010

Publisher: Simon & Schuster's Children's Publishing

So what do you think? Does the trailer get you excited for Crescendo? I can't wait to read more about Nora and Patch!

And Becca is also having a contest right now with the chance to win a signed, personalized copy of Crescendo, the audiobook of Crescendo, and a signed Hush, Hush locker poster... and it's open to everyone! Just click here to check out the details.

Sorry I've Been So Quiet Lately!

Hey everyone! I'm so sorry I haven't posted anything, since *gasp* Friday! That's feels like a really long time, but I've been so busy the last few days.

Saturday was all about books and meeting some of my fave authors, plus the Teen Read Awards! But since then, I've been swamped with tons of homework and note-taking for my classes... IT HAS NOT BEEN FUN to say the least. It has only left me really tired, stressed out (after only a couple weeks!) and with not enough time in the day to blog. When I get a spare moment, I use it to sleep, eat and read.

Anyways, I have tons to blog about - including my awesome day on Saturday (I have to upload pics to my laptop still) and some reviews- when I have a chance and I even have my very first giveaway in the works. So stay tuned!

Oh, one last thing.... Welcome to my new followers from FF and the Book Blogger Hop! I usually try to return the visit and follow, but like I said above, I got crazy busy! I'm so sorry and I'll be trying to stop by your blogs during the week.

Happy reading everyone!

Book Blogger Hop + Follow Friday (9)

Follow Friday and Book Blogger Hop are weekly events hosted by Rachel at Parajunkee and Jennifer at Crazy-for-Books respectively. 


This week's question/topic is: When you write reviews, do you write them as you are reading or wait until you have read the entire book?

I always wait until I have completely finished reading a novel before I write a review. Most of the times when I read, I usually do so in one sitting because I find it impossibly hard to put a really good book down once I begin. In most cases, I'd rather keep reading the book than break the flow and start writing a review on my laptop. Once I'm really into a story, it's rather hard to pull myself out!

It can take me awhile to right a review sometimes though. I'll pick up a book, finish it, and then if I have a lot of time still, I'll start reading another one if I can; it means that I'll put off writing a review a bit longer in that case. And then there are times where I finish a book and just can't wait to share my thoughts with others! It's really depends on my mood and how much I feel like typing that day, I guess. (Plus, sometimes, the words just don't come to me for how I can describe a book...)

What about you guys?

Well, I'm off to do some blog hopping! *hops away*

Waiting on Wednesday (12) - Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine spotlighting upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

Publisher: Dutton
Release Date: December 7, 2010

Summary (from Goodreads):
Anna was looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. So she's less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris — until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all . . . including a serious girlfriend. 

But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss? Stephanie Perkins keeps the romantic tension crackling and the attraction high in a debut guaranteed to make toes tingle and hearts melt. 


Anna and the French Kiss sounds soooo good! Teen romance in the city of love? Swoon! J'adore Paris et je ne peux pas attendre pour ce livre!

By the way, Princess Bookie is having a cover recreation contest on her blog for the novel right now, so if you think you'd be interested in entering, check out the details here.

Dilemma! So Many Authors Coming to TORONTO This Weekend!

I've noticed that there aren't usually many authors who make the trip to Toronto for signings. All the time, you hear about signings in the U.S., so it's really cool when an author finally makes the trek North. In fact, I went to my very first couple signings this year and they've been such great experiences that I can't wait to go again!

And this weekend? Many AMAZING authors will be in town! Both the Teen Read Awards and the Smart Chicks Kick It! Tour (which I've read many blog posts about!) will be taking place!

But the dilemma part? I was fully planning to go to the Smart Chicks Tour even if it meant missing the chance to meet Ally Carter (again!) and Becca Fitzpatrick, but then in a LAST MINUTE move, Richelle Mead and Carrie Jones will also be signing books together on Saturday. The problem? It's at the EXACT SAME TIME as the Smart Chicks Tour but at a different Chapters/Indigo location. I'm so sad because I would have liked to go to both, but it's just impossible to be in two places at the same time, and one is outside Toronto while the other is right in downtown.

So, this is the run-down of the events happening this Saturday, September 25 in and around Toronto:

Indigo Yonge and Eglinton - Who will be signing and when?  

** I've used the covers of the books that are nominated for the Teen Read Awards.**

12:00 p.m. 

Ally Carter, bestselling author of the Gallagher Girl series and Heist Society, will be signing along with Becca Fitzpatrick, author of the bestselling novel Hush, Hush and the upcoming Crescendo (which isn't released until October 19)! 

2:00 p.m. 
Richelle Mead, bestselling author of the Vampire Academy series, will be signing along with Carrie Jones, bestselling author of the Need series!

Chapters Brampton - Who will be signing and when?

2:00 p.m.

Smart Chicks Kick It! Tour  
~ Alyson Noel, bestselling author of the Immortals series
~ Kelley Armstrong, bestselling author of the Darkest Powers series
~ Melissa Marr, bestselling author of the Wicked Lovely series
~ Melissa de la Cruz, bestselling author of the Blue Bloods series
~ Jeri Smith-Ready, author of Shade
~ Jennifer Lyn Barnes, author of Raised by Wolves
~ Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl, bestselling authors of Beautiful Creatures 

I was originally planning to go the Smart Chicks Tour, but I've now changed my mind and will be at Indigo Yonge & Eglinton now. It was a tough choice, but I simply can't pass up the chance to meet some of my fave authors. I'll just have to hope that the Smart Chicks Tour will return once again next year.

And then at 7:00 p.m. (red carpet at 6:00 p.m.), I'll be off to the Teen Read Awards! I'm really excited and at least I'll still get a chance to meet/see some of the authors I'm missing at the Smarts Chicks tour. 

Who will win? I can't wait to find out! If you follow the Teen Reads Awards on Twitter, they'll be tweeting that night about the event, winners, and even giving away prizes! And if you have any questions to ask the nominees, they're also taking them right now! So tweet away!

And um, I also recently got a Twitter account too... so if you'd like, you can follow me here. =)

In My Mailbox (9)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren where we share any new books we bought, received, borrowed, etc. during the week.

So what did I get this week?

Received:

• ARC of Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
• ARC of Trash by Andy Mulligan

I received both 'surprise' books from the publisher via Bookurious! Thank you!

I didn't buy any books this week, but that's okay because I'm already feeling swamped by the university workload. There's some books coming out within the next couple weeks that I absolutely must get though... so let's just say I'm biding my time.

I really really REALLY wanted to get Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers this week but none of the Chapters/Indigo locations near me have ordered copies for the store. I've put an order in so hopefully it will come to me soon! I'm dying to read it!  

What about YOU? Any new reads/find this week?

Happy Reading!

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Title: Paranormalcy  

Author: Kiersten White

Release Date: August 31, 2010 (hardcover)

Publisher: HarperTeen

Pages: 496

Source: Bought

Overall: 5 Stars

Summary:

 Weird as it is working for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, Evie's always thought of herself as normal. Sure, her best friend is a mermaid, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals' glamours, but still. Normal.

Only now paranormals are dying, and Evie's dreams are filled with haunting voices and mysterious prophecies. She soon realizes that there may be a link between her abilities and the sudden rash of deaths. Not only that, but she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal.

My Thoughts:
Paranormalcy was bleeping awesome! It's one of the most refreshing paranormal novels I've read in quite awhile and Kiersten White has managed to bring something entirely new to a genre that tends to have a lot of repetition. So a huge kudos goes out to her! 

Let's first start with the cover because it's just so bleeping gorgeous! (You'll totally understand the 'bleeping' once you've read the book...) The pink dress, the dark background- everything just comes together to look so eye-catching! It was the cover that first attracted me to learn more about the actual novel... which turned out to be just as fantastic as the cover. Paranormalcy did not let me down and met, if not exceeded, my expectations. White keeps readers on their toes, throwing in some twists and turns that will leave you flipping eagerly to the next page of this fast-pace novel.

Despite working for the International Paranormal Containment Agency and having the ability to see through the glamours of paranormals, sixteen-year old Evie has always considered herself rather normal. Her ex-boyfriend Reth just happens to be a faerie and when she's not hanging out with her mermaid best friend Lish, she's out "neutering" paranormals with the help of her pink with rhinestones taser, aptly named Tasey. But when a mysterious shape-shifter, Lend, breaks into the IPCA one night, Evie's world gets even more complicated... which is saying something. His arrival coincides with a string of mysterious paranormal deaths, and Evie will soon begin to question not only the people who have come to be her family, but also herself. 

Evie is the type of girl who can not only kick some serious butt, but she also still has time for fun and is a bit of a girly girl. She's spent so many years working for the IPCA that more than anything, she wishes she can experience a normal teenage life like attend high school and even go on a date. Her experience of the outside world really only comes from her favourite TV show, Easton Heights, but her naivety was so endearing. When she laughs, you laugh. When she cries, you'll want to cry too. We learn more about Evie's past as the novel progresses, but enough questions are still raised about her heritage- and its connection to the faeries- that it will be interesting to learn more details in the next novel.

And I can't forget to mention Lend! He's such a sweetheart and the way he cares about Evie will leave you going 'Awwww...." The chemistry between the pair was just right and couldn't have been any better. They could talk to each other freely about their troubles but at the same time, they weren't above teasing one another which made the story so much better.

Kiersten White has certainly set the bar high for the next novel, Supernaturally, when it's released in Fall 2011 and I'm already looking forward to reading it! If you still haven't read Paranormalcy, don't wait- read this book as soon as you can!

Book Blogger Hop + Follow Friday (8)

Follow Friday and Book Blogger Hop are weekly events hosted by Rachel at Parajunkee and Jennifer at Crazy-for-Books respectively. 


This week's question/topic is: In honour of Book Blogger Appreciation Week, let's take time this week to honour our favourite book bloggers and why we love them!

A tough one to answer this week because there are several bloggers that fit the profile and have blogs that I love to visit! So... I guess I'm going to go with some of the first few blogs I followed because they're the ones that made me think I could be one day be a book blogger too.


Kristi, The Story Siren: I like to think of her as one of my role models for blogging! She's a blogger extraordinaire with great reviews and her posts can be so informative (like her 'Books to Pine For' and her daily 'New Releases of the Week' posts)... and of course, she hosts the 'In My Mailbox' meme every week!
<----

Jenny from Wondrous Reads: Her US vs. UK posts are always a blast to read and I can always count on her honest reviews as well!
<----

The Compulsive Reader: I wish I could write reviews half as well as hers because mine can never capture the feel of a novel quite like she does!

Well, I'm off to do some blog hopping! *hops away*

Waiting on Wednesday (11) - Hexbound by Chloe Neill

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine spotlighting upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

Publisher: Signet
Release Date: Jan 4, 2011

Summary (from Goodreads):

Lily Parker is new to St. Sophia’s School for Girls, but she’s already learned that magic can be your best friend…or your worst enemy.

They say absolute power corrupts absolutely. Turns out, even a little magic can turn you to the dark side. That’s why Lily has to learn how to control her newly discovered paranormal abilities, on top of avoiding the snobs who think they run her school, nursing a crush on a cute sophomore with a big, werewolf-y secret, and fighting the good fight with her best friend Scout as they take on Chicago’s nastiest nightlife—including the tainted magic users known as Reapers.

Then Lily’s invited to a private meeting with Sebastian. He’s hot, powerful, and offering to help her harness the magic flowing in her veins in a way no one else can. He’s also a Reaper. Lily can’t hide her suspicions. But she’ll soon find out that the line between good and evil isn’t always clear…

Hexbound, the second novel of the Dark Elite series, has such an awesome cover! How can you not fall in love with it? Firespell, the first novel in the series, was mostly about introducing the story, so I'm sure we can expect much more action and romance in this one!

If you have not read Firespell, here is my review in case you'd like to check it out.

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Title: Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices #1)  

Author: Cassandra Clare

Release Date: August 31, 2010 (hardcover)

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry

Pages: 496

Source: Bought

Overall: 5 Stars

Summary:

Magic is dangerous—but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What’s more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length . . . everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world. . . . and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.
 
My Thoughts:
I am amazed once again by the awesomeness that is Cassandra Clare and her writing! Clockwork Angel was easily one of my anticipated reads of the year and did I think it lived up to my ridiculously high expectations? Why, yes I did!!

It's 1878 and Tessa Gray arrives in London, England to live with her older brother, Nathanial, only to be kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters who are member of the exclusive Pandemonium Club. While captive, Tessa Gray learns she's not as normal as she's always believed and in fact, she's not even human- she's an extremely rare form of Downworlder who can change her shape into other people both dead and alive. It's this gift that has the Magister, the head of the club, interested in using her abilities. Rescue comes in the form of the young Shadowhunter Will Herondale and suddenly, Tessa finds herself in a dangerous new world where even her heart is at stake. If Tessa ever wants to find her brother again, she's going to have to team up with the Shadowhunters for answers.

Cassandra Clare takes on us on another action-packed, wild thrill ride... transporting readers back in time to Victorian England! Clare captures the social roles at the time perfectly- etiquette, the formal way of speaking, the expectations of genders at the time- everything. Women were not expected to be strong, capable fighters but Clare easily challenges this with characters such as Tessa and Charlotte, the head of the London Institute, who both hold their own against the male leads, Will and Jem. The cast of characters Clare introduces easily each stand out with their individuality.

Team Will or Team Jem? I can't decide! I couldn't help but compare Will to Jace from the MI series but that's alright because I love both guys. Will's sarcastic sense of humour coupled with his wicked good looks will leave you swooning. But wait, there's also the kind Jem who knows exactly how to always make Tessa feel comfortable in this new world that she suddenly feels herself thrown into.

And if great characters weren't enough, Clockwork Angel seems to come to life before your very eyes! Clare's attention to detail simulates vivid images of the scenes with her wonderful descriptions of the setting. There's also plenty of twists and turns that will leave you leaning off the edge of your seat and always guessing just what's going to happen next! 

Mortal Instruments fans are sure to love Clockwork Angel, the first in The Infernal Devices prequel trilogy, and new readers will clearly be able to understand what's happening if you haven't read the MI books as there is a brief overview of the roles of Shadowhunters. If you still haven't checked out a novel by Cassandra Clare... what are you waiting for?

I can't wait for the adventure and romance to continue in Clockwork Prince, due out September 2011.

University Begins and What That Means For The Blog...

So I really never wanted this day to come, but sadly, it's here. I would have liked summer to last forever or you know, Peter Pan to come visit me and not Wendy so I could be a kid forever, but I guess you know that didn't happen.

Today is officially my first day of classes at the University of Toronto... and I'm both nervous and excited. I'm not living on residence (it's so expensive these days it's not even funny!) so I'm still staying at home and commuting to school by the TTC (subway). My high school was beside a cornfield, so attending school in downtown Toronto is going to be a big change for me to say the least.

With the beginning of classes now, I'm probably going to be slowing down the amount of times I post so I can focus on studying. I get sidetracked pretty easily so I'll probably still end up blogging more than I really should, but if I'm quiet for some days, that's why. It also means I won't be able to comment as much on other blogs as well.

These are my textbooks for the fall semester, excluding the calculus one which I still need to buy. (Why do textbooks cost so much!?)

The physics one (top left corner) scares me the most right now because not only is it really thick, but I'm also not the best at physics but I need to take it. The one beside it is for sociology, the three below are for biology, and the package one on the far right is for chemistry.   

I'm going to be reading and blogging as often as I can, but as you can tell, I'm going to be pretty busy for awhile with my schoolwork to worry about!

In My Mailbox (8)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren where we share any new books we bought, received, borrowed, etc. during the week.

So what did I get this week?

Bought:

• The DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) by Kody Keplinger (review here)
• Not That Kind of Girl by Siobhan Vivian
• Girl in the Arena by Lise Haines
• Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver 

What about YOU? Any new reads/find this week?

Happy Reading!

My Teen Read Awards Tickets... and I now have Twitter!

I posted the other day about how I was going to try to get free tickets for the Chapters/Indigo Teen Read Awards which will take place on September 25... well, I got them!

Each teen was able to get a maximum of 2 tickets with photo ID and proof of age and there was a pretty good turnout of teens waiting in line!

I

I was going to try to arrive a bit early but I ended up getting to Indigo Yorkdale with my Mom right at 9:30 a.m. yesterday (Sat, Sept 11), which was when they started to hand them out. I waited in line for an hour before I finally got inside the store because they were sending people into the store in certain groups at a time. It was a pretty organized system that ran smoothly.

While we were waiting in line, there was a DJ in the store blasting music which could also be heard outside and he kept us entertained! He played some Lady GaGa and Justin Bieber (which cued some girly squeals), and there was even a little dance-off, though I couldn't see it from where I waited.

They were also giving away prizes if you were following them on Twitter... but I didn't have an account. It sucked. A girl not too far in front of me won a signed copy of City of Glass by Cassandra Clare and one a little behind me won a signed copy of Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins.

The prizes were soon given away, but I decided then and there I would make a Twitter account. (Seriously, I literally made an account while I was waiting in line.) I've been debating awhile if I should get one or not, but I guess that was the little push I needed. 

I am a total Twitter newbie. Anyways, this is my profile on Twitter where I'm using the username midnightbloom04! If you're on Twitter, let me know so I can follow you and if you have some beginner advice, that would be much appreciated! I've also added my new Twitter link onto my sidebar under other sites where I can be found.

I may not have won a signed book, but I did win a $5 gift card for Chapters/Indigo by saying two facts about the Teen Reads Award (top right corner of first pic). The DJ made me go up front and I'm really bad at being put on the spot because my mind goes completely blank and I get all nervous. It seemed to take me forever to think of something because my brain seemed to turn into complete mush (will have to work on this in the future). I'm the kind of person who never wins anything, so I was pretty happy I got the gift card! 

By the way, today (Sunday, Sept 12) is the LAST DAY to vote for the Teen Reads Awards, so if you've been voting all along, don't forget to vote one last time!

Teen Read Awards - How to get FREE tickets for The Big Event!

The 1st annual Teen Reads Awards presented by Chapters/Indigo will be taking place on Saturday, September 25! Canadian teens have been voting on everything from Best Read and Best Series to Best Hottie and Best Lip-Lock since the end of June... but we will soon have the results!

Now wouldn't it be cool if you could go to this ceremony, hosted by Jessi Cruikshank and Dan Levy?

On Saturday, September 11 (which is TOMORROW), you can get your very own free ticket to the event, if you're aged between 11-18 years old, at Indigo Yorkdale in Toronto beginning at 9:30 a.m. For the full details on the event, authors who'll be attending, and how to get a ticket, just click here. Tickets will be given away on a first come, first serve basis. *Note: Authors will NOT be signing at the event.*

And don't forget! The polls close this SUNDAY and there is still the grand prize to be given away, so keep voting and good luck!

I think I'm going to try to get a ticket tomorrow! I have no idea how many people will be also vying for a ticket as well, so hopefully everything will work out. I'm so glad I just make the age limit!

Book Blogger Hop + Follow Friday (7)

Follow Friday and Book Blogger Hop are weekly events hosted by Rachel at Parajunkee and Jennifer at Crazy-for-Books respectively. 


This week's question/topic is: Post a link to a favourite post or book review that you have written in the past three months.

I've been blogging for just over three months now and it has been fun discovering new blogs every week! Hmmm... I hate having to choose favourites for posts/reviews so I'm going to sort of randomly pick one.

So... I've chosen my review of Susin Neilsen's novel, Dear George Clooney: Please Marry My Mom. 

What posts are you particularly fond of for your own blogs?

Well, I'm off to do some blog hopping! *hops away* 

Book Trailer! - Fall For Anything by Courtney Summers

Courtney Summers revealed on her blog yesterday the trailer for her upcoming novel Fall For Anything!

 Release Date: December 21, 2010

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

So... did you fall for this trailer? I thought the narrator did a great job capturing the tone/mood we're sure to expect in the novel.

Halo by Alexandra Adornetto

Title: Halo
Author: Alexandra Adornetto
Release Date: August 31, 2010 (hardcover)
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Pages: 496
Source: Bought

Overall: 3 Stars

Summary:
An angel is sent to Earth on a mission. 
But falling in love is not part of the plan.

Three angels- Gabriel, the warrior; Ivy, the healer; and Bethany the youngest and most human- are sent by Heaven to bring good to a world falling under the influence of darkness. They work hard to conceal their luminous glow, superhuman powers, and, most dangerous of all, their wings, all the while avoiding human attachments.

Then Bethany meets Xavier Woods, and neither of them is able to resist the attraction between them. Gabriel and Ivy do everything in their power to intervene, but the bind between Xavier and Bethany seems too strong.

The angels' mission is urgent, and dark forces are threatening. Will love ruin Bethany or save her?


My Thoughts: 
I was really prepared to be amazed by Halo. I mean, all of the reviews I've read so far have been pretty much positive and when I first saw the cover, I'm pretty sure I gasped aloud because it's just so freaking gorgeous. I had certain expectations for this novel, so I was surprised when I realized with trepidation that I would not in fact be falling in love it. I'm not going to say it was a complete let down for me, but I was disappointed. I really struggled while reading Halo. It took me several days to finally complete the novel, but I'm usually the sort of reader who finishes a novel within hours.

Adornetto has a flair for descriptions and her writing has a certain eloquence to it when she's describing a scene that it clearly brings an image to mind. It was great in the beginning when Bethany and her siblings first arrived on Earth. Bethany is adjusting to not only her human body but the world around her and Adornetto did a great job giving us a sense of Bethany's naivety and innocence... but after awhile, I began to grow... bored. I understand that Heaven is a lot different than Earth, but the very long descriptions over simple things didn't seem to stop. Little details about the setting are added in for good measure but they could have easily been left out and they only proved to slow the plot for me. 

The so called Dark Forces were barely mentioned in the novel. In fact, after the little intro about how angels had to stop them before they caused harm, the topic didn't seem to really come up again. It focused more on the forbidden romance between Bethany and Xavier, and I kept having to remind myself that the Dark Forces were apparently at work. At some point, bad things were bound to happen, but nothing really did. The conflicts that did arise were solved so easily, I could hardly call them 'conflicts' at all. There's a lot of talking, thinking, and then more talking- hardly the sort of build up I was really hoping for. When the Dark Forces finally come into play, near the end of the novel I might add, everything seemed so anticlimactic- the 'big', final scene is over before you know it.

I'm still on the fence if I like Bethany as a main character, which is weird because she's an angel, right? How could I not like her? I guess a part of the reason may have been that I wasn't exactly impressed with how quickly she falls for Xavier. They barely know each other and after only a few moments of interaction in the story, they were already falling head over heels in love with each other. Xavier has a dark past but he's an overall amazing guy... almost too amazing. He just accepted things so easily without any fear or hesitation. The all-to-quick romance just wasn't believable enough for me.

In the end, I just liked Halo and even then, I'm still unsure if it does deserve the three stars since I seem to be sort of ranting about it. I may have bumped it up a bit because I still love the cover and could stare at it for ages. I'm still going to check out Hades, the next book in the series, when it's released next year (already looking forward to see how they could possibly top the cover!), but I don't think I'm going to be anxious to read it like I was with Halo. If anything, I'm probably going to be more cautious of what to expect since Halo was not quite the novel I was hoping it would be.

And please don't let this less than stellar review discourage you from checking out the book. I'm still hearing positive reactions to the novel, even if mine wasn't exactly the case!

Waiting on Wednesday (10) - The Locket by Stacey Jay

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine spotlighting upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: Feb 3, 2011

Summary (from Goodreads): 
For Katie, life as Isaac Tayte's girlfriend was pretty much perfect. Until the night she messed everything up by cheating on him with their mutual best friend, Mitch. Katie is devastated over her mistake - and she'll do anything to get Isaac back.

Then, on her seventeenth birthday, she discovers a strange, beautiful locket. When she puts it on, Katie finds herself going back in time - to the night she and Mitch kissed. At first, Katie is thrilled at the chance to do it all over again. If she can only change the past, she might be able to save her perfect future with Isaac. But as other aspects of her life become inexplicably altered, she realizes that second chances come with a dark price. Katie can't help but wonder: is fate meant to be tampered with - or is the most extraordinary kind of life the one that's far from perfect?  

Isn't this cover just so awesome? And a locket which can transport you back in time? It sounds so cool! Time travel is tricky and it sounds like Katie will soon be learning that it's dangerous to mess with the past. I'm definitely looking forward to this one!

Book Trailers! - Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers

Okay, okay, so I failed to post the second Personal Demons trailer featuring LUC when it was released last week after a few days of delay, so I just decided to just wait a bit longer for FRANNIE's turn in the limelight in the third and final Personal Demons trailer. You can view the first trailer for GABE here.

In case you still haven't seen it, here is the trailer for Luc!



... and debuting just yesterday on Lisa Desrocher's blog, the trailer for Frannie!



Do these trailers get you excited for the release of Personal Demons? Only one more week until the official release date... I can't wait to see what's in store for us!

Also, Lisa Desrocher's is currently holding a September Debut Contest to celebrate the release of Personal Demons. The winner will receive a signed copy of both The DUFF by Kody Keplinger (check out my review here) and Personal Demons. For more information on how to enter, just click here.

In My Mailbox (7)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren where we share any new books we bought, received, borrowed, etc. during the week.

I haven't been able to do an IMM post for awhile since I was away on vacation the last couple weeks (still have to do my post about the Wizarding World of Harry Potter...), so this post will also include the books I got then. I could rant about how it's unfair that although the US dollar and the Canadian dollar are pretty much at par these days, us Canadians still have to pay more money for books- but I'll leave it at what I just said.

So what did I get while on vacation and this week?

Bought on Vacation:

• Violet On The Runway (Violet #1) by Melissa Walker
• Violet By Design (Violet #2) by Melissa Walker
• Violet In Private (Violet #3) by Melissa Walker
• Heartbreak River by Tricia Mills 
• Bloom by Elizabeth Scott
• Beautiful World by Anastasia  Hollings (review/rant here)
• I Am Number Four (Lorien Legacies #1) by Pittacus Lore
• Mockingjay: The Final Book of the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (shhh! Don't tell me how it ends! I haven't read it!)
• The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller

Bought This Week:

• Paranormalcy (Paranormalcy #1) by Kiersten White 
• Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices #1) by Cassandra Clare
• Halo (Halo #1) by Alexandra Adornetto

What about YOU? Any new reads/find this week?

Happy Reading! 

The DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) by Kody Keplinger

Title: The DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend)
Author: Kody Keplinger
Release Date: Sept 7, 2010 (hardcover)
Publisher: Little, Brown/Poppy
Pages: 288
Source: Bought

Overall: 4.5 Stars

Summary:
Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn't think she's the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her "Duffy," she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren't so great at home right now. Desperate for a distraction, Bianca ends up kissing Wesley. And likes it. Eager for escape, she throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with Wesley.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out that Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

My Thoughts:  
I'm not going to lie, I jumped a bit with joy when I saw The DUFF in stores early! I've seen this book featured on so many blogs, from WoW posts to positive early reviews, that it had me excited for this book ages ago! So, of course, I bought a copy and quickly flipped it open as soon as I could. And you know what? The DUFF did not disappoint and once again, I was reminded why I'm such a sucker for teenage romance stories.

Bianca Piper had never even heard the term "the Duff" (designated ugly fat friend) before, but as soon as Wesley Rush, resident hottie and womanizer of her high school, calls her one, she instantly realizes that she is indeed the Duff- but not before serving a little bit of justice by throwing her Coke in his face. From that moment on, Bianca can't get that word out of her mind and she detests Wesley all the more. 

But life is complicated and never easy. So when Bianca's home life begins to crumble, she seeks out a distraction- an escape- from her problems... and unexpectedly finds it in Wesley when she kisses him. And so begins a no-strings attached, secret 'relationship'... but soon Bianca realizes that Wesley also has his own problems and that they're more alike than they once thought. Worse still though, Bianca is realizing with dawning horror as she spends more and more time with Wesley that she might actually be falling for him.  

Bianca is one strong, female lead who sticks up for her friends but most of all, herself. Sure, everyone can feel like the Duff, but I liked how even though Bianca constantly dwells on it, she still stays true to herself. She's also a cynic with a snarky attitude, and isn't afraid to speak her mind- which was certainly the case whenever she talked to Wesley. When she's not making out with him, she's pretty much insulting him. It was actually kind of funny to read these parts a lot of times but you could definitely see the chemistry between the pair. When Wesley said one of his 'player' lines, I would be half-rolling my eyes but also smile because I just couldn't help myself... he's such a flirt!

My only problem with the book was that the issues that popped up in both Bianca's and Wesley's life seemed to be solved a bit too easily. It could have been stretched out and explored a bit more, but I was still satisfied with the solutions that were implemented.

The DUFF would be definitely on those books that I'd have to recommend for older teens and adults. There is a lot more language than the norm and sex does happen on more than one occasion, so if these two things are a no-no for you, then perhaps The DUFF may not be your cup of tea- but again, I'm simply pointing these things out and it is up to your own discretion. The bright cover with a bubble-blowing girl may mislead you in that regard because The DUFF is actually a much more edgier read than it would suggest.

With that said, Kody Keplinger's novel, The DUFF, is a solid debut novel that is sure to make a splash once it hits stores. Fast-paced with honest story-telling, I couldn't bring myself to put this book down and was even sad when I reached the last few pages because it meant the story would come to an end. I'm already looking forward to reading what this teen author has in store for us next!

You can check out Kody Keplinger's website here.

Book Blogger Hop + Follow Friday (6)

Follow Friday and Book Blogger Hop are weekly events hosted by Rachel at Parajunkee and Jennifer at Crazy-for-Books respectively. 


This week's question is: Do you judge a book by its cover?

Yes, that would be me. Guilty as charged. I know, I know...they say don't judge a book by its cover but I can't help myself.  

Covers that are beautiful, eye-catching, or however else they stand out, draw me in so much quicker than a more boring, average cover. It's a good thing the covers that I usually fall in love with have turned out to be books that I've also enjoyed! Some of my favourite covers include Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick, Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare, Halo by Alexandra Adornetto, Clarity by Kim Harrington, and Hexbound by Chloe Neill- and this is an extremely small list that I'm thinking off the top of my head right now! 

I'm going to also point out though, it's pretty easy for me to feel the cover love!! As well, don't think I solely just a book by the cover only- I also make sure the plot description interests me in some way too.

But also sadly, covers can also be misleading on both parts. I've read books where their covers are better than the novel itself (that does happen too often at least...) and I've also almost passed on books sometimes after deeming the covers to be rather boring or looking like it wouldn't be the sort of novel I'd want to read. 

What about YOU? Do you tend to judge a book by its cover too?

Well, I'm off to do some blog hopping! *hops away*

September Release Picks

Can you guys believe it's September already? I never want summer to end...

Anyways, here's my September Release Picks with this month's new releases that have either caught my eye or which I'm looking forward to!

** All links lead to Goodreads. For a larger view of a book cover, just click the image.**

September 1


Confessions of the Sullivan Sisters by Natalie Standiford
Not That Kind of Girl by Siobhan Vivian
Past Midnight (Past Midnight #1) by Mara Purnhagen

September 7


Losing Faith by Denise Jaden
The DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) by Kody Keplinger

September 14


Personal Demons (Personal Demons #1) by Lisa Desrochers

September 21


Dead Beautiful by Yvonne Woon
Grace by Elizabeth Scott
Zombies vs. Unicorns edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier

September 28


Girl, Stolen by April Henry *a novel for The Contemps Challenge*
Torment (Fallen #2) by Lauren Kate 

Of this month's releases, I'll be definitely buying The DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend), Personal Demons and Torment when they're released in stores.

What about YOU? What book(s) are you excited for this month or caught your eye?

Waiting on Wednesday (9) - Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine spotlighting upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: July 12, 2011

Summary (from Goodreads):
Someone’s been a very bad zombie. 

Super-smartie Kate Grable gets to play doctor, helping out her high school football team. Not only will the experience look good on her college apps, she gets to be this close to her quarterback crush, Aaron. Then something disturbing happens. Kate finds out that the coach has given the team steroids. Except . . . the vials she finds don’t exactly contain steroids. Whatever’s in them is turning hot gridiron hunks into mindless, flesh-eating . . . zombies. 

Unless she finds an antidote, no one is safe. Not Aaron, not Kate’s brother, not her best friend . . . not even Kate . . . 

It’s scary. It’s twisted. It’s sick. It’s high school.  

Bad Taste in Boys sounds like a great zombie novel! I've enjoyed Stacey Jay's Megan Berry series with her Reanimated Corpses, and been creeped out by Carrie Ryan's The Forest of Hands and Teeth books with the Unconsecrated... so I can't wait to see Harris' spin on the zombie genre.

Isn't the cover great too? It definitely stands out with those lips!