In My Mailbox

Today marks the last day of our local Half Price Books extra 20% off sale. Needless to say, Nic and I spent quite a while there yesterday. Not quite as long as both of us would have liked be we had other errands to run and I was getting antsy. (sorry Nic) I only got a few things so I figured I'd post those now and make sure to keep an eye out for Nic's IMM post that I'm sure she will be posting soon. She got a helluva lot of books yesterday and now that I think of it I only know a few of the ones that she ended up getting... so I am also looking forward to her post.

I never really spend a whole lot of time at half price book stores because I have found that they mostly have the first books in the newer series and not very many new releases. I'm one of those people that rush out to the bookstore the day the book is out, or even call the day before, and snatch up my copy asap. SO... usually when I go to Half Price I have a few very specific things that I'm looking for and if they have it great, if they don't oh well. I had gone in wanting to see if they had a copy of Unraveling Isobel, The Raven Boys or Enchanted Ivy. All of which they didn't have. I still managed to find a few gems among the shelves that were not already on my shelves at home.

Here's what I got at Half Price:

I found Dead Beautiful around the time that it was released and liked the concept so I snatched it up right away. Lately I've been focusing on the series in which I own all of the books that have been published so far. That way I won't have to go out and spend another 18 bucks the second I finish the book. I saw this one for 6 and say it as a sign. :)

Confession: I already own a copy of Unearthly. BUT... this is the British cover and the reason I like going to second hand book stores is because I found a British cover of Harry Potter 1 and the cover was really cool. So now I am always excited when I find an international cover of a book I already own. Plus it was 3 dollars. Can't pass that up.






So that is what I got from Nic and my quick trip to Half Price. The new Gwen Frost book came out the day before Christmas and I went to BN to pick it up and for some reason they have like all stopped carrying this series...which makes me sad because it's one of my favorites. My friend Dave who manages a BN in Minnetonka ordered it for me and texted me saying it came in today. I picked it up today and can't wait to start it. :)

I just really enjoy Gwen's story and while at times the books are a tad predictable they are always entertaining. I get a little agitated when authors write series with no end in sight...like seriously Janet Evonovich... 19 book?!  But I think that Jennifer Estep could write 10 more of these and I would still be reading them the minute I get my hands on them.






So that's what I've added to my shelves this week. :) What did you get?

Happily Ever Endings: Whispers at Moonrise by C.C. Hunter

What is it?
Happily Ever Endings was created by Amber of Down The Rabbit Hole due to the relatively frustrating feeling one has when it has been a while since they have read a book and now they are unsure of how it ended. This tends to be a problem when that book is part of a series. AND SO... this fabulous idea was brought to life. Obviously, there will be spoilers...so if you haven't read the book... don't read the post. There is also a mega list of posts which you can find over at Down The Rabbit Hole. Link on sidebar.

WARNING: THIS IS NOT A REVIEW AND DOES CONTAIN SPOILERS. IF YOU HAVE NOT READ WHISPERS AT MOONRISE DO NOT READ THE REST OF THIS POST. 

Goodreads Summary: 
Even at a camp for supernatural teens, Kylie Galen has never been normal. Not only can she see ghosts, but she doesn’t seem to belong to any one species—she exhibits traits from them all. As Kylie struggles to unlock the secrets of her identity, she begins to worry that Lucas will never be able to accept her for what she is, and what she isn’t…a werewolf.  With his pack standing in their way, Kylie finds herself turning more and more to Derek, the only person in her life who’s willing to accept the impossible.

 

As if life isn’t hard enough, she starts getting visits from the ghost of Holiday, her closest confidante.  Trouble is, Holiday isn’t dead…not yet anyway.  Now Kylie must race to save one of her own from an unseen danger before it’s too late—all while trying to stop her relationship with Lucas from slipping away forever.   In a world of constant confusion, there’s only one thing Kylie knows for sure.  Change is inevitable and all things must come to an end…maybe even her time at Shadow Falls.

The breathtaking fourth installment of the New York Times bestselling Shadow Falls series from author C. C. Hunter...Whispers at Moonrise.

Do NOT continue if you have not read Whispers at Moonrise. Spoilers Ahead.


Click Read more to discover the full synopsis of Whispers at Moonrise including the ending.

Review'd: Whispers at Moonrise by C.C. Hunter

Book Review:
Title: Whispers at Moonrise
Author: C.C. Hunter
Published October 2nd, 2012 by St. Martins Griffin
Series: Book 4 in the Shadow Falls Series

Goodreads Summary:
Even at a camp for supernatural teens, Kylie Galen has never been normal. Not only can she see ghosts, but she doesn’t seem to belong to any one species—she exhibits traits from them all. As Kylie struggles to unlock the secrets of her identity, she begins to worry that Lucas will never be able to accept her for what she is, and what she isn’t…a werewolf.  With his pack standing in their way, Kylie finds herself turning more and more to Derek, the only person in her life who’s willing to accept the impossible.

 

As if life isn’t hard enough, she starts getting visits from the ghost of Holiday, her closest confidante.  Trouble is, Holiday isn’t dead…not yet anyway.  Now Kylie must race to save one of her own from an unseen danger before it’s too late—all while trying to stop her relationship with Lucas from slipping away forever.   In a world of constant confusion, there’s only one thing Kylie knows for sure.  Change is inevitable and all things must come to an end…maybe even her time at Shadow Falls.

The breathtaking fourth installment of the New York Times bestselling Shadow Falls series from author C. C. Hunter...Whispers at Moonrise.

DeLibrarie Review:
AHH... my heart aches for you Kylie Galen...and you aren't even an actual person...reader problems. I just can't get over this ending... I really didn't see it coming and I'm super bummed that I got to read all for of these books in a row and then now I must wait for 121 days before I can read the last one. :( Maybe I'll start waiting to read books until the series are complete... but probably not. Seriously though, this series has turned into one of my very favorites. I love every single character and I seriously am UNABLE to put these books down... I even was reading it today in the middle of a conversation with Nic and our buddy Dave. I LOVE these books!

Freaken Hot Fridays: The Vampire Diaries

Hey guys! So today me and Del went on a shopping excursion to the Mall of America. It was wonderful. The Forever 21 store there is phenomenal!! So we decided that tomorrow we will need to make another excursion to the Half Price Book Store AND Barnes and Noble (because we ran out of time for that today). So we intend on getting lots of books to add to our collections tomorrow (keep an eye out for our next In Your Mailbox meme this Sunday!!). I'm personally excited because there are two books that I really want to get (again, see our next Sunday post!). Plus I just love book shopping with Del because it's so much more fun when you go with a fellow book-lover.
But for today, I wanted to focus on the book and television series' versions of The Vampire Diaries.

I started watching the show first to see if the story would be any good and I loooved it. I mean, not only was the plot good, but everyone in that show is sooo pretty that it's kind of mesmerizing to watch them all interact. So then I decided to go out and buy the first two books in the series!

I read them both two summers ago and fell in love with it for the same reasons, except I was so surprised to find that the stories were NOTHING alike! It was fascinating! The show had taken some of the names and relationships from the book and then whether a character was a human, vampire, or witch, but other than that, NOTHING was the same... not even how the characters were supposed to look (not a single actor looked like their respective character except for maybe Matt, Elena's ex). I found this cool rendering someone did online of how Elena looks in the show and how she's supposed to look in the book. They detailed the differences all the way down to her different skin tones.... complete opposites in every possible way except for her body size. I thought it aptly portrayed the difference i'm describing here :) Plus it just gives a better image of the book Elena.

Usually when that happens I hate the show for it because they didn't get it right and they don't represent the book sufficiently thus ruining the story and what not. But because they don't even follow the same plot line or have the characters be true to who the characters are in the book (for example Bonnie being from Scottish mages in the book and then from Salem witches in the show), it just creates an entirely different world and story. So this is one of the few books-turned-into-show-movie series that I actually like and approve of.

So if you haven't watched or read this series yet, you really should check out both because they're both wonderful and so incredibly different that by doing one, you don't ruin the other. Both stories take you on surprising and interesting stories which I totally recommend. So check it out!! Woo Vampire Diaries!

Joint Shelf Candy

I'm going to be totally honest... I'm exhausted. I was stupid and went out with friends last night until 3 and then had to wake up at 6:30 am to go babysit my favorite little three year old ever, Henry. Little fact about me when I'm this tired: I completely lose my sense of humor. I don't understand your jokes... my jokes...are soooo not funny; it's just sad. SO... bear with me friends... I'm going to try and make this post coherent and entertaining but I'm not promising anything. ;) Luckily, Nic is here to guide me on the path to entertaining posts... even though she refuses to write. (scoff)

Onto the point of this post...BEAUTIFULNESS.
I'm sorry world...but everyone judges a book by its cover. We like shiny pretty things way more than boring not sparkly things. Just today Nic and I were in BN and she picked up a book to add to her "help me decided which book to buy" pile just because, and I quote, "I just liked this cover. I have no clue what it's about." That being said... I love this meme because it's all about pretty book covers.

I'm sure that we've done this one before...actually I'm positive that I've chosen it before but it's due to be out in just under a month, so we figured it wouldn't hurt to start talking it up again.

Nic and I love the cover of.....

EVERBOUND by BRODI ASHTON

I love the way that they smoke cascades off of her dress... and look at the sexy wave of a hair-do she's got going on!! I just love this cover and I've already cleared a spot on my bookshelf right next to Everneath. :) 

Keep a look out for this one. It's due to hit the shelves January 22nd, and if you haven't read Everneath yet... you need to get on that! (cough, Nichole, cough) It's a great read!!

Review'd: Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter

Book Review: 
Title: Born at Midnight
Author: C.C. Hunter
Published March 29th, 2011 by St. Martin Griffin

Goodreads Summary:
One night Kylie Galen finds herself at the wrong party, with the wrong people, and it changes her life forever. Her mother ships her off to Shadow Falls—a camp for troubled teens, and within hours of arriving, it becomes painfully clear that her fellow campers aren’t just “troubled.” Here at Shadow Falls, vampires, werewolves, shapshifters, witches and fairies train side by side—learning to harness their powers, control their magic and live in the normal world.

Kylie’s never felt normal, but surely she doesn’t belong here with a bunch of paranormal freaks either. Or does she? They insist Kylie is one of them, and that she was brought here for a reason. As if life wasn’t complicated enough, enter Derek and Lucas. Derek’s a half-fae who’s determined to be her boyfriend, and Lucas is a smokin’ hot werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past. Both Derek and Lucas couldn’t be more different, but they both have a powerful hold on her heart. 

Even though Kylie feels deeply uncertain about everything, one thing is becoming painfully clear—Shadow Falls is exactly where she belongs…

DeLibrarie Review:
I can't get over how much I love this book. I really thought I would eventually get sick of this love triangle thing but see no end to my love of Love Drama. :) Also, I really like it when I can't tell who they are going to end up with from page one. Bella was OBVIOUSLY going to end up with Edward, Gale had ZERO chance with Katniss... it's sometimes painful how obvious it is who they will end up with. I like that in this series... I have no freaken clue who she'll end up with...Derek...Lucas...currently unmentioned character who might or might not show up in later books in the series? ...I hope it's Lucas... :) When do I not fall for the bad boy?! Oh...Yea... real life. :) Back on track, I really like this book; I like the troubled Supernatural teen camp idea.... and did I mention how much I like Lucas. ;)

Addendum: I was going to create another post reviewing Awake at Dawn, the sequel to Born at Midnight... but I found that to be kind of pointless because I'm pretty much going to say the exact same things... so for the sake of not being redundant... Awake at Dawn... also freaken awesome!!

Review'd: The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear by Walter Moers

Book Review
Title: The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear
Author: Walter Moers
Published August 29th, 2006 by Overlook TP

Goodreads Summary:
Captain Bluebear tells the story of his first 13-1/2 lives spent on the mysterious continent of Zamonia, where intelligence is an infectious disease, water flows uphill, and dangers lie in wait for him around every corner.

"A bluebear has twenty-seven lives. I shall recount thirteen and a half of them in this book but keep quiet about the rest," says the narrator of Walter Moers’s epic adventure. "What about the Minipirates? What about the Hobgoblins, the Spiderwitch, the Babbling Billows, the Troglotroll, the Mountain Maggot… Mine is a tale of mortal danger and eternal love, of hair’s breadth, last-minute escapes." Welcome to the fantastic world of Zamonia, populated by all manner of extraordinary characters. It’s a land of imaginative lunacy and supreme adventure, wicked satire and epic fantasy, all mixed together, turned on its head, and lavishly illustrated by the author.

DeLibrarie Review:
Holy Hannah this book is amazing. Growing up I really enjoyed authors like Shel Silverstein and Roald Dahl. I thought the utter nonsenisalness (that's not a word but I'm going with it) of their storytelling was so fascinating. I was actually wondering through the fiction section in Barnes and Noble waiting for a friend to get off work when I happened across this title. The title itself was the first thing that drew me in...an adult book called The Thirteen and a Half Lives of Captain Bluebear...how ridiculous...but also intriguing . So picked it up and saw that it was compared to JK Rowling, Douglas Adams and Shel Silverstein and I was hooked. I started reading a few pages and was sold... I bought it...obviously. After the first 50 pages of nonsense I found it utterly enchanting. I figured that it would probably get old by page 700!!!! but nope...it was still super funny and still made me giggle every second. A lot of YA books can be pretty heavy... dystpic communities, world ending battles, epic love stories... this was just the opposite...everything was light and funny and perfect. :) You just need to read it. Don't be turned off by the size...it's long...but it goes by fast. :)

Waiting on Wednesday

As I'm sure a few of you noticed... we've sucked at posting this semester. You'd think with two of us manning the blog that we'd be able to keep up... well we suck. Not only have we been barely on our blog but I have also been slacking at keeping up with my book news and visiting other blogs that I usually keep up with. BUT... it's finals week and things are starting to wind down. I happened to be perusing the world of goodreads when I saw that RACHEL HAWKINS IS WRITING A SPIN OFF SERIES TO HEX HALL!!!!! I'd like to start off by saying "I totally called it." I am sooooo in love with the Hex Hall series and I really hope Sophie at least makes an appearance here and there so we can keep up to date on her life too because I love that series too much to lose the main characters forever!!

Soo... this week I am Waiting for...

School Spirits by Rachel Hawkins
Release date: May 14th, 2013
Goodreads Summary:
Fifteen-year-old Izzy Brannick was trained to fight monsters. For centuries, her family has hunted magical creatures. But when Izzy’s older sister vanishes without a trace while on a job, Izzy's mom decides they need to take a break.

Izzy and her mom move to a new town, but they soon discover it’s not as normal as it appears. A series of hauntings has been plaguing the local high school, and Izzy is determined to prove her worth and investigate. But assuming the guise of an average teenager is easier said than done. For a tough girl who's always been on her own, it’s strange to suddenly make friends and maybe even have a crush.

Can Izzy trust her new friends to help find the secret behind the hauntings before more people get hurt? 

Rachel Hawkins' delightful spin-off brings the same wit and charm as theNew York Times best-selling Hex Hall series. Get ready for more magic, mystery and romance!

SQEAL!!!!!!!!! Can't wait!!!!!!

Review'd: Renegade by J.A. Souders

Book Review: 
Title: Renegade
Author: J.A. Souders
Published by Tor Teen on November 13th 2012

Goodreads Summary:

Since the age of three, sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters has been trained to be Daughter of the People in the underwater utopia known as Elysium. Selected from hundreds of children for her ideal genes, all her life she’s thought that everything was perfect; her world. Her people. The Law.

But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, accidentally stumbles into their secluded little world, she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie. 

Her memories have been altered. 

Her mind and body aren’t under her own control. 

And the person she knows as Mother is a monster.

Together with Gavin she plans her escape, only to learn that her own mind is a ticking time bomb... and Mother has one last secret that will destroy them all

DeLibrarie Review:
I was a little disappointed when I finished this one and realized that it wasn't a stand alone. However, I have no one to blame but myself considering it would only have taken about 30 seconds of research before hand to figure that out. Overall, I really enjoyed this book! I thought it was a really interesting premise: underwater community meets dystopic society. It's like little mermaid meets the hunger games. :) The only reason that I didn't rate this book higher is because it was really predictable and just played by all the rules. You can see what is coming before it comes and while that isn't necessarily a bad thing... I just prefer to be completely surprised. I like when I don't know what's coming, or I like to guess and then be waaaay wrong. Overall, I liked the charactes, I liked the writing, I liked the premise. Great book just a little too predictable. :)

Time Will Come

This has been one hectic Monday for me. Ten page paper due, two time consuming assignments due which I had forgotten about until midnight last night, major fog which stopped me from being able to drive to my classes... hectic man, hectic. BUT all of my assignments are done and taken care of and so now I am home free! Free to think about books once again... until another hour or so when I have to start tomrorow's homework. But moving past that! :) On my mind today is Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick. I LOVE this series but alas, I havn't even started the third book yet because I don't have as much time as I wish I had. But I already know that I will be just as in love with the final two installments as I was with the first two. Hopefully the time will come, fairly quickly, for me to be able to pick up and read Finale finally :)

Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick

SPOILER ALERT!!!!!
Goodreads Summary:
Will love conquer all?

Nora and Patch thought their troubles were behind them. Hank is gone and they should be able to put his ugly vendetta to rest. But in Hank's absence, Nora has become the unwitting head of the Nephilim and must finish what Hank began. Which ultimately means destroying the fallen angels - destroying Patch.

Nora will never let that happen, so she and Patch make a plan: lead everyone to believe they have broken up, and work the system from the inside. Nora will convince the Nephilim that they are making a mistake in fighting the fallen angels, and Patch will find out everything he can from the opposing side. They will end this war before it can even begin.

But the best-laid plans often go awry. Nora is put through the paces in her new role and finds herself drawn to an addictive power she never anticipated.

As the battle lines are drawn, Nora and Patch must confront the differences that have always been between them and either choose to ignore them or let them destroy the love they have always fought for.

What can you not wait to read???

In My Mailbox

I know that technically this is a Sunday meme, and it is in fact Monday but considering how sucky we've been in posting things anyway I feel that posting something on time would just be considered overachieving at this point. :) Also... just to cheat a little more... a few of these titles I didn't get this week. Just a few though.

Side Note: Every time I try to copy from goodreads it turns my background white and then won't let me fix it. So if you are interested in the book and want to know more about it you can just CLICK on the book cover and it'll pop you on over to its goodreads page. (does anyone know how to fix the stupid white background problem??)

The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear by Walter Moers

While wondering around BN waiting for my friend Dave to be done working and come hang out with me I was meandering through the adult fiction section when I happened upon a book entitled The Labryinth of Book City... or something of that nature. I read the first couple sentences of the synopsis and quickly discovered that it was a book in a series. I noted the authors name and went to the "M" section looking for the previous titles. I found this one... the first book and began to read the first couple of pages. It's hilarious! Let me explain: it is not a book that one should take seriously at all. I'm about 160 pages into it right now and it's episodic so their really is no plot or point really. It's a lot of European dry humor which if that is your thing (like it very much is mine) then you will love it. However, I'm starting to wonder if authors should be tested for drugs because it also seems to enhance their performance with story telling and creative avenues. Not saying Moers does drugs but his ability to create unique characters rivals Lewis Carrolls. More on that later when the review comes out. I wasn't going to do a review on it at first BUT considering it is more or less a childrens book with big words... I feel that you all would enjoy it.

A Fractured Light by Jocelyn Davies

I ordered this one a while ago but it's been sitting behind the counter at work waiting for Employee Appreciation week... which started today... As a BN employee a few times a year we get an extra 10% off of our already reduced price. I ordered Reached by Ally Condie and this one. Reached hasn't come in yet, but I made sure to pop in today and buy this one. I really liked the first one in the series but it's the second book that always makes me love a series. I'm excited to start this one as soon as I finish BlueBear. I've already read a few pages during some downtime at work so I'm excited to see what happens.




Saving June by Hannah Harrington

This finished copy was sent to me from Harlequin Teen and I haven't quite gotten around to reading it yet. I've started it and it looks good but I haven't really been in the mood for a downer, my sister is dead story quite yet... but I'm sure I'll read it sooner rather than later.







Renegade by J.A. Souders

This title had been on my "watching" list but honestly I don't think I even knew what it was really about. When I saw it at BN and read the summary it sounded like The Little Mermaid meets Delirium. I was intrigued to say the least. It sounded really different. It was! I flew through it... or swam through it ...hehe in less then a day. Be on the lookout for a review up in the next day or so.

A Little Harry Potter Fan Girling

Don't yell at me... but before this Thanksgiving break I had never read Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone...

To answer your question... Yes I have read all of the other books... and seen all of the movies.

Stop looking at me like that!!! Let me explain:

Harry Potter came out when I was what nine?! (pause while I look up the actual year) 1998... ok So I was 8. I've never been one to read the "hip trendy book" that everyone is currently raving about. I didn't read Twilight until Nic practically tied me down and told me that If I didn't read it she'd never untie me. I didn't read Hunger Games until just before the movie came out... and I didn't read Harry Potter either.

UNTIL....
I saw the first movie. I loved to read as a kid, I did, I read all of the time... And I tried reading the first HP about 3-4 times but I never could get passed the Hagrid coming and getting Harry out of the shack part. When I saw the movie... I fell in love. I loved the characters, I loved how fast paced it was, I loved Hogwarts but the reason I wanted to read the series was because of the end scene (spoiler) when Quirrel is explaining everything. How he was the one trying to make Harry fall off his broom, how HE let the troll into the castle on Halloween. I loved how J.K. Rowling tricked me into thinking Snape was the bad guy. I would also like to add that from that moment on I always trusted Professor Snape, never doubted him once. After I saw the first movie in theatres, I rushed home and momentarily questioned if I should read the first one or go right into the second... I decided that I'm sure the movie was very much like the book and I can just skip it. I'm pretty sure Harry Potter three is the first book that I read cover to cover without stopping.

Now... bounce up about 15 years and you come to present time. My boyfriend Jared is THE biggest Harry Potter fan I know... which is SAYING something because I myself am obsessed. He found out that I had never read the first book and basically flipped out. He told me that he was going to buy me the first Harry Potter for every Christmas, Birthday, Valentines and Anniversary present until I finished it. So when we went home for Thanksgiving, I grabbed it off my shelf and read it. I had always planned on going back to finish it, I didn't feel like I could really say that I'd read Harry Potter without having to add "except the first one." But Thanksgiving break was as good a time as any. Not gonna lie inner child Del was totally proud of me when I got passed the Hagrid part. :)

I read the Chronicles of Narnia years and years and years ago. It's another one of my favorites. A few years back they decided to reorganize the series in chronological order... I won't really go into how disappointed this made me, but what I will say is that it ruins the excitement of The Magician's Nephew. The reason that book is so interesting when it was book 6, instead of 1, is because you already know about the lamp post, you already know about the wardrobe so it's exciting learning how that all came to be. You find out how the white witch became the White Witch... with that being the first book... it ruins so much of the "oh wow... thaaaat's how it happened" moments. It completely ruins that book... which is why i'm glad they are doing the movies in the correct order. How is this relevant at all you might ask??? After finishing the 2nd through the 7th books I know all the characters and plot conclusions, I know who Sirius Black is. I know why Hagrid get's expelled. BUT... it was really cool to pick up on little foreshadowing moments in the first book that I never would have picked up if I'd had read that book first. I'm not saying skip all the first books in series... that would be silly. I'm just saying it was a nice little treat now and then when I'd see Sirius Black's name two books before anyone knows who he is.

I felt like OFFICIALLY completing the series from sort of beginning... to end... to beginning again deserved some sort of celebration. In this case, a rather lengthy blog post. Kudos by the way if you've made it this far. I am just soooo glad that I'm part of the Harry Potter generation. :)

Side note: Sorry to all of our followers about how few blog posts we have been able to publish lately. It's a really hard time of year for both of us. With Winter break coming in only a few short weeks Nic and I will be together again and produce lots of new posts. Thanks again for being such good followers!!

Review'd: Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick

Book Review:
Title: Finale
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Published on October 23rd by Simon and Schuster

Goodreads Summary:
Will love conquer all?

Nora and Patch thought their troubles were behind them. Hank is gone and they should be able to put his ugly vendetta to rest. But in Hank's absence, Nora has become the unwitting head of the Nephilim and must finish what Hank began. Which ultimately means destroying the fallen angels - destroying Patch.

Nora will never let that happen, so she and Patch make a plan: lead everyone to believe they have broken up, and work the system from the inside. Nora will convince the Nephilim that they are making a mistake in fighting the fallen angels, and Patch will find out everything he can from the opposing side. They will end this war before it can even begin.

But the best-laid plans often go awry. Nora is put through the paces in her new role and finds herself drawn to an addictive power she never anticipated.

As the battle lines are drawn, Nora and Patch must confront the differences that have always been between them and either choose to ignore them or let them destroy the love they have always fought for.

DeLibrarie Review: 
It was a hard decision but THIS series is my favorite. It could be because I love angel books. It might be because Nora reminds me more of myself than any other YA book character (seriously it's scary). Ok, let's not lie... it's probably because of a certain sexy, fallen angel named Patch. I'm sure if you read this book then you like the series already so I don't really need to convince you, or you could be the type of person who just continues to read series you hate so you can say nasty things about them on Goodreads. I won't judge either way but still I don't need to convince you to read it... If you've read the first three, I'm sure this one is on your list. A lot of people seem to be weary of the fact that the once 3 title series became a 4 title series. To be honest I was a little disappointed myself. Not because I was sick of Nora and Patch but more because I was anticipating a concrete conclusion in Silence. I wasn't expecting having to wait ANOTHER year to find out what happens. BUT... I am really glad that she stretched it out to 4. I think that everything in Finale really helped the plot and I can't really imagine the story as a whole without it. As a fan of these series... I hate to see them end, but endings are inevitable and frankly I dislike it more when authors keep writing 8-15 books... they just get old. I think 4 books was perfect but I'm SUPER sad that there will be no more Patch and Nora books. One thing that I actually like about when my favorite series conclude is that I am really excited for what these authors but out next. Now that Becca Fitzpatrick, Lauren Kate and Rachel Hawkins books are done... what beautiful untold story will they publish next?? I can't wait to get just as engrossed in those stories as I did in this one. 

In My Mailbox

Hello! So this post is LONG overdue but since I've barely had time to appreciate them, nows as good a time as any.
So my dear friend Del and I had fairly large personal libraries and we live pretty close to each other. So our libraries are always open to each other to exchange/borrow books. Well, this year was extra special because while Del still went away for school, I decided to live at home for the year while attending my final year of schooling. Because we're both like daughters to each others' families, Del gave me free reign over the books in her library. She has allowed me, for the year, to pretty much borrow whatever I want, whenever I want. So that's exactly what I did. A couple months ago I went over to her house, hung out with her family, and carefully chose a stack of books to borrow. I have been reading a few pages from each every few days, but not enough to get substantially far in any one of them (yet - the Christmas break is coming soon folks, in which I'll finally be able to put the textbooks aside and pick up a nice, friendly, fiction read! While curling up next to the fireplace with some hot cocoa and a nice warm blanket. Mmmm, I love the holidays...).
Anyway! I would like to do a post on the stack of books which I borrowed from her because I am very excited about all of them and now that I'll actually begin reading them, I wanted to share them all with  you! So here we go, get ready for some gorgeous covers and some squeeling over some pretty awesome-looking books :)

A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies

This is the one I'm most excited about. I've started it and it is SOO hard to put it down!!!

Goodreads Summary:
On the night of Skye's seventeenth birthday, she meets two enigmatic strangers. Complete opposites--like fire and ice–-Asher is dark and wild, while Devin is fair and aloof. Their sudden appearance sends Skye's life into a tailspin. She has no idea what they want, or why they seem to follow her every move--only that their presence coincides with a flurry of strange events. Soon she begins to doubt not just the identity of the two boys, but also the truth about her own past.

In the dead of a bitingly cold Colorado winter, Skye finds herself coming to terms with the impossible secret that threatens to shatter her world. Torn between Asher - whom she can't help falling for, and Devin - whom she can't stay away from, the consequences of Skye's choice will reach further than the three of them could ever imagine.

"A Beautiful Dark" is the first book in a captivating trilogy by debut author Jocelyn Davies.

Rapture by Lauren Kate

When I first picked this one up, I read fifty pages into it and then had to force myself to put it down... I hate this whole, not-having-time-to-read-EVER thing...

Goodreads Summary:
The sky is dark with wings . . . .

Like sand in an hourglass, time is running out for Luce and Daniel. To stop Lucifer from erasing the past they must find the place where the angels fell to earth. Dark forces are after them, and Daniel doesn’t know if he can do this—live only to lose Luce again and again.

Yet together they will face an epic battle that will end with lifeless bodies . . . and angel dust. Great sacrifices are made. Hearts are destroyed. And suddenly Luce knows what must happen.

For she was meant to be with someone other than Daniel. The curse they’ve borne has always and only been about her—and the love she cast aside. The choice she makes now will be the only one that truly matters.

In the fight for Luce, who will win?

The astonishing conclusion to the FALLEN series. Heaven can’t wait any longer.

Until I Die by Amy Plum

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this series!!!

Goodreads Summary:
Kate and Vincent have overcome the odds and at last they are together in Paris, the city of lights and love.

As their romance deepens there’s one question they can’t ignore: How are they supposed to be together if Vincent can’t resist sacrificing himself to save others? Although Vincent promises that he’ll do whatever it takes to lead a normal life with Kate, will that mean letting innocent people die? When a new and surprising enemy reveals itself, Kate realizes that even more may be at stake—and that Vincent’s immortality is in jeopardy.

In Die for Me, Amy Plum created a captivating paranormal mythology with immortal revenants and a lush Paris setting. Until I Die is poised to thrill readers with more heart-pounding suspense, spellbinding romance, and a cliff-hanger ending that will leave them desperate for the third and final novel in the series.

Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick

Another series I LOVE. I'm behind though... Finale just came out and I'm still on Silence! Ah! At least now I don't have to wait for Finale or anything... yay!

Goodreads Summary:
WHEN SILENCE IS ALL THAT'S LEFT, CAN THE TRUTH FINALLY BE HEARD?

Nora Grey can't remember the past five months of her life. After the initial shock of waking up in a cemetery and being told that she has been missing for weeks - with no one knowing where she was or who she was with - she tried to get her life back on track. Go to school, hang out with her best friend, Vee, and dodge mom's creepy new boyfriend.

But there is this voice in the back of her head, an idea that she can almost reach out and touch. Visions of angel wings and unearthly creatures that have nothing to do with the life she knows.

And this unshakable feeling that a part of her is missing.

Then Nora crosses paths with a sexy stranger, whom she feels a mesmerizing connection to. He seems to hold all the answers...and her heart. Every minute she spends with him grows more and more intense until she realizes she could be falling in love. Again.

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Goodreads Summary:
Just your average boy-meets-girl, girl-kills-people story...

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father’s mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn’t expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he’s never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

And she, for whatever reason, spares his life.

The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg

I started reading this and within the first chapter I was crying... I'm gonna have to have a good, happy read to follow up this one I think.

Goodreads Summary:
Dying of a broken heart is just the beginning.... Welcome to forever.

BRIE'S LIFE ENDS AT SIXTEEN: Her boyfriend tells her he doesn't love her, and the news breaks her heart—literally.

But now that she's D&G (dead and gone), Brie is about to discover that love is way more complicated than she ever imagined. Back in Half Moon Bay, her family has begun to unravel. Her best friend has been keeping a secret about Jacob, the boy she loved and lost—and the truth behind his shattering betrayal. And then there's Patrick, Brie's mysterious new guide and resident Lost Soul . . . who just might hold the key to her forever after.

With Patrick's help, Brie will have to pass through the five stages of grief before she's ready to move on. But how do you begin again, when your heart is still in pieces?

Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer

Goodreads Summary:
What happens when happily ever after... isn’t?

Delilah is a bit of a loner who prefers spending her time in the school library with her head in a book—one book in particular. Between the Lines may be a fairy tale, but it feels real. Prince Oliver is brave, adventurous, and loving. He really speaks to Delilah.

And then one day Oliver actually speaks to her. Turns out, Oliver is more than a one-dimensional storybook prince. He’s a restless teen who feels trapped by his literary existence and hates that his entire life is predetermined. He’s sure there’s more for him out there in the real world, and Delilah might just be his key to freedom.

Delilah and Oliver work together to attempt to get Oliver out of his book, a challenging task that forces them to examine their perceptions of fate, the world, and their places in it. And as their attraction to each other grows along the way, a romance blossoms that is anything but a fairy tale.

Venom by Fiona Paul

Goodreads Summary:
Cassandra Caravello is one of Renaissance Venice’s lucky elite: with elegant gowns, sparkling jewels, her own lady’s maid, and a wealthy fiancé, she has everything a girl could desire. Yet ever since her parents’ death, Cassandra has felt trapped, alone in a city of water, where the dark and labyrinthine canals whisper of escape.

When Cass stumbles upon a murdered woman—practically in her own backyard—she’s drawn into a dangerous world of courtesans, killers, and secret societies. Soon, she finds herself falling for Falco, a mysterious artist with a mischievous grin... and a spectacular skill for trouble. Can Cassandra find the murderer, before he finds her? And will she stay true to her fiancé, or succumb to her uncontrollable feelings for Falco?

Beauty, love, romance, and mystery weave together in a stunning novel that’s as seductive and surprising as the city of Venice itself.

Origin by Jessica Khoury

Goodreads Summary:
Pia has grown up in a secret laboratory hidden deep in the Amazon rain forest. She was raised by a team of scientists who have created her to be the start of a new immortal race. But on the night of her seventeenth birthday, Pia discovers a hole in the electric fence that surrounds her sterile home--and sneaks outside the compound for the first time in her life.

Free in the jungle, Pia meets Eio, a boy from a nearby village. Together, they embark on a race against time to discover the truth about Pia's origin--a truth with deadly consequences that will change their lives forever.

Origin is a beautifully told, shocking new way to look at an age-old desire: to live forever, no matter the cost.

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Goodreads Summary:
Before Peter Pan belonged to Wendy, he belonged to the girl with the crow feather in her hair. . . .

Fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily doesn't believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the alluring teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland and immediately falls under his spell.

Peter is unlike anyone she's ever known. Impetuous and brave, he both scares and enthralls her. As the leader of the Lost Boys, the most fearsome of Neverland's inhabitants, Peter is an unthinkable match for Tiger Lily. Soon, she is risking everything—her family, her future—to be with him. When she is faced with marriage to a terrible man in her own tribe, she must choose between the life she's always known and running away to an uncertain future with Peter.

With enemies threatening to tear them apart, the lovers seem doomed. But it's the arrival of Wendy Darling, an English girl who's everything Tiger Lily is not, that leads Tiger Lily to discover that the most dangerous enemies can live inside even the most loyal and loving heart.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Peaches comes a magical and bewitching story of the romance between a fearless heroine and the boy who wouldn't grow up.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Goodreads Summary:
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.

Coffeehoues Angel by Suzanne Selfors

Goodreads Summary:
From the author of Saving Juliet comes a romantic comedy that is good to the last drop. When Katrina spots a homeless guy sleeping in the alley behind her grandmother’s coffee shop, she decides to leave him a cup of coffee, a bag of chocolate-covered coffee beans, and some pastries to tide him over. Little does she know that this random act of kindness is about to turn her life upside down. Because this adorable vagrant, Malcolm, is really a guardian angel on a break between missions. And he won’t leave until he can reward Katrina’s selflessness by fulfilling her deepest desire. Now if only she could decide what that might be . . .

 

What did you get in your mailbox this week (or last few months in my case)?