My Top Reads of 2012

I thought I'd post some of my favorites read over this year, and some that I'm anticipating for next year!

Top 10 Favorites Read in 2012:

10. Skylark by Meagan Spooner

9. Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

8. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

7. Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger

6. The Golden Lily Richelle Mead

5. Entice by Jessica Shirvington

4. Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

3. The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson

2. Insurgent by Veronica Roth

1. Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Top 10 Favorite Debuts of 2012:

10. The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges

9. Insignia by S.J. Kincaid

8. Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger

7. Skylark by Meagan Spooner

6. Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

5. Shadow and Bone by Leight Bardugo

4. Everneath by Brodi Ashton

3.Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

2. Cinder by Marissa Meyer

1. Embrace by Jessica Shirvington

Top 10 Published in 2012 to-read list for 2013:

10. The Dark Light by Sara Walsh

9. Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

8. Venom by Fiona Paul

7. Rift by Andrea Cremer

6. Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

5. The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

4. Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

3. Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick

2. Reached by Ally Condie

1. Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

Top Anticipated 2013 Releases:

10. If I Should Die by Amy Plum

9. Goddess by Josephine Angelini

8. Boundless by Cynthia Hand

7. Everbound by Brodi Ashton

6. Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi

5. Asunder by Jodi Meadows

4. The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepard

3. Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

2. Shadows in the Silence by Courtney Allison Moulton

1. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

What are your favorites?

Waiting on Wednesday: Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

 

(Coming April 2013) (Sweet Trilogy #2)

  

Anna Whitt, the 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 vow. 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?

 

I fell in love with the first book when we didn't know for sure if the series would continue. And now, I can't wait for this second one! I love Anna and the great emotions that Wendy had in Sweet Evil and am so excited to see what's going to happen in Sweet Peril *squee*

Merry Christmas!

I just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! This is a time to cherish your family and loved one's, so even if you don't celebrate I hope that you take the time to hold your loved one's close.

Merry Christmas!

Princess of the Silver Woods by Jessica Day George

Princess of the Silver Woods

Princess 3

Author: Jessica Day George  
Pages: 336 pgs
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Release Date: December 11th 2012
Review Source: Bloomsbury

When I first started reading this, I didn't realize that it was a part of a trilogy, or the last one, but that was okay. I could still keep up and things were explained enough that I knew what was going on.

Princess Petunia is the youngest of King Gregor's twelve daughters and she finds herself on a trip to visit a friend, welcoming the change.

But her journey doesn't go as expected when her carriage is stopped by some wolves. Wolves who just so happen to have two legs and open her eyes to an injustice she'd never known. As her journey continues, Petunia discovers things she thought that she and her sisters had laid to rest.

Though I came in a little late, I found that for the most part I could figure out what was going on. Petunia's story for the most part was linked with one of the wolves, a handsome boy named Oliver, who robbed royal carriages, including hers.

But the big part was what's happened in the previous two books. The girls, forced to dance each night for years in a magical kingdom, were being forced to marry the princes and king of Under Stone. Promises had been made and magic was being expended to get them there.

With the help of Oliver, the princess husbands, and the princesses themselves, they have to figure out a way to stop their captors. And it's a nonstop adventure to figure out if they'll be able to do it in time. This was a fun, sweet story that I really enjoyed and I think others will too (especially if they read the rest of the series...)

Jessica Day George
Website | Facebook | Goodreads

The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson

The Crown of Embers

Fire and Thorns 2

Author: Rae Carson  
Pages: 410 pgs
Genre: YA, Fantasy, 
Release Date: September 18th 2012
Review Source: Harper Collins

I read the first book in this series last year and was definitely intrigued, but after hearing my sisters take and reading this one for myself, I completely fell in love with this series!

Now the Elisa is Queen, she is under even more scrutiny to get things just right. Especially since she is only seventeen. There are also very few she feel she can trust: Hector, her royal guard, and her companions from her adventures previously.

On a new adventure, Elisa has to discover some of the secrets of her Godstone and figure out a way to defeat her enemy as Queen. Danger, romance, and new powers await Elisa on her quest for answers.

Some people have said that they usually find sequels to be a little disappointing, but I can say that wasn't the case with this one! Rae Carson did a phenomenal job of bringing this world to life and showing Elisa growth. There was just something more to it that drew me in and I hated to put it down, or to even reach the end.

Elisa not only had to begin seeing herself in a different light after losing all of the wait that she did in The Girl of Fire and Thorns, but she also had to begin seeing herself as Queen. She wanted to do right by her people, but not let those in her council try to steal the crown from. Her journey to discover who she was just as Queen was wonderful to see.

But the best part was her discovery of the power her Godstone could hold and want it meant for her to defeat her enemies. She'd only had a vague idea of the potential and now there's a fabulous setup for the last book, The Bitter Kingdom. Her Godstone is a big part of who she is and why she's chosen to do the things that she is, but it's also only part of who she is and the growth she has yet to make.

My sister and I spent quite a bit of time talking about this particular book and it was fun to get her take on it. But now we have to wait for the last book, which is exciting and sad. I will hate to see this series come to an end, but am excited to find out just what Rae has in store for us!

Rae Carson
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Waiting on Wednesday: Emblaze by Jessica Shirvington

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

 

(The Violet Eden Chapters #3) (Coming March 2013)

Once again Violet Eden faces an impossible choice ... and the consequences are unimaginable.

Violet has come to terms with the fact that being part angel, part human, means her life will never be as it was.

Now Violet has something Phoenix - the exiled angel who betrayed her - will do anything for, and she has no intention of letting it fall into his hands. The only problem is that he has something she needs too.

Not afraid to raise the stakes, Phoenix seemingly holds all the power, always one step ahead. And when he puts the final pieces of the prophecy together, it doesn't take him long to realise exactly who he needs in order to open the gates of Hell.

With the help of surprising new allies, ancient prophecies are deciphered, a destination set and, after a shattering confrontation with her father, Violet leaves for the islands of Greece without knowing if she will have a home to return to...

Not only is this cover gorgeous (like all of the U.S. covers so far), but I also can't wait to find out what happens next! Jessica does a fabulous job of hooking her readers and I have been on the edge of my seat since September waiting for more.

What are you waiting on?

 

Poison Princess by Kresley Cole

Poison Princess

The Arcana Chronicles 1

Author: Kresley Cole  
Pages: 369 pgs
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Apocalyptic
Release Date: October 2nd 2012
Review Source: Simon and Schuster Publishing

The description is what first drew me in to want to read this, and Kresley did not disappoint with such an interesting premise to her young adult debut.

Evie had the perfect life in her small hometown, at least until she starts having horrifying hallucinations. All she wants to do is put them behind her finish out her senior year, and that's exactly what she's going to do, until her hallucinations come true.

Jackson Deveaux, the new "bad boy" in town, drives her crazy and is the one guy who can keep her safe. As he helps Evie on her search for answers, she discovers there's more happening than she'd ever thought. An ancient prophecy and battle that other teens like her have to face. Who is on the right side?

One of the things that I loved was that this was set in Louisiana and the male lead was a true Cajun boy. It made my day to actually see his true "Cajun speak" after hearing it from my parents and relatives in passing. That really endeared me to him and this story.

I also loved Kresley's take on the tarot cards and how we see them play out with a handful of the characters. If you haven't read it, then I don't want to give anything away, I'll just say that it's definitely set up for more to happen and I'm interested to see how it all plays out.

After the ending, it'll be interesting to see how things progress in the next book. I'm not sure if the whole series will be from Evie's point of view, but I hope that it will because I want to see how she grows and what happens with her and Jackson. Throughout the book they battled each other and assumed that the other had ulterior motives, so I'm crossing my fingers that we'll get to how they change and learn more for the overall story.

Cover Reveal: Free Souls by Susan Kaye Quinn

Free Souls by Susan Kaye Quinn

(Book Three of the Mindjack Trilogy) Now Available!

When your mind is a weapon, freedom comes at a price.

Four months have passed since Kira left home to join Julian’s Jacker Freedom Alliance, but the hole in her heart still whistles empty where her boyfriend Raf used to be. She fills it with weapons training, JFA patrols, and an obsessive hunt for FBI agent Kestrel, ignoring Julian’s worries about her safety and repeated attempts to recruit her for his revolutionary chat-casts. When anti-jacker politician Vellus surrounds Jackertown with the National Guard, Kira discovers there’s more to Julian’s concerns than she knew, but she’s forced to take on a mission that neither want and that might be her last: assassinating Senator Vellus before he can snuff out Julian’s revolution and the jackers she’s come to love.

All of the Mindjack stories are available on Amazon, Barnes&Noble, Kobo, and iTunes (Note Free Souls is not yet available on Kobo or iTunes)

Early Praise for Free Souls

“Quinn paints a picture of a not-too-distant America where politicians inflame the hatred of one section of the populace for another—all for their own gain—and you worry that her world is not so far off from our own.”

— Dianne Salerni, author of We Hear the Dead, The Caged Graves, and the forthcoming The Eighth Day

"Free Souls starts with a bang and doesn't let up. Like a mash-up of all your favorite science-fiction adventures from Star Wars to The Legend of Korra, it blends nonstop action, nail-biting escapes, and great romance. I absolutely loved it! A great series conclusion—a must-read."

— Leigh Talbert Moore, author of Rouge and The Truth About Faking

“Susan did it again. Free Souls was WOW! I expected Kira to step up to her role as heroine but not like this. Surprises kept coming until the very end which tied up more loose ends than I knew existed. Warning: Don't start reading until you have time to finish. I didn't want to put Free Souls down for a second. It's that kind of book.”

— Sher A. Hart, Goodreads Review

Interview Susan's over at Amy Saunder's blog today (12.14.12), answering questions about how she came up with the mages' abilities, what kind of mage she would be, and all about her future works.

Free Souls by Susan Kaye Quinn

(Book Three of the Mindjack Trilogy) Now Available!

When your mind is a weapon, freedom comes at a price.

Four months have passed since Kira left home to join Julian’s Jacker Freedom Alliance, but the hole in her heart still whistles empty where her boyfriend Raf used to be. She fills it with weapons training, JFA patrols, and an obsessive hunt for FBI agent Kestrel, ignoring Julian’s worries about her safety and repeated attempts to recruit her for his revolutionary chat-casts. When anti-jacker politician Vellus surrounds Jackertown with the National Guard, Kira discovers there’s more to Julian’s concerns than she knew, but she’s forced to take on a mission that neither want and that might be her last: assassinating Senator Vellus before he can snuff out Julian’s revolution and the jackers she’s come to love.

All Mindjack stories available on Amazon, Barnes&Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, and iTunes (Note Free Souls is not yet available on iTunes)

Early Praise for Free Souls

“Quinn paints a picture of a not-too-distant America where politicians inflame the hatred of one section of the populace for another—all for their own gain—and you worry that her world is not so far off from our own.”

— Dianne Salerni, author of We Hear the Dead, The Caged Graves, and the forthcoming The Eighth Day

"Free Souls starts with a bang and doesn't let up. Like a mash-up of all your favorite science-fiction adventures from Star Wars to The Legend of Korra, it blends nonstop action, nail-biting escapes, and great romance. I absolutely loved it! A great series conclusion—a must-read."

— Leigh Talbert Moore, author of Rouge and The Truth About Faking

“Susan did it again. Free Souls was WOW! I expected Kira to step up to her role as heroine but not like this. Surprises kept coming until the very end which tied up more loose ends than I knew existed. Warning: Don't start reading until you have time to finish. I didn't want to put Free Souls down for a second. It's that kind of book.”

— Sher A. Hart, Goodreads Review

Interview Susan's over at Amy Saunder's blog today (12.14.12), answering questions about how she came up with the mages' abilities, what kind of mage she would be, and all about her future works. Digital Box Set Since Free Souls is out, there is now a Digital Box Set of the Mindjack Trilogy for those of you who want the whole series!

Available on Amazon, Barnes&Noble

Mindjack Origins Collection Want more Julian? Wondering how Sasha's ability really works? Looking for EXCLUSIVE DELETED SCENES from Free Souls? This collection of novellas, scenes, and other goodies is for those craving a bit more of the characters and drama of the Mindjack series.

Includes: Mindjack Novellas Mind Games (Raf's story) The Handler (Julian's story) The Scribe (Sasha's story) TWO EXCLUSIVE DELETED SCENES from Free Souls (published nowhere else!) PLUS Mindjack flash fiction, an (imaginary) conversation between Raf and Julian, and other goodies for readers who want just a little bit more of Kira, Julian, Raf, and the Mindjack crew.

Available on Amazon, Barnes&Noble

ENTER TO WIN one of FIVE ecopies of the Mindjack Origins Collection

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

Waiting on Wednesday: Let the Skyfall by Shannon Messenger

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

(Coming March 2013)

Seventeen-year-old Vane Weston has no idea how he survived the category five tornado that killed his parents. And he has no idea if the beautiful, dark-haired girl who’s swept through his dreams every night since the storm is real. But he hopes she is.

Seventeen-year-old Audra is a sylph, an air elemental. She walks on the wind, can translate its alluring songs, and can even coax it into a weapon with a simple string of commands. She’s also a guardian—Vane’s guardian—and has sworn an oath to protect Vane at all costs. Even if it means sacrificing her own life.

When a hasty mistake reveals their location to the enemy who murdered both of their families, Audra’s forced to help Vane remember who he is. He has a power to claim—the secret language of the West Wind, which only he can understand. But unlocking his heritage will also unlock the memory Audra needs him to forget. And their greatest danger is not the warriors coming to destroy them—but the forbidden romance that’s grown between them.

I don't know what it is, but this one just sounds amazing! I really love the elemental concept and I'm definitely interested to see how this one will go. 

What are you waiting for? 

 

Falling Kingdoms Teaser

A teaser for you guys:

“You’re not just any girl; you’re the princess. It’s my sole duty now to protect you. So wherever you run off to, you can be certain of one very important thing.”

She waited, her breath catching at the intense way the handsome young guard watched her. “And what’s that?”

When he smiled, the look was equally menacing and enticing. “I will find you.”

—page 93, FALLING KINGDOMS

Cover Reveal: Hover by Melissa West

Thanks to YA Bound and Entangled Publishing for the cover reveal.

This week we have the cover for the second book in the Taking series by Melissa West. Her debut novel, Gravity, released November 20th.

Pre-order Buy links:

Amazon- http://www.amazon.com/Hover-The-Taking-Melissa-West/dp/1620610930/

BN.com- No link yet

Chapters- http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Hover-Melissa-West/9781620610930-item.html

Book Depository- http://www.bookdepository.com/Hover-Melissa-West/9781620610930

Melissa’s links:

Website- http://www.melissawestauthor.com/

Blog- http://m-b-west.blogspot.com/

Twitter- https://twitter.com/MB_West

Facebook- http://www.facebook.com/MelissaWestAuthor

Goodreads- http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5287439.Melissa_West

 Now, let's get to the cover:

Summary from Goodreads:

Book two in the heart-stopping new series by Melissa West. The follow-up to the acclaimed Gravity, Hover is another thrilling dystopian romance and is perfect for fans of Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games,Veronica Roth's Divergent, and Marie Lu's Legend.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: Fallen Legion by Laura Kreitzer

Fallen Legion

Timeless 4

Author: Laura Kreitzer  
Pages: 316 pgs
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: October 31st 2012
Review Source: Revolution Publishing

I fell in love with Laura's writing after reading the first in her Timeless series, Shadow of the Sun, and she hasn't disappointed me yet. Each book just keeps getting better and better.

With the Empyrean Guard at full force, Gabriella needs all of the help she can get to keep her angels safe. Even with the Fallen, it just might not be enough.

As Gabriella struggles to find the right solution, lines will be crossed that shouldn't and lives will hang in the balance, human and angel. Will she find the answer that they need to save the angels before its too late?

Gabriella is a really fun character to read. While she's this child genius that's supposed to be really awkward around people, she's also just incredibly down to earth. I loved the fact that in this book, particularly, Gabriella was really snarky and sarcastic in spite of all the difficult things she was facing. It really made her character seem realistic and even more likeable.

Plus, Gabriella is also joined by some pretty amazing guys throughout her journey. From Joseph, the hilarious and awesome FBI agent, to Andrew, an angel and Halo, to Ehno and Patrick, other angels, there are a little bit of everything from them. And we get to learn a little bit more about them throughout the series, but especially in Fallen Legion. Who wouldn't want to be surrounded be these guys all the time?

Laura is one of those writer's that is just amazing and world building. I have absolutely no idea how she is able to keep up with it all with each book, but she does and even sometimes manages to add in more. The Timeless world with all of the different angel factions and history is just incredibly in depth and thought out, which really adds a different layer to the series.


So much happens in this fourth installment, I can only imagine what will happen in the final book, Halo of the Sun. I don't want to give anything away, but suffice it to say you better brace yourself with this latest one. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you won't want it to end. And then you can join me as I try to patiently twiddle my thumbs as we wait for the conclusion.

Laura Kreitzer
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads