Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Happy Halloween & 5 Reads with Creep Factor

It got much colder and rainier these days and I feel like lighting candles and, uncharacteristically, also like a good spooky story. I haven't read many so far, but I have a few in mind that could appeal to you if you are feeling the same desire to read something with the creep factor!



The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda

Against all odds, 17-year-old Gene has survived in a world where humans have been eaten to near extinction by the general population. The only remaining humans, or hepers as they are known, are housed in domes on the savannah and studied at the nearby Heper Institute. Every decade there is a government sponsored hunt. When Gene is selected to be one of the combatants he must learn the art of the hunt but also elude his fellow competitors whose suspicions about his true nature are growing

What you get: lots of ravenous zombies, blood, raw meat, fighting for survival

"Come what may, he is going to them. No matter the sun: he will bound into the village, tear down doors and windows, rip the hepers to shreds, sink his teeth into the soft give of their necks, even as the sun burns into his skin and melts it into wax, even as his eyeballs explode and ooze vitreous juice down his sliding face, nose, cheeks." -p. 167 The Hunt

 "The land is instantly illuminated in an embossed black and white, the eastern mountains riven with black crevices, the river reflective like melted silver. I shoot my head for a look backward, and in that milisecond before the land plunges into darkness again, I see them: an endless number streaming towards us [...]" -p. 281 The Hunt






The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

"In a future world, vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity."Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of "them." The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked--and given the ultimate choice. Die...or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend--a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what--and who--is worth dying for.

 What you get: blood, blood, more blood, fangs, vampires, brutal fights, rabids


" I had to keep it away from my throat. And then the others closed in, screaming, ripping. And the last thing I remembered, before the bloody red haze finally melted into blackness, was a flash of something bright and the rabid's body dropping onto my chest while its head continued to bite my arm." -p. 74 The Immortal Rules 

"He was grimacing, teeth clenched tightly together, his fangs smeared with blood. Blood also spattered his clothes, fresh stains against the old ones, and pooled from the holes in his chest and stomach, the gunshot wounds he had taken head-on." -p. 181 The Immortal Rules





The Dead and Buried by Kim Harrington 

A haunted house, a buried mystery, and a very angry ghost make this one unforgettable thriller.

Jade loves the house she's just moved into with her family. She doesn't even mind being the new girl at the high school: It's a fresh start, and there's that one guy with the dreamy blue eyes. . . . But then things begin happening. Strange, otherworldly things. Jade's little brother claims to see a glimmering girl in his room. Jade's jewelry gets moved around, as if by an invisible hand. Kids at school whisper behind her back like they know something she doesn't.

Soon, Jade must face an impossible fact: that her perfect house is haunted. Haunted by a ghost who's seeking not just vengeance, but the truth. The ghost of a girl who ruled Jade's school — until her untimely death last year. It's up to Jade to put the pieces together before her own life is at stake. As Jade investigates the mystery, she discovers that her new friends in town have more than a few deep, dark secrets. But is one of them a murderer?

What you get: a haunted house, possession, a ghost, paranormal occurrences, revenge

"My heart thumped so hard it hurt. I clutched at my chest, willing it to calm. Silence fell over the house. But in a sickening moment, I realized it shouldnt have." -p. 124 The Dead and Buried




 The Body Finder series

Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes that the dead leave behind in the world... and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find the dead birds her cat had tired of playing with. But now that a serial killer has begun terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, she realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet on her quest to find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved to find herself hoping that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer... and becoming his prey herself.

What you get: murderers, bodies, stalkers, dead animals, abduction

"She fought him, trashing violently against his grip, even though he knew she was aware of his strength as he restrained her. She was like a rag doll flopping helplessly in his arms." -p. 99 The Body Finder 

"She would've called out, cried for help, but she knew it was useless. and it would only serve to give [ culprit] something to focus on, some way to find her. A deadly game of Marco Polo. She already knew he was gaining ground. He had several advantages over her. Most importantly, he knew where they were." -p. 323-324 The Last Echo




 
 Mara Dyer doesn’t think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can’t remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn’t believe that after everything she’s been through, she can fall in love.

She’s wrong.


What you get: an ouja board, an abandoned asylum, dead friends, tons of creepy and myserious occurrences and events, Noah Shaw (pure evil, you'll see;))


"I gagged. The still body of a gray cat lay inches from where I'd been standing, its flesh torn open, its fur streaked with red. My feet were soaked in blood." -p. 70 The Evolution of Mara Dyer 

" The alligators appeared out of nowhere. My heartbeat pounded in my ears as I noticed several disembodied points of light floating in the darkness on either side of me. One pair of eyes. Three. Seven. I lost count. I was paralyzed; I couldn't go forward but I couldn't go back." -p. 331 The 
Unbecoming of Mara Dyer 

"I woke up the next day in a skeletal, institutional bed inside the Tamerlane State Lunatic Asylum. The mattress beneath me was torn to pieces and filthy." -p. 347 The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer 





And because I just finished The Evolution of Mara Dyer two nights ago and am still totally creeped out and bursting with craziness, I can't but share the two best book trailers ever with you. Here are the book trailers of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer and The Evolution of Mara Dyer. I LOVED the books!! In addition you see a little collage I made with screenshots from the trailers.








Books I haven't read yet, but that sound oh so scary! Tell me, have you read them?



* The screenshots displaying the various book covers were taken from the official book trailers. Because there is no trailer for the dead and buried yet, I had to use the Clarity book trailer, for Kim Harrington's debut novel.

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Giveaway: Defiance by C.J. Redwine


Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city's brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father's apprentice, Logan--the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same one who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but a fierce belief in her father's survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.

At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city's top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor's impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared.

As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can't be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.

Summary by Goodreads

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Friday, October 26, 2012

Cover Reveal: Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins

SWEET PERIL, the sequel to Wendy Higgins' SWEET EVIL has finally got a cover and I'm happy to share it with you. Anna and Kaidan look hot and totally develish don't they? How do you like the cover?



Publication Date:  April 30, 2013 from HarperTeen

 
Anna Whitt, daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, promised herself she’d never do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such a claim. She’d been naive about a lot of things. Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means embracing her dark side and earning an unwanted reputation as her school’s party girl. Her life has never looked more bleak. And all the while there’s Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart and mind.

When an unexpected lost message from the angels surfaces, Anna finds herself traveling the globe with Kopano, son of Wrath, in an attempt to gain support of fellow Nephilim and give them hope for the first time. It soon becomes clear that whatever freedoms Anna and the rest of the Neph are hoping to win will not be gained without a fight. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and face the ultimate question: is loving someone worth risking their life?
 
Wendy Higgins was born in Alaska, grew up an Army brat, and lived all over the United States before settling in the Washington, DC area. She attended George Mason University for her undergrad degree in creative writing, and Radford University for her masters in curriculum and instruction. Wendy taught 9th and 12th grade English in a rural school before becoming a mother and author. She now lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, daughter, and son. Sweet Peril is her second novel.

 Book 3 of The Sweet Trilogy, Sweet Reckoning, is slated for spring/summer 2014.
And if you haven't read SWEET EVIL, you totally should!


Embrace the Forbidden

What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences?

This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels.

Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She's aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but Anna, the ultimate good girl, has always had the advantage of her angel side to balance the darkness within. It isn't until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage and her willpower is put to the test. He's the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?


Summary by Goodreads



Thank you Wendy for letting me be a part of the SWEET PERIL cover reveal :)

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Coveresque feat. Crewel by Gennifer Albin (US vs. UK vs.German)

    US                                    UK                                   German


I haven't done a coveresque post in ages and just knew that I had to show you the beautiful German CREWEL cover. I can't say if it fits the story, but I really like its light colors, the dreamy details and the overall fairy tale like look.

The US cover is colorful and appears very psychedelic. I didn't like it at first, but think it's an ok cover for an original story.

My least favourite cover would be the UK edition. I've never been a fan of green and red together and I honestly don't like that the cover is dominated by the girls' face and just one green swirl around the heading.

Which is your favourite?

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Teaser: Forgotten by Cat Patrick



Forgotten by Cat Patrick

" It's not Luke.
And yet, when I flip through my spiral-bound substitute for a proper memory again, one truth becomes clear: the darkest memory showed up when he did.
Exhausted from the day and the weight of what's coming, I gather the photos and cards before me into a neat stack and ease them back inside the manila envelope. I fold down the clasp to hold it shut, replace it inside the desk drawer, and set my notes on my nightstand.
After scooting under the covers, I reread the note I left myself, just to make sure everything's there.
I add a few details about the memory, and a question: How is Luke involved? "

- p. 115

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Sunday, October 14, 2012

New Books On My Shelf #57 Frankfurt Book Fair edition & Giveaway

I'm not sure if I can believe how many books I have brought with me from Frankfurt to feature in this week's New Books On My Shelf post. Unbelieveable forty-six! I spent Saturday and Sunday in Frankfurt and went to the fair both days. The German publisher hall was too crowded for my taste, but I really enjoyed being around all kinds of international publishers.

Although I brought my camera with me, I didn't take any pictures of the Book Fair at all. Must've been surrounded by too many bookish distractions... So here are all the books I've got. Partly bought, the other half for free.


In piles




Harper Collins I

Hidden by Sophie Jordan
Unravelling  by Elizabeth Norris
Endlessly by Kiersten White
Summer and the City by Candance Bushnell
The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthrone



Harper Collins II

Vanish by Sophie Jordan
Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr
Defiance by C.J. Redwine (GIVEAWAY SOON)
The Rise of Nine by Pittacus Lore
Feedback by Robison Wells
The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver
Deadly Cool by Emma Halliday
Social Suicide by Emma Halliday



Scholastic

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Ashes Ashes by Jo Treggiari
The dead and burried by Kim Harrington
The Romeo and Juliet Code by Phoebe Stone
The Boy on Cinnamon Street by Phoene Stone
Torn by David Massey

The Scholastic booth was one of my favourites. They have fantastic titles and one lady was nice enough to save me a copy of THE RAVEN BOYS  and THE DEAD AND BURRIED when I didn't make it in time to the booth opening and giveaway of books. Most excited for these two titles!



 Simon & Schuster & Egmont

The History of Us by Leah Stewart (GIVEAWAY SOON)
Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire
Close My Eyes by Sophie McKenzie
Forgotten by Cat Patrick
BZRK by Michael Grant
Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

So many people are gushing about BEAUTIFUL DISASTER that I can't believe I still haven't read it yet. I got a copy of the story told from Travis' POV, WALKING DISASTER and I don't even own the first book. Need to change that ASAP!


 Hot Key Books, Templar & Bloomsbury

Angel Dust by Sarah Mussi
Me, Suzy P. by Karen Saunders
Fins are Forever by Tera Lynn Childs
Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs
Whisper by Chrissie Keighery
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas (GIVEAWAY SOON)


Two copies of THRONE OF GLASS. Huh? Of course I'm giving one away to you!



 Quercus, Harlequin & Penguin

Ashes by Isla J. Brick
Shadows by Isla J. Brick
The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa (GIVEAWAY SOON)
The Iron Legends by Julie Kagawa
Invisibility by Andrea Cremer, David Levithan
The Symptoms of my Insanity by Mindy Raf

I had a nice chat with the lady at the Harlequin booth, Reka. And obviously we were both huge fans of Julie Kagawa and her books. There's just no way round talking about THE IRON FEY series if you are talking fabulous books. I'm also very excited for INVISIBILITY by Andrea Cremer and David Levithan. Planning to start it tomorrow right after uni.



Random House

Brisinger by Christopher Paolini
Inheritance by Christopher Paolini
Eldest by Christopher Paolini
Eragon by Christopher Paolini
Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma
Mystic City by Theo Lawrence
Rapture by Lauren Kate 



Then I had the absolute pleasure to meet fellow blogger & author of LEVEL TWO, Lenore Appelhans. We met at the Marie Lu signing and both got copies of LEGEND signed. Meeting them was probably my favourite part of day one at the Book Fair. They were just so lovely! Lenore gave me a bunch of signed LEVEL TWO postcards and magnets. Lenore, I honestly can't wait to read your book in 2013;)

Now's your chance to win one of three signed postcards of LEVEL TWO by Lenore Appelhans. Just enter the rafflecopter widget below:

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* You enter for a chance to win one of three signed postcards of LEVEL TWO
* INTERNATIONAL
* The giveaway starts on October 14th and will end on October 21st * Enter the rafflecopter from!
* Good luck :)


I had the most fun time at Frankfurt this year and I can't wait for Frankfurt Book Fair 2013!! Expect some giveaways of books and more Level Two postcards and magnets soon.



Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Book Review: The Duff by Kody Keplinger




Title: The Duff
Author: Kody Keplinger
Publisher: Poppy
Publishing Date: June 7th 2011
Length: 304 pages
Keywords: YA, contemporary romance, sex
Source: Bought

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn’t think she’s the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She’s also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her “the Duff,” she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren’t so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for a distraction. She ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.
Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn’t such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she’s falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

Summary by Goodreads 






The Duff. Sounds funny at first, but if you know what's hiding behind that term it doesn't sound entertaining or nice anymore. 

Designated
Fat
Ugly
Friend

And with only these four words, one boy has the power to make a girl like Bianca our protagonist feel like only second choice or none at all. Wesley is that very macho guy, known as the school's male slut, who keeps bothering Bianca throughout the entire story.

Still Wesley is just the boy a girl like Bianca needs. She uses him as he uses her. And exactly the knowledge of him not caring about her seems to make it easy for Bianca to start distracting her troubled thoughts with him. It’s no love at first sight and not the sweetest romance of YA contemporary. Therefore their relationship is rough and carnal. Very different from others, nonetheless attractive.

I like that Bianca and Wesley are both so different in personality and yet they’ve got a lot in common. Although Wesley’s the school slut, I couldn’t but fall for his extreme charm and …advantages.

Their problems at home make these two characters, that appear shallow for only looking for physical contact, appear more sympathetic and one starts to feel for both of them. We meet their friends and families and see the effects their relationship has on their individual lives.

There’s a lot of sex. Raw, instinctive and meaningless. THE DUFF for once stands for another kind of contemporary romance. It shows that there doesn’t need to be that long painful struggle to get the guy you want. You can get him first and realise your feelings later. Don’t be afraid, there is still a big chaos of all kinds of emotions waiting for Bianca and Wesley.You'll get the full package!

It’s about teenage life and the difficult ways of falling in love, but also about the feeling of being a bad version of someone else, less attractive, less funny, smart, you name it. Kody Keplinger shows all the teenage girls and boys that there’s no need to feel like that. The message is about friendship and accepting yourself the way you are, no need to compare yourself to others and feel less important or clever or beautiful. You are just perfect the way you are!






1) of a great amount of giving in to the physical attraction
2) a funny approach on the feel of being the Duff
3) there’s always a chance to fall for the designated ugly fat friend
4) if there’s nothing to do, just play Scrabble
5) we’ll only order Cherry Coke from now on





4/5 **** THE DUFF- A snappy, witty, feel-good novel. A sexy debut about the struggles of a teenage life and the true meaning of being the Duff.

THE DUFF carries a fantastic and important message and you should definitely not miss Kody Keplinger’s awesome debut. A very different kind of love story, but one nonetheless thrilling and engaging!



 
* Want to read more? Check out SHUT OUT and A MIDSUMMER’S NIGHTMARE

* Read an excerpt of THE DUFF here

* Here’s the THE DUFF soundtrack. 

* For further information about Kody Keplinger and her books visit www.kodykeplinger.com