New Releases: February 2012

Young Adult Releases

Featured Release

I'm really looking forward to The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour!!  

Colby and Bev have a long-standing pact: graduate, hit the road with Bev's band, and then spend the year wandering around Europe. But moments after the tour kicks off, Bev makes a shocking announcement: she's abandoning their plans - and Colby - to start college in the fall.

But the show must go on and The Disenchantments weave through the Pacific Northwest, playing in small towns and dingy venues, while roadie- Colby struggles to deal with Bev's already-growing distance and the most important question of all: what's next?

Morris Award–finalist Nina LaCour draws together the beauty and influences of music and art to brilliantly capture a group of friends on the brink of the rest of their lives.

What new releases are you guys looking forward to this month!?

Kindle Deals: Last Call For Epic Deals

HarperTeen’s 99-cent Epic Deals come to a close tomorrow (1/31)! Don’t forget to take advantage of them while you still can. I’ve relisted all of the Epic Deals below! Each book is only 99 cents!

Guest Post & Giveaway: Mary Lowry

Today I’m pleased to have Mary Lowry, author of The Earthquake Machine, here to stop by Inklings Read with a guest post….AND giveaway!

About Mary Lowry

Goodreads | Website | Twitter

Mary Pauline Lowry has worked as a forest firefighter, screenwriter, open water lifeguard, construction worker, and advocate in the movement to end violence against women. Due to no fault of her sweet parents, at 15 she ran away from home and made it all the way to Matamoros, Mexico. She believes girls should make art, have adventures, and read books that show them the way.

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girls can’t do that?, or can they?

by Mary Lowry

I wasn’t much of a tomboy growing up. I was mostly a bookworm. I devoured books. I hated that school classes distracted me from reading and by junior high I was a pro at hiding a novel behind a propped-open binder and reading my way through the school day.

The books I read allowed me to live fantastical lives and go on all sorts of adventures. But I wasn’t very old before I realized I wanted to have adventures myself.

When I was 15 I ran away from home. I went south from my hometown of Austin to South Padre Island and then to Matamoros, Mexico. That trip inspired my novel THE EARTHQUAKE MACHINE about a girl who leaves behind her country, her family, and everything she knows to travel deep into the heart of Mexico.

The book questions the expectations placed on young girls. That’s a subject I grappled with myself when I was growing up. Though I love toenail polish and girl talk as much as the next gal, I also wanted the chance to roam the world and have adventures the way I often saw boys doing in movies. So when I graduated college I joined an elite crew of forest firefighters. Together we traveled the American West battling blazes. I decided back then that I never wanted to have a normal sort of life.

I want girls who read THE EARTHQUAKE MACHINE to understand that they can shed expectations that being “girly” and “feminine” also means being docile and shying away from challenges and adventures.

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Giveaway

Mary has been generous enough to giveaway one ebook copy of her book, The Earthquake Machine! To enter, please use the rafflecopter form below! If you can't see it you may need to click "Read More" at the bottom of this post. But first, here’s a bit about the prize:

The Earthquake Machine

Goodreads | Amazon.com

The book every girl should read, and every girl’s parents hope she’ll never read.

The Earthquake Machine tells the story of 14 year-old Rhonda. On the outside, everything looks perfect in Rhonda’s world, but at home Rhonda has to deal with a manipulative father who keeps her mentally ill mother hooked on pharmaceuticals. The only reliable person in Rhonda’s life is her family’s Mexican yardman, Jesús. But when the INS deports Jesús back to his home state of Oaxaca, Rhonda is left alone with her increasingly painful family situation.

Determined to find her friend Jésus, Rhonda seizes an opportunity to run away during a camping trip with friends to Big Bend National Park. She swims to the Mexican side of the Rio Grande and makes her way to the border town of Milagros, Mexico. There a peyote- addled bartender convinces her she won’t be safe traveling alone into the country’s interior. So with the bartender’s help, Rhonda cuts her hair and assumes the identity of a Mexican boy named Angel. She then sets off on a burro across the desert to look for Jesús. Thus begins a wild adventure that fulfills the longing of readers eager for a brave and brazen female protagonist.

Review: Awakened

Awakened (House of Night, #8) by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin 
Format: Ebook
Pages: 290
Source: Purchased
Amazon | Audible | Goodreads
★★★★★

Exonerated by the Vampyre High Council and returned to her position of High Priestess at Tulsa’s House of Night, Neferet has sworn vengeance on Zoey.  Dominion over Kalona is only one of the weapons she plans to use against Z.  But Zoey has found sanctuary on the Isle of Skye and is being groomed by Queen Sgiach to take over for her there.  Being Queen would be cool, wouldn’t it?  Why should she return to Tulsa? After losing her human consort, Heath, she will never be the same – and her relationship with her super-hot-warrior, Stark, may never be the same either…

And what about Stevie Rae and Rephaim?  The Raven Mocker refuses to be used against Stevie Rae, but what choice does he have when no one in the entire world, including Zoey, would be okay with their relationship?  Does he betray his father or his heart?

In the pulse-pounding 8th book in the bestselling House of Night series, how far will the bonds of friendship stretch and how strong are the ties that bind one girl’s heart?

Awakened is, by far, the most emotionally charged book in the House of Night series. I found myself tearing up during numerous parts, both happy and sad. Until this book, I never realized just how much of a hold the characters have on me.

Like the other books, the story is read from the different point of views of select characters. The Casts do a great job with this! I never found myself getting bored of reading the different point of views. I especially enjoyed getting in Rephaim's head. So much inner turmoil! He has an entire battle of light vs dark raging inside his head. He's one of the most interesting and original characters in the series and my personal favorite. The turn in the relationship between Stevie Rae and Rephaim was the highlight of this book for me. I cannot express how happy I was with the outcome of this relationship in Awakened. The Casts did a wonderful job working the plot to make that outcome possible. I really love Rephaim... I'm just a sucker for bad guys gone good! I  hope to see more of him in the next book.

Though there was plenty of drama in this book, it was not the stupid teen drama from the previous books. It's good to see the kids have finally grown up a bit! While there were not too many advances in the plot of the series, I still found the story to be engaging and interesting. Awakened paves the way for some true action in the next book, Destined.

Awakened has rekindled my love for the House of Night series. I think it is safe to say it is my favorite of the series so far! For those wondering if this series is worth pursuing, it is! There were rough patches in the beginning, but I think those have finally been smoothed over.

YA Giveaway Hop

Hello My Inklings!! I'm partipating in the YA Giveaway Hop hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer! This means you all get yet another giveaway this month!

This giveaway is for ebooks in Nook or Kindle formats. You will get your choice of the books listed below.Please only enter if you are able to read books in Nook or Kindle formats! 

This giveaway is open to anyone who is able to receive gifted Kindle or Nook ebooks! Please enter below using the Rafflecopter form below. Don’t see the form? You may need to click “Read more” at the bottom of the page.

Win Your Choice of the following:

Kindle Deals 1/23/12

Hi Guys! Here you'll find some of the best Kindle deals available. Some books are well known and some are hidden gems that I've found, but ALL books below have 4+ star ratings on Amazon. Let's admit it: Mondays can be a little... draining on the soul. So what works better for lifting the spirit than finding some great books for cheap!?

Here are my featured deals for the week:

All of the titles below have 4+ star ratings on Amazon.com.

FREE!	$0.99	$0.99	$0.99

$0.99	$0.99	$1.99	$2.99

$2.99	$2.99	$3.99	$4.69

$4.83	$4.99	$4.99	$4.99

*Book prices are only guaranteed on date of post. Please double check pricing before purchase*

Review: The Fault in Our Stars

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Narrator: Kate Rudd 
Format: Audiobook
Length: 7 hrs and 14 mins
Source: Purchased from Audible
Amazon | Audible | Goodreads
★★★★★

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

The Fault in Our Stars is absolutely brilliant. It is perfect… Though it may be early to make this claim, it could possibly be my favorite book of the year! It’s always difficult for me to write reviews on books that I love this much. I feel that I can never quite do them justice. I will let a quote from The Fault in Our Stars describe it for me:

“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.” – The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green

That’s exactly how I feel...  All of us have had our lives touched in some shape or form by cancer. Whether it be watching an actor fight it or a family member, it’s not a foreign thing to us. This book is not just about Hazel and Augustus, it’s about humanity. Anyone who reads this will be able to find some truth in Green’s words. Yes, I have never read any of his previous books… *GASP* I know, crazy right? But this experience has made me contemplate why have let such a gem of a writer go unread for so long… Green’s writing is beautiful, poetic, and completely genius!

Green wrote about a dark subject and yet maintained some glimmer of hope throughout. While this story did make me cry, it did not devastate me. In fact, it was extremely inspirational. The characters were easy to love, understand, and relate to. I couldn’t get enough of the playful banter between Hazel and Augustus! Even living on borrowed time, their relationship progressed naturally and developed into a beautiful, deep love.

I cannot forget to mention the phenomenal narrator of this audiobook, Kate Rudd. It would have been easy for the narrator to take the emotion too far and overdue it. But not Kate! She portrayed the perfect amount of emotion in every single situation. The narration was so real and believable, that it only added to the beauty of Green’s words! She is genuinely talented.

The Fault in Our Stars left me with what can only be described as "that wow feeling." As readers, you all know what I’m talking about: When you sit silently for awhile after finishing a book because you are so in awe of what you had just experienced. You don’t just read or listen to this book, you experience it in the deepest sense… It will make you want to live your life differently! It will change you. And it has certainly set the bar high for the rest of the upcoming YA books this year. The Fault in Our Stars receives my highest recommendation for any reader, regardless of genre!

For more info on P.A.B.D please click the banner above!

Giveaway: New Releases for a New Year!

Hi Inklings! A new year means new reads, YAY! As a thank you to my wonderful subscribers, both new and old, I’m offering the opportunity to win your choice of a book listed below. Please enter using the Rafflecopter form at the bottom of this page (You may need to click "Read More" at the bottom of the post to see the form).

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten. Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars is award-winning-author John Green’s most ambitious and heartbreaking work yet, brilliantly exploring the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love. RELEASE DATE: Jan 10th 2012

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being 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 months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen. As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's 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 RELEASE DATE: Jan 24th 2012

NEWSOUL Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why NOSOUL Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame? HEART Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all? RELEASE DATE: Jan 30th 2012

Colby and Bev have a long-standing pact: graduate, hit the road with Bev's band, and then spend the year wandering around Europe. But moments after the tour kicks off, Bev makes a shocking announcement: she's abandoning their plans - and Colby - to start college in the fall. But the show must go on and The Disenchantments weave through the Pacific Northwest, playing in small towns and dingy venues, while roadie- Colby struggles to deal with Bev's already-growing distance and the most important question of all: what's next? RELEASE DATE: Feb 16th 2012

Review: Within

Within by Clare C. Marshall
Publisher: Faery Ink Press 
Format: Ebook
Pages: 192
Source: Author (provided for tour)
Amazon | Goodreads
★★★☆☆

Trinity Hartell’s life changed after the accident. Left with irreversible brain damage, she becomes a burden to her mother, a cause for heartbreak for her boyfriend Zack, and a flattened obstacle for her best friend, Ellie.

But then she starts writing. Perhaps it’s a coincidence that the psychotic, murdering protagonist of her novel bears a striking similarity to the charming Wiley Dalton, a mayoral candidate in the upcoming election.

Or, perhaps not...

First thing I need to say is… CREEPY! The whole dang story is creepy. The villain is so twisted and merciless that at times I found it hard to stomach. On top of that, there are some very dark and somber undertones as you observe the family and friends of Trinity deal with the accident. I could feel the tension building as I progressed through the story. Though I may not read thrillers often, this story has made me want more of them!

The plot starts off a bit on the slow side, but really gains momentum as Trinity begins her writing! I found some parts to be predictable, but overall the story was original and, at times, heart-wrenching. The plot certainly didn’t play out as I had originally thought it would, but I love it when stories keep me on my toes!

I had a few qualms with the characters in this story.  Many of the the characters were dull, underdeveloped, and lacking spark and originality. They didn’t grab me and make me care what happened to them. The mystery of the plot is what pushed me through. Because I appreciate well developed characters as much as I do, I found Within hard to get through at times.

Despite my issues with the characters, I really enjoyed Marshall’s writing style! There is a wonderful flow and pacing about it. It is clear and concise without being wordy or too simplistic. Overall, Within pours out suspense and developing talent!  I’m very curious to see where Clare’s work goes in the future. She is definitely one to watch!

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This review has been posted as part of the Official Within Blog Tour. I’d like to give a special thanks to Clare Marshall for allowing me to participate!

Official Blog Tour | Faery Ink Press

Kindle Deals 1/16/12

Hi Guys! Here you'll find some of the best Kindle deals available. Some books are well known and some are hidden gems that I've found, but ALL books below have 4+ star ratings on Amazon. Let's admit it: Mondays can be a little... draining on the soul. So what works better for lifting the spirit than finding some great books for cheap!?

Here are my featured deals for the week:

All of the titles below have 4+ star ratings on Amazon.com.

$0.99	$0.99	$0.99	$0.99

$0.99	$0.99	$0.99	$0.99

$0.99	$2.99	$2.99	$4.99

*Book prices are only guaranteed on date of post. Please double check pricing before purchase*

Trailer Talk: Tempest

This edition of trailer talk features Tempest by Julie Cross! I’ve never been one to like time travel books, but I think I just may need to give this one a shot. It already has some rave reviews on Goodreads and a strong following in the blogger community. Has anyone had the luck to read this one already? If so, thoughts?

Tempest (Tempest, #1)
Author: Julie Cross 
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: January 17, 2012

The year is 2009.  Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.

Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler.  Recruit… or kill him.

Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.

 

Amazon | Goodreads

 

Read the first 4 chapters of Tempest over at the Tempest Series Facebook Page!

In My Mailbox (15)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. This is where you will find the most recent books I have received for review, purchased, etc. Enjoy and start participating if you are not already! Great ebook haul this week!

Kindle ebookS

The Maze Runner by James Dashner Obsidian (Lux, #1) Jennifer L. Armentrout Hallowed (Unearthly, #2) by Sarah Mlynowski*

Incarnate (Newsoul, #1) by Jodi Meadows* The Book of Lost Fragrances M.J. Rose* Covet (The Fallen Angels, #1) by J.R. Ward*

Darkness Unbound by Keri Arthur

* Received for review from Netgalley, Author, or Publisher

Follow Friday (7)

Q: Go count the number of unread books sitting on your shelf. How many?

There are 51 unread books on my physical bookshelf and 50 unread books on my digital bookshelf.

That makes a total of 101 unread books!

This just emphasizes one of my goals for the year: GET THE TBR PILE DOWN!!

Trailer Talk: Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles, #1)

For this edition of trailer talk we are featuring Cinder by Marissa Meyer. Though I have yet to read it, I already know this is one that I’m going to absolutely love! Not only does it mix fairytale elements with one of my favorite genres, science ficiton, but it has rave reviews all over the place! And want to know what’s even BETTER!? It’s released in stores today!

Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles, #1)
Author: Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Release Date: January 3, 2012

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

In this thrilling debut young adult novel, the first of a quartet, Marissa Meyer introduces readers to an unforgettable heroine and a masterfully crafted new world that’s enthralling.

Amazon | Audible | Goodreads

Download the first five chapters of Cinder for FREE here:

Marissa Meyer Tour Info

Marissa has started her kickoff tour for Cinder! For dates and info you can visit her blog here: http://marissameyer.livejournal.com/

She will also be participating in a live author event/party on January 9th on Facebook/ Twitter at 7:00 EST. Be sure to stop by!

Kindle Deals *New Year Edition*

Hi Guys! Monday Kindle Deals are back!! This edition is going to be a bit more lengthy due to the AWESOME deals out there today! Let's admit it: Mondays can be a little... draining on the soul. So what works better for lifting the spirit than finding some great books for cheap!?

Here are my featured deals for the week:

All of the titles below have 4+ star ratings on Amazon.com.

$0.99	$0.99	$0.99	$0.99

$0.99	$0.99	$0.99	$0.99

$0.99	$0.99	$0.99	$0.99

$0.99	$0.99	$2.99	$3.99

*Book prices are only guaranteed on date of post. Please double check pricing before purchase*

Review: Burned

Burned (House of Night, #7) by P.C. and Kristin Cast
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Format: Ebook
Pages: 336
Source: Purchased
Amazon | Audible | Goodreads
★★★★★

When friends stop trusting each other, Darkness is there to fan the flames….

Things have turned black at the House of Night. Zoey Redbird’s soul has shattered. With everything she’s ever stood for falling apart, and a broken heart making her want to stay in the Otherworld forever, Zoey’s fading fast. It’s seeming more and more doubtful that she will be able pull herself back together in time to rejoin her friends and set the world to rights. As the only living person who can reach her, Stark must find a way to get to her. But how? He will have to die to do so, the Vampire High Council stipulates. And then Zoey will give up for sure. There are only 7 days left…

Enter BFF Stevie Rae. She wants to help Z but she has massive problems of her own. The rogue Red Fledglings are acting up, and this time not even Stevie Rae can protect them from the consequences. Her kinda boyfriend, Dallas, is sweet but too nosy for his own good. The truth is, Stevie Rae’s hiding a secret that might be the key to getting Zoey home but also threatens to explode her whole world.

In the middle of the whole mess is Aphrodite: ex-Fledgling, trust-fund baby, total hag from Hell (and proud of it). She’s always been blessed (if you could call it that) with visions that can reveal the future, but now it seems Nyx has decided to speak through her with the goddess’s own voice, whether she wants it or not. Aphrodite’s loyalty can swing a lot of different ways, but right now Zoey’s fate hangs in the balance.

Three girls… playing with fire… if they don’t watch out, everyone will get Burned.

As with all House of Night books, I was nervous starting this one. Surprisingly, there is little I can complain about… I think I might even say that Burned is the best of the series! While the female characters still speak like valley girls,  this book features little guy related drama (my biggest pet peeve with the other books). Zoey isn’t going back and forth from guy to guy through the whole book! She actually sticks with one! Thank god.

Burned offers a great opportunity for character growth and exploration; namely Stark, Zoey, Stevie-Rae, and Rephaim. The best part about this series is that we get to read from all the main character’s point-of-views! The alternate POVs add an entirely new dimension to the story. I really enjoyed watching Rephaim and Stevie-Rae explore their imprint through their POVs.I’m developing quite the soft spot for the evil birdman <3! He is very intriguing and a more complex character than I originally thought. Each character’s perspective was interesting enough that I wasn’t skimming through one to find out what happens to the other. I think that shows some skill on the authors’ parts.

There is something that keeps me coming back to this series every time! Burned was worth suffering through the previous books! I’m hoping that Awakened continues this move in the right direction.