Monday, August 27, 2012

Cover Reveal: Naturals by Tiffany Truitt

Hello there people!I'm revealing the cover of Naturals by Tiffany Truitt,sequel to Chosen Ones and the second book in The Lost Souls trilogy on behalf of Entangled Publishing.If you've liked the cover of Chosen Ones then get ready to be blown away for this one.*Drumroll*

 Blurb:
 Tess is finally safe from the reach of the Council, now that she is living in the Middlelands with the rebel Isolationists. With James having returned to Templeton, she easily falls back into her friendship with Henry, though her newfound knowledge of Robert’s chosen one status still stings. Even surrounded by people, Tess has never felt more alone. So she’s thrilled when James returns to the settlement, demanding to see Tess — until she finds out that it’s because her sister, Louisa, has been recruited into Tess’s old position at Templeton, and that the dangerously sadistic chosen one George has taken an interest in her.

NATURALS is the second book in The Lost Souls trilogy, and follows the dystopian hit CHOSEN ONES.

So,just like in my previous cover reveal,let's compare the cover with the one from the first book and see how it looks:



Both are awesome in their own ways,huh. ;) I'll leave the judging to you guys.And here are some links to the book: Goodreads/Amazon
And some info of the lucky author who owns this absolutely gorgeous cover! XD


Tiffany Truitt was born in Peoria, Illinois. A self-proclaimed Navy brat, Tiffany spent most of her childhood living in Virginia, but don’t call her a Southerner. She also spent a few years living in Cuba. Since her time on the island of  one McDonald's and Banana Rats (don't ask) she has been obsessed with traveling. Tiffany recently added China to her list of travels (hello inspiration for a new book).

Besides traveling, Tiffany has always been an avid reader. The earliest books she remembers reading belong to The Little House on the Prairie Series. First book she read in one day? Little Woman(5th grade). First author she fell in love with? Jane Austen in middle school. Tiffany spent most of her high school and college career as a literary snob. She refused to read anything considered “low brow” or outside the “classics.”
Tiffany began teaching middle school in 2006. Her students introduced her to the wide, wonderful world of Young Adult literature. Today, Tiffany embraces popular Young Adult literature and uses it in her classroom. She currently teaches the following novels: The OutsidersSpeakNight, Dystopian Literature Circles: The Hunger GamesThe GiverThe Uglies, and Matched.
Find Tiffany on her website and twitter and keep your eyes out for the book on April 9th,2013. Happy Monday! xoxo :)
      

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Cover Reveal+ Sneak Peek Uprising by Jessica Therrien

Cover reveal!Cover reveal!Yes people,another one.This time I'm revealing the cover of Uprising on behalf of Jessica Therrien.Oh yes,if you've already read Oppression,then you're bound to be anticipating this one. XD
Gorgeous!!!!!I really love the orange-ish tint.Now let's see how it looks compared to the Oppression cover:
 

Which one's better?I really can't decide since they both look so good!!!What about you?Which one do you guys like better?Uprising will be out in stores on February 19th,2013 by ZOVA books in both paperback and ebook.And also,along with this cover reveal comes an exclusive sneak-peek/teaser of Uprising.
TEASER:
We left everything but the weapons. Clothes, food, toothpaste. There wasn’t time for things that weren’t essential to escape. The five of us went on foot in a direction that was meaningless to me. I had never seen what was outside of the edges of the safe haven, not since I’d been here.
When Mac stopped abruptly after our fifteen-minute trek into the woods, we all froze at once, bodies poised and ready to attack, eyes searching for threats.
“We’re here,” Mac announced. “What should we expect Marcus?”
I had never heard Dr. Nickel called by his first name, and it made me realize he wasn’t as untouchable as I had imagined. Just because he was here, didn’t mean we were safe.
            “I don’t know,” he answered. “Maybe an army, maybe nothing. Depends on where they are.”
            “Everyone best get down on the ground just in case,” Mac decided with a nod. “Weapons ready.”
            As I lay belly down in the dirt, I noticed Dr. Nickel pull a gun from his belt, and my stomach gave a heave.
“When I remove the haven walls, there will be a van. Everyone get in back. If anything goes wrong…” Mac paused, uncomfortable at the thought. “It’s been nice knowin' ya."  



Haven't heard of Oppression before?Here's some info to get you started.

 

Elyse knows what it means to keep a secret. She's been keeping secrets her whole life. Two, actually. First, that she ages five times slower than the average person, so that while she looks eighteen years old, she's closer to eighty. Second, that her blood has a mysterious power to heal. For Elyse, these things don't make her special. They make life dangerous. After the death of her parents, she's been careful to keep her secret as closely guarded as possible. Now, only one other person in the world knows about her age and ability. Or so she thinks. Elyse is not the only one keeping secrets. There are others like her all over the world, descendants of the very people the Greeks considered gods. She is one of them, and they have been waiting for her for a long time. Among so many of her kind, she should not be very remarkable--except for the prophecy. Some believe she will put an end to traditions, safeguarded by violence, which have oppressed her people for centuries. Others are determined to keep her from doing just that. But for Elyse, the game is just beginning--and she's not entirely willing to play by their rules.                                                                                                                         
 
Links : GoodReads / Facebook
   
Also,some info on the lovely author who made this cover reveal possible. :)


 

Jessica Therrien is the author of the young adult paranormal fiction series Children of the Gods. Book one in the series, Oppression, was published by ZOVA Books in February of 2012 and became a Barnes & Noble best-seller shortly after its release. The second book in the series, Uprising, will be available in    February of 2013.


Aside from her Children of the Gods series, Jessica’s work can also be found in a published collection of flash fiction stories called Campaigner Challenges 2011.Out of over 350 submissions her story, The Soulless, won first place for people’s choice and fourth place in the judging round of Rachael Harrie’s Writing Campaign Challenge. Her story, Savedis also available as part of the anthology.

Jessica spent most of her life in the small town of Chilcoot, California, high up in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. In this town of nearly 100 residents, with no street lights or grocery stores, there was little to do but find ways to be creative. Her mother, the local English teacher, inspired her to do all things artistic, and ultimately instilled in her a love for language.

In 2003, Jessica attended California State University Long Beach where her passion for language found her studying Chinese, and in 2005 she moved to Taiwan to study abroad. From 2005 to 2006 Jessica was fully immersed in the Chinese language as she attended National Taiwan University, and in 2008 she graduated from San Diego State University magna cum laude.

Jessica currently lives in Chula Vista with her husband and is working on book three in her Children of the Gods series.
 
You can find Jessica Therrien on GoodReads ,Facebook , Twitter , Pinterest ,Tumblr or visit her Website.So enjoy the cover and that little teaser for now and keep your eyes out for February 19th.Until then! :)

Monday, August 20, 2012

Cover Reveal + Giveaway: Conjure by lea Nolan

Guess what guys?!Today I'm doing an exclusive cover reveal of Conjure on behalf of Lea Nolan and Entangled Publishing.It's sooo gorgeous!Just take a look at it:

 The colours,texture all of it is just so wonderful! XD And here's the blurb of the book to which this super awesome cover belongs to!

Be careful what you search for…

Emma Guthrie expects this summer to be like any other in the South Carolina Lowcountry--hot and steamy with plenty of beach time alongside her best friend and secret crush, Cooper Beaumont, and Emma’s ever-present twin brother, Jack. But then a mysterious eighteenth-century message in a bottle surfaces, revealing a hidden pirate bounty. Lured by the adventure, the trio discovers the treasure and unwittingly unleashes an ancient Gullah curse that attacks Jack with the wicked flesh-eating Creep and promises to steal Cooper’s soul on his approaching sixteenth birthday.
When a strange girl appears, bent on revenge; demon dogs become a threat; and Jack turns into a walking skeleton; Emma has no choice but to learn hoodoo magic to undo the hex, all before summer—and her friends--are lost forever.

Likey?Then add Conjure to your TBR pile on goodreads or find Lea Nolan at her website or twitter

Now on to the second part.Also,along with this Cover Reveal comes a fabulous giveaway!Yes people,not one,but FIVE digital ARCs of Conjure.Just use the rafflecopter widget below to enter. 
 


 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Kindle Spring Clean Giveaway Hop Signup

Hi guys,I've decided to start this new giveaway hop called "Kindle Spring Clean Giveaway Hop". In this event I've decided that we'll only do giveaways on eBooks.You know how your kindle/e reader is filled with books that you've already read and how the only thing it's doing is taking up space?Well how about giving them away to other readers who might enjoy reading them?Got your attention,huh.Any blogger can participate in this hop.Just make up your introductory post for the hop about which books you're going to offer for giveaway and from which day it's going to start.Once done,leave the link in this post.Now for participating you also have to follow some guidelines.Here they are:
  • You can host your giveaway on any number of books,but please make sure not to host giveaways on ARCs or review copies without prior permission from the author or publisher.

  • Signups last till the end of September.If at least ten bloggers do not participate in this event until then, the giveaway hop will be cancelled.So make sure to invite lots of friends! :)

  • The event will be held from the first till the thirteenth of October .So make sure that your giveaway is scheduled during that duration in the rafflecopter widget.


  • And lastly,have fun!And grab the button below to get started.(Disclaimer:I do not own the photo.I just did some editing using photobucket)


Kindle Spring Clean Giveaway Hop

Showcase Sunday #6

Showcase Sunday is a weekly meme hosted by Books,Biscuits and Tea and its aim is to showcase our newest books or book related swag and to see what everyone else received for review, borrowed from libraries, bought in bookshops and downloaded onto eReaders this week.

This week I got the following things in the mailbox: 
For review-
Strangers in the Gale by Joe Occhipinti
Blurb:   An unconscious girl found on a clump of floating kelp radically complicates Bernardo’s life. By all accounts, Ondas is supposed to be uninhabited. Why is the League government hiding the existence of the seafarers? In his quest for answers, the young biologist becomes entangled in a broader conflict that is about to take a recently colonized world to war. Bernardo is swept into a secret world of rebellion and espionage, and uncovers a genocidal policy by his government directed against the child’s aboriginal culture. On this water world fraught with ubiquitous storms, Bernardo, a few of his colleagues, two enslaved technicians, and an enigmatic mystic fight for the girl’s survival and that of her people, discovering a long-forgotten truth that will shake the foundations of worlds.                                                

 And some gorgeous swag thanks to Rachel Harris,author of My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century.Sorry for the blurry image.I just dropped my mom's iPhone(since I don't have my own -_-) before taking it so my hands were a bit shaky.        

I've got more stuff coming in as well but the Bangladeshi postal service is extremely unreliable which is why they still haven't reached me yet.So what's your haul this week?Feel free to let me know. :)

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Giveaway: First edition copy of The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke

Hi guys!Want to win a first edition copy of The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke?!Then just enter using the rafflecopter widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Giveaway rules:
-Is International
-Ends on the 20th of September
-Winner will be notified via email.If he/she does not respond within 24 hours,another winner will be chosen.
-The book will take a couple of weeks to reach you as they're just on print.(Yes people,you're gonna get the very first copies fresh out of the printer :D)

 

About the book:

The Assassin's Curse
by Cassandra Rose Clarke
Expected publication:  October 2nd 2012 by Strange Chemistry
Blurb:  Ananna of the Tanarau abandons ship when her parents try to marry her off to an allying pirate clan: she wants to captain her own boat, not serve as second-in-command to her handsome yet clueless fiance. But her escape has dire consequences when she learns the scorned clan has sent an assassin after her.

And when the assassin, Naji, finally catches up with her, things get even worse. Ananna inadvertently triggers a nasty curse — with a life-altering result. Now Ananna and Naji are forced to become uneasy allies as they work together to break the curse and return their lives back to normal. Or at least as normal as the lives of a pirate and an assassin can be.


 

 

Author Bio:

Cassandra Clarke is a speculative fiction writer and occasional teacher living amongst the beige stucco of Houston, Texas. She graduated in 2006 from The University of St. Thomas with a bachelor’s degree in English, and in 2008 she completed her master’s degree in creative writing from The University of Texas at Austin. Both of these degrees have served her surprisingly well.

During the summer of 2010, she attended the Clarion West Writers Workshop in Seattle, where she enjoyed sixty-degree summer days. Having been born and raised in Texas, this was something of a big deal. She was also a recipient of the 2010 Susan C. Petrey Clarion Scholarship Fund.
     



You can also check out my review of the book and Cassandra's worldbuilding guest post on "An Insight of the Characters' World".Thanks sooo much to Cassandra's awesome editor Amanda Rutter for letting me arrange this giveaway!      
                               

  *UPDATE*  

First winner of the giveaway is cancelled for not responding.





Flag design for ARC contest of Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

So Marissa Meyer's having a contest on her blog where we have to design flags for each of the countries present in the world of her Lunar Chronicles series.For more info. on this contest and to know how you can participate,check out this link: http://www.marissameyer.com/blogtype/design-a-flag-contest-enter-to-win-an-annotated-scarlet-arc/.

So after a lot of contemplating,I've finally come up with my flag design for the contest.It's for The Eastern Commonwealth,that is,where Cinder lives.Here it is!
Well,considering the fact that it's been more than a year since I last picked up colour pencils I think I did a pretty great job! :) The Chinese symbol in the middle represents victory,at least according to google images.The wings on the shield represents freedom,and altogether they symbolize a free country or republic.Since New Beijing is the capital of The Eastern Commonwealth,I figured that most of the country falls in the Chinese territory which is why I put a Chinese symbol along with the colour combination of the flag being red and yellow,so that it reflects the geographical culture.I really hope this wins me the ARC.Wish me luck guys! :) (P.S ignore the eraser on the top right corner.I just needed something to hold the paper down.)

Have no idea what I'm talking about?Then check out Marissa Meyer's books here so that you can join in the fun!Happy Wednesday! :)

"Waiting On" Wednesday: MILA 2.0

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by breaking the spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
 MILA 2.0
by Debra Riza
Expected Publication: March 12th 2013 by Katherine Tegen Books
From Goodreads: Pitched as a "Bourne Identity"-type sci-fi thriller about a teenage girl who discovers that she is a Mobile Intel Life-like Android, an experiment in artificial intelligence created by the U.S. government, and her scientist mother, who kidnapped her when she was found to have human emotions.

 My Thoughts: Sci-fi/dystopian thriller?This is absolutely my kind of book!The cover reminds me a bit of Terminator,which is one of my all time favourite movies.Argggh!!!!I want an ARC of this right now!!!And not a galley,a paperback one so that I can touch the cover every time I open the book.And the blurb looks promising as well.I know that I have this golden rule of always lowering my expectations a bit so that the disappointment hurts less but I think I've broken the rule for this one.I just can't help getting excited! XD Please please pleeaaasee don't disappoint me book!

So what's your WoW this week?Feel free to let me know. :)
Happy Wednesday! xoxo

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Showcase Sunday #5

Showcase Sunday is a weekly meme hosted by Books,Biscuits and Tea and its aim is to showcase our newest books or book related swag and to see what everyone else received for review, borrowed from libraries, bought in bookshops and downloaded onto eReaders this week.

My review copies for this week are:
  The Unloved
by Jennifer Snyder
Blurb:  Sometimes the love our heart needs to heal can be found in the familiar eyes of a childhood friend...

Julie Porter learned the hard way that trust is something which must be earned and not something to be given out lightly, those who say they love you are those who hold the power to hurt you most, and best friends can help you survive anything—until they move away.

Nick Owen knows a thing or two about a hard life. At a young age Nick learned how to take a hit and to make lemonade out of the lemons life tossed his way. Returning home after nearly two years of being away, all Nick cares about now is protecting his mom from the abusive hands of his father and catching up with his best friend—the girl who lived across the street, the girl he can’t seem to stop thinking about.

Finally reunited after two years apart, Nick and Julie are about to learn that age does nothing to protect you from life’s trials and tribulations, heartache and loss, but maybe together they’ll find a way to survive.


Confessions of an Angry Girl 
by Louise Rozett
Blurb:  Rose Zarelli, self-proclaimed word geek and angry girl, has some confessions to make:

…1. I'm livid all the time. Why? My dad died. My mom barely talks. My brother abandoned us. I think I'm allowed to be irate, don't you?

2. I make people furious regularly. Want an example? I kissed Jamie Forta, a badass guy who might be dating a cheerleader. She is now enraged and out for blood. Mine.

3. High school might as well be Mars. My best friend has been replaced by an alien, and I see red all the time. (Mars is red and "seeing red" means being angry—get it?)

Here are some other vocab words that describe my life: Inadequate. Insufferable. Intolerable.

(Don't know what they mean? Look them up yourself.)

(Sorry. That was rude.)


Covet
by Melissa Darnell
Blurb:  Dangerous to be together. Painful to be apart.Savannah Colbert knows she broke up with Tristan Coleman for the right reasons. Most of all, to keep from killing him with her new vampire abilities. But try telling her heart. Now, lost in a sea of hostile Clann faces, Sav tries to come to terms with what she's becoming and what that means for her future. And that someone is doing their best to bully her into making a terrible mistake.

Tristan can't believe Sav won't even talk to him. If being apart is her decision, fine. Just don't expect him to honor it. But even as he prepares to fight for the girl he loves, forces beyond their control take them both in directions neither could have foreseen or prepared for.

A reckoning is coming…and not everyone will survive.



The Lost Prince
by Julie Kagawa
Blurb:  Don't look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.

That is Ethan Chase's unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he's dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister's world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myths and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

My name is Ethan Chase. And I may not live to see my eighteenth birthday.

  
I'm already done with reviewing this one.You can check it out here: http://perrytheplatypus1102-3daydreamer3.blogspot.com/2012/08/book-review-lost-prince-by-julie-kagawa.html

Torn
by Stephanie Guerra
Blurb:    Stella Chavez is your classic good girl: straight As, clean-cut boyfriends, and soccer trophies . You’d never guess that Stella’s dad was a drug addict who walked out when she was a kid. Or that inside, Stella wishes for something more.

New girl Ruby Caroline seems like Stella’s polar opposite: cursing, smoking, and teetering in sky-high heels . But with Ruby, Stella gets a taste of another world—a world in which parents act like roommates, college men are way more interesting than high school boys, and there is nothing that shouldn’t be tried once.

It’s not long before Stella finds herself torn: between the best friend she’s ever had and the friends she’s known forever, between her family and her own independence, between who she was and who she wants to be.

But Ruby has a darker side, a side she doesn’t show anyone—not even Stella. As Stella watches her friend slowly unravel, she will have to search deep inside herself for the strength to be a true friend, even if it means committing the ultimate betrayal.


League of Strays
by L.B Schulman
Blurb: This suspenseful debut follows a group of teenage misfits in their delicious quest for revenge on those who have wronged them at their high school. When a mysterious note appears in Charlotte’s mailbox inviting her to join the League of Strays, she’s hopeful it will lead to making friends. What she discovers is a motley crew of loners and an alluring, manipulative ringleader named Kade. Kade convinces the group that they need one another both for friendship and to get back at the classmates and teachers who have betrayed them. But Kade has a bigger agenda. In addition to vandalizing their school and causing fights between other students, Kade’s real intention is a dangerous plot that will threaten lives and force Charlotte to choose between her loyalty to the League and her own conscience.
 

Awesome right!Can't wait to start reading them! XD
Happy Sunday! xoxo 

An Insight of The Characters' World: Guest Post and Swag Giveaway by Tina Connolly


This is a feature where I ask authors to discuss about the background of their books
 and share their experiences in creating the world in which the characters are portrayed.This feature is mainly meant for authors who write dystopian,fantasy and historical YA novels.For more information on how this feature works,Click HERE .

I would like to thank Tina Connolly,author of  Ironskin,for doing such a wonderful guest post at my blog.Here's her insight of the characters' world in Ironskin.

I love worldbuilding. I love it when authors come up with crazy
intricate new worlds and drop me into them. One of the reasons Diana
Wynne Jones is one of my all-time favorite authors is for the way she
puts you into some completely unique world (as in Archer's Goon, say)
and then slowly reveals the world and its twists.

Another thing I love about worldbuilding is that you can craft it
along with your character to make the two work together. The world's
problems and your character's solutions can go hand in hand. And vice
versa. In Ironskin, my main character, Jane, has been scarred by a fey
curse on her cheek. It's sort of like a poison that infects those
around her with rage - unless she keeps her iron mask on.  So when I
was figuring out exactly what Jane's story was and how she would fight
back against her curse, I was also figuring out the details of how
curses worked.

Jane's story takes place about 5 years after a human-fey war.
Although my book is not alternate history, I ended up reading a lot of
books about England post-WW1, because I wanted to give the book a firm
grounding of place. I felt that was a good jumping off point.  Then,
since the fey live deep in forests, the country was more affected than
the city during the war. The war was right on their doorstep, and five
years is not enough time to forget. So I tried to work this into the
background of how different characters thought about the fey, the war,
all those things. City-born Miss Davenport is willing to lounge around
near the forest, for example, while Jane is always on guard.

One thing my first readers always ding me on is that I haven't put
enough of the world itself actually on the finished page. I know it in
my head, but I'm usually busy concentrating on the characters' arcs in
the first draft. So second draft I layer in all the details of setting
and place that I know but did not write on the first go-round. And yet
somehow, there's never enough room in a book to cram in everything you
know. It's funny, because worldbuilding choices will make me sit there
and ponder for an hour over a single sentence (like, how would Dorie's
room be decorated? What random things would past governesses leave
behind in Jane's bureau?)...but there's never a point to stop and bore
the reader with the backstory of why I chose that one precise detail.

Author Bio:

Tina Connolly lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and young
son, in a house that came with a dragon in the basement and blackberry
vines in the attic.  Her stories have appeared in Strange Horizons,
Fantasy, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, and the anthology Unplugged: Year’s
Best Online SF 2008.  Her debut fantasy novel IRONSKIN is forthcoming
from Tor in October 2012, with a sequel in 2013.  She is a frequent
reader for Podcastle, and is narrating a 2012 flash podcasting venture
called Toasted Cake.  In the summer she works as a face painter, which
means a glitter-filled house is an occupational hazard.  Her website
is tinaconnolly.com.







 Ironskin will be published in October 2nd 2012 by Tor Books.Feel free to add it to your TBR list on goodreads here.And here's a bit about the book so that you can get familiar with it:


 Jane Eliot wears an iron mask.

It’s the only way to contain the fey curse that scars her cheek. The Great War is five years gone, but its scattered victims remain—the ironskin.

When a carefully worded listing appears for a governess to assist with a "delicate situation"—a child born during the Great War—Jane is certain the child is fey-cursed, and that she can help.

Teaching the unruly Dorie to suppress her curse is hard enough; she certainly didn’t expect to fall for the girl’s father, the enigmatic artist Edward Rochart. But her blossoming crush is stifled by her own scars, and by his parade of women. Ugly women, who enter his closed studio...and come out as beautiful as the fey.

Jane knows Rochart cannot love her, just as she knows that she must wear iron for the rest of her life. But what if neither of these things is true? Step by step Jane unlocks the secrets of her new life—and discovers just how far she will go to become whole again.




Tina is also giving away a signed cover-flat of Ironskin to one lucky winner.Here's how it looks like:
 Gorgeous isn't it?So if you'd like to get your hands on it all you have to do is use the rafflecopter widget below.Giveaway is international and runs till September 7th.Winner will be notified via email and if he/she does not reply within 48 hours,another winner will be chosen.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Book Review: My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century by Rachel Harris

My Super Sweet Sixteenth CenturyMy Super Sweet Sixteenth Century by Rachel Harris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Expected Publication: September 11th 2012 by Entangled Publishing
Blurb:  On the precipice of her sixteenth birthday, the last thing lone wolf Cat Crawford wants is an extravagant gala thrown by her bubbly stepmother and well-meaning father. So even though Cat knows the family’s trip to Florence, Italy, is a peace offering, she embraces the magical city and all it offers. But when her curiosity leads her to an unusual gypsy tent, she exits . . . right into Renaissance Firenze.

Thrust into the sixteenth century armed with only a backpack full of contraband future items, Cat joins up with her ancestors, the sweet Alessandra and protective Cipriano, and soon falls for the gorgeous aspiring artist Lorenzo. But when the much-older Niccolo starts sniffing around, Cat realizes that an unwanted birthday party is nothing compared to an unwanted suitor full of creeptastic amore.

Can she find her way back to modern times before her Italian adventure turns into an Italian forever?


My Review:

Thank you Heather Riccio for the ARC. :)

The author has an excellent way with words.I read the entire story in one sitting(I seem to be doing that a lot nowadays) and no matter how hard I tried,I couldn't take my eyes of the kindle until I finally finished the last page.(I know,it sounds as if I'm in love with my kindle but you know what I mean) and because of this,I had to listen to a lot of gibberish from my mom about how I'm ruining my eyesight by reading on the kindle all day.The ending was a total cliffhanger,and nowhere near how I expected it to be.Plus,I never thought that I could ever put time-travel and chick-lit in the same room without causing conflict,since the things that pop into my mind when I think about time-travel are sci-fi stuff.You know,time-travel machines,spaceships,flying cars,alien invasions,and other crazy stuff of that sort.But Rachel Harris showed me otherwise. ;)

My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century is a wonderful read for any teenage girl,or any adult woman who's young at heart.(like the author herself :))It has its share of humour and romance,along with a hot Italian guy from the sixteenth century which makes up the whole package.(Yum!^^)While reading this book you'll laugh and swoon at the same time,so much that you won't be able to tell which is which.And let's not forget about Cat's pathetic attempt to fit in to the elite society of renaissance Italy which is bound to make you laugh so hard that your cheeks will start hurting.Even if you're not into chick-lit much,My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century is absolutely worth a shot.

View all my reviews


Friday, August 10, 2012

Book Review: The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

The Lost Prince (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten, #1)The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Expected Publication: October 23rd 2012 by Harlequin Teen
Blurb:  Don't look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.

That is Ethan Chase's unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he's dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister's world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myths and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

My name is Ethan Chase. And I may not live to see my eighteenth birthday.


My Review:


Another masterpiece by the author of the blockbuster The Iron Fey series.Why am I even surprised?To be honest,this book went way beyond my expectations,and that's saying something.After City of Lost Souls,I have taught myself to lower my expectations when reading a sequel,so that the disappointment hurts less.But I just couldn't stop myself from getting all excited to read this.So when Harlequin approved my request for this book via Netgalley,I instantly dumped all my other review copies for this one.I guess I owe a HUGE apology to them,since I've been neglecting some of the books for quite a long time.But I just couldn't help it! >.<

I finished this whole book in one sitting.When I was done,it was almost 3 A.M at dawn.Though the ending was not a cliffhanger,it left a lot of questions unanswered and those questions are still clawing at my brain.It was fun to see the new characters along with the old ones,almost like a family reunion I guess.The adventure was absolutely thrilling,like a roller-coaster ride,with its ups and downs.There are so many things I want to mention in this review but just revealing even a teensy-weensy bit from the book may be counted as a spoiler.But just for the brush-up of things,you may wanna re-read The Iron Knight really carefully before starting this one.Sometimes,the smallest parts can be of the utmost importance.But if you are a sucker for The Iron Fey series,then be prepared for an equally (or even more) fascinating sequel. ^^

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Thursday, August 09, 2012

Manga Crush #5: Train Heartnet

Daydreaming Bookworm  
 Manga Crush! is a weekly meme hosted here,at Daydreaming Bookworm where you rant about the manga character on whom you have recently developed a crush.For more info on the meme,click here .

For today's Manga Crush! ,I'll be ranting about Train Heartnet from Black Cat.As usual,before ranting,here are some info on the manga:
Title: Black Cat
Year of release: 2000 - 2004
Status: Completed
Author:  Yabuki Kentaro
Artist:  Yabuki Kentaro
Genre: Action,Comedy,Drama,Sci-Fi,Shounen
Blurb:  Train Heartnet, also known as Black Cat,was an infamous assassin for a secret organization called Chronos...until he abandoned that cold-blooded existence to live on his own terms as an easygoing bounty hunter. But is Train's past as far behind him as he thinks?

 Train Heartnet is the main character in the anime and manga seires of Black Cat, as well as a sweeper partnered with Sven Vollfied.

Train's underground name is "Black Cat" because of the misfortune that lies in his wake. He always says to his target "I have come to deliver some bad luck" before killing them and he always completes a mission with 100% accuracy, without remorse. This is a side that Creed, a comrade of lower ranking, admires. Train´s demeanor is very cool, bordering nonchalant and almost detached until he met a girl, Saya, who was a bounty hunter who lived life as she wanted to. He then began to reveal a much warmer and more human side of himself, which Creed despised Saya for.
After giving up his life as an eraser working for Chronos, Train becomes a Sweeper (bounty hunter) and his personality changes drastically as he takes on a more lighthearted approach to life. There have been many scenes where Train is displayed carefree and even somewhat foolish. He often gets into fights with Sven (these fights involve Train letting another bounty slip through, his bottomless appitite, being way to silly, etc.) Following Saya´s way of life, he refuses to kill, and seems to take enjoyment in annoying his enemies. He isn't one to "look before he leaps" and his antics usually lead to accumulating debt that he and his partner Sven have collected from property damage. At times he is solemn, usually from regret that he was unable to help someone and other times, carefree and exuberant. There are times when Train will revert to his earlier personality when tempted.

I've always liked Train,especially his brooding face.I know,weird but I find it really cute! XD Though it doesn't hurt when he smiles either. :) Creed's good-looking too but he has this charm to him which really repels me.And plus,Train's a bit more serious type of guy at the beginning.I don't know why but I like that side of him better.Gosh!Now I sound like Creed!And the black trench coat suits him better as well.Here are some pictures of him from my very own arsenal.Take a closer look at the ones in which he's wearing the black trenchcoat.You'll see what I mean.

                                                                             



Awesome right! ^^ What's your Manga Crush this week?Just leave the link to your post in the Mister Linky's Magical Widget below.Thanks for reading! :)

                                       

                                                       

Wednesday, August 08, 2012

"Waiting on" Wednesday: Asunder

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by breaking the spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
Asunder(Newsoul #2)
by Jodi Meadows 
Expected Publication: January 29,2013 by Katherine Tegen Books
From YA Books Central:            
DARKSOULS
Ana has always been the only one. Asunder. Apart. But after Templedark, when many residents of Heart were lost forever, some hold Ana responsible for the darksouls–and the newsouls who may be born in their place.

SHADOWS
Many are afraid of Ana’s presence, a constant reminder of unstoppable changes and the unknown. When sylph begin behaving differently toward her and people turn violent, Ana must learn to stand up not only for herself but for those who cannot stand up for themselves.

LOVE
Ana was told that nosouls can’t love. But newsouls? More than anything, she wants to live and love as an equal among the citizens of Heart, but even when Sam professes his deepest feelings, it seems impossible to overcome a lifetime of rejection.

In this second book in the Incarnate trilogy, Ana discovers the truth about reincarnation and will have to find a way to embrace love and make her young life meaningful. Once again, Jodi Meadows explores the extraordinary beauty and shadowed depths of the soul in a story equal parts epic romance and captivating fantasy.

My thoughts:The cover is just as gorgeous as the first one.I just want it sooo badly! XD And not only because of the cover,but because I wanna read more about Sam.Now here I was,gazing and adoring the beautiful cover of Asunder on Jodi Meadows' twitter page yesterday when one of her tweets caught my eye.Someone was selling an ARC of Asunder on Ebay for $86.Honestly,EIGHTY SIX BUCKS?!!!What the hell is wrong with these people.And why in the world would they want to sell such a beautiful ARC?Honestly,I was absolutely heartbroken. :'( That lucky duck got an Asunder ARC in paperback before so many others and what he/she is doing is selling it.Just sad.And I have never even received a paperback ARC.People can be so ruthless.Okay,maybe I was (and still am) a little jealous of the person who had that ARC.I mean,who wouldn't be?And if you've read Incarnate then you're bound to be craving for this one. ;)
So what's your WoW pick this week?Just leave the link in comments so that I can check it out and add it to my TBR list as well.Happy Wednesday! :)
 
                                     

Tuesday, August 07, 2012

Book Review: Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff

Stormdancer (The Lotus War, #1)Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Expected Publication:  September 18th 2012 by Thomas Dunne Books
Blurb:  A DYING LAND
The Shima Imperium verges on the brink of environmental collapse; an island nation once rich in tradition and myth, now decimated by clockwork industrialization and the machine-worshipers of the Lotus Guild. The skies are red as blood, the land is choked with toxic pollution, and the great spirit animals that once roamed its wilds have departed forever.

AN IMPOSSIBLE QUEST
The hunters of Shima's imperial court are charged by their Shōgun to capture a thunder tiger – a legendary creature, half-eagle, half-tiger. But any fool knows the beasts have been extinct for more than a century, and the price of failing the Shōgun is death.

A HIDDEN GIFT
Yukiko is a child of the Fox clan, possessed of a talent that if discovered, would see her executed by the Lotus Guild. Accompanying her father on the Shōgun’s hunt, she finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in Shima’s last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled thunder tiger for company. Even though she can hear his thoughts, even though she saved his life, all she knows for certain is he’d rather see her dead than help her.

But together, the pair will form an indomitable friendship, and rise to challenge the might of an empire.


My Review:


I have been waiting sooo long to write this review!!! XD Here goes!

Thank you Netgalley and Cassandra Galante for providing me with an eARC of this book for review purposes.

Ladies and gentlemen,I am not exaggerating one bit when I say that this book will most probably be international bestseller.I mean,just look at it.It's got an average rating of 4.41 stars,and that's before it's even out in stores!!And to think that I have held it off for so long.Even though I've finished reading this,the book's still on my wishlist.And it will still be until I have every single edition of this book,whether it be paperback,hardcover,U.S or U.K. And to my fellow reviewers,those who have this book neglected in your kindle or shelf,I am asking you not to repeat my mistake and start reading this today.If you don't heed my advice,I can assure you that you will regret this later on.

A pure shot of adrenaline,right from the start to the finish,and absolutely unpredictable,Stormdancer is a YA dystopian novel which is a fusion of Japanese myths and steampunk.Yes people,I know what you're thinking,is that even possible?Well let me tell you that it is.I didn't think of the possibility of it either,until I read Stormdancer that is.But then again,if you think of it in that aspect,maybe it is the perfect choice,considering the fact that right now,Japan is the most technically advanced country in the world,so why not?I bet that writing this book took a lot of brainstorming,so obviously if mister Kristoff did not have such an awesome imagination,this book would not have come to existence.And let's not forget the about-to-be love triangles.Dang!Somehow I was expecting those.Another extravagant work of the author.The way he wrote the entire story,it was as if you knew what was going to happen,smirking at yourself for being able to predict the book so well,and then bam!!The last thing you ever expected happens.You stare in shock,and curse mister Kristoff for defying your predictability,which is like your sixth sense when it comes to reading books.Believe me,I am not exaggerating about a thing.I'll even pinky swear!!!It's been such a long time since I've read something so....awesome!Good,maybe but awesome,um,not so much.In fact,I bet I forgot what it was like to read books like these,you know,the ones which makes your adrenaline rush right from the starting to the end.It's like a really long roller coaster ride.

I'd recommend this to every single person on this planet,that is as long you're into thrillers and stuff.If you're not and only read chick-lits and contemporary stuff,I'd ask you to stay away please.But then again,you can always try something new.If not,then your loss. :P

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