Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter

Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter

ARC received from Harlequin Teen via Netgalley

Release Date:  3-27-2012

Reviewed by:  Middle Sis Jenn

The Sisters Say:  Enchanting, Enthralling, Entertaining

Kate Winters has won immortality. But if she wants a life with Henry in the Underworld, she'll have to fight for it.Becoming immortal wasn't supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she's as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he's becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate's coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans. As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person whom she would really rather not meet. Henry's first wife, Persephone.

I started reading The Goddess Test yesterday and the moment I was done, I went straight for my ARC of Goddess Interrupted.  I was excited to see how Kate and Henry’s romance was going to continue to unfold.  While the action in the novel was great, and I loved getting to see deeper into the psyche of the Gods, I was somewhat disappointed in the romance between Henry and Kate.  There was so much angst that at times I wanted to jump straight into the book (if only I had magical powers) and slap them both in the face and scream, “Come on!  Get it together and kiss already!  Quit wallowing in self-pity!”  However, no matter how many times I wished for Harry Potter powers, I found none, so I just continued to grumble to myself.

That doesn’t mean that I did not enjoy the book.  On the contrary, I cannot wait until the next book comes out; I just hope that Aimee Carter will give my heart a break and inundate me with some great kissy romance scenes. 

So what did I like?

Even though the romance aspect was very tense, I still liked Henry.  What can I say?  I’m a sucker for a broken, broody guy whose eyes flash with love every so often.  No matter how cold and distant he gets, I’d still rule the Underworld with him!

The evil in this book is so extreme that I am still reeling.  Calliope—grrrr!  That’s all I can come up with!  She’s beyond evil—full of hatred and misery and determined to take everyone down with her.  That’s what makes the action so overwhelmingly great…I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see when she was going to attack again.  (There are no spoilers here…you see Calliope’s plan in the first 2 pages).

But Calliope is not the only evil that Kate must face—even worse…she has to face Persephone.  Not that Persephone is evil, but let’s face it; having to enlist the help of the woman your husband is still in love with would make anyone a little furious.  I really enjoyed the insight into Persephone and Henry’s relationship.  It made me understand (somewhat) why Henry acts the way he does—cold and distant.  Though I still wish that Aimee Carter would have given the angst a break, I did enjoy seeing how Henry’s past relationship starts to define his present one.

What did I dislike?

Again…the angst.  We see very little emotion from Henry (I know, he’s Hades, he has to be cold).  I would have liked to see him cave to his emotion, even once to give another layer to his character.

Not that I disliked the ending…it’s more that I dislike having to wait to find out what happens!  This cliffhanger ending will make you want to scream even louder than the infamous Soprano ending!  To me, there is nothing worse than not knowing!  But I guess in the world of young adult, I must get used to the cliffhanger-break-my-heart-and-stomp-on-it endings.  I’ll just say this—I need an ARC of the next one, please!!!!!!

So….

I did fall in love with Aimee Carter’s world.  She gives us and entirely new idea of heaven and hell.  She creates a world where lies, betrayal, hatred, and envy are overwhelming and can only be combated by truth, loyalty, and love—things so few are willing to give.  Take a trip to Aimee Carter’s Underworld, and like me, you might not want to return. 

Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins
HarperTeen
May 1, 2012
Reviewed by: AmyG (big sis)
Sisters say: Sweet, Evil, and Superb

What if there were teens whose lives depended on being bad influences? This is life for sons and daughters of fallen angels in Sweet Evil. 
Tenderhearted Southern girl, Anna Whitt, was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage, and her will-power is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna. 
A cross-country trip to meet her father forces Anna to face the reality that hope and love are not options for her kind. When she confronts her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?

Where to begin on this review, I do not really know.  This novel made me feel so many things and was very thought provoking as a human and as a mother.  It was a very well written novel with a wonderful story.  The subject matter was very dark and questioned human nature to its core.  Is there evil and good in all of us?  Is there only evil or only good?  Is there a way to fight against that evil or ignore the good for that instant gratification that evil sometime provides.  Though the subject matter was dark, the theme was one of hope.  Like Dumbledore says in the movie version of Sorceror's Stone, "Happiness can be found even in the darkest of time, when only one remembers to turn on the light."  That's true here too.  These characters are being faced with pure evil and are constantly bombarded with the 7 deadly sins personified.  However,  hope arrives in the form of a sweet, southern girl by the name of Anna.  She teaches the children of the Dukes of sin, that you always have a choice no matter what even if you come from the darkest of darks. 


I fell in love with all of the characters in this novel especially Anna and Kaidan.  Anna is a praise-worthy heroine, who fights for those she loves no matter the cost.  I loved watching how she dealt with the war battling out inside of her between her angel and fallen heritages.  When she meets Kaidan, the whole story takes a on a new light.  Kaidan is the King Of Bad Boys!  Seriously guys, you know how we like our broken bad boys, but let me tell you, they don't get any more bad or broken than Kaidan.  However, there is a sweet, sadness inside of him that makes him so appealing!  I could see the battle ragging inside of him slowly tearing him apart.  He is oh so redeemable and all of you will fall fast and hard for him!  


I can't wait to see where Wendy takes us in the coming novels.  There are so many great themes and Sweet Evil was so amazing that I am overflowing with aniticipation for the next installment! I loved, loved, loved this book.  It's a beautiful love story that will leave you proud, inspired, hopeful yet heartbroken at the same time.  It's a definite must read for me!  However, I do need to say,  if you like all of us on the YA-Sisterhood are not teenagers and enjoy YA novels, then I would definitely say pick this book up!  But, if you are a parent looking for books for your teen to read, then I would suggest you read this first and decide at what age you think this book is appropriate.  The "content" doesn't push the boundaries, but some of the "subject matter" is mature dealing with the repercussions of the 7 deadly sins and knowingly leading other teens into these sins.  I just want to put a caution out there on that front.  It does make for some great discussions no matter what your age though!  I loved it all!   

Waiting on Wednesday: Silver by Talia Vance

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 Sliver by Talia Vance.  Silver is published by Flux and will be released September 8th.  

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Beauty is pointless when no one's looking.

Brianna Paxton has been invisible to guys since the eighth grade. She’s pretty enough, it’s just that no one bothers to look. There’s almost nothing that can’t be explained with science, and Brianna has a theory: she’s missing the pheromone that attracts people to one another. Brianna’s theory is shot to hell in one frozen, silver moment, when time stops and Blake Williams not only sees her, he recognizes something inside her that she’s been hiding from even herself.

Before Brianna fully understands who and what she is, she accidentally binds her soul to Blake. Forced to find a way to reconcile forbidden love and her bloody heritage, Brianna discovers that there's nothing pointless about her, and Blake may be in the most danger of all.

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Not only is this cover drop dead gorgeous, but if you throw in binding souls, forbidden love and bloody heritages, I'm pretty sure no one can resist!  Count us in times 10!  Middle Sis Jen and I are both dying to read this one!  Plus, we got to meet some people from Flux at ALA midwinter and LOVED them!  Add this to your Goodreads TBR here!

Free Four! A Story from Tobias!

Holy Insurgent Batman!!! Harper has just announced if they reach 35,000 pre-orders they will unlock a special, pivotal scene from Divergent in Four's POV!!!  Yep, I pretty much just exploded!  Everyone please go pre-order Insurgent right now!  We want this scene!  If you have already pre-ordered, have no fear, it counts toward the 35,000!  Plus, I just checked out Amazon a minute ago, and you can pre-order Insurgent for $10.79!  That is total crazypants, awesomesauce!  Also don't forget to keep supporting Team Erudite!  Smart is oh so sexy!!!

Jennifer L. ArmenTourney: Grande Finale Alex vs Daemon

**click on the pic above to visit other Pure Blog Tour stops**

And the winner is....

Daemon!!!

Matches will open at 12:01AM on April 10th and close at 8PM CST on April 13th. We are not having advocates in this tournament, so all of you feel free to rally the troups and support your characters in the comments. Remember above all that this tournament is to celebrate ALL of Jennifer's characters. If there is any slandering, character bashing, cursing, or anything else we deem inappropriate, we reserve the right to delete your comment. Let's have fun, cheer on our favorite characters, and show Jennifer how much we love her!

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Holy gods and aliens Batman!!! The finale is here, and it is BRUTAL!!! I'm completely torn as to whom to chose, one of the best heroines of all time or one of the hottest crushes in all YA bookdom!  If you haven't read either of these series, then for shame for shame!  You need to rectify that immediately!  All of Jennifer L. Armentrout's books are blow-me-away, wonderful!  Trust me you will never regret reading one of her books!  For those of you who haven't read one or both or just need a refresher, here are some short little bios.

Alexandria, Alex for short, the protagonist of the Covenant series, was born a Half-Blood but finds out that she is actually the 2nd of 2 Apollyons.  In modern day history there has never been 2 Apollyons, so she is extremely rare.  And as legend says, 2 apollyons does not bode well for the Covenant.  Alex has bravely faced every challenge that has been tossed her way, some so harrowing that even the greatest of mythological heroes would have turned back.  She is caught in a love triangle of epic proportions between Seth and Aiden in which many of JLA's readers would gladly take her place!

Daemon is from JLA's Lux series.  He's a triplet along with Dee and Dawson.  Not only does Daemon happen to be an alien, but he is possibly the most powerful of all the aliens, and there is an evil group of aliens out to steal his powers.  He's snarky, rude, uncommonly gorgeous, and has wall up around his heart the size of The Great Wall of China.  Katy manages to start knocking down this great wall slowly but surely, but even with Daemon's wall crumbling, their love is still forbidden.  The ulitmate of all bad boy boyfriends and a forbidden romance pretty makes this alien irresistable!

So after all that, best of luck in your decision on who should be crowned our favorite Jennifer L. Armentrout character!  Let the pain begin!

Teaser Tuesday: INSURGENT by Veronica Roth

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!)

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Releases on May 1st.

Thank you to Katherine Tegen, HarperCollins times a million for the ARC!

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"Because inside me is a beast that snarls,
growls, and strains toward freedom,
toward Tobias and, above all, toward life." (ARC, pg 341)


"His skin is slippery with water and he smells like sweat and my shirt sticks to his arms when he slides them around me.  He presses his face to my neck and kisses me right above the collarbone, kisses my cheek, kisses my lips."  (ARC, pg 400)

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I read this book (more than 500 pages) in less than 24 hours, and it was so good I felt like I read it in an hour! I just completely fell for Four all over again! I wanted to turn right back to the beginning and reread it! But since I need to get it back to big sis Amy, I satisfied myself with just rereading my favorite Four parts (which there were plenty of)!! There are no dull moments, action follow action, hate follows hate, and love follows love! You will find yourself on a rollercoaster of emotions, and you won't want it to stop! I'm already wallowing in self pity because I have to wait a year for the final book! Oh, and did I mention you will fall even more in love with Four? I did, but it bears repeating.

Also, as you probably have seen, we are apart of Team Erudite! Please help us to win this faction war by clicking on our link here.

Celebrate Insurgent! Erudite guys get all the girls!

Preston Myers (with girlfriend Amanda Beckett), Erudite member, studies the writings of Kurt Vonnegut. He hopes to use these writings to understand human behavior.  He believes, like all Erudite, that "knowledge is the only logical solution to the problem of conflict" (Erudite Manifesto).

Ronald Miller (with a trio of ladies to choose from), Erudite member, focuses on astronomy. He seeks the knowledge of the universe, for he, like all Erudite, believes that "a lack of knowlege leads to a lack of understanding" (Erudite Manifesto). Understanding the universe will help him understand himself.

Peter Parker (with girlfriend Mary Jane), Erudite member, is considered a genius in his field of physics.  He is currently gaining the knowledge needed to redefine how we see the universe.  Like all Erudite, he believes that "Intelligence is a gift, not a right" and he is going to use that gift to help the world (Erudite Manifesto).

As you can see, Erudite members are seeking knowledge to help all the factions. AND, all that knowledge helps with the ladies!

If you want a beautiful lady at your side or you're a beautiful lady and want a smart and sophisticated guy at your side, then join TEAM ERUDITE!!!!

Choose ERUDITE by clicking here:  Choose Team Erudite
Check out ERUDITE news here:  Erudite News

"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance." --Socrates, past Erudite leader

Jennifer L. ArmenTOURNEY Match #11 & #13

**click on the pic above to visit other Pure Blog Tour stops**

And the winners are...

Alex and Daemon!

(Should be an interesting finale, huh, guys? Bad@$$ Heroine vs. Bad Boy love interest. Whose side will you be on?)

Matches will open at 12:01AM on April 7th and close at 8PM CST on April 9th. We are not having advocates in this tournament, so all of you feel free to rally the troups and support your characters in the comments. Remember above all that this tournament is to celebrate ALL of Jennifer's characters. If there is any slandering, character bashing, cursing, or anything else we deem inappropriate, we reserve the right to delete your comment. Let's have fun, cheer on our favorite characters, and show Jennifer how much we love her!

**The winner of these matches will face the other in the Ulitmate Covenant vs Lux Showdown next week!**

Match #11:  Alex (Seed #2) vs Seth (Seed #3)

Okay, here we go!  Let's find out who is going to rule this match between the two Apollyons!  Both are worthy, both are powerful, and both are so fan-freakin'-tastic!  As you probably know, Alex and Seth are both from JLA's Covenant Series.  Alexandria, Alex for short, the protagonist of the series, was born a Half-Blood but finds out that she is actually the 2nd of 2 Apollyons.  In modern day history there has never been 2 Apollyons, so she is extremely rare.  And as legend says, 2 apollyons does not bode well for the Covenant.  Alex has bravely faced every challenge that has been tossed her way, some so harrowing that even the greatest of mythological heroes would have turned back.  She is caught in a love triangle of epic proportions between Seth and Aiden in which many of JLA's readers would gladly take her place!  

Seth is the uber-strong Apollyon who is able to control the four elements:  earth, wind, water, and fire.  But, he doesn't stop there--he is the only one who can control a fifth element--akasha, which can only be described as a lightning bolt coming from his oh-so-masculine hands.  He is arrogant to a fault, and as a result, he thinks he's, we'll say Zeus's gift, to all women.  Because Alex will end up being the 2nd Apollyon, Seth has a very strong connection to her--both physical and emotional.  He's tempermental, saucy, and has the kind of charm that radiates sexiness.  If Seth were in our world--he'd be the oh-so-sexy guy who told your parents that "My girl doesn't have a curfew," and then with a tough "vroom," you'd jump on the back of his motorcyle and take off (fearing exactly what your parents were going to say when you returned).  In the coming novels, I have a feeling everything between Alex and Seth is about to explode into all out chaos, the good or the bad kind is yet to be determined!  Good luck chosing who should win, but these girl's right here, have no idea!!!

*VOTING IS NOW CLOSED*

Match #13: Daemon (Seed #1) vs Dee (Seed #3)

Daemon and Dee, the siblings that we have all come to love so dearly!  All the girls want Dee for their best friend and Daemon for their boyfriend!  This is going to be one painful match!  If you don't know who Daemon and Dee are, here's a little info on them.  both represent JLA's Lux Series.  Both are uncommonly good looking aliens that have all kinds of awesome powers.  All of the aliens from this series are born into triplets including, Daemon, Dawson and Dee are one set of triplets.  Daemon out of all the aliens on earth is currently the most powerful.  He comes across as harsh and mean, but it's only to protect his family.  He is Katy's love interest in Obsidian even though he never wanted to be involved with a human.  It's the ultimate of all forbidden romances, that will make you fall hard for this hero!  Oh yeah, and did we mention he is super, extraordinarily, swoon-worthy!

Dee immediately befriends Katy, and soon becomes her best friend, despite Daemon's futile attempts to pull them apart.  Dee is in an on-again, off-again relationship with Adam, one of the Lux who seems to be more tolerable towards humans.  She is by far the friendliest of all the Lux, and she whole-heartedly defends Katy to all the other Lux.  She's beautiful and has a fantastic sense of fashion.  Dee's the girl that you want to be your college roomate, your maid of honor and your wedding, and the one beside you if you ever get mugged!  We love both Daemon and Dee so much and hate to see either of them go, so we wish you the best of luck in your voting decision!

*VOTING IS NOW CLOSED*

BLACK HEART by Holly Black

Black Heart (Curse Workers #3) by Holly Black

Reviewed by Baby Sister Brittany

ARC received from Publisher at ALA Midwinter

Release Date: April 3^rd—ON SALE NOW!

The Sisters say: Unpredictable, Unique, and Unbelievably good!

Cassel Sharpe knows he’s been used as an assassin, but he’s trying to put all that behind him. He’s trying to be good, even though he grew up in a family of con artists and cheating comes as easily as breathing to him. He’s trying to do the right thing, even though the girl he loves is inextricably connected with crime. And he’s trying to convince himself that working for the Feds is smart, even though he’s been raised to believe the government is the enemy.

But with a mother on the lam, the girl he loves about to take her place in the Mob, and new secrets coming to light, the line between what’s right and what’s wrong becomes increasingly blurred. When the Feds ask Cassel to do the one thing he said he would never do again, he needs to sort out what’s a con and what’s truth. In a dangerous game and with his life on the line, Cassel may have to make his biggest gamble yet—this time on love.

*WARNING*

*WARNING*

THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE 3^RD BOOK IN A SERIES.

THERE WILL BE SPOILERS FOR BOOK 1 &2 IN THIS REVIEW

*WARNING*

*WARNING*

God, I love Holly Black. Her world building skills are… well, out of this world. She’s created an alternate reality wherein a few individuals have the ability to do magic through the touch of their hands. There are body workers who can heal or harm the body. Memory workers. Emotion workers. and then there’s Cassel… the rarest of them all… a Transformation worker. With a quick touch of his fingertips he can transform one thing into another (that includes people, too). He can also transform himself. Being such a commodity, he is wanted by both sides—the mob and the FBI. And then there’s trouble with his family that has him being pulled in three directions.

Obviously, Holly Black has an amazing, imaginative concept for this series. But her world building is so complete down to the smallest details.

One of the things I love most about this series is the unpredictable plots. I’m accustomed to guessing what will happen in a book long before it actually comes to pass. I’m used to it. All of us sisters are the same way. I’ve learned to read and enjoy books, even if I find them unpredictable. But with Holly Black—I don’t have to do that! She gives us just enough information to keep us going, and then keeps the rest in the dark. Often her characters don’t know what they’re going to do until right whe they do it, so there is no telegraphing of their plans.

This entire series is full of twists and turns that will have your head spinning. In this final installment—it’s impossible to know who the good guys are. Or if there even are good and bad guys. Perhaps everyone is a bit of both. As a reader, I wasn’t sure whether to trust the FBI, Leila, Cassel’s family, or even Cassel himself. It reminded me a bit of SURVIVOR—constantly shifting alliances in an attempt to stay afloat. Right up until the final pages—Black will keep you on your toes.

This book also has something for everyone— one of those ever-elusive male narratives, action, intrigue, romance, and the paranormal. I don’t want to say much more, because I’d hate to spoil this one for anyone.

I’ll end with this—those of you have enjoyed this series won’t be disappointed in the final installment. It carries the same intensity and interest as the first two, but wraps things up perfectly! This finale won’t disappoint you! It will only remind you of how amazing this series and Holly Black truly are!

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood
Published by Putnam
On Shelves NOW!!!!
The Sisters Say:  Bewitching, Beguiling, Beautiful

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

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

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

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

 

It’s 1896 in a world reminiscent of Salem, a world where witches are hunted, imprisoned, enslaved—or they just disappear.  And right in the middle of it all—the Cahill sisters, Cate, Maura, and Tess. 

The fate of the world rests on these three Witches and one clandestine prophecy. 

This is the first paranormal romance I’ve read that is set in the past, and at first, I didn’t know if I would enjoy it or not.  The first few chapters were very slow, and while it was interesting to see how life was during this time (the petticoats, tea time, misogynistic attitudes toward women), I didn’t know if it was going to keep me interested enough to finish; however, once I passed the first four chapters, I was hooked.  The mystery reeled me in, and I rushed through because I absolutely had to see how it was going to end.

I loved the idea that there is a trio of sister witches.  I mean, I grew up with 2 sisters, who, like me, wished they had magical powers.  I won’t give anything away, either, but I found that the sister’s personalities echoed our own.  Cate, like Amy, is the bossy one—sorry Amy.  Maura, like me, is the troublesome one.  And Tess, like Britt, is the know-it-all.  This made their relationships seems very real to me.

I really enjoyed getting to know Cate, the oldest of the three sisters and the pov from which the book is written.  As her mother was dying, she pleaded to Cate to watch over her sisters, to protect them.  As a result, Cate had to push back her desire to just be a teenager and become the woman of the house.  All is well until Cate turns 17, when she has to announce who she will marry or join the Sisterhood convent.  With this date looming very near in the future, Cate starts to panic not only about which to choose, but how to keep her sisters safe.  This is the part of Cate I loved—seeing her struggle made me connect with her, and I found myself wishing I was a witch in her world so I could help!

But, of course, my favorite part was the boys.  There are two again, and I adore me a good love triangle!  If there are two hot guys in a book, I break out into my happy dance.

First, there’s Paul—the childhood friend turned gentlemen who comes home from New London to court Cate.  He’s charming, rugged, and rich.  Cate has adored Paul since she was a child, and she knows that he would be the perfect man for her to marry.  Only, she struggles to choose because there is another man who has also caught her attention.

 Finn.  Oh, Finn, I absolutely love him.  He’s the gardener (who knows nothing about gardening) and he and his mother own the bookshop in town (which is the subject of scrutiny from the Brotherhood—the religious sect hunting witches).  Cate feels connected to Finn on a deep level, and you will love to see how the romance unfolds!

I loved the romance and the mystery in Born Wicked.  There are many twists and turns that I didn’t see coming, and the prophecy is a doozy!  I keep going over and over again in my mind how I think the prophecy will play out—especially after the cliffhanger ending!  In fact, I’m troubled (more than troubled, let’s say outright in turmoil) that I have to wait a full year for book 2 to come out! 

With the history of The Crucible, the magic of Harry Potter, and the love story of The Mortal Instruments, this is a must read for fans of paranormal romance!!!!  And it’s so original because there aren’t that many books out there that focus completely on witches! 

So—go buy this book, and let me know what you think!!!!! (I think you’ll daydream about Finn, too!)

Jennifer L. ArmenTOURNEY Match #10 & #12

And the winners are:


Seth and Dee

**click on the pic above to visit other Pure Blog Tour stops**

Matches will open at 12:01AM on April 4th and close at 8PM CST on April 6th. We are not having advocates in this tournament, so all of you feel free to rally the troups and support your characters in the comments. Remember above all that this tournament is to celebrate ALL of Jennifer's characters. If there is any slandering, character bashing, cursing, or anything else we deem inappropriate, we reserve the right to delete your comment. Let's have fun, cheer on our favorite characters, and show Jennifer how much we love her!

Match #10: Seth (Seed #3) vs Caleb (Seed #4) 


Seth and Caleb are both from the Covenant Series.  Seth is the uber-strong Apollyon who is able to control the four elements:  earth, wind, water, and fire.  But, he doesn't stop there--he is the only one who can control a fifth element--akasha, which can only be described as a lightning bolt coming from his oh-so-masculine hands.  He is arrogant to a fault, and as a result, he thinks he's, we'll say Zeus's gift, to all women.  Because Alex will end up being the 2nd Apollyon, Seth has a very strong connection to her--both physical and emotional.  He's tempermental, saucy, and has the kind of charm that radiates sexiness.  If Seth were in our world--he'd be the oh-so-sexy guy who told your parents that "My girl doesn't have a curfew," and then with a tough "vroom," you'd jump on the back of his motorcyle and take off (fearing exactly what your parents were going to say when you returned).  

Caleb is Alex's best friend, and he is the one who welcomes her with open arms after her return to the Covenant.  He is always there to pull Alex away before she makes a huge mistake by punching Lea straight in the face.  Whenever Alex has a problem, she confides in Caleb--she even admits her desire for a relationship with Aiden to him.  Caleb is fiercely loyal, and even when Alex does the risky and unthinkable, he shows up to lend his support or fighting skills--whichever is needed at the time.


Match #12:  Dee (Seed #3) vs Dawson (Seed #4)

Dee and Dawson are both from the Lux Series.  Dee is a Luxen and Daemon and Dawson's sister.  These three seem to have quite a bit in common, as they all form bonds with humans.  Dee immediately befriends Katy, and soon becomes her best friend, despite Daemon's futile attempts to pull them apart.  Dee is in an on-again, off-again relationship with Adam, one of the Lux who seems to be more tolerable towards humans.  She is by far the friendliest of all the Lux, and she whole-heartedly defends Katy to all the other Lux.  She's beautiful and has a fantastic sense of fashion.

Dawson is the other triplet to Dee and Daemon.  Dawson like his brother and sister is a Luxen or alien.  Where as Daemon is the broken, bad boy, Dawson is the sweet, attentive boy.  He meets Bethany, a human girl, at school and a whirlwind romance ensues.  He is powerful like all the other Luxen and is not afraid to fight to the death for those he loves.

Waiting on Wednesday: Chosen Ones by Tiffany Truitt

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 Chosen Ones by Tiffany Truitt. It is published by Entangled Publishing, LLC and is set to be released on June 12, 2012.

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What if you were mankind’s last chance at survival?

Sixteen-year-old Tess lives in a compound in what was once the Western United States, now decimated after a devastating fourth World War. But long before that, life as we knew it had been irrevocably changed, as women mysteriously lost the ability to bring forth life. Faced with the extinction of the human race, the government began the Council of Creators, meant to search out alternative methods of creating life. The resulting artificial human beings, or Chosen Ones, were extraordinarily beautiful, unbelievably strong, and unabashedly deadly.

Life is bleak, but uncomplicated for Tess as she follows the rigid rules of her dystopian society, until the day she begins work at Templeton, the training facility for newly created Chosen Ones. There, she meets James, a Chosen One whose odd love of music and reading rivals only her own. The attraction between the two is immediate in its intensity—and overwhelming in its danger.

But there is more to the goings-on at Templeton than Tess ever knew, and as the veil is lifted from her eyes, she uncovers a dark underground movement bent not on taking down the Chosen Ones, but the Council itself. Will Tess be able to stand up to those who would oppress her, even if it means giving up the only happiness in her life?

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I was instantly in love with this cover when I saw it, and the summary only made it sound better.  I find the idea that women can no longer reproduce interesting (and that Tess is man's only hope), but even more, I am curious about how James and Tess's relationship is going to bloom.  I think we are in for a thrilling dystopian romance! 

Teaser Tuesday: INSURGENT by Veronica Roth

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!) 

Insurgent by Veronica Roth 

Releases on May 1st.

Thank you to Katherine Tegen, HarperCollins times a million for the ARC!

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           We both have war inside of us.  Sometimes it keeps us alive.  Sometimes it threatens to destroy us. (ARC, p. 242)

           "Sleep," he says.  "I'll fight the bad dreams off if they come to get you." (ARC, p. 50)

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I have already read this book twice! Then, I went and took pictures of all my favorite pages, so I could reread them again and again, since I had to send the book to the Baby Sis and the Middle Sis! There are seriously no adjectives in the English language that do justice to this book. At one point, tears were running down my face as I was pumping my fist into the air. I cried, cheered, laughed, melted and experienced every emotion know to man through the pages of this book! I am so happy to be alive at this point in history just to be able to experience books like this one!

Also, as you probably have seen, we are apart of Team Erudite!  Please help us to win this faction war by clicking on our link here.  Also, as a thank you for helping us win, our faction leader, Pam, at Bookalicious, is giving away 3 finished copies of Insurgent that will be signed and personalized!!!  Go here to enter the giveaway!

WE ARE ERUDITE!

(GIF Source: odairess)


Friday started out just as any other day.  The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, the kids were screaming, and I needed caffine!  Then all of the sudden the door bell rang!  My first thought was..."HIDE, its probably a salesman!" (solicitors are popular in our neighborhood).  But, before I could yell out my command, my overeager son was already shouting from the door, "its a box!"  He opens the door, grabs the box only to have it ripped from his tiny hands instantly because this is what I saw:

I then proceeded to jump around like an 8 year old going to Disney World for the first time or like my sisters and I at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter!  I gently, ripped open the box and this is what I found:

I then grabbed the Insurgent ARC and this is what I looked like:   

And, yes, Harper Collins could not have placed us in a more accurate Faction!  We at the YA-Sisterhood are a bunch of smarty pants that would prefer a book to basically anything!  So we will say it LOUD and PROUD...WE ARE ERUDITE!!!

Now, we are looking for more ERUDITES out there to help us spread the word and win this faction war!!!  Harper Collins is holding a little, well more like HUGE, contest between the factions.  For the month of April whichever faction receives the most hits on their Faction Page will win the contest!!!  So please, spread the word by post this link: http://bit.ly/choose_erudite wherever you can!  We know ERUDITE can do this because we have the best followers in the world!!!  Let's treat this like one of our tournaments and spread the word!!! Do it for FOUR!!!!!

I saw this quote on our Faction Tumblr Page and I just had to reblog it here:

I am Divergent says:

It makes me sad that some people are ashamed when they find out they’re Erudite. Erudite isn’t a bad faction, it just gets a bad rep because of icky Jeanine. It’s like how everyone always says Slytherin is evil just because the majority of the house was on Voldemort’s side during the war. Well, I’m a Slytherin and I’m proud. So I see no reason why you can’t be proud of being an Erudite.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THIS!!!  So, if you want to join our ERUDITE team and help us win this, leave your name, twitter, facebook, email, any way to get a hold of you, and we will let you know how you can help!!! Be sure in all your tweets to use: #DivergentNation and #ERUDITE.

Also, Pam over at Bookalicious, who is our Erudite faction leader, is hosting a giveaway for not 1, not 2, but 3 finished, signed and personalized copies of Insurgent!  How awesome of a giveaway is that?!?! So be sure to head over there and enter to win!

Jennifer L. ArmenTOURNEY Match #9 & #11

And the winners are:


Alex and Daemon

Matches will open at 12:01AM on April 1st and close at 8PM CST on the 3rd. We are not having advocates in this tournament, so all of you feel free to rally the troups and support your characters in the comments. Remember above all that this tournament is to celebrate ALL of Jennifer's characters. If there is any slandering, character bashing, cursing, or anything else we deem inappropriate, we reserve the right to delete your comment. Let's have fun, cheer on our favorite characters, and show Jennifer how much we love her!

Match #9: Aiden vs Alex

This is a painful one, folks. Both of these characters hail from The Covenant Series.  Aiden has been forced to grow up quickly as his parents were killed by daimons.  Because of this, he is now responsible for his younger brother Deacon.  He has also taken on the responsibility of training Alex to become a sentinel.  Aiden and Alex are the main love interest in the story, but share a forbidden romance as it is illegal for Pures and Half-Bloods to be together. Alex is the strong, witty, and wonderfully sarcastic protagonist who has captured Aiden's heart. Alex, too, has had a difficult life-- losing her mother to a Daimon attack, and only narrowly surviving herself. These two characters make the series what it is... and they are both major reasons as to why we love this book. We don't know how you'll choose between them. But it boils down to this-- Kick-butt heroine vs. Sexy love interest. Who will you choose?

Match #11:  Daemon vs Katy

And the pain doesn't stop, ladies and gentlemen. Daemon and Katy both represent JLA's Lux Series.  Daemon is a gorgeous alien that has all kinds of awesome powers.  Daemon out of all the aliens on earth is currently the most powerful.  He comes across as harsh and mean, but it's only to protect his family. He's that guarded, bad boy that everyone loves to love and hate and then love some more.  He is Katy's love interest in Obsidian. Despite the fact that Daemon sort of despises humans, Katy catches his eye. She's a quirky bibliophile who speaks her mind and is caring and kind. She stands out in a world where pretty barbie types are constantly throwing themselves at Daemon. Katy is real-- and that's what makes her such a fascinating character! So who will it be-- fiercely human Katy or fiercely sexy non-human Daemon?