Thursday 14 June 2012

Cover Reveal: Mind Games

The cover for Mind Games by Kiersten White, her first book after the Paranormalcy series was revealed yesterday on her blog. Have you seen it yet?


Here is the full jacket copy:


AND I LOVE THEM BOTH.

All of the colours are blended together beautifully. This could have very easily turned out completely wrong but all the blending and overlay and shadows... just perfect. And I love Kiersten White's new bio on the back flap, haha. As sad as I'll be to see the Paranormalcy series go, I can't WAIT for Kiersten White's new endeavour. Be sure to add it on Goodreads if you haven't already!

What do you think of the cover?

Wednesday 13 June 2012

Waiting on Wednesday (45)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine so that (this is me paraphrasing) we can all FREAK OUT TOGETHER about some rocking upcoming books. Warning: extreme fangirling may occur.

Defiance (Defiance, #1)Defiance by C.J. Redwine


Add it: Goodreads
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Format: Hardcover, 416 pages
Release Date: August 28, 2012

Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city’s brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses, host dinner parties, and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father’s apprentice, Logan—the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same boy who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father’s survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.
At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city’s top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor’s impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared.
As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can’t be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.

First, I think you should all know that this cover and I are going to run away together and get married. IT IS MESMERIZING.

Fantasy!!!! Brutal leader, sword-wielding heroine, treason, romance, war... Yeah, something about this sounds like a Sonia book. I can't wait!

What are you waiting on this beautiful Wednesday?

(And guys, it has been so quiet here lately, I know. Sorry! I am in exam mode... Speaking of which, I should get back to studying. 2 in-class exams and a unit test tomorrow - eeeeeek.)

Monday 11 June 2012

Timepiece by Myra McEntire

Timepiece (Hourglass, #2)Timepiece by Myra McEntire

Add it: Goodreads
Source: Publisher for review
Publisher: Egmont/Random House Canada
Format: Hardcover, 336 pages
Release Date: June 12, 2012

A threat from the past could destroy the future. And the clock is ticking...
Kaleb Ballard's relentless flirting is interrupted when Jack Landers, the man who tried to murder his father, timeslips in and attacks before disappearing just as quickly. But Kaleb has never before been able to see time travelers, unlike many of his friends associated with the mysterious Hourglass organization. Are Kaleb's powers expanding, or is something very wrong?
Then the Hourglass is issued an ultimatum. Either they find Jack and the research he's stolen on the time gene, or time will be altered with devastating results. 
Now Kaleb, Emerson, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no choice but to use their unusual powers to find Jack. But where do they even start? And when? And even if they succeed, it may not be enough... 
The follow-up to Hourglass, Timepiece blends the paranormal, science fiction, mystery, and suspense genres into a nonstop thrill ride where every second counts.

Fun and exhilarating, Myra McEntire's second novel definitely lives up to the first.

I remember saying something along the lines of "I hope we get to see more Kaleb in Book 2!" in my Hourglass review so you can imagine my DELIGHT at discovering the entire novel would be told from his point of view. Kaleb is such a complex, multi-layered character - more so than I ever really considered. His perspective is easy to sink into and the pages fly reading through his playful and sensitive inner dialogue.

Reading a different book in the same series from a new point of view is really an enlightening experience (or maybe just in this case). I was surprised at the shift in some of my feelings towards certain characters and I think I have a more well-rounded view on different motivations at this point because of the chance to get into both Emerson and Kaleb's heads.

It's been well established that for me, time travel = awesome, so I'll leave it at that. Timepiece does build on what the previous novel had already started and the fascinating concept of rips and timelines just grows to encompass the speeding plot.

Mystery and romance seamlessly intertwine in this compelling series.

Cover Comments: Ahhh, I love it. The covers for this series are so unique and fabulous. The jacket IRL has this sheen to it, too... the dress is kind of metallic!

4.5/5

Saturday 9 June 2012

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

Bloodlines (Bloodlines, #1)Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

Add it: Goodreads
Publisher: Razorbill
Source: Purchased
Format: Hardcover, 421 pages
Release Date: August 23, 2011

The first book in Richelle Mead's brand-new teen fiction series - set in the same world as Vampire Academy.

When alchemist Sydney is ordered into hiding to protect the life of Moroi princess Jill Dragomir, the last place she expects to be sent is a human private school in Palm Springs, California. But at their new school, the drama is only just beginning.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Bloodlines explores all the friendship, romance, battles and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive - this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone's out for blood.

Vampire Academy is one of my all-time favourite series. So why did I wait so long to read Bloodlines? NO IDEA.

Luckily, I have some very convincing friends* that shoved the book into my hands and made me read it (er, figuratively). Once I started, I fell into the familiar Richelle Mead zone where anything and everything outside that story in front of you might as well just be non-existent.


Sydney Sage is definitely not Rose Hathaway and I don't say that as a bad thing. She's very smart and very analytical but on the flip side, her social skills are a little lacking at times. It is utterly fantastic and charming that Sydney could be spouting out obscure historical details one minute and then acting adorably clueless about boys and dates the next. I can already see the ways that Sydney is being challenged to question her previously cemented ideals and beliefs and I think it'll be an adventure to chart her growth.

No one does romance like Richelle Mead. It is maddening to read about characters that are so well-matched as they dance around each other. Just when you think there will be a big development, it all changes around. The tension between Sydney and Adrian is electric and every look, thought, and touch just leaves you wanting more more more.

With this new spin-off series comes a brand new adventure and I love what's brewing with the Alchemists. I don't want to say too much but I am so sure that if you liked what was offered in Vampire Academy, you'll enjoy the mysteries that are appearing and the questions that are starting to pop up.

One good thing about waiting so long to read this is that now I only have to wait 3 days for The Golden Lily! I can't wait!

Cover Comments: I don't LOVE it or anything but it's pretty cool. The spine look awesome on my shelf.

*Hi Brodie, Asher and Cait... have I mentioned I like you very much? <3


5/5

Tuesday 5 June 2012

Best of 2012 (so far!)



Hi everyone! *waves* Whether you're here from Armchair BEA or are just doing some blogosphere wandering, it's nice to meet/see you.

Today I'm going to be talking up some of my absolute favourite reads of the year.

First off...
 
Cinder (Lunar Chronicles, #1)Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, the ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.
This was actually the first book I read in 2012 but it left enough of an impression on me to still be counted amongst my favourites of the year.

In 3 words: Inventive, unique and entrancing.

*

Article 5 by Kristen Simmons
Article 5 (Article 5, #1)
New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned.

The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.

There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don't come back.

Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren’t always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it’s hard for her to forget that people weren’t always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It’s hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different.

Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow.

That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings…the only boy Ember has ever loved.
I loved this book! The dystopian genre certainly didn't end in 2011 and I found this new start to the series so promising.

In 3 words: Emotional, compelling and hopeful.

*
 
Black Heart (Curse Workers, #3)Black Heart by Holly Black
Cassel Sharpe knows he’s been used as an assassin, but he’s trying to put all that behind him. He’s trying to be good, even though he grew up in a family of con artists and cheating comes as easily as breathing to him. He’s trying to do the right thing, even though the girl he loves is inextricably connected with crime. And he’s trying to convince himself that working for the Feds is smart, even though he’s been raised to believe the government is the enemy.

But with a mother on the lam, the girl he loves about to take her place in the Mob, and new secrets coming to light, the line between what’s right and what’s wrong becomes increasingly blurred. When the Feds ask Cassel to do the one thing he said he would never do again, he needs to sort out what’s a con and what’s truth. In a dangerous game and with his life on the line, Cassel may have to make his biggest gamble yet—this time on love.

Ahh, the finale to the Curse Workers series. It was an amazing journey and I'm sad to see it end... but I was blown away by the third book just as I was with the previous ones.

In 3 words: Twisty, intriguing and masterful.
*

Insurgent (Divergent, #2)Insurgent by Veronica Roth

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.
Was I worried that this book wouldn't match up to its predecessor? How ridiculous of me. Personally, I loved this one!

In 3 words: Action-packed, honest and electrifying. 
 
*

 
Shadow and Bone (The Grisha Trilogy, #1)Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.
This is probably my favourite debut of the year... I am dying for the next book already! And HEY! It's out today! *nudges you in direction of nearest bookstore*

In 3 words: Thrilling, captivating and mysterious.

***

Have you read any of these? Which books of 2012 made your favourites list?

Sunday 3 June 2012

Adventures in Transit

So as I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, I do a lot of my reading in any of the spare time that I can find. With a 30-60 minute ride to and from school, that's a lot of potential reading time. Which is awesome! And... not so much.

I'm a pretty emotional reader.


So when I'm reading say... Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and burst into tears on the bus

image
Source: GPBD

I often get treated to... this

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Source: Darling, It's True

Does this ever happen to you? I seem to pick THE WORST books/moments to read about on public transport (which I only take a couple of times a week at most) because it always seems to happen to me. Maybe it's my destiny to entertain people with my embarrassing sob fests? ;) It's just so awkward though when the very sweet person next to you looks both confused and terrified and I have to try to assure them through thoughts of 'NO, he can't be dead!' that I'm fine really, it's just the book. That only ever seems to work with other readers....

But hey, let's not forget the insane laughter!

image
Source: Scar Rune Sword Arrow
So, this is me and David Tenant makes the best for the best gifs ever.

Normally (and most notably) it's my family that has to deal with my crazy laughter during long car rides when I'm reading a novel. I think this is most annoying for them because they don't know what I'm laughing at and on the rare day that I share the joke, they do not find it funny. At all. So they have to suffer through my (totally obnoxious) laughter all the time. I feel for them. 

I talk. And talk. And talk...

Okay, so not even looking at the way that I shut everyone out when I read, I have this tendency to RANT. My family and some friends tell me all the time that sometimes when I start on a huge monologue, breathing seems to become unnecessary and I just don't shut up or allow for pauses until I'm done. Most of the time this happens when I'm annoyed about something (as in ranting about... I don't know, water privatization) but when I get started on books? GOOD LUCK. 

image

I AM THE THING THAT WOULDN'T SHUT UP. 

And there we are! Do you have any stories of things you do while reading and travelling? I would loooove to hear them!