Best Books of 2012!

Hey guys!

2012 is almost over, but I’m ready for the awesomeness that is to come with 2013! I am looking forward to all the wonderful new books that will be released in the New Year.  While I didn’t get to read as much in 2012, I wanted to share the books that I did read and enjoyed this year. Here’s my list!

1. Easy by Tammara Webber  - Easy has been out for a while now, but it's a book I didn't hear about until recently. I decided to read it right away, and I am SO glad that I did. I loved the story, and the characters, especially Lucas. He has earned a top stop on my most swoon-worthy guys list. Hmmmmm.  This is a book that I will definitely re-read over and over again.

2. Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire  - While I had some issues with Beautiful Disaster, I still adored the book. It's a book that stuck with me long after I read it, and that doesn't happen very often. Travis was such an interesting character, and I can't wait to read his story in Walking Disaster, out in 2013.

3. Pushing the Limits by Katie McGary  -  I read Pushing the Limits because I had heard that it was similar to Beautiful Disaster.  While it was similar in some aspects, it was unique enough to to be different. This was a very enjoyable read for me.

4. The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin  -  Michelle Hodkin never ceases to amaze me with her writing, and I can't get enough of the Mara Dyer series. The ending of this book left me speechless, and dying to get my hands on the next book. Not too much longer now!

5. Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver - Lauren Oliver is one of my most favorite writers of all time. Her writing is absolutely amazing. She definitely left me hanging at the end of Pandemonium, and I can't wait to get my hands on Requiem!

6. Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin  - This book was recommended to me by Kathy at A Glass of Wine, and I am SO glad that I read it!  It was definitely unique, and so different than any book I had read up to that point. The characters we all flawed and fascinating. I'm eagerly awaiting the next book in this series.

7. Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins  -  I really love the Hex Hall series, and was so sad to see it come to an end. (Thank goodness for the spin-off series!) I have laughed so much while reading this series, and I love when that happens. I can't wait to read more by Ms. Hawkins.

8. Article 5 by Kristen Simmons  -  This book was one of the more realistic dystopian books that I have read so far.  It really made me stop and think, I could definitely see this happening in real life. I'm dying to get my hands on Breaking Point to see what's going to happen next.

9. Dreamless by Josephine Angelini  -  Ms. Angelini is another of my most favorite authors ever. In Dreamless, she once again drew me into the world she created and left me completely speechless. Poor Helen, the girl went through so much in this book. I can't wait to find out what happens in Goddess!

10. Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood  -  This is another book that was introduced to me by Kathy at A Glass of Wine.  It is another book that was unique enough to really stand out for me as well.  The storyline was great, and I'm practically in love with Finn.

Now that I've shared my favorite books of 2012...
Bring on the books of 2013!!!

Please leave a link to your favorite list if you have one as well!

Waiting on Wednesday #94 - Dare You To by Katie McGarry

Dare You To
(Pushing the Limits #2)
by Katie McGarry

Publication Date: May 28th, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin Teen

"I dare you..."

If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does....

Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him.

But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all....

Ohhhhhhh! I am SO excited to get my hands on this book! I really enjoyed reading Pushing the Limits earlier this year.I can't wait to dive back into the series and see how Beth's story is going to go. If you haven't checked out this series yet, I definitely recommend it!

What are you Waiting on this week???

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

Waiting on Wednesday #93 - The Girl with the Iron Touch by Kady Cross

The Girl With the Iron Touch
(Steampunk Chronicles #3)
by Kady Cross

Publication Date: May 21st 2013
Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Finley Jayne, Griffin and their crew are stunned when one of their own is kidnapped. Emily has a way with machines—she can literally talk to them. But the automatons who abducted her aren’t ordinary machines. They’re almost human—and they want Emily to do something as horrifying as it seems possible.

To save Emily, Finley must contact the highly unsettling Jack Dandy and face her feelings for two vastly different men, even as Griffin’s nightmares threaten to turn into a reality that might just end them all. (Goodreads)

Yay! Another cover that I missed during my absence. Isn't it gorgeous?

This is another series that I really just love. I love the steampunk genre, it is so fascinating! And I love Finley Jayne, and especially Griffin! I can't wait to read this book. :)

What are you Waiting on this week???

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

Review: The Goddess Inheritance by Aimee Carter

The Goddess Inheritance
(Goddess Test #3)
by Aimee Carter

Publication Date: February 26th, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin Teen \ Twitter
Pages: 384
IBSN: 9780373210671

B&N | Amazon | Goodreads

Love or life.
Henry or their child.
The end of her family or the end of the world.
Kate must choose.

During nine months of captivity, Kate Winters has survived a jealous goddess, a vengeful Titan and a pregnancy she never asked for. Now the Queen of the Gods wants her unborn child, and Kate can't stop her--until Cronus offers a deal.

In exchange for her loyalty and devotion, the King of the Titans will spare humanity and let Kate keep her child. Yet even if Kate agrees, he'll destroy Henry, her mother and the rest of the council. And if she refuses, Cronus will tear the world apart until every last god and mortal is dead.

With the fate of everyone she loves resting on her shoulders, Kate must do the impossible: find a way to defeat the most powerful being in existence, even if it costs her everything.

Even if it costs her eternity. (Goodreads)

I knew I had to read The Goddess Inheritance as soon as I got my hands on it, especially after that killer cliffhanger ending in The Goddess Interrupted.  I found the book to be a great ending to a wonderful series!

Kate is a character that I will never get tired of reading about. She has such a great head on her shoulders. While she does have a bit of a martyr complex, she does genuinely care about the people around her, especially her little family.  She is willing to do anything to protect them.  There were some times in the book when I was beginning to wonder if she was going to give up, but thankfully she pulled it back together and returned to the normal headstrong Kate that I know and love.

I have loved Henry every since I first started this series. The more I read of him, the more I love him. He grows from such a lonely man, to a loving, caring husband to Kate. Henry is definitely on the list of my favorite guys of all time.

We see quite a good bit of the secondary characters as well in this novel, though not really in the same aspect that we have seen them in the previous books.  They all have a very serious demeanor that goes along with the feeling of impending doom that they face. It was really interesting seeing this different side of them.

The ending of the book was very bittersweet for me. Something major happens to one of my favorite characters. While I hate to see this happen, I believe it also set up a spot for another book in the series, or even a spin-off series. I, for one, would love to see either of those options happen. (Especially if we get to see more of Henry, he is beyond awesome.)

Overall, I love this series.  If, by chance, you haven’t read this series yet, I definitely recommend that you do.  It is so great, and definitely worth the read.

Thank you Harlequin Teen for allowing me to read and review this advance copy! My life is now complete.

Happy Reading!

Waiting on Wednesday #92 - Elegy by Tara Hudson

Elegy
(Hereafter #3)
by Tara Hudson

Publication Date: June 4th 2013
Publisher: HarperCollins

A stalker ghost, misguided Seers, and spellbinding wraiths—Amelia Ashley has faced them all. Now her greatest hope is to spend the rest of her afterlife with her living boyfriend, Joshua. But the demonic forces return to give her an ultimatum: turn herself over to the darkness or watch them murder one living person per week until she does.

Amelia fears she might really be doomed, until the forces of light give her another option. She can join them in their quest to gather souls, with a catch: Once she joins them, she can never see Joshua again.

Faced with impossible choices, Amelia decides to take her afterlife into her own hands—and fight back.

Bear with me friends, I am a little out of the loop lately. :)

YAY! This is the first that I've seen of the cover for Elegy! I love it, of course. This is such a good series, and I really enjoy Ms. Hudson's writing. I can't wait to dive back into the series, especially after the cliffhanger ending in Arise! GAH! 

Hurry June!!!

What are you Waiting on this week???

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

Hello there!

Hey guys!

As you may have noticed, I haven't been able to be around much lately. Due to some unexpected circumstances, I have had to put the blogging/reading on hold for a while.  :(
(It's been torture to stay away!)

But things are starting to look up!
(Or in this case, slow down, which is exactly what I need.) 

So I now I get to play the catch up game, and I'm really looking forward to it. :)
I can't wait to get back into reading and blogging, my most favorite things EVER!

So I will 'see' you guys around!

Giveaway: Legend by Marie Lu & Prize Pack!

Hey guys!

So today I'm hosting a giveaway thanks to the wonderful Big Honcho Media and Penguin! There is a great prize pack up for grabs, so keep reading to see what's up for grabs, and to enter this awesome giveaway!
About Legend:

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Add to GOODREADS!

Buy a copy: B&N | Amazon

About Prodigy:

Prodigy is the long-awaited sequel to Legend, the must-read dystopian novel for all YA fans of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Divergent by Veronica Roth. A brilliant re-imagining of Les Miserables, the series is set to be a global film sensation as CBS films have acquired rights to the trilogy.
,
June and Day arrive in Vegas just as the unthinkable happens: the Elector Primo dies, and his son Anden takes his place. With the Republic edging closer to chaos, the two join a group of Patriot rebels eager to help Day rescue his brother and offer passage to the Colonies. They have only one request—-June and Day must assassinate the new Elector.

It’s their chance to change the nation, to give voice to a people silenced for too long.

But as June realizes this Elector is nothing like his father, she’s haunted by the choice ahead. What if Anden is a new beginning? What if revolution must be more than loss and vengeance, anger and blood—what if the Patriots are wrong?

Add to GOODREADS!      

Pre-Order your copy today!  B&N | Amazon
(In Stores January 2013)

About the Author:

Marie Lu writes young adult novels, and has a special love for dystopian books. She likes food, fighter jets, afternoon tea, happy people, electronics, the interwebz, cupcakes, pianos, bright colors, rain, Christmas lights, sketches, animation, dogs, farmers' markets, video games, and of course, books.

She left Beijing for the States in 1989 and went off to college at the University of Southern California. In her past life, she was an art director in the video game industry, but now she writes full-time.

Visit the Official Site

Visit the Author’s Official Site

Like Legend the Series on Facebook

Moving on to the GIVEAWAY!

One winner will receive the awesome prize pack full of the goodies listed below:

· A copy of Legend by Marie Lu

· A limited Edition Prodigy Flashlight

· A limited Edition Prodigy T-Shirt

Sounds awesome, right??? So what are you waiting for? Scroll down below and enter NOW for you chance to win this awesome prize pack!

Good luck!


Giveaway Rules:

* Must be 13 or older to enter giveaway.
* ONE winner will be chosen to win Legend and the Prize Pack
* Winners will be contacted via email, and have 24 hours to respond
* Giveaway will end Sunday, November 19th, 2012
* By entering this giveaway, you agree to the terms listed above.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Noteworthy New Releases - 11/12 - 11/18

New in Hardback:

Reached - Ally Condie    ( B&N | Amazon | Goodreads  )
Echo - Alyson Noel    ( B&N | Amazon | Goodreads  )
Black City - Elizabeth Richards    ( B&N | Amazon | Goodreads  )



New in Paperback:

Fated - Alyson Noel    ( B&N | Amazon | Goodreads  )
Echo - Alyson Noel (Paperback)    ( B&N | Amazon | Goodreads  )
After Obsession - Carrie Jones    ( B&N | Amazon | Goodreads  )
I am J - Cris Beam    ( B&N | Amazon | Goodreads  )

Waiting on Wednesday #90 - A Darkness Strange and Lovely

A Darkness Strange and Lovely
by Susan Dennard

Publication Date: July 23rd, 2013
Publisher: HarperCollins

Add to Goodreads
Available for Pre-order: Amazon

Following an all-out battle with the walking Dead, the Spirit Hunters have fled Philadelphia, leaving Eleanor alone to cope with the devastating aftermath. But there’s more trouble ahead—the evil necromancer Marcus has returned, and his diabolical advances have Eleanor escaping to Paris to seek the help of Joseph, Jie, and the infuriatingly handsome Daniel once again. When she arrives, however, she finds a whole new darkness lurking in this City of Light. As harrowing events unfold, Eleanor is forced to make a deadly decision that will mean life or death for everyone. (Goodreads)

I really enjoyed reading Something Strange and Deadly earlier this year.  The ending from the previous book has definitely left me curious for this book. I NEED to know what's going to happen next! I can't wait to get my hands on A Darkness Strange and Lovely. :) Isn't the cover awesome?!

What are you Waiting on this week???

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

Review: Easy by Tammara Webber

Easy
by Tammara Webber

Publication Date: November 6, 2012
Publisher: Berkley Paperback
Pages: 310
ISBN: 9780425266748

B&N | Amazon | Goodreads

(Mature Young Adult/ New Adult)

A girl who believes trust can be misplaced, promises are made to be broken, and loyalty is an illusion. A boy who believes truth is relative, lies can mask unbearable pain, and guilt is eternal. Will what they find in each other validate their conclusions, or disprove them all?

When Jacqueline follows her longtime boyfriend to the college of his choice, the last thing she expects is a breakup two months into sophomore year. After two weeks in shock, she wakes up to her new reality: she's single, attending a state university instead of a music conservatory, ignored by her former circle of friends, and failing a class for the first time in her life.

Leaving a party alone, Jacqueline is assaulted by her ex's frat brother. Rescued by a stranger who seems to be in the right place at the right time, she wants nothing more than to forget the attack and that night--but her savior, Lucas, sits on the back row of her econ class, sketching in a notebook and staring at her. Her friends nominate him to be the perfect rebound.

When her attacker turns stalker, Jacqueline has a choice: crumple in defeat or learn to fight back. Lucas remains protective, but he's hiding secrets of his own. Suddenly appearances are everything, and knowing who to trust is anything but easy. (Goodreads)

This novel is in the New Adult genre, and has mature content.

Easy by Tammara Webber is a book that had somehow never managed to cross my radar. But once I discovered the book, it started popping up everywhere! I knew I needed to read the book to see what the fuss was about. I am SO glad that I did!

I really adored this book, for many reasons.  First, it reminds me of two other novels that I fell in love with this year; Beautiful Disaster and Pushing the Limits. All of these books have a good girl heroine that falls in love with the bad boy, who isn’t exactly a bad boy at all. I love these types of novels. I don’t know exactly what it is, but I just can’t seem to get enough of them.

The main character in the story, Jacqueline, has been through quite a bit in the past few weeks of her life.  Her boyfriend of many years, who she followed to college, has broken up with her. Then she is assaulted by her ex’s frat brother, and for the first time ever, failing one of her classes. Just when she thinks she has hit rock bottom, reality sets in. With the help of a stranger, the same stranger that saved her, she manages to get her life back on track.  I really liked Jacqueline. I felt a connection to her that I didn’t exactly expect at first. While I didn’t agree with all of the decisions she made throughout the novel, I still found her to be a very likeable character.

Our love interest in the story is Lucas. I love Lucas. He is so mysterious and complex. I never knew what to expect from him. Burdened with events from his past that forever changed his future, Lucas has his own secrets to keep. But even with his own issues, he is there for Jacqueline. I love the relationship between the two of them. Lucas is definitely swoon-worthy.

This novel starts off with a bang, and just keeps going. The storyline was definitely engrossing, and it kept me hooked to the pages. I found the storyline to be very realistic.  While some of the contents are very disturbing, I feel that it’s good for girls to read this and to know that sexual assault is not ok.

Overall, I really love reading books of this type at the moment.  Easy has definitely earned a top stop of my ‘Favorite’ list. I can’t wait to read it again. And again! I hope that you enjoy it as well.

Happy Reading!

Noteworthy New Releases * 11/5 - 11/11 *

New in Hardback:

Days of Blood & Starlight - Laini Taylor    ( B&N | Amazon | Goodreads )
Eternally Yours - Cat Tiernan    ( B&N | Amazon | Goodreads )
Bitter Blood - Rachel Caine    ( B&N | Amazon | Goodreads )



New in Paperback:

Easy - Tammara Webber    ( B&N | Amazon | Goodreads )
Daughter of Smoke and Bone - Laini Taylor    ( B&N | Amazon | Goodreads )
Shut Out - Kody Keplinger    ( B&N | Amazon | Goodreads )
Pregnant Pause - Han Nolan    ( B&N | Amazon | Goodreads )

Weekly Book Haul #20

Purchased:

Finale - Becca Fitzpatrick

The Evolution of Mara Dyer - Michelle Hodkin

For Review:

Prodigy - Marie Lu

Destiny Rising - L.J. Smith

Phantom - L.J. Smith

e-ARC's:
Easy - Tammara Webber
Undeadly - Michele Vail
Sacrifice - Cayla Kluver
Dualed - Elsie Chapman


Hey guys!

It's been a while since I've done a Book Haul post.
So here are a few of the books I've gotten of the pas few weeks.
I've already read and loved Mara Dyer #2, and I can't wait to get into Finale.
I am SO excited about all of the eArc's I found.
I can't wait to get started on the rest of them!

What new books did you get this week??

Review: Mystic City by Theo Lawrence

Mystic City
(Mystic City #1)
by Theo Lawrence

Publication Date: October 9th, 2012
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Pages: 416
ISBN: 9780385741606

B&N | Amazon | The Book Depository | Goodreads

For fans of  Matched, The Hunger Games, X-Men, and Blade Runner comes a tale of a magical city divided, a political rebellion ignited, and a love that was meant to last forever. Book One of the Mystic City Novels.

Aria Rose, youngest scion of one of Mystic City's two ruling rival families, finds herself betrothed to Thomas Foster, the son of her parents' sworn enemies. The union of the two will end the generations-long political feud—and unite all those living in the Aeries, the privileged upper reaches of the city, against the banished mystics who dwell below in the Depths. But Aria doesn't remember falling in love with Thomas; in fact, she wakes one day with huge gaps in her memory. And she can't conceive why her parents would have agreed to unite with the Fosters in the first place. Only when Aria meets Hunter, a gorgeous rebel mystic from the Depths, does she start to have glimmers of recollection—and to understand that he holds the key to unlocking her past. The choices she makes can save or doom the city—including herself. (Goodreads)

Mystic City is a novel about a post-apocalyptical Manhattan. Most of the city is under water due to global warming, and two rival families rule the city. Aria Rose, who is the youngest daughter in the Rose family, finds herself engaged to Thomas Foster, son from the rival Foster family, after an event that took parts of her memory. No one is telling Aria anything, so it’s up to her to find out exactly what is going on.

Poor Aria, you have to feel bad for the girl for what she’s been through. To top that off, since the novel is from her point of view, we have NO idea what’s happened. All we know is that there are a lot of secrets, and that no one is telling poor Aria anything. The author did a really great job at keeping me confused throughout the novel. Aria was a great heroine. Even through the confusion and the fear, she kept her head, and stood her ground. I love her for that.

There are two love interests in the story. One is with Thomas, the young man that Aria is engaged to, but does not remember; who is also the son of the rival family in the city. Then there is Hunter. Aria has no idea who he is, but feels a strong pull towards him.  Hunter has secrets of his own, secrets that could get him killed if the wrong person found out. I love his love for Aria. He really cares, and only wants to keep her safe. Swoon!

Aria’s family is full of people that you are going to love to hate, especially her parents! They give the word dysfunctional a whole new meaning.  Without giving much away, I will just say that they are one of the worst families I have had to read in YA to date.

The storyline was very creative for the story. I found it to be believable because it’s something that could definitely happen in our world due to global warming.  The author did a really great job with the descriptions of the city after it had been flooded and rebuilt. I definitely had a clear imagine in my mind of how the city would have looked.

Overall, I thought that Mystic City was a really interesting read! I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book in the series, Renegade Heart, to see what is going to happen with Aria, Hunter and the rest of their crew!

Waiting on Wednesday #89 - Goddess by Josephine Angelini

Goddess
(Starcrossed #3)
by Josephine Angelini

Publication Date: May 28th 2013
Publisher: HarperCollins

Add to Goodreads

After accidentally unleashing the gods from their captivity on Olympus, Helen must find a way to re-imprison them without starting a devastating war. But the gods are angry, and their thirst for blood already has a body count.

To make matters worse, the Oracle reveals that a diabolical Tyrant is lurking among them, which drives a wedge between the once-solid group of friends. As the gods use the Scions against one another, Lucas’s life hangs in the balance. Still unsure whether she loves him or Orion, Helen is forced to make a terrifying decision, for war is coming to her shores.

In Josephine Angelini’s compelling conclusion to the masterfully woven Starcrossed trilogy, a goddess must rise above it all to change a destiny that’s been written in the stars. With worlds built just as fast as they crumble, love and war collide in an all-out battle that will leave no question unanswered and no heart untouched. (Goodreads)

Hey guys! Long time, no see!

I'm seriously out of the loop lately. :(   Life has been busy. But I'm trying to get it back together!

So I discovered that the cover for GODDESS was released this week!
(The covers for this series are so gorgeous.)
I love the Starcrossed series, it's amazing, and Josephine Angelini is a writing genius.
I can't wait to dive back into this series to see what happens with Helen
and my favorite Starcrossed characters!

What are you Waiting on this week???

Noteworthy New Releases * 10/29 - 11/4 *

New in Hardback:

Rebel Heart - Moira Young    (  B&N | Amazon | Goodreads  )
Sapphire Blue - Kerstin Gier    (  B&N | Amazon | Goodreads  )
Venom - Fiona Paul    (  B&N | Amazon | Goodreads  )
Ruins - Orson Scott Card    (  B&N | Amazon | Goodreads  )
The Bar Code Prophecy - Suzanne Weyn    (  B&N | Amazon | Goodreads  )
Insurgent (Collector's Edition) - Veronica Roth    (  B&N | Amazon | Goodreads  )




New in Paperback:

The Fire - James Patterson    (  B&N | Amazon | Goodreads  )
The Pledge - Kimberly Derting    (  B&N | Amazon | Goodreads  )
Chain Reaction - Simone Elkeles    (  B&N | Amazon | Goodreads  )
Clockwork Angel - Cassandra Clare    (  B&N | Amazon | Goodreads  )
Pink - Lili Wilkinson    (  B&N | Amazon | Goodreads  )
The Twisted Tragedy of Miss Natalie Stewart - Leanna Renee Hieber  (  B&N | Amazon | Goodreads  )
How to Save a Life - Sara Zarr     ( B&N | Amazon | Goodreads  )