Stacking the Shelves (8/31/13)

Time for another Stacking the Shelves, hosted by Tynga's Reviews, where I share the books that I've added to my shelves this week.

• Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Pbk - Purchased Used) - I've heard JLA's name bandied about a lot since I started reviewing, but since she has so many books (and those covers) I just figured they were trashy romances and skipped them. But I've been seeing her name everywhere lately, and then even Epic Reads mentioned everyone was talking about it. So when I saw Obsidian at HPB, I finally read the summary. AND OMG IT'S ABOUT ALIENS. I am on a serious sci-fi kick right now, and the words "space" and "alien" are all it takes for me to be SOLD. And then I read Page 1 and found out the MC is a book blogger. Seriously, where has this book been all my life? Bookish friends: YOU FAILED ME.
• Tempest by Julie Cross (Pbk - Purchased Used) - Another series I've been hearing a lot about, so I snagged it.
• Mister Monday and Grim Tuesday by Garth Nix (Hbk- Purchased Used) - While a little on the expensive side for used, these two beauties complete my hardcover collection of the series. It's one of the few series that I insist on owning and reading hardcover. No, I don't know why - I'm just weird like that.

This Week on the Blog

Sunday Month of Box Giveaways: Book Box #[201]3
Monday Review Hiatus Update
Tuesday 2013 Debut Authors Bash!
Wednesday Waiting On Wednesday: White Space

Friday The Friday Reads Review (8/29/13)

So what books did you add to your shelves this week?

The Friday Reads Review (8/30/13)

GIVEAWAY ALERT

ONLY 2 DAYS LEFT TO ENTER TO WIN:
Signed swag! Book Box #1! Book Box #2! Book Box #[201]3!

Welcome to The Friday Reads Review, a regular Friday segment where I share what I've been reading the past week!

Reading Slump Update: Thought I pulled out, but perhaps not...

CURRENTLY READING:

Tegami Bachi Vol. 2 by Hiroyuki Asada (Pbk)
I originally started reading this series online (the only series I've ever read online) until I heard it would be releasing in print. By the time it did though, I had lost most of my interest. I still purchased the first few volumes, however, and now my interest is returning. It's such a fantastical and rather adorable series about a boy with a lot of heart who delivers letters and helps people along the way. Niche and Steak (the two in the background on the cover) are my favorites, though. ;)

JUST FINISHED:
These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner (ARC - releases 12/13)
Absolutely beautiful. The writing was simple yet lush, the description vivid and clear, the characters real and engaging, the survival story the perfect blend of the mundane and the otherworldly. A refreshing read after so long in my Reading Slump. Reverent review to come.

READING NEXT: 

Doon by Carey Corp & Lorie Langdon (ARC)

It's what I brought with me to read today, anyway. Although I considered Love in the Time of Global Warming, Bella Epoque, and Crewel this morning as well... I really can't decide what to read next - nothing sounds particularly good. Looks like it's back into the Reading Slump for me. *sigh*

(STILL) IN LIMBO:
Rush by Eve Silver (ARC)
The Ward by Jordana Frankel (ARC)
Spellfall by Katherine Roberts (ARC)

So what are you reading this week?

Waiting On Wednesday: White Space

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blogging event hosted by Breaking the Spine, in which one spotlights an upcoming release they are eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Title: White Space

Author: Ilsa J. Bick

Release Date: February 11, 2014

Summary (from Goodreads):

Pitched as The Matrix meets Inkheart, White Space is about a seventeen-year-old girl who jumps between the lines of books and into the white space where realities are created and destroyed – but who may herself be nothing more than a character written into being from an alternative universe.

Why I'm Looking Forward To It: First they pull me in with "The Matrix meets Inkheart" (two favorites), and then they continue with a girl who jumps into books - and might be a character herself! Books about books are my kind of books, so this is definitely a must-have for me! And that cover is All The Epic.

So what book are you waiting on this Wednesday?

2013 Debut Authors Bash!

Guess who's participating in the 2013 Debut Authors Bash, and is really excited about it?

Yep, that would be me!

And why am I really excited about it? Because I will be interviewing the fun, the talented, the amazing Kasie West!

The two of us when she visited in May.

Check back September 4th to discover more about Kasie's debut, Pivot Point (including her Love List!), get a taste of the upcoming sequel, Split Second, and find the answer to the question that everyone has been wondering about the author herself!

There will also be a ton of other amazing authors participating in the 2013 Debut Authors Bash (we're talking dozens here), so be ready for a deluge of awesome posts (and giveaways!) from your favorite bloggers this September!

Review Hiatus Update

Apologies for the lack of reviews this month - I hope all the giveaways have been some consolation. ;)

I'm finally pulling out of my Reading Slump, and will be re-starting my weekly reviews next Monday. See you then! :)

Month of Box Giveaways: Book Box #[201]3

The first three boxes are still open for entries!

Enter here to win signed bookish swag!

Enter here to win Book Box #1!

Enter here to win Book Box #2!

Time for the third and final box in the Month of Box Giveaways! This week is Book Box #3! As with all the boxes this month, it is a "mystery" box, but I will tell you that they are ALL 2013 ARCs - that's right, all titles released this year! Enter the form below for your chance to win!

You get major points for being a blog Follower, so be sure to Follow via GFC! Thank you to all my amazing Followers who have already Followed - you helped me reach my 100 Followers goal this month!!! I'm now hoping to hit 120 Followers by the end of 2013 - please help me reach my goal! :)

Rules:

• Must be 16 years or older to enter
• US only (apologies to my international Followers)
• Giveaways run the month of August
• Winner will be chosen September 1st

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Friday Reads Review (8/23/13)

GIVEAWAY ALERT

Month of Box Giveaways:
Enter to win signed swag here!
Enter to win Book Box #1 here!
Enter to win Book Box #2 here!

Welcome to The Friday Reads Review, a regular Friday segment where I share what I've been reading the past week!

Reading Slump Update: I truly believe I'm pulling out of it, but in order to fully do so I have to read a good book. Given my current streak of bad reads, this seems an impossible feat right now.

CURRENTLY READING:

Research (mainly from Wikipedia)
While I struggle to wrap my head around Frozen and write a review, I'm taking a break from novels for a few days to dive into some research for my new novel, Project VIN. Some of the subjects so far: Oklahoma, Arizona, New York City, power stations at the latter two, and electricity.

Fairy Tale Vol. 27 by Hiro Mashima (Pbk)
I'm also catching up on a few manga series that I'm behind on. Fairy Tail is a fun action/adventure series that I enjoy following. The whole gang is currently on an island fighting for their lives and trying to stop the bad guys from bringing about the end of the world. Basically, an average day for them.

JUST FINISHED:
Frozen by Melissa de la Cruz & Michael Johnston (ARC - releases 9/13)
Poor storytelling, bad dialogue, painful grammar and punctuation, flat description, the worst action scenes I have ever encountered. And it turned out to be Dystopian FANTASY. A brilliant premise horrifically executed. Review to come, if I can wrap my head around the mess that was this book.

READING NEXT: 

Crewel by Gennifer Albin (ARC)

These Broken Stars by Amie & Meagan Kaufman (ARC - releases 12/13)
Still trying to decide between these two...

IN LIMBO:
Rush by Eve Silver (ARC)
Will I ever finish this one? It's beginning to look more and more unlikely...

The Ward by Jordana Frankel (ARC)
I will finish this one...I just don't know when.

Spellfall by Katherine Roberts (ARC)
It was going so good, and then I lost interest. Darn you, Reading Slump!

So what are you reading this week?

Waiting On Wednesday: Fire & Flood

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blogging event hosted by Breaking the Spine, in which one spotlights an upcoming release they are eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Title: Fire & Flood

Author: Victoria Scott

Release Date: February 25, 2014

Summary (from Goodreads):

A modern day thrill ride, where a teen girl and her animal companion must participate in a breathtaking race to save her brother's life—and her own. 

Tella Holloway is losing it. Her brother is sick, and when a dozen doctors can't determine what's wrong, her parents decide to move to Montana for the fresh air. She's lost her friends, her parents are driving her crazy, her brother is dying—and she's helpless to change anything.

Until she receives mysterious instructions on how to become a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed. It's an epic race across jungle, desert, ocean, and mountain that could win her the prize she desperately desires: the Cure for her brother's illness. But all the Contenders are after the Cure for people they love, and there's no guarantee that Tella (or any of them) will survive the race.

The jungle is terrifying, the clock is ticking, and Tella knows she can't trust the allies she makes. And one big question emerges: Why have so many fallen sick in the first place?

Why I'm Looking Forward To It: Everything about this book sounds right up my alley - from The Hunger Games feel to the animal companions. This is going to be one epic book, and I cannot wait to get my hands on it!!!

So what book are you waiting on this Wednesday?

PROJECT P IS FINISHED

I interrupt my regularly scheduled review for an important announcement that explains one of the reasons I've been neglecting to post reviews this month:

Project P is finished.

I REPEAT: PROJECT P IS FINISHED.

That's right, I actually finished the first draft of Project P - and in a reasonable time (for me)! I couldn't find the exact date that Project P was born, but I estimate mid to late April of 2012. Therefore, I wrote it in about 15ish months.

That's a record for me, people.

And do you know what finishing Project P means???

No, not that I now have a First Draft to edit and polish and try to sell. Project P still needs so much intricate research done that at the moment I don't want to touch it with a ten-foot pole.

It means that I can start a new project.

And not just start a new project, but start it without guilt.

As most of you know, I get at least one new idea a week. But during Project P, I always felt guilty about working on the new idea when I should've been working on Project P. When I'd finally guilt myself into returning to Project P, it would feel more like a chore than a pleasant job, and I would have to take a break from all writing until the interest returned (which is one of the reasons completing it took so long). But I pushed through Project P with great determination, and now that it's finally finished, I can start a new project - without the guilt!

Needless to say, I AM ALL THE EXCITEMENT.

So what's the new project, you ask? Well, I am currently trying to decide between two candidates:

Project VIN - YA/NA Dystopian/Post-Apoc
I'm a firm believer that NA is a good idea, but not as an excuse to feed more smut to teens. Is it too much to ask for an action/adventure story about college-age characters? I think not! My story: 19yo girl struggles to protect and care for her brother during an alien invasion/war. It's rather epic, if I do say so myself, and I'm All The Flails about writing the first third of the story. I currently pitch it as War of the Worlds meets The Matrix.

Project IM - YA Utopian
Yep, you read that right - not dystopian, but utopian. I have actually come up with a "utopian" novel!!! (I think.) It was taking a backseat after I struggled with the opening scene, but I fleshed out the MC the other night, and then the sequel started plotting itself without my permission, and now it's seriously vying for my attention. I'd tell you the premise, but then I'd have to kill you, so I'll keep it to myself for now. ;)

So those are my choices! I've been poking them (and two other candidates I've already eliminated from the running) the past week while I finished Project P, and now that it's done I'm so excited to start something new I can't settle on one. They both feel like "The Story," so I think I'll start both and see which one elbows its way to the front of the line. ;)

Thank you to everyone here and on Twitter who encouraged me during my struggle with Project P - please stick with me for the new project as well! I'm hoping it'll be the one that finally propels me into the world of serious editing (my Achilles' heel) - and publishing. *crosses fingers*

And don't look at me like that. I will edit Project P...one day.

Month of Box Giveaways: Book Box #2

The first two boxes are still open for entries!

Enter here to win signed bookish swag!

Enter here to win Book Box #1!

Time for the third of the Month of Box Giveaways! This week we have Book Box #2! As with all the boxes this month, it is a "mystery" box, but I will tell you that they're mostly 2012 ARCs - many popular titles from top publishers. Enter the form below for your chance to win!

You get major points for being a blog Follower, so be sure to Follow via GFC! Thank you to all my amazing Followers who have already Followed - you helped me reach my 100 Followers goal last week!!! I'm now hoping to hit 120 Followers by the end of 2013 - please help me reach my goal! :)

Rules:

• Must be 16 years or older to enter
• US only (apologies to my international Followers)
• Giveaways run the month of August
• Winner will be chosen September 1st

Good luck! And check back next Sunday for the last Month of Box Giveaways!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Stacking the Shelves (8/17/13)

GIVEAWAY ALERT

Month of Box Giveaways:
Enter to win signed swag here!
Enter to win Book Box #1 here!
August New Release Giveaway Hop:
Win 1 of 3 August ARCs here!

Time for another Stacking the Shelves, hosted by Tynga's Reviews, where I share the books that I've added to my shelves this week.

• Tumble & Fall by Alexandra Coutts (ARC - Purchased Used) - Found this at my library Friends bookstore (needless to say, my jaw dropped). Haven't heard very good things, but I tend to like books most people don't so I'll give it a try.
• Inkspell by Cornelia Funke (Hbk- Purchased Used) - It was in such beautiful condition, I couldn't help myself.
• The Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde (Pbk - Purchased Used) - I'm determined to read this series one day, so of course I'm collecting it in paperback. 
• Croak by Gina Damico (Pbk - Prize) - Another Summer Reading Program prize. I've heard really good things, so I'm excited to read this one!

This Week on the Blog

Sunday Month of Box Giveaways: Book Box #1
Tuesday #JoinTheAgenda
Wednesday Waiting On Wednesday: The Unbound ; August New Release Giveaway Hop

Friday The Friday Reads Review (8/16/13)

So what books did you add to your shelves this week?

The Friday Reads Review (8/16/13)

GIVEAWAY ALERT

Month of Box Giveaways:
Enter to win signed swag here!
Enter to win Book Box #1 here!

Welcome to The Friday Reads Review, a regular Friday segment where I share what I've been reading the past week!

Reading Slump Update: I believe I'm beginning to pull out of it, but unfortunately my current reads haven't been helping...

CURRENTLY READING:

Frozen by Melissa de la Cruz & Michael Johnston (ARC - releases 9/13)
I was just as excited for this book as Rush, and with that statement you know what is to follow will not be good. While it isn't as bad as Rush, it's not far off. Poor storytelling, bad dialogue, painful grammar and punctuation, flat description, the worst action scenes I have ever encountered. A brilliant idea horrifically executed. It is more readable than Rush though, so I will be finishing it - which is more than I can say about Rush at this point.

JUST FINISHED:
Nothing. One of the many Reading Slump side effects. :\

READING NEXT: 

Crewel by Gennifer Albin (ARC)

The second in the series is about to release and I've heard nothing but great things - it might finally be time to tackle this one!

These Broken Stars by Amie & Meagan Kaufman (ARC - releases 12/13)
Or I might try my hand at this one again. I read the first few chapters and set it aside, but it's been calling to me...

IN LIMBO:
Rush by Eve Silver (ARC)
The Ward by Jordana Frankel (ARC)
Spellfall by Katherine Roberts (ARC)

So what are you reading this week?

August New Release Giveaway Hop

I'm participating in the August New Release Giveaway Hop hosted by Book Twirps and Refracted Light Reviews! Enter below to win one of three August release ARCs:

• Second Impact by David & Perri Klass (Goodreads)
• The Time Fetch by Amy Herrick (Goodreads)
• Ghost Hawk by Susan Cooper (Goodreads)

Rules

• US only
• Must be 13 years or older to enter
• Contest runs August 15th to 31st
• Winner will be chosen September 1st

You can check out the other giveaways on the Hop here! 

Good luck! :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Waiting On Wednesday: The Unbound

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blogging event hosted by Breaking the Spine, in which one spotlights an upcoming release they are eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Title: The Unbound (The Archived #2)

Author: Victoria Schwab

Release Date: January 28, 2014

Summary (from Goodreads):

Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books. Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures that only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive.

Last summer, Mackenzie Bishop, a Keeper tasked with stopping violent Histories from escaping the Archive, almost lost her life to one. Now, as she starts her junior year at Hyde School, she's struggling to get her life back. But moving on isn't easy -- not when her dreams are haunted by what happened. She knows the past is past, knows it cannot hurt her, but it feels so real, and when her nightmares begin to creep into her waking hours, she starts to wonder if she's really safe. 

Meanwhile, people are vanishing without a trace, and the only thing they seem to have in common is Mackenzie. She's sure the Archive knows more than they are letting on, but before she can prove it, she becomes the prime suspect. And unless Mac can track down the real culprit, she'll lose everything, not only her role as Keeper, but her memories, and even her life. Can Mackenzie untangle the mystery before she herself unravels?

Why I'm Looking Forward To It: I hadn't even read the summary until creating this post, but it's been on my Wishlist since the second it went up on Goodreads. Loved Book 1, The Archived, so definitely looking forward to more in this world and Victoria's stellar storytelling! 

So what book are you waiting on this Wednesday?

#JoinTheAgenda

For more information, check out Gennifer Albin's website.

Month of Box Giveaways: Book Box #1

The first box is still open for entries!

Enter here to win some signed bookish swag!

Time for the second of the Month of Box Giveaways! This week we have Book Box #1! As with all the boxes this month, it is a "mystery" box, but I will tell you that there are several older but popular ARCs, some finished copies (paperback and hardback), and at least one unreleased ARC to sweeten the pot. Enter the form below for your chance to win!

You get major points for being a blog Follower, so be sure to Follow via GFC! I'm hoping to hit 100 Followers by the end of 2013 - please help me reach my goal! :)

Rules:

• Must be 16 years or older to enter
• US only (apologies to my international Followers)
• Giveaway runs August 4th through August 31st
• Winner will be chosen September 1st

Good luck! And check back every Sunday this month for more Month of Box Giveaways!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Stacking the Shelves (8/10/13)

GIVEAWAY ALERT

Enter to win a SIGNED copy of Life After Theft by Aprilynne Pike here!

My first Month of Box Giveaways is up - enter to win signed swag here!

Time for another Stacking the Shelves, hosted by Tynga's Reviews, where I share the books that I've added to my shelves this week.

• Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (Pbk - Prize) - I've already read it, but I didn't own a copy and wanted to re-read it before tackling the 2nd book. Luckily it was one of the book prize picks for my library reading program! Yes, please.
• The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart (Pbk - Purchased Used) - Looked interesting and was in pretty good condition, so for some reason I couldn't help myself. Hope I like it.
• Prodigy by Marie Lu (Hbk - Purchased Used) - Actually found this at Goodwill for $3. DUDE. It's not perfect, but it wasn't dirty (which is what always puts me off most Goodwill books), so I simply couldn't resist. 
• Ranma 1/2 Vols. 7 & 10 by Rumiko Takahashi (Pbk - Purchased Used) - Loved this series when I first read it (and when I second read it...and I'm actually due for another read...), and have been sporadically collecting volumes when good copies come into the used bookstore. I now have...half the series? I'll get them all one day... 
• Kamisama Kiss Vol. 13 by Julietta Suzuki (Pbk - Purchased New) - The next volume in my favorite series!!! Considering they come out about twice a year now, I'm majorly excited to dig in. 

This Week on the Blog

Sunday Month of Box Giveaways Info ; Month of Box Giveaways: Bookish Swag Box!
Monday Review Hiatus
Wednesday Waiting On Wednesday: Minders

Friday The Friday Review (8/9/13)

So what books did you add to your shelves this week?

The Friday Reads Review (8/9/13)

GIVEAWAY ALERT

Enter to win a SIGNED copy of Life After Theft by Aprilynne Pike here!

My first Month of Box Giveaways is up - enter to win signed swag here!

Welcome to The Friday Reads Review, a regular Friday segment where I share what I've been reading the past week!

I've been in a major Reading Slump as of late, so my list is going to look a little familiar...

CURRENTLY READING:

The Ward by Jordana Frankel (ARC)
I set it aside for several days, but now I'm back to it. The story is proving 5% action and 95% emotional flailing - which makes it hard for me to keep engaged. It's interesting enough that I'll finish, but I'm not impressed.

Spellfall by Katherine Roberts (ARC)

Probably the first ARC I ever got my hands on, back when I didn't even know what an ARC was (found it at my library used bookstore). I absolutely loved it as a young teen, and as I do in the throws of a Reading Slump I returned to what I knew to be good. I thought it would prove rather childish now, but it seems when Middle Grade is tackled by the British, it barely feels like MG (Exhibit A: Harry Potter). Ergo, I'm still loving it after all these years!

JUST FINISHED:
Nothing. One of the many Reading Slump side effects. :\

READING NEXT: 

Frozen by Melissa de la Cruz & Michael Johnston (ARC - releases 9/13)

Because of my Reading Slump, I've put it off until I'm in a better frame of mind. If I try to read it in my current mood, I'll probably hate it, even though I should love it. Hoping my Slump fades soon so I can finally get to this gem...

So what are you reading this week?

Waiting On Wednesday: Minders

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blogging event hosted by Breaking the Spine, in which one spotlights an upcoming release they are eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Title: Minders

Author: Michele Jaffe

Release Date: January 30, 2014

Summary (from Goodreads):

Q: If the boy you love commits a crime, would you turn him in?

Sadie Ames is a type-A teenager from the wealthy suburbs. She's been accepted to the prestigious Mind Corps Fellowship program, where she'll spend six weeks as an observer inside the head of Ford, a troubled boy with a passion for the crumbling architecture of the inner city. There's just one problem: Sadie's fallen in love with him.

Q: What if the crime is murder?

Ford Winters is haunted by the murder of his older brother, James. As Sadie falls deeper into his world, dazzled by the shimmering pinpricks of color that form images in his mind, she begins to think she knows him. Then Ford does something unthinkable.

Q: What if you saw it happen from inside his mind?

Back in her own body, Sadie is faced with the ultimate dilemma. With Ford's life in her hands, she must decide what is right and what is wrong. And how well she can really ever know someone, even someone she loves.

Why I'm Looking Forward To It: This book looks like it's going to blow my mind - which of course is totally fitting. And that cover is seriously All The Awesome.

So what book are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Review Hiatus

I'm in a serious Reading Slump right now, so I'm giving myself the week off from reviewing. Hopefully I should be back next Monday with a review. Until then, happy reading! :)