Book Cover Battle #34

This section or meme is call Book Cover Battle, the first time I saw it was at Books Passion for Life as UK vs US  and  Bookaholics book club as UK vs The World but because I don´t live in the UK, I can´t name it that way, so for now is Book Cover Battle .

This week book cover battle is

Leaving Paradise (Leaving Paradise #1) by Simone Elkeles

Click on the image to go to Goodreads

US

US

Spain

French

German

I like all the book covers, but my favorites are the US covers.

What do you think? Which is your favorite? 

Waiting on Wednesday (61) : Fuse

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

The book I´m waiting this week is

Fuse (Pure #2) by Julianna Baggott 

Release date: February 19th 2013 

When the world ended, those who dwelled within the Dome were safe. Inside their glass world the Pures live on unscarred, while those outside—the Wretches—struggle to survive amidst the smoke and ash.

Believing his mother was living among the Wretches, Partridge escaped from the Dome to find her. Determined to regain control over his son, Willux, the leader of the Pures, unleashes a violent new attack on the Wretches. It’s up to Pressia Belze, a young woman with her own mysterious past, to decode a set of cryptic clues from the past to set the Wretches free.

An epic quest that sweeps readers into a world of beautiful brutality, Fuse continues the story of two people fighting to save their futures—and change the fate of the world.

Which book are you waiting this week?
Leave your WOW links.

Don´t forget to enter to my current giveaway:

January New Release Giveaway - (INTL) HERE.

'Til The World Ends by Julie Kagawa, Ann Aguirre, Karen Duvall

Title: 'Til The World Ends
Author: Julie Kagawa, Ann Aguirre, Karen Duvall 
Publisher: Harlequin Luna
Release date: January 29th 2013
Source: Netgalley
Format: egalley


Buy on: Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Dawn of Eden by Julie Kagawa
Before The Immortal Rules, there was the Red Lung, a relentless virus determined to take out all in its path. For Kylie, the miracle of her survival is also her burden-as a doctor at one of the clinics for the infected, she is forced to witness endless suffering. What's worse, strange things are happening to the remains of the dead, and by the time she befriends Ben Archer, she's beginning to wonder if a global pandemic is the least of her problems....

Thistle & Thorne by Ann Aguirre
After a catastrophic spill turns the country into a vast chemical wasteland, those who could afford it retreated to fortresses, self-contained communities run by powerful corporations. But for Mari Thistle, life on the outside-in the Red Zone-is a constant struggle. To protect her family, Mari teams up with the mysterious Thorne Goodman. Together, they'll face an evil plot in both the underworld of the Red Zone and the society inside the fortresses that could destroy those on the outside...for good.

Sun Storm by Karen Duvall
Sarah Daggot has been chasing storms since she was a child. But after the biggest solar flares in history nearly destroy the planet, she becomes a Kinetic, endowed by her exposure to extreme radiation with the power to sense coming storms-in the cosmos and beyond. And she's not the only one. Sarah believes the Kinetics are destined to join forces and halt the final onslaught of the sun. She'll vow to keep trying to convince the one missing link in their chain of defense, the enigmatic Ian Matthews, up until the world ends.

I´ve read the three stories and all of them are post-apocalyptic and I liked some more than others so I can not give an overall rating, so I will give separate ratings.

Dawn of Eden by Julie Kagawa
I decided to read this anthology mainly by this novella, last year I read The Immortal Rules and  I LOVED it and when I saw that its prequel was included in this anthology, I could not resist this book.

Dawn of Eden begins several years before The Immortal Rules, before the existence of vampires was known and they make their "cities", when the Red Lung epidemic is killing people and we see through Kylie´s, one of the first cases of virus mutation and the creation of the "rabids".

I liked this story but I was hoping that this story happened in the laboratories where the mutation of the virus happen and to got to see Kanin ..... but the beginning of the story takes place in the clinic where Kylie works and the plot follows her and Ben Archer, but despite this I loved it! especially because Kanin makes a cameo!

I highly recommended this novella for fans of The Immortal Rules and Julie Kagawa, this story gives us a background about the rabids.

One detail I should mention is that there is a sex scene not recommended for younger readers.

Rating: 4/5

Thistle & Thorne by Ann Aguirre
This is the first time I´ve read a story written by Ann Aguirre and let me say that I really enjoyed this novella, I did not know what to expect from the story, but I definitely want to read more by this author! this story is really good.

Thistle & Thorne tells the story of Mari Thistle a girl that live outside of the gated communities in the red zone where everyone is struggling to live day by day and until one day she meets Thorne Goodman offered to join forces and help each other by a common good.

I really liked this novella, the post-apocalyptic world in which they live is very dark and a little bit depressing, but it's definitely a very good story.

Rating: 4/5

Sun Storm by Karen Duvall
It is also the first time I´ve read a story written by Karen Duvall and the synopsis sounds very promising, but it didn't live up to my expectations, the book was a bit slow at times and I feel like the ending was rushed.

Sun Storm tells Sarah´s story, she´s living in a post-apocalyptic world where sun storms are destroying the world as we know it, the storms are deadly and the few people that survive them develop super powers. Sarah is a survivor and she can predict storms and for some reason she need to chase storms to recharge her energy and she also alert people that a storm is on the way.

Sun Storm is my least favorite novella of the book, I felt something was missing, I didn’t connect with the story nor the characters.

Rating: 2.5/5

I want to thank Harlequin Luna and Netgalley for this review copy.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Book Journey.

Each week we spotlight the books we are reading, planning on reading or just finished reading.

Click on the image to look description in Goodreads.

Finished reading

I just finished reading it, I liked it a lot but the beginning of the book was a bit slow (in my humble opinion).

Currently reading

And today I just started reading Pandemonium and the first chapter was a little confusing, because there is a "now" and "then", so I was a little lost, so I had to go to check out the goodreads description.

What I´m going to read next? 

What are you reading today? 

Leave me your links!

Don´t forget to enter to my current giveaway:

January New Release Giveaway - (INTL) HERE.

Have a great week! 

Scent of Magic by Maria V. Snyder

Title: Scent of Magic (Healer #2)
Author: Maria V. Snyder
Publisher: Harlequin Mira
Release date: December 18th 2012
Source: Netgalley
Format: egalley

Rating: 5/5

Buy on: Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Read an excerpt here

**Contains spoilers if you haven´t read Touch of Power**

Read my review of Touch of Power HERE.

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.

Scent of Magic begins shortly after the events of Touch of Magic, so I almost had a heart attack or something, when I realize that after all that happen in the previous book and finally Avry and Kerrick admitted their feelings for each other and are together as a couple, Avry decides not to follow Kerrick to Ivdel, where they´re supposed to join with the rest of the group. At that moment I thought that I might not like this book as much as Touch of Power because Kerrick was going to be absent for the rest of the story, and I finally liked Kerrick's character, so I was kind of sad for a couple of minutes until I found that each chapter is divided into two parts, one is Avry´s POV and another small part of the chapter is from Kerrick´s POV (.... yes!). So although the two characters are separated at the beginning of the story, because Kerrick has to travel to Ivdel to meet with Prince Ryne, and Avry decides to stay on this side of the Nine Mountains and has her own secret mission, I loved this book.

Scent of Magic is AMAZING! in this book I felt the story was more fast paced, because we already "know" the world of the Fifteen Realms, so the plot moves faster and there are more action and intrigue than its predecessor; is a great second book.

Scent of Magic is a book worth reading, definitely a must read, its characters are wonderful, with a strong independent female character, she´s very smart and with a strong male character, he´s headstrong, a leader (although he doesn´t want to be a leader) and I´m thankful for his POV because I got to know him a little bit more. And as I said on my review of Touch of Power, the villain is excellent he´s really crazy, but I loved him, he's one of my favorite villains. I recommend this book for every epic fantasy lover.

Now, I´m looking forward to the next book, Taste of Death.

I want to thank Harlequin Mira and Netgalley for this review copy.

UK Book Trailer

Waiting on Wednesday (60) : Clockwork Princess

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

The book I´m waiting this week is

Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices #3) by Cassandra Clare

Release date: March 19th 2013

Danger intensifies for the Shadowhunters as the New York Times bestselling Infernal Devices trilogy comes to a close.

If the only way to save the world was to destroy what you loved most, would you do it?

The clock is ticking. Everyone must choose.
Passion. Power. Secrets. Enchantment.

Danger closes in around the Shadowhunters in the final installment of the bestselling Infernal Devices trilogy.

Which book are you waiting this week?
Leave your WOW links.

Don´t forget to enter to my current giveaway:

January New Release Giveaway - (INTL) HERE.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Book Journey.

Each week we spotlight the books we are reading, planning on reading or just finished reading.

Click on the image to look description in Goodreads.

Finished reading 

LOVE THEM BOTH! 

You can read my review of Touch of Power here.

Currently reading

This book has been sitting on my shelf for a year but finally I´m read it!, I´ve read very good reviews about it and what I've read so far (only the first three chapters) it kinds of reminds me to Glitch.

What I´m going to read next? 

What are you reading today? 

Have a great week! 

Don´t forget to enter to my current giveaway:

January New Release Giveaway - (INTL) HERE.

Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder

Title: Touch of Power (Healer #1)
Author: Maria V. Snyder
Publisher: Mira
Release date: December 20th 2011

Rating: 4.5/5

Buy on: Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Read an excerpt here

Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan assumes their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Territories, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos.

Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture. Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own, is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince—leader of a campaign against her people. As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because the price of peace may well be her life....

I don´t read too much epic fantasy as I should, and Touch of Power is the first book I´ve read by Maria V. Snyder, though I've read good reviews of Poison Study (a book by the same author), and because of this, I decided to read this series or trilogy.

Touch of Power tells the story of  Avry of Kazan a 20 years old young woman, she´s strong, smart, stubborn, strong-minded, she can take care of herself. She´s a healer that can heal by simply touching a person, the only drawback is that she absorbs and suffers the illness or injury of the person she´s healing, the gift that she has, at some time was well appreciated by everyone, but after a plague that killed two-thirds of the population of the Fifteen Realms,the healers were blamed for the plague and persecuted, so Avry for the last three years has been in hiding and trying to survive but at the beginning of the story she is about to give up. But when she is rescued-captured by a group of men led by Kerrick, with the sole intention of taking her  to heal a prince who has the plague and to which Avry has no respect or care about, but it is thanks to this group of "bandits" that she finds some meaning in her life

Within the group of "bandits" Kerrick is their leader, he´s just as stubborn as Avry, hard to understand, as he almost never shows any kind of emotion and his only goal is to save his prince, and at first I didn´t like him very much because of the way he treats Avry, but my opinion of him changed as the story goes on.

Other important characters in the story are the rest of the gang, which are Belen, he´s my favorite character in this book, he´s Kerrick´s best friend, he has a huge heart and he´s Avry´s protector, there are also Loren and Quain, they´re funny and ease the tension in the group and finally we have Flea, he´s the youngest of the gang and is a character that is impossible not to love.

I  loved Touch of Power!  is a great book, it has action, intrigue, a subtle romance with great characters, even the villain is great (a little bit mentally unbalanced but I like him as a villian) ! I highly recommend this book.

UK Book Trailer

Waiting on Wednesday (59) : Impostor

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

The book I´m waiting this week is

Impostor (Slide #2) by Jill Hathaway

Release date: March 26th 2013

The story of Vee Bell continues in this thrilling follow-up to Jill Hathaway's slide.

Vee's gift (or curse) of "sliding"—slipping into the mind of another person and experiencing life, briefly, through his or her eyes—has been somewhat under control since she unwillingly witnessed the horrific deaths of her classmates six months ago.

But just as things are getting back to normal— and her relationship with her best friend, Rollins, is heating up—Vee has a bizarre experience: She loses consciousness and finds herself in a deserted area, at the edge of a cliff, staring down at the lifeless body of the boy who had taken advantage of her last year.

As Vee finds herself in stranger and stranger situations with no memory of getting there, she begins to suspect that someone else she knows has the ability to slide.

And this "slider" is using Vee to exact revenge. 

Which book are you waiting this week?
Leave your WOW links.

Don´t forget to enter to my current giveaway:

January New Release Giveaway - (INTL) HERE.

Uses for Boys by Erica Lorraine Scheidt

Title: Uses for Boys
Author: Erica Lorraine Scheidt
Publisher: St. Martin´s Press
Release date: January 15th 2013
Source: Netgalley
Format: egalley

Rating: 2/5

Buy on: Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Read excerpt here

Anna remembers a time before boys, when she was little and everything made sense. When she and her mom were a family, just the two of them against the world. But now her mom is gone most of the time, chasing the next marriage, bringing home the next stepfather. Anna is left on her own—until she discovers that she can make boys her family. From Desmond to Joey, Todd to Sam, Anna learns that if you give boys what they want, you can get what you need. But the price is high—the other kids make fun of her; the girls call her a slut. Anna's new friend, Toy, seems to have found a way around the loneliness, but Toy has her own secrets that even Anna can't know.

Then comes Sam. When Anna actually meets a boy who is more than just useful, whose family eats dinner together, laughs, and tells stories, the truth about love becomes clear. And she finally learns how it feels to have something to lose—and something to offer. Real, shocking, uplifting, and stunningly lyrical,  Uses for Boys  is a story of breaking down and growing up.

The first thing that attracted me to Uses for Boys was its beautiful cover and after reading its synopsis which suggests that it was a poignant and heartbreaking novel, and I do love this type of books but I like them with a happy ending, and this book doesn´t have a happy ending.. Uses for Boys is a very realistic contemporary novel that shows the dark side of Anna the main character of the story.

This book is told from Anna´s POV and it begins when she´s 7 years old and she tells about the good old days when there were only she and her mother against the world and they lived in a tiny apartment, and as the years pass by, her mother starts looking for a husband and a better life, but from that moment she stops paying attention to Anna. Anna grows alone (even if she´s living in the same house as her mother) and without the affection of her mother, as she grows older, she begins to seek affection elsewhere and she finds it in the boys. And in my very humble opinion she does not use the boys, but it is the other way round; and I don´t know if it´s because Anna is innocent or broken but she  begins to confuse the attention she receives from boys with love. And as she grows up she creates her own world where the boys love her and they´re her new family, so she goes from boy to boy looking for love.

In Uses for Boys the chapters are tiny and because is told from Anna´s POV, there isn't almost any dialogue at all, is more about the thoughts of the protagonist, so I didn´t really like the book, because Anna has severe emotional problems. Definitely this book was not for me, I felt as if the chapters were cut, I did not like the ending and I would have liked an epilogue.

This is a realistic contemporary novel, dark and very depressing. My favorite contemporary novels are poignant, and heartbreaking but with a happy ending, so Uses for Boys was not for me.

Something I should mention that although the book is categorized for 13 years old and up, I do not recommend it for teens, is more a mature YA novel because it addresses serious issues, like sex, sexual abuse and abortion.

I want to thank St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for this review copy.

January New Release Giveaway Hop - INTL

January New Release Giveaway Hop

Hosted by Book Twirps and Refracted Light Reviews

January 15 - 31, 2013

The giveaway is International.

Win a book of your choice from the new releases below.

Splintered

Uses for Boys

Just One Day

´Till the World Ends

Boundless

Everbound

Through the Ever Night

Prodigy

The Prey

The Madman´s Daughter

Details

• There will be one winner.
• Win one (1) book of you choice from the 10 books (shown above).
• You must be a follower via GFC.
• You must be 13 or older to enter.
• International as long as Book Depository delivers to your country, check here.
• Giveaway ends on January 31.
• Winner will be announced on February 5 in this post.

WINNER: Lacey T.
Congratulations!

The winner have been notified by email and will have 48 hours to respond.

Thanks to everyone for participate.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Book Journey.

Each week we spotlight the books we are reading, planning on reading or just finished reading.

Click on the image to look description in Goodreads.

Finished reading

Currently reading

What I´m going to read next? 

What are you reading today?

Have a great week! 

Book Cover Battle #33

This section or meme is call Book Cover Battle, the first time I saw it was at Books Passion for Life as UK vs US  and  Bookaholics book club as UK vs The World but because I don´t live in the UK, I can´t name it that way, so for now is Book Cover Battle .

This week book cover battle is

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1) Sarah J. Maas

Click on the image to go to Goodreads

US

UK

Spain

Mexico

Without a doubt my favorite is the UK cover, is gorgeous and my second favorite is the US cover.

What do you think? Which is your favorite? 

Cover Reveals: Cryptid Tales

Reveal (Cryptid Tales #1) 

eBook Version Free on Amazon and Barnes & Noble!!

Blurb:
Shay could be the key to ending a war that humans don't know exist. Of a race of beings that aren't real, or are they?

Shay Tafford's childhood has been fatherless, filled instead with memories of speaking to the dead. She is forced to hide her unique ability from those living around her. That's why it's been comforting to have Jeremy, a child ghost, as her confidante. But recently he's been absent, perhaps lost as her father is. When Shay meets Hugh, the guy she's had a crush on for weeks, and finds he can speak to ghosts too she's just starting to find a normalcy in her life.

But as Hugh reveals the truth to Shay, about who she really is and about what it is she can do, he erases all chances she had at a normal existence. Turns out talking to ghosts is just scratching the surface of her genetically engineered gifts. Shay learns she may be part of an age old prophecy that could save the entire race of cryptids. But can she?

 Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks

Capture (Cryptid Tales #2) 

eBook only $2.99!

Blurb:
One this is for sure, Shay is in for the fight of her life.
Shay is finally learning who she is, and who it is she will become. But for now escaping the clutches of the evil Malsumis will have to be enough. Or is it?

In Capture Shay embraces other cryptids in order to defeat their common enemy.

She is willing to die trying to save her father and the love of her life, Hugh.

But can Hugh, her cryptid mate, protect her from the evil Malsumis? Or will she fall victim to his horrible plans?

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Settle (Cryptid Tales #3) 

Release Date Late January/Early February

Blurb:
Betrayal leaves nasty scars. A soul departs. Love must conquer all, or be lost forever.

Shay's life has once again fallen into mystery as she discovers her father's whereabouts. On a mission to locate him and bring him home she learns more about who to trust than she thought possible. Her group of cryptids will be forced to rise again and defeat their common enemy, but they will also discover another hidden threat. As thier queen, Shay's discoveries in Settle, the final installment of the Cryptid Tales series, will shake the cryptid world forever.

Goodreads

About Brina:

Brina Courtney is a young adult author obsessed with chocolate, crime shows, and fantasy movies. She's spent the last few years as an elementary teacher and a high school cheering coach. She lives in a small town in Pennsylvania with her husband and two very loud, small dogs.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads