Sophistikatied Reviews

Fan Art Friday (90)

2012-01-27T00:01:00.003-05:00

It's the return of Fan Art Friday! Fall has been so hectic with working and writing, but I'm determined to start posting weekly again. For my grand comeback, I did a piece inspired by Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi. I haven't reviewed it yet, but I absolutely loved it. This thing took so long to do. And the length didn't have anything to do with the shattered dress. I had a hard time picking a Juliette, but finally settled on Summer Glau. (who is too old to play a teenager now, but she looks decent enough in the picture) But that's not Summer's real hair or dress. Ohhh, no. That's about six different celebrity hairstyles piled on to another celebrity's body/dress with Summer's face. Whew! But I think it came out pretty good. What say you?

Thoughts? Yay/nay, awesomesauce or epic fail? Comment and let me know what you think!

And if you've got YA bookish fan art that you'd like featured on Fan Art Friday, shoot me an email at skellington28210@yahoo.com!

Happy Weekend!

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

2012-01-26T13:44:00.003-05:00

Incarnate (Newsoul #1) by Jodi Meadows.
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books.
Pages: 384.
Release Date: January 31st, 2012.
Source: Giveaway.

N E W S O U L
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

N O S O U L
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

H E A R T
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

Oh my gosh, how do I even begin to explain the contents of awesomeness that fill these pages? Reincarnations! Dragons! Romance! A hot musician! Epic action scenes! A strong heroine! I'm so excited to share my love for this book that I can't even form full sentences.

Let me start by praising Jodi Meadows for writing such a great character and heroine in Ana. 2012 seems like it'll be the year of strong female protagonists and Ana will most definitely maintain a steady place at the top of that list for a loooong time. Instead of being a typical damsel in distress, she's more of a knight in shining armor. And I love that she kind of grows into her own strength too. Her spirit is a bit wounded toward the beginning from her unpleasant upbringing, but her fierce determination to live despite the disapproval of her existence makes her such an admirable character to root for. And while we're on the topic of admirable characters, I need to also mention how much I love Sam and his relationship with Ana. THIS is a fictional romance done right. No instalove here. They start off as strangers, and then friends, and the way they develop from there felt so natural and realistic. Bravo, Jodi Meadows!

Everything about this story is so intriguing. As things unravel and we start learning more about their reincarnations and past lives, I got more and more curious. HOW does this work? WHY do they come back? HOW do they adjust to life in different bodies? HOW are they reborn? Incarnate is so unique and imaginative that I couldn't get enough of the facts and lifestyles and world that this author crafted.

And the action! This book is fascinating enough with Ana trying to figure out what she is, but the action was some added excitement. Dragons attacking a city! Sylphs! SYLPHS! I've never come across sylphs in YA fiction yet so I was extremely excited when Ana first went head to head with one.

Overall, I found everything about Incarnate to be wonderful. Jodi Meadows satisfied every hunger I have when it comes to a great fantasy - an original plot, exhilarating action, mythical creatures and a great love story. This is definitely a debut that I recommend everyone check out!

Other reviews for Incarnate:
365 Days Of Reading.
Makeshift Bookmark.
Books To The Sky.
Mundie Moms.

Top Ten Tuesday: All-Time Favorites

2012-01-24T12:53:00.003-05:00

Top Ten Tuesday was created and is hosted by The Broke And The Bookish. This week's topic is a freebie, so I chose to do a list on my all-time favorite books. I gush about books I love. A lot. But it takes a lot for a book to make it to my all-time favorite shelf. These are some of the honored few!

In no particular order:

1. Holes by Louis Sachar - This was one of the first full-length books I read as a kid. I was always an avid reader, but this book and its story and twists and turns had me at the library almost every other day.

2. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor - OMG THIS BOOK. I've never been so excited about a book before. It released last year, but I know I'll be just as excited about it ten years from now as I am right now.

3. Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson - Favorite contemporary ever. EVER. If you haven't read this one, I'm demanding you go to your library or bookstore or Amazon and get yourself a copy immediately.

4. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling - Nobody will ever write anything as incredible as J.K. did with this series and these characters.

5. Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken - This gorgeous book pretty much kickstarted my love for all things fantasy.

6. Ice by Sarah Beth Durst - Another one that added to my love for YA fantasy. I love everything about this book, from the talking polar bear to the romance to that amazingly beautiful cover.

Only six this week, but those are pretty much the main favorites of mine. What are some of your all-time favorite reads? Let me know!

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

2012-01-20T13:28:00.002-05:00

City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments #4) by Cassandra Clare.
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.
Pages: 424.
Source: Gift.

The Mortal War is over, and Clary Fray is back home in New York, excited about all the possibilities before her. She's training to become a Shadowhunter and to use her unique power. Her mother is getting married to the love of her life. Downworlders and Shadowhunters are at peace at last. And—most important of all—Clary can finally call Jace her boyfriend. But nothing comes without a price. Someone is murdering the Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine’s Circle, provoking tensions between Downworlders and Shadowhunters that could lead to a second bloody war. Clary’s best friend, Simon, can’t help her. His mother just found out he’s a vampire and now he’s homeless. Everywhere he turns, someone wants him on their side—along with the power of the curse wrecking his life. And they’re willing to do anything to get what they want. At the same time he’s dating two beautiful, dangerous girls—neither of whom knows about the other. When Jace begins to pull away from Clary without explaining why, she is forced to delve into the heart of a mystery whose solution reveals her worst nightmare: She herself has set in motion a terrible chain of events that could lead to her losing everything she loves. Even Jace.

The Infernal Devices series has been great company, and Will and Tessa and Jem have certainly kept me occupied and entertained but JACE AND CLARY AND SIMON ARE BACK. SQUEEEEE. I have missed them dearly and I'm so happy that they make an epic comeback in City of Fallen Angels with all of that sexual tension, adorable geekiness, witty banter and kickass fight scenes that I loved so much in the previous three books.

First, I want to take a moment to reflect on how awesome it was that Cassandra gave Simon his own voice and a much, much bigger role in the series. I absolutely LOVE him. Probably my favorite character in the series and my adoration for him only grew stronger after this book. Even when's he coping with being a powerful vampire and losing his mother and old life, his sarcastic, hilarious personality never falters. Plus, it's such a breath of fresh air because at times, as much as I love them, Jace and Clary were hardcore debbie downers and Simon's snark would always put a smile back on my face.

But speaking of Jace and Clary ... *swoon* How I love them so. The balance between sweetness and steaminess was perfect and didn't put a cheesy taste in my mouth. I was a bit frustrated at the interruption of my favorite couple thanks to a few stupid villains, but I'd be lying if I said I expected them to go an entire book without someone trying to tear them apart.

I will admit that this isn't my favorite in the series. It kind of felt like a filler book, just a way to build up to City of Lost Souls, but even if it is, it's a really, really great filler. In true Mortal Instruments fashion, the action is epic, the romance is steamy and sexy and amazing, the characters are entertaining and the revelations and villains are so unexpected that I nearly threw my book across the room in protest.

Overall, I absolutely loved City of Fallen Angels. This addition to the Mortal Instruments series was long overdue, but certainly worth the wait. If you're a fan of the series and you haven't read this yet, (somebody kick me for waiting this long!) definitely pick this up soon!

Other reviews for City of Fallen Angels:
Chick Loves Lit.
The Reader Bee.
The Reading Date.
Bookish Novelties.

The Thorn and the Blossom: A Two-Sided Love Story by Theodora Goss

2012-01-18T12:33:00.004-05:00

The Thorn and the Blossom: A Two-Sided Love Story by Theodora Goss.
Publisher: Quirk Books.
Pages: 82.
Source: Publisher.

One enchanting romance. Two lovers keeping secrets. And a uniquely crafted book that binds their stories forever. When Evelyn Morgan walked into the village bookstore, she didn’t know she would meet the love of her life. When Brendan Thorne handed her a medieval romance, he didn’t know it would change the course of his future. It was almost as if they were the cursed lovers in the old book itself . . .

The Thorn and the Blossom is a remarkable literary artifact: You can open the book in either direction to decide whether you’ll first read Brendan’s, or Evelyn’s account of the mysterious love affair. Choose a side, read it like a regular novel—and when you get to the end, you’ll find yourself at a whole new beginning.

First off, I have to comment on how ridiculously awesome the packaging of this book is. The same book from another character's point of view is kind of rare, and if there is such a companion novel, we usually have to wait a few years for it. So to the same story in the point of views of both main characters simply by flipping it over was pretty convenient.

This review will be fairly short since this is more of a novella than a novel, but I did enjoy Brendan and Evelyn's short story of how their relationship fairs against time, moreso Brendan's side than Evelyn. I feel like his personality was a lot bigger than Evelyn's, and he was a lot more optimistic toward the end and optimism is really what was needed for this novella's closure. I think I would've loved this book a lot more had I not gone into it with expectations. From the synopsis and images in the inside, I thought I had the plot pegged but it was nothing like what I had predicted and I was a bit disappointed with that. But I still slid the book back into the sleeve feeling satisifed. It was a quick read, but it was simple, engaging and romantic.

Overall, The Thorn and the Blossom was definitely a unique reading experience. I enjoyed Brendan and Evelyn's relationship and I loved that so much of the book was based around Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. And getting into the heads of both characters as they tell the same story was an unfamiliar feeling, but it was really insightful and cool. I can only hope that more authors/publishers take notice of this creative way to bind a book and jump on the bandwagon; I'd love to read more novels like this! If you're craving something quick and romantic, I definitely recommend The Thorn and the Blossom, but if you ask me, it's also worth checking out for it's awesome binding!

Other reviews for The Thorn and the Blossom:
Misfit Salon.
Bending The Spine.
ReederReads.

My thoughts on the blogger/author/Goodreads fiascos ...

2012-01-17T17:18:00.005-05:00

Let's move on and be a happy blogosphere again, shall we?

Top Ten Tuesday: Books For Non-Romance Fans!

2012-01-17T11:29:00.002-05:00

Top Ten Tuesday was created and is hosted by The Broke And The Bookish. This week's topic is books for non-romance fans - the titles I'd recommend to those who aren't fond of the romantic aspect in books. I think this topic is aiming towards pure romance books, but all I read is YA, so I'm going to switch it up and recommend some YA that has little to no romance at all!

In no particular order:

Rampant by Diana Peterfreund - There is a tiny bit of romance in this and its sequel, Ascendant, but I think it's overshadowded by the kickass awesomeness.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan - Once again, there is a hint of romance. (Really, how rare is it that a YA doesn't have a romance?) But the story is ultimately a mixture of self-discovery and zombies. Terrifying zombies. I definitely recommend this and it's companions - The Dead-Tossed Waves and The Dark and Hollow Places.

Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers - This book is phenomenal. I feel like a heavy romance would have watered it down. It's raw and emotionally powerful and intense and just amazing. I always say it's like a demented version of Mean Girls and I mean that in the best way possible.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson - I usually love a good fantasy to have a good romance, but this book definitely did not need one. Elisa is growing into her own skin and her transformation from this meek girl into a strong, powerful woman is absolutely extraordinary.

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs - No romance, just awesomeness. It's scary, adventurous, imaginative and definitely worth the read.

This Dark Endeavor: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein by Kenneth Oppel - If I can recall, this book doesn't have any romance. It has hinted feelings at romance, but nothing prominent enough - obviously - that can be recalled. But it's still amazing regardless. Creepy and cool and will definitely pique your interest in all things Mary Shelley.

Various Positions by Martha Schabas - I love this book because it's a borderline disturbing coming-of-age that evoked so many emotions in me; shock, outrage, sympathy, embarrassment for the character. Young Georgia has got so many things going on that a real romance plot would have severely messed her story up.

Butterfly by Sonya Hartnett - Zero romance in this. Not a single bit. I was a bit perplexed when I read it because it was the first non-romance for me and I wasn't sure if I enjoyed that or not. But looking back, I definitely appreciate it. Not all fourteen-year-old girls are clamoring and pining for boyfriends. I sure wasn't. The story is beautiful without it so I definitely recommend you check it out!

Only eight this week! Are some of these your favorite non-romances? If not, what would you recommend? Let me know!

Giveaway: The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe + Minimergency Kit!

2012-01-16T12:07:00.005-05:00

About the book:
It starts with an itch you just can't shake.

Then comes a fever and a tickle in your throat.

A few days later, you'll be blabbing your secrets and chatting with strangers like they’re old friends. Three more, and the paranoid hallucinations kick in.

And then you're dead.

When a deadly virus begins to sweep through sixteen-year-old Kaelyn’s community, the government quarantines her island—no one can leave, and no one can come back.

Those still healthy must fight for dwindling supplies, or lose all chance of survival. As everything familiar comes crashing down, Kaelyn joins forces with a former rival and discovers a new love in the midst of heartbreak. When the virus starts to rob her of friends and family, she clings to the belief that there must be a way to save the people she holds dearest.

Because how will she go on if there isn't?

Visit the author online at: http://www.megancrewe.com/twwf/

To view on Youtube, click here.

Giveaway Info:
- (1) Winner will recieve a copy of The Way We Fall and a Minimergency Kit!
- Open to US addresses only.
- Fill out the form at the bottom to enter.
- Ends on January 30th.

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Book Trailer: Tempest!

2012-01-12T20:10:00.002-05:00

I have yet to get my hands on a copy of Tempest, but this book trailer is pretty much motivating me to get my butt in gear! Short and visually awesome and I LOVE the song that's playing. Take a look at it below and comment with your thoughts!

About Tempest:

The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps– it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future. Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler. Recruit… or kill him.

A success in the making: Pre-empted by Summit Entertainment (producers of Twilight) for feature film, with foreign rights sold in more than a dozen countries, Tempest, on sale January 17, is the first book in the buzzed about Tempest series by Julie Cross.

“Julie Cross's thrilling debut is brimming with excitement, romance, and intrigue. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough!” —Beth Revis, New York Times bestselling author of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE.

Read the first 4 chapters of TEMPEST by Julie Cross now at http://on.fb.me/AoQyaQ

Jessica Rules the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

2012-01-11T14:26:00.003-05:00

Jessica Rules the Dark Side (Jessica #2) by Beth Fantaskey.
Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books.
Pages: 309.
Source: BEA.

It’s one thing to find out you’re a vampire princess. It’s a whole other thing to actually rule. Newly married Jessica Packwood is having a hard enough time feeling regal with her husband, Lucius, at her side. But when evidence in the murder of a powerful elder points to Lucius, sending him into solitary confinement, Jessica is suddenly on her own. Determined to clear her husband’s name, Jessica launches into a full-scale investigation, but hallucinations and nightmares of betrayal keep getting in her way. Jessica knows that with no blood to drink, Lucius’s time is running out. Can she figure out who the real killer is—and whom she can trust—before it’s too late?

I feel like Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side was one of those books that didn't need a sequel. It had just enough adventure, action, romance, emotion and most importantly - it managed to successfully tell Jessica and Lucius' story in one novel. And after reading Jessica Rules the Dark Side, I'm still sticking with that opinion. While it was entertaining, it lacked the charm and depth of its predecessor.

Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy it. The whodunit aspect was very much intriguing and had the gears in my head spinning for answers the entire time. And even though the jumping point of views got to be a bit confusing at times, I liked the addition of new characters. At times, Jessica or Lucius could be a bit depressing, so I felt like getting into the head of Jessica's best friend, Mindy, could be a breath of fresh air.

But for me, the whole book was stiff. First, the absence of Lucius throughout almost the entire length of the novel kind of crumbled the charm that I think Jessica's Guide had because of his relationship with Jessica. She really grows into her role as a queen, but toward the middle, she had me rolling my eyes quite a bit with her dramatics and her dependency on other vampires. And, of course, the absence of the husband means the absence of romance. He's pretty adorable when he's there, but that's not a whole lot. I never really need romance in a book to love it, but when the core of the story is their romance, I feel like it becomes sort of essential.

Overall, I did enjoy Jessica Rules the Dark Side, but I would have preferred to leave the happenings of Jessica and Lucius up to my imagination. The murder mystery is entertaining and the new characters are interesting, but in general, this sequel is kind of disappointing. If you're a fan of the first book, I definitely suggest you still give it a try, but try not to go into with any expectations.

Other reviews for Jessica Rules the Dark Side:
Bloggers [heart] Books.
Confessions of a Book Addict.
The Reader Bee.

Top Ten Tuesday: Authors I Want More Books From!

2012-01-10T14:06:00.003-05:00

Top Ten Tuesday was created and is hosted by The Broke And The Bookish. This week's topic is authors I want more books from - the ones that I wish would just pop out book after book after book because they're all so bloody fantastic! I think this topic is meant for authors who only release books every once in awhile, but since all I read is modern YA, it's just going to be authors who I want to write a million and one books for my reading pleasure.

In no particular order:

1. J.K. Rowling - I want another series. Maybe not Harry Potter related, but if she created that kind of brillance once, I fully believe she can do it again with a new world and new characters.

2. Alexandra Bracken - She absolutely hooked me with Brightly Woven. I will forever be a devoted fangirl who will pick up any and everything that she puts out. (and p.s. - THE DARKEST MINDS COMES OUT THIS YEAR. *victorious fist in the air*)

3. Sarah Beth Durst - She has pretty much been releasing a book every year, which is amazing, so I hope this continues. I'm one of her BIGGEST fans. Ice, Enchanted Ivy and Drink, Slay, Love are some of my all-time favorites!

4. Jenny Han - I need more contemporary goodness. I would prefer a Conrad/Belly continuation series, but that's just wishful thinking. *sigh* Seriously though, I'm salivating over here for another amazing novel. What up, Jenny?!

5. Carrie Ryan - Her books are part of the pile that inspired me to start blogging because I loved them so much and had so much to say about them. I haven't heard any news for more books in The Forests of Hands and Teeth series, but I'll read just about anything she puts out!

6. Stephenie Meyer - I'm a huge Twilight fangirl. No shame here. I know she's got The Host out already and the rest in the series will most likely be released soon, but she can pop out as many books as she'd like and I'll be first in line at the bookstore to buy them all.

7. Tara Altebrando - I fell in love with Dreamland Social Club last year and put Tara on my author radar. I didn't think she had another book releasing soon, but I just did research and she's got contemporary coming out! She remains on this list though because if her future books are anywhere near as good as Dreamland was, I will get my hands on them!

8. Leah Cypess - I recently read and loved Mistwood. Haven't gotten a copy of Nightspell yet, but I hear it's even more amazing than the first. Leah writes fantasy so enchantingly - I want more!

9. Kristin Cashore - Yes, Bitterblue is releasing soon, but I already know I'll love it. She just needs to keep writing. I need more fantasy, more epic heroins, more kickass action! MOOOORE. Ya hear that, Cashore?

That's all I have! I think I've displayed my craziness enough for one day. Are any of these authors on your list? If not, comment and let me know some authors you're looking forward to more books from!

Under The Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

2012-01-04T13:38:00.003-05:00

Under The Never Sky by Veronica Rossi.
Publisher: HarperCollins.
Pages: 400.
Source: Giveaway.

WORLDS KEPT THEM APART. DESTINY BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER.

Aria has lived her whole life in the protected dome of Reverie. Her entire world confined to its spaces, she's never thought to dream of what lies beyond its doors. So when her mother goes missing, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland long enough to find her are slim. Then Aria meets an outsider named Perry. He's searching for someone too. He's also wild - a savage - but might be her best hope at staying alive. If they can survive, they are each other's best hope for finding answers.

It's always a weird experience to get fifty pages into a book and say "I'm just not feeling this. I doubt I'll finish," but finish it anyway and end up LOVING it. This is what happened with me and Under The Never Sky. Our relationship started off a bit rocky, but by the end I had the overwhelming urge to hug the book with glee.

I was so terribly confused for the first few chapters. Even though I was excited that the story opened so thrillingly, terms and slangs were being thrown at me in every paragraph with minimal explanation of what they were and what they meant. I had to consult with Twitter friends who encouraged me to keep going and THANK GOODNESS I DID. After you get past the first few chapters and the terms/slangs start to become familiar (though I still ended the book a bit unclear on a few things) the story skyrockets into this fantastical world. And for me, everything went uphill from that point on.

There's no instalove in this book. There's not even instalike or instatolerance. Aria and Perry are from two completely different worlds and they both sort of disgust each other in the beginning and I LOVED that. Every chapter, every paragraph, their walls and prejudices and defenses crumble right before our eyes. Their journey - to prove Aria's innocence and to save Perry's nephew - has all of the elements I love in a good fantasy: adventure, forests, action, tension, romance, villains and so much more.

Overall, Under The Never Sky is a imaginative, stunning debut that dips a toe into both fantasy and dystopia, two of my favorite genres. Despite my extreme confusion in the first few chapters, I ended this book very satisfied and exhilarated from the ride. If you're a fan of fantasy or dystopia, or both, I highly recommend this book!

Other reviews for Under The Never Sky:
Read. Breathe. Relax.
The Book Cellar.
A Musing Reviews.
Spades High Reads.

Don't Breathe A Word by Holly Cupala

2012-01-02T13:04:00.006-05:00

Don't Breathe A Word by Holly Cupala.
Publisher: HarperTeen.
Pages: 299.
Source: Giveaway.
Release Date: January 3rd, 2012.

Joy Delamere is suffocating...

From asthma, which has nearly claimed her life. From her parents, who will do anything to keep that from happening. From delectably dangerous Asher, who is smothering her from the inside out.

Joy can take his words - tender words, cruel words - until the night they go too far.

Now, Joy will leave everything behind to find the one who has offered his help, a homeless boy called Creed. She will become someone else. She will learn to survive. She will breathe... if only she can get to Creed before it’s too late.

Set against the gritty backdrop of Seattle’s streets and a cast of characters with secrets of their own, Holly Cupala’s powerful new novel explores the subtleties of abuse, the meaning of love, and how far a girl will go to discover her own strength.

Don't Breathe a Word is probably the most powerful story I've read. Seriously. This book suckerpunched me right in the heart and I'm still reeling from the blow. Holly Cupala's writing is gorgeous and lyrical and absolutely perfect for the harsh situations that Joy deals with.

I feel like there's a lot of places in this book where it would be easy for some critical readers to question Joy/Triste's decisions if not for Holly's brilliant character development. I was yanked so far into Joy's mind and heart and conscience that all of the brutal and twisted things started to seem normal and all of her motives were crystal clear.

The pace of this book is sort of perfect. This isn't a story that needs action or pulse-pounding scenes. It's all about Joy/Triste gaining her bearings on the streets, learning to fit in among a new kind of people. And I love that we only get brief glances of the past, of the stuff that happened to lead Joy/Triste to leave her home, every few chapters. Her unraveling mixed in with the present works well together.

And the characters! My favorite part of the book! They're crude and obscene, but they're a family and their togetherness leaps off the pages.They've each got their own story and attitude, and even though I wanted to reach through the pages and punch them in the face a time or two (*coughMAYcough*) I still closed the book caring about all of them. I was also immensely happy with how their stories ended, how this book ended in general. It seems a bit unrealistic, but if you come to love the characters as much as I did, especially Joy and Creed, you wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

Overall, Don't Breathe a Word is unlike any other book on YA shelves today. It's intense, emotionally powerful, harsh and raw and brutal and beautiful all at the same time and I'm suddenly finding it difficult to find words to justify how incredible I thought it was. Anytime I ramble, take it as a good sign. I highly, highly recommend this book to everyone!

Other reviews for Don't Breathe a Word:
Starry Sky Books.
Bloggers [heart] Books.
The Book Vault.
A Blog about Nothing.

My Bookish 2011

2011-12-31T13:10:00.004-05:00

What better way to ring in the new year than with a survey? Credit to Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner for this awesome survey that will highlight all bookish aspects - the good and the bad - of my 2011!

1. Best Book You Read In 2011?
The Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor. Hands down. No argument, no other choices. I've read a lot of amazing books this year but this one really stuck with me. So incredible!

2. Most Disappointing Book/Book You Wish You Loved More Than You Did?
Beauty Queens by Libba Bray. It was my first Libba Bray book and I wanted to love it so much, but I couldn't even finish it. Tried, but couldn't. I guess I just don't have much of a sense of humor when it comes to my books, but the oddness and randomness were just too much for me.

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2011?
Sometimes It Happens by Lauren Barnholdt. I went into this book expecting to hate it, because it's a "girl falls for best friend's boyfriend" type story and I don't condone hurting your best friend over a guy. Ever. I was expecting my feelings to get in the way but wow! This book completely tore down my walls and really made me see that there's always more to a situation than you think.

4. Book you recommended to people most in 2011?
Divergent by Veronica Roth. I pushed this book on to sooo many people. I have a feeling that my persistency annoyed them a bit, but they all ended up loving the book in the end.

5. Best series you discovered in 2011?
That would most definitely have to be The Summer series (The Summer I Turned Pretty, It's Not Summer Without You and We'll Always Have Summer) by Jenny Han. I won them at a S&S luncheon but didn't read them until a few months ago and HOLY CRAP. Best contemporary series EVER.

6. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2011?
Victoria Schwab (The Near Witch) and Myra McEntire! (Hourglass) Not only did they write incredible books, but they're on Twitter quite a bit and they're both absolutely hilarious and down to earth.

7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?
I tend to stay within my comfort zone when I'm reading, so I didn't really venture far out of it this year but I'd say that This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel was a bit out of my zone. It was based on Frankenstein, which I haven't read nor have I seen the movie. I went into it kind of blindly but I ended up loving it!

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2011?
It's a three-way tie between Divergent by Veronica Roth, Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake and The Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor. My fingers were glued to both. I can't choose!

9. Book you most anticipated in 2011?
Sweetly by Jackson Pearce! I was a huge fangirl of Sisters Red in 2010, so I was twitchy with impatience for Sweetly. And it definitely didn't disappoint - it was just as incredible as it's companion!

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2011?

11. Most memorable character in 2011?
My head keeps bringing me back to Pearl from Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst. She was quirky, sarcastic, lively and the witty banter she had with her foes was hilarious.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2011?
The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab. That story flowed so gracefully and gorgeously that it was almost lyrical.

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2011?
I wasn't emotionally moved by a lot of books this year, but I did feel an impact from Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez. That book was definitely powerful and the emotions oozed from the pages!

14. Book you can't believe you waited UNTIL 2011 to finally read?
Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta. A blogger friend pushed and pushed me to read this so I finally jumped at the chance to get a copy and ended up loving it just as much as she promised that I would.

15. Book That You Read In 2011 That Would Be Most Likely To Reread In 2012?
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor. I'll be likely to reread that in 2012. And 2013. And probably every year for the rest of my life. Just saying.

16. Book That Had A Scene In It That Had You Reeling And Dying To Talk To Somebody About It? (a WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc. etc.) Be careful of spoilers!
There are a few! There was a pretty brutal, gory death in Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake that kind of took my breath away. And there was a scene with surveillance camera footage in The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson that gave me a hardcore case of the heebie jeebies. And pretty much the entirety of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer was a WTF moment. My jaw was dropped throughout the whole length of the novel. In a really, really good way. The sexual tension, the alligators, the grisly happenings ... *shivers*

- Book Blogging/Reading Life in 2011 -

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2011?
Oh snap. There are so many! But I think two of my favorite blogs I discovered in 2011 are Makeshift Bookmark and GReads! They've both got great blogging voices that shine through in all of their posts. And they're both pretty awesome on Twitter as well!

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2010?
Angel Burn by L.A. Weatherly. I loved this book so much. And I'm not sure what I ate that day, but it gave me some brain power because I feel like I touched on all aspects of my reading experience in that review, which is something that pretty much never happens. Sure, I sounded like a fangirl lunatic but I sounded like an articulate fangirl lunatic and that's all that matters.

3. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?
BEA. Oh my god. I can't even begin to tell you how amazing that was. I met so many incredible authors and bloggers and publishers and editors and holy cow, it was my own personal week long Christmas. And in NEW YORK too. Book people are my people and I felt so in my element with all of them. I'm so sad that I can't go in 2012 but I hope to have some equally incredible bookish experiences anyway!

Picture credit: Heather from Fire and Ice.

6. Best moment of book blogging in 2011?
Oh geeze, I don't even know if I have one. Every single time an author contacts me, every time I get an arc in the mail, every time an author retweets or replies to something I tweet ... I get extremely giddy and feel like it's the best blogging moment ever. Reaching 1000 followers was pretty kickass, both on the blog and Twitter! And even though it doesn't relate to blogging indirectly, I think the highlight would be walking up to authors at BEA and having them recognize my blog. That was always a big OMGDANCEPARTYHAPPINESS moment for me.

7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?
My fan art for The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer got 2,650+ pageviews (umm, HOLY FUDGE THAT'S A LOT) and had over 20 comments, which is pretty big for me and my little blog! I was happy to get that reaction because it's definitely one of my favorite pieces!

8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?
I don't have one in specific. I always wish my reviews get more love than they do because I put so much thought into them, but I blog strictly for me so I'm not really that heartbroken if nobody views or comments. (Okay, I am a little, but it wouldn't discourage me from blogging!)

9. Best bookish discover (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?
It's a variety site, but PINTEREST. You have to search for them, but Pinterest has got so many amazing bookish crafts. I made some bookish Christmas ornaments for my tree this year and I plan to make a tablet case out of an old hardcover book soon. It also has links to places you can buy cute bookish stuff, such as the polar bear shaped bookcase I plan on purchasing as soon as I win the lottery!

10. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?
No! I was a couple books short of completing the 2011 Debut Author Challenge but it just didn't happen. I try not to set too many goals because I'm horrible at keeping them. I'm bound and determined to follow through with a few in 2012 though!

Looking Ahead...

1. One Book You Didn't Get To In 2011 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2012?
Vampire Academy! I hope. I keep dragging my feet on this series but I will read them in 2012 eventually!

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2012?
ENSHADOWED BY KELLY CREAGH. I have been waiting for this book for years now. Must have the amazingness. And also Insurgent by Veronica Roth and the untitled sequel to Daughter of Smoke and Bone. Those are my three "get my hands on at any costs" books.

3. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging In 2012?
I always say this but I'm actually going to follow through this year ... more author interaction. The thought of contacting authors kind of scares the crap out of me, because I'm skittish and nervous and starstruck if one simply tweets me. But I'm determined to have all kinds of authors featured in Sophistikatied in 2012!

2011 was a great year for bookish stuff, but I'm hoping 2012 is ten times better! See you guys next year!

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

2011-12-24T11:57:00.002-05:00

To all who celebrate, I hope today and tomorrow is filled with tons of fun and family and food! (And presents, don't forget the presents) Sophistikatied Reviews will be a bit quiet for the next few days, but I'll be back soon with great things planned!

Hope you all have a lovely Christmas!

2011 Favorites: Contemporary

2011-12-22T14:06:00.004-05:00

2011 was a fantastic year for books and I'm counting down some of my favorites of each genre and listing some of the 2012 titles that I'm most eagerly anticipating! Today I'm featuring contemporary novels!

Dreamland Social Club by Tara Altebrando.
Dutton Juvenile - May 12th - 389 pages.

Why is this book not raved and ranted about throughout the blogosphere? Why when I bring it up do people scratch their heads and give me a "huh" look? This contemporary is absolutely brilliant; the characters, the setting, the stories, everything. Buy this book. Right now.

Sometimes It Happens by Lauren Barnholdt.
Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing - July 12th - 320 pages.

I've read so many "girl falls for best friend's boyfriend" books and I've hated pretty much all of them. I don't condone cheating and I certainly don't condone hurting your so-called best friend over a guy. BUT this book, with the perfect title, kind of opened my eyes. Sometimes, things just happen, and I loved that it really made me stop and think. Loved this one so much and can't wait to read more from her!

Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez. Simon Pulse - October 18th - 294 pages.

This intense drama about competing violinists who begin to fall in love is so, so engaging. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. Carmen's stage anxiety and the pills she takes to help calm it felt so authentic and raw, and her struggle to break from under her mother's thumb was downright incredible.

Love Story by Jennifer Echols.
MTV Books - July 19th - 243 pages.

My first Jennifer Echols book and I absolutely loved it. The story was amazing. She captures the emotions that go along with being a writer, I think, very well. And her edginess and what she's allowed to do in her books seems pretty much limitless. I like that she's not afraid to get dirty and gritty with her characters. Can't wait to read more from her!

The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle.
HarperTeen - September 16th - 432 pages.

Oh my god, I don't think I've ever cried so hard before. This book is so, so heartbreaking and emotional. Even though I had a few skeptical moments when it came to Laurel's grieving, I loved this book to pieces.

And now for some 2012 Contemporary novels I'm most looking forward to:

Being Friends with Boys by Terra Elan McVoy. Simon Pulse - May 1st, 2012 - 320 pages.

Charlotte and Oliver have been friends forever. She knows that he, Abe, and Trip consider her to be one of the guys, and she likes it that way. She likes being the friend who keeps them all together. Likes offering a girl's perspective on their love lives. Likes being the behind-the-scenes wordsmith who writes all the lyrics for the boys' band. Char has a house full of stepsisters and a past full of backstabbing (female) ex-best friends, so for her, being friends with boys is refreshingly drama-free...until it isn't any more. When a new boy enters the scene and makes Char feel like, well, a total girl...and two of her other friends have a falling out that may or may not be related to one of them deciding he possibly wants to be more than friends with Char...being friends with all these boys suddenly becomes a lot more complicated.

In Honor by Jessi Kirby.
Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing - May 8th, 2012 - 288 pages.

Honor receives her brother’s last letter from Iraq three days after learning that he died, and opens it the day his fellow Marines lay the flag over his casket. Its contents are a complete shock: concert tickets to see Kyra Kelly, her favorite pop star and Finn's celebrity crush. In his letter, he jokingly charged Honor with the task of telling Kyra Kelly that he was in love with her. Grief-stricken and determined to grant Finn's last request, she rushes to leave immediately. But she only gets as far as the driveway before running into Rusty, Finn's best friend since third grade and his polar opposite. She hasn't seen him in ages, thanks to a falling out between the two guys, but Rusty is much the same as Honor remembers him: arrogant, stubborn. . . and ruggedly good looking. Neither one is what the other would ever look for in a road trip partner, but the two of them set off together, on a voyage that makes sense only because it doesn’t. Along the way, they find small and sometimes surprising ways to ease their shared loss and honor Finn—but when shocking truths are revealed at the end of the road, will either of them be able to cope with the consequences?

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson.
Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing - May 8th, 2012 -224 pages.

Taylor's family might not be the closest-knit – everyone is a little too busy and overscheduled – but for the most part, they get along fine. Then Taylor's dad gets devastating news that changes everything. Her parents decide that the family will spend the summer together at their old vacation home in the Pocono Mountains. Crammed into a place much smaller and more rustic than they are used to, they begin to get to know each other again. And Taylor discovers that the people she thought she had left behind haven’t actually gone anywhere. Her former summer best friend is still around, as is her first boyfriend. . . and he's much cuter at seventeen than he was at twelve. As the summer progresses, the Edwards become more of a family, and closer than they’ve ever been before. But all of them are very aware that they’re battling a ticking clock. Sometimes, though, there is just enough time to get a second chance – with family, with friends, and with love.

Shooting Stars by Allison Rushby.
Walker & Company - Feburary 28th, 2012 - 272 pages.

Meet Josephine Foster, or Zo Jo as she’s called in the biz. The best pint-sized photographer of them all, Jo doesn’t mind doing what it takes to get that perfect shot, until she’s sent on an undercover assignment to shoot Ned Hartnett—teen superstar and the only celebrity who’s ever been kind to her—at an exclusive rehabilitation retreat in Boston. The money will be enough to pay for Jo’s dream: real photography classes, and maybe even quitting her paparazzi gig for good. Everyone wants to know what Ned’s in for. But Jo certainly doesn’t know what she’s in for: falling in love with Ned was never supposed to be part of her assignment.

SomeoneElse's Life by Katie Dale.
Simon & Schuster Childrens Books - February 2nd, 2012 - 384 pages.

When seventeen-year-old Rosie’s mother, Trudie, dies from Huntington’s Disease, her pain is intensified by the knowledge that she has a fifty-per-cent chance of inheriting the crippling disease herself. Only when she tells her mum’s best friend, ‘Aunt Sarah’ that she is going to test for the disease does Sarah, a midwife, reveal that Trudie was not her biological mother after all... Devastated, Rosie decides to trace her real mother, hitching along on her ex-boyfriend’s GAP year to follow her to Los Angeles. But all does not go to plan, and as Rosie discovers yet more of her family's deeply-buried secrets and lies, she is left with an agonising decision of her own - one which will be the most heart-breaking and far-reaching of all...

Various Positions by Martha Schabas

2011-12-21T15:18:00.004-05:00

Various Positions by Martha Schabas.
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux.
Pages: 272.
Release Date: February 14th, 2012.
Source: Publisher.

Trapped between the hormone-driven world of her friends and the discontent of her dysfunctional family, fourteen-year-old Georgia is only completely at ease when she's dancing. When she is accepted into Canada's preeminent ballet school, Georgia thinks it is the perfect escape. Artistic Director Roderick Allen singles her out as a star, subjecting her to increasingly intensive training, and Georgia obsesses about becoming the perfect, disciplined student. But as she spends more and more time with Roderick, it's not so clear exactly what their relationship means. Is he her teacher and mentor, or is there something more? These blurred lines will threaten both Roderick's future at the academy and Georgia's ambitions as a ballerina.

From the synopsis, I gathered that Various Positions would be a story about a meek, innocent fourteen-year-old Georgia who becomes somewhat corrupted and sex influenced at her new ballet academy. And, yes, that's pretty much it, but ... holy crap. You can think you have this book pegged all you want, but no words can justify or summarize the blatant rawness that came with Georgia's unraveling.

If you're expecting a mild, sentimental drama about young girls at ballet school, and if that's what you're looking to read, I don't suggest even considering picking this book up. The subject matter is so intense that it's almost disturbing, but I was so incredibly enraptured. Georgia, I felt, was so authentic as a confused but curious teenager. Her scenes with Roderick were powerful, and her disillusions when it came to him were so intense that they were almost difficult to read without feeling sympathetic toward her.

And speaking about feeling for characters, one of the things I loved most about Martha Schabas is that she made me care for almost every character, even when I didn't want to. At some point in the book, I'd feel a tug of pity for Georgia's erratic mother, or her cold, workaholic father. I'd feel concerned for the sex-obsessed girls at the school, even though I pretty much wanted to smack them all in the face. I'd feel embarrassment for Roderick Allen, who I wanted so badly to deem as the villain but couldn't because I often saw him as a victim.

Overall, Various Positions is not your average coming of age ballerina novel. The overwhelming emotions, the touchy, raunchy scenes and the progressive downfall of Georgia's innocence all make for an compelling, powerful read. I definitely recommend to people who are looking for something heavy and somewhat controversial to read.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Want Santa To Bring

2011-12-20T14:02:00.003-05:00

Top Ten Tuesday was created and is hosted by The Broke And The Bookish. This week's topic is books I want Santa to bring me - the ones I hope to find under my tree on Christmas morning. Every year, per request of my family, I make a gigantic list of books that I'd love to get. I rarely, if ever, get any because my family thinks I receive so many books throughout the year that I don't need them on Christmas too, but here are a few that I'm crossing my fingers they make an exception for!

In no particular order:

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor - Favorite book of the year. Favorite book of all-time. But I've been so strapped for cash that I've been holding back on buying a finished copy. My birthday is coming up in about two weeks so if I don't see it under the tree Sunday morning, I might just have to treat myself to an early present!

The Night Circus by Erin Morgernstern - I've heard so, so many amazing things about this book. It'd be the first non-YA book I've read since being forced to read books like The Great Gatsby in high school, but I'm excited to read it!

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins - Absolutely LOVED Anna and the French Kiss, but haven't gotten around to buying this one yet.

Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev - I've been dying to read this book for years. And even if I ended up absolutely hating the book, I'd still keep the book proudly on my shelf because the covers in that series are ridiculously gorgeous.

Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore - This book was highly recommended by a few of my favorite authors so it's at the very top of my wishlist! Plus, ghosts and hot cowboys ... seems like a done deal.

Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton - Somebody tried to get me to buy this one while at The Strand in New York during BEA, but I declined because I didn't have anymore suitcase space. But it's been on my to-get list since!

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins - Not sure why I haven't gotten this book yet. I hear nothing but spectacular things about this series!

Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead - I think I'm the only blogger, even reader, left in existence who hasn't read these novels. I've been burned by so many "vampire boarding school" books in the past that I've been so hesitant. Willing to give them a try though so I'd love to get the whole series!

Wildcat Fireflies by Amber Kizer - Loved Meridian and it's been a few years since it's release, but I'm so ready to dive back in Meridian's fenestra story and her relationship with the gorgeous Tens!

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin - Another favorite of 2011 that I've been holding off buying a finished copy of. Perhaps another early birthday gift to myself? I'm sort of dying to reread!

Are any of these books on your Christmas wishlist? If not, what are some books you're hoping to find under your tree on Sunday morning? Comment and let me know!

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

2011-12-19T13:51:00.003-05:00

Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices #2) by Cassandra Clare.
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry.
Pages: 502.
Source: Publisher.

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

Clockwork Prince is a satisfying follow-up to Clockwork Angel, easily matching all of the intensity and drama and action of the first in the prequel series to The Mortal Instruments. Everything I love about Cassandra Clare's world of Shadowhunters and evil creatures is back in full force.

I feel like this book was more emotionally involving than Clockwork Angel, revolving more around betrayals and relationships than the usual high-adrenaline battle scenes. I actually really loved the change of pace and seeing a softer side of the residents of the Institute, mainly Will and Henry. After this book, I have a new understanding and adoration for both characters.

But even though this sequel is softer than it's predecessor, all of that kick-ass action was still very much present. The ending fight scene ... pure epicness. Cassandra Clare has this way of getting me all riled up and screaming out cheers, like when I'm watching Hugh Jackman fight vampires and Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde and other creatures in Van Helsing. (It's embarrassing, really)

My only problem I had with this book is the love triangle. I've sort of come to hate them, to be honest, but lately, they're rarely an issue to where I'm compelled to mention them in a review. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case for this one. I would physically cringe every time Tessa had a romantic scene because it was absolutely frustrating to me. I felt like all of this chemistry was built up with Will in the first book, but most of it was suddenly tore down to make way for Jem, who to me, kind of came out of nowhere. And Tessa's decision at the end really, really aggravated me. The entire romantic aspect with Will/Tessa/Jem just got on my nerves because it was so back and forth and random that I'd really prefer if there was no romance between them at all. (Which is saying something because I was hardcore Team Will for Clockwork Angel) But at least there was the sweet relationships between Charlotte/Henry and Sophie/adorable brother-of-someone-who-I-shall-not-spoil to keep from completely ruining the love for me.

Overall, even my extreme dislike for the love triangle can't deter me from my devotion to the Shadowhunters and their stories. I really did love Clockwork Prince and I'm positively twitching with impatience for Clockwork Princess and more clockwork creature ass-kicking!

Other reviews for Clockwork Prince:
Katie's Book Blog.
Planet Print.
Serendipity Reviews.
Demons Read Too.

2011 Favorites: Fantasy

2011-12-17T13:36:00.004-05:00

1. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor.
Little, Brown & Company - September 27th - 418 pages.

Not only is this my favorite fantasy of the year, it's now in my all-time top favorite three books. I can't even begin to explain the magic that lies between these pages. She creates this imaginative world full of odd creatures and wishes and adventure and romance and holy crap, I could talk for hours about this one so I'll leave it at this: it's simply amazing.

2. My Unfair Godmother by Janette Rallison.
Walker Books for Young Readers - April 12th - 320 pages.

This is the companion to My Fair Godmother. I'm absolutely in love with these books. They're funny, they're adventurous, they're romantic and engaging. Janette plays twisted games with some of our favorite fairy tales and the result is ridiculously entertaining. I feel like these novels got swept under the radar but if you're a fantasy/fairy tale fan who is looking for something action-packed and light-hearted, I definitely encourage you to pick these up!

3. The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson.
Greenwillow Books - September 20th - 423 pages.

If you look up YA fantasy in a dictionary, this book's cover should be snuggled right beside it. It has everything that makes fantasy so wonderful - adventure, magic, a gorgeous setting, romance and quirky characters. Not to mention the beautiful, descriptive writing. Thanks for writing such an incredible book, Rae!

4. The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente.
Feiwel & Friends - May 10th - 247 pages.

This book is like a time machine, shooting me back to when I was a little girl and reading my big giant fairy-tale bind-up. It's charming and magical and has all of the makings to become a classic that hopefully my grandchildren will be reading in the future.

5. Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst.
Margaret K. McElderry - September 13th - 385 pages.

Even though this is primarily about vampires, I still count it as fantasy because they're not like the average YA vampires you see in books today. They're evil, and they've got that epic villain feel about them. This book just feels fantastical with the creatures (were-unicorn, hellooooo) and action.

And now for some of the 2012 fantasy novels I'm most looking forward to:

1. Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst.
Margaret K. McElderry - September 11th, 2012 - 320 pages.

In a desert land where serpents made of unbreakable glass fly through the sky and wolves made of only sand hunt within storms, Liyana is destined to be a vessel, to sacrifice herself so that her clan's goddess can inhabit her body... but her goddess never comes.

2. Shadows Cast By Stars by Catherine Knutsson.
Atheneum - June 5th, 2012 - 464 pages.

Two hundred years from now, blood has become the most valuable commodity on the planet - especially the blood of aboriginal peoples, for it contains antibodies that protect them from the plague that is ravaging the rest of the world. Sixteen-year-old Cassandra Mercredi might be immune to the plague, but that doesn't mean she's safe. Government forces are searching for those of aboriginal heritage to harvest their blood. When a search threatens Cass and her family, they flee to the Island, a mysterious and idyllic territory protected by the Band, a group of guerilla warriors, and by an enigmatic energy barrier that keeps outsiders out and the spirit world in. And though the village healer has taken Cass under her wing, and the tribal leader's son into his heart, the spirit world is angry, and it has chosen Cass to be its voice and instrument...

3. Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey.
Penguin Young Readers Group - January 5th, 2012 - 416 pages.

Wilde Island is in an uproar after the recent death of its king. The uneasy pact between dragons, fairies, and humans is fraying, and a bloodthirsty witch hunter with a hidden agenda whips villages into frenzies with wild accusations. Tess, a blacksmith’s daughter from a tiny hamlet near the mysterious Dragonswood, finds herself caught in the crosshairs of fate when she is accused of witchery and has to flee for her life along with her two best friends. Not even Tess’s power to see the future can help the girls as they set off on their desperate journey, but she keeps having visions of a man wielding a sword. And when she finally meets him, Tess has no idea how to handle the magnetic attraction she feels for him, or the elusive call she hears from the heart of the Dragonswood. In this epic romance, an ancient prophecy comes true in a way neither dragon, fairy, nor human would have predicted.

4. Shadow & Bone by Leigh Bardugo.
Holt Childrens - June 19th, 2012

Inspired by Tsarist Russia, SHADOW & BONE brings to life a fantasy world of superstition and science, saints and samovars, in which a lonely refugee must leave behind her best friend- and first love- to save her country from the growing darkness of the Unsea. But first she must contend with the dangerous and decadent world of the kingdom’s magical elite and their powerful leader, a creature of dark charm and deadly ambition.

5. Queen of Glass by Sarah J. Maas.
Bloomsbury Childrens - Unspecified Fall 2012

An infamous young assassin who is more than she seems must battle her way to freedom in a corrupt kingdom where magic has been outlawed.

Winner: This Is Teen Bundle Giveaway!

2011-12-15T10:57:00.002-05:00

Thanks to all who entered to win the This Is Teen bundle giveaway! And thanks to everyone who tweeted and shared the link! I wish I had books to give away to all of you, but alas, only one winner will be receiving the loot and that lucky person is ...

#3 - Erin L!

Congrats Erin! Your info has been sent to the publicist who will be sending your books!

There are more great giveaways coming up in 2012, so keep your eyes peeled for those!

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Want To Gift!

2011-12-13T14:10:00.002-05:00

Top Ten Tuesday was created and is hosted by The Broke And The Bookish. This week's topic is books I want to gift - titles that I'm itching to give to family and friends this Christmas!

In no particular order:

Divergent by Veronica Roth - I've actually already bought this book to give to my best friend, Krystal. She absolutely loved The Hunger Games, but won't believe me when I tell her that, in my opinion, Divergent is actually better. (Yes, better. Love me some Hunger Games, but Divergent is just ... wow. Don't throw rocks at me please!)

The Dark Divine series by Bree Despain - The first two books are already wrapped and ready for my brother's girlfriend to open. She's a huge fan of paranormal romance, but has been sticking to stuff like House Of Night and Evermore. (Ick) So I'm aiming to open her eyes to some of the amazing paranormal romance out there.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor - I want to give this book to everyone. EVERYONE. It was definitely one of the best books I've read this year and I want everyone to have the reading experience that comes with this story.

Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake - Would it be weird if I said I wanted to give this one to my grandma? She's weird because she likes religious, spiritual novels but then she also loves horror. I think Anna would be perfect for her since the terror and gore isn't toned down for YA at all.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin - I want to gift this to myself. Because it was amazing and for some unexplainable reason, I haven't gotten my hands on a finished copy yet.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern - Another one I want to gift to myself. It's not YA, but I've heard that it's an incredible book and I guess Summit is adapting it into a movie as well! Merry Christmas to me?

Only six this week! I don't have a lot of YA readers in my life, pretty much just my best friends, so I don't have an abundance of people that I can buy for. What are some books you're planning on gifting to your friends/family?

The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg

2011-12-12T13:30:00.004-05:00

The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg.
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group.
Pages: 400.
Release Date: February 21st, 2012.
Source: LibraryThing.

Dying of a broken heart is just the beginning.... Welcome to forever.

BRIE'S LIFE ENDS AT SIXTEEN: Her boyfriend tells her he doesn't love her, and the news breaks her heart—literally. But now that she's D&G (dead and gone), Brie is about to discover that love is way more complicated than she ever imagined. Back in Half Moon Bay, her family has begun to unravel. Her best friend has been keeping a secret about Jacob, the boy she loved and lost—and the truth behind his shattering betrayal. And then there's Patrick, Brie's mysterious new guide and resident Lost Soul . . . who just might hold the key to her forever after.

With Patrick's help, Brie will have to pass through the five stages of grief before she's ready to move on. But how do you begin again, when your heart is still in pieces?

The Catastrophic History of You and Me was, simply put, an emotional roller coaster - the best roller coaster at the amusement park. I was sobbing after the first two chapters and I wasn't sure I even wanted to continue it at that point because I didn't expect it to be so sad. Fortunately, it wasn't. Despite its sad moments (because, come on, it's about dying. Of course it's going to be sad) it was amazingly charming.

Brie is sarcastic, snarky, hilarious and Jess Rothenberg gave her one of the most authentic, believable teenage voices I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Her interaction with Patrick had me a giggling mess throughout the entire story, even the more intense scenes. I also found her reactions and feelings to what was happening and what was unraveling extremely realistic. Brie was never like "oh, I'm dead! Okay!" There just seemed to be so much thought put into her character and her story and it really shows.

I did not expect the ending. At all. It kind of gets a bit twisted toward the conclusion and admittedly, I did find some of it to be a bit out of place with the rest of the novel, but it didn't deter me from the story. It made for an explosive ending, that's for sure.

And the song snippits for chapter titles? Loved it. They always fit the chapter perfectly. I love that the author incorporated music into a book that has nothing to do with music at all. (Except for the awesome 80's references)

Overall, I loved The Catastrophic History of You and Me. This book pulled on so many heartstrings and evoked so many feelings in me. Brie and Patrick are the perfect pair to take us through such a heartfelt, delicate story as they never let the readers be depressed or discouraged. If you're in the mood for something heavy on the emotions and light on the heart, this is definitely the book for you.

Other reviews for The Catastrophic History of You and Me:
The Reading Date.
Nicole's YA Book Haven.
Poetry To Pose.
Pretty Opinionated.

In the Forests of the Night by Kersten Hamilton

2011-12-08T14:00:00.004-05:00

In the Forests of the Night (Goblin Wars #2) by Kersten Hamilton.
Publisher: Clarion Books.
Pages: 288.
Source: Publisher.

The battle against goblinkind continues . . . but which side will Teagan be on?

Teagan, Finn, and Aiden have made it out of Mag Mell alive, but the Dark Man’s forces are hot on their heels. Back in Chicago, Tea’s goblin cousins show up at her school, sure she will come back to Mag Mell, as goblin blood is never passive once awoken. Soon she will belong to Fear Doirich and join them. In the meantime, they are happy to entertain themselves by trying to seduce, kidnap, or kill Tea’s family and friends. Tea knows she doesn’t have much time left, and she refuses to leave Finn or her family to be tortured and killed. A wild Stormrider, born to rule and reign, is growing stronger inside her. But as long as she can hold on, she’s still Teagan Wylltson, who plans to be a veterinarian and who heals the sick and hurting. The disease that’s destroying her—that’s destroying them all—has a name: Fear Doirich. And Teagan Wylltson is not going to let him win.

In the Forests of the Night, the sequel to the fantastic Tyger Tyger, was a perfect second installment to the series. There's something magical about the Goblin Wars books that makes it impossible to lump in with every other series, so it's odd that what I loved about this book is everything that normally agitates me about an average sequel. It's a bit more low-key, not nearly as action-packed as the first, and the rush of the story doesn't really begin until the last seventy pages or so. But for some reason, I loved it. A lot.

It might be the characters. These books have the most diverse cast of characters, ranging from humans to sprites to goblins to shapeshifters to walking cat creatures and so much more. And they're so, so lovable. I was so happy to see that their personalities never changed from the first book. Aiden's innocent quirkiness, Teagan's brave selflessness and Finn's sarcastic charm (and dreaminess *swoon*) are all present and accounted for, with some new friends as well!

As I said before, the action doesn't really begin until the end, but it didn't really bother me. Which is odd because that always bothers me. I think that's just because I was having so much fun with the characters and learning more about Fear Doirich and Mag Mell. And with all of the adventure that was crammed pack into Tyger Tyger, I wasn't really missing it in this book. I can already predict that the third book will be just as high on the energy as the first, though, so I'm sort of relieved for the breather!

Overall, In the Forests of the Night was definitely worth the wait and only made my love for the Goblin Wars series grow larger. It's full of fantastic characters, great fantasy, picturesque mythology and creepy creatures - a perfect read if you're in the mood for something action-packed and fast-paced! If you haven't read this series yet, what are you waiting for? I definitely recommend!

Other reviews for In the Forests of the Night:
The Book Cellar.
Caught Between The Pages.
Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile.
Bibliophilic Monologues.

Top Ten Tuesday: Childhood Favorites!

2011-12-06T11:45:00.003-05:00

Top Ten Tuesday was created and is hosted by The Broke And The Bookish. This week's topic is childhood favorites - the books that sculpted me to be the avid reader that I am today! It's going to be so hard to narrow these down to ten since there's about a bazillion, but I'll attempt to list only the ones I read a million times.

In no particular order:

Falling Up by Shel Silverstein - I read this book so many times that the pages started to fall apart, as well as the binding. And to this day, I still have some of the poems memorized. Shel's oddness is something that has stuck with me as a reader to this day.

Dr. Seuss - When I was a kid, I had every Dr. Seuss book there was. My dad would read to my brother and I before bed and he always read Seuss since they're quick, fun books. I still have mad love for them, especially The Lorax! (It's a bit sad how not only can I recite the book, but the classic movie as well)

Fear Street by R. L Stine - I guess you could say these were my first taste of YA. They're pretty cheesy. And predictable. And the villain that they always think is some kind of creature is always really a human. But I loved them so much that I have about fifty of them on my shelf right now, and that's not counting the ones I have in boxes in my garage.

Little Critter by Mercer Mayer - AH! This post is bringing back so many memories! The Little Critter books were one of the first books that I began to read myself when I actually learned to read. Whenever I managed to read the entire thing, my parents would reward me with another one, so I imagine I still have dozens of these books living in boxes somewhere.

Holes by Louis Sachar - This is probably on everybody's list, yes? I think Holes is one of the first full-length novel I've ever finished. And it's so good. Seriously, even if you're older and you haven't read this, go get a copy now! The movie is amazing, but the book still blows it out of the water.

Goosebumps by R.L Stine - The Goosebumps books thoroughly creeped me out as a kid. I read pretty much every single one of them, but for awhile I refused to even touch a few because of the scary covers. (Say Cheese And Die, The Curse of Camp Cold Lake and Creature Teacher to name a few)

The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister - RAINBOW FISH. OMG. I read this book so many times when I wasn't ogling the shiny foil of the fish's scales.

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl - One of my all-time favorite books and all-time favorite movies. Roald Dahl had such an amazing imagination and it showed in his work. (He also wrote Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Matilda, if you didn't know)

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly by Simms Taback - Okay, so this isn't really a story, but it was a book and I read it so much that I knew the entire thing by heart.

The Cartoon Classics Collection (Volume 1) - This anthology featured stories about the classic Hanna Barbera cartoons. (The Flinstones, The Jetsons, Scooby-Doo and Yogi Bear) The book was ginormous and kind of hard for me to carry, but I had it with me wherever I went.

Are of these on your list? If not, what were some of your childhood favorites?

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

2011-12-05T12:25:00.003-05:00

Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer.
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends.
Pages: 387.
Source: Publisher.
Release Date: January 3rd, 2012.

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

In a sudden frenzy of YA spins on fairy tales, Cinder is a bright spot. Mixing some dystopian and sci-fi elements with the classic tale of Cinderella, I was thoroughly absorbed and entertained.

There is so much going on in this book; a plague, an alien queen trying to marry herself into the royal family of New Beijing, cyborgs (CYBORGS, YOU GUYS!) and a budding romance between one of said cyborgs and a prince that I found just so stinkin' adorable. But none of it ever really felt like it was too much, too overwhelming or bizarre for one book.

For awhile, I thought the only Cinderella aspect that the book had was the evil stepmother/stepsister, and I was perfectly okay with that! But it wasn't until a few days after I finished that it hit me - the story sorta kinda does follow the entire fairy tale. And having that revelation was so much fun! I don't want to spoil it for anybody so I won't elaborate, and though I'm not sure if it was intentional or not, props to Marissa Meyer for sneaking that up on me! I love when books have hidden surprises, it makes the reading experience so much more satisfying!

There's not much, if any, negative things I can say about Cinder. The whole Lunar and alien stuff confused me quite a bit, but I was pretty much educated enough by the time the book ended. And I wasn't a fan of the ending, but I'm positive it's just my extreme impatience for the next book in the series.

Overall, Cinder is imaginative, fantastical and one of the most remarkable modernized fairy tales I've ever had the pleasure of reading. I definitely recommend this to anyone in the mood for something adventurous, fast-paced and creative!

Other reviews for Cinder:
Nice Girls Read Books.
Pure Imagination.
Almost Grown-Up.
The Book Lantern.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

2011-12-01T14:41:00.004-05:00

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson.
Publisher: Greenwillow Books.
Pages: 423.
Source: Won from publisher via inkpop.

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.

Elisa is the chosen one.

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can’t see how she ever will.

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he’s not the only one who needs her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do.

As a huge fantasy fangirl, my expectations when reading them are pretty high. I want it to have adventure; exhilarating, fast-paced fights or terrors. I want it to be magical, to have that particular oddness about it that really tugs at my imagination. I want it to have strong, likable characters that I can root for. The Girl of Fire and Thorns exceeded my every expectation. And then some.

Elisa is not your average heroine. She's a bit overweight and she loves pastries. She's somewhat timid and meek in the beginning, but reading as she sheds that skin throughout the novel with all of the perilous endeavors she faces was pretty amazing. I also came to thoroughly love the rest of the cast as well. Rae Carson really shined at developing her characters without making them too stoic and predictable; I never knew what to expect from any of them.

The pace of the story was perfect. Not rushed and never a dull moment. The plot was so engrossing and intriguing. I wanted to know everything about the Godstones, and every time Elisa felt her own Godstone react, I would get ridiculously excited because I knew something big was going to happen.

And the setting. Oh, the setting. The scenery is gorgeously written, but what I loved most is that it's not just a place. The author took that beautiful Spain setting and gave it a comprehensible culture and vocabulary to match. It made the book so much more authentic and fascinating.

Overall, The Girl of Fire and Thorns is a dazzling debut, YA fantasy at its absolute best. The courageous characters, stunning setting, terrifying adventures and peculiar magic are something to be experienced, so if you're a fantasy buff, I definitely urge you to pick this one up!

Other reviews for The Girl of Fire and Thorns:
The Reading Date.
Book Bliss.
Bookyurt.
The Compulsive Reader.

Giveaway: This Is Teen Bundle!

2011-11-29T13:00:00.007-05:00

Today, I've been given the awesome opportunity to give away three boy-centric titles from Scholastic's This Is Teen. One of my lucky blog readers will be receiving finished, shiny copies of The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch, Underdogs by Markus Zusak and iBoy by Kevin Brooks!

About the books:

The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch -

“The Eleventh Plague hits disturbingly close to home…An excellent, taut debut novel.” – Suzanne Collins, author of The Hunger Games

In the aftermath of a war, America’s landscape has been ravaged and two thirds of the population left dead from a vicious strain of influenza. Fifteen-year-old Stephen Quinn and his family were among the few that survived and became salvagers, roaming the country in search of material to trade for food and other items essential for survival. But when Stephen’s grandfather dies and his father falls into a coma after an accident, Stephen finds his way to Settler’s Landing, a community that seems too good to be true, where there are real houses, barbecues, a school, and even baseball games. Then Stephen meets strong, defiant, mischievous Jenny, who refuses to accept things as they are. And when they play a prank on the town bully’s family that goes horribly wrong, chaos erupts, and they find themselves in the midst of a battle that will change Settler’s Landing forever.

View the book trailer here.

Underdogs by Markus Zusak -

Before The Book Thief, Markus Zusak wrote a trilogy of novels about the Wolfe brothers: The Underdogs, Fighting Ruben Wolfe, and Getting the Girl. Cameron and Ruben Wolfe are champions at getting into fights, coming up with half-baked schemes, and generally disappointing girls, their parents, and their much more motivated older siblings. They’re intensely loyal to each other, brothers at their best and at their very worst. But when Cameron falls head over heels for Ruben’s girlfriend, the strength of their bond is tested to its breaking point.

iBoy by Kevin Brooks -

Before the attack, Tom Harvey was just an average teen. But a head-on collision with high technology has turned him into an actualized App. Fragments of a shattered iPhone are embedded in his brain. And they’re having an extraordinary
effect on his every thought. Because now Tom knows, sees, and can do more than any normal boy ever could. But with his new powers comes a choice: Seek revenge on the vicious gangs who rule the South London housing project where he lives,
and who violated his friend Lucy? Or keep quiet and move on? Not even the search engine in his head can predict the shocking outcome of iBoy’s actions. A wifi, thriller by YA master Kevin Brooks.

View the book trailer here.

Learn more about these books and other This Is Teen titles:
www.facebook.com/thisisteen

Giveaway Info:
- (1) Winner will receive copies of The Eleventh Plague, Underdogs and iBoy.
- Fill out the form below to enter.
- Open to US addresses only.
- Giveaway open until December 14th.

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Completely Contemp Challenge 2012!

2011-11-28T19:34:00.004-05:00

After a fabulous month of contemporary themed reviews, guest posts, interviews and giveaways from Shanyn over at Chick Loves Lit, she's ending things in style with something to keep the whole contemporary love going around all next year - Completely Contemp Challenge 2012! The fabulous thing about this challenge is that you're not just limited to 2012 releases, you can also read contempls from 2011 and 2010!

For more information on the challenge and to find out how to sign up, click here!

My list of contemps to be read for the challenge:

2010:
1. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver.
2. Losing Faith by Denise Jaden.
3. Return To Paradise by Simone Elkeles.
4. Sea by Heidi R. Kling.

2011:
5. The Sweetest Thing by Christina Mandelski.
6. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins.
7. Saving June by Hannah Harrington.
8. The Future Of Us by Jay Asher & Caroyln Mackler.

2012:
9. Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins.
10. Don't Breath A Word by Holly Cupula.
11. In Honor by Jessi Kirby.
12. All These Lives by Sarah Wylie.

Happy Turkey Day!

2011-11-24T14:22:00.002-05:00

Even though my family isn't celebrating until tomorrow, it is November 24th, so I want to wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving!

Since it's the day to be thankful, I just want to say thanks to all of the amazing bloggers who make the blogosphere as awesome as it is (especially the ones on Twitter who never fail to keep me amused) and all of the amazing authors who write the fantastic books that fuel our blogs.

And also, even though they won't be reading this, thanks to my neighbors who will be sending me over a plate of turkey tonight since I won't be having any until tomorrow!

Stuff your face and don't feel guilty about it until tomorrow. And if you're tackling the Black Friday crowds, make sure you be safe and don't forget to have your pitchforks and crowbars handy. (Kidding, kidding! But maybe only a little bit ...)

Kiss Crush Collide by Christina Meredith

2011-11-23T13:23:00.005-05:00

Kiss Crush Collide by Christina Meredith.
Publisher: Greenwillow Books.
Pages: 336.
Release Date: December 27th.

Leah has the life most high school girls would kill for—popularity, glowing grades, a rich, athletic boyfriend. So why does she feel like she can’t breathe? And why can’t she stop thinking about the boy from the country club? The one who isn’t her boyfriend, the one that her mother would never, ever approve of, the one that her perfect older sisters would never, ever look at twice. The one who is always looking back at her.

I was excited for Kiss Crush Collide because it came across as primarily a love story (the cover, the title, the synopsis, the books it's compared to ... ) but I was disappointed to find that it wasn't much of a romance at all.

This book, to me, is not about Leah and the bad boy from the country club, Duffy. Not at all. Their relationship, that is promoted to be the main aspect of the novel, left me so dissatisfied. There's no chemistry between the two, no substance or dialogue that ever made me root for them to be together. And when I finished the book, Duffy was still the stranger that he was from the page he was introduced. Their interaction was stiff and robotic and almost felt forced to compete with the main dilemma of this novel: Leah and fitting in her with posh family and sisters.

I actually really loved this storyline. Leah comes alive with emotions and frustrations when she deals with being the youngest in a procession of successful sisters. I feel like if this had been pushed as the main plot and the romance was just an added plus, I wouldn't have come into the novel with such expectations and I wouldn't have been let down.

Overall, though the romance left something to be desired, I did enjoy Leah's struggle with breaking herself from the family mold. I definitely recommend Kiss Crush Collide to anyone in the mood for something quick and full of drama!

Other reviews for Kiss Crush Collide:
Reading Extensively.
watchYAreading?
Good Choice Reading.

Top Ten Tuesday: Authors I'd Invite To Thanksgiving Dinner

2011-11-22T12:19:00.002-05:00

Top Ten Tuesday was created and is hosted by The Broke And The Bookish. This week's topic is authors I'd invite to my Thanksgiving dinner, which is an awesome topic, because can you imagine sitting around, stuffing your face and talking literary things with the authors of your favorite books?

In no particular order:

Kristin Cashore - I want to meet the mastermind behind the brillance that is Graceling and Fire. And in exchange for my hospitality and food, she could give me an advanced copy of Bitterblue. You know. Just sayin'.

Alexandra Bracken - Like you guys didn't see this one coming. Brightly Woven = favorite book ever. Even though I've already had the honor of meeting her, I would totally invite her to my imaginary author-po-looza Thanksgiving.

Courtney Allison Moulton - Because she'd be the life of the party. Seriously, this girl is a HOOT. Met her a bunch of times and she never fails to make me laugh.

Stephenie Meyer - Don't act like you wouldn't be secretly thrilled to have her at your dinner table, even if you hate her books with a fiery passion. Poor lady would never be able to actually eat anything with all of the questions I'd be firing off.

Laini Taylor - I don't care if she showed up for two seconds and then left, I just really want to meet the woman who is responsible for Daughter of Smoke and Bone, which happened to be one of the best books I've read in 2011.

Kendare Blake - I think Kendare would be another source of entertainment for us. Anna Dressed In Blood, though really gruesome at times, is pretty funny and she's absolutely hilarious on her Twitter account and guest posts. I'd love to have her over for Thanksgiving dinner!

Sarah Beth Durst - She'd probably be at the top of the invite list seeing as she's one of my all-time favorite authors. I'd be a twitchy fangirl if I ever got the chance to meet her!

Bree Despain - When I think of Thanksgiving and books, for some odd reason, I think Bree Despain and her Dark Dark series. I'm not sure why. Maybe there's a Thanksgiving scene in one of the books that I'm forgetting about or maybe I read one of these around Thanksgiving in the past, but I'd love to her at my holiday dinner table.

J.K. Rowling - I don't really need to write an explanation, do I?

Edgar Allan Poe - If he could come back from the dead, that is. He'd be the only male at the party, but for some reason I picture him as the one that gets really intoxicated that we all laugh at.

What about you? Would you invite any of these authors to your Thanksgiving dinner or what are some of YOUR choices?

Movie Review: Breaking Dawn Part 1

2011-11-18T09:15:00.000-05:00

Warning: I'm not exactly sure if my review has spoilers or not. If you haven't read the books and rely solely on the movies then, yes, it has spoilers. But if you've read the books already, read at your own risk? I will most definitely be discussing specific scenes from this movie. When it comes to novel adapted movies, especially one as wildly popular as Twilight, it's hard to tell what's a spoiler and what isn't.

Okay, so, I'm trying to think of calm, eloquent words to say about this movie and well, I just, um, no. OH MY GOD THIS MOVIE.

Breaking Dawn is not my favorite book of the series. It's also not my least favorite, as New Moon takes that title, but I didn't expect to love it as much as I did. Probably because I expected it to follow the same direction as the previous three movies. But it didn't. Breaking Dawn Part 1 is the most amazingly adapted movie in the series thus far, hardly deviating from the book at all. (I can only really think of one scene that wasn't in the book. ONE SCENE)

I felt so afraid for this movie. Breaking Dawn is the most mocked book of them all and since I'm fiercely protective of my Twilight, I was cringing to think of the overwhelming hatred this movie would have. And sure, it had it's WTF moments. (That one scene I mentioned earlier happens to be a dream in the very beginning and it's … well .. it's sort of laughable) There's also a scene where the wolves have a confrontation. In wolf form. With words. In their head. And it wasn't so much the wolves that was ridiculous as it was the actors overdramatic narration, but you get my point; there are scenes that will prompt mockery. But if you're a fan of the books and you were nervous about this movie, I wouldn't be.

How sick they made Bella look was WICKED. Props to the CGI guys! And the birth scene was gross. But I roll my eyes at any argument that tries to fault the movie for that. Isn't every birth gross? Or am I wrong and babies come out all polished and clean and perfect? *snorts*

Another thing I loved was how much personality Edward and Bella had in this movie. More than the previous three combined, in my opinion. (The scenes where Bella tries to seduce Edward = HILARIOUS) I feel like they have always been so spirited in the novels but it always fell flat onscreen, something I place the sole blame on the screenwriter. But whoever is responsible for the change, Bill Condon or Melissa Rothenberger or whoever, THANK YOU.

Overall, I think Breaking Dawn Part 1 was sorta kinda perfect, aside from said WTF moments. I'm not a fan of splitting movies into parts, wasn't a fan when they did it to Harry Potter and definitely not a fan now, but I'm near twitching with excitement and anticipation for the next one. Absolutely loved it and NEED to find someone to go with me to see it again!

P. S – I always try to hold my tongue, but I have to say this. You may call me a bitch, I don't care, but if you're one of the people who go see the movies to mock it, berate it, laugh at it, trash it … don't. Just don't. I understand that my words probably mean nothing and you're free to do whatever you want to do yadayadayada, but I had a somewhat unpleasant experience with people like this tonight and you know what? You sort of ruin it for everyone who's excited, everyone who actually loved the movie. We didn't pay $10, we didn't spend all year excited for this, to listen to your negativity and ignorance. But if you still feel the need to do it, at least be quiet about it. Otherwise you'll end up making yourself look like an asshat. Just saying.

Top Ten Tuesday: Unread Books On My Shelf

2011-11-15T12:35:00.003-05:00

Top Ten Tuesday was created and is hosted by The Broke And The Bookish. This week's topic is unread books on my shelf - the ones that I've had sitting around for ages but haven't got around to picking up yet.

In no particular order:

Peace, Love & Baby Ducks by Lauren Myracle - I'm pretty sure this is the first book I've ever won from another book blogger, and I was so excited when I got the package, but I never touched it since. In fact, I put it on the highest level of my shelf, where I can't reach it without dragging a chair into my room to stand on. Not sure why, I've heard good things, just haven't had the chance to pick it up!

The Host by Stephenie Meyer - As a huge Twilight fan, when I heard Stephenie was writing a book, I was like OMG I NEED THAT BOOK NOW. So on the book's release day, I was at my bookstore bright and early that morning, one of the first in line to get a copy. I tried to read the first chapter but got a bit bored so I set it down with every intention to pick it back up the next. And the next week. And the next week. But as you can see, that never happened.

Impossible by Nancy Werlin - Another one of the first books I've won from a blogger. I don't really have an excuse for not picking this one up sooner. I think I was just drowning in books I had actually heard of and was so excited to read. But I'm glad because I feel like I would appreciate this book a lot more now than I would've a few years ago.

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver - Don't hurt me! I'm perfectly aware of how praised this book is, but if you follow me on Twitter, you know I'm not a huge fan of sad books and crying while reading. While it happens quite frequently, I try to avoid it if I can. But I plan to suck it up and read this at some point because I hear it's totally worth it.

Claire de Lune by Christine Johnson - I've actually wanted this book for so, so long and I finally got a copy for my birthday I think last year or the year before? I had every intention of tearing into it the second I pulled it out of the package but I had so many review books to read that it eventually got shoved to the bottom of the pile. Definitely going to crack it open soon though!

Jealousy by Lili St. Crow - Same scenario as above. Because Jealousy is the third book in the Strange Angels series, I was being smart and waiting for the fourth book, Defiance, to be released. And then when that passed, I told myself I was waiting for the fifth and final book, Reckoning, to release so I could read all three, but that has come and gone and Jealousy hasn't moved from the shelf.

Major Crush by Jennifer Echols - A few years ago I won a box full of books from a blogger. When picking this one up, I'll admit that I judged the book by its cover and threw it right back in without even reading the back. But I'm assured by several bloggers that the Simon Pulse romcoms are great reads, so I'm planning on breaking this one out soon!

Plague by Michael Grant - I have no good excuse for this. I claim to be a huge Gone fangirl but I haven't touched this book yet. WHY? I do not know. I'm very ashamed of myself.

Mistwood by Leah Cypess - Another book collecting dust that I have no excuse for. I call myself a fantasy fan but I've let this one sit unread. I have been thinking about putting together some sort of fantasy event, though, so I'll definitely have to give this a read before I do anything!

My Invented Life by Lauren Bjorkman - I actually forgot I had this until I was reading this post. Oops?

What about you guys? What are some of your oldest unread books? And if there are any on my list that you think I need to pick up ASAP, comment and let me know!

The Summer Series by Jenny Han

2011-11-14T13:09:00.005-05:00

The Summer Series (The Summer I Turned Pretty, It's Not Summer Without You & We'll Always Have Summer) by Jenny Han.
Publisher: Simon & Schuster's Children Publishing.
Source: Won from publisher.

Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer--they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one terrible and wonderful summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along. - The Summer I Turned Pretty

Warning: this review is going to contain an excessive amount of exclamation points, unintelligible rambling and lots and lots of fangirling.

I've read the reviews on Goodreads, the horribly sarcastic ones that seem to tear these books to shreds. And I know that everybody has their opinion and not everybody will love a book, but I can't even ... I don't ... WHAT?

These books did some funny things to my heart. They got me all riled up, screaming and squealing and sobbing like a baby at five in the morning. For the week that I read them, I was seriously sleep deprived, laying in bed and wondering who Belly was going to be with and what was going to happen next.

My family used to rent cottages at Oglebay Park in West Virginia every January when I was a kid. All of my aunts and uncles and cousins, probably about forty of us, together for one whole week. I looked forward to these trips more than I looked forward to Christmas. This is wildly different from the beach house and summer activities that Belly waited for each year, of course, and I certainly never had a Conrad or Jeremiah staying in the cottage with me. But I feel like Jenny Han bottled up that essence of those perfect times with family or friends or crushes, whether it be summer or winter or whatever season, and she poured it out into these books.

The romance. Oh my god, the romance! (TEAM CONRAD FTW) It was almost painful to read, in the best way possible. It was harsh and realistic but just as equally sweet and enticing. The difference between the brothers is best seen with in their relationships with Belly, how they treat her, how they touch her, how they speak to her. And while I loved that It's Not Summer Without You spotlighted Jeremiah and We'll Always Have Summer spotlighted Conrad with their own chapters, I loved figuring them out through Belly's eyes more.

I chose to review these books together because I pretty much had the same reaction with every book: a squeal, a scan through the back pages to make sure I didn't miss anything and then an hour spent analyzing every possible thing that would happen in the next book.

Overall, the Summer series absolutely stole my heart! I don't think I've really said much about the novels other than how much I love them, but I hope you take that as a sign to run to your library or bookstore and pick them as soon as possible! Without a doubt the best contemporary series I've ever read!! <3

Movie News: The Host

2011-11-10T17:24:00.005-05:00

If you aren't already aware, Stephenie Meyer's (author of the Twilight series) book The Host is being adapted into a movie. I've had the book sitting on my shelf since the very first day it released in 2008 and I've yet to read it, but I've heard amazing things about it. It's a very long, thick book and I've been waiting for my reading schedule to die down before I dive into it (which, knowing me, would be a few more years) but after the casting news that was announced today, I plan to read as soon as possible.

Playing Melanie/Wanderer: Saoirse Ronan

Playing Jared: Max Irons (OMG MY FAVORITE ACTOR EVARRRR)

And playing Ian: Jake Abel

I love this cast. Especially Max Irons (if you know me, you know I've had an unhealthy obsession with him for yearsss) I've seen several movies with each of them and I know they're fantastic actors. I need to finally get around to reading this!

If you've read The Host, what do you think of this cast? Yay/nay? Thoughts?

It's the most wonderful time of the year ... Happy Haulidays from Chronicle Books!

2011-11-09T12:53:00.004-05:00

It's that time again! Chronicle is celebrating their second annual Happy Haulidays, where they give one blogger, one commenter and one charity of the blogger's choice to receive up to $500 in books! If you haven't heard of it before, here's how it works - if you're a blogger, all you have to do is post your wishlist of Chronicle books valued up to $500 on your blog. If you're a commenter, check out the list of blogs participating and get to commenting; one commenter from the winning blog will also win the blogger's list!

This year, Chronicle is adding to the awesomeness and allowing the lucky blogger winner to also choose a charity to win up to $500 as well. I'm fully supporting Reading Is Fundamental. They're so efficent and determined in their fight to get a book in the hands of every child and to make reading a part of their everyday life.

Without further ado, my list:

Prisoners In The Palace: How Princess Victoria became Queen with the Help of Her Maid, a Reporter, and a Scoundrel by Michaela MacColl.

Cartoon Modern by Amid Amidi.

More Stuff on My Cat by Mario Garza.

The Writer's Toolbox by Jamie Cat Callan.

Obsessed With Marvel by Peter Sanderson.

Movies To Check Out by The Imagineering Company.

Ultimate Book of Jokes: The Essential Collection of 1,500 Jokes by Scott McNeely.

F in Exams: The Very Best Totally Wrong Test Answers by Richard Benson.

Horrorscopes by Lucien Edwards.

Business Cards 3: Designs on Saying Hello by Michael Dorrian and Liz Farrelly.

Ticket Stub Diary by Eric Epstein.

Fuck This Book by Bodhi Oser.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies 2012 Wall Calender.

The Sock Monkey & Friends Kit: 9 Different Fun-to-Make Sock Creature Projects by Samantha Fisher and Cary Lane.

The Redstone Inkblot Test by Will Hobson.

Milk & Cookies by Tina Casaceli.

How I Stole Johnny Depp's Alien Girlfriend by Gary Ghislain.

The Space Between Trees by Katie Williams.

The Big Book of Soups and Stews: 262 Recipes for Serious Comfort Food by Maryana Vollstedt.

Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey: Desserts for the Serious Sweet Tooth by Jill O'Connor.

Instant Iron-Ons by Julia Rothman.

Werewolves by Paul Jessup.

How to Be the Best Bubblewriter in the World, Ever! by Linda Scott.

Moleskin 2012 18 Month Weekly Notebook.

Fortune-Telling Scratchers: Discover Your Destiny on 40 Interactive Cards by Jan Rose.

Business Cards 2: More Ways of Saying Hello by Michael Dorrian.

Some humor, some fiction, some graphic and writing stuff! Mixing it up this year! If you like my list and want to be entered to win it, just leave a comment below!

If you're a blogger/reader and want to enter or learn more about how Happy Haulidays works, click here for more information!

Top Ten Tuesday: Books That That Were Out Of My Comfort Zone

2011-11-08T12:12:00.003-05:00

Top Ten Tuesday was created and is hosted by The Broke And The Bookish. This week's topic is books that were out of my comfort zones - that ones that were so wildly different from what I'm used to reading. This is most likely going to be a very, very short list since I don't really have that much of a comfort zone, but I'll list what I can remember.

In no particular order:

One Whole & Perfect Day by Judith Clark - This book is not like any other YA out there. It doesn't really focus on a young character. As a matter of fact, if I remember correctly, there's an array of characters of all ages, even a grandfather gets his own chapters in this book. It sort of breaks the mold of an average YA and I was a bit uncomfortable with it at first, but it ended up being a really great novel.

Teach Me by R.A. Nelson - This story about a student/teacher relationship was so dramatic and realistic and after coming off of my Twilight high (since this was the book I read right after) it was extremely out of my comfort zone.

A Child Called "It" by Dave Pelzer - How could this book be in anyone's comfort zones? I read this in high school and was horrified. Absolutely horrified. Spent one half of the book gasping in the outrage and the other sobbing like a baby. Though it's a very good book, I now stay far, far away from autobiographies.

Like I said - very short list today. Only those three books have ever made me uncomfortable. What about you? What books pushed you out of your comfort zone?

Caleb + Kate by Cindy Martinusen-Coloma

2011-11-07T13:47:00.006-05:00

Caleb + Kate by Cindy Martinusen-Coloma.
Publisher: Thomas Nelson.
Pages: 288.

Private school, rich friends, vacations in France--Kate has it all, except a belief in love.

When Kate's family purchases a hotel in the Pacific Northwest, she enters a world that is wholly unknown to her. She never has any privacy because of the constant flow of guests. And as the hotel owner's daughter, she struggles to make friends.

Then she meets Caleb, a strange combination of working-class, Hawaiian culture, and Christian bad boy. He talks about love in an all new way that she finds so alluring. But the two have nothing in common. He rarely smiles, rides a motorcycle with a rough crowd from town, and worst of all, he totally ignores Kate. But Kate has something that he needs and she resolves to prove to him that what she has doesn't define who she is.

I am a huge fan of the "opposites attract" and "starcrossed lovers" kind of books, and Caleb + Kate seemed to fit both of those categories perfectly. And while their the story was packed full of that angsty prejudiced goodness, I didn't love it nearly as much as I hoped I would.

You've heard of instalove, but I'm coining a new a term ... instaconflict. That's what seems to happen with Caleb and Kate before they even meet each other. And I could've gotten past that very easily because hey, you can only tell a love story in so many words, I'm an aspiring author so I totally get that. But the instaconflict didn't ever seem to fade. I was stuck on the "I like her, I shouldn't like her, I like him but my friend's think I'm too rich for him, I don't care what my friends think" through pretty much the entire thing because that seemed to be the only conflict there was.

Once their relationship started to progress, I did start to like it a lot more, but it was a bit too anticlimactic for my tastes. Their romantic confessions to each other was one of the only things that really got me excited for this story.

Overall, Caleb + Kate is definitely not a "starcrossed" favorite of mine, but their love story was still admirable enough for me. If you're in the mood for something light but romantic, this is definitely the book for you.

The Pledge by Kimberly Derting

2011-11-03T14:34:00.003-04:00

The Pledge by Kimberly Derting.
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry.
Pages: 320.
Release Date: November 15th.

In the violent country of Ludania, the classes are strictly divided by the language they speak. The smallest transgression, like looking a member of a higher class in the eye while they are speaking their native tongue, results in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina has always been able to understand the languages of all classes, and she's spent her life trying to hide her secret. The only place she can really be free is the drug-fueled underground clubs where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. It's there that she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy named Max who speaks a language she's never heard before . . . and her secret is almost exposed.

Charlie is intensely attracted to Max, even though she can't be sure where his real loyalties lie. As the emergency drills give way to real crisis and the violence escalates, it becomes clear that Charlie is the key to something much bigger: her country's only chance for freedom from the terrible power of a deadly regime.

The Pledge, though described as dystopian, almost feels somewhat like a fantasy novel with its richly developed world/society, evil queen trickery, fast-paced action and adventure and of course, a gallant love interest. I'm not sure what I was expecting when I picked this up, but it certainly wasn't that. (A very, very good that)

The whole status and language segregation confused the heck out of me for the first few chapters. It's possible that I might've just been missing something, but I don't feel like the languages that belong to each social class were really specified and explained clearly. Luckily, it's touched on quite a few times during the last half of the novel so that I didn't leave the book still perplexed.

I love the "evil queen" feel about this book. I would've loved to see her have a much, much bigger part, but she made for a very entertaining, threatening villain. Charlie was an okay character, but I didn't completely fall in love with her, so Queen Sabara kind of stole the story for me. (Liking an evil character so much? Yes, I am very weird indeed.)

Overall, I enjoyed The Pledge. It's a massive switch-up from Derting's Body Finders novels, but the same tasteful writing that hooked me on that series is just as present in this gripping, fantasy-like adventure. If you're in the mood for something quick, riveting and romantic, I definitely recommend The Pledge!

Other reviews for The Pledge:
Fiction Folio.
The Fairytale Nerd.
Mundie Moms.
The Young Folks.

Winners: Beautiful Chaos!

2011-11-02T19:25:00.002-04:00

Thanks to everyone that entered to win and spread the word! Congrats to the lucky winners ...

#27 - Dizneeee

&

#13 - Alyssa L!

More great giveaways coming up on Sophistikatied soon so keep an eye out!

Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts

2011-11-01T15:18:00.005-04:00

Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts.
Publisher: Simon & Schuster.
Pages: 336.

Since mankind began, civilizations have always fallen: the Romans, the Greeks, the Aztecs…Now it’s our turn. Huge earthquakes rock the world. Cities are destroyed. But something even more awful is happening. An ancient evil has been unleashed, turning everday people into hunters, killers, crazies.

Mason's mother is dying after a terrible car accident. As he endures a last vigil at her hospital bed, his school is bombed and razed to the ground, and everyone he knows is killed. Aries survives an earthquake aftershock on a bus, and thinks the worst is over when a mysterious stranger pulls her out of the wreckage, but she’s about to discover a world changed forever. Clementine, the only survivor of an emergency town hall meeting that descends into murderous chaos, is on the run from savage strangers who used to be her friends and neighbors. And Michael witnesses a brutal road rage incident that is made much worse by the arrival of the police--who gun down the guilty party and then turn on the bystanding crowd.

Where do you go for justice when even the lawmakers have turned bad? These four teens are on the same road in a world gone mad. Struggling to survive, clinging on to love and meaning wherever it can be found, this is a journey into the heart of darkness – but also a journey to find each other and a place of safety.

Dark Inside is, simply put, one of the most messed up books I have ever read. But I mean this in the best way possible. It's chocked full of horrifying brutality, gruesome violence and lots and lots of depression, but I still found this novel freakishly entertaining.

There are no zombies in this book. I feel like that's a big misconception surrounding this title. What happens to the people in this book is almost exactly like the movie The Crazies; regular people turn into monstrous, murdering machines. It's oddly strange and terrifying to have humanity be the villain and it made this book so, so scary. I wish the relation to the earthquakes and the reasoning as to why everything was happening was a bit clearer. It seemed to be touched on occasionally, but I don't recall ever getting a clear explanation.

I was a bit concerned about how I'd feel about the alternating point of views between five characters. It bothered me at one point because I found myself only caring about one of the characters but I had to trudge through all of these other stories as well. As I continued to read, that annoyance went away completely. And once the characters unite, I feel like the entire novel comes together.

Overall, Dark Inside is a fast-paced, terrifying thrill ride of murder and adventure that will keep you awake into the long hours of the night. (Simon & Schuster had the right idea about that. Have some coffee handy because it will scare you hyper!) I definitely recommend this to those in the mood for something edgy, thrilling and intense!

Other reviews for Dark Inside:
Dark Side of the Covers.
Dark Readers.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T13:10:00.003-04:00

It's here! *throws candy* I've been reading scary books and watching terrifying movies and enjoying all of the cartoon specials all month to get myself pysched for this day even though I don't really do anything to celebrate; except take a bunch of hyper cousins out trick-or-treating. I would totally put a costume on and go door-to-door for myself, but I'm pretty sure people would slam the door on a twenty-one year old girl asking for candy, so I live vicariously through the kids.

Anyway, if you're going out tonight, be safe! Have fun! Eat candy! Scare somebody! And then if you're an old geezer like me, go home and watch all of the Roseanne Halloween episodes because that's what I'm planning on doing.

And if you're wondering what I'm being this year, I'm sticking with who I portrayed at the Harry Potter party not too long ago - Luna Lovegood.

Tomorrow will begin NaNoWriMo and Just Contemporary month! Posts might be a bit slow since I'll be rushing to get writing done, but I'll be reading as much contemporary as I can find on my shelves and posting the reviews as often as I can!

In which I risk my sanity (aka I'm now a NaNoWriMo participant!)

2011-10-28T13:16:00.003-04:00

The blog title pretty much sums it up. Every single year, I pass up the opporutnity to participate in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month, for those of you who don't know. It's basically 30 days of non-stop writing and if you complete a novel of at least 50,000 words at the finish line, you're considered a winner!) and every year when December 1st rolls around, I always regret not joining in.

But I am finally taking the plunge.

I am a writer. And it's my dream to be a published author. But I've barely written at all this year (work, blogging, New York, Pennsylvania, work, blogging, work, work, etc) so I'm hoping this challenge and the support of the other YA blogosphere Nano-goers will get me motivated again.

I'm not going to delve into the details of my novel; I'll just say that it's a fantasy featuring wyverns and romance and magic and adventure. It's been floating around in my head for more than a year now and I'm so excited to finally begin to bring it to life in a few days!

But as excited as I am for next month, I'm also incredibly nervous. I have a short fuse. I'm easily frustrated and if the inspiration doesn't come, I'm going to be skipping a lot of days.

So if any previous NaNoWriMo winners or participants are reading this - help! If you have any advice for how to keep composed and organized so I don't end up throwing something at the wall, I would be very grateful! And any tips, or helpful websites, or words of encouragement will be appreciated as well. I need all the preparation I can get!

If you're participating this year as well, comment and let me know so I can wish you good luck!

The Name Of The Star by Maureen Johnson

2011-10-26T13:20:00.004-04:00

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson.
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile.
Pages: 370.
Source: BEA.

The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

Soon "Rippermania" takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.

Reading this book around Halloween, at two in the morning, was kind of a perfect coincidence. Because The Name of the Star gave me such an extreme case of the heebie jeebies, I actually pretended to fall asleep with my desk lamp on. True story.

I'll admit that I considered putting it down at first. The first hundred pages or so were just about Rory, our main girl, getting a hang of her new life and new school in London. It wasn't boring and I was actually quite enjoying meeting all of the quirky characters and reading about the gorgeous London scenery that Maureen so wonderfully wrote. But I was expecting terror and murder and a lot more Jack The Ripper hysteria. If you're like me and were a bit discouraged at first, do NOT stop reading. I repeat, DO NOT put it down. If anything, you'll appreciate that bit of normalcy and niceness we got at the beginning because once the chaos starts, it doesn't stop. It's brutal and gruesome and terrifying but oh so good.

This is the ultimate whodunit because not only does it feature probably the most famous serial killer of all time to never be caught, but it features one that cannot be seen. There's a particular scene where someone is viewing footage from a security camera of one of the killings and holy crap ... definitely the most horrifying, scariest thing I've ever read in a book before. Ever.

And if you asked me to write an essay on Jack The Ripper right now, I could probably fill about ten pages. The facts and information and spectulations were nestled into the story so nicely that it didn't feel like the author was just whipping knowledge of the serial killer at us. I feel so informed now. (Thanks Maureen!)

Overall, I absolutely loved The Name of the Star. The beginning kind of dragged, sure, but the rest of the book is so astonishingly chilling and full of so much terror, adventure and mystery that it doesn't even matter. Mixing a beautiful London setting with an extreme murder mystery and lots and lots of horror, this book is definitely a win for me. I suggest you all check it out!

Other reviews for The Name of the Star:
The Complusive Reader.
Novel Novice.
Hobbitsies.
storybound girl.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books To Read Around Halloween

2011-10-25T12:50:00.003-04:00

Top Ten Tuesday was created and is hosted by The Broke And The Bookish. This week's topic is books to read around Halloween - the spooky ones that will give you chills and thrills and fit in perfectly with the scariness of October 31st!

In no particular order:

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake - This is, without a doubt, the scariest book I've ever read. This ghost-kills-people story is terrifying and gory, but it's also an amazing story so it'll do more than just make you want to sleep with the blankets over your head.

After Obsession by Carrie Jones & Steven E. Wedel - It might not seem so from the cover, but this book had me scared shitless. My inner-wuss absolutely hates demons and possessions and exorcisms and this book is full of all three.

Enclave by Ann Aguirre - If you've ever seen the movie The Descent, where a group of women go exploring in a mysterious cave and come across these disturbing creatures with big ears and long fangs that want to eat them for dinner, you'll understand why this book freaked me out so badly. Those creatures are totally in this book. In dark subway tunnels. In large groups. And they're hungry all the time. *shivers*

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh - Okay, so this book isn't all that scary, but it is very dark and very intense and full of all of the creepiness that is Edgar Allen Poe.

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff - Just look at the cover! Do I really need to explain how this book is spooky enough to be considered a great read for Halloween? If you have this book and you're making a Halloween to-read list, you better put this one on the top of the pile!

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson - I just finished this a few days ago and holy crap. This is another terrifying, gory book that got under my skin and had me sleeping the blanket completely pulled up over my head.

This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel - This prequel to Frankenstein is creepy, fast-paced and full of spooky pecuilarness that is perfect for Halloween. Not too scary, but definitely eerie enough to be on this list!

Sisters Red/Sweetly by Jackson Pearce -Sweetly is more terrifying, but both books have that perfect dark, creep factor. Plus there are vicious werewolves and chocolate and romance. Sold? I think so.

Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann - While this wasn't my favorite book in the world, it did give me a good case of the heebie jeebies. Definitely worth picking up for Halloween!

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan - Probably the best zombie book I've ever read. (Though they're called the Unconsecrated in this series!) It's sort of unintentionally scary but scary nonetheless.

Any of these books on your Halloween list? If not, what are some of your picks?

Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber

2011-10-24T12:04:00.006-04:00

Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber.
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire.
Pages: 320.
Source: BEA.
Release Date: November 8th.

The Picture of Dorian Gray meets Pride and Prejudice, with a dash of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

New York City, 1882. Seventeen-year-old Natalie Stewart's latest obsession is a painting of the handsome British Lord Denbury. Something in his striking blue eyes calls to her. As his incredibly life-like gaze seems to follow her, Natalie gets the uneasy feeling that details of the painting keep changing...

Jonathan Denbury's soul is trapped in the gilded painting by dark magic while his possessed body commits unspeakable crimes in the city slums. He must lure Natalie into the painting, for only together can they reverse the curse and free his damaged soul.

Darker Still is sexy and terrifying, combining a gorgeous romance with a spine-tingling horror that had me torn between swooning and cowering under my blankets. With its beautiful gothic appeal, detailed descriptions of the lifestyle/scenery in the 1880's and the simple yet absolutely enthralling story, this book was definitely a winner for me.

First, I want to talk about how much I loved that the main character, Natalie, had so much bravery and power. Instead of being a damsel in distress, she does all of the saving for the handsome, helpless love interest. This book was written in a time where women were pretty much considered useless and that made me even more appreciative of Natalie's totally kick-assery. Secondly, THE MYSTERY. Oh, the mystery. My brain was a jumbled mess the whole time, trying to figure out motives behind murders and behaviors behind a demon and gah. Let's just say that I was never, ever bored.

And the romance? Kind of insta-love, I'll admit, but don't let that deter you from reading because it's so easy to look past once you really get into the story and into Natalie and Lord Denbury's relationship. If you've read my reviews before, you know that I'm a huge huge anti-insta-love reader, but I fully support it in this book.

I do have one teeny tiny complaint and it's that sometimes the most intense scenes fade to black and it was very anticlimactic. Natalie's doing something dangerous and the intensity is building and I'm scooting farther and farther to the edge of my seat and then ... nothing. The author does go back to retell what happened in later paragraphs, but I think I would've preferred it if everything unraveled then and there. But maybe that's just me!

Overall, I very much enjoyed Darker Still. Leanna Renee Hieber has succeeded in spinning a dark, seductive tale of romance, adventure and horror that is both beautiful and shockingly gruesome. (Gruesome in the best way possible) I definitely recommend!

Other reviews for Darker Still:
Tales of the Inner Book Fanatic.
365 Days of Reading.

Fan Art Friday (89)

2011-10-21T00:00:00.000-04:00

This week's fan art is inspired by Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez. (Click here to read my glowing review!) Very rarely do I do fan art inspired by contemporary novels. As much as I enjoy them, there's usually nothing visually imaginative that I can try to put into a piece. But I knew I would do something for Virtuosity the minute I finished it. Carmen and Jeremy were these intense, conflicted characters and I wanted to feature them both. For Carmen, I choose Danielle Campbell. (She was in that one train wreck of a DCOM about a girl falling in love with a teenage rockstar .. ick) And for Jeremy, I choose Will Moseley. Yes, he's one of the top poster boys for cute, blonde YA boys, but I think he fits the part quite nicely. My photoshopping is a bit rough around some edges, but I actually consider this one of the more neater, professional looking posters I've ever done.

Thoughts? Yay/nay, awesomesauce or epic fail? Comment and let me know! Your feedback is always appreciated!

If you've got YA bookish fan art that you'd like featured on Fan Art Friday, just shoot me an email at skellington28210@yahoo.com!

Happy Weekend!

Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez

2011-10-19T14:17:00.004-04:00

Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez.
Publisher: Simon Pulse.
Pages: 304.

Now is not the time for Carmen to fall in love. And Jeremy is hands-down the wrong guy for her to fall for. He is infuriating, arrogant, and the only person who can stand in the way of Carmen getting the one thing she wants most: to win the prestigious Guarneri competition. Carmen's whole life is violin, and until she met Jeremy, her whole focus was winning. But what if Jeremy isn't just hot...what if Jeremy is better?

Carmen knows that kissing Jeremy can't end well, but she just can't stay away. Nobody else understands her--and riles her up--like he does. Still, she can't trust him with her biggest secret: She is so desperate to win she takes anti-anxiety drugs to perform, and what started as an easy fix has become a hungry addiction. Carmen is sick of not feeling anything on stage and even more sick of always doing what she’s told, doing what's expected.

Sometimes, being on top just means you have a long way to fall....

A book about competing violinists? *yawn* How entertaining and engrossing could that possibly be? The answer: Immensely. I devoured Virtuosity in one sitting. With such a fast pace and high intensity, it was very easy to become so absorbed with the story.

I love how Jessica Martinez manages to twist my feelings on certain characters throughout the whole story. I started off loving characters who I hated in the beginning and absolutely loathing characters who I didn't mind so much when I first started reading. And I have to mention how the two main characters and violinists, Carmen and Jeremy, seem to express their personalities most when they're onstage. The scenes where they were actually playing were so beautiful and I wish this book had come with some sort of soundtrack to make the experience that much better.

I've read a lot of reviews prior to reading that talked about not being able to relate to Carmen's character, but that didn't apply to me at all. Maybe it was just me, but Carmen's anxiety and anguish over the competition and her feelings for Jeremy just leaped right off the page and into my head. And the way she transformed and rebelled from under her mother's thumb was done really appropriate, I think, that someone who has ever been pressured would understand what Carmen is going through.

Overall, Virtuosity is one of the more fabulous contemporary novels released this year, full of drama and romance and struggles between right and wrong and attempting to find yourself through everything. Carmen's battle with the violin, the pills and her relationship with Jeremy had me on the edge of my seat. I definitely recommend you check Virtuosity out!

Other reviews for Virtuosity:
Chick Loves Lit.
Hobbitsies.
Makeshift Bookmark.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Picked Up Because Of The Cover/Title!

2011-10-18T13:20:00.004-04:00

Top Ten Tuesday was created and is hosted by The Broke And The Bookish. This week's topic is books I picked up because of the cover/title - the ones that, no matter how good and bad the synopsis sounded, I just had to read because of how wonderful the cover was.

In no particular order:

Ice by Sarah Beth Durst - Hands down, my favorite book cover ever. Absolutely gorgeous. In person it's all shiny and glittery and even more gorgeous than it looks online. And the best part is is that what is behind the cover, the story, is just as beautiful. Saw it at Borders and HAD to have it.

Dead Rules by Randy Russell - Most people are sort of freaked out by this cover but I think it's awesome. I got the arc with every intention of reading it after its release date but those big, haunting eyes were like a siren the way they called to me from the pile of books.

The Rep lacement by Brenna Yovanoff - Another creepy cool one. I love when covers actually fit the book instead of being just a random model with windblown hair or something.

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce - I love artwork on book covers. They definitely stand apart from the generic pretty girl book covers on shelves. My eye tends to catch bolder covers and this cover is definitely bold.

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer - Even though I'm not a fan of all pretty girl covers, I still have a few favorites. Nightshade's first cover is absolutely beautiful. Not sure what's up with all the purpleness but it's so pretty in person that it kind of distracts you, haha.

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl - There's something so stunning about that font. And in embossed foil? The whole color on black cover with the large, capitalized title named on both the cover and the spine make the books shine on my shelves. The first time I saw Beautiful Creatures online, I pre-0rdered it ASAP. Had to have it!

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick - Hate on the book all you want, but you know you love the cover. Don't deny it.

Hourglass by Myra McEntire - This cover is so simple but so powerful. As soon as the author unveiled it, I was like OMGNEEDITNOW.

Steel by Carrie Vaughn - After Harper released this cover in their catalog, I salivated over this book for months. To be honest, I didn't even care what the book was about. LOOK AT THAT COVER.

Did you buy any of these books based on their covers? If not, which ones DID you pick up?

Giveaway: Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl!

2011-10-17T15:27:00.003-04:00

Beautiful Chaos, the third book in the gothic amazingness that is the Caster Chronicles series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, releases tomorrow! To celebrate, I've been given the opportunity to give away TWO copies to two of my fabulous blog readers!

About the books:
Sometimes there isn't just one answer or one choice. Sometimes there's no going back. And this time there won't be a happy ending. Ethan and Lena’s mesmerizing romance continues in the highly anticipated new Beautiful Creatures novel, coming October 18th.

http://beautifulcreaturesnovels.com/

Giveaway Info:
- (2) Winners will receive finished copies of Beautiful Chaos (Caster Chronicles #3)
- Open to US addresses only.
- Fill out the form below to enter.
- Giveaway will close on October 30th!

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Slayers by C.J. Hill

2011-10-16T13:28:00.003-04:00

Slayers by C.J. Hill.
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends.
Pages: 304.

Dragons exist. They’re ferocious. And they’re smart: Before they were killed off by slayer-knights, they rendered a select group of eggs dormant, so their offspring would survive. Only a handful of people know about this, let alone believe it – these “Slayers” are descended from the original knights, and are now a diverse group of teens that includes Tori, a smart but spoiled senator’s daughter who didn’t sign up to save the world.

The dragon eggs have fallen into the wrong hands. The Slayers must work together to stop the eggs from hatching. They will fight; they will fall in love. But will they survive?

Slayers combines two of my favorite things in books: summer camp and kick-ass fantasy. It has all of that entertaining teenage angst and beautiful camp scenery. It has all of that fast-paced, adrenaline rush worthy action with huge, towering dragons to match. It's pretty much my dream book and it definitely didn't disappoint.

Tori goes through such a strong attitude and personality adjustment throughout the length of this novel. When we're first introduced to her, I wasn't impressed. Despite her acknowledging that there's this prejudice over her head about being a rich senator's daughter, she doesn't really do much to disprove it. As the story unfolds and as she's being educated and trained in how to defeat the dragons, I feel like she starts to shine. Maybe it wasn't intentional for the author, but the way I went from not liking her at all to loving her when I finished the book is plain awesome.

There's not much I can say negatively about this book. I loved pretty much all of it. There were times, however, when the action was in full-force and the characters were all present, that I did get confused. There's quite a few slayers and when they're all in the scene, it got a bit jumbled at times. But it definitely wasn't enough to discourage me from the rest of the book.

Overall, Slayers is an adventure of epic proportions that will have you on the edge of your seat. It's got a little bit of something for everyone - fantasy, drama, action, romance, adventure and so much more. I enjoyed pretty much everything about it, so I definitely recommend you pick this one up!

Other reviews for Slayers:
Karissa's Reading Review.
Starry Sky Books.
Fully Authorized.

Fan Art Friday (88)

2011-10-14T00:04:00.000-04:00

This week's fan art is, once again, based on Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor. (See last week's fan art featuring Karou) I said last week that I wanted to do something with the jar of teeth and once I got that onto the piece, I knew it was missing the wishmonger who collects them - Brimstone. That's probably the poorest execution of Brimstone that you'll see on any fan art piece. He's got a human chest with the head of a ram, but I couldn't find a SINGLE decent ram picture that didn't have six feet of fur surrounding it's face. So I did the whole chest view, minus the scars. The twirly things a the top are supposed to be his horns, if you couldn't figure that out. Yes, this piece is a bit disturbing, but it fits quite nicely with the book, I think. What say you?

Thoughts? Yay/nay, awesomesauce or epic fail? Comment and let me know! Your feedback is always appreciated!

And if you've got YA bookish fan art that you'd like featured on Fan Art Friday, just shoot me an email at skellington28210@yahoo.com!

Happy Weekend!

Winners: Silence

2011-10-13T20:39:00.003-04:00

Thanks so much to everyone who entered and spread the word! It's always appreciated!

Congrats to the lucky people who will be receiving finished copies of Silence (Hush, Hush #3) by Becca Fitzpatrick!

#120 - SupaGurl!

&

#51 - LadyVampire!

More great giveaways planned on Sophistikatied Reviews soon, so keep your eyes peeled!

Cover Alert: Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake

2011-10-13T14:05:00.003-04:00

I rarely post cover alerts, but when they're for books that I'd sell my soul to the devil for, I definitely make time to share them on the blog.

This time, I'm featuring Girl of Nightmares, the sequel to Anna Dressed In Blood, by Kendare Blake. Anna Dressed In Blood has been earned itself a place on my all-time favorite list. Horrifying but amazing at the same time! (And perfect for Halloween. Go buy a copy and revel in the scariness!)

I think the cover is gorgeous. It fits with the first book (none of that pesky cover changing between books, thankfully. I hate that!) but still brings a completely new level of creepiness, in my opinion.

What do you think of this cover?

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Wish I Could Read Again For The First Time

2011-10-11T15:56:00.004-04:00

Top Ten Tuesday was created and is hosted by The Broke And The Bookish. This week's topic is books I wish I could read again for the first time - the ones that make me want to relive that first great reading experience.

In no particular order:

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling - When I read the first book, I think I was too young to really grasp the magic that this series exudes. (And when I say magic, I don't mean the spells and charms and wizardry) If I were reading these books for the first time now, I'm sure I'd be absolutely dumbstruck, in a good way, of course.

Divergent by Veronica Roth - Oh man, I read this book in one sitting and I even clapped right after I finished it. This book had me laughing and swooning and crying and gasping and growling and I was a numb mess when it was finally over. It sounds unpleasant, but I'd love to re-read this book for the first time a million times again.

Graceling by Kristin Chashore - Incredible and brilliantly written epic fantasy novel? Meet an epic fantasy fangirl. This book was love at first chapter. I've already reread it twice since receiving a copy, but there's nothing like your first time. (I promise that I'm not intentionally trying to be lame today)

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson - Best. Contemporary. Ever. It was like jumping in the car alongside Amy and Roger for their roadtrip.

My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison - I don't think I've ever laughed so hard while reading a book before. Reading this one definitely lifted my spirits and I'd love to experience that again.

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh - Is this book on my Top Ten list every week? Probably. But for good reason. I wish I had some sort of camera running while I read this one so you could all see my face. I love it when a book stumps me.

Ice by Sarah Beth Durst - One of the most gorgeous books ever written, in my opinion. This is the book that introduced me to the ridiculously talented awesomeness that is Sarah Beth Durst (one of my favorite authors everrrr)

Would you reread any of these books for the first time again? If not, what books are on your list?

The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton

2011-10-10T15:20:00.003-04:00

The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton.
Publisher: Tor Teen.
Pages: 352.

The year is 1871, and Tiki has been making a home for herself and her family of orphans in a deserted hideaway adjoining Charing Cross Station in central London. Their only means of survival is by picking pockets. One December night, Tiki steals a ring, and sets off a chain of events that could lead to all-out war with the Fey. For the ring belongs to Queen Victoria, and it binds the rulers of England and the realm of Faerie to peace. With the ring missing, a rebel group of faeries hopes to break the treaty with dark magic and blood—Tiki’s blood.

Unbeknownst to Tiki, she is being watched—and protected—by Rieker, a fellow thief who suspects she is involved in the disappearance of the ring. Rieker has secrets of his own, and Tiki is not all that she appears to be. Her very existence haunts Prince Leopold, the Queen’s son, who is driven to know more about the mysterious mark that encircles her wrist.

Prince, pauper, and thief—all must work together to secure the treaty…

I absolutely loved The Faerie Ring and how differently it's set up than most other faerie novels I've read. Set way back in England during the 1800's, it's got a classic, timely feel about it with it's authentic depictions of the scenery and buildings and life that inhabited that era. I felt like Kiki Hamilton really nailed it with the settings. Every chapter introduced a new part of the Victorian London; the parks, the streets, the palaces, the bakeries and book shops, the orphaned children who pickpocket to survive - they were written beautifully and they were all so easy to picture in my head.

Tiki and her orphaned family definitely tugged on my heartstrings quite a bit. It was refreshing not to read about a heroin who put a love interest/romance before everything else. Not that there wasn't a great romance! Rieker (let's all have a collective dreamy sigh, shall we?) and Tiki's relationship works in perfectly with this novel because it doesn't consume the entire story. It's subtle and woven into their adventure at just the right times.

I would've loved to get a bit more insight into the world of faeries. The small touch of it that we get at the end wasn't enough for me! But hopefully there's a sequel choked full of evil faerieness. Which reminds me, that's another thing I appreciated about this book - it's ended to where it could work as a standalone, but it also sets up nicely for a sequel. (I'm rooting for a sequel. More lovely Victorian London and Rieker and badass faeries, please?)

Overall, The Faering Ring is a fantastic debut! With a lovable and honorable heroin, gorgeous descriptions of 1800's London, an intense fight for a ring and an epic battle between good and evil - I definitely recommend you all check this one out!

Other reviews for The Faerie Ring:
The Story Siren.
365 Days Of Reading.
I Read Banned Books.
The Reading Date.

Harry Potter Party!

2011-10-09T13:44:00.003-04:00

Yesterday I did just about the coolest thing ever: I attended a Harry Potter party. It was so much fun and so awesome and since it's sort of book related, I figured why not post on the blog?

If you follow me on Twitter, you've probably seen a tweet or two in the past two months about my ridiculous excitement or my costume crises or something other pertaining to this party. It finally took place in one of my cousin's remodeled barn last night! I was dressed as Luna Lovegood, one of my all-time favorite characters from the Harry Potter world. My costume was a bit ... rough. The wig was absolutely horrible and the jacket I bought didn't dye so I had to use a back-up last minute. But it definitely did not lower my spirits any!

The outside of the barn, displaying all four of the house banners!

The feast table! (It really was a feast. We had turkey, chicken, stuffing, potatoes and corn and all kinds of other foods. I felt like Ron with the way I was stuffing my face)

My friend, dressed as Narcissa Malfoy, checking out some of the wanted posters.

The treat table! There were all kinds of delicious goodies - chocolate frogs (check out those boxes! They look so authentic!) licorice, Bertie Botts, acid pops (made by yours truly with blow pops and pop rocks) and a bunch of other cool baked goods!

The cutest cupcakes ever! Wizard hats! And they were so, so good!

Got my tea leaves read by the host of the party who was dressed as Professor Trelawney! She heated up something using a tin spoon, put it in water to harden and I had to put it in my palm and tell her what it looked like. According to her, I've got great fortune coming my way quickly. Guess I better start playing the lottery?

Butterbeer and cider! My two drinks of choice for the evening. The butterbeer was absolutely delicious! Vanilla ice cream, cream soda, butterscotch syrup and cinnamon. I think I had about six cups, haha.

Closer look at some of the treats. My friend made the cake that Hagrid gave Harry when they first met!

More pics of the treat table!

Ravenclaw pride! Ugh, that wig was absolutely horrible. I cringe at the thought of ever putting it on my head again. And that coat was so bulky. Made me look so big and I was sweating my ass off by the end of the afternoon since it was 80 degrees outside. But I had the perfect Luna skirt that I made myself that this picture didn't get. :(

Trelawney, Dobby and Luna! I wish I had more pictures of my cousin dressed as Dobby. She served the entire party their dinner and walked around with one sock on the entire night. It was hilarious!

That was all the pictures I could take before I abandoned my camera in the car. I wish I would have kept it with me so I could've documented the rest of the evening which was a blast, but I think you get the point. Overall, a very cool experience! I hope to get invited to more parties like this in the future!

Perhaps a Hunger Games or Mortal Instruments party? Though I'm not quite sure how you'd decorate for those ...

Fan Art Friday (87)

2011-10-06T23:52:00.008-04:00

This week's fan art is inspired by Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor, which is pretty much the most amazing book in existence. If you want to read my review, which is basically just a fangirl gushfest, you can do so here. Anyway, the original piece I had done for this will probably never see the light of day. It was just a jar of teeth sitting on a worn wooden desk with feathers hanging all around. It wasn't bad and it did fit with the story, but it just didn't have the right mood and charm that the story has. I focused more on Karou and I think the outcome is one of my personal favorite pieces from me. In my honest opinion, I feel like that is Karou on my poster. What say you?

Thoughts? Yay/nay, awesomesauce or epic fail? Comment and let me know what you think! Your thoughts are always appreciated!
And if you've got YA bookish fan art that you'd like featured on Fan Art Friday, just shoot me an email at skellington28210@yahoo.com!

Happy Weekend!

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

2011-10-05T13:25:00.003-04:00

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor.
Publisher: Little Brown Books For Young Readers.
Pages: 420.

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

There is an oddness about me, one that loves peculiar things and wicked things, that I thought only Tim Burton could satisfy. My imagination is endless and I strive to find more books that are so bizarrely creative that they're actually brilliant.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone is one of those books.

From the first page with the first line, "Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love. It did not end well," I was instantly enraptured. Laini Taylor has a classic, graceful way about her writing, but not once did it feel overwhelming or over the top. The world that Taylor creates is simply alluring. Her descriptions of Prague and the world of the chimaera are so beautiful and easy to visualize, I just wanted to jump through the pages and see it for myself.

Karou has definitely earned a spot in my heart as one of my favorite female fictional characters. She's confident, kick-ass, even comical at times and the way she flits between worlds was so incredibly fascinating to me. She just seemed so real, written with the appropriate emotions and attitudes, that I had a hard time swallowing that she's just this character in this book. I also fell in love with the nearly all of the primary characters. The chimaera; Brimstone and Issa and their gang, Karou's human best friend Zuzana and the cold, mysterious angel Akiva ... more perfectly crafted characters that contributed so much charm to this novel.

And the actual story? I have nothing bad to say whatsoever. I loved everything about it. The dealing of teeth, the different types of wishes and the teacups Brimstone kept full of them, Karou's sketches, the odd tattoos and the marionette show. It was all so eerie but so genius.

Overall, I thought Daughter of Smoke and Bone was so magnificently amazing. It awakened and pleased the magical, otherwordly reader inside of me with its vivid world and imaginative characters. This was one of the most beautiful books I've ever read and I definitely urge you all to give it a read.

Other reviews for Daughter of Smoke and Bone:
The Hiding Spot.
Good Books And Good Wine.
i swim for oceans.
The Compulsive Reader.

Top Ten Tuesday: Endings That Left Me With My Mouth Hanging Open

2011-10-04T14:03:00.003-04:00

Top Ten Tuesday was created and is hosted by The Broke And The Bookish. This week's topic is books that left me with my mouth hanging open - those stories with epic cliffhangers or endings that kind of left me in a daze afterward.

In no particular order:

Divergent by Veronica Roth - I don't think it was the ending in specific that kind of had me sitting there, dumbfounded after finishing it. I think it was the intensity of the novel that built and built and then ... that. I think I even clapped in applause after I regained composure of myself.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin - The ending? Please. My mouth was wide open throughout the whole thing, not just the conclusion.

The Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor - I just finished this one the other day, but holy meatballs, talk about a cliffhanger. I don't think that I've ever wanted a sequel so badly before. I want the second book in my hands. Like now.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - When I finished the first book, I literally shrieked. And nearly threw my book against the wall. Luckily I had bought the second book at the same time as the first so no book abusement was necessary.

The Lost Saint by Bree Despain - There was a silence while I processed the ending in my head and then there was that OMGDIDTHATSERIOUSLYHAPPEN moment. Bree Despain, you are an evil woman. I've never been so caught off guard by an ending before and now I'm ridiculously impatient for The Savage Grace.

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick - I was so happy that Patch and Nora were finally getting their act together and that they were possibly going to have their happy ending and then THAT. Was definitely not expecting it. But Silence came out today so I won't have to wait long to find out what happens!

The Clearing by Heather Davis - I had a million different scenarios worked in my head of what was going to happen at the end of this one but what really happened was certainly not one of them.

Are any of these on your list? If not, what books made your jaw drop in shock at the ending?

All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin

2011-10-03T12:37:00.003-04:00

All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin.
Publisher: Farrar, Straus & Giroux.
Pages: 354.

In 2083, chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is hard to find, water is carefully rationed, and New York City is rife with crime and poverty. And yet, for Anya Balanchine, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the city's most notorious (and dead) crime boss, life is fairly routine. It consists of going to school, taking care of her siblings and her dying grandmother, trying to avoid falling in love with the new assistant D.A.'s son, and avoiding her loser ex-boyfriend. That is until her ex is accidently poisoned by the chocolate her family manufactures and the police think she's to blame. Suddenly, Anya finds herself thrust unwillingly into the spotlight--at school, in the news, and most importantly, within her mafia family.

All These Things I’ve Done is a tasteful YA take on the mafia with fresh futuristic elements that will have you clutching your coffee and chocolate for dear life. While I did have my typical nitpicky problems, I really enjoyed the new world of danger and prejudice and family values that Gabrielle Zevin has created.

This book is just exciting. Maybe it’s because I’ve only read about one other book that deals with the mafia, but I was engrossed in the dynamic of Anya’s family and the impact that their illegal business has on their lives. I also loved how different it was. Instead of drugs or weapons or anything else you’d expect mobsters to illegally deal, they handle chocolate. I was completely skeptical of chocolate and coffee being against the law because this is a contemporary novel and it just seemed so out of this world to me, but it’s written so realistically that for a short time I was very appreciative of my coffee maker.

The major thing that deterred me from really loving this book was the constant summarization. I felt like the book would lead up to these huge important moments and instead of elaborating with details or dialogue, everything is knocked back down with small paragraphs quickly explaining what had just happened. It seemed like I was skimming through the book unwillingly. This was also a problem when it came to the romance between Anya, our protagonist, and Win, the DA’s charming son. I was so excited and prepared for all of the tension and forbidden feelings; a mafia boss’s daughter and a DA’s son? Star-crossed, much? But with the brief paragraphs, it didn’t feel personal at all. I came out of the book really liking Anya and Win, of course, but I definitely think there was room for more when it came to them.

Overall, although I had a few problems with it, I really enjoyed All These Things I’ve Done. It’s most definitely not like any book I’ve read before with it’s unique spin on the mafia and the future. I absolutely recommend that you give this one a shot! (Shot ... mafia ... corny pun definitely NOT intended)

Other reviews for All These Things I've Done:
Frenetic Reader.
Good Books And Good Wine.
The Tales Compendium.
I Read Banned Books.

Contest Winner: All These Things I've Done

2011-10-02T18:40:00.002-04:00

I'm a bit late posting this - I apologize - but I've been so crazy busy and forgetful lately! Anyway, the lucky winner of the finished copy of All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin is ...

#22 - Jessica S!

Thanks to everyone who entered and spread the word!

And if you haven't already, check out my stop in the SILENCE blog tour where I give away two finished copies of Silence (Hush, Hush #3) by Becca Fitzpatrick!

Tyger Tyger now in paperback!

2011-10-01T15:36:00.005-04:00

One of my favorite books of 2010, Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton is now available in paperback! The book is made of awesomesauce, full of great fantasy and adventure and romance. You can check out my glowing review here!

Teagan Wylltson's best friend, Abby, dreams that horrifying creatures--goblins, shape-shifters, and beings of unearthly beauty but terrible cruelty--are hunting Teagan. Abby is always coming up with crazy stuff, though, so Teagan isn't worried. Her life isn't in danger. In fact, it's perfect. She's on track for a college scholarship. She has a great job. She's focused on school, work, and her future. No boys, no heartaches, no problems.

Until Finn Mac Cumhaill arrives. Finn's a bit on the unearthly beautiful side himself. He has a killer accent and a knee-weakening smile. And either he's crazy or he's been haunting Abby's dreams, because he's talking about goblins, too . . . and about being The Mac Cumhaill, born to fight all goblin-kind. Finn knows a thing or two about fighting. Which is a very good thing, because this time, Abby's right.

The goblins are coming.

I definitely urge you all to go get yourself a copy! And while you're at it, make sure you pre-order the sequel, In The Forests of the Night, that comes out next month!

Order Tyger Tyger in paperback - Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Book Depository - Indiebound

Fan Art Friday (86)

2011-09-30T00:06:00.003-04:00

This week's fan art is inspired by Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst. (Check out my glowing review here) I could've done a million things with this piece. I originally wanted to do something with the unicorn since it's a pretty crucial part of the story, but I thought it'd kind of interrupt the darkness of Pearl so I turned it into a character poster instead. I definitely do plan on doing more of these in the future for this book, especially for Evan, Jadrien and the unicorn, but we'll kick off my little poster series with the main character for now.

Thoughts? Yay/nay, awesomesauce or epic fail? Comment and let me know what you think! Feedback is always appreciated!

If you've got YA bookish fan art that you'd like featured on Fan Art Friday, just shoot me an email at skellington28210@yahoo.com!

Happy Weekend!

SILENCE Blog Tour + Giveaway!

2011-09-29T12:30:00.003-04:00

To celebrate the upcoming release of the third and final book in the Hush, Hush series, Fallen Archangel, Becca Fitzpatrick and Simon & Schuster have put together this awesome blog tour full of great content and great prizes!

For my stop today, I'll be posting the second part of the hilarious speed dating with Patch, Nora, Vee, Scott and Marcie that Late Bloomer Online introduced yesterday. And stick around because at the end of the post, I'll be giving away a couple copies of the books!

What is the one thing about yourself that you would like us to know?

Patch: I wouldn't like you to know anything about me.

Marcie: I am NOT anorexic. I just have an incredible metabolism. Suck that, Nora Grey.

Vee: I am SINGLE! Eat your hearts out, boys!

Scott: I do know how to use the potty. Kindergarten was a long time ago.

Nora: See that hot guy over there in the black jeans? The one you've posted my picture with in the sidebar, Katie? He's mine. Remember it, and we won't have any problems.

What makes you laugh/cry?

Marcie: I do both when I see Vee in spandex.

Vee: That's funny, Marcie. Real funny. Spandex is supposed to fit tight. You know what makes me cry? Knowing that one of these days Marcie's genetic material is going to find its way into the gene pool.

Nora: Patch's jokes make me laugh. They're so cheesy!

Patch: No comment.

Scott: Searching for “stunts gone wrong” on YouTube. Classic stuff.

What is your most treasured possession and why?

Nora: The engraved ring Patch gave me.

Patch: Who's the cheesy one now?

Scott: My body is a temple, yo.

Vee: I asked David Bowie to our homecoming dance freshman year. I said it would mean a lot if he wore his Goblin King costume from Labyrinth. His publicist sent me a signed photograph of Bowie in those black spandex pants and boots. It's framed on my wall.

Marcie: What is it with you and spandex? My most treasured possession is my inheritance, duh.

If you were an animal in the wild, what would you be?

Scott: My answer isn't appropriate.

Patch: This is the last question, right?

Vee: Dolphin!

Marcie: Gosh, Vee, I could have sworn you were going to say whale. They have blubber for a reason—survival. I would be a bird, soaring high above everyone else.

Vee: Yup, that sounds about right. Marcie infecting everyone with bird flu.

Nora: I'd be a...cougar. Rwar!

Contest Information:
- (2) Winners will receive copies of SILENCE by Becca Fitzpatrick!
- Open to US addresses only.
- Fill out the form at the bottom of the post to enter.
- Giveaway ends on October 12th.

GRAND PRIZE GIVEAWAY!
On the last day of the tour, October 4th, a grand prize contest will be posted on FallenArchangel! To enter, you will have to answer 7 questions (1 question from each of the blog tour posts) There will be 2 grand prize packages, each will include a set of HUSH, HUSH Saga books as well as 2 limited edition SILENCE posters. So make sure you follow along with the rest of the tour! The next stop will be hosted at Girls In The Stacks tomorrow!

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Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst

2011-09-28T14:52:00.003-04:00

Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst.
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry.
Pages: 385.

Pearl is a sixteen-year-old vampire... fond of blood, allergic to sunlight, and mostly evil... until the night a sparkly unicorn stabs her through the heart with his horn. Oops.

Her family thinks she was attacked by a vampire hunter (because, obviously, unicorns don't exist), and they're shocked she survived. They're even more shocked when Pearl discovers she can now withstand the sun. But they quickly find a way to make use of her new talent. The Vampire King of New England has chosen Pearl's family to host his feast. If Pearl enrolls in high school, she can make lots of human friends and lure them to the King's feast -- as the entrees.

The only problem? Pearl's starting to feel the twinges of a conscience. How can she serve up her new friends—especially the cute guy who makes her fangs ache—to be slaughtered? Then again, she's definitely dead if she lets down her family. What's a sunlight-loving vamp to do?

Ice and Enchanted Ivy, two of the best fantasy novels I've ever read, are what made Sarah Beth Durst one of my favorite authors ever. But all I've read from her has been fantasy, so I was a bit skeptical that she was diving into something that most of us have already moved on from: vampires. But Durst has, once again, reminded me exactly why I love her stories so much. This vampire book is not just a vampire book. It's different, imaginative, funny and exhibits all of the adventure, wit and world that this author is so perfect at creating.

I was skeptical about the vampires, yes, but when I heard about were-unicorns, I was downright nervous. Would this be a bit of an overkill of supernatural? Would it be awkward and weird? I'll admit that even after the unicorn first appeared in the story, I still felt a little apprehensive about it, but it's not at all as odd as I imagined it'd be. There is something about Durst's writing that makes everything, even the most outrageous things, click together. Not once did I feel like the unicorn and the vampires were out of place or forced uncomfortably together in one book. Actually, they fit together quite well. And Pearl's witty banter with the unicorn is absolutely hilarious.

Another thing I absolutely loved was the character development. Pearl is pretty much a monster in the beginning, but she becomes a bit more human every chapter, with a great pace and good number/placement of stumbles back into the dark side. I've heard people complain about how the action doesn't really begin until the end. That might be true, but this is ultimately a story about Pearl's transformation, and I think it was exectued amazingly and realistically. (Well, about as realistic as a vampire/unicorn novel can get)

Overall, Drink Slay Love is another favorite of mine from Sarah Beth Durst. She shines at creating worlds and characters and adventures full of epic twists and turns that keep readers on the edge of their seats and this book is no exception. With a perfect balance of dark and light, a vividly descriptive transformation and all of the charm that comes with a Sarah Beth Durst novel - Drink Slay Love is one that you definitely don't want to miss!

More reviews for Drink, Slay, Love:
Harmony's Radiant Reads.
SciFiChick.com.
The Unread Reader.
Rabid Reads.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Want To Reread

2011-09-27T12:49:00.003-04:00

Top Ten Tuesday was created and is hosted by The Broke And The Bookish. This week's topic is books I want to reread - those ones that are just so good that I need to dive back into them again.

In no particular order:

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh - This book. Oh my god. I can't even. This book is so amazing but I'll admit that there is a lot that I didn't really understand. It was full of mind trickery and I think a thorough reread will not only make me love it again, but also help me catch some things I might've missed.

Ice by Sarah Beth Durst - I've already reread this multiple times, but it never gets old. It's full of beautiful writing and fantasy and adventure and polar bears and just one of my favorite books ever.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith - It doesn't come out until next year, but I snagged an arc at BEA, read it on the journey home and absolutely fell in love. One of the best contemporary books ever. I gave my arc away so I can't get into it again anytime soon, but I'll be impatiently awaiting its release!

Sometimes It Happens by Lauren Barnholdt - Probably the best contemporary novel I've read in 2011 so far. Gave my arc of this one away too, but I'm hoping to get my hands on a finished copy soon!

Fall For Anything by Courtney Summers - I've been in such a mood for the darker side of YA lately and Courtney is the best at writing dark, realistic novels. Plus I've been craving some Milo. Almost forgot about how much I love him.

Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare - With City Of Fallen Angels releasing and the movie coming out next year and everything, I feel like I need to have everything fresh in my head. I think a thorough reread of the entire series in order!

Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel - Rhode. Rhode Rhode Rhode. That is all there is to say about that. (Even though he's not really in the book a whole lot. Still)

Jessica's Guide To Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey - Before I read my arc of Jessica Rules the Dark Side, I want to reread this one. One of my favorite vampire books ever!

What about you? What books are you dying to reread?!

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

2011-09-26T12:47:00.004-04:00

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin.
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.
Pages: 450.

Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.

She's wrong.

The Unbecoming Of Mara Dyer is one of those books that messes with your head. In a really, really great way. I'm not sure how authors like Michelle Hodkin or Kelly Creagh (Nevermore) can pull it off, but I never thought I'd be gushing over how much I loved that I had no clue what was going on.

To be honest, I would've loved the book even without all of the mind trickery. I would've loved the book if nothing had happened and it was just Mara and Noah, the gorgeous British bad boy, talking for the whole novel. Michelle Hodkin struck gold with this relationship. I was bouncing between laughing from their banter and awing from their sweetness to fanning myself from their sexual tension. This is such a serious book, but I loved those occasional moments of humor andlightness between the two of them. It added a lot of charm.

And I have to mention that this book gave me the creeps. A lot. Mara's got some pretty cruel things happening around her and Hodkin's haunting writing only amplified the creep factor and the whole mysterious loss of memory and hallucination stuff.

Overall, even the hype monster didn't stand a chance against The Unbecoming Of Mara Dyer. Michelle Hodkin's dark debut is edgy, scary, romantic, funny and so much more. You know it's been a good reading experience if you're still thinking of one book while in the middle of another, so I definitely recommend you check this one out!

Other reviews for The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer:
Good Books And Good Wine.
Chick Loves Lit.
The Perpetual Page-Turner.
Makeshift Bookmark.

Fan Art Friday (85)

2011-09-23T00:18:00.002-04:00

This week's fan art is based on Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken. I guess it's not surprising that I waited until last minute to do this week's fan art ... again. But I've been so swamped with work that it wasn't an option until now. I haven't been reading very many art worthy books lately, mostly just contemporary novels that I wouldn't be able to do much with. And since nobody gave any suggestions on Twitter, I figured I'd go back to my favorite book, Brightly Woven. This is my second fan art for this book (which is crazy amazing. If you haven't read yet, what are you waiting for?!) and it was sort of inspired by the background of the first. I like how it turned out, though it's nothing compared to the original cover's gorgeousness. What say you?

Thoughts? Yay/nay, awesomesauce or epic fail? Comment and let me know what you think of this week's fan art!

Ans if you've got YA bookish fan art that you'd like featured on Fan Art Friday, just shoot me an email at skellington28210@yahoo.com!

Happy Weekend!

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making

2011-09-21T16:24:00.003-04:00

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente.
Publisher: Fiewel & Friends.
Pages: 247.

Twelve-year-old September lives in Omaha, and used to have an ordinary life, until her father went to war and her mother went to work. One day, September is met at her kitchen window by a Green Wind (taking the form of a gentleman in a green jacket), who invites her on an adventure, implying that her help is needed in Fairyland. The new Marquess is unpredictable and fickle, and also not much older than September. Only September can retrieve a talisman the Marquess wants from the enchanted woods, and if she doesn’t . . . then the Marquess will make life impossible for the inhabitants of Fairyland. September is already making new friends, including a book-loving Wyvern and a mysterious boy named Saturday.

Reading The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making took me back to when I was seven-years-old with my big book of fairytales that I used to read over and over again. That sophistication, peculiarness and fantastical charm that I fell in love with at such a young age is something they all had and is something you can't really find in a book nowadays, but it's present and prominent in Catherynne M. Valente's gorgeous novel.

There's a strange magic about a brilliantly written fantasy such as this one, where you can throw the most oddest, random plot twists and characters at me and it won't deter me from the adventure for one second. I fell in love with a wyvern who is related to a library, I rooted and cheered for the main character to find a spoon, I was horrified when somebody lost their shadow. I've never had so much fun being so awed!

And the characters? Perfect. Like all great fairytale heroins, September is curious and courageous, but also childish and frightened at times, rightly given traits for an authentic twelve-year-old. She is fiercely determined and loyal and I didn't find myself irritated with her at any point during the book. The same can be said for her new Fairyland friends, who I don't want to talk too much about because I don't want to take away the wonder that I, personally, felt when we were first introduced to them.

Overall, The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making has the potential to be a classic, one that I hope my great-great-grandchildren will have the privilege of reading. Enchanting, lively and marvelously written - it's one that I highly advise you pick up immediately!

Other reviews for The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland:
Good Books And Good Wine.
Tempting Persephone.
365 Days Of Reading.
Bookshelf Bombshells.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Feel Everyone Has Read But Me

2011-09-20T12:27:00.003-04:00

Top Ten Tuesday was created and is hosted by The Broke And The Bookish. This week's topic is books I feel everyone has read but me - the hits in the blogosphere that I just haven't gotten around to picking up.

In no particular order:

If I Stay by Gayle Forman - It's very rare to find a blogger who hasn't read this one yet, I think. I just got around to buying it at The Strand when I was in NYC for BEA at the end of May, but it still sits at the bottom of my TBR list for some reason.

The Summer I Turned Pretty (Summer series) by Jenny Han - I won all three books at the Simon & Schuster blogger luncheon during BEA week and the second I picked them up, I had about six people come up to me to gush about how great they are. I'm definitely planning to make room in my reading schedule for them soon!

Any classic by Jane Austen, Emily Bronte, etc - At my high school, our required reading was a lot different than most. We read Poe and a bit of Shakespeare, but other than that, we mostly read modern novels. I've never read Pride & Prejudice, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Sense & Sensibility ... none of those.

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead - I haven't heard one bad thing about this series, but I still hesitate to pick it up. My previous experiences with vampire boarding school novels ranged from absolutely horrible to mehh, so I'm still a bit wary of this series.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson - I have no clue what this is about. I don't think I've ever even read a synopsis or anything like that. I just know that I see it come up constantly in blog posts and the sequel is getting some big buzz.

Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard - Just by the dolls on the covers and watching parts of the show, I can probably already tell that I'd very much dislike these books, but you can't judge books by their covers, right? They have to be pretty good if they're as popular as they are!

The Giver by Lois Lowry - Everytime I bring up the books The Hunger Games and Matched to people, I get the excited "Have you ever read The Giver by Lois Lowery?!" It's another one of those books that I didn't have to read in high school so it just never happened.

Sloppy Firsts (Jessica Darling series) by Megan McCafferty - This is one sort of a twisted situation because I have read the first two books. I actually read them way before I got into blogging, but if you asked me what happened in them, I couldn't tell you a single thing except that one of them had lyrics to a Yaz song. (I think) So I just regard these books as if I haven't read them yet.

Only eight this week! Feel free to give me a virtual kick for not reading these yet. I'm sure they're all fantastic!

Winner: 2 Year Blogoversary Giveaway!

2011-09-19T10:56:00.002-04:00

Congrats to the lucky winner of my 2 Year Blogoversary Giveaway who will be receiving two arcs of his/her choice -

#9 - Travis!

Travis, I'll be emailing you shortly so make sure to check your inbox! You've got 72 hours to respond before I have to pick a new winner.

More great giveaways coming up on Sophistikatied, so keep a look out for those!

The Beginning Of After by Jennifer Castle

2011-09-18T14:39:00.001-04:00

The Beginning Of After by Jennifer Castle.
Publisher: HarperTeen.
Pages: 432.

Anyone who’s had something truly crappy happen to them will tell you: It’s all about Before and After. What I’m talking about here is the ka-pow, shake-you-to-your-core-and-turn-your-bones-to-plastic kind of crappy.

Sixteen-year-old Laurel’s world changes instantly when her parents and brother are killed in a terrible car accident. Behind the wheel is the father of her bad-boy neighbor, David Kaufman, whose mother is also killed. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Laurel navigates a new reality in which she and her best friend grow apart, boys may or may not be approaching her out of pity, overpowering memories lurk everywhere, and Mr. Kaufman is comatose but still very much alive. Through it all there is David, who swoops in and out of Laurel’s life and to whom she finds herself attracted against her better judgment. She will forever be connected to him by their mutual loss—a connection that will change them both in unexpected ways.

The Beginning Of After is probably one of the most heartbreaking books I've ever read, full of raw and powerful emotions that had me in uncontrollable tears more than a few times while reading.

Laurel has an extremely realistic life. Castle's depiction of the average teenage girl is pretty much spot on, but once the grieving began, the realism kind of cracked for me. Despite being beautifully written and very intense with the feelings, there was just something crucial missing. I would read these gut-wrenching scenes and where I'd be devastated and crying, Laurel would be calm and numb. I just didn't understand why Laurel wasn't acting the way that I was. Why wasn't this horrible tragedy affecting her as much as it was affecting me? That's what wasn't there; that connection, that personal mindset where all of Laurel's coldness and numbness comes from.

I've read a lot of reviews that comment on the drifting plot of this book, not appreciating that Laurel didn't have some kind of a grieving process or journey or something to keep us readers on our toes. For me, personally, I loved that she didn't. I felt like it was a lot more authentic with Laurel aimlessly trudging through the novel. It was really a reading experience to follow along with her as she tries to figure out everything day by day, not having any clue how to get over the wreckage that had just occured. I guess what I'm saying is that I don't need some set, complex plot. This is a story about getting over a tragedy and Jennifer Castle soared above my expectations.

Overall, The Beginning Of After is a heavyhearted, moving tale of loss and love and getting over the sorrow that comes with it. It tugged at my heartstrings, making me feel for these characters who were going through so much at such a young age. I definitely recommend it if you're in the mood for something intense and emotionally powerful!

Other reviews for The Beginning Of After:
GReads!
Katie's Book Blog.
The Perpetual Page-Turner.
Hobbitsies.

Fan Art Friday (84)

2011-09-16T11:56:00.000-04:00

This week's fan art is based on Sweetly by Jackson Pearce. This was a quckie project since my time has been super limited this week, but I managed to get a teaser poster done in time to post early. My original vision was a werewolf's paw holding some truffles or something, but my stock sites had nothing werewolf related whatsoever. (Surprise, surprise) But I think I did a good job with without. I did the strawberry before I looked up the tagline and I'm very happy with how well they work together. What say you?

Thoughts? Yay/nay awesomesauce or epic fail? Comment and let me know what you think of this week's piece!

If you've got YA bookish fan art that you'd like featured on Fan Art Friday, just shoot me an email at skellington28210@yahoo.com.

Happy Weekend!

Winners: Dark Souls & Hades!

2011-09-15T22:34:00.003-04:00

Congrats to the winners of the giveaways! Your information has been sent to the people responsible for sending and you should be receiving your book soon!

Dark Souls by Paula Morris:

Kayla & Renee!

Hades by Alexandra Adornetto:

Patsy!

All winners have been sent an email to notify them of their win, so if you're wondering if it's you, check your inbox!

Keep your eyes peeled! More great giveaways are coming up!

Love Story by Jennifer Echols

2011-09-14T14:13:00.003-04:00

Love Story by Jennifer Echols.
Publisher: MTV Books.
Pages: 243.

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.

Love Story is the first book I've read from Jennifer Echols and I'm now completely understanding why she's constantly praised. Her writing is raw and realistic, as is the risque things she makes her characters do and say.

First of all, I want to acknowledge how happy I am that she raised the age of these characters and set the story at a college campus. It's something that seems extraordinarily rare in YA, but something that we need to see more of. And it worked wonderfully for this specific cast. It gave them a sense of maturity, but they had their cute adolescent moments that in any other book would've seemed incredibly cheesy.

I also loved the aspiring writer aspect of this book. It probably isn't hard for an author to get it right, but Jennifer Echols really did hit the nail on the head with how most of us are protective and defensive about our work. Erin and Hunter's stories were really what made this book spectacular for me. To convey character's feelings and history in fictional sub-stories without making me want to throw the book at the wall is just so admirable. And even though these sub-stories were maybe only two or three pages long, I found myself wishing they were actual full-length books!

Overall, my first Jennifer Echols book was a success and I'm now hopping onto her bandwagon of adoring fans. Love Story is emotional, sexy, daring, smart and one of the best contemporary novels of the year! Most of you have probably already figured out how wonderful Love Story is, but if you haven't, I definitely recommend you get your hands on a copy!

Other reviews for Love Story:
Chick Loves Lit.
Makeshift Bookmark.
Books With Bite.
The Book Scout.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Read Because Of Book Bloggers!

2011-09-13T11:40:00.003-04:00

Top Ten Tuesday was created and is hosted by The Broke And The Bookish. This week's topic is books I've read because of other book bloggers - those books that I had to get my hands on at the insistence of another blogger.

In no particular order:

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta - This one was recommended by Sara from The Hiding Spot. I put buying it off. And then I put it off and put it off and put it off some more. But when I won a writing contest and got to choose three HarperTeen books, I jumped on the chance to get this one and it was every bit as good as Sara had told me.

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr - I had bought this one and Ink Exchange to get signed at the Smart Chicks tour, but I didn't pick WL up until I read Jen from Makeshift Bookmark gushing about the series. Loved the book (Holy meatballs, can we talk about how much I love Seth?!) and I'm glad I was motivated to read it instead of letting it sit on my shelf for three years.

Graceling by Kristin Cashore - I love epic fantasy, and I'm not sure why I was being lazy to get a copy of this, but Harmony from Harmony's Radiant Reads would tweet about it occasionally and mention it in some of her posts and I finally had to see what all of the hooplah was about it. Um, why am I so stupid? Graceling is now one of my all-time favorite books!

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins - If you're active in the blogosphere on Twitter, you most likely remember the fangirl tweets from Erica from The Book Cellar and Sara from The Hiding Spot. Those were probably the first two book bloggers to read Anna and it was their enthusiasm that had me so desperate to get a copy. Luckily for me, when I stayed the night at Sara's dorm she let me read her copy and it was as every bit as amazing as they had made it out to be!

As You Wish by Jackson Pearce - I remember this being on one of Kristi from The Story Siren's best of the year lists. I went back and read her review and then several other blogger reviews and had to buy it. I'm glad I did because it introduced me brilliance that is Jackson Pearce, who is now one of my all-time favorite authors.

Hourglass by Myra McEntire - I already had this galley and it was under a large pile of TBR books. According to my galley calender, I wouldn't have read it until the day after its release, but I bumped it up several months early when Julie from Bloggers [Heart] Books began tweeting about how incredible it is. And I definitely agree!

Forget You by Jennifer Echols - I remember Sara from The Hiding Spot (one of my closest blogger friends, if you haven't guessed yet) gushing about how great Jennifer Echols is and how she writes incredibly sexy and daring scenes. I just bought this two weeks ago and finished it the other day and whew. *fans self*

I know there are more but I'm spacing right now. I'll add them later if I can think of them! (If you know you recommended me a book and you know that I read it, remind me!) Thanks to all the awesome bloggers that keep giving me awesome books to read! I love you guys! (But my bank account, however, does not)

Mara Mondays: Fan Art!

2011-09-12T11:52:00.003-04:00

Welcome to more Mara Mondays! I hope you've been keeping up with all of the other The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer awesomeness that some of my fellow bloggers are spreading. There's a lot going on today, so if you haven't already, check out the schedule at the bottom of this post! For my post, I did fan art! (What else?) It's extravagantly different from the cover - it's not like I could even do anything close to that cover's brillance, anyway - and it doesn't have the creepy green look about it, but I think it fits in its own way. I really wanted to do something with a swamp/crocodiles, because if you've read the book, you know what particularily disturbingly awesome scene I'm talking about, but I just didn't have the resources or the time. But without further ado ...

Thoughts? Yay/nay, awesomesauce or epic fail? Comment and let me know what you think!

And make sure you check out the rest of the Mara Mondays stops!

Sept 5th:
Pure Imagination - Pre-order giveaway
Candace's Book Blog - Cover photographer post
The Bookish Type - Review

Sept 12th:
Heise Reads & Recommends: Top 10 Reasons to Pre-Order Mara Dyer
The Secret Life of a Avid Reader - Dream cast
Sophistikatied Reviews - Fan art
Reading Angel - Review

Sept 19th:
Heise Reads & Recommends- Interview
The Secret Life of a Avid Reader- Miami post
Greads- Quote graphics post

Sept 26th:
Heise Reads & Recommends- Review
Vy's Blog
Pure Imagination - Mara project post/Gift for Michelle

Ten Years

2011-09-11T13:14:00.004-04:00

Ten years ago, on this day, I was sitting in my sixth grade classroom, wondering why they were making us have indoor recess when it was bright and sunny outside. Wondering why the parents of my fellow classmates were popping into the room left and right to take them home. Wondering why we got yelled at when one of the kids tried to explain it to us on the bus ride home, two hours before school was even supposed to end. And wondering why my mom was crying and hugging me the second I walked through the door.

I didn't lose any family members to those attacks. I don't know anyone, personally or distantly, that were killed on that day. But thinking about that day still makes me extremely sad, even more now since I'm not the clueless twelve-year-old that I was back then.

To those who lost their lives in these devastating attacks, may you rest in peace. To those who lost family members or friends in these devastating attacks, you're in my thoughts and prayers. Take a moment of silence sometime today and honor those who aren't with us anymore.

And God bless the USA.

After Obsession by Carrie Jones & Steven E. Wedel

2011-09-10T16:11:00.003-04:00

After Obsession by Carrie Jones & Steven E. Wedel.
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens.
Pages: 320.

Aimee and Alan have secrets. Both teens have unusual pasts and abilities they prefer to keep hidden. But when they meet each other, in a cold Maine town, they can't stop their secrets from spilling out. Strange things have been happening lately, and they both feel that something-or someone- is haunting them. They're wrong. Despite their unusual history and powers, it's neither Aimee nor Alan who is truly haunted. It's Alan's cousin Courtney who, in a desperate plea to find her missing father, has invited a demon into her life-and into her body. Only together can Aimee and Alan exorcise the ghost. And they have to move quickly, before it devours not just Courtney but everything around her.

After Obsession is full of thrilling terror and enticing romance, making you scared and swoony at the same time. The demon possession in this book is so perfectly written, starting off with slow, jumpy fright and transforming into horrifying terror as you read.

I couldn't really get into the first half of the book. For me, it was mainly just scenes of random things and confusing background about Alan's Indian spirit stuff. Also, Aimee and Alan's alternating point of views didn't seem all that much different. Sometimes, if no names were involved on a page, I'd have to flip back to remember whose head I was supposed to be in. It almost threw me off, but fortunately the second half picked up tremendously as the spine-tingling scary started.

I seriously was not expecting to be as scared as I was while reading this. The whole subject of posession absolutely terrifies me (Paranormal Activity and The Last Exoricsm kept me awake for HOURS for three nights) and After Obsession was no exception. I would've loved a lot more background about the demon and how it began terrorizing Courtney, but he was so prominent in the book that was easy fo me to overlook. The subtle transition of his little hints turning into bigger, physical attacks (the treehouse scene ... holy crap ...) Carrie Jones and Steven Wedel have definitely succeeded in making the hairs on the back of my neck stand.

Overall, I had my issues with it in the beginning but I ultimately ended up enjoying After Obsession a lot. Scary, sexy and intense - it's definitely one that I urge you to give a chance! But make sure you read it while the sun is still up ... you'll see why.

Other reviews for After Obsession:
To Read Or Not To Read.
Readaraptor!
SpadesHighReads.
Books Complete Me.

Trailer & Giveaway: All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin

2011-09-08T12:24:00.003-04:00

In 2083, chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is hard to find, water is carefully rationed, and New York City is rife with crime and poverty. And yet, for Anya Balanchine, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the city's most notorious (and dead) crime boss, life is fairly routine. It consists of going to school,
taking care of her siblings and her dying grandmother, trying to avoid falling in love with the new assistant D.A.'s son, and avoiding her loser ex-boyfriend. That is until her ex is accidentally poisoned by the chocolate her family manufactures and the police think she's to blame. Suddenly, Anya finds herself thrust unwillingly into the spotlight--at school, in the news, and most importantly, within her mafia family.

Other places to find All These Things I've Done & Gabrielle Zevin related goodness:
http://us.macmillan.com/allthesethingsivedone
http://www.facebook.com/gabriellezevinfanpage
http://www.memoirsofa.com/

Contest Info:
- Open to US/Canada addresses only.
- Fill out the form below to enter.
- Ends September 18th.

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This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel

2011-09-07T12:08:00.004-04:00

This Dark Endeavor: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein by Kenneth Oppel.
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.
Pages: 304.

Victor and Konrad are the twin brothers Frankenstein. They are nearly inseparable. Growing up, their lives are filled with imaginary adventures...until the day their adventures turn all too real.

They stumble upon The Dark Library, and secret books of alchemy and ancient remedies are discovered. Father forbids that they ever enter the room again, but this only piques Victor's curiosity more. When Konrad falls gravely ill, Victor is not satisfied with the various doctors his parents have called in to help. He is drawn back to The Dark Library where he uncovers an ancient formula for the Elixir of Life. With their friend Elizabeth, Henry and Victor immediately set out to find assistance from a man who was once known for his alchemical works to help create the formula.

Determination and the unthinkable outcome of losing his brother spur Victor on in the quest for the three ingredients that will save Konrad's life. After scaling the highest trees in the Strumwald, diving into the deepest lake caves, and sacrificing one’s own body part, the three fearless friends risk their lives to save another.

I'll be honest, I almost didn't pick this one up. I haven't read Frankenstein nor have I seen any versions of the movie (well ... if you don't count Van Helsing with Hugh Jackman. I wouldn't) and I didn't have any plans to. And if I wasn't going to bother with the original novel, why would I want to read a prequel? After a few great reviews from blogger friends, I relented and read this and wow - let's not get into how much I could've kicked myself.

Unlike many others, I can't talk about how wonderfully this set up for Mary Shelley's original masterpiece and I can't talk about how everything matched up and worked out. But I can talk about how spectacular I thought this book was and how I have plans to get my hands on a copy of Frankenstein immediately.

This Dark Endeavor is 304 pages of dark, adventurous and gothic goodness. Kenneth Oppel didn't just write characters and words, he wrote a reading experience, one that is creepy and exciting. Even if this an unofficial prequel, it stands alone and honorable on all levels. Such as the characters; Victor is such a complex protagonist, even as a fifteen-year-old, and he's so amazingly written that I believed it. His posessive, jealous, and sometimes dark personality was so very authentic and chilling. I haven't even read Frankenstein, but even I can tell that Oppel nailed it.

And there is never a dull moment. The adventures that Victor, Henry and Elizabeth go on to secure ingredients needed to save his twin brother's life are all fast-paced, high on energy and intensity. And when they're not on some kind of crazy ingredient search, the betrayals and sinister romance and other matters that occur in the Frakenstein household are there to fill the void.

Overall, This Dark Endeavor is a fantastic prequel that probably would make Mary Shelley herself proud. Heart-stoppingly intense and engaging, This Dark Endeavor is sure to motivate tons of readers, like me, to introduce themselves to the classic that is Frankenstein. I definitely recommend you all pick this one up!

Other reviews for This Dark Endeavor:
Good Books And Good Wine.
SciFiChick.Com.
Jenn's Bookshelves.
The Book Stalker.

Top Ten Tuesday: Sequels I'm Dying To Read!

2011-09-06T12:16:00.003-04:00

Top Ten Tuesday was created and is hosted by The Broke And The Bookish. This week's topic is sequels I'm dying to read. This will probably be a mixture of released and not yet released books since I tend to drag my feet about buying books sometimes.

In no particular order:

Enshadowed by Kelly Creagh.
Nevermore pretty much broke my brain. I can't even form the appropriate words to summarize how incredible that book is. And while I think with a few tweaks to the ending, Nevermore could've been a great standalone, Kelly Creagh wrote the world and characters so good that you just simply want more. I've been waiting for this book foreverrrrr.

Angel Fire by L.A. Weatherly.
This one was on my last TTT. Angel Burn was one of the best books I've read this year and I'm absolutely dying for more evil angels and angel ass-kicking and Alex/Willow steaminess!

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl.
Loved Beautiful Creatures, but like I said, sometimes I put a book on my wishlist and it stays there for a loooong time. I hope to get my hands on a copy of this when Beautiful Chaos releases so I can read them back to back without any wait!

Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick.
Another one that was featured on my last top ten list. Less than a month until it releases! *happy dance* The ending of Crescendo was explosive and such a cliffhanger. I am dying to find out what happens to Patch and Nora!

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand.
Unearthly was a surprising favorite this year. I never really fall in love with angel books the way I did with this one. But Cynthia Hand wrote an incredible, non-cliche story that shocked me and intrigued me and gah. I need the sequel ASAP!

Wings of the Wicked by Courtney Allison Moulton.
Angelfire was so full of kick-ass awesomeness and intensity and hilarity. February is waaaay too far away for me.

The Savage Grace by Bree Despain.
This is the third in the Dark Divine series which is one of my all-time favorites. I don't like trying to explain the series because I want everyone to have the same reaction I had when I first read it, but holy meatballs, these books are amazing. I was sad when I heard the release date has been pushed back but a tour is really cool and hopefully they'll send Bree to Michigan! That'll placate me. ;)

Perception by Kim Harrington.
Clarity was full of weird paranormal, love triangle goodness with a gorgeous setting to make this a great read. I've been eagerly awaiting this one since I finished the first book. Can't wait to see what happens next for Clare!

Wildcat Fireflies by Amber Kizer.
I really enjoyed Meridian. I thought it was a fresh, unique idea that hadn't really been done before. The ending didn't really satisfy me but I'm excited about the series all over again now that I know there's another book.

Desires Of The Dead by Kimberly Derting.
The Body Finder was like a genius pairing of a great YA paranormal and a kick-ass CSI television show. I really loved it (and I really loved Jay. How adorable was Jay?!) but this is a sequel that I've yet to get my hands on. Soon, I hope!

That's my list for the week. What about you guys? What are some of your must-read sequels?

Fury by Elizabeth Miles

2011-09-04T14:27:00.003-04:00

Fury by Elizabeth Miles.
Publisher: Simon Pulse.
Pages: 352.

It’s winter break in Ascension, Maine. The snow is falling and everything looks pristine and peaceful. But not all is as it seems...

Between cozy traditions and parties with her friends, Emily loves the holidays. And this year’s even better--the guy she’s been into for months is finally noticing her. But Em knows if she starts things with him, there’s no turning back. Because his girlfriend is Em’s best friend.

On the other side of town, Chase is having problems of his own. The stress of his home life is starting to take its toll, and his social life is unraveling. But that’s nothing compared to what’s really haunting him. Chase has done something cruel...something the perfect guy he pretends to be would never do. And it’s only a matter of time before he’s exposed.

In Ascension, mistakes can be deadly. And three girls—three beautiful, mysterious girls—are here to choose who will pay.

Em and Chase have been chosen.

I'm kind of conflicted about Fury. It drew me in and really engaged me, but I have a hard time swallowing the plot. To me, the majority of Fury felt like a contemporary novel, one that I couldn't really appreciate because I was expecting something paranormal to happen every chapter. Sure, the furies were foreshadowed a few times, but it was easy to overlook those scenes since they were so very few and far between.

I loved this book up until the ending and I feel like that should be the other way around. Up until the last thirty pages or so, the plot just felt like a bunch of wrong-doing teenagers getting a heaping dose of karma served to them. The furies were the farthest thing from my mind, which probably isn't a good thing considering they're what the book is supposed to be about. And at the ending, when they do appear full force, it seemed like an inconvenient interruption to the rest of the story. I guess my point is that I would've preferred if the furies had bigger, direct roles in the entire length of the book, not just the ending, so it wouldn't feel like they were suddenly being thrown at me.

Fortunately it was easy to overlook the furies and I was very much intrigued with Em and Chase's stories. Moreso Chase because it seemed like Em was getting a much harsher and drmatic punishment than what she deserved. But Elizabeth really shines at unraveling Chase's sanity and emotions that it was actually heartwrenching. I would've preferred a bit more ... I don't know .. maturity from the characters? Speficially Em because I believe Chase was written brilliantly. But she just fell flat for me. I knew I wasn't going to fall in love with her character, but she came across as so whiny and self-centered. (Though J.D. sorta kinda makes up for it. How adorable is he?! Kind of reminds me of Duckie from Pretty In Pink)

Overall, I didn't fall in love with Fury, but it was still interesting and enjoyable to where I'm looking forward to a sequel full of fury ass-kicking because after that ending, I'm definitely in need of some. It might've not been my cup of tea, but I've read some great reviews from a few bloggers that I really love, so I suggest you all give it a chance!

Other reviews for Fury:
365 Days Of Reading.
Pure Imagination.
The Story Siren.
Feeling Fictional.

Trailer & Giveaway: Hades by Alexandra Adornetto!

2011-09-03T12:28:00.003-04:00

The highly anticipated sequel to Halo is now out in stores! To celebrate, take a look at the fabulous trailer for the book below and enter to win a copy of the book!

About the book:

"Heaven Help Her.
Bethany Church is an angel sent to Earth to keep dark forces at bay. Falling in love was never part of her mission, but the bond between Beth and her mortal boyfriend, Xavier Woods, is undeniably strong.
But even Xavier's love, and the care of her archangel siblings, Gabriel and Ivy, can't keep Beth from being tricked into a motorcycle ride that ends up in Hell. There, the demon Jake Thorn bargains for Beth's release back to Earth. But what he asks of her will destroy her, and quite possibly, her loved ones, as well."

The story that Alexandra Adornetto built in her bestselling debut, Halo, comes alive in action-packed and unexpected ways, as angels
battle demons, and the power of love is put to the test.

Other places to catch Alexandra and more Halo/Hades related goodness!
See Alexandra Adornetto on tour this Fall: http://www.facebook.com/penfataletour
Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/AlexandraAdornetto
Macmillan page for the book & author: http://us.macmillan.com/hades

Contest info:
- (1) Winner will receive a copy of Hades!
- Fill out the form below to enter.
- Ends on September 13th.
- Open to US/Canada addresses only.

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Fan Art Friday (83)

2011-09-02T00:01:00.003-04:00

This week's fan art is based on the amazingness that is Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake. I posted my review - which is basically me just having a fangirl gushfest - yesterday, if any of you are interested. Anyway, this is one of those OMGMUSTDOFANART books. I knew what I wanted to do the second I finished reading, which is very unusual since I mostly just improvise. The execution was the problem. With this piece, I've learned that I'm not very good with adding shadows and veins and I'm not very good with staining a dress with gore. But the finished product doesn't look too terrible and that's good enough for me! What say you?

Thoughts? Yay/nay, awesomesauce or epic fail? Comment and let me know what you think!

If you've got YA bookish fan art that you'd like featured on Fan Art Friday, just shoot me an email at skellington28210@yahoo.com!

Happy Weekend!

Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake

2011-09-01T12:38:00.005-04:00

Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake.
Publisher: Tor Teen.
Pages: 316.

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas's life.

Anna Dressed In Blood is officially one of my new favorite books of all time. Let's just get that established and out of the way. This review will be fairly short because I'm trying to keep the gushing to a minium. You will find that I have absolutely nothing negative to say about this brilliant book or its ridiculously talented author, Kendare Blake. She crafted this incredible horror story that, most importantly, scared the crap out of me, but it also made me laugh and made me swoon and, at times, nearly made me cry.

I was so weary of this book, even when I began reading it. A ghost-killer meets a pretty ghost who spares his life? Predictable. Said ghost-killer boy manages to befriend the gorgeous popular girl? Yawn. But the more I read, the more stupid my assumptions became. Anna is not predictable, not at all. It grabbed hold of me and whipped me in all sorts of directions with its daring, exciting twists and turns. There was definitely never a boring moment.

And you know a book is always a success when it can take two emotions on completely different ends of the spectrum and manage to mesh them together without fail. Anna Dressed In Blood is highly disturbing but highly entertaining at the same time. I've never had so much fun being scared and grossed out before.

I could sit here and dissect this book for you all, but I don't think I need to. Whoever said there's no such thing as perfection is a liar because Anna Dressed In Blood is the perfect horror story - scary, disturbing, romantic, intense and action-packed and so, so much more. I cannot begin to stress how much you all need to get yourself a copy of this book. A million and one stars to Anna!

Other reviews for Anna Dressed In Blood:
365 Days of Reading.
Shut Up! I'm Reading.
That Bookish Girl.
Bookyurt.

Giveaway: Dark Souls by Paula Morris!

2011-08-31T12:26:00.004-04:00

Welcome to York, England: the most haunted city in the world.

Miranda Tennant arrives in York with a terrible, tragic secret. She is eager to lose herself amid the quaint shops, hoping she won’t run into the many ghosts who supposedly roam the cobblestone streets. Then she meets Nick, an intense, dark-eyed boy who knows all of York’s hidden places and histories. Miranda wonders if Nick is falling for her, but she is distracted by another boy -- one even more handsome and mysterious than Nick. He lives in the house across from Miranda and seems desperate to send her some sort of message. Could this boy be one of York’s haunted souls?

Soon, Miranda realizes that something dangerous -- and deadly -- is being planned. And she may have to face the darkest part of herself in order to unravel the mystery -- and find redemption.

About the author:
Paula Morris is the author of Ruined, and has published several novels for adults in her native New Zealand. She has lived in a number of cities around the world, including York, England. She now lives in Glasgow, Scotland, and teaches creative writing at the University of Stirling. Visit her online at http://www.paula-morris.com/.
Photo credit: Robert Trathan

For more on Dark Souls, Paula Morris and other awesome books, you can visit http://www.facebook.com/thisisteen

Contest Info:
- (2) Winners will receive a finished copy of Dark Souls
- Open to US residents only.
-Fill out the form below to enter.
- Contest ends on September 12th.

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Top Ten Tuesday: Fall Wishlist!

2011-08-30T18:43:00.003-04:00

Top Ten Tuesday was created and is hosted by The Broke And The Bookish. This week's topic is books on your Fall TBR list, but this will pretty much be a books on my wishlist kind of top ten!

In no particular order:

Amplified by Tara Kelly.
After a year of pining for it, I finally got my hands on a copy of Harmonic Feedback recently. Unsurprisingly, I loved it. Tara's got this realistic charm and coolness to her writing and I can't wait to see more of it! Plus - musicians? HOT.

The Iron Knight (Iron Fey #4) by Julie Kagawa.
If you follow my reviews, you know that I'm a huge Iron Fey fangirl. Love the series. Have read the first three books about three times. I was sad when I thought that the books might end at The Iron Queen, so when they announced that there would be a fourth book focusing on (and I think it's in his perspective, as well) one of my FAVORITE literary characters, Ash, I did a big happy dance.

Silence (Hush, Hush #3) by Becca Fitzpatrick.
The ending of Crescendo has had me twitching impatiently for this book's release. Pretty much nobody has read this yet, except for the people who worked on it, since they're not printing arcs and you'd think that'd no buzz would be a good thing but gah! I need to hear something. Need this book!

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson.
I feel like pretty much everyone has already read this and pretty much all of them had amazing things to say about it. I love epic fantasy and this seems to have all the workings to be a potential favorite of mine. Can't wait to read!

Kiss Crush Collide by Christina Meredith.
I've never been much of a contemporary reader, but I've been picking up contemps left and right and I'm becoming absolutely addicted. I'm especially a fan of the "opposites attract" kind of books, like Perfect Chemistry, and Kiss Crush Collide seems like it'll have a lot of that angsty goodness.

Past Perfect by Leila Sales.
Some of what I could say about the book above could be said for this. Contemporary = win! And that cover is adorable. Seems like it'll be a great, quirky read!

The Pledge by Kimberly Derting.
Love love LOVED The Body Finder and this is such a fresh, unique idea. I haven't really heard much about it, but I'm super excited to get my hands on a copy.

The Space Between by Brenna Yovanoff.
The Replacement was creepy and Tim Burton-ish and right up my alley and The Space Between sounds like it won't be any different. The whole angel/demon thing is becoming very overrated for me, but I feel like Brenna will put a new twist on it - hopefully!

Tris & Izzie by Mette Ivie Harrison.
Not too crazy about Romeo and Juliet but I do love Tristan & Isolde. This sounds like it'll be a lovely, modern retelling! (Can you tell that retellings are becoming my new favorites? I can't get enough of them!)

Angel Fire (Angel Trilogy #2) by L.A. Weatherly.
I'm not doing these in any special order, but if I were, this would be at the top of the list. Angel Burn kind of got swept under the radar when it was released, but I can't understand why. The first book was so amazing. Romantic, action-packed, scary, exciting, sexy and so much more. This is definitely one of my most NEEDED books this Fall.

Are any of these books on YOUR Fall TBR list? Comment and share your thoughts!

Dark Souls by Paula Morris

2011-08-29T12:20:00.009-04:00

Dark Souls by Paula Morris.
Publisher: Point.
Pages: 292.

Welcome to York, England. Mist lingers in the streets. Narrow buildings cast long shadows. This is the most haunted city in the world. . . .

Miranda Tennant arrives in York with a terrible, tragic secret. She is
eager to lose herself amid the quaint cobblestones, hoping she won’t run into the countless ghosts who supposedly roam the city. . . .

Then she meets Nick, an intense, dark-eyed boy who knows all of York’s hidden places and histories. Miranda wonders if Nick is falling for her, but she is distracted by another boy — one even more handsome and mysterious than Nick. He lives in the house across from Miranda and seems desperate to send her some sort of message. Could this boy be one of York’s haunted souls?

Soon, Miranda realizes that something dangerous — and deadly — is being planned. And she may have to face the darkest part of herself in order to unravel the mystery — and find redemption.

Dark Souls is a creepy, sophisticated ghost story that combines the gothic-esque history and setting of a small village in England with a lineup of mysterious events that blend together for a chilling tale of death, romance and family.

I didn't fall in love with Dark Souls, but I did enjoy it very much. Norris wrote gorgeous, vivid descriptions of the appearance of York and the lifestyles/personalities that inhabit it. It's the perfect location for something dark and haunting, such as this story, and it definitely goes hand-in-hand with the ghosts and situations in this novel.

I also appreciated how difficult the mystery of Dark Souls was to crack. It's not confusing but it's not anything that I was able to easily predict halfway through. I do feel like the book should've been a bit quicker paced, but once the plot picked up, I stopped worrying about the pace and really got into the action.

If I could complain about anything, it'd be the characters. I didn't really care for any of them. Not a single one. Maybe it was just because for a large chunk of the novel, I didn't have a clue who to suspect as the villian and kept expecting to find that one of them, any of them, had a hidden agenda or something, but they just all felt so distant to me. Especially Nick. I would've loved to learn more about his character. He's such a large key in this book yet he felt so tiny.

Overall, despite my small distaste for the characters, I really did enjoy Dark Souls. Haunting, intense and mysterious - this is a ghost story that will give you goosebumps, for sure! I definitely recommend you all check it out! Especially with Halloween coming up - it's a perfect October read!

Other reviews for Dark Souls:
Harmony's Radiant Reads.
Bewitched Bookworms.
Rayment's Reading, Rants and Ramblings.

2 Year Blogoversary + Giveaway!

2011-08-28T18:28:00.002-04:00

*screams and dances and throws confetti* HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SOPHISTIKATIED! My little blog turned two years old on Friday. When I try to wrap my brain around this, I get headaches. I'm sort of a commitment-phobe when it comes to anything internet related, but I'm so proud of myself that I've kept it up this long! And I have no doubt that I'll be making another one of these "proud momma" speeches next year as well!

To celebrate my blog's birthday, I'm giving one of you awesome readers two galleys! Most of them have yet to be released, but there are some old ones thrown in there as well.

One winner will win their choice of TWO of these 2011 galleys!

Contest info:
Fill out the form below to enter.
Open to US residents only.
Ends on September 15th.

Winner: Prisoners in the Palace!

2011-08-26T11:51:00.002-04:00

Congrats to the lucky winner who will be receiving a copy of the ultra amazing book Prisoners In The Palace by Michaela MacColl -

#17 - Jessy!

Jessy, I'll be emailing you soon so keep an eye on your inbox so you can get back to me ASAP!

If you didn't win - no worries! A super awesome giveaway will be coming your way soon so keep your eyes peeled!

P.S - Happy 2 years to Sophistikatied! A big, celebratory woo-hoo post will be up sometime later today! :)

Sequel for Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children!

2011-08-25T12:04:00.003-04:00

Yesterday I received an email from my favorite person at Quirk books announcing that one of my favorite books this year, Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (read my review here) will be getting a sequel! I know many of you shared my hopes that we'd see more of Jacob and the rest of the peculiar children, so I had to post the good news!

Quirk officially announced it here. The book, which is current untitled, will released in Spring 2013. And the author has already collected over a thousand more of those spectacular pictures!

Who is as excited as I am?!

Sweetly by Jackson Pearce

2011-08-24T12:11:00.004-04:00

Sweetly by Jackson Pearce.
Publisher: Little, Brown.
Pages: 312.

Twelve years ago, Gretchen, her twin sister, and her brother went
looking for a witch in the forest. They found something. Maybe it was a witch, maybe a monster, they aren’t sure—they were running too fast to tell. Either way, Gretchen’s twin sister was never seen again.

Years later, after being thrown out of their house, Gretchen and Ansel find themselves in Live Oak, South Carolina, a place on the verge of becoming a ghost town. They move in with Sophia Kelly, a young and beautiful chocolatier owner who opens not only her home, but her heart to Gretchen and Ansel.

Yet the witch isn’t gone—it’s here, lurking in the forests of Live Oak, preying on Live Oak girls every year after Sophia Kelly’s infamous chocolate festival. But Gretchen is determined to stop running from witches in the forest, and start fighting back. Alongside Samuel Reynolds, a boy as quick with a gun as he is a sarcastic remark, Gretchen digs deeper into the mystery of not only what the witch is, but how it chooses its victims. Yet the further she investigates, the more she finds herself wondering who the real monster is, and if love can be as deadly as it is beautiful.

As far as fairy tale inspired novels come, I thought Sisters Red was the best. Nothing could possibly get any better than that, right? Wrong. Sweetly by Jackson Pearce combines the dangerous world of it's companion, Sisters Red with the haunting witch-ified elements of the Hansel and Gretel tale, making for a terrifying, kick-butt, romantic thrill ride that kept me glued to my seat until I finished the entire thing.

I honestly really can't find anything to complain about when it comes to this book. It satisfied every different hunger that I crave as a reader - mystery, romance, action, horror and so much more. And speaking of hungers and craving, before you read this book, make sure you have a big pile of chocolate sitting right next to you! Jackson's descriptions of the treats that were being made in the chocolatier were so vivid and tantalizing and mouthwatering and, oddly enough, one of my favorite things about the novel.

Another thing I absolutely loved was that I was kept guessing until the very end. Just like Sisters Red, the conclusion and villain remains so very unpredictable that my theories and guesses ended up so far off. The conclusion isn't foreshadowed and thrown at you in the beginning like I find most books today do. Sweetly makes you actually think about it. And maybe it's just me, but as a reader, I love being challenged!

Overall, I have not one bad thing to say about Sweetly. In my opinion, Jackson Pearce is the queen of modernizing fairy tales. Dark, scary and sexy - this is definitely a novel that I recommend you check out! I will now be twitching impatiently until Fathomless, the third book in the fairy tale series, this time inspired by The Little Mermaid, releases next year!

P.S. - I'm not even kidding about the chocolate thing. Eat some while you read this book or you'll be craving it all night like I did.

Other reviews for Sweetly:
Escape Through The Pages.
Just Your Typical Book Blog.
Novel Novice.
Ashelynn Hetland.