Monday, December 31, 2012

Review: Scent of Magic

Scent of Magic
by Maria V. Snyder
Series: Healer #2
Pages: 400
Release Date: December 18, 2012
by Mira

Goodreads / Purchase
Hunted, Killed—Survived?

As the last Healer in the Fifteen Realms, Avry of Kazan is in a unique position: in the minds of her friends and foes alike, she no longer exists. Despite her need to prevent the megalomanical King Tohon from winning control of the Realms, Avry is also determined to find her sister and repair their estrangement. And she must do it alone, as Kerrick, her partner and sole confident, returns to Alga to summon his country into battle.

Though she should be in hiding, Avry will do whatever she can to support Tohon’s opponents. Including infiltrating a holy army, evading magic sniffers, teaching forest skills to soldiers and figuring out how to stop Tohon’s most horrible creations yet; an army of the walking dead—human and animal alike and nearly impossible to defeat.

War is coming and Avry is alone. Unless she figures out how to do the impossible ... again.



*A copy was provided by Maria Snyder for review purposes*


Maria V. Snyder is quit possibly my favorite author of all time, definitely in the top three.  I was pretty much drooling to read this book, and literally started screaming when I got a copy.  All of her books that I’ve read (well, except one) have blown me away, so I was expecting this book to be just as good.  Well, Maria V. Snyder didn’t disappoint.  I know Snyder for her amazing writing, thrilling story line, and cliffhanger chapter endings.  All of that was present in this book.  She started off the action from page one, and didn’t let up the entire book.  Her writing was amazing, awesome, great, and the events flowed together flawlessly.  The twists and betrayals in this book were amazing, and several times I literally yelled at the book as I was reading it.  The way she staged her events was awesome, and made it possible for the main character to figure things out.  None of the books I’ve read by Snyder really have cliffhanger endings, but this one totally did.  When it ended I almost started bawling because what happened…it can’t happen.  She must find a way to make what happened not happened because I swear if she doesn’t…I will die!

Snyder always has an extremely kick-ass main character, and an extremely attractive love interest.  In this case, they were Avry and Kerrick.  First off, let me just say I am totally jealous of Avry.  First off, she gets Kerrick.  Second off, she knows how to fight and can use weapons.  I do like Yelena and Valek (from Poison Study) a bit more than Avry and Kerrick, but I still love them.  Avery was so kick-ass, I couldn’t believe it.  She was brave, super sharp, and very cunning.  Kerrick was freaking awesome too.  Really nice, loving, and totally, TOTALLY attractive <3

Okay Snyder, this is my message to you.  YOU MUST FIX WHAT HAPPENED AT THE END OF THIS BOOK!  IF YOU DON’T, I WILL CRY FOREVER!!!!!!


5 pink flowers

Sunday, December 30, 2012

In My Mailbox #43: Christmas Edition!!!


In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren, where we spotlight the books that we've received for review, swapped, or purchased that week.

FOR REVIEW:


A Shade of Vampire by Bella Forrest (from Bella Forrest)
Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye by Shari A. Brady (from Shari Brady for blog tour)


GIFTED (FOR CHRISTMAS):

(from my grandma!)


The Diviners by Libba Bray
For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund
(from my mom)

I also got three Amazon gifts cards from my uncle and grandparents!


What did you guys get this week?
Link me up!!! :)

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Princess of the Silver Woods Blog Tour Stop



Hello lovelies!  Today is my stop on the Princess of the Silver Woods Blog Tour!  Today I have an awesome review and guest post for you, so let's get started!


Princess of the Silver Woods
by Jessica Day George
Series: Princess #3
Pages: 336
Release Date: December 11, 2012
by Bloomsbury USA

Goodreads / Purchase
When Petunia, the youngest of King Gregor's twelve dancing daughters, is invited to visit an elderly friend in the neighboring country of Westfalin, she welcomes the change of scenery. But in order to reach Westfalin, Petunia must pass through a forest where strange two-legged wolves are rumored to exist. Wolves intent on redistributing the wealth of the noble citizens who have entered their territory. But the bandit-wolves prove more rakishly handsome than truly dangerous, and it's not until Petunia reaches her destination that she realizes the kindly grandmother she has been summoned to visit is really an enemy bent on restoring an age-old curse. The stories of Red Riding Hood and Robin Hood get a twist as Petunia and her many sisters take on bandits, grannies, and the new King Under Stone to end their family curse once and for all.


*A copy was provided by Bloomsbury USA for review purposes*
I will admit that in the beginning of this book, I was considering giving up. The first twenty pages really weren’t that great: the events were too sudden, the writing wasn’t very good, it was confusing. But after the first twenty pages it got awesome!

This is the third in a series, and I haven’t read the first two. This was a bit of a problem, but Jessica Day George did such a good job explaining it didn’t really matter. The writing was awesome, there was really good, smart staging, and the events flowed together like a stream. There was a surprising amount of action in this book for a fairy tale. And, like all fairy tale stories, there was a VERY happy ending! :)

This book has a huge cast, maybe 17 or 18 people, because there are 12 princesses. But this cast was so awesome it didn’t even matter. Each character played their part very well, and they all contributed to the story. But the real main characters were Petunia and Oliver, and they were also the love interest. Insta-love happens way too often in YA, and I’m happy to say that this book did not suffer from the deadly disease that is Insta-Love. I loved how the romance grew over time, and Petunia and Oliver are really perfect for each other.
Petunia is totally kick-butt, especially for a fairtytale princess. I loves her spunk, attitude, and her fearlessness. I also love that she can take care of herself.
Oliver I also love. He’s such a sweet guy, and he really had to deal with a lot at a young age. You go man!

Needless to say, I will soon read the first two books in this series because if they are anything like this book I will love them. Also, I kind of want to see what happened before this one! :P

4 pink flowers



~Guest Post~


Where do you get your inspirations for your stories? How do you choose which fairytales to write about?

Oh, inspiration comes from lots of places!  I was in the shower the other day singing Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song” and came up with an idea!  It just happens, and it’s exciting!
I decided to write about The Twelve Dancing Princesses (PRINCESS OF THE SILVER WOODS) because I love the story but I own three different versions, and I wanted to make them fit together.  For instance, in one the guy is a soldier, in another he’s the gardener.  In one version he marries the oldest princess, in another the youngest, and in a third he says he doesn’t need any reward and just disappears!  Which one is the “real” story?  Hmm.  Guess I need to make my own version!  I picked Cinderella for PRINCESS OF GLASS because I wanted to put one of the twelve dancing princesses into a story where she would have to dance again, just one more time.  (At the ending of all the versions of Twelve Dancing Princesses, it says, And they lived happily ever after, and they never danced again.)  And for PRINCESS OF THE SILVER WOODS, I wanted to do a Red Riding Hood story because I’ve always wondered, What if the wolf weren’t a wolf?  If he can talk to Red and pretend to be her grandma, then what is he?  Maybe “wolf” is just another word for . . . well, you’ll see!





Bio:

Jessica Day George likes chocolate, knitting, books, travel, movies, dragons, horses, dogs, and her family. These are all things to keep in mind if you ever meet her. For instance, you could bring her chocolate to make the meeting go more smoothly. You could also talk about how adorable her children are, even if you have never seen them. You could discuss dog breeds (she has a Maltese named Pippin, and grew up with a poodle mix and a Brittany Spaniel). You could talk about Norway, and how it's the Greatest Place On Earth, and Germany, The Second Greatest Place On Earth. You could ask her about yarn, and indicate a willingness to learn to knit your own socks, if you can't already do so.

Connect:



Thanks so much for stopping by everyone!  I'm sorry I couldn't find a picture of JDG!  But anyway, I hope you enjoyed!! :)

Friday, December 28, 2012

Top 10 of 2012: Top 10 Books I'm Looking Forward to in 2013

Top 10 of 2012 is an event hosted by Confessions of a Bookaholic, A Life Bound By Books, Fiktshun, Two Chicks on Books, and Magical Urban Fantasy Reads.  Yesterday's post featured Best Book Boyfriends of 2012.  Today's post will feature the Top 10 Books I'm Looking Forward to in 2013.   It's really hard to pick 10 out of 500 books to feature, but here's my try.



Shadows in the Silence
by Courtney Allison Moulton
Series: Angelfire #3
Release Date: January 29, 2013
by Katherine Tegen Books
Warning: Since this is the third book in a series, the summery might be a bit spoilery for the first and second book, so  I wouldn't recommend reading it unless you've read the first book, Angelfire.
My Review Of: Angelfire | Wings of the Wicked


Goodreads / Pre-Order
Your strength in heart and hand will fall. . . .
Ellie knows that the darkest moments are still to come, and she has everything to fight for:

She must fight for Will.
The demonic have resorted to their cruelest weapons to put Will in mortal danger, and Ellie makes an unlikely alliance to save him and to stop Lilith and Sammael, who seek to drown the world in blood and tear a hole into Heaven.

She must fight for humanity.
As the armies of Hell rise and gather for the looming End of Days, Ellie and her band of allies travel to the world’s darkest and most ancient regions in her quest to come into her full glory as the archangel Gabriel.

And Ellie must save herself.
Her humanity withers beneath the weight of her cold archangel power, but Ellie must hold tight to who she is and who she loves as she prepares for the ultimate battle for Heaven and Earth.

In this final installment in the Angelfire trilogy, Courtney Allison Moulton brings her dark world of epic battles and blistering romance to a blazing bright conclusion.




Nobody
by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Release Date: January 22, 2013
by EgmontUSA

There are people in this world who are Nobody. No one sees them. No one notices them. They live their lives under the radar, forgotten as soon as you turn away.

That’s why they make the perfect assassins.

The Institute finds these people when they’re young and takes them away for training. But an untrained Nobody is a threat to their organization. And threats must be eliminated.

Sixteen-year-old Claire has been invisible her whole life, missed by the Institute’s monitoring. But now they’ve ID’ed her and send seventeen-year-old Nix to remove her. Yet the moment he lays eyes on her, he can’t make the hit. It’s as if Claire and Nix are the only people in the world for each other. And they are—because no one else ever notices them.



Unravel Me
by Tahereh Mafi
Series: Shatter Me #2
Release Date: February 5, 2013
by Harper
Warning: Since this is the second in a series, the summery might be a bit spoilery for the first book, so  I wouldn't recommend reading it unless you've read the first book, Shatter Me.
My Review Of: Shatter Me


tick, tick, tick, tick, tick
it's almost
time for war.

Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.

She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.

Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.

In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life.




Dualed
by Elsie Chapman
Series: Dualed #1
Release Date: February 26, 2013
by Random House

You or your Alt? Only one will survive.

The city of Kersh is a safe haven, but the price of safety is high. Everyone has a genetic Alternate—a twin raised by another family—and citizens must prove their worth by eliminating their Alts before their twentieth birthday. Survival means advanced schooling, a good job, marriage—life.

Fifteen-year-old West Grayer has trained as a fighter, preparing for the day when her assignment arrives and she will have one month to hunt down and kill her Alt. But then a tragic misstep shakes West’s confidence. Stricken with grief and guilt, she’s no longer certain that she’s the best version of herself, the version worthy of a future. If she is to have any chance of winning, she must stop running not only from her Alt, but also from love . . . though both have the power to destroy her.

Elsie Chapman's suspenseful YA debut weaves unexpected romance into a novel full of fast-paced action and thought-provoking philosophy. When the story ends, discussions will begin about this future society where every adult is a murderer and every child knows there is another out there who just might be better.



Poison
by Bridget Zinn
Release Date: March 12, 2013
by Disney Hyperion

Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction—which means she’s the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom’s future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend.

But, for the first time ever, her poisoned dart . . . misses.

Now a fugitive instead of a hero, Kyra is caught in a game of hide-and-seek with the king’s army and her potioner ex-boyfriend, Hal. At least she’s not alone. She’s armed with her vital potions, a too-cute pig, and Fred, the charming adventurer she can’t stop thinking about. Kyra is determined to get herself a second chance (at murder), but will she be able to find and defeat the princess before Hal and the army find her?

Kyra is not your typical murderer, and she’s certainly no damsel-in-distress—she’s the lovable and quick-witted hero of this romantic novel that has all the right ingredients to make teen girls swoon.



Spirit and Dust
by Rosemary Clement Moore
Release Date: May 14, 2013
by Delacorte Press

Daisy Goodnight can speak to the dead. It’s not the result of a head injury or some near-death experience. She was just born that way. And she’s really good at it. Good enough to help the police solve the occasional homicide.

But helping the local authorities clear cold cases is one thing. Being whisked out of chemistry class by the FBI and flown to the scene of a murder/kidnapping in Minnesota? That’s the real deal.

Before the promotion can go to Daisy’s head, she’s up to her neck in trouble. The spirits are talking, and they’re terrified. There’s a real living girl in danger. And when Daisy is kidnapped by a crime boss with no scruples about using magic—and Daisy—to get what he wants, it looks like hers is the next soul on the line



Premeditatted
by Josin McQein
Release Date: October 1, 2013
by Delacorte Press

A week ago, Dinah’s cousin Claire cut her wrists.

Five days ago, Dinah found Claire’s diary and discovered why.

Three days ago, Dinah stopped crying and came up with a plan.

Two days ago, she ditched her piercings and bleached the black dye from her hair.

Yesterday, knee socks and uniform plaid became a predator’s camouflage.

Today, she’ll find the boy who broke Claire.

By tomorrow, he’ll wish he were dead.



Beauty
Nancy Ohlin
Release Date: My 7, 2013
by Simon Pulse

Looks to kill for...

Ana is nothing like her glamorous mother, Queen Veda, whose hair is black as ravens and whose lips are red as roses. Alas, Queen Veda loathes anyone whose beauty dares to rival her own—including her daughter.

And despite Ana’s attempts to be plain to earn her mother’s affection,
she’s sent away to the kingdom’s exclusive boarding school.

At the Academy, Ana is devastated when her only friend abandons her for the popular girls. Isolated and alone, Ana resolves to look like a true princess to earn the acceptance she desires.

But when she uncovers the dangerous secret that makes all of the girls at the Academy so gorgeous, just how far will Ana go to fit in



Chantress
by Amy Butler Greenfield
Release Date:
by Margaret K. McElderry

Lucy’s Chantress magic will make her the most powerful—and most hunted—girl in England.“Sing, and the darkness will find you.” This warning has haunted fifteen-year-old Lucy ever since she was eight and shipwrecked on a lonely island. Lucy’s guardian, Norrie, has lots of rules, but the most important is that Lucy must never sing. Not ever. Now it is 1667, Lucy is fifteen, and on All Hallows’ Eve, Lucy hears a tantalizing melody on the wind. She can’t help but sing—and she is swept into darkness.



When she awakes in England, Lucy hears powerful men discussing Chantresses—women who can sing magic into the world. They are hunting her, but she escapes and finds sanctuary with the Invisible College, an organization plotting to overthrow the nefarious Lord Protector. The only person powerful enough to bring about his downfall is a Chantress. And Lucy is the last one in England.



Lucy struggles to master the song-spells and harness her power, but the Lord Protector is moving quickly. And her feelings for Nat, an Invisible College apprentice and scientist who deeply distrusts her magic, only add to her confusion…



Time is running out, and the fate of England hangs in the balance in this entrancing novel that is atmospheric and lyrical, dangerous and romantic.




Dark Triumph
by Robin LaFevers
Series: His Fair Assassin #2
Release Date: April 2, 2013
by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Sybella arrives at the convent’s doorstep half mad with grief and despair. Those that serve Death are only too happy to offer her refuge—but at a price. Naturally skilled in both the arts of death and seduction, the convent views Sybella as one of their most dangerous weapons.

But those assassin’s skills are little comfort when the convent returns her to a life that nearly drove her mad. Her father’s rage and brutality are terrifying, and her brother’s love is equally monstrous. And while Sybella is a weapon of justice wrought by the god of Death himself, He must give her a reason to live. When she discovers an unexpected ally imprisoned in the dungeons, will a daughter of Death find something other than vengeance to live for?

This heart-pounding sequel to Grave Mercy serves betrayal, treachery, and danger in equal measure, bringing readers back to fifteenth century Brittany and will keep them on the edge of their seats.

 
And that is it!  This is the last post in the Top 10 of 2012.  You can check all of them out here!  These are all books I'm dying to read in 2013.  You might notice that there is kind of a theme going on here, and I'll give you ten points if you can figure it out ;P

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Top 10 of 2012: Best Book Boyfriends of 2012

Top 10 of 2012 is an event hosted by Confessions of a Bookaholic, A Life Bound By Books, Fiktshun, Two Chicks on Books, and Magical Urban Fantasy Reads.  Tuesday's post featured Best Books Covers of 2012.  Today's post is my most anticipated of this event because it is Best Book Boyfriends of 2012!  So let's get started!!




Goodreads / Purchase / My Review
Kerrick <3
In this book, Avry is the only healer left in the Fifteen Realms, and Kerrick is working for a prince, Ryne, who has the plague.  Avry is captured by the police, and Kerrick and his band of men break her out of prison and basically tell her that she has no choice, she must heal Prince Ryne.  But when a healer heals, they take on the cuts or ilnesses they fix, so if Avry heals Ryne, she will die from the plague.  Kerrick starts off as being really cold and mean, but over the coarse of the story he and Avry begin to be attracted to each other, and in the end I end up LOVING him!





Ren <3
This book is the third book in the Nightshade series, so I won't really be going into this particular book.  But basically this whole series is about this girl, Calla - who is destined to be the leader of a pack of wolves - this guy, Ren - who is destined to be the leader of another pack of wolves (I'm sorry I can't remember the pack names, it's been a while) - and this guy, Shay - who is basically just a human guy that the Keepers, who control the packs, tell her to protect.  There's also a lot more going on, but that is the gist of it.  So there is a love triangle, and I'm ashamed to say that I jumped back and forth, and I don't know why becasue Shay is a slime-ball, but I have finally decided on Ren!  He is super-sexy, a werewolf, and devoted.


Adam <3
This book follows the story of Juliette, whose touch kills.  Because of this she is imprisoned.  She hasn't touched anyone in 264 days, until one day a boy, named Adam, is thrown into the same cell as Juliette, and when Juliette touches him, nothing happens.  Then one day the Reestablishement, who runs this dystopian world, takes her out of her cell, and plans on using her as a weapon.  I won't say anything else, but there is some history between Adam and Juliette, and let me just say, I wish there was history between me and Adam, because he's really sexy and nice and brave and...ugh...he's just perfect!








Duval <3
This book follows the story of a girl named Ismae, who is blessed by the god of Death, and escapes from a brutal marriage.  She is taken to a convent, where she learns to be an assassin and serve Death.  Her most important asignment is to go to Brittany, to court, and pose as the mistress of Gavriel Duval, who has been suspected of some murders at court. But she definitely isn't prepared for Duval, or how freaking attractive he is.  He is definitely in the top 3 of my most favorite fictional guys, because he is hot, gentle, and intense.  There is even a passage in my review where I quote the book.  It is a scene where Duval is extremely gentle to her...so I really think you should go read that, just so you can fall in love with Duval as well! 




 
Dimitri <3
This book is the third book in the Vampire Academy books.  It follows the super kick-ass Rose who is a Dhampir - half human, half vampire - and protects the Moroi Vampire Princess, Lissa.  Rose has them on the run, but other vampires eventually catch up to them and take them back to Vampire Academy, where Rose will continue training to be a Guardian.  Dimitri is assigned to be her trainer, and Rose is basically a pain in the ass, so Dimitri and her go back and forth.  Dimitri is a really kick-ass fighter, and that right there makes him extremely attractive, but he's also really cute and nice and he likes Western books ;P




Aiden <3
This book is basically a rip-off of Vampire Academy, and mostly that's a bad thing, but the one good thing is that there is a character like Dimitri in this book who, like I said above, is smokin.  The Dimitri character in this book is Aiden, and he is just as attractive as Dimitri, because he fights really well and he's very aware of Alex, the main character, and he's realy nice.







Dean <3
This is the second book in the Iron Codex series.  I really loved the first book, The Iron Thorn, but this book wasn't all that great.  But Dean...oh Dean.  In the first book Aoife, the main character hires him to take her to find her father, and Dean is a complete pain in the butt.  He's has a smart mouth, takes pleasure in annoying Aoife, and is super cute, and that's what makes him so attractive because, to be honest, I'm just like that...minus the super cute part ;P



Sol <3
In this book Mia, the main character, lives in Crownsville, where there have been several kidnappings.  Then her brother is kidnapped and she sometimes sees lightes in the sky.  That's when a myserios stranger, Sol, shows up, and Mia connects the kidnappings and the lights to him.  So they go on an adventure.  As you can see from the cover, Sol has a kick-ass tattoo on his back, and he's really just the perfect guy - in the beginning he was kind of a jerk, but by the end he was nice, cute, and very thoughful.



Will <3
This is the second book in the Angelfire series.  The main character, Ellie, find out that she is the Preliator - a really kick-ass angel who can kill tons of reapers, and when she herself is killed she is reincarnated.  But this reincarnation took longer than her other ones, and, unlike the other times she's come back, she doesn't remember anything from her past lives.  But when she meets Will, her Guadian, he reawakens her powers and she get flashbacks of her past.  Will is defnitely in my top 3 favorite book boyfriends because he's just perfect.  He has these really kick-ass tattooes, and he's a kick-ass fighter.  He's really cute and sexy, and I think what makes him so attractive is he doesn't realize how attractive he is!



 


Perry <3
I was not a huge fan of this book, but I will admit that pretty much the only good thing about this book was Perry.  Like I will say in my review, he put up will all of Aria's crap, and for that I really admire him.  Plus, he was pretty kick-butt and nice.








And that is all for today.  I'm sorry I missed yesterday's post - I had relatives over and we were really busy. ;)

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Top 10 of 2012: Best Book Covers of 2012

Top 10 of 2012 is an event hosted by Confessions of a Bookaholic, A Life Bound By Books, Fiktshun, Two Chicks on Books, and Magical Urban Fantasy Reads.  Yesterday's post featured Best Books I've Read in 2012.  Today's post will be Best Books Covers of 2012.



The Selection
by Kiera Cass
Series: The Selection #1
Release Date: April 24, 2012
by HarperTeen

Goodreads / Purchase / My Review
For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself--and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.




Masque of the Red Death
by Bethany Griffin
Series: Masque of the Red Death #1
Release Date: April 24, 2012
by Greenwillow

Everything is in ruins.

A devastating plague has decimated the population, and those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles around them.

So what does Araby Worth have to live for?

Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery makeup . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.

But in the depths of the club--in the depths of her own despair--Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club, and Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.

And Araby may find not just something to live for, but something to fight for--no matter what it costs her.



 
Grave Mercy
by Robin LaFevers
Series: His Fair Assassin #1
Release Date: April 3, 2012
by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?



Dreamless
by Josephine Angelini
Series: Starcrossed #2
Release Date: May 29, 2012
by HarperTeen
Warning: Since this is the second in a series, the summery might be a bit spoilery for the first book, so  I wouldn't recommend reading it unless you've read the first book, Starcrossed.

Can true love be forgotten?

As the only scion who can descend into the Underworld, Helen Hamilton has been given a nearly impossible task. By night she wanders through Hades, trying to stop the endless cycle of revenge that has cursed her family. By day she struggles to overcome the fatigue that is rapidly eroding her sanity. Without Lucas by her side, Helen is not sure she has the strength to go on.

Just as Helen is pushed to her breaking point, a mysterious new Scion comes to her rescue. Funny and brave, Orion shields her from the dangers of the Underworld. But time is running out--a ruthless foe plots against them, and the Furies' cry for blood is growing louder.

As the ancient Greek world collides with the mortal one, Helen's sheltered life on Nantucket descends into chaos. But the hardest task of all will be forgetting Lucas Delos.

Josephine Angelini's compelling saga becomes ever more intricate and spellbinding as an unforgettable love triangle emerges and the eternal cycle of revenge intensifies. Eagerly awaited, this sequel to the internationally bestselling "Starcrossed" delivers a gritty, action-packed love story that exceeds all expectations.




Wings of the Wicked
by Courtney Allison Moulton
Series: Angelfire #2
Release Date: January 31, 2012
by Katherine Tegen Books
Warning:
Warning: Since this is the second in a series, the summery might be a bit spoilery for the first book, so  I wouldn't recommend reading it unless you've read the first book, Angelfire.

Goodreads / Purchase / My Review
Life as the Preliator is harder than Ellie ever imagined.
Balancing real life with the responsibility of being Heaven’s warrior is a challenge for Ellie. Her relationship with Will has become all business, though they both long for each other. And now that the secret of who she really is has come out, so have Hell’s strongest reapers. Grown bold and more vicious, the demonic threaten her in the light of day and stalk her in the night.

She’s been warned.
Cadan, a demonic reaper, comes to her with information about Bastian’s new plan to destroy Ellie’s soul and use an ancient relic to wake all the souls of the damned and unleash them upon humanity. As she fights to stay ahead of Bastian’s schemes , the revelations about those closest to her awaken a dark power within Ellie that threatens to destroy everything—including herself.

She’ll be betrayed.
Treachery comes even from those whom she loves, and Ellie is broken by the deaths of those who stood beside her in this Heavenly war. Still, she must find a way to save the world, herself, and her love for Will. If she fails, there will be hell to pay.




Everneath
by Brodi Ashton
Series: Everneath #1
Release Date: January 24, 2012
by Balzer + Bray

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath. Now she's returned--to her old life, her family, her boyfriend--before she's banished back to the underworld . . . this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these precious months forgetting the Everneath and trying to reconnect with her boyfriend, Jack, the person most devastated by her disappearance--and the one person she loves more than anything. But there's just one problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who enticed her to the Everneath in the first place, has followed Nikki home. Cole wants to take over the throne in the underworld and is convinced Nikki is the key to making it happen. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back, this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time on the Surface draws to a close and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she is forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's queen.

"Everneath" is a captivating story of love, loss, and immortality from debut author Brodi Ashton.



Dark Companion
by Marta Acosta
Release Date: July 3, 2012
by Tor Teen

Orphaned at the age of six, Jane Williams has grown up in a series of foster homes, learning to survive in the shadows of life. Through hard work and determination, she manages to win a scholarship to the exclusive Birch Grove Academy. There, for the first time, Jane finds herself accepted by a group of friends. She even starts tutoring the headmistress’s gorgeous son, Lucien. Things seem too good to be true.

They are.



The more she learns about Birch Grove’s recent past, the more Jane comes to suspect that there is something sinister going on. Why did the wife of a popular teacher kill herself? What happened to the former scholarship student, whose place Jane took? Why does Lucien’s brother, Jack, seem to dislike her so much?



As Jane begins to piece together the answers to the puzzle, she must find out why she was brought to Birch Grove—and what she would risk to stay there….



The Treachery of Beautiful Things
by Ruth Frances Long
Release Date: August 16, 2012
by Dial

A darkly compelling mix of romance, fairy tale, and suspense from a new voice in teen fiction

The trees swallowed her brother whole, and Jenny was there to see it. Now seventeen, she revisits the woods where Tom was taken, resolving to say good-bye at last. Instead, she's lured into the trees, where she finds strange and dangerous creatures who seem to consider her the threat. Among them is Jack, mercurial and magnetic, with secrets of his own. Determined to find her brother, with or without Jack's help, Jenny struggles to navigate a faerie world where stunning beauty masks some of the most treacherous evils, and she's faced with a choice between salvation or sacrifice--and not just her own.



The Sweetest Spell
by Suzanne Selfors
Release Date: August 21, 2012
by Walker Books for Young Readers

Emmeline Thistle, a dirt-scratcher's daughter, has escaped death twice-first, on the night she was born, and second, on the day her entire village was swept away by flood. Left with nothing and no one, Emmeline discovers her rare and mysterious ability-she can churn milk into chocolate, a delicacy more precious than gold.

Suddenly, the most unwanted girl in Anglund finds herself desired by all. But Emmeline only wants one-Owen Oak, a dairyman's son, whose slow smiles and lingering glances once tempted her to believe she might someday be loved for herself. But others will stop at nothing to use her gift for their own gains-no matter what the cost to Emmeline.

Magic and romance entwine in this fantastical world where true love and chocolate conquer all.




Enchanted
by Alethea Kontis
Series: Woodcutter Series #1
Release Date: May 8, 2012
by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

It isn't easy being the rather overlooked and unhappy youngest sibling to sisters named for the other six days of the week. Sunday’s only comfort is writing stories, although what she writes has a terrible tendency to come true.

When Sunday meets an enchanted frog who asks about her stories, the two become friends. Soon that friendship deepens into something magical. One night Sunday kisses her frog goodbye and leaves, not realizing that her love has transformed him back into Rumbold, the crown prince of Arilland—and a man Sunday’s family despises.

The prince returns to his castle, intent on making Sunday fall in love with him as the man he is, not the frog he was. But Sunday is not so easy to woo. How can she feel such a strange, strong attraction for this prince she barely knows? And what twisted secrets lie hidden in his past - and hers?

And that is my second post for this event!!  These are the prettiest covers (in my opinion) of 2012, and I'm sure you guys noticed that some of these books featured here were also featured yesterday in my Best Books I've Read in 2012 post.

Leave a comment below letting me know which cover, or covers, were your favorite(s), and if you leave the link to your Top 10 post I'll be sure to check it out!  Merry Christmas!!!!
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