ARC Review: Timepiece (Hourglass, #2) by Myra McEntire

A threat from the past could destroy the future. And the clock is ticking...

Kaleb Ballard's relentless flirting is interrupted when Jack Landers, the man who tried to murder his father, timeslips in and attacks before disappearing just as quickly. But Kaleb has never before been able to see time travelers, unlike many of his friends associated with the mysterious Hourglass organization. Are Kaleb's powers expanding, or is something very wrong?

Then the Hourglass is issued an ultimatum. Either they find Jack and the research he's stolen on the time gene, or time will be altered with devastating results.

Now Kaleb, Emerson, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no choice but to use their unusual powers to find Jack. But where do they even start? And when? And even if they succeed, it may not be enough...

The follow-up to Hourglass, Timepiece blends the paranormal, science fiction, mystery, and suspense genres into a nonstop thrill ride where every second counts.

What a fabulous follow up to a stellar series opener! McEntire didn't slow her pace down and most definitely did not give her readers a chance to get compliant and think that all would end well just because we wanted it to. Her characters were once again put to test after test and more often than not had to figure things out for themselves without much assistance to be had from those around them with more experience. It was every man for himself so to speak, and the newest recruits of the Hourglass had a lot of ground to cover and were left with no other choice but to recruit some help of their own...outside of the Hourglass society.

After making my way through the series opener, Hourglass, I have to admit that while I loved Michael and Emerson, there was something about Michael's friend Kaleb that just hooked me. His sense of humor, fierce loyalty, and all around lack of worry (or at least it appeared that way) just lured me in and didn't let up. So when I realized that he would play more of a central and key part in this series follow up I was beyond thrilled. And I have to say, I wasn't disappointed in the slightest. Kaleb added some much needed humor to any type of stressful situation, but at the same time, readers get a much deeper look into what has made Kaleb the guy he is in McEntire's story and how there's much more than meets they eye with this ladies' man.

So for those of you readers who enjoyed Hourglass, this series will continue to excite you and may even have you debating which book you liked better....I'm still trying to decide. With new characters, side characters from the opener that play a larger part, and the obstacles and stressful situations abounding will leave you on the edge of your seat, holding your breath until you find out what happens next!

I gave Timepiece (Hourglass, #2) 4 shamrocks!!!!

ARC Review: Florence by Ciye Cho

Seventeen-year-old Florence Waverley is out of her depth. Literally. Kidnapped and taken below the waves to the mer world of Niemela, she is the ultimate gift for merman Prince Kiren: a human familiar tied to his side. But nothing is what it seems amid the beauty and danger of a dark ocean.

Every Niemelan has a role to play, from the mermaids who weave towers out of kelp to the warriors who fight sea monsters. But in trying to survive, Florence will end up in the middle of a war between the mer and the Darkness. A conflict that will push her between two brothers: Kiren, the charmer inexplicably drawn to both her and the monsters; and Rolan, the loner who has been pushing her away since the day they met. But in order to take a stand--and find out where she belongs--Florence will have to risk it all: her life, her heart... and her very soul.

All I can say is....please let there be a sequel in the works! I had so much fun with this one. I have always been a fan of fantasy and mermaids are one of those creatures within the genre that just fascinates me for whatever reason, and Cho only furthered that compulsion of mine. The characters and the world Cho created with this title are fun, imaginative to say the least, and the creativity knows no bounds.

The royal family readers will meet will find hard not to be immediately drawn to and curious beyond measure as to what they currently face and have been dealing with for years. The struggles, the wonders they encounter and the way they go about things caught my attention and I had a hard time looking away. A fast read for sure, mainly because I didn't want to stop reading once I was in the swing of things. I was desperate to know what would happen next and how the characters would fare among the trials they were being put through. Florence was cute and brave and a female lead that grew on me. The brothers she meets were quite the pair.

Give this one a try if you're looking for an upbeat and fun read this summer. It hits shelves on the 1st of July and while I'm hoping and crossing my fingers that this adventure doesn't end with only one book, you can bet I'll be keeping an eye out for future installments.

I gave Florence 3 shamrocks!!!

ARC Review: The Lost Code (The Atlanteans, #1) by Kevin Emerson

WHAT IS OLDEST WILL BE NEW, WHAT IS LOST SHALL BE FOUND.

The ozone is ravaged, ocean levels have risen, and the sun is a daily enemy. But global climate change is not something new in the Earth’s history.

No one will know this better than less-than-ordinary Owen Parker, who is about to discover that he is the descendant of a highly advanced ancient race—a race that took their technology too far and almost destroyed the Earth in the process.

Now it is Owen’s turn to make right in his world what went wrong thousands of years ago. If Owen can unlock the lost code in his very genes, he may rediscover the forgotten knowledge of his ancestry…and that less-than-ordinary can evolve into extraordinary.

This was a read that I truly enjoyed. With no previous experience with Emerson's writing I wasn't sure what to expect, and was pleasantly surprised to find that I have yet another author to add to my list of favorites. His characters were unassuming and hard to resist, his writing kept a quick pace when you wanted it and slowed down when dealing in facts and ancient secrets that a reader might need time to absorb. Overall it was a combination that kept me on the edge of my seat, waiting with baited breath to see what would happen to these new and exciting characters next.

When I first encountered this title I was only thinking of one thing...atlanteans. I later realized that while this ancient race of people would play a vital role, there was so much more to be found within these pages. Seeing what could become of Earth if people kept things up at the rate we're currently going today, the results and consequences were pretty scary and something I'd rather avoid if at all possible if I might add.

Owen was adorable. A guy that you can't help but like and root for when he's coming into his own before a reader's very eyes. He was just a normal guy, liked to keep to himself, and try to avoid any notice, and yet there was no avoiding the changes that he had to adjust to and the transformation that was inevitable. Without giving too much away, let's just say that Owen was in for a huge wake up call when he started to realize whom his ancestors were. Not something you can prepare for, but all the same, I think he handled things well, and with a little help from some new friends the transition went as best as I think he could hope for under the circumstances.

But honestly, this book is for everyone, guys, girls, history buffs, fantasy fans, you name it and I think you'll really enjoy this read. Emerson won me over, and I'm truly looking forward to seeing what happens in the next installment in the series.

I gave The Lost Code (The Atlanteans, #1) 3 shamrocks!!!

In My Mailbox (57)

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:

Blink & Caution by Tim Wynne-Jones (Thanks to Candlewick Press)

Boy, did Blink get off on the wrong floor. All he wanted was to steal some breakfast for his empty belly, but instead he stumbled upon a fake kidnapping and a cell phone dropped by an “abducted” CEO, giving Blink a link to his perfect blonde daughter. Now Blink is on the run, but it’s OK as long as he’s smart enough to stay in the game and keep Captain Panic locked in his hold.

Enter a girl named Caution. As in “Caution: Toxic.” As in “Caution: Watch Your Step.” She’s also on the run, from a skeezy drug-dealer boyfriend and from a nightmare in her past that won’t let her go. When she spies Blink at the train station, Caution can see he’s an easy mark. But there’s something about this naïve, skinny street punk, whom she only wanted to rob, that tugs at her heart, a heart she thought deserved not to feel.

Charged with suspense and intrigue, this taut novel trails two deeply compelling characters as they forge a blackmail scheme that is foolhardy at best, disastrous at worst—along with a fated, tender partnership that will offer them each a rare chance for redemption.

Happy Weekend!!

I hope everyone had a nice week and will have the chance to really enjoy their weekends! I know I plan on it! I finally have two weekends in a row with no wedding related functions to attend and I have to admit that I've really been looking forward to the break. It's been a blast getting to be a part of all the festivities with my friends before their big days, and then enjoying the celebrations of the main events themselves, but at the same time, a long deserved break was really in order. I have to catch up on a lot of not so fun stuff this weekend like cleaning and laundry, grocery shopping, etc..but I plan on catching up on some reading as well. I have a couple of great titles on my shelves at the moment that I've been waiting to dive into and I think this weekend I'll be able to do just that. So in between the errands, and the cleaning, I plan to make use of all the quiet in my apartment and see if I can bang out a few reads!

Here's hoping and happy reading as always!!!!

Favorite Quotes

It's about that time when I realized I needed a new background image for my computer and I didn't really have a clue what I wanted this time around. Usually a good picture of a landscape or something along those lines is what I shoot for at work and at home. But for whatever reason, this time around I wanted something different and of course, like with everything else I decided to look to my favorite books for some help. I thought a nice quote from a favorite book or author done right might be a nice change of pace. Something I'd enjoy reading and remembering when I turned on my computer to start my day of right! So here are a few that I have been considering...

But after looking through these long and hard, I decided that for now I need a little bit of inspiration from an old time favorite author of mine....someone I've long respected, and always enjoyed reading. Drumroll please....

Countdown: 2012 Releases (25)

I can't tell you how much I appreciate you guys putting up with all of the countdowns I continuously post here on the blog. I have to admit that it's something that I just really have a lot of fun creating. I used to just post a list on the blog under upcoming releases, but when I do these countdowns I find myself getting excited for these future releases all over again. Wishing they were already on the shelves.

So these countdowns have come to serve several purposes for me. Of course I do appreciate being able to whip one of these countdowns up or have a few on standby if life has gotten a little crazy at the moment and reading and writing reviews has been put on the back burner. I hate letting the blog go without a post for too long because I'm always afraid that I'll find myself justifying another break from blogging in general and I don't want that to happen again. I missed blogging when I took those three months off and I don't plan on repeating that process all over again.

So thanks for putting up with the endless countdowns, and hopefully some of you (not all of you I'm sure) end up enjoying them just as much as myself, and maybe even discovering a future release that you can get excited about and countdown towards as well!

Countdown Pick #1: The Space Between Us by Jessica Martinez (10/16/2012)

From the author of Virtuosity, a novel about two sisters and the secrets they tell, the secrets they keep, and the secret that tears them apart.

Amelia is used to being upstaged by her charismatic younger sister, Charly. She doesn’t mind, mostly, that it always falls to her to cover for Charly’s crazy, impulsive antics. But one night, Charly's thoughtlessness goes way too far, and she lands them both in serious trouble.

Amelia's not sure she can forgive Charly this time, and not sure she wants to…but the situation is even worse than either of them realizes. Amelia has no choice but to give up everything--her friends, her future, her dream--in order to cover for Charly’s huge mistake.

Amelia doesn't understand how her sister could have done this to them both. What she doesn't know is that Charly is hiding a terrible secret—one with the potential to change everything.

How can you resist a story like this? I haven't read Martinez's previous title, Virtuosity, but if this one turns out to be as good as it sounds, I'll be adding that title to my list as well to circle back around and check out. It's one of my favorite things about discovering new authors and falling in love with their writing; when they have previous works to dive into after you finish your latest favorite discovery, don't you agree?

Countdown Pick #2: And Then Things Fall Apart by Arlaina Tibensky (07/26/2012)

Keek’s life was totally perfect.

Keek and her boyfriend just had their Worst Fight Ever, her best friend heinously betrayed her, her parents are divorcing, and her mom’s across the country caring for her newborn cousin, who may or may not make it home from the hospital. To top it all off, Keek’s got the plague. (Well, the chicken pox.) Now she’s holed up at her grandmother’s technologically-barren house until further notice. Not quite the summer vacation Keek had in mind.

With only an old typewriter and Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar for solace and guidance, Keek’s alone with her swirling thoughts. But one thing’s clear through her feverish haze—she’s got to figure out why things went wrong so she can put them right.

I was first introduced to Plath's The Bell Jar in college and had to make myself read it a second time after my literature class was over. The first time around I found it to be a heavy book and one that wasn't really my cup of tea. Later I thought I would give it another shot, hoping that I had just let the pressure of the previous literature class get to me and hoping I might enjoy the famous novel more the second time around. I will admit it's still not one of my favorites, but I can also appreciate why it's stood the test of time and become such a conversational piece. So I'm curious how Tibensky plans on weaving this heavy literature into her future release.

Countdown Pick #3: The Almost Truth by Eileen Cook (12/04/2012)

Sadie can’t wait to get away from her backwards small town, her delusional mom, her jailbird dad, and the tiny trailer where she was raised…even though leaving those things behind also means leaving Brendan. Sadie wants a better life, and she has been working steadily toward it, one con at a time.

But when Sadie’s mother wipes out Sadie’s savings, her escape plan is suddenly gone. She needs to come up with a lot of cash—and fast—or she’ll be stuck in this town forever.

With Brendan’s help, she devises a plan—the ultimate con—to get the money. But the more lies Sadie spins, the more she starts falling for her own hoax…and perhaps for the wrong boy. Sadie wanted to change her life, but she wasn't prepared to have it flipped upside down by her own deception. With her future at stake and her heart on the line, suddenly it seems like she has a lot more than just money to lose....

Uh oh! Sounds like a good one to me. I love reading stuff like this...where the character's have everything so carefully planned out and are oh so confident that everything will work out exactly as they have planned down to the very smallest details, and then Bam! The authors flips his/her characters' world upside down and shakes things up for readers to watch and see what will happen next. I love it!

Countdown Pick #4: Forget Me Not by Carolee Dean (10/02/2012)

Ally is devastated when a scandalous photo of her is texted around school. With her reputation in shambles and her life essentially over, she hides out in a back hallway, trying to figure out where everything went wrong.

Elijah has spent time in that hallway too. He landed there after taking a whole bottle of sleeping pills. Now he can see ghosts, and he knows what Ally has yet to suspect—that she's already half dead, and one choice away from never coming back.

Elijah has loved Ally for years and would do anything to save her from her in-between place. But if she’s going to live, Ally must face her inner demons, and find the will to save herself.

This is one of many downsides to living in a very technologically advanced society right? Occasionally information, photos, etc...will find their way into the wrong hands. I can't even begin to imagine what I would feel like if I had to go through something like what Dean describes her character Ally facing in this future release. While I found that interesting and alluring enough, there seems to be a paranormal element thrown into the mix with these ghosts that she's talking about. Definitely something I intend to check out for myself. I can only hope that somehow Ally gets her happy ending.

Countdown Pick #5: The Shadow Society by Marie Rutkoski (10/30/2012)

Darcy Jones doesn't remember anything before the day she was abandoned as a child outside a Chicago firehouse. So she isn't surprised that she doesn't recognize Conn, the new boy at her high school, even though he seems to know her—or at least know something about her.

What does surprise her is how quickly she comes to trust Conn, and that he makes her feel both desire and desired in a way she hadn't thought possible. But his interest in her is confusing. It doesn't line up with the way he first looked at her.

As if she was his enemy.

When Conn betrays Darcy and she is arrested, she realizes that she can't rely on anything—not Conn, not herself, and not even the laws of nature. Because this world isn't the only one. Darcy belongs in an alternate world where the Great Chicago Fire never happened, and deadly creatures called Shades terrorize the human population.

Darcy needs some answers.

And she hates that the person most able to help her get them is Conn.

So I'm hating the fact that this title does not come out until October. I would love love love to get my hands on a copy of it right now, because the curiosity might just be too much for me to handle. I love the idea behind this one, and the suspense and action are sure to be intense and a whole lot of fun to experience. I can't wait to see what Rutkoski has in store for her readers!

Countdown: 2012 Releases (24)

So I've gone to one wedding so far, and I've still got two more to go this summer and another in the fall. But in between all the bachelorette parties, bridal showers, and wedding preparations, I've managed to squeeze in a few reads here and there, followed up by a few reviews to go along with them. While I haven't been able to get as much Summer reading done as I would normally like to, it hasn't stopped me from continuing to find countless future releases that will be coming out in 2012 that I'm very much anticipating.

What's been on your Summer reading lists so far? Any you are still anxious to see on the shelves and get the chance to devour? Are any of your favorite series' coming out with new installments? Fill me in on how your reading is going and what you're looking forward to getting the chance to dive into, because I'm always looking forward to putting a few more titles on my TBR in 2012.

Countdown Pick #1: Beta (Beta, #1) by Rachel Cohn (10/16/2012)

In a world constructed to absolute perfection, imperfection is difficult to understand—and impossible to hide.

Elysia is a clone, created in a laboratory, born as a sixteen year old girl, an empty vessel with no life experience to draw from. She is a Beta, an experimental model of teenaged clone. She was replicated from another teenage girl, who had to die in order for Elysia to be created.

Elysia's purpose is to serve the inhabitants of Demesne, an island paradise for the wealthiest people on earth. Everything about Demesne is bio engineered for perfection. Even the air there induces a strange, euphoric high that only the island's workers—soulless clones like Elysia—are immune to.

At first, Elysia's new life on this island paradise is idyllic and pampered. But she soon sees that Demesne's human residents, the most privileged people in the world who should want for nothing, yearn. And, she comes to realize that beneath its flawless exterior, there is an undercurrent of discontent amongst Demesne's worker clones. She knows she is soulless and cannot feel and should not care—so why are overpowering sensations clouding Elysia's mind?

If anyone discovers that Elysia isn't the unfeeling clone she must pretend to be, she will suffer a fate too terrible to imagine. When Elysia's one chance at happiness is ripped away from her with breathtaking cruelty, emotions she's always had but never understood are unleashed. As rage, terror, and desire threaten to overwhelm her, Elysia must find the will to survive.

I'm not sure what to expect from author, Rachel Cohn, with no previous experience of her writing style, but her plot sounds exciting and the mystery surrounding everything, combined with the main character's intense situation sounds like an addicting combination, don't you think?

Countdown Pick #2: What Happens Next by Colleen Clayton (10/09/2012)

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

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

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

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

I hate to make presumptions, but I'm scared that by the sound of this plot description, that I have a pretty good idea of what happened to Clayton's main character in regards to the character Dax. I hope I'm wrong, but regardless it sounds like a debut that could have me not only adding another title to my favorites of 2012 list, but a new favorite author as well. Only time will tell.

Countdown Pick #3: Send Me A Sign by Tiffany Schmidt (10/02/2012)

Mia is always looking for signs. A sign that she should get serious with her soccer-captain boyfriend. A sign that she’ll get the grades to make it into an Ivy-league school. One sign she didn’t expect to look for was: “Will I survive cancer?” It’s a question her friends would never understand, prompting Mia to keep her illness a secret. The only one who knows is her lifelong best friend, Gyver, who is poised to be so much more. Mia is determined to survive, but when you have so much going your way, there is so much more to lose.

From debut author Tiffany Schmidt comes a heart-wrenching and ultimately uplifting story of one girl’s search for signs of life in the face of death.

So I can already say that I just adore Tiffany Schmidt. I've corresponded with her recently and she seems so sweet and excited for her future release that it was somewhat infectious and hard to resist. I'm sure it's exciting for any author, whether they are seeing their very first book hit the shelves or if it's the tenth book or more of theirs to be sold to readers everywhere. I can't imagine the feeling, but for some reason when I get the chance to talk with a debut author, I can all the more excited for them and their future release. I'm constantly crossing my fingers and saying a prayer that their book is well received, because it's just such a huge accomplishment and one that I always hope will be appreciated by all. That's how I feel when I read the description for Schmidt's future release and hopefully her readers will fall head over heels in love with Mia's story.

Countdown Pick #4: Intentions by Deborah Heiligman (08/14/2012)

Rachel thought she was grown up enough to accept that no one is perfect. Her parents argue, her grandmother has been acting strangely, and her best friend doesn’t want to talk to her. But none of that could have prepared her for what she overheard in her synagogue’s sanctuary.

Now Rachel’s trust in the people she loves is shattered, and her new-found cynicism leads to reckless rebellion. Her friends and family hardly recognize her, and worse, she can hardly recognize herself. But how can the adults in her life lecture her about acting with kevanah, intention, when they are constantly making such horribly wrong decisions themselves? This is a witty, honest account of navigating the daunting line between losing innocence and entering adulthood—all while figuring out who you really want to be.

I want more background on this one, don't you? I want to know what her family's secrets are and what kind of trouble Rachel will get herself into as a result of everything she learns and doesn't want to deal with. I'm very curious and eager to find out all the answers to the questions that instantly came to me after this tiny sneak peek.

Countdown Pick #5: Speechless by Hannah Harrington (08/28/2012)

The story of a girl named Chelsea Knot who takes a voluntary oath of silence after her gossip-mongering ways yield unexpected consequences…

Could this description be any shorter? I don't think so. I tried my best to find a lengthier description, plot points, hints, anything and came up with zilch. I'm not sure why there is so much left out when it comes to this future release but for whatever reason, we readers will just have to really ramp up our patience quotas and hope that we can hold out until August for more information. I haven't had the chance to read Harrington's previous release, Saving June, but I've heard nothing but positive feedback about it. Did you have the opportunity to read it? What did you think of Harrington's writing? Will you be trying to get yourself a copy of her future release when it hits the shelves?

Countdown: 2012 Releases (23)

I'll never get over or be able to believe how many great titles are coming out and how badly I want to read them all. I'm not sure how I'm going to manage to fit everything in, but I'm crossing my fingers I'll find a way and at least if I have some traveling to do for these weddings I'll be sure to have plenty of great reads to take a long with me to pass the time, right?

That's the plan anyways and hopefully I'll have some down time as well in between all the fun festivities lined up to squeeze in a book or two on a night in, curled up on my couch unwinding from all the craziness!

Countdown Pick #1: Hanging by a Thread by Sophie Littlefield (09/11/2012)

Summer is the best part of the year in Winston, California, and the Fourth of July is the highlight of the season. But the perfect town Clare remembers has changed, and everyone is praying that this summer will be different from the last two—that this year's Fourth of July festival won't see one of their own vanish without a trace, leaving no leads and no suspects. The media are in a frenzy predicting a third disappearance, but the town depends on tourist dollars, so the residents of Winston are trying desperately to pretend nothing's wrong.

And they're not the only ones hiding something.

Clare, a seamstress who redesigns vintage clothing, has been blessed—or perhaps cursed—with a gift: she can see people's pasts when she touches their clothes. When she stumbles across a denim jacket that once belonged to Amanda Stavros, last year's Fourth of July victim, Clare sees her perfect town begin to come apart at the seams.

In a town where appearance means everything, how deep beneath the surface will Clare dig to uncover a murderer?

Who doesn't love a good mystery? And a murder mystery with a few abductions raises the ante for sure. The supernatural element in here makes me wonder how far will Littlefield go within the genre? Will that be the only piece or will the mystery surrounding the missing victims also surround something supernatural? That's a question I can't wait to get an answer to.

Countdown Pick #2: Break My Heart 1,000 Times by Daniel Waters (10/16/2012)

Living in the aftermath of the Event means that seeing the dead is now a part of life, but Veronica wishes that the ghosts would just move on. Instead, the ghosts aren’t disappearing—they’re gaining power.

When Veronica and her friend, Kirk, decide to investigate why, they stumble upon a more sinister plot than they ever could have imagined. One of Veronica’s high school teachers is crippled by the fact that his dead daughter has never returned as a ghost, and he’s haunted by the possibility that she’s waiting to reappear within a fresh body. Veronica seems like the perfect host. And even if he’s wrong, what’s the harm in creating one more ghost?

From critically acclaimed Generation Dead author Daniel Waters, comes a delectably creepy and suspenseful thriller. Break My Heart 1,000 Times will leave readers with the chills. Or is that a ghost reading over the page?

Not usually my cup of tea, ghosts and all that, but I couldn't resist putting this one on my countdown list. I hate not knowing the answer to a mystery like this one, and while I haven't had any experience with any of Waters' previous works, I'm hopeful that his writing lives up to the praise that I hear regarding this other YA titles. Have you read any of his work before? What did you think?

Countdown Pick #3: So Close To You (So Close To You, #1) by Rachel Carter (07/10/2012)

Lydia Bentley has heard stories about the Montauk Project all her life: stories about the strange things that took place at the abandoned military base near her home and the people who've disappeared over the years. Stories about people like her own great-grandfather.

When Lydia stumbles into a portal that transports her to a dangerous and strange new reality, she discovers that all the stories she's ever heard about the Montauk Project are true, and that she's in the middle of one of the most dangerous experiments in history.

Alongside a darkly mysterious boy she is wary to trust, Lydia begins to unravel the secrets surrounding the Project. But the truths behind these secrets force her to question all her choices—and if Lydia chooses wrong, she might not save her family but destroy them... and herself.

No pressure right? First off, Goodreads is hosting a contest for the chance to win one of ten copies up for grabs, so if you've had your eye on this one, head on over there and enter for your chance at a free copy for yourself! With that being said, this one has me intrigued to say the least. I can't wait to see where this portal takes Lydia and what events would lead up to her making this huge decision that holds everyone's lives in the balance....and come on, you know you're just as interested!

Countdown Pick #4: Flawed by Kate Avelynn (07/10/2012)

Sarah O’Brien is only alive because of the pact she and her brother made twelve years ago—James will protect her from their violent father if she promises to never leave him. For years, she’s watched James destroy his life to save hers. If all he asks for in return is her affection, she’ll give it freely.

Until, with a tiny kiss and a broken mind, he asks for more than she can give.

Sam Donavon has been James’s best friend—and the boy Sarah’s had a crush on—for as long as she can remember. As their forbidden relationship deepens, Sarah knows she’s in trouble. Quiet, serious Sam has decided he’s going to save her. Neither of them realize James is far more unstable than her father ever was, or that he’s not about to let Sarah forget her half of the pact...

I'm going to have a hard time with this one, I just know it. With what sounds like the terrible world Sarah lives in, I know it won't be easy to read what she has to endure and the awful situations she finds herself in, at no fault of her own. I'm hopeful that the character Sam will be able to help her come out of this Hell that she's been living in and also to find the strength she'll surely need to move past everything she's had to endure. But mainly I'm just hoping she's able to get out of the situation she's in period! Hopefully despite the serious nature of the book, Avelynn will have a happy ending waiting for Sam and Sarah.

Countdown Pick #5: The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna (08/28/2012)

Eva’s life is not her own. She is a creation, an abomination—an echo. Made by the Weavers as a copy of someone else, she is expected to replace a girl named Amarra, her “other”, if she ever died. Eva studies what Amarra does, what she eats, what it’s like to kiss her boyfriend, Ray. So when Amarra is killed in a car crash, Eva should be ready.

But fifteen years of studying never prepared her for this.

Now she must abandon everything she’s ever known—the guardians who raised her, the boy she’s forbidden to love—to move to India and convince the world that Amarra is still alive.

We've got ourselves another Goodreads contest readers! Head on over and enter for your chance to win one of five copies of this upcoming release. While there are arrived a ton of people entered in this contest, you might just be one of the lucky five! I've seen movies and read books that have similar story lines or at least revolve around the cloning of people that have been kept in the wings to take over for the original hosts, or to be used for parts so to speak if something should go wrong in the "real" world, and I'm always interested in reading more. I'm not saying this title will be like the others, of course I'm hoping to find the opposite, but my interest was piqued for the same reasons.