Sunday, August 31, 2014

Stacking the Shelves #40


Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by  Tynga's Reviews! This meme showcases the books received, bought, or checked out from the library over the past week. 

I didn't get to do my Stacking the Shelves last week because I went to Chicago Comic Con! It was so fun, and I just have to share some of the pics I got with you guys. 


Yes, I did meet Matt Smith, the 11th Doctor.

I also met Norman Reedus and Michael Rooker from the Walking Dead... Also known as the Dixon Brothers, Merle and Daryl!

I got to meet Scott Wilson, or Hershel from the Walking Dead, too!

And I met Karen Gillan, or Amy Pond (or Nebula), as well. She's really tall, haha.

This little girl's Dalek costume was one of the best cosplays I saw.

R2D2 was there, donning purple, waiting to get his picture taken with some Star Trek people, which was odd to me, haha. 

And lastly, I got to take my picture with a life-sized TARDIS, which was a dream come true. 


Now, onto the books...

For Review:
Generation 18
By: Keri Arthur
Release Date: 9/30/14
A big thank you to Dell and Edelweiss!
Synopsis:
COUNTDOWN TO CRISIS
 
A serial killer strikes every twelve hours. A vampire takes lives at random. At first glance, these tragic incidents seem unrelated. But Special Investigations Unit agents Sam Ryan and Gabriel Stern trace them both back to a military base known as Hopeworth. Is the murder spree part of a cover-up? And are the vampire killings less by chance and more methodical?
 
The investigation takes an eerie, personal turn when Sam discovers a connection between herself and the victims—and a clue to her own mysterious origins. With the violence escalating and the danger drawing closer to home, the stakes are raised and the mission changes from seeking justice to ensuring Sam and Gabriel’s own survival. And the one person who seems to hold all the answers—about Hopeworth, about Sam’s past—is a mystery man she isn’t sure she can trust. They share a psychic link through her dreams, and he once saved her life, but he may just be the greatest enemy humankind has ever known.


Penumbria
By: Keri Arthur
Release Date: 10/28/14
A big thank you to Dell and Edelweiss!
Synopsis:
TWIN KILLING
 
Agent Sam Ryan wants out of the Special Investigations Unit. She’s sick of the attitude from her partner, Gabriel Stern. She’s sick of the paperwork. Most of all, she’s sick of feeling lonely. But her boss isn’t about to let her go that easily. He gives Sam a choice: either stay stuck in her office or guard a clone replacement of Dan Wetherton, a government minister. Sam reluctantly chooses the latter—even though she suspects she’s being used as bait to draw out the SIU’s elusive nemesis.
 
Gabriel would like nothing better than to be on his own, without a partner to hold him back. Then he learns that Sam has been assigned to protect Wetherton—or whatever it is that’s replaced him. Wetherton’s clone could have come from only one place: Hopeworth, the military base that contains the secrets of Sam’s past. Determined to protect her, Gabriel is drawn into a fight against unspeakable evil. And all too soon, Sam and Gabriel discover that the connection between them is far more powerful than anyone could ever have imagined.


Red Blooded
By: Amanda Carlson
Release Date: 9/9/14
A big thank you to Orbit and Netgalley!
Synopsis:
Jessica is on her way to Hell. After settling a fragile truce between the vampires, werewolves and witches, the last thing Jessica wants to do is face the demons head on. But when the Prince of Hell kidnapped her brother, he set into motion a chain of events that even Jessica doesn't have the power to stop.

Now, Jessica must go into battle again. But Hell is a whole new beast... new rules, more dangerous demons, and an entirely foreign realm. And when Jessica is dropped into the Underworld too soon, without protection or the help of her friends, she must figure out just how powerful she can be... or she will never make it out alive.


Chasing Before
By: Lenore Appelhans
Release Date: 8/26/14
A big thank you to Simon & Schuster and Edelweiss!
Synopsis:
Felicia and Neil have left Level 2 behind, but another level stands between them and Heaven: Level 3. While the purpose of Level 2 is to relive your time on Earth and make peace with your memories, the objective of Level 3 is to completely detach from life and prepare for your divine vocation.

During Felicia and Neil's training period, a series of explosions destroy the portals out of Level 3. Tension is high, and casualties are mounting. Though Neil wants to become either a Muse or a Healer to help, Felicia is drawn to the Seraphim Guard. A rift forms between the pair, one that grows wider when Felicia receives memories from the Morati. The memories cast doubt on the people she loves the most, but Felicia can't stop her curiosity. She has to know the truth about her life before she moves on--if she can manage to evade old enemies long enough to find a way out of Level 3.


Purchased:
Visions
By: Kelley Armstrong
Synopsis:
As #1 New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong’s new Cainsville series continues, Olivia’s power to read omens leads to the discovery of a gruesome crime with troubling connections to her new hometown.

Omens, the first installment in Kelley Armstrong’s exciting new series, introduced Olivia Taylor-Jones, daughter of notorious serial killers, and Gabriel Walsh, the self-serving, morally ambiguous lawyer who became her unlikely ally. Together, they chased down a devious killer and partially cleared her parents of their horrifying crimes.

Their success, however, is short-lived. While Olivia takes refuge in the old, secluded town of Cainsville, Gabriel’s past mistakes have come to light, creating a rift between the pair just when she needs his help the most.

Olivia finds a dead woman in her car, dressed to look like her, but the body vanishes before anyone else sees it. Olivia’s convinced it’s another omen, a sign of impending danger. But then she learns that a troubled young woman went missing just days ago—the same woman Olivia found dead in her car. Someone has gone to great lengths to kill and leave this young woman as a warning. But why? And what role has her new home played in this disturbing murder?

Olivia’s effort to uncover the truth places her in the crosshairs of old and powerful forces, forces that have their own agenda, and closely guarded secrets they don’t want revealed.


Creators
By: Tiffany Truitt
Synopsis:
The dramatic conclusion to the Lost Souls trilogy, which answers readers’ questions and finally pits natural Tess against the true enemies of Templeton, the creators

Heartbroken but more determined than ever after a tense showdown in the woods, sixteen-year-old Tess once again returns to the safety of her community of Isolationists. Bolstered by new alliances and desperate to protect those she loves, this time she knows she can return stronger and more powerful than ever to take back what is hers. As she trains in combat and grows more confident, Tess receives beautiful letters penned by her forbidden love, the chosen one James, from his prison in Templeton. He is now serving as a bodyguard to the creators-the team of scientists who created artificial life in the first place. And what he has discovered about the true origin of the illness that halted natural life could change everything. Enemy will become ally and death will bring new hope in this stunning conclusion to Tiffany Truitt's epic Lost Souls trilogy.


Opposition
By: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Synopsis:
Katy knows the world changed the night the Luxen came.

She can't believe Daemon welcomed his race or stood by as his kind threatened to obliterate every last human and hybrid on Earth. But the lines between good and bad have blurred, and love has become an emotion that could destroy her—could destroy them all.

Daemon will do anything to save those he loves, even if it means betrayal.

They must team with an unlikely enemy if there is any chance of surviving the invasion. But when it quickly becomes impossible to tell friend from foe, and the world is crumbling around them, they may lose everything— even what they cherish most—to ensure the survival of their friends…and mankind.

War has come to Earth. And no matter the outcome, the future will never be the same for those left standing.


From the Library:
Of Neptune
By: Anna Banks
Synopsis:

Emma, who is half human and half Syrena, and her Syrena love, Galen, need time together. Alone. Away from the kingdoms of Poseidon and Triton. Emma’s grandfather, the Poseidon king, suggests the two visit a small town called Neptune.

Neptune is home to both Syrena and Half-Breeds alike. But Emma and Galen didn’t sign up to be peacemakers between the ocean-living Syrena and the land-dwelling, freshwater counterparts. They didn’t bargain for meeting a charming Half-Breed named Reed, who can barely disguise his feelings for Emma. And they especially didn’t expect to find themselves in the middle of a power struggle that threatens not only their love, but their ocean kingdoms.

In this stunning conclusion to her bestselling Syrena Legacy, Anna Banks thrills fans with more action and romance than ever.


The Falconer
By: Elizabeth May
Synopsis:
One girl's nightmare is this girl's faery tale. 

She's a stunner.
Edinburgh, 1844. Eighteen-year-old Lady Aileana Kameron, the only daughter of the Marquess of Douglas, has everything a girl could dream of: brains, charm, wealth, a title — and drop-dead beauty.

She's a liar.
But Aileana only looks the part of an aristocratic young lady. She's leading a double life: She has the rare ability to sense the sìthichean — the faery race obsessed with slaughtering humans — and, with the aid of a mysterious mentor, has spent the year since her mother died learning how to kill them.

She's a murderer.
Now Aileana is dedicated to slaying the fae before they take innocent lives. With her abilities and her knack for inventing ingenious tools and weapons — from flying machines to detonators to lightning pistols — ruthless Aileana has one goal: Destroy the faery who destroyed her mother.

She's a Falconer.
The last in a line of female warriors born with the gift for hunting and killing the fae, Aileana is the sole hope of preventing a powerful faery population from massacring all of humanity. Suddenly, her quest is a lot more complicated. She still longs to avenge her mother's murder — but she'll have to save the world first.


The Winner's Curse
By: Marie Rutkoski
Synopsis:
Winning what you want may cost you everything you love 

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions. 

One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin. 

But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined. 

Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.


3:59
By: Gretchen McNeil
Synopsis:
Josie Byrne's life is spiraling out of control. Her parents are divorcing, her boyfriend Nick has grown distant, and her physics teacher has it in for her. When she's betrayed by the two people she trusts most, Josie thinks things can't get worse.

Until she starts having dreams about a girl named Jo. Every night at the same time—3:59 a.m.

Jo's life is everything Josie wants: she's popular, her parents are happily married, and Nick adores her. It all seems real, but they're just dreams, right? Josie thinks so, until she wakes one night to a shadowy image of herself in the bedroom mirror – Jo. 

Josie and Jo realize that they are doppelgängers living in parallel universes that overlap every twelve hours at exactly 3:59. Fascinated by Jo's perfect world, Josie jumps at the chance to jump through the portal and switch places for a day.

But Jo’s world is far from perfect. Not only is Nick not Jo's boyfriend, he hates her. Jo's mom is missing, possibly insane. And at night, shadowy creatures feed on human flesh.

By the end of the day, Josie is desperate to return to her own life. But there’s a problem: Jo has sealed the portal, trapping Josie in this dangerous world. Can she figure out a way home before it’s too late?

From master of suspense Gretchen McNeil comes a riveting and deliciously eerie story about the lives we wish we had – and how they just might kill you.


Silver Shadows
By: Richelle Mead
Synopsis:
Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

In The Fiery Heart, Sydney risked everything to follow her gut, walking a dangerous line to keep her feelings hidden from the Alchemists.

Now in the aftermath of an event that ripped their world apart, Sydney and Adrian struggle to pick up the pieces and find their way back to each other. But first, they have to survive. 

For Sydney, trapped and surrounded by adversaries, life becomes a daily struggle to hold on to her identity and the memories of those she loves. Meanwhile, Adrian clings to hope in the face of those who tell him Sydney is a lost cause, but the battle proves daunting as old demons and new temptations begin to seize hold of him. . . .

Their worst fears now a chilling reality, Sydney and Adrian face their darkest hour in this heart-pounding fifth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where all bets are off.

Thursday, August 28, 2014

BLACKBIRD by Anna Carey

Rating: D+
Release Date: 9/16/14
Synopsis:
This twisty, breathless cat-and-mouse thrill ride, told in the second person, follows a girl with amnesia in present-day Los Angeles who is being pursued by mysterious and terrifying assailants.

A girl wakes up on the train tracks, a subway car barreling down on her. With only minutes to react, she hunches down and the train speeds over her. She doesn’t remember her name, where she is, or how she got there. She has a tattoo on the inside of her right wrist of a blackbird inside a box, letters and numbers printed just below: FNV02198. There is only one thing she knows for sure: people are trying to kill her. 

On the run for her life, she tries to untangle who she is and what happened to the girl she used to be. Nothing and no one are what they appear to be. But the truth is more disturbing than she ever imagined. 

The Maze Runner series meets Code Name Verity, Blackbird is relentless and action-packed, filled with surprising twists.


My thoughts on the book:
I wasn't sure if I would like Blackbird or not because of the second person POV. It turns out that reading a book in the second person did bother me. A lot. Aside from that, the story could have been fantastic and kept me on the edge of my seat, but all of its potential was ruined by a subpar romance. Novels like this don't even need romance, in my opinion. Also, the plot didn't feel fully developed, which bothered me. I just feel like this book could have been a lot more, if written in the first person and minus the romance. 

None of the characters were very well developed. I mean I get it with Sunny because she has amnesia, and what we did learn about her made her a bad ass. She had the potential to be a great YA heroine, but she just fell short. Her relationship with Ben made her a typical YA leading female, and while she could fight, her character just didn't feel well-rounded to me. Ben was all right. Typical YA "bad boy" who is really just a nice guy with issues. He didn't do much for me. I didn't like him or hate him, and again, he just didn't seem fully developed. All of the other characters were cookie cutter, including the villains. No one was unique, which was a disappointment. 

The plot itself had great potential, but much like Sunny, it fell short. The first half of the book had a ton of coincidences, and I hate when authors manipulate the story like that. The last half was faster paced and full of suspense, but it felt rushed. The second person writing really bothered me. I felt like I was either being lied about or told what to do. I know that's probably just one of my quirks and it won't affect others like this, but it didn't work for me. The writing itself didn't stand out one way or the other. The twist at the end did surprise me, at least, and I enjoyed that. The romance felt forced and really detracted from the story, in my opinion. The ending just barely scratches the surface with answers, setting up the sequel perfectly. 

Overall, if you're looking for something different (at least in some ways), then I'd say give this book a try. It didn't really work for me, but that doesn't mean that you won't enjoy it. In my opinion, this novel had the potential to be a fantastic and unique work and fell short due to the aforementioned issues, but the second person narration does give it a different feel, if you can tolerate it. 

Pre-order Blackbird

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

MEMORY ZERO by Keri Arthur

Rating: B+
Release Date: 8/26/14
Synopsis:
For Sam Ryan, life began at age fourteen. She has no memory of her parents or her childhood. In a decade of service with the State Police, Sam has exhausted the resources of the force searching for clues to her identity. But all mention of her family seems to have been deliberately wiped off the record. Everything changes the night Sam’s missing partner resurfaces as a vampire . . . and forces her to kill him in self-defense. Now Sam is charged with murder. Suspended from the force, and with no one left to trust, Sam accepts some unexpected help from Gabriel Stern, a shapeshifter who conceals startling secrets.
 
While investigating the circumstances surrounding her partner’s strange behavior, Sam discovers that Garbriel’s been involved with a dangerous organization that’s planning a war on the human race. More immediate, someone is guarding the truth about Sam’s past—someone who’d rather see her dead than risk her knowing too much. To stay alive, Sam must unravel the threads of her past—and find out not only who she is but what she is.


My thoughts on the book:
I went into this book not knowing what to expect. This is a completely different world than any of the others that Arthur has created. However, I was pleasantly surprised. I got hooked right away and couldn't put the book down. This novel is action-packed and full of adventure. This is very much an Urban Fantasy novel instead of Paranormal Romance. There isn't any romance at all, honestly, and I found that refreshing. Sam and Gabriel are both very well-developed and realistic. The plot is fast-paced and has a sense of urgency to it, and the world-building is fantastic. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

Sam is a very strong leading lady, and I really enjoyed reading from her perspective. The book is third person limited, but it switches between Sam and Gabriel, nonetheless. I really admired Sam and could understand and relate to her feelings and actions. Gabriel is also a very strong leading character. He's loyal and protective, but not condescending. The secondary characters are also well-developed and seem real. I hope to see more of Stephan because he seems interesting. 

The plot is part mystery and part action. There are plenty of plot twists, and the sense of urgency Arthur instills the novel with will keep you on the edge of your seat. I'm really curious to see what Sam ends up being. Some ideas were thrown out there by some characters, but nothing has stuck yet. Arthur does a great job painting the setting, and I never forgot that this book is set in Australia. The world-building is also well-done, and I felt that I had a good grasp on what the rules of the world are. While I saw some of the plot twists coming, I still kept reading to see what would happen in the end. I had to know if the bad guy would be stopped. This is a really fast-paced read, but nothing feels rushed. The ending ties things up nicely and sets up the next book. 

Overall, I'd recommend this book and series to anyone who is looking for something a little bit different in the Urban Fantasy/Mystery/Detective genre. Arthur is a great author, and this book is a fantastic read. 

Order Memory Zero!

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

RIVAL LOVE by Natalie Decker Release Day Blitz!


Rival Love
By: Natalie Decker
Release Date: 08/26/14
Swoon Romance

Summary from Goodreads:
Skylar Fletcher is a proud Harris Academy Bulldog! She has everything she’s ever wanted: a perfect boyfriend, great friends, and her dream college waiting for her in the fall. But nothing lasts forever. Skylar's world shatters when her mom decides it is time to move and drags Skylar, kicking and screaming, into Bobcat territory.

At Delmont High School, home of the Bobcats, Skylar has no friends and is often bullied. To make matters worse, her home life sucks thanks to all-star quarterback Caleb Morgan, nephew of her mom's live-in boyfriend.

At first Skylar and Caleb want nothing to do with one another. But they soon discover they're not that different after all--and each is harboring a secret attraction to the other. But can a Bulldog and a Bobcat ever really be more than friends? And are Skylar and Caleb willing to risk everything to find out? Rival Love is a debut young adult contemporary romance from Natalie Decker.

Add Rival Love to your GoodReads TBR shelf!

Buy Link:
Amazon

Excerpt:
“Let’s get this shit over with.”

I march forward. Once I’m halfway to the doors, I glance back. She’s actually following. A permanent scowl is on her face, but I don’t really give a crap about that.

Opening the side door, I wait for her. I should slam it in her face, but I don’t. A part of me knows how much this must suck for her. The other part wants her to be so freaking miserable it isn’t funny.

Especially, after she decided to go all dog and bite me. Crazy bitch.

I glance down at her schedule and make my way through the long hallway then up the flight of stairs labeled “C wing.” Up on the third floor, we walk down two more halls and I stop at room 310.

“Here’s where your social psychology class is, hopefully you learn something in there.”
She curls her upper lip and mouths, “Hopefully you learn something.”
“Right. Moving on to your next class.”

We work our way over to the next flight of stairs and head down to the basement floor. Over in the E wing, at room 12, I chuckle. “And this is Italian IV.”Of course she’d take Italian for four years. So she’s one of those stuck-up, wannabe chicks who dreams of going abroad and sucking down wine all day. Dream on, girl, dream on.:
“What’s so funny about taking Italian?”

I’m not answering her stupid question. If she wants to take the most pointless language on the planet, that’s her choice. With a schedule like hers I don’t know why she’s not taking Chinese or freaking Japanese.

She taps her foot. “Well?”
I shake my head. “When are you going to use it?”
“When I go to Italy with my dad next summer. Any more questions you want to ask me?”

I can see the challenge in her eyes. She wants me to mock her again so she can twist it around and make me look like a dipshit. I sort of feel like one, but it’s not enough to stop me from asking her, “Why don’t you live with him?”
She looks down at the tiled floor and sighs audibly. “He’s a professor in New York. He’s constantly working—lectures, papers, whatever.” She bites her lower lip and looks away.
“So you believe he’s too busy for you?”
Skylar shrugs. “It doesn’t matter. Can we not talk about my dad right now?” She stalks off and it makes me curious. What’s she hiding?

I could pry but then that would leave a door open for her to do the same. My own past is a closed door, and won’t be revisited any time soon. So instead of questioning her more, we continue down the hall in silence. Working my way to the B wing of the building, I zigzag us through different halls until we reach room 204. “Civics is here and two doors down is World Literature.” I can’t believe we’ve got these two classes together. I’m not about to tell her either, who knows what stupid shit she might pull next.

In silence, we make our way back to the basement area and into the commons. “This is the lunch area. Over there”—I point to the right, away from the large open space filled with round tables and chairs—“that’s the new gym. And over to the left behind that oval glass window is the pool. Of course you know that.”

She nods. “Yeah. What’s next?”
“Do you want to see the pool?”
“No.”

About the Author:
Natalie Decker is the Author of Rival Love. She loves oceans, sunsets, sand between her toes, and carefree days. Her imagination is always going, which some find odd. But she believes in seeing the world in a different light at all times. Her first passion for writing started at age twelve when she had to write a poem for English class. However, seventh grade wasn’t her favorite time and books were her source of comfort. 

She took all college prep classes in High school, and attended the University of Akron. Although she studied Mathematics she never lost her passion for writing or her comfort in books. She’s a mean cook in the kitchen, loves her family and friends and her awesome dog infinity times infinity. If she’s not writing, reading, traveling, hanging out with her family and friends, then she’s off having an adventure. Because Natalie believes in a saying: Your life is your own journey, so make it amazing!