Book Review | The Darkest Part of the Forest | Holly Black

Book Review | The Darkest Part of the Forest | Holly BlackThe Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black
Published by Little Brown BFYR on January 13, 2015
Genres: Faeries, Fantasy YA, Young Adult
Pages: 328
Format: Hardcover
Source: Bought it
AmazonBarnes & NobleGoodreads
four-stars

Children can have a cruel, absolute sense of justice. Children can kill a monster and feel quite proud of themselves. A girl can look at her brother and believe they’re destined to be a knight and a bard who battle evil. She can believe she’s found the thing she’s been made for.

Hazel lives with her brother, Ben, in the strange town of Fairfold where humans and fae exist side by side. The faeries’ seemingly harmless magic attracts tourists, but Hazel knows how dangerous they can be, and she knows how to stop them. Or she did, once.

At the center of it all, there is a glass coffin in the woods. It rests right on the ground and in it sleeps a boy with horns on his head and ears as pointed as knives. Hazel and Ben were both in love with him as children. The boy has slept there for generations, never waking.

Until one day, he does…

As the world turns upside down, Hazel tries to remember her years pretending to be a knight. But swept up in new love, shifting loyalties, and the fresh sting of betrayal, will it be enough?

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Waiting on Wednesday | The Next Together | Lauren James

Waiting on Wednesday

 The Next Together: The Next Together #1 • Lauren James

Book Cover The Next Together Lauren James

How many times can you lose the person you love?

A powerful and epic debut novel for teenagers about reincarnation and the timelessness of first love from a talented young writer.

Teenagers Katherine and Matthew are destined to be born again and again. Each time their presence changes history for the better, and each time, they fall hopelessly in love, only to be tragically separated.

But why do they keep coming back? What else must they achieve before they can be left to live and love in peace?
Maybe the next together will be different…

In 1745, during the siege of Carlisle, in 1854 on the way to the Crimea, in 2019 and 2039 as first scientists and then students uncovering and rediscovering a dangerous plot, and in multiple timescales between, they are thrown together, with no memory of having met one another before, only an irresistible instinct that they must be with one another against all odds – even while the epic events unfolding all around seem sure to tear them apart.

AHHH, ok. *Calms self* Guys, THE NEXT TOGETHER just sounds so fun and emotional. Like, I feel like I’m going to read it and cry. “Tragically separated” sounds so devastating, but I’m completely intrigued. I’m loving the historical fiction vibe, the contemporary romance vibe, and the dystopian conspiracy vibe. It sounds like time travel slash reincarnation, and that’s no small thing to attempt, but I’m curious enough to be UTTERLY STOKED.

Also, it’s impossible for me to NOT dig this cover. It’s got TEXTURE! Like I wish that each column was three-dimensional and I could open them like flaps. I’ll probably be ordering this one from overseas.

THE NEXT TOGETHER comes out on September 3, 2015 from Walker UK

The Next Together Lauren James

Top Ten Tuesday | Top Ten Books on My Spring TBR

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Book on My Spring TBR

I LOOOOVE putting together these Top Ten Tuesdays, guys. There are so many books each season that I can’t WAIT to read and I just love being able to shine the spotlight on some of my more eagerly anticipated titles. This spring is a DOOZY, guys. SO many great books to look forward to! As usual, these are in no particular order.

Spring TBRCRIMSON BOUND | ROSAMUND HODGE. I know that some people didn’t LOVE CRUEL BEAUTY, but I did, so I’m pretty excited about this take on Little Red Riding Hood. Rosamund Hodge makes things darkly beautiful. (May 5, Balzer + Bray)

THE WRATH AND THE DAWN | RENÉE AHDIEH. I’m, like, beyond stoked for this book. I’ve heard literally maybe one bad thing about it. I’m not sure I’m going to care though because A Thousand and One Nights is such a great jumping off point for a retelling. GIMME IT. (May 12, Putnam Juvenile)

Spring TBRTANGLED WEBS | LEE BROSS. First of all, THIS COVER. I die. Second of all, a historical fiction in mid-18th century England about blackmail and scandal and secret lives. It just sounds so fun and addictive. (June 23, Disney Hyperion)

A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES | SARAH J. MAAS. Yes, I’ve already read this book. Yes, I’m still looking forward to it. I can’t get enough of Sarah’s books right now. The faeries and the fantasies and all of it–I just love them all. This book was outstanding. (May 5, Bloomsbury Children’s)

Spring TBRTHE NOVICE | TARAN MATHARU. I’m sorry, did someone say debut fantasy? About a young apprentice who can summon DEMONS? And also war, orcs, etc.? I’m so in with this. (May 5, Feiwel & Friends)

THE PENDERWICKS IN SPRING | JEANNE BIRDSALL. OMG you guys know how much I love the Penderwicks, right? I can’t even with how much I love them and their loveable, funny family. This book takes place after a time jump and is told from Batty’s point of view. BATTY. Adorable. (March 25, Knopf Books for Young Readers)

Spring TBRAN EMBER IN THE ASHES | SABAA TAHIR. So I just found out yesterday that the audio of this book is narrated by Fiona Hardingham and Steve West, the amazing pair behind THE SCORPIO RACES. So that’s a plus. But I was looking forward to this debut long before yesterday. A fantasy in a Roman-esque world is always going to pique my interest. Plus I’m hearing great things. (April 28, Razorbill)

ASA | JAY CROWNOVER. ASAAAAAA. Guys, if you like reading adult contemporary with a little grit and a good heap of drama and some major sexytimes, you NEED to read this series. I’m a little bummed that Asa’s is the last book, but I know that Jay Crownover has some great things up her half-sleeve. (April 21, William Morrow)

Spring TBRTHE DEVIL YOU KNOW | TRISH DOLLER. I love Trish’s books. They’re all complex and emotional. This one sounds a little different with the whole road trip (YAY!) gone horribly wrong (NOO!). I have faith that Trish will bring the awesome once again. (June 2, Bloomsbury Children’s)

THE WITCH HUNTER | VIRGINIA BOECKER. I die every time I look at this cover because it has an ouroboros on it, and I’ve always loved the symbolism of something that eats its own tail and regenerates. But I’m also excited because this book sounds excellent: A young girl who hunts witches is accused of being a witch herself and then meets up with wizards and deals with curses and all kinds of awesome stuff. CANNOT WAIT. (June 2, Little Brown BFYR)

Character Profile + Teaser | Breaking Sky | Cori McCarthy

Book Cover Breaking Sky Cori McCarthy

Breaking Sky • Cori McCarthy

Guys! I’m excited to be able to share some extra goodies with you you today for Cori McCarthy’s adrenaline-fueled dystopian novel that focuses on teenage airplane pilots during a Second Cold War. Reread that sentence if you need to. AIRPLANE PILOTS. SECOND COLD WAR. It’s basically Top Gun, you guys, and I really enjoyed it.

To tide you over until I post my review, the awesome folks at Sourcebooks are hosting this tour to introduce you to some of the pilots from United Star Academy, tease you with some passages, and THEN they’re giving away FIVE COPIES of BREAKING SKY! WOOOO!

So, let’s not waste any more time. Are you guys ready to meet Sylph? (I hope so.)

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Book Review | The Conspiracy of Us | Maggie Hall

I received this book for free from eARC from the Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Book Review | The Conspiracy of Us | Maggie HallThe Conspiracy of Us by Maggie Hall
Series: The Conspiracy of Us #1
Published by Putnam Juvenile on January 13, 2015
Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Contemporary YA, Thriller, Travel
Pages: 336
Format: eARC
Source: eARC from the Publisher via NetGalley
AmazonBarnes & NobleGoodreads
four-stars

A fast-paced international escapade, laced with adrenaline, glamour, and romance–perfect for fans of Ally Carter

Avery West’s newfound family can shut down Prada when they want to shop in peace, and can just as easily order a bombing when they want to start a war. Part of a powerful and dangerous secret society called the Circle, they believe Avery is the key to an ancient prophecy. Some want to use her as a pawn. Some want her dead.

To unravel the mystery putting her life in danger, Avery must follow a trail of clues from the monuments of Paris to the back alleys of Istanbul with two boys who work for the Circle—beautiful, volatile Stellan and mysterious, magnetic Jack. But as the clues expose a stunning conspiracy that might plunge the world into World War 3, she discovers that both boys are hiding secrets of their own. Now she will have to choose not only between freedom and family–but between the boy who might help her save the world, and the one she’s falling in love with.

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Blog Tour + Giveaway | What’s Your Winner’s Curse?

Winner's Curse

The LOVELY crew at Macmillan reached out and asked a bunch of bloggers to take part in a blog tour for Marie Rutkoski’s fabulous Winner’s Curse series in anticipation of the release of book 2, THE WINNER’S CRIME. I was equal parts STOKED and ANXIOUS about answering the question they’re asking of us, though! Because it’s HARD. But anything for this series, friends. If you haven’t started it yet, it’s time to do yourself a favor.

So, without further ado, THE QUESTION:

The ‘Winner’s Curse’ is an economics term that means you’ve gotten what you wanted – but at too high a price.  What would you pay too much for?

WHOA, right? WHOA. Have you guys ever seen the movie Little Women? The new one with Winona Ryder? Remember that one scene near the beginning when the sisters are up in the attic and they’re talking about what they want for Christmas and Amy asks for a cuter nose or limes or both and Jo asks for pens or something (I can’t remember the details of their wishes, and I can’t remember Meg’s at all), but Beth asks for the war to end so their dad can come home and everyone else is like, *crickets* and then–you can see this on their faces for a second–“Shit. We’re all assholes.”? I feel like I’m at a similar crossroads here. I could be superficial like my actual namesake and say, “I would pay too much money for books, and stuff from Ulta, and books, and scarves.” I could be like Jo and ask for things that would help me further my career or my dreams, like time to write or an awesome library job. Or I could be like Beth and say that I would pay too much money for my dad’s health to be better, a winning lottery ticket so my parents didn’t have to worry about money, societal equality, an end to bullying, and a host of other things. I’m having a real crisis about it.

So, I guess what I’m going to do is break it down for you: something superficial that I would pay too much money for, and something serious. Sound good?

Superficial first: I would hands-down pay too much money to have a huge library in my own house. I have so many books and not enough room for them all, so I’d fork over whatever cash I could scrounge up for not only someplace to store and showcase them, but a sanctuary for me to read as well.

Like this:

Home library

Or this:

home library

Or this (OMG THIS ONE. I WANT):

home library

I’d take this one, too:

home library

I want a big, airy, cozy space that’s big enough for all the books I have and all the books I’ve yet to buy, but with big fluffy couches and lots of windows and maybe a fireplace. AHHH, PEACE. *daydreams*

If I’m being serious, I’d pay all the money in the world for my dad to be in better health. Don’t get me wrong: He’s not ill or in danger of imminent death, nor am I sure that this would be a curse for me, per se. He’s just not 100%, you know? He had a very mild stroke a few years ago and has a pacemaker and a few other things going on. Everything is managed really well and he’s doing great, but like, he’s my DAD. Supposed to live forever. So I’d pay too much money for that in a heartbeat. Like, right now I’d do it. If my mom had similar issues, I’d do the same for her or anyone in my family. NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO DIE, OKAY? Maybe we can all become vampires and live together forever. That actually sounds like a great plan, right? I thought so. I can see you nodding.

Now that we’ve got that slight downer out of the way, it’s time to give away things! HUZZAH! That’s right, as long as you are over 13 and live in the US, you are eligible to win one copy of THE WINNER’S CRIME by Marie Rutkoski, thanks to those aforementioned lovely folks at Macmillan. You may do a happy dance now. I’ll wait. *waits*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don’t forget to check out the other stops on this awesome blog tour! You can also visit the dedicated website for The Winner’s Trilogy for all kinds of super fun things!

Book Review | I’ll Meet You There | Heather Demetrios

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Book Review | I’ll Meet You There | Heather DemetriosI'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios
Published by Henry Holt and Co. on February 3, 2015
Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Contemporary YA, Disabilities, Military, Relationships, Romance
Pages: 400
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
AmazonBarnes & NobleGoodreads
five-stars

If seventeen-year-old Skylar Evans were a typical Creek View girl, her future would involve a double-wide trailer, a baby on her hip, and the graveyard shift at Taco Bell. But after graduation, the only thing standing between straightedge Skylar and art school are three minimum-wage months of summer. Skylar can taste the freedom—that is, until her mother loses her job and everything starts coming apart. Torn between her dreams and the people she loves, Skylar realizes everything she’s ever worked for is on the line.

Nineteen-year-old Josh Mitchell had a different ticket out of Creek View: the Marines. But after his leg is blown off in Afghanistan, he returns home, a shell of the cocksure boy he used to be. What brings Skylar and Josh together is working at the Paradise—a quirky motel off California’s dusty Highway 99. Despite their differences, their shared isolation turns into an unexpected friendship and soon, something deeper.

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Waiting on Wednesday | A Madness So Discreet | Mindy McGinnis

Waiting on Wednesday

A Madness So Discreet • Mindy McGinnis

Book cover A Madness So Discreet Mindy McGinnis

Grace Mae knows madness. She keeps it locked away, along with her voice, trapped deep inside a brilliant mind that cannot forget horrific family secrets. Those secrets, along with the bulge in her belly, land her in a Boston insane asylum.

When her voice returns in a burst of violence, Grace is banished to the dark cellars where her mind is discovered by a visiting doctor who dabbles in the new study of criminal psychology. With her keen eyes and sharp memory, Grace will make the perfect assistant at crime scenes. Escaping from Boston to the safety of an ethical Ohio asylum, Grace finds friendship and hope, hints of a life she should have had. But gruesome nights bring Grace and the doctor into the circle of a killer who stalks young women. Grace, continuing to operate under the cloak of madness, must hunt a murderer while she confronts the demons in her own past.

In this beautifully twisted historical thriller, Mindy McGinnis, acclaimed author of Not a Drop to Drink and In a Handful of Dust, explores the fine line between sanity and insanity, good and evil—and the madness that exists in all of us.

Guys, I just can’t with A MADNESS SO DISCREET. I’ve never read anything by Mindy McGinnis (I KNOW), but I’m psyched for this one to be my first. Also, LOL PSYCHED. Unintentional, guys. But seriously, a historical fiction book about the origins of criminal psychology sounds absolutely FASCINATING. Plus the young women being stalked and, I’m assuming, killed makes things sound dangerous and urgent. LOVE THAT. Also, who else is all, “Oooooh, a DOCTOR??” Just me?

Last thing: WTF IS THAT HAND ON THE COVER GRABBING HER FOOT. OMG.

A MADNESS SO DISCREET comes out October 6, 2015 from Katherine Tegen Books

A Madness So Discreet Mindy McGinnis

Top Ten Tuesday | NEW All-Time Favorites

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten NEW All-Time Favorites

Super fun list this week! I’m always changing up my list of favorite books in my head. Every time I read a book that I know is going to stay with me, I’m always marveled by the fact that I could pick up a book tomorrow and it might be one that I cherish and reread and love the crap out of forever. ISN’T THAT AMAZINGGG?! These 11 books are some of my new all-time favorites. In cases when the book is one in a series, it’s basically a placeholder for all the books.

all-time favorites

The Lunar Chronicles series | Marissa Meyer

all-time favorites

I’ll Meet You There | Heather Demetrios

all-time favorites

Throne of Glass series | Sarah J. Maas

all-time favorites

Anna and the French Kiss series | Stephanie Perkins

all-time favorites

Fangirl | Rainbow Rowell

all-time favorites

Every series | Ellie Marney

all-time favorites

Tiger Lily | Jodi Lynn Anderson

all-time favorites

His Fair Assassin series | Robin LaFevers

all-time favorites

Daughter of Smoke and Bone series | Laini Taylor

all-time favorites

Eleanor & Park | Rainbow Rowell

all-time favorites

The Scorpio Races | Maggie Stiefvater

What books are your new all-time favorites?

On the Same Page | American Gods | Neil Gaiman

on the same pageAmerican Gods • Neil Gaiman

As you all probably know, Alyssa is like the one true Gaiman fan. She adores his writing and his stories and his wisdom and his hair and himself. However, since AMERICAN GODS is, I believe, the only work of his she hasn’t read, and Brittany and I are always looking to expand our knowledge of the Gaiman-verse, we decided to make this our February book. I’m so glad we did. It’s dense and dark and thought-provoking, but it was also amazing.

Since I have an abiding love of mythologies of all kinds, and since AMERICAN GODS uses those same mythologies to weave this incredible story, I thought I’d highlight a few of the major players for my post. Note: In the book, these gods go by different names (except for a few, but it’s not a huge spoiler to reveal them), so I’m not giving away any secrets. Shadow, the main character, deals with gods, but doesn’t know who they all are right away. It makes for a super fun guessing game, in addition to an engaging and mysterious story about belief, family, religion, and America.

Hat-tip to the artists who drew these amazing pictures, too! Y’all are so talented, I can’t even.

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