Countdown: Series Edition

I've come to realize that when I find a book I've truly enjoyed or characters who have touched my heart, that I don't want to say goodbye just because the book has ended. For these reasons and so many more, I'm a huge fan of a good series. I know there are readers out there who don't think there's a reason to continue the story, they think the novel is good enough as a stand alone and I can understand that. But for me, when there are no quick goodbyes or feelings of disappointment due to a lack of closure, it just gives me something else to look forward to. With a series the story goes on, the characters continue to grow and the fun carries on. Here are just a few of the upcoming releases that are parts of series' that I've come to love and get excited about.

Countdown Pick #1: Beautiful Chaos (Caster Chronicles, #3) by Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl (10/18/11)

Ethan Wate thought he was getting used to the strange, impossible events happening in Gatlin, his small Southern town. But now that Ethan and Lena have returned home, strange and impossible have taken on new meanings. Swarms of locusts, record-breaking heat, and devastating storms ravage Gatlin as Ethan and Lena struggle to understand the impact of Lena's Claiming. Even Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals is affected - and their abilities begin to dangerously misfire. As time passes, one question becomes clear: What - or who - will need to be sacrificed to save Gatlin?

For Ethan, the chaos is a frightening but welcome distraction. He's being haunted in his dreams again, but this time it isn't by Lena - and whatever is haunting him is following him out of his dreams and into his everyday life. Even worse, Ethan is gradually losing pieces of himself - forgetting names, phone numbers, even memories. He doesn't know why, and most days he's too afraid to ask.
Sometimes there isn't just one answer or one choice. Sometimes there's no going back. And this time there won't be a happy ending.

I was honestly hoping that this time around Lena and Ethan may have things a little easier. Silly I know, but this is the third installment in the Beautiful Creatures series and they've been through so much already. But based on the book's description I'm worried. Not only do their problems seem to be bigger than ever, but the authors have come right out and said there will be no happy ending. Ouch! I may have to psych myself up or harden myself up before starting this installment.

Countdown Pick #2: Fever (The Chemical Garden, #1) by Lauren DeStefano (February 2012)


Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but they’re still in danger. Outside, they find a world even more disquieting than the one they left behind. Determined to get to Manhattan and to find Rhine’s twin brother Rowan, the two press forward, amidst threats of being captured again . . . or worse.

The road they are on is long and perilous—and in a world where young women only live to age 20 and men die at age 25, time is precious. In this sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price—now that she has more to lose than ever.

After reading Wither, I was convinced that dystopian novels could now be listed under favorites for me. DeStefano had me connecting with her characters almost immediately and I couldn't put her book down. I'm hoping this installment puts readers at ease, at least a little after the cliff hanger the series opener left us with. But Rhine and Gabriel are not out of the woods yet and I'm looking forward to seeing what they do next.

Countdown Pick #3: Jessica Rules the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey (1/10/11)
The highly anticipated sequel to Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side.

It’s one thing to find out you’re a vampire princess. It’s a whole other thing to actually rule. Newly married Jessica Packwood is having a hard enough time feeling regal with her husband, Lucius, at her side. But when evidence in the murder of a powerful elder points to Lucius, sending him into solitary confinement, Jessica is suddenly on her own. Determined to clear her husband’s name, Jessica launches into a full-scale investigation, but hallucinations and nightmares of betrayal keep getting in her way. Jessica knows that with no blood to drink, Lucius’s time is running out. Can she figure out who the real killer is—and whom she can trust—before it’s too late?

I adore Beth and her writing has always been fun and manages to pique my interest. I don't know many readers who didn't enjoy her series opener, not to mention who didn't want to get their hands on this sequel. I can't wait to see what Jessica and Lucius' lives are like now. It seems that married bliss is not quite attainable for these two quite yet and now Jessica's got to do the protecting, the investigating, and the rescuing all on her own. I'm curious to see how she fares.

Countdown Pick #4: Betrayed (Guardian Legacy, #2) by Ednah Walters
Lil has come to terms with her life as a Guardian/demon hunter and the wielder of the Nephilim most powerful weapon. She trains everyday to master her growing powers, gets along with her Guardian trainee friends (most of the time) and cherishes her moments with her human friends.

Just when she feels she belongs, her nature-bender father contacts her and warns her about a betrayal by someone close to her. Then Bran, the guy she loves, starts to act strange and one of her human friends acquires a supernatural ability. While Lil struggles find a connection between these three things, she begins to realize that someone is manipulating her and Bran, and will stop at nothing (including hurting those she loves) to lure them to the dark side.
When Ednah contacted me last year and introduced her book Awakened, to me, I figured why not? The cover didn't thrill me but I let that slide. I can't tell you how glad I was that I gave this series a chance because now I'm hooked. Lil and Bran were two characters that I just couldn't get enough of. But what I really liked was that Walters had me wanting to know more about not just the two main characters, but all the surrounding and supporting characters as well. I've heard promising reviews of this sequel and can't wait to read and judge it for myself.

Countdown Pick #5: Charmfall (Dark Elite, #3) by Chloe Neill (1/3/12)
High school can be a battlefield, but for Lily Parker, surviving at St. Sophia’s School for Girls is a matter of life and death…

Protecting Chicago from the dark side can be an exhausting job, especially when you’re a sophomore. So when the girls of St. Sophia’s start gearing up for Sneak, their fall formal, Lily decides to join in on some good, old-fashioned party prep—even if it means not giving demons, vampires and the twisted magic users known as Reapers her undivided attention.

But when a Reaper infiltrates the school, Lily doesn’t forget what she’s sworn to protect. She reaches deep into herself to draw out her magic—and finds that it’s gone. And it turns out she’s not alone. A magical blackout has slammed through paranormal Chicago, and no one knows what—or who—caused it. But Lily knows getting back her magic is worth the risk of going behind enemy lines…

After leaving Hexbound, feeling slightly disappointed with the way things are looking for Lily and her friends, I'm really hoping some luck finds its way to them and soon! I've found Neill's books to be light and fun for the most part and I always hit a point near the end of the summer where a deep read is not what I'm in the mood for. Hopefully with this coming out in January it'll be the perfect opportunity to fill the post-holiday blues with a new installment in this series.

Review: Beautiful Creatures (Caster Chronicles, #1) by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

There were no surprises in Gatlin County.
We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.

At least, that's what I thought.

Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.

There was a curse.

There was a girl.

And in the end, there was a grave.

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

Romeo and Juliet appear to have had it easy in comparison to Ethan and Lena in Beautiful Creatures. They not only have their families telling them to steer clear of each other, but they're also dealing with humans vs. casters (a.k.a. witches) in this struggle. Talk about your star crossed lovers tale, but how does this one end you ask? Are they to suffer the same fate as Romeo and Juliet? Or will they find a way to defy the odds stacked against them? I'm not telling of course...read on people! And boy was it ever a struggle! Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl know just how to write the twists and turns, joys and heartaches to keep their readers not knowing what to expect with every turn of the page. They had me hook, line and sinker without a clue as to what the outcome would be until the very end.



Our main characters were set in a small town in the south and one that has very old ways. We're talking extremely conservative here people. But Ethan and Lena weren't alone while trying to beat the clock and squeak out a happy ending for everyone involved. Lena's family was one of my favorite parts of the story. Her uncle Macon (the town recluse) was entertaining and mysterious of course, and he kept my attention throughout. Ethan's close but yet strange relationship with Amma won her a place in my heart - she was scary with her charms and voodoo, but her love for Ethan overpowered my fear of her. But that's not to say you should underestimate Amma, if Macon Ravenwood doesn't square off with her, what chance would I have? With the rest of the Ravenwood/Duchannes family making surprise appearances, along with our lovable librarian friend Marion Ashcroft, this book had a wonderful cast of characters to call it's own.
Although the story was slow in parts for me, I think the action scenes were very much filled with suspense and the right amount of thrills. I'm hoping the second installment in the Caster Chronicles, Beautiful Darkness will have more action and substance now that Beautiful Creatures has laid out all the groundwork for us. We've got the background now and we're ready for more of this world that Garcia and Stohl have created.


I gave Beautiful Creatures (Caster Chronicles, #1) 3 shamrocks!!!

In My Mailbox (12)

This is a meme that I first heard about from Kristi over at The Story Siren and immediately wanted to jump on board.

Every week we’ll post about what books we have received (whether they’re bought/borrowed, etc… you get the idea). Everyone participating will try and visit other lists to comment and possibly pine for the new arrivals everyone’s talking about. I’ve learned that it’s a great idea to really try and stop by at least two or three lists because I’m constantly finding out about new books that I’ve later added to my TBR list.

This week I got a few to add to my collection and I'm super excited to dig in and see if they've lived up to their hype, lol!

I was lucky enough to be the winner of the Nancy Drew 80th Anniversary Prize Pack and wanted to say thanks again to Sarah from Sarah's Random Musings for sending that my way!

I also wanted to thank Holly over at Good Golly Miss Holly for hostin the contest for Sometimes We're Always Real Same-same by Mattox Roesch, I hadn't heard of this one until her contest and was immediately interested!

And finally I've been able to cross one off my TBR list that I've been wanting to read for far too long, Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl turned out to be just as good as I was hoping it would be.  I can't wait for the chance to read the sequel!

It's Friday, and you know what that means....it's time to do the Book Blogger Hop! I'm hoping that I'll find even more great blogs than I have in the past few weeks, there are so many great ones out there, I can't wait to check them out!

And last but not least....contest reminders!!!!

Who doesn't love a good contest right?  Well don't forget to sign up for the Spirit Bound contest which will be ending this Monday, June 21

or.....

My 200 followers contest which gives you the chance to win Other by Karen Kincy, Forget You by Jennifer Echols or You Wish by Mandy Hubbard, this contest ends August 1.

    

So click on the contest tab at the top menu bar and have at it...good luck everyone and happy reading as always!!!!