Countdown: February 2013

February is a short month but it seems to be packed with great new titles that will hit the shelves in that small amount of time. A few series sequels and a bunch of new titles and authors to check out and I'm excited for each one of them. For some reason outside of Valentine's Day there usually isn't much else going on with everyone in February. It's always a great time to unwind and decompress as much as possible after the holidays, and also a perfect time to get cozy at home with a few of the great books that I've gotten from friends and family.

So I'm hoping that the tradition stands this year and come February the countdown will have been worth it and I'll be able to squeeze as many books as possible into that month and to pump out as many reviews for the blog as possible. So here are just a few of the titles that come out in February that I'm looking forward to diving into.

Countdown Pick #1: Unravel Me (Shatter Me, #2) by Tahereh Mafi (02/05/2013)

tick, tick, tick, tick, tick
it's almost
time for war.

Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.

She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.

Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.

In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life.

Oh no! Please don't tell me that this second installment is going to be chalk full of heartache and turmoil....I don't know if I can take it! I really enjoyed the series opener Mafi created and have been super anxious to see what is in store for Juliette and Adam this time around. I really felt for them in the series opener and can only hope that Warner gets what he deserves and stays far away from Juliette. I'm thinking I won't get my wish but a girl can hope right? Either way it's sure to be a great series continuation.

Countdown Pick #2: City of a Thousand Dolls by Miriam Forster (02/05/2013)

The girl with no past, and no future, may be the only one who can save their lives.

Nisha was abandoned at the gates of the City of a Thousand Dolls when she was just a child. Now sixteen, she lives on the grounds of the isolated estate, where orphan girls apprentice as musicians, healers, courtesans, and, if the rumors are true, assassins. Nisha makes her way as Matron’s assistant, her closest companions the mysterious cats that trail her shadow. Only when she begins a forbidden flirtation with the city’s handsome young courier does she let herself imagine a life outside the walls. Until one by one, girls around her start to die.

Before she becomes the next victim, Nisha decides to uncover the secrets that surround the girls’ deaths. But by getting involved, Nisha jeopardizes not only her own future in the City of a Thousand Dolls—but her own life.

So many questions and no answers until February! I love a strong female lead that has to climb her way to the top. I always have so much respect for the characters by the end of reads that you wish these characters were anything but fictional. And with a touch of romance thrown in, in the form of a "handsome young courier" who is totally off limits and you've got yourself a fan already. Why the other orphaned girls are started to die and how Nisha is going to solve these crimes is beyond me, but I'm eager to see what unfolds.

Countdown Pick #3: Pantomime by Laura Lam (02/05/2013)

R.H. Ragona’s Circus of Magic is the greatest circus of Ellada. Nestled among the glowing blue Penglass – remnants of a mysterious civilisation long gone – are wonders beyond the wildest imagination. It’s a place where anything seems possible, where if you close your eyes you can believe that the magic and knowledge of the vanished Chimaera is still there. It’s a place where anyone can hide.

Iphigenia Laurus, or Gene, the daughter of a noble family, is uncomfortable in corsets and crinoline, and prefers climbing trees to debutante balls. Micah Grey, a runaway living on the streets, joins the circus as an aerialist’s apprentice and soon becomes the circus’s rising star.

But Gene and Micah have balancing acts of their own to perform, and a secret in their blood that could unlock the mysteries of Ellada.

Don't ask me what is going on with this future release because I can't even begin to guess. But despite all that aren't you intrigued? I know I am. I'm a huge fan of the idea of the circus. Not where the animals are concerned but Cirque du Soliel has no bigger fan than this girl. So hearing about aerialists had me sold without any other details. I'm not sure what other mysteries will be unfolding within these pages but I'm thinking it's going to be quite the adventurous read.

Countdown Pick #4: The Ruining by Anna Collomore (02/07/2013)

Annie Phillips is thrilled to leave her past behind and begin a shiny new life on Belvedere Island, as a nanny for the picture-perfect Cohen family. In no time at all, she falls in love with the Cohens, especially with Libby, the beautiful young matriarch of the family. Life is better than she ever imagined. She even finds romance with the boy next door.

All too soon cracks appear in Annie's seemingly perfect world. She's blamed for mistakes she doesn't remember making. Her bedroom door comes unhinged, and she feels like she's always being watched. Libby, who once felt like a big sister, is suddenly cold and unforgiving. As she struggles to keep up with the demands of her new life, Annie's fear gives way to frightening hallucinations. Is she tumbling into madness, or is something sinister at play?

The Ruining is a complex ride through first love, chilling manipulation, and the terrifying depths of insanity.

Anyone else freaked out after reading this book's description? While I might be scared of what this read will do to my anxiety level, at the same time I can't help but be morbidly curious to see what this book is all about. Hopefully there's enough good romance and first love excitement throughout to make up for the most likely scary parts where the aforementioned manipulation and insanity comes into play. I'll probably lose sleep over this one but I'm hoping in the long run it's worth it, but only time will tell. Now I just want to see what the cover art will look like. As soon as I find a picture I'll be sure to update the post and make sure you guys aren't missing out.

Countdown Pick #5: Override (Glitch, #2) by Heather Anastasiu (02/19/2013)

Zoe is free. She has escaped the enslavement of the Community, disconnected from the hardware that had controlled her every thought and emotion, and evaded capture by the Chancellor intent on killing her. She is finally free, but she is far from safe.

Zoe and Adrien hide themselves from detection at the Foundation, an academy that trains teen glitchers to fight in the Resistance movement. Together, Zoe and her new team of superhuman fighters must risk their lives to rescue other glitchers and humans from the Chancellor's control. Challenges abound at every turn, and Adrien, who has become silent, distant, and tormented by his visions of the future, only adds to the growing certainty of defeat. But worst of all, as Zoe's team fights against impossible odds, distrust and betrayal leads to the terrible discovery that their greatest threat could already be lurking behind the safe walls of the Foundation.

Full of high-adrenaline action and shocking twists, Heather Anastasiu's Override is an exciting continuation of this popular young adult trilogy.

There are always book blurbs out there that claim amazing and surprising twists and turns that will come out of left field and readers will never see coming. Sometimes it turns out to be the case, but often times it's just wishful thinking and turns out to be more of a disappointment than anything else. Where Anastasiu's writing is concerned...there is no need to worry or doubt, she's the real deal! When I first read Glitch I couldn't believe how much was packed into one series opener. It was like with every turn of the page a new shocking reveal was laid out and just when I thought I would have gotten a handle of what was going on and was starting to think I could predict what would happen next I'd be completely blind sided. Anastasiu is one of those writers that will always throw me for a loop and no matter how hard I try I'll never be able to hope to get a step ahead of her writing.

Review: Eden (Providence, #3) by Jamie McGuire

She had seen the unspeakable.
She would learn the unknowable.
Now, she would fight the invincible.

In the third and final installment of the Providence series, Nina Grey will marry the wrong man, carry the child that was never supposed to be born, and fight a war she can't win.

Faced with the impossible task of protecting his new wife and unborn child against the throes of Hell, Jared Ryel is allowed no mistakes. Pressured to return the Naissance de Demoniac to Jerusalem, he revisits St. Ann's to learn the answers were in front of him all along. 

Together, they must survive long enough to let their child save them - and the world.

To say that I'm sad that this final installment wrapped up the Providence series is an understatement.  McGuire quickly shot to the top of my list of favorite authors with her Beautiful Disaster series, and then to find she had three books that completed another series had my excitement levels off the charts.  I flew through each of these titles and could not have enjoyed them any more if I'd tried.

Nina and Jared, along with all of my other favorite characters had already been through so much in the first two books in the series that I could only imagine what to expect in this final title.  McGuire did not disappoint once again and my only critique is that there will be no other additions to the series.  With so many ups and downs, obstacles for these characters to overcome and suspense and action throughout the pages that by the end of the final page even I as the reader was exhausted.

I went through just about every emotion while I was reading this title and tears were most certainly shed, but there were laughs thrown in there as well, which was a relief.  I can only hope to find other books and series' like Providence in the future.  There are so many authors that I've come to love and look out for, but Jamie McGuire and her writing are one in a million.  I can only say that in the future when I come across a new title of hers, there will not be a moment's hesitation on my part.  It automatically will be added to my list to read and I'll have no doubts that it will become an instant favorite!

If you haven't had the chance to check out this series please do yourself a favor and go get all three books, not just the first one because you'll be dying to read the next two as soon as you start Providence and you'll have done yourself a favor if they're all in your possession just waiting to be read!

I gave Eden (Providence, #3) 5 shamrocks!!!!!

ARC Review: Mystic City (Mystic City, #1) by Theo Lawrence

For fans of Matched, The Hunger Games, X-Men, and Blade Runner comes a tale of a magical city divided, a political rebellion ignited, and a love that was meant to last forever. Book One of the Mystic City Novels.

Aria Rose, youngest scion of one of Mystic City's two ruling rival families, finds herself betrothed to Thomas Foster, the son of her parents' sworn enemies. The union of the two will end the generations-long political feud—and unite all those living in the Aeries, the privileged upper reaches of the city, against the banished mystics who dwell below in the Depths. But Aria doesn't remember falling in love with Thomas; in fact, she wakes one day with huge gaps in her memory. And she can't conceive why her parents would have agreed to unite with the Fosters in the first place. Only when Aria meets Hunter, a gorgeous rebel mystic from the Depths, does she start to have glimmers of recollection—and to understand that he holds the key to unlocking her past. The choices she makes can save or doom the city—including herself. 

While this book seems to have been tagged recently as close in subject and writing to quite a few other books and movies that have come out in the past I think it deserves some individual credit as well.  Lawrence has created a world that may draw in readers who enjoyed similar plots and dystopian worlds, but this story carves its own path for itself right from the very beginning.

Lawrence's main characters, Aria, Thomas and Hunter are wonderful.  Aria and Hunter completely stand out on their own and will have readers everywhere rooting for them and their causes.  Thomas is another character that had myself and I'm sure other readers trying to pick him apart and trying to figure out where he really stands and what will become of him and his decisions.  Lawrence creates a worlwind ride for his readers that has them on the edges of their seats and wanting to skip to the very end to see what happens on more than one occasion.  It's both frustrating and wonderful to be enjoying a book and it's characters so very much that you can stand to wait a moment longer to see what their fate will be.  Will the author give his readers the ending they're hoping for?  Will the characters make it out of the incredible obstacles and situations they find themselves in?  Only reading from page to page will uncover the answers, and I have to say the wait was well worth it.

This turned out to be a series opener that has me checking online all the time for any hint of news on the future of this series, because while I'm already counting down to the release of the second installment, I need a release date to work with.  So check this one out, it's on the shelves today and be sure to let me know what you think, as well as a release date for the second book as soon as anyone hears anything!

I gave Mystic City (Mystic City, #1) 4 shamrocks!!!!

Silk and Paper Campaign: Get MATCHED

We've received our orders....as part of the Reached promotional challenge I once again need your help!  Here's what we can do.....

For Cassie Reyes, the seeds of dissent and rebellion were first sown in MATCHED.  The Society is corrupt and people must know.  Spread the word however you can - we need to get as many people as possible to tweet #getmatched.

But that's only the first part.  If you're a part of the twitter community please help us spread the word by tweeting #getmatched as far and wide as you possibly can.  Ask your followers to join in and lend a hand, reach out and see if anyone will accept their challenge to help alongside Cassie and spread the word that the Society's corruption needs to end and we can't do it alone!

Another way we're asking everyone to participate is to embed the MATCHED trailer and Scribd sampler on your blogs, Facebook pages, just about any place you can think of in order to get word out to all the readers and fans out there.

Check out the Scribd sampler here and take the opportunity to read the first seven chapters of MATCHED if you haven't already, and even if you've read the book before it's always fun to go back and see what made you fall in love with this series opener to begin with.  It always gets me that much more excited for the release of the next installment when I get the chance to go back and re-read the others in the series to refresh my memory.

And don't even get me started on the MATCHED trailer.  I've made sure to include it below for those of you who haven't seen it before.  Take a minute and check it out, you won't regret it.  And don't forget to take the trailer with you and embed it along with the Scribd sampler on your blogs, Facebook pages, and anywhere else you can think of to spread the word along with the rest of us as we continue to countdown until REACHED is release!

In My Mailbox (64)

This is a meme that I first heard about from Kristi over at The Story Siren and immediately wanted to jump on board. I'm always picking up new books, because I
never tire of reading, but the other thing I like about this meme is that it gives everyone an opportunity to check out what other book fanatics, bloggers, etc... got for themselves. I've gotten great recommendations from this meme and hope that keeps up in the future.

Here's what I got, what did you guys get this week? 

For Review:

And All the Stars by Andrea K. Host (Thanks to Andrea)

Come for the apocalypse.
Stay for cupcakes.
Die for love.

Madeleine Cost is working to become the youngest person ever to win the Archibald Prize for portraiture. Her elusive cousin Tyler is the perfect subject: androgynous, beautiful, and famous. All she needs to do is pin him down for the sittings.

None of her plans factored in the Spires: featureless, impossible, spearing into the hearts of cities across the world – and spraying clouds of sparkling dust into the wind.

Is it an alien invasion? Germ warfare? They are questions everyone on Earth would like answered, but Madeleine has a more immediate problem. At Ground Zero of the Sydney Spire, beneath the collapsed ruin of St James Station, she must make it to the surface before she can hope to find out if the world is ending.

Silk and Paper Campaign Traders

Now that you guys have heard about the Silk and Paper Campaign that's taken over the blogosphere leading up to Ally Condie's third and final installment in the Matched Trilogy, REACHED, I wanted to make sure you guy knew who my fellow traders were.  There are some fantastic blogs and bloggers out there participating and they, like me have taken on the challenge of becoming a Trader for the Rising.

There are more bloggers than I could possibly talk about in just one post so I'm going to break this down for you over the next few Saturdays so you guys won't miss out on the chance to check out what's going on over at their blogs and throughout the Campaign!

Trader #1:  Lea over at the YA Book Queen

Lea has managed to add a little style and grace to her site revolving around young adult literature and I think her site embodies class to a T.  I love popping over to check out her Weekly Recommendations, so I can see what she thinks everyone should check out and what she's currently excited about in the literature world. Every time I stop by her blog I feel like curling up with a cup of espresso and relaxing.  And I've got to admit, her reviews are well thought out and I especially have started to enjoy and pay attention to her "highlights" and "lowlights" that she includes towards the end.

Trader #2:  Mandy over at Young Adult Book Central (YABC)

You name it and they've got it over at YABC.  You can check out a comprehensive list of the "hottest books" or the "top reader rated" lists and see what you're missing out on and what you need to get caught up on.  If you're looking for giveaways, they've got them covered, author information?  They have a huge list of authors that includes their bios, books, book excerpts, etc...  I'm not sure what else you could possibly want but if you come up with anything they'll probably end up already having it covered because they're just that proactive over at YABC.

Trader #3:  Jenny from Wondrous Reads

One of my favorite things about the YA blogosphere is the fact that we're so spread out and there's always a huge variety in bloggers, locations, styles, etc...  And Jenny is a perfect example since she's located in the U.K.  She started her blog in 2009 and has been at it ever since.  If you check her site out you'll really be able to tell immediately that she's a true bibliophile.  Her review are well written and I've been lucky enough to come across more than a few titles on her blog that I hadn't heard of before and was able to add to my TBR list thanks to her recommendations.

Trader #4:  Audra at The-Society.Net

If you want information regarding Ally Condie, her MATCHED series, and everything in between, this is the site you need to visit.  Just for a few examples, recently the site has posted about Ally Condie's Twitter chats, the Matched and Crossed Read Along...you can check out the button for that at the very bottom of my site (you won't want to miss out on the chance to be a part of this one!)  Interview with Condie, special boxed sets of the trilogy, awards the books have earned, and information about the movie adaptation that is in the works.  How could you resist?

Trader #5:  Benji at The Non Reluctant Reader

Contests, read alongs, memes, interviews, and of course reviews.  This blogger does it all.  With a colorful and creative back drop this is one of those blogs that you won't be able to resist.  The reviews are witty, the blog tours are numerous, and the guest posts and interviews are addicting.  I have this Silk and Paper Campaign to thank for helping me find this blog and blogger and I'm there was never a doubt that I'd be an avid follower after just one visit to this blog, so head on over and check out what Benji's got to say today.

Trader #6:  The Matched Department

A team of bloggers who show their passion for their favorite books by dedicating a blog to those very titles.  I can't get enough of this site.  I love how they've got a little bit of everything.  From book quotes, excerpts, Ally Condie updates, movie news, etc...  One of my favorite things about finding a blog like this one is that you realize that you're not the only one who's gotten so excited over a book or series that you can't help but spread the word.  All the little touches this site includes really had me drooling...the separators they use to differentiate one post from another are images straight out of the book cover art images....love it!

Trader #7:  Tirzah from The Compulsive Reader

Talk about an insightful writer.  This girl doesn't just throw up a post just to make sure she's got one on a daily basis for her readers.  I'm guilty of posting the countdown lists, etc...but while I love doing those, I'm also slightly envious of people like Tirzah because the imagination and creativity that seems to go into a lot of her posts is hard to resist and not easy to replicate.  She's got posts of a wide variety, whether she's featuring a certain cover and discussing what everyone thinks, or what she calls "Looking Ahead" where upcoming books and their authors get the spotlight and readers get a sneak peek of what's to come.

Trader #8:  Nancy from A Lush Budget Production 

With a huge following behind her, Nancy's blog is one that once you visit you won't want to leave.  You'll definitely find yourself coming back again and again to check out what book related events are in her area, what blog tours she's currently apart of, what giveaways she's hosting, and the author events and book signings she's  been to recently.  Just getting the chance to hear about the authors and signings she's recently had the chance to take part in was addicting.  I'm one of those readers who tries her best to get to each signing that is in a reasonable driving distance, but there are never enough to satisfy me.  So if I can't go personally, I love to hear where everyone else has been and who they've been meeting recently!

Trader #9:  Enna of Squeaky Books

First things first, make sure you stop by the blog and shoot her a note to find out the back story of how she came up with her pseudonym.  From what she says in her "About Me" section it may not be a short explanation but it sure sounds like an interesting tale and it's definitely one that I want to hear.  But more importantly have you checked out any of her graphics?  She's a natural and has a bunch of talent.  The Matched and Crossed Read Along floating around the blogosphere....well the graphic is her handy work.  I'm always amazed and inspired when people have and display that kind of creativity, not to mention insanely jealous of all the neat things they can do!

Trader #10:  Reading Lark

A team of six awesome and dedicated book bloggers makes up this site.  One of my favorite things about a site like this is you get a variety all the time.  With so many contributors things will never get dull, boring, or repetitive.  Everything about this site is crisp and clean and very well organized.  The reviews are thoughtful and have already made my TBR list grow by leaps and bounds.  And their "Shopping Lark" featured on Fridays where they try to do their part and help you decide what to buy next and what to put on your shopping list is fantastic!  However I'm not sure how much my wallet will appreciate it down the road.

Stay tuned next Saturday for another posting where I can introduce you to the remaining Traders that are participating along side myself in this fun and exciting Silk and Paper Campaign!

Review: Requiem (Providence, #2) by Jamie McGuire

Dreaming of the dead might mean a restless night for anyone, but for Nina Grey, it was a warning. Still healing from her last run-in with Hell, Nina struggles with not only her life as a Brown University student, but also as an intern at Titan Shipping, her father's company. Recurring nightmares about her father's violent death have become a nightly event, but being overwhelmed with guilt from Ryan's unexpected departure to the Armed Forces, and heart ache over Claire being across the ocean to protect him, Nina believes her sleepless nights are the least of her problems—but she's wrong. 

Worried about Nina's declining health, Jared must steal back Shax's book for answers. Fighting new enemies with the help of old friends, Jared's worst fear comes to fruition. Desperate, he is faced with a choice: Fight Hell alone, or start a war with Heaven.

McGuire steps up the action and intensity with her second installment of her Providence series and Nina and Jared are forced to either keep up and perish. McGuire seriously had my anxiety levels climbing to dangerous heights and had me staying up to read way too late into the night because I couldn't convince myself to put the book down without knowing what was going to happen next. It was in two words; intense and wonderful!

Her writing as always just flows across the pages and it's hard not to feel like you're a part of the action instead of just reading along with the dialogue. Her characters are irresistible and I was as always rooting for Jared and Nina to the very end. Much like McGuire's other couples there's so much chemistry and connectivity that it's impossible not to think they're perfect for each other. But outside of the main couple, the side characters are just as adorable. Nina's friends Beth and Kim are laugh out loud funny and adorably loyal despite any circumstances. It was hard to see Ryan head off to war in this sequel but I liked how it freed up some space for Nina and Jared to spend more guilt free time together. But outside of all of these characters can I please just say that Bex by far blew me away. I don't think it's possible to not absolutely, totally and completely just love him to death. He's funny, quirky, innocent and downright lethal with his fists and sense of humor.

Much like with the series opener, do yourself a favor and get yourself a copy of this book because it's fabulous and deserves a place on your bookshelf!

I gave Requiem (Providence, #2)five shamrocks!!!!!