Waiting on Wednesday

Arise (Hereafter 2) by Tara Hudson

Amelia—still caught between life and death—must fight for every moment of her relationship with the human boy Joshua. They can hardly even kiss without Amelia accidentally dematerializing. Looking for answers, they go to visit some of Joshua’s Seer relatives in New Orleans. But even in a city so famously steeped in the supernatural, Amelia ends up with more questions than answers…and becomes increasingly convinced that she and Joshua can never have a future together.Wandering through the French Quarter, Amelia meets other in-between ghosts, and begins to seriously consider joining them. And then she meets Gabrielle. Somehow, against impossible odds, Gaby has found a way to live a sort of half-life...a half-life for which Amelia would pay any price. Torn between two worlds, Amelia must choose carefully, before the evil spirits of the netherworld choose for her.


Coming June 5th 2012


I am so excited for this book. I loved the way Tara portrayed Amelia and Josh in Hereafter. What a cool cover.

Book Review....The Maze Runner

The Maze Runner (Maze Runner #1)
by James Dashner

From Goodreads
When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. 

Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.

My thoughts~


James Dashner created a unique world for us to emerge ourselves into and that is not an easy task these days. With a new dystopian released every week a person would think all the societies would start to sound the same but The Maze Runner, so far, has been different. Disclaimer: this book only covers a small portion of a bigger society which may not be so different. I have not read beyond book one at this point. From page one we are given detailed descriptions and the world building is great. I got a very clear picture of every character, the setting and everything in it. 


The story did get off to a slow start for me and it took me a while to really get connected to this book. Once I was fully vested (which was around page 140) I could not read it fast enough. There is a lot of suspense in this book. We do not get to learn anything that Thomas, the protagonist, doesn't know. At times it did get old not knowing what was going on but I think that is only because I am impatient and this book has a ton of suspense. When  all was revealed it was a huge relief. 


As far as recommending the read...I'd say read it. I didn't fall in love with the story or the characters but I did really like it. It has good entertainment value, a well thought out plot, rich descriptions and unique characters. 

Cover Love, Ten

Click here to enter scavenger hunt to win an unbound galley, signed and annotated by Gretchen McNeil.

Summary


And their doom comes swiftly. 
It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives – three days on Henry Island at an exclusive house party. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their own reasons for wanting to be there, both of which involve Kamiak High’s most eligible bachelor, T.J. Fletcher. But what starts out as a fun-filled weekend turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine. 
Suddenly, people are dying and the teens are cut off from the outside world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn’t scheduled to return for two days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine?


Today Me, My Shelf and I revealed the cover for Ten. Doesn't it look super creepy. I love it and I'm uber excited to read this. Lucky for us we only have to wait seven more months. SEVEN MONTHS? What? *shakes head and stomps feet like two year old* Fine. 


One more book to add to my birthday list. It kind of reminds me of one of my all time favorite scary movies, April Fools Day. 

And the winner is...

The winner of the I love YA giveaway is Lexie! Lexie has been notified and Clockwork Prince has been shipped.

Thank you everyone who entered. The thing I enjoy most about giveaways is connecting with fellow readers and talking about the books we love. Thanks again and check back soon for the next giveaway. During the blog hop I reached 300 followers (I combined my GFC followers and Feedburner subscribers) and that says to me that it is time to celebrate.

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Breaking Spine.

Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard

 From Goodreads


There’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia… 

Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper— 

The Dead are rising in Philadelphia. 

And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother. 

Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.


First I love this cover. I am really excited to read this book. Now I am about to say something that may go against the popular vote but...I don't like zombies. *ducks as the unruly crowd throws rotten vegetable's* But I am very excited to read about the Spirit-Hunters. 

Just Finished Reading...Crossed

Crossed by Ally Condie (Matched part 2)

published November 1st 2011

From Goodreads

In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky - taken by the Society to his certain death - only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.

Cassia's quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander - who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia's heart - change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.


I will start with what was good. The writing itself, to me, was very good. We get very clear descriptions. They make the story very easy to picture in your mind. 

This story left me with wanting more. The events continued at a steady pace but it did not seem to go anywhere. I constantly felt like I was on the verge of something that never came.

What kept me reading was the fact that I liked and really cared for the character's so much in Matched. Crossed is more of a survival story as the character's wander around searching for things.  Plus it was made very obvious that Ky will be the reluctant hero. But not through his actions, we were more told and I did not like that.

Over all I like the very beginning and the end but the middle was slow. I'm sure we learned things that we need to know for book three but it needed more excitement. This is my suggestion. If you like Matched get this book from the library, go in on it with a friend or wait till the paper back comes out.

There is quote that I want to share-
Because in the end you can't always choose what you want to keep. You can only choose how you let it go. -Ky

My Favorite Things On the Internet Today

Cover reveal! I'm not gonna lie, I love cool book covers and this one grabbed me.

What's Left Of Me by Kat Zhang

How cool is this cover? Do you see both faces? I can't stop staring.

Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else—two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why aren’t they settling? Why isn’t one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, the neighbors shied away, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn’t…

For the past three years, Eva has clung to the remnants of her life. Only Addie knows she’s still there, trapped inside their body. Then one day, they discover there may be a way for Eva to move again. The risks are unimaginable–hybrids are considered a threat to society, so if they are caught, Addie and Eva will be locked away with the others. And yet…for a chance to smile, to twirl, to speak, Eva will do anything.

I added this to my TBR list but we have to wait till SEPTEMBER 18TH. AHHHH! Lucky for me that is two days before my birthday. *hint hint* The link above takes you to a really great new blog I found and they are hosting a great giveaway. Go check it out.

My second favorite thing is the trailer to Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter.

Tim Burton + vampires = creepy awesome goodness

This delightful piece comes to theaters June 22nd.  

My Book Boyfriend #2

My Book Boyfriend is weekly meme hosted by The Unread Reader. Do you have a favorite or crush-worthy character? If you do, don't be afraid to share him with us.

In honor of Valentine's Day I bring you not one, but three of my favorite book boyfriends. To coincide with my "I Love YA" giveaway (I am giving away Clockwork Prince) I give you the boy's brought to us by the one and only Cassandra Clare. Jace Wayland, Jem Carstairs and Will Herondale.

As much as I love these characters this was actually a very hard post for me because I am afraid I could never bring them justice.  I do not think any actual person could ever live up to what I have built these characters to be in my mind.  But I did my best. Plus it's always fun looking for pictures of cute boys.

Jace Wayland.

picture found at teen.com

Like all the boy's this week, Jace is a Shadowhunter. So that makes him human/nephilim.

Jace is snarky, sarcastic and has a reputation for being quite the ladies man. Unfortunately for all of us his heart goes out to Clary. But I like Clary and think she is definitely worthy of Jace's love and affection and I do not think he could find a better match.

He is described as 5'11" with a muscular build and has blonde hair and gold eyes.

I found this picture of Chris Zylka, from the Secret Circle, and figure him to be a good physical fit.

He was leaning against the wall, his fingers hooked in the loops if his belt, his pale gold eyes watchful.
     "Jace," she said.
He started , and turned to look at her. For a moment his eyes lit, the way they always did when he saw her, and she felt a wild hope rise in her chest. (The City of Lost Angels)


From the Infernal Devices I bring you Jem Carstairs.

Jem oh Jem, could there be anyone sweeter? I think  not. His thoughtfulness shows in all of his actions. He is as loyal as they come.

His father is English and his mother is Chinese. Raised in Shanghai until the murder of his parent's, where he then moved to England.

He is 17 and has silver hair and eyes do to the "medicine" he is forced to take to survive. Jem is a talented violinist. His music can often be heard echoing down the empty halls of the Institute where he lives.

If we ever get a movie I think Booboo Stewart would make a good Jem.
I can offer you my life, but it is a short life; I can offer you my heart, though I have no idea how many more beats it shall sustain. (Clockwork Prince)

Will Herondale, oh I how love thee...

I will start by saying as much as I love Ian Somerhalder he is not my perfect Will  but he is the closest I can imagine. If he were about 4" taller and a little younger, since Will is 17 and 6' tall. But the black, longer hair and vibrant blue eyes are a perfect match.

Will has lived his whole life in a self induced torture, and for good reason. I would love to tell you but I want you to read Clockwork Prince if you have not already. My heart goes out to Will with deep empathy.

Because of his tragic past Will keeps everyone at a distance, never letting anyone care about him. He is a skilled fighter and his favorite pass time is reading.

"Will," she whispered against his mouth. She wanted him closer to her so badly, it was like an ache, a painful hot ache that spread out from her stomach to speed her heart and knot her hands in his hair and set her skin to burning. "Will, you need not be so careful, I will not break."


"Tessa," he groaned against her mouth.... (Clockwork Prince)
My dear Tessa, you are a lucky girl indeed.

I can't be the only one that loves these delightful characters. Who do you think could portray them and do them justice?

I love YA giveaway hop!

Closed as of Feb. 20th.
Love is in the air. Enter to win a free copy of Cassandra Clare's Clockwork Prince.

It is no secret how much I love Will Herondale and I want you to be infatuated love him as well. If you have not had the chance to meet him go get Clockwork Angel right now. I mean it, go ahead, I'll wait...then come back and enter for a chance to win Clockwork Prince, because that is the book that actually won me over.

If you have already read it enter anyway. If you win pass it along to a friend. I have one condition, the winner must I would love it if the winner would send me an email after they read it and tell me what they thought. I love talking about this book.

Not only do you have the chance to win here, but you can click on the I Love YA button to your right or you can find the links below the entry form, to see many more great giveaways and get the chance to meet some great bloggers.


There are two chances to enter. First, enter your name and email. (Your email will only be used to contact for shipping information. Second, I love to give my followers/subscribers and additional chance. So if you are a follower make sure to click "yes".

Give away runs from February 14th thru the 20th.

Blog on Fire!!!!

That's right people. You're looking at a Blog on Fire! I love it. I feel like Katniss!
This prestigious award was bestowed upon me by my dear friend and blogger buddy Victoria Lindstrom at Writ of Whimsy. I will wear the badge with honor. Thank you Victoria.

Writ of Whimsy is comprised of: book reviews, writer stuff, nature photos - and a hodgepodge of harmonious tidbits. (per Writ of Whimsy)

Victoria features middle grade book reviews and celebrated her blog birthday and recognized Words Escape Me along with four other fantastic blogs.



I also wanted to thank everyone that stopped by and celebrated my first blogiversary. The best part  for me was getting to meet new people, make new friends and link up with all the new blogs that were introduced to me in the last few weeks.

The winner of the $25.00 gift card to Barnes & Noble was Stephanie H. from the beautiful state of Florida. Thank you everyone for taking the time to enter and I hope to see you around. Come back next week for a chance to win Clockwork Prince in honor of Valentines Day.

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Breaking Spine.

Black Heart by Holly Black  (Curse Workers 3)

Release date April 3rd, 2012

I may be posting this prematurely because I have only read book one of the trilogy, White Cat. It was so good I just know I'm going to love book two, Red Glove, and I plan to read it this month. Generally I read books with female protagonist's but I really connected with Cassel and am excited to continue his story. 

Cassel Sharpe knows he’s been used as an assassin, but he’s trying to put all that behind him. He’s trying to be good, even though he grew up in a family of con artists and cheating comes as easily as breathing to him. He’s trying to do the right thing, even though the girl he loves is inextricably connected with crime. And he’s trying to convince himself that working for the Feds is smart, even though he’s been raised to believe the government is the enemy. 

But with a mother on the lam, the girl he loves about to take her place in the Mob, and new secrets coming to light, the line between what’s right and what’s wrong becomes increasingly blurred. When the Feds ask Cassel to do the one thing he said he would never do again, he needs to sort out what’s a con and what’s truth. In a dangerous game and with his life on the line, Cassel may have to make his biggest gamble yet—this time on love.

Book Recommendation....Clockwork Prince

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

published Dec 6th, 2011

In efforts to keep this recommendation from becoming a short novel itself, click on the link above for full summary from Goodreads. The post is spoiler free but I encourage spoilery (is that a real word?) comments because I am dying to talk about it.

ALL HAIL CASSANDRA CLARE

From a readers point of view.
Clockwork Prince is in my opinion a masterpiece. The opening scene sets a semi dark tone that rings true through the entire book. Directly after that we jump right into to the character's troubles and into the base of the plot. Cassandra wastes no time getting to the point of the story yet is not rushed. The pacing is perfect.

The rich descriptions and imagery make me feel as if I have actually been to old time England. I feel as if I have walked along the Themes, breathing in the soot and grit.

This is a very character driven story. The plot elements are weaved seamlessly throughout the character's journey just enough to keep it in our thoughts. But in this story the characters and their personalties really shine. They are so well written that when situations presented themselves I could predict the way they were going to react, but not in a bad way. I just felt like I knew they characters so well, I knew what they would do. Like the way you can tell what a friend would do.

Basically it all boils down to this, I feel like I was there, I feel like I know these character's personally and my heart breaks for them. I laughed out loud, I was scared, happy and sentimental. At one point near the end I set the book down, covered my face and yelled NOOOO.


First from a writers point of view.
At this time I can honestly say Cassandra Clare has inspired me more than any other writer. Lets jump back to 2009 when I read The City of Bones, her debut. It sparked the Shadowhunter revolution. Slews of fans sport rune inspired tattoo's, stand in line at signings with mango's and argue their points defending their book boyfriend's and what makes them so swoon worthy. The writing itself was very good but nothing that really made her stand out above the other author's I was reading at that time. But of course I fell in love with Jace and had to know how his story ended.

Cassandra's writing has grown immensely over the years and the course of her series. Clockwork Prince was beautifully crafted. Seeing how her writing has has improved over the years reminds me that a writers craft, with time and dedication, is ever evolving into works that get better and better with each written word. I will think of that every time I sit down to write.

I could go on and on about the character development but instead I am going to suggest you read this book. This is book two, so if you have not read Clockwork Angel start there. Then come back and tell me what you think.

I am dying to talk about this book with someone so if you have read it please tell me what you thought. What was your favorite part? Are you team Jem or Will? Or do you think Tessa should leave the silly boy's to themselves. Personally I am team Will.

For the Writer's...Eliminating Filter Words

It has been a while since I posted a writing tip and I do not want my fellow writers to think I forgot about them. Let me give you a quick run down of my novel writing technique.

• Write loose outline highlighting major plot points. 
• Draft one. Here is where I fly through the story at mach speed so I have something on screen. I let the story flesh itself out. I like to sit back and let the characters tell me their story. Some times I have no idea where we will end up. I also do research and back stories.
• Draft two. Clean up mess I created in draft one and dig deeper into my characters lives and flesh out setting. Then I print out each chapter and read it on paper to get a different perspective.
• Draft three. Same as draft two but more intense. Then I use the text-to-speech feature and listen to my story. (I do all my writing in Scrivener and that is an extremely valuable tool) This is where I do most of my cutting. Wether it be plot lines, pointless characters or most importantly,  filter words.

Here is what I mean by filter words. They are useless words that drag out the text and keep us from getting to the point. These simple examples are from my own writing and how I changed them.

The beast let out a snarl.  Now reads... The beast snarled.
Jade sprinted in the direction of    Now reads... Jade sprinted toward
Jade ran out from  Now reads... Jade emerged
Jade heard feet pounding up the stairs.  Now reads... Feet pounded up the stairs.


It is always best to get to the point. Filter words slow things down, especially in an action scene.

If you have any other examples I would love for you to share them. I am on the constant search to improve my craft and I love hearing what other writers look for in their own writing.

My Favorite Things On the Internet Today

All sorts of fun things were new on the internet today and these are my favorites. Number one being the new The Hunger Games trailer.

Next we get the cover reveal and summary for Maggie Steifvater latest venture.

Filled with mystery, romance, and the supernatural, The Raven Boys introduces readers to Richard “Dick” Campbell Gansey, III and Blue Sargent. Gansey has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on the hunt to find Glendower, a vanished Welsh king. Legend has it that the first person to find him will be granted a wish—either by seeing him open his eyes, or by cutting out his heart.

Blue Sargent, the daughter of the town psychic in Henrietta, Virginia, has been told for as long as she can remember that if she ever kisses her true love, he will die. But she is too practical to believe in things like true love. Her policy is to stay away from the rich boys at the prestigious Aglionby Academy. The boys there—known as Raven Boys—can only mean trouble. When Gansey and his Raven Boy friends come into her life, Blue realizes how true this is. She never thought her fortune would be a problem. But she was wrong.


This will be a four part series to be released in September.




Last but not least, Harlequin teen gave us a little teaser and released the back cover of Julie Kagawa's next masterpiece, "The Immortal Rules". This is the first in what I'm sure is going to be a brilliant series coming to us in May. (Yes I am am biased. This is the woman who brought Prince Ash to us!) 

*claps and squeals in glee* 

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Breaking Spine where we choose an upcoming release we are excited about and want to share.

The book I want to showcase this week is Insurgent by Veronica Roth. It is part two of the Divergent series which is one of my favorite books.  I cannot wait to see what happens next to two of my favorite character's, Tris and Four.

We can look forward to reading this story May 1st, 2012

From Goodreads

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love. 

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so. 

New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.