Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Settings I'd Like To See More Of

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created over at The Broke and the Bookish.  This feature was created because they're particularly fond of lists at The Broke and the Bookish (and who isn't?). They're all about creating new lists including a little bit of everything and I've been meaning to participate for so long but always seemed to get behind.  So here we are and hopefully you'll head over to their page and check out what everyone else put up for this week's Top Ten.

For me this week's top ten basically boils down to what kinds of books do you like to read.  So I've listed ten and paired them up with some examples of previous books that fit the same mold.

Top Ten Settings Pick #1:  Dystopian - Divergent (Divergent, #1) by Veronica Roth 

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

This title will forever be one of my favorites.  It has all of my favorite elements.  Forbidden romance, a big brother-type government like body that may not be looking out for everyone's best interest.  Add in a ton of action and a strong leading character and I'm excited for release day.

Top Ten Settings Pick #2:  Contemporary Romance - Beautiful Disaster (Beautiful, #1) by Jamie McGuire 

INTENSE. DANGEROUS. ADDICTIVE.

Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate number of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance from the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University’s Walking One-Night Stand.

Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby wants—and needs—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.

While I've always loved the imaginative and creative worlds that can be found in the fantasy genre, there will always be something equally special about a possible real life couple's story as well.  And if there are more out there like this favorite of mine by McGuire than you can sign me up!

Top Ten Settings Pick #3:  Fantasy - Glimmgerglass (Faeriewalker, #1) by Jenna Black

It's all she's ever wanted to be, but it couldn't be further from her grasp...

Dana Hathaway doesn't know it yet, but she's in big trouble. When her alcoholic mom shows up at her voice recital drunk, again, Dana decides shes had enough and runs away to find her mysterious father in Avalon: the only place on Earth where the regular, everyday world and the captivating, magical world of Faerie intersect. But from the moment Dana sets foot in Avalon, everything goes wrong, for it turns out she isn't just an ordinary teenage girl, she's a Faeriewalker, a rare individual who can travel between both worlds, and the only person who can bring magic into the human world and technology into Faerie.

Dana finds herself tangled up in a cutthroat game of Fae politics. Someone's trying to kill her, and everyone seems to want something from her, from her new found friends and family to Ethan, the hot Fae guy Dana figures she'll never have a chance with...until she does. Caught between two worlds, Dana isn't sure where she'll ever fit in and who can be trusted, not to mention if her world will ever be normal again.

Books are often my break from reality and the stress of every day life.  So I often enjoy reading titles that are fantastical enough that I'm not reminded that before long I'll be right back to the normal bump and grind.  I like their typical light hearted nature along with their occasional dark side.  It's a great recipe for a literature vacation.

Top Ten Settings Pick #4:  Angel and Above - Angel Star (Angel Star, #1) by Jennifer Murgia

Seventeen-year-old Teagan McNeel falls for captivating Garreth Adams and soon discovers that her crush has an eight-point star etched into the palm of his right hand; the mark of an angel. But where there is light, dark follows, and she and Garreth suddenly find themselves vulnerable to a dark angel's malicious plan that could threaten not only her life, but the lives of everyone she knows.

Divinely woven together, Angel Star takes readers on a reflective journey when one angel's sacrifice collides with another angel's vicious ambition in a way that is sure to have readers searching for their own willpower.

I have not gotten enough of these lately, but Murgia's work reminds me of everything great about this type of book.  Divine intervention, angelic beings, true and unconditional love, and usually a fight that comes down to good vs. evil.  I would really like some more of these in 2013.

Top Ten Settings Pick #5:  Reality Checks - Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers thirteen cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list.

Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

While the setting could be just about anywhere, I would like to see more books like Asher's previous and memorable release.  I call them reality checks because by the time you're finished reading, it's impossible not to reflect.  Asher's book had me doing some major thinking and proved to be incredibly eye opening for anyone who came across it.

Top Ten Settings Pick #6:  Paranormal Romance - My Blood Approves (My Blood Approves, #1) by Amanda Hocking

Teenager Alice Bonham's life feels crazy after she meets Jack. With his fondness for pink Chuck Taylors and New Wave, he's unlike anyone she knows. Then she meets his brother, Peter. Even though he can't stand the sight of her, she's drawn to him. Falling for two guys isn't even the worst of her problems. Jack and Peter are vampires, and Alice finds herself caught between love and her own blood.

With so many books falling into this category I don't think any of us will ever be out of options for our next read, but some of course are better than others.  Hocking's My Blood Approves series had an awesome combination of romance, family ties, intense action and suspense, and of course the right amount of paranormal activity.

Top Ten Settings Pick #7:  Romantic Comedy - The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg

Love is all you need... or is it? Penny's about to find out in this wonderful debut.

Penny is sick of boys and sick of dating. So she vows: no more. It's a personal choice. . .and, of course, soon everyone wants to know about it. And a few other girls are inspired. A movement is born: The Lonely Hearts Club (named after the band from Sgt. Pepper). Penny is suddenly known for her nondating ways . . . which is too bad, because there's this certain boy she can't help but like. . . .

I often find myself drawn to romances, but when I want to keep things light and upbeat I look to Eulberg and the like.  Give me light and flirty, fun and laugh out loud entertainment.  That's a winning combination.  Romance doesn't always have to be unrequited and full of angst, right?

Top Ten Settings Pick #8:  Time Travel - Hourglass (Hourglass, #1) by Myra McEntire

One hour to rewrite the past . . . 

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn't there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents' death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She's tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson's willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may also change her past.

Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he's around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

I'm not a huge fan of historical fiction/non-fiction reads.  Terrible I know, but its just not my go-to.  However, time travel tales give me the chance to see an author's view of the past, present and future of any given place.  It's always an adventure and like with McEntire's series, there's a good bit of intrigue and action as well.

Top Ten Settings Pick #9:  University Life - The Ivy (The Ivy, #1) by Lauren Kunze and Rina Onur

Congratulations! You have been admitted to the most prestigious university in the world. Now what are you going to do?

Callie Andrews may not have money or connections or the right clothes, and she may have way too many complications in her love life, what with

Gregory
the guy she loves to hate ...

Evan
the guy she'd love to forget ...

Clint
the guy she'd love to love ...

and Matt
the guy she really should love ...

all vying for her attention.

But she has three fantastic roommates (best friends or her worst nightmare?) and a wholesome California-girl reputation (oops) and brains and beauty and big, big dreams.

Will it be enough to help her survive freshman year at Harvard?

Give me a background of a college university or a boarding school of some type and it's half the battle.  There's just something about it...no idea what exactly but the "it" factor is there.  It could be a lot of things but for whatever reason I'm a fan and would always enjoy seeing more books use the setting.

Top Ten Settings Pick #10:  Super Powers - Minder (Ganzfield, #1) by Kate Kaynak

Sixteen-year-old Maddie Dunn is special, but she needs to figure out how to use her new abilities before somebody else gets hurt. Ganzfield is a secret training facility full of people like her, but it's not exactly a nurturing place. 

Every social interaction carries the threat of mind-control. 

A stray thought can burn a building to the ground. 

And people's nightmares don't always stay in their own heads. But it's still better than New Jersey. Especially once she meets the man of her dreams...

A long time X-Men and superhero fan what's not to love about books where powers are used for both good and evil, where the good must use these special gifts to defeat the bad, etc...  I think I just love a good hero and characters with super powers often fit that mold.

New To YA

I'm not sure if I'm alone in this or not, but I have always been one of the only major bibliophiles among my friends and family. Don't get me wrong, they all read and enjoy a good book when they come across one, but are no where near as avid a reader as I am. I was an English major and have just always loved a good book, and the occasional bad one as well. So my sweetheart of a former roommate suggested that I start this blog (thanks M!) and I owe her big time! I think she was probably sick of hearing me gush over new books I was reading and new authors I was coming to love. She couldn't really relate because she hadn't read the books I was talking to her about, and she didn't have any plans on getting to them anytime soon. The girl was busy getting her MBA...and life keeps everyone swamped, I get it.

So this blog, my readers, and all of my fellow bloggers out there have become like a big reading family. I love this blogosphere and being able to hear from other readers about what they're interested in, what they just read, and the recommendations they throw my way. It's been over a year since I started the blog and I can't imagine not having this community to reach out to. But lately (within the last couple of months) something happened. My sister, B got herself a kindle! It was a shock, but she travels a lot for work and needed a way to pass the time. As it turns out, the girl likes to read (almost) as much as her sister! And to be honest...I love that! I get so excited hearing about what books she's been reading and what she liked and didn't like. I have to constantly remind myself that she's still not as crazy and book obsessed as I am, because when we get to talking about all the books I can't seem to stop, and need to reign myself in.

Each time she finishes up a book she's immediately asking me what else she should check out. Since I mainly stick to the young adult genre I don't always have a huge list of titles for her to, but I had a thought. She recently read (finally!) The Hunger Games trilogy and of course fell in love with them just like everybody else. So I'm thinking that now that she's seen that young adult titles aren't just for youngsters I tried to pull a list together for her to pick from. Here are a few I think she might enjoy, do you have any other suggestions you think I should send her way?

The Ivy (The Ivy, #1) by Lauren Kunze and Rina Onur

Congratulations! You have been admitted to the most prestigious university in the world. Now what are you going to do?

Callie Andrews may not have money or connections or the right clothes, and she may have way too many complications in her love life, what with

Gregory
the guy she loves to hate ...

Evan
the guy she'd love to forget ...

Clint
the guy she'd love to love ...

and Matt
the guy she really should love ...

all vying for her attention.

But she has three fantastic roommates (best friends or her worst nightmare?) and a wholesome California-girl reputation (oops) and brains and beauty and big, big dreams.

Will it be enough to help her survive freshman year at Harvard?

Who didn't love this book? I've become a huge fan of this series and can't wait for book four to come out. But I'm thinking once B starts with this series opener she won't be able to put it down. It's got all the key elements that I think will ease her into the YA genre. Boy drama, college hysterics, secret societies (who can resist those) and everything in between. The catty girls and their high end designer label wardrobes, not to mention the jocks and their all-American resumes to leave us all drooling. It's a fabulous combination that I think she'll love and one that will leave her rushing to get the next editions in the series.

Love Story by Jennifer Echols

She's writing about him. he's writing about her. And everybody is reading between the lines..

For Erin Blackwell, majoring in creative writing at the New York City college of her dreams is more than a chance to fulfill her ambitions--it's her ticket away from the tragic memories that shadow her family's racehorse farm in Kentucky. But when she refuses to major in business and take over the farm herself someday, her grandmother gives Erin's college tuition and promised inheritance to their maddeningly handsome stable boy, Hunter Allen. Now Erin has to win an internship and work late nights at a coffee shop to make her own dreams a reality. She should despise Hunter . . . so why does he sneak into her thoughts as the hero of her latest writing assignment?

Then, on the day she's sharing that assignment with her class, Hunter walks in. He's joining her class. And after he reads about himself in her story, her private fantasies about him must be painfully clear. She only hopes to persuade him not to reveal her secret to everyone else. But Hunter devises his own creative revenge, writing sexy stories that drive the whole class wild with curiosity and fill Erin's heart with longing. Now she's not just imagining what might have been. She's writing a whole new ending for her romance with Hunter . . . except this story could come true.

We're all suckers for the romantic comedies and the romances in general, don't you think? I like an action thriller and dystopian novel just as much as the next girl, but put a romance in front of me and there's not much of a chance that I'll be turning it down anytime soon. Since B has always leaned more towards chick lit and romances, I thought this would be another one that would grab her attention and have her reading late into the night. Echols is one of my favorite authors, so of course I'm slightly biased but I think it'll be something B and I have in common. Echols' characters tug at your heart and have readers thinking they're good friends, not just people on a page.

The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg

Love is all you need... or is it? Penny's about to find out in this wonderful debut.Penny is sick of boys and sick of dating. So she vows: no more. It's a personal choice. . .and, of course, soon everyone wants to know about it. And a few other girls are inspired. A movement is born: The Lonely Hearts Club (named after the band from Sgt. Pepper). Penny is suddenly known for her non dating ways . . . which is too bad, because there's this certain boy she can't help but like. . .

It's no secret Eulberg is one of my top five favorite authors ever! I have yet to read one of her books that I didn't fall instantly in love with and rave incessantly about to anyone who would give me the chance. I remember trying to get B to read this after I'd first come across it and I think she tried to appease me by saying she would, but never actually did. Now that she's a Kindle owner and quite the reader herself, I think it's time she gave it another go...for real this time! Who doesn't just adore Penny and her club of lonely hearts, right? I've read this one more than once and each and every time I fall in love with these characters and The Beatles all over again...definitely a must!

Matched (Matched, #1) by Ally Condie

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate... until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

After becoming a dystopian convert, I'm curious to see if it's genetic. I think this would be a good one for B to check out since she was such a fan of The Hunger Games. Yet again we're talking about a futuristic dystopian society where the government is suffocating its citizens with their rules and laws and general ways of life. Let's not forget the love triangle Condie presents readers with, to the point where it's all readers can but sympathize with Cassia and the predicaments she finds herself in.

B's birthday is in June and I think I might just need to throw in one or two of these books in the mix as well as maybe an Amazon Kindle gift card so she can check out the others. What do you think? Did I leave out any that you would recommend to B? Let me know and I'll add them to the list that I'm doing my best to keep fully stocked and ready to go for whenever she's on the lookout for her next read.

In My Mailbox (40)

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:

Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins (Thanks to Harper Teen)

What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences? This is life for sons and daughters of fallen angels in Sweet Evil.

Anna, a tender-hearted southern girl, was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She's aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn't until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage, and her will-power is put to the test. He's the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

A cross-country trip forces Anna and Kai to face the reality that hope and love are not options for their kind. When it's time for Anna to confront her demons, will she choose to embrace her halo or her horns?

Forbidden by Syries James & Ryan M. James (Thanks to Harper Teen)

She should not exist.

He should not love her.

Claire Brennan has been attending Emerson Academy for two years now (the longest she and her mom have remained anywhere) and she's desperate to stay put for the rest of high school. So there's no way she's going to tell her mom about the psychic visions she's been having or the creepy warnings that she's in danger.

Alec MacKenzie is fed up with his duties to watch, and when necessary, eliminate the descendants of his angelic forefathers. He chose Emerson as the ideal hiding place where he could be normal for once. He hadn't factored Claire into his plans... Their love is forbidden, going against everything Alex has been taught to believe. But when the reason behind Claire's unusual powers is revealed and the threat to her life becomes clear, how far will Alec go to protect her?

Lies Beneath (Lies Beneath, #1) by Anne Greenwood Brown (Thanks Delacourte Books for Young Readers)

Calder White lives in the cold, clear waters of Lake Superior, the only brother in a family of murderous mermaids. To survive, Clader and his sisters prey on humans, killing them to absorb their energy. But this summer the underwater clan targets Jason Hancock out of pure revenge. They blame Hancock for their mother's death and have been waiting a long time for him to return to his family's homestead on the lake. Hancock has a fear of water, so to lure him in, Calder sets out to seduce Hancock's daughter, Lily. Easy enough - especially as Calder has lots of practice using his irresistible good looks and charm on unsuspecting girls. Only this time Calder screws everything up: he falls for Lily - just as Lily starts to suspect that there's more to the monsters-in-the-lake legends than she ever imagined. And just as his sisters are losing patience with him.

Don't You Wish by Roxanne St. Claire (Thanks to Delacourte Books for Young Readers)

When plain and unpopular Annie Nutters gets zapped by one of her dad's whacked-out inventions, she lands in a parallel universe where her life becomes picture-perfect. Now she's Ayla Monroe, daughter of the same mother but a different father - and she's the gorgeous, rich queen bee of her high school.

In this universe, Ayla lives in glitzy Miami instead of dreary Pittsburgh and has beaucoup bucks, courtesy of her billioniare - if usually absent - father. Her friends hit the clubs, party backstage at concerts, and take risks that are exhilirating...and illegal. Here she's got a date to lose her V-card with the hottest guy she's ever seen.

But on the inside, Ayla is still Annie.

So when she's offered the chance to leave the dream life and head home to Pittsburgh, will she take it?

The choice isn't as simple as you think.

Rivals (The Ivy, #3) by Lauren Kunze and Rina Onur (Thanks to Greenwillow Books)

Decisions, decisions...

You've survived your first semester and captured the interest of not one but two of the hottest guys on campus.

Now who are you going to choose?

Callie Andrews returns for her second semester at Harvard determined to do better than the previous fall, where those Bs on her report card seemed pretty good compared to the sate of her extracurriculars (F, as in if at first you don't succeed, you should probably stop trying,) friendships (C-minus, since she and formed BFF Vanessa are still on thin ice), and love life (D, as in don't even go there). But various campus rivalries soon threathen to thwart Callie's resolve. Will Callie ever be a match for -

Grace Lee
the take-no-prisoners managing editor

Alessandra
the gorgeous transfer student

Clint
the guy who might just be too perfect

and Gregory
the guy who may never be perfect enough.

Callie will face some of the toughest choices imaginable: in friendships, in loyalties, and in love. The pressure to pick a side - and a suitor - has never been higher. But will she and her friends choose well?

Review: Secrets (The Ivy, #2) by Lauren Kunze, Rina Onur

Reputation, Reputation, Reputation.

You're a student at the most prestigious university in the country, and you've been tapped for the most elite social club. You've made it!

Now Don't Blow It!

Callie Andrews triumphed during her first semester at Harvard: she made incomparable friends, found the perfect boyfriend, and received invitations to the most exclusive secret societies. But she may have ruined every-thing with one ill-fated night. Now she's keeping secrets from everyone, including—

Clint the upperclassman who's too good to be true

Vanessa the best friend turned backstabber

Gregory the guy who's a total(ly hot) mistake

and Lexi the social queen who wants to bring Callie down.

But Callie didn't get into Harvard by giving up, and she isn't about to now. Besides, she's not the only one with something to hide. . . .

I didn't think it was possible for Lexi to be any nastier, but boy was I mistaken. her devious actions and awful manipulation in this second installment make her look like a cupcake in The Ivy. It's crazy and out of control and had me wanting to throw my book across the room a couple of times. She's just that awful!

That being said, Kunze and Onur managed to capture me right from the start and had me feeling like I was on Harvard's campus all over again. The traditions, adventures, and craziness they describe is highly entertaining and I always want more.

Callie's problems grow and miscommunication is at the center of it all this time around. I couldn't believe the ups and downs she took with Vanessa, Lexi, Clint and Gregory. I could only read on and sympathize with her as her problems continued to mount. Ouch.

Like last time, Kunze and Onur left readers with a pretty juicy cliffhanger and book three, Rivals can't hit the shelves soon enough. I have to know what happens, and the suspense might actually kill me...slowly.

I gave Secrets (The Ivy, #2) 4 shamrocks!!!!

ARC Tour & Review: The Ivy by Lauren Kunze with Rina Onur

Freshman year at Harvard--glamorous parties, blossoming friendships, steamy romances, and scandalous secrets. Skip the campus tour and get right to the good stuff: classes are for scoping guys (and their Facebook profiles), not taking notes. The library is for study dates (the medieval history stacks get a lot of action), not studying. And success is a 4.0 GPA... plus getting into the most exclusive parties. How will Callie--a California girl with brains, beauty, and big dreams--and her three roommates survive?

Wow-o-wow! Half the time these authors had me wanting to be back at college and the other half of the time I couldn't believe how glad I was that I had already graduated and was done with the whole shebang, it's still a toss up as to which won the majority. Either way I was really enjoying coming along for the ride on this one and watching Callie start her first day of college at Harvard. I went to West Virginia University, and while it's a fantastic school (Go Mountaineers!) I'm not, nor was I ever an Ivy leaguer but it sure sounds like a different world. Don't get me wrong, we had brilliant minds and probably twice the amount of partiers but regardless I was out of my element a little bit with this world. What fun I had though soaking it all in.

Callie must get used to living on the east coast, acclimating to college life, living with three other girls who are all sporting their very own look and attitude and dealing with a very cute, very arrogant boy who happens to be living right across the hall, fun coincidence right? These girls have their work cut out for them and they're in for a wild ride. But also a totally fun one to be sure.

These authors give readers scandals worthy of US Weekly, really cute and nice upperclassman guys, bitter and devious girls out to make freshman's lives a living hell and don't forget the classes, the parties and the drama, drama, drama! Did I mention the drama? When it's hard enough to get through your classes and homework, how is it possible to tell the different between friend and foe, right and wrong and ways to avoid getting in deeper and deeper? But seriously, I really kind of fell in love with this book and the characters and the story line - pretty much the whole kit and caboodle. Kunze and Onur set the stage for a great series and although I was a little worried with how things were left at the end of this one, I'm practically drooling over what's to come in their next book.

I gave The Ivy 4 shamrocks!!!!

In My Mailbox (21)

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

This past week I couldn't help myself at PAYA and my wallet suffered the consequences, lol!

ARC Tours

The Phantom Diaries by Kailin Gow (Traveling ARC Tours)

What happens to the Phantom after the tragedy at the Paris Opera House is the basis for this fantastic tale of The Phantom Diaries, loosely based on Gaston Leroux's classic, The Phantom of the Opera, but with a new tale and a modern twist. This new series for older teens and young adults is told through the eyes of 18 year-old Annette Binoche, who lands a job at the New York Metropolitan Opera House as a seamstress' assistant only to become the lead singer of the Opera House, with the help of the mysterious, yet highly-seductive Phantom.

Jump by Ginger Rue (Around the World Tours)

High school junior Brinkley Harper is beautiful, wealthy, admired, and powerful—until the day she wakes up in the body of a classmate she wouldn’t be caught dead hanging out with.

Goth girl Miranda is everything Brinkley isn’t: she won't leave the house in anything but black, her family life is in tatters, she’s practically invisible at school, and she’s hiding a dark secret. As Brinkley experiences Miranda’s life from the inside out, she’s forced to consider the world from a very different point-of-view. But this won’t be Brinkley's last “jump,” and each time she lives a day in another classmate’s body, Brinkley not only begins to feel empathy for others, she also begins to glimpse the fears, vulnerabilities, and disappointments behind her own perfect façade. By experiencing the world as somebody else, Brinkley may finally learn to understand herself.

Glimpse by Carol Lynch Williams (Around the World Tours)

Twelve year old girl Hope's life is turned upside down when her older sister Lizzie becomes an elective mute and is institutionalized after trying to kill herself. Ever since their dad died Hope and Lizzie have relied on each other from a young age. Their mother is a reluctant and unreliable parent at best, who turns tricks to support the family. Throughout the course of this lyrical and heartbreaking narrative readers and Hope discover shocking truths and it's up to Hope to bring the truth to light to save her sister.

The Ivy by Lauren Kunze with Rina Onur (We Love YA Tours)

Freshman year at Harvard--glamorous parties, blossoming friendships, steamy romances, and scandalous secrets. Skip the campus tour and get right to the good stuff: classes are for scoping guys (and their Facebook profiles), not taking notes. The library is for study dates (the medieval history stacks get a lot of action), not studying. And success is a 4.0 GPA... plus getting into the most exclusive parties. How will Callie--a California girl with brains, beauty, and big dreams--and her three roommates survive?

Bought

Mockingjay (Hunger Games #3) by Suzanne Collins

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she’s made it out of the bloody arena alive, she’s still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what’s worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss’s family, not her friends, not the people of District 12.

Infinite Days (Vampire Queen, #1) by Rebecca Maizel

Lenah Beaudonte is, in many ways, your average teen: the new girl at Wickham Boarding School, she struggles to fit in enough to survive and stand out enough to catch the eye of the golden-boy lacrosse captain. But Lenah also just happens to be a recovering five-hundred-year-old vampire queen. After centuries of terrorizing Europe, Lenah is able to realize the dream all vampires have -- to be human again. After performing a dangerous ritual to restore her humanity, Lenah entered a century-long hibernation, leaving behind the wicked coven she ruled over and the eternal love who has helped grant her deep-seated wish. 

Until, that is, Lenah draws her first natural breath in centuries at Wickham and rediscovers a human life that bears little resemblance to the one she had known. As if suddenly becoming a teenager weren’t stressful enough, each passing hour brings Lenah closer to the moment when her abandoned coven will open the crypt where she should be sleeping and find her gone. As her borrowed days slip by, Lenah resolves to live her newfound life as fully as she can. But, to do so, she must answer ominous questions: Can an ex-vampire survive in an alien time and place? What can Lenah do to protect her new friends from the bloodthirsty menace about to descend upon them? And how is she ever going to pass her biology midterm?

Fairy Tale by Cyn Balog

Morgan Sparks has always known that she and her boyfriend, Cam, are made for each other. But when Cam’s cousin Pip comes to stay with the family, Cam seems depressed. Finally Cam confesses to Morgan what’s going on: Cam is a fairy. The night he was born, fairies came down and switched him with a healthy human boy. Nobody expected Cam to live, and nobody expected his biological brother, heir to the fairy throne, to die. But both things happened, and now the fairies want Cam back to take his rightful place as Fairy King. 

Even as Cam physically changes, becoming more miserable each day, he and Morgan pledge to fool the fairies and stay together forever. But by the time Cam has to decide once and for all what to do, Morgan’s no longer sure what’s best for everyone, or whether her and Cam’s love can weather an uncertain future.

Sleepless by Cyn Balog

Eron DeMarchelle isn't supposed to feel this connection. He is a Sandman, a supernatural being whose purpose is to seduce his human charges to sleep. Though he can communicate with his charges in their dreams, he isn't encouraged to do so. After all, becoming too involved in one human's life could prevent him from helping others get their needed rest. 

But he can't deny that he feels something for Julia, a lonely girl with fiery red hair and sad dreams. Just weeks ago, her boyfriend died in a car accident, and Eron can tell that she feels more alone than ever. Eron was human once too, many years ago, and he remembers how it felt to lose the one he loved. In the past, Eron has broken rules to protect Julia, but now, when she seems to need him more than ever, he can't reach her. Eron's time as a Sandman is coming to a close, and his replacement doesn't seem to care about his charges. Worse, Julia is facing dangers she doesn't recognize, and Eron, as he transitions back to being human, may be the only one who can save her....

Even once they've become human again, Sandmen are forbidden to communicate with their charges. But Eron knows he won't be able to forget Julia. Will he risk everything for a chance to be with the girl he loves?

Forget-Her-Nots by Amy Brecount White

When someone leaves three mystery flowers outside her dorm door, Laurel thinks that maybe the Avondale School isn't so awful after all — until her own body starts to freak out. In the middle of her English presentation on the Victorian Language of Flowers, strange words pop into her head, and her body seems to tingle and hum. Impulsively, Laurel gives the love bouquet she made to demonstrate the language to her spinster English teacher. When that teacher unexpectedly and immediately finds romance, Laurel suspects that something — something magical — is up. With her new friend, Kate, she sets out to discover the origins and breadth of her powers by experimenting on herself and others. But she can’t seem to find any living experts in the field of flower powers to guide her. And her bouquets don't always do her bidding, especially when it comes to her own crush, Justin. Rumors about Laurel and her flowers fly across campus, and she's soon besieged by requests from girls — both friends and enemies — who want their lives magically transformed — just in time for prom.

Hitting the Shelves Soon (3)

Since we've reached our mid-way mark in June I've of course been checking my TBR list for future releases that I've been itching to get my hands on, and they can't come out soon enough in my opinion!  These are just a few that I wish were on the shelves, like .... yesterday!

The Candidates (Delcroix Academy, #1) by Inara Scott (8/24)

Dancia Lewis is far from popular. And that's not just because of her average grades or her less-than-glamorous wardrobe. In fact, Dancia's mediocrity is a welcome cover for her secret: whenever she sees a person threatening someone she cares about, things just...happen. Cars skid. Structures collapse. Usually someone gets hurt. So Dancia does everything possible to avoid getting close to anyone, belieiving this way she can supress her powers and keep them hidden.

But when recruiters from the prestigious Delcroix Academy show up in her living room to offer her a full scholarship, Dancia's days of living under the radar may be over. Only, Delcroix is a school for diplomats' kids and child geniuses--not B students with uncontrollable telekinetic tendencies. So why are they treating Dancia like she's special? Even the hottest guy on campus seems to be going out of his way to make Dancia feel welcome. And then there's her mysterious new friend Jack, who can't stay out of trouble. He suspects something dangerous is going on at the Academy and wants Dancia to help him figure out what. But Dancia isn't convinced. She hopes that maybe the recruiters know more about her "gift" than they're letting on. Maybe they can help her understand how to use it...But not even Dancia could have imagined what awaits her behind the gates of Delcroix Academy.

The Ivy by Lauren Kunze & Rina Onur (8/31)

When Callie arrives for her freshman year at Harvard, she encounters her three vastly different roommates, new friendships, steamy romance, and scandalous secrets.

Confessions Of The Sullivan Sisters by Natalie Standiford (9/1)

The Sullivan sisters have a big problem. On Christmas Day their rich and imperious grandmother gathers the family and announces that she will soon die . . .and has cut the entire family out of her will. Since she is the source of almost all their income, this means they will soon be penniless.

Someone in the family has offended her deeply. If that person comes forward with a confession of her (or his) crime, submitted in writing to her lawyer by New Year's Day, she will reinstate the family in her will. Or at least consider it. 

And so the confessions begin....

Spy Glass (Glass, #3) by Maria V. Snyder (9/1)

An undercover mission leads to danger, adventure and an impossible choice. After siphoning her own blood magic in the showdown at Hubal, Opal Cowan has lost her powers. She can no longer create glass magic. More, she's immune to the effects of magic. Opal is now an outsider looking in, spying through the glass on those with the powers she once had, powers that make a difference in the world.

Until spying through the glass becomes her new power. Suddenly, the beautiful pieces she makes flash in the presence of magic. And then she discovers that someone has stolen some of her blood - and that finding it might let her regain her powers. Or know it could be they are lost forever.

Trance by Linda Gerber (10/14)

It begins with a subtle vibration, a tingling. 
There is time to take only one breath.
The trance begins.
When it is through, Ashlyn is certain of two things:
Someone she knows is about to die.
And she is powerless to stop it.

Don't these sound great....hopefully the countdown will start to go by faster, what are you guys excited about that's due to come out soon?