In My Mailbox #44

** In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It's a great way to showcase the books you've gotten over the week, whether they are bought, borrowed or free. **

Bought:
Clockwork Prince - Cassandra Clare
Eve - Anna Carey

Review:
Pandemonium - Lauren Oliver
The Scorpio Races - Maggie Stiefvater

Library:
Legend - Marie Lu

PaperBackSwap:
Spellbound - Cara Lynn Shultz

Lots of awesome books in my mailbox this week! I'm about halfway through Clockwork Prince, and I'm really enjoying it so far! I picked up Eve for a friend of mine, and I'm really looking forward to seeing what she thinks of it. :) Pandemonium was sent to me by the amazing Lauren Oliver, and the wonderful people at Scholastic sent me a copy of The Scorpio Races! I got Legend from the library, and Spellbound from PBS, which I read already and enjoyed. :) I can't wait to get started on all these new books! :)

That's all for me! What did you get in your mailbox this week??

Friday Hops * 12/9 *

Follow Friday! #39

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee & Alison Can Read. It's a great way to meet new blogger friends!

Q: Question: Keeping with the Spirit of Giving this season, what book do you think EVERYONE should read and if you could, you would buy it for all of your family and friends?

A.Wow, now that's a good question! There are SO many books I think people should read.


If it's a new reader, I would definitely buy The Hunger Games series, because they are just amazing reads, and everyone should give them a try.



If I wanted to gift my favorite books of this year, here are the ones I would pick:



I could seriously go on and on... I tend to go overboard when I thinking about giving/recommending books to people. :)

TGIF at GReads #7

TGIF at GReads is a Friday Feature hosted by Ginger at GReadsBooks.com!

Book to Movie: Which book turn movie do you feel did the best adaptation? What about the worst?

Typically, I am not a book to movie fan. I'm always picking apart movies that are made from books, and it drives me crazy, as well as my husband, who has to hear my frustration quite often. However, there are a few that have been pretty good.

The best book to movie adaptation that I have enjoyed in a long time would have to have been The Help.  I thought the book was wonder, and the movie was wonderful just as well. The Help is definitely my favorite book to movie adaptation. :)

A few more are...



I love The Notebook, A Walk to Remember and Pride and Prejudice. They don't all follow super close to the book, but I do adore the movies and books for each. :)

I'm not sure what I would say was the worst on my list... There are too many to mention!

What's on your list???

Thanks for stopping by everyone! Please leave a comment with your link so I can follow you back!

Waiting on Wednesday #44 * Red Dress Edition *

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

Here we go, with another special edition for Waiting on Wednesday! This weeks special Red Dress edition features books with gorgeous girls on the covers, wearing beautiful red dresses. :) Enjoy!

Sweet Evil
by Wendy Higgins
Publication Date: May 1st, 2012
Publisher: Harper Teen

Add to Goodreads

What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences? This is life for sons and daughters of fallen angels in Sweet Evil.

Anna, a tender-hearted southern girl, was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage, and her will-power is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

A cross-country trip forces Anna and Kai to face the reality that hope and love are not options for their kind. When it's time for Anna to confront her demons, will she choose to embrace her halo or her horns? (Goodreads)

Grave Mercy
by Robin LaFevers
Publication Date: April 3rd, 2012
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Add to Goodreads

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart? (Goodreads)

Everneath
by Brodi Ashton
Publication Date: January 24th, 2012
Publisher:

Add to Goodreads

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's... (Goodreads)

Such gorgeous covers! I can't wait for these books to be released!

What are you WoWing for this week?

Review: Everneath by Brodie Ashton

Everneath
(Everneath #1)
by Brodi Ashton
Publication Date: January 24th, 2012
Publisher: Harper Collins / Balzer + Bray
Pages: 370
ISBN: 9780062071132
Find it on Goodreads

Available for Pre-Order:
B&N | Amazon | The Book Depository

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's... (Goodreads)

In a state of despair, Nikki Beckett was pulled into the underworld by bad boy Cole. Cole is an immortal, who ‘feeds’ off the despondent emotions of those of the living, in order to remain immortal. Six months has passed since she vanished, but now Nikki’s back in the real world. She only has six months to make amends with her family and friends, before being sent back to the underworld forever.

Everneath is a read that definitely left me speechless. At this point, I am still trying to form my thoughts about the book. I definitely enjoyed it, and I can’t wait to read more from this author.

I found Nikki, the main character, to be very likeable. You have to feel bad for her for what she’s been through. She’s definitely a damaged young lady, not only emotionally, but physically as well. But she’s also determined. She knows what’s coming for her, and what her life will become, but she still tries the best she can to make things right with the people she loves.

Cole, the Everling that pulled Nikki into the underworld, was really mysterious to me. I didn’t know what to expect next from him, and he definitely kept me guessing. He also left me with mixed emotions. I thought at first that he really didn’t care about Nikki, but then he pulls a one-eighty, and makes me think that he does care. I really just couldn’t tell if he was a good guy, or a bad guy. I love that the author kept me guessing about him. He’s such a mystery.

The character in the story that I really loved was Jack. Jack is Nikki’s boyfriend in her old life. Wow, I love Jack. The author did a wonderful job of describing his emotions. He loved Nikki, he was lost without her. I could totally feel that from the pages. Needless to say, Jack is definitely on my crush-worthy list.

The story is told in different points in time, both past and present. There was a lot of information to digest about what was going on, and I did have to go back and re-read a few times to make sure I had the story correct. It was still pretty fascinating, the whole storyline kept me hooked up until the end. The book was also very well paced. I was so addicted, I flew through the pages.

Overall, this was a really mysterious, enjoyable read. I can’t say that I have read many books, if any, like it up to this point. I’m really looking forward to the next book in the series; I ‘need’ to know what’s going to happen next!

Happy Reading!

Merry Christmas Giveaway #1 - Clockwork Prince

I love Christmas, it's one of my most favorite times of the year. I love everything about it; the decorations, spending time with the family, and especially the gift-giving. I love giving gifts, and I want to extend my gift-giving to my amazing followers and friends this year! So, throughout the month of December, I will be throwing up a few random giveaways on the blog. Keep checking back to see what you can win!

Today on the blog, I'm going to be giving away one of my most awaited books for the year. And that would be...

Clockwork Prince
(Clockwork #2)

by Cassandra Clare

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

Do you want to win this book?? What are you waiting for? Enter... NOW! :)

The Rules:

• Only ONE winner will be chosen.
• US and International (As long as TheBookDepository.com ships to your area)
• Must be 13 or older to enter
• Giveaway ends December 11th, 2011
• Winners will be contacted via email. If you do not respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen.
• By entering this Giveaway, you are agreeing to the terms listed above.

In My Mailbox #43

** In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It's a great way to showcase the books you've gotten over the week, whether they are bought, borrowed or free. **

For Review:
Lost in Time - Melissa de la Cruz
*Courtesy of Anne at AuthorsOnTheWeb*

Halfings - Heather Bunch
*via Netgalley*

From PaperBackSwap:
Vampire Crush - A.M. Robinson

Three awesome books in my mailbox this week! A big thanks to Anne for sending Lost in Time! I've really wanted to start the Blue Bloods series, and I actually have the first three books in the series sitting on my shelf. I must make a plan to get started on these soon! Really looking forward to reading Halfings, and Vampire Crush is a book I had on my PBS list for AGES! I'm kind of shocked that it was still on there. lol!

So, that's all in my mailbox this week. What's in yours??

Follow Friday & TGIF * 12/2 *

Follow Friday! #38

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee & Alison Can Read. It's a great way to meet new blogger friends!

Q: What is your biggest pet peeve when it comes to books? Maybe you don’t like love triangles or thin plots? Tell us about it!

A. I'm definitely NOT a fan of the Insta-love. I mean, come on... I know it can happen quickly, especially with teens, with raging hormones that can't seem to control. But still, don't make it happen in a days time!!!

Love Triangles are another peeve for me. Sometimes they work, rarely... But most times they don't. I always end up rooting for the wrong person, and then I get ticked when the girl doesn't pick my guy! :)

What's your peeves???

TGIF at GReads #6

TGIF at GReads is a Friday Feature hosted by Ginger at GReadsBooks.com!

Writing Reviews 101: What's your process for writing book reviews? Any tips or suggestions you would recommend to other bloggers?

I try to keep my reviews as simple as possible. I talk about the characters, about the story, and then give an overall verdict. It works for me. Sometimes I take notes when I'm reading a book, and add what's in the notes into my review. It definitely keeps me from forgetting what I wanted to write. (Which happens often!)  Everyone has their own way to do reviews, this is just what seems to work for me. :)

Thanks for stopping by everyone! Please leave a comment with your link so I can follow you back!

Review: Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic

Never Eighteen
by Megan Bostic
Publication Date: January 17th, 2012
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Pages: 204
ISBN: 9780547550763

Available for Pre-Order:
B&N | Amazon | The Book Depository

Austin Parker is on a journey to bring truth, beauty, and meaning to his life.

Austin Parker is never going to see his eighteenth birthday. At the rate he’s going, he probably won’t even see the end of the year. The doctors say his chances of surviving are slim to none even with treatment, so he’s decided it’s time to let go.

But before he goes, Austin wants to mend the broken fences in his life. So with the help of his best friend, Kaylee, Austin visits every person in his life who touched him in a special way. He journeys to places he’s loved and those he’s never seen. And what starts as a way to say goodbye turns into a personal journey that brings love, acceptance, and meaning to Austin’s life. (Goodreads)

Never Eighteen by 2012 Debut Author Megan Bostic, is a touching story of friendship, love and loss. I really, really enjoyed reading this book, and read it in just a few hours time. It was a beautiful and touching read.

The characters are wonderful. I really felt a connection with them, especially the main character, Austin. He knew his time left in the world was short, and he wanted to help the people he cared for with the problems in their lives, and to tie up a few of his own loose ends, before his time was up. We follow him on journey over a two day period, with the help of his best friend, Haylee, to help these people with the problems in their lives. I felt his love, his sadness, and sometimes his frustration. He had a wonderful support system, and you could definitely feel the love. I thought that was really great.

The book is a very quick read, and the plot deals with something we can all relate to; loss. The writing was just beautiful, and heartbreaking. I was crying into my sleeve all through the end of the book. If a book can make me cry, that definitely says something. I love books that can get to me emotionally. The book definitely made me think, ‘What If?’.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this, and recommend to anyone that loves to have a good cry over a great book. I’m really looking forward to reading more of Mrs. Bostic’s books in the future! Happy Reading!

Waiting on Wednesday #43 - Flowing Hair Edition

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

I was looking through my to-read list, trying to decide what I was Waiting for most this week, and I noticed a new trend... A Flowing Hair Trend! These publisher know that pretty covers are my weakness...

Ahem... without furthur ado... My WoW picks for this week...

Once
(Eve#2)
by Anna Carey
HarperTeen
July 3rd, 2012

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Sixteen years have passed since a deadly virus wiped out most of the Earth’s population. After learning of the terrifying part she and her classmates were fated to play in the rebuilding of New America, eighteen-year-old Eve fled to the wilds and Califia, a haven for women determined to live outside the oppressive rule of the king of New America. However, her freedom came at a price: she was forced to leave Caleb, the boy she loves, wounded and alone at the city gates. Eve quickly learns that Califia may not be as safe as it seems and soon finds herself in the City of Sand and the palace of the king. There she uncovers the real reason he was so intent on her capture, and the unbelievable role he intends her to fill. When she is finally reunited with Caleb, they will enact a plan as daring as it is dangerous. But will Eve once again risk everything—her freedom, her life—for love?

Brimming with danger and star-crossed romance, and featuring a vivid dystopian landscape, this electrifying follow-up to Eve, which bestselling author Lauren Kate called “a gripping, unforgettable adventure—and a fresh look at what it means to love” is sure to appeal to fans who crave the high-stakes adventure of The Hunger Games and the irresistible love story of Romeo and Juliet. (Goodreads)

So Close to You

by Rachel Carter

Harper Teen

July 10th, 2012

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So Close to You brims with the compelling “what if” mysteries surrounding The Time Traveler’s Wife and all of the the action and creepy government experiments of The Maze Runner—and, in a new twist, presents a piercing look at a dark period in history and imagines what changes could have produced an utterly different world...and what one girl would do to stop it.

Lydia Bentley has heard stories about the Montauk Project all her life: stories about the experiments that took place at the abandoned military base near her home and the people who’ve disappeared over the years. When she stumbles into a vessel that transports her to a dangerous and strange new reality, Lydia realizes that all the stories she’s ever heard about the Montauk Project are true—and that she’s in the middle of one of the most dangerous experiments in history.

Alongside Wes, a darkly mysterious boy whom she is wary to trust, Lydia begins to unravel the secrets surrounding the project. But the truths behind these secrets force her to question all her choices. And if Lydia chooses wrong, she might not save her family but destroy them...and herself. (Goodreads)

Partials
by Dan Wells
Harper Collins
February 28th, 2012

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The human race is all but extinct after a war with Partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the population. Reduced to tens of thousands by RM, a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island while the Partials have mysteriously retreated. The threat of the Partials is still imminent, but worse, no baby has been born immune to RM in more than a decade. Our time is running out.

Kira, a sixteen-year-old medic in training, is on the front lines of this battle, seeing RM ravage the community while mandatory pregnancy laws threaten to launch what’s left of humanity into civil war, and she’s not content to stand by and watch. But as she makes a desperate decision to save the last of her race, she will discover that the survival of humans and Partials alike rests in her attempts to uncover the connections between them—connections that humanity has forgotten, or perhaps never even knew were there.

Dan Wells, acclaimed author of I Am Not a Serial Killer, takes readers on a pulse-pounding journey into a world where the very concept of what it means to be human is in question—one where our humanity is both our greatest liability and our only hope for survival. (Goodreads)

Struck
by Jennifer Bosworth
Farrar, Straus and Giroux BYR
May 8th, 2012

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Mia Price is a lightning addict. She’s survived countless strikes, but her craving to connect to the energy in storms endangers her life and the lives of those around her.

Los Angeles, where lightning rarely strikes, is one of the few places Mia feels safe from her addiction. But when an earthquake devastates the city, her haven is transformed into a minefield of chaos and danger. The beaches become massive tent cities, populated by millions of homeless. Downtown is a wasteland, where a traveling party moves to a different empty building each night, the attendees drawn to the destruction by a magnetic force they cannot deny. Two warring cults rise to power in the wake of the disaster, and both see Mia as the key to their opposing prophecies. They know she has a connection to the freak electrical storm that caused the quake, and to the worse storm that is yet to come.

Mia wants to trust the enigmatic and alluring Jeremy when he promises to protect her, but he’s hiding a more sinister truth. When the final disaster strikes, Mia must unleash the full horror of her strength to save them all. (Goodreads)

See what I mean, the girls with the flow-y hair??? Lots of tempting books in this edition, and I want to read them all!  Hope no one minds my 'special edition' posts... they are so much fun to make. :)

What are you WoWing for this week???

Review: Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Hallowed
(Unearthly #2)
by Cynthia Hand
Publication Date: January 17th, 2012
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 416
ISBN: 9780061996184

Where to Buy:
B&N | Amazon | The Book Depository

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought. Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning. (Goodreads)

I read Unearthly just a few weeks ago, and really enjoyed it. I was so glad to be able to read Hallowed while Unearthly was still fresh in my mind. This series is great, I love Mrs. Hand’s writing, it’s amazing and touching, and it will draw you in and keep you wanting more and more.

Most of the same characters from Unearthly are back in Hallowed. (We do get to meet some new characters, who turn out to be pretty awesome.) I found the main character, Clara, to still be pretty likeable. Although she does have issues this time around, and she’s very undecided about what she wants, which is totally understandable. I have to say I love Clara’s mom, and I love their relationship with each other. They definitely made the book even more special for me.

In Unearthly, I was definitely team Tucker, but I was curious about Christian as well. I wanted to know more about him. I’m delighted to say that we do get to learn more about him in Hallowed, and now I’m kind of on the fence on which I prefer. I really love both guys, but for totally different reasons. But Christian’s character definitely grew on me throughout the book.

The book is very well paced, and I really enjoyed the plot. There are some parts in the book that definitely had me in tears. It was definitely an emotional read for me. (I will not spoil it for you, but once you read it, you will totally know what I am talking about.) There are also quite a few surprises thrown in that really threw me for a loop.

Overall, this series is so great. It’s definitely one of my favorite angel series so far. I have really enjoyed reading both books, and now I’m anxious for the next book to be released!