{Review): Cinder and Ella by Melissa Lemon

Title: Cinder and Ella
Author: Melissa Lemon Website | Twitter
Genre: YA Fairy Tale Retelling
Publisher: Bonneville Books (November, 2011) 
Hardcover: 208 pages
ISBN: 9781599559063
Source: NetGalley*
Available on: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | TheBookDepository

Description from GoodReads:

After her father's disappearance, Cinder leaves home for a servant job at the castle. But it isn't long before her sister Ella is brought to the castle herself. What Ella finds there starts a quest that will change her life and the entire kingdom. Cinder and Ella is a Cinderella story like no other, and one you'll never forget.

My Review:

Let's talk about: December Releases

Contemporary Young Adult
Love & Leftovers by Sarah Tregay  December 27th 2011 by HarperCollins Children's Books
The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder  December 8th 2011 by Razorbill

Paranormal Young Adult

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare December 6th 2011 by Margaret K. McElderry Books

Eternal Starling by Angela Corbett  December 6th 2011 by Pendrell Publishing

Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey  December 8th 2011 by Philomel/Penguin

Every Other day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes  December 27th 2011 by EgmontUSA

On a dark wing by Jordan Dane December 27th 2011 by Harlequin Teen

Existence by Abbi Glines   December 13th 2011 by Wild Child Publishing 

Still Waters by Emma Carlson Berne December 20th 2011 by Simon Pulse

Legacy by Molly Cochran December 20th 2011 by Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books

Sci-fi Young Adult
Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout  December 6th 2011 by Entangled Publishing






Paranormal Romance
The Demon Lover by Juliet Dark December 27th 2011 by Random House Publishing Group
Shaedes of Gray by Amanda Bonilla December 6th 2011 by Signet

Let's talk about: The Hunger Games Movie Trailer

We are getting closer! I am super excited about The Hunger Games movie trailer. When the casting was first done I was not sure about it but I was wrong. Katniss and Peeta look amazing. 

From what I saw it appears that they are going to stay close to the book. If you have not read this series you really should. 

Come on March 2012 hurry up! 

What do you think? 

{Review}: Overbite by Meg Cabot

Title: Overbite
Author: Meg Cabot Website | Twitter
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Harper Collins
Hardcover: 278 pages
ISBN: 9780061735103
Source: Library
Available on: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | TheBookDepository

Description from GoodReads:

Meena Harper has a special gift, but it's only now that anyone's ever appreciated it. The Palatine Guard — a powerful secret demon-hunting unit of the Vatican — has hired her to work at their new branch in Lower Manhattan. With Meena's ability to predict how everyone she meets will die, the Palatine finally has a chance against the undead. 
Sure, her ex-boyfriend was Lucien Antonescu, son of Dracula, the prince of darkness. But that was before he (and their relationship) went up in flames. Now Meena's sworn off vampires for good ... at least until she can prove her theory that just because they've lost their souls doesn't mean demons have lost the ability to love. 
Meena knows convincing her co-workers — including her partner, über-demon-hunter Alaric Wulf — that vampires can be redeemed won't be easy ... especially when a deadly new threat seems to be endangering not just lives of the Palatine, but Meena's friends and family as well. 
But Meena isn't the Palatine's only hope. Father Henrique — aka Padre Caliente — New York City's youngest, most charming priest, has also been assigned to the case. 
So why doesn't Meena — or Alaric — trust him? 
As she begins unraveling the truth, Meena finds her loyalties tested, her true feelings laid bare ... and temptations she never even imagined existed, but finds impossible to resist. 
This time, Meena may finally have bitten off more than she can chew.

My Review:
Let me begin by saying that I love Meg Cabot's books and really enjoyed Insatiable. I just have no idea what happened with Overbite.


*Contains Spoilers for Insatiable*


Overbite begins where Insatiable left off. Meena is now working for the Palatine. She is still set on staying away from vampires, especially one handsome/ son of Dracula / Prince of Darkness, Lucien. It might not be so simple to stay away from him. When an old boyfriend reappears and wants more than to see how she is doing she is once again in the middle of a mystery and forced to bring Lucien back into her life.


Overbite is missing the passion and romance of Insatiable. I was expecting the romance and fun narration of Insatiable and I just did not get it in Overbite.


*Overbite Spoilers*


I see that Meg chose the healthy choice for Meena but I just did not see the romance between Alaric and Meena. The plot was also not very interesting. It was nice to see more of Lucien's past. I just don't understand the point if it ended the way it did. 


Recommended if you want to read a book about a girl who chooses to listen to her head and not her heart.


Book Trailer:

In My Mailbox (14)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme, hosted by The Story Siren, held usually on Sundays that encourages bloggers to share what they bought, borrowed, received or won this week.

WON

Title: Brightest Kind Of Darkness

Author: P.T. Michelle

Genre: YA Paranormal

Source: A Cupcake and a Latte Giveaway

ASIN: B0058J4KSQ

Available on: Amazon

Description from GoodReads:

Nara Collins is an average sixteen-year-old, with one exception: every night she dreams the events of the following day. Due to an incident in her past, Nara avoids using her special gift to change fate…until she dreams a future she can’t ignore.
After Nara prevents a bombing at Blue Ridge High, her ability to see the future starts to fade, while people at school are suddenly being injured at an unusually high rate. Grappling with her diminishing powers and the need to prevent another disaster, Nara meets Ethan Harris, a mysterious loner who seems to understand her better than anyone. Ethan and Nara forge an irresistible connection, but as their relationship heats up, so do her questions about his dark past.

Received for Review

Title: Everneath

Author: Brodi Ashton

Genre: YA Fiction/Mythology

Source: NetGalley

ISBN: 9780062071132

Available on: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | TheBookDepository

Description from GoodReads:

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...

Title: Hallowed

Author: Cynthia Hand

Genre: YA Fiction/Paranormal

Source: NetGalley

ISBN: 9780061996184

Available on: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | TheBookDepository

Description from GoodReads:

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought. Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning. 

Title: Under the Never Sky

Author: Veronica Rossi

Genre: YA Fiction/Paranormal

Source: NetGalley

ISBN: 9780062072030

Available on: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | TheBookDepository

Description from GoodReads:

Aria is a teenager in the enclosed city of Reverie. Like all Dwellers, she spends her time with friends in virtual environments, called Realms, accessed through an eyepiece called a Smarteye. Aria enjoys the Realms and the easy life in Reverie. When she is forced out of the pod for a crime she did not commit, she believes her death is imminent. The outside world is known as The Death Shop, with danger in every direction. 
As an Outsider, Perry has always known hunger, vicious predators, and violent energy storms from the swirling electrified atmosphere called the Aether. A bit of an outcast even among his hunting tribe, Perry withstands these daily tests with his exceptional abilities, as he is gifted with powerful senses that enable him to scent danger, food and even human emotions. 
They come together reluctantly, for Aria must depend on Perry, whom she considers a barbarian, to help her get back to Reverie, while Perry needs Aria to help unravel the mystery of his beloved nephew’s abduction by the Dwellers. Together they embark on a journey challenged as much by their prejudices as by encounters with cannibals and wolves. But to their surprise, Aria and Perry forge an unlikely love - one that will forever change the fate of all who live UNDER THE NEVER SKY.

Borrowed

Title: Die For Me

Author: Amy Plum

Genre: YA Fiction/Paranormal

Source: Library

ISBN: 9780062004017

Available on: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | TheBookDepository

Description from GoodReads:

My life had always been blissfully, wonderfully normal. But it only took one moment to change everything.Suddenly, my sister, Georgia, and I were orphans. We put our lives into storage and moved to Paris to live with my grandparents. And I knew my shattered heart, my shattered life, would never feel normal again. Then I met Vincent.
Mysterious, sexy, and unnervingly charming, Vincent Delacroix appeared out of nowhere and swept me off my feet. Just like that, I was in danger of losing my heart all over again. But I was ready to let it happen.
Of course, nothing is ever that easy. Because Vincent is no normal human. He has a terrifying destiny, one that puts his life at risk every day. He also has enemies . . . immortal, murderous enemies who are determined to destroy him and all of his kind.
While I'm fighting to piece together the remnants of my life, can I risk putting my heart—as well as my life and my family's—in jeopardy for a chance at love?

What's in your Mailbox?

Follow Friday #25

Follow Friday! Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. 

It's a great way to meet new blogger friends!

This week's featured blogs are MotherLode and The Book Nympho.

Question: In light of 11.11.11 and Veteran's Day tell us about your favorite solider and how he or she is saving the world. Fictional or real life.

Answer: My brother-in-law. He is currently deployed in Afghanistan. 

Please leave a link so I can follow back! 


Don't forget to enter my 300 Follower Giveaway!

{Review} Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Title: Paranormalcy
Author: Kiersten White Website | Twitter
Genre: YA Fiction/ Paranormal
Publisher: HarperTeen
Hardcover: 335 pages
ISBN: 9780061985843
Source: Library
Available on: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | TheBookDepository

Description from GoodReads:
Weird as it is working for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, Evie’s always thought of herself as normal. Sure, her best friend is a mermaid, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she's falling for a shape-shifter, and she's the only person who can see through paranormals' glamours, but still. Normal. 

Only now paranormals are dying, and Evie's dreams are filled with haunting voices and mysterious prophecies. She soon realizes that there may be a link between her abilities and the sudden rash of deaths. Not only that, but she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures. 

So much for normal.


My Review:
I heard great things prior to reading this book so I had high expectations. Did it meet them? Definitely!


Kiersten White does a great job in creating Evie's world. The characters were very well developed and the story line keeps you engaged. I cannot begin to express how fun it was to read Paranormalcy. Evie was an amazing and fun character. Even when her world was crumbling she still managed to keep her sense of humor and think positively. It was great to see a character that has lived most of her life surrounded by paranormal that she craved a normal life. 


You can imagine that a girl that makes a living capturing paranormals would not be dazzled by a vampire or a werewolf. That her love interest would be fantastic and it definitely was.


Lend is a breath of fresh air in the world of "dark and mysterious/me loving you puts you in danger" YA paranormal guys. He has powers and is definitely not your average guy but is more like a normal guy than you would think. It was also nice that he had a little faery competition. I hope we see more of Reth in the next book. 


The story was fast paced and entertaining from start to finish. I cannot wait to read more about Evie and figure out more about her past.


Overall, this was a "beeping'' good book. 

My Rating: 

Book Trailer:

"Waiting on" Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Title: Goddess Interrupted
Author: Aimee Carter Website | Twitter
Genre: YA Fiction/Mythology
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Expected Date of Publication: March 27th, 2012
ISBN: 9780373210459
Pre-Order: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | TheBookDepository

Description from GoodReads:

Kate Winters has won immortality. 
But if she wants a life in the Underworld with Henry, she’ll have to fight for it. 
Becoming immortal wasn’t supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she’s as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he’s becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate’s coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans. 
As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future. 
Henry’s first wife, Persephone.

Why I am waiting for this book:


I absolutely loved The Goddess Test and cannot wait to read Goddess Interrupted. I hope there will be more romance, more Henry and I cannot wait to meet the King of the Titans. Let's not ignore the beautiful cover. Come on 2012 hurry up!

What are you Waiting on?

Please leave links to your WOW so I can stop by.

300 Follower Giveaway!

Let's talk about books has reached 300 wonderful followers! 

What better way to celebrate and thank you than by doing a book giveaway.

The winner will receive ONE book of their choice from the following books! 

(If we reach 400 followers, 2 winners will be chosen.)

This contest is being administered with the Rafflecopter entry form. 

• When it asks for email address, this is NOT viewable by the public. Only I can see it and this is how I will be contacting you if you win, so put the correct one!
• If you are confused on how to use the Rafflecopter entry form, watch this! 

Official Contest information:

• To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter entry form
• Entrants must be 13 years of age or older
• Contest is International so long as The Book Depository ships to your country
• The winner will be announced on this blog post at the end of the contest
• The winner will be notified by email and will have 48 hours to reply or a new winner will be chosen. 

To enter click "Read more" and fill out the Rafflecopter entry form.