On Vacation...

Hi guys!Just to let you know that I'm going abroad with my family tomorrow so there will be no new posts for the time being.Regular posting will resume from January 7th or 8th.But feel free to enter the giveaways during that time. :)

Have a wonderful new year!!

Nobonita
xoxo

An Insight Of The Characters' World: Guest Post + Giveaway by Kelly Hashway

This is a feature where I ask authors to do a guest post discussing about the background of their books and share their experiences in creating the world in which the characters are portrayed.For more info on this feature,click HERE.

Today,Kelly Hashway stops by at my blog to share her experiences in creating the characters' world for her debut YA novel,TOUCH OF DEATH,which comes out on January 15th.Here's a bit of info on herself and TOUCH OF DEATH.

TOUCH OF DEATH by KELLY HASHWAY

 Jodi Marshall isn't sure how she went from normal teenager to walking disaster. One minute she's in her junior year of high school, spending time with her amazing boyfriend and her best friend. The next she's being stalked by some guy no one seems to know.
After the stranger, Alex, reveals himself, Jodi learns he's not a normal teenager and neither is she. With a kiss that kills and a touch that brings the dead back to life, Jodi discovers she's part of a branch of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac, Ophiuchus. A branch of necromancers that are descendants of Medusa. A branch of necromancers with poisoned blood writhing in their veins.
Jodi's deadly to the living and even more deadly to the deceased. She has to leave her old, normal life behind before she hurts the people she loves. As if that isn't difficult enough, Jodi discovers she's the chosen one who has to save the rest of her kind from perishing at the hands of Hades. If she can't figure out how to control her power, history will repeat itself, and her race will become extinct.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I write for children of all ages from picture books up to young adult. I am proudly represented by Lauren Hammond of ADA Management. My debut YA, TOUCH OF DEATH, releases January 15, 2013 through Spencer Hill Press. Also look for my other upcoming YA novels: STALKED BY DEATH (Spencer Hill Press, July 23, 2013), THE MONSTER WITHIN (Spencer Hill Press, April 2014), THE DARKNESS WITHIN (Spencer Hill Press, TBA), and INTO THE FIRE (Month9Books, spring 2014). My debut MG series CURSE OF THE GRANVILLE FORTUNE releases in 2016 through Month9Books.



Contact Info:
Goodreads
 FaceBook

Twitter

Website

Now here's everything you need to know about how Touch Of Death came in existence.

I guess you can say I stumbled on the idea for Touch of Death. I was researching Greek mythology for another book at the time and came across a lesser-known myth about Medusa and the 13th sign of the zodiac, Ophiuchus. First, let me say I didn’t make up the 13th sign of the zodiac. I’ve seen several reviews that question whether or not it’s a real thing. It is. I can’t take credit for it, no matter how much I’d like to. According to myth, Ophiuchus was a healer. His power came from the Gorgon Medusa’s blood, which the goddess Athena gave to him in two vials. One vial contained the blood from the left side of her body, which was poisonous. The other vial contained the blood from the right side of her body, which could restore life. Ophiuchus never used the poisonous blood, but it made me wonder what would have happened if he had.
    

Since I wanted a cast of characters with both abilities, to kill and to restore life, I realized I was working with necromancers, but a different breed of them. I decided that they’d need to be born under the sign of Ophiuchus, so they are all born between November 29 and December 17. But I didn’t want to leave Medusa out of the story. I read many myths about her and realized that she got a bad reputation for no reason. According to some myths, Medusa was cursed by the goddess Athena because Athena was jealous that Poseidon wanted Medusa and not her. I thought this was really unfair and I wanted to portray Medusa as the beautiful and caring Gorgon I now see her as. So my necromancers are descendants of Medusa. Jodi and her friends call themselves Ophi, and Medusa is like a mother to all of them. 

The Ophi live in the world we all know. The difference is that the Greek gods are still around. The Ophi have safe houses to keep them away from humans, since their Gorgon blood is poisonous to humans. And because they are constantly raising souls from the underworld, they are on Hades’ list (and no not his Christmas list). He wants them all dead so he can take their souls and their powers. Like all groups, some Ophi are good and some abuse their powers. Jodi, my main character, questions a lot of the Ophi and how they use their abilities.
 

And that’s how Touch of Death came to be. Did I mention I’m born under the sign of Ophiuchus? 

 

Thank you so much for this awesome insight, Kelly!

And today's post also comes along with a giveaway!Enter below to win a signed copy of Touch Of Death.For terms and conditions please check the rafflecopter widget.Good Luck!
 

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Book Review: Touch Of Death by Kelly Hashway

Touch Of Death by Kelly Hashway

My Rating: 4 of 5 stars


Publication Date: January 15th 2013 by Spencer Hill Press

Blurb:  Jodi Marshall isn't sure how she went from normal teenager to walking disaster. One minute she's in her junior year of high school, spending time with her amazing boyfriend and her best friend. The next she's being stalked by some guy no one seems to know.
After the stranger, Alex, reveals himself, Jodi learns he's not a normal teenager and neither is she. With a kiss that kills and a touch that brings the dead back to life, Jodi discovers she's part of a branch of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac, Ophiuchus. A branch of necromancers that are descendants of Medusa. A branch of necromancers with poisoned blood writhing in their veins.
Jodi's deadly to the living and even more deadly to the deceased. She has to leave her old, normal life behind before she hurts the people she loves. As if that isn't difficult enough, Jodi discovers she's the chosen one who has to save the rest of her kind from perishing at the hands of Hades. If she can't figure out how to control her power, history will repeat itself, and her race will become extinct.

My Review:

**ARC Received from Spencer Hill Press in exchange for an honest review.**

Confession time!!!This ARC had been collecting dust on my shelf for more than a month.A sign that I really need to make a clean schedule for all my review copies.**Sigh** 

But anyway,it's not everyday you find a book that exceeds your expectations.Most of the time I find the exact opposite happening with me.Touch Of Death is quite a wonderful read if you're into Greek mythology.I liked how the author used a little known myth about Medusa and Ophiuchus as the highlight of the story.I for one,am a HUGE fan of Greek mythology and this myth got me really interested.So you can already see why I liked the world building so much.The characters were okay.I wish I could have liked the main character Jodi more,but I guess she wasn't exactly the type of character I usually like.But Alex,on the other hand,was a lot more fun to read about.The other characters were also fit perfectly into their roles,so I did not have any problems with them at all.Though the zombies did give me the creeps,but in a good way,if that even makes sense!

The story itself picks off fast,so you do not have to bother yourself with chapters of boring introductions,but I felt that it wavered a bit in the middle but then picked up its pace again towards the end.

Touch Of Death is what I would call a good quickie read.Highly recommended for fans of Greek mythology,paranormal fiction and zombie apocalypses.Definitely grabbing the sequel!

Check out my blog tomorrow for an awesome guest post by Kelly Hashway and a chance to win a signed copy of Touch Of Death!Don't miss out! :)

An Insight Of The Characters' World: Guest Post + Giveaway by Lenore Appelhans

This is a feature where I ask authors to do a guest post discussing about the background of their books and share their experiences in creating the world in which the characters are portrayed.For more info on this feature,click HERE.

Today,Lenore Appelhans stops by at my blog to share her experiences in creating the characters' world for her debut,LEVEL 2,which comes out on January 15th.Here's a bit of info on herself and her debut novel.

LEVEL 2 by LENORE APPELHANS

Since her untimely death the day before her eighteenth birthday, Felicia Ward has been trapped in Level 2, a stark white afterlife located between our world and the next. Along with her fellow drones, Felicia passes the endless hours reliving memories of her time on Earth and mourning what she’s lost—family, friends, and Neil, the boy she loved.

Then a girl in a neighboring chamber is found dead, and nobody but Felicia recalls that she existed in the first place. When Julian—a dangerously charming guy Felicia knew in life—comes to offer Felicia a way out, Felicia learns the truth: If she joins the rebellion to overthrow the Morati, the angel guardians of Level 2, she can be with Neil again.

Suspended between Heaven and Earth, Felicia finds herself at the center of an age-old struggle between good and evil. As memories from her life come back to haunt her, and as the Morati hunt her down, Felicia will discover it’s not just her own redemption at stake… but the salvation of all mankind.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lenore Appelhans is the debut author of a YA novel LEVEL 2 (due January 15, 2013 from Simon and Schuster BFYR in the US, Usborne in the UK and Allen & Unwin in AUST/NZ) as well as a picture book CHICK-O-SAURUS REX (under the name Lenore Jennewein) with her husband, illustrator Daniel Jennewein (due Summer 2013 from Simon and Schuster BFYR). To date, she has visited nearly 60 countries and have stepped on every continent except Antarctica. She currently live in Frankfurt, Germany.

Contact Info:
Goodreads

Twitter

Website

 Here's her awesome guest post on her experiences in creating the world of LEVEL 2.

 Thanks for stopping by and sharing your insights,Lenore!And this guest post also comes with a giveaway!!!!Lenore is giving away a signed copy of LEVEL 2 (Australian Edition) along with some signed LEVEL 2 postcards.Enter using the rafflecopter below.Giveaway is INTERNATIONAL.For other rules,check Terms And Conditions on rafflecopter widget.




 



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Top 10 of 2012 ( Best Book Covers of 2012)

Top 10 of 2012 is an event hosted by the following blogs:

1) Fiktshun
2)Two Chicks On Books
3)A Life Bound By Books
4)Confessions Of A Bookaholic
5)Magical Urban Fantasy Reads

Today is the second day of this event and we get the opportunity to showcase our favourite book covers of 2012 releases.Here they are!
                                                         

1) I haven't had the opportunity to read this book yet but the cover's so beautiful!**Squeel** And I really loved the premise.Hope that I get to read this one soon!











2) I am absolutely in love with Ismae's personality and the cover of the book makes my image of her much more clearer.Two points for Grave Mercy! :D











 



3) Oh Jack! Did I mention how much I love you?This is one of my most favourite review copies sitting on the shelf,the story and cover combined. I should totally make a shrine for these kind of books!










 
 

4) Even though I received an ARC of this book before from St.Martin's Press,I decided that I must have this in hardcover and therefore made my dad by it for me. And it looks SOO beautiful!!!Did I mention that I'm also a huge Mulan fan?Because that's who the cover reminds me of.
















5) I'm not usually a huge fan of these kind of covers but in the case of this one,I just couldn't resist! >.< Just look at it,I mean, it's soooo gorgeous!!!











 



6)I love all the covers of Rick Riordan's books,the U.S covers at least.The U.K covers just aren't as cool.And the reason why I liked this one even more is because it represents a scene from the book.(A pretty awesome one,I tell ya!)













7) Oh goodie!I'm currently reading my copy of this book which I got for a blog tour in January and can I just say that it's AH-MAAAZING!!!I just loove the clockwork bird and it looks more awesome on the paperback,with the effects and all.This book a must-have for every bookshelf!












8) I know that this book was on my list yesterday too but I just HAD to include this one!!! Trust me,if you go take a look at the CORGI edition's paperback version of this book then you'd be thinking the same thing.I could stare at this cover all day long and without getting bored for a single minute.













9)Another book which I sadly,hadn't had the opportunity to read yet.**sigh** But I love the cover.It's like the female version of The Three Musketeers,with the badass heroines and everything.I really hope I get to read this soon because I want this BAD.









  
10) I've had my eyes on this cover since the beginning of last year and I'm a HUGE fan of masquerade covers.But sadly,even though it's good, I didn't like the book as much as I thought I would.I guess the saying "Never judge a book by it's cover" is true after all.But it's hard not to judge a book by it's cover with so many pretty covers nowadays. :(











So what are YOUR favourite 2012 covers?Feel free to let me know! :D And for yesterday's Top 10 post you can click on the label which says "top 10 of 2012" IF you want to check it out.

Top 10 of 2012 ( Best Books I've Read In 2012)

Top 10 of 2012 is an event hosted by the following blogs:

1) Fiktshun
2)Two Chicks On Books
3)A Life Bound By Books
4)Confessions Of A Bookaholic
5)Magical Urban Fantasy Reads

Today is the first day of this event and I'm so glad to be participating in it! XD 

So here are the list of the best books I've read in 2012:

1) SPLINTERED by A.G. HOWARD

This is one of my very first paperback ARCs(Well,duh!I just started blogging this summer)

and I was really excited about it.I met one of my most favourite fictional crushes through this book ( A salute to all my Jeb girls! ;D ) and have finished re-reading this from front to back over THREE TIMES!!! And not to mention that I'm a HUGE fan of re-tellings!This is one of those books for which I desperately want there to be a sequel.

2) THE MADMAN'S DAUGHTER by MEGAN SHEPHERD

I got an ARC of this book for review from Harper Collins via Shelf Awareness.That site really comes in handy,I tell ya! I loved how THE MADMAN'S DAUGHTER stood out uniquely amongst all the other YA novels with it's exquisite plot.This is an ABSOLUTE must-read! Megan Shepherd's a genius!!!

3) TIME BETWEEN US by TAMARA IRELAND STONE

Okay,I'm not much into contemporary romance with my total lack of real-life experience in 

that area but this book helped me loosen up a bit.Never have I felt so many conflicting emotions in reading one book.And I just heard that there's going to be a sequel!Hurray for Anna and Bennett!!!And a huge bear hug to Ruth at Random House U.K for the ARC! :D

 

 3) THE RISE OF NINE by PITTACUS LORE

Oh this series keeps getting better with every installment!!Since my brother bought the book before me,I couldn't buy my own copy and had to negotiate a lot to get my hands on it.I, for one,am a HUGE fan of Eight. XD

 

4) A MILLION SUNS by BETH REVIS

This,again is another series that keeps getting better with every installment.The ending of A MILLION SUNS has me going literally crazy waiting for SHADES OF EARTH.

5) THE LOST GIRL by SANGU MANDANNA

I loved this book,mainly because it had me in conflict with my inner self.One part of me was screaming LOVE THIS BOOK!!! while the other was screaming HATE IT!!! But eventually the better part won out.I know,I'm a really crazy person so it's really hard to understand my feelings sometimes.(And by sometimes,I mean most of the times.)

 

 

6) OF POSEIDON by ANNA BANKS

Now I know a lot of people who did not like this as much as I did so this might come as a surprise,also since my experiences with mermaid stories had not been that pleasant before.But the mind works on its own and I don't care what others say but I definitely loved this book!Dying for the sequel!!!

7) THE MARK OF ATHENA by RICK RIORDAN

In this case,I'll admit the fact that Riordan has written better books.But like always,I still loved THE MARK OF ATHENA,enough for it to be on my top ten list of the year.Mr. Riordan can do wonders with his writing!

8) MYSTIC CITY by THEO LAWRENCE

Another book which I liked,surprisingly,since it's usually not my type.But the writing style and the cover lust was all too much to bear.I can only say one thing to this book to express my true feelings:

 

9) DESTROY ME by TAHEREH MAFI

I can't believe I'm saying this,but I think I like DESTROY ME even better than SHATTER ME.UNRAVEL ME better be as good as this! And yes,I know that it's a novella,but it still has the word "novel" in it,so yes I can definitely count this as a book.

 

10) THE SHADOW GIRL by JENNIFER ARCHER

What makes this book memorable aside from it being totally awesome is the fact that it was my very first ARC.I say "first" because I gave it away in trade.Can't wait for this book to come out in April so that I can have my very own finished copy!! :D

SO what are YOUR top ten picks today?Feel free to leave the link below! :)

 

Showcase Sunday #13

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.


So here's this week's haul:

Gifted:

 Venom by Fiona Paul

Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff

The Mark Of Athena by Rick Riordan (Exclusive edition where you have instructions to

make your very own paper ARGO II eeep!!! xD )

Thanks dad for all the awesome books!!

Borrowed:

 Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

Thanks Maliha for letting me borrow this but it's really not my thing. :/

For Review:

 ARC of The Dead And Buried by Kim Harrington (My Review)

ARC of The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd

Thank you Scholastic,Harper Teen and Shelf Awareness for the review copies.

E Galleys:

 

  

So what's your haul this week?Feel free to let me know!Happy Sunday!! :D

Book Review + Giveaway: The Dead And Buried by Kim Harrington

The Dead and Buried by Kim Harrington

My Rating: 4 of 5 stars


 Publication date: January 1st 2013 by Scholastic Point

Blurb:    A haunted house, a buried mystery, and a very angry ghost make this one unforgettable thriller.
Jade loves the house she's just moved into with her family. She doesn't even mind being the new girl at the high school: It's a fresh start, and there's that one guy with the dreamy blue eyes. . . . But then things begin happening. Strange, otherworldly things. Jade's little brother claims to see a glimmering girl in his room. Jade's jewelry gets moved around, as if by an invisible hand. Kids at school whisper behind her back like they know something she doesn't.

Soon, Jade must face an impossible fact: that her perfect house is haunted. Haunted by a ghost who's seeking not just vengeance, but the truth. The ghost of a girl who ruled Jade's school — until her untimely death last year. It's up to Jade to put the pieces together before her own life is at stake. As Jade investigates the mystery, she discovers that her new friends in town have more than a few deep, dark secrets. But is one of them a murderer?

My Review:

**I received an ARC of this book from Scholastic in exchange for an honest review.**

I'm not a big fan of horror stories,or even movies,for the record.So THANK GOD this wasn't that scary since I'm a total wuss and on top of that I started reading this at midnight.But I still kept the lights on while going to sleep,just in case.

Reading The Dead And Buried  was quite an experience for me as I haven't read a thriller like this in quite a while.It was so different from the other stories I've read this year,but in a good way of course.I liked how the author portrayed Donovan as a bit of the gamer type instead of a jock.She made me like him on the spot! And did I mention how sweet he was?I know it's supposed to be a thriller but I couldn't help swooning about the guy!But it's a perfect combination of everything,I tell you.And the fact that it is a stand-alone doesn't hurt either.You do not have to wait an entire year miserably with a cliff-hanger ending to know what happens next.In a way I find that oddly refreshing.Also,the book is definitely the re-reading type so you can carry it around with you and read it whenever you want since it's also perfect for a quick-read and wonderfully written.

I would highly recommend this to impatient readers as the story picks up quickly,people who are into mild horror.thriller or mystery,and to those who do not have enough time on their hands to sit down with a large volume to read.Even if you're not any one of the people mentioned before,I'd suggest you should give this a try as it's not everyday you can find a YA ghost story like this,with just the right amount of scariness so that you do not have to worry about staying up all night.

And a side note, I liked the old cover better,but since I liked the book so much,I decided to forgive the publisher for it. :)

GIVEAWAY!!!!

Interested in reading the book?Like right now?!! Then how about you enter below to win my ARC?I've run out of shelf space so I figured that I'd give it away.The giveaway's international and remember,cheating disqualifies entries! :) Good Luck!!! 


 


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"Waiting On" Wednesday #11

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by breaking the spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

So the books I picked for this week's WoW are:

***DRUMROLL***

Vengeance Bound by Justina Ireland

The Goddess Test meets Dexter in an edgy, compelling debut about one teen’s quest for revenge… no matter how far it takes her.

Cory Graff is not alone in her head. Bound to a deal of desperation made when she was a child, Cory’s mind houses the Furies—the hawk and the serpent—lingering always, waiting for her to satisfy their bloodlust. After escaping the asylum where she was trapped for years, Cory knows how to keep the Furies quiet. By day, she lives a normal life, but by night, she tracks down targets the Furies send her way. And she brings down Justice upon them.

Cory’s perfected her system of survival, but when she meets a mysterious boy named Niko at her new school, she can’t figure out how she feels about him. For the first time, the Furies are quiet in her head around a guy. But does this mean that Cory’s finally found someone who she can trust, or are there greater factors at work? As Cory’s mind becomes a battlefield, with the Furies fighting for control, Cory will have to put everything on the line to hold on to what she’s worked so hard to build.

 Transparent by Natalie Whipple

 Plenty of teenagers feel invisible. Fiona McClean actually is.

An invisible girl is a priceless weapon. Fiona’s own father has been forcing her to do his dirty work for years—everything from spying on people to stealing cars to breaking into bank vaults.

After sixteen years, Fiona’s had enough. She and her mother flee to a small town, and for the first time in her life, Fiona feels like a normal life is within reach. But Fiona’s father isn’t giving up that easily.

Of course, he should know better than anyone: never underestimate an invisible girl.

 Another Little Piece by Kate Karyus Quinn

 A reckless wish taken from the darkest desires of the heart…

A bloody razor engraved with the names of the girls who turned to dust…

An endless cycle that feeds of loneliness and craves destruction…

Together, these pieces form a twisted puzzle that Annaliese Rose Gordon has to solve. Trapped in a body that isn’t hers—with no memory of how she got there—she must unlock the secrets of her past in order to escape the horrors of her future.

 

Book Review: Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi

Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi

My Rating: 5 of 5 stars


Publication Date: October 2nd 2012 by Harper

Blurb: Perfect for the fans of Shatter Me who are desperately awaiting the release of Unravel Me, this novella-length digital original will bridge the gap between these two novels from the perspective of the villain we all love to hate, Warner, the ruthless leader of Sector 45.

In Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me, Juliette escaped from The Reestablishment by seducing Warner—and then putting a bullet in his shoulder. But as she’ll learn in Destroy Me, Warner is not that easy to get rid of. . .

Back at the base and recovering from his near-fatal wound, Warner must do everything in his power to keep his soldiers in check and suppress any mention of a rebellion in the sector. Still as obsessed with Juliette as ever, his first priority is to find her, bring her back, and dispose of Adam and Kenji, the two traitors who helped her escape. But when Warner’s father, The Supreme Commander of The Reestablishment, arrives to correct his son’s mistakes, it’s clear that he has much different plans for Juliette. Plans Warner simply cannot allow.

Set after Shatter Me and before its forthcoming sequel, Unravel Me, Destroy Me is a novella told from the perspective of Warner, the ruthless leader of Sector 45.

My Review:

Pre-read Review:

from summary: ".......from the perspective of the villain we all love to hate,Warner." Obviously HarperCollins is unaware of the existence of readers like me who love Warner even though he's a villain and practically made Juliette's life hell. :P

Post-read review:

Okay,so I won't be lying.Despite the fact that it's just an in-between novella,I totally like Destroy Me waaay more than Shatter Me,and the main reason for that is most probably Warner.Tahereh Mafi should just change the entire series to Warner's P.O.V instead.He's a lot more fun to read about.But that's just wishful thinking,just like the way I want Adam to dig his own grave and Warner to end up with Juliette. So to sum it all up,I feel that my reactions after reading Destroy Me would be best described in point form.:

1)
A whole lot of fangirling(as you've probably figured out by now) along with a bit of swooning(and by bit, I mean A LOT.)

 2)Hating Adam for stealing away Warner's spotlight.**Don't worry Warner,if Juliette doesn't want you,I'd be more than willing to have you all for myself. ;)**

 3)Upon seeing the release date of Unravel Me:
   
OH WHY OH WHY DOEESN'T HARPERTEEN SEND ARCS INTERNATIONALLY?! :'(

4)Feeling bad for poor Warner.He deserves Juliette a lot more than Adam ever did! >.<

5)Sticking my tongue out to an imaginary Juliette.

 So basically I turned into this really freaky emotional baggage until my mum came into my room and yelled at me for making such a ruckus at two a.m and took away my e-reader.People can be so heartless. **sniffs**. =(