Teaser Tuesday (3)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following: 

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.

 BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! 

(Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

                                                                                                                                      

I am currently reading two books so I'll post teasers for both.

Title: Faefever

Author: Karen Marie Moning

Series: Fever (3)

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Release Date: 16 Sept 2008

"V'lane was the sidhe-seer equivalent of Lucifer; and even if his motives in Mankind's current predicament mirrored ours, he was to be feared, shunned, and, a deep part of me insisted, destroyed. Seelie and Unseelie alike, the Fae were our enemies."

-pg 154

Title:  Linger

Author: Maggie Stiefvater

Series: Wolves of Mercy Falls (2)

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Release Date: 13 July 2010

"Likewise, my body wasn't firmly human- but it wasn't wolf either. Instead, it was a strange middle territory- human body, wolf brain. Human memories seen through wolf eyes."

 -pg 180

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Movie Review -- Because I Never Really Hated Twilight

I finally watched Breaking Dawn Pt 2.

I don't know if my expectations are getting lower or they're making the movie better but it was good, a fitting end to the Saga. I liked this movie a lot better than the others mainly because for the first time, the plot wasn't fueled by angsty teen love triangle relationships. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

There will be spoilers. You have been warned.

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Waiting on Wednesday (1)

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Jill on Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. New installment of a series/trilogy, new book by a favourite author or a new release that captured your attention. Whatever book it may be, it certainly tickled your fancy and got you bouncing on your seat, silently giggling to yourself. Waiting on Wednesday allows us to feature books we're eagerly waiting for.

This Week I'm Waiting On:

Title: Perfect Scoundrels

Author: Ally Carter

Series: Heist Society (3)

Publisher: Hyperion Books

Expected Publication: 05 February 2013

Katarina Bishop and W.W. Hale the fifth were born to lead completely different lives: Kat comes from a long, proud line of lovable criminal masterminds, while Hale is the scion of one of the most seemingly perfect dynasties in the world. If their families have one thing in common, it’s that they both know how to stay under the radar while getting-or stealing-whatever they want.

No matter the risk, the Bishops can always be counted on, but in Hale’s family, all bets are off when money is on the line. When Hale unexpectedly inherits his grandmother’s billion dollar corporation, he quickly learns that there’s no place for Kat and their old heists in his new role. But Kat won’t let him go that easily, especially after she gets tipped off that his grandmother’s will might have been altered in an elaborate con to steal the company’s fortune. So instead of being the heir-this time, Hale might be the mark.

Forced to keep a level head as she and her crew fight for one of their own, Kat comes up with an ambitious and far-reaching plan that only the Bishop family would dare attempt. To pull it off, Kat is prepared to do the impossible, but first, she has to decide if she’s willing to save her boyfriend’s company if it means losing the boy. 

Seriously. I can not stress enough how much I love Ally Carter. Kat and Hale are the cutest thing ever and I swear if they don't end up together I am going to write a very angry, passionate letter. Is that Hale I see in the reflection of her glasses? Nice move, cover designers, nice move. The past two books were awesome and this is going to be the last one, isn't it? I'm gonna cry...

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Review: Origin- Jessica Khoury

Title: Origin
Author: Jessica Khoury
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: 04 September 2012
Date Read: October 2012
Rating: ★★★★☆

Pia is perfect. She is incredibly intelligent. Her physical abilities are superhuman. Her beauty is stunning (literally). This is no coincidence. Pia was genetically engineered through five generation to be perfect, to be the first of an Immortal race. She was raised in Little Cam, a secluded village in the middle of Amazon, by the best scientists in the world.

Pia works hard to be the perfect immortal everyone wants her to be. I couldn't decide whether I enjoyed reading the story through Pia's perspective. I got frustrated at her, especially at the beginning, because so many of her hard convictions and beliefs weren't hers. Her thoughts and words were shadows of what the scientists told her time and time again. Ugh! And she was so conceited, up herself and vulnerable to say the least. Normally, I would have hated her, but considering her immortal circumstance, it made for a very interesting narrative.

Khoury did a fantastic job in creating the world of Little Cam, of the Amazon. With a few choice words, Khoury breathed life into a vibrant jungle filled with amazing greenery, flowers, exotic animals and the sounds exclusive only to the jungle that housed Pia's entire life.

Even though Pia is obedient of the scientists' wishes, she still yearns for the life outside Little Cam, the life of the jungle. On the night of her seventeenth birthday, she finds a hole in the gate that traps her inside Little Cam. She takes the opportunity, sneaks out and encounters Eio, as mysterious as the jungle itself. Half Ai'oan, he joins Pia in discovering the jungle that's always been out of reach. The romance between the two was romantic and beautifully crafted, even though it was an insta-love. I think the time frame of the book, and their encounters was only a week or two. But really it felt much longer than that and considering their circumstance, it didn't bother me at all. They had a real connection and they loved each other. Khoury's wonderful prose certainly helped in that matter. Seriously, the scnes between the two were heart-warming and butterflies were going crazy in my stomach.

The other characters were great and all you could hope for side characters. Well-rounded and with substance, they were real people with their own fears, dreams and desires. I especially liked Harriet. No matter how much I wanted to hate her, I couldn't. It made me wonder how far I would go for the things I wanted and loved.

Origin is a fast-paced novel with an original story-line. It is filled with action, romance, suspense, adventure and prose that expertly creates the exotic setting, the Amazon jungle, of this story. I was surprised to find that it is a stand-alone title. It's not easy to find a good stand-alone adventure/dystopia book. But I'm glad I found this one.

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Review: Beautiful Disaster - Jamie McGuire

Title: Beautiful Disaster
Author: Jamie McGuire
Series: Beautiful (1)
Publisher: Jamie McGuire
Release Date: 26 May 2011
Date Read: October 2012
Rating:

Beautiful disaster, indeed.

This is going to be more of a rant than a review with a lot of spoilers.

This tops the list of abusive, unhealthy relationships in YA literature, and there are a lot of those nowadays. Abby and Travis insist on hurting each other the first chance they get.

Abby Abernathy went to Eastern with her best friend, America, to escape her past. (I know America is her best friend but that's kind of selfish to go to a college just because you're friend wants to go there as well. You've got you're whole future to think about too, America. But obviously I don't have loyalty to my friends so don't listen to me.) She works hard to seem like a good girl -(she has the appropriate amount of cardigans).

Travis Maddox is the most eligible man in Eastern. He's smoking hot, ridiculously ripped, wins money from fighting in a floating fight club and he's got tattoos to increase his already high sex appeal. He's smart, he got a scholarship to go to Eastern (how and why he needs to be smart, I haven't got a clue since he didn't do any studying of his own and it doesn't fit his personality). There are puddles of drool all over the campus because girls forget their manners, and the fact that they are people that should be treated with respect, whenever Travis walks past. Girls literally throw themselves at him in ways that I can only hope stays in the fiction world. These girls chuck their self-respect out the window to be with Travis even though he's made it perfectly clear that he only wants sex. And how could I forget the fact that he's the Hulk? Abby snags his attention because she's the only girl in campus who's not pining for him and flipping her hair over her shoulder whenever she's around. No, Abby is immune to Travis charms and they proceed to become platonic friends, who secretly want to bang each other.

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Cover Release -- Furthermore: An Anthology

It's Cover Reveal week! Thanks to the talent of so many wonderful authors, our anthology is nearly complete and will be released on December 11th. But today, we are excited to share the cover with you and won't make you wait any longer!

A first date, a lottery, treachery and deceit. Sometimes fate has other plans. Sometimes there’s more to tell.

In Furthermore: An Anthology, eighteen original stories take you on a journey through worlds here and beyond. From the depths of the earth to the embrace of the sea, your favorite series continue. Prequels, alternative views, and new scenes give readers a chance to experience more than originally told.

Including stories from Rebekah Campbell, Amber Garr, David Estes, Leigh Michael, Karen Amanda Hooper, Stephanie Judice, and Mayandree Michael. And most importantly, in honor of those who lost the battle and those who continue to fight, all proceeds from this anthology will be donated to cancer research and support.

Here's a list of the short stories that will be included in Furthermore: An Anthology

• SURPRISE VISITOR -Emily has never been a fan of surprises but Eric has something up his sleeve to change her mind. (The Darkness Through The Light Series)
• GETTING TO KNOW THE HEAVIES - The two Sullivan bodyguards are still human beings underneath it all. And everyone has a weakness. (The Darkness Through The Light Series)
• PEOPLE CHANGE - When Eric asks his dad a question about his mother, it’s time to go back to where it all began and then went so badly wrong. (The Darkness Through The Light Series)
• COLD FEET - Kain witnesses Eviana’s deceit on their wedding day and is forced to deal with the consequences of her behavior. (The Syrenka Series)
• RIFT - Daniel encourages the group to make a detour to the Grand Canyon, as the distance between the friends begins to rival the great ravine. (The Syrenka Series)
• DISCOVERY - Leila’s first encounter with her psychic mentor is nothing short of memorable. (The Leila Marx Novels)
• HUMAN RESOURCES – Blake finds a new job while Mac finds a friend who reminds him of home. (The Leila Marx Novels)
• THE RUNAWAY- TAWNI’S STORY - After learning of her parents’ treachery, Tawni leaves home seeking to make amends for their transgressions. (The Dwellers Saga)
• THE LIFE LOTTERY- A STORY FROM YEAR ZERO - With the survival of the human race on the brink, there’s only one way to decide who will be saved in the underground caves: The Lottery. (The Dwellers Saga)
• FATE: Experience Annabelle’s struggle to fulfill the ABA Prophecy in a new light through the parting words of Adrian, Aurelia, Blake, and Lady Katherine. (Annabelle’s Story)
• The Sound of Love - Glimpse into one of Nathaniel’s previous lives and see how his soul mate reacts when tragedy strikes. (The Kindrily Series)
• MUIRNE’S MELODY--To escape her master’s vile desires, Muirne flees into the snow-swept night, finding a green-eyed stranger and a mystical destiny. (Saga of the Setti Series)
• JEREMY’S HEART: Calm, cool, and complete scoundrel, Jeremy realizes the loss he’s suffered means nothing compared to true love. (Saga of the Setti Series)
• FALL FROM GRACE: Warped by centuries of darkness, the creature Sveigja plots to capture Clara as his queen. (Saga of the Setti Series)
• Plus two original stories by Mayandree Michel.

We would like to extend a HUGE thanks to Claudia at PhatPuppyArt for donating the artwork and to Alexandra Shostak for donating her time for the cover design. You ladies are amazing and we are all so grateful for your contribution!

If you are interested in promoting the release or reviewing an ARC, please visit HERE to sign up.
To find out more about the authors and their stories, please check out THIS POST.

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In Which Katrina Returns From the Almost Month Long Absence Brought Upon the Horror that is Final Exams...

Yes. As it says on the incredibly long title of the post, I am back.
My final exams are over, there are no more classes, I don't have to think about anything school related until February 2013 (and even that's questionable since the whole end of the world thing is the way). So yeah...

I can do whatever I want! Granted, I already did that before, but at least now I don't have to feel guilty about doing what I want and not doing what I'm supposed to.

There will be reviews, new releases, blog tours and there will be general book-related excitedness.

Anyway, I hear the airport attendant calling out my flight.

Flight Number DK 394 to FictionLand: Now Boarding

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