Books and Babbles: Juicy Little Tidbits

 Found out about this over at Damn Heart. The newest Demonica book!!!

I'm a Demonica addict, and this one is about the first female Seminus demon. So cool! And that cover—all that leather—smoken!

Oh, and for anyone who's interested I'll share on Monday some awesome pictures of The Grand Tetons. Went on a little drive today, with my family of course, and it was so beautiful I just have to share!!



Ione has more posted on her her site, so check it out! Here.

An Award!! My very first!

I am so excited, I've received my very first award!! It's so pretty! Caitlin, over at Vision Quest Fail, has gifted me with this honor!! Thank you! I saw it and started doing the Happy-Hokey-Pokey!!

 

 
The rules are:

• Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link. 
• Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you've newly discovered. 
• Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award!  

Wow, 15 others? I don't think I know that many, at least who haven't received the award already.


Without further fussing I would like to pass this award on to:

Sayuri at Damn Heart, I just love your blog and you crack me up!
Kay at Dead Book Darling I love your blog design, and even though I don't always agree I love your reviews!
Chasity at Lovin' & Livin' Life in the 808 my favorite Hawaiian blogger!
 
I feel so bad, that's all the new blogs I know who haven't received this award yet. Hopefully everyone gets as excited as me!

Sunday Sweets

This post follows The Story Sirens meme, In my Mailbox. Check it out here.

This week I kept my buying down, seeing as a went a little out of control last week.

Being the first female werecat enforcer isn't easy. Scars accumulate, but I'm stronger in so many ways.



As for my personal life? It's complicated. Choices worth making always are. Ever since my brother's death and my father's impeachment, it's all I can do to prevent more blood from spilling. Now our Pride is under attack by a flight of vicious thunderbirds. And making peace with our new enemies may be the only way to get the best of our old foe.


With the body count rising and treachery everywhere, my instincts tell me to look before I leap. But sometimes a leap of faith is the only real option...

Welcome to Eileen Wilks’s world of the lupi, of “strange magic [and] fantastic realms,”* where some sins are so dark and unlikely, no one thought to forbid them…



FBI agent Lily Yu is in North Carolina with her lover and mate Rule Turner, lu nuncio of the Nokolai werewolf clan, where he is to take custody of his son from the boy’s grandmother. It’s a purely personal trip until Rule, in wolf form, finds three bodies in a shallow grave. They carry the stench of death magic, which makes the murders a federal crime. Lily takes charge of the investigation, and soon realizes that nothing adds up—not the motives, not even the accused killer, who’s behind bars when death strikes again.


But murder, however bizarre, is an everyday affair for Lily, who was a homicide cop before being recruited into the FBI’s Magical Crimes Division. A more personal shock arrives in the person of Rule’s son’s mother. Why is she challenging Rule’s long standing plan to bring his son to live among the Nokolai?


But family must take a back seat when the violence escalates, and there’s no rhyme or reason for the killer’s next strike—a killer who may not even be of this world…

I love the covers for both of these books! So primal! At this point, I just have no excuse for only being on book one for both series. So many books, so little time. Can't wait to see what goodies everyone else has selected.

Month by Month: Febraury

Book Pile:

 

Passion Unleashed by Larissa Ione

Aurian by Maggie Furey

A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole

Firespell by Chloe Neill

Top of the Pile:

All of the books where soooo good this month, at least the few that I read. Aurian makes the top of the pile however. It's the character depth, ya just can't beat it.  

Bottom of the Pile:
I couldn't pick one.
Most anticipated release:
First Drop of Crimson (Night Huntress World, Book 1) by Jeaniene Frost

Top of my wishlist:
Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler (Which I did end up getting!)

Challenges:
100+ Reading Challenge  I now stand at 12 out of 100.
Finish that Series Challenge 2010 sadly no progress, I really need to work on this next month.

Here's a shout to everyone who's following or just stopping by. You guys make this fun!

Firespell by Chloe Neill

Firespell by Chloe Neill

Book discription from goodreads.

As the new girl at the elite St. Sophia’s boarding school, Lily Parker thinks her classmates are the most monstrous things she’ll have to face…


When Lily’s guardians decided to send her away to a fancy boarding school in Chicago, she was shocked. So was St. Sophia’s. Lily’s ultra-rich brat pack classmates think Lily should be the punchline to every joke, and on top of that, she’s hearing strange noises and seeing bizarre things in the shadows of the creepy building.

The only thing keeping her sane is her roommate, Scout, but even Scout’s a little weird—she keeps disappearing late at night and won’t tell Lily where she’s been. But when a prank leaves Lily trapped in the catacombs beneath the school, Lily finds Scout running from a real monster.

Scout’s a member of a splinter group of rebel teens with unique magical talents, who’ve sworn to protect the city against demons, vampires, and Reapers, magic users who’ve been corrupted by their power. And when Lily finds herself in the line of a firespell, Scout tells her the truth about her secret life, even though Lily has no powers of her own—at least none that she’s discovered yet…
 
Review:

Firespell was definitely an addiction. It reminded me of Kelley Armstrong's YA series. Not that they're a like, just both very addicting.

Firespell takes a slower pace then most UF books, letting you enjoy the world Neill has created. The beginning of the books really helps to establish Lily so the reader can connect with her. Getting a feel for her family life, and how even though they're dumping her for their sabbatical in Germany Lily understands and loves them. But it doesn't mean she can't feel a little spited and sarcastic about it.

Lily ends up being one of the most mature characters I've read. She thinks things through and takes things in very mature strides. She can concede a point, even if she feels she's in the right. Lily's maturity does not take away from her sarcastic charm, and I greatly appreciated that. She's still a teenager after all, so juvenile behavior is still a go.

For some reason I though this book was about seeing when people would kick the bucket. Instead, to my delight and surprise, I'm introduced to the Dark Elite. People who at puberty get special powers, spell casting, powers over elements, and even gifts of the wolfy persuasion. When the Dark Elite get older their powers return back to the universe. Unfortunately power corrupts and some cling to it. The power eats away at the soul of the wielder unless they use the life force of other people. The Dark Elite who choose this life style are nicknamed Reapers. (Which just tickles me!) Those who choose to do the right and give up the powers are called Adepts.

The cast of Firespell is pretty standard. Lily, is a nerdy-sarcastic-trendy lass who could probably be on the top of the food chain at school, but chooses the forces of nerdiness. Her punk/goth new BFF, Scout, is the misfit of the school who talks big, but is really a softy. Veronica is the evil blonde with the cash and rudeness to fit the role of Lily's rival. Neill doesn't waist time getting these characters into their roles, I like to think Neill's just skipping to the good stuff. The Mean Girl group is pretty standard, even leading up to Lily getting locked into a basement closet. (Which was really silly as the character saw it coming ad still fell into their girly trap.) The love interests are pretty basic too. A werewolf lad, and a hint of an Evil, handsome, Reaper who helps her out.

Even with the slow pace we get a lot of action packed in. Lily's new powers, a rallying rescue, defying authority, mysteries about Lily's parents that could change her life forever, and private school fun.

Bottom Line:

While this book is clearly not a genius piece of work, it is addicting and very fun. The sarcastic humor was healing to the soul. Certain cliffhangers about Lily's parents (and the good or not Reaper) leaves readers in desperate need for the next book. I can not wait to see were Neill takes this series! Until then I'll be checking out her Chicgoland Vampire series.

Sexual Content:

An almost kiss scene, Neill keeps it to hand holding. (But I'm cheering for that kiss.)

5/5- Fabulous, a beautiful obsession.

Belated: Wednesday Wishes

For some reason I couldn't post this last night. So here it is, sadly tardy.

Glimmerglass by Jenna Black

Dana Hathaway doesn’t know it yet, but she’s in big trouble. When her alcoholic mom shows up at her voice recital drunk, Dana decides she’s had it with being her mother’s keeper, so she packs her bags and heads to stay with her mysterious father in Avalon: the only place on Earth where the regular, everyday world and the magical world of Faerie intersect. But from the moment Dana sets foot in Avalon, everything goes wrong, for it turns out she isn't just an ordinary teenage girl—she's a Faeriewalker, a rare individual who can travel between both worlds, and who can bring magic into the human world and technology into Faerie.

Soon, she finds herself tangled up in a cutthroat game of Fae politics. Someone's trying to kill her, and everyone wants something from her, even her newfound friends and family. Suddenly, life with her alcoholic mom doesn't sound half bad, and Dana would do anything to escape Avalon and get back home. Too bad both her friends and her enemies alike are determined not to let her go . . .

I'm really wondering what a young adult book from Jenna Black will be like. I feel fearful and excited all at once! Black has to bring an interesting twist the the whole YA faye theme.  Beautiful cover though!



Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris-- the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead.

Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts fiercely alongside her. Now Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves and finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax-- but loving him means betraying her sister and has the potential to destroy all they've worked for.

Twenty-five-year-old Jackson Pearce delivers a dark, taut fairy tale with heart-pounding action, fierce sisterly love, and a romance that will leave readers breathless.

The cover is sooooo gorgeous! Sounds sooooo interesting to.


Slayed by by Amanda Marrone


No description yet. So far Marrone's books have been interesting. I hope this vampirish book is better then her Uninvited.

Libyrinth by Pearl North

In a distant future where Libyrarians preserve and protect the ancient books that are housed in the fortress-like Libyrinth, Haly is imprisoned by Eradicants, who believe that the written word is evil, and she must try to mend the rift between the two groups before their war for knowledge destroys them all.

That's all for me folks, enjoy and thanks for stopping by!

Review: A Hunger Like No Other

A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole

Summary from goodreads.

A mythic warrior who'll stop at nothing to possess her . . .


After enduring years of torture from the vampire horde, Lachlain MacRieve, leader of the Lykae Clan, is enraged to find the predestined mate he's waited millennia for is a vampire. Or partly one. This Emmaline is a small, ethereal half Valkyrie/half vampire, who somehow begins to soothe the fury burning within him.


A vampire captured by her wildest fantasy . . .


Sheltered Emmaline Troy finally sets out to uncover the truth about her deceased parents -- until a powerful Lykae claims her as his mate and forces her back to his ancestral Scottish castle. There, her fear of the Lykae -- and their notorious dark desires -- ebbs as he begins a slow, wicked seduction to sate her own dark cravings.


An all-consuming desire . . .

Yet when an ancient evil from her past resurfaces, will their desire deepen into a love that can bring a proud warrior to his knees and turn a gentle beauty into the fighter she was born to be?

Review:
Paranormal Romance is pretty new for me, so I was a little shy of a series about finding soul mates. The setup for this tale is between a Lykae king (werewolf), Lachlain, who has been imprisoned by the Horde (evil vampires) to be burned a live again and again, because he's immortal. Finally escaping when he catches a sniff of his mate, Emma, who turns out to be half vampire/half Valkyrie. Then the plot thickens. Lachlain needs to take his mate to his homeland in Scotland before the next full moon. Because a Lykae without his mate on these nights will stop at nothing to get to her. Emma does not require the mate for life setup and grudgingly (forced) goes along, thinking there's a pot of jewelry at the end of this journey. All the while Valkyrie are being attacked by the Horde, and the Horde is looking for one particular Valkyrie halfbreed . . .


Emma, or Emmaline, ended up being a very refreshing character. She was timid and scared of pretty much everything. Personally, I hate weak characters, but it's really fun tagging along and watching Emma grow up and find her inner strength. Once she faces a memory of getting forcefully burned as a child, so she could learn the dangers of the sun, she's on the path to inner discovery. Her whole relationship with her Valkyrie family changes. She realizes that they've always have loved her and have treated her like one of them. Even though the majority of them have dedicated their lives to killing vampires. Emma finally finds out who her mystery dad is (which was not a surprise) and taps into her inner bad-booty Valkyrie gifts. It's fun watching her leave behind her sheltered life, even if it is because of a insane Lykae who's kidnapped her.

Lachlain was a very interesting character. He had spent 3,000 years looking for his mate, when he is captured by the Horde in a rescue attempt for his younger brother. Revenge is the only thing that keeps him going during his century of burning torture. He only accomplishes his escape when he smells his mate nearby, basically chewing off his leg to get to her. It's interesting watching Lachlain battle his insane hatred for vampires, when instinct is telling him Emma is his mate. For me, his craziness seems more like rudeness and a case of dominance/control issues. It made it really hard at times to sympathize or like him.

Even after they're mated they still need to learn to trust each other and actually progress in their relationship. Which was nice because I was afraid Emma was just going to roll over and play good little mate. Instead she got a back bone and the relationship really bonded between the two and I just fell in love with the couple.

A Hunger Like No Other is told from the points of views of Lachlain and Emma. There are some other characters who step in and give us a little perspective. Annika, Emma's adopted mother, and Bowen, Lachlain's best friend. Annika's narration really adds to the information we get on the Valkyrie clan. And let's be honest just the word Valkyrie sounds great, so any other information we get on any of these ladies are great. Bowen shows an interesting perspective on the relationship between Emma and Lachlain, and what is in store for a Lykae who looses his mate. All of the characters in this book are fantastic and I wan more, more, more!

Bottom Line:


This story ended up being more complex then I could have imagined a silly PR being. All of this is accompanied by Cole's great sense of humor, and she had me laughing out loud. I love it when I book can be funny and balance the dark and gritty elements. Even though Lachlain wasn't for me, I feel in love with the couple and look forward to future books. Because honestly, I love the whole love can conquer all mentality. The other also has a great way of making the characters seem a little more real and less like mythical beings, where emotions are concerned anyway. This is a reread for me and it hasn't even been a full year since I've first read it!

Sexual Content:


This is a PR heavy on the R. So be warned.

5/5- Fabulous, a beautiful obsession.

Quoting on Monday

I just realized I botched my Quoting on Monday logo. So I'm working on that!

Firespell by Chloe Neill

She looked around, probably to see whether she was alone (we're all wrong sometimes), then slipped the ribboned key from her neck and slid the key into the lock. -Lily Parker

I reminded myself that there was a greater purpose here—spying on the girl who'd adopted me as a best friend.



Okay, put that way, it didn't sound so noble. -Lily Parder
 
They say there are moments in your life when time slows down, when you can see your fate rushing towards you. This was one of those times. -Lily

I am loving Firespell! I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it's great! Enjoy the quotes.

Sunday Sweets

This is part of The Story Siren's weekly meme, In My Mailbox. This just gives you a chance to see what goodies everyone has bought this week for there bookshelves.

This week I went a little crazy. These purchases are probably the very reason I can kiss reaching the bottom of my TBR pile goodbye.

First my basic purchases:

Salt and Silver by Anna Katherine (Amazon)

Gilfeather by Glenda Larke (Amazon, with third party)

Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler (Borders)

Pleasure of a Dark Prince by Kresely Cole (Walmart)

Pretty When She Dies: A Vampire Novel by Rhiannon Frater  (Amazon)

 Before you really look at my purchase. Yes, I have a book addiction. No, I'm not going to do a think about it. To each their own. ^_-

Now to the crazy purchase. Brought to you by Overstock and a huge chunk of my paycheck.

Undead and Unwed by MaryJanice Davidson

Demon Angel by Meljean Brook

Night Season (World of the Lupi, #4) by Eileen Wilks

Lonely Werewolf Girl by Martin Millar  

Angels' Blood (Guild Hunters, #1) by Nalini Singh

Some Girls Bite (Chicagoland Vampires, #1) by Chloe Neill (Goodreads Author)

Dragon Flight by Jessica Day George

Devoured by Amanda Marrone

The Otherworldlies by Jennifer Anne Kogler

Three Days to Dead (Dreg City, #1) by Kelly Meding

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

Stargazer (Evernight, #2) by Claudia Gray

Hallowed Circle (Persephone Alcmedi, #2) by Linda Robertson

Must Love Hellhounds by Charlaine Harris, Nalini Singh, Ilona Andrews, Meljean Brook \

On the Edge (The Edge, #1) by Ilona Andrews

Death's Mistress (Dorina Basarab, #2) by Karen Chance

Ballad (Books of Faerie, #2) by Maggie Stiefvater

Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston

 Walking Dead (Walker Papers, #4) by C.E. Murphy

The Gypsy Crown (The Chain of Charms, #1) by Kate Forsyth

Shadowfae by Erica Hayes

The Naughty List by Suzanne Young

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl

Demon Bound (Black London, #2) by Caitlin Kittredge

Jane Bites Back by Michael Thomas Ford

Fallen by Lauren Kate

Spider's Bite (Elemental Assassin, #1) by Jennifer Estep (Goodreads Author)

Raven by Allison van Diepen (Goodreads Author)

Bone Crossed (Mercedes Thompson, #4) by Patricia Briggs

Deadtown (Deadtown, #1) by Nancy Holzner

Unknown (Outcast Season, #2) by Rachel Caine

Blood Magic (World of the Lupi, #6) by Eileen Wilks

Kitty's House of Horrors (Kitty Norville, #7) by Carrie Vaughn (Goodreads Author)

Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith

The Iron King (Iron Fey, #1) by Julie Kagawa

Yes. I bought a lot of books. In my mind I picture some big Overstock employee counting dollar bills and laughing, my money the cause for the employees mirth. Luckily I'm laughing with them as I gloat over my new pile of books. (This scenario is probably unlikely as my small fortune of a purchase is a little blip on the radar. My happiness, however, remains the same.)
So to highlight my purchase. I splurged on some hardback copies again, I just couldn't stop myself. Fallen and Beautiful Creatures, I've just been hearing such wonderful things and couldn't help myself. Finally I have a copy of Gilfeather, it has taken me forever to track down a decent, and a fordable, copy. Also I was able to get some of my favorite authors new books and some great new series I can't wait to get to. Ahem, of course I still need to get to my older books in the TBR piles.

Can't wait to see what everyone else got!

A Little Hi, Little Change!

As I continue to blog and learn what I’m doing, I’ve decided to yet again make some changes. Blogging can easily become an addiction for me, probably already has. All of the main features on my blog will stay the same, but I am changing my weekly posts. If only to save myself.

I’m cutting out Who’s the Fairest, Beauty in the Break Down, and Saturday Night Love. I’ll continue to do Quoting on Monday, Wednesday Wishes, and Sunday Sweets. Changes will be made to Books and Babbles and Clash of the Covers.

They will both be posts that are not assigned to a specific time period or date, so I’ll post them willy-nilly. Since I am such a cover lover, Books and Babbles will help to take the roll of my other dead posts. Though Books and Babbles will still contain some random babbles from yours truly. Not much is changing on Clash of the Covers except not only will it feature new covers for books, but international covers as well.

My features page will also be updated.

Here’s a big shout out to all of the people who have stopped by and to my wonderful followers, which I’m still surprised to have. Thank you for all of the comments, they are greatly appreciated. I always view them no matter how old they are and I do try to comment back.

Feel free to leave comments or opinions.

Review: Aurian

Aurian by Maggie Furey

Book description by goodreads.

To the city of Nexis, where Magefolk rule uneasily over a race of mortals, a young girl named Aurian comes to learn the magic arts. Her dormant powers are coveted by the corrupt Archmage, who intends to possess her. When she rejects him for a mortal, the enraged Archmage plans his revenge.
Review:

Sounds like any number of fantasy books out there. Aurian had the potential to be another boring A-typical book in the Fantasy genre. Before rereading this book, I had wondered how come this book had stuck in my mind for so long after reading it probably about six years ago. I was fairly young and thought maybe the impression was left from the inexperienced mind of a young reader. However, Furey has created one of the best epic fantasy books I have read. Taking the same old tale and turning it into a refreshing new story.

One of my favorite things about Aurian is all of the subplots that work themselves into the main idea. They all fit together somehow and it’s fun to see each one pull together and shape the story. The twist on fairies is really fun, and the history of the world is unique to see from different cultures. Especially once the reader is given the real facts. Every time you get more information on the world, other races, and cultures , it is like feeding an addiction. Meeting each of the powerful races of the elements is also a great treat, and I want more on the Skyfolk.

Aurian is the main character, but it is told by the points of views of many different characters. I come up with ten right off the top of my head, but there are many more. Furey is so skilled that I never found myself bored as the story went from one character to the next. Even with all the back and forth between characters and plots, I didn't get lost.

The names of the characters are very beautiful, and they are all different enough that I never get the characters mixed up. That has always been one of my pet peeves with fantasy books, all the names are so similar that you never know who you are reading about.

My favorite part of this book isn’t the wonderful plot and story ideas, but it is the emotions. Furey has truly proven with this book. Her skill is making the characters real by thinking, feeling, and interacting with the world they are in. I’m not quite sure if I can properly explain it. Each character from our main heroine to the evil villain, or even just to a temporary character, has such depth and growth. Furey expertly deals with grief, the kinds of love there are, happiness, revenge, evil, and the change people go through as they live. She expertly shows how others can impact and change someone’s life.

The great characterization is coupled by Furey’s rich writing. Every place that is described flows easily into the mind. Every character has a unique voice, and point of view, that never takes away, but adds to Furey’s style. She can easily wrench your heart with sorrow, and then have you chuckling with a humorous line.

Bottom line:

Even after all of these years, Furey’s book still manages to captive me. Aurian’s character depth and emotions are something that no reader should pass up. This book has one of the best love stories I have ever read. There are many plots to follow in this book, which I didn’t find over whelming as some readers might. If you read a lot it shouldn’t be too hard to differentiate and remember them. This is a series where you are not going to want to wait a long time in between reading the next book.

Sexual content:

Furey keeps it pretty clean. There are some sex scenes which are not detailed. A beginning to a rape scene, the author does not go into details.

Rating: 5/5- Fabulous, a beautiful obsession.

Beauty in the Break Down

This weeks Beauty in the Break Down features the Morgan Kingsley series by Jenna Black. This series book covers styles always seem to change every two books.

The first two covers are my favorite I love the look, just so bad-booty! Book three and four just feel tacky to me, maybe its just the monotone colors. I'm really excited about book five, the cover is so possessed! What do you think?

Who's the Fairest?

I found this great picture of Jocelynn Drakes first book Nightwalker. I believe it's the German edition.
I checked Amazon and the publisher, they were in the lingo so I didn't know what they said. Drakes site wasn't helpful. I must be Internet search illiterate or something. If anyone knows let me know, I feel frazzled. The words look German.
 

Jealous, I wish my cover was that good looking. The US cover looks like those lame romance covers I tend to groan about.

Wednesday Wishes

Wednesday Wishes follows My Wishlist, which is a meme hosted by Book Chick City that posts every Saturday. This just allows fellow readers to see what books other readers are itchy to get.

This week I found a lot of good books while wandering around other blogs!

 

Incarceron -- a futuristic prison, sealed from view, where the descendants of the original prisoners live in a dark world torn by rivalry and savagery. It is a terrifying mix of high technology -- a living building which pervades the novel as an ever-watchful, ever-vengeful character, and a typical medieval torture chamber -- chains, great halls, dungeons. A young prisoner, Finn, has haunting visions of an earlier life, and cannot believe he was born here and has always been here. In the outer world, Claudia, daughter of the Warden of Incarceron, is trapped in her own form of prison -- a futuristic world constructed beautifully to look like a past era, an imminent marriage she dreads. She knows nothing of Incarceron, except that it exists. But there comes a moment when Finn, inside Incarceron, and Claudia, outside, simultaneously find a device -- a crystal key, through which they can talk to each other. And so the plan for Finn's escape is born ...

Other by Karen Kincy

Seventeen-year-old Gwen hides a dangerous secret: she’s Other. Half-pooka, to be exact, thanks to the father she never met. Most Americans don’t exactly roll out the welcome mat for Others, especially not the small-town folks of Klikamuks, Washington. As if this isn’t bad enough, Gwen’s on the brink of revealing her true identity to her long-time boyfriend, Zack, but she’s scared he’ll lump her with the likes of bloodthirsty vampires and feral werewolves.

When a pack of werewolves chooses the national forest behind Gwen’s home as their new territory, the tensions in Klikamuks escalate-into murder. It soon becomes clear a serial killer is methodically slaying Others. The police turn a blind eye, leaving Gwen to find the killer before the killer finds her. As she hunts for clues, she uncovers more Others living nearby than she ever expected. Like Tavian, a sexy Japanese fox-spirit who rivals Zack and challenges her to embrace her Otherness. Gwen must struggle with her own conflicted identity, learn who she can trust, and-most importantly-stay alive.

Girl in the Arena by Lise Haines

It’s a fight to the death—on live TV—when a gladiator’s daughter steps into the arena

Lyn is a neo-gladiator’s daughter, through and through. Her mother has made a career out of marrying into the high-profile world of televised blood sport, and the rules of the Gladiator Sports Association are second nature to their family. Always lend ineffable confidence to the gladiator. Remind him constantly of his victories. And most importantly: Never leave the stadium when your father is dying. The rules help the family survive, but rules—and the GSA—can also turn against you. When a gifted young fighter kills Lyn’s seventh father, he also captures Lyn’s dowry bracelet, which means she must marry him... For fans of The Hunger Games and Fight Club, Lise Haines’ debut novel is a mesmerizing look at a world addicted to violence—a modern world that’s disturbingly easy to imagine.

The Diviners by Libba Bray

The Diviners is a supernatural fantasy series set in Manhattan during the 1920s that follows a teen heroine reminiscent of two of the era's most famous literary women—Zelda Fitzgerald and Dorothy Parker

Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler

Living in small town Rockabill, Maine, Jane True always knew she didn't quite fit in with so-called normal society. During her nightly, clandestine swim in the freezing winter ocean, a grisly find leads Jane to startling revelations about her heritage: she is only half-human.

Now, Jane must enter a world filled with supernatural creatures alternatively terrifying, beautiful, and deadly- all of which perfectly describe her new "friend," Ryu, a gorgeous and powerful vampire.

It is a world where nothing can be taken for granted: a dog can heal with a lick; spirits bag your groceries; and whatever you do, never-ever rub the genie's lamp.

If you love Sookie Stackhouse, then you'll want to dive into Nicole Peeler's enchanting debut novel

 

These all sound so good. I can't wait to make them mine. The Tempest Rising cover looks so great and it is a nice breath of air from the other UF covers. Girl in the Arena sounds so rebel, I can't wait for it's paperback release.

Clash of the Covers

From Book Whispers

I was re-shelving my books yesterday and I noticed that Patricia C. Wredes Enchanted Forest Series has had some make overs. After looking at all of my books it looks like there were three make overs for the covers.

Here are the first lovely Ladies, published from Scholastic Inc:

Here are the new covers now form Magic Carpet Books:

Both versions are great. But the first couple or so books of this series I have different covers for. In fact, the ones my local library had where different. I'm not sure if Scholastic bought the series from Jane Yolen Books, I didn't find much information on it. So I'll simply post the covers here. Personally, they are my favorite covers.

If you want to see a bigger picture just click on the photos.
Anywho, hoped you all enjoyed !

Quoting on Monday

I don't have any quotes from Aurian. The whole book is just too quotable, I'm in love all over again.

So here are some funny quotes from A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole!

Couples strolling hand in hand along the gravel walk seemed to mock her loneliness. Was it jus her,or did the lovers look more adoringly at each other in this city? Especially in the springtime. Die you bastards.

She sighed. It wasn't their fault that they were bastards who should die. -Emmaline Troy 

She has an arse men should write sonnets to . . .    -Lachlain MacReive

All right those are some fun quotes! Hope you enjoyed.

Sunday Sweets

This is following a wonderful meme hosted over at The Story Siren, and if you haven't checked out her blog you should. It's a fun way to see what everyone has bought for the week. I love seeing what people have bought, and getting a little green with envy. So just click here to see what it's all about and check out other peoples goodies.

I went all out this week as I only bought one book in Janraury. I don't know what happened to me, but I've made up for it, even bought a hardback.  (Click on the book if you want more information.)

Beneath the Skin by Adrian Phoenix

Firespell by Chloe Neill

Bone Magic by Yasmine Galenorn

Inked by Karen Chance, Marjorie M Lui, Yasmine Galenorn, and Eileen Wilks

Ecstasy Unveiled by Larissa Ione

First Drop of Crimson

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Warprize by Elizabeth Vaughan

I'm so excited about all of them. Shiver was my hardback splurge. After all the wonderful stuff out there I couldn't stop myself. Warprize was a little harder to come by. Amazon finally had a decent price for it from a seller. I enjoyed the hunt, it will make the read all the more satisfying.