Countdown: June 2013 (5)

While it might not feel like Summer is right around the corner right now it's not that far away.  May might mark the beginning of Summer and all the fun that comes with it, but when June rolls around I'm always ready to get into the full swing of things.  I'm ready to pack up my cold weather clothing and instead of curling up on the sofa with a book I'd rather take one out either poolside or to the beach.  Who doesn't like to lay around in the sun and enjoy a great book at the same time?  I've been known to like to grab a tan and soak up the sun but I can only lie around in the heat for so long without getting antsy so that's when I pull out the good books.  They get me through the hotter temperatures and keep me entertained while I try to get all the vitamin D a girl could want.  What's on your June 2013 list to pick up at your favorite bookstores?

** I normally wouldn't do a countdown with only two titles on the list, but I just didn't want to pass up these two titles and wanted to make sure they were included on the June 2013 countdown at some point.

Countdown Pick #1:  Proxy (Proxy, #1) by Alex London (06/18/2013)

Knox was born into one of the City’s wealthiest families. A Patron, he has everything a boy could possibly want—the latest tech, the coolest clothes, and a Proxy to take all his punishments. When Knox breaks a vase, Syd is beaten. When Knox plays a practical joke, Syd is forced to haul rocks. And when Knox crashes a car, killing one of his friends, Syd is branded and sentenced to death.

Syd is a Proxy. His life is not his own.

Then again, neither is Knox’s. Knox and Syd have more in common than either would guess. So when Knox and Syd realize that the only way to beat the system is to save each other, they flee. Yet Knox’s father is no ordinary Patron, and Syd is no ordinary Proxy. The ensuing cross-country chase will uncover a secret society of rebels, test both boys’ resolve, and shine a blinding light onto a world of those who owe and those who pay. Some debts, it turns out, cannot be repaid.

We've all heard of whipping boys and I still cringe whenever I think of the book I read when I was younger. I'm sure this will be one of those books with parts that are hard to take and get through, but it also sounds exciting and adventurous and I find myself already rooting for these two boys to make it and hopefully find a way to save themselves.

Countdown Pick #2:  How (Not) to Find a Boyfriend by Allyson Valentine Schrier (06/13/2013)

A funny and smart romantic comedy about getting the guy. . . and finding yourself.
Sophomore Nora Fulbright is the most talented and popular new cheerleader on the Riverbend High cheer squad. Never mind that she used to be queen of the nerds—a chess prodigy who answered every question first, aced every test and repelled friends at every turn—because this year, Nora is determined to fully transition from social pupa to full blown butterfly, even if it means dumbing down her entire schedule. But when funny, sweet and very cute Adam moves to town and steals Nora’s heart with his ultra-smarts and illegally cute dimple, Nora has a problem. How can she prove to him that she’s not a complete airhead? Nora devises a seemingly simple plan to barter her way into Adam’s classes that involves her classmates, friends—and her older brother Phil’s award-winning AP history paper. But soon, Nora can barely keep track of her trades, and struggles to stay in control of her image.


In the end, the only thing that can save Nora is a chess tournament—that she has to compete in wearing her cheerleading uniform. Can she prove to everyone that she can be both a butterfly and a nerd?

Sounds cute and funny to me, don't you think?  A perfect combination for a great summer read that will keep me entertained but not put me over the edge if I just want to relax and enjoy the hot weather with a good read.

In My Mailbox (80)

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:

Walking Disaster (Beautiful, #2) by Jamie McGuire (Thanks to Atria Books)

Finally, the highly anticipated follow-up to the New York Times bestseller Beautiful Disaster. Can you love someone too much?
Travis Maddox learned two things from his mother before she died: Love hard. Fight harder.

In Walking Disaster, the life of Travis is full of fast women, underground gambling, and violence. But just when he thinks he is invincible, Abby Abernathy brings him to his knees.

Every story has two sides. In Beautiful Disaster, Abby had her say. Now it’s time to see the story through Travis’s eyes.

** I cannot even tell you how excited I am for the chance to read this one....I've been dying to get my hands on a copy and I can't wait to dive right in!

Proxy (Proxy, #1) by Alex London (Thanks to Philomel)

Knox was born into one of the City’s wealthiest families. A Patron, he has everything a boy could possibly want—the latest tech, the coolest clothes, and a Proxy to take all his punishments. When Knox breaks a vase, Syd is beaten. When Knox plays a practical joke, Syd is forced to haul rocks. And when Knox crashes a car, killing one of his friends, Syd is branded and sentenced to death.

Syd is a Proxy. His life is not his own.

Then again, neither is Knox’s. Knox and Syd have more in common than either would guess. So when Knox and Syd realize that the only way to beat the system is to save each other, they flee. Yet Knox’s father is no ordinary Patron, and Syd is no ordinary Proxy. The ensuing cross-country chase will uncover a secret society of rebels, test both boys’ resolve, and shine a blinding light onto a world of those who owe and those who pay. Some debts, it turns out, cannot be repaid.

Legacy (Legacy, #1) by Molly Cochran (Thanks to Simon and Schuster)

When her widowed father dumps 16-year-old Katy Jessevar in a boarding school in Whitfield, Massachusetts, she has no idea that fate has just opened the door to both her future and her past. Nearly everyone in Whitfield is a witch, as is Katy herself, although she has struggled all her life to hide her unusual talents. Stuck at a boarding school where her fellow students seem to despise her, Katy soon discovers that Whitfield is the place where her mother committed suicide under mysterious circumstances when Katy was just a small child. With dark forces converging on Whitfield, it's up to Katy to unravel her family's many secrets to save the boy she loves and the town itself from destruction.

Poison (Legacy, #2) by Molly Cochran (Thanks to Simon and Schuster)

Arthurian legend mixes with modern-day witchcraft in this haunting sequel to Legacy, which Publishers Weekly said “should please the legions of paranormal fans looking for a sophisticated supernatural thriller.” 

After the riveting—and romantic—events of Legacy, Katy has won Peter’s heart and is nowclaiming her place in the magical world. Though half the students at her boarding school come from witching lines, the use of magic is expressly forbidden at Ainsworth, so as to keep the witching world hidden from the blue-blooded preppies, aka Muffies, who also walk the halls.

     But the Muffies have at least a notion of magic, because Katy catches them staging a made-up ritual—and to her astonishment, the girls collapse at Katy’s feet and fall into comas. When Katy is blamed, she becomes desperate to clear her name and finds herself battling all odds to harness her growing magical powers in order to save the Muffies and dispel the Darkness once more.

Countdown: Winter Wishlist (2)

Now that I've gotten myself back on track regarding the blog, I can't seem to stop myself from searching high and low for more titles that will be releasing in the future.  Let's face it...this is a regular obsession of mine that I don't think will ever go away.  So now that I've marked my calendar for all the fall titles that I've come across that I've wanted to add to my TBR list I went searching for any books that would hit the stores' shelves in the month of December.  It's always a good idea for me to create a Winter Wishlist for my friends and family so that when the holidays come around and anyone may need some ideas or inspiration in the gift department they're all set.  It also helps me out when it comes to my friends and family.  I of course like to get people gifts that I know they will love, and while I might try to keep that person's wish lists in the back of my mind, I usually like to throw a book in as a gift as well.  It never hurts to help someone increase their library and with so many wonderful titles to choose from, no one can possibly hope to get all of them on their shelves on their own right?  So I've found some great titles that I'll be counting down towards to make sure are added to my lists for myself and for possible gifts I'll be giving out!

Countdown Pick #1:  Blood-Kissed Sky (Darkness Before Dawn, #2) by J.A. London (12/26/2012)

So here's the downside to including this title on my countdown...there's no description for the book as of right now.  Or at least none that I could find on line.  This mother son team, that Rachel Hawthorn and Alex London have created is dynamite!  They're first installment in this series, Darkness Before Dawn quickly became one of my favorites, and had me eagerly anticipating the next two installments in the trilogy.  While this book won't be out in time for the holidays, I without a doubt, will be picking myself up a copy the day of it's release!  I can't wait to see what happens next for Dawn and the other characters this writing team has created, in this fabulous new supernatural world.  And while the book's description might not be out yet (as soon as I find one I'll be sure to update the blog) in the meantime we can all admire the cover art and get excited all over again for this fabulous future read!

Countdown Pick #2:  Scattered Ashes by Maria Rachel Hooley (12/30/2012)

Twenty-two-year-old Jordan Carroway has a plan--marry his best friend, Alyssa and start a family. A month before the wedding, he meets Nicole O'Roarke during a physical education class. Nicole--the woman who tips his canoe, steps on a cactus, and makes him laugh. They fall madly in love, though neither confess it as they both feel the weight of responsibility. Jordan ultimately keeps his promise and marries Alyssa. Nicole also returns to her life, not realizing that love left its mark, and it's not through with either of them.

Doesn't this one sound intriguing?  I wonder what all is in store for these characters.  I'm also liking the fact that it won't focus soley on a female protagonist but on a male lead instead.  It's always nice to have a new change of pace don't you think?  After visiting Hooley's site I found a quote she posted, saying "You can't just sit around and compare every guy to Jordan.  Your date will lose every time to somebody you can't have."  After reading that quote, all I can think about is how great this character must be and how amazing the writing must be by Hooley for someone to make such a statement.

Countdown Pick #3:  Black and White by Tiffany Madison (December 2012)

Despite being jaded and disillusioned by the horrors of war, Jason Keller is profoundly grateful to be alive. After being gravely injured in the city of Ramadi, Iraq under circumstances he cannot fully remember, he is discharged from the United States Marine Corps with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. 
Upon leaving the military hospital, Jason isolates himself in his ancestral home in Pandora, Tennessee. Far from family and friends, he undertakes recovery on his own, wanting nothing more than to be worthy of the life he has retained, working to “get right” by living a regimented routine. But his methods aren’t working, and the best he can seem to achieve is a state of numbness. 

Enter Ava Taylor, a Vanderbilt college student on summer break. Born the oldest daughter to a Southern Baptist minister, she was raised in a strict religious household. Away from the academic life and close family she loves, Ava is humbly enjoying her independence. In her own way, Ava is as isolated as Jason, living as she does through her studies, with few real-life friends around. 

But Pandora is a small town, and it isn’t long before Ava and Jason meet. Despite his initial attraction to her, he is determined to remain alone, and forces himself to stay away from her. She cannot stop thinking about him, but her shyness and inexperience keep her from doing anything more than that. Thrown together once more under dangerous circumstances, Jason helps Ava, to the detriment of his own resolve. She is different from anyone he has ever known and he can no longer resist or avoid her. The tentative friendship they form eases their mutual loneliness, and soon they are spending most of their free time together. 

Wanting to protect Ava from the darker aspects of his past and his PTSD, Jason still keeps her at a distance; especially once he knows that what he feels for her surpasses mere friendship. Their relationship begins a path that both must equally decide to follow.

I think this book's description says it all.  While the description may not be short, I almost wanted it to tell me more.  I want to dive right into this one and see how these two characters evolve and hopefully work through everything together.

Countdown Pick #4:  Adapting Eden (Save the Pearls, #2) by Victoria Foyt (01/25/2013)

In the sequel to the award-winning, dystopian novel, Revealing Eden, Eden Newman must adapt into a hybrid human beast if she hopes to become Ronson Bramford’s mate. She has no choice but to undergo her father’s adaptation experiment at his makeshift laboratory in the last patch of rainforest. But when the past rears its ugly head, Eden and Bramford must abandon camp along with their family and friends. Luckily, an Aztec tribe that has survived with the aid of a healing plant provides them with sanctuary—or is it? Too late, Eden realizes she is at the center of an epic spiritual battle between love and war. To survive, she must face her deepest fears or lose everything, including the beastly man she loves.

As we get into the new year there will be a ton of great titles hitting the shelves, and hopefully a lot of them will be series continuations.  After reading the first installment in the Save the Pearls series, I was truly curious to see what would happen next for Foyt's characters.  She created a world and packed it full of characters that have multiple layers and mysteries attached to them.  It was a wonderful start to a series that I'm sure will have equally interesting follow ups.

Countdown Pick #5:  Catherine by April Lindner (01/02/2013)

A forbidden romance. A modern mystery. Wuthering Heights as you've never seen it before.

Catherine is tired of struggling musicians befriending her just so they can get a gig at her Dad's famous Manhattan club, The Underground. Then she meets mysterious Hence, an unbelievably passionate and talented musician on the brink of success. As their relationship grows, both are swept away in a fiery romance. But when their love is tested by a cruel whim of fate, will pride keep them apart?
Chelsea has always believed that her mom died of a sudden illness, until she finds a letter her dad has kept from her for years -- a letter from her mom, Catherine, who didn't die: She disappeared. Driven by unanswered questions, Chelsea sets out to look for her -- starting with the return address on the letter: The Underground.

Told in two voices, twenty years apart, Catherine interweaves a timeless forbidden romance with a compelling modern mystery.

I'm one of those people that love a good retelling.  It can be one that stays close to the storyline, a crazy off beat title that only uses similar character names and traits, etc...  Either way, for me when it comes to a story where the author has taken a classic book and used their own spin on it to make it new and different I'm likely to want to check it out.  While Wuthering Heights was not one of my all time favorite classics, I appreciate the writing and style that goes hand in hand with this piece of literature.  I'm curious to see where Lindner will take this story and how everything will turn out in her version.