Red Heart Tattoo by Lurlene McDaniel

Red Heart Tattoo by Lurlene McDaniel

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Source: Bookurious Blog it Forward!
Publisher: Delacorte BFYR
Format: Hardcover, 224 pages
Release Date: July 24, 2012

At 7:45 a.m. on the day before Thanksgiving break, a bomb goes off at Edison High. Nine people die instantly. Fifteen are critically injured. Twenty-two suffer less severe injuries. And one is blinded. Those who survive, struggle to cope with the loss and destruction. All must find new meaning for their lives as a result of something they may never understand.

Lurlene McDaniel's signature expertise and finesse in dealing with issues of violence, death, and physical as well as emotional trauma in the lives of teens is immediate and heartrending.
 

While Red Heart Tattoo succeeds in portraying the grief and horror that comes with a tragic event, it ultimately fell flat for me.

The novel opens with regular high school life. For me, this served two purposes. I had the chance to be acquainted with the characters and I also got to know them a little bit before tragedy struck. This way, when it did happen, the full range of emotions was felt. I will say though that at times, the first part of the novel dragged for me. It was interesting to a point but not terribly exciting.

When the book did start moving, in part two, was when I really started liking it. I really liked how the events were shown to affect the characters afterward. It felt very realistic and although it never got to the crying stage, I was emotional reading it. This look on the bombing - the way that people comprehended and coped with it - was probably my favourite aspect of the book.

Red Heart Tattoo features five different perspectives. While I appreciated the insight into the lives of different 'types' of characters, I feel as though it also prevented me from getting as deep into a single one as I wanted to. For this story, I would have preferred fewer points of view and a more in-depth look at just one or two characters to really connect with them on that personal level. By the end of the book, a lot of them still felt cookie-cutter and clichéd to me.

Overall, this is a heartfelt portrayal of a high school hit by destruction but not the book for me. I would have preferred more well-developped characters and a closer, deeper look into them.

Cover Comments: I really, really thought that this was a romance novel just from the cover. But... it's not. I mean, there is a bit of that but it's in no way the main point of the story. Not really a fan of the cover.

2.75/5 

Cover Correction (2)

Cover Correction is a semi-regular feature I do over on the blog to spotlight some recent (or maybe even old) cover changes to series. Some changes I hate and some changes I love, so I love to be able to talk about some of these!

Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt



The cover was what first attracted me to this (marvellous) novel and so I am pretty sad that they used a different one for the paperback! I just think the original is a much more unique take on it and the font and blackboard designs are pretty cute. That said, I don't dislike the new cover... it's just pretty standard, I think. Still, I hope it brings in lots of new readers because I LOVED this book! :)

Preferred: Original

***

If I Stay by Gayle Forman



I can absolutely, no questions asked, see why they changed this cover. The new one matches the story well with that sideways, haunting image and the tagline about having to choose is fitting too. BUT, I still prefer the original. It's so quiet and peaceful and unassuming and I loved that personally about the book. I love the significance of a single leaf left on the tree and kind of at that point where it may fall off or may stay. I love it.

Preferred: Original

***

Gimme a Call by Sarah Mlynowski



I haven't read this novel yet so I can't judge based on that but I really prefer the new (paperback) cover. The first one doesn't stand out much to me and I think it's a bit of a shame having all that white right smack in the middle of the cover. The newer one looks a lot more fun and I love the overall vibe that it has. It makes me want to pick up the book!

Preferred: New

***

And about yesterday's post... Apparently I AM crazy after all. It was totally Wednesday when I was posting LOL. Sorry, I'm seriously losing my mind here.

What do you think of these covers? I'd love to hear your thoughts! :)

Waiting on Wednesday (50)

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.


This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

Add to: Goodreads
Publisher: Poppy
Format: Hardcover, 416 pages
Release Date: April 2, 2013

If fate sent you an email, would you answer?

In This is What Happy Looks Like, Jennifer E. Smith's new YA novel, perfect strangers Graham Larkin and Ellie O'Neill meet—albeit virtually—when Graham accidentally sends Ellie an email about his pet pig, Wilbur. In the tradition of romantic movies like "You've Got Mail" and "Sleepless in Seattle," the two 17-year-olds strike up an email relationship, even though they live on opposite sides of the country and don't even know each other's first names.

Through a series of funny and poignant messages, Graham and Ellie make a true connection, sharing intimate details about their lives, hopes and fears. But they don't tell each other everything; Graham doesn't know the major secret hidden in Ellie's family tree, and Ellie is innocently unaware that Graham is actually a world-famous teen actor living in Los Angeles.

When the location for the shoot of Graham's new film falls through, he sees an opportunity to take their relationship from online to in-person, managing to get the production relocated to picturesque Henley, Maine, where Ellie lives. But can a star as famous as Graham have a real relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie's mom want her to avoid the media's spotlight at all costs?

Just as they did in The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, the hands of fate intervene in wondrous ways in this YA novel that delivers on high concept romance in lush and thoughtful prose.

So, first off, I know that it's Thursday! I have family over from England right now and so the days of the week are a little skewed in my mind as of right now but I am aware that I'm a day late! I actually wasn't planning on a WoW this week BUT THEN. I found this book from Tara's blog and I just had to share.

I loooooved The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight and this new book by Jennifer looks AMAZING. I used to actively search for stories like You've Got Mail & Sleepless in Seattle when I was younger! I can't wait.

What are you excited for this week?

Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs

Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs

Add to: Goodreads

Source: Won from author

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Format: Hardcover, 345 pages

Release Date: September 6, 2011

Grace just moved to San Francisco and is excited to start over at a new school. The change is full of fresh possibilities, but it’s also a tiny bit scary. It gets scarier when a minotaur walks in the door. And even more shocking when a girl who looks just like her shows up to fight the monster.

Gretchen is tired of monsters pulling her out into the wee hours, especially on a school night, but what can she do? Sending the minotaur back to his bleak home is just another notch on her combat belt. She never expected to run into this girl who could be her double, though.

Greer has her life pretty well put together, thank you very much. But that all tilts sideways when two girls who look eerily like her appear on her doorstep and claim they're triplets, supernatural descendants of some hideous creature from Greek myth, destined to spend their lives hunting monsters.

These three teenage descendants of Medusa, the once-beautiful gorgon maligned by myth, must reunite and embrace their fates in this unique paranormal world where monsters lurk in plain sight.

Sweet Venom is a fun, action-packed start to what's sure to be a great series. I had a blast reading it!

Grace, Gretchen and Greer may look identical but their lives and interests are another matter entirely. While Grace - the smart, sweet and environmentally-friendly sister - was my favourite of the three, I thought they were all well-written characters that showed some growth in the novel. It was no trouble at all to differentiate between their perspectives and I found it fascinating to see how they differed as a result of their completely opposite upbringings.

Sweet Venom may not be the first Greek mythology based YA novel but it stands out with its fresh new look at an older myth. I loved how Tera Lynn Childs rewrote the original Medusa storyline and incorporated various mythological beasts. Watching the girls learn about them and take them down never stopped being exciting!

With some truly fantastic side characters, Tera Lynn Childs perfects the balance between real, human life as a teenager and a side job of monster slaying. It was great seeing how each 'life' affected the other and I can't wait to see how it goes forward in the next book.

An excellent start to the series!

Cover Comments: I love that nod to the original mythology! Simple but still wonderful :)

4 Golden Crowns!

Blogspiration (8)

Blogspiration is a weekly meme hosted by GrowingUp YA & saz101. The meme was created to help spark inspiration among bloggers, readers & writers alike. An inspirational quote/picture/video is posted weekly, on the day of the author's choosing, so that it may inspire creativity, conversation & just a little SOMETHING.



 

To further cement it into our heads that they are in fact brilliant, Kristin and Sarah have thought up an awesome theme for the week. Welcome to my dinner party!

Source: Darling It's True

 

1. J.K. Rowling. Do I actually need to explain this one? OBVIOUSLY JKR is at the top of the guest list.

 

2. Leonardo Da Vinci. This guy was such a genius... it blows my mind when I think about all the areas that he excelled in. He could probably bring interesting points of view to any type of discussion and I would love love love to hear his thoughts on war and weaponry directly from him rather than just read all the speculation.

 

3. Mother Theresa. This is one of my automatic names when asked about people that inspire me (well, all of these people are, TBH). I just think she was an extraordinary woman and to eat a meal with her would be quite the honour.

 

4. Mahatma Gandhi. Um. Yeah. Also very up there on my list of most inspirational people. I think he would probably like sitting next to Mother Theresa!

 

5. Craig Kielburger. I have so much admiration for this man - he's the founder of Free the Children and Me to We and just such an inspiration. Plus, he's Canadian! I would love to talk about children's rights with this man. Of course, he's welcome to invite Mark along too!

 

6. David Suzuki. Another Canadian! I definitely needed to add an environmentalist to this table and David Suzuki was the obvious choice. He's seen and done so many cool things with our natural world and it would be really great to chat with him about some of it.

 

7. Buddha. Um, YES PLEASE. I want to sit next to the Enlightened One! Maybe he can share some of his wisdom with me :)

 

***

 

So there is my list! It's pretty intimidating to look at actually but I really like the final line-up (there was some serious consideration going on here, I actually asked around at the dinner table). I'm pretty sure that this group, left alone to talk for a while, could figure out the formula for world peace.

 

Now I'm SO curious to see who you would have at your dinner party... Any ideas?

Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers

Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers

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Source: Won
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Format: Hardcover, 549 pages
Release Date: April 3, 2012

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?

You want to talk about a unique and interesting premise? Try this: ASSASSIN NUNS.

I can list many, many painful ways that this idea could go horribly wrong but R.L. LaFevers, as far as I’m concerned, nails it. I never had a moment of thinking that the ASSASSIN NUNS were just put in there for shock value and the way that they were integrated into the story made perfect sense. The historical aspect of the novel was also extremely well done and while this is quite obviously an alternate history, the details are rich and authentic.

Along with the premise, I loved the moral conflicts that were brought up. Ismae begins the novel as a skilled but relatively untested assassin (NUN) and while I admired her confidence and devotion to her task, I also really liked watching her question the things she had been taught. Ismae is forced to make some leaps of faith in the novel and focus on her own instincts and while this isn't the style I usually go for, I loved it on Ismae. 

As can be expected in a book about ASSASSIN NUNS (and no, I am never going to get over that), this book is rife with action, mystery and adventure. The novel boasts a rather hefty size but I didn’t even notice it as I tore through this read.

I’ll leave you with one last thought… ASSASSIN NUNS!!!

Cover Comments: Well first off, talk about an awesome tagline! I love that and if I were just browsing in a bookstore, I definitely think it would draw me in. Not that that’s the only thing either. I love the background tones and the bold, even font.

4 Royal Crowns!

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

Add to: Goodreads
Source: Purchased
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Format: Hardcover, 330 pages
Release Date: February 7, 2012

Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word... especially after she finds her mother’s diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family’s destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren’t safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other.

Witches, witches, witches! I think I had forgotten how much I adore this brand of fiction until recently when I read Born Wicked because it came as a (very pleasant) surprise when I realized how much I was enjoying reading about them! Not that it should be too much of a shock with Harry Potter and all, but I digress.

Cate and her sisters, motherless witches that are forced to hide their powers from everyone they know, were characters that I had no trouble sympathizing with. Jessica Spotswood conveys the deep longing to perform their magic and it’s very apparent that refraining from practicing it is taking a toll on the family. Cate in particular can just join my best friend list. Caring, protective and cautious, Cate just seemed destined for more. And yet, she focuses not on herself but on her younger sisters… Ahh, I was so impressed by her.

But Finn! Step aside YA bad boys, Finn Belastra is here to stay. I’ve said before that I like crying over a book and while that’s true, I’ve always meant it in the only way that I ever cry: because I’m upset. But in this book? Happy tears. Probably in combination with some sleep deprivation, I actually teared up at a scene in this book because I thought Finn was so sweet. I LOVE THIS MAN.

Anticipation and suspense are kept at a constant high and the surprise ending really threw me for a loop. All in all, I am definitely very, very, very excited to see where Jessica Spotswood will take the series in the next book. Can’t wait!

Cover Comments: I LOVE THIS COVER SO MUCH. The flowers and the colours and the angle and I am totally flailing all over the place. Book 2 Cover, don’t let me down! 

 

5 Royal Crowns!

Waiting on Wednesday (49)

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.

The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Add it: Goodreads
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR
Format: Hardcover, 544 pages
Release Date: October 23, 2012

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?
 

Sonia once believed she could cool her burning need to read this book.

She can't.

She used to think it would get better with time.

It doesn't.

She couldn't imagine that after all the books she's read since The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, she would still be thinking about it.

She's wrong.

OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG. What else is there to say?! Noah, what are you hiding from my Mara? *shakes fist*

What are you waiting on this beautiful Wednesday? :)

Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

Add to: Goodreads
Source: Won
Publisher: Random House
Format: Hardcover, 260 pages
Release Date: February 14, 2012

Senior year is over, and Lucy has the perfect way to celebrate: tonight, she's going to find Shadow, the mysterious graffiti artist whose work appears all over the city. He's out there somewhere—spraying color, spraying birds and blue sky on the night—and Lucy knows a guy who paints like Shadow is someone she could fall for. Really fall for. Instead, Lucy's stuck at a party with Ed, the guy she's managed to avoid since the most awkward date of her life. But when Ed tells her he knows where to find Shadow, they're suddenly on an all-night search around the city. And what Lucy can't see is the one thing that's right before her eyes.
 

I was raised in a family of artists. My dad is an architect and recently went on a trip to Italy to paint buildings, my sister is a genius with just about any art tool and my mom makes the most beautiful pieces out of nothing. So while I boast no art talent of my one (save for my sock-rocking stick figures) I do like to think I have a healthy appreciation for it.

Cath Crowley writes such a beautiful story in Graffiti Moon. There's this lyrical prose with characters that are easy to love and places that are described so vividly that you’ll feel like you were there. I loved the pieces that Shadow painted and the poems that Poet penned and the glass that Lucy blew. Cath Crowley describes art and it only adds to the enchanting allure of this story.

Lucy and Ed were great characters. They had an easy relationship despite the glaring bump in their road to romance and watching them come together as the events of the night played out was magical. Neither character is without flaws and problems but I loved reading along as they worked through them, especially when it happened together.

Although I didn’t flat-out, completely, 100% love Graffiti Moon like so many others I know, I did really love it. There's something (I have no idea what) that stops me from giving it that 5-star title. I would definitely be up for reading another of Cath Crowley’s works.

Cover Comments: I like this cover so much more than the original Aussie one. The bright colours in the background really pop against the darker tones and I like the pose the cover models are in as well.
 

4.5 Royal Crowns!

Blogspiration (7)

Blogspiration is a weekly meme hosted by GrowingUp YA & saz101. The meme was created to help spark inspiration among bloggers, readers & writers alike. An inspirational quote/picture/video is posted weekly, on the day of the author's choosing, so that it may inspire creativity, conversation & just a little SOMETHING.

I saw this video close to the time it was originally posted but also again on TED a few nights back. I find this video (along with so many other TED talks) just amazingly inspirational and I can only hope that I get a speaker at my commencement that will be worth remembering :)

Queen Rowling does it again... and again... and again...

Speaking of which, The Casual Vacancy is almost HERE! Who's excited? :D

Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter

Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter

Add it: Goodreads
Source: Won
Publisher: Hyperion
Format: Hardcover, 298 pages
Release Date: June 21, 2011

Katarina Bishop has worn a lot of labels in her short life. Friend. Niece. Daughter. Thief. But for the last two months she’s simply been known as the girl who ran the crew that robbed the greatest museum in the world. That’s why Kat isn’t surprised when she’s asked to steal the infamous Cleopatra Emerald so it can be returned to its rightful owners. 

There are only three problems. First, the gem hasn’t been seen in public in thirty years. Second, since the fall of the Egyptian empire and the suicide of Cleopatra, no one who holds the emerald keeps it for long, and in Kat’s world, history almost always repeats itself. But it’s the third problem that makes Kat’s crew the most nervous and that is simply… the emerald is cursed.

Kat might be in way over her head, but she’s not going down without a fight. After all she has her best friend—the gorgeous Hale—and the rest of her crew with her as they chase the Cleopatra around the globe, dodging curses, realizing that the same tricks and cons her family has used for centuries are useless this time.

Which means, this time, Katarina Bishop is making up her own rules.

Once again, Ally Carter has delivered a unique, fun and exciting adventure. I love reading about Kat and her crew!

To me, even the thought of reading about teenagers that plan out and execute huge heists all over the globe sounds exciting. The real thing? It's even better. I never know what will happen next with Ally Carter, she has so many clever tricks up her sleeve.

Kat, the rest of her family and Hale all feel distinct and personal when reading about them, regardless of how much time they actually get to speak in the book. Although I can honestly say I'm not a criminal mastermind myself*, there are still many other things that these characters go through that I can relate to, leaving me even more invested in the story.

Not only are they fun, but these stories are so well-written as well. The anticipation and suspense (only further helped by the constant timeline reminders!) build at this perfectly paced speed and while I felt curious to know what would happen next, I was still able to just sit back and enjoy the ride.

The perfect read if you're looking for something light and fun.

* or am I....

Cover Comments: Ahh, it's perfect. I think it really sets the tone for the book and I love the reflection in Kat's sunglasses!

4/5 Royal Crowns!

Waiting on Wednesday (48)

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.

Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst

Add it: Goodreads
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Format: Hardcover, 320 pages
Release Date: September 11, 2012

In a desert world of sandstorms and sand-wolves, a teen girl must defy the gods to save her tribe in this mystical, atmospheric tale from the author of Drink, Slay, Love. 

Liyana has trained her entire life to be the vessel of a goddess. The goddess will inhabit Liyana’s body and use magic to bring rain to the desert. But Liyana’s goddess never comes. Abandoned by her angry tribe, Liyana expects to die in the desert. Until a boy walks out of the dust in search of her.

Korbyn is a god inside his vessel, and a trickster god at that. He tells Liyana that five other gods are missing, and they set off across the desert in search of the other vessels. For the desert tribes cannot survive without the magic of their gods. But the journey is dangerous, even with a god’s help. And not everyone is willing to believe the trickster god’s tale.

The closer she grows to Korbyn, the less Liyana wants to disappear to make way for her goddess. But she has no choice: She must die for her tribe to live. Unless a trickster god can help her to trick fate—or a human girl can muster some magic of her own.

Do you know that feeling you sometimes get when you hear/read about something and you just know that it's for you? Yeah, I have that for this one.

Fantasy, adventure, the making-your-own-magic theme, an author I already have a wonderful reading experience with, a cover I adore, a rave review from Tamora Pierce... the list goes on. I am so planning on pre-ordering this later today!

What are you waiting on?

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Add it: Goodreads
Source: Birthday present!
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Format: Hardcover, 502 pages
Release Date: December 6, 2011

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.

I should probably warn you up front that my love for this book is INSANE. Hopefully it will turn out to be more than exclamation marks, hearts and flailing but... you know. No promises.

5 Reasons Why You Should Read Clockwork Prince 

1. The writing, the writing, the writing!

Not everyone falls for Cassandra Clare's writing style but I fall HARD. I connect so easily to the worlds and characters that she creates and so quickly too. Picking up this book was the perfect escape for me! 

2. Twisty-turny plot? Check.

Oh goodness! There is definitely at least ONE major point in Clockwork Prince that I did not see coming. I felt like I had it all figured out when I really didn't and trying to plot out what would happen next was lots of fun. Although I feel this book was largely focused on characters, the plot does keep moving and some great developments make themselves known!

3. Your heart rate will be off the charts... if it's still beating by the end of it.

I don't know about you, but I LOVE when an author can tug at my heart strings. Cassandra Clare does this like nobody's business and every second of emotion I experienced while reading this felt sharp and significant. With characters that you root for and care about, the emotional spectrum is all over the place. The feelings get messy and complicated, just the way I like them (welllll, I am still expecting a HEA but that's different ;)).

4. This love triangle is serious business!

Do you know how in some YA books it feels like the love triangle is there just to spice things up? Well, not in this series. Will, Jem and Tessa probably have the most convincing triangle I've ever read about. Each of them is tangled up in history and wants and chemistry and they all genuinely care for the other two. All of these characters are invested in each other for the long run and they ALL want a happy ending for the other person. 

5. JEM

I feel like this could very well be reasons 1-5 but since there are apparently some bizarre folks that prefer Will (!) I restrained myself. Jem is my absolute favourite book boyfriend of ALL TIME. That is a pretty huge honour if I do say so myself but it's one that he completely deserves. Sweet, caring, smart, funny, considerate, sexy, beautiful Jem... I can't get enough of him. Cassandra Clare manages to bring you even closer to the heart of his character in this instalment and every moment spent with him was one that I re-read about 5 times just to savour. 

If you haven't started this series... WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!?!?!?!?!

Cover Comments: Cassandra Clare wins the cover lottery every. single. time. Although I think the new Clockwork Princess cover has stolen the spot of my favourite from her books, this is a close second. My beautiful Jem!

5/5 stars (+10?)

Trailer: The Forsaken

Hi everyone! :)

So I don't often post about book trailers (definitely less than I do covers!) because I am terrible at actually getting around to watch them. Thankfully though, Lisa M. Stasse, author of the highly anticipated The Forsaken, e-mailed me a link to the trailer and actually got me to sit down and watch it. I'm so glad I did! I haven't read the book yet and so I don't know if the dialogue is straight from the text but I think it's great either way. Here is the trailer! 

Add it: Goodreads

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Release Date: July 10, 2012

Format: Hardcover, 375 pages

What did you think?

I loved it! So suspenseful and yet it still manages to give a nice picture at the novel's premise. I hope you enjoyed it as well! :)

And while I'm at it, I should probably apologize for the disappearance act! I've been around but after some serious physical work and other emotional stuff day after day, I've just been crashing as soon as I get home. Everything for the past few weeks besides work has been a bit of a blur and I'm just now starting to catch up on everything I've missed.

Hope everyone is having a fantastic weekend!