Spring Cleaning Giveaway!

Hey Readers!

So...I’ve been cleaning out the bookshelves! I've donated/traded books as much as I could. But, I still have quite a few advance reader copies left... so that’s where you come in. Do you want to take these off my hands? Some of these I’ve read, some I have finished copies of and some there is just no way I can work them into the reading schedule. There is nothing wrong with these ARCs except that I have no room for them!

There are no prerequisites for this contest. You do NOT have to be a book blogger although I would prefer you share your opinions on these books in some way.

Spring Cleaning Giveaway!

The Books Up for Grabs:

Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols

Shine (Shade, #3) by Jeri Smith-Ready

Black City by Elizabeth Richards

Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin

Storm (Elemental, #1) by Brigid Kemmerer 

Wrecked by Anna Davies

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund

Official Contest information:

• to enter, please fill out the form below
• entrants must be 13 years of age or older
• contest open to US/CA, unless you're willing to pay for shipping ;)
• the winner will be announced on this blog post at the conclusion of the contest
• the winner will be notified by email and will have 72 hours to reply or a new winner will be chosen. 
• DO NOT PUT YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THE COMMENTS SECTION 
• check out my Contest Policy/Privacy Policy

Good Luck!

FF + TGFI!

Hey readers! "It’s Friday, Friday. Got to get down on Friday. Everybody’s looking forward to the weekend..." Let me have my Glee/Rebecca Black moment please lol 

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Calling all Daemon fans!

The Daemon Invasion tour 2012 is FINALLY HERE!

Over the last couple of weeks, you’ve heard us talking about the upcoming #daemoninvasion and we’re so excited to finally share with you what is going on.

Really excited.

The beautiful and uber cool models, Pepe Toth and Sztella Tziotziosz, who grace the Lux covers, will be joining us in the United States! You heard right. They are flying here, from Hungary to spend a few days as Daemon and Katy! While they are here, they will be working with Vania, from VLC Productions (the team behind Cassandra Clare’s The Mortal Instruments, Melissa de La Cruz, Kimberly Derting, Moira Young, Kami Garcia and Margret Stohl, Hillary Duff, Lauren Destefano, and many, many more authors’ book trailers), to film book trailers for the Lux Series.

During the filming in Atlanta, they will be accompanying us on tour! What does that mean? You get to meet them. In the flesh. They will be participating in the signings and events. At those signings, we’ll be giving away signed posters, photos, and other swag. There will also be meet and greet events you can join in on. 

At each signing, there will be advanced copies of Onyx given away!

And to top things off (as if this isn’t enough, but we don’t do anything small), there’s something very, very exciting in the works! It involves advanced copies of Opal, water, and a little destination known as the Bahamas. 

I am not kidding. 

This will be epic. 

Aare you excited? I am! This tour is going to be so, so much fun, and I’m so thrilled that Pepe and Sztella are a part of it. We owe them a huge thank you and a giant welcome making the 16 hour flight to meet the readers of the Lux Series. You!

"Waiting On" Wednesday: The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

From the much anticipated spinoff of the Iron fey series starring none other than the much older*hot* Ethan Chase(Meghan's brother)
I present you...

The Lost Prince (Call of the Forgotten #1)

(Book 1 in the new Iron Fey Series coming this Fall 2012)

(Summary not released yet but there is an except at the end of The Immortal Rules) 

Top Ten Tuesday All-Star Characters

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and Bookish.
Today's topic: Ten All Time Favorite Characters

1- Cricket from Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins  - the sweet and charming Cricket...*swoons* If you've read Lola then you'd know what I talking about hehe 

“No more moving. I'm here. I'm wherever you are.” 

2- Augustus Waters from The Fault in Our Stars by John Green - Such a brilliant book BTW. Augustus just knows all the right things to say...


3-  Allison Sekemoto from The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa - Allie defines bad-a$$ery, A girl who can take care of herself, with her Katana wielding vampire self lol. Which is out today. So I urge to to go pick up your copy stat. Also don't miss the #ImmortalRulesParty on Twitter!

4- Anya Balanchine from  All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin -   Mobs + Dystopian elements...Anya is a perfect example of a strong independent character. I really liked that she was well grounded and family oriented. There so many twists and turns...Anya is just so BRAVE!


5-  Kaleb from Hourglass by Myra McEntire -  Kaleb reminds me of one of the  guys from Black Dagger Brotherhood! nuff said ;)


6-  Adam from the If I Stay series by Gayle Forman - From Hot celebrity rockstar to his soulful music...I'm just in awe. I need to find an Adam to swipe me away!

7- Kai from Cinder  by Marissa Meyer  -  I liked the main protag Cinder but Kai... she is such a funny character. She has so much personality for being a cyborg-thing. #Free Kai!


8-  Griffin and his brother Darius from  A Temptation of Angels by Michelle Zink Think of them as Sam and Dean from The TV show Supernatural.They’re just as clever and tough as them.

9- Olivia from  Amaretto Flame by Sammie Spencer -  Olive has hero with a heart of gold. She is so selfless, she would do anything for her coven and new friends; if their lives were at stake she wouldn’t think twice about cutting off her legs and arms for them if it came right down to it.  


10- Simon from The Silver Kiss by Annette Curtis Klause, - this book will ALWAYS have a special place in my heart. It was the 1st book that I picked up and actually the reason why  started this blog and my love for YA books. Simon...know one can ever replace you! lol 

*Katniss and Tris should be add to list too!

Book Review: The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa + Giveaway!

Series: Blood of Eden #1

Release Date: April 24th 2012

Publisher:  Harlequin Teen

Age Group: Young Adult   
Pages: 485
Overall: ♥♥♥♥♥

In a future world, vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity. Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten. Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked--and given the ultimate choice. Die...or become one of the monsters. Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad. Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend--a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike. But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what--and who--is worth dying for.

My Thoughts:                                                                                                                      

The Immortal Rules! How can I contain my fangirl?!? Seriously ya’ll, Zompires and a kick a$$ Katana welding heroine! If that’s not enough to convince you to read TIR, then you’re seriously going to miss out on awesomeness at EPIC proportions, just sayin.’ 


Allison Sekemoto is a perfect example of a kick a$$ chick. Which left me thinking Katniss who? Allie had the bravery and strength even when she was a human. I mean, she made it that long being a human, living off the streets, savaging for food. She could have gone the safe route and become a Registered and donated her blood to the vampires in exchange for food. But she didn’t, every day was a fight to survive, to live. Turning into a vampire didn’t change that, but now she is not the “weak” one. I liked how she was always truthful with herself. We all know those vampire who say “oh, I don’t feed off humans; I’m on a veggie diet.” How naive, that’s nice and all but be realistic. VAMPIRES NEED HUMAN BLOOD to survive, it’s good for them, it has vitamin C and protein lol we’ve all seen it, the vampires that resist eventually go mad and go on a killing spree, then depression & self-loathing*sigh boring.* Kanin, her sire, taught her that she has a choice, it’s better to have control over the hunger than to cave and be a monster. Allie has many redeeming qualities and triumphs. For someone who’s supposed to be a killer/monster I sure love her! #TeamAllie! 

There’s no love triangle! I like Kanin, but I see him as a mentor not a love interest. Zeke on the other hand, my heart swells for him. The things he goes through on a personal level with his “father.” It’s sad, I would have never known because he is so charming and courageous. Thinks of others…Allie and Zeke make the perfect match. 

I loved The Iron Fey series but I think TIR is even better! Julie is a mastermind! Can you get anymore brilliant Julie? Lol I highly recommend everyone to read this. If you’re tired of vampires, don’t be! TIR is NOT your average vampy tale! 

*Ebook courtesy of Publisher + Netgalley for honest review.

To find out more about this book and author, visit the following links:
-Visit Julie around the web here: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Blog
-Add to your Goodreads: The Immortal Rules

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Other Book by Julie:

Iron Fey 

   

_____________________________________________________________________________

Official Contest information:

• to enter, please fill out the form below
• entrants must be 13 years of age or older
• contest open to US/CA
• the winner will be announced on this blog post at the conclusion of the contest
• the winner will be notified by email and will have 72 hours to reply or a new winner will be chosen.
• DO NOT PUT YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THE COMMENTS SECTION
• check out my Contest Policy/Privacy Policy

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: Hana (Delirium #1.5) by Lauren Oliver

Series: Delirium #1.5

Release Date:  February 28th 2012

Publisher: HarperCollins

Age Group: Young Adult   
Pages: 64(ebook)
Overall: ♥♥♥♥

In the world of Delirium, love is a disease. And like all eighteen-year-olds, Lena and 
Hana must take the cure.


At the start of their last summer of freedom, they were the closest of friends. Until Hana made a decision that tore them apart... In Delirium, we heard from Lena. Now, Hana gets to tell her side of the story. And nothing is what we first thought.


Hana is a powerful, moving and beautifully told original eBook short story, with a shocking twist that will leave you with your heart in your mouth.

My Thoughts:                                                                                                                      

Hana takes you on an emotional rollercoaster ride into her most intimate thoughts – Back into the world of Deliria, where love is a disease, I couldn’t stop reading! I devoured this book.

Rewind back a little bit, I stopped reading Delirium about halfway through because I wasn’t really into it. The pacing and plot fell flat for me. I started Hana, to somehow get me interested in Delirium, I’ve always admired Lauren’s beautiful writing style. I’m so happy to say, I totally have a different opinion about Delirium now and looking forward to getting back into it!

I have to thank Hana. I wouldn’t have given Delirium a second chance it wasn’t for her. I really liked her in Delirium; from the ending in Hana, I wouldn’t have thought she would have given up so quickly. Her internal struggles with going along with the cure or rebelling against it made her a complex character. I’m glad Oliver gave us a chance to see what was going on in Hana’s head and giving us her reasons why she made the decision she made. I don’t think Hana was the overly jealous bestie everyone thinks she is. I truly believe she was trying to look out for Lena. With whatever emotions she had with that one guy (Steve?) I think he hurt her more than she lets on. To a point where she doesn’t believe in love anymore and she wants to save Lena from the pain that comes with Deliria. Hopefully we’ll get to explore that in the next book.

Hana definitely has the shock factor! I’m curious as to how fans of the Delirium series think of her now?

*Ebook courtesy of Publisher, for honest review.
To find out more about this book and author, visit the following links:
-Visit Amy around the web here:  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Blog
-Add to your Goodreads: Delirium / Pandemonium /Requiem /

"Waiting On" Wednesday (72)

The Finishing School Series is set in the same world as The Parasol Protectorate series, only 25 years earlier, and features a finishing academy located in a giant caterpillar-like dirigible floating over Dartmoor...

Etiquette & Espionage

by Gail Carriger 

It's one thing to learn to curtsy properly. It's quite another to learn to curtsy and throw a knife at the same time. Welcome to finishing school. 

Fourteen-year-old Sophronia is the bane of her mother's existence. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper etiquette at tea--and god forbid anyone see her atrocious curtsy. Mrs. Temminnick is desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady. She enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality. 

But little do Sophronia or her mother know that this is a school where ingenious young girls learn to finish, all right--but it's a different kind of finishing. Mademoiselle Geraldine's certainly trains young ladies in the finer arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but also in the other kinds of finishing: the fine arts of death, diversion, deceit, espionage, and the modern weaponries. Sophronia and her friends are going to have a rousing first year at school. 

First in a four book YA series set 25 years before the Parasol Protectorate but in the same universe.

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more books by Gail Carriger 

Parasol Protectorate series

    

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"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Book Review: Descended by Blood by Angeline Kace

Date:  August 26th 2011
Publisher: Accendo Press
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 263 
Overall:

♥♥♥♥

Brooke Keller is a high school junior who has never spent much time living in one place. She is finally in a town long enough to almost snag the boy of her dreams, until her life is threatened after killing a fanged man in his attempt to kidnap her. Brooke begins a dangerous journey in an effort to find out who is after her and how to stop them. In a world with powerful and prejudiced vampires, Brooke must tap into the side of her that she never knew existed at the risk of losing her life in order to save it.

My Thoughts:                                                                                                                          

I’ve been in a reading slump and everything I’ve heard about Mirko &Jaren are true! So DBB definitely helped get me out of my reading funk.

The thing about these novels that make them one of my favorites isn’t because they are about “vampires.” It’s because of the characters in this novel and the story. Sure they may be a vampire by character trait, but how can you resist two guys like Mirko and Jaren. AND try not to be impressed by Brooke’s witty remarks and stubborn nature. I just know other people will love these characters as much as I do. I also love the story! I feel as though this novel is prominently character driven, yet the story still spellbinds me every time! I was thrilled to see that we still got plenty of BFF, romance, fighting action going on in this one. Kace creates a fun, light, vampire tale. I felt like I almost walked in on an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer(In the good old High School days)…but less chosen one and more vampires lol

My only complaint about this novel, I felt like there were some loose ends. Likes Brooke’s father…which I’m sure we’ll pick up on him in the next book, I am really excited to see where that is going!


*Ebook copy courtesy of Author, for honest review.


To find out more about this book and author, visit the following links:
-Visit Angeline around the web here: Website | Facebook | Twitter
-Get your own copy: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Book Depository
-Add to your Goodreads: Descended by Blood  / Enemy Within