Friday Finds! (February 12, 2010)

**Thanks to MizB from Should Be Reading for hosting Friday Finds!**

 Mockingjay (Hunger Games #3)
Written by Suzanne Collins
Release Date: August 24, 2010
Published by Scholastic Press

Summary from Goodreads:

"Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she’s made it out of the bloody arena alive, she’s still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what’s worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss’s family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins’s groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year. "


**YEAH!! I know this is all over the blogs today, but I am so excited about this book that I had to include it!!**

 

Ondine: The Summer of Shambles
Writtten by Ebony McKenna
Release Date: April 5, 2010
Published by Egmont Books Ltd.

Summary from Goodreads:

"This is a brilliantly witty fairy tale with a mystery that is as surreal as it is sinister. One girl. One boy. One spell to be broken. Ondine de Groot is a normal fifteen-year-old who lives with her family in the European country of Brugel. She has a pet ferret called Shambles. But Shambles is no ordinary ferret...He's Hamish McPhee, a boy cursed by a witch. A witch who happens to be related to Ondine. When Shambles turns back into Hamish temporarily, Ondine knows that she has to help him break the spell. He is the most gorgeous boy she has ever met and her one true love! He just can't remain a ferret forever. Can he?"  
 
*This sounds like another great release from Egmont!

Thief Eyes
Written by Janni Lee Simner
Release Date: April 27, 2010
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers

Summary from Goodreads:

"After her mother mysteriously disappears, sixteen-year-old Haley convinces her father to take her to Iceland, where her mother was last seen. There, amidst the ancient fissures and crevices of that volcanic island, Haley meets gorgeous Ari, a boy with a dangerous side who appoints himself her protector.
When Haley picks up a silver coin that entangles her in a spell cast by her ancestor Hallgerd, she discovers that Hallgerd's spell and her mother's disappearance are connected to a chain of events that could unleash terrifying powers and consume the world. Haley must find a way to contain the growing fires of the spell—and her growing attraction to Ari.

Janni Lee Simner brings the fierce romance and violent passions of Iceland's medieval sagas into this twenty-first-century novel, with spellbinding results."

*I am really looking forward to all of these books!  Did you find anything new coming out that you are excited about?* 

Darklight by Leslie Livingston

Darklight  
(Wonderous Strange, #2) 
Written by Leslie Livingston
Released December 22, 2009
Published by HarperTeen

Darklight is the second book in the Wonderous Strange trilogy by Leslie Livingston.  Wonderous Strange easily made my Top Picks of 2009 and Darklight will be one my favorite reads of 2010!  I love this series! I am a big fan of Fae books in general, but this series is written so beautifully that I am already counting down the days for the third and final book in the series that is due out in December of this year.

Summary from Goodreads:

"Much has changed since autumn, when Kelley Winslow learned she was Faerie royalty, fell in love with changeling guard Sonny Flannery, and saved New York City from a rampaging Faerie war band. When a terrifying encounter in Central Park sends Kelley tumbling into the Otherworld, her reunion with Sonny is joyful—but cut short. For they’ve been plunged into a game of Faerie deception and wavering allegiances in which the next move could topple a kingdom...or part them forever.

The fans who flocked to Lesley Livingston’s Wondrous Strange will fall hard for Darklight, the soaringly romantic second book in the trilogy. Breathless high stakes and vividly magical characters make this a can’t-miss fantasy for readers of Melissa Marr and Holly Black." 

My Thoughts:
Darklight picks up 6 months after the events at the end of Wonderous Strange.  Kelley has had some time to digest the news about her Faery heritage and the identity of her real parents.  She is back at the theater trying to resume her 'mortal' life again, which means that her magic is being supressed by her ever present green jeweled necklace.  She desperately misses Sonny (her boyfriend/Janus Guard member), who is in the Otherworld under orders from Auberon tracking down and eliminating the remaining members of "The Wild Hunt".  Kelley's life quickly swings out of control when she is thrust into the Otherworld after a surprising attack against her and Fennrys Wolf (Janus Guard/ Hottie).  What transpires is an exciting tale of Faery politics, deception, and romance.

One of the strong points in Leslie Livingston's books is her character development.  She writes so beautifully and it reflects in her characters.  The central theme of this book is the relationship between Kelley and Sonny.  The circumstances they face in the book are the catalyst for the changes that begin to show in their characters.  Kelley is beginning to reveal more of her faery side.  In Wonderous Strange she seemed to cling to her humanity, but in Darklight she begins to embrace who and what she is.  She is becoming more confident in herself and is able to take care of herself better.  Her love for Sonny is the driving force behind most of her actions and this love will definitely be tested!  She is also beginning to understand that everything and everyone is not always as it seems.  Sonny is as hot as ever, but he seems tormented as well.  He is torn between his desire to be with Kelley and his duty to carry out Auberon's orders in the Otherworld.  We learn much more about Sonny and his past and a HUGE bombshell is dropped that I did not see coming!!

I also truly enjoyed the secondary characters in Darklight!  I especially liked getting to know Fennrys Wolf better!  We were introduced to him in Wonderous Strange as a member of the Janus Guard.  He was portrayed as a ruthless killer and was feared by most.  In this book we are given glimpses of a more vunerable side.  When he and Kelley tumble into the Otherworld together,  an attraction between them begins to take shape that both of them try to ignore.  He shows a softer side when he is with Kelley and at times I actually found myself rooting for Fennrys instead of Sonny!  Kelley's roomate Tyff is back again too.  I just love her and her snarky attitude!  The other Janus Guards, Jack Savage, Mabh, Auberon, and the other faeries help make this book a great read!

Darklight is a fast-paced page turner that will hook you in the first chapter! The plot is full of twists and turns that keep you guessing until the end!  Speaking of the ending.... All I can say is WOW- I did not see that coming!  The events that take place at the conclusion of Darklight set the stage for an incredible final book! 

On My Wishlist (7)

"On My Wishlist" is a weekly meme hosted by Book Chick City!  If you would like to participate in this weekly meme just click on the link above.  She has a "Mr.Linky" available so we can check out everyone's wishlists!  My wishlist is loaded with books that are upcoming releases.
Here are just a few:

Sea
Written by Heidi R. Kling
Release Date: June 10, 2010
Published by Putnam Juvenile

Summary from Goodreads:
"Haunted by recurring nightmares since her mother’s disappearance over the Indian ocean three years before, fifteen-year old California girl Sienna Jones reluctantly travels with her psychiatrist father’s volunteer team to six-months post-tsunami Indonesia where she meets the scarred and soulful orphaned boy, Deni, who is more like Sea than anyone she has ever met.

She knows they can’t be together, so why can’t she stay away from him? And what about her old best friend-turned-suddenly-hot Spider who may or may not be waiting for her back home? And why won’t her dad tell her the truth about her mother’s plane crash? The farther she gets from home, the closer she comes to finding answers.

And Sea’s real adventure begins . " 


Forget-Her-Nots
Written by Amy Brecount White
Release Date: March 2, 2010
Published by Greenwillow Books


Summary from Goodreads:
"When someone leaves three mystery flowers outside her dorm door, Laurel thinks that maybe the Avondale School isn't so awful after all — until her own body starts to freak out. In the middle of her English presentation on the Victorian Language of Flowers, strange words pop into her head, and her body seems to tingle and hum. Impulsively, Laurel gives the love bouquet she made to demonstrate the language to her spinster English teacher. When that teacher unexpectedly and immediately finds romance, Laurel suspects that something — something magical — is up. With her new friend, Kate, she sets out to discover the origins and breadth of her powers by experimenting on herself and others. But she can’t seem to find any living experts in the field of flower powers to guide her. And her bouquets don't always do her bidding, especially when it comes to her own crush, Justin. Rumors about Laurel and her flowers fly across campus, and she's soon besieged by requests from girls — both friends and enemies — who want their lives magically transformed — just in time for prom."
  
*Both of these books seem very original!  I can't wait to read them.  I am in the process of putting together my MEGA-Swag Contest and I am happy to say that I will have swag items from both of these books!!  Keep a lookout!!!  Now you know what is on my wishlist.  What is on yours?  

Monday's Question Of The Day! (Feb. 08, 2010)

** Thanks to Eleni at la femmme readers for hosting Monday's Question of the Day**



Question:
With Valentine's Day around the corner I thought a romance question was in order!  So here goes: What young adult book do you think has the BEST romance in it?




My Answer:

I love a good romance (especially a paranormal romance) and I have quite a few favorites!  But if I had to pick one to recommend to someone I would choose Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick.  The romance between Patch (a fallen Angel!) and Nora is not your typical mushy relationship, but a dangerous, dark, and forbidden love.  The pull they feel towards each other is undeniable and h-o-t!  I would definitely love to have Patch as my valentine!

*I would love to hear your answers! Comment and let me know!!!

In My Mailbox (16)

**Thanks to The Story Siren for hosting IMM**

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme that spotlights the new books you received for review, swapped, or bought!  Here are the books I got this week!


For Review:
 
Perchance To Dream (arc)
Written by Lisa Mantchev
Release Date: June 2010
Published by Feiwel And Friends (Macmillan)

**This is the sequel to "Eyes Like Stars"**


 

Bought:

Lips Touch Three Times
Written by Laini Taylor
Published by Arthur A. Levine Books (Imprint of Scholastic) 

Light Beneath Ferns
Written by Anne Spollen
Published by Flux

Incarceron
Written by Catherine Fisher
Published by Dial Books (Imprint of Penguin Group) 

Swapped:

Tempest Rising (arc)
Written by Nicole Peeler
Published by Orbit Books (Imprint of Hachette Book Group)
*Thanks Jen!*


 
 

Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr

One of my all-time favorite book series is the Wicked Lovely  series by Melissa Marr.  Fragile Eternity is the third installment in this phenomenal series!  If you are a fan of the first two books, Fragile Eternity is not going to disappoint you!  
**SPOILER ALERT** If you haven't read Wicked Lovely and Ink Exchange this review may contain spoilers!  Go NOW and get both of them and start READING! 

Summary from HarperCollins:

"Seth never expected he would want to settle down with anyone—but that was before Aislinn. She is everything he'd ever dreamed of, and he wants to be with her forever. Forever takes on new meaning, though, when your girlfriend is an immortal faery queen.

Aislinn never expected to rule the very creatures who'd always terrified her—but that was before Keenan. He stole her mortality to make her a monarch, and now she faces challenges and enticements beyond any she'd ever imagined.

In Melissa Marr's third mesmerizing tale of Faerie, Seth and Aislinn struggle to stay true to themselves and each other in a milieu of shadowy rules and shifting allegiances, where old friends become new enemies and one wrong move could plunge the Earth into chaos."

My Thoughts:
Melissa Marr out did herself with this one!  I L-O-V-E-D it!  I found this book extremely hard to put down, even when dinner was burning on the stove, the dog was whining to go out, and the phone was ringing!!  Seriously...I wasn't that bad but I wasn't far from it! Fragile Eternity picks up the story between Seth and Aislinn (aka Ash).  I love the lovestory between them and I couldn't wait to find out where their relationship would go after Wicked Lovely (Ink Exchange is a companion book to Wicked Lovely and Fragile Eternity is the actual sequel to Wicked Lovely).  Seth is my favorite character and I was excited to see that this is basically 'his' book. 

I think that the underlying theme in Fragile Eternity is balance.  Balance between the courts (Summer, Winter, and Dark) and balance between love and court responsibilities within the relationships found in the book (Seth and Ash, Keenan and Donia, as well as Keenan and Ash).  The need for balance between all the courts is crucial to not only the Faerie, but the mortal world as well.  If one court is stronger than the others, the mortal world feels the effect.  When Beira was Winter Queen, she was more powerful than Keenan (Summer King) because he had yet to find his queen.  This imbalance plunged the mortal world into eternal Winter since the strongest court was the Winter court.  Unfortunately, the courts are becoming unbalanced again.  Seth (Ash's boyfriend and a mortal) seems to be the central figure in this unbalance.  He is Ash's lover, Keenan(Summer King) just wants him gone, Niall(King of the Dark Court) protects him and thinks of him as a brother, and Donia(the new Winter Queen) identifies with him and feels bad for his situation.  She is also the one that granted him "The Sight", which enabled him to see faeries.  Last (but certainly not least!) there is Sorcha, the Queen of the High Court, who plays a major part in the story and in Seth's life.  Unfortunately, I can't really say much about Sorcha's connection with Seth because it would be a MAJOR spoiler!  So I will just say that what transpires is unexpected and exciting!  

One of the biggest strengths in all of Melissa Marr's books, especially Fragile Eternity, are her characters.  She crafts each character so that the reader feels something for each of them.  You love them and root for them (Seth) or you just don't like them (Keenan), but you feel something for all of them.  The pace of this book was quick and the plot was full of exciting twists and unexpected turns!  This book made me love Seth even more than I already did.  You can just feel how consumed he is in his love for Aislinn.  The fear he feels over losing her to Keenan and her position as Summer Queen (not to mention her immortality versus his mortality) is the motivation behind some big decisions he makes that will effect everyone! I am dying to find out if Seth made the right choices or if Keenan and the Court will pull her away from him after all.   

I highly recommend all of Melissa Marr's books, especially Fragile Eternity!  These are fun books that will keep you up at night reading (Don't you just love those kind of books!) and leave you begging for a sequel!  The next book, Radiant Shadows,  is coming out soon.  If you follow my blog you know how much I am anticipating getting my hands on it!  Well keep a look out for my review coming soon.  I am a lucky participant in Melissa's arc tour and I should be receiving the book within the next week or so!!!  YEAH!! Woot! Woot!!  Thanks for stopping by!

On My Wishlist (6)

"On My Wishlist" is a weekly meme hosted by Book Chick City!  If you would like to participate in this weekly meme just click on the link above.  She has a "Mr.Linky" available so we can check out everyone's wishlists!  My wishlist is loaded with books that are upcoming releases.
Here are just a few:



Sisters Red
Written by Jackson Pearce
Release Date: June 7, 2010
Published by Little Brown

Summary from Goodreads:
"Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris-- the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead.
Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts fiercely alongside her. Now Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves and finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax-- but loving him means betraying her sister and has the potential to destroy all they've worked for. "

Twenty-five-year-old Jackson Pearce delivers a dark, taut fairy tale with heart-pounding action, fierce sisterly love, and a romance that will leave readers breathless. 



Merlin's Harp
Written by Anne Crompton
Release Date: March 1, 2010
Published by Sourcebooks Fire

Summary from Goodreads:
"Among the towering trees of magical Avalon, where humans dare not tread, lives Niviene, daughter of the Lady of the Lake and apprentice to Merlin the mage. Her people, the Fey, are folk of the wood and avoid the violence and avarice of man. But the strife of King Arthur's realm threatens even Avalon's peace, and Merlin needs his apprentice to thwart the chaos devouring Camelot. And so Niviene must use her special talents to help save a kingdom and discover the treachery of men and the beauty of love. A mystical love story, now back in print, sure to become a modern teen classic." 

  
Infinity(Chronicles of Nick, #1)
Written by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Release Date: June 8, 2010
Published by St. Martin's Griffin
 
Summary from Goodreads:
"At 14, Nick Gautier is an average kid who runs with the wrong crowd. But on the night he decides to go straight and refuses to mug an innocent tourist, his crew turns on him and just as he thinks his life is over... a new one begins.

Kyrian of Thrace isn't just a vampire slayer, he's a Dark-Hunter and he introduces Nick to a world that he never imagined.

With new enemies who make his old ones look like wimps, Nick must either measure up or get sized for a body bag. It's kill or be killed and this kid who was born on the wrong side finds a strength inside him that he never knew existed.

Now if he can only find someone to help battle the demons that don't reside inside him . "

 I am so excited about all of these books!  What is on your wishlist?