Wating on Wednesday: The Demon's Surrender by Sarah Rees Brennan

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

THE DEMON'S SURRENDER (Demon's Lexicon, #3) by Sarah Rees Brennan 

Pub. Date: June 2011

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Format: Hardcover , 400pp
Age Range: Young Adult
Series: Demon's Lexicon Trilogy Series

I'm so excited for this book. I love the characters! Sarah's writing is addictive! I can't wait to get my Nick/Alan fix!

I don't have a summary for the final book in this trilogy but you can read the 1st chapter on Sarah's site here.

Win Entice by Carrie Jones!

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ENTICE (PB) by Carrie Jones

Swag: Bookmarks

Rules 1 Winner!

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Additional Entries

Comment on my review of Entice here

Contest ends @ 11:59pm (CST) January 12, 2011. U.S. Residents Only (Sorry!)

Blog Tour: Entice by Carrie Jones

ENTICE (Need, #3) by Carrie Jones

Pub. Date: December 2010

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
Format: Hardcover , 272pp
Age Range: Young Adult

Source: Publisher

Zara and Nick are soul mates, meant to be together forever. But that's not quite how things have worked out. For starters, well, Nick is dead. Supposedly, he's been taken to a mythic place for warriors known as Valhalla, so Zara and her friends might be able to get him back. But it's taking time, and meanwhile a group of evil pixies is devastating Bedford, with more teens going missing every day. An all-out war seems imminent, and the good guys need all the warriors they can find. But how to get to Valhalla? And even if Zara and her friends discover the way, there's that other small problem: Zara's been pixie kissed. When she finds Nick, will he even want to go with her? Especially since she hasn't turned into just any pixie. . . She's Astley's queen.

ENTICE picks up where CAPTIVATE left off with Zara & friends attending the winter ball while patrolling for evil pixies who were freed by the pixie king, Frank. In this installment, Zara is adjusting to her new abilities. She's stronger, faster & her senses are sharper - All part of being a pixie queen. As exciting as those abilities sound, Zara has a lot on her plate. With kids continuing to come up missing in her town, Zara has plenty to worry about. On top of protecting the students in her town from the bad pixies, she's still trying to find out how to get to Valhalla to free Nick and unfortunately that's with the help of her new king Astley, whom Zara still doesn't trust fully. Plus, she has to deal with the possible fallout of her were grandmother finding out that she's a pixie now. What is a girl to do?

I enjoyed Zara's fierceness in this installment. She was kicking pixie butt left & right. She was determined to do whatever it took to keep her town safe while trying to save Nick, even though she still had doubts about being a pixie & who to trust. What I found interesting in this installment was how Nick wasn't a concern for me. I can only blame that on the Hotness that is Astley. Don't get me wrong now, I loved Nick in the earlier installments but Astley has this mysteriousness about him. Just like Zara, I didn't know what his motives were. I do love the whole regal persona he throws off. Plus, he seemed to sincerely care about Zara and put her needs and safety above all.

This installment took Zara through the ringer. Danger was always one step behind her and the ones she cared about. She had to face so much for one so young. But she stayed true to her character through it all. I’m curious to see what will happen in the next installment. Carrie Jones continues to pull me deeper into this series with her twists and turns. I’m just glad I can look forward to reading more about Zara and the gang.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

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Check out the Book Trailer!

Check out the facebook pages for Bloomsbury Teen & The Need Pixies to find out more info on upcoming books and The Need Series.

In My Mailbox (68)

FOR REVIEW

THROAT by R.A. Nelson

Pub. Date: January 2011

Publisher: Random House Children's Books

Format: Hardcover , 464pp

R. A. Nelson takes us on a supernatural thrill ride, a modern-day vampire story set on a NASA base and filled with space-and-science intrigue. Seventeen-year-old Emma feels cursed by her epilepsy—until the lost night. She's shocked to wake up in the hospital one morning, weak from blood loss. When her memories begin to return, she pieces together that it was a man—a monster—who attacked her: a vampire named Wirtz. And it was her very condition that saved her: a grand mal seizure interrupted Wirtz and left Emma with all the amazing powers of a vampire—heightened senses, rapid speed—but no need to drink blood. Is Emma now a half-vampire girl? One thing soon becomes clear: the vampire Wirtz is fierce and merciless, feared even by his own kind, and won't leave a job undone.

In My Mailbox was created by Kristi @ The Story Siren and inspired by Alea @ Pop Culture Junkie

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!!!

I wanted to wish everyone a very safe and happy Holiday! I'm going to be spending time with family and reading books galore!

Waiting on Wednesday: Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

STARCROSSED by Josephine Angelini

Pub. Date: May 2011

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Format: Hardcover , 400pp

Age Range: 12

How do you defy destiny?

Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.
 

I love how Starcrossed is tied to Greek Mythology. It's also a first in a trilogy & I love series books.  It's being called the Percy Jackson for girls too. So, another point for this book. It's something different and I'm looking forward to reading it.

Win Out for Blood by Alyxandra Harvey!

This is your chance to Win...

OUT FOR BLOOD (PB) by Alyxandra Harvey

Swag: Bookmarks

Rules 1 Winner!

For your chances to win FILL OUT THIS FORM!

Additional Entries

Comment on my review of Out for Blood here

Contest ends @ 11:59pm (CST) January 5, 2011. U.S. Residents Only (Sorry!)

Blog Tour: Out for Blood by Alyxandra Harvey

OUT FOR BLOOD (The Drake Chronicles, #3) by Alyxandra Harvey

Pub. Date: December 2010

Publisher: Walker & Company

Format: Paperback , 304pp

Age Range: Young Adult

Source: Publisher

Hunter Wild is the youngest in a long line of elite vampire hunters, a legacy that is both a blessing and a curse at the secret Helios-Ra Academy, where she excels at just about everything. Thanks to her friendship with Kieran Black, Hunter receives a special invitation to attend the coronation of Helena Drake, and for the first time, she sees the difference between vampires that must be hunted and vampires that can become friends—or even more. When students at the academy fall victim to a mysterious illness, Hunter suspects they are under attack from within. She will need someone she can trust to help her save the future of Helios-Ra . . . help that shockingly comes in the form of Quinn Drake, a drop-dead gorgeous vampire. Who said senior year would be easy?

Once again, THE DRAKE CHRONICLES delivered an action-packed filled plot with a host of new characters. This installment is told from Hunter's POV, a top-notch student at the Helios-Ra academy for vampire hunters. We finally get Quinn's POV - he's the bad boy of the bunch and a serial flirt. My kind of guy *sigh*. As with the previous installments, danger still lurks in the shadows for Solange & Helena plus there’s a new mystery to uncover that could have serious consequences to vampires and humans alike.

I enjoyed the Helios-Ra school setting. It was nice to learn more background on the vampire hunters and their hierarchy. With each installment, I learn more and more about the different vamps and this installment explained more about the different families that are ruled under the crown. It's always surprising to read about the differences between the 3 classes of vamps plus the hunters.

Harvey continues to create a great cast of characters. Hunter is my kind of heroine. She’s kick-ass and she's not afraid to be feminine. I enjoyed her interactions with Quinn. Even his charm wanted to make her giggle considering her reputation. It was endearing, especially, when we get to see how protective Quinn is of Hunter. These two are such a great couple. I thought they meshed well together.

I never know what direction this series is going to take but I do know that I'll be following along as the twists & turns continue to shake up the Drake’s world. There's always one question that I want to know at the end of each book. Whose story will be next? Plus, it's never far from my mind to wonder if the next installment will be just as enticing as the first. I guess I'll have to wait to find out.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

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Check out the facebook pages for Bloomsbury Teen, AlyxandraHarvey, and The Drake Chronicles to find out more info on upcoming books and The Drake Chronicles.

Here's a link to Alyxandra Harvey's upcoming novel HAUNTING VIOLET, a Victorian ghost story which is due out next June.

In My Mailbox (67)

FOR REVIEW

DARNESS BECOMES HER by Kelly Keaton

Pub. Date: February 2011

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Format: Hardcover , 288pp

Age Range: Young Adult

Ari can’t help feeling lost and alone. With teal eyes and freakish silver hair that can’t be changed or destroyed, Ari has always stood out. And after growing up in foster care, she longs for some understanding of where she came from and who she is.

Her search for answers uncovers just one message from her long dead mother: Run. Ari can sense that someone, or something, is getting closer than they should. But it’s impossible to protect herself when she doesn’t know what she’s running from or why she is being pursued.

She knows only one thing: she must return to her birthplace of New 2, the lush rebuilt city of New Orleans. Upon arriving, she discovers that New 2 is very...different. Here, Ari is seemingly normal. But every creature she encounters, no matter how deadly or horrifying, is afraid of her.

Ari won’t stop until she knows why. But some truths are too haunting, too terrifying, to ever be revealed.

In My Mailbox was created by Kristi @ The Story Siren and inspired by Alea @ Pop Culture Junkie

Waiting on Wednesday: Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

ANGELFIRE (Angelfire, #1) by Courtney Allison Moulton

Pub. Date: February 2011

Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books

Format: Hardcover , 464pp

Age Range: 12 and up

First there are nightmares.

Every night Ellie is haunted by terrifying dreams of monstrous creatures that are hunting her, killing her.

Then come the memories.

When Ellie meets Will, she feels on the verge of remembering something just beyond her grasp. His attention is intense and romantic, and Ellie feels like her soul has known him for centuries. On her seventeenth birthday, on a dark street at midnight, Will awakens Ellie's power, and she knows that she can fight the creatures that stalk her in the grim darkness. Only Will holds the key to Ellie's memories, whole lifetimes of them, and when she looks at him, she can no longer pretend anything was just a dream.

Now she must hunt.

Ellie has power that no one can match, and her role is to hunt and kill the reapers that prey on human souls. But in order to survive the dangerous and ancient battle of the angels and the Fallen, she must also hunt for the secrets of her past lives and truths that may be too frightening to remember.

Angelfire sounds like it will be filled with dangerous action-packed scenes and a great romance. Plus, I love the whole premise behind a kick-ass girl fighting reapers. I'm so excited to read this book! Is it February yet?

2011 Debut Author Challenge List

Once again Kristi @ The Story Siren  (Thank You) is hosting a 2011 Author Debut Challenge. This will be my second challenge. I'm looking forward to another great year of books. There are so many that I want to read.

Here's more information on the challenge directly from The Story Siren:

• The objective of the DAC is to read at least twelve novels from Young Adult or Middle Grade Authors. While twelve is the minimum there is no maximum limit! I encourage readers who can read more than twelve to do so!
• Anyone can join. You don't have to be a blogger, and you don't have to live in the United States.
• You do not have to have an blog written in English to participate.
• You can join at anytime. Deadline to join is November 20, 2011. The challenge runs from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011.

If you would like to sign up, head over to The Story Siren for more info.

Here's my list: I'm sure my list will change to include more summer/fall/winter releases.

1. Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
2. XVI by Julia Karr
3. Timeless by Alexandra Monir
4. The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal
5. Across the Universe by Beth Revis
6. Vesper by Jeff Sampson
7. The Demon Trapper’s Daughter by Jana Oliver
8. The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney
9. Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton
10. A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford
11. Haven by Kristi Cook
12. Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton
13. Clarity by Kim Harrington
14. Falling Under by Gwen Hayes
15. Wither by Lauren DeStefano
16. Entwined by Heather Dixon
17. Born at Midnight by C.C Hunter
18. Wake Unto Me by Lisa Cach
19. Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis
20. Enclave by Ann Aguirre
21. Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton
22. Future Imperfect by K. Ryer Breese
23. Moonglass by Jessi Kirby
24. Die For Me by Amy Plum
25. Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
26. Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari
27. Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs
28. Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky
29. Hourglass by Myra McEntire
30. Divergent by Veronica Roth
31. Hereafter by Tara Hudson
32. The Revenant  by Sonia Gensler
33. Lost Voices by Sarah Porter
34. Possession by Elana Johnson
35. Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris
36. Wildefire by Karsten Knight
37. The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab
38. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
39. Damage by Anya Parrish
40. Half-Blood by Jennifer Armentrout
41. Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez
42. The Faering Ring by Kiki Hamilton
43. Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey
44. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
45. Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon
46. Legend by Marie Lu

I know, 40 again. I had 40 for my 2010 Challenge and like that challenge, this list will change to include books coming out later that year. I know I'm forgetting some.

In My Mailbox (66)

FOR REVIEW

Thanks to Egmont USA for these books!

The Lost Saint (The Dark Divine, #2) by Bree Despain

Drought by Pam Bachorz

The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal

Human .4 by Mike A. Lancaster


In My Mailbox was created by Kristi @ The Story Siren and inspired by Alea @ Pop Culture Junkie

Waiting on Wednesday: Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

SHADOWFEVER (Fever Series, #5) by Karen Marie Moning

Pub. Date: January 2011

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group

Format: Hardcover , 608pp
Series: Fever Series , #5

SPOILERS SUMMARY FROM WEBSITE

MacKayla Lane was just a child when she and her sister, Alina were given up for adoption and banished from Ireland forever.

Twenty years later, Alina is dead and Mac has returned to the country that expelled them to hunt her sister's murderer. But after discovering that she descends from a bloodline both gifted and cursed, Mac is plunged into a secret history: an ancient conflict between humans and immortals that have lived concealed among us for thousands of years.

What follows is a shocking chain of events with devastating consequences, and now Mac struggles to cope with grief, while continuing her mission to acquire and control the Sinsar Dubh--a book of dark, forbidden magic scribed by the mythical Unseelie King that contains the power to create and destroy worlds.

The FEVER Series is my all time favorite series. It's the one series that I'm obsessed with. I've read the books in this series at least 4 times now. I'm getting ready around Christmas break to read them again before SHADOWFEVER comes out. This is the last book in the series and I'm dying to finally have all of my questions answered. If you have not tried this series, you don't know what you're missing! Give it a try and CATCH THE FEVER!

Happy Release Day for the Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead!

It's here! Finally, we get to see how it all ends. I just downloaded my copy via Kindle and I can't wait to get started. I'm dying to see how Rose is going to get out of the mess she's in & ultimately what's going to happen to her and Dimitri.

I'm also curious about who the new characters will be in the spin-off.I wouldn't be surprised if I'm finished before the night is over with. LOL.

Who else is with me?

In My Mailbox (65)

For Review

Entice (Need, #3) by Carrie Jones

Out for Blood (The Drake Chronicles, #3) by Alyxandra Harvey


In My Mailbox was created by Kristi @ The Story Siren and inspired by Alea @ Pop Culture Junkie

Tyger Tyger Treasure Winner!

The Winner is...

Tyger Tyger (ARC)

 

Leslie G

 

Thanks to everyone for participating!