Cover reveal: City of Lost Souls

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare
The Mortal Instruments #5
May 8, 2012

Woot~This has to be one of my FAVORITE covers so far from TMI. I’m freaking excited for this book to come out! The work they put into the cover is truly magnificent., especially the models for Clary and Jace on the cover. I feel like I’ll finally get the love story that I missed out on in CoFA. The models for me look so much like Clary and Jace, it's exactly how I pictured them to look. I loved the first four Mortal Instruments books and I can hardly wait to see what happens in this next installment. With that said, what do you guys think of the cover? Do you love it as much as I do?

Cover reveal: Before I Wake

Before I wake by Rachel Vincent 
Soul Screamers #6
June 22, 2012

For me, every cover in this entire series has always caught my attention. This cover is as breath taking as the last and will defiantly draw everyone's eye when it hits shelves in bookstores around the world. I can’t wait to read what happens next. Hopefully "Never To Sleep" will keep me satisfied til then. It’s still a long wait, not just for me, but for everyone else. Congratulations to Rachel her soul ripping series and another book that's sure to be a hit! 

My Top 8 YA and Paranormal Novels of 2011

It's time for my favorite novels of 2011! I must express with you all the love I have for these amazing books that came out. We can all agree that it was the best year for YA and Paranormal authors, every day of the week new novels were filling out shelves and flying off them. I could swear that each time I walked into the book store a new novel would catch my eye and I just had to buy it right then and there. I mean, it's not every day (or we should say year) that we get great books like these that come out and bring so much joy to our life's. It's a rare case to find such outstanding works of master pieces. With ending in a year that has brought us tons of fantastic books, you can expect more brilliant books to come in 2012. So with that said, here are that books that brought me joy while gripping my heart and never wanting to let go.

Darkest Mercy by Melissa Marr
Wicked Lovely #5 
 
Honestly I'm at a loss now that this series is finally over. It's heartbreaking to know that I've been left behind in reality while the world of Wicked Lovely continues on without me. I'm deeply in love with Faeries (their my favorite paranormal creatures) that I wish I could join them.

For all the Faerie series I've read, this one is the kicker. It has grown attached to me like new flower bud that attaches it's self to the earth (I hope that makes sense) and it didn't go on forever and grow tiresome like most series have done. All the different events with each character has opened them in a new perspective that allowed me to understand them more. Plus, I've grown to like some of them that I disliked before. This book will tug at you're heart and fill you with sweet emotions.

 Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
A Beautiful Creatures Novel #3


Beautiful Chaos brings much more events to light than the first two did. The action is more thrilling and of course like all great series, it ends on a ridiculous cliffhanger (that made me want to scream and pull my hair out yelling "Why!?"). What's funny is, I don't really enjoy books where boys are the main character and narrate the whole time. You can say I prefer them more as the good looking mysterious guy that the main girl always falls head over heels for, but surprisingly Ethan really hit it off for me. I enjoyed every minute of him and I still can't get enough.

Beautiful Chaos makes me pumped for the last book to come out, but it also makes me sad that I'm gonna have to wait for it!But you know, it's worth the wait because I know Garcia and Stohl are putting their all into this last installment of Beautiful Creatures series.

 Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini


I'm a huge fanatic when it comes to Greek mythology, so when I stumbled upon "Starcrossed" and read the review, I knew I had to get it and it does not disappoint one bit!

The story was well written and the ending was fantastic with all the action and adventure happening at once. I've heard it's suppose to be a trilogy (which I'm looking forward to). The mystery has yet to be solved nor were all the questions answered in the end, so how could the adventure stop now? One thing I took noticed in "Starcrossed" was that it reminds me of The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare, due to the fact that the relationship between Helena and Lucas (the main characters) are forbidden despite the huge attraction they have for one another. And if you've read, there's a part near the end that reminds me of it more cause of what her mother admits to them all (tho I don't believe it to be true)With that said, I'm definitely planning to buy the sequel when it comes out. This was an exciting adventure for me to read and I highly recommend it to all of you YA, Paranormal and Greek mythology lovers to get it.

Awake at Dawn by C.C. Hunter
A Shadow Falls Novel #2
 
With every paranormal aspects of this book, I continue to love it more and more. All the different species are interesting, the way  each and everyone of them interacting with each other makes the series more fun, you don't see the much often in other series. I'm really more interested into knowing what species Kylie is and I can't wait to find out.
I enjoyed every minute of this book, but the ending is what really caught my spark! A certain event happens (again I'm not going to ruin it for any of you) in the back half of the book that I believe will set this series apart from other YA and Paranormal novels. It has really added a new situation to the scene and I can hardly wait for the third book to come out!

Soul Screamers by Rachel Vincent
Soul Screamers Novel Volume 1 #0.5-2

This book really knocked my socks off! I enjoyed the fascinating discovering about Kaylee’s origins. I enjoyed that her aunt, uncle, cousin and father got huge parts in this series and I loved getting to read their stories. At first, they seem like the typical family, but behind closed doors you quickly find out that there is a lot more then what you know. The investigation of finding out why Nash and Kaylee's classmates were dating had me on the edge of my seat. I wish that Rachel Vincent would of spend more time on the origins of bean sidhe, the Irish folklore and that she didn't make Nash always so quick to come to the rescue.

Overall, I thought this was a fantastic YA novel. The ending was amazing and the storyline was well written.. Kaylee has the potential to be a great heroine if she would just shut the hell up and listen to others for once. If she manages to accomplish that, it could make this series very entertaining.

Wolfsbane by Andrea CremerA NightShade Novel #2

I was over joyed to be back in the Nightshade world with the pack. Once again Andrea's writing pulled me in and kept me  needing to know what happened next. Plus, getting to read more of Calla and Shay,with the developments of their relationship, was a joyous ride. Having each of them with their own stories and quirks to tell was entertaining sense of humor. The plot of twists, romantic tensions and betrayal make this book much more of a amazing read. The stories and memories each characters share in Wolfsbane are nothing more then outstanding.
If you though Nightshade was intense, just step into the world of Wolfsbane and you'll get more then you've asked for, but in a different way that's better. My one complaint? The cliffhanger Wolfsbane left us with, I wanted more then what they left! (Which I did from Bloodrose)

Review: Forever

“If I only have ten minutes, Sam, this is what I want to say. You're not the best of us. You're more than that. You're better than all of us. If I only have ten minutes, I would tell you to go out there and live. I'd say...please take your guitar and sing your songs to as many people as you can. Please fold a thousand more of those damn birds of yours. Please kiss that girl a million times.” 

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

Publisher: Scholastic Inc.

Book: 3 of 3

Pages: 390

The thrilling conclusion to #1 bestselling Shiver trilogy from Maggie Stievater

In Maggie Stiefvater's SHIVER, Grace and Sam found each other. In LINGER, they fought to be together. Now, in FOREVER, the stakes are even higher than before. Wolves are being hunted. Lives are being threatened. And love is harder and harder to hold on to as death comes closing in.

"Is a rare moment when I don't enjoy a YA book. I enjoyed the other books in this series, but this one not so much. Yeah, the story was interesting enough, but some things left me feeling disappointed. It had almost no dialog, just the different characters going on and on and on. Just keeping up with the 4 different POVs and keeping up with every single thought they were having was exhausting...I just couldn't enjoy it enough. Glad I got that over with." -Shirley Quinones

My Thoughts:
I was thrilled to start reading Forever, but sadly I didn't love it as much as I loved Shiver and Linger. The first chapters for me were to long and nothing much happened. Also, I felt the beginning of the book had to long of a summary then the first two books. However not everything was bad. I liked how Maggie Stiefvater developed Cole and Isabel's relationship better than Sam and Grace's. Everyone knows already that Sam and Grace love each other and that they can't get together because certain situations, but nothing else develops between them because it's already established in the first book that they are going to end up together.

The ending for me wasn't great, I was expecting more to come out of the series. I wished there was more to it than how the author decided to end it, but to me there is more to be written about the Mercy Falls wolves. Maybe a sort story will come out to tell us about what has happened with the characters since the last time we read about them? Will just have to wait and see.

Cover rating: A

Review: Linger

“I won't let this be my good-bye. I've folded one thousand paper crane memories of me and Grace, and I've made my wish. I will find a cure. And then I will find Grace.” 

Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

Publisher: Scholastic Inc.

Book: 2 of 3

Pages: 360

The astonishing #1 New York Times bestseller.

In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.

 "The second in the Wolves of Mercy Falls series, Linger picks up with Sam and Grace, relieved that their cure—injecting Sam with bacterial meningitis—seems to have worked. Despite the cold, Sam has stopped shifting into his wolf form. Now, however, they are faced with even more dangerous challenges. A new wolf, Cole, has joined the pack, and his reckless behavior may threaten everything that keeps them safe. Meanwhile, Mr. Culpepper, who believes the wolves are to blame for his son's death, is waging a personal war on their population. As Sam struggles to assume the role as the leader of the pack, he and Grace are pulled apart, a situation made more difficult when her parents disapprove of their deepening romance. Something more sinister also threatens their love for one another, and it leads them to a decision point for which neither of them is ready." -Ali Wilson 

My Thoughts:

Linger blew me away. While I was reading the book I instantly fell in love with Cole and his way of thinking. To those, Cole might seem just like every other guy, but there's that hidden intelligence that lies beneath his good looks and stunning personality. The fact that during Linger he tries to find a cure for the werewolves in stopping their transformation. He makes me feel the need to research how to cure the wolves myself. Like I can find the answer to the fictional situation that Maggie has presented.

Cover rating: A

Review: Shiver

“You're beautiful and sad," I said finally, not looking at him when I did. "Just like your eyes. You're like a song that I heard when I was a little kid but forgot I knew until I heard it again." For a long moment there was only the whirring sound of the tires on the road, and then Sam said softly, "Thank you.” 

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic INC.
Book: 1 of 3
Pages: 392

From a dazzlingly talented young writer, a haunting and original supernatural romance in the vein of TWILIGHT.

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again.

Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

"Few people in Mercy Falls adore the wolves the way Grace does; in fact, most want them dead after the attack on a local teenage boy. But Grace feels a connection with the wolves, especially the one with the yellow eyes. After all, he is the one who saved her years ago when she was attacked. Sam may not remember everything when he shifts, but he remembers Grace. He has silently watched her from the woods since she was a young girl, feeling a connection to her but never knowing why. When the two finally meet, both of their worlds fall into place as Grace and Sam find something in each other that they have never felt before. But winter is fast approaching and Grace risks losing Sam forever to the pack. Every shiver is a reminder that everything she has always wanted could be gone in an instant."  -Mollie Johnson

My Thoughts:

Before buying this book I read some reviews and got other people's opinions (who've read it before me), many of them said/told me it was like Twilight, but everyone keeps saying that about every non-Twilight books. It's probably because these days story lines seem to be the same about love triangles, but I would like to say that it gets old having everything compared to Twilight. Just because a lot of YA and paranormal novels have love triangles and "they may" seem the same, does not mean they are just like Twilight. I've read plenty of novels with love triangles and all of them have been amazingly written in their own way. I'm glad I purchased Shiver, it was a wonderful journey for me. The chemistry and struggle between the main characters is unforgettable. It's the best

Cover rating: B

Review: Shimmer

"If you think you know what it’s like to be dead—if you think it’s just an eternity of harp music and cloud lounging—well, think again.

Ever hear the saying, Life goes on?

It does.

Long past the point when everyone else thinks it stopped.

Take it from me, I’ve been dead for just over a year, and from the moment I crossed that bridge to the other side—well, that’s when things really got interesting.…"

Shimmer by: Alyson Noel
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Book: 2-4
Pages: 196

Having solved the matter of the Radiant Boy, Riley, Buttercup, and Bodhi are enjoying a well-deserved vacation. When Riley comes across a vicious black dog, against Bodhi’s advice, she decides to cross him over. While following the dog, she runs into a young ghost named Rebecca. Despite Rebecca’s sweet appearance, Riley soon learns she’s not at all what she seems. As the daughter of a former plantation owner, she is furious about being murdered during a slave revolt in 1733. Mired in her own anger, Rebecca is lashing out by keeping the ghosts who died along with her trapped in their worst memories. Can Riley help Rebecca forgive and forget without losing herself to her own nightmarish memories?

 "Shimmer is a book I am not likely to ever forget. . .I feel as though Shimmer can teach readers a lesson in understanding those around us. We learn from Riley that first glance doesn't mean much. There are many more layers to people, and if you take the time to peel them back, well we all have a lot more in common than you might think. I am really looking forward to what's next with this series. I like the level of depth in Shimmer and hope to see more of the same from Alyson Noël."
   —Bellas Novela

My Thoughts:

With the second installment of Radiance, in her new book Shimmer, it has finally sparked my interest; even with the lack of romance and it being a middle grade series. I'm sure there's a lot of you book readers out there who would love to take a peek at this series. It does bring a lot of adventure, action and comedy. Plus with a clever, spunky, witty, and sassy heroin named Riley, I'm sure a lot of you 9-12 year old's (maybe even some adults) could relate with her. I recommend this series to those who would love middle grade books with a little more adventure and a little less romance. Tho, my hopes are still high for some romance to come a long, I'm sure Riley and Bodhi have something between them don't you think (;

Cover Rating: A