This is a weekly bookish meme is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.
To participate you:
* Grab your current read

* Open to a random page

* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
(Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Teaser Sentences:

"A paper-draped table dominates the small space: On it are stacked and folded gowns, and a tray of surgical instruments."

"I don't know what to do next, panic builds in my chest"

Teasers are from PANDEMONIUM, Lauren Oliver pg.356.

IMM #7

November.27,2011
This IMM is for  books I've gotten over the last week. What did you get in your mailbox?

FOR REVIEW FROM PUBLISHERS:

PANDEMONIUM

*Delirium #2*

RELEASE: 3.1.2012

HARPERTEEN 
I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.

Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.

NEW GIRL

RELEASE: 1.31.2012

HARLEQIUN TEEN

They call me 'New Girl'...
Ever since I arrived at exclusive, prestigious Manderly Academy, that’s who I am. New girl. Unknown. But not unnoticed—because of her.
Becca Normandy—that’s the name on everyone’s lips. The girl whose picture I see everywhere. The girl
I can’t compare to. I mean, her going missing is the only reason a spot opened up for me at the academy.
And everyone stares at me like it’s my fault.
Except for Max Holloway—the boy whose name shouldn’t be spoken. At least, not by me. Everyone thinks of him as Becca’s boyfriend…but she’s gone, and here I am, replacing her. I wish it were that easy. Sometimes, when I think of Max, I can imagine how Becca’s life was so much better than mine could ever be.

And maybe she’s still out there, waiting to take it back.

PURCHASED FOR MY NOOK

*Pictures Only, click picture to read B+N synopsis*

FURY

AUTHOR: Elizabeth Miles

SOURCE: For Review from Simon Pulse

PUBLISHED: August 30th 2011

PUBLISHER: Simon Pulse

LENGTH: 352 pgs.

Sometimes sorry isn't enough....

It’s winter break in Ascension, Maine. The snow is falling and everything looks pristine and peaceful. But not all is as it seems...

Between cozy traditions and parties with her friends, Emily loves the holidays. And this year’s even better--the guy she’s been into for months is finally noticing her. But Em knows if she starts things with him, there’s no turning back. Because his girlfriend is Em’s best friend.

On the other side of town, Chase is having problems of his own. The stress of his home life is starting to take its toll, and his social life is unraveling. But that’s nothing compared to what’s really haunting him. Chase has done something cruel...something the perfect guy he pretends to be would never do. And it’s only a matter of time before he’s exposed.
In Ascension, mistakes can be deadly. And three girls—three beautiful, mysterious girls—are here to choose who will pay.
Em and Chase have been chosen.

LIKES:
The cover is very pretty, the flowing red hair is so captivating.

DISLIKES:
Unfortunatley, most everything else that didn't have to do with the cover.

OVERALL REVIEW:
Hmmmm.... where to start. First things first, the cover is stunning! When I first read Fury, way back in September, I wasn't sure how to write this review. I am not into author bashing, however Fury was by far not the book for me. I have seen some really great ratings and reviews on Fury and I think that I may be the minority on this one, but nothing about this book worked for me.

At first glance Fury had all the makings of a book that would be at the top of my " Glad I Read List." The synopsis was filled with mystery and lies. I was excited that it was part of a trilogy because I just knew that book 1 would be filled with juicyness in order to make you want to read book two.

For me the problems started almost immediatley. No matter how hard I tried I could never fully connect with Em, Chase, or any of the characters for that matter, they seemed a little flat and one demensional to me. The Furies should have been badass, but to me just ended up being mean girls gone terribly wrong.

I felt like it was pretty easy to pick out who the furies were and that just kind of made me want to stop reading it....so I did. Then, not wanting to leave a book unfinished, I eventually picked Fury back up. The reason the Furies are there in the first place is somewhat lame to me. I don't want to give it away for those who haven't read it, but it reminded me of a cheesey romance novel your mom keeps in a wicker basket.

After reading Josephine Angelinis Starcrossed, my expectation for Furies was set high and the ones in Fury fell all to short for me.

Unfortunetly, I will not be continuing this trilogy and I would not reccomend it to anyone, however if you do decide to read Fury and have a differant opinion than me. Please feel free to comment back and let me know your thoughts!


*****************************NO DUST*******************

IMM #6

November.20,2011
This IMM is for  books I've gotten over the last week. What did you get in your mailbox?

 

FOR REVIEW FROM PUBLISHERS:

 

BEWITCHING

RELEASE: 2.14.2012

HARPERCOLLINS

Kendra Hilferty, the witch who curses Kyle Kingsbury in Beastly, tells about her immortal existence-how she discovered she was a witch and the various ways she has used her powers to help people throughout the centuries. (Unfortunately her attempts have often backfired.) As it turns out, Kendra has actually had a hand in "Hansel and Gretel," "The Princess and the Pea," and "The Little Mermaid"-but these are not the fairy tales you think you know! Kendra's reminiscences are wrapped around a real-time version of "Cinderella," except the "ugly" stepsister is the good guy. With dark twists, hilarious turns, and unexpected endings, Bewitching is a contemporary read for fairy-tale lovers, fantasy fans, and anyone looking for more Alex Flinn.

 

HAVOC

RELEASE: 1.24.2012

BALZER+BRAY

Emily Webb thought life would return to normal after the death of the man who attacked her and her fellow “Deviants.” Or as normal as it could be, after discovering that she has nighttime superpowers . . . and she’s a werewolf. But when Emily awakes one night to find an otherworldy Shadowman watching her, she knows the danger has only just begun.

So Emily and her pack-mates set out to find the people who made them what they are, and why. But as they get closer to the truth, they realize they aren’t the only ones in town with special powers: The most popular girls in school might just have a secret of their own–and they might just have it out for Emily.

With shadowy beings stalking them, a mysterious company doing all it can to keep the truth hidden, and the secrecy of her new identity in jeopardy, life threatens to spiral out of control for Emily. Soon these dangers will come together in one terrifying confrontation that may force her to make the toughest choice of her life . . . so far.

 

PARTIALS

RELEASE: 2.28.2012

HARPERCOLLINS

The human race is all but extinct after a war with Partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the population. Reduced to tens of thousands by RM, a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island while the Partials have mysteriously retreated. The threat of the Partials is still imminent, but worse, no baby has been born immune to RM in more than a decade. Our time is running out.

Kira, a sixteen-year-old medic in training, is on the front lines of this battle, seeing RM ravage the community while mandatory pregnancy laws threaten to launch what’s left of humanity into civil war, and she’s not content to stand by and watch. But as she makes a desperate decision to save the last of her race, she will discover that the survival of humans and Partials alike rests in her attempts to uncover the connections between them—connections that humanity has forgotten, or perhaps never even knew were there.

Dan Wells, acclaimed author of I Am Not a Serial Killer, takes readers on a pulse-pounding journey into a world where the very concept of what it means to be human is in question—one where our humanity is both our greatest liability and our only hope for survival.

 

A TOUCH MORBID

*A TOUCH MORTAL #2*

RELEASE: 2.28.2012

GREENWILLOW BOOKS

Eden won the battle-she saved her true love from the darkest evil. But the war has only just begun. With secrets swirling around her, powerful allies unraveling, and life-and death-as she knows it eroding, Eden and those she loves tread dangerous ground. Can she trust anyone? Will her unearthly powers be her salvation or her downfall? A sweeping, dark, and sexy paranormal romance that will haunt readers with an inventive mythology and a cinematic New York City filled with shadows and longing.

 

BALTHAZAR

*EVERNIGHT*

RELEASE: 3.6.2012

HARPERTEEN

Haunted by memories from his first days as a vampire, Balthazar has spent hundreds of years alone—without allies, without love. When he emerges from his isolation to help Skye Tierney, a human girl who once attended Evernight Academy, Balthazar has no idea how dangerous it will be. Skye’s psychic powers have caught the attention of Redgrave, the cruel master vampire responsible for murdering Balthazar and his family four centuries ago. Having learned of Skye’s powers and the remarkable effect her blood has on vampires, he plans to use her for his own evil purposes. As they stand together to fight the evil vampire, Balthazar realizes his lonely world could finally be changed by Skye...just as Redgrave realizes that he can destroy Balthazar once and for all by taking her for his own.

In a story filled with forbidden love and dark suspense, one of the most beloved characters in Claudia Gray’s New York Times bestselling Evernight series will captivate readers with his battle to overcome his past and follow his heart.

 

LOVE & LEFTOVERS

RELEASE: 12.27.2011

HARPERCOLLINS

My wish
is to fall
cranium over Converse
in dizzy, daydream-worthy
love.

When her parents split, Marcie is dragged from Idaho to a family summerhouse in New Hampshire. She leaves behind her friends, a group of freaks and geeks called the Leftovers, including her emo-rocker boyfriend, and her father.

By the time Labor Day rolls around, Marcie suspects this "vacation" has become permanent. She starts at a new school where a cute boy brings her breakfast and a new romance heats up. But understanding love, especially when you've watched your parents' affections end, is elusive. What does it feel like, really? can you even know it until you've lost it?

Love and Leftovers is a beautifully written story of one girl’s journey navigating family, friends, and love, and a compelling and sexy read that teens will gobble up whole.

 

 

ARCADIA AWAKENS(2ND COPY)

RELEASE: 02.14.2012

BALZER+BRAY

To Rosa Alcantara, the exotic world of Sicily, with its network of Mafia families and its reputation for murder and intrigue, is just that—exotic and wholly unknown. But when her life in Brooklyn begins to fall apart, she must travel there, to her family’s ancestral home, where centuries of family secrets await her.

Once there, Rosa falls head over heels for Alessandro Carnevare, the son of a Sicilian Mafia family, whose handsome looks and savage grace both fascinate and unsettle her. But their families are sworn enemies, and her aunt and sister believe Alessandro is only using Rosa to infiltrate the Alcantara clan. And when Rosa encounters a tiger one night—a tiger with very familiar eyes—she can no longer deny that neither the Carnevares nor the Alcantaras are what they seem.

Hidden caves, dangerous beasts roaming the hills, and a history of familial bloodlust mean that Rosa can’t trust anyone. Torn between loyalty to her family and love for their mortal enemy, Rosa must make the hardest decision of her life: stay in Sicily with her new love…or run as far and as fast as she can.

 

 

PURCHASED FOR MY NOOK

*Pictures Only*

 

UNVEILED

AUTHOR: Trisha Wolfe

SOURCE: Purchased "Nook"

PUBLISHED: September 18th 2011

PUBLISHER: Addison Books

LENGTH: 38 pgs

TYPE: Novelette

Amongst the wasteland lies the gleaming city of Karm. A Camelot-esque utopia built from the ashes of a dying world.

Seventeen-year-old Fallon is no daughter of Karm.

She's its assassin.

Raised by a secret society of rebels, she's bent on bringing down the king's sham of an existence. But her first mark, one of the king's top knights of the Force, makes her question everything. Even her heart.

LIKES:
I had extreme cover love for this story! The world that was built was amazing.

DISLIKES:
How short it was, when I purchased it, it said it was a novel :(

OVERALL REVIEW:
When I found Unveiled I couldn't wait to read it. I knew of author Trisha Wolfe from YA Bound, a YA Book Review/ Book Tour Hosting blog and in my wait and anticipation for her debut novel Destiny's Fire I decided to read Unveiled to hold me over. 
When I purchased Unveiled from B&N, it said it was a Novel, I thought "hmmm...ok this is weird, but I'll go with it." Nope it's a novelette not a novel! I was so disappointed, I really wanted it to be longer because it was so good!
Wolfe builds a world set in a post apocalyptic world, ruled by a secretive dictator and forced to live in the past...like the serious past, in order to try to preserve what world is left within the gates of Karm.
Believe me when I say whatever you think the story is about form looking at the cover, you are only about half right! I expected a Cinderella type world, with some distressed damsel, Fallon is no damsel.
I don't want to ruin the story, but lets just say there is more than meets the eye with Fallon and she is more than capable of taking care of herself! A beautiful connection is built between Fallon and an unlikely male counter part, and it really shows her vulnerable side and brings to light how her whole world has been based on secrets and lies. 
I would love to see this develop into a full novel because the story is just that great and from the time I finished Unveiled I have been thinking about what happened to the characters. I will definitely be picking up Wolfes debut novel, if it's as great as her novelette I know I'll be in instant book love!
I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a quick read that leaves you wanting more and more.

***********************SHOWER**************

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. Each week a new question is posted, this weeks question is:

 Letter to Santa: Tell Santa what books you want for Christmas!

I don't celebrate Christmas, however I do celebrate the coming of the holiday season and all the feelings of awesomeness it brings to people. So, the books I would ask my jolly festive friend to bring me would be:

• The Hunger Games Box Set
• The Vampire Academy Box Set
• The Vampire Diaries Box Set
• Harry Potter Box Set
• Twilight Box Set

As you can tell I'm really into Box Sets this year!lol So, what books would you ask Santa for?

CLAIMED

*The Witches of Santa Anna #1*

AUTHOR: Lauren Barnholdt, Aaron Gorvine

SOURCE: Purchased

PUBLISHED: Januray 28th 2011

PUBLISHER: Lauren Barnholdt/Barnes and Noble

LENGTH: 38 pgs.(Nook)

PURCHASE: Amazon Nook

The first novella in The Witches of Santa Anna series....

Natalia Moore is the new girl at Santa Anna Prep, and all she wants to do is fly under the radar -- get to her classes, meet a few friends, and try not to make a total fool of herself in the meantime. But when handsome and popular Campbell Elliot goes out of his way to be nice to the new girl, Natalia's plan to go unnoticed flies out the window.

Cam’s hot, but he’s completely off-limits. Raine Marsden, the most popular and meanest girl in school, has had her eye on him ever since the summer. And Raine doesn’t like competition.

When Cam goes as far as inviting Natalia to the exclusive weekend party at Raine's house, Raine sets her sights on a new victim. But what Natalia doesn't know is that Raine and her friends are no ordinary mean girls. They have powers most people can only dream of, and nobody will stand in the way of what they want. And what Raine wants is Campbell.

Claimed, the first book in The Witches of Santa Anna series of novellas, proves just how far true love will go and that nothing--not even pure evil--can change your destiny….

LIKES:

The cover is pure eye candy and the story and characters have a solid foundation.

DISLIKES:

I wish "part 1" had been a little bit longer than 38 pgs.

OVERALL REVIEW:

 Since getting my Nook I have kind of gone book crazy! I find the more economical a book is the more I either haven't heard of the author or haven't heard of their earlier works. I've been having a great time finding some new reads, especially Novellas and Novelettes.

Claimed is the first book in the novella series Witches of Santa Anna and it was a terrific read! Claimed starts with Natalia starting a new private school under mysterious pretenses. Why did she come to Santa Anna? Your guess is as good as mine.

Set on staying low key and buying her time at a new school Natalia soon finds it's going to be harder than she ever expected, especially when #1 hottie Cam spies her! Within the first week Natalias life has gone nothing like she expected and it only seems to be getting worse.

Told from the alternating perspectives of Natalia and Cam, Claimed is a quick, fun, and intriguing read. I was left jaw dropped on pg. 38 wanting more and needing to buy the next installment ASAP! This is my first encounter with any of  Barnholdts works, but if Claimed is any indication of what's in store I'm all aboard the Barnholdt train!

I'd recommend Claimed to anyone looking for a quick read that is part of a continuous series that is just as fulfilling in 38 pgs as a standard 200pg novel!

************************SHOWER******************

This is a weekly bookish meme is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.
To participate you:
* Grab your current read

* Open to a random page

* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
(Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Teaser Sentences:

" The torches cast eerie, affecting shadows against the stone walls as the celebration heightens and the dancing begins."

" Karm protects us from the Outside.The Wasteland.It's home.And it's death"

Teaser from Unveiled by Trisha Wolfe pg 1.<---CLICK LINK TO ADD TO GOODREADS

Yay, I made it through my 1st year! I am so excited to celebrate my blogaversary with all of you and I thank you for all of your continued support and comments through out the year! To thank you I am having not 1, not 2, but 3 special giveaways!! Please see below for the rules...good luck!

RULES:

• Must be 13yr or older
• US ONLY
• Must be a follower of The Fiction Fairy
• Each giveaway will end at 12:01am eastern time 12/01/2011
• Winners will be notified by email on 12/01/2011

*Although it is a controversial and sometimes unpopular method the reason why I require that you  follow The Fiction Fairy blog in order to participate is not so I can "buy" followers, really what good would that do if that was my sole reason when you could just follow me for the duration of the contest then unfollow after? It is because I feel like it is unfair for those who do follow the blog to have to compete against those who are just browsing the internet for giveaways. Those who follow have made a commitment to the authors and books that are on here and TO ME they deserve to be rewarded, much like Macys and other retailers do for consumers who have loyalty cards or credit cards. Yes, I would love if everyone who is a new follower of  my blog to continue to do so after the giveaway, so we could help spread the word about great books and authors alike, but I know not every blog is for everybody and that's ok. However, if this type of giveaway offends you or is not your cup of tea then please feel free not to enter. I don't want a book to sit in a TBR pile a million feet high simply because it was a quick enter. I want a tried and true follower or at least someone who really wanted the book to review and not to collect dust, so they took the time to follow the guidelines I have set, to receive it.  Who knows maybe you'll find something you like on my blog or on a followers blog that interest you that you wouldn't have otherwise found!  :) *

Please Fill Out The Form Below To Enter:

SOMBER ISLAND

AUTHOR: T. Lynne Tolles

SOURCE: Purchased

PUBLISHED: December 4th 2010

PUBLISHER: Troll Publishing

LENGTH: 200 pgs.

Phoebe MacIntire, who is a servant to her father and sisters in her own house in Scotland in 1855, is an ordinary girl, with no big dreams for the future. She's perfectly happy in her humble life, with her cot in the basement and her little garden in the backyard. But when her father up and sends her to Newfoundland to be the lifelong servant to Lord Jacobs, she finds her life gets turned upside down.

Her journey across the Atlantic to her new home is long, scary and very unpleasant. When she arrives at the manor on a small island, she finds the beautiful place abandoned and only a note waits for her explaining her duties, the strange dietary requirements, and sleeping habits of her new master.

The very first night in her new home she's haunted in her dreams by a woman who clearly does not want her there and a strange blue-eyed man-wolf creature that follows the woman. Her dreams become more and more violent and mysteries start to be uncovered about a woman who was killed in a fire on the island, a creature that preys on anyone that comes to the island and a love story gone wrong that dates back over a hundred and twenty two years.

Join Phoebe as she explores the past, delving into witchcraft, and vampirism to help a brother save another from a life of sadness and misconception, making some amazing and surprising friends along the way.

LIKES:
The cover is gorgeous and the synopsis sounds unique and scary.

DISLIKES:
Poor character development and poor plot building.

OVERALL REVIEW:
I found Somber Island at Barnes and Nobles Online and decided to purchase it for my Nook. I didn't know anything about the author or the book before purchasing it, but between the cover, the synopsis, and the price I figured what could I loose?
Somber Island follows the story of Phoebe MacIntire a young Scottish girl who is sold by her father to a man an ocean away in Newfoundland, to be his servant. Phoebe is the Cinderella of her family. She has two older sisters who have looks and skills necessary of a wife, while Phoebe has a limp as a permanent reminder of her childhood bought of Polio, the burden of her mother dying during giving birth to her, and a father who would rather see her dead(if he hadn't spent so much on Dr. bills trying to cure her polio), than to love her. After spending all of her formative years serving her father and sisters and being confined to the basement, her father tells her he has sold her to a man in Newfoundland as a servant and her pay checks will be mailed back to him!I don't know about you but I wouldn't be to keen on working and ocean away as a servant just to have my hard earned paycheck be sent back to my monster of a father!
So far the story was starting off well, like a gothic retelling of Cinderella. Unfortunately, all that was changing and changing fast. Phoebe was from Scotland, however she never spoke in an accent and none of the characters ever spoke in language suiting the year 1855. When Phoebe arrives in Newfoundland she never asks where she is going, she just happily gets in carriage and falls asleep. I know if I had just arrived in the place where I would meet my master, sleeping would be the last thing on my mind.
When phoebe finally arrives at Lord Jacobs home she is met with a list of do's an don'ts. She is also left with a list of dietary concerns for her new lord...between this and the effects of his affliction it doesn't take a genius to find out what's wrong with him. Throughout the story Phoebe is not only naive, but when she is told about impossible frighting things she just shrugs them off and is all to understanding! I understand this is a fiction story, but that doesn't mean she has to be so unphased by everything!
The most disturbing thing to me is a particularly explicit scene in the book that I feel was not needed, especially in such detail and it was both disturbing because of the act itself and her reaction to it. Although Somber Island was not for me and I would not recommend it to anyone, I think the basic story had real promise it just wasn't executed well, this is why I still rated it as a "1 star." I will not be reading any of this authors other works.

*******************PINCH**************

IMM #5

November.13,2011
This IMM is for a few books I've gotten over the last few weeks. What did you get in your mailbox?

FOR REVIEW FROM PUBLISHERS:

EVERNEATH

RELEASE: 01.24.2012

HARPER COLLINS(dup. copy)

*CLICK HERE TO READ MY REVIEW*

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's.

INCARNATE

RELEASE: 01.31.2012

HARPER COLLINS

*CLICK HERE TO READ MY REVIEW*

NEWSOUL
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

HEART
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life.

WINGS OF THE WICKED

RELEASE: 02.14.2012

HARPER COLLINS

Life as the Preliator is harder than Ellie ever imagined.
Balancing real life with the responsibility of being Heaven’s warrior is a challenge for Ellie. Her relationship with Will has become all business, though they both long for each other. And now that the secret of who she really is has come out, so have Hell’s strongest reapers. Grown bold and more vicious, the demonic threaten her in the light of day and stalk her in the night.

She’s been warned.
Cadan, a demonic reaper, comes to her with information about Bastian’s new plan to destroy Ellie’s soul and use an ancient relic to wake all the souls of the damned and unleash them upon humanity. As she fights to stay ahead of Bastian’s schemes , the revelations about those closest to her awaken a dark power within Ellie that threatens to destroy everything—including herself.

She’ll be betrayed.
Treachery comes even from those whom she loves, and Ellie is broken by the deaths of those who stood beside her in this Heavenly war. Still, she must find a way to save the world, herself, and her love for Will. If she fails, there will be hell to pay.

PRETTY CROOKED

RELEASE: 03.13.2012

KATHERINE TEGEN BOOKS

Willa’s secret plan seems all too simple: take from the rich kids at Valley Prep and give to the poor ones.

Yet Willa’s turn as Robin Hood at her ultra-exclusive high school is anything but. Bilking her “friends”—known to everyone as the Glitterati—without them suspecting a thing is far from easy. Learning how to pick pockets and break into lockers is as difficult as she’d thought it’d be. Delivering care packages to the scholarship girls, who are ostracized just for being from the “wrong” side of town, is way more fun than she’d expected.

The complication Willa didn’t expect, though, is Aidan Murphy, Valley Prep’s most notorious (and gorgeous) ace-degenerate. His mere existence is distracting Willa from what matters most to her: evening the social playing field between the haves and have-nots. There’s no time for crushes and flirting with boys, especially conceited and obnoxious trust-funders like Aidan.

But when the cops start investigating the string of thefts at Valley Prep and the Glitterati begin to seek revenge, could Aidan wind up being the person that Willa trusts most?

PINK SMOG

RELEASE: 01.24.2012

HARPERTEEN

The long-awaited prequel to Francesca Lia Block’s groundbreaking Weetzie Bat.

ARCADIA AWAKENS

RELEASE: 02.14.2012

BALZER+BRAY

To Rosa Alcantara, the exotic world of Sicily, with its network of Mafia families and its reputation for murder and intrigue, is just that—exotic and wholly unknown. But when her life in Brooklyn begins to fall apart, she must travel there, to her family’s ancestral home, where centuries of family secrets await her.

Once there, Rosa falls head over heels for Alessandro Carnevare, the son of a Sicilian Mafia family, whose handsome looks and savage grace both fascinate and unsettle her. But their families are sworn enemies, and her aunt and sister believe Alessandro is only using Rosa to infiltrate the Alcantara clan. And when Rosa encounters a tiger one night—a tiger with very familiar eyes—she can no longer deny that neither the Carnevares nor the Alcantaras are what they seem.

Hidden caves, dangerous beasts roaming the hills, and a history of familial bloodlust mean that Rosa can’t trust anyone. Torn between loyalty to her family and love for their mortal enemy, Rosa must make the hardest decision of her life: stay in Sicily with her new love…or run as far and as fast as she can.

E-GALLEYS

(PICTURES ONLY)

01.17.2012
HARPER COLLINS

01.03.2012
HARPER COLLINS

01.10.2012
DELACORTE BOOKS

A Month of Contemps, Week 2

"Tough Stuff"

This week my blogswap partner was Sarah@storyboundgirl. I'd like to thank her for taking the time out to write such a terrific post!Thanks!

Thanks to Amanda for swapping posts with me, and to Ashley & Shanyn for hosting Just Contemporary for the month of November.

This week’s topic is: TOUGH STUFF. Phew.

I sometimes go months without reading a book I’d consider seriously tough to read. I sort of avoid them and pile them off in the corner. I’ll hear over and over how great one is, see it sitting in my house, and then keep on ignoring it. I’m a big ‘ole baby. That said, when I finally do get around to gathering my nerve to read one, I’m usually happy I did. It might make me cry or bring up emotions I usually don’t deal with much, but in the end, I’m glad that it does. Out of every kind of YA book, I’d say these types of books are quite possibly the most important to get into the hands of teens. I know that, personally, as a teenager, when I read a book where a character was dealing with an issue going on in my life that I couldn’t really talk to anyone about, it always made me feel less alone. No 15-year-old exactly wants to go to school and ask around if anyone else has an alcoholic parent or an absentee father (or whatever other issue, you get the point), but they also don’t want to feel like they’re the only one going through it. These books fix that. Sure, the characters aren’t real, but the simple fact that someone wrote them means that these issues exist outside of your personal space. (And, really, some of my favorite people are fictional!)

When I’m trying to think of “issues” book to recommend to someone, Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson always pops into my head. Then, The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Chbosky). Now, it’ll be Please Ignore Vera Dietz (King), which I read and reviewed recently (see:HERE ) – It’s a very well done book with major emotional moments and causes serious teary eyes (at least for me).

Sarah is a teacher-in-training currently living in Texas. She shares her love of YA over at storyboundgirl.com.. She’s a Twitter addict & loves to chat with fellow book lovers.@storyboundgirl