The Raven Boys!

Oh, gosh.  Boy, am I excited to be able to tell y'all about this lovely that comes out, ummm, some time around October.  It's a long way away, but time does but swiftly pass by on the wings of joy and happiness.  And right now, I'm just about to lose my mind.  The happiness I contain is practically seeping through my ears.  There's just so much of it!  And since I was not able to go to BEA 2012, I find this a good substitute--no, a perfect substitute.
So here it is in all of it's Maggie Stiefvater glory!
The Raven Boys trailer!
Woot!

“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”
It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.
Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.
His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.
But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.
For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.
From Maggie Stiefvater, the bestselling and acclaimed author of the Shiver trilogy and The Scorpio Races, comes a spellbinding new series where the inevitability of death and the nature of love lead us to a place we’ve never been before.

Wasn't it amazeballs?  I find it awesome.  You guys, I am SO pumped and excited about this book!  I have read every single book of Maggie Stiefvater's, and that goes all the way back to the homicidal faeries in Lament and Ballad, then to Shiver, Linger, and Forever, then finally to The Scorpio Races (my favorite!).  I already know I'll love The Raven Boys, but I am keeping my mind open, as should all readers do.
Good day, everyone!

Review: The Agency: The Traitor in the Tunnel

Queen Victoria has a little problem: there’s a petty thief at work in Buckingham Palace. Mary Quinn takes the simple case, going undercover as a domestic servant. But before long, a scandal threatens to tear apart the Royal Family.
One of the Prince of Wales’s irresponsible young friends is killed in disgraceful circumstances. Should the Queen hush things up or allow justice to take its course? Mary’s interest in this private matter soon becomes deeply personal: the killer, a drug-addicted Chinese sailor, shares a name with her long-lost father.
Meanwhile, James Easton’s engineering firm is repairing the sewers beneath Buckingham Palace. Trouble is, there’s a tunnel that’s not on the plans. Its purpose is unclear. But it seems to be very much in use.
These overlapping puzzles offer a perfect opportunity for Mary and James to work together again… if they can still trust one another. This is Mary’s most personal case yet and she has everything to lose.

I love things all Victorian, especially when the story takes place in London, England.  There's just something I find so fascinating about that time period.  The technology that came out of there (like the flush toilet!) was booming.  London was a bustling city while everything around it was growing (like their sewer system!).  And being the nerd I am, I know much more, but I'm not going to bore you all. 
Although, here's an interesting tid bit!  Corsets were not leather cages meant to make women pass out!  That was in the seventeen hundreds where tight corsets were in high demand.  Also, people did not shower and when they went to these lavish parties, everybody would pour on noxious perfumes to cover the stench--which did not help a whole bunch.  And on top of that, rooms were not the highly ventilated rooms we have today.  Corsets was actually like wearing a bra in present time.  Like seriously, women had to run up and down those tiny servant steps to get the job done carrying pales of water and other things.
So maybe I know a bit about the seventeen hundreds, too. *smiles sheepishly* 
Talking about this book, though, I thought it was the best out of the entire series.  The other books I gave four stars to, but to this one, I gave it five.  It was just great! 
The one thing that has always bothered me was James and Mary's relationship.  I loved how they always quarreled and investigated different cases together.  But then at the end of the last book, they broke things off with each other!  I was heart broken!  I was all, "But they were meant to be together!" and would wail, "Whhyyyy????".  It was not a fun time waiting for this baby to come out.  Not at all.
In The Traitor in the Tunnel, I feel as if Mary Quinn possesses an independence she didn't have in the other books.  This assignment is technically her first as an agent, but she's been on her own for a while now.  She was strong and knew what she wanted.  She's pretty bad ass for a teenager in the Victorian era, just saying.
The mystery was something that truly stumped me.  I could not figure out it for the life of me.  There were barely any hints left behind and I could only keep guessing.  But in the end, boy, was I surprised to find out who it was.  So mystery wise, awesome.
Honestly, I wish the Mary Quinn Mysteries didn't end with this book.  I feel as if this series could keep on going on.  It has the potential for it.  I'm not imagining it as a fourteen book-long series, but maybe a five or six book series?  I can't get enough of Mary and the ever charming and dapper James Easton!
So, in all.  This lovely is five stars.  The writing was perfect, the setting was vivid, and the characters were dimensional.  Very dimensional.  I'm sad to see this series go, as I always am when books reach their end.  But there's something about Mary Quinn I could keep reading about.  In all, however, it was a great end. 
Happy reading, all!

Cover Reveal of Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

Woot!  Isn't she a beauty?  I absolutely loved Daughter of Smoke and Bone.  Surprisingly, I almost passed that one up until my very close friend of mine suggested it.  I LOVED that book and can't wait to see what happens next, so lookie here!  It's the cover of Days of Blood and Starlight.  Le sighh.  This makes me happy.

Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone — the first novel in a trilogy — centered on a blue-haired girl named Karou who encounters unusual creatures and dangerous angels as she travels the world on mysterious errands.
Now the sequel, Days of Blood and Starlight, is slated for a Nov. 6 release. It picks up where the best-selling Daughter left off. From the official description: “In this stunning sequel to Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Karou must come to terms with who and what she is, and how far she’ll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, mysteries and secrets, new characters and old favorites, Days of Blood and Starlight brings the richness, color and intensity of the first book to a brand new canvas.”
Judging from Daughter of Smoke and Bone — which EW’s Sara Vilkomerson called a “smartly plotted, surprising, and fiercely compelling read” — the sequel is well worth getting excited about.

What do you think of the cover?  I loooveee it, obviously.  I think it's fierce.

The Spell Continues

After reading the first book, Spellbound, by Cara Lynn Shultz, I knew that these books would be one of my favorites.  I love Emma as a character.  She experienced with taking care of herself and keeping her emotions in check.  And then there's Brenden, her boyfriend, who's absolutely smokin' hot and very protective of her.  They're such a cute couple that make up a great and interesting story.  And because of their curse--that was broken--people of the magical kind are attracted to the two of them, not all of them good.

Finding your eternal soulmate – easy.
Stopping a true-love-hungry evil – not so much…
After breaking a centuries-old romantic curse, Emma Connor is (almost) glad to get back to normal problems. Although…it’s not easy dealing with the jealous cliques and gossip that rule her exclusive Upper East Side prep, even for a sixteen-year-old newbie witch. Having the most-wanted boy in school as her eternal soul mate sure helps ease the pain-especially since wealthy, rocker-hot Brendan Salinger is very good at staying irresistibly close….
But something dark and hungry is using Emma and Brendan’s deepest fears to reveal damaging secrets and destroy their trust in each other. And Emma’s crash course in über-spells may not be enough to keep them safe…or to stop an inhuman force bent on making their unsuspected power its own.

In the beginning, I wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea of two teenagers being The Ones for each other.  I guess I'm an oldie in that sense, but I feel that two kids simply can't fall deeply in love and create this serious relationship with each other.  But that was the curse that did that to them, but they were still meant for each other even after it was broken.
I was glad this story didn't deal so much with school life, although they went there every weekday.  Now that Anthony disappeared, there was a sense of false calm in the beginning.  Nothing could possibly go wrong with them now that the curse was broken.  After I read the first book and discovered that there was another one soon to come out, I was confused.  I didn't really see where else the story could go.  The curse was broken.  Problem solved.  Unfortunately, the story doesn't come that easy to Brenden and Emma; a jealous, power-hungry dark witch is lurking in the shadows of Brenden and Emma's happiness, waiting for the right moment to strike.
Things got interesting after I figured that out.  Once again, Brenden and Emma have to fight to stay together.  Only now, they're relationship is stronger and the person after them has magical powers. 
Book Two here was an improvement from the first book, in my opinion.  Maybe that could be because Emma and Brenden's relationship didn't seem as far-fetched as it was in Spellbound.  I wonder what will happen next, but I can wait.  I did, however, give this pretty five stars.  Good book!

Review: Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready

You can thank the lovely Michelle over at The Passionate Bookworm for introducing me to this awesome book!

Love ties them together.
Death can't tear them apart.

Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last.
Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone.
Well, sort of.
Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan’s violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost.
It doesn't help that Aura’s new friend Zachary is so understanding—and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit.
As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart…and clues to the secret of the Shift.

Like, wow.  This was an interesting twist to all those ghost stories we've all heard.  All kids sixteen and under have the ability to see ghosts.  Adults can't.  Some ghosts terrorize people who may get in their way while others are pretty contempt or maybe confused.  There's this entire branch of the government that deals specifically with the supernatural.  How is that even possible?  This was all made possible by the Shift.
I really liked how music and bands was apart of this.  As a music lover and performer myself, I could understand why Logan and his band mates were so excited and how hard it is to band together and create music.  It's not exactly a tough life, but it's not a glamorous one, unless you've got a record deal and tons of money.  Shift also showed its readers how dirty that type of business can be, too.  Drugs, alcohol, girls.  It's not pretty.
Then, because a book isn't complete without the hot guy with the irresistible accent, there's Zach (pictured below).  He's Scottish and happens to just pop into Aura's disastrous life.  He's supportive, patient (ahem) and really good at complimenting a girl when she looks like total crap.  Yeah, he's one of those guys.  A perfect combo once you throw in that accent of his.

Things really are a mystery in this book.  Why did the Shift start?  How did the Shift start?  Who is Aura's father?  Why is the ghost part of the government so interested in Aura?  And what does this all have to do with Zach?  Nothing is really answered, so I can't wait to get my hands on Shift, the second book in the trilogy.  Alas, my local library--nor the surrounding libraries in my county--have the book.  It's a completely mystifying situation since they have Shade and Shine, the last book.
Anyway, I gave this book four stars.  It was an intriguing idea and I can't wait to unravel the mystery.  Aura's a tough heroine that just happens to be completely clueless, but not in the dim way.  Readers learn things along with her.  I definitely suggest reading this book.  It was great.
Note: I don't usually read ghost novels, so this is saying something.

Someone Else's Fairytale by E.M Tippetts

The lovely E.M Tippetts sent this book to me herself to me.  I was so excited.  Being a newbie to the blogoshpere, this book is my first given to me directly from an author.  So, without further ado, I present to you my review of Someone Else's Fairytale by E.M Tippetts.

Jason Vanderholt is Hollywood's hottest actor. Chloe Winters is a college student who hasn't bothered to see most of his movies. When they meet by chance, she is underwhelmed but he is smitten. Chloe becomes the woman every other woman in America is dying to be, but it just isn't her fairytale.

This was certainly a book different than most contemporaries out there.  Chloe and Jason were different than most in books.  Jason wasn't some tortured soul and Chloe wasn't some damsel waiting to be swept off her feet.  This was a different story.
Instead  of the guy holding all the secrets, it's the girl.  Repeatedly, Chloe shocked me with her troubled past.  She wasn't open to swoon over the hottest celebrity of the decade.  Chloe had her priorities.  Like school and homework and hopes for a scholarship.  She was  a tough cookie to crumble.  Sometimes I wanted to yell at her for being so blind as to what Jason thought of her or how sometimes she had to let loose and have some fun.  But, this is a story of growth and hard relationships.  She had to learn things on her own, and she did.  At her own pace and time.  Luckily, this didn't bother me much.  Chloe might have been a bit hard-headed when it came to romance, but she had her reasons that she kept so dearly close to her. 
And then there was Jason Vanderholt.  He was a busy guy.  Jason has a ton of fans, not to mention a huge line of drooling girls in his wake.  But Jason doesn't have his eyes set on them.  He only has eyes for Chloe Winters, the girl that's just out of reach to him. 
Nothing can be expected from this book, except for a happy ending, but definitely not the way anybody thought it would.  It's a heartwarming romance with many ups and downs.  There are disturbing skeletons in Chloe's past that are surfaced.  Love, lies, and the paparazzi.  Nothing is ever what it seems, even in the spotlight.
I gave this book four out of five stars.  It was lovely and is definitely a great read when in the mood for something romance-y.  It was such an honor to be able to talk to E.M Tippetts and get to know her.  Also, it was an honor to be chosen to review it!  I hope everybody else will get the chance to read this book!
Happy reading!

Review: Croak by Gina Damico

I heard about this book a while before it came out.  Thanks to my serious Twitter addiction, I heard about Croak via Jessica Spotswood, author of Born Wicked, ranting about it.  After doing a bit of research on the book, I knew I had to get my hands on this book.  And I did.  I mean, just look at the book trailer--it's awesome.

Sixteen-year-old Lex Bartleby has sucker-punched her last classmate. Fed up with her punkish, wild behavior, her parents ship her off to upstate New York to live with her Uncle Mort for the summer, hoping that a few months of dirty farm work will whip her back into shape. But Uncle Mort’s true occupation is much dirtier than that of shoveling manure.
He’s a Grim Reaper. And he’s going to teach her the family business.
Lex quickly assimilates into the peculiar world of Croak, a town populated entirely by reapers who deliver souls from this life to the next. Along with her infuriating yet intriguing partner Driggs and a rockstar crew of fellow Grim apprentices, Lex is soon zapping her targets like a natural born Killer.
Yet her innate ability morphs into an unchecked desire for justice—or is it vengeance?—whenever she’s forced to Kill a murder victim, craving to stop the attackers before they can strike again. So when people start to die—that is, people who aren’t supposed to be dying, people who have committed grievous crimes against the innocent—Lex’s curiosity is piqued. Her obsession grows as the bodies pile up, and a troubling question begins to swirl through her mind: if she succeeds in tracking down the murderer, will she stop the carnage—or will she ditch Croak and join in?

Wow, that's a really long synopsis.
Anyhow, I wanted to start this review with how dimensional I though Lex was.  At first, I thought she was an extremely bratty and angst-ridden teen with something to prove when she actually didn't.  But then, as the book continues, I realized there was much more to her.  She didn't always want to be bad, in a way, her violent and angry mind is woven into her blood.  It's who she is and she can't change that.  But she also happens to be a person who cares a lot about her family.  She loves them.  The problem is that she just can't express it the right way.
Okay, and I just thought I'd tell you all the Uncle Mort has to be a pretty handsome guy in here, only edgy looking.  Don't know why; it's just how I imagined him to be.
This tale put an awesome twist to Grim Reapers.  They don't take souls because they can and wear cowls.  Although, they do wear black hoodies.  Their job is to bring peoples' souls into a safer place, where they won't become ghosts and all.
And then things start getting mysterious and sketchy.  Innocent people die before they're supposed to and Lex and Driggs are determined to figure it out.  With the help of the junior Grims and Uncle Mort, they unravel the mystery only to be completely caught offguard and shocked.
Yeah, it was a good book.  I gave is four out of five stars.  It was very good, and like always, I highly suggest people read it.  It was a quick read that had the adrenaline pumping.  It was a very unique story and I can't wait to see what happens to our beloved Lex and the others in Book 2, Scorch.
Happy reading!