Through the Looking Glass: May 2012

Releases This Week (May 20-26)

Taken by Storm (Raised by Wolves #3) by: Jennifer Lynn Barnes - May 22

Fated (Soul Seekers #1) by: Alyson Noel - May 22

Dark Kiss (Nightwatchers #1) by: Michelle Rowen - May 22

The Girl in the Clockwork Collar (Steampunk Chronicles, #2)

The Enchantress (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #6)

Alice on Board (Alice #24) by: Phyllis Reynolds Naylor - May 22

The Girl in the Clockwork Collar (Steampunk Chronicles #2) by: Kady Cross - May 22

The Enchantress (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel #6) by: Michael Scott - May 22

Dead Time (The Murder Notebooks #1) by: Anne Cassidy - May 22
Shift by: Em Bailey - May 22
Unbreak My Heart by: Melissa Walker - May 22

Of Poseidon (Of Poseidon #1) by: Anna Banks - May 22
The Lost Code (The Atlanteans #1) by: Kevin Emerson - May 22
37 Things I Love (in no particular order) by: Kekla Magoon - May 22

Labels: Out This Week

Review: Harbinger by: Sara Wilson Etienne

Harbinger

Harbinger by: Sara Wilson Etienne
Publication Date: February 2, 2012
Publisher: Putnam’s Sons BYR
Page Count: 309
Format: Hardcover
Genre: Mystery, Fantasy, Dystopian
Cover Rating: 8/10
Buy the Book: Amazon
Author Website: Sara Wilson Etienne

Summary from Goodreads:

Girl, Interrupted meets Beautiful Creatures in this fast-paced thriller.
When sixteen-year-old Faye arrives at Holbrook Academy, she doesn't expect to find herself exactly where she needs to be. After years of strange waking visions and nightmares, her only comfort the bones of dead animals, Faye is afraid she's going crazy. Fast.
But her first night at Holbrook, she feels strangely connected to the school and the island it sits on, like she's come home. She's even made her first real friends, but odd things keep happening to them. Every morning they wake on the floors of their dorm rooms with their hands stained red.
Faye knows she's the reason, but what does it all mean? The handsome Kel tries to help her unravel the mystery, but Faye is certain she can't trust him; in fact, he may be trying to kill her - and the rest of the world too.
Rich, compelling writing will keep the pages turning in this riveting and tautly told psychological thriller.

My Review:

The cover is what drew me in to read Harbinger. Then, when I read the synopsis, I was hooked. Honestly, this book wasn’t at all what I expected it to be. It had a lot of great mystery that kept me flipping the pages, but I was just a bit disappointed with it when I finished.

Faye has had these hallucinations since she was a child and almost drowned, visions of tides of water cascading into her presence. Her parents have finally had enough and send her to Holbrook Academy, a school for teenagers with mental issues that sits secluded on a mysterious forested island.

There, she is introduced to her new “Family”, or the students she will be interacting with and getting to know throughout her time at Holbrook. Maya, Nami, Zach, Damion, and Kel al have very unique personalities and back stories that I enjoyed and laughed out loud reading. Kel, who Faye meets in solitary, is mysterious and seems to understand Faye in a way that nobody else ever has. So they naturally develop a relationship and a habit of sneaking out at night.

Sneaking out at night isn’t a good thing, though. Faye and the rest of her family wake up in bed every morning with their hands soaked with blood and strange symbols painted in blood on their floor. I was instantly curious about what this was all about. It was so strange and gave me that panging feeling you get when there’s a good mystery coming on.

However, as Harbinger progressed toward the end, I was fairly disappointed with how it turned out. The story turned in a direction that wasn’t very intriguing at all. I can see it being an amazing story if it only went another way. If this book ends up being the first of a series, I can still see myself reading the second book just to see where it goes from the ending of Harbinger.

Official Rating:

Two and a half Un-Birthday Cakes

Labels: 2012, fantasy, mystery, review

“Waiting On” Wednesday (14)

“Waiting On”Wednesday is a weekly blog meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Here, we shine the spotlight on books that are coming out soon that we are excited about reading!

Burn for Burn by: Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: September 18, 2012
Summary from Goodreads:

BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY...
THEY GET EVEN.
Lillia has never had any problems dealing with boys who like her. Not until this summer, when one went too far. No way will she let the same thing happen to her little sister.
Kat is tired of the rumours, the insults, the cruel jokes. It all goes back to one person– her ex-best friend– and she's ready to make her pay.
Four years ago, May left Jar Island because of a boy. But she's not the same girl anymore. And she's ready to prove it to him.
Three very different girls who want the same thing: sweet, sweet revenge. And they won't stop until they each had a taste.

Why am I waiting for this?
I was hooked as soon as I read the first line of that summary. I am a huge fan of the Pretty Little Liars series by Sara Shepard and this looks like it will be sort of like that. Also, Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian? Talk about a dynamic duo! It looks sure to amaze.

The Near Witch is Officially OUT in Paperback!

The Near Witch by: Victoria Schwab's paperback release date is today! Hurry on to the bookstore and snag a copy if you haven't read this epic YA mystery yet.

Summary from Goodreads:

The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children. If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company. There are no strangers in the town of Near. These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life. But when an actual stranger--a boy who seems to fade like smoke--appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true. The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi's need to know-- about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy. Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab's debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won't soon forget.

You can buy the PB edition here .

Labels: mystery, New Releases

Happy Mother’s Day!

I would like to give a special shout-out to all the mothers and grandmothers out there and how wonderful all of us daughters and granddaughters think you are. Every day of the year, you guys answer our questions and help us with homework, buy us things and take us places. This is the one day a year we get to give back and say how thankful we are for all that you do.

Thank You!

I want to thank my mother personally for supporting me with school this year and encouraging me to do my best and not give up. You were there every step of the way this year and I will be forever grateful for that.

Labels: holiday

Releases This Week (May 13-19)

Immortal Hearts (Vampire Kisses #9) by: Ellen Shreiber - 5/15/12
As Dead as it Gets (Bad Girls Don't Die #3) by: Katie Alender - 5/15/12
From What I Remember... by: Stacy Kramer and Valerie Thomas - 5/15/12

Brothers to the Death (The Saga of Larten Crepsley, #4)

Brothers to the Death (The Saga of Larten Crepsley, #4)

Brother's to the Death (The Saga of Larten Crepsley #4) by: Darren Shan - 5/15/12
Code Name Verity by: Elizaeth Wein - 5/15/12
Gilt (The Royal Circle #1) by: Katherine Longshore - 5/15/12

Kiss the Morning Star by: Elissa Janine Hoole - 5/15/12
Railsea by: China Mieville - 5/15/12

Torn

Torn by: Stephanie Guerra - 5/15/12
The Weepers: The Other Life (The Other Life #1)by: Susanne Winnacker - 5/15/12
Bitter End by: Jennifer Brown (PB) - 5/15/12

Obsidian (Lux, #1)

Obsidian (Lux #1) by: Jennifer L. Armentrout - 5/15/12

Labels: Out This Week

The Near Witch Blog Tour Stop: Video Interview with Victoria Schwab and Giveaway!

Today on the blog, I have the grand pleasure of interviewing the wonderful author of the Near Witch, Victoria Schwab! She was awesome enough to answer all of my questions in a video from her current location in France! To read my review of the Near Witch, a riveting mystery, click here. Be sure to enter the giveaway for a paperback copy of the Near Witch at the end of this post! Now, on to the fun stuff!

Here is my video interview with Victoria:

The Near Witch paperback release date is officially May 15, 2012.

Here are some links for news and info about Victoria!

Author Victoria Schwab’s Website
Victoria’s Blog
Goodreads Page
Twitter

And now for the giveaway of awesomeness!

***If the GFC widget doesn't show up on this page, go back to the homepage and it should be in the sidebar!***

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Other stops on the blog tour:

The Book Vortex – May 8
Starting the Next Chapter – May 9
Writer Quirk – May 10
Kelly – May 11
Through the Looking Glass – May 12
The Violet Hour – May 13
Word Spelunking – May 14
Starting the Next Chapter – May 16
Kelly – May 17

Labels: author, blog tour, giveaway, interview, video

Review: The Selection by: Kiera Cass

The Selection by: Kiera Cass
Publication Date: April 24, 2012
Publisher: HarperTeen
Page Count: 327
Format: Hardcover
Series: The Selection #1
Genre: Dystopian, Romance, Contemporary
Challenge: 2012 Debut Author Challenge
Author Website: Kiera Cass
Buy the Book: Amazon
Summary from Goodreads:

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.
But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.
Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

My Review:
I’ve heard many sources say that this book is a mash-up of the Hunger Games and the Bachelor. No kidding! I wasn’t sure at first if I would like the pairing, but it turned out to be an ingenious mix.
America Singer (Love that name!) is a Five in a 1-8 caste system. One being royalty and Eight being homeless. Her family are all artists in some form. She plays the violin. Her family gets a letter in the mail one day that says America may enter to be a part of the Selection, where 35 girls get chosen out of the entire country to compete for the love of Prince Maxon.
Her family, especially her mother, is trying to persuade and encourage America into entering. She, however, is already in love with Aspen, a gorgeous and hard-working Six. The only reason she would ever agree to enter would be to provide money for her family and later because Aspen asks her to.
So she gets her smiling photo taken and gets Selected to go to the palace and meet the other girls, and of course, Prince Maxon. Admittedly, around this point, I thought the book would be fairly predictable from then on. It was somewhat, but I still found myself surprised in parts.
There was a lot of fashion in the Selection. All the girls were always abuzz about who was wearing what and what the prince preferred. I liked America’s approach of minimal makeup and modest dresses.
At first, America finds herself surprised at Prince Maxon. He is nothing like she pictured him to be. He is remarkably likable, but could he be more?
While the girls are focused on winning Prince Maxon’s affections, he along with the King and Queen are dealing with a much greater issue. Rebels from the South and North have been invading certain areas in their country of Illea. This was a perfect foreshadowing to the next book in the series, I think.
One thing that bothered me about the Selection was the ending. It seemed very abrupt to me. There were a lot of loose ends that needed to be tied up, which made me grateful that this is the first of a series.

Official Rating: