Countdown: October 2013 (2)

I've been excited to feature this month for countdowns for some time now. October is my birthday month, so I always look forward to seeing what books are going to be hitting the shelves throughout the thirty-one days that make up this calendar month. It's never a bad idea to have my birthday wish list ready for friends and family to draw from right? I've also always been a big fan of Halloween and getting dressed up and celebrating and marking the day with all the good fun that comes with it...and don't even get me started on pumpkin carving. The competition is pretty steep in my family and I've yet to come out on top, but it is a whole new year, and I'll have plenty of time to try and create a very impressive looking jack-o-lantern that will hopefully put my dad's to shame.

 

Countdown Pick #1:  Meet Me at the River by Nina de Garmont (10/15/2013)

 

We can’t choose who we love…but can we choose to let go?Stepsiblings Tressa and Luke have been close since they were little…and when they become teenagers, they slip from being best friends to being something more. Their relationship makes everyone around them uncomfortable, but they can’t—won’t—deny their connection. Nothing can keep them apart.

Not even death. Luke is killed in a horrible, tragic accident, and Tressa is suddenly and desperately alone. Unable to outrun the waves of grief and guilt and longing, she is haunted by thoughts of suicide. And then she is haunted by Luke himself.

He visits only at night. But when he’s with her, it’s almost like the accident never happened. Oh, there are reminders, from the way she can only feel him when he touches the scars on her wrist, to how she can’t seem to tell him about life since he’s been gone. As long as they’re together, though, the rest…it fades away.

But during the day it is Tressa who can’t grasp hold of the people around her. The same people who never wanted her and Luke together in the first place are determined to help her move on. Determined to help her heal. They just don’t understand—one misstep, one inch forward, could leave Luke behind forever.

Nina de Gramont, author of Gossip of the Starlings and Every Little Thing in the World, writes of love that is beautiful and poetic, forbidden and radical—and utterly irresistible.

 

This read will obviously not be a light and fun one to fly through, but the synopsis went so deep and the way it was all laid out made it difficult to pass up.  I honestly felt like I had no choice but to add it to my countdown list, because otherwise I probably would have always wondered how it all turned out.

 

Countdown Pick #2:  Perfect Ruin (The Internment Chronicles, #1) by Lauren DeStefano (10/01/2013)

 

On Internment, the floating island in the clouds where 15-year-old Morgan Stockhour lives, getting too close to the edge can lead to madness. Even though Morgan's older brother, Lex, was a Jumper, Morgan vows never to end up like him. She tries her best not to mind that her life is orderly and boring, and if she ever wonders about the ground, and why it is forbidden, she takes solace in best friend Pen and her betrothed, Basil.

Then a murder, the first in a generation, rocks the city. With whispers swirling and fear on the wind, Morgan can no longer stop herself from investigating, especially when she meets Judas. He is the boy being blamed for the murder — betrothed to the victim — but Morgan is convinced of his innocence. Secrets lay at the heart of Internment, but nothing can prepare Morgan for what she will find — or who she will lose.

If anyone out there is like me, I was a huge fan of DeStefano's thanks to her Chemical Garden trilogy and am so glad that she has another series coming out so quickly after her last one wrapped up.  Her writing is fast paced and her plots are enjoyable and will keep you on the edge of your seats from start to finish.

 

Countdown Pick #3:  Skulk by Rosie Best (10/01/2013)

 

When Meg witnesses the dying moments of a shapeshifting fox and is given a beautiful and powerful stone, her life changes forever. She is plunged into the dark world of the Skulk, a group of shapeshifting foxes.

As she learns about the other groups of shapeshifters that lurk around London – the Rabble, the Horde, the Cluster and the Conspiracy – she becomes aware of a deadly threat against all the shapeshifters. They must put aside all their enmity and hostility and fight together to defeat it.

I am loving that this book's description sounds like nothing I've ever read or been reading lately.  Perfect for a little change up for the start of Fall and looking forward to my first experience with Best's writing.  This is one that if you haven't already done so, you might want to add it to your 2013 Debut Author Challenge lists.

 

Countdown Pick #4:  Unbreakable (Legion, #1) by Kami Garcia (10/01/2013)

 

Supernatural meets The Da Vinci Code in this action-packed paranormal thriller, the first book in a new series from New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia. I never believed in ghosts. Until one tried to kill me.

When Kennedy Waters finds her mother dead, her world begins to unravel. She doesn’t know that paranormal forces in a much darker world are the ones pulling the strings. Not until identical twins Jared and Lukas Lockhart break into Kennedy’s room and destroy a dangerous spirit sent to kill her. The brothers reveal that her mother was part of an ancient secret society responsible for protecting the world from a vengeful demon — a society whose five members were all murdered on the same night.

Now Kennedy has to take her mother’s place in the Legion if she wants to uncover the truth and stay alive. Along with new Legion members Priest and Alara, the teens race to find the only weapon that might be able to destroy the demon — battling the deadly spirits he controls every step of the way.

Suspense, romance, and the paranormal meet in this chilling urban fantasy, the first book in a new series from Kami Garcia, bestselling coauthor of the Beautiful Creatures novels.

 

I know I'm not alone in being excited for just about anything Garcia puts out on the shelves.  This new Fall release sounds equally as exciting as her previous works and I can't wait to check it out for myself and have it as a new addition to my library.

 

Countdown Pick #5:   Beauty's Daughter: The Story of Hermione and Helen of Troy (10/08/2013)

 

What is it like to be the daughter of the most beautiful woman in the world? Hermione knows . . . her mother is Helen of Troy, the famed beauty of Greek myth. Helen is not only beautiful but also impulsive, and when she falls in love with charming Prince Paris, she runs off with him to Troy, abandoning her distraught daughter. Determined to reclaim their enchanting queen, the Greek army sails for Troy. Hermione stows away in one of the thousand ships in the fleet and witnesses the start of the legendary Trojan War. In the rough Greek encampment outside the walls of Troy, Hermione’s life is far from that of a pampered princess. Meanwhile, her mother basks in luxury in the royal palace inside the city. Hermione desperately wishes for the gods and goddesses to intervene and end the brutal war—and to bring her love. Will she end up with the handsome archer Orestes, or the formidable Pyrrhus, leader of a tribe of fierce warriors? And will she ever forgive her mother for bringing such chaos to her life and the lives of so many others?

I'm loving everything about this one.  My followers and friends know that I can't get enough of all things Greek and Roman Mythology related, and this one of those stories that's interwoven with a good mix of all the right elements.  I've been a fan of Carolyn Meyer's writing for some time, and I'm anxious to see what she'll bring to the table with this future release as well.

In My Mailbox (106)

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:

 

Perfect Ruin (The Internment Chronicles, #1) by Lauren DeStefano (Thanks to Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)

 

On Internment, the floating island in the clouds where 15-year-old Morgan Stockhour lives, getting too close to the edge can lead to madness. Even though Morgan's older brother, Lex, was a Jumper, Morgan vows never to end up like him. She tries her best not to mind that her life is orderly and boring, and if she ever wonders about the ground, and why it is forbidden, she takes solace in best friend Pen and her betrothed, Basil.

Then a murder, the first in a generation, rocks the city. With whispers swirling and fear on the wind, Morgan can no longer stop herself from investigating, especially when she meets Judas. He is the boy being blamed for the murder — betrothed to the victim — but Morgan is convinced of his innocence. Secrets lay at the heart of Internment, but nothing can prepare Morgan for what she will find — or who she will lose.

 

 

The Beautiful and the Damned by Jessica Verday (Thanks to Simon Pulse)

 

Cyn’s blackouts have deadly consequences in this sexy, suspenseful spinoff to the New York Times bestselling Hollow series.Cyn and Avian are far from a perfect match. She’s a witch who casts spells on men so she can steal their cars. He spends his time being judge, jury, and executioner to the truly evil in the supernatural realm.

When the blackouts Cyn’s been having ever since her time in Sleepy Hollow start escalating, she finds herself unable to remember where she’s been or what she’s been doing. Frightened, she seeks guidance at a local church, and it’s there she meets Avian.

The unlikely pair soon discovers that her blackouts are a side effect of what she truly is—an Echo—a conduit for souls of the dead. The only way to prevent Cyn from losing complete control is to return to Sleepy Hollow and vanquish the source of her power—but she may not survive the process. And if she does? She won’t ever be the same…

Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer by Katie Alender (Thanks to Scholastic Press)

Colette Iselin is excited to go to Paris on a class trip. She’ll get to soak up the beauty and culture, and maybe even learn something about her family’s French roots.

But a series of gruesome murders are taking place across the city, putting everyone on edge. And as she tours museums and palaces, Colette keeps seeing a strange vision: a pale woman in a ball gown and powdered wig, who looks suspiciously like Marie Antoinette.

Colette knows her popular, status-obsessed friends won’t believe her, so she seeks out the help of a charming French boy. Together, they uncover a shocking secret involving a dark, hidden history. When Colette realizes she herself may hold the key to the mystery, her own life is suddenly in danger . . .

Acclaimed author Katie Alender brings heart-stopping suspense to this story of revenge, betrayal, intrigue — and one killer queen.

The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (Thanks to Disney-Hyperion)

 

Seventeen-year-old Cassie is a natural at reading people. Piecing together the tiniest details, she can tell you who you are and what you want. But it’s not a skill that she’s ever taken seriously. That is, until the FBI come knocking: they’ve begun a classified program that uses exceptional teenagers to crack infamous cold cases, and they need Cassie.

What Cassie doesn’t realize is that there’s more at risk than a few unsolved homicides— especially when she’s sent to live with a group of teens whose gifts are as unusual as her own.

Sarcastic, privileged Michael has a knack for reading emotions, which he uses to get inside Cassie’s head—and under her skin. Brooding Dean shares Cassie’s gift for profiling, but keeps her at arm’s length.

Soon, it becomes clear that no one in the Naturals program is what they seem. And when a new killer strikes, danger looms closer than Cassie could ever have imagined. Caught in a lethal game of cat and mouse with a killer, the Naturals are going to have to use all of their gifts just to survive.

 

Wrath (Soul Savers, #5) by Kristie Cook (Thanks to Ang'dora Productions, LLC)

 

Will a mother’s wrath make her cross the line?

I didn’t want to cry. For once in my life, tears evaded me. Perhaps because I refused to grieve this loss, because it wasn’t a loss in my eyes, in my heart. It was a call for war, yes. But not a loss. I wouldn’t allow it.

Besides, I was too mad to cry, even in my exhaustion, and anger would get me much further.

As I curled my body around Sasha’s, though, I realized the anger within me had changed. I no longer felt irrational and blinding fury that dulled all other emotions. But that was okay. I really didn’t want to be Psycho Alexis. This, what I now felt in every cell of my body down to the core, was better. My anger had condensed and solidified into a cold, hard stone settling within me. Something I could control and hold onto for the long term to keep me going and focused on the goal.

Wrath.

That’s what I felt. And there was nothing worse than the wrath of a pissed-off mother.

Wrath, the fifth volume in the bestselling, award-winning Soul Savers Series, will have you on the edge-of-your-seat-ravenously-devouring-junk-food as you experience the mysteries, magic, betrayals, and passion that you’ve come to expect from Kristie Cook’s writing.