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December 31, 2012

GIVEAWAY: Signed copy of Fracture by Megan Miranda + Swag

Happy New Year everyone! Thanks to Megan, you have a chance to win a SIGNED copy of Fracture by Megan Miranda, and a signed bookmark of Fracture and Hysteria! A great way to start the year! Fracture is one of my favorite books. You can read my review by clicking HERE. Below, you can learn more about Megan Miranda's debut novel, Fracture.


Title: Fracture (Fracture, #1)
Author: Megan Miranda
Publisher: Walker Childrens
Publication date: January 17, 2012
Genre(s): Young Adult (Fantasy/Paranormal)
Pages: 272
Eleven minutes passed before Delaney Maxwell was pulled from the icy waters of a Maine lake by her best friend Decker Phillips. By then her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly fine. Everyone wants Delaney to be all right, but she knows she's far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney finds herself drawn to the dying. Is her altered brain now predicting death, or causing it?

Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who recently emerged from a coma with similar abilities. At first she's reassured to find someone who understands the strangeness of her new existence, but Delaney soon discovers that Troy's motives aren't quite what she thought. Is their gift a miracle, a freak of nature-or something much more frightening?

For fans of best-sellers like Before I Fall and If I Stay, this is a fascinating and heart-rending story about love and friendship and the fine line between life and death.
Watch the Book Trailer





Megan is a scientist - turned - teacher - turned - stay-at-home-mom - turned - writer. She is not nearly as indecisive as she sounds. She lives near Charlotte, North Carolina, where she volunteers as an MIT Educational Counselor, does the mom thing by day, and writes by night.

Her first novel, FRACTURE, was published in January 2012 by Walker/Bloomsbury. HYSTERIA, a YA psychological thriller, will be published in February 2013. VENGEANCE, a companion/sequel to FRACTURE, will follow in 2014.                                                                    
Follow Megan on her Website | Twitter | Goodreads                                                                          
To enter the giveaway, just fill the rafflecopter below. The giveaway will run for a month. It is only US/CA (Sorry INTL people) Have fun, and may the odds be in your favor!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

December 29, 2012

Stacking The Shelves (6)


Meme Hosted by Tynga's Reviews
Hey Everyone! Today is Stacking the Shelves day! Here we'll show you all the posts done for the past week including reviews, interviews, guest posts, giveaways, and memes as well as the books and swag we've gotten!! 


What Went On for the Past Two Weeks

Reviews 
       

Waiting on Wednesday

Which Cover is Calling For You? Fun in the Sun!


on to the books...




The below books are all review books either from the author, publisher, blog tour host, NetGalley, or Edelweiss. Thanks everyone! 
Return to Me by Justina Chen
Nobody But Us by Kristin Halbrook
Altered (Altered, #1) by Jennifer Ruch
Mind Games (Mind Games,#1) by Kiersten White
Riptide by Lindsey Scheibe
First Time For Everything by Aimee Carson
Waking Up Married by Mira Lynn Kelly
The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay 

Here we've got library, bought, and gifted books!
The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling
Unfinished Portrait by Agatha Christie
After the Funeral by Agatha Christie
Stolen by Lucy Chrsitopher
Legend (Legend, #1) by Marie Lu
Hourglass (Hourglass, #1) by Myra McEntire


What did you get this week?

December 27, 2012

Review: Chasing Jupiter by Rachel Coker


Title: Chasing Jupiter
Author: Rachel Coker
Publisher: Zondervan
Publication date: December 26th, 2012
Genre(s): Young Adult (Historical Fiction)
Source: Publisher
Format: ARC
Pages: 224
Scarlett Blaine's life in 1960s Georgia isn't always easy, especially given her parents' financial struggles and the fights surrounding her sister Juli's hippie lifestyle. Then there's her brother, Cliff. While Scarlett loves him more than anything, there's no denying his unique behavior leaves Cliff misunderstood and left out. So when he wishes for a rocket to Jupiter, Scarlett agrees to make it happen, no matter how crazy the idea might be. Raising the rocket money means baking pies, and the farmer's son, Frank, agrees to provide the peaches if Scarlett will help him talk to Juli. The problem is, Scarlett really enjoys her time with Frank, and finds herself wondering if, someday, they could be more than friends. Just as she thinks everything might be going her way, Cliff suffers an accident that not only affects the rocket plans, but shakes Scarlett's view of God. As the summer comes to an end, Scarlett must find a way to regain what she's lost, but also fulfill a promise to launch her brother's dream.
I loved this book! I thought it was really good. 16 year old Scarlett Blaine is the glue that holds her (somewhat dysfunctional) family  together. Her mother and father barely make enough to put bread on the table, her older sister, Juli, is a hippie, her little brother, Cliff, has a mental issue, and her grandfather also has a mental illness and an obsession with peanutbutter. When Scarlett makes a promise to Cliff that she will build him a rocket to Jupiter, Scarlett meets the (possible) love-of-her-life and finds out how much her family means to her.

This book is a favorite of mine. I started reading and devoured it until the very last page. I loved the reader-writer connection. I also adored the innocent air around Cliff. The first person narrating was excellent and I felt like I was actually Scarlett. Trying to choose a favorite character is impossible. Each character has a piece of me. Franks love for animals, Scarlett's passion for cooking, Juli's stubbornness. I guess I like Scarlett the most, she is a good role model.

The pace of the story was really good. It didn't go by too fast or too slow. It went slow enough for me to want to keep reading but fast enough to keep me interested. As the plot unraveled, my interest for the story grew and now I don't think I could love this story more. It really was wonderfully good. Overall, this was a great read. Recommended to 6-10 graders, this book is a true success. Wonderful job,Rachel, and keep reading fellow bookworms!!
Other books by Rachel Coker:

December 26, 2012

Which Cover is Calling For You? (6) - Fun in the Sun Edition


Hello lovely readers! Let me ask you a question. Have you ever picked up a book just by its cover? ok let me take a little bit further, have you ever picked up said book, was mesmerized by the cover and without looking at the synopsis you bought it? if you've said yes to the first or both questions then this post is for you! From time to time I am going to show you guys some YA titles along with their gorgeous covers and you guys let me know which one is your favorite. Of course each post will have a different theme so you will be able to compare between them!

                            Burning Golden
Gorgeous! I love Burning's hues of colors! The light sepia as well as the very simplistic background and the even simpler title font. This whole book screams contemporary and I love that the model's face isn't showing. This is a book I would definitely be interested in based on the cover! As for Golden, I love the the yellow sketches that are embedded behind the title and in front of the model. Also, the hair, and the sun, just gives a very summer-y feel. I also really love this cover

      My Life After Now When You Were Here
My Life After Now has the fiery red dress to contrast the sun and the glare. I love that the model is giving her back to us and the green is also a great contrast. When You Were Here is finally a cover with a male model! I also love the very light colors and simple author and title font. It creates a very pretty and irresistible cover!
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What do YOU guys think? Which one of these books would you zoom in on from far away and just rush over to stare at its beautiful cover and then buy? Vote below and let me know what you think in the comments section!

Which Fun in the Sun cover is calling for you?
  

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Last edition was the "For Art Lovers" Edition, and below are the results! 
WOW, it was a tie between THREE out of the FOUR covers! you guys couldn't make your mind up huh?





December 23, 2012

Mini Reviews: One For the Money & Two for the Dough


I have finally decided to pick up the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich and start reading it from book one! I've read a book or two here and there but I never had the guts to start a series that already has over 15 books out! However this all has changed. Lately, I have been in a need of some chick flicks with a bit of humor and this was it! I have already read the first two books and I will be reviewing two books for every post whenever I read them. 

This is a general synopsis of the series, if you are ever interested in picking it up. The series has a mystery in each book and full of laugh out loud (literally) moments.


Stephanie Plum is a bounty hunter with attitude. In Stephanie's opinion, toxic waste, rabid drivers, armed schizophrenics, and August heat, humidity, and hydrocarbons are all part of the great adventure of living in Jersey. She's a product of blue-collar Trenton, where houses are attached and narrow, cars are American, windows are clean, and dinner is served at six.

Out of work and out of money, with her Miata repossessed and her refrigerator empty, Stephanie blackmails her bail bondsman cousin, Vinnie, into giving her a try as an apprehension agent. And that’s only the beginning of series that will set her on the trail of fugitives. Stephanie will have to sharpen her sleuthing skills, because she's got many a mystery to solve. 



One For The Money (Stephanie Plum, #1)


Title: One For the Money (Stephanie Plum, #1)
Author: Janet Evanovich
DOP: 1994
Genre(s): Adult (Chick Flick)
Rating: 4/5 stars


I miss Chick Flicks and the true meaning of Adult Novels. Characters in their late 20s and 30s dealing with everyday life problems. This one stars Stephanie Plum, a 30 something year old unemployed woman who takes up bounty hunting and her first recovery job is Joe Morelli. Now there is a ton of beef and history between her and Morelli, in Morelli's family garage while they.. eh.. played train when they were young, at the bakery where she worked at, and while she was driving the Buick and "accidentally" went on the pavement and hit Morelli and broke his leg. Now, Morelli is a cop, but he's been accused of murder but is on the loose. Stephanie Plum ends up trying to learn how to use her gun without breaking into a full body sweat and actually physically bringing Morelli in when she finds him the next time. I loved the back and forth banter between Stephanie and Morelli, and also Grandma Mazur, who is unbelievably hilarious and kick butt. The mystery also kept me guessing throughout the whole book. I loved her italian community and the Burg where her parents and grandmother lived. This book was perfect for me because I was in a reading slump. It made me laugh so much and it was such an entertaining start for this series! 




Two for the Dough (Stephanie Plum, #2)

Title: Two For the Dough (Stephanie Plum, #2)
Author: Janet Evanovich
DOP: 1996
Genre(s): Adult (Chick Flick)
Rating: 4/5 stars


The second book in the series starts off close to when the first book ended. Morelli is off the hook and is back to being a cop and a pain in the butt to Stephanie, however he sees it the other way. Stephanie finally upgraded from only using a gun to getting pepper spray and a taser. Her and Rex, her hamster, are managing to stay afloat with the money she's getting from the petty FTAs (Fail To Appear) and when a 5000$ FTA arrives, she immediately picks it up and what do you know? it is Morelli's cousin. This novel has a lot more of Grandma Mazur and I am so happy for that. I have to warn you, whenever Grandma Mazur is around, there always seems to be at least a gun being fired or a shooting occurring. Ranger barely appears in this novel (another bounty hunter) but I'm sure we will see more of him in later installments. This particular mystery gave me the creeps because a psychopath was on the loose who enjoys cutting limbs off people. I honestly don't get how Stephanie can do this when she gets death threats and very disturbing packages. Nonetheless she showed Morelli who's boss and I also really enjoyed this installment! 



December 21, 2012

Review: Splintered by A.G. Howard

Splintered

Title: Splintered 
Author: A.G. Howard
Publisher: Amulet Books
Publication date: January 1, 2013
Genre(s): Young Adult (Paranormal/Retelling)
Source: Publiher
Format: ARC
Pages: 384
Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.

When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.
I've never had a good run when it comes to retellings. I've read a couple retellings of literary works, such as Jane Austen's books, and I've never really been that impressed. However when I picked up Splintered and read the synopsis, I was instantly enchanted. Yes, enchanted. I am not a big fan of Alice in Wonderland but A. G. Howard went all out on the creativity and trying to make it her own, and that she did. Unfortunately, this book wasn't for me. I couldn't get past the amount of details and characters so it wasn't that great of a read. 
I have to admit, Splintered started off great. A curse that is hereditary and a girl who is afraid she's next in line to the psych ward where her mother is at. Alyssa just turned 16, and from her mother's blabbers, the curse is activated then. She only started believing in her mother's hysteric ramblings when she started hearing voices, ones belonging to insects! That was when she started doing some digging. I loved how the premise was laid out and I also liked the brotherly figure that Jeb, her friend, took up. Also, what was original was that Alyssa is Alice's great granddaughter! However everything went downhill with the introduction of Morpheus. I automatically hated him. He was a pompous, over confident, sleazy jerk in my books. I didn't like how manipulative he was and how Alyssa somehow couldn't resist and stay away from him. 
As soon as Alyssa went down the rabbit hole, my interest went downhill with it. I grew tired and restless trying to keep up with all the characters as well as the details in the book. I feel like people who are fanatics of Alice in Wonderland wouldn't have a problem keeping up, but like I mentioned above, it wasn't one of my favorite fairytales and my memory of the story is almost nonexistent. I also didn't like how trusting Alyssa was of Morpheus. Even though he tricked her multiple times, she still wanted to see the good side of him. 
I really struggled with this novel and ended up skipping detailed paragraphs trying to reach the ending. I was also so confused with what went down in the end but I didn't have it in me to go back and reread and try to get it. In other words, I felt like I've spent too much time on this novel already and it was time to close that chapter. Needless to say, many bloggers that I trust in their bookish opinions have absolutely adored and loved this one. Which is why I'm chalking it up to another freak thing where I am the only one who didn't like a book between all the ones that did. Be sure to check it out and give it a try, I am sure you'll enjoy it way more than I did.