Dec 5, 2012

Review: Erasing Time by CJ Hill


Title: Erasing Time
Author: CJ Hill
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication Date: 8.28.2012
Pages: 368
Genre: SciFi
Series: Yes (Erasing Time #1)
Source: ARC from publisher

Rating: B

Summary:
When twins Sheridan and Taylor wake up 400 years in the future, they find a changed world: domed cities, no animals, and a language that's so different, it barely sounds like English. And the worst news: They can't go back home.

The twenty-fifth-century government transported the girls to their city hoping to find a famous scientist to help perfect a devastating new weapon. The same government has implanted tracking devices in the citizens, limiting and examining everything they do. Taylor and Sheridan have to find a way out of the city before the government discovers their secrets. To complicate matters, the moblike Dakine has interest in getting hold of them too. The only way for the girls to elude their pursuers is to put their trust in Echo, a guy with secrets of his own. The trio must put their faith in the unknown to make a harrowing escape into the wilds beyond the city.

Review:
If I had to sum up my reaction at the end of this novel in one word it would be: “Huh?”

Now granted, I am not that big a fan of science fiction novels. And I don’t think I’ve read a time travel novel before this one, but the premise sounded cool and the twin spin kinda sucked me in a bit. But having finished this, I’m not entirely sure what I think about Erasing Time.

I think what first struck me as I didn’t expect Sheridan and Taylor to be so un-twin like. I figured these two would be the normal twins (bonded, partially psychic, etc.), but CJ Hill threw me for a curb when I learned very quickly these two were actually quite antagonistic towards one another. The other thing I wasn’t sure about was our lead guy—Echo. There’s something about wildly different colored hair that I just can’t accept in a story. I think it’s because I like to “cast” a book as I read it, and I can’t think of any blue-haired guys off the top of my head.

There were also a lot of unexplained things in the first half. Now, I understand leaving some things unexplained to entice the reader, but so much else was happening, I just felt frustrated by it all. Frequently. Yes, most of these things were eventually explained, but it felt like it took forever to get there,

All that being said, though, I can appreciate what Hill was going for. As a whole, the book is quite fascinating. I would love to see what society looks like 400 years in the future, but I don’t think I would like staying there forever. Everything Hill proposes in Erasing Time is something I could see happening in time. It was only when I got bogged down in the details of the story that I felt confused and uneasy.

I’ll be curious to see what happens in the next installment in the series. Yes, there were flaws in this (to me, at least), but this was very much book one in a series. There was a ton of world-building and character establishment to be done in a small timeframe. I think I’ll be better able to gauge the story and series once I can read book 2.

Waiting on Wednesday (32)



"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly waiting to get into our hands.

This week I'm waiting on.....


The Rules 
by: Stacey Kade



Summary:
1. Never trust anyone.

2. Remember they are always searching.

3. Don’t get involved.

4. Keep your head down.

5. Don’t fall in love.

Five simple rules. Ariane Tucker has followed them since the night she escaped from the genetics lab where she was created, the result of combining human and extraterrestrial DNA. Ariane’s survival—and that of her adoptive father—depends on her ability to blend in among the full-blooded humans in a small Wisconsin town, to hide in plain sight at her high school from those who seek to recover their lost (and expensive) “project.”

But when a cruel prank at school goes awry, it puts her in the path of Zane Bradshaw, the police chief’s son and someone who sees too much. Someone who really sees her. After years of trying to be invisible, Ariane finds the attention frightening—and utterly intoxicating. Suddenly, nothing is simple anymore, especially not the rules…


Why I Want It:
Oh, come on! Tell me this doesn't sound absolutely amazing! Plus, I've heard great things about Stacey Kade's The Ghost and the Goth series (which I have yet to read), so I'm really excited about diving into a novel of hers. Lastly, just look at that cover! It screams: "GRAB ME!"

The Rules will be released April 23, 2013 from Disney-Hyperion


Dec 4, 2012

Review: What Happens Next by Colleen Clayton


Title: What Happens Next
Author: Colleen Clayton
Publisher: Poppy
Publication Date: 10.9.2012
Pages: 320
Genre: Contemporary
Series: No
Source: Finished copy from publisher

Rating: A

Summary:
How can you talk about something you can’t remember?

Before the ski trip, sixteen-year-old Cassidy “Sid” Murphy was a cheerleader (at the bottom of the pyramid, but still...), a straight-A student, and a member of a solid trio of best friends. When she ends up on a ski lift next to handsome local college boy, Dax Windsor, she’s thrilled; but Dax takes everything from Sid—including a lock of her perfect red curls—and she can’t remember any of it.

Back home and unable to relate to her old friends, Sid drops her college prep classes and takes up residence in the A/V room with only Corey “The Living Stoner” Livingston for company. But as she gets to know Corey (slacker, baker, total dreamboat), Sid finds someone who truly makes her happy. Now, if she can just shake the nightmares and those few extra pounds, everything will be perfect... or so she thinks.

Witty and poignant, Colleen Clayton’s stunning debut is a story about moving on after the unthinkable happens.

Review:
This is one of those amazing books I knew would slay me from almost the beginning. Colleen Clayton needs to be commended for writing such a richly compelling novel. What Happens Next is the book that grabs you by the shoulders and stares you straight in the eye with its unflinching realism.

I felt like Clayton did a wonderful job exposing the dark aftermath of rape.  Sid’s emotional journey throughout the novel was gripping and compelling. My heart ached for this character, because I know this is something that happens all too frequently in everyday life. I think most of us (myself included) know someone that something similar to this happened to.

Sid is a wonderfully complex character. So much happens to her in such a short span of time that you can’t help but feel some sort of affection for her. In the horrific aftermath of her rape, her friends desert her and she finds herself alone and reeling, trying to make sense of things. Circumstances continue to spiral out of control and it’s captivating to watch Sid try to fight her way back.

This novel is very much the journey of one girl to figure out what happens after the unthinkable. It’s very reminiscent of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. Clayton doesn’t shy away from rough topics, tackling rape and eating disorders in the space of 300 pages, but she does it with a delicate grace I think any reader can appreciate.

Bananas for Books: January 2013


Bananas for Books is a new monthly feature I'm starting. Each month I will highlight books coming out the following month that I'm pre-ordering. Feel free to join in, make your own, or suggest other titles for the list. All title links go to Goodreads.


Through the Ever Night
By: Veronica Rossi
Released: January 8, 2013

Summary: It's been months since Aria last saw Perry. Months since Perry was named Blood Lord of the Tides, and Aria was charged with an impossible mission. Now, finally, they are about to be reunited. But their reunion is far from perfect. The Tides don't take kindly to Aria, a former Dweller. And with the worsening Aether storms threatening the tribe's precarious existence, Aria begins to fear that leaving Perry behind might be the only way to save them both.

Threatened by false friends, hidden enemies, and powerful temptations, Aria and Perry wonder, Can their love survive through the ever night?


Pre-Order from: Amazon | The Book Depository

By: Brodi Ashton
Released: January 22, 2013

Summary: Nikki Beckett could only watch as her boyfriend, Jack, sacrificed himself to save her, taking her place in the Tunnels of the Everneath for eternity — a debt that should’ve been hers. She’s living a borrowed life, and she doesn’t know what to do with the guilt. And every night Jack appears in her dreams, lost and confused and wasting away.

Desperate for answers, Nikki turns to Cole, the immortal bad boy who wants to make her his queen — and the one person least likely to help. But his heart has been touched by everything about Nikki, and he agrees to assist her in the only way he can: by taking her to the Everneath himself.

Nikki and Cole descend into the Everneath, only to discover that their journey will be more difficult than they’d anticipated — and more deadly. But Nikki vows to stop at nothing to save Jack — even if it means making an incredible sacrifice of her own.


Pre-Order from: Amazon | The Book Depository


By: Gayle Forman
Released: January 8, 2013

Summary: When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.

Pre-Order from: Amazon | The Book Depository


By: Erica Lorraine Scheidt
Released: January 15, 2013

Summary: Anna remembers a time before boys, when she was little and everything made sense. When she and her mom were a family, just the two of them against the world. But now her mom is gone most of the time, chasing the next marriage, bringing home the next stepfather. Anna is left on her own—until she discovers that she can make boys her family. From Desmond to Joey, Todd to Sam, Anna learns that if you give boys what they want, you can get what you need. But the price is high—the other kids make fun of her; the girls call her a slut. Anna's new friend, Toy, seems to have found a way around the loneliness, but Toy has her own secrets that even Anna can't know.

Then comes Sam. When Anna actually meets a boy who is more than just useful, whose family eats dinner together, laughs, and tells stories, the truth about love becomes clear. And she finally learns how it feels to have something to lose—and something to offer. Real, shocking, uplifting, and stunningly lyrical,  Uses for Boys  is a story of breaking down and growing up.


Pre-Order from: Amazon | The Book Depository

By: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Released: January 22, 2013

Summary: There are people in this world who are Nobody. No one sees them. No one notices them. They live their lives under the radar, forgotten as soon as you turn away. 

That’s why they make the perfect assassins.

The Institute finds these people when they’re young and takes them away for training. But an untrained Nobody is a threat to their organization. And threats must be eliminated.

Sixteen-year-old Claire has been invisible her whole life, missed by the Institute’s monitoring. But now they’ve ID’ed her and send seventeen-year-old Nix to remove her. Yet the moment he lays eyes on her, he can’t make the hit. It’s as if Claire and Nix are the only people in the world for each other. And they are—because no one else ever notices them.


Pre-Order from: Amazon | The Book Depository

Anne Osterlund
Released: January 10, 2013

Summary: Salvador Resendez--Salva to his friends--appears to have it all. His Mexican immigrant family has high expectations, and Salva intends to fulfill them. He's student body president, quarterback of the football team, and has a near-perfect GPA. Everyone loves him.

Especially Beth Courant, AKA the walking disaster area. Dreamy and shy, Beth is used to blending into the background. But she's also smart, and she has serious plans for her future.

Popular guy and bookish girl--the two have almost nothing in common. Until fate throws them together and the attraction is irresistible. Soon Beth is pushing Salva to set his sights higher than ever--because she knows he has more to offer, more than even he realizes.

Then tragedy strikes--and threatens to destroy everything that Salva has worked for. Will Beth's love be enough to save him?


Pre-Order from: Amazon | The Book Depository

By: Andrea Cremer
Released: January 8, 2013

Summary: Everything Conatus stands for is at risk. Hoping to gather enough resistance to save their order, Ember and Barrow attempt a desperate escape. But fate offers little mercy. When their mission is exposed, the  couple face relentless pursuit by the supernatural horrors that act on the commands of Eira’s ally: the mysterious Bosque Mar. A shocking revelation forces Ember out of hiding, sending her back into the heart of dark magic at Tearmunn keep, where she must convince her old friend Alistair of her love or face dire consequences. Ember’s deception offers the only chance for the resistance to succeed, but what she discovers in the shadows beneath the keep will shatter her world and bring about the Witches’ War.

Pre-Order from: Amazon | The Book Depository


By: Lisa Schroeder
Released: January 1, 2013

Summary: Rae's always dreamed of dating a guy like Nathan. He’s nothing like her abusive stepfather—in other words, he’s sweet. But the closer they get, the more Nathan wants of her time, of her love, of her...and the less she wants to give. 

As Rae’s affection for Nathan turns to fear, she leans on her friend Leo for support. With Leo, she feels lighter, happier. And possessive Nathan becomes jealous. 

Then a tragedy lands Rae in the ICU. Now, hovering between life and death, Rae must find the light amid the darkness…and the strength to fight for life and the love she deserves.


Pre-Order from: Amazon | The Book Depository

By: Cynthia Hand
Released: January 22, 2013

Summary: The past few years have held more surprises than part-angel Clara Gardner could ever have anticipated. Yet from the dizzying highs of first love, to the agonizing low of losing someone close to her, the one thing she can no longer deny is that she was never meant to live a normal life.

Since discovering the special role she plays among the other angel-bloods, Clara has been determined to protect Tucker Avery from the evil that follows her . . . even if it means breaking both their hearts. Leaving town seems like the best option, so she’s headed back to California - and so is Christian Prescott, the irresistible boy from the vision that started her on this journey in the first place.

As Clara makes her way in a world that is frighteningly new, she discovers that the fallen angel who attacked her is watching her every move. And he’s not the only one. . . . With the battle against the Black Wings looming, Clara knows she must finally fulfil her destiny. But it won’t come without sacrifices and betrayal.


Pre-Order from: Amazon | The Book Depository

By: Beth Revis
Released: January 15, 2013

Summary: Amy and Elder have finally left the oppressive walls of the spaceshipGodspeed behind. They're ready to start life afresh--to build a home--on Centauri-Earth, the planet that Amy has traveled 25 trillion miles across the universe to experience.

But this new Earth isn't the paradise Amy had been hoping for. There are giant pterodactyl-like birds, purple flowers with mind-numbing toxins, and mysterious, unexplained ruins that hold more secrets than their stone walls first let on. The biggest secret of all? Godspeed's former passengers aren't alone on this planet. And if they're going to stay, they'll have to fight.

Amy and Elder must race to discover who--or what--else is out there if they are to have any hope of saving their struggling colony and building a future together. They will have to look inward to the very core of what makes them human on this, their most harrowing journey yet. Because if the colony collapses? Then everything they have sacrificed--friends, family, life on Earth--will have been for nothing.

FUELED BY LIES.
RULED BY CHAOS.
ALMOST HOME.


Pre-Order from: Amazon | The Book Depository

By: Kate Brian
Released: January 8, 2013

Summary: Rory Miller had one chance to fight back and she took it. Rory survived… and the serial killer who attacked her escaped. Now that the infamous Steven Nell is on the loose, Rory must enter the witness protection with her father and sister, Darcy, leaving their friends and family without so much as a goodbye. 

Starting over in a new town with only each other is unimaginable for Rory and Darcy. They were inseparable as children, but now they can barely stand each other. As the sisters settle in to Juniper Landing, a picturesque vacation island, it seems like their new home may be just the fresh start they need. They fall in with a group of beautiful, carefree teens and spend their days surfing, partying on the beach, and hiking into endless sunsets. But just as they’re starting to feel safe again, one of their new friends goes missing. Is it a coincidence? Or is the nightmare beginning all over again?


Pre-Order from: Amazon | The Book Depository

Dec 3, 2012

Review: Winter White by Jen Calonita


Title: Winter White
Author: Jen Calonita
Publisher:  Poppy
Publication Date: 10.9.2012
Pages: 368
Genre: Contemporary
Series: Yes (Belles #2)
Source: Finished copy from publisher

Rating: B+

Summary (from Goodreads):
Isabelle Scott and Mirabelle Monroe are still reeling from the revelation that they share more than just the roof over their heads. The media has pounced on their story and the girls are caught up in a flurry of talk-show appearances and newspaper interviews. They've put on a happy public face, but someone is leaking their true feelings to the press, and while it seems like the world is watching their every move, at least they have each other. 

But with cotillion season right around the corner, Izzie and Mira have barely had time to process their newfound sisterhood. Mira has dreamed of making her debut in a gorgeous white gown forever-now, if only she could find an escort. Izzie, meanwhile, is still struggling to find her place in Emerald Cove and it's seeming ever more impossible with EC mean-girls, young and old, doing their best to keep her down. As cotillion preparations heat up, though, there are dance steps to learn, manners to perfect... and secret initiations to complete? As if sophomore year wasn't hard enough! 

It's time for the gowns to go on and the gloves to come off.

Review:
I truly enjoyed Belles by Jen Calonita (the first book in this series). The events of Winter White pick up where Belles left off as Mira and Izzie try to piece things back together in the wake of their father’s big revelation. The fallout that comes from that is the source of a lot of emotional turmoil throughout this novel.

I’ve always been more partial to Izzie. I just got her in the first novel, and that continues here. Mira, however, surprised me. She managed to work her way into my heart, which I didn’t think Calonita could pull off. After the events in Belles (the ending notwithstanding), I was pretty irritated with how petty and snobby Mira was, but Winter White is her time to shine. Of the two, I felt like Mira had more to deal with this time around, and that really opened her up to me as a reader.

Another big plus was I felt like Izzie and Mira were becoming more like friends (sisters) than mortal enemies. I got annoyed at how frequently they fought in Belles, so it was a nice change to see these two trying to work it out.

This series is light and fun and airy. It doesn’t strive to be literary genius, and that’s part of its charm. It’s sweet; something to curl up with and indulge in. I won’t lie and say there weren’t parts that made me want to slap both girls (but hey, they are teenage girls), but overall this is a series I truly enjoy reading and you will, too.

Book Lover's Holiday Giveaway Hop


Hosted by Kathy @ I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Maryann from Chapter by Chapter. This giveaway runs Dec. 4-Dec. 10, 2012.

This time the contest is US Only. In an effort to clear my shelves for the books I'm going to be getting over the holidays (because all I said I want are books), I'm offering up:

A Box 'O' Books!

We'll see just how many books I can cram into one box to send to one lucky winner. All books will be YA. They will contain ARCs and finished copies. And a whole mess of swag.

And because I am swimming in swag, I will give a second winner a handful of swag, too.


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Guest Post: Kathy Clark


My husband and I wrote and just released OMG which is book #1 in the CUL8R series.  It is a suspense time travel with paranormal elements for young adults.  Of course, our number one goal was to make it entertaining, but we also believed it was important that it be relevant.  To achieve both of those things, we have involved young adults in both its creation and on-going storylines. 
First, the motivation for our characters’ time travel was taken from the pages of today’s young adults’ struggles and headlines.   From eating disorders, teen suicide, bullying, runaways, abuse, sexual harassment and drugs, the four protagonists are launched into their journey to the past with the help of Thomas Edison, trying to solve a mystery and perhaps right a wrong.
Second, with the launch of the first book, OMG on Amazon November 29th, we are conducting an on-going contest to find young adults who want to appear on the covers of the print and eBook versions. We will re-release OMG with the winners of the contest.  The covers for all the books will depict Kelly, Scott, Austin and Zoey. In OMG a fifth teenager, Wendy, will also be selected from the entrants but will not be an ongoing character. The contest ends March 31, 2013.
Third, we are implementing an advisory board of young fans to provide input into everything from the music selection for the book’s trailer (OMG is on YouTube at http://youtu.be/Bf66-1gkCkY) to issues needing attention.
Together we’ve written and published 25 novels, mostly in the suspense, mainstream and contemporary women’s genres.  However, we have discovered a burning passion to write for young adults.  It’s virtually impossible to insulate young adults from pop culture and the realities of today’s media influences.  Whether the messages come in via Facebook, Twitter, internet, broadcast or cable, the caustic nature of the television and film content most certainly weighs on this age group’s ability to maintain a strong, healthy outlook as they mature into their twenties.  It’s important that they hear a positive message while being entertained.
There are many unique features to this series that will make it awesome! That’s right, awesome!  Really.  Actually, it will be epic! The CUL8R website is www.cul8rseries.com

Book Blogger Confessions (11)



This is a shiny, new blogger meme hosted by Karen at For What It's Worth Reviews. It's time to open up and share (and vent) about our blogging experiences!

The question is:
December 3, 2012:  Do you have a monthly book budget? How has it changed since you started blogging? Do you get more free books now that you have access to publishers/authors/other bloggers or is your book buying budget even higher than when you started? 

I think the biggest change is that now I have to budget or I would go crazy. I used to go on book binges and buy 5-15 books at a time, but this was usually only a couple times a year.


Yes, I will admit since I started blogging I get free books. A lot. Sometimes more than I know what to do with. But that doesn't always mean I get the books I want. There's a ton of books I really want to read but the publisher doesn't send me a copy. And then there's the times I get an ARC and love it, but then I want a finished copy of it for my personal collection.

Hence why I must budget how many books I buy - there's just so many. Thankfully, though, blogging has also helped me become more selective in what I buy. Sometimes I will get an advanced copy or finished copy of a book I really wanted to read, and then when I get done I realize I either didn't enjoy it or probably won't read it again. If I'm going to send $12 on a book (yes, I shop at Amazon where the hardback prices are much lower than stores), I want to make sure it's something I'll enjoy.

Dec 1, 2012

Review: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith


Title: The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Publisher:  Poppy
Publication Date: 1.2.2012
Pages: 236
Genre: Contemporary
Series: No
Source: Finished copy from publisher

Rating: A

Summary (from Goodreads):
Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. Having missed her flight, she's stuck at JFK airport and late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's sitting in her row.

A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more?

Review:
This is one of those books that I am mentally slapping myself for not having read sooner. I mean, it’s not like I hadn’t heard about it. I felt like almost everyone else had read The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith except me—and they all loved it.

This book is, simply put, amazing. I loved how effortless the whole thing seemed. Smith has a genuine way of writing that put me at ease and made this book a joy to read. I felt like the time melted away when I was lost in this world.

Hadley and Oliver … These two killed me. They were so obviously meant to be. I’m a sucker for a good romance, and while I get how completely unrealistic this is (I mean, who meets and can fall in love in 24 hours or less?), but I loved the fantasy of it. I loved that while I was immersing myself in their lives I was able to put my own aside. Sometimes it’s delicious to be able to crawl into someone else’s mind for a while and it book proved to be an awesome escape from reality.

This is the book you curl up with one afternoon with the mindset that you won’t leave until it’s finished. I felt like it could have been longer, but that’s probably just me being greedy. It’s a breezy read—not very long, but just long enough to make the reader satisfied. If you’re one of the few that hasn’t read this one—check it out ASAP.


Stacking the Shelves #5



Stacking The Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews. This a new way to showcase all the books currently weighing down my shelves. This week is a compilation of books I've gotten over the last month or so since I haven't done one of these in a while.


For Review:
Bruised by Sarah Skilton
Ashes of Twighlight by Kassy Tayler
The Farm by Emily McKay
Truancy City by Isamu Fukui
The Twisted Tradegy of Miss Natalie Stewart by Leanna Renee Hieber
Easy by Tammara Webber
Poison by Molly Cochran
Midnight City by J. Barton Mitchell

Bought:
Diety by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Reached by Ally Condie
Beta by Rachel Cohn
The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna
Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally
Send by Patty Blount
The Goddess Legacy by Aimee Carter
Speechless by Hannah Harrington
Pretty Amy by Lisa Burstein (BTW? This paperback is on $3.43 on Amazon right now!!!)

That's what I got this week month. Leave me a link so I can swing by your post and comment back!