Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
This week's eagerly anticipated release is:
Goddess Interrupted (Goddess Test #2)
by Aimee Carter
Expected publication: March 27th 2012 by HarlequinTeen
Kate Winters has won immortality. But if she wants a life in the Underworld with Henry, she’ll have to fight for it. Becoming immortal wasn’t supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she’s as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he’s becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate’s coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans. As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future. Henry’s first wife, Persephone.
I know that everyone's already made a big fuss over this release, but seeing as today is my last chance to spotlight a March release, I had to choose this one. I'm really excited to see what happens when Kate meets Persephone, and what happens with the King of the Titans. It kind of sucks for Kate, since she already won the right to be in the Underworld with Henry and now she's got to fight to keep her place.
Title: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight Author: Jennifer E. Smith Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary Fiction Publisher: Poppy Books, Hachette Book Group Format: Hardcover, 236 Pages ISBN: 978-0-316-12238-2 Release Date: January 2, 2012 Source: Borrowed from Wentworth Library Rating: 5/5
Tagline(s): Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?
Summary: Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. Having missed her flight, she's stuck at JFK airport and late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's sitting in her row.
A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more?
Quirks of timing play out in this romantic and cinematic novel about family connections, second chances, and first loves. Set over a twenty-four-hour period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.
Review:
I fell in love with The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight...at first sight. When I heard about this book I was curious. I don't usually read a lot of contemporary romance novels and it takes a lot for me to really like them. But when I saw the cover of Statistical Probability, when I read the synopsis, I just knew I was going to love this book. And Jennifer E. Smith did not disappoint me.
Aside from the romance, what I really liked was all the small things; all the tiny coincidental things that had to happen to bring Hadley and Oliver together. Some are obvious and some you could totally miss of you're not paying attention. What would have happened if it weren't for those first four minutes? If there wasn't a nice old lady in their row that gave her seat to Oliver? And let's not forget their little buzzing friend from the plane. All of these small events are what bring, not only Hadley and Olive together, but the story as well.
The romance is so sweet. I found Hadley and Oliver so completely adorable and I really wished the book has been longer so I could read more about them. Their love isn't, BAM! I love you, forever. It's slow and steady. They talk for hours on the plane and get to know each other and, in the end, even help each other cope with family issues. I love when the characters don't fall in love instantaneously. It's more believable when it happens at a believable pace.
I want more! I loved the characters and story so much and I want to know what happens after the first meeting; after the first 24 hours. What happens when they return to Connecticut? Do Hadley and Oliver last or was it just for that moment? I sincerely hope that the author at least considers continuing Hadley and Oliver's story--even a short story or novella would do. I just want more.
Quote: "When you're on the other side of it, fifty-two years can seem like fifty-two minutes. Just like when you're young and in love, a seven-hour plane ride can seem like a lifetime."
- Chapter 4, Page 48
Book Trailers:
Meet Hadley
Meet Oliver
About this Author:
Jennifer E. Smith is the author of the three young adult novels: The Comeback Season, You Are Here, and The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. She earned her master's degree in creative writing from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, and currently works as an editor in New York City.
Title: Clockwork Prince Series: The Infernal Devices #2 Author: Cassandra Clare Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Supernatural Fiction Elements: Demons, Werewolves, Vampires, Fae, Warlocks, Nephilim Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books, Simon and Schuster Inc. Format: Hardcover, 502 Pages ISBN: 978-1-4169-7588-5 Release Date: December 6, 2011 Source: Borrowed from Wentworth Library Rating: 4.5/5
Tagline(s): ~NONE~
Summary: 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 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 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 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.
Review:
In Clockwork Prince, Cassandra Clare takes us on the continued search for the Magister and shows us the political intrigue of the Clave; while still enthralling us with heart wrenching romance and taking us deeper into the relationships of the characters.
The Magister is more elusive than ever, always seeming to be one or ten steps ahead of the Shadowhunters. Charlotte's job is made even harder when the Magister knows their weaknesses--Will's family, Jem's illness, etc. And with betrayals within the Clave and close to home it may be impossible to catch the Magister before it's too late.
"Master Will has always been the brighter burning star, the one to catch attention--but Jem is a steady flame, unwavering and honest."
The triangle between Will, Tessa, and Jem is more intense in Clockwork Prince. Will's walls are crumbling and he's changing; Jem is becoming more honest and forward; and Tessa, caught in the middle, is more confused and torn then ever.
Depending on what team you're on, Team Will or Team Jem, you'll either be overjoyed or completely heartbroken. Both boys completely open themselves up and bare their hearts to Tessa. One's heart will be healed and the other's will be completely shattered.
There is so much that happens in Clockwork Prince, but Cassandra meshes it all together to seamlessly that it's not overwhelming and you can breeze right through the book. The prologue draws you in with a glimpse of Will's inner turmoil and you'll be desperately wanting more after the surprise ending. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll never want to leave this world of Shadowhunters and demons.
Book Trailer:
Dirty Sexy Balcony Scene:
About this Author:
Cassandra Clare was born overseas and spent her early years traveling around the world with her family and several trunks of fantasy books. Cassandra worked for several years as an entertainment journalist for the Hollywood Reporter before turning her attention to fiction. She is the author of City of Bones, the first book in the Mortal Instruments trilogy and a New York Times bestseller. Cassandra lives with her fiance and their two cats in Massachusetts.
This Leap Day, we salute shattering the space-time continuum!
Leap Day raises all sorts of questions: if you're born on Leap Day, do you only age once every four years? In celebration of this chronological rarity, we have assembled our top 5 timeless time-travel anime stories.
With an episode structure seemingly taken from a damaged Memento VHS,The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzimiyais a tremendously enjoyable, chronology-changing romp of an anime. Between Haruhi's reality-bending powers, and more moe than you can shake a stick at, what more could you want?
What happens when you combine Mafia in-fighting, time-traveling combat and an infant assassin? Well, you get Katekyo Hitman Reborn, the long-running coming-of-age story with a heavy dose of gangster-fueled action. If only actual organized crime were this entertaining...
After a slow, silly start (their microwave sends messages to the past!), Steins;Gatekicks into high-gear and delivers 150 cc's of drama and suspense straight to our anime aorta. The only thing our microwave does is turn frozen burritos intovolcanic mouth-burning sadness cylinders.
Sure, CLAMP's intricate, universe-blending taleTsubasa: Reservoir Chroniclecan be confusing to keep up with, but don't the best things always make you scratch your head at first? Evangelion, anyone? With secret clones, attempted soul-stealing and trans-dimensional drama, Tsubasa is well worth the headache.
One part The Butterfly Effect, one part Back to the Future and a whole lot of heart,The Girl Who Leapt Through Timeconveys both the wonderment and the harsh ramifications that come with altering the past. Even if we had Makoto's powers, we wouldn't change a thing about this film.
Title: Bloodrose Series: Nightshade #3 Author: Andrea Cremer Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Supernatural Fiction Elements: Shapeshifters, Werewolves, Witches, Incubi, Succubi Publisher: Philomel Books, Penguin Group Format: Hardcover, 407 Pages ISBN: 978-0-399-25612-7 Release Date: January 3, 2012 Source: Borrowed from Wentworth Library Rating: 5/5
Tagline(s): Is true love worth the ultimate sacrifice?
Summary: Calla has always welcomed war.
But now that the final battle is upon her, there's more at stake than fighting. There's saving Ren, even if it incurs Shay's wrath. There's keeping Ansel safe, even if he's been branded a traitor. There's proving herself as the pack's alpha, facing unnameable horrors, and ridding the world of the Keeper's magic once and for all. And then there's deciding what to do when the war ends. If Calla makes it out alive, that is.
In the final installment of the Nightshade trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Andrea Cremer creates a novel with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat until its final pages. A dynamic end to a breathtaking trilogy.
Review:
Bloodrose is the final book in the amazing Nightshade series. Bloodrose is full of twists and turns that will leave you reeling.
I viewed this book as really bittersweet. It seemed that for every victory there was a tragedy, for every joy a sorrow. There was a moment toward the end that left me completely heartbroken. I had to stop reading so I could collect myself.
My favorite part of the whole book was the romance. I enjoy reading stories involving love triangles and anticipating who will eventually end up with who. Though Calla decided she wouldn't choose between Shay and Ren until the war was over, I felt that Ren was never really given a fair shot. It seemed like Calla's decision was made that night in the garden with Shay in Wolfsbane. She always seems to be pushing Ren away instead of giving him the shot he deserved. As a member of Team Ren that kind of bothered me. There were a lot of great swoony moments between both couplings, but my favorite was the shower scene with Calla and Ren.
This is a completely personal opinion, and I'm not saying that I didn't like Bloodrose (I did indeed love this book), but I was kind of disappointed with how the book ended. It wasn't anything like I thought it would end. Most series finales leave a feeling that the characters are still living on and the story continues, but the end of Bloodrose seems more final. Though I didn't like the ending myself, I think that there will be quite a few who do.
This may be the end of the Nightshade series' main story, there is the prequel, RIFT, to look forward to in the summer.
Quote:
I'd always welcomed was, but when the last battle ends, what life is left for a warrior?
- Chapter 31, Page 395
Book Trailer:
About this Author:
Andrea Cremer spent her childhood daydreaming and roaming the forests and lakeshores of Northern Wisconsin. She now lives in Minnesota, but she thinks of her homeland as the “Canadian Shield” rather than the Midwest.
Andrea has always loved writing and has never stopped writing, but she only recently plunged into the deep end of the pool that is professional writing. Whenshe’s not writing, Andrea teaches history at a very nice liberal arts college in St. Paul.
In the little spare time she can find, Andrea stares up at trees, rescues infant rabbits from predatory cats, and invents names for pug puppies with her husband. She has an unfortunate tendency to spill things – white carpets beware!
Her debut novel, NIGHTSHADE, the first of a YA fantasy series, will be published in fall 2010 by Penguin (Philomel).
Shooting Stars by Allison Rushby Expected publication: February 28th 2012 by Walker Childrens
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.
5 Signed Copies will be given away on Friday, March 2, 2012!
It's simple. Every Friday, Free Book Friday gives away free books!
That's right. Each week, FBF features a new author with an exclusive author interview podcast or written Q&A and host a drawing to win free signed copies of his/her book.
All you have to do to enter to win each week is sign up using the entry form on the left sidebar. Winners are chosen at random and posted on the site every Friday morning. Hence the name, "Free Book Friday!"
Follow Friday is a weekly event hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read--a great way to discover new amazing blogs and new friends!
Q: Activity!!! Take a picture or describe where you love to read the most…
Answer: I love reading in the study rooms at the library! It's somewhat quite and I'm not easily distracted like I am in other places. I also like the feeling of privacy in a public library.
Welcome to the Transcend Time Saga Title Hunt! The title hunt is the reveal of the title for the final novel in the Transcend Time Saga. Each of the bloggers participating in the hunt have been given a letter. Hop around to the blogs participating to hunt for the letters. (And remember that two of the letters are used twice, so the title is eight letters long.)
Once you've unscrambled the title, go to Michelle Madow's blog and use the title name to enter the giveaway for a voucher for an advanced e-copy of the final Transcend Time novel! (She is giving away a voucher because the novel is planned to be released at the end of the year, and she hasn't finished writing it yet! This voucher will ensure that you will receive an advance e-copy once they are available).
Letter:
What do I hope will happen in the final Transcend Time book?
To be honest, I haven't had the chance to read the first two books yet. :( Shame on me...
The e-version of Remembrance is on sale for $0.99 until Michelle's USA tour ends in April.
Expected publication: December 11th 2012 by Entangled Publisher
Here's the summary:
She’s the only one who can see through his golden boy façade to the broken god within… Chrysander Notos, Supreme God of the South Wind and Summer, is on a mission: save Eurus from his death sentence and prove his troubled brother can be redeemed. But Eurus fights back, triggering vicious summer storms that threaten the mortal realm, dangerously drain Chrys, and earn the ire of the Olympic gods who ordered Eurus dead. Laney Summerlyn refuses to give up her grandfather’s horse farm, despite her deteriorating vision. More than ever, she needs the organized routine of her life at Summerlyn Stables, until a ferocious storm brings an impossible—and beautiful—creature crashing down from the heavens. Injured while fighting Eurus, Chrys finds himself at the mercy of a mortal woman whose compassion and acceptance he can’t resist. As they surrender to the passion flaring between them, immortal enemies close in, forcing Chrys to choose between his brother and the only woman who’s ever loved the real him.
This cover is really awesome! The lightning and fire in the background hint at danger, the black horse symbolizes power, and then there's the hot guy on the cover. There's more color to this cover than the covers to the previous book in the Hearts of Anemoi series. I think this is my favorite so far.
Title: Blue Exorcist Volume 1 Japanese Title: Ao no Exorcist Series: Blue Exorcist #1 Manga-ka: Kazue Kato Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Graphic Novels, Older Teen Ages 16+ Publisher: Viz Media, Shonen Jump Advanced, Shueisha Inc. Format: Paperback, 181 Pages ISBN-13: 978-1-4215-4032-0 Release Date: April 5, 2011 Source: Borrowed from Wentworth Library Rating: 4/5
Tagline(s): Fight hellfire with hellfire!
Summary: Raised by Father Fujimoto, a famous exorcist, Rin Okumura never knew his real father. One day a fateful argument with Father Fujimoto forces Rin to face a terrible truth--the blood of the demon lord Satan runs in Rin's veins! Rin swears to defeat Satan, but doing that means entering the mysterious True Cross Academy and becoming an exorcist himself. Can Rin fight demons and keep his infernal bloodline a secret? It won't be easy, especially when drawing his father's sword releases the demonic power within him!
Review:
A lot happens in Volume One (as with any manga)--Rin awakening to his demon power, meeting Satan, swearing to become an exorcist, attending True Cross Academy, fighting his first demons, reconciling Father Fujimoto's death with Yukio, and meeting Shiemi.
I liked Rin from the very first page, although I always seem to like the bad boy characters. This characters type always has a tough exterior, but a more sensitive interior. Rin comes off as hot-headed and brash, but he want to help people and become a respectable person. I loved how he declared to Mephisto, "I'm not a human or a demon. But I will be an exorcist!!" He doesn't want to be an exorcist for revenge, but to become stronger so that no one else dies to protect him again. He has nobility and honor you wouldn't expect from a demon.
In this first volume the supporting characters we meet are: Father Fujimoto, who raised Rin and Yukio; Yukio, Rin's younger twin brother; Mephisto Pheles, Father Fujimoto's friend and president of True Cross Academy; and Shiemi, the cute and shy girl that Rin develops a crush on (although she seems to only have eyes for Yukio!). As the series goes on we'll meet more characters from both sides: the exorcists and the demons; as well as Rin's exorcist cram school classmates.
Volume One mainly consists of Rin awakening to his powers and being introduced to the world of the exorcists. We see some of Rin and Yukio's past and their reasons for wanting to become exorcists. I thought this was a strong beginning to the Blue Exorcist series.
About this Manga-ka:
Kazue Katō (加藤和恵, Katō Kazue), born on July 20th, 1980 in the district of Shinjuku, in Tokyo, is a Japanese mangaka, author of shōnen manga. She is mainly known to be author of Blue Exorcist. She also created Robot to Usakichi ( ロボとうさ吉 ), for which she received the price Osamu Tezuka Award.
From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering. Shout it out on Twitter with the hashtag #YABound, post it here in the comments, or grab the adorable button above and share it on your blog! We want to know :-)
Here's mine:
She stood still as his fingertips left her mouth and trailed a path down her throat, stopping at her pulse, slipping to the silk ribbon at her collar and pulling at one end of it; her eyelids fluttered half-closed as the bow came apart and his warm hand covered her bare collarbone. She remembered once, on the Main, how the ship had passed through a patch of strangely shining ocean, and how the Main had carved a path of fire through the water, trailing sparks in its wake. It was as if Will's hands did the same to her skin. She burned where he touched her, and could feel where his fingers had been even when they had moved on. His hands moved lightly but lower, over the bodice of her dress, following the curves of her breasts. Tessa gasped, even as his hands slid to grip her waist and draw her toward him, pulling their bodies together until there was not a millimeter of space between them.
Knowing the future is not about knowing the future. It’s about knowing which path to take.
Ilven comes from a family of Saints—future-tellers—but she knows her father didn’t waste more than a few grains of the precious drug scriv to see her fate. Now she’s facing an arranged marriage to a man she’s never met. So, inhaling stolen scriv, she reads three possible futures for herself, searching for the path that will lead to her heart’s desire.
Presenting “Mother, Crone, Maiden,” a short-story prequel to Cat Hellisen’s young adult fantasy debut, When the Sea Is Rising Red, forthcoming from Farrar, Straus and Giroux on February 28th.
Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
This week's eagerly anticipated release is:
The Isis Collar (Blood Singer #4)
by Cat Adams Expected publication: March 13th 2012 by Tor Books
Celia Graves was once an ordinary human, but those days are long gone. Now she strives to maintain her sanity and her soul while juggling both vampire abilities and the powers of a Siren.
Warned of a magical “bomb” at a local elementary school, Celia forces an evacuation. Oddly, the explosion seems to have no effect, puzzling both Celia and the FBI. Two weeks later, a strangely persistent bruise on Celia’s leg turns out to be the first sign of a magical zombie plague.
Finding the source of the plague isn’t Celia’s only concern. Her alcoholic mother has broken out of prison on the Sirens’ island; her little sister’s ghost has possessed a young girl; and one of Celia’s boyfriends, a powerful mage, has disappeared.
I love the Blood Singer series, and this time Celia faces a magical zombie plague!
Will’s fingers brushed the other boy’s as he took the weapon from Jem: it was the first time, Charlotte thought, that she had ever seen him touch any other person willingly.
I can't wait until we get to read the full scene! Who else is looking forward to it?
We know, we know - it seems like just yesterday that the new crop of winter anime came out, but that's no reason not to get unreasonably excited about what April has in store.
1. Naruto SD: Rock Lee no Seishun Full-Power Ninden
Finally, the Green Beast of Konoha will get his own, albeit super-deformed, starring vehicle asNaruto SD: Rock Lee no Seishun Full-Power Nindenhits the airwaves. The plus side to Studio Pierrot's pint-sized, huge-headed style? Rock Lee's eyebrows are even bigger.
2. Medaka Box
Can GAINAX do any wrong? Possibly, but it seems unlikely. Medaka Box follows high school students who uncover a secret program that is experimenting on students with supernatural abilities. Honestly, you had us at Medaka Box.
3. Eureka Seven: Astral Ocean
A sequel to the preposterously popular Eureka Seven, Eureka Seven: Astral Ocean boasts awesome mecha action and a killer soundtrack. Throw in the fact that it's from BONES? Game, set, match. Fun bonus fact: Eureka Seven is an anagram of Keanu Reeves.
4. Sakamichi no Apollon
With Cowboy Bebopdirector Shinichiro Watanabe and composer Yoko Kanno behind it, Sakamichi no Apollon might be the most hotly anticipated show this spring before people have even heard the premise. Fortunately, the 1960s coming-of-age story about high schoolers-turned-jazz musicians promises to hit all the right notes.
5. Fate/zero Part 2 Do we honestly even need to list Fate/zero Part 2? Haven't you already started fansubbing it yourself, just in case?
Title: Never to Sleep Series: Soul Screamers #5.5 Author: Rachel Vincent Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Supernatural Fiction Elements: Necromancers, Reapers, Bean-sidhes, Demons Publisher: Harlequin Books Format: Kindle Edition eBook ISBN: 978-1-4268-3414-1 Release Date: January 1, 2012 Source: Purchased on Amazon.com Rating: 4/5
Tagline(s): Don't Close Your Eyes
Summary: Sophie Cavanaugh is not going to let her freak of a cousin's strange psychiatric condition ruin high school for them both. Not after all the work she's put into cultivating the right look, and friends, and reputation. But then, Sophie sees something so frightening she lets out a blood-curdling scream—and finds herself stuck in a bizarre parallel world where nothing is safe and deadly creatures lurk just out of sight, waiting for her to close her eyes and sleep...forever.
Could this world be real? Or does insanity run in the family...?
Review:
I was really excited when I heard about this novella in the Soul Screamers series. Never to Sleep takes place during the If I Die timeline from Sophie's point of view. I'd like readers to note that this review contains spoilers from If I Die.
Sophie's going about her day a usual--wading through the social hierarchy and political intrigue, while trying to avoid her cousin, Kaylee at all costs--when she meets Luca, a new student. After he literally smacks her with a classroom door (accidentally), he offers to help her carry the dance uniforms back to the gym. They take the long way back to the gym and that's when they happen to come upon Tod and Kaylee's PDA moment and the beginning of the ensuing fight between Tod and Nash. Not wanting to be involved in Kaylee's drama, Sophie leads Luca back the other way and that's when things start to get weird.
Out of nowhere pops a boy with no irises or pupils in his eyes. Sophie is so terrified she lets out a blood-curdling scream--transporting her and Luca to the Netherworld.
Now the question I had while reading Never to Sleep was--Is Sophie really a bean sidhe, or, because she's half-bean sidhe, does she only have half the powers of a full-bean sidhe? It seems that Sophie is only able to open a way to the Netherworld when she's really terrified.
I never liked Sophie as a character and I still don't really like her. She showed great strength and intelligence while in the Netherworld, but her ego and arrogance upon returning home overshadowed those qualities. If she had stayed humble I may have changed my mind about her.
I can't wait to see how Sophie's attitude changes when she finds out the truth and that her tiny little victory in the Netherworld doesn't even compare to all that her cousin, Kaylee, has been through. It'll be interesting to see if her view of Kaylee changes at all in Before I Wake.
Now Luca, as we find out, isn't exactly normal (no one new who comes to town is ever 100% normal). Turns out he's a necromancer--and not in the raise-the-dead way, but more like he's able to recognize and communicate with the dead. We don't really know if he's a good guy or a bad guy, but it definitely seems like he's got some kind of ulterior motives. I don't think it's such a good idea for Sophie to trust him as much as she seems to at this point.
Though Never to Sleep didn't change my dislike for Sophie, I did enjoy getting a closer look at things from her POV. I'm looking forward to seeing how it all translates into Before I Wake.
About this Author:
A resident of San Antonio, Rachel Vincent has a BA in English and an overactive imagination, and consistently finds the latter to be more practical. She shares her workspace with two black cats (Kaci and Nyx) and her # 1 fan. Rachel is older than she looks-seriously-and younger than she feels, but remains convinced that for every day she spends writing, one more day will be added to her lifespan.
A Little Night Magic by Lucy March Published January 31st 2012 by St. Martin's Griffin
Olivia Kiskey needs a change. She’s been working at the same Nodaway Falls, New York, waffle house since she was a teenager; not a lot of upward mobility there. She’s been in love with Tobias, the cook, for the last four years; he’s never made a move. Every Saturday night, she gathers with her three best friends—Peach, Millie, and Stacy—and drinks the same margaritas while listening to the same old stories. Intent on shaking things up, she puts her house on the market, buys a one-way ticket to Europe, and announces her plans to her friends . . . but then she meets Davina Granville, a strange and mystical Southern woman who shows Olivia that there is more to her life than she ever dreamed. As Liv’s latent magical powers come to the surface, she discovers that having an interesting life is maybe not all it’s cracked up to be. The dark side of someone else’s magic is taking over good people in town, and changing them into vessels of malevolence. Unwilling to cede her home to darkness, she battles the demons of her familial past and her magical present, with those she loves at her side . . . and in the cross fire. Can the most important things in life—friendship, love, magic, and waffles—get her through the worst that the universe can throw at her?
3 Signed Copies will be given away on Friday, February 24, 2012!
It's simple. Every Friday, Free Book Friday gives away free books!
That's right. Each week, FBF features a new author with an exclusive author interview podcast or written Q&A and host a drawing to win free signed copies of his/her book.
All you have to do to enter to win each week is sign up using the entry form on the left sidebar. Winners are chosen at random and posted on the site every Friday morning. Hence the name, "Free Book Friday!"
WINGS OF THE WICKED IS OUT NOW!!! AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH
Join Courtney at Schuler Books in Lansing, MI for the launch event on 2.1.2012!
The first chapter of Wings can be previewed in the ANGELFIRE paperback out January 17 along with an exclusive scene from Will's POV involving, Ragnuk, Bastian, Ivar, Geir, and Cadan.....
So much excitement!
In the Fear the Reaper tradition, Courtney will be giving away a book and posting a song from the WINGS OF THE WICKED playlist each week, but because some of these songs are massively spoilery, she'll let the lyrics speak for themselves and she will say nothing about what the song means in relation to Wings. These songs will be posted chronologically with their scenes in the book You will have to find out for yourself!
Be sure to check out the Wings of the Wicked soundtrack
to hear songs for the book that she wrote herself!
CD's will be handed out on the Dark Days of Supernatural Tour in February!
✦ This challenge runs from 1 to 31 March, 2012
✦ Sign-ups are open until 15 March 2012. After that the linky list will be closed and participation in the challenges and giveaways won't be possible for anyone who hasn't previously signed up.
✦ To sign up, just fill in the Mister Linky form below. Link to your sign up post directly, please! The Linky is the same for both our blogs, so you only have to sign up once.
✦ When you post your sign up post on your blog, either include the challenge button with your post or link it back to this article so that people know where to sign up. Thank you!
✦ Every book you received for review counts towards the challenge, both ebooks and hard copies, including all genres and lengths.
✦ You don't need to follow the two hosts in order to be able to sign up for the event (although it's appreciated), but you do have to follow us in order to be able to enter our giveaways. In order to be entered in the giveaway, simply complete the given challenge and add the link to your post in the linky list.
✦ Challenges will be posted every week on Fridays and will last throughout the week until Thursday the next week. Every challenge ends with a giveaway. To enter in the challenges and giveaways, simply add the link to your challenge post in the Linky list in the main challenge post. It will be posted on both blogs.
✦ At the end of the event we will host our Massive Giveaway. This contains tons of prizes donated by awesome authors. All you'll need to do in order to enter this giveaway is to fill in a Rafflecopter form - as simple as that. :)
✦ Most of our giveaways will be open INTERNATIONALLY but you'll find all the relevant info about each giveaway when we post the challenges.
✦ Feel free to use the #RCCleanup hashtag on Twitter for your RCC related tweets or join in the Twitter party at http://tweetchat.com/room/RCCleanup and meet lots of lovely bloggers :)
Challenge schedule:
✦ March 2 - Show Off Your Pile
✦ March 9 - Cuddle Up With a Book
✦ March 16 - Don't Be Such a Tease!
✦ March 23 - Mysterious Meet-up
✦ March 30 - Love Will Find a Way
Follow Friday is a weekly event hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read--a great way to discover new amazing blogs and new friends!
Q: What's the most unique character name you've come across?
Answer: There are so many, but I'd say recently the names Lilja/Nastasya and Eileif/Reyn from the Immortal Beloved series. Umm...Renesmee from Breaking Dawn, Ajax from The Mephisto Covenant, Bodhi from the Riley Bloom series, to give a few more.
There's no summary available for this anthology yet, but I can say that it has...WEREWOLVES!
Which is kind of obvious from the title, but I'm just really excited for another anthology by Shelly Laurenston and Cynthia Eden.
Shelly and Cynthia are two of my very favorite paranormal romance authors, and just look at that cover! Who doesn't love a cover with a really hot, shirtless, muscly guy?!
