Teaser Tuesday: Masters of the Veil by Daniel A. Cohen

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!) 

Today's Teaser Tuesday is from Masters of the Veil by Daniel A. Cohen, published by Spencer Hill Press! So far, I'm loving the imagery and the imagination of this book! 

Life can't get much better for Sam Lock. Popular, good-looking, and with a future as a professional football player. every guy at Stanton High School wishes he were Sam. That is, until his championship football game, when Sam accidentally links with an ancient source of energy known as the Veil and reveals his potential to become a powerful sorcerer.Sam is whisked off to Atlas Crown, a community of sorcerers who utilize the Veil as a part of everyday life. Once there, he trains beside a mute boy who speaks through music, an eternal sage who's the eyes and ears of the Veil, and a beautiful girl who's pretty sure Sam's an idiot.As it becomes clear Sam's meant for power magic-the most feared and misunderstood form of sorcery-people beyond Atlas Crown learn of his dangerous potential. An exiled group of power sorcerers are eager to recruit Sam, believing that he is destined to help them achieve their long-held goal. If they succeed, they could bring about the downfall of not only Atlas Crown. but all humankind

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"I am the one who is responsible for feeling the small ripples in the Veil when young sorcerers have their first grips... You, my young entity, created a tidal wave." -Pg. 56

"Imagination is both cradle and grave to power. She is a cycle. She is whole." -pg. 69

"Family is family; that will never change even when the world changes you." -pg 70 (LOVE THIS QUOTE). 

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I'm still in the middle of this book, review to come soon, but so far I'd recommend it for fans of fantasy, in particular what is often considered "boy books." It feels in the same vein as Harry Potter and The Heir Chronicles by Cinda Williams Chima (both of which, rock)!

Starters by Lissa Price

Starters by Lissa Price
Reviewed by:  Middle Sis Jenn
Release Date: 3-13-2012
ARC received from Delacorte Press
The Sisters Say:  Seismic, Shocking, and Spine-tingling

HER WORLD IS CHANGED FOREVER

Callie lost her parents when the Spore Wars wiped out everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty. She and her little brother, Tyler, go on the run, living as squatters with their friend Michael and fighting off renegades who would kill them for a cookie. Callie's only hope is Prime Destinations, a disturbing place in Beverly Hills run by a mysterious figure known as the Old Man.

He hires teens to rent their bodies to Enders—seniors who want to be young again. Callie, desperate for the money that will keep her, Tyler, and Michael alive, agrees to be a donor. But the neurochip they place in Callie's head malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, and going out with a senator's grandson. It feels almost like a fairy tale, until Callie discovers that her renter intends to do more than party—and that Prime Destinations' plans are more evil than Callie could ever have imagined. . .

When I first sat down to read this book, I had my doubts because it looked very sci-fi like—which can be hit and miss for me; however, I love dystopian novels, so I figured I’d give this one a try.  I’m certainly glad I did!  Reminiscent of Dollhouse that aired on Fox, in Starters, a super secret organization called Prime Destinations employs starters (those under 19 in the futuristic society) to rent out their bodies to enders (people over 60).  Most everyone between those ages is dead because of the Spore Wars (WW3 which ended in biological attacks on the US).  The elderly and the young were vaccinated because they were vulnerable so when the attack came, anyone without the vaccine quickly died.

Callie is put in a no win situation—she has a very sick little brother Tyler and no money to get him medicine and no home to keep him safe, so she signs up with Prime.  It was very easy to get to know her and relate to her as she began finding herself in treacherous situations.  I felt like I was alongside her the whole way—when her heartbeat sped up, so did mine; when she smiled because of Blake (the resident cutie in the book), I smiled; and when she got curious, I got even more curious!!! 

What struck me most about this book is how our future could end up very similar.  How?

1.)    We vaccinate the old and young first as well, leaving everyone else more susceptible.

2.)    Biological weapons are a very real threat, especially if terrorists get their hands on one.

3.)    People always want what they can’t have and thus will push technology and morality to the edge.

Now, there are some areas of the book where the action drags, but that really didn’t both me that much.  The thing that bothered me was the lack of details in the Spore Wars and their society, but maybe that is something that will come in the future installments.  For example, the enders can live up to 200 years old, but all we are told is that medical advancements allowed it—I would have like more information.  I guess I’ll just have to wait in anticipation!

It’s definitely a thrill ride, and let me tell you this!

THE ENDING….OH MY GOSH….WHAT A TWIST!!!!  I finished the book last night, and I woke up this morning turning situation after situation over and over in my head trying to figure out what is going to happen in the next book and what the twist really means!!!!  Oh December….come quickly!

This would be a great book for any age!  There are a couple of scenes in a nightclub, but it’s just some dancing (and the mention of the bar), and there are a few kissing scenes (I wish they were more swoon-worthy, but Lissa Price didn’t spend much time delving into Blake and making him oh-so-dreamy…another hope for the future books).  Overall, not the greatest dystopian novel, but a definite must read for those who like this genre.

Illuminate by Aimee Agresti

Illuminate by Aimee Agresti
Reviewed by:  Middle Sis Jenn
ARC received from Harcourt
Release Date: 3-6-2012
The Sisters Say: Fiery, Flirty, Fun

Haven Terra is the stereotypical high school girl who is constantly overlooked.  In fact, everything about her is ordinary—other than her name, “Haven” (which I love).  She is the smart girl in class who is afraid to give the correct answer because she hates being labeled the brainiac, but she doesn’t want to give the wrong answered and be labeled the dummy.  So, instead, she slinks down in her desk and tries her best not to be noticed.  However, when she (along with her best friend Dante and classmate Lance) are recruited into a prestigious internship at a fancy hotel in Chicago, this all changes. 

The Lexington Hotel—where it all begins.  It’s beautiful, adorned with eye-popping architecture, shimmering chandeliers, and gorgeous people (referred to as The Outfit).  In fact, every one that works there is drop-dead gorgeous.  (Emphasis on the ‘drop dead’).  Owned by the stunningly beautiful Aurelia Brown and managed by the you-take-my-breath-away Lucian Grove, the Lexington is the “hot” place in Chicago, but it will soon prove to be Haven’s hell.

To Haven, magic, angels, demons—these are just things in dreams—not real life.  But that dream is about to be ripped apart.  Haven is plucked from the safe environment of home, and thrust into a world full of lies, secrets, betrayal, and pain, where nothing is what it seems.  She soon finds herself falling for the mysterious Lucian (because who wouldn’t?), but Haven is about to find out that love can be even more dangerous than evil, for Lucian has secrets of his own. 

Caught between what she feels and what she knows, she finds herself slipping further into this dark world.  With the help of a strange book, Haven soon learns that to survive, she must not only unearth the secrets that Aurelia, Lucian, and The Outfit hold, but she must also dig into her own missing past.  Haven soon learns that she is the only hope to save a world that otherwise would burn.

Fear.  Danger.  Love.  Magic.  Secrets.  Rage.  Desire.  Hatred. 

In her fight to save her friends and the world she knows, will she lose herself?

As I was reading Illuminate, my favorite quote kept popping into my head:

"Are there, infinitely varying with each individual, inbred forces of Good and Evil in all of us, deep down below the reach of mortal encouragement and mortal repression--hidden Good and hidden Evil, both alike at the mercy of the liberating opportunity and the sufficient temptation?"" --No Name by Wilkie Collins

Which nature (good or evil) we choose to act on is what defines our past, our present, our future, and most importantly--our afterlife. Aimee Agresti shows us how each decision we make affects the beauty of our soul—each sin makes a small blemish to remind us of our vulnerable state of being, whereas each act of love or redemption casts a brightening light over our heads. In Illuminate, each character's soul is in the middle of a tug-o-war between good and evil.  Who will fight and who will fall when the "sufficient temptaiton" rolls around?

What did I like? The dichotomies...

Popular vs. Pariah

Coming from a small school where you can participate in everything and being a part of the popular crowd made me like the antagonists the best (don’t judge me, bad guys are awesome….kind of like I root for Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty or Draco in Harry Potter).  Full of corrupt power, Aurelia is the quintessential temptation for those who desire fame or fortune.  As you will find soon into the book, Aurelia and her band of glamorous followers are in the business of purchasing the souls of others.  While I wouldn’t dream of selling my soul for anything, you can definitely see the more negative desire of the human heart in her, and thus, on some level, relate to her.

On the other hand, Haven is the quiet, smart girl in school.  After teaching for a few years, I can unequivocally see how so many people would relate to her situation.  If you know what it’s like to be overlooked (and hey, we all do at some point), then you will relate to Haven.  Or, if like me, you sometimes live in a fantasy world where you wake up and it’s you who has the strange power or the magical destiny, then you will love how Haven goes from the insignificant student to the confident and power-wielding hero.

Good vs. Evil

My favorite part about the book is the internal struggle about what future to choose.  I loved to watch Haven struggle with her desire for Lucian, even after she knew the truth about him.  That’s human nature isn’t it?  We refuse to believe what we see with our eyes if it breaks our hearts.  What’s even more intriguing, though, is to see how Lucian struggles with his own choice for immortality, since he found himself at the “mercy of temptation,” and instead of choosing good, he faltered, falling into evil.   

Agresti paints a world of black and white, good and evil, weak and strong, fire and ice where everyone must make a choice, and once that’s made, there may be no going back.

Conclusion

I enjoyed this book, but it was not one that I would start texting friends and family to read right away.

The book is not without its flaws.  With a kind of Tolkien description, there are times when I felt I could have skipped a page or two and not missed anything.  I mean, the book is 531 pages and could have easily been 50-100 pages less.  Nonetheless, I still read it all in few days (which is good for me as I have an 8 month old who is constantly getting into things and stealing my attention—along with the attention of anyone who lays eyes on him!).  I do believe that this book will be more appealing to teenagers who can relate more to Haven’s current place in life.  I wish it would have had more of a romantic appeal to it.  There is the romance between Haven and Lucian, but it’s ill-fated from the start, so I couldn’t allow myself to really enjoy it. 

As for the content of the book, there are a few curse words, mainly the s-word, but they were not rampant.  I would say no more than 5 or 6 times in the book.  The thing that would bother me most (as a parent) is the underage drinking.  There is a night club, The Vault, that Haven and her friends are allowed in to, where there are a few scenes that highlight dancing and partying.  Haven, though, does make a point not to drink or party.  The most sexual content you’ll see is a hot and steamy kiss on the way to a night club.

Divergent: The Choosing Ceremony

Holy jumping trains Batman, we are just 3 months shy of the release of Insurgent!!!  I think I can say without a doubt, this is one of the most aniticipated novels of the year!  Between the factions, the rebellion and FOUR this series bleeds amazingness.  To kick off the celebration early, HarperCollins has been creating some pretty great things to tide us over until the release.  I can't word it any more perfectly than Alison from HarperCollins did herself:

As we get closer and closer to the on sale date of INSURGENT (5/1/2012!!!), the excitement just keeps building! We wouldn't want to leave you out in the cold like the factionless, so the team here at HarperCollins has created something awesome to dull the pain of your temporarily Four-less existence. First, check out the Choosing Ceremony eCard. Then, spill some metaphorical blood playing this new game: http://www.facebook.com/DivergentSeries?sk=app_161995987251488

So head on over to facebook and have some fun until our "Four-less" day are over!!!

Waiting on Wednesday: Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers

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 week's book that we are anxiously awaiting is Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers.  It is published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and releases on April 3rd.

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf? 
Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others. 
Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

Plus, check out this AMAZING book trailer!  It seriously have me CHILLS!!! Grave Mercy is definitely a pre-order for me!

Dark Days of Winter: Lauren Oliver

Check out this Livestream of Lauren Oliver talking about the Delirium Trilogy!  As you know if you have followed us for awhile, we LOVE Lauren Oliver!  Here are the reviews of the first 2 books in the series, Delirium and Pandemonium.

Here's the link for the livestream: http://www.livestream.com/epicreads

Also! Catch Lauren at All Things Urban Fantasy: 

Dark Days Leg 3

2/21 Lauren Oliver at All Things Urban Fantasy

2/22 Claudia Gray at A Life Bound By Books

2/23 Alex Flinn at Mundie Moms

2/28 Dan Wells at Bookalicious

3/1 Lauren Oliver at All Things Urban Fantasy

3/6 Claudia Gray at A Life Bound By Books

3/7 Alex Flinn at Mundie Moms

3/8 Dan Wells at Bookalicious

And see her in person here: 

Lauren Oliver (PANDEMONIUM), Claudia Gray (BALTHAZAR), and Dan Wells (PARTIALS)

March 9^th @ 6:30pm | Books & Books | Coral Gables, FL | Harmony's Radiant Reads 

March 10^th @ 2pm | Barnes & Noble | Alpharetta, GA | One Page at a Time

March 11^th @ 4pm | Vroman’s | Los Angeles, CA | For Those About to Read

*LIVESTREAM event   

Teaser Tuesday: The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg

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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                "Love is no game.  People cut their ears off over this stuff.  People jump off the Eiffel Tower and sell all their possessions and move to Alaska to live with the grizzly bears, and then they get eaten and nobody hears them when they scream for help.  That's right.  Falling in love is pretty much the same things as being eaten alive by a grizzly bear." (ARC p3)

                "I was fifteen years old when I died of a broken heart.  No urban myths or legends here.  I'm talking one hundred percent Death by Heartbreak.  No, I didn't kill myself. No, I didn't go on a hunger strike.  I didn't catch pneumonia wandering around in the rain in tears, Sense and Sensibility-style, even though I'm kind of obsessed with Kate Winslet.  Nope, I did it the old-fashioned way.  My heart literally BROKE IN HALF." (ARC p3)

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As the wonderful Lauren Oliver says on the front cover, "Gorgeous, funny and heartbreaking." I can't think of three better words to describe this book.  Review coming soon!!!

Balthazar by Claudia Gray

Balthazar by Claudia Gray
Reviewed by: Middle Sis Jenn
ARC received from Harper Teen
Release Date: 3-6-2012
The Sisters Say:  Boundary breaking, Blood thirsty, and Breathtaking

Haunted by memories from his first days as a vampire, Balthazar has spent hundreds of years alone—without allies, without love. When he emerges from his isolation to help Skye Tierney, a human girl who once attended Evernight Academy, Balthazar has no idea how dangerous it will be. Skye’s psychic powers have caught the attention of Redgrave, the cruel master vampire responsible for murdering Balthazar and his family four centuries ago. Having learned of Skye’s powers and the remarkable effect her blood has on vampires, he plans to use her for his own evil purposes. As they stand together to fight the evil vampire, Balthazar realizes his lonely world could finally be changed by Skye...just as Redgrave realizes that he can destroy Balthazar once and for all by taking her for his own.

In a story filled with forbidden love and dark suspense, one of the most beloved characters in Claudia Gray’s New York Times bestselling Evernight series will captivate readers with his battle to overcome his past and follow his heart.
(from goodreads.com)



Oh Balthazar, you make me sigh,
For you, all guys, I will deny,
Your chiseled abs and brooding smirk,
Make daydreaming a lifelong perk.
Forget that Skye and come to me!
Bite my neck and set me free!
The thought of you, I am in awe,
I close my eyes, and oh la la!

So I was never one of those people that read and re-read Twilight over and over again, so I am not even close to bored of vampires yet…which is great, because otherwise I might not have read Balthazar right away; and I would have completely been missing out!  It was such a quick read (which I love….makes me feel accomplished and genius-like) and there’s just enough detail that you get the action without being bogged down by the color of the sky or the smell of the trees or other such nonsense.  Because, with me, I like to get to the steamy part right away!!! (But I’m going to make you wait…not long…but just a little tease!)

Balthazar is a stand-alone novel with characters from the Evernight series.  I’ve never read the Evernight series, and I was able to pick up this book and read like I already knew the characters.  The only one that confused me at times (where I had to look up a character analysis just to be clear about what he was) was Lucas, and he only has a few cameos (we never see him in person…only a mention of a phone call or text).  So that was great that I could read a book without having to go purchase and read all the ones that came before it. 

Okay…so here we go…

The novel is focused around Skye Tierney  who has the gift of “death sight.”  She inherited the ability to experience the deaths of people when Bianca (a wraith) possessed her at the end of the last Evernight book.  As a result of the possession, Skye’s aura was awakened to the dead.  Now, any time she is in the place where someone died a violent death, she goes into a trance and relives the death—the fear, the pain, all of it.  Soon, these psychic powers catch the attention of a monstrous vampire, Redgrave, who just happens to be Balthazar’s nemesis.  Skye, unaware of the power her blood has over vampires, finds herself in the middle of a cat and mouse game with Redgrave and his minions.

Enter Mr. Dreamsicle…my mouth is starting to water!

He’s sexy and broody—my two favorite attributes in a vamp!  For 100s of years, Balthazar has lived without love; he’s seen how the vampire world tears apart love and innocence.  But for some reason, Skye opens his eyes and his heart (all at once now…..awwww!).  He pledges to protect her from Redgrave, which requires him to be at her side constantly—even throughout the night. 

So, what do I LOVE about it?  I absolutely love that Claudia Gray wrote the novel in third person, going back and forth between Skye’s point of view and Balthazar’s.  We see Skye constantly fret over whether or not Balthazar looked at her or thought about her.  You know what it’s like (or remember what it’s like)….where you want to grab a flower and recite the “He loves me, He loves me not,” over and over again because just maybe he really does love you!  You really get to see how Skye deals with the budding romance, it’s ups and downs.  I do wish the novel would have delved deeper into her psychic powers because that it was causes the problems to begin with; however, her abilities are put on the back burner while its effects on vampires is thrust in the forefront.  I would have liked to see Skye really push her limits to discover what true power she holds. 

I love Balthazar’s point of view a hundred times more!  He made one rule many centuries ago:  no humans.  But as Balthazar continues to fall for Skye, he has to continually remind himself of that, and every time he repeated the phrase “no humans,” I smiled because it showed his vulnerability and it’s just great to know that guys can be driven crazy, too.  But he keeps refusing to show his feelings—even after Skye saves his life…I won’t tell you how….but I will tell you that there’s an shower scene (EEEEKK!!!!) and he ends up naked in her bed.  So beware, parents, about letting your teenagers read this—even though it says it’s for ages 13 and up.  Anyways…after that, Balthazar has to recite his rule over and over again.  Finally, when he gives in to his desire for Skye, they end up in heart-thumping, chills down your back, embrace that, yes, I read multiple times.  Let me tell you—OH LA LA!!!!!

I’ll let you discover the rest on your own.

So, Survey Says….

I am oh so glad I read this book.  While, in my opinion, Balthazar is not Jace or Four, I still found him to be oh so hot, so if you enjoy paranormal romance, this book is for you. 
What bugged me?  It’s supposedly a stand-alone novel, but it ends like it’s going to be a trilogy of its own.  So, if there aren’t any books coming after this in the future, I’m going to be upset.  I mean, Skye is just now starting to understand her psychic powers (in the last 2-3 chapters of the book) and the power they hold.

For parents, there are a few curse words here and there, but most importantly, there is sexual content.  There’s the naked shower scene, a hot and steamy make out session which fades to black, and then there are lots of references to touching each other and kissing each other after the initial sexual acts.

1 Year Blogoversary Grande Finale Giveaway

Today is finally here!  We must say goodbye to the amazing 1st year of our blog and look on to year 2 that will hold some exciting things!!!  We will have our 2nd Annual YA Crush Tourney this summer and then in the late fall, early winter, we will have The Villain Tourney or as Britt and I have been jokingly calling it "The Tournament of Villainy". (mwahahahahaha!)  Be sure to sign up to be on our email list because you never know when a surprise tournament will pop up! (wink wink)

So with the last day comes our biggest giveaway yet!  We had a chance to go to the Dark Days of Winter event in Austin and picked up a few extra goodies while we were there!  So, this is going to be a special Dark Days of Winter Giveaway!

The giveaway includes:
A Signed ARC of Incarnate by Jodi Meadows
A Signed ARC of Hallowed by Cynthia Hand
A Signed ARC of Everneath by Brodi Ashton
An Everneath Guitar Pick Necklace and some other swag we will throw in!

Thank of you again for an amazing year, and we look forward to many more!  All of you Rock Our Faces Off!!!

Embrace by Jessica Shirvington: A Review and a Giveaway!

Embrace by
Reviewed by: Baby Sister Brittany
ARC Received from Permabound Books
Release Date: 3/6/12
The Sisters say: Angelic. Amazing. Action-packed. That's Amore!

It starts with a whisper: “It’s time for you to know who you are…” 

Violet Eden dreads her seventeenth birthday. After all, it’s hard to get too excited about the day that marks the anniversary of your mother’s death. As if that wasn’t enough, disturbing dreams haunt her sleep and leave her with very real injuries. There’s a dark tattoo weaving its way up her arms that wasn’t there before. 

Violet is determined to get some answers, but nothing could have prepared her for the truth. The guy she thought she could fall in love with has been keeping his identity a secret: he’s only half-human—oh, and same goes for her. 

A centuries-old battle between fallen angels and the protectors of humanity has chosen its new warrior. It’s a fight Violet doesn’t want, but she lives her life by two rules: don’t run and don’t quit. When angels seek vengeance and humans are the warriors, you could do a lot worse than betting on Violet Eden… 

Look for the sequels ENTICED in September 2012 and EMBLAZE in March 2013!

You know... every time I think I'm tired of a certain trend-- a new book pops up that still manages to sweep me away! I thought I'd had enough of Angels, but sure couldn't get enough of Embrace.

Violet is a kick-butt heroine! She's independent, but not so independent that she's without weakness. She's witty, but not so witty that she's always knows exactly what to say. She's brave, but not without fear. She's attractive, but she's insecure. But... she's not so insecure that she's annoying. What I'm trying to say is.... she's real. I could see myself in her. She wasn't one of those heroines that seems to be good at everything, and is practically the second coming. On the flip side, she wasn't one of those heroines who is plain, but everyone treats her like she's amazing. She had all the right mix of attributes to make her an honest, relatable character.

Shirvington gives us a unique take on how her part-angels, known as Grigori, are created. Whenever the mom dies in childbirth, it creates an opening in the baby's... um, aura, I guess? Angels (either light or dark) then have the option of giving a piece of themselves to that child to make him or her a Grigori-- human protectors who wage battles against the fallen angels on earth. There's not a whole lot of religion involved in the book. The angelic realm is balanced by good and evil, and it's a mystery to the Grigori and to the angels, as much as it is to humans. There are a few big plot twists that will keep you hooked (though with the fast pace of this book, I don't think that will be an issue).

Okay... I've gotten some coherent thoughts in... SO NOW IT'S TIME TO TALK ABOUT THE BOYS. See what I did there? I held off as long as I could, really.

LIIIIIINNNNNCCCOOOOOLLLLLLLLNNNNNN.

That's what my brain looked like as I read this book. Or occasionally like this....

LINCOLNLINCOLNLINCOLNLINCOLNLINCOLN

Once or twice it looked like this...

LINCOLNLINCOLNPHOENIXLINCOLNLINCOLNPHOENIIIIIIIIIXXXXXXXXX.

Alright. Let me try and real some coherent thoughts back in.

The boys in this book are some of the most swoon-worthy boys I've seen in a long time. If Lincoln doesn't make the YA Crush Tourney this summer, I will die. Unless Phoenix saves me.

Lincoln is Violet's friend. He's older, and they met in a self-defense class. Since then he's become her pseudo-trainer. He's that perfect, hot older guy, that seems out of your reach, but then does something to make you think otherwise. I won't tell you much about it... but there's this kiss... and GUYS. DANG. IT IS SOME KISS.

But when Violet realizes she's Grigori, and that Lincoln is too-- things start to fall apart. Just when it seemed that something might be happening between them, she learns nothing can, because it's not allowed.

Enter Phoenix. Fallen Angel. The very creature from whom she's supposed to protect humanity. But he's different (far different than she will realize until the end of the book). He is hotness incarnate. And he's there when Lincoln isn't.

Seriously. SWOON. BOTH OF THEM. BUT MOSTLY LINCOLN.

And do you know what the best part is? This is a trilogy, but Sourcebooks has scheduled the releases only 6 months apart. Which is good, because I'm suffering from Lincoln withdrawals already.

Oh, wait, I almost forgot! Do you know what the even better best part is???

I HAVE A COPY OF THIS BOOK TO GIVE AWAY TO YOU FOR FREEEEEEE!

Waiting on Wednesday & a Giveaway: GILT by Katherine Longshore

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 week's book that we are anxiously awaiting is Gilt by Katherine! Lust, Lies, and the inner workings of King Henry VIII's court!

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In the Tudor age, ambition, power and charismatic allure are essential and Catherine Howard has plenty of all three. Not to mention her loyal best friend, Kitty Tylney, to help cover her tracks. Kitty, the abandoned youngest daughter of minor aristocracy, owes everything to Cat – where she is, what she is, even who she is. Friend, flirt, and self-proclaimed Queen of Misrule, Cat reigns supreme in a loyal court of girls under the none-too-watchful eye of the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk.

When Cat worms her way into the heart of Henry VIII and becomes Queen of England, Kitty is thrown into the intoxicating Tudor Court. It’s a world of glittering jewels and elegant costumes, of gossip and deception. As the Queen’s right-hand-woman, Kitty goes from the girl nobody noticed to being caught between two men – the object of her affection and the object of her desire.

But the atmosphere of the court turns from dazzling to deadly, and Kitty is forced to learn the difference between trust and loyalty, love and lust, secrets and treason. And to accept the consequences when some lessons are learned too late.

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King Henry VIII's life is certainly one of the most fascinating in history. But this novel delves into the life of one of King Henry's less explored wives-- Catherine Howard. I was particularly fascinated with this book as our family name is Howard! You'll should definitely put this one your To Be Read List! It comes out May 15, 2012 from Viking!

And in case you don't want to wait until May 15-- so long, I know! We're giving you an opportunity to win your very own advanced copy! See below for giveaway details. 

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver Review & Giveaway

It's time for Day 4 of our 1 Year Blogoversary Celebration!  Today we are celebrating the release of Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver! *throws confetti*


Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
HarperCollins
It's out today!
Reviewed by: AmyG (Big sis) and Baby Sister Britt
Sister's Say: Poetic, Pristine, Perfect

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.

 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

So after I finished Pandemonium, I went straight to twitter and wrote this: NOOOOO! Don't end there!!! To which then I joked around with Brooke from Brooke Reports that my review would look like this:
No words...stunned silent...buy the book!

Of course, that can't be my review even though it accurately and precisely describes my feelings after reading the last page! So here goes with the actual review as literate as I can make it through my stunned silence.


Lauren Oliver appears again to knock our socks off with her beautiful words.  From the opening pages of the book, everything is completely sensory.  I can feel, see, taste, smell, and hear everything.  Not only from the outside, but the inside.  I know how Lena felt after leaving Alex at the gate, running for her life without him, physically and emotionally wounded.  Not from me trying to imagine it, but from Lauren actually placing me inside Lena's thoughts.  She has a way of putting you directly in her character's heads and hearts.  Her words are absolute poetry, and her ability to emotionally bind you to her characters is genius.

The story is also told in sort of a fractured timeline. Oliver jumps back and forth in time between the beginning of Lena's escape and later when she has become an established part of the resistance. For some, this jump might seem off-putting, but we loved it. It was so fascinating to see broken Lena and strong Lena, but have no idea when or how the change occurs.


Pandemonium introduces a world of new characters.    I loved all them, and the perfect, non-traditional family they created together.  Oliver weaves the back stories of these characters into the tapestry of the story and creates a beautiful masterpiece.  They are the perfect ensemble to Lena's story.  They glide along in the background adding bits and pieces here and there that give the book emotion and more beauty.  I'm so excited to see where the story leads with this cast of characters.


I know in Delirium, we all fell in love with Alex!  I am right there with all of you, I was completely infected with deliria amor nervosa from the moment I met Alex.  And, the disease has struck again, but this time with Julian.  Julian, Julian, Julian...what can I say?  He is sweet, cute and perfect!  His father is head of the campaign for the cure, so you can imagine the turmoil that Julian faces as he realizes that he might be in love.  The war raging within himself as he slowly transitions his beliefs from love being a disease to love being a gift is moving and terrifying.  I don't think anyone's words but Lauren's could have given his emotions justice.  You will love Julian.  He is in many ways completely different from Alex, but I promise you will love him all the same.


Now for the ending.  Ms. Oliver slaughtered, yes slaughtered all of our hearts with the ending of Delirium.  I must say that she does it again in Pandemonium.  She is the Queen of crazy, amazing, shocking endings!  It's brilliant though!  I definitely count this a plus in her novels.  I love the tormenting endings, it makes me angsty and crave the next book even more!

Lauren Oliver has quickly made her way into my circle of all time favorite authors.  I read her books for her beautiful words.  She could honestly write a book about rocks, and it would be utterly breathtaking.  She's a true artist when it comes to the talent of weaving words together to create something amazing!  Her writing alone should urge everyone to go read this series, but when you combine this with her heart-pounding plots, and masterful characterizations, you have a series for the ages!

Review and Giveaway: Shadows by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Shadows by Jennifer L. Armentrout
A Lux Novella from Entangled Teen
Release Date: 2/21/12
The Sisters Say: Exciting, Endearing, Extraterrestrial

The last thing Dawson Black expected was Bethany Williams. As a Luxen, an alien life form on Earth, human girls are…well, fun. But since the Luxen have to keep their true identities a secret, falling for one would be insane. Dangerous. Tempting. Undeniable. 

Bethany can’t deny the immediate connection between her and Dawson. And even though boys aren’t a complication she wants, she can’t stay away from him. Still, whenever they lock eyes, she’s drawn in. Captivated. Lured. Loved. 

Dawson is keeping a secret that will change her existence...and put her life in jeopardy. But even he can’t stop risking everything for one human girl. Or from a fate that is as unavoidable as love itself.


I imagine some of you might be a bit tired of all our fan-girling over Jennifer Armentrout. There's only so many ways we can order/entice/bribe/beg you to read her work (all of it, seriously, every single bit) before we start to repeat ourselves. So, from now on, for everyone's sake, you should just all assume that every mention of Jennifer on our blog comes in that shrieky-higher-pitched-than-a-dolphin-fan-girl-squee.

Now that that's all taken care of... let's talk Shadows.

Shadows is a novella, technically a prequel to Obsidian (see our former squee-filled review here). It has the same great world building featuring the Luxen-- not the little green aliens, but aliens whose true forms manifest in beautiful, awe-inspiring forms of light. Of course, like all alien stories, it is imperative that humans know nothing about their existence.

This has never been much of a problem for Dawson. Like his brother Daemon, he interacts with humans, but has never gotten too close to any of them. Unlike his brother and some other Luxen, he doesn't have any disdain for humans, just not a great deal of interest. That all changes when he meets Bethany.

The new girl catches his eye in a way no other girl has. The closer he gets to her, the more that fascination grows. And in one of my favorite scenes of the entire book, he accidentally lets the cat out of the bag about his alien status. I leave the way that happens a surprise. Trust me, you'll enjoy it.

Dawson is quite different than his brother Daemon. He's a bit more thoughtful, quiet, and caring. You'll fall in love with him, and be grateful for the insight his character provides with regards to his brother. That has to be one of my favorite things about this book--getting more background info about other characters, and knowing what will happen to them in the future. This novella is ripe with foreshadowing for Obsidian.

Like all of Jennifer's work-- Shadows has a heart-thumping, mind-numbing, skin-shivering romance. But more than that... it will also pull on your heartstrings. And if you're like me.... it will leave you formulating theories for the continuation of this series!

This novella is not without it's issues-- it bothered me a little that we never got to see Bethany make any friendships besides with Dawson. I think the alternating POV's between Bethany, Dawson, and Daemon kept us from connecting with each individual characters as well as we would have if it had been a bit more focused.

That being said-- this is a novella-- meant to whet our appetites (though at a whopping 170-something pages, it's definitely the most deliciously long novella I've ever read). And it certainly does that! Fans of Jennifer Armentrout will cheer for this intriguing addition to the series!

Now that I've gushed for a little while, as part of our week long BLOGOVERSARY celebration, we're offering an eBook copy of  SHADOWS (Nook or Kindle)! Just fill out the rafflecopter form below!

Also, leave us a comment an let us know-- which is your favorite kind of book boyfriend: Sweet, thoughtful, and charming like Dawson? Or Sarcastic, Dangerous, and Sinfully Sexy like Daemon?

A Chelsea Fine Giveaway: Anew and Sophie and Carter

And it's day 2 of our 1 year Blogoversary!  Today we are celebrating Chelsea Fine, one of our favorite Indie authors.  Her debut novel was a sweet little contemporary romance titled Sophie and Carter, and her 2nd novel Anew is a swoon-worthy paranormal romance.  The best of both worlds from 1 author!  You can click on the titles above and see my review for both of these novels.

Today, both of her novels are up for grabs for 1 lucky winner!

While other high school seniors are dreaming about their futures, Sophie and Carter are just trying to make it through each day. Carter is overwhelmed by issues at home as he struggles to support his mother. Meanwhile, next door neighbour Sophie is left to care for her three younger siblings in place of their absent and troubled mother. All that holds these two best friends together is each other, and knowing that each night they'll sit together on Sophie's front porch swing and escape from reality, if just for awhile. But as their relationship reaches a turning point and high school graduation nears, will their friendship become something more?  

Two years ago, Scarlet awoke in the forest alone, afraid, and unable to remember anything. Lost and confused, her life was a mystery...until she met a boy with a familiar voice. 
Gabriel Archer has a voice from her past, and Scarlet's determined to remember why. She immerses herself in his life only to discover he has a brother he's kept hidden from her: Tristan Archer. 
Upon meeting Tristan, Scarlet's world becomes even more muddled. While she's instinctively drawn to Gabriel, she's impossibly drawn to Tristan--and confused out of her mind. As she tries to piece together her history Scarlet realizes her past...might just be the death of her. 

  Thanks to Acacia Publishing for the giveaway copies! You guys are awesome! US only.