Waiting on Wednesday (121) - This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

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

Release Date: April 2, 2013
Publisher: Poppy
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Summary (from Hachette Book Group): 

If fate sent you an email, would you answer?

When teenage movie star Graham Larkin accidentally sends small town girl Ellie O'Neill an email about his pet pig, the two seventeen-year-olds strike up a witty and unforgettable correspondence, discussing everything under the sun, except for their names or backgrounds.

Then Graham finds out that Ellie's Maine hometown is the perfect location for his latest film, and he decides to take their relationship from online to in-person. But can a star as famous as Graham really start a relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie want to avoid the media's spotlight at all costs?

One of my favourite YA contemporary novels I've read this year is Jennifer E. Smith's The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, so when I first heard about her next upcoming novel, This Is What Happy Looks Like, I was giddy with excitement! I love the premise for This Is What Happy Looks Like, and the idea of an accidental email leading to friendship and the possibility of romance. It's funny how strange fate can be that way. Will Graham and Ellie find a way to be together? And what kind of secret is Ellie hiding which makes her want to shy away from the spotlight? I cannot wait to find out!

Cover Reveal! Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins

I'm very excited to be helping reveal the cover for Wendy Higgins' Sweet Peril, the second novel in the Sweet trilogy, on the blog today!

Release Date: April 30, 2013

Publisher: HarperTeen

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Summary (from Goodreads): 

Anna Whitt, daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, promised herself she’d never do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such a claim. She’d been naive about a lot of things.

Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means embracing her dark side and earning an unwanted reputation as her school’s party girl. Her life has never looked more bleak. And all the while there’s Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart and mind.

When an unexpected lost message from the angels surfaces, Anna finds herself traveling the globe with Kopano, son of Wrath, in an attempt to gain support of fellow Nephilim and give them hope for the first time. It soon becomes clear that whatever freedoms Anna and the rest of the Neph are hoping to win will not be gained without a fight. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and face the ultimate question: is loving someone worth risking their life? 

Isn't the cover absolutely gorgeous? I love how it matches the theme of the cover for Sweet Evil, but has a much darker tone this time around! Since Anna has to embrace her dark heritage for her own protection, she's looking fiercer and not so innocent anymore. And Kaidan! I miss him. I can't wait to see more of Kaidan and Anna in Sweet Peril!

Are you excited to read Wendy Higgins' Sweet Peril? If you still haven't read the first book, Sweet Evil, then you're definitely missing out! It's one of my absolute favourite books which features angels and demons. I'm sure you'll love it too. 

About Wendy Higgins: 

Wendy Higgins was born in Alaska, grew up an Army brat, and lived all over the United States before settling in the Washington, DC area. She attended George Mason University for her undergrad degree in creative writing, and Radford University for her masters in curriculum and instruction. Wendy taught 9th and 12th grade English in a rural school before becoming a mother and author. She now lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, daughter, and son. Sweet Peril is her second novel.

You can visit Wendy Higgins' author website at http://www.wendyhigginswrites.com/, follow her on Twitter and "like" Sweet Evil's Facebook page. You can also pre-order a copy of Sweet Peril on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and The Book Depository.

Yesterday by C.K. Kelly Martin

Title: Yesterday
Author: C.K. Kelly Martin
Release Date: September 25, 2012 (hardcover)
Publisher: Doubleday Canada
Pages: 368
Source: ARC provided by publisher

Overall: 4 Stars

Summary: 

THEN: The formation of the UNA, the high threat of eco-terrorism, the mammoth rates of unemployment and subsequent escape into a world of virtual reality are things any student can read about in their twenty-first century textbooks and part of the normal, background noise to Freya Kallas' life. Until that world starts to crumble.

NOW: It's 1985. Freya Kallas has just moved across the world and into a new life. On the outside, she fits in at her new high school, but Freya feels nothing but removed. Her mother blames it on the grief of her father's death, but how does that explain the headaches and why do her memories feel so foggy? When Freya lays eyes on Garren Lowe, she can't get him out of her head. She's sure that she knows him, despite his insistence that they've never met. As Freya follows her instincts and pushes towards hidden truths, the two of them unveil a strange and dangerous world where their days may be numbered. Unsure who to trust, Freya and Garren go on the run from powerful forces determined to tear them apart and keep them from discovering the truth about their shared pasts (and futures), her visions, and the time and place they really came from. Yesterday will appeal to fans of James Dashner's The Maze Runner, Veronica Roth's Divergent, Amy Ryan's Glow, Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone, and Ally Condie's Matched. 

My Thoughts:
I don't think I've ever read a novel quite like Yesterday before! The plot unravels slowly like a psychological thriller before picking up its pace to add in dystopian and science fiction elements. With a combination of suspense, romance and mystery, Yesterday is definitely my new favourite novel written by C.K. Kelly Martin!   

Freya doesn't understand why her vivid dreams of a futuristic world feel so real, nor the hazy memories of her past before she came to live in Canada after the recent death of her father. At her new school, she can pretend that everything is alright, but alone with her thoughts at home, she can't shake the feeling that something feels wrong.

When Freya visits a museum for a school trip, she is startled by the familiarity she feels towards a handsome young man she spots on the streets and can't get him out of her mind. His name is Garren Lowe, but even though he claims they've never met before, Freya is positive she remembers him from somewhere. Determined to learn the truth, Freya and Garren begin to ask questions that catch the wrong kind of attention... and only makes them strive harder to learn how their pasts are connected.  

I really admired Freya in the novel! She steadfastly holds onto her convictions and refuses to give into the shadow of doubt cast by others, trusting her intuition to tell her she's right. Even though everyone tries to pass off her feelings as grief for losing her father, Freya does what she can to uncover the truth, even when it would probably be easier to shrug it all off. Garren's wariness to believe Freya at first was completely natural. She may have made some convincing arguments, but if I was in his shoes, I'd be rather skeptical too. 

Yesterday is very different from the contemporary style which fans of C.K. Kelly Martin have expected in her previous books, but I just loved the originality of this one. I also thought it was awesome how the book was set in and around Toronto! Since I could recognize several of the landmarks and street names mentioned, it helped to visually bring the events to life before my very eyes. The ending of Yesterday is left rather open-ended, so I'm definitely hoping there will be a sequel! I don't think I'm quite ready to say goodbye to Freya and Garren just yet!   

Thanks so much to Random House Canada for providing this review copy! If you missed it before, you can check out my author interview with C.K. Kelly Martin on the Canadian blog tour for Yesterday.

Waiting on Wednesday (120) - 17 & Gone by Nova Ren Suma

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

Release Date: March 21, 2013
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
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Summary (from Goodreads):

Seventeen-year-old Lauren is having visions of girls who have gone missing. And all these girls have just one thing in common—they are 17 and gone without a trace. As Lauren struggles to shake these waking nightmares, impossible questions demand urgent answers: Why are the girls speaking to Lauren? How can she help them? And… is she next? As Lauren searches for clues, everything begins to unravel, and when a brush with death lands her in the hospital, a shocking truth emerges, changing everything. 

With complexity and richness, Nova Ren Suma serves up a beautiful, visual, fresh interpretation of what it means to be lost.

Isn't the book cover for Nova Ren Suma's 17 & Gone hauntingly beautiful? The cover may have first captured my attention, but the premise for 17 & Gone is a combination of mystery and suspense I simply find irresistible too. Already, my mind is formulating questions about the characters and events in the book. Why are the seventeen-year-old girls disappearing... and why is Lauren having nightmarish visions about them? I can't wait to find out when 17 & Gone is released in March 2013!

Book Trailer! - Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick

The book trailer for Becca Fitzpatrick's Finale, the fourth and final novel in the Hush, Hush series, was unveiled yesterday on USA Today!

Finale is in stores today! Will you be rushing to your nearest bookstore to get a copy, desperate to know what will happen to Patch and Nora in the last installment of the bestselling series?

Release Date: October 23, 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
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Summary (from Simon & Schuster Canada):

Fates unfurl in the gripping conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Hush, Hush saga.

Nora is more certain than ever that she is in love with Patch. Fallen angel or no, he is the one for her. Her heritage and destiny may mean they are fated to be enemies, but there is no turning her back on him. Now Nora and Patch must gather their strength to face one last, perilous trial. Old enemies return, new enemies are made, and a friend's ultimate betrayal threatens the peace Patch and Nora so desperately want. The battle lines are drawn—but which sides are they on? And in the end, are there some obstacles even love can't conquer?

Cover Reveal! Shadow of the Mark by Leigh Fallon (and Giveaway!)

I'm very excited to be helping reveal the gorgeous cover for Leigh Fallon's Shadow of the Mark, the second novel in the Carrier Trilogy, on the blog today!

 Release Date: July 9, 2013

Publisher: HarperTeen

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Summary (from Goodreads): 

Life for Megan Rosenberg just got a lot more complicated.

While she evoked the air element, and her feelings for Adam intensified, a web of lies, deceit, and betrayal was spun around her. With the Order tightening its hold, and the reinstatement of the Mark Knights, Megan has more questions than answers as the Marked Ones grow in strength.

New people arouse suspicion, the DeRises start behaving strangely, and Megan begins to unravel a destiny shrouded in mystery. It’s a destiny the Order has struggled to hide, and a destiny someone from the past… far in the past, has already laid claim to.

Alliances will be made, and friends will be lost, as the Order’s dark secrets are revealed by the very thing they sought to destroy.

Leigh Fallon's Thoughts on the Cover:
I know, there's no mistaking it. This is definitely a Carrier Series cover, but that was the intention. After the amazing reception to the cover of Carrier of the Mark, HarperCollins wanted Shadow's cover to be instantly recognizable. And it is, but the new darker color palette reflects the darker tone that this installment brings, and the pink and purple really make it pop. I love it and think HarperCollins have done another amazing job. I hope you like it too.

You can visit Leigh Fallon's author website at http://www.leighfallon.com/. You can also already pre-order a copy of Shadow of the Mark on Amazon.

Giveaway!
Leigh Fallon is also hosting an awesome giveaway to coincide with the cover reveal with chances to win one of the first signed ARCs of Shadow of the Mark, bookmarks, buttons, and more. The winner will be announced by the author. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

About Leigh Fallon:

I started out life in South Africa. A year later my parents moved home to Dublin, Ireland. When I was older and realized my parents had moved me from exotic Durban, to sedate Rathfarnham, Dublin 16, I was rightly ticked off.

Giving up lions for sheep, I grew up in the foothills of the Dublin Mountains where I went to a convent school and had to contend with uniforms, gabardines, and nuns. When not dodging the beady glare of the Sisters of Mercy, I was devouring every book I could get my hands on.

I traveled all over Europe while working in banking and treasury, but I gave up my calculator in favor of a keyboard and haven't stopped writing since. My first book, Carrier of the Mark, was published by HarperTeen in 2011.

Our home is in Cork in the south of Ireland, but we're currently on loan to Massachusetts in the US where I continue to write books about magic, ghosts,and romance, with a bit of Irish flavor.

Book Trailer! - The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

The book trailer for Michelle Hodkin's The Evolution of Mara Dyer, the second novel in the Mara Dyer trilogy, was recently revealed on EW's Shelf Life!  

The Evolution of Mara Dyer will be officially released in stores tomorrow, and if you weren't somehow crazy excited to read the book before, then I'm sure it's book trailer will convince you to get your hands on it ASAP! It looks like the romance between Mara and Noah will be heating up.... and I definitely need to know what happens next after the way The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer ended!

Release Date: October 23, 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
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Summary (from Simon & Schuster Canada):

The truth about Mara Dyer’s dangerous and mysterious abilities continues to unravel in this gripping sequel to the thrilling The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer.

Mara Dyer once believed she could run from her past.

She can’t.

She used to think her problems were all in her head.

They aren’t.

She couldn’t imagine that after everything she’s been through, the boy she loves would still be keeping secrets.

She’s wrong.

In this gripping sequel to The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, the truth evolves and choices prove deadly. What will become of Mara Dyer next? 

Stacking the Shelves (10)

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by fellow Canadian blogger Tynga at Tynga's Reviews where we share any new books or goodies we bought, received, borrowed, etc. during the week.

Won:

• signed Dualed bookmarks

Thanks so much to Elsie Chapman for hosting the giveaway and sending these awesome bookmarks!    

Received for Review:

• Dark Star by Bethany Frenette 
• The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron
• Dodger by Terry Pratchett
• It's Our Nature by Rebeca Orozco 
• Magisterium by Jeff Hirsch 
• Oscar Peterson: The Man and His Jazz by Jack Batten 
• Rebel Heart (Dust Lands #2) by Moira Young 
• ARC of The Almost Truth by Eileen Cook  
• The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen by Susin Nielsen ~ my ARC review
• ARC of Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles #2) by Marissa Meyer 
• ARC of Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally ~ my review
• Through Indigo's Eyes by Tara Taylor and Lorna Schultz Nicholson
• Undead by Kirsty McKay  
• Watching Jimmy by Nancy Hartry
• Winter Shadows by Margaret Buffie  

Thanks so much to Hachette Book Group Canada, Raincoast Books, Random House Canada, Scholastic Canada, Simon & Schuster Canada and Tundra Books for sending these novels for review!

I was very surprised to find most of these books in my mailbox this week! I've already read and posted my review of Miranda Kenneally's Stealing Parker, and I couldn't resist reading Marissa Meyer's Scarlet right away. It was one of my most anticipated books of 2013 and I absolutely LOVED it. My sister and I can't stop gushing about the book to each other!  And I can't wait to start reading Moira Young's Rebel Heart when I have some more time.

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

And as always... Happy Reading! 

Romeo Redeemed by Stacey Jay

Title: Romeo Redeemed (Juliet Immortal #2)
Author: Stacey Jay
Release Date: October 9, 2012 (hardcover)
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Pages: 384
Source: Copy provided by publisher

Overall: 4.5 Stars

Summary:

Seductive companion to the popular Juliet Immortal, in which former lovers—Romeo and Juliet—meet, not as true lovers, but truly as enemies.

Cursed to live out eternity in his rotted corpse, Romeo, known for his ruthless, cutthroat ways, is given the chance to redeem himself by traveling back in time to save the life of Ariel Dragland. Unbeknownst to her, Ariel is important to both the evil Mercenaries and the love-promoting Ambassadors and holds the fate of the world in her hands. Romeo must win her heart and make her believe in love, turning her away from her darker potential before his work is discovered by the Mercenaries. While his seduction begins as yet another lie, it soon becomes his only truth. Romeo vows to protect Ariel from harm, and do whatever it takes to win her heart and soul. But when Ariel is led to believe his love is a deception, she becomes vulnerable to Mercenary manipulation, and her own inner darkness may ultimately rip them apart. 

My Thoughts:
Stacey Jay's Romeo Redeemed is an electrifying follow-up to Juliet Immortal that promises suspense and swoon-worthy romance! Juliet's understandably bitter attitude towards Romeo in Juliet Immortal left me reluctant to show any sympathy for him in Romeo Redeemed, but once I began reading the novel, I couldn't help rooting for him to succeed.

After centuries of committing evil acts for the ruthless Mercenaries, Romeo has one chance to redeem himself... and it won't be an easy task. He has to somehow convince the real Ariel Dragland to believe in love before the Mercenaries deceive and claim her for themselves. If he fails, he'll be forcibly returned to his rotted corpse to waste away and suffer. At first, Romeo only intends to use his charm to get Ariel to fall for him, but once he begins to learn more about her, his feelings become true.

Romeo and Ariel recognize the darkness found within both of themselves, and this shared understanding brings them ever closer. After years of being bullied and put down by others, Ariel lacks confidence and keeps to herself, but with Romeo by her side, she slowly learns to have trust and faith in people again. Romeo has finally found himself on the path of redemption. He regrets believing the promises of the Mercenaries, and the way he hurt Juliet so much, and doesn't want Ariel to make the same mistake he did. He would do anything to protect Ariel, even if it meant having to sacrifice himself. 

Just like with Juliet Immortal, I had no idea of what to expect for the ending! Stacey Jay adds in twists and turns that will leave you frantically turning the pages, desperate to know what will happen next. I don't think I could have imagined a better conclusion to this two-part series than the one Stacey Jay has wonderfully written. There was really never a story of more woe, than of Juliet and her Romeo...

Thanks so much to Random House Canada for providing this review copy!

Waiting on Wednesday (119) - Dualed by Elsie Chapman

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

Release Date: February 26, 2013
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
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Summary (from Goodreads):

You or your Alt? Only one will survive.

The city of Kersh is a safe haven, but the price of safety is high. Everyone has a genetic Alternate—a twin raised by another family—and citizens must prove their worth by eliminating their Alts before their twentieth birthday. Survival means advanced schooling, a good job, marriage—life.

Fifteen-year-old West Grayer has trained as a fighter, preparing for the day when her assignment arrives and she will have one month to hunt down and kill her Alt. But then a tragic misstep shakes West’s confidence. Stricken with grief and guilt, she’s no longer certain that she’s the best version of herself, the version worthy of a future. If she is to have any chance of winning, she must stop running not only from her Alt, but also from love . . . though both have the power to destroy her.

Elsie Chapman's suspenseful YA debut weaves unexpected romance into a novel full of fast-paced action and thought-provoking philosophy. When the story ends, discussions will begin about this future society where every adult is a murderer and every child knows there is another out there who just might be better.

I'm pretty sure I'd want a copy of Canadian author Elsie Chapman's debut novel, Dualed, for its awesome cover alone! I mean, look at it– the cover just screams that you're in store for thrills and action! But wow, I think the concept for Dualed is just as cool too. Can you imagine growing up in a world where everyone has a genetic Alternate and at some point in the future, only one of you will live because it's either kill or be killed? Pure craziness... and also scary. I cannot wait to see what will happen to West in Dualed and learn more about this dystopian society.

2013 OLA Forest of Reading Nominees Announced!

The 2013 nominations for the Ontario Library Association's Forest of Reading were announced yesterday morning... and I was super excited to discover which books had been nominated this year!

If you're not quite aware of what I'm really talking about, the Forest of Reading program celebrates the best of Canadian fiction, especially those for children and teens. All of the nominees are by CANADIAN authors and/or publishers! Those who participate through their schools or libraries simply have to read at least 5 of the 10 nominated novels in a program by the end of April 2013, which then culminates into an event in May called the Festival of Trees which takes place in Toronto. The winners are announced there... and readers can even meet the authors too!

The two programs I pay extra attention to are the Red Maple and White Pine categories, seeing as these novels are YA. So, without further ado, here are the 2013 nominees (links lead to Goodreads): 

2013 Red Maple Award Nominees (Aimed Towards Grades 7-8)

• Crush. Candy. Corpse. by Sylvia McNicoll (Lorimer)
• The Dragon Turn (The Boy Sherlock Holmes #5) by Shane Peacock (Tundra Books) **
• End of Days by Eric Walters (Doubleday Canada) 
• First Descent by Pam Withers (Tundra Books) 
• Testify by Valerie Sherrard (Dundurn Press)
• This Dark Endeavor (The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein #1) by Kenneth Oppel (Harper Trophy Canada) **
• The Tiffan by Mahtab Narsimhan (Dancing Cat Books)
• The Town That Drowned by Riel Nason (Goose Lane Editions)
• The Vampire Stalker by Allison van Diepen (Scholastic Point) ~ * my review
• The Vindico by Wesley King (Putnam Juvenile)  **

 2013 White Pine Fiction Award Nominees (Aimed Towards Grades 9-12)

• All Good Children by Catherine Austen (Orca Book Publishers) 
• Dark Inside (Dark Inside #1) by Jeyn Roberts (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers) **
• First Day on Earth by Cecil Castellucci (Scholastic Press) **
• Getting Over Garrett Delaney by Abby McDonald (Candlewick Press)  ~ * my review
• Karma by Cathy Ostlere (Puffin Canada) 
• The Opposite of Tidy by Carrie Mac (Razorbill Canada) *
• The Taming by Eric Walters and Teresa Toten (Doubleday Canada) *
• Way to Go by Tom Ryan (Orca Book Publishers)  
• The Way We Fall (Fallen World #1) by Megan Crewe (Disney Hyperion)  ~ * my review
• Witchlanders by Lena Coakley (Atheneum Books for Young Readers) ~ * my review

* means I've read the book 
** means I have a copy, but haven't read it

Wow! The White Pine nominees are especially strong this year! Usually, I've maybe only read one or two of the books, but I've read half of them this time around! 
 
What's nice about the program is that it recognizes Canadian novels which I may never have heard about otherwise! There's usually a wide variety in the genres selected, so it's also a nice way to broaden your reading tastes.

To learn more about the Forest of Reading Program or see the rest of the 2013 nominations in the other age groups, you can find it on the Ontario Library Association's website.   

Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally

Title: Stealing Parker
Author: Miranda Kenneally
Release Date: October 1, 2012 (paperback)
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Pages: 256
Source: ARC received from publisher

Overall: 4 Stars

Summary:

Parker Shelton pretty much has the perfect life. She’s on her way to becoming valedictorian at Hundred Oaks High, she’s made the all-star softball team, and she has plenty of friends. Then her mother’s scandal rocks their small town and suddenly no one will talk to her.

Now Parker wants a new life.

So she quits softball. Drops twenty pounds. And she figures why kiss one guy when she can kiss three? Or four. Why limit herself to high school boys when the majorly cute new baseball coach seems especially flirty?

But how far is too far before she loses herself completely? 

My Thoughts:
Miranda Kenneally's debut Catching Jordan was one of my favourite contemporary novels of 2011. For months and months ever since then, I've been anticipating the release of Stealing Parker, a companion novel, and once the book was in my hands, I just had to read it right away! Stealing Parker took me by surprise in some ways. I'd been expecting it to be heartwarming and light in humour, much like Catching Jordan had been, but Miranda Kenneally has tackled subject matter that felt deeper and more mature this time around.

I missed the camaraderie between Jordan and Henry, but Parker definitely had a good friend in Drew. He stuck by her side when her friends from church and the softball team shunned her after Parker's mother suddenly announced she was a lesbian and left to live with her new girlfriend. Feeling alienated by her peers and turning her back on the game her mother once inspired her to play, Parker quits the softball team, loses weight, and starts making out with boys to prove she won't be like her mother.

Parker still attends church every Sunday with her family, but they aren't exactly welcomed as they used to be. At home, Parker feels alone and forgotten while her father and older brother deal with her mother's absence in their own way. It's not that Parker's angry at her Mom because of who she is, but rather the way her family has been ripped apart and shaken her faith in God. I wasn't exactly a fan of Parker's church group because of their lack of acceptance and the way they stigmatized her family because of her mother's sexuality, so sometimes it was hard for me to understand why Parker even cared about their opinion.

And just when Parker thought her life couldn't get any more out of control, her love life gets complicated... She can't help flirting with the hot new assistant baseball coach, Brian, even though it's not exactly appropriate. And then there's Will, the baseball team captain who's unexpectedly very sweet and kind.

Miranda Kenneally's Stealing Parker was an addictive companion novel which left me eagerly turning the pages! Parker is far from a perfect heroine, and that was perfectly okay. She makes mistakes and regrets her decisions, but she does what she can under the circumstances and learns from her experiences. I'll be hoping Jordan and Parker both appear in the next companion novel, Things I Can't Forget!   

Thanks so much to Raincoast Books for providing this review copy!

Book Trailer! - Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

The book trailer for Falling Kingdoms, the first novel in a new high fantasy series by Morgan Rhodes, has recently been revealed! For those who may not know, Morgan Rhodes is the pseudonym name of Canadian author Michelle Rowen and her latest novel looks very promising! If I'm remembering correctly, I've heard Falling Kingdoms described as A Game of Thrones type novel for YA readers. It sure sounds thrilling in any case!

Release Date: December 11, 2012
Publisher: Razorbill
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Summary (from Goodreads):

In a land where magic has been forgotten but peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest is simmering. Three kingdoms grapple for power--brutally transforming their subjects' lives in the process. Amidst betrayals, bargains, and battles, four young people find their fates forever intertwined:

Cleo: A princess raised in luxury must embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of a magic long thought extinct.

Jonas: Enraged at injustice, a rebel lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country impoverished--and finds himself the leader of a people's revolution centuries in the making.

Lucia: A girl adopted at birth into a royal family discovers the truth about her past--and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.

Magnus: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, a firstborn son begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword...

The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?

Waiting on Wednesday (118) - Prophecy by Ellen Oh

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

Release Date: January 2, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
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Summary (from Goodreads):

The greatest warrior in all of the Seven Kingdoms… is a girl with yellow eyes.

Kira’s the only female in the king’s army, and the prince’s bodyguard. She’s a demon slayer and an outcast, hated by nearly everyone in her home city of Hansong. And, she’s their only hope…

Murdered kings and discovered traitors point to a demon invasion, sending Kira on the run with the young prince. He may be the savior predicted in the Dragon King Prophecy, but the missing treasure of myth may be the true key. With only the guidance of the cryptic prophecy, Kira must battle demon soldiers, evil shaman, and the Demon Lord himself to find what was once lost and raise a prince into a king.

Intrigue and mystery, ancient lore and action-packed fantasy come together in this heart-stopping first book in a trilogy.

If I had to list which fantasy books I'm most excited to read in 2013, Ellen Oh's debut novel Prophecy would surely be right among my top picks! Kira sounds like one of those strong heroines I'll be rooting to succeed from the very beginning as she battles evil on her quest to help the prince fulfill the prophecy. I'm sure there will be plenty of danger and intrigue to keep us on our toes.

And another reason why I'm incredibly excited to read Ellen Oh's Prophecy? The fantasy land she's created called the Seven Kingdoms is inspired by ancient Korea! If you check out Ellen Oh's website, you can find a cool map of how she's envisioned the Seven Kingdoms to appear. There doesn't seem to be enough YA books which are Asian-influenced, so I can't wait to get my hands on a copy of Prophecy!

Stacking the Shelves (9)

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by fellow Canadian blogger Tynga at Tynga's Reviews where we share any new books or goodies we bought, received, borrowed, etc. during the week.

To my fellow Canadians, I hope you're having a happy Thanksgiving weekend!!

I haven't done a Stacking the Shelves post for a few weeks, so the books below are what I've sort of accumulated during the month of September and the first week of October!

Won/Received from Book Signings:

• signed copy of Embrace (Embrace #1) by Jessica Shirvington
• ARC of Embrace (Embrace #1) by Jessica Shirvington
• A Mutiny in Time / Infinity Ring series bookmarks - recap of James Dashner book signing
• signed Burn for Burn tour poster - recap of Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian book signing

I was surprised to learn I was one of the giveaway winners during the Entice Me Day campaign that Sourcebooks Fire hosted while celebrating the release of Jessica Shirvington's Entice! Thank you!

Received for Review:

• The Assassin's Curse (The Assassin's Curse #1) by Cassandra Rose Clarke
• Crusher by Niall Leonard
• The Diviners (The Diviners #1) by Libba Bray
• Entice (The Violet Eden Chapters #2) by Jessica Shirvington
• ARC of The Evolution of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #2) by Michelle Hodkin
• My Beating Teenage Heart by C.K. Kelly Martin
• Poltergeeks (Poltergeeks #1) by Sean Cummings
• Romeo Redeemed (Juliet Immortal #2) by Stacey Jay 
• There Is No Dog by Meg Rosoff ~ my review of the hardcover
• Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone
• The Unfailing Light (Katerina #2) by Robin Bridges
• Yesterday by C.K. Kelly Martin
• You Against Me by Jenny Downham ~ my review of the hardcover

Thanks so much to Hachette Book Group Canada, Raincoast Books, Random House Canada, and Simon & Schuster Canada for sending these novels for review! I've only had the time to read The Unfailing Light and Romeo Redeemed so far and I absolutely enjoyed them both! I'll try to write my reviews for both of them soon. And I was pretty ecstatic to receive an ARC of The Evolution of Mara Dyer! I cannot wait to read it.

Bought:

• Burn for Burn (Burn for Burn #1) by Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian
• Defiance (Defiance #1) by C.J. Redwine
• It's Not Summer Without You (Summer #2) by Jenny Han
• A Mutiny in Time (Infinity Ring #1) by James Dashner
• The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
• Spark (Elemental #2) by Brigid Kemmerer 
• The Summer I Turned Pretty (Summer #1) by Jenny Han 
• We'll Always Have Summer (Summer #3) by Jenny Han 

I absolutely love Jenny Han's Summer series, but it's my sister who has the hardcover versions that I always borrow to read, so I bought my own copies to get signed by Jenny Han when she came to Toronto. And if you haven't checked out her latest novel, Burn for Burn, which she co-wrote with Siobhan Vivian, then you should soon! I really loved it!

Has anyone watched The Perks of Being a Wallflower movie yet? I haven't seen it yet but it looks really great. I thought I should definitely check out the novel too because I've only heard warm praise for it!

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

And as always... Happy Reading!

Spotted! Cover of The Elite by Kiera Cass

Kiera Cass revealed the book cover for The Elite, the second novel in The Selection trilogy, on her blog yesterday!

Release Date: April 23, 2012

Publisher: HarperTeen

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Summary (from Goodreads): 

The hotly-anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestseller The Selection.

Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.

Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.

Did you just gasp in delight when your eyes feasted on the gorgeous cover for The Elite? I seriously can't stop looking at it! I thought the blue colour for The Selection was already so pretty, but the cover art designers at HarperTeen have really outdone themselves this time. The red-orange colour really stands out, and I think it fits perfectly with the glamorous lifestyle America is now living at the palace.

What are your thoughts on the cover? Are you excited to read The Elite? I'll admit, I didn't fall completely in love with The Selection (here's my review), but it was enjoyable enough that I'm truly curious to know what happens next. It's a great novel if you're looking for a light dystopian read with romance!