Murder Afloat

Murder Afloat
Author: Jane Leslie Conly
Series: ---
Publisher: Hyperion
How Received: BEA

Benjamin Franklin Orville is a boy without a care in the world. He has his own pony, he's caught the eye of the charming girl next door. He wants for nothing, until the day his mother sends him to market to get a chicken for dinner. Suddenly Benjy is caught up in a scuffle, kidnapped with a group of immigrants and forced to work aboard the Ella Dawn--one of the most ill-reputed oystering vessels in Baltimore. He tries to plead his case, but his captors are unimpressed by Benjamin's way with language. Soon the boy knows only hard work and hunger, a little bit of German, and a whole lot about injustice. It's more of an education than he ever got at home. And in between his growling stomach and his aching muscles, he also experiences the joys of the sea--a gentle rhythm that rocks him to sleep at night and freedom he never felt between the fancy walls of his home. Will Benjamin ever see his home again? And if he does, will he know what to do there?

I don't often read middle grade books. I'm one of those people who read whatever catches my eye; most of that happens to fall into the YA category. Sometimes I'll read adult, sometimes I'll read middle grade, and most will have some crossover appeal.

I spotted Murder Afloat at BEA last year and - hello? Book with possible pirate themes? Of course I'm in. I love pirates. And even though the book was kind of pirate-ish (there are, sadly, no actual pirates) I wasn't as thrilled as I thought I'd be.

Middle grade books walk a very fine line, much finer than YA or childrens books do. They have to be able to fully develop a world and characters while keeping the book short enough and simply written enough to hold the average pre-teen's interest. And as interesting as I found the basic plot to be, it failed in that respect. The characters I was interested in most were the characters that we were shown the least of. I know it was a middle grade book, and thus designed to be short, but another 50 to 100 pages or so wouldn't have killed it. (I've seen bigger YA books.)

Honestly, Benjy was interesting, but I wanted to hit him sometimes. The villains were typical villains. Plot wise, I liked it - any character that starts to form some attachment to the sea I automatically adore. I guess I love sailors and pirates and what have you. - but I thought the characters could have been much better, even if it is 'just a middle grade novel.' (I hate dissing down the MG novels, because I've read some amazing ones, but seeing as I focus so much on YA on this blog - 'cause it's, you know, a YA blog - I feel the need to specify.)

As for the world - again, I understand it's a shorter story designed to reel the reader in. But if I hadn't double checked, I would have been oblivious to what era we were in. The only hints I got were mentions of the war and of bicycles - and, of course, the oysters themselves. But I barely knew when some of those things were going on, what in Rowling makes you think that somebody a good ten years younger than me is going to know what time it is? The world could have been much more detailed, or at least given a specific time period so I knew where I was.

Final Thoughts: I won't rate it (it would be up against my preferred YA stuff, so it would automatically be lower) but as cute as the story itself was, I've read much better MG out there.

Waiting on Wednesday: Awaken

Because we all have something we're waiting for.

Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky
Maddie lives in a world where everything is done on the computer. Whether it’s to go to school or on a date, people don’t venture out of their home. There’s really no need. For the most part, Maddie’s okay with the solitary, digital life—until she meets Justin. Justin likes being with people. He enjoys the physical closeness of face-to-face interactions. People aren’t meant to be alone, he tells her.

Suddenly, Maddie feels something awakening inside her—a feeling that maybe there is a different, better way to live. But with society and her parents telling her otherwise, Maddie is going to have to learn to stand up for herself if she wants to change the path her life is taking.

In this not-so-brave new world, two young people struggle to carve out their own space.

Series: ---
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Release Date: May 23 2011

I love dystopians, and let's face it - this is the most realistic type of dystopian of all, one where we are so hooked on technology we don't do anything without it. (Let's face it; quite a few of us are reluctant to cut all ties with our online selves, though I would be more than willing to go back to the 17th century.)

I'm really excited to see the world and where it leads to.

Giveaway Winner: Jane Eyre (Focus Features)

The two winners of the Jane Eyre prize packs are Erica and Paige B. Congratulations!

Vlogbrothers

I do not watch YouTube often. However, I make an exception every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for THESE lovely people.






THEY are Hank and John Green. You, my lovely readers, may recognize the second name as being attached to the following books:



But even if you haven't read any of those (I haven't, though all three are in my room, waiting to be read) you should watch their videos. They're funny and entertaining and informational and just generally awesome. And they've got a huge fanbase of Nerdfighters (hello, Nerdfighteria) that is also awesome. And involved with a lot of charity work, which is also awesome.

They're just generally awesome.

So watch the video below - it's John answering questions from fans and it makes me giggle - and decide for yourself. I HIGHLY recommend watching them. You learn new things and have fun and it's awesome.





Please pardon my abuse of the word 'awesome' in this post.

Interview: Sarwat Chadda

Visiting today is the fantastic Sarwat Chadda! Sarwat is the author of the Billi SanGreal series - it's gotten absolutely fantastic reviews; I wish my to be read pile was shorter so I could go read it.

As the youngest and only female member of the Knights Templar, Bilquis SanGreal grew up knowing she wasn't normal. Instead of hanging out at the mall or going on dates, she spends her time training as a soldier in her order's ancient battle against the Unholy.

Billi's cloistered life is blasted apart when her childhood friend, Kay, returns from Jerusalem, gorgeous and with a dangerous chip on his shoulder. He's ready to reclaim his place in Billi's life, but she's met someone new: amber-eyed Michael, who seems to understand her like no one else, effortlessly claiming a stake in her heart.

But the Templars are called to duty before Billi can enjoy the pleasant new twist to her life. One of the order's ancient enemies has resurfaced, searching for a treasure that the Templars have protected for hundreds of years -- a cursed mirror powerful enough to kill all of London's firstborn. To save her city from catastrophe, Billi will have to put her heart aside and make sacrifices greater than any of the Templars could have imagined.

I absolutely adored interviewing him; just click Read More to see what we talked about. (Everything ranging from his books to school visits to pink llamas...)

Huntress

Huntress
Author: Malinda Lo
Series: Prequel to Ash
Publisher: Little, Brown
How Received: review copy

Release Date: April 5, 2011

Nature is out of balance in the human world. The sun hasn't shone in years, and crops are failing. Worse yet, strange and hostile creatures have begun to appear. The people's survival hangs in the balance.

To solve the crisis, the oracle stones are cast, and Kaede and Taisin, two seventeen-year-old girls, are picked to go on a dangerous and unheard-of journey to Tanlili, the city of the Fairy Queen. Taisin is a sage, thrumming with magic, and Kaede is of the earth, without a speck of the otherworldly. And yet the two girls' destinies are drawn together during the mission. As members of their party succumb to unearthly attacks and fairy tricks, the two come to rely on each other and even begin to fall in love. But the Kingdom needs only one huntress to save it, and what it takes could tear Kaede and Taisin apart forever.

Before reading Huntress, I hadn't read Ash. I've wanted to - I still do - but since this was a prequel, I knew I didn't have to, so I dove right into it without any idea of the world or the story or the writing style.

For some strange reason, I wasn't expecting much out of Huntress - yes, it sounded good, but I expected it to be one of those books I read and then forget about a week later. It's not the most fantastic read, but the characters are going to cling to my brain a lot longer than I anticipated.

I'll be the first to admit that, as pretty as Malinda Lo's writing is, I'm not a huge fan. Do I love the description? Yes. Did I think she can plot well and really get inside a character's head? Of course.

But I'm one of those people who needs their narrator to stick to one type of narration. I don't mind being in two characters heads - I loved learning about both Kaede and Taisin; like I said, the characters are going to stick with me for a while. But every now and then we'd get a few lines in some other characters head, or we'd get to see something they didn't see, and as interesting as it was, it irked me a little bit. I didn't need to see those things, and for a few lines I was sucked out of the story.

That's my biggest complaint with the story, though. It moved rather quickly - no lingering on tons of camping scenes or on extraneous details - and I loved the way the plot was set up. I'm very picky with people who can see the future, but I thought it was handled extraordinary well in this particular story.

And the characters! I loved them. Each was well rounded - there were no perfect characters, and even the villains had their reasons for doing what they did. I thought the romance between Kaede and Taisin was adorable and very well handled; I liked their romance as much, maybe more, than some of the other stories I've read lately. (And no, I don't mind that I'm a straight girl reading about two girls falling in love. It worked for this story. Love is love.)

Overall Rating & Final Comments: 8/10. A solid fantasy with fantastic characters, though the writing was a bit off every now and again.
Cover Comments: I love the cover, but it has nothing to do with the story, besides being all awesome and snow-y and what have you. Especially as neither of the main girls use a sword or long stick thing...

Huntress comes out in stores on April 5. You can preorder it online or pick it up in your local bookstore the day it comes out! Or, if you want, you can read an excerpt from the book here.

Top Commenter

Do you enjoy commenting here on WORD?

Well, now you can compete to be one of the top five commenters here on WORD! It's in the sidebar; Erica and Melina are in the top spots right now (and apparently will battle to keep those spots), but the more comments, the merrier.

And hey - maybe, some day, somebody will win a prize for being in the top five. Who knows?

In My Mailbox - March 2011

I leave home for one month and it's like my mailbox asplodes...



Review:
Huntress by Malinda Lo
Trial by Fire by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Hourglass by Myra McEntire
Between Here And Forever by Elizabeth Scott
Sometimes It Happens by Lauren Barnholdt
Stay by Deb Caletti
Sincerely by Courtney Sheinmel
Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton
Miles from Ordinary by Carol Lynch Williams (x2)
Chime by Franny Billingsley
Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins
Illusions by Aprilynne Pike
Blood & Flowers by Penny Blubaugh
Ten Things We Did (and probably shouldn't have) by Sarah Mylnowski
Lark by Tracey Porter
Legacy by Cayla Kluver
Two Moon Princess by Carmen Ferreiro-Esteban

Gifts:
Hunger Games poster
Dragons planner
Dragons calendar

Final Friday Interview: Jennifer Archer

Swinging by today is the lovely Jennifer Archer, author of the upcoming Through Her Eyes! She's written for adults before, but Through Her Eyes is her debut YA, and if you ask me, it sounds bloody fantastic.

Sixteen-year-old Tansy Piper moves with her grandfather and her mother, a horror writer, to the setting of her mother's next book--a secluded house outside of a tiny, desolate West Texas town. Lonely and upset over the move, Tansy escapes into her photography and the dark, seductive poems she finds hidden in the cellar, both of which lure her into the mind and world of a mysterious, troubled young man who died sixty years earlier.

Read more to find out a bit more about the book, about British people, and what you books you should read next!

Waiting on Wednesday: Abandon

Because we all have something we're waiting for.

Abandon by Meg Cabot
She knows what it's like to die. Now Death wants her back.

Seventeen-year-old Pierce knows what happens to us when we die.

That's how she met John Hayden, the mysterious stranger who's made returning to normal life—or at least life as Pierce knew it before the accident—next to impossible.

Though she thought she escaped him—starting a new school in a whole new place—it turns out she was wrong. He finds her.

What does John want from her? Pierce thinks she knows... just like she knows he's no guardian angel, and his dark world isn't exactly Heaven. But she can't stay away from him, either, especially since he's always there when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most.

But if she lets herself fall any further, she might find herself back in the place she fears the most.

Series: Abandoned (#1)?
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: April 6 2011

Reasons I want this book:
1) Meg Cabot
2) It reminds me of the basic underlying principal of the German musical Elisabeth - a girl falls in love with Death.
3) Meg Cabot
4) It sounds like a decent paranormal, and though their is an abundance of paranormals out right now, this may be one of the better ones.
5) Meg Cabot.

Interview: Lauren deStefano

Lauren deStefano is the amazing author of the amazing Wither, and she did a mass interview with some bloggers a little while back. I happen to have a copy of said interview to share with you guys.

What if you knew exactly when you would die?

Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home.

But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limted time she has left.

It's pretty easy to figure out and a lot of fun to read. The Q's are from various people and the A's are answers from Lauren.

Giveaway: Jane Eyre (Focus Features)

This giveaway is over.
Next to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part Two), there is only one movie I'm ridiculously excited for this year.

Jane Eyre.

I mean, look at this trailer. It looks FANTASTIC.

Mia Wasikowska (“Alice in Wonderland”) and Michael Fassbender (“Inglourious Basterds”) star in the romantic drama based on Charlotte Brontë’s classic novel, from acclaimed director Cary Fukunaga (“Sin Nombre”). In the story, Jane Eyre flees Thornfield House, where she works as a governess for wealthy Edward Rochester. As she reflects upon the people and emotions that have defined her, it is clear that the isolated and imposing residence – and Mr. Rochester’s coldness – have sorely tested the young woman’s resilience, forged years earlier when she was orphaned. She must now act decisively to secure her own future and come to terms with the past that haunts her – and the terrible secret that Mr. Rochester is hiding and that she has uncovered…

It just came out, and even though it's a limited release I'm going to go see it in theatres. (Who cares that I have to drive an hour? This is MY movie, baby.) And Focus Features is doing an amazing job with it. Not only did they pick a fantastic book to bring back to the big screen, but they made a reading group (and a video to go with said group!) and a Goodreads reading challenge and so many amazing things.

Even a Charlotte Bronte Twitter-libs!





Oh, and they're letting me host a giveaway.

Whaaaaaat?

Yeah, I know; I'm SUPER excited. Focus Features is sponsoring a Jane Eyre giveaway over here! It includes a soundtrack sampler, a bookmark, a pencil, a journal, and the movie tie in edition of Jane Eyre - oh, and two people get to win!

All you have to do is fill out the form below. It lasts a week; you have to be American or Canadian to enter, but that's not too bad.

Quick Recap:
[2] Soundtrack samplers
[2] Bookmarks
[2] Journals
[2] Pencil
[2] Copies of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte [movie tie-in edition]
[2] winners in the U.S. or Canada only
Ends March 28

How To Win:
[mandatory] fill out the form below
[+1] tweet about the giveaway (include link in form)

Interview: Christine Hurley Deriso

Swinging by WORD today is Christine Hurley Deriso, author of Then I Met My Sister!

Summer Stetson lives inside a shrine to her dead sister. Eclipsed by Shannon's greatness, Summer feels like she's a constant disappointment to her controlling, Type A momzilla and her all-too-quiet dad. Her best friend Gibson believes Summer's C average has more to do with rebelliousness than smarts, but she knows she can never measure up;academically or otherwise.

On her birthday, Summer receives a secret gift from her aunt; Shannon's diary. Suddenly, the one-dimensional vision of her sister becomes all too solid. Is this love-struck, mom-bashing badass the same Shannon everyone raves about? Determined to understand her troubled sister, Summer dives headfirst down a dark rabbit hole and unearths painful family secrets. Each revelation brings Summer closer to the mysterious and liberating truth about her family,and herself.

I had tons of fun interviewing Christine. We got to talk about inspiration for her novel, her kids, and foods to build houses out of.

You know the routine - just click Read More to check out the interview!


Nicole: Welcome to WORD, Christine! What inspired you to write Then I Met My Sister? When did the idea come to you?
Christine Hurley Deriso: My daughter was dealing with some typical but tough teenage issues. The more she was struggling, the harder it was to write. But that's when the book really soared. At one point when I was writing it, she convinced me to parasail, telling me I shouldn't live my life in fear. Like that parachute, the book lifted me into higher and scarier altitudes than I'd ever encountered, but, oh, the view was breathtaking.

N: You describe Summer's mom as a 'momzilla.' Do you know any?
CHD: Yes, but my mom is actually the anti-momzilla. She's unconditionally loving, very open-minded and whole-heartedly accepting of my choices. She never used guilt or manipulation to try to get her way. When I wrote Susanne's character, I thought, "What would Mom do?" Then Susanne would do the opposite.

N: Your mom sounds like my mom: totally awesome. Why does Summer get the diary as a gift from her aunt instead of, say, finding it lying around?
CHD: I wanted her aunt to be a sounding board and a reference point. The book helped them bond, and I thought that relationship was very important to the story.

N: If you could choose anybody to play Summer, who would you choose? Shannon?
CHD: OK, this is a totally biased answer, but my daughter portrayed Shannon in my book trailer, and my son's girlfriend, Taylor, portrayed Summer. They were fantabulous, if I do say so myself. I could totally see either one of them on the silver screen.

N: What do you think of the cover?
CHD: Love it, love it, love it. Eerie, transcendent, mysterious, beautiful ... perfect. (Thanks, Flux!)

N: You have a daughter, Julianne - who was in the trailer! - and a son, Greg. What do you do for fun with them? (My mom, personally, loves movies.)
CHD: We love movies, too! We like to deconstruct them, make fun of them, poke holes in the plot, talk about how we could make them better ... typical obnoxious movie-goers. We're music lovers, too. Julianne has close to perfect pitch, and Greg is a fantastic guitarist. (Wish you could hear him play "Blackbird." Just sublime.) Greg and I love tennis, too. Julianne? Not so much.

N: Sounds like your son would get alone well with my brother. Music obsessed? Beatles fan? Haha! If you had to build a house out of a food item, what food item would you choose?
CHD: Beets. That way, I would never be tempted to eat my house.

N: Ooo. Good answer. And ew. What is your dream vacation?
CHD: The beach, any beach, with my family and my Kindle.

Best Book Trailers

I'm very picky when it comes to book trailers. Not just the fanmade ones - I mean, they're fanmade, and we don't always have the best equipment. But the professional ones I'm SUPER picky on. And some are good!

But here are the two I think are the best out of any I've seen. I posted them on Twitter and my Facebook a while ago, but they're just very impressive. I can't choose between the two of them, because the styles are so different, but I love them.

The first? Tell Me A Secret by Holly Cupala. I love the music and the artwork.




And this one? The Hourglass Door series by Lisa Magnum. It's beautifully well filmed.



What are your favorite book trailers? What do you think of these ones?

Interview: Rachel Hawkins

Who loves Rachel Hawkins? I do! She wrote the fantastic Hex Hall the first in a trilogy - and the second book in the series, Demonglass, just came out!

Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch.

That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (aka witches, shapeshifters, and fairies). But that was before she discovered the family secret, and that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth.

Turns out, Sophie’s a demon, one of only two in the world—the other being her father. What’s worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will destroy her powers.

But once Sophie arrives she makes a shocking discovery. Her new friends? They’re demons too. Meaning someone is raising them in secret with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they’re using Archer to do it. But it’s not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she?

I had the chance to interview her this past week and she's absolutely fantastic - and we got to talk about some interesting things, from her upcoming novel Rebel Belle to reindeer attacks.

Just click Read More to check out the interview!

Feature Friday: Bookcases (29)

Who said storage had to be boring?

This is probably one of my favorite bookshelves ever.





It's not just a flipped image. It's genuinely upside down. You can learn how to do it, too. I know what I'll be doing when I have a few free hours this summer...

Friday Fronts - Darkness Becomes Her

I absolutely adored Darkness Becomes Her when I read it a while back; I just wish it had a better cover.

There's nothing wrong with this cover. As far as covers, go, it's just not super appealing. I ADORE the font used for Kelly's name and for the - the slogan? the phrase? the pick up line? - but I'm not a huge fan of the font used for the title. As for the actual image on the cover, it ties in well to the story, but it's not something I would pick up.




It seems to me like they were trying to mimic Beautiful Creatures/Beautiful Darkness with the kind of cover, but I think that Beautiful Creatures does it better coverwise - even though Darkness Becomes Her wins in the actual book area for me.

Hunger Games: Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss

My love of The Hunger Games knows no bounds. I've been keeping a VERY close eye on who they cast as Katniss.

And I have to say - face wise? Jennifer Lawrence is perfect.





Meet our official Katniss, as of this morning! Yes, the first casting move for The Hunger Games has been decided. They're going with an older cast - I know a lot of people were freaking out about that, but I don't mind so much, especially if they can get Hunter Parrish to play Peeta. (Yum.)

What do you guys think of this casting choice? I have to say, I don't mind it - I think Jennifer may be able to do the role justice. I just picked up a copy of Winter's Bone to see how Jennifer acts in that.

But so far, as far as the choice in Katniss goes, I give them props. They didn't completely screw up.

I want to know your thoughts - comment, comment, comment!



[EDIT] You know, I do want comments - but if you're lewd and just spend the entire comment cursing out people you don't know because you don't agree with their choices, the comment will get deleted.

Wither

Wither
Author: Lauren DeStefano
Series: The Chemical Garden Trilogy (#1)
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
How Received: ARC

Release Date: March 22, 2011

What if you knew exactly when you would die?

Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home.

But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limted time she has left.

I went into Wither with very high expectations. It had received nothing but glowing reviews from my blogger friends, and with a cover like that - well, they story sure as hell better live up to it.

Not only did it live up to it, but it far surpassed my expectations.

I don't get blown away by books often. I fall in love with them, sure, but it's rare that a book shocks me with how fantastic it is. The writing, the characters, the plot - they all have to be beyond amazing to really blow me away.

Wither blew me away.

I don't even know where to start in this review without sounding like a dithering fangirl. The vain coverwhore part of me wants to let you know that the layout of this book is absolutely gorgeous, from the cover to the back flap to how the chapter titles are done.

But the biblophilic book blogger in me wants to start screaming from the mountain tops about how fantastical everything was. Let's start with our main character, Rhine. I ADORED her. Not in the sense that I would want to be her (oh, Oz, no!) but in the fact that she was this strong female character, aware of the situation she had gotten herself into, aware of how easy it was to fall under the illusion of love. She had her flaws but she was strong and she was fantastic.

As for the other characters: I loved them. All of them. They were amazing characters. Cecily reminded me of some of my friends from high school; I was able to relate to Jenna and her love of books. Even though I hated his frailty, I couldn't help but pity Linden. I adored Rose. Gabriel intrigued me, and I wish we had seen more of him (another reason I can't wait for the next book!). Vaughn scared the cajeebers out of me.

Author Lauren deStefano

And all of them were well developed. Cecily, Rhine, Linden, Gabriel, Jenna. Each of them grew as the story progressed, and it all seemed natural for them to do so.

And the PLOT! The plot is bloody fantastic. I mean, this whole world is beautifully well crafted and described so vividly that you feel as if you're in it yourself. And then you throw in this beautiful plot, this fantastic plot, this plot that kept me on the edge of my seat, unsure of what was going to happen-

I think, Lauren deStefano, you just made my favorites shelf. That shelf is reserved for books that I will never ever get rid of. There are only three series on there - The Hunger Games, the Parasol Protectorates, and the Bloody Jack series. (And my copy of Jane Eyre but that's not important.)

But I may have to make room for the Chemical Garden trilogy.

Overall Rating & Final Comments: 10/10. If you're a fan of dystopian stories - or, for that matter, just well crafted stories that keep you on the edge of your seat - read this.
Challenges Used: 2011 Debut Author Challenge

Wither or The Hunger Games?: People are going to draw comparisons between the two, simply because they're both excellently well written dystopians. And I adore The Hunger Games, I do. But Wither sure as hell gives it a run for its money.

Wither comes out on March 22. Do yourself a favor and run to the bookstore to pick it up. Just make sure you schedule in a few hours to read it; you won't want to put it down. And you can read the first chapter here.

Waiting on Wednesday: Wrapped

Because we all have something we're waiting for.

Wrapped by Jennifer Bradbury

This is Agnes Wilkins’ debut season and already she’s attracting the attention of one of England’s most eligible and desirable men: Lord Showalter. He’s been quite forward about his intentions and Agnes finds this at once thrilling and terrifying. He is handsome and wealthy and has this quirky interest in helping England amass the world’s finest collection of Egyptian artifacts. It could be a good match—but everything Agnes knows about courtship and high society romance comes from A. Lady novels, and it seems to be a rule that men who are too good to be true are usually hiding something. But, what Showalter is hiding is not crumbling finances or boarish behavior. He is deceiving the whole British Empire. He is spy working for Napoleon, his orders smuggled into London in Egyptian artifacts—like the one Agnes pockets while at a mummy unwrapping party at Showalter’s home. Her innocent interest in this trinket (and childish need to keep it) jump starts a chain of events that bring out dangerous characters, dangerous circumstances, and the biggest danger of all—true love. Jennifer Bradbury’s knack for suspense and adventure make this an amazingly rich, wildly compelling and utterly fascinating novel about the secrets in and out of a mummy’s tomb. Keep your wits and trust your heart.

Series: ---
Publisher: Atheneum
Release Date: May 24th 2011

I love historical fiction, I love mysteries, I love spies, I love a good heroine, and I love a good romance.

Oh, hey, look! Wrapped has the potential to satisfy all of those loves!

Plus I'm a coverwhore. How epic does that look?!

Books for Relaxation: Paranormal

It's time for another books for relaxation post!

If you're in college, it's around midterms time - either you just had them or you're about to have them. And if you're in high school, it's that time of year where the teachers begin to think that piling on work is FUN. And if you don't fall into either one of those categories - well, you're probably still stressed.

For you paranormal fans - or for those of you who have been avoiding paranormal because there's just SO MUCH, or for those of you who read it sometimes but not often - here are a few books to read that will take the edge off of the stress.

Soulless
Author: Gail Carriger
Series: Parasol Protectorate (#1)

Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.

Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire -- and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.

With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?

Why?: The books are short and sweet. It's funny. It's an easy read. And the characters are some of the best I've ever read.

Raised by Wolves
Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Series: Raised by Wolves (#1)

Adopted by the Alpha of a werewolf pack after a rogue wolf brutally killed her parents right before her eyes, fifteen-year-old Bryn knows only pack life, and the rigid social hierarchy that controls it. That doesn't mean that she's averse to breaking a rule or two.

But when her curiosity gets the better of her and she discovers Chase, a new teen locked in a cage in her guardian's basement, and witnesses him turn into a wolf before her eyes, the horrific memories of her parents' murders return. Bryn becomes obsessed with getting her questions answered, and Chase is the only one who can provide the information she needs.

But in her drive to find the truth, will Bryn push too far beyond the constraints of the pack, forcing her to leave behind her friends, her family, and the identity that she's shaped?

Why?: I love their take on werewolf culture - it's an interesting blend of contemporary ideas and myths. It doesn't help that the main character can whoop some ass.

Darkness Becomes Her
Author: Kelly Keaton
Series: Gods & Monsters (#1)

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

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

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

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

Why?: Amazing heroine? Check. Well executed plot? Check. Overall amazing story? Triple check.

The Iron King
Author: Julie Kagawa
Series: The Iron Fey (#1)

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny—one she could never have imagined…

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school…or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth—that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face…and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

Why?: Debate-ably paranormal (fairy-normal?), but I love the world and the love triangle enough to throw it in.

Other
Author: Karen Kincy
Series: Other (#1)

Gwen Williams has been hiding a strange and fantastic secret: she's a shapeshifter. Although society may tolerate vampires, centaurs, and "Others" like Gwen, there are plenty of folks in her small Washington town who don't care for her kind.

When a new werewolf pack moves into the area, tensions rise—and Others start showing up dead, including someone close to Gwen. Despite the methodical murders, the police are ignoring evidence that suggests a serial killer. In the midst of terrible loss and danger, Gwen—along with a mysterious and sexy guy who happens to be a Japanese fox spirit—risks her life to find the murderer. But Gwen is already the killer's next target...

Why?: The creatures in Other are absolutely amazing, and the world is awesome. Also, the cover is gorgeous.



What about you, lovely reader? What paranormal books do YOU pick up when you want to relax?