Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Teaser: Kiss Crush Collide by Christina Meredith


Kiss Crush Collide by Christina Meredith


I slide down the hill at breakneck speed, up to the car, trying to read Duffy's expression and catch my breath at the same time.
"Who's the guy, Leah?"
I stop. Silent.
"Girlie white convertible?" he prompts, and I swallow the lump in my throat, watching his knuckles gripping tight and white on the steering wheel.
"Shane," I say slowly and lowly. 

~ p. 208-209

Kiss
What Leah did—only she really shouldn’t have—one hot night at a country club party.

Crush
What Leah has—only she really shouldn’t have—on the guy with the green eyes, the guy who is not her perfect boyfriend, the guy who does not fit in her picture-perfect life, the guy her sisters will only mock and her mother will never approve of. Not in a million years.

Collide
What happens when everything you always thought you wanted—having cool friends, being class valedictorian and homecoming queen—runs smack into everything it turns out you really do want.

Kiss. Crush. Collide.
For Leah and Porter, summer is only the beginning.

Summary by Goodreads 

 

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Book Review: Tempest (Tempest #1) by Julie Cross




Title: Tempest (Tempest #1)
Author: Julie Cross
Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Books
Publishing Date: January 5th 2012
Length: 432 pages
Genre: YA thriller, romance
Source: Netgalley

The year is 2009.  Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.

Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler.  Recruit… or kill him.

Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.

Summary by Goodreads 





Jackson and Holly are one of my favourite YA couples of all time, because from the first page on they felt like close friends to me. It’s convenient that they are already a couple and lovely to see how good they know and how familiar they are with each other.

I’ve always been a fan of witnessing the first meetings, the chase and the start of epic relationships. And even though Holly and Jackson are already a couple, you still get the chance to see how their love developed in the first... and second place.

What’s special about Jackson is that he’s a time traveller. He is a confident, sweet and clever guy and I love that the story is told from his perspective. There should be more male narrators like Jackson!
It’s not only that TEMPEST is written in 1st person point of view, but also that the action sets in almost immediately. I felt sucked in by TEMPEST, the characters, relationships, language and events- to summarize everything. And the action never slowed down so that I felt constantly engaged.

You can imagine it must be hard to keep your time travel ability hidden from public and even your family and girlfriend. Then from one second to the other everything changes when Holly is shot and Jackson stuck in the year 2007. He can’t get back to the present and has to meet his best friend Adam and his girlfriend Holly for the first time again. It’s a stunning and at the same time frightening fate that Jackson is confronted with.

The role of his family, father, mother and sister is really mysterious and I was more than eager to decipher their intentions and roles in the whole time travel system.
Jackson’s friend Adam covers the position every intelligent time travel mystery adventure needs. He is the brain. Adam supports Jackson with his knowledge and researches the whole process of time travelling with small experiments involving Jackson. Kind of diary entries support the scientific character of Jackson’s and Adam’s time travel experiment.
I sensed a greater conspiracy throughout the entire read and was surprised to see who and what powers are behind all that!

With Jackson jumping through time without having a fixed spot, the special events become even more important. Jackson visits places and persons of his past and things get more complicated with each jump. Julie Cross invented a lot of complex strings of time, action and thought. There’s a lot to explore in TEMPEST!






1) of the existence of perfect men
2) of a wonderful male narrator
3) of a new generation of time travellers
4) of a love that overcomes all time differences 
5) of sacrifices that define who we want to be


 
 

5/5 ***** TEMPEST- Don’t miss the newest novel about time travel written in perfect action movie blockbuster style with Jackson Meyer playing a fabulous role!

Time travel has always been a topic that fascinated me and I already read other books about it like THE TIME TRAVELLER’S WIFE and RUBY RED. TEMPEST could be named my recent favourite in YA time travel attempts!






* Dont miss the prequel to TEMPEST, TOMORROW IS TODAY.

* Read an excerpt of TEMPEST here

* Click here to watch the book trailer. 

* For further information about Julie Cross and her books visit www.juliecross.blogspot.com

* Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Books for giving me access to the e-ARC of TEMPEST! 
 

Monday, February 27, 2012

New Releases: February 27th - March 4th



February 28th

Pandemonium (Delirium #2) by Lauren Oliver
  
Allegiance (Legacy #2) by Cayla Kluver


When the Sea isRising Red by Cat Hellisen
 

Shooting Stars by Allison Rushby 


March 1st 
 
Perception (Clarity #2) by Kim Harrington

The Lifeguard by Deborah Blumenthal
 


I'm ordering PERCEPTION tomorrow and already read PANDEMONIUM! Which of these books are you going to read? 


Sunday, February 26, 2012

In My Mailbox #42

The idea of In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren and is to bring books to the attention of our blog readers and to encourage interaction with other blogs.


 For review  

 

The Alchemy of Forever by Avery Williams (Thank you Simon & Schuster UK!!)
Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver (Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton! The cover is one of my favourites!)

 
 Gifted

 

The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour
Kiss Crush Collide by Christina Meredith
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Incarnate by Jodi Meadows
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
Ausgelöscht by Cody McFadyen  (German title)


I cannot wait to read all of them! Have you read them? What do you think?

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Coveresque feat. Angel by L.A. Weatherly (US vs.Spanish vs.German)

Here you've got the US, Spanish and German covers of ANGEL by L.A. Weatherly. I usually want to include the original cover of featured titles (ANGEL was first released in the UK) but I don't like it at all. My favourite is the US cover. Its title has a connection to the book's content and I really like the colour scheme. The Spanish cover convinces me with the nice sketch of the girl's wings. I don't like the colour and font of title and author though. The German cover (title translation: Demons of the light) is very dark and I think I wouldn't buy it if I saw it in a bookstore.

What do you think?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
UK cover
 

Friday, February 24, 2012

Book Review: Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley




Title: Graffiti Moon
Author: Cath Crowley
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publishing Date: February 14th 2012
Length: 272 pages
Genre: YA, contemporary
Source: Netgalley

"Let me make it in time. Let me meet Shadow. The guy who paints in the dark. Paints birds trapped on brick walls and people lost in ghost forests. Paints guys with grass growing from their hearts and girls with buzzing lawn mowers."

It’s the end of Year 12. Lucy’s looking for Shadow, the graffiti artist everyone talks about.

His work is all over the city, but he is nowhere.

Ed, the last guy she wants to see at the moment, says he knows where to find him. He takes Lucy on an all-night search to places where Shadow’s thoughts about heartbreak and escape echo around the city walls.

But the one thing Lucy can’t see is the one thing that’s right before her eyes.

Summary by Goodreads 





YA Aussie authors, that’s the new magic word! I’ve read a lot of Aussie books lately and I must say that they’ve indeed got something special down under. Cath Crowley is one ot the authors that have a strong signature. Her words seem to flow easily and I devoured them in a rapid pace. She’s got so many artistical elements incorporated into her newest book out in the US, GRAFFITI MOON. Great!

Main topic or motif in GRAFFITI MOON? Definitely arts. Lucy, Ed & co. Have a strong connection to arts in general, various artists and to their preferred working material which could be glass, words or walls and colours.
We are involved in the discussion and thoughts about the meaning of art in life, for your personality and relationships. I am a huge fan of art, I like to paint so I could easily identify with this very dominant aspect.

There’s glass, memories, dares, paintings on walls. The description of every single graffiti sounded so stunning, I wished they were all painted in my town so I could gaze at them on my way home.

The chapters are told from Ed’s, Lucy’s and Poet’s point of view. Ed and Lucy are great together. He is such a thoughtful boy. His own thoughts and actions stand in huge contrast to the way other people might see him. Lucy is this very casual art chick. I would definitely want to chat with her about all the awesome paintings and pieces of art out there.
Chapters of Ed and Lucy often overlap in course of action so that the reader gets the chance to read both perspectives on significant moments. These are only short parts that you listen to twice and it didn’t bother me at all. Cath Crowley applied an efficient technique to offer the reader a double portion of experiencing her characters’ story.  

I was so engaged in Lucy and Ed’s night they’re spending together with their friends who we get to know a bit about, too. The difference between Lucy’s and Ed’s growing relationship, their past and their mutual task of finding someone who’s with them all the time is the most interesting plot string in GRAFFITI MOON. The brooding romance between Lucy and Ed held me captivated throughout the entire read. I loved and enjoyed GRAFFITI MOON pretty much.





1) of alluring words and meaningful walls
2) of a pretty entertaining shadow hunt
3) there’s static
4) a first date needs to set a statement
5) it inspires us to create our very own special art





5/5 ***** GRAFFITI MOON – An outstanding adventure to the heights of art that adds so much more colour to the YA genre.

GRAFFITI MOON is an artsy and melancholic, but mostly a very thoughtful read. Read Cath Crowley’s newest US release and follow the pretty lively and colourfully painted story around Ed and Lucy, their friends, lives and the beautiful and mysterious moments of an exceptional night. 


  


* Want to read another book by Cath Crowley?You could give A LITTLE WANTING SONG a try.

* To read an excerpt of GRAFFITI MOON click here

* Watch the (non-English) book trailer here

* For further information about Cath and her books visit www.cathcrowley.com.au

* Thanks to Knopf Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for granting me access to the e-ARC!

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Giveaway: Words of Love


February  9th: Valentine's Day Themed Posts: Overview
February 11th: Top 10 YA Crushes
February 12th: Top 10 Most Romantic Moments & Love Declarations in YA Part 1
February 13th: Top 10 Most Romantic Moments & Love Declarations in YA Part 2
February 14th: Valentine's Day Reads: His & Her Edition 
February 15th: Words of Love: Die For Me by Amy Plum Outtake + Love Note
February 17th: Words of Love: Hunting Lila & Fated by Sarah Alderson Love Notes 
February 18th: Words of Love: Teaser The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting + Jay's Love Letter
February 20th: Words of Love: Book Review Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally + Love Note February 21st: Words of Love: The Iron Knight Trailer + Love Letter from Meghan to Ash

.............................................................................................................
Today's the last day of my Valentine's Day blog event. I want to celebrate the awesome love letters written by some of our favourite fictional characters, over 80.000 pageviews, 800 followers and my 22nd birthday!!!

Thanks again to Amy Plum, Sarah Alderson, Kimberly Derting, Cara Lynn Shultz, Miranda Kenneally and Julie Kagawa. Now it's your chance to win one book of your choice from one the featured authors


The giveaway is open internationally and ends March 8th. You can gain many entries by commenting on the blog posts from February 15th - February 21st, so by showing your support of the authors and their wonderful love letters. Just fill out the rafflecopter widget. Good luck :)


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Giveaway: ARC of Advent by James Treadwell


Here's your chance to win an ARC of ADVENT by James Treadwell. It's open internationally and ends February 29th. Just enter the Rafflecopter widget! Good luck:)






For centuries it has been locked away Lost beneath the sea Warded from earth, air, water, fire, spirits, thought and sight. But now magic is rising to the world once more. And a boy called Gavin, who thinks only that he is a city kid with parents who hate him, and knows only that he sees things no one else will believe, is boarding a train, alone, to Cornwall. When he arrives, there is no one there to meet him.

Summary by Goodreads  








Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Words of Love: The Iron Knight Trailer + Love Letter from Meghan to Ash



February  9th: Valentine's Day Themed Posts: Overview
February 11th: Top 10 YA Crushes
February 12th: Top 10 Most Romantic Moments & Love Declarations in YA Part 1
February 13th: Top 10 Most Romantic Moments & Love Declarations in YA Part 2
February 14th: Valentine's Day Reads: His & Her Edition 
February 15th: Words of Love: Die For Me by Amy Plum Outtake + Love Note
February 17th: Words of Love: Hunting Lila & Fated by Sarah Alderson Love Notes 
February 18th: Words of Love: Teaser The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting + Jay's Love Letter
February 20th: Words of Love: Book Review Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally + Love Note




Today I post the last love note for now and I want to thank the great Julie Kagawa for sharing Meghan's love letter to Ash with us!!







Love Note from Meghan to Ash


Dear Ash,
 
 
Today is Valentine's Day. You probably don't know what that means, but I wanted to write this anyway, as I'm sure you wouldn't know what to do with a traditional sappy card. You also have no idea, but I'm planning a Valentine's date for us, a real date in the real world, so we'll have to see how that goes. Did you ever date, back when you were an Unseelie Prince? I guess it doesn't matter now.
 
Ashallyn'darkmyr Tallyn. I love saying your full name. I love everything about you, really. Your hair, your eyes, your strength, your possesiveness, that cold glare you do so well but that I never see directed at me, now. I know how much you went through to get to the place we are, and I wanted to say how grateful I am that you never gave up, that you never let your Unseelie nature control you, that you fought for a soul and won what no other fey before you has ever achieved. I can see that soul in you now, and I'm still stunned at everything you did for us.  For me.  I am blessed to have you at my side, and I hope that forever is enough time for us to be together, because I will never give you up again.          
 
I love you, my knight. From the bottom of my heart.
 

-Meghan 
 
 

Monday, February 20, 2012

Words of Love: Book Review Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally + Love Note




Title: Catching Jordan
Author: Miranda Kenneally
Publisher: Sourcebooks Inc
Publishing Date: December 2011
Length: 283 pages
Genre: YA contemporary
Source: Gifted

What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starting position... suddenly she's hoping he'll see her as more than just a teammate.

Summary by Goodreads 





I never even watched a football game before reading CATCHING JORDAN and now I have absolutely no idea why. The story is already so good, but the football parts make it even better. There are hot football players, practices, actual games, football jargon and the team dynamics we got to experience. Authentic and fun!

Isn’t it impressive that Jordan Woods is captain and quarterback of an entire football team? A male football team. With totally hot and gorgeous boys!
And that position is definitely not undeserved. Jordan is a great player even though she is a girl…because she is a girl. 
A big part of the story is about Jordan fighting for her chance to get an athletic scholarship and play college football. She is very committed and fights hard for her dream and she’s got exactly the combative spirit I’m always looking for in a female protagonist.

But as in everyday life it isn’t directly easy for Jordan to pursue her dreams. Yep, throw in some prejudices and obsolete ways of thinking. A girl and football aren't equal for some of the characters in CATCHING JORDAN. Her father isn’t happy about the situation of his daughter playing football and even other professional people involved with the sport don’t take Jordan serious. Time to proof them wrong, right?
This story is so much about overcoming the obstacles life throws in your way and just being the person you’ve always wanted to be. CATCHING JORDAN encourages boys as girls to follow their dreams, regardless how hard it might seem.

So now that Jordan is the only girl in an all male football team, the story is very much about being friends with boys, too. There should totally be more stories about that. Jordan’s friends and fellow team pals are JJ, Henry and Carter. Probably the most fun and sexy and best friends a girl could have. I loved them as individual characters with very different personalities and their interactions in the group. I’m glad that a girl being their captain wasn’t an issue at all. And I really liked how Jordan was already an integrated and highly respected member of the team. The boys are so cute when they want to protect Jordan!

Family. Friends…what’s missing? The looove story. And CATCHING JORDAN has it, believe me. A really good one by the way.

Starting into the new playing season with a new member on the team romantic feelings start invading Jordan’s thoughts. And Jordan’s thoughts do not only circle around winning the next game anymore, but boys. Boys?! Especially the boys on her team! Here lies another conflict that starts occupying Jodan’s mind from now on.
There are two boys for Jordan and I want to keep it simple: Henry won my heart!! He is such a cheeky and adorable boy, the best friend and partner a girl could wish for and I really really wanted Jordan to finally see that love has been right in front of her eyes all the time. You are going to love the super cute romance. There are sweet kisses, denial, missed opportunities, hesitant approaches, secret admiring and finally, finally getting the boy who’s utterly in love with you for just the right reasons.

Miranda’s writing is fabulous and full of energy! Not even a ravenous giant of a football player could have losened my fingers from CATCHING JORDAN for a second after I started it. Read it. Read it soon!





1) of Red Sox forever
2) of finally ending up where you truly belong
3) an active girl can eat as many carbs as she wants
4) of a lifetime supply of lemonade and cookies
5) of the best team-mates ever 





5/5 ***** CATCHING JORDAN- Touch down! Miranda Kenneally scores with a dynamic and super sweet story that's all about doing what you love and finding a way to be with the one you love in return. 

CATCHING JORDAN is the awesome debut by Miranda Kenneally that I counted to my favourite YA contemporaries after only a few pages into the story. I’m sure you will love it! 





* Don’t miss the companion to CATCHING JORDAN. STEALING PARKER comes out October 2012.

* To read an excerpt of CATCHING JORDAN click here

* Click here  for the book trailer of CATCHING JORDAN

* You want to meet Miranda Kenneally? Check out her event schedule

* For further information about Miranda Kenneally and her books visit www.mirandakenneally.com



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February  9th: Valentine's Day Themed Posts: Overview
February 11th: Top 10 YA Crushes
February 12th: Top 10 Most Romantic Moments & Love Declarations in YA Part 1
February 13th: Top 10 Most Romantic Moments & Love Declarations in YA Part 2
February 14th: Valentine's Day Reads: His & Her Edition 
February 15th: Words of Love: Die For Me by Amy Plum Outtake + Love Note
February 17th: Words of Love: Hunting Lila & Fated by Sarah Alderson Love Notes 
February 18th: Words of Love: Teaser The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting + Jay's Love Letter


Thanks to Miranda Kenneally for today's love note. It's soo Henry:) Here you've got it with Miranda's explanation. Enjoy! 


Love Note from Henry to Jordan

I just don't think Valentine's is something Henry would necessarily take seriously. :) He's a romantic guy every day of the week. So in that regard, I think he'd make a joke of Valentine's, thus I give you this...


Dear Jordan -
I want you bad.
Love, 
Henry
PS - Can your mom make us fried chicken for our Valentine's Day dinner?
 
 
 
 
 
Aaand a little teaser about two characters in Miranda's next book: 
 
 

 
Dear Parker,
Happy Valentine's Day. You might know this. You might not... I've been in love with you since 8th grade. But I'm not sure you're the same person anymore...
 
 
-- From a certain character in STEALING PARKER, coming in October 2012

 

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Words of Love: Valentine's Day Quote from Spellcaster by Cara Lynn Shultz + Love Note


February  9th: Valentine's Day Themed Posts: Overview
February 11th: Top 10 YA Crushes
February 12th: Top 10 Most Romantic Moments & Love Declarations in YA Part 1
February 13th: Top 10 Most Romantic Moments & Love Declarations in YA Part 2
February 14th: Valentine's Day Reads: His & Her Edition 
February 15th: Words of Love: Die For Me by Amy Plum Outtake + Love Note
February 16th: Words of Love: Book Review Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson + Love Note   
February 17th: Words of Love: Hunting Lila & Fated by Sarah Alderson Love Notes 
February 18th: Words of Love: Teaser The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting + Jay's Love Letter
 

Today I post a very fun love note from Emma to Brendan. Thanks to Cara Lynn Shultz for sharing this with us. And I really want to know what they do on Valentine's Day!! I'm also sharing a Valentine's Day quote that Cara Lynn Shultz posted on her blog. Click here.


Valentine's Day Quote 

“Stop making me want you when I have witchcraft to study.” — Emma




Finding your eternal soulmate - easy.

Stopping a true-love-hungry evil - not so much…

After breaking a centuries-old romantic curse, Emma Connor is (almost) glad to get back to normal problems. Although...it's not easy dealing with the jealous cliques and gossip that rule her exclusive Upper East Side prep, even for a sixteen-year-old newbie witch. Having the most-wanted boy in school as her eternal soul mate sure helps ease the pain-especially since wealthy, rocker-hot Brendan Salinger is very good at staying irresistibly close....

But something dark and hungry is using Emma and Brendan's deepest fears to reveal damaging secrets and destroy their trust in each other. And Emma's crash course in über-spells may not be enough to keep them safe…or to stop an inhuman force bent on making their unsuspected power its own.

Summary by Goodreads 
 



Love Note from Emma to Brendan

Hey Brendan :),

Bored in Latin class. It’s boring.
Boringa. Boringae. Boringae. Boringam. Boringa.
Boringae. Boringarum. Boringis. Boringas. Boringis.
There. I just translated how boring it is in the first declension. So I’ve spent more thane enough time on this stupid f*&&%$^ dead language for the day.
So I figured I’d write you a little note to keep you entertained during your free period. Besides, you I both know you aren’t going to write your essay for Emerson’s class until the night before it’s due.
Anyway, can I get you to give me SOME kind of hint for what we’re doing for
Valentine’s Day this weekend? You’re insisting on being all mysterious and ninjalike about it, but need to know what to wear. Also, I’m nosy. I like knowing things. So tell me please.
Or you don’t tell me, and we don’t do anything big, which is fine with me. I just want to spend the day with you. We can hang out at your place, or my place, or go to the movies, or go play pool. I’ll even play Halo 3. Love: I haz it for you. That’s proof, because I’d rather kick your butt in Dance Central.
The point is, I just want to spend the day with you. Because you’re amazing, and sweet, and smart, and funny, and clever, and always let me have the last slice of pizza. No matter what I’m doing, being with you makes it better. And you’re adorable, even though you hate it when I call you adorable and cute. Which is pretty cute. You can make me smile even though I’m in Latin class hell, and that’s a freaking miracle.
If you’ve got a goofy smile on your face while reading this, sorry, Chuck Norris!
Baseball! Fighting robots” Is that enough guy stuff?
Meet you in the quad after practice.
I love you :)
Emma