Through the Looking Glass: February 2012

Releases This Week

Allegiance (Legacy #2) by: Cayla Kluver - 2/28/12

Fugitives (Escape From Furnace #4) by: Alexander Gordon Smith - 2/28/12

BZRK (BZRK #1) by: Michael Grant - 2/28/12

Forgiven (The Demon Trappers #3) by: Jana Oliver - 2/28/12

The Hunger Pains (Papercutz Slices Series #4)

Friends with Boys by: Faith Erin Hicks - 2/28/12

The Humming Room by: Ellen Potter - 2/28/12

The Hunger Pains by: Stefan Petrucha and Rick Parker - 2/28/12

Partials by: Dan Wells - 2/28/12

Riding Out the Storm by: Sis Deans - 2/28/12

Shooting Stars by: Allison Rushby - 2/28/12

Torn (Trylle Trilogy #2) by: Amanda Hocking - 2/28/12

A Touch Morbid (A Touch Trilogy #2) by: Leah Clifford - 2/28/12

Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters

The Traitor in the Tunnel (The Agency #3) by: Y.S. Lee - 2/28/12
When the Sea is Rising Red by: Cat Hellisen - 2/28/12
Ripper by: Stefan Petrucha - 3/1/12
Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters by: Meredith Zeitlin - 3/1/12

100% Unofficial Tribute To The Hunger Games

100% Unofficial Tribute To The Hunger Games by: Evie Parker - 3/1/12
Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip by: Jordan Sonnenblick - 3/1/12
The Final Four by: Paul Volponi - 3/1/12
Lucy (Daughters of the Sea #3) by: Kathryn Lasky - 3/1/12

Perception (Clarity, #2)

Perception (Clarity #2) by: Kim Harrington - 3/1/12
The Repossession by: Sam Hawksmoor - 3/1/12
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by: Jesse Andrews - 3/2/12

Labels: Out This Week

Releases This Week

A Beautiful Evil (Gods & Monsters #2) by: Kelly Keaton - 2/21/12

The Catastrophic History of You and Me by: Jess Rothenberg - 2/21/12

Double by: Jenny Valentine - 2/21/12

Faery Tales & Nightmares by: Melissa Marr - 2/21/12

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

$Inside: Inside Out\Outside In$

Fever (The Chemical Garden #2) by: Lauren DeStefano - 2/21/12

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by: Benjamin Alire Saenz - 2/21/12

Inside: Inside Out/Outside In (Insider #1-2) by: Maria V. Snyder - 2/21/12

Labels: Out This Week

Interview With Author Kendare Blake!

Today, I am proud to have the privilege to share with you an interview I did with the fabulous author of YALSA 2012 Best Fiction winner Anna Dressed in Blood! I absolutely loved the book. It was chilling and had great romance mixed in. You can read my review of the book HERE. For more info about Kendare and her books, visit kendareblake.com.

What was your inspiration for the story of Anna Dressed in Blood?

I wanted to write something disturbing. I'd just been to graduate school and had written a few literary novels, but my reading roots were all Stephen King and Poppy Z Brite. I missed the blood and the nasty. Then I thought of the name Anna Dressed in Blood and it sort of went from there!

Was it scary to write some of the parts like it was scary for us to read?

It was scary to think of some of the parts. I thought of one part (those who have read can probably guess which it was) when I was walking up a dark wooden staircase toward a locked door. A cat ran past that I hadn't known was there. That was pretty fun. Writing the scene brought back flashes of that.

Was it difficult to write the relationship between Cas and Anna? (You know, with her being a ghost and him being a ghost hunter)

Yes, it was difficult. I mean, I love Anna, but wasn't sure if readers would. She really kills a lot of people. And how could Cas see past that? But as a ghost hunter, part of him actually empathizes more with the ghost he's putting down. Still, she's pretty dead, so those two have, shall we say, a definite obstacle.

What authors inspire/influence you most in your writing?

Milan Kundera blew my mind and I haven't recovered all the pieces. He blends novel and philosophy and observation and magic. But I could never write like him. I did learn a lot though, and when I read writers like Joe Hill, or Caitlin R Kiernan, or Holly Black, I definitely pay attention to the way they do things. When I'm not lost in the story, that is.

What are your three favorite books (currently) and why?

Favorite? And only three? But I'll try to think currently. I really loved Suzanne Young's A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL. Loss and forgetting are always themes I enjoy. The sequel, A WANT SO WICKED comes out in June, I think. Maybe July. I still really remember Ty Roth's SO SHELLY. Lots of dark and broken things in that book. And this is a little early, but I'm fairly sure that in March my new favorite book will be Caitlin R Kiernan's THE DROWNING GIRL.

Is there anything you do for inspiration while you write? if so, what?

Depending on what it is I'm writing, I occasionally listen to music. If what I'm working on is too serious, then I can't do that because everything starts to be a joke. If my writing sucks, then I read favorite passages from writers I admire, to get back in the groove.

Kendare's next book in the Anna series, A Girl of Nightmares, releases in August of this year. I know I am very excited and looking forward to seeing the next installment in Cas and Anna's story!

Thanks so much to Kendare for doing this interview!

You can Follow Kendare on Twitter to hear more about her books and other fun stuff!

Labels: author, interview

Top Ten Tuesday: Books that Broke My Heart A Little

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly blog meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Here we share our Top Ten lists; anything bookish counts!

Ink Exchange by: Melissa Marr: This book had so many emotions clashing against one another, in certainly a heartbreaking way. Irial was using Leslie for his selfish purposes but there was a connection between them that lay beneath the surface. Niall and Leslie had great chemistry that I think could’ve been something more if it wasn’t for Irial.

Forbidden by: Tabitha Suzuma: Admittedly, this book probably broke my heart more than just a little. I never thought a book like this one existed. I was quite literally weeping at the end. There was a stark reality to it that made it seem so real and made me wonder if something like this story actually happened.

Just Listen by: Sarah Dessen: With Annabel, there was so much beneath the surface that changed her. It broke my heart a bit when she had to deal with the verbal bullies that were once her friends on top of everything else she was holding inside.

Breaking Dawn by: Stephenie Meyer: During the parts when Edward and Bella were dealing with the inevitability of her death, my heart broke a little for them. Also, when Jacob saw what the baby was doing to Bella, it made me feel a little sad for him.

The Iron Knight by: Julie Kagawa: When Ash was seeing what his life would be like as a human, it broke my heart for sure. He was always so immortal and strong. Seeing that diminish and him grow old while Megan stayed young was so sad.

The Hidden by: Jessica Verday: Abbey and Caspian’s love was heartbreaking and wonderful from the start, but in the conclusion to the series, it really got to me. Thankfully, it ended in a way I thought brought closure to the series and happiness to Abbey and Caspian.

If I Stay by: Gayle Forman: The whole premise of this book is heartbreaking. It ends well, but from the very beginning, Mia loses almost her entire family in less than a minute and that resonates through the story as she fights for her life in the ICU.

A Walk to Remember by: Nicholas Sparks: Nicholas Sparks has a way with words strikes a chord in me in all of his books. Jamie and Landon's love story is one of my all time favorites. It was incredibly sad how she had to go so shortly after they wed.

Hourglass by: Claudia Gray: Lucas and Bianca were going to spend their entire lives together, they decided. Having left the hunters behind, Lucas was willing to do anything to protect her. When she dies, my heart broke for Lucas and Balthazar. It broke all over again when Lucas gets bitten by Charity and has to turn into the thing he hates most.

Delirium by: Lauren Oliver: The author wove so much emotion into every page. It really allowed me to get inside Lena's head and understand the events that took place. Also, it made for a good heartbreak in a society that forbade love.

Don't forget to leave a link in the comments to your Tuesday memes!

Labels: Top Ten Tuesday

Review: Fateful by Claudia Gray

Fateful by: Claudia Gray
Publication Date: September 13, 2011
Publisher: HarperTeen
Page Count: 328
Format: Hardcover
Series: Unknown
Genre: Fantasy, Historical, Paranormal Romance
Buy the Book: Amazon

Summary from Goodreads:

Eighteen-year-old maid Tess Davies is determined to escape the wealthy, troubled family she serves. It's 1912, and Tess has been trapped in the employ of the Lisles for years, amid painful memories and twisted secrets. But now the Lisle family is headed to America, with Tess in tow. Once the ship they're sailing on--the RMS "Titanic"--reaches its destination, Tess plans to strike out and create a new life for herself.

Her single-minded focus shatters when she meets Alec, a handsome first-class passenger who captivates her instantly. But Alec has secrets of his own. He's in a hurry to leave Europe, and whispers aboard the ship say it's because of the tragic end of his last affair with the French actress who died so gruesomely and so mysteriously. . . .

Soon Tess will learn just how dark Alec's past truly is. The danger they face is no ordinary enemy: werewolves exist and are stalking him--and now her, too. Her growing love for Alec will put Tess in mortal peril, and fate will do the same before their journey on the "Titanic" is over.
In "Fateful," "New York Times" bestselling author Claudia Gray delivers paranormal adventure, dark suspense, and alluring romance set against the opulent backdrop of the "Titanic"'s first--and last--voyage.

My Review:

Set with a backdrop of the RMS Titanic, I knew that this would be a mesmerizing read. I've always had a keen interest in the history of the Titanic, and seeing that with an added paranormal element made it so much more enticing.

Tess is a ladies maid for a wealthy British family, the Lisles. This book was completely in her perspective and it was refreshing and surprising to experience what the thoughts are of the servants. In movies, TV shows, and books, the help is usually portrayed in the background or as bleak and unimportant. Hearing what its like to be in the head of a servant in a rich family really puts things into perspective.

Every character in Fateful has a complex intricacy, even the minor ones. Tess especially. She was incredibly strong and understanding of the strange and unexplainable things that were happening constantly around her. With the feral nature of Mikhail threatening her every move, she braved through it all with her chin up.

Alec was one of those characters who will go to the ends of the earth to protect the people he cares about. While that is admirable all of the time, it is dangerous and reckless sometimes. But still, I couldn't help thinking he'd be anyone girls knight (wolf?) in shining armor. Tess's strength about Alec's secret makes for the perfect coupling of two exquisite characters.The concept of werewolves on the Titanic seemed a bit strange to me at first but became intriguing and thrilling soon after opening the book. The ancient and modern reaches of the Brotherhood made it hard for me to imagine a happy ending, but alas, you will have to read it to find out!

Official Rating: