Wednesday, February 29, 2012

February Top 5

It's time for another top 5 post. Where in the world did February go? Anyways, I've been in a bit of a reading slump lately. Which hasn't made a whole lot of sense to me, because I finish books thinking I loved them and then I sit down to write reviews and realize I didn't connect with them as much as I thought I had. So I thought for once choosing my top five from the month would be easy. And then I went back and looked at my list - and yeahhhh....this list was far from easy. I had to cut 3 books that I loved so much. But enough about my personal pains - here's the top five books I read in February (in no particular order) -

1. Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley
I was in emotional pain when I had to set this down and go to work. This book just blew me away. It was everything I'd ever want out of one night, or one boy. And Cath Crowley's writing style stunned me. This whole book was such a testament to art, humanity, and living in the moment. Read my review here

2. Blood Red Road by Moira Young
I've had this book on my shelf since July. Why it took me this long to read it, I haven't got a clue. Now that I've read it, I can say, I'm impressed with Moira Young. It blows my mind how it seems to draw on different stories and historical events, yet it still feels completely original. Read my review here

3. Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood
I fell in love with Born Wicked so quickly. Finn is now close to the top of my list of book boyfriends and I love the girl power in this book. It's a great start to a series that promises to become something even larger. Plus, it's one of those books that I threw after I finished. It got me going. Read my review here.

4. Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen
This book. Is. Amazing. I've always loved Robin Hood and this re-telling surpassed all expectations I had. Every aspect of this book was incredible - the writing, the pacing, the relationship dynamics, the characterizations, and the way that Gaughen puts women back into history. Awesome. Read it. Read my review here.

5. Starters by Lissa Price

I'm so impressed with this book. I'm still thinking about it. I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did, and I think that's because I couldn't fathom how the premise could be executed. But I started reading and never looked back. I was sucked in immediately. Price definitely pulled off writing about people renting other's bodies and still telling a fantastic story. Read my review here.

What were your top reads this month?

Black City Cover Reveal & Giveaway

I'm super excited to be sharing this cover reveal today. Not only do I have the gorgeous cover to share, but I also have the first chapter for you to read AND a giveaway for you. Awesome.

The Cover:

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About Black City: 
A dark and tender postapocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war

In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable—they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection, that causes Ash’s long dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they’re caught they’ll be executed—but their feelings are too strong. When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.

Black City is due to be released in November 2012.

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About the author: 
Elizabeth Richards is an award-winning journalist and debut author, who spent her early career writing for videogame publications such as CUBE, P2 and GamesTM,and now works as a website editor. Previously, she ran a successful lifestyle website aimed at teenage girls. She won the Jane Hayward Young Journalist of the Year award for her feature on girls in the games industry, and was named 'Editor's Choice' in the industry trade magazine, MCV.
Elizabeth Richards lives in BuckinghamshireEngland and can be found online at www.theredpenofdoom.wordpress.com
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So if you're anything like me and dying to read it, like right now - here's the first chapter of the book to hold you over! Just click here to start reading.
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Thanks to the generosity of Penguin Books for Young Readers I also have an ARC of Black City to give away. Plus, up for grabs is one of five personalized drawings of the main characters - Ash and Natalie - drawn and autographed by the author. This drawing will look kinda like this one, but each one will be unique. 
This contest is international and will end at 12:01 AM on March 8. Just fill out the Rafflecopter form to enter. 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Clarity & Perception - Kim Harrington

Synopsis for Perception:When you can see things others can't, what do you do when someone's watching you? 
Everybody knows about Clarity "Clare" Fern. She's the psychic girl in school, the one who can place her hands on something and see hidden visions from the past. 
Only Clare would rather not be a celebrity. She prefers hanging back, observing. Her gift is not a game to her. But then someone starts playing with her head . . . and heart. Messages and gifts from a secret admirer crop up everywhere Clare turns. Could they be from Gabriel, the gorgeous boy who gets Clare's pulse racing? Or from Justin, Clare's hopeful ex-boyfriend who'd do anything to win her back? 
One thing is certain. Clare needs to solve this mystery, and soon. Because the messages are becoming sinister, and a girl in town has suddenly disappeared. (From Goodreads)


I read Clarity and Perception in the same day, so I'm just going to talk about them together here. (If you want the synopsis for Clarity just click on the cover.) 


Anyways, I liked these books quite a bit - they definitely kept me entertained. The whole mystery solving genre isn't really my thing, but I thought the fact that Clare has psychic ability would make it interesting. It certainly helped; however, what kept me reading these books was Clare herself. I enjoyed her personality and her thought process, and I was entertained by the status of her many relationships. 


I didn't care for the sleuthing parts - which was kind of the point of these books, so I think I missed something here...But, in Clarity the process of elimination and all the not-so-subtle clues felt a bit like watching a Scooby-Doo episode (which is great, but without Scooby and Shaggy - not quite as entertaining). In Perception, though, the emphasis was less on trying to solve a mystery and more on Clare herself. Thus, I liked Perception much more and by the time the ending came, I actually had a chance to be surprised. 


If you like Kimberly Derting's Body Finder series, I'd suggest giving Clarity a shot. It has many of the same elements. I would just warn you that Clarity feels a bit juvenile, but then Perception steps up and matures a bit. Perception is released on Thursday, March 1st. So if you loved Clarity I definitely suggest you pick up a copy. If you haven't read either yet, now's a good time to start because then you don't have to wait to continue Clare's story. 

Monday, February 27, 2012

The Fine Art of Truth or Dare - Melissa Jensen

Synopsis: Ella is nearly invisible at the Willing School, and that's just fine by her. Still, it's hard being a nobody and having a crush on the biggest somebody in the school: Alex Bainbridge. Especially when he is her French tutor, and lessons have started becoming, well, certainly more interesting than French ever has been before. (From Goodreads)

I knew I needed to read this book when I saw that it was compared to both Pretty in Pink and Anna and the French Kiss. In the end, I liked the Pretty in Pink aspects; however, the Anna aspects were just too similar, to the point where I was a little annoyed. I think those two comparisons just completely got my hopes up way too high and I definitely expected more out of this book than what I actually got. 


I loved the beginning of the book. I got this great feeling of everything that was going on around Ella - there's so much motion - while she was standing still. I feel like I came to understand her character and her place so quickly, just based on her observations. The scenes with her family were by far the best parts of the novel - there's so much activity and so much love and loudness - it was like My Big-Fat-Greek Wedding, only they're Italian and it's Ella's sister getting married. I actually think each secondary character that belonged to Ella's family had more personality that Alex. 

However, after the beginning was over, I feel like this story fell into a rut. It did feel like a compilation of several other stories (mainly, the three I've already mentioned - Pretty in Pink, Anna and the French Kiss, My Big-Fat-Greek Wedding - and then Possession by A.S. Byatt). It didn't feel original and I kept thinking that I'd seen this before. 

 I was a little disappointed, but it was a fun book. There's a lot that can be taken away from this -but you can get those things elsewhere as well. I guess, I'm still a little conflicted because I wanted to love this book, but in the end I just wasn't feeling it. 

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Starters - Lissa Price (Review & Giveaway)

Synopsis: 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. . .  (From Goodreads)

I hardly know where to start talking about this book, there's just so much to it. It has layers and layers of story and meaning and lovely things my English Lit trained brain can go crazy for. But any way I look at this book, I'm just in awe of it. 


I'm going to start with the world that Lissa Price builds. I love it because the premise seems like it could be trying to fit in with some of the more popular stories circulating the YA field right now, but once I started reading it I never had the feeling that it was working to be a part of that. It was its own world, built completely for its own story-telling purposes and not just to appeal to the masses. Although the characters and relationships were Hunger-Games-esque, I got past that similarity pretty quickly. I loved Callie and I admired her for the strength she had, because there were moments when I'd just go, "Why are you not PANICKING???" This girl is smart and calm, and her instincts are spectacular. 


Then there's all the things that could inspire great discussion or spark great thoughts. The gap between classes, for example, is very prevalent here, and timely considering the disappearing middle-class. And, one of my personal, strange, fascinations could be deeply explored through this book - generation gaps. I'm still trying to wrap my head around what the gaps in this book mean for the characters and even for us as readers (if, of course, you are one of those people who thinks life mirrors fiction, or vice versa). There are only teens and the elderly (100 years +) in this book. There's nothing in-between or average in this book. You're young or old, you have everything or you have nothing.


Finally, the concept of living your life through someone else - or even offering your own body to someone who wants to be young again - is quite genius. I was a little worried about how Lissa Price would pull that off when I was going into it, but there was no need. It was wonderfully executed. That concept itself raises interesting questions. I could probably talk about ethics and human rights in relation to this novel for a very long time.

Here's the awesome trailer:


So, as an Ambuzzador this spring, Random Buzzers sent me an extra ARC of Starters and I want to give it to one of my readers. This giveaway is U.S. only and will end on Friday, March 2. Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below!

In the mean time, check out Random Buzzers and the discussion post in which Lissa answers reader's questions! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway Winners!


The winner of two Jennifer Echols novels is:
ORIANA - who chose Going Too Far and The One That I Want
Congrats!

And the 10 winners who will receive Pure's Post-Apocalyptic Valentine's Cards: 
Naomi W.
Meghan G.
Helen B.
Sandra H.
Lindsay C.
Tiff P.
Lisa J.
Madison L.
Linda K. 
Lovely G.

Congrats!

Friday, February 24, 2012

Transcend Time Saga Title Hunt

Welcome to the Transcend Time Saga Title Hunt! The title hunt is the reveal of the title for the final novel in the Transcend Time Saga. Each of the bloggers participating in the hunt have been given a letter. Hop around to the blogs participating to hunt for the letters. (And remember that two of the letters are used twice, so the title is eight letters long.) 

Once you've unscrambled the title, go to Michelle Madow's blog and use the title name to enter the giveaway for a voucher for an advanced e-copy of the final Transcend Time novel! (She is giving away a voucher because the novel is planned to be released at the end of the year, and she hasn't finished writing it yet! This voucher will ensure that you will receive an advance e-copy once they are available). 

The letter you need from this blog is: 
------M------
I'm incredibly excited for the last book. Vengeance left me super frustrated and I now need to know that everyone is going to be okay! In the last book, I'm just seriously hoping for a happy ending for everyone. Because as much as I believe that Drew and Lizzie are supposed to be together, I absolutely adore Chelsea. I'm afraid that no matter what she's going to end up heartbroken, so I'm desperately hoping some beautiful boy who's perfect for her comes along! 


ALSO - the e-book of Remembrance is on sale for $0.99 until Michelle's tour ends in April. So if you haven't started the series yet, get on it!

Thursday, February 23, 2012

YA Paranormal Giveaway Hop

Welcome to my stop on the Young Adult Paranormal Activity Giveaway Hop. The hop is hosted by I am a Reader, Not a Writer and vvb32reads. Tons of other blogs are participating. To see the full list and hop along for the chance to win some great books go HERE.

So here's the deal - I decided to offer a few books that represent different paranormal creatures. One winner will get to choose one of the novels from the five featured here. 
Click on the picture if you want a synopsis from IndieBound -


I figure this way there's a good mix of shapeshifters, witches, demons, angels, and plenty of girls walking the line between the normal and the paranormal. (If a book hasn't been released yet, I'll pre-order it for you.)
Alright, the details: 
  • One (1) winner will get his/her choice of one (1) of the books shown above.
  • You must be 13 or older to enter. 
  • This giveaway is international as long as the Book Depository ships to you.
  • You do not have to be a follower to enter, but it is always appreciated!
  • Fill out the Rafflecopter form below - you can only enter once.
  • This contest will begin February 24 and will end February 28 at 12:01 AM.
  • Winner will be announced by email - if you win you have 48 hours to respond before I pick a new winner. 
  • Good luck and thanks for entering!


    If you feel like commenting, I'd love to know what superstitions you have. Me, I believe I need to knock on wood to avoid being jinxed. One of my best friends needs to toss salt over her shoulder (even at busy restaurants) and my other best friend believes it's bad luck to spill a grain of salt. What do you believe is lucky/unlucky and why?
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Scarlet - A.C. Gaughen

Synopsis: Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance. 
Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in. It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for. (From Goodreads)


I love Robin Hood. Have since I saw the Robin Hood cartoon movie. And honestly, I spent the first fifty pages of this book trying to imagine these characters as human, and not the Disney fox version. I was super excited for a new retelling and so I picked up this book the minute I could and then read it straight through. It was amazing! I absolutely adore A.C. Gaughen's version. 


I was a little worried about halfway through that she was going to mangle some of the classic details of the Robin Hood tale. I mean, I'm all for re-tellings, re-imaginings - but I also believe that the bigger aspects of classic stories - their basic structures and important characters - should remain in tact. But my worries were for nothing. The melding of this new imagining with the classic story was flawless and shocking at the same time. I think I was kicking my feet with glee when I figured out the way she was making the classic aspects into twists. 


Even better, A.C. Gaughen managed to infuse girl-power into a largely male tale. Not only that, but she made girl-power a part of history. Because no matter how I hear the Robin Hood tale now, there will always be this incredibly strong and powerful girl by his side. In her Author's Note, Gaughen talks about how she's sure that girls were a part of history, but they have been written out. It's perfectly plausible that there was a girl working with Robin. 


And Robin - sigh. He's always been a beautiful, strong, man in my imagination (even despite the Mel Gibbson, Men in Tights version) - but ohhhh man. I love this Robin. And I adored Little John in this version. He's flawed, but he seems like so much fun. Gaughen captured the spirit of this band so well - their dynamics - the way they worked together and occasionally ruffled each other's feathers.


If you like Robin Hood, I definitely recommend this book. Gaughen nailed this re-telling perfectly. I'm impressed, awed, and in love. 

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Top Ten Tuesday - In Case of Invasion

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted over @ The Broke and the Bookish
This weeks topic is: Top Ten Books I'd Quickly Save If My House Was Going To Be Abducted By Aliens

Well, this is rather timely. I was driving home last night and saw the Northern Lights - of course they weren't very prominent and they were only green, so I couldn't really be sure that they really were the Northern Lights. My thoughts were, they were either that, or I should be rushing home to prepare for an alien invasion. Luckily, they were indeed the Northern Lights. I hope.

But if I were to find out they weren't, these are the ones I would take (probably). 

1. The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan
Love this book. And I got to meet Sarah Rees Brennan and I love the way she signed it "Tumblr is my fate" - at least that would be a better fate than alien invasion.  


2. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
This is a book I'll read over and over again. And it'll always make me feel better. Definitely taking this one with me wherever I go. 


3. Nightshade by Andrea Cremer
Also signed. (After I went a little fangirl of course). And my favorite of the trilogy. 


4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
Do I need to explain? Actually, I think I'd cheat and grab 16 books - or consider all 7 Harry Potter books as 1. I can do that, right?


5. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
I wouldn't go for the copy of the book. I'd go for the limited edition audio book box set in which John Green reads his book. Who knows, if the world was ending, if I'd be able to 
listen to it - but I wouldn't be able to sleep if I left this behind!


6. Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen
I love Robin Hood and classics are always comforting to fall back on. Plus, this retelling is awesome. 


7. Starcrossed by Josephine Angleini
Yeah, not leaving my house without my signed copy of this amazing book.

8. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
Such an incredible book that I always keep displayed on the top of my bookshelf.

9. Book of Grimm's Fairy Tales in German
 Don't really know what this one is called exactly - but I have a book of fairy tales in German that I brought back from Germany. I love it so much, even though I can't actually read it.

10. The Complete Fairy Tales and Stories of Hans Christian Anderson
This isn't the copy of my book - but I think it's the same book. It get's displayed up there with Kate DiCamillo and I adore it! It's definitely not getting into the clutches of evil aliens.


(These are the books I actually have in my house and would save. There's others that I've already set free into the world, and are safe at a friend's house. I didn't count them here.)

Vengeance - Michelle Madow

Synopsis: When Chelsea Givens discovered that her ex-boyfriend Drew dumped her to be with her former best friend Lizzie, she'd never felt so betrayed in her life. Then her new friend Shannon tells her she can help set things right. Chelsea's willing to listen, but what Shannon wants her to believe -- that she shared a past life with Drew -- is impossible. And what she wants her to do to get him back … well, it's downright crazy. 
Could Shannon be telling the truth? And if she is, what lengths will Chelsea go if it means making Lizzie pay? (From Goodreads)

This is a super short story that just follows up Remembrance and bridges to the next novel in this series. It follows the point of view of Chelsea - I loved getting the point of view from the wronged best friend. There's so many best friends who get screwed over in YA that I was really excited to hear her point of view. 

This was the perfect little taste to satisfy my craving to know what's going on with these characters - and it definitely makes me want the next book immediately. Remembrance didn't leave me aching to know what happens next, but this book did. 

And I'll just leave off with this - this series just continues to be a Taylor Swift song, and I love it. While reading Remembrance I had "Love Story" stuck in my head. While reading Vengeance, I was replaying the lyrics to "Better than Revenge."

"Taking other people's toys on the playground won't make her any friends. She should keep in mind there is nothing I do better than revenge." 

Monday, February 20, 2012

Harbinger - Sara Wilson Etienne

Synopsis: Plagued by waking visions and nightmares, inexplicably drawn to the bones of dead animals, Faye thinks she's going crazy. Fast. Her parents beleive Holbrook Academy might just be the solution. Dr. Mordoch tells her it's the only answer. But Faye knows that something's not quite right about Dr. Mordoch and her creepy, prisonlike school for disturbed teenagers. 
What's wrong with Holbrook goes beyond the Takers, sadistic guards who threaten the student body with Tasers and pepper spray; or Nurse, who doles out pills at bedtime and doses of solitary confinement when kids step out of line; or Rita, the strange girl who delivers ominous messages to Faye that never seem to make any sense. What's wrong with Holbrook begins and ends with Faye's red hands; she and her newfound friends--her Holbrook "family"--wake up every morning with their hands stained the terrible brown of dried blood. Faye has no idea what it means but fears she may be the cause. 
Because despite the strangeness of Holbrook and the island on which it sits, Faye feels oddly connected to the place; she feels especially linked to the handsome Kel, who helps her unravel the mystery. There's just one problem: Faye's certain Kel's trying to kill her--and maybe the rest of the world, too. 
(From Goodreads) 


To be honest, I wasn't really rushing to read this book. I was intrigued and it was receiving a lot of great buzz, but to me it sounded similar to a lot of other books out there. But when it kind of threw itself in my path, and I figured that happened for a reason, so I picked it up. And I ended up really liking it. It wasn't love, but I was definitely very into this story. 


Here's what I find interesting - I didn't care for the characters, but I loved the story. Faye was interesting, but the cast around her felt a little bit unoriginal. Kel, is your typical bad boy with plenty to hide and there's the evil controlling adult who inflicts torture and social ridicule in the name of helping these kids. None of the characters really flew off the page at me and I never really connected to any of them. 


But all the internal stuff Faye goes through that links back to Holbrook and all the strange things that are going on is definitely fascinating. I wasn't expecting this to be a psychological thriller, but that's definitely what it was. It starts out with Faye and her father sitting in Dr. Mordoch's office and she sees it flooding with water. With that beginning I expected a pretty fast pace, but it turned out to be a slow build until I reached a point that I had to stop every once in awhile to remind myself to breathe. 


In the end, everything that Faye uncovers and the way everything turns out is so clever and so intriguing. I wanted to know more - but not in a way that made me feel like anything was lacking. Like I said, it wasn't love, but this book did suck me in and it got a reaction out of me. While the characters aren't special, the story itself didn't remind me of anything else. So, I'm definitely happy this book found a way to me. 

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Born Wicked - Jessica Spotswood

Synopsis: 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. (From Goodreads)

I used to be obsessed with the Salem Witch Trials. Obsessed. Or at least as obsessed as a middle schooler can be about something that isn't a boy or a pair of red checkered flares (YES, I had a pair of those that I LOVED - and no, they did not look good). My first speech in school was about the Salem Witch Trials and I devoured every novel about Salem that I could - I especially remember Witch Child by Celia Rees - and I think Ann Rinaldi, wrote a Salem book - and of course, one of my favorites was Beyond the Burning Time by Kathryn Lasky. Anyways, I'm giving you this little history of Hannah lesson because it seems I've been drawn back into this fascination lately - first with Chime and now with Born Wicked.

While Born Wicked doesn't take place in Salem, it has all the elements of witch hysteria and religious persecution that Salem has. I wasn't expecting this book to be historical, but I was pleasantly surprised by that aspect. It fits the Salem Witch Trials, but Jessica put a bit of her own twist on it, adding the Sisterhood, which holds a certain fascination. I'm interested to learn more about what they are about, something I'm hoping will be fleshed out more in the future novels in this series.

I should have probably mentioned this BEFORE my rambling - but I loved, loved this book. It reminded me about everything that fascinated me about Puritans and witch hunting when I was younger. It's quiet and magical, with growing tension through the whole book. I swear, the tension builds so slow, you don't even know it's happening - until you reach the end and you realize you'd quit breathing and then suddenly your tension releases and - oops, you just threw your book on the floor. I was shocked at my reaction to this whole book. I didn't realize it was affecting me so much, but it did.

I also want to talk about the characters in this novel. They're all incredible. Cate was a great heroine and Finn is my new book crush. He's the gardener, who has a secret longing for adventure, and is a little bookish. I fell in immediate love with him. And Cate's sisters were so fascinating. Their family dynamic was interesting to read - and I just got the impression that this would be a great story no matter which sister was the protagonist.

Born Wicked is the first in the Cahill Witch Chronicles. And it's amazing. I'm dying to know what happens next -because that ending...
Definitely pick this one up.

Book Blogger Love-A-Thon Wrap Up



Wowza. Today was crazy, but -  
Today was happy. 


I felt the love. And giving other blogs, new and old, loving was great. 


Best of all, was discovering new blogs thanks to recommendations! 
My new finds today:


Alexa Loves Books - This girl seems so sweet!
Books Strings - This was insta-love! It might be because she has a great review of Lola and the Boy Next Door up right now - but I think it's more than that!
GReads - I found this one because so many people mentioned her in their thank you posts this morning. I've been following her on Twitter for awhile, but this is the first time I actually checked out her blog. 
From Bleh to Basically Amazing - This was a blog I'd never heard of before today, but so many people mentioned it so I checked it out. Another insta-love situation!
Novel Magic - She's a brand new blogger, can't wait to see what the future of blogging holds for her!
That Artsy Reader Girl - Her blog is SO pretty!
The Brown Eyed Bookie - Check out her header =) I feel like I read surrounded by books like that too. I just like to feel the love of them all around me! 
Stories and Sweeties - So cute! She has a great review of Harbinger up right now! 


I've visited a lot more blogs than this today - so I sincerely apologize if I missed you. I tried to keep track as best I could. 


I'm making a personal goal of commenting and showing blogger love more often - because this day was so great, I'm sitting here thinking why can't it be like this every day? 


Katelyn - Seriously, thanks SO much for hosting this. You rock my socks. 


And all the bloggers who participated, all the bloggers who work so hard - I LOVE YOU. 

Friday, February 17, 2012

Book Blogger Love-A-Thon Mini Challenge #3

This is just a post to talk a bit about my own blogging experience. 
And I just have to say, that deciding to start blogging was one of the best decisions I could have made. It turned out to be a way to turn one of my passions into something productive and hopefully beneficial, not only to myself, but to others as well. 
I don't think I could have ever guessed how much this blog would fuel my own passion for young adult literature, but I have to say that the more I blog, the more I love these books and authors. 


But today, in the spirit of this Love-A-Thon, I want to talk about my experience with the blogging community. In the beginning I was a big of a sideline participant. I read so many blogs and tweets every day, but I never really responded. I gradually became confident enough to interject here and there. Now as I begin to meet more bloggers, I'm loving talking to others - not just reading, but adding my own thoughts and opinions. 
To all those who have just found me today - or if you've been following for awhile - Let's Be Friends!!
Talk to me on Twitter - leave comments - send me emails! Let's talk about books, let's talk about blogging, let's talk about the most random things ever! I'm shy and a little quiet, even online - but I'd still love to talk to you all.
Because, it's the people I do talk to, the wonderful bloggers in this community that make blogging an awesome experience. 
It's hard to think of this right now, with all the love going around - but there's been a lot of negativity surrounding book bloggers lately. If we all band together, we can work against that negativity. 


I'm not really sure how this turned from a post about my blogging experience to my begging you to be my friend. But it all comes down to - blogging is a huge part of my life and I'm so honored to be a part of this community. 

Book Blogger Love-A-Thon Mini Challenge #2


Blogs I LOVE
This post is to talk about my "newer" favorite blogs. I'm defining "newer" as blogs I found after I started blogging. And this could take awhile, because I have a lot of love for a lot of blogs out there and I wish I could just make a list - actually, I might.

Mostly because she has a great name =) I'm mostly kidding about that (about the fact that that's why I love her blog - I'm not kidding that she has a great name). I came by her blog through the Book Blogger Confessions and she has a great, open personality. She reached out to me in my comments and we talked very briefly on Twitter, but I now check her blog daily and I love it!

This isn't a new love. But I feel they deserve a shout out here. Jenn was one of my first blogger friends and we bonded over a love for Myra McEntire and Jennifer Echols. We have super similar tastes in books and I always love chatting with her about books. I'm currently waiting for a gushfest over Timepiece by Myra!

This girl is 14 and I think she's smarter than everyone! I love her discussion posts and her taste in books is great.

I've been following her blog since I started blogging and I always love reading her posts. Not to mention, how awesome is it that she thought of this event?

And here's my list of other blogs I read daily, but don't want to bore you all to death with my explanations -

Whew. There's so many more I want to list, but these are my dailies. (I'm looking at this wondering how many more books I could read if I didn't spend so much time reading ABOUT books. But it's all good because I love doing both). I encourage you to check out all these amazing blogs and give them some love!

Book Blogger Love-A-Thon Mini Challenge #1

Dear Book Bloggers,
The decision to blog was a sudden one for me. It was something that hit me one day and seemed like such an obvious thing for me to be doing that I just jumped right in.
But I feel like I already knew quite a bit about it before I started and that is definitely due to all of the blogs that I read before I created In the Best Worlds.

There were a lot of blogs I read regularly - the one I checked the most was Coffee and Cliffhangers - I was reading her blog regularly before I even started following book bloggers.

And then I think my biggest inspiration came from Kristi at the Story Siren. That woman is such a powerhouse and I wonder if she knows the impact she's had on the blogging world.
Anyhow, she's the one who made me realize there's so much more to blogging than reviewing - that there is sharing, friendship, community - and all of the fun stuff that comes along with blogging.
Her blog is one that I still check every day, and if I ever need some advice (especially when it comes to contacting publishers) her blog is the first place I check.

So in any far off chance you'll ever read this, Kristi, thank you for running such a fun, professional, helpful, and just all around wonderful blog. If I had to point at someone who got me into blogging, you'd be the one. I appreciate you so much!

The other blog I feel I need to mention is The YA Sisterhood. I began blogging in the midst of the YA Heroes tournament and that, I think, influenced me a lot to take the plunge and start my own blog. Can't really tell you how because I'm not sure myself - but I do know that is one of the blogs that influence me.

There are many other blogs I was reading daily that influenced my decision and I wish I could mention them all - but really it was the blogging community in general that enticed me -so likely I have all of you to thank. Even though my blog is no longer new (it still kind of is, but I feel like I've been doing this forever) I still draw inspiration from all the blogs I read or visit - whether I just stumble upon it or whether I visit daily.

So for all book bloggers -
This is a thank you letter.
This is thanks for your inspiration.
This is thanks for your dedication.
This is thanks for everything you do.

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

February Top 5

It's time for another top 5 post. Where in the world did February go? Anyways, I've been in a bit of a reading slump lately. Which hasn't made a whole lot of sense to me, because I finish books thinking I loved them and then I sit down to write reviews and realize I didn't connect with them as much as I thought I had. So I thought for once choosing my top five from the month would be easy. And then I went back and looked at my list - and yeahhhh....this list was far from easy. I had to cut 3 books that I loved so much. But enough about my personal pains - here's the top five books I read in February (in no particular order) -

1. Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley
I was in emotional pain when I had to set this down and go to work. This book just blew me away. It was everything I'd ever want out of one night, or one boy. And Cath Crowley's writing style stunned me. This whole book was such a testament to art, humanity, and living in the moment. Read my review here

2. Blood Red Road by Moira Young
I've had this book on my shelf since July. Why it took me this long to read it, I haven't got a clue. Now that I've read it, I can say, I'm impressed with Moira Young. It blows my mind how it seems to draw on different stories and historical events, yet it still feels completely original. Read my review here

3. Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood
I fell in love with Born Wicked so quickly. Finn is now close to the top of my list of book boyfriends and I love the girl power in this book. It's a great start to a series that promises to become something even larger. Plus, it's one of those books that I threw after I finished. It got me going. Read my review here.

4. Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen
This book. Is. Amazing. I've always loved Robin Hood and this re-telling surpassed all expectations I had. Every aspect of this book was incredible - the writing, the pacing, the relationship dynamics, the characterizations, and the way that Gaughen puts women back into history. Awesome. Read it. Read my review here.

5. Starters by Lissa Price

I'm so impressed with this book. I'm still thinking about it. I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did, and I think that's because I couldn't fathom how the premise could be executed. But I started reading and never looked back. I was sucked in immediately. Price definitely pulled off writing about people renting other's bodies and still telling a fantastic story. Read my review here.

What were your top reads this month?

Black City Cover Reveal & Giveaway

I'm super excited to be sharing this cover reveal today. Not only do I have the gorgeous cover to share, but I also have the first chapter for you to read AND a giveaway for you. Awesome.

The Cover:

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About Black City: 
A dark and tender postapocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war

In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable—they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection, that causes Ash’s long dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they’re caught they’ll be executed—but their feelings are too strong. When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.

Black City is due to be released in November 2012.

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About the author: 
Elizabeth Richards is an award-winning journalist and debut author, who spent her early career writing for videogame publications such as CUBE, P2 and GamesTM,and now works as a website editor. Previously, she ran a successful lifestyle website aimed at teenage girls. She won the Jane Hayward Young Journalist of the Year award for her feature on girls in the games industry, and was named 'Editor's Choice' in the industry trade magazine, MCV.
Elizabeth Richards lives in BuckinghamshireEngland and can be found online at www.theredpenofdoom.wordpress.com
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So if you're anything like me and dying to read it, like right now - here's the first chapter of the book to hold you over! Just click here to start reading.
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Thanks to the generosity of Penguin Books for Young Readers I also have an ARC of Black City to give away. Plus, up for grabs is one of five personalized drawings of the main characters - Ash and Natalie - drawn and autographed by the author. This drawing will look kinda like this one, but each one will be unique. 
This contest is international and will end at 12:01 AM on March 8. Just fill out the Rafflecopter form to enter. 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Clarity & Perception - Kim Harrington

Synopsis for Perception:When you can see things others can't, what do you do when someone's watching you? 
Everybody knows about Clarity "Clare" Fern. She's the psychic girl in school, the one who can place her hands on something and see hidden visions from the past. 
Only Clare would rather not be a celebrity. She prefers hanging back, observing. Her gift is not a game to her. But then someone starts playing with her head . . . and heart. Messages and gifts from a secret admirer crop up everywhere Clare turns. Could they be from Gabriel, the gorgeous boy who gets Clare's pulse racing? Or from Justin, Clare's hopeful ex-boyfriend who'd do anything to win her back? 
One thing is certain. Clare needs to solve this mystery, and soon. Because the messages are becoming sinister, and a girl in town has suddenly disappeared. (From Goodreads)


I read Clarity and Perception in the same day, so I'm just going to talk about them together here. (If you want the synopsis for Clarity just click on the cover.) 


Anyways, I liked these books quite a bit - they definitely kept me entertained. The whole mystery solving genre isn't really my thing, but I thought the fact that Clare has psychic ability would make it interesting. It certainly helped; however, what kept me reading these books was Clare herself. I enjoyed her personality and her thought process, and I was entertained by the status of her many relationships. 


I didn't care for the sleuthing parts - which was kind of the point of these books, so I think I missed something here...But, in Clarity the process of elimination and all the not-so-subtle clues felt a bit like watching a Scooby-Doo episode (which is great, but without Scooby and Shaggy - not quite as entertaining). In Perception, though, the emphasis was less on trying to solve a mystery and more on Clare herself. Thus, I liked Perception much more and by the time the ending came, I actually had a chance to be surprised. 


If you like Kimberly Derting's Body Finder series, I'd suggest giving Clarity a shot. It has many of the same elements. I would just warn you that Clarity feels a bit juvenile, but then Perception steps up and matures a bit. Perception is released on Thursday, March 1st. So if you loved Clarity I definitely suggest you pick up a copy. If you haven't read either yet, now's a good time to start because then you don't have to wait to continue Clare's story. 

Monday, February 27, 2012

The Fine Art of Truth or Dare - Melissa Jensen

Synopsis: Ella is nearly invisible at the Willing School, and that's just fine by her. Still, it's hard being a nobody and having a crush on the biggest somebody in the school: Alex Bainbridge. Especially when he is her French tutor, and lessons have started becoming, well, certainly more interesting than French ever has been before. (From Goodreads)

I knew I needed to read this book when I saw that it was compared to both Pretty in Pink and Anna and the French Kiss. In the end, I liked the Pretty in Pink aspects; however, the Anna aspects were just too similar, to the point where I was a little annoyed. I think those two comparisons just completely got my hopes up way too high and I definitely expected more out of this book than what I actually got. 


I loved the beginning of the book. I got this great feeling of everything that was going on around Ella - there's so much motion - while she was standing still. I feel like I came to understand her character and her place so quickly, just based on her observations. The scenes with her family were by far the best parts of the novel - there's so much activity and so much love and loudness - it was like My Big-Fat-Greek Wedding, only they're Italian and it's Ella's sister getting married. I actually think each secondary character that belonged to Ella's family had more personality that Alex. 

However, after the beginning was over, I feel like this story fell into a rut. It did feel like a compilation of several other stories (mainly, the three I've already mentioned - Pretty in Pink, Anna and the French Kiss, My Big-Fat-Greek Wedding - and then Possession by A.S. Byatt). It didn't feel original and I kept thinking that I'd seen this before. 

 I was a little disappointed, but it was a fun book. There's a lot that can be taken away from this -but you can get those things elsewhere as well. I guess, I'm still a little conflicted because I wanted to love this book, but in the end I just wasn't feeling it. 

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Starters - Lissa Price (Review & Giveaway)

Synopsis: 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. . .  (From Goodreads)

I hardly know where to start talking about this book, there's just so much to it. It has layers and layers of story and meaning and lovely things my English Lit trained brain can go crazy for. But any way I look at this book, I'm just in awe of it. 


I'm going to start with the world that Lissa Price builds. I love it because the premise seems like it could be trying to fit in with some of the more popular stories circulating the YA field right now, but once I started reading it I never had the feeling that it was working to be a part of that. It was its own world, built completely for its own story-telling purposes and not just to appeal to the masses. Although the characters and relationships were Hunger-Games-esque, I got past that similarity pretty quickly. I loved Callie and I admired her for the strength she had, because there were moments when I'd just go, "Why are you not PANICKING???" This girl is smart and calm, and her instincts are spectacular. 


Then there's all the things that could inspire great discussion or spark great thoughts. The gap between classes, for example, is very prevalent here, and timely considering the disappearing middle-class. And, one of my personal, strange, fascinations could be deeply explored through this book - generation gaps. I'm still trying to wrap my head around what the gaps in this book mean for the characters and even for us as readers (if, of course, you are one of those people who thinks life mirrors fiction, or vice versa). There are only teens and the elderly (100 years +) in this book. There's nothing in-between or average in this book. You're young or old, you have everything or you have nothing.


Finally, the concept of living your life through someone else - or even offering your own body to someone who wants to be young again - is quite genius. I was a little worried about how Lissa Price would pull that off when I was going into it, but there was no need. It was wonderfully executed. That concept itself raises interesting questions. I could probably talk about ethics and human rights in relation to this novel for a very long time.

Here's the awesome trailer:


So, as an Ambuzzador this spring, Random Buzzers sent me an extra ARC of Starters and I want to give it to one of my readers. This giveaway is U.S. only and will end on Friday, March 2. Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below!

In the mean time, check out Random Buzzers and the discussion post in which Lissa answers reader's questions! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway Winners!


The winner of two Jennifer Echols novels is:
ORIANA - who chose Going Too Far and The One That I Want
Congrats!

And the 10 winners who will receive Pure's Post-Apocalyptic Valentine's Cards: 
Naomi W.
Meghan G.
Helen B.
Sandra H.
Lindsay C.
Tiff P.
Lisa J.
Madison L.
Linda K. 
Lovely G.

Congrats!

Friday, February 24, 2012

Transcend Time Saga Title Hunt

Welcome to the Transcend Time Saga Title Hunt! The title hunt is the reveal of the title for the final novel in the Transcend Time Saga. Each of the bloggers participating in the hunt have been given a letter. Hop around to the blogs participating to hunt for the letters. (And remember that two of the letters are used twice, so the title is eight letters long.) 

Once you've unscrambled the title, go to Michelle Madow's blog and use the title name to enter the giveaway for a voucher for an advanced e-copy of the final Transcend Time novel! (She is giving away a voucher because the novel is planned to be released at the end of the year, and she hasn't finished writing it yet! This voucher will ensure that you will receive an advance e-copy once they are available). 

The letter you need from this blog is: 
------M------
I'm incredibly excited for the last book. Vengeance left me super frustrated and I now need to know that everyone is going to be okay! In the last book, I'm just seriously hoping for a happy ending for everyone. Because as much as I believe that Drew and Lizzie are supposed to be together, I absolutely adore Chelsea. I'm afraid that no matter what she's going to end up heartbroken, so I'm desperately hoping some beautiful boy who's perfect for her comes along! 


ALSO - the e-book of Remembrance is on sale for $0.99 until Michelle's tour ends in April. So if you haven't started the series yet, get on it!

Thursday, February 23, 2012

YA Paranormal Giveaway Hop

Welcome to my stop on the Young Adult Paranormal Activity Giveaway Hop. The hop is hosted by I am a Reader, Not a Writer and vvb32reads. Tons of other blogs are participating. To see the full list and hop along for the chance to win some great books go HERE.

So here's the deal - I decided to offer a few books that represent different paranormal creatures. One winner will get to choose one of the novels from the five featured here. 
Click on the picture if you want a synopsis from IndieBound -


I figure this way there's a good mix of shapeshifters, witches, demons, angels, and plenty of girls walking the line between the normal and the paranormal. (If a book hasn't been released yet, I'll pre-order it for you.)
Alright, the details: 
  • One (1) winner will get his/her choice of one (1) of the books shown above.
  • You must be 13 or older to enter. 
  • This giveaway is international as long as the Book Depository ships to you.
  • You do not have to be a follower to enter, but it is always appreciated!
  • Fill out the Rafflecopter form below - you can only enter once.
  • This contest will begin February 24 and will end February 28 at 12:01 AM.
  • Winner will be announced by email - if you win you have 48 hours to respond before I pick a new winner. 
  • Good luck and thanks for entering!


    If you feel like commenting, I'd love to know what superstitions you have. Me, I believe I need to knock on wood to avoid being jinxed. One of my best friends needs to toss salt over her shoulder (even at busy restaurants) and my other best friend believes it's bad luck to spill a grain of salt. What do you believe is lucky/unlucky and why?
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Scarlet - A.C. Gaughen

Synopsis: Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance. 
Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in. It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for. (From Goodreads)


I love Robin Hood. Have since I saw the Robin Hood cartoon movie. And honestly, I spent the first fifty pages of this book trying to imagine these characters as human, and not the Disney fox version. I was super excited for a new retelling and so I picked up this book the minute I could and then read it straight through. It was amazing! I absolutely adore A.C. Gaughen's version. 


I was a little worried about halfway through that she was going to mangle some of the classic details of the Robin Hood tale. I mean, I'm all for re-tellings, re-imaginings - but I also believe that the bigger aspects of classic stories - their basic structures and important characters - should remain in tact. But my worries were for nothing. The melding of this new imagining with the classic story was flawless and shocking at the same time. I think I was kicking my feet with glee when I figured out the way she was making the classic aspects into twists. 


Even better, A.C. Gaughen managed to infuse girl-power into a largely male tale. Not only that, but she made girl-power a part of history. Because no matter how I hear the Robin Hood tale now, there will always be this incredibly strong and powerful girl by his side. In her Author's Note, Gaughen talks about how she's sure that girls were a part of history, but they have been written out. It's perfectly plausible that there was a girl working with Robin. 


And Robin - sigh. He's always been a beautiful, strong, man in my imagination (even despite the Mel Gibbson, Men in Tights version) - but ohhhh man. I love this Robin. And I adored Little John in this version. He's flawed, but he seems like so much fun. Gaughen captured the spirit of this band so well - their dynamics - the way they worked together and occasionally ruffled each other's feathers.


If you like Robin Hood, I definitely recommend this book. Gaughen nailed this re-telling perfectly. I'm impressed, awed, and in love. 

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Top Ten Tuesday - In Case of Invasion

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted over @ The Broke and the Bookish
This weeks topic is: Top Ten Books I'd Quickly Save If My House Was Going To Be Abducted By Aliens

Well, this is rather timely. I was driving home last night and saw the Northern Lights - of course they weren't very prominent and they were only green, so I couldn't really be sure that they really were the Northern Lights. My thoughts were, they were either that, or I should be rushing home to prepare for an alien invasion. Luckily, they were indeed the Northern Lights. I hope.

But if I were to find out they weren't, these are the ones I would take (probably). 

1. The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan
Love this book. And I got to meet Sarah Rees Brennan and I love the way she signed it "Tumblr is my fate" - at least that would be a better fate than alien invasion.  


2. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
This is a book I'll read over and over again. And it'll always make me feel better. Definitely taking this one with me wherever I go. 


3. Nightshade by Andrea Cremer
Also signed. (After I went a little fangirl of course). And my favorite of the trilogy. 


4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
Do I need to explain? Actually, I think I'd cheat and grab 16 books - or consider all 7 Harry Potter books as 1. I can do that, right?


5. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
I wouldn't go for the copy of the book. I'd go for the limited edition audio book box set in which John Green reads his book. Who knows, if the world was ending, if I'd be able to 
listen to it - but I wouldn't be able to sleep if I left this behind!


6. Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen
I love Robin Hood and classics are always comforting to fall back on. Plus, this retelling is awesome. 


7. Starcrossed by Josephine Angleini
Yeah, not leaving my house without my signed copy of this amazing book.

8. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
Such an incredible book that I always keep displayed on the top of my bookshelf.

9. Book of Grimm's Fairy Tales in German
 Don't really know what this one is called exactly - but I have a book of fairy tales in German that I brought back from Germany. I love it so much, even though I can't actually read it.

10. The Complete Fairy Tales and Stories of Hans Christian Anderson
This isn't the copy of my book - but I think it's the same book. It get's displayed up there with Kate DiCamillo and I adore it! It's definitely not getting into the clutches of evil aliens.


(These are the books I actually have in my house and would save. There's others that I've already set free into the world, and are safe at a friend's house. I didn't count them here.)

Vengeance - Michelle Madow

Synopsis: When Chelsea Givens discovered that her ex-boyfriend Drew dumped her to be with her former best friend Lizzie, she'd never felt so betrayed in her life. Then her new friend Shannon tells her she can help set things right. Chelsea's willing to listen, but what Shannon wants her to believe -- that she shared a past life with Drew -- is impossible. And what she wants her to do to get him back … well, it's downright crazy. 
Could Shannon be telling the truth? And if she is, what lengths will Chelsea go if it means making Lizzie pay? (From Goodreads)

This is a super short story that just follows up Remembrance and bridges to the next novel in this series. It follows the point of view of Chelsea - I loved getting the point of view from the wronged best friend. There's so many best friends who get screwed over in YA that I was really excited to hear her point of view. 

This was the perfect little taste to satisfy my craving to know what's going on with these characters - and it definitely makes me want the next book immediately. Remembrance didn't leave me aching to know what happens next, but this book did. 

And I'll just leave off with this - this series just continues to be a Taylor Swift song, and I love it. While reading Remembrance I had "Love Story" stuck in my head. While reading Vengeance, I was replaying the lyrics to "Better than Revenge."

"Taking other people's toys on the playground won't make her any friends. She should keep in mind there is nothing I do better than revenge." 

Monday, February 20, 2012

Harbinger - Sara Wilson Etienne

Synopsis: Plagued by waking visions and nightmares, inexplicably drawn to the bones of dead animals, Faye thinks she's going crazy. Fast. Her parents beleive Holbrook Academy might just be the solution. Dr. Mordoch tells her it's the only answer. But Faye knows that something's not quite right about Dr. Mordoch and her creepy, prisonlike school for disturbed teenagers. 
What's wrong with Holbrook goes beyond the Takers, sadistic guards who threaten the student body with Tasers and pepper spray; or Nurse, who doles out pills at bedtime and doses of solitary confinement when kids step out of line; or Rita, the strange girl who delivers ominous messages to Faye that never seem to make any sense. What's wrong with Holbrook begins and ends with Faye's red hands; she and her newfound friends--her Holbrook "family"--wake up every morning with their hands stained the terrible brown of dried blood. Faye has no idea what it means but fears she may be the cause. 
Because despite the strangeness of Holbrook and the island on which it sits, Faye feels oddly connected to the place; she feels especially linked to the handsome Kel, who helps her unravel the mystery. There's just one problem: Faye's certain Kel's trying to kill her--and maybe the rest of the world, too. 
(From Goodreads) 


To be honest, I wasn't really rushing to read this book. I was intrigued and it was receiving a lot of great buzz, but to me it sounded similar to a lot of other books out there. But when it kind of threw itself in my path, and I figured that happened for a reason, so I picked it up. And I ended up really liking it. It wasn't love, but I was definitely very into this story. 


Here's what I find interesting - I didn't care for the characters, but I loved the story. Faye was interesting, but the cast around her felt a little bit unoriginal. Kel, is your typical bad boy with plenty to hide and there's the evil controlling adult who inflicts torture and social ridicule in the name of helping these kids. None of the characters really flew off the page at me and I never really connected to any of them. 


But all the internal stuff Faye goes through that links back to Holbrook and all the strange things that are going on is definitely fascinating. I wasn't expecting this to be a psychological thriller, but that's definitely what it was. It starts out with Faye and her father sitting in Dr. Mordoch's office and she sees it flooding with water. With that beginning I expected a pretty fast pace, but it turned out to be a slow build until I reached a point that I had to stop every once in awhile to remind myself to breathe. 


In the end, everything that Faye uncovers and the way everything turns out is so clever and so intriguing. I wanted to know more - but not in a way that made me feel like anything was lacking. Like I said, it wasn't love, but this book did suck me in and it got a reaction out of me. While the characters aren't special, the story itself didn't remind me of anything else. So, I'm definitely happy this book found a way to me. 

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Born Wicked - Jessica Spotswood

Synopsis: 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. (From Goodreads)

I used to be obsessed with the Salem Witch Trials. Obsessed. Or at least as obsessed as a middle schooler can be about something that isn't a boy or a pair of red checkered flares (YES, I had a pair of those that I LOVED - and no, they did not look good). My first speech in school was about the Salem Witch Trials and I devoured every novel about Salem that I could - I especially remember Witch Child by Celia Rees - and I think Ann Rinaldi, wrote a Salem book - and of course, one of my favorites was Beyond the Burning Time by Kathryn Lasky. Anyways, I'm giving you this little history of Hannah lesson because it seems I've been drawn back into this fascination lately - first with Chime and now with Born Wicked.

While Born Wicked doesn't take place in Salem, it has all the elements of witch hysteria and religious persecution that Salem has. I wasn't expecting this book to be historical, but I was pleasantly surprised by that aspect. It fits the Salem Witch Trials, but Jessica put a bit of her own twist on it, adding the Sisterhood, which holds a certain fascination. I'm interested to learn more about what they are about, something I'm hoping will be fleshed out more in the future novels in this series.

I should have probably mentioned this BEFORE my rambling - but I loved, loved this book. It reminded me about everything that fascinated me about Puritans and witch hunting when I was younger. It's quiet and magical, with growing tension through the whole book. I swear, the tension builds so slow, you don't even know it's happening - until you reach the end and you realize you'd quit breathing and then suddenly your tension releases and - oops, you just threw your book on the floor. I was shocked at my reaction to this whole book. I didn't realize it was affecting me so much, but it did.

I also want to talk about the characters in this novel. They're all incredible. Cate was a great heroine and Finn is my new book crush. He's the gardener, who has a secret longing for adventure, and is a little bookish. I fell in immediate love with him. And Cate's sisters were so fascinating. Their family dynamic was interesting to read - and I just got the impression that this would be a great story no matter which sister was the protagonist.

Born Wicked is the first in the Cahill Witch Chronicles. And it's amazing. I'm dying to know what happens next -because that ending...
Definitely pick this one up.

Book Blogger Love-A-Thon Wrap Up



Wowza. Today was crazy, but -  
Today was happy. 


I felt the love. And giving other blogs, new and old, loving was great. 


Best of all, was discovering new blogs thanks to recommendations! 
My new finds today:


Alexa Loves Books - This girl seems so sweet!
Books Strings - This was insta-love! It might be because she has a great review of Lola and the Boy Next Door up right now - but I think it's more than that!
GReads - I found this one because so many people mentioned her in their thank you posts this morning. I've been following her on Twitter for awhile, but this is the first time I actually checked out her blog. 
From Bleh to Basically Amazing - This was a blog I'd never heard of before today, but so many people mentioned it so I checked it out. Another insta-love situation!
Novel Magic - She's a brand new blogger, can't wait to see what the future of blogging holds for her!
That Artsy Reader Girl - Her blog is SO pretty!
The Brown Eyed Bookie - Check out her header =) I feel like I read surrounded by books like that too. I just like to feel the love of them all around me! 
Stories and Sweeties - So cute! She has a great review of Harbinger up right now! 


I've visited a lot more blogs than this today - so I sincerely apologize if I missed you. I tried to keep track as best I could. 


I'm making a personal goal of commenting and showing blogger love more often - because this day was so great, I'm sitting here thinking why can't it be like this every day? 


Katelyn - Seriously, thanks SO much for hosting this. You rock my socks. 


And all the bloggers who participated, all the bloggers who work so hard - I LOVE YOU. 

Friday, February 17, 2012

Book Blogger Love-A-Thon Mini Challenge #3

This is just a post to talk a bit about my own blogging experience. 
And I just have to say, that deciding to start blogging was one of the best decisions I could have made. It turned out to be a way to turn one of my passions into something productive and hopefully beneficial, not only to myself, but to others as well. 
I don't think I could have ever guessed how much this blog would fuel my own passion for young adult literature, but I have to say that the more I blog, the more I love these books and authors. 


But today, in the spirit of this Love-A-Thon, I want to talk about my experience with the blogging community. In the beginning I was a big of a sideline participant. I read so many blogs and tweets every day, but I never really responded. I gradually became confident enough to interject here and there. Now as I begin to meet more bloggers, I'm loving talking to others - not just reading, but adding my own thoughts and opinions. 
To all those who have just found me today - or if you've been following for awhile - Let's Be Friends!!
Talk to me on Twitter - leave comments - send me emails! Let's talk about books, let's talk about blogging, let's talk about the most random things ever! I'm shy and a little quiet, even online - but I'd still love to talk to you all.
Because, it's the people I do talk to, the wonderful bloggers in this community that make blogging an awesome experience. 
It's hard to think of this right now, with all the love going around - but there's been a lot of negativity surrounding book bloggers lately. If we all band together, we can work against that negativity. 


I'm not really sure how this turned from a post about my blogging experience to my begging you to be my friend. But it all comes down to - blogging is a huge part of my life and I'm so honored to be a part of this community. 

Book Blogger Love-A-Thon Mini Challenge #2


Blogs I LOVE
This post is to talk about my "newer" favorite blogs. I'm defining "newer" as blogs I found after I started blogging. And this could take awhile, because I have a lot of love for a lot of blogs out there and I wish I could just make a list - actually, I might.

Mostly because she has a great name =) I'm mostly kidding about that (about the fact that that's why I love her blog - I'm not kidding that she has a great name). I came by her blog through the Book Blogger Confessions and she has a great, open personality. She reached out to me in my comments and we talked very briefly on Twitter, but I now check her blog daily and I love it!

This isn't a new love. But I feel they deserve a shout out here. Jenn was one of my first blogger friends and we bonded over a love for Myra McEntire and Jennifer Echols. We have super similar tastes in books and I always love chatting with her about books. I'm currently waiting for a gushfest over Timepiece by Myra!

This girl is 14 and I think she's smarter than everyone! I love her discussion posts and her taste in books is great.

I've been following her blog since I started blogging and I always love reading her posts. Not to mention, how awesome is it that she thought of this event?

And here's my list of other blogs I read daily, but don't want to bore you all to death with my explanations -

Whew. There's so many more I want to list, but these are my dailies. (I'm looking at this wondering how many more books I could read if I didn't spend so much time reading ABOUT books. But it's all good because I love doing both). I encourage you to check out all these amazing blogs and give them some love!

Book Blogger Love-A-Thon Mini Challenge #1

Dear Book Bloggers,
The decision to blog was a sudden one for me. It was something that hit me one day and seemed like such an obvious thing for me to be doing that I just jumped right in.
But I feel like I already knew quite a bit about it before I started and that is definitely due to all of the blogs that I read before I created In the Best Worlds.

There were a lot of blogs I read regularly - the one I checked the most was Coffee and Cliffhangers - I was reading her blog regularly before I even started following book bloggers.

And then I think my biggest inspiration came from Kristi at the Story Siren. That woman is such a powerhouse and I wonder if she knows the impact she's had on the blogging world.
Anyhow, she's the one who made me realize there's so much more to blogging than reviewing - that there is sharing, friendship, community - and all of the fun stuff that comes along with blogging.
Her blog is one that I still check every day, and if I ever need some advice (especially when it comes to contacting publishers) her blog is the first place I check.

So in any far off chance you'll ever read this, Kristi, thank you for running such a fun, professional, helpful, and just all around wonderful blog. If I had to point at someone who got me into blogging, you'd be the one. I appreciate you so much!

The other blog I feel I need to mention is The YA Sisterhood. I began blogging in the midst of the YA Heroes tournament and that, I think, influenced me a lot to take the plunge and start my own blog. Can't really tell you how because I'm not sure myself - but I do know that is one of the blogs that influence me.

There are many other blogs I was reading daily that influenced my decision and I wish I could mention them all - but really it was the blogging community in general that enticed me -so likely I have all of you to thank. Even though my blog is no longer new (it still kind of is, but I feel like I've been doing this forever) I still draw inspiration from all the blogs I read or visit - whether I just stumble upon it or whether I visit daily.

So for all book bloggers -
This is a thank you letter.
This is thanks for your inspiration.
This is thanks for your dedication.
This is thanks for everything you do.