Thursday, April 28, 2011

Theory Thursday: Hex Hall Three!!!!


Welcome to a new addition to our blog! Theory Thursdays Theory Thursday is a weekly meme created here at YA Sisterhood because oh how we love predicting what's to come in a series. Every Thursday (hopefully) we'll bring you our theories for what might be happening next in various YA series. All we ask is that you fill out the link widget at the bottom to link our blogs together that way we can all see each others theories! Below is our inaugural post for the third installment of the Hex Hall series. HH3 isn't due out until next March, but as you can tell, we eagerly anticipate the third and final book!

SPOILERS AHOY! BEWARE!!!!
I REPEAT, READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!


Let’s get our Nostradamus on!

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Covers to Die For #2

Its another Wednesday, so its time for another Covers to Die For! I love that it seems like covers just keep getting better and better! These 3 are absolutely captivating! We are looking forward to their release dates!



After Obsession by Carrie Jones and Stephen E. Wedel release date: September 5, 2011


Fury by Elizabeth Miles release date: August 30, 2011


Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey release date: June 21, 2011



Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Top Ten Tuesday: Girls We Love to Hate, Harry Potter Style!

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish.

I think the ultimate Tell-Tale sign that you really, I mean really despise a character is when you cannot contain yourself and burst into cheers when the character finally gets what they deserve! Too many times during a Harry Potter novel have I embarrassed myself thoroughly by not being able to contain my cheers! Here is the Ultimate Top Ten List of Harry Potter girls that are so hate-worthy!

1. Bellatrix Lestrange
All I can say is "Molly Weasley is my Queen!!!"

2. Professor Umbridge
Who out there didn't cheer when the centaurs carried this horrible lady away?!?! Or not to mention "Give them Hell from us Peeves!!!"

3. Aunt Petunia
Definitely wins the worst mother of all time award!

4. Rita Skeeter
Evil lady with a newspaper column, bad combo!!!

5. Mrs. Norris (Filch's cat)
I still wonder if that was really a cat or an Animagus! Creepiest cat ever!!!

6. Lavender Brown
Who did't want to kill her when we heard the words, "Won Won"?!?!

7. Romilda Vane
I still indirectly hold her responsible for the almost death of Ron Weasley, so she definitely deserves a place on this list!

8. Pansy Parkinson
Because of Baby Sister Brittany's undying love for Draco, Pansy gets to be hated out of "girl rule" default!

9. Fleur Delacour
Beautiful, blonde, speaks French, has magical powers, marries a Weasley, there is absolutely nothing to like about her!

10. Nagini
Three cheers for Neville when he uses the sword of Gryffindor to cut off her head!!!

Thank you J.K. Rowling for all the wonderful characters plus the some of the most amazing words every put to the written page! This blog exists because of you!



Saturday, April 23, 2011

Haunting Emma: Deception and Betrayal by Lee Nichols


Deception and Betrayal by Lee Nichols
Published by Bloomsbury
They are both available NOW!!! (so go get them)

Deception summary from BN.com


When Emma Vaile's parents leave on mysterious business trip, it gives her the perfect excuse to be a rebellious teen. Throw some parties, get a tattoo (or maybe just a piercing), and enjoy the first few weeks of her junior year. Then her best friend stops talking to her, the cops crash her party, and Emma finds herself in the hands of a new guardian—her college-age "knight in J.Crew armor," Bennett Stern—and on a plane to his museum-like mansion in New England.
After enrolling at Thatcher Academy, Emma settles in by making friends with the popular legacy crowd. But she can't shake the strange visions that are haunting her. She has memories of Thatcher she can't explain, as if she's returning home to a place she's never been. Emma doesn't trust anyone anymore—except maybe Bennett. But he's about to reveal a ghostly secret to Emma. One that will explain the visions . . . and make Emma fear for her life.

Betrayal summary from BN.com

Emma Vaile is the most powerful ghostkeeper in centuries. Which is great when she's battling the wraith-master Neos, but terrible when she's flirting with fellow ghostkeeper (and soul mate) Bennett. When ghostkeepers fall in love, the weaker one loses all power, and that's not something Bennett can handle. Heartbroken and alone, Emma tries to lose herself in school with fellow ghostkeeper Natalie. When a new team of ghostkeepers arrive-one a snarky teen boy, the other a British scholar-Emma finds solace in training for the battle against Neos. But as the team grows stronger, they are threatened by an unknown force. One they thought was good. As chilling and page-turning as Deception, this sequel will grab readers and hold them to the last page. No one is safe from suspicion as Emma closes in on the traitor.

I ordered Deception & Betrayal a few weeks back after reading a raving review on Mundie Moms. I was excited to start this series because I have read very few novels concerning ghosts. I must say, that from now on I will be looking out for more ghost stories, especially if they are written by Lee Nichols! Both of these novels were a one sit read! I'm going to review them together because I read them back to back, and they flow seemlessly together.

What I loved most about these novels was:
1. the beautiful New England setting
2. the ghosts (especially The Rake)
3. Ghostkeepers (they rock my face off)

First off, if any of our readers live in New England or if Lee Nichols is reading this, can I please come visit? The setting in the far Northeast, even if it is riddled with ghosts is absolutely breathtaking! Reading the pages made me feel as I had slipped into another world or with seeing the ghosts in period dress, another time. I can close my eyes and feel the wind, see the leaves blowing down the street, and see the apple trees outside of Thatcher. At the beginning of Deception, Emma is forced to move from California to Echo point, a small town in Massachusetts. It was lovely seeing all the sights through Emma's eyes the first time, not only Thatcher, but Stern House Museum, the Knell, even graveyards with tombstones marking them as hundreds of years old. Its a unique take because with the age of the buildings plus with the ghosts from all time periods, at anytime you can feel as if you are in the Massachusetts of the Regency era or the modern day Massachusetts.

Because New England is steeped in so much history, its easy to believe that it would be teeming with ghosts. Ghosts that liven up the story and make you love them, cheer for them, laugh at them, and even hate some of them. Ghosts from all respected time periods all make an appearance in the novels. There is the Oliver Twist like chimney sweep, the colorful French chef and maids, and the heart stopping Rake! The first time the Rake made an appearance, I almost swooned! (ha ha) The ghosts are the heart of the story. They become a family to Emma, a constant family which is something Emma and the other ghostkeepers alike have not experienced before. These ghosts help Emma to come to terms with the fact that she's a ghostkeeper, and not just a regular ghostkeeper, a stinkin' awesome one!!!

Which brings me to my 3rd love, how rocking these ghostkeepers are! Each ghostkeeper has a specific talent. These talents lead to great fight scenes and amazing chemistry between the characters. Who doesn't want to have super skills to kill supernatural beings! Its like Buffy meets Ghostbusters! Of course, I have to mention my favorite of all the ghostkeepers, Bennet! Bennet is Emma's older brother's best friend whom she's been crushing on for years. After a few odd turn of events, he ends up being Emma's guardian! Yep, its got the makings of a great regency romance, but with all the thrills of the paranormal world. Both books leave you with a cliffhanger ending, but whats great about right now, is at least you have the 2nd book to console you after the first killer of an ending! The 2nd cliffhanger will leave you aching for the 3rd book, Surrender, coming out in December. It leaves many questions left to be answered, and I cannot wait to see what happens!

All in all, I highly recommend these books! There are a few extra things I loved that don't necessarily fit into the categories above. One was the snarkiness of the characters which even appears in Latin! Who knew a dead language could be so funny, but in the hands of Lee Nichols this language comes to life again. The huge twists that you never quite see coming leave you feeling helpless at the end of each book. I don't exactly know how I would cope if I were Emma, but I guess that's why she's a ghostkeeper, and I am not! Lastly, the twist in Emma and Bennet's relationship that occurs in Betrayal adds a whole new aspect to the novel. I am agonizing over how its all going to come together, but I have faith that Ms. Nichols will bring us through to the end! This series is a new fresh take on a supernatural world with just the right amount of romance and action that leaves you wanting more! Go read these books now!!!





Wednesday, April 20, 2011

The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell


It’s the summer of 1889, and Amelia van den Broek is new to Baltimore and eager to take in all the pleasures the city has to offer. But her gaiety is interrupted by disturbing, dreamlike visions she has only at sunset—visions that offer glimpses of the future. Soon, friends and strangers alike call on Amelia to hear her prophecies. However, a forbidden romance with Nathaniel, an artist, threatens the new life Amelia is building in Baltimore. This enigmatic young man is keeping secrets of his own—still, Amelia finds herself irrepressibly drawn to him.
When one of her darkest visions comes to pass, Amelia’s world is thrown into chaos. And those around her begin to wonder if she’s not the seer of dark portents, but the cause.

The Vespertine
By Saundra Mitchell
Reviewed by: Baby Sister Brittany
Release Date: March 2011 (That’s right! Buy this one now!)
The Sisters say: Sophisticated. Sinful. Sassy.

I was sort of taken back by how much I liked this book. I don’t usually go for historical novels, but this one just reeled me in! Baltimore felt like a nice change of pace when so many historical novels are focused on London or New York. The historical details were fascinating, and I felt fully immersed in Amelia’s world. And my favorite part? THE HUMOR. So often, historical fiction feels stale and stiff, but I distinctly remember laughing so hard in this book that I had to put it down. (Corsets… those things make for some funny happenings).

The paranormal element of Amelia’s visions, though not completely new, felt fresh and interesting. Perhaps it was because her visions weren’t flashes or pictures or movie like reels in her head. They folded out of the firmament at sundown, and I could just picture the swirling golden rays morphing into her visions. And a second paranormal element even finds it’s way into the book in a surprising twist. I wish the second had been a bit more developed, but it added a second layer of mystery and excitement nonetheless.

Nathaniel is everything you could want as the love interest! He’s dark and brooding and mysterious and totally off-limits. He’s a poor, scandalous artist—the exact opposite of the wealthy, upstanding kind of gentlemen that Amelia is supposed to be looking for.

What truly grasped me about this story was really Amelia’s story—and not even her visions. Peel away the fabric of the time period, the gothic setting, and the paranormal twists—and you are left with a girl struggling to find herself while remaining within the confines placed on her by society. Amelia has always been a good girl, and in deed she’s been sent to Baltimore to learn how to be a good woman. But she holds a fascination for the darker side of life—what she calls wicked. She’s a strong female character who feels the world at her fingertips, and her fingers are itching to grasp it. But in her world and her time period, a woman who thinks and acts for herself is sinful. So, Amelia is faced with a decision.

Good girl or wicked girl?

Wicked always wins. ;)

Add this to your To-Be-Read pile today!

Covers to Die For

Today as I was looking through upcoming releases of books I stumbled across the AMAZING cover of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin. So, in honor of this most brilliant cover, I've decided to post some awesome covers of upcoming books! We have a lot to lookforward to in the coming months!

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All of these covers are amazing!!! I can't wait to add them to my bookshelves! What book covers do you love?


Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish.

So, it seems today is Top Ten Fictional crushes! What could be more fun! Who needs movie stars when you have YA lit?!?! Here's my top ten list! These are sort of in order, but they tend to switch places depending on my mood!

1. Jace Wayland (Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare) Ummm, yeah, who doesn't like their fictional boys angsty, secretive, tattooed, and protective. Give me Jace ANYDAY over anyone in Hollywood right now!

2. Ren (Nightshade by Andrea Cremer) Team Ren all the way!!! Though I did like Shay, in my eyes there is only Ren!

3. Archer (Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins) Oh Archer!!! There's so much too you that we don't know yet! I loved you in Hex Hall (oh my that cellar scene gets me everytime) and again in Demonglass. Though, I do have some questions about you! Can't wait to find the answers to my questions in HH3!

4. Peeta (Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins) Sweet, sweet Peeta! Who doesn't need a guy willing to die for you and face the wrath of the capital just to keep you safe!

5. Hale (Heist Society by Ally Carter) Hale is the ultimate sexy! He's a suave, cool thief! He's straight out of a dream!

6. Will (Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare) He's a mean boy with a secret past! Enough said!

7. Bennet (Haunting Emma Series by Lee Nichols) I just read this series! Bennet is your older brother's best friend that you've always had a crush on!!! How can anyone say no to that?!?!

8. Catcher (Forest of Hands and Teeth Trilogy) The broken boy who needs fixing, who is off limits because his blood could be dangerous! Yes, please!!!

9. Daniel (Fallen series by Lauren Kate) Lifetime after lifetime of trying to save the girl he loves, he's perfect!!!

10. Jules (Die for Me by Amy Plum) Boy oh boy, I cannot wait for more of Jules! With Paris as a backdrop, Jules is an immortal who spends eternity sacrificing himself in the place of other people. Parts of who Jules really is-is still a mystery but I'm guessing he's going to be amazing come Until I Die! Oh la la!!!

And the honorable mentions are Cassel from Curse Workers series by Holly Black, Jem from Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare, St. Claire from Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins, Gale from Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Lucas from Starcrossed by Josie Angelini and Will from Firelight by Sophie Jordan. Whew, that was hard to pick between all the amazing characters that are out there right now in YA lit. Hope you guys have as much fun reading this as I had making this list!

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

And the Winner Is...

Thank all of you so much for making our first giveaway such a success!!! Thanks for all the follows, comments and tweets. We used a random number generator to pick our winner. And, without further adieu, our winner is number:


Number 29 is Tiffany. Congratulations Tiffany!!! We will send you an email and if we don't have a response in 48 hours we will generate another winner. Once again, thank all of you!!!

Sunday, April 10, 2011

ARC Giveaway: Abandon by Meg Cabot

Do you have a thing for Greek Mythology? (WE DO)

Do you love Meg Cabot? (WE DO)

Do you have an ARC of her new paranormal romance, Abandon? (WE DO)

Do you want to win it?

Here’s how it works bibliophiles—

There are three different ways to enter!

Comment on this post with your favorite YA book of 2011 so far for 1 entry(and then be on the look out in the coming weeks for a super secret project using your answers)

AND/OR

Follow the YA Sisterhood blog for +1 Entry

AND/OR

Tweet about this contest and mention @YASisterhood in your post for +1 Entry


That’s a total of three possible entries!

***In your comment, please include a link to your tweet, and your email for us to contact winners in the following format: myemail(at)provider(dot)com. Winners will be contacted through email!You will have 48 hours to claim your win, and if we don't hear from you we'll choose a new winner.

The contests ends on 11:59 P.M. on Wednesday April 13th.

US entries entries only. Must be 13 or older to enter.

Check out our previous review of Abandon if you want to know more about it!

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

 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 limited time she has left.


Wither by Lauren DeStefano
Reviewed by: Baby Sister Brittany
Release Date: March 22nd (Head to your bookstore now!)
The Sisters Say: Sinister. Unsettling. Striking.

I was, quite simply, astounded by this book. The world of the story was so unique, so vivid, and so dark that even though I finished the book in one sitting, I needed several days to let it all sink in.


First, there was the world building. As someone in my early twenties—imagining a world where every female died at twenty, and every male at twenty-five was distressing to say the least. I thought about my life— the ways in which I am really just getting started and the fact that I don’t think I really knew who I was until I was around twenty—and that alone left me restless and unsettled. The rest of the world fell into place easily—a world full of orphans because of the short life expectancy, the frantic need to reproduce to keep our society alive, and the desperation for a cure that is so strong that it breaks down moral boundaries. This world was so richly and thoroughly imagined, that I truly felt as if I were caught up in it. There was no sense of separation from the characters or the world, I became so immersed in it, that I (along with the characters) was struggling to find right and wrong and fair and justified—and all before time ran out. The most terrifying part of this world? Unlike many dystopian books—this feels like something that could actually happen. I dare you to read the first page, and not be hooked!


Which brings me to my next point—emotionally, I felt so connected to this book. I struggle to express why, because the main character is surprisingly in control of her emotions (even though she’s been kidnapped and forced into a polygamist marriage). But somehow, it just worked. So many awful things happen to Rhine. Unimaginable things. But she remains strong, focused, and hopeful. Her refusal to dwell on her emotions, doesn’t eliminate the emotions completely, rather it allows the reader to feel them in her stead, and it makes her character all the more remarkable, because I felt what she must have been feeling, and it made her strength all the more inspiring. She was as hardcore a heroine as they come!

And finally, the part that I loved most about the book is that there were no clear-cut, easy answers. In this world of desperation and fear, there is no black and white. Everything becomes relative. Right and wrong aren’t as easy to identify. And “for the greater good” seems to require a whole lot more bad to succeed than good. But… that’s what I loved! Wither will make you think. As much as you love Rhine and you identify with her troubles, you’ll also come to understand the people who have ruined her life. I started out hating Cecilia (one of Rhine’s sister wives), but as the story continued and her motivations were revealed, I felt intensely guilty for my judgment. No character is completely good or completely evil. Not even the “bad guy” in the story who is Rhine’s Father-in-Law. Not even Rhine, our heroine, “the good girl.”  DeStefano forces you to ask, “How far would I go to save someone I love? What lines would I cross just to have a little more time? How many would I hurt if it meant saving millions more?"

The success of this book lies in its layers. For those of you who aren’t really looking for a make-you-sit-down-and-think kind of book, don’t be scared away by my review! On the surface, this book is action-packed, an intense read, with an infectious romance (or two)! It is a fantastic read! And you can just leave it at that. But if you allow it, the characters will creep under your skin, and you’ll become so turned around as to who is good and bad and right and wrong. It becomes difficult as a reader to decide what you want. In a world ruled by “Team Edward” and “Team Peeta” and “Team Every Romantic Possibility Under the Sun,” it was refreshing to be as unsure of my opinion as the characters often are. I, for one, look forward to being able to just go along for the ride instead of worrying about whether Rhine will end up with “my favorite.” Rhine faces a terrifying world full of terrible choices, and I don’t envy her in the slightest. But I do look forward to seeing her continue to tackle her troubles with courage and grace in the next book.

Don’t wait to devour this book! Go get it now!