2011 Debut Author Challenge Wrap-Up

This is my wrap-up for the 2011 Debut Author Challenge, hosted by The Story Siren!
All these books are listed, without review, here.
These titles will have links, so if you missed the review you can read it now! If you want to know why I need this, let's just say it's a de-stresser! That isn't a word!
Ones with stars are my favorites. Yes, most of them were amazing so there are a lot of stars!

1. Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton
2. Unearthly by Cynthia Hand*
3. Across the Universe by Beth Revis*
4. Clarity by Kim Harrington*
5. The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab*
6. XVI by Julie Karr*
7. Warped by Maurissa Guibord
8. The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton*
9. Wildefire by Karsten Knight*
10. Haven by Kristi Cook
11. Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky 
12. The Revenant by Sonia Gensler
13. Starcorssed by Josephine Angelini
14. The Liar Society by Laura and Lisa Roecker
15. Wither by Lauren DeStefano*
16. Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton*
17. Hereafter by Tara Hudson
18. Divergent by Veronica Roth*
19. The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter*
20. Hourglass by Myra McEntire*
21. Bumped by Megan McCafferty
22. Die for Me by Amy Plum
23. Possession by Elana Johnson
24. Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs
25. Moonglass by Jessi Kirby*
26. Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez*
27. Girl Wonder by Alexa Martin*
28. Legacy by Cayla Kluver
29. The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle
30. The Mephisto Covenant by Trinity Faegen
31. Flawless by Lara Chapman
32. Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake*
33. The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson*
34. Eve by Anna Carey
35. Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout*
36. Frost by Marianna Baer
37. Darker Still by Leanna Renne Hieber
38. The Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder
39. A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies
40. The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver*
41. Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier*
42. Cold Kiss by Anna Gravey
43. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
44. The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder*
45. Possess by Gretchen McNeil (not reviewed yet)*
46. Blood Red Road by Moira Young (not reviewed yet)****!

I think I did pretty good this year! 46 debuts is pretty impressive! Want to know what I'm reading next year? Go HERE.

Blog Happenings (50)

Happy New Year's Eve! It's very hard to believe that the year is coming to a close. There will be some wrap up post that I need to do as far as challenges go later in the day. I think I failed my historical challenge..oops!

READING:

This is a book I have for a blog tour, I'm not too far into it. I hope to finish it by today, though!

TO READ:

I hoped to finish Daughter of Smoke & Bone this year but that obviously isn't going to happen! Maybe I'll get a little bit of it read. 

Otherwise, I have tons of Netgally books that I need to read. The end of the year makes you (and me!) realize how badly you've been slacking! 

I envy people that can just go from one book to a time and not worry about how they didn't quite make it to this book and such. I, obviously, can't do that. I stress out about all the books I have on my shelves that I haven't got to. Which, frankly, is a little silly!

READ:

Cinder by Marissa Meyer-I loved this one, expect a review on Monday!

Blood Red Road by Moira Young-This one was fantastic! Go read it now!!

Possess by Gretchen McNeil-This one was a great read, definitely loved the banishment parts.

Still Waters by Emma Carlson Berne-Pleasantly surprised by how creepy this one was!

I've read 185 books this year, I hope to make that 186 by midnight! For a list of those: Books Read

I hope to get some housecleaning done on the blog this afternoon so it's prepped for the new year!

Stayed tuned for my Challenge updates!

Top Ten Books of 2011

It's finally come. New Year's Eve is tomorrow. A whole new year full of great things and bad things is going to start. Yes, I realize how weird I'm sounding. But there will be new books in 2012. Oh, yes! We are still in 2011 so here are my favorite books of 2011. This is a post that I've spent hours laboring over. It was very hard and there are many that couldn't get mentioned. I'm linking my Goodreads so you can check out other books I've rated 5 stars. Link to my Goodreads.

Top Ten of 2011: The Final List

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

If you want a book that's filled to the brim with characters that have an adorable romance. This is the one for you. Lola, the book and the character, is so remarkable. This book makes you want to hug it, it's just that good.

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

I'd be lying if I said this wasn't THE favorite book of 2011. Because it kind of is. I love all these other books but there is just something special about Unearthly. It has almost nothing to do with my love for a certain cowboy but just everything to do with the book. For some reason this book was just a really powerful read for me. 

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

Blood Red Road is my new obsession, as I read it just a few days ago. I'm so in love with the characters and the writing, which is so unique. The characters also have a very special spot in my heart. Blood Red Road is an incredible book.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

When I first read this I was amazed. It's hard for me to believe that I'm still amazed by this book. Just everything about this book makes me love it. It's fast-paced and Tris was so Dauntless...!

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Across the Universe has one of the best dual perspectives I have seen in a long time. The setting was intense, the characters great and the mystery? Well, that was just a little heart-stopping.

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Shatter Me is totally amazing! This book makes me want to jump out and down it was SO good. The characters, the supernatural elements all were combined with the most gorgeous writing.

Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez

Virtuosity is a stunning tale that shocked me. I never thought that I'd have so much love for a contemporary that dealt with issues. But this one is truly a stand out in the contemporary genre.

Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

Demonglass is an amazing sequel to Hex Hall. Demonglass is so filled with twists and turns that everything is a surprise. Plus the love interest(s) aren't too shabby.

The Eternal Sea by Angie Frazier

The Eternal Sea is a gem in a sea of historical fantasy. I love the writing, I love all the characters and I just love the historical setting.

Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey

Haunting Violet managed to surprise me with its lovable characters and mystery. Not to mention the historical setting and the ghosts. It's a must read for mystery fans.

That's my list! What are some of your favorite books?

Top Ten Love Interests of 2011

Hello everyone and welcome to the second to last top ten list! This top ten list features one of my favorite things in books, other than the main characters, and that is

THE LOVE INTEREST

Some of these will be the love interest of my favorite main characters but I'm switching up here a little. Mainly because I have way more than 10 favorite love interests. (In no particular order) There are too many good boys in YA!

1. Tucker from Unearthly by Cynthia Hand~First of all Tucker is a cowboy and an adorable sweet one, too! There is nothing not to love about Tucker, he and Clara make the best couple. Even though he's part of a love triangle I think we all know who is going to be the winner of this one. (Hopefully, *crosses fingers for luck*) I am in love with Tucker.
2. Adam from Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi~Adam is spectacular love interest. He is always there to comfort and be with Juliette. I love their relationship just because it's so real.
3. Jeremy from Virtousity by Jessica Martinez~Jeremy is like a lot of other guys on this list, cocky but so sweet and adorable. He and Carmen have an amazing relationship. I just love both of them. Plus Jeremy has an accent! 
4. Rieker from The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton~The thing I love about Rieker is that he is a perfect gentlemen. He's always willing to help Tiki and to tell her when she's being a little stubborn. Plus, he and Tiki have a real romance.
5. Tyler from Moonglass by Jessi Kirby~The romance in Moonglass definitely doesn't take center stage in the book but the the realness of Anna and Tyler's relationship does. Tyler is cute, cocky and likes adventure. He was adorable.
6. Cole from The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab~Cole is a total mystery at first but eventually we get to see how much of a sweetheart he is. So adorable....
7. Four from Divergent by Veronica Roth~I don't think you need much explaining on this one. Tris and Four equal pure awesome. Four is a character that you won't forget soon!
8. Cricket from Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins~Cricket is a guy who makes me absolutely smile! He's adorable and super caring, do we see a pattern forming? He's there for Lola and isn't some jerk. 
9. Dan from Past Perfect by Leila Sales~I really, really like Dan. He's just plain adorable. He and Chelsea have so much fun together that it's hard not to like them. I love a couple that has tons of fun with each other!
10. Colin from Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey~Colin is a great historical love interest and he's my absolute favorite thing, a friend that's been there since childhood. He's caring, sweet, adorable, funny. Oh my, the list goes on and on. I think I need to give Haunting Violet another read.
11. Jack from Blood Red Road by Moira Young~I'm cheating a little here but Jack just had to be on this list with all these other guys). Jack is such a cocky yet sweet guy! Now he isn't really sweet but he and Saba just made my heart melt a little. Their relationship is amazing! Jack will definitely make the girls swoon!

There are SO many other guys that I could name off, but sadly I can't name them all. There are way too many out there! (ex: Asher from The Probability of Miracles, I LOVE him. Or the Fuentes brothers for that matter, they need a whole list! What about Archer from Demonglass, pure love right there!) They just can't make it on the list, even if they are deserving. I'm very sad I can't include every boy.

What are some of your favorite love interests, and do you agree or disagree with mine?

Waiting on Wednesday (51)

Hi everyone and happy Wednesday! Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine to showcase books we can't wait for!

This week's pick is:

Dangerous Boy by Mandy Hubbard
August 30, 2012

Harper’s new boyfriend Logan Townsend is everything she never knew she always wanted—tall, muscular, with tousled brown hair that falls effortlessly around his face. But what’s most exciting about Logan is that he’s exhilaratingly dangerous, and dating him allows Harper to say, “buh bye” to her good-girl past and “hello” to newfound adventure. 

There’s only one problem with Harper’s otherwise heart-stopping romance: Logan’s twin brother Daemon. Harper knows he’s a bad seed, but she tries to look past his dark, icy stare and his chilling demeanor. After all, he and Logan are a package deal. 

Then cow bones start appearing in people’s mailboxes, a flock of birds show up dead, and all of the cars in the senior parking lot are given flat tires—and covered with blood-red handprints. Logan insists that Daemon isn’t involved—sure, he’s had some trouble in the past, but they moved to Harper’s quiet northwest Washington town so that they could both start over. 

Harper desperately wants to believe Logan, but the more he tries to protect his brother, the more she wonders what she isn’t being told. Now, Harper must unearth the hidden secrets of the mysterious Townsend brothers’ history if she and Logan are to have any hope of a future. But learning what brought Logan and Daemon to town won’t put just her heart in jeopardy... She’s playing with her life.


Truthfully, this one sounds a little creepy. Cow bones in mailboxes? Usually I would say count me out but it's Mandy Hubbard. I love all her other books. Logan and Daemon sound like two interesting characters, in other words a little creepy sounding. I can't wait to see how they're written!

Favorite Main Characters of 2011

I was originally going to do a review today but then I decided to do something special because it is the last week of 2011. Tomorrow will be a Waiting on Wednesday and Thursday will be another top ten list. Friday will be a What to Read. On the second the blog will go back to regular programming. I apologize that this is so late, I couldn't get the internet to work...

Top Ten Main Characters of 2011

1. Saba from Blood Red Road by Moira Young- Saba is a strong (aka stubborn) heroine who can hold her own in a fight. She's flawed but in a lovable way. She definitely amazes me.
2. Camille from The Eternal Sea by Angie Frazier-Camille has a lot on her plate, she has to undo some ancient curses, but she always manages to stay strong. She's a very relatable character for being in a historical time period.
3. Clara from Unearthly by Cynthia Hand-Clara is just an amazing character. She isn't afraid to do what she thinks is right and she blew me away in Unearthly. She makes you love her.
4. Tris from Divergent by Veronica Roth-Tris is one word: amazing. She's a lot of other things too but I just admire her for her strength and for being so brave.
5. Juliette from Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi-Juliette has some serious guts. She's lovable plus she's been through so much and still manages to survive.
6. Carmen from Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez-Carmen is so amazing. What she did in Virtuosity blew me away. She's an incredible character.
7. Emerson from Hourglass by Myra McEntire-Em is so snarky and funny and just a lot of fun. Like all my favorite main characters she's been through a lot but still manges to come out on top.
8. Violet from Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey-First of all, Violet can see ghosts and lives in the past. She's also sweet but gets into a lot of trouble. Which I love!
9. Lola from Lola and the Boy Next Door-I almost forgot Lola! Lola is a crazy dresser that manages to steal your heart from page one. She and Cricket are amazing.
10. Cam from The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder-Cam is a fantastic main character. She's a great girl that has a protective shell around her but really is as awesome as can be.

The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder

Title: The Probability of Miracles
Author: Wendy Wunder
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: December 8, 2011
Source: Bought
Add to your shelf

Summary: Dry, sarcastic, sixteen-year-old Cam Cooper has spent the last seven years in and out hospitals. The last thing she wants to do in the short life she has left is move 1,500 miles away to Promise, Maine - a place known for the miraculous events that occur there. But it's undeniable that strange things happen in Promise: everlasting sunsets; purple dandelions; flamingoes in the frigid Atlantic; an elusive boy named Asher; and finally, a mysterious envelope containing a list of things for Cam to do before she dies. As Cam checks each item off the list, she finally learns to believe - in love, in herself, and even in miracles.

A debut novel from an immensely talented new writer, The Probability of Miracles crackles with wit, romance and humor and will leave readers laughing and crying with each turn of the page.

Review: The Probability of Miracles is a beautiful book. It's a book that makes you cry but also makes you laugh and smile.

Cam was a fantastic main character. From the moment she appeared on the page she captured my heart. Cam has been through a lot and I doubt she'd want sympathy from people. She doesn't get mine, she gets my support. Cam was everything that I needed my main character to be. She was strong, relatable and she could make me smile.

The supporting characters were just as real as Cam was. Asher was just an amazing character. I don't think an author could have created a better love interest. Cam's Mom and sister and even her Grandma touched my heart and made me want to know them.

On top of the great characters there's the writing. Wunder has a way of putting things that was just so beautiful. I am in love with her writing. I don't even want to get started on how much I loved the concept of the book.

The Probability of Miracles will amaze you with its writing and concept, but it's the characters that will make you want to stay in the world of Promise, Maine.

Rating:

Blog Happenings (49) and Happy Holidays!!

Hello everyone!
I'm coming to you today for a special edition of Blog Happenings-a very short one, at that. I'm just going to update you on what's going on and that's it.

READING:

Cinder by Marissa Meyer-I'm loving this book! Cinder is such a great character. I have about a 100 pages left so I hope to finish it sometime after the holidays.

READ:

Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs-This was super cute and lots of fun!

Shut Out by Kody Keplinger-This one was amazing!

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout-Armentrout never fails to disappoint!

The Probabilty of Miracles by Wendy Wunder-I LOVE this book, expect a review next Monday.

TO READ:

Possess by Gretchen McNeil

Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

I think I can manage to read all those books before the end of the year!

There will not be an IMM tomorrow because I haven't received any books and it is Christmas!

I wish you all the happiest of holidays! See everyone on Monday!

P.S. Don't forget to check out Google, it's amazing!

What to Read (12)

Hi everyone!

What to Read is just a little thing I like to do that features a slew of books from a certain genre. Sometimes I don't exactly do genres, but you get the gist!

Today I'm featuring:

What to Read before 2011 is over!

This video is pretty long so don't feel bad if you don't watch it all, I totally understand. I feel like on video I sound funny and have a lisp. Plus my head looks huge. This video included phones ringing and squirrel sightings because I'm too stupid to edit it. 

Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

Title: Shut Out
Author: Kody Keplinger
Publisher: Poppy
Publication Date: September 6, 2011
Source: Bought
Add to your shelf


Summary: Most high school sports teams have rivalries with other schools. At Hamilton High, it's a civil war: the football team versus the soccer team. And for her part,Lissa is sick of it. Her quarterback boyfriend, Randy, is always ditching her to go pick a fight with the soccer team or to prank their locker room. And on three separate occasions Randy's car has been egged while he and Lissa were inside, making out. She is done competing with a bunch of sweaty boys for her own boyfriend's attention 

Then Lissa decides to end the rivalry once and for all: She and the other players' girlfriends go on a hookup strike. The boys won't get any action from them until the football and soccer teams make peace. What they don't count on is a new sort of rivalry: an impossible girls-against-boys showdown that hinges on who will cave to their libidos first. But what Lissa never sees coming is her own sexual tension with the leader of the boys, Cash Sterling... 


Review: Shut Out managed to amaze me in so many ways. This book is a gem, especially to high school girls.


In Shut Out the main character is an admirable one. Lissa is definitely a strong heroine who thinks she knows what she wants. At times Lissa could be a little too shifty with her actions but she still proves herself as a girl who can make her own decisions. 


There's a ton of great supporting characters in Shut Out, from Lissa's Dad to her friends to Cash. Cash is such a sweet boy. Basically, he's everything you'd ever want in a guy. He likes books and can make intelligent conversation...Cash is the opposite of Lissa's boyfriend, Randy. I liked Randy a bit in the beginning but in my mind he turned out to be a bad egg. Lissa's Dad was such a good guy, she was so lucky to have him.


But what's this war? Shut Out has the best concept I've seen in awhile for a fun contemporary book. The girls of Hamilton High are going on a hook up strike, as I'm sure most of you already know. I really loved this idea and I had a such a great time reading about all the escapades that went down during the war. 


Shut Out is an awesome book that manages to stay fun but broaches some issues with brutal honesty. I will definitely be looking forward to many more books from Keplinger!


Rating: 4.5 stars

Waiting on Wednesday (50)

Hi and Happy Wednesday! Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine to show books we can't wait to read!

This week's pick is:

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
June 14, 2012

"One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time." 

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen year old Samantha wishes she was one of them… until the day Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything. 

Jase can sense that his beautiful neighbor is missing something in her sterile home, and as the two fall fiercely in love, his family makes her one of their own. 

But when the bottom drops out of Sam's world, which perfect family will save her–and will her perfect love survive? 

Set among the haves and have-nots of a coastal New England town, My LIFE NEXT DOOR captures the angst, the heartache, and the raw-nerve emotions of first time love—and biting loss.


I'm always in the mood for a good contemporary read, and My Life Next Door looks like it could ease my craving a little. Plus, who doesn't like romance that involves the next door neighbor boys? But other than that, the setting of New England and the biting loss described in the summary make this sound like a really good read!

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Title: Obsidian
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Publication Date: December 6, 2011
Source: Bought
Add To Your Shelf (new feature, links to Goodreads)


Summary: Starting over sucks. 


When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring…. until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up. 


And then he opened his mouth. 


Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens. 


The hot alien living next door marks me. 


You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. 


If I don’t kill him first, that is.


Review: Obsidian will have you hooked from the first page. It's fast-paced with good characters and something we haven't seen too much in YA, aliens!


Katy, the main character, whose name is not mentioned in the summary has one heck of a voice. Katy is so spunky and so snarky that she almost jumps off the page. Katy is a very strong girl, she definitely isn't afraid to stand up to her alien buddies. She was a tad two-dimensional at times but hopefully in the next book she'll make her way to full character.  


But who is this hot Daemon guy that you've heard so much about before this review? Well, Daemon is a jerk. But you will find him being a lovable jerk who has his sweet moments where he turns into a caring alien. The tension between Katy and Daemon was so tangible and real that it makes you shift in your seat wondering when you'll see them together again. Armentrout definitely knows how to make a book steamy.


Obsidian also sports some great side characters. There's Daemon's sister, Dee, who is almost too peppy for her own good yet still manages to steal  reader's heart. Katy also meets some interesting characters at school.


The alien aspect was much more engaging and interesting than I expected. You'll definitely want to know more about the different types of aliens, yes there are more than one kind. Hopefully all those secrets will be revealed in later books. Books that have more hot covers.


Obsidian will have you absolutely yearning for the next book. I know that I absolutely can't wait for Onyx, the next book in this amazing alien series.


Rating: 4.5 stars

The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton

Title: The Faerie Ring
Author: Kiki Hamilton
Publisher: Tor Teen
Publication Date: September 27, 2011
Source: Bought


Summary: Debut novelist Kiki Hamilton takes readers from the gritty slums and glittering ballrooms of Victorian London to the beguiling but menacing Otherworld of the Fey in this spellbinding tale of romance, suspense, and danger. 

The year is 1871, and Tiki has been making a home for herself and her family of orphans in a deserted hideaway adjoining Charing Cross Station in central London. Their only means of survival is by picking pockets. One December night, Tiki steals a ring, and sets off a chain of events that could lead to all-out war with the Fey. For the ring belongs to Queen Victoria, and it binds the rulers of England and the realm of Faerie to peace. With the ring missing, a rebel group of faeries hopes to break the treaty with dark magic and blood—Tiki’s blood.

Unbeknownst to Tiki, she is being watched—and protected—by Rieker, a fellow thief who suspects she is involved in the disappearance of the ring. Rieker has secrets of his own, and Tiki is not all that she appears to be. Her very existence haunts Prince Leopold, the Queen’s son, who is driven to know more about the mysterious mark that encircles her wrist.

Prince, pauper, and thief—all must work together to secure the treaty…


Review: I'd heard some pretty good things about The Faerie Ring. But I had no idea that I would be absolutely blown away by this book.


Tiki, I find it funny that her name is so similar to the author's, instantly captured my heart. She did so from the moment she appeared on the first page, trying to pick a man's pocket. There is nothing not to love about Tiki. She literally takes care of a bunch of orphans and will do anything to help them have better lives. Plus, she is one spunky girl!


Tiki's makeshift family pulled on my heartstrings. I felt so much for them. They were truly an admirable group of kids. Rieker, the love interest, will definitely have you swooning. I know he had me doing just that.


I loved all the secrets that were revealed in this. Hamilton keeps you in the dark for awhile about the characters but she doesn't leave you hanging. She makes sure that you have all the information you need to know to have a pleasurable reading experience.


The historical world that Hamilton creates is believable and fantastic. Her descriptions made me feel like I was really there with Tiki and Rieker on their heart-pounding adventures that pop up through the entire book.


Even though The Faerie Ring is first in a four book series, it could easily be a standalone that isn't quite complete. I'm sure that after reading this, you and myself included, will be more than overjoyed that there are many sequels to The Faerie Ring. The Faerie Ring is one fantastic book.


Rating:

In My Mailbox (60)

Hi and welcome to In My Mailbox! IMM is hosted by The Story Siren to show all the books we got during the week!

Bought:

• Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick-I'm super curious about this one, it sounds thrilling!
• Why we Broke Up by Daniel Handler-I haven't heard all the much about this one. I DO know the book weighs about 10 pounds and has really pretty pictures. Maybe not ten but quite a few!
• Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey-I really like the sound of this one!
• The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder-I 'm SO happy to finally have this book!!!

I got Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout for my Nook. I've already read and loved this one!

That's it for me! What about you?

Blog Happenings (48)

Hi and happy weekend!

READING:

I'm almost done with Obsidian, and I'm loving it. I just started Shut Out yesterday but it's off to a great start!

TO READ:

The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

READ:

The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton-I really loved this one!

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin-Just read my review...

I'm officially out of school! Do you know what that means?

That I'll get to read SO much more. Its been really hard for me these past few months to have enough reviews to publish each week. So, I'm hoping that I can catch up with some books and get some reviews done ahead of time.

Plus, I have so many debuts from this year that I want to read before the year is over.  It almost is, too. I can hardly believe it.

Last night I went and saw Footloose. I thought it was pretty good, but then again I haven't seen the original. I hope to soon! But why am I telling you this? I'm sure that you're thinking, "Katie, why in the world are you telling us. We don't really care." Well, some of you might but there is a reason. Is there a book for Footloose? I'm sure it's a movie to book adaptation instead of the other way around. But still, I'm curious. I'll have to go check it out!

That's it for me today. I hope you have a fabulous Saturday and Sunday! Sorry for the semi-random post!

What to Read (12)

Hi everyone!
What to Read is just a little thing I like to do that features a slew of books from a certain genre. Sometimes I don't exactly do genres, but you get the gist!

Today I'm featuring:

FANTASY!

Fantasy is a very interesting genre. I don't think I read much of what you would consider high fantasy or even fantasy. But these are my favorite fantasy books. So, faerie books!

The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton:WOW! I just finished this book last night and I was absoluetly blown away. Hamilton has such a awesome writing style. But obviously this isn't about writing so they are faeries. These faeries are evil and just impressive. Expect a review on Monday!

The Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa: This series is one of my favorites. After reading all the books, they are just about my favorite books in the fantasy genre. The faeries in this series are absouletely amazing. Other than the faeries the characters and the plot line are stunning.

The Wonderous Strange series: I've only read the first one but I really liked it at the time I read it, about a year ago. I've been meaning to read the rest of the series, just because the faerie lore is so unique.

The Wings Series by Aprilynne Pike: Sometimes these books can be a little iffy in terms of characters but the faeries are suberbly done. I just love the faery world in these books!

Honorable Mentions: Paranormalcy series by Kiersten White, I LOVE this series. It does have faeries in it just I consider is more paranormal, obviously.

What are some of YOUR favorite fantasy books? Leave a comment, I need some new recommendations! :)

Waiting on Wednesday (49)

Hi all and happy Wednesday! Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine!

This week's pick is:

Body and Soul by Stacey Kade
May 29, 2012

The Ghost
I’ve been trapped in the body of Lily “Ally” Turner for a month now. Talk about a fashion crisis on an epic scale. What worries me more, though, is sometimes I catch Will looking at me like he thinks I’m Lily...or that he wishes I were. Without the good looks of my former self, I don’t know who I am, or if who that is is good enough. I need out of this mess. Now.

Will and I have been looking for a solution, one that would separate me from Lily without killing her. But it’s not going well. Then, when it seems like things couldn’t get any worse, we run into Misty, my former best friend and boyfriend-stealer extraordinaire, who claims she’s being haunted...by me. Seriously?

I’m determined to get to the bottom of who’s pretending to be the spirit of Alona Dare (while I’m pretending to be someone else) and then get the heck out of this body. Or die trying...

The Goth
I’ll admit it. It’s really weird to look at Alona but see Lily. I do know the difference, though, contrary to what Alona might be saying. And Alona is more than a pretty face to me, not that she would believe that.

Our one lead for some help in this messed up situation might be a page torn from the yellow pages-—the “Psychics” section-—I found in my dad’s stuff. One of the “fakes” seems a bit more real-—and odd-—than the others. Before I can investigate further, though, Alona is off and chasing a ghost that’s probably nothing more than a figment of Misty’s guilty imagination. Now Lily’s family is freaking out because she didn’t come home, my mom is ordering me to stay out of it, and something is definitely wrong with the person formerly known as Lily “Ally” Turner...


I love this series. I love, love, LOVE it! It has all my favorite things: ghosts, romance and two awesome main characters. But what I really want is a happy ending, though I'm not sure that I'll ever get it. Will and Alona always surprise me and I know that this book will be no different.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Title: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer
Author: Michelle Hodkin
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Publication Date: September 27, 2011
Source: Bought


Summary: Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.

She's wrong.

Review: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is a startling tale that's filled with mystery, intrigue and quite a bit of quirkiness.

But I wasn't blown away like I expected to be. To me The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is a good book, but one that just didn't live up to all the hype. I know many, many people love this book, so don't hate me when I say that it just wasn't my favorite book.

The thing that irked me the most was the plot, it was also my favorite part of the book. The plot is fast-paced and addicting. It was filled with so many twists and turns that I could hardly wrap my head around them all. But there was just so much craziness and so much random stuff. Somethings just rubbed me the wrong way.

Mara was definitely a character I could sympathize with. She'd gone through so much and just the thought that she was still standing amazed me. Mara was definitely a plus to the story. But Noah, dear Noah sort of creeped me out. He was one interesting character, and that's all I'm going to say. I guess I just didn't fall for his charms. He and Mara did have a nice romance, though.

The ending blew me away. The cliffhanger is so major that it literally redefines cliffhangers. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited for the next one, no matter how weird it is.

Even though I didn't love this one as much as others it was still a good read that definitely managed to surprise and enchant me.



Rating: 3-4 stars. Vague, I know. 

Soul Thief by Jana Oliver

Title: Soul Thief
Author: Jana Oliver
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: August 30, 2011
Source: Bought


Summary: Riley Blackthorne is beginning to learn that there are worse things than death by demon. And love is just one of them…

Seventeen-year-old Riley has about had it up to here. After the devastating battle at the Tabernacle, trappers are dead and injured, her boyfriend Simon is gravely injured, and now her beloved late father’s been illegally poached from his grave by a very powerful necromancer. As if that’s not enough, there's Ori, one sizzling hot freelance demon hunter who’s made himself Riley’s unofficial body guard, and Beck, a super over-protective “friend” who acts more like a grouchy granddad.  With all the hassles, Riley’s almost ready to leave Atlanta altogether.

But as Atlanta’s demon count increases, the Vatican finally sends its own Demon Hunters to take care of the city’s “little” problem, and pandemonium breaks loose. Only Riley knows that she might be the center of Hell’s attention: an extremely powerful Grade 5 demon is stalking her, and her luck can't last forever…

Review: Oh, my. Soul Thief absolutely blew me away. Riley is back and is better than ever. I don't think I could want anymore out of this series!

Riley is such a strong heroine. I admit there were a couple of times where I would have loved to slap some sense into her, figuratively of course. But she continues to weave her way into her mind. Not many YA girls can top the awesome character of Riley Blackthorne.

Then there's my Beck. Yes, my Beck. I didn't think my love for Beck could grow anymore but this demon trapper is just one spectacular guy. Beck is such a realistically flawed character, just like Riley. Backwoods Boy just needs to stop beating around the bush and get together with Riley. I hope that aspect will come soon. Hopefully...

I don't even want to talk about Simon or Ori. All they want to make me do is literally slap them. I guess I've firmly put my feet on the ground with Team Beck.

Oliver never ceases to surprise me. Everything left me guessing and I, for the life of me could, not fit together the pieces of the puzzle until they were right in my face.

Soul Thief is one heck of a second book. It had all the twists and turns that I needed and it made me love its characters a little bit more.


Rating: 4.5 stars