The Queen of Blood by @sarahbethdurst {Review}

The Queen of Blood by Sarah Beth Durst
(The Queens of Renthia, #1)
Release Date: September 20, 2016
Publisher: Harper Voyager; 353 pages
Rating:

An idealistic young student and a banished warrior become allies in a battle to save their realm in this first book of a mesmerizing epic fantasy series, filled with political intrigue, violent magic, malevolent spirits, and thrilling adventure

Everything has a spirit: the willow tree with leaves that kiss the pond, the stream that feeds the river, the wind that exhales fresh snow . . .

But the spirits that reside within this land want to rid it of all humans. One woman stands between these malevolent spirits and the end of humankind: the queen. She alone has the magical power to prevent the spirits from destroying every man, woman, and child. But queens are still just human, and no matter how strong or good, the threat of danger always looms.

With the position so precarious, young women are chosen to train as heirs. Daleina, a seemingly quiet academy student, is under no illusions as to her claim to the throne, but simply wants to right the wrongs that have befallen the land. Ven, a disgraced champion, has spent his exile secretly fighting against the growing number of spirit attacks. Joining forces, these daring partners embark on a treacherous quest to find the source of the spirits’ restlessness—a journey that will test their courage and trust, and force them to stand against both enemies and friends to save their land . . . before it’s bathed in blood.

The Distance from A to Z by @natalie_blitt {Review}

The Distance from A to Z by Natalie Blitt
Release Date: January 12, 2016
Publisher: HarperCollins; 352 pages
Rating:

Seventeen-year old Abby has only one goal for her summer: to make sure she is fluent in French—well, that, and to get as far away from baseball and her Cubs-obsessed family as possible. A summer of culture and language, with no sports in sight.

That turns out to be impossible, though, because her French partner is the exact kind of boy she was hoping to avoid. Eight weeks. 120 hours of class. 80 hours of conversation practice with someone who seems to exclusively wear baseball caps and jerseys.

But Zeke in French is a different person than Zeke in English. And Abby can’t help but fall for him, hard. As Abby begins to suspect that Zeke is hiding something, she has to decide if bridging the gap between the distance between who she is and who he is, is worth the risk.

Christmas in Venice by Meadow Taylor

Christmas in Venice by Meadow Taylor
Release Date : December 4, 2012
Publisher : HarperCollins; 100 pages
Rating:

Olivia's Christmas trip to Venice, Italy should be a holiday dream come true. But when she’ s confronted by a handsome Italian cop about her unattended luggage, she worries she won't even make it out of the Marco Polo Airport…

Made For You by @melissa_marr Review & Giveaway

Made For You by Melissa Marr
Release Date: September 16, 2014
Publisher: HarperCollins; 368 pages
Rating: 

Bestselling author of the Wicked Lovely books Melissa Marr’s first contemporary YA novel is a twisted southern gothic tale of obsession, romance, and murder. A killer is obsessed with Eva Tilling. Can she stop him, or will he claim her?

When Eva Tilling wakes up in the hospital, she’s confused—who in her sleepy little North Carolina town could have hit her with their car? And why? But before she can consider the question, she finds that she’s awoken with a strange new skill: the ability to foresee people’s deaths when they touch her. While she is recovering from the hit-and-run, Nate, an old flame, reappears, and the two must traverse their rocky past as they figure out how to use Eva’s power to keep her friends—and themselves—alive. But while Eva and Nate grow closer, the killer grows increasingly frantic in his attempt to get to Eva.

For the first time, New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr has applied her extraordinary talent to contemporary realism. Chilling twists, unrequited obsession, and high-stakes romance drive this Gothic, racy thriller—a story of small-town oppression and salvation. Melissa’s fans, and every YA reader, will find its wild ride enthralling.

Stacking the Shelves #49

 

Stacking the Shelves is created & hosted by Tynga's Reviews and is a weekly meme sharing the books you've bought, borrowed or received for review.

I've been suffering from a bit of a reading slump lately but I'm hoping some of these books that I've gotten over the past two weeks may help me out of that!

Stacking the Shelves #47

 

Stacking the Shelves is created & hosted by Tynga's Reviews and is a weekly meme sharing the books you've bought, borrowed or received for review.

I may have gone a little trigger happy with purchasing books. I recently bought a membership with Barnes & Noble so now I have the option of ordering books from Amazon or B&N so I like choices (I guess I still also have the option of Book-a-Million, too).

Rebel by Amy Tintera Review

Rebel by Amy Tintera
(Reboot, #2)
Release Date: May 13, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen; 352 pages
Rating:

The sequel to the action-packed Reboot is a can't-miss thrill ride, perfect for fans of James Patterson, Veronica Roth, and Marie Lu.

After coming back from death as Reboots and being trained by HARC as soldiers, Wren and Callum have finally escaped north, where they hope to find a life of freedom. But when they arrive at the Reboot Reservation, it isn't what they expected. Under the rule of a bloodthirsty leader, Micah, the Reboots are about to wage an all-out war on the humans. Although Wren's instincts are telling her to set off into the wilderness on their own and leave the battle far behind, Callum is unwilling to let his human family be murdered. When Micah commits the ultimate betrayal, the choice is made for them. But Micah has also made a fatal mistake . . . he's underestimated Wren and Callum.

The explosive finale to the Reboot duology is full of riveting action and steamy love scenes as Wren and Callum become rebels against their own kind.

The Murder Complex by Lindsay Cummings

The Murder Complex by Lindsay Cummings
(The Murder Complex, #1)
Release Date: June 10, 2014
Publisher: Greenwillow Books; 398 pages
Rating:

An action-packed, blood-soaked, futuristic debut thriller set in a world where the murder rate is higher than the birthrate. For fans of Moira Young’s Dust Lands series, La Femme Nikita, and the movie Hanna.

Meadow Woodson, a fifteen-year-old girl who has been trained by her father to fight, to kill, and to survive in any situation, lives with her family on a houseboat in Florida. The state is controlled by The Murder Complex, an organization that tracks the population with precision.

The plot starts to thicken when Meadow meets Zephyr James, who is—although he doesn’t know it—one of the MC’s programmed assassins. Is their meeting a coincidence? Destiny? Or part of a terrifying strategy? And will Zephyr keep Meadow from discovering the haunting truth about her family?

Action-packed, blood-soaked, and chilling, this is a dark and compelling debut novel by Lindsay Cummings.

Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy Review

Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy
Release Date: March 18, 2014
Publisher: HarperCollins/ Balzer + Bray; 336 pages
Rating:

What if you’d been living your life as if you were dying—only to find out that you had your whole future ahead of you?

When sixteen-year-old Alice is diagnosed with leukemia, her prognosis is grim. To maximize the time she does have, she vows to spend her final months righting wrongs—however she sees fit. She convinces her friend Harvey, whom she knows has always had feelings for her, to help her with a crazy bucket list that’s as much about revenge (humiliating her ex-boyfriend and getting back at her arch nemesis) as it is about hope (doing something unexpectedly kind for a stranger and reliving some childhood memories). But just when Alice’s scores are settled, she goes into remission.

Now Alice is forced to face the consequences of all that she’s said and done, as well as her true feelings for Harvey. But has she done irreparable damage to the people around her, and to the one person who matters most?

Julie Murphy’s Side Effects May Vary is a fearless and moving tour de force about love, life, and facing your own mortality.

Panic by Lauren Oliver Review

Panic by Lauren Oliver

Release Date: March 4, 2014

Publisher: HarperCollins; 416 pages

Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.

Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.

Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he’s sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.

For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most.

Stacking the Shelves #36

 

Stacking the Shelves is created & hosted by Tynga's Reviews and is a weekly meme sharing the books you've bought, borrowed or received for review.

So below are some books I might've gotten in the mail, picked up at ALA or purchased for my ever growing bookshelf.

I also can't tell you how appreciative Sana and I were to be able to attend ALA Midwinter 2014.  We have much respect for librarians; It was an amazing opportunity and are thankful for the American Library Association for opening up their convention to book bloggers.

Blog Tour: All That Glows by Ryan Graudin

All That Glows by Ryan Graudin
Release Date: February 11, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen; 480 pages

Emrys—a fiery, red-headed Fae—always embraced her life in the Highlands, far from the city’s draining technology, until she’s sent to London to rejoin the Faery Guard. But this isn’t any normal assignment—she’s sent to guard Prince Richard: Britain’s notorious, partying bad boy and soon-to-be King. The prince’s careless ways and royal blood make him the irresistible for the dark spirits that feed on mortals. Sweet, disheveled, and alive with adventure—Richard is one charge who will put Emrys’s magic and heart to the test.

When an ancient force begins preying on the monarchy, Emrys must hunt through the London’s magical underworld, facing down Banshees, Black Dogs and Green Women to find the one who threatens Richard’s life. In this chaos of dark magic, palace murders and paparazzi, Emrys finds herself facing an impossible choice. For despite all her powers, Emrys has discovered a force that burns brighter than magic: love.

Amazon - Barnes & Noble

Stacking the Shelves #33

 

Stacking the Shelves is created & hosted by Tynga's Reviews and is a weekly meme sharing the books you've bought, borrowed or received for review.

I hope everyone's had a great few weeks! I just bought a new car today, even though it's the same kind of car I drive, it's about 5 years newer. I know, it has nothing to do with books but I'm excited about it. I finally got a back up camera so now I can parallel park lol. Regarding books, I've gotten a few really good ones, that I'm excited for!

A Little Too Hot Cover Reveal + Giveaway!

Thank you HarperCollins for allowing us to participate in this cover reveal. A Little Too Hot by Lisa Desrochers will be available on January 21st 2014!  Lisa is also doing a giveaway, so be sure to enter! I am super excited about revealing this cover - A Little Too Far and A Little Too Much were both fantastic books and I can't wait to see what's in store for us next! Each cover has become a little bit hotter than the one before it and this book is no exception!

Stacking the Shelves #23

 

Stacking the Shelves is created & hosted by Tynga's Reviews and is a weekly meme sharing the books you've bought, borrowed or received for review.

You guys, something fantastic happened to me over these past few weeks - I got auto-approved by Harper over at Edelweiss. You don't understand how awesome this was. Harper is my favorite publisher for YA books so this was major for me.

Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis Review

Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis
Release Date: September 24, 2013
Publisher: Katherine Tegen; 320 pages

Regret was for people with nothing to defend, people who had no water.

Lynn knows every threat to her pond: drought, a snowless winter, coyotes, and, most importantly, people looking for a drink. She makes sure anyone who comes near the pond leaves thirsty, or doesn't leave at all.

Confident in her own abilities, Lynn has no use for the world beyond the nearby fields and forest. Having a life means dedicating it to survival, and the constant work of gathering wood and water. Having a pond requires the fortitude to protect it, something Mother taught her well during their quiet hours on the rooftop, rifles in hand.

But wisps of smoke on the horizon mean one thing: strangers. The mysterious footprints by the pond, nighttime threats, and gunshots make it all too clear Lynn has exactly what they want, and they won’t stop until they get it….

With evocative, spare language and incredible drama, danger, and romance, debut author Mindy McGinnis depicts one girl’s journey in a barren world not so different than our own.

Once We Were by Kat Zhang Review

Once We Were by Kat Zhang
(The Hybrid Chronicles, #2)
Release Date: September 17, 2013
Publisher: HarperCollins; 352 pages

"I'm lucky just to be alive"

Eva was never supposed to have survived this long. As the recessive soul, she should have faded away years ago. Instead, she lingers in the body she shares with her sister soul, Addie. When the government discovered the truth, they tried to “cure” the girls, but Eva and Addie escaped before the doctors could strip Eva’s soul away.

Now fugitives, Eva and Addie find shelter with a group of hybrids who run an underground resistance. Surrounded by others like them, the girls learn how to temporarily disappear to give each soul some much-needed privacy. Eva is thrilled at the chance to be alone with Ryan, the boy she’s falling for, but troubled by the growing chasm between her and Addie. Despite clashes over their shared body, both girls are eager to join the rebellion.

Yet as they are drawn deeper into the escalating violence, they start to wonder: How far are they willing to go to fight for hybrid freedom? Faced with uncertainty and incredible danger, their answers may tear them apart forever.