Kindle/Nook Deal: Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey!

Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey
is only $1.99 for KINDLE and NOOK right now! This was one of my Top 5 reads of 2011 so if you haven't gotten your hands on this one yet now is THE TIME people!

BUY IT:
Kindle / Nook

For my thoughts on it you can check out my REVIEW!

Review: Kiss of Death by Lauren Henderson

Kiss of Death by Lauren Henderson
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Pub. Date: May 10th, 2011
Pages: 307
Series: Scarlett Wakefield, #4
Age Level: 14+
Source: Won

Synopsis via Goodreads
Scarlett thought Dan McAndrew's murder was long behind her, but when she and her classmates arrive in Edinburgh for a weeklong field trip, she's startled to be joined by her old St. Tabby's cohorts--and enemies--who are visiting the area on a field trip as well. Even more startling, Callum, Dan's surviving twin, is in the area--and his cold treatment leaves Scarlett wondering what's changed, especially when a series of attacks makes her believe that someone's out to get her for her past mistakes. Would Callum ever hurt her, though? And what's Scarlett to make of her conflicting feelings for Callum, now that Jase isn't around? Even more upsetting, why is her most trusted confidante, Taylor, acting distant and dismissive?

Review
While not my favorite, Kiss of Death was a good, sturdy end to the Scarlett Wakefield series by Lauren Henderson.

One of the things that I've grown to appreciate throughout this series is how Scarlett isn't perfect, and in fact, is quite flawed. She's a really good person at heart but she can have a bit of mean streak about her as well. Can't we all? She continued to be a humorous and easy to connect with character in this final installment, though I did have one problem. That problem is that while I seemed to see a good bit of growth in her as a character in each of the previous books, I don't really feel like I got that from her this time around. Now for Taylor, I've always liked her character but my feelings were a bit mixed for her and I didn't love her quite as much. I actually got really frustrated with her for a while until I later knew the explanation and then forgave her. There was also a twist concerning her towards the end that I thought came way out of left field and I didn't really find it all that believable. As for the guys, well I just didn't connect with or love Callum the same way I did in Kisses and Lies and part of me thinks this was intentionally done by the author to prepare for things that would happen later, like she wanted me to quit liking him. I'm not going to lie, I felt a bit manipulated. In the same sense, my fondness for Jase skyrocketed and I really liked his character in this one. Plum was probably the character I was most happy with in this book as I feel she exhibited the most development and there was something somewhat shocking revealed about her that really made me change the way I viewed her. Then of course was Scarlett's crazy, mean old aunt, who had a larger role than ever.

I was so glad when I found out that for the last book, Scarlett would be returning to Scotland as I really loved the setting in Kisses and Lies. While I did like revisiting this setting again, I felt less drawn to it than before. Kiss of Death was also pretty predictable but I was still able to enjoy it fairly well. I had suspected who was following Scarlett from early on and while I was never entirely sure who was behind the attacks, I wasn't surprised when the villain was revealed. Despite that, there is something about these books that is so fun and compelling, even when I see certain things coming, though this one probably was the most predictable of the four.

The writing was above average and consistent with what I have read in the previous books. It was humorous and, as always, I got enjoyment from the slight differences in terminology and such that comes with reading a book by a British author versus an American one. The one thing that kinda bugged me was the mention of Myspace. Not to sound like one of those young people, but honestly, who uses Myspace anymore? And for the random, obsolete person out there reading this who does use Myspace...*waves*...come to the dark side of Facebook! We have cookies.

The ending was a pretty great way to tie everything together. I was very satisfied and left with a good sense of closure, which is always important to me when finishing a series. As a whole, I'd consider the ending a happy one, tinged with the slightest amount of bitter-sweetness, and this worked well.

All in all, while I definitely feel that there are ways this book could have been stronger as the last in a series, it was still good and satisfactory. I think part of me felt disconnected from this one as I was trying to read it during a crucial time in my school life last semester, which probably didn't help. As a whole, this has been a great YA contemporary mystery series and I would definitely recommend it. I'd probably have to say the middle two books, Kisses and Lies and Kiss in the Dark, were my two favorites. I look forward to reading more from Henderson in the future.

Grade
Characters: C+
Writing: C+
Plot: B-
Ending: B+
Final in Series: B-
Enjoyment/Likability: C+
Recommendable: B

Overall: B-

Cover: A-

Buy Kiss Me, Kill Me (My Review)
Hardcover / Paperback / Kindle / Nook / Book Depository

Buy Kisses and Lies (My Review)
Hardcover / Paperback / Kindle / Nook / Book Depository

Buy Kiss in the Dark (My Review)
Hardcover / Paperback / Kindle / Nook / Book Depository

Buy Kiss of Death
Hardcover / Paperback / Kindle / Nook / Book Depository

In My Mailbox (113)

In My Mailbox
IMM is a weekly meme hosted and created by Kristi at The Story Siren and was inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie.

Bought at Walmart for $3.97
~Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson (HC)

For Review from Author
~Scary School by Derek the Ghost

RAK Gift from Sarah
~ARC Ditched by Robin Mellom

Free on Kindle
~Moon Spell by Samantha Young
~The Mind Readers by Lori Brighton

~~~~~~~~~~~~

So that is what I got this week folks. Actually just picked up Wintergirls today and couldn't believe Walmart had the hardcover of it for only $3.97! Hope you all got some great books this week! :D

Waiting on Wednesday!

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Dangerous Boy
Mandy Hubbard
Razorbill
August 30th, 2012
YA

Synopsis via Goodreads
Harper’s new boyfriend Logan Townsend is everything she never knew she always wanted—tall, muscular, with tousled brown hair that falls effortlessly around his face. But what’s most exciting about Logan is that he’s exhilaratingly dangerous, and dating him allows Harper to say, “buh bye” to her good-girl past and “hello” to newfound adventure.

There’s only one problem with Harper’s otherwise heart-stopping romance: Logan’s twin brother Daemon. Harper knows he’s a bad seed, but she tries to look past his dark, icy stare and his chilling demeanor. After all, he and Logan are a package deal.

Then cow bones start appearing in people’s mailboxes, a flock of birds show up dead, and all of the cars in the senior parking lot are given flat tires—and covered with blood-red handprints. Logan insists that Daemon isn’t involved—sure, he’s had some trouble in the past, but they moved to Harper’s quiet northwest Washington town so that they could both start over.

Harper desperately wants to believe Logan, but the more he tries to protect his brother, the more she wonders what she isn’t being told. Now, Harper must unearth the hidden secrets of the mysterious Townsend brothers’ history if she and Logan are to have any hope of a future. But learning what brought Logan and Daemon to town won’t put just her heart in jeopardy... She’s playing with her life.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Okay this sounds like one thrilling and mysterious read, two qualities I love in a book. I've yet to read anything by Mandy Hubbard but I've really been wanting to. I think this is going to be a great book and I look forward to it releasing. Really like the cover too. :D

Designs by The Book Pixie (A Shameless Act of Self Promo)

Because I'm bored and don't have much else to post today, I figured I'd tell you all about Designs by The Book Pixie. So in October 2010 I started making these things called bookthongs; these pretty, fancy little articles of lingerie for your book's crack. Then over this past Winter Break I expanded to making necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. I keep photos of everything I make on Facebook and you can order from me by emailing me your order and paying through paypal. Here are just a few examples of things I've made so far (all of which are currently for sale):

Bookthongs (Typically $6)



Necklaces / Sets
(Typically $15 for indidviual Necklace. Necklace & Earring set typically $20. Full set of Necklace, Earrings, and Bracelet is typically $28. Mix & Match allowed for individual items.)



Bracelets (Typically $10)



Earrings (Typically $7)



You can view all current designs and past designs that I've sold HERE. Keep in mind if you see a past design that you really love, I can see about making another custom for you so long as you do plan to buy it. And don't forget to like me on Facebook! And if you see stuff you want, you can get 10% off orders of $20 or more by using this code, which you can give to me when ordering: SAVE10DbTBP

In My Mailbox (112)

In My Mailbox
IMM is a weekly meme hosted and created by Kristi at The Story Siren and was inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie.

For Review from Elizabeth
~Phantom Lives by Elizabeth Lorraine

For Review from T.P. Boje
~Beyond by T.P. Boje

For Review from Media Representer
~Blood Warrior by H.D. Gordon

For Review from HarperTeen
~Vesper by Jeff Sampson
~Havoc by Jeff Sampson

RAK Gift from Dani
~Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Got some pretty good books this week and hope you all did too as well. Have a lovely weekend!

Waiting on Wednesday!

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Silence
Michelle Sagara West
DAW Hardcover
May 1st, 2012
The Queen of the Dead, #1
YA

Synopsis via Goodreads
It began in the graveyard. Ever since her boyfriend Nathan died in a tragic accident Emma had been coming to the graveyard at night. During the day she went through the motions at her prep school, in class, with her friends, but that’s all it was. But tonight was different. Tonight Emma and her dog were not alone in the cemetery. There were two others there—Eric, who had just started at her school, and an ancient woman who looked as though she were made of rags. And when they saw Emma there, the old woman reached out to her with a grip as chilling as death…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This sounds like it is going to be an exciting and chilling read. And that cover is AH-mazing! I'm looking forward to this one and hope it turns out to be just as good as it looks.

Waiting On Wednesday!

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Ordinary Magic
Caitlen Rubino-Bradway
Bloomsbury USA
May 8th, 2012
Middle Grade and Up

Synopsis via Goodreads
The tale of Abby, born into a world where everyone has magical abilities, and where those who possess none – like Abby – “are bad luck, and quite possibly a danger to society. The outlook for an ‘Ord’ (an Ordinary) isn’t bright. Many are cast out by their families, while others are sold to treasure hunters (ords are impervious to spells and enchantments).” Abby is one of the more fortunate ones who are sent to a special school to negotiate a magical world with their particular unmagical “disability” – and to avoid being prey of the kidnappers, carnivores and goblins ready to prey upon the Ords.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I really enjoy me a good middle grade book and this one sounds like it is going to be a delightfully fun and enjoyable read. Plus the cover is so lovely and colorful! This is definitely one I can't wait to read!

Noteworthy Passages: Darkness Becomes Her

Darkness Becomes Her (ARC) by Kelly Keaton
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pub. Date: February 22nd 2011
Pages: 273
Series: Gods & Monsters, #1
Age Level: 14/15+
Source: Gift from Lisa

Disclaimer: Please note that this is an ARC and passages and quotes below are subject to change in the final copy.

Synopsis via Goodreads
A dark and lush paranormal romance set in a richly reimagined New Orleans—now in paperback!Ari can’t help feeling lost and alone. With teal eyes and freakish silver hair that can’t be changed or destroyed, Ari has always stood out. And after growing up in foster care, she longs for some understanding of where she came from and who she is.

Her search for answers uncovers a message from her long dead mother: Run. Ari can sense that someone, or something, is getting closer than they should. But it’s impossible to protect herself when she doesn’t know what she’s running from or why she is being pursued.

She knows only one thing: she must return to her birthplace of New 2, the lush rebuilt city of New Orleans. Upon arriving, she discovers that New 2 is very...different. Here, Ari is seemingly normal. But every creature she encounters, no matter how deadly or horrifying, is afraid of her.

Ari won’t stop until she knows why. But some truths are too haunting, too terrifying, to ever be revealed.

Noteworthy Passages

Ari; pg 1
If I didn't get my act together and calm down, I'd start hyperventilating and embarrass the shit out of myself. Not a good thing, especially when I was sitting in an insane asylum with rooms to spare.

Ari; pg. 34
The house on the corner of First and Coliseum was set in a jungle of trees and overgrown lawn, surrounded by a black iron fence. It was tall and rectangular, two stories high with faded mauve paint, lacy wrought-iron railings and scrollwork along the double porches, and black plantation shutters framing the large windows. A few dim lights shone through the panes, muted by dark curtains, dirt, and grime.
I loved it immediately--beauty shadowed by time and decay, but still standing proud. Yeah, this was my kind of place.

Ari, Dub, Crank; pg. 209
I wished I could've stripped the dress off right then, but I was too damned tired to make it upstairs. One thing I could do was relieve myself of the blade. Standing, I angled my thigh away from the others, lifted the skirt, and removed the blade, setting it and the annoying strap on the side table.
When I turned back, it was to see all eyes on me. "What?"
Dub's pale eyes went from the blade to me. "I really like her."
Crank grinned. "I vote we keep her."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I hope you all enjoyed those passages. I figured I'd include bits of the humor and imagery. I truly enjoyed this book and think all fans of the paranormal genre should give it a go. For more on my thoughts you can check out My Review.

Buy Darkness Becomes Her
Hardcover / Paperback / Kindle / Nook / Book Depository









PLEASE NOTE: This is a feature hosted here at my blog in which I present you with selected passages or quotes that I deem Noteworthy from a book I've just reviewed. My hopes are of course, that these passages will make you want to pick the book up and read it. This feature was started and created by me in January in hopes of making my blog more unique. That being said, I would like to kindly request that you do not use this feature as it was intended to be for my blog only and is not a meme. If you see some one else using it, please know it is without my permission. Thank you.

In My Mailbox (111)

In My Mailbox
IMM is a weekly meme hosted and created by Kristi at The Story Siren and was inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie.

Won from Cheryl
~Signed! Hunted by Cheryl Rainfield
~Bonus Story/Comic Postcards

RAK Gift from Grace
~Hereafter by Tara Hudson (Kindle)

RAK Gifts from @Luvdaylilies
~Destined by Jessie Harrell (Kindle)
~Withering Tights by Louise Rennison (Kindle)

RAK Gift from temara
~Ten Things We Did by Sarah Mlynowski (Kindle)

RAK Gift from Christen
~Angelfall by Susan Ee (Kindle)

RAK Gift from Mary
~The Death Catchers by Jennifer Anne Kogler (Kindle)

RAK Gift from MannaB
~Vesper by Jeff Sampson (Kindle)

Free on Kindle
~Anathema by K.A. Tucker
~Alias Dragonfly by Jane Singer
~Slumber by Samantha Young
~Blood Will Tell by Samantha Young

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So I got quite a few great books this week. Thanks to everyone who sent me RAKs for my kindle and thanks the Cheryl for the twitter contest! I hope you all got some fabulous books in your mailbox as well! I'm leaving for college tomorrow and hopefully I'll be able to keep up with my blog a lot better than last semester now that I've had a chance to get used to things and have my own room!

Review: Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton

Darkness Becomes Her (ARC) by Kelly Keaton
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pub. Date: February 22nd 2011
Pages: 273
Series: Gods & Monsters, #1
Age Level: 14/15+
Source: Gift from Lisa

Synopsis via Goodreads
A dark and lush paranormal romance set in a richly reimagined New Orleans—now in paperback!Ari can’t help feeling lost and alone. With teal eyes and freakish silver hair that can’t be changed or destroyed, Ari has always stood out. And after growing up in foster care, she longs for some understanding of where she came from and who she is.

Her search for answers uncovers a message from her long dead mother: Run. Ari can sense that someone, or something, is getting closer than they should. But it’s impossible to protect herself when she doesn’t know what she’s running from or why she is being pursued.

She knows only one thing: she must return to her birthplace of New 2, the lush rebuilt city of New Orleans. Upon arriving, she discovers that New 2 is very...different. Here, Ari is seemingly normal. But every creature she encounters, no matter how deadly or horrifying, is afraid of her.

Ari won’t stop until she knows why. But some truths are too haunting, too terrifying, to ever be revealed.

Review
Highly original and lushly atmospheric, this exciting story fully encompassed every part of me, leaving me surrounded by distinct characters and the charismatic setting of a New Orleans re-imagined.

Ari was a strong, mature heroine and I connected with her immediately. Her dry wit and subtle fierceness along with her desire to belong and know the truth about her life, past, and family made her quite lovable for me. The only thing that really bugged me was how fast the romance bloomed between Ari and Sebastian; the timing just was not realistic but that seems to be the case with almost all paranormal books I read these days. As for Sebastian, he was a bit too broody moody in the beginning for my taste but I grew to like him rather quickly. There was a moment towards the end where I hated him and was calling him obscenities, but then I realized why he did what he did and took it back. He turned out to be quite a loyal and respectable love interest. There was a slew of impeccably crafted supporting characters as well. My favorite was easily Violet who was at first a little creepy and then, once I knew her story, became this adorable little thing that was fiercely loyal to Ari and wise for her age. I just wanted to pick her up and hug her. Then, of course, there was her pet white alligator, Pascal. Crank was another that I thought was particularly well done and her back-story was so sad. I couldn't help but admire her for her perseverance. Naturally, there is a villain and she/he shalt not be named but this was one terrible, petty, evil villain, and I fully appreciate a good, so to speak, villain. Josephine, Michel, Dub, Henri and many more rounded off the large cast of great characters. That said, I do want to mention Ari's foster parents briefly. They weren't in the story much at all but it was with them where my admiration for Keaton first started to grow. They were stern but loving and supportive foster parents. It would have been so easy, so tempting, to portray them as a bad part of Ari's life, but she resisted and instead made them in a way that had me wishing they had been there more and feeling bad for them when Ari left.

From the very first page, Darkness Becomes Her had secured my full attention, keeping it under lock and key until the book was over. This is one of only a handful of books that I have read in just one sitting. The only thing I had a problem with was how short a time this story spanned. Honestly, if this book had been 400+ pages, I believe I'd have been quite happy with that. That said, Darkness Becomes Her was so keenly imagined and unique. There were the more common paranormal beings but there was also a fine blend of Greek mythology woven in, and these aspects melded together to create something truly captivating. Add in the intoxicating setting of a New Orleans rising up from the ashes of disaster and Keaton has surely proven she's a woman who knows what she is doing when crafting a story. I absolutely love it when a strong and well built setting plays a dominant role in a book. And as for suspense, I was always wondering what would happen next and while there were maybe a couple of small details I had guessed, the book was almost completely unpredictable. When the secret behind Ari's heritage was revealed all I could think was how dark and twisted it was. While I enjoyed every aspect of this book, from the characters to the writing, it was the plot and setting that reigned supreme when it came to making this book so noteworthy.

As a whole, Keaton has a well developed and consistent writing style that I enjoyed, but what really grabbed my attention was her vivid, detailed use of imagery. Keaton really knew not only how to create a setting, but also how to build that setting up around me--brick by brick, sound by sound, smell by smell--until it's as if I'm looking clearly through the character's eyes and sensing exactly what they are. The fact that I have been to New Orleans once probably helped, but still.

The ending was a grab bag of mixed emotions for me. Worried. Sad. Proud. Confused. Excited. Anxious. Something happened to one of the characters that had me going,"NOOOOOOO!" That said I really liked how Darkness Becomes Her ended as it had me going through a variety of feelings and left me looking forward to finding out where things would go from there. There is nothing worse than an ending in a book that doesn't make you feel something.

All in all, Darkness Becomes Her was an enticing breath of fresh air with its intermingling of traditional paranormal elements, mythology, and atmospheric New Orleans. It is easily one of the best in its genre that I've read in quite a while. I highly recommend this one and suggest that if it sounds even the slightest bit interesting to you, find a way to read it. I, personally, can't wait to get my hands on the sequel, A Beautiful Evil.

Grade
Characters: A-
Writing: B
Plot: A-
Ending: B+
1st in Series: B+
Enjoyment/Likability: B+
Recommendable: A-

Overall: B+/A-

Cover: C+

Buy Darkness Becomes Her
Hardcover / Paperback / Kindle / Nook / Book Depository

Review: Lovetorn by Kavita Daswani

Lovetorn (ARC) by Kavita Daswani
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pub. Date: January 17th, 2011
Pages: 256
Age Level: 12+
Source: For review from publisher.

Synopsis via Goodreads
When Shalini’s father gets a new job in L.A., she is torn away from her life in India and the boy to whom she’s been betrothed since she was three. L.A. is so different, and Shalini dresses and talks all wrong. She isn’t sure she’ll survive high school in America without her fiancé, Vikram, and now she has to cope with her mom’s homesickness and depression. A new friend, chill and confident Renuka, helps Shalini find her way and get up the courage to join the Food4Life club at school. But she gets more than just a friend when she meets Toby—she gets a major crush. Shalini thinks she loves Vikram, but he never made her feel like this.

In Lovetorn, Shalini discovers that your heart ultimately makes its own choices, even when it seems as if your destiny has already been chosen.

Author Kavita Daswani has always been fascinated by child marriages and betrothals, and this story of a traditional girl from India, who is exposed to so many more freedoms and experiences after being dropped in a completely alien culture, is a fresh and contemporary look at the subject.

Review
Lovetorn is one of those books that I had really looked forward to, seeing it as a book with momentous potential to be something truly noteworthy and lasting. Gosh, I hate when I'm wrong. For me, this book could have been just so much more than it was and instead of leaving me in a deep state of mindfulness, it left me indifferent and disappointed.

Unfortunately I don't have much to say about the characters because I didn't particularly feel anything for them, good or bad. I just felt as though they were two dimensional and under developed. I think Shalini's parents were possibly the most intriguing characters and I wouldn't have minded hearing more from them. Especially the mom, who's role in the book was one of the few things that actually made me feel anything. Even Shalini, the main character, I felt completely detached from and my closest sense of connection I ever had with her was when she had her eyebrows threaded. While not excruciating, she's right, it does kinda hurt. I tried it one time just for kicks and quickly decided I was happy with my eyebrows just how they were. It isn't that any of the characters were flat out bad, just flat; I could not seem to bond with them on any level. What really bugged me was the fact that Toby, the guy Shalini starts to have feelings for, doesn't even come into the story til over half way through the book. The already short, 256 page book. Also, I didn't find the whole thing between Toby and Shalini believable. He starts out acknowledging her in what seems a polite and friendly way, nothing more, and then BAM!, he's suddenly into her as well. While Vikram wasn't in it much I think part of me almost liked him a little bit better. At least with him there was 13 years of history.

In theory, I loved the plot line. An Indian girl betrothed to a guy for 13 years ends up moving to America where she goes into serious culture shock, with varying effects on each member of her family. There was so much potential there and I really thought I was going to love this book. However the book takes place over the course of an entire year. I felt like so much that happened in her life that could have really helped improve this story was skipped in a hurried attempt to cover so much ground. There were only glimpses of interaction between Shalini and the other characters and the plot sometimes seemed a bit...unfocused somehow. Like the author was paying too much attention to all the wrong things, or at least not enough attention to the right things. In truth, I didn't go completely un-entertained and there were a few moments when I thought that things could get better from here, and yet, I can't remember which moments those were, merely that I did feel they were there.

The writing was...well it just was. I can't remember there being anything particularly off or poorly done about it, but I can't really think of anything great either. Decent would probably be a good word. I really don't think there is much more I could say about it other than the fact that it seemed overly internal.

Towards the end, I saw the characters finally starting to come into their own, developing more solid personalities, and the plot started coming into a clearer focus, finally pulling together to create something I felt I could begin to enjoy. But that is the problem, it was towards the end. Just when things started looking like they may be getting good it was all over, leaving me empty and dissatisfied.

In the end, Lovetorn could have been so poignant, so beautiful and thought-provoking, but the only thing it left me thinking about was what I'd read next. By no means would I say I hated this book, or even call it bad; it was just...okay. Honestly, should the author right another book I might would even read it because there was something, I'm not sure what, but something that has me thinking that she really is a good writer. I just wasn't able to feel the heart and soul that she more than likely poured into Lovetorn. So would I recommend this based on how I felt about it? Not really. But if you think it sounds good and you want to give it a shot, most people seem to have liked it pretty well. I'd just suggest borrowing it instead of spending the money to buy it.

Grade
Characters: C-
Writing: C+
Plot: C-
Ending: B-
Enjoyment/Likability: D+
Recommendable: C-

Overall: C-

Cover: B+

Mystery Box of ARCs Giveaway!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Contest Details
So I've got a bunch of books piling up that I need to pass on and while I can take most to the indie/used bookstore near my college and trade them for credit, that still leaves me with quite a few ARCs that need new homes.

So here we are. I've got at least 13 ARCs ranging from 2010 to 2012 release dates that I will stick in a priority box and mail to one lucky winner. The catch? You don't get to know what they are. I will say this, there is one MG and the rest are YA. All but one ARC is from a major publisher. Two are from 2010, six are from late December 2011 and into 2012, the rest are 2011 releases. More books may be added depending on what I read between now and the end of the contest.

Rules:
~Comments are appreciated but you must fill out the form for entry.
~Must be 13 or older to enter.
~I'll pay to ship this box to US only. However, if you are outside the US, you can still choose to enter, but you will be responsible for paying shipping.
~Contest ends at 11:59PM EST on Jan. 31st.
~Winner will be notfied shortly after.

Extra Entries:
+1 for following my blog.
+2 for tweeting this giveaway. Please include @thebookpixie


Fill Out this Form to Enter

Waiting on Wednesday!

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

The Unnaturalists
Tiffany Trent
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
August 14th, 2012
YA

Synopsis via Goodreads
In an alternate London where magical creatures are preserved in a museum, two teens find themselves caught in a web of intrigue, deception, and danger.

Vespa Nyx wants nothing more than to spend the rest of her life cataloging Unnatural creatures in her father’s museum, but as she gets older, the requirement to become a lady and find a husband is looming large. Syrus Reed’s Tinker family has always served and revered the Unnaturals from afar, but when his family is captured to be refinery slaves, he finds that his fate may be bound up with Vespa’s—and with the Unnaturals.

As the danger grows, Vespa and Syrus find themselves in a tightening web of deception and intrigue. At stake may be the fate of New London—and the world.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I really need to hop on the whole Steampunk bandwagon. This book sounds really good and like something I could enjoy. Just the first sentence of the synopsis alone has got me dying to get my hands on this one. Course I'm gonna have to wait til August but still, hopefully it'll be worth the wait. :)

2012 Debut Author Challenge!

2012 Debut Author Challenge
Hosted By: The Story Siren
CHALLENGE OBJECTIVE:

•To read & review a minimum of twelve young adult or middle grade debut novels between the dates of January 1, 2012 – January 31, 2013.*
*The 2013 extension is so that December Debuts can be read and count toward the challenge.

•Any advance reader copies you read from 2012 BEFORE the January 1st start date DO NOT count toward the challenge!
•You can read twelve books in one month, or one book a month. It doesn’t matter as long as you have 12 read by the end of the year!

RULES & GUIDELINES:

•You must have a Blog to post your reviews or be a member of Goodreads. Youtube Book Reviewers count too!
•Your blog/video must be written in English.
•Deadline to join is May 31, 2012.

BOOK GUIDELINES:

•Must be a young adult or middle grade title.
•Must be the author’s YA or MG debut, released in 2012.
•If an author has a previous novel published for adults or children, they can still qualify for the challenge.
•If an author has a previous YA or MG title, they do not qualify for the challenge.

My List (Subject to change):

1. Something Like Normal by Trish Dollar
2. Everneath by Brodi Ashton
3. Incarnate by Jodi Meadows
4. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
5. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
6. Slide by Jill Hathaway
7. Ditched by Robin Mellom
8. Embrace by Jessica Shirvington
9. Forbidden by Syrie James
10. The Alchemy of Forever by Avery Williams
11. The Selection by Kiera Cass
12. Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown

Sign Up Here!