Friday, November 30, 2012

Review: The Friday Society

The Friday Society
by Adrienne Kress
Release Date: December 6, 2012
by Dial

Goodreads / Pre-Order
An action-packed tale of gowns, guys, guns–and the heroines who use them all. 
 Set in turn of the century London, The Friday Society follows the stories of three very intelligent and talented young women, all of whom are assistants to powerful men: Cora, lab assistant; Michiko, Japanese fight assistant; and Nellie, magician's assistant. The three young women's lives become inexorably intertwined after a chance meeting at a ball that ends with the discovery of a murdered mystery man.
 It's up to these three, in their own charming but bold way, to solve the murder–and the crimes they believe may be connected to it–without calling.
Set in the past but with a modern irreverent flare, this Steampunk who-dun-it introduces three unforgettable and very ladylike–well, relatively ladylike–heroines poised for more dangerous adventures.

*A copy was provided by Dial for review purposes*

The Friday Society was probably my most-anticipated release of 2012, and it really didn’t disappoint.  It was just one of those books that was so effortlessly awesome, you’ll never forget it.  I loved how Kress got right into the story from page one, and from then on it was a fast-paced rollercoaster ride.  It was funny, action packed, well-written, an just perfect.  I loved the wit and kick-ass-ness incorporated into the book, and most of all I liked that the main character were kick-butt women.  Awesome!
I will say that the only part of the book that I didn’t like was the ending.  For me, it all happened just a little to easily.  I think Kress was eager to just finish the book, so she became sloppy with the loose ends.  I also didn’t really like the ending after the ending.
But, other than those two small details, this book was awesome.  There aren’t many books that don’t have guys or romance in them, and while this book had a little of that, it was only a minor thing, and I loved that!  It was kind of a “girls only” book.

I must say, this group of girls might just be my favorite characters EVER!  Each one was kick-ass to the fullest, and I loved reading about them.
Nellie was so awesome!  I loved that she was pretty and girly but still really kick-butt.  Cora was really smart and brilliant, and it’s cool to see that in a book.  And, even though she couldn’t speak English, Michiko was freaking awesome!

This book is one of the few that I will probably keep forever and read over and over again, because seriously, it’s freaking awesome!


4 stars

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday #46

This is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlites upcoming new releases that we're highly anticipating.

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

The Dollhouse Asylum, by Mary Gray

Release Date: October 8, 2013
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

A virus that had once been contained has returned, and soon no place will be left untouched by its destruction. But when seventeen-year-old Cheyenne wakes up in Elysian Fields--a subdivision cut off from the world and its monster-creating virus--she is thrilled to have a chance at survival.

At first, Elysian Fields,with its beautiful houses and manicured lawns, is perfect. Teo Richardson, the older man who stole Cheyenne's heart, built it so they could be together. But when Teo tells Cheyenne there are tests that she and seven other couples must pass to be worthy of salvation, Cheyenne begins to question the perfection of his world.

The people they were before are gone. Cheyenne is now "Persephone," and each couple has been re-named to reflect the most tragic romances ever told. Everyone is fighting to pass the test, to remain in Elysian Fields. Teo dresses them up, tells them when to move and how to act, and in order to pass the test, they must play along.

If they play it right, then they'll be safe.

But if they play it wrong, they'll die.


What are you guys waiting on this week?

Link me up!!

Monday, November 26, 2012

US vs UK #4




US vs UK is a meme hosted by Book Passion for Life.  In this meme, I will post a US and UK cover from the same book, and you guys will vote which one you like best.  I'll keep track of the score, and it will be a running competition!


_________________________________________________

The Score:
US: 3 UK: 0 Draw: 0


Unearthly (Unearthly, #1)   VS  Unearthly (Unearthly, #1)


My Vote:

This book has the best US/UK covers I've ever seen, and I think I'm going to have to go with the UK cover.  While the US cover is really good, I think the UK version has more going on, and is more eye-catching.


Links: Goodreads / Purchase


Which cover do you like best?
Leave a comment to vote!

Sunday, November 25, 2012

In My Mailbox #36


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:


The Mirrored Shard by Kaitlin Kittredge (from Delacorte Press)


YA BOOK EXCHANGE:

Origin by Jessica Khoury
Breathe by Sarah Crossan
Defiance by C.J. Redwine


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

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Bookish Bits #1


Bookish Bits is a meme hosted here at Emily's Crammed Bookshelf that features new bookish news, such as giveaways, new releases, and cover reveals!  Posted every Saturday.


New Releases (Nov 24-Nov 30):





Lullaby (Watersong #2) by Amanda Hocking (November 27, 2012 from St. Martin's Griffin)
Fragile Darkness (Midnight Dragonfly #3) by Ellie James (November 27, 2012 from St. Martin's Griffin)
A Shimmer of Angels by Lisa M. Basso (November 29, 2012 from Month9Books)
Touched (Sense Thieves #1) by Corrine Jackson (November 27, 2012 from Kensington Teen)


Cover Reveals:







Mystic (Soul Seekers #3) by Alyson Noel (St. Martin's Griffin)
Awaken (Abandon Trilogy #3) by Meg Cabot (Point)
The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen (Viking)
The Rules for Disappearing by Ashley Elston (Disney Hyperion)
Pieces (The Breakaway #2) by Michelle Davidson Argyle (Rhemelda Publishing)
Riptide by Lindsey Scheibe (Flux)
Strangelets by Michelle Gagnon (Soho Teen)
Walking Disaster (Beautiful #2) by Jamie McGuire (Atria Books)
The Boyfriend App by Katie Sise (Balzer + Bray)
Notes from Ghost Town by Kate Ellison (Egmont USA)


Giveaways:

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday #45


This is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlites upcoming new releases that we're highly anticipating.

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

Nobody, by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Release Date: January 22, 2013
Publisher: Egmont USA

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.

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING ON?
LINK ME UP!!

Monday, November 5, 2012

US vs UK #3




US vs UK is a meme hosted by Book Passion for Life.  In this meme, I will post a US and UK cover from the same book, and you guys will vote which one you like best.  I'll keep track of the score, and it will be a running competition!


_________________________________________________

The Score:
US: 2 UK: 0 Draw: 0

US vs UK Round 3

Eve and Adam by Michael Grant & Katherine Applegate

 VS 


My Vote:

I think I'm going to choose the US edition.  I'm sorry, but the UK one is just boring and not eye-catching at all.  I think the US cover is more vibrant, says something, and isn't as bland as the UK cover.


Links: Goodreads / Purchase


Which cover do you like best?
Leave a comment to vote!

Sunday, November 4, 2012

In My Mailbox #35



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:

Dualed by Elsie Chapman (from Random House)
The Friday Society by Adrienne Kress (from Dial.  Reading right now...amazing!)
Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans (from Simon & Schuster)


LIBRARY:

Hidden by Sophie Jordan


WHAT DID YOU GUYS GET THIS WEEK?!
LINK ME UP!!! :)

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Review: Deity

Deity
by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Series: Covenant #3
Release Date: November 6, 2012
by Spencer Hill Press

Goodreads / Pre-Order

Alexandria isn't sure she's going to make it to her eighteenth birthday--to her Awakening. A long-forgotten, fanatical order is out to kill her, and if the Council ever discovers what she did in the Catskills, she's a goner... and so is Aiden. If that's not freaky enough, whenever Alex and Seth spend time "training"--which really is just Seth's code word for some up-close and personal one-on-one time--she ends up with another mark of the Apollyon, which brings her one step closer to Awakening ahead of schedule. Awesome. But as her birthday draws near, her entire world shatters with a startling revelation and she's caught between love and Fate. One will do anything to protect her. One has been lying to her since the beginning. Once the gods have revealed themselves, unleashing their wrath, lives will be irrevocably changed... and destroyed. Those left standing will discover if love is truly greater than Fate...

*A copy was provided by Spencer Hill Press for review purposes*

Note: There are a few spoilers in this review, but they will be marked off with brackets [ ] to signify them starting and ending. I would suggest you don’t read those parts unless you've read this book, or you just don’t care about spoilers.

Even though there were some similarities to Vampire Academy in the first to books of this series, as it progresses it starts to draw away from the VA story line and follow its own.

One thing that Armentrout has been very consistent in with this series is she always gets right into the action. This whole series is pretty much non-stop action, and I love that. I like being entertained. The writing was really good, as usual, and there were a ton of funny parts that I laughed at. However, there were a few problems, and they all had to do with the story line:

[[Problem #1: In Pure Alex goes to the Covenant headquarters and sees a servant there who isn’t doped out with the elixir like the rest. Armentrout mentioned the servant several times. And then, in this book, it turns out that he is Alex’s father. Now, the second Armentrout introduced him, I knew he would be Alex’s father. It might just be that I’m exceptionally smart, or it could be that it was kind of obvious. However, I didn't see the next big shocker that was a result of him being Alex’s father, so props to Armentrout for that.]

[Problem #2: In this book, Alex and her guardians were talking about the gods and why the Apollyons were created. It’s a really imaginative idea by Armentrout, but her reasoning behind it isn’t rock solid. Apparently, the gods didn't want an uprising, so they called all their kids (the pures) and those who didn’t come were killed. But, they completely forgot about the halfs (the product of pures and mortals). So they created the Apollyons to keep the halfs in check. What I don’t understand is why, when the gods figured out they had forgotten the halfs, they didn't just kill them then. It was a huge plot hole, and Armentrout failed to correct it.]


Because of those two plot holes, I didn’t like this book as much as the others, but it was still pretty good by its own rights. The story line was really good, the staging was really good, and the ending was really good. I loved that Armentrout did explain some things at the end that didn’t make sense in the beginning. Also, she ended the book with the biggest freaking cliffhanger in the history of all cliffhangers. I felt like screaming!

I said in my review of Pure that I was totally Team Seth. Well, sorry Seth, Aiden is my man! And whoo-weeee, is Aiden ever smokin’. He is so sexy and kick-ass and cute and nice and gosh…I can’t even find the words to describe him I love him so much. Go Aiden!!
Yeah, I’ve completely fallen of the Seth bandwagon. Any ground he gained in Pure he totally lost in this book. I know despise him with every fiber of my being. He’s mean, abusive, a jerk, and a manipulator, and I hope Alex kicks his butt for me.
Alex is pretty much the only one I didn’t do a complete 180 on. She’s still kick-butt, big-mouthed, and funny.

This book had a ton of things going for it, with action and romance (*fans self*) and AIDEN (*fans self and then faints*) but because of two HUGE plot holes, I unfortunately have to lower my rating. But Armentrout better get the fourth book out asap or I swear I will die from the suspense. DO YOU REALLY WANT THAT ON YOUR CONSCIENCE, ARMENTROUT!?!?


3.5 pink flowers

Friday, November 2, 2012

Cover Reveals x 9


Dance of the Red Death
by Bethany Griffin
Masque of the Red Death #2
Release Date: April 23, 2013
by Greenwillow
Number of pages: 400
Format: Hardcover

Goodreads / Pre-Order

Everything is on fire.

Araby Worth’s city is being torn apart by death, disease, and corrupt forces wanting to claim it for their own. She has lost her home. Her best friend is dying. Her mother has been kidnapped. The boy who made her feel something again has betrayed her. And her father may be a murderer.

But Araby has found herself.  Despite the death and destruction all around her, she will fight for herself, for her friends, for her city. Her rebellion will take her, finally, to the mad prince’s palace, for the decadent –and sinister—masked ball. It could be a trap. It could be the end of them all. Or it could be the moment that Araby becomes the kind of hero she never dreamed she could be.The tragic, dark, and steamy conclusion to Bethany Griffin’s Masque of the Red Death saga.


The Masque of the Red Death series:
 

Masque of the Red Death: My Review / Goodreads / Purchase


A Darkness Strange and Lovely
by Susan Dennard
Something Strange and Deadly #2
Release Date: July 23, 2013
by HarperTeen
Number of pages: 416
Format: Hardcover

Following an all-out battle with the walking Dead, the Spirit Hunters have fled Philadelphia, leaving Eleanor alone to cope with the devastating aftermath. But there’s more trouble ahead—the evil necromancer Marcus has returned, and his diabolical advances have Eleanor escaping to Paris to seek the help of Joseph, Jie, and the infuriatingly handsome Daniel once again. When she arrives, however, she finds a whole new darkness lurking in this City of Light. As harrowing events unfold, Eleanor is forced to make a deadly decision that will mean life or death for everyone.



The Something Strange and Deadly series:
 

Something Strange and Deadly: Goodreads / Purchase



Unbreakable
by Elizabeth Norris
Unraveling #2
Release Date: April 23, 2013
by Balzer + Bray
Number of pages: 496
Format: Hardcover

Goodreads / Pre-Order
Four months after Ben disappeared through the portal to his home universe, Janelle believes she’ll never see him again. Her world is still devastated, but life is finally starting to resume some kind of normalcy. Until Interverse Agent Taylor Barclay shows up. Somebody from an alternate universe is running a human trafficking ring, kidnapping people and selling them on different Earths—and Ben is the prime suspect. Now his family has been imprisoned and will be executed if Ben doesn't turn himself over within five days.And when Janelle learns that someone she cares about—someone from her own world—has become one of the missing, she knows that she has to help Barclay, regardless of the danger. Now Janelle has five days to track down the real culprit. Five days to locate the missing people before they’re lost forever. Five days to reunite with the boy who stole her heart. But as the clues begin to add up, Janelle realizes that she’s in way over her head—and that she may not have known Ben as well as she thought. Can she uncover the truth before everyone she cares about is killed?


The Unraveling series:
 

Unraveling: Goodreads / My Mini Review / Unraveling



Sweet Peril
by Wendy Higgins
The Sweet Trilogy #2
Release Date: April 30, 2013
by HarperTeen
Number of pages: 464
Format: Paperback


Anna Whitt, daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, promised herself she’d never do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such a claim. She’d been naive about a lot of things. Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means embracing her dark side and earning an unwanted reputation as her school’s party girl. Her life has never looked more bleak. And all the while there’s Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart and mind.When an unexpected lost message from the angels surfaces, Anna finds herself traveling the globe with Kopano, son of Wrath, in an attempt to gain support of fellow Nephilim and give them hope for the first time. It soon becomes clear that whatever freedoms Anna and the rest of the Neph are hoping to win will not be gained without a fight. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and face the ultimate question: is loving someone worth risking their life?


The Sweet trilogy:
 

Sweet Evil: Goodreads / Purchase



Elegy
by Tara Hudson
Hereafter #3
Release Date: July 4, 2013
by HarperTeen
Number of pages: 400
Format: Hardcover

Goodreads / Pre-Order
A stalker ghost, misguided Seers, and spellbinding wraiths—Amelia Ashley has faced them all. Now her greatest hope is to spend the rest of her afterlife with her living boyfriend, Joshua. But the demonic forces return to give her an ultimatum: turn herself over to the darkness or watch them murder one living person per week until she does. Amelia fears she might really be doomed, until the forces of light give her another option. She can join them in their quest to gather souls, with a catch: Once she joins them, she can never see Joshua again. Faced with impossible choices, Amelia decides to take her afterlife into her own hands—and fight back.


The Hereafter series:

Herafter: Goodreads / Purchase
Arise: Goodreads / Purchase



Goddess
by Josephine Angelini
Starcrossed #3
Release Date: May 28, 2013
by HarperTeen
Number of pages: 432
Format: Paperback

Goodreads / Pre-Order
After accidentally unleashing the gods from their captivity on Olympus, Helen must find a way to re-imprison them without starting a devastating war. But the gods are angry, and their thirst for blood already has a body count.To make matters worse, the Oracle reveals that a diabolical Tyrant is lurking among them, which drives a wedge between the once-solid group of friends. As the gods use the Scions against one another, Lucas’s life hangs in the balance. Still unsure whether she loves him or Orion, Helen is forced to make a terrifying decision, for war is coming to her shores.In Josephine Angelini’s compelling conclusion to the masterfully woven Starcrossed trilogy, a goddess must rise above it all to change a destiny that’s been written in the stars. With worlds built just as fast as they crumble, love and war collide in an all-out battle that will leave no question unanswered and no heart untouched.


The Starcrossed series:
 

Starcrossed: Goodreads / Purchase
Dreamless: Dreamless / Purchase



After Daybreak
by J.A. London
Darkness Before Dawn #3
Release Date: June 25, 2013
by HarperTeen
Number of pages: Not avaliable
Format: Paperback

Combining breathless romance, dark family secrets, and cinematic action, After Daybreak will keep readers turning pages late into the night. The Darkness Before Dawn series is a unique blend of paranormal and dystopian fiction that is perfect for fans of Christopher Pike’s Thirst novels and the House of Night series. Dawn returns from L.A. with terrifying news: In his greed for power, the maniacal Day Walker Sin is raising an army and infecting his followers with the Thirst—a rabies-like disease that will turn them into mindless killers. To stop him, Dawn and Victor will have to convince humans and vampires to work together before it’s too late.


The Darkness Before Dawn series:

Darkness Before Dawn: Goodreads / My Review / Purchase
Blood-Kissed Sky: Goodreads / Pre-Order



The Ward
by Jordana Frankel
Release Date: April 30, 2013
by Katherine Tegen Books
Number of pages: 384
Format: Hardcover

Goodreads / Pre-Order
Sixteen-year-old Ren is a daredevil mobile racer who will risk everything to survive in the Ward, what remains of a water-logged Manhattan. To save her sister, who is suffering from a deadly illness thought to be caused by years of pollution, Ren accepts a secret mission from the government: to search for a freshwater source in the Ward, with the hope of it leading to a cure.However, she never expects that her search will lead to dangerous encounters with a passionate young scientist; a web of deceit and lies; and an earth-shattering mystery that’s lurking deep beneath the water’s rippling surface.Jordana Frankel’s ambitious debut novel and the first in a two-book series, The Ward is arresting, cinematic, and thrilling—perfect for fans of Scott Westerfeld or Ann Aguirre.



In the After
by Demitria Lunetta
Release Date: June 25, 2013
by HarperTeen
Number of pages: 480
Format: Hardcover

Attack. Not isolated. Fate of Americans unknown.Amy is watching TV when it happens, when the world is attacked by Them. These vile creatures are rapidly devouring mankind. Most of the population is overtaken, but Amy manages to survive—and even rescue “Baby,” a toddler she finds in an abandoned supermarket. Marooned in Amy’s house, the girls do everything they can to survive—and avoid Them at all costs.After years of hiding, they are miraculously rescued and taken to New Hope, a colony of survivors living in a former government research compound. While at first the colony seems like a dream with plenty of food, safety, and shelter, New Hope slowly reveals that it is far from ideal. And Amy soon realizes that unless things change, she’ll lose Baby—and much more.Rebellious, courageous, and tender, this unforgettable duo will have you on the edge of your seat as you tear through the pulse-pounding narrow escapes and horrifying twists of fate in this thrilling debut from author Demitria Lunetta.



I'm not sure if you guys noticed this (I know I did because it took me forever to complete this post) but every single cover featured above is published by Harper or one of its imprints.  Isn't that funny!?
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