Teaser Tuesday: Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading!

To participate all you have to do is:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!) 

 Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Okay, so my Teaser Tuesday for today is from the upcoming Hallowed (An Unearthly Novel) by Cythinia Hand, one of them is kinda on the naughty side, but it was just too funny not to share!!!  I'll probably be using this line with my son someday!  Don't shake your head at me, you will all do it too!!!  But, I wanted to share another one too for those who want something a little cleaner.  The 2nd is a teaser for all the Edward Norton and Brad Pitt fans out there!!!

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         "When I was a kid my mom used to tell me that if I had sex before I was married, my... junk would turn black and fall off." (ARC, p72)

      

         "First rule of Angel Club, you do not talk about Angel Club."        

"     "Second rule of Angel Club," chimes in Jeffrey.  "Do not talk about Angel Club." (ARC, 25)

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I love both of these teasers so much!!!  Cynthia Hand has such a great sense of humor!  Plus, I am loving every moment of this book!  Go ahead and add it to your TBR, and if you haven't read the 1st in this series, Unearthly, then run do not walk and read it right now!!!!  Hallowed will be released January 17, 2012.

Hunger Games Trailer!!!

It's here!!!!  There....are......no.....words!!!!!

Review and Giveaway: The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines

The Vincent Boys

by Abbi Glines

Reviewed by: Baby Sister Brittany

The Sisters say: Seductive and Sweet with a Southern Kick!

Being the good girl isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Ashton Gray has grown weary of playing the part to please her parents, and to be worthy of the town’s prince charming, Sawyer Vincent. Maybe That’s why she’s found herself spending time with Sawyer’s cousin, Beau, while he’s away for the summer camping with his family. Beau is nothing like her perfect boyfriend. He’s the sexiest guy she’s ever seen, dangerous in ways she’s only day dreamed about, and the one guy she should stay away from. 

Beau never envied Sawyer his loving parents, his big nice home, or his position as quarterback. He loves him like a brother. Which is why he's tried everything in his power to keep his distance from Sawyer’s girlfriend. Even if he has loved her since the age of five, Ashton is Sawyer’s girl, so therefore she’s off limits. But when Sawyer leaves for the summer, Ashton, the one girl Beau would move Heaven and Earth for, decides she wants to get into trouble. Stabbing the one person who’s always accepted him and stood by him in the back, is the cost of finally holding Ashton Gray in his arms. Is she worth losing his cousin over?.... Hell Yeah.

Before I start this review, can I make a request for a Vincent Boy of my own? Abbi, you hearing this? Santa—you too. Heck,  I’ll talk to the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, I Dream of Jeanie—whichever of you can snag me a boy like Beau, I’ll be forever indebted. Seriously, y’all.

Alright, now that that embarrassing display of obsession is over. Let’s talk about how amazing this book was!

Having been born and raised in the south, I saw my life in Ashton. Isn’t that the goal of any story—to mimic life in art? I can say without a doubt that Glines perfectly captured the passions and pressures of growing up in the South. There is so much pressure to do things right and do them well (all that business about there being no right or wrong way to live your life—you never quite get that message growing up in the south). Ashton reminded me of myself as a teenager, but with a great deal more courage and confidence than I ever allowed myself to have.

Ashton wants Beau, even though she shouldn’t. He’s a bad boy. She’s the preacher’s daughter. He’s her boyfriend’s cousin, and her boyfriend is pretty much the most perfect boy any girl could ask for. Beau’s a dead end—no future.

This isn’t necessarily a new story line, but the way Abbi Glines weaves the story—it feels like you’re actually there with Ashton, choking on the stifling southern air and culture. I was swimming in desire and guilt right along with our protagonist. My heart and my head did battle over which boy I should root for, as Ashton faced the same struggles. I couldn’t put this book down, and when Ashton’s life took a dive in a downward spiral, I fell with her.

You’ll love the boys, the settings, and the steamy romance of this book! It’s a fast, addicting read, and you’ll be aching for more when it’s over.

I only have one qualm about this book, and I wouldn’t even necessarily call it a negative. It was more just something to think about. I questioned what was so special about Ashton that both boys would go through so much for her. This is a common problem in YA in general that’s been bothering me for a while—the oh, so normal heroine who catches the attention of the gorgeous, anything-but-normal guy.

Maybe it’s because I saw myself (and many other girls I’ve known) in Ashton. I wouldn’t say she’s a commodity down here in the south. Every small town has got one (or two).  All that being said, the more I sat down and thought about it, the more I realized that while I’ve known girls like Ashton, I’ve also known boys like Beau and Sawyer. I’ve stood back and watched boys fall all over themselves for a girl who doesn’t appear to be anything special. So while I still have an issue with ordinary heroines attracting extraordinary love interests, I think it works in this setting. In the south, being the seemingly perfect, untouchable, preacher’s daughter who turns out to be not so untouchable is akin to being a marble-skinned, sparkly vampire in rural Washington. It’s the Holy Grail for a southern bad boy (and even for southern good boys).

You should definitely give Vincent Boys a chance, and I’d say keep an eye on Abbi Glines in general. I loved her first book, Breathe, but Vincent Boys blew that one out of the water. I can only assume that her next book, Existence will be just as good, probably better!

And you guys are in luck! As part of the Vincent Boys Blog Tour, we are able to give away one KINDLE copy of the book! Just enter below! Also, please go check out the other stops on the tour!

Giveaway is now closed.

Unveiled by Trish Wolfe

Unveiled by Trisha Wolfe
Addison Books
Out in ebook form right now!
Reviewed by: AmyG (big sis)
Sister's Say: Unique and Unforgettable

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Amongst the wasteland lies the gleaming city of Karm. A Camelot-esque utopia built from the ashes of a dying world. 

Seventeen-year-old Fallon is no daughter of Karm. 

She's its assassin. 

Raised by a secret society of rebels, she's bent on bringing down the king's sham of an existence. But her first mark, one of the king's top knights of the Force, makes her question everything. Even her heart. 

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I've never quite been sure how to rate short stories or novelettes.  If anyone knows me they know I love BIG BOOKS!  The more pages a book has the better, so much so, my friend Heather bought me a bag for my birthday that says, "I like BIG BOOKS, and I cannot lie."  However, I did not have that problem with Trisha Wolfe's Unveiled!  She captured me from the 1st page and didn't let go!

It's a unique story in which it feels like a historical fiction, but its actually a dystopian.  How many times have we all daydreamed of Jane Austen's Regency Era, Shakespeare's Golden Age, or Arthur's Camelot?  Well, these people, didn't just imagine, they took it to the extreme!  As in so many tragic circumstances, there's a push to returning to one's roots, to go back to simpler times, and that is exactly what they did.  At the destruction of the world, the Force, the established government, rebuilt there society on the ideas of Camelot!  This cast that unique quality of being in the future, but it feeling like the past.

Even though the pages are few, I never once felt like I didn't know the world.  The world was well established, and the opposing forces clearly defined.  I connected with both of the main characters, and as soon as they locked eyes was cheering for the them!  And, don't worry, there is smooching, and not just once!!!

All in all, this is an amazing little novelette (with a breathtaking cover) that packs a big punch!  With 2 amazing lead characters, sword fighting, poison, dancing, intrigue, betrayal, and kissing, how can say no to that!!!  And it's not over there, Trisha is currently working on a novel with characters from Unveiled!!!  Lastly, it's only 99 cents on Amazon and Barnes and Noble, so you really have no excuse to not be reading this!

I received a galley of this from the author in exchange for an honest review. 

The Reckoning (The Fahllen #2) by M. Leighton

The Reckoning (The Fahllen #2)
By: M. Leighton
Release Date: October 31, 2011 (Available for Kindles only)
This Sister Says: Sensational, Spooky, Satisfying


Summary: Carson Porter thought she’d had one of her most challenging years to date when she began her transformation into a reaper, but little did she know her battle had only just begun. Faced with changes in her boyfriend, Derek, the fear of her sister being able to steal her powers through mirrors and having to fight her every step of the way to rescue even one soul, Carson was nearly ready to throw in the towel.  Only she can’t.  During a visit from an angel, Carson learns that her destiny is far more important than even she realized—and far more deadly.  Can she dig deep within herself for the strength and the perseverance that she’ll need to carry out her mission?  And will she have to do so without Derek or can she recover the man she’d once loved so desperately? Find out in the exciting conclusion of the Fahllen series, The Reckoning.


Why, oh why must all good things come to an end?! The Reckoning is the second and last book of The Fahllen series, and I, for one, am heartbroken. I fell so absolutely and completely in love with these characters and this world it’s hard for me to believe that there won’t be another one coming out for me to look forward to. But instead of lamenting about the fact that it’s over now, I want to celebrate the fact that it happened. There is so much that I loved about this book that I have to (again) break it down into a top five so I can gush over its brilliance without giving too much away. With that said, my review does contain some spoilers for The Reaping, so if you haven’t read that yet, 1.) What are you waiting for?! Read it now! It’s sooo good! And 2.) Don’t read any more of this review until you’ve read that! Seriously, go read The Reaping! You will not regret giving this series a try! Trying to pick my favorite things from this novel is like Sophie’s Choice, but these 5 aspects of the book are what made it un-put-downable for me and made me fall even more in love with this story.

1. Carson. She is absolutely one of my favorite protagonists of all time. She’s spunky, smart, and one of the most genuinely sweet characters in YA. The Reckoning picks up just a few months from where The Reaping left off, and it makes everything Carson went through in that novel look like a cakewalk. She is tested time and again, battling Grey for souls, coping with the weakening of her powers, and most heartbreakingly dealing with severe complications in her relationship with Derek. But through it all she remains strong and resilient and never gives up on what is right. What I love most about Carson is that inner strength she has, with all that she’s lost, and despite everything that gets put in her way, she chooses love and faith when it would’ve been easiest to succumb to despair and she becomes a heroine in every sense of the word.


2. The Villains. Fahl, Grey, Leah, and possibly another player are possibly the scariest and most evil bad guys around. Their scheming, manipulating, and malice make this tale into a deliciously dark one. The vivid images that Leighton uses to describe them make them so real to me I can easily imagine running into them in the dark of night (so I think I’ll stay indoors after the sun goes down). They cover every part of the evil spectrum and because I’m a little twisted I couldn’t get enough of them! I found them so intriguing and fascinating, and as much as I hated them for hurting my beloved Carson, I couldn’t help but want to see more of them. If you want to be seriously creeped out by an evil only God himself can destroy you have Fahl. If you want the soulless evil twin you have Grey. And if you want the sweet-best-friend-turned-into-a-parent-killing-evil-monster, you have Leah. Oh, Leah. These characters thoroughly enthralled me and made this book into something I just could not put down.


3. The Reapings. I love Love LOVED that we got to see Heaven’s Reaper work her magic in this book. And not only that, we get to see her battle Grey for these souls now that they’re on (somewhat) even footing. Seeing people in their last moments of life is a truly sad and horrifying thing to witness, but Leighton handles this subject matter masterfully and although it is at times extremely heartbreaking to observe the pain and suffering of those lives ending, it is also a beautiful thing to see when Carson succeeds in winning those souls. But Carson doesn’t always say or do the right thing, and we watch her struggle in her work and that is fascinating in itself. I loved being there with Carson and wondering if I would’ve made the same mistakes or do some of the brave things she did. I love stories that demand introspection, and this book definitely demanded it from me.


4. Love & Faith. With all the darkness and evil that surrounds our protagonist in this novel it would be easy for her to get sucked in to and overcome by all the nastiness and depravity therein. But Carson reminds us what is really important in life, even and especially when it’s not easy. Love saves us all. Be it God’s love, parental love, romantic love, or love between friends, we are shown that it’s always worth the risk of potential heartbreak. And faith in the people we love, and in ourselves, though at times excruciatingly hard to do, is essential to living a good life. With a novel dealing with supernatural things like reapers and characters like Fahl who is almost the devil himself, I found it wonderful that these were such blatant themes throughout the novel. There is an awful lot of darkness in this novel but that makes the moments of love and faith shine even brighter and is just another thing that makes M. Leighton stand out as an exceptional writer.


5. M. Leighton. Anyone who can write sentences like this one, “They wanted to curl their dark digits around my throat like a collar of death and squeeze until there was no life left in my body,” manage to keep me on the edge of my seat throughout an entire book, and explore the complexities of a teenage girl so fluidly and with as much insight as Leighton does deserves special attention. I get completely absorbed by her writing, so much so that 3 of the 4 books of hers that I’ve read, I’ve read in one sitting. Just like Ralph Bellamy said, “Everything ends. But there are always new beginnings.” And I cannot wait to read the new stories that will come from Leighton now that she has concluded the Fahllen series. She is a true talent and I know that she will keep bringing the world fantastic works of art, I just hope my little heart can take all the twists, shocks, and creatures that go bump in the night that go with it!


A good book has no ending. ~ R.D. Cumming
I find that quote especially fitting for this book. I can imagine the world of The Reaping/The Reckoning beyond the last words of their prologues and its characters and message will stick with me for a long time to come. It was so bittersweet reading those last few pages knowing that this series that I loved so much was ending, but I know that I am better for having read it and I am so grateful that I stumbled upon such an amazing talent like Ms. Leighton. It is available on Amazon, so if you haven’t yet, you should immediately go buy and read The Reckoning, which, in my opinion, is one of the most thrilling books out there in YA today.

Across Eternity by Aris Whittier

Across Eternity by Aris Whittier
Release date:  June 25, 2010
Reviewed by: Honorary Sister Beth and AmyG (big sis)


Born a genius; education, wealth, and prestige came easy to Logan Richards. Actually, there wasn’t much that Logan couldn’t learn or acquire. However, he knew there was more to life than money and power. Logan was determined to find the woman who he'd dreamed of his entire life and know what it was like to love her before he died. 

Amber Lewis, a waitress for a five-star restaurant in, Dana Point, California, was overworked, stressed, and wary of life since her sister, Heather, had passed away. Then, one evening while working she fell hopelessly in love with Logan Richards, a chivalrous man who felt deeply familiar. 

For Amber, it was the beginning of a voyage of self-discovery and renewal. For Logan, it was the completion of life. For each of them it was the deepest sort of love. (-goodreads)



To preface this review I would like to say that all reviews are a matter of opinion of the reader.  One person can read a story and really enjoy it, and on the other hand another person can read it and that book not be their cup of tea.  We have an example here with 2 reviewers from our blog.  One of us really enjoyed the book while the other thought the book had merit, but wasn't in love with it.  So, instead of giving just a one-sided review, both of us are going to do a review of the book.  Then a reader can go from there, to decide if they would like to read the book.

Review #1

I enjoyed reading this book.  I really liked the main character, Amanda, and very much found her relate-able and deep.  She seemed like she was wandering through life until she met Logan.  Their whirlwind romance kept me reading and wanting to learn more.  Being a hopeless romantic, I loved that Logan waited his life for her and felt "drawn" to Amanda.

I haven't read many reincarnation books before so, to me, it was an interesting concept.  When Logan would tell "glimpses" of their previous lives, I enjoyed learning about their love and felt their love as real and believable.

I would recommend this book to someone who is looking for a sappy, no-brainer romance book.  It is a fast, easy read that focuses on their love and their life.  I will warn potential readers that if you have experienced tragedy recently or are not in a "happy place" wait to read this book.

Review # 2

I was excited to read this book because I hadn't read a romance in a long time.  Plus, this book had been labeled as new adult.  New adult is basically a little older than YA.  Sometimes the characters are in college (kinda like Saved by the Bell the College Years), or they are in their 20's.  Many times these books are a good transition into adult fiction or romance.  I have been anxiously awaiting for this new genre to emerge!  So, the author mentioned to me that she thought it would fit into this genre, and I completely agree with her.  If you are looking for something a little more than a YA romance, but not the bodice ripping of the adult romances, this would definitely fit in that category.

I did have some concerns about the novel, but most of them were all personal preference.  I am not a big fan of the bittersweet romances, I hear  the name Nicholas Sparks, and I flee in the other direction.  As you can tell by our blog, we don't read or review any books that would fit into that category.  So I wanted to give everyone a warning, that this is not like the other books on this blog.  I just didn't want someone to pick this up, and basically say, one of these is not like the other.

Dealing with the actual novel, I did enjoy the romance at he beginning of the novel, and I could relate to Amanda.  On the other hand, I did have hard time understanding Logan.  I could see what his motivations were, but I didn't necessarily agree with them.  He's a very serious, intense character, and I felt like the only time I really saw him let loose was with his nephew.  I felt many times, especially at the beginning of the chapters, that the author would just tell us about their lives and how they were falling in love, instead of letting us live it beside the characters.  I think it would have been a more appealing read if it would have been in first person.  I wanted more showing and less telling.

All of this is just my opinion.  I do know that many people really enjoy this type book, and if you are one of them, then I think you would enjoy this book.  Many reviewers on goodreads really loved this book, so please go look up those reviews as well.

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.  

Waiting on Wednesday: Pure by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine.  It spotlights books that have not yet been released, but ones that you should pre-order today!  This weeks book that we are anxiously awaiting is:  Pure from Spencer Hill Press.  Pure is the 2nd book in the Covenant Series, and I can't express how much I want part 2!!!

<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

There is need. And then there is Fate...

Being destined to become some kind of supernatural electrical outlet isn't exactly awesome--especially when Alexandria's "other half" is everywhere she goes. Seth's in her training room, outside her classes, and keeps showing up in her bedroom--so not cool. Their connection does have some benefits, like staving off her nightmares of the tragic showdown with her mother, but it has no effect on what Alex feels for the forbidden, pure-blooded Aiden. Or what he will do--and sacrifice--for her.

When daimons infiltrate the Covenants and attack students, the gods send furies--lesser gods determined to eradicate any threat to the Covenants and to the gods, and that includes the Apollyon... and Alex. And if that and hordes of aether-sucking monsters didn't blow bad enough, a mysterious threat seems willing to do anything to neutralize Seth, even if that means forcing Alex into servitude... or killing her.

When the gods are involved, some decisions can never, ever be undone.

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Forbidden love, Aiden, furies, gods and goddesses, Seth, daimons, sacrificial love, did I mention Aiden, this already oozes awesomeness!!!  Pure by the amazing Jennifer L. Armentrout will hit shelves on Apri 3rd, 2012.  And, that time cannot come soon enough!  So add this to your wish list, TBR today, and if you haven't already read the 1st book, Half-Blood in this series, then what are you doing reading this post, GO READ IT RIGHT NOW!!!   

Teaser Tuesday: Tempest by Julie Cross

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading!

To participate all you have to do is:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!) 

 Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

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The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.

Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler. Recruit… or kill him.

Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.

I LOVE THIS Pg. 106

"I kept reminding myself to keep it light, annoy her if I had to. Fawning never works with any halfway intelligent girl."

(TRUE THAT). 

Pg. 108

"I froze when her lips were an inch from mine. Don't kiss her. It was too soon."

YA Tournament of Heroines

The time is drawing near for the much anticipated YA Tournament of Heroines. I've had people on twitter asking me several questions, so I figured I would go ahead and do a post to answer some of these. Nominations for the tournament will begin at 12:01am on Thursday morning, November 17, and will close November 24th at midnight. So, you will have 1 week exactly to nominate your favorite heroine!  Then 1 week later, Thursday, December 1st, the YA Tournament of Heroines will begin!

As for advocates, we are going to require advocates to have an active blog and twitter account. You will need a blog and twitter account to spread the word about your heroine. If you are interested in being an advocate please fill out the form below. We will then contact you after nominations are final.  We will look for a natural break in the nominations of heroines, but if there's not a natural break we will keep the count between 16-20 heroines.  If we have more advocates than heroines then the ones not selected as advocates can be pinch hitters.  A pinch hitters job will be to jump in if someone else has to drop out, and to pick your teams and spread the word on your blog and twitter account.  We are so excited about this tourney!  Start spreading the word, talk to authors of who you are going to nominate, start recruiting your team members, lets represents these girls just as well as we did our crushes!!!

Don't forget to check out our Heroines Tournament Contest where the winner will receive an ARC of Incarante by Jodi Meadows.  Trust me, you want this book!!!

If you have questions, you can post them in the comments, and we will answer them.

ADVOCATE SIGN-UPS ARE NOW CLOSED!!!

Remembrance by Michelle Madow

Remembrance (Transcend Time #1)
By Michelle Madow
Reviewed by: Sis-in-law Sarah

New Hampshire high school junior Lizzie Davenport has been reincarnated from Regency Era, England ... but she doesn't know it yet.

Then Drew Carmichael transfers into Lizzie's school at the beginning of the year, and she feels a connection to him, almost like she knows him. She can't stop thinking about him, but whenever she tries talking with him about the mysteries behind her feelings, he makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with her. Reaching him is even more difficult because she has a boyfriend, Jeremy, who has started to become full of himself after being elected co-captain of the varsity soccer team, and her flirtatious best friend Chelsea starts dating Drew soon after his arrival. So why can't she seem to get him out of her mind?

Even though Lizzie knows she should let go of her fascination with Drew, the pair of them soon find that fighting fate isn't going to be easy.

Okay, don't get me wrong, I love Taylor Swift. I blast "Love Story" on my car radio just as loud as any hopeless romantic.  But when I found out this book was based on the "Love Story" music video...I thought...that's seriously dumb, but whatever, I'll try it anyway. Oh. My. Gosh. Am I glad I did.  Having gone back to watch the music video over again, I can totally see how it's based on it, but, believe me, it's nothing like Romeo and Juliet.

There's tons to love about this book.  It's got the I-love-you-but-I-could-hurt-you-so-I'll-pretend-like-I-hate-you type romance, which totally keeps you turning the pages.  I mean, we all found out with Twilight that this storyline totally works.

The two main characters are adorable.  Elizabeth has such a sweet nature.  She's that beautiful girl who doesn't really know it...the one who tends to avoid all things prissy.  She would prefer to spend time with a book or her drawing pencils than pursuing popularity.  And then there's Drew with his charming ways that seem to come from another time.  He doesn't really care about improving his ego like the typical high school boy, but rather he's focused on doing things for other people, that is, as long as it means he can stay away from that one person he's supposed to be with!

Then there's the whole topic of reincarnation.  I'm a total time-travel fan so I really enjoyed the time transcendence that reincarnation presents.  I haven't read many reincarnation-based novels, but it was exciting to watch the past and the present intersperse with each other.

And, finally, my favorite aspect of this book. If you love Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice as much as I do, then you are gonna go fanatic over this one.  I mean, who doesn't love a Mr. Darcy? Who doesn't want to BE Elizabeth Bennet?  Pride and Prejudice was a huge theme throughout the book, which made it all the better for me!

This book is already available, so I definitely recommend giving it a read, especially all you Mr. Darcy fans out there! The holidays are coming up, so add this one to your holiday break reading list!!!

Legend by Marie Lu

Legend by Marie Lu
Published by:  Putnam
Release date:  November 29, 2011
Received from:  A Tale of Many Reviews
Reviewed by:  AmyG (big sis)
Sister's Say:  Legendary, Lovely, and Lots of Lip-Locking

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What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

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Wow!!!  Every dystopian I have picked lately from Divergent to Shatter Me has blown me away, and Legend is no different.  I kept having to hide the book during the day for fear that I would just read and completely neglect my kids.  That being said, I flew through it!  It was a perfect mix of action, intrigue, romance, forbidden love and corruption.

Of course, being a dystopian, it takes place after the fall of modern day society and encompasses the exact opposite of a utopia.  Legend picks up far in the future, and the terms they chose to represent themselves is very reminiscent of the founding days of the United States.  The ruling powers are known as the Republic, where as the rebellious, nonconformists are called the Patriots of the Colonies.  At the age of 10 the government has implemented a "trial" that all children are required to take, grouping them forever as either privileged or not.  This then determines the course of their future and what their role will be in society from that point forward.  And, let me just say, you want to be in the privileged group!  

The novel is in split narrative form between Day, a wanted, "Robin Hood" type rebel that belongs neither to the Colonies or the Republic, and June, a loyal prodigy from the Republic with a slightly rebellious nature.  I have a love/hate relationship with split-narratives.  Many times I find that one character catches my attention over the other, and I tend to skim or completely skip the other characters narrative.  If the voices aren't distinct, its easy to get confused.  This was definitely not the case with Legend!  I have never liked a split narrative as much as this one!!!  I loved the fact that the narratives fit together perfectly like a puzzle piece.  Day's chapter would end with seeing June walk through a door, and June's chapter would begin with seeing Day as she walked in the door.  They were perfectly synchronized.  Also, most of their time was spent together, and if they were apart it was only for a few pages which made the novel fly by!  Isn't that what we are all craving?!?  I can't tell you have many times (and you know you do it to) where I flip ahead in the book, to see when they are going to be together again!  Well, friends, no need for flipping in this one!

Even though the novel starts out with a great tragedy that causes the Republic to pit Day and June against each other, after the two actually meet secrets are revealed, eyes meet, connections are made, and boom, everything changes!!!  Legend is a high-paced, action-packed story that will cause your blood-pressure to rise and the butterflies in your tummy to flutter!  I foresee this one being another big one in the dystopian market!  Go ahead, pre-order it and add it to your TBR because people are going to be talking about it!!!  

        

Contest Giveaway: Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

Wanna win and ARC of the amazing Incarnate by Jodi Meadows?

Trust me, you do. Check out our Waiting on Wednesday post for the book and our Teaser Tuesday.

Or just check out this summary:

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NEWSOUL

Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL

Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

HEART

Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life.

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Now do you want to win it?

Well, you're in luck, because we happen to have an ARC to give away!

Rather than doing a random giveaway, we've decided to hold a contest. As some of you know, we're gearing up for the next YA Sisterhood Tournament! Thanks to your votes, we will be hosting the YA Tournament of Heroines! 

We're asking you all-- YA Sisters in Spirit-- to help us kick off this tournament with an extra special contest (with Incarnate as the prize). 

Here's what you have to do: 

*Make a banner AND a matching icon for the YA Tournament of Heroines!

*It must have the following somewhere on the banner: YA Sisterhood, the url for YA Sisterhood, and  Tournament of Heroines. The rest is up to you! Get creative, friends! Pictures, fanart, quotes, catchphrases-- go all out!

The winning banner/icon will be featured as the official banner for the tournament, and that banner's creator will be the proud new owner of an Incarnate ARC. 

You have until 5pm Central time on Wednesday, November 16th to get us your entry. After that we will choose the winning banner, and the nominations for the Tournament will go live that night at midnight. 

That's right-- at 12:01 AM Thursday, November 17th, Nominations will open for the Tournament of Heroines. You will only have one week to nominate your favorite leading ladies of YA literature, so be sure to spread the word! 

When your finish your banner/icon, you can email it to yasisterhood@gmail.com. Be sure to also leave a comment here stating that you entered, so we can make sure we got your entry successfully. If you don't hear back from us, most likely your email went astray, and you'll need to send it again. 

Best of Luck! May the odds be ever in your favor!

-YA Sisterhood

Waiting on Wednesday: Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine.  It spotlights books that have not yet been released, but ones that you should pre-order today!  This weeks book that we are anxiously awaiting is: Incarnate. It's written by Jodi Meadows, and its release date is January 31st 2012!

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I loved the first book in this series-- Unearthly by Cynthia Hand (see my review here). And after reading Hallowed this weekend, I can definitely say that my feelings about Hand's work haven't changed. I DEVOURED this book. Like... seriously inhaled it. If you liked Unearthly, Hallowed just might be even better! I have to wait until we're a bit closer to the release date to post the review, but be on the lookout for a Teaser Tuesday of it soon! 

SUMMARY:

 SPOILER ALERT IF YOU HAVEN'T READ UNEARTHLY!!!!

SPOILERS AHOY!

WHY ARE YOU STILL READING? I SAID SPOILERS! :)

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

BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR HALLOWED BY CYNTHIA HAND IN BOOKSTORES STARTING JANUARY 17TH, 2012

Teaser Tuesday: Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading!

To participate all you have to do is:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!) 

 Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

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NEWSOUL

Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL

Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

HEART

Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life.

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A few weeks ago, I did a Waiting on Wednesday on Incarnate by Jodi Meadows. I'd been waiting FOREVER to read this book. And now that I have read it, I can say without a doubt-- it was worth the wait! I have to wait until we're a little closer to the release date to post a review, but I can give you guys a sneak peak here! It's a bit long for a Teaser Tuesday, but I couldn't help it. When I read the book, I think I marked like 10 different spots that I wanted to do for Teaser Tuesday. It was hard to choose, but I think this one reflects really well what the book is about. Well, here goes! Hope you all enjoy!

He reclaimed my hand and stopped, spinning me toward him as though we were dancing. "I just thought of a name for your waltz." 

I waited. 

"If you like it, that is. We can always change it." His voice shook, probably because it had been such an awful morning but I imagined he wanted my approval. "Ana Incarnate." 

My heart felt too big for my ribs to cage. 

For all the unfair head kissing, the way we hadn't kissed in the kitchen and his grudging agreement to dance with me every morning-- it suddenly seemed like he knew me better than anyone in the world. Better than anyone ever would. 

He'd seen my deepest need, buried so far I'd hardly been aware of it. 

There was no telling if I'd be reborn when I died, but the waltz began and ended with my four notes. He'd built me the music around things that reminded him of me. And now this name. My name. 

A hundred or thousand years after I died, someone could play my waltz, even Li, who'd always resented my presence, and they would remember me. 

Thanks to Sam, I was immortal.