Thursday, October 25, 2012

Thanks-Giving Thursday #10: HALLOWEEN EDITION!

 





Thanks-Giving Thursday is a meme I came up with to say thank you to the followers - new and old - of my blog by spreading the wealth . . . the wealth of books, that is. So every - or alternate - Thursday I will be hosting a giveaway on my blog. The prize(s) will usually include at least two books (ARCs and/or finished copies) and maybe even some sort of swag.

Since Halloween happens to be my favorite holiday of the year, this week's TGT Giveaway will be colossal!  Soooo . . . you can enter for a chance to win:
The Farm, Croak (SIGNED), Scorched, The Darkest Minds and Black City all right here.
 


http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0ec6ef24/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway



RULES:
1. To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form
2. Provide a working email with your entry
3. Entries point values:



        +5 for Following this blog
Bonus entries:
        +1 for Leaving a blog post comment
        +2 for Following me on Twitter
        +3 for Tweeting about giveaway on Twitter
4. All entrants must be at least 13 years old
5. Only one entry per person
6. Winners will be announced via blog post and via email
7. If you win, you must claim your prize within 48 hours or the winner will be re-drawn
8. Mailing address is only required if you win
9.
The giveaway ends midnight on October 31st 2012 and a winner will be chosen November 2, 2012.
10. Unfortunately, this giveaway is not open internationally.

- via Barnes & Noble

Black City:
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
Expected Publication Date: November 13, 2012
 
A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war.

In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable--they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash's long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they're caught, they'll be executed--but their feelings are too strong.

When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.


The Farm:

Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Expected Publication Date: December 4, 2012



Life was different in the Before: before vampires began devouring humans in a swarm across America; before the surviving young people were rounded up and quarantined. These days, we know what those quarantines are—holding pens where human blood is turned into more food for the undead monsters, known as Ticks. Surrounded by electrical fences, most kids try to survive the Farms by turning on each other…

And when trust is a thing of the past, escape is nearly impossible.

Lily and her twin sister Mel have a plan. Though Mel can barely communicate, her autism helps her notice things no one else notices—like the portion of electrical fence that gets turned off every night. Getting across won’t be easy, but as Lily gathers what they need to escape, a familiar face appears out of nowhere, offering to help…

Carter was a schoolmate of Lily’s in the Before. Managing to evade capture until now, he has valuable knowledge of the outside world. But like everyone on the Farm, Carter has his own agenda, and he knows that behind the Ticks is an even more dangerous threat to the human race...

 
Croak:

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Expected Publication Date: March 20, 2012

Fed up with her wild behavior, sixteen-year-old Lex’s 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 shoveling manure.
He’s a Grim Reaper. And he’s going to teach Lex the family business.

She quickly assimilates into the peculiar world of Croak, a town populated by reapers who deliver souls from this life to the next. But Lex can’t stop her desire for justice—or is it vengeance?—whenever she encounters a murder victim, craving to stop the attackers before they can strike again. Will she ditch Croak and go rogue with her reaper skills?

Scorch:

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Expected Publication Date: September 30, 2012

Sixteen-year-old Lex Bartleby is a teenage grim reaper with the bizarre ability to Damn souls. That makes her pretty scary, even to fellow Grims. But after inadvertently transferring her ability to Zara, a murderous outlaw, Lex is a pariah in Croak, the little town she calls home. To escape the townspeople’s wrath, she and her friends embark on a wild road trip to DeMyse. Though this sparkling desert oasis is full of luxuries and amusements, it feels like a prison to Lex. Her best chance at escape would be to stop Zara once and for all—but how can she do that from DeMyse, where the Grims seem mysteriously oblivious to Zara’s killing spree?

 
The Darkest Minds:

Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children
Expected Publication Date: December 18, 2012

When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that’s killed most of America’s children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.
 
 
Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.

When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.
When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living.

 
-- via Barnes and Noble

Always,
Haysel



Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Review : Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick

*Warning: This review may contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.

Release date: October 23, 2012
Publisher: Simon & Shuster Books For Young Readers
Pages: 454
Source: Own

The Story:

Fates unfurl in the gripping conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Hush, Hush saga.

Nora is more certain than ever that she is in love with Patch. Fallen angel or no, he is the one for her. Her heritage and destiny may mean they are fated to be enemies, but there is no turning her back on him. Now Nora and Patch must gather their strength to face one last, perilous trial. Old enemies return, new enemies are made, and a friend's ultimate betrayal threatens the peace Patch and Nora so desperately want. The battle lines are drawn—but which sides are they on? And in the end, are there some obstacles even love can't conquer?

--via Barnes & Noble

RatingTHREE GOLD STARS!!! 

My Review: One word: QUENCHING

She thought all of her troubles would end with killing her father, Hank Millar, but fate had different plans. Newly turned Nephil Nora Grey has now sworn a blood oath to her deceased father and ex-commander, the Black Hand. She must lead his army of Nephilim against the Fallen Angels who have possessed the bodies of their Nephilim vassals for centuries during Cheshvan. A hellish prison as the "Fallen angels have free rein to do as they please, and since it's the only time during the year they can actually feel physical sensation, their creativity knows no bounds. they chase after pleasure, pain and everything in between, playing parasites to their Nephilim hosts." Or suffer consequence punishable by death. But her own life isn't the only one at stake. her mother's lies in the balance as well.

Nora hoped she could lead the army to peace but the threat of foes, old and new, and betrayals has put the life Nora has and hopes for in jeopardy. Including the one she has planned with Patch Cipriano. Her boyfriend and fallen angel. And as Cheshvan draws near Nora will have to make a difficult choice that will predict her future. Fallen angels or Nephillim? Will she be able to keep the peace and war at bay? Will she be able to keep she holds dear and near safe? Or will she have to suffer the grief and guilt of losing a friend, lover, another parent?

Will her newly inherited position at the heart of the war destroy the love Nora and Patch have always fought for?

In my opinion, Nora Grey has always been a strong character with a presence. The red haired, slender high school senior still remains someone readers can relate to. She's strong and vulnerable, headstrong and compassionate, witty and endearing. As for Patch, the badass with a heart, is still sexy as all hell. But I have to admit there was a couple of times when he spoke and I remember thinking to myself: "That's kind of cheesy. Patch wouldn't say something that whack!" No real harm done, though. I'm still a Patch Girl.

With that, I have to say that I've been a faithful Hush, Hush fan since I picked up copy of the first installment at Barnes & Noble back in 2008. So then it should be no surprise that I pre-ordered the fourth and final book of the series, Finale -- title of which I hate, for what should be obvious reasons --, and am sad to see the series' end. However, I am glad Becca Fitzpatrick, author extraordinaire, brought Patch and Nora's story to an end on a good note. All the readers and "Team Patch's out there can rest easy because there will be a rainbow at the end of the storm.

Here is a couple of my favorite quotes from Finale:

*Readers Beware:* Spoilers ahead!


Nora & Patch: “Patch hooked his elbow around my neck and dragged me into a kiss. 'Every time you strip my sword, I owe you a kiss. How's that sound?'
I bit my lip to keep from giggling. 'That sounds really dirty.''' -- Page 378

Vee to Nora: "'I see how it is. I'm gonna have to walk in front of all those people with my undies waving in the air, and you don't even care,' Vee said, but she, too, was grinning. She took a Band-Aid from her purse and slapped it over the torn fabric." -- Page 451

Nora & Patch: “Inside our cozy, private room, I reached up and tugged on his silk necktie, undoing the knot. 'You dress to impress,' I said approvingly.
'No, Angel.' He leaned in, his teeth softly grazing my ear. "I undress to impress." -- Page 454

*** Check out Becca Fitzpatrick's website for more information about her, Finale and the rest of the Hush, Hush series: HERE


Happy Reading!


Friday, October 19, 2012

TGT #8: And the winners are . . .


The seventh Thanks-Giving Thursday Giveaway is now complete! With that said, today is the day to name to winners. May I have a drum roll please? The winners are . . .

Tayte H
&
Alicia Marie

Congratulations, Tayte and Alicia! Tayte, you are the recipient of Prize Pack #1 which includes ARCs of Skinny by Donna Cooner, Poison Princess by Kresley Cole and The Innocents by Lilie Peloquin. That's means Alicia, you are the recipient of Prize Pack #2 which includes Crewel by Gennifer Albin, Beta by Rachel Cohn, and Venom by Fiona Paul. So you get to crack the covers of the ARCs open before finished copies hits stores on October 2, 2012, October 16, 2012, October 1, 2012, October 1, 2012, October 16, 2012 and October 30, 2012 respectively.

On a final note, I've already sent you an email regarding your prize. If for some reason you have not received said email contact me at TheTatteredPage@yahoo.com or BCHaysel@yahoo.com. Remember, you have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will have to be drawn.

Thank you to all for becoming followers of The Tattered Page and for participating in my giveaway.

Hope you enjoy the books, Tayte and Alicia!

Happy Reading!
Haysel

P.S. For those of you who didn't win, don't fret I will be hosting a ton of giveaways over the next few months!
Thursday, October 18, 2012

Thanks-Giving Thursday: Giveaway #9!


Thanks-Giving Thursday is a meme I came up with to say thank you to the followers - new and old - of my blog by spreading the wealth . . . the wealth of books, that is. So every - or alternate - Thursday I will be hosting a giveaway on my blog. The prize(s) will usually include at least two books (ARCs and/or finished copies) and maybe even some sort of swag.

Hey everyone! As I mentioned before, after going up to school in August, I had taken a hiatus from blogging. So, since I was backed up about a month, for the last couple of few weeks I have been hosting TGTs that have, not one, but TWO winners! On that note, for this week's TGT, Winner #1 will get Black City, Beta and The Darkest Minds and Winner #2 will get The Farm, Beta, and Eternally Yours.

Winner #1 Prize Pack:
 
 

Winner #2 Prize Pack:
 

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0ec6ef23/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway



RULES:

1. To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form
2. Provide a working email with your entry
3. Entries point values

      +5 for Following this blog
Bonus entries:
      +1 for Leaving a blog post comment
      +2 for Following me on Twitter
      +3 for Tweeting about giveaway Prize Pack #1 on Twitter
      +3 for Tweeting about giveaway Prize Pack #2 on Twitter
4. All entrants must be at least 13 years old
5. Only one entry per person
6. Winners will be announced via blog post and via email
7. If you win, you must claim your prize within 48 hours or the winner will be re-drawn
8. Mailing address is only required if you win
9.
The giveaway ends midnight on October 24th 2012 and a winner will be chosen by October 26, 2012.
10. Unfortunately, this giveaway is not open internationally.
Black City:

Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
Expected Publication Date: November 13, 2012
A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war.

In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable--they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash's long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they're caught, they'll be executed--but their feelings are too strong.

When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.


Beta:

Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children
Expected Publication Date: October 16, 2012


Elysia is created in a laboratory, born as a sixteen-year-old girl, an empty vessel with no life experience to draw from. She is a Beta, an experimental model of a teenage clone. She was replicated from another teenage girl, who had to die in order for Elysia to exist.

Elysia’s purpose is to serve the inhabitants of Demesne, an island paradise for the wealthiest people on earth. Everything about Demesne is bioengineered for perfection. Even the air induces a strange, euphoric high, which only the island’s workers—soulless clones like Elysia—are immune to.
At first, Elysia’s life is idyllic and pampered. But she soon sees that Demesne’s human residents, who should want for nothing, yearn. But for what, exactly? She also comes to realize that beneath the island’s flawless exterior, there is an under­current of discontent among Demesne’s worker clones. She knows she is soulless and cannot feel and should not care—so why are overpowering sensations cloud­ing Elysia’s mind?

If anyone discovers that Elysia isn’t the unfeeling clone she must pretend to be, she will suffer a fate too terrible to imagine. When her one chance at happi­ness is ripped away with breathtaking cruelty, emotions she’s always had but never understood are unleashed. As rage, terror, and desire threaten to overwhelm her, Elysia must find the will to survive.

The first in a dazzlingly original science fiction series from best-selling author Rachel Cohn, Beta is a haunting, unforgettable story of courage and love in a cor­rupted world.

Venom:Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
Expected Publication Date: October 30, 2012

Love, lust, murder, mayhem and high society converge in one thrilling debut
Cassandra Caravello has everything a girl could desire: elegant gowns, sparkling jewels, invitations to the best parties, and a handsome, wealthy fiancé—yet she longs for something more. Ever since her parents’ death, Cassandra has felt trapped, alone in a city of water, where the dark and labyrinthine canals whisper of escape.

When Cass stumbles upon the body of a murdered woman—with a bloody X carved across her heart—she’s drawn into a dangerous world of secret societies, courtesans, and killers. Soon, she finds herself falling for Falco, a poor artist with a mischievous grin . . . and a habit of getting into trouble. Will Cassandra find the murderer before he finds her? And will she stay true to her fiancé or succumb to her uncontrollable feelings for Falco?

Beauty, romance, and mystery weave together in a novel that’s as seductive and stunning as the city of Venice itself.


The Farm:

Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Expected Publication Date: December 4, 2012

 

Life was different in the Before: before vampires began devouring humans in a swarm across America; before the surviving young people were rounded up and quarantined. These days, we know what those quarantines are—holding pens where human blood is turned into more food for the undead monsters, known as Ticks. Surrounded by electrical fences, most kids try to survive the Farms by turning on each other…

And when trust is a thing of the past, escape is nearly impossible.

Lily and her twin sister Mel have a plan. Though Mel can barely communicate, her autism helps her notice things no one else notices—like the portion of electrical fence that gets turned off every night. Getting across won’t be easy, but as Lily gathers what they need to escape, a familiar face appears out of nowhere, offering to help…

Carter was a schoolmate of Lily’s in the Before. Managing to evade capture until now, he has valuable knowledge of the outside world. But like everyone on the Farm, Carter has his own agenda, and he knows that behind the Ticks is an even more dangerous threat to the human race...

Beta:

Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children
Expected Publication Date: October 16, 2012



Elysia is created in a laboratory, born as a sixteen-year-old girl, an empty vessel with no life experience to draw from. She is a Beta, an experimental model of a teenage clone. She was replicated from another teenage girl, who had to die in order for Elysia to exist.
 
Elysia’s purpose is to serve the inhabitants of Demesne, an island paradise for the wealthiest people on earth. Everything about Demesne is bioengineered for perfection. Even the air induces a strange, euphoric high, which only the island’s workers—soulless clones like Elysia—are immune to.
At first, Elysia’s life is idyllic and pampered. But she soon sees that Demesne’s human residents, who should want for nothing, yearn. But for what, exactly? She also comes to realize that beneath the island’s flawless exterior, there is an under­current of discontent among Demesne’s worker clones. She knows she is soulless and cannot feel and should not care—so why are overpowering sensations cloud­ing Elysia’s mind?
 
If anyone discovers that Elysia isn’t the unfeeling clone she must pretend to be, she will suffer a fate too terrible to imagine. When her one chance at happi­ness is ripped away with breathtaking cruelty, emotions she’s always had but never understood are unleashed. As rage, terror, and desire threaten to overwhelm her, Elysia must find the will to survive.
 
The first in a dazzlingly original science fiction series from best-selling author Rachel Cohn, Beta is a haunting, unforgettable story of courage and love in a cor­rupted world.

 

Eternally Yours:
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Expected Publication Date: November 6, 2012

After 450 years of living, Nastasya Crowe should have more of a handle on this whole immortal thing....

After a deadly confrontation at the end of Darkness Falls, the second Immortal Beloved novel, Nastasya Crowe is, as she would put it, so over the drama. She fights back against the dark immortals with her own brand of kick-butt magick...but can she fight against true love? In the satisfying finale to the Immortal Beloved trilogy, ex-party-girl immortal Nastasya ends a 450-year-old feud and learns what "eternally yours" really means.

Laced with historical flashbacks and laugh-out-loud dialogue, the Immortal Beloved trilogy is a fascinating and unique take on what it would mean to live forever.

- via Barnes & Noble


Happy Reading!
Haysel




Friday, October 12, 2012

TGT#7: And the winners are . . .


The seventh Thanks-Giving Thursday Giveaway is now complete! With that said, today is the day to name to winners. May I have a drum roll please? The winners are . . .

Lili, Reflections by Lili
&
Lynsey Newton

Congratulations, Lili and Lynsey! Lili, you are the recipient of Prize Pack #1 which includes ARCs of What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang, The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater and The Blessed by Tonya Hurley. That's means Lynsey, you are the recipient of Prize Pack #2 which includes Who I Kissed by Janet Gurtler, Eve & Adam by Katherine Applegate as well as Michael Grant and Skinny by Donna Cooner. So you get to crack the covers of the ARCs open before finished copies hits stores on September 18, 2012, September 25, 2012, September 18, 2012, October 1, 2012, October 2, 2012 and October 1, 2012 respectively!

On a final note, I've already sent you an email regarding your prize. If for some reason you have not received said email contact me at TheTatteredPage@yahoo.com or BCHaysel@yahoo.com. Remember, you have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will have to be drawn.

Thank you to all for becoming followers of The Tattered Page and for participating in my giveaway.

Hope you enjoy the books, Lili and Lynsey!

Happy Reading!
Haysel

P.S. For those of you who didn't win, don't fret I will be hosting a ton of giveaways over the next few months!
Thursday, October 11, 2012

Thanks-Giving Thursday: Giveaway #8!


Thanks-Giving Thursday is a meme I came up with to say thank you to the followers - new and old - of my blog by spreading the wealth . . . the wealth of books, that is. So every - or alternate - Thursday I will be hosting a giveaway on my blog. The prize(s) will usually include at least two books (ARCs and/or finished copies) and maybe even some sort of swag.

Hey everyone! As I mentioned before, after going up to school in August, I had taken a hiatus from blogging. So, since I am backed up about a month, for the next few weeks I will be hosting TGTs that will have, not one, but TWO winners! On that note, for this week's TGT, Winner #1 will get Skinny, Poison Princess and The Innocents and Winner #2 will get Crewel, Beta, and Venom.

Winner #1 Prize Pack:
 

Winner #2 Prize Pack:
 

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0ec6ef22/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway



RULES:

1. To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form
2. Provide a working email with your entry
3. Entries point values


         +5 for Following this blog
Bonus entries:
         +1 for Leaving a blog post comment
         +2 for Following me on Twitter
         +3 for Tweeting about giveaway on Twitter
         +3 for Tweeting about giveaway on Twitter
4. All entrants must be at least 13 years old
5. Only one entry per person
6. Winners will be announced via blog post and via email
7. If you win, you must claim your prize within 48 hours or the winner will be re-drawn
8. Mailing address is only required if you win
9.
The giveaway ends midnight on October 17th 2012 and a winner will be chosen October 19, 2012.
10. Unfortunately, this giveaway is not open internationally.



Poison Princess:

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Expected Publication Date: October 2, 2012


#1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole introduces The Arcana Chronicles, post-apocalyptic tales filled with riveting action, the dark mysticism of Tarot cards, and breathtaking romance.
 
She could save the world—or destroy it.
 
Sixteen year old Evangeline “Evie” Greene leads a charmed life, until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future—and they’re still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux.

But she can’t do either alone.
 
With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can’t totally depend on Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?

Who can Evie trust?
 
As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of twenty-two teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it’s not always clear who is on which side….

The Innocents:

Publisher: Razorbill
Expected Publication Date: October 16, 2012

Nothing ever came between sisters Alice and Charlie.
Friends didn't.
Boys couldn't.
Their family falling apart never would.
Until they got to Serenity Point.
The Innocents is the first in a new series of young adult novels that weave a saga of nail-biting drama, breathless romance, and gothic mystery.

Skinny:
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
Expected Publication Date: October 1, 2012

Find your voice.


Hopeless. Freak. Elephant. Pitiful. These are the words of Skinny, the vicious voice that lives inside fifteen-year-old Ever Davies's head. Skinny tells Ever all the dark thoughts her classmates have about her. Ever knows she weighs over three hundred pounds, knows she'll probably never be loved, and Skinny makes sure she never forgets it.





But there is another voice: Ever's singing voice, which is beautiful but has been silenced by Skinny. Partly in the hopes of trying out for the school musical - and partly to try and save her own life - Ever decides to undergo a risky surgery that may help her lose weight and start over.

With the support of her best friend, Ever begins the uphill battle toward change. But demons, she finds, are not so easy to shake, not even as she sheds pounds. Because Skinny is still around. And Ever will have to confront that voice before she can truly find her own.
Donna Cooner brings warmth, wit, and startling insight to this unforgettable debut.


Crewel:

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Expected Publication Date: October 16, 2012
What a tangled world she weaves...
 
For generations, Spinsters have been called by Arras’s Manipulation Services to work the looms and determine what people eat, where they live, how many children they have, and even when they die. Gifted with the rare ability to weave time with matter, Adelice is exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in Arras, being chosen as a Spinster is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, and being something other than a secretary. It also means the power to embroider the very fabric of life. But once you become a Spinster, there is no turning back. Now caught in a web of lies and intrigue, Adelice must decide who to trust: her kind mentor, Enora; the handsome and mysterious valet Jost; or the charismatic Guild ambassador Cormac Patton. They each have secrets, but Adelice is about to unravel the deadliest one of all, a sinister truth that could destroy reality as she knows it.

In a powerful and original debut about a world where the Guild decides everything, one extraordinary girl dares to defy the power of men and the boundaries of love.

Beta:

Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children
Expected Publication Date: October 16, 2012



Elysia is created in a laboratory, born as a sixteen-year-old girl, an empty vessel with no life experience to draw from. She is a Beta, an experimental model of a teenage clone. She was replicated from another teenage girl, who had to die in order for Elysia to exist.

Elysia’s purpose is to serve the inhabitants of Demesne, an island paradise for the wealthiest people on earth. Everything about Demesne is bioengineered for perfection. Even the air induces a strange, euphoric high, which only the island’s workers—soulless clones like Elysia—are immune to.
At first, Elysia’s life is idyllic and pampered. But she soon sees that Demesne’s human residents, who should want for nothing, yearn. But for what, exactly? She also comes to realize that beneath the island’s flawless exterior, there is an under­current of discontent among Demesne’s worker clones. She knows she is soulless and cannot feel and should not care—so why are overpowering sensations cloud­ing Elysia’s mind?

If anyone discovers that Elysia isn’t the unfeeling clone she must pretend to be, she will suffer a fate too terrible to imagine. When her one chance at happi­ness is ripped away with breathtaking cruelty, emotions she’s always had but never understood are unleashed. As rage, terror, and desire threaten to overwhelm her, Elysia must find the will to survive.

The first in a dazzlingly original science fiction series from best-selling author Rachel Cohn, Beta is a haunting, unforgettable story of courage and love in a cor­rupted world.

Venom:

Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
Expected Publication Date: October 30, 2012





Love, lust, murder, mayhem and high society converge in one thrilling debut
Cassandra Caravello has everything a girl could desire: elegant gowns, sparkling jewels, invitations to the best parties, and a handsome, wealthy fiancé—yet she longs for something more. Ever since her parents’ death, Cassandra has felt trapped, alone in a city of water, where the dark and labyrinthine canals whisper of escape.

When Cass stumbles upon the body of a murdered woman—with a bloody X carved across her heart—she’s drawn into a dangerous world of secret societies, courtesans, and killers. Soon, she finds herself falling for Falco, a poor artist with a mischievous grin . . . and a habit of getting into trouble. Will Cassandra find the murderer before he finds her? And will she stay true to her fiancé or succumb to her uncontrollable feelings for Falco?

Beauty, romance, and mystery weave together in a novel that’s as seductive and stunning as the city of Venice itself.

- via Barnes & Noble


Happy Reading!
Haysel




Thursday, October 4, 2012

Thanks-Giving Thursday: Giveaway #7!


Thanks-Giving Thursday is a meme I came up with to say thank you to the followers - new and old - of my blog by spreading the wealth . . . the wealth of books, that is. So every - or alternate - Thursday I will be hosting a giveaway on my blog. The prize(s) will usually include at least two books (ARCs and/or finished copies) and maybe even some sort of swag.

Hey everyone! After going up to school in August, I had taken a hiatus from blogging. So, since I am backed up about a month, for the next few weeks I will be hosting TGTs that will have, not one, but TWO winners! On that note, for this week's TGT, Winner #1 will get What's Left of Me, The Blessed and The Raven Boys and Winner #2 will get Who I Kissed, Eve & Adam, and Skinny.

Winner #1 Prize Pack:

Winner #2 Prize Pack:
 

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0ec6ef21/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway


RULES:

1. To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form
2. Provide a working email with your entry
3. Entries point values



          +5 for Following this blog
Bonus entries:
          +1 for Leaving a blog post comment
          +2 for Following me on Twitter
          +3 for Tweeting about giveaway Prize Pack #1 on Twitter
          +3 for Tweeting about giveaway Prize Pack #2 on Twitter
4. All entrants must be at least 13 years old
5. Only one entry per person
6. Winners will be announced via blog post and via email
7. If you win, you must claim your prize within 48 hours or the winner will be re-drawn
8. Mailing address is only required if you win
9.
The giveaway ends midnight on October 10th 2012 and a winner will be chosen October 12, 2012.
10. Unfortunately, this giveaway is not open internationally.


What's Left of Me:

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Expected Publication Date: September 18, 2012



I should not exist. But I do.

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.


The Blessed:

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Expected Publication Date: September 25, 2012


From the author of the New York Times bestselling ghostgirl series, the start to a captivating and haunting teen trilogy about three girls who become entangled with an enigmatic boy—a boy who believes he is a saint.
 
What if martyrs and saints lived among us? And what if you were told you were one of them?
Meet Agnes, Cecilia, and Lucy. Three lost girls, each searching for something. But what they find is Beyond Belief.


The Raven Boys:

Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
Expected Publication Date: September 18, 2012

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.


Who I Kissed:

Publisher: Sourcebooks, Incorporated
Expected Publication Date: October 1, 2012




She never thought a kiss could kill...

Samantha didn't mean to hurt anyone. She was just trying to fit in... and she wanted to make Zee a little jealous after he completely ditched her for a prettier girl. So she kissed Alex. And then he died—right in her arms.

Sam is now the school pariah and a media sensation—how did she not know Alex had a peanut allergy? Consumed with guilt, she'll have to find a strength that goes way deeper than pulling off the fastest time in the 200-meter butterfly. Because if she can't figure out how to forgive herself, no one else will either.

Eve & Adam:

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Expected Publication Date: October 2, 2012

In the beginning, there was an apple –
 

And then there was a car crash, a horrible injury, and a hospital. But before Evening Spiker's head clears a strange boy named Solo is rushing her to her mother’s research facility. There, under the best care available, Eve is left alone to heal.
Just when Eve thinks she will die – not from her injuries, but from boredom—her mother gives her a special project: Create the perfect boy.

Using an amazingly detailed simulation, Eve starts building a boy from the ground up. Eve is creating Adam. And he will be just perfect . . . won’t he?

Skinny:
 
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
Expected Publication Date: October 1, 2012

Find your voice.

Hopeless. Freak. Elephant. Pitiful. These are the words of Skinny, the vicious voice that lives inside fifteen-year-old Ever Davies's head. Skinny tells Ever all the dark thoughts her classmates have about her. Ever knows she weighs over three hundred pounds, knows she'll probably never be loved, and Skinny makes sure she never forgets it.

But there is another voice: Ever's singing voice, which is beautiful but has been silenced by Skinny. Partly in the hopes of trying out for the school musical - and partly to try and save her own life - Ever decides to undergo a risky surgery that may help her lose weight and start over.

With the support of her best friend, Ever begins the uphill battle toward change. But demons, she finds, are not so easy to shake, not even as she sheds pounds. Because Skinny is still around. And Ever will have to confront that voice before she can truly find her own.

Donna Cooner brings warmth, wit, and startling insight to this unforgettable debut.

- via Barnes & Noble


Happy Reading!
Haysel