Young Adult Books

BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY... THEY GET EVEN. Lillia has never had any problems dealing with boys who like her. Not until this summer, when one went too far. No way will she let the same thing happen to her little sister. Kat is tired of the rumours, the insults, the cruel jokes. It all goes back to one person– her ex-best friend– and she's ready to make her pay. Four years ago, Mary left Jar Island because of a boy. But she's not the same girl anymore. And she's ready to prove it to him. Three very different girls who want the same thing: sweet, sweet revenge. And they won't stop until they each had a taste. I'm not sure what took me so long to pick up this book, especially since I've always been a fan of Siobhan Vivian, but I am definitely glad that I finally did. Burn for Burn is a book that could have been another one of those beachy, summer dramas with all of the glamour, guys, and gossip, and while all of those elements are present—and done well, I should note—Han and Vivian go beyond all of that to create a story that is suspenseful and full of surprises. With its sharp, quick plot and a great cast of characters, Burn for Burn is a fantastic read to satisfy anyone's guilty pleasure cravings. Rating: 4.5 Review copy from BEA

Basically “Books to Pine For” are books not yet released, that I can’t wait to get my hands on (or books I’ve recently gotten my hands on… but are still pine-worthy)! These books are ones that should be on your radar, because I know they are on mine! If this is your first visit to the blog, I do “Books to Pine For” sporadically, it’s a regular feature but it doesn’t have a set date I post every month or what not. You can check out all the books to pine for posts, they start chronologically from the most recent. In case you want to check out some earlier ones I’ve done. Okay I’ve rambled enough, on to the goods! Just a note.. all the links in the titles go to their Goodreads page… easier to add to your wish list! *ALL SUMMARIES ARE FROM GOODREADS OR AMAZON! Asylum by Susan Vaught Release Date: February 18, 2014 Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens Never, Kentucky is not your average scenic small town. It is a crossways, a place where the dead and the living can find no peace. Not that Forest, an 18-year-old foster kid who works the graveyard shift at Lincoln Hospital, knew this when she applied for the job. Lincoln is a huge state mental institution, a good place for Forest to make some money to pay for college. But along with hundreds of very unstable patients, it also has underground tunnels, bell towers that ring unexpectedly, and a closet that holds more than just donated clothing….When the dead husband of one of Forest’s patients makes an appearance late one night, seemingly accompanied by an agent of the Devil, Forest loses all sense of reality and all sense of time. Terrified, she knows she has a part to play, and when she does so, she finds a heritage that she never expected. With her deep knowledge of mental illness and mental institutions, Susan Vaught brings readers a fascinating and completely creepy new book intertwining the stories of three young people who find themselves haunted beyond imagining in the depths of Lincoln Hospital. Uninvited by Sophie Jordan Release Date: March 2014 Publisher: HarperTeen You can’t change your DNA…even when it says you’re a murderer. When Davy tests positive for Homicidal Tendency Syndrome, aka “the kill gene,” she loses everything. Once the perfect high school senior, she is uninvited from her prep school and abandoned by her friends and boyfriend. Even her parents are now afraid of her—although she’s never hurt a fly. Davy doesn’t feel any differently, but genes don’t lie. One day she will kill someone. Without any say in the matter, Davy is thrown into a special class for HTS carriers. She has no doubt the predictions are right about them, especially Sean, who already bears the “H” tattoo as proof of his violence. Yet when the world turns on the carriers, Sean is the only one she can trust. Maybe he’s not as dangerous as he seems. Or maybe Davy is just as deadly. Waterfell by Amalie Howard Release Date: October 29, 2013 Publisher: Harlequin Teen THE GIRL WHO WOULD BE QUEEN Nerissa Marin hides among teens in her human form, waiting for the day she can claim her birthright-the undersea kingdom stolen from her the day her father was murdered. Blending in is her best weapon-until her father’s betrayer confronts Nerissa and challenges her to a battle to the death on Nerissa’s upcoming birthday-the day she comes of age. Amid danger and the heartbreak of her missing mother, falling for a human boy is the last thing Nerissa should do. But Lo Seavon breaches her defenses and somehow becomes the only person she can count on to help her desperate search for her mother, a prisoner of Nerissa’s mortal enemy. Is Lo the linchpin that might win Nerissa back her crown? Or will this mortal boy become the weakness that destroys her? Alienated by Melissa Landers Release Date: February 4, 2014 Publisher: Disney-Hyperion Interplanetary relations have never been more exciting! The first in a funny, romantic YA sci-fi series. Two years ago, the aliens made contact. Now Ca

Future Favorites is a weekly feature on Electrifying Reviews. Its purpose is to highlight six different books that look great, and will hopefully be favorites of mine when I get the chance to read them.?The Liberator (Dante Walker, #2) by Victoria Scott (Entangled Teen: August 27, 2013)??Reality Boy by A.S. King (Little, Brown: October 22, 2013)??Endless Knight (The Arcana Chronicles, #2) by Kresley Cole (Simon & Schuster: October 1, 2013)??Vicious by V.E. Schwab (Tor: September 24, 2013)??The Wicked Within (Gods & Monsters, #3) by Kelly Keaton (Simon Pulse: September 17, 2013)??Demon Derby by Carrie Harris (Random House: March 1, 2014)?Which of these looks the best to you? What are some books you're looking forward to? Comment below and let me know!

Waiting on Wednesday idea from Jill at Breaking the Spine.-----Haze by Paula Weston* Published by: Indigo (UK)* Format: Paperback (UK)* Release Date: October 3rd, 2013 (UK)* On Amazon: hereSummary from Amazon.co.uk:WARNING: Spoilers for book one, Shadows!Gaby Winters' life used to be pretty normal. She lived with her best friend. She worked in a library. She was slowly getting over the death of her twin brother, Jude. Until Rafa arrived. Now Gaby has discovered she is one of the Rephaim - descended from fallen angels. She knows demons exist. That they are coming for her. And that Jude might be alive. What she does next could change everything. Shadows was a huge surprise - I didn't expect to love it but I absolutely did and it's now my favourite angel novel. It was a five-star read for me, and the first paranormal book I've read for ages that truly captured my imagination and attention. I was quite sad when I heard Haze had been delayed until later in the year, but I suppose it's something to look forward to. It's one I'll be reading as soon as it arrives, that's for sure. Also: just look at that cover!

A flashback to what I was reviewing in June 2008: Day of the Scarab by Catherine Fisher. Sequel to The Sphere of Secrets. From my review: “A world with gods, where those in control stopped believing. But it turns out the gods and the myths are real; and a handful of people, including a young priestess, a scribe, and a thief, are chosen by the god to fix things. . . . It’s a bit weird writing up something for a third book; on the one hand, if you’ve read the other 2, you are breathless and eager to read this one. On the other hand, if you haven’t, what I want to say is this: Here is a brilliantly plotted fantasy, tightly told, over three volumes. It is worth your investment to go, read the first, and continue thru all three. This final book has a wonderful conclusion; it addresses the main issues raised in the trilogy (restoration of the Oracle, threats of rebellion, the preservation of religions) yet does not answer every question.” Whales on Stilts by M.T. Anderson. Series: M.T. Anderson’s Thrilling Tales. From my review: “The Thrilling Tale of Katie Mulligan (you remember her from the Horror Hollow Books), Jasper Dash (Boy Technonaut) and Lily Gefelty as they encounter Whales — on — Stilts. (I’m saying that in my Pigs In Space voice.) . . . To begin with: “On Career Day Lily visited her dad’s work with him and discovered he worked for a mad scientist who wanted to rule the earth through destruction and desolation.” Could there be a better opening line? Or summation of a plot? Lily herself is quietly observant: “Lily believed that the world was a wonderful and magical place. She believed that if watched carefully enough, you could find miracles anywhere.” . . . But, as I said, you don’t need to know that Katie is RL Stine come to life or Jasper a throwback to the 20s/30s to enjoy the humor. Dad works in an abandoned warehouse on edge of town. With a receptionist. That, my friends, is the type of humor I adore. An abandoned warehouse where the father doesn’t realize something is up, is just plain crazy; add in a receptionist for the evil people? And chums, it is brilliant.” King Of Shadows by Susan Cooper. From my review: “Present-day Nat is a teenager and actor who is in a staging of one of Shakespeare’s Plays. Then, boom! Time slip happens and he’s back in the day, meeting the real Bard.” Gray Horses by Hope Larson. From my review: “This graphic novel looks at the experiences of a French exchange student in America; the art and text is deceptively simple. Noemie struggles with loneliness, fitting in, finding friends; and is also having odd dreams about horses.”

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine and spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.   While Morganville, Texas, is often a troubled town, Claire Danvers and her friends are looking forward to coming home. But the Morganville they return to isn’t the one they know; it’s become [...]

I want to let everyone know that I'm leaving on vacation TODAY and will be gone through July 8th or so. I'll still be posting every day, my posts are all scheduled up, but I won't be commenting as much and won't be checking my email as much. I likely won't be around at all until Monday when I get to my moms and will have wi-fi. My phone is smart, but my service sucks, so I doubt I'll have 3G over there. So if you attempt to contact me, I'll answer when I'm able! Hello everyone! Confident Reads is a feature I have here each week once in awhile and is a way to open communication between readers and Indie authors. This is to help readers feel confident in the books they spend their money on, and for authors to feel confident in the book they publish. I've been so busy with My Favorite Things that I've slacked on Confident Reads this month. And poor Kellie, she's been waiting WEEKS for me to post this. So here you all go! Let's welcome Indie author Kellie Bellamy Tayer to the blog! When, and how, did you come to being an indie/self published author? I self-published "The Gypsy Thief" last November after receiving too many rejections of my query! Did you attempt to publish traditionally? What were your experiences? Yes, I did. I had one publisher who loved it and wanted to publish it but they were in the process of switching to electronic publication only and I wanted both electronic and paperback options so I declined their offer. Another publisher asked for the entire manuscript but then declined to publish (they were the group for responsible for self-pubbing "Fifty Shades of Grey" for E.L. James before it was taken over by one of the Big Six). If you were offered a deal with a traditional publisher, would you take it? Yes, if the offer is fair. What is the best part of being indie/self published, for you? I get all the control--from content to lay-out to cover design and interior elements. The indie/self published scene is constantly changing. Even quite a few traditionally published authors have ventured into the world of self publishing. What do you predict for the future? How do you think the indie scene is changing and where do you think it will go? Self-publishing used to be considered literary prostitution but now it's respectable and often a writer's first choice. I predict it will be get bigger and more big-time authors will use self-publishing to keep their readers happy and to keep the market saturated with their work (traditional publishing is very slow and this will enable authors to be more prolific). As an indie/self published author, what has been your biggest obstacle? Marketing! It's time-consuming, complicated, mentally-draining and takes away from my writing time, but it's necessary if I want people to find my books. In the world of indie/self published not everyone goes about things the same way. Many make mistakes (and hopefully learn from them). What are the biggest mistakes that you think authors are making and how do you suggest they improve? One mistake is not publishing a clean manuscript free of typos, spelling and grammatical errors. Also not marketing enough through all channels possible is a mistake. How do you approach reviewers? And what has worked best when doing so? I've contacted dozens and dozens of bloggers and asked them if they would be willing to review my book or at least give it a mention on their blogs. I've had some feedback from this so that's good. It's time-consuming but worth it. When it comes to sales, what do you think has worked the best for you and had the biggest impact? Word of mouth from readers, family and friends and exposure from bloggers. If someone tells you they are thinking of publishing a novel themselves and they would like some advice on where to get started or some tips for success, what advice would you give? I would suggest CreateSpace--they're publishing my trilogy.

If I’m completely honest with myself, Shades of Earth was my least favorite book of the Across the Universe trilogy. It wasn’t bad by any means. I mean, Beth Revis is still as incredible as ever! Things just didn’t work out in a manner that was pleasing for me as a reader. Warning: There will be spoilers ahead for Shades of Earth. Do not continue this review if you do not want to be spoiled. In Shades of Earth, the chaos has official reached level 100 or so. You can’t really rate the level of chaos because it is that high. Things are out of control, and there really isn’t a safe place to run to. Especially now that the members of Godspell have left their ship. They are in completely uncharted territory and the danger level is filled to the brink. On one level, I loved the danger and the intrigue of the chaos. It allowed things to be questioned and loyalties to be tested. As has been standard for the entire series, Amy and Elder feel themselves being pulled in completely separate directions and are struggling to find middle ground. Their feelings towards each other and their attachment are pushed further then it has ever known. I admittedly enjoyed this because it allowed them to still grow and change. What didn’t I like about the chaos? I didn’t like the separation between Amy’s people (the Humans) and Elder’s people (Godspell residents). I understood what Beth Revis was trying to do but at the same time it almost felt a little over bearing to me. Especially when it came to Amy’s father. I understand the whole military mindset and him feeling like he had to protect the people around him but I hate how he would not listen to Amy, and how he treated her as if she didn’t have a brain of her own. I also hated how Amy became when she was around him like she didn’t know who she was anymore. DROVE ME NUTS! Also, this isn’t a book for the weak at heart. Shades of Earth is filled with danger and some of those who encounter the danger do not make it out alive. And these scenes are not simple “pass me by” scenes in which a character dies, they are intense and descriptive and real. Some of them made my stomach turn. So kudos to Beth Revis for having that ability (and for being such a beautiful creative writer) but seriously, this material is not for the weak at heart. Overall, the Across the Universe trilogy gave me a chance to delve into something I normally would have never given a second look. Now I find myself picking up more science fiction books and wanting to read them. I’m not sure anything will ever add up to the moment I first picked up Across the Universe but I’m still excited to find more and give them a try! Disclosure: I own a copy of this book. Across the Universe review A Million Suns review Other reviews of Shades of Earth by Beth Revis: Reading in Winter: “I felt like this was a worthy ending to the series, even if things were wrapped up a little too neatly.” Rawr Reader: “My feelings for this book are very conflicted…” Julia @ The Broke and the Bookish: “Since I read Across the Universe in 2011, I have not read another YA series that is as awesomely unique and imaginative as this. I highly recommend this and all of Revis’ books.“

Blessed Fate by HB Heinzer Blessed Tragedy #2 Release Date: June 18, 2013 Source: Inkslinger PR / blog tour Colton Bradford never believed in love at first sight. And then, Rain Maxwell walked through his buddy’s front door. He knew there was something special underneath the shy, guarded exterior and was determined to find out what it was. The problem? Rain had devised her own set of life rules and “Never get involved with a band mate” was right near the top of that list. She allowed Colton into her heart as one of her closest friends, but pushed him away at the mention of anything more. When tragedy strikes Rain’s personal life, Colton is determined to be there for her in whatever way she’ll allow. Will she finally open up to him and consider taking things to the next level? Will Colton’s ways of trying to bury his feelings for Rain in the past ruin the possibility of a future for them? Blessed Fate is a book that music lovers will love – it is adult, but I thought it still had a hint of what so many people are loving about new adult these days. For me, it was a lot slower to get into and stayed that way pretty well throughout for me. I really liked Rain – she was spunky and very much her own person. She was a punk rock chick, but she didn’t just fit a stereotype. So while the plot was a little slowly for me and was harder for me to get into, I still enjoyed the characters. They were a really diverse bunch! ——————————————- Now, there is also a giveaway running along with the tour: a Rafflecopter giveaway Feel free to follow along with the rest of the tour as well: June 17: Lovin Los Libros AND Brianna Lee Reviews June 18: RELEASE DAY LAUNCH June 19: The Book CellarX June 20: Tanya’s Book Nook June 21: Globug and Hootie Need a Book June 22: A Good Addiction June 23: Rose Caceres June 24: BookCrush AND TalkSupe June 25: Shhh Mom’s Reading AND Reviews by Tammy & Kim June 26: Hesperia Loves Books AND Peace Love Books June 27: Romancing Rakes AND Sizzle & Swoon June 28: The Book Enthusiast AND Book LaLaLand June 29: Lori’s Book Blog AND Two Tall Tales June 30: The Bookish Babes AND I Love Lady Porn Related posts: Tour: Protecting What’s His by Tessa Bailey Book Review + Giveaway Yours at Midnight by Robin Bielman Book Review + Giveaway Wrong Bed, Right Guy by Katee Albert Book Review + Giveaway

By P.J. Hoover Available now from Tor Teen Review copy I am part of the Mod Podge Blog Tour for SOLSTICE and I'm repping Team Myth today. You can stop by Girls in the Stacks to read the Team Dystopia post. Stop by here later today for a guest blog by P.J. Hoover on Solstice Depicted. I'm excited to be taking part in this tour as well as reviewing SOLSTICE, because I used to live in Austin and Hoover is pretty well known around those parts. Some of you might have already read SOLSTICE, since Hoover self published it first. I haven't read that version, so I don't know if there have been changes or not. But SOLSTICE doesn't read like it's behind on trends. It's not so much a true dystopia as it is the tale of a society on the edge of apocalypse. For the past eighteen years, it's been summer all the time, and even the the summer-hardened denizens of Austin can barely handle it. And most of the countermeasures put in place by the government just further harm the environment. Piper, who just turned eighteen, chafes under the close watch of her overprotective mother. The only time she gets out is with her best friend, Chloe, her lifeline to normalcy. Then Piper meets two strange, super hot guys: Shayne and Reese. Things start getting strange and Piper starts to realize almost everyone in her life is lying to her. But she knows one things for sure: Chloe is going to die. All Piper wants is the truth, her best friend's life, and freedom from her mother's oppressive love. Fans of Greek myth will cotton on to the story being retold as soon as they see the graphic finial at the beginning of each chapter. But Hoover does not tell it straight. She references a variety of myths and orchestrates a tour of the Underworld that put me more in a mind of Dante's Inferno than Hamilton's Mythology. At the same time, Hoover doesn't bog herself down too much in allusions. SOLSTICE is perfectly readable even if you've never heard any of the myths. I liked that the stakes in SOLSTICE didn't come down to Piper's romantic inclinations. She has her own part to play in the balance of the world, and it is up to her to decide where and how she'll live. Much of the book is about Piper going out and getting answers, even though people don't want her to have them, and then using that information to make her choices. I loved watching Piper learn that she had the power to make and assert her own decisions. That being said, the love story ain't half bad. In does read a little like instalove, although there is more too it than that. I was turned off by the initial love triangle setup, but it isn't really a love triangle. Piper isn't torn between two guys. (And let me tell you, I was very happy when a certain someone got their comeuppance. Myths are good about that.) SOLSTICE is an inventive novel that really gets the pages flipping. While I am Team Myth all the way, I enjoyed the future world Hoover created. It was easy to image in the heat, killing the plants, causing humanity to retreat to domes, overwhelming and oppressive. It feels like a realistic possibility, no matter than the explanation is fairly fantastic. I look forward to whatever Hoover writes next.