Oops & Good Stuff

Well, the post I was supposed to have up this Wednesday needed some last minute meddling...and then I forgot to change it from "draft" to "scheduled." :( Sooo, you're getting nothing today, but giveaway news.

Wait.

Giveaway news?

That's good stuff, right?

You bet it is!

I just stopped at a Border's that's closing in 5 days and picked up a bunch of YA books for my follower giveaways. I'll be giving away a book when I reach 400 twitter followers (@YA_BookOfTheDay) and you'll get more than one chance to win if you follow the blog. (I'm hoping to get to 50 followers soon.)

Stay tuned for more details. :D

Teaser Tuesday

Since I'm starting to receive ARCs and Galleys that I'll be reviewing for the site, I thought I'd make Tuesdays into Teaser Tuesdays. As the name suggests, I'll be posting book reviews for new or soon-to-be-released titles.

I'm so excited to start reading these books and posting reviews. You've already seen the list of ARCs and Galleys I currently have here, so I'll start with a teaser of which I'm reviewing next week....

Squee!

In My Mailbox Monday

I'm trying something new this week. Besides trying to post more regularly, I'm also figuring out themes for certain days. Since I feel like I always have tons of books in my possession or on their way to me that I'm dying to read, I thought I'd start an In My Mailbox (idea curtesy of The Story Siren).

I'll let you know the new books I've bought, received, or are heading my way via the library, ARC tours, contests, giveaways, my own purchases, etc. I've also added a handy little widget in the sidebar that shows you what's currently in my To Read pile (will update that weekly).

ARC Tours:

IF I DIE by Rachel Vincent

Galleys:

THE SILENT by Rebecca Kenney
MISFIT by Jon Skovron
THE MEPHISTO COVENANT by Trinity Faegan
BLOOD by K. J. Wignall
DEVIANT by Adrian McKinty
TRIS AND IZZY by Mette Ivie Harrison
STICK by Andrew Smith
THE IRON KNIGHT by Julie Kagawa
DANCERGIRL by Carol M. Tanzman
SAVING JUNE by Hannah Harrington
THE BOOK OF BLOOD AND SHADOW by Robin Wasserman

Library books: 

WHERE THINGS COME BACK by John Corey Whaley

THE HIDDEN by Jessica Verday

ACROSS THE UNIVERSE by Beth Revis

HOURGLASS by Myra McEntire

Purchased:

Vanished by Sophie Jordan

Today's IMMM is much longer than I usually anticipate because I wanted to include all the galleys I'd recently received. Stay tuned tomorrow for excited news!

Recap: September 6-9

Happy Labor Day everyone! Short week this week:

FALLING UNDER by Gwen Hayes

Theia Alderson has always led a sheltered life in the small California town of Serendipity Falls. But when a devastatingly handsome boy appears in the halls of her school, Theia knows she's seen Haden before- not around town, but in her dreams.

As the Haden of both the night and the day beckons her closer one moment and pushes her away the next, the only thing Theia knows for sure is that the incredible pull she feels towards him is stronger than her fear.

And when she discovers what Haden truly is, Theia's not sure if she wants to resist him, even if the cost is her soul.

Review:  Completely surprised me...in the best way!

I highly recommend FALLING UNDER by Gwen Hayes to anyone looking for a good romance or an interesting take on demons.

CHAIN REACTION by Simone Elkeles

Luis Fuentes has always been sheltered from the gang violence that nearly destroyed his brothers’ lives. But that didn’t stop him from taking risks—whether he’s scaling a mountain in the Rockies or dreaming of a future as an astronaut, Luis can’t stop looking for the next thrill.

Nikki Cruz lives her life by three rules—boys lie to get their way, don’t trust a boy who says “I love you,” and never date a boy from the south side of Fairfield. Her parents may be from Mexico, but as a doctor’s daughter, she has more in common with her north-side neighbors than the Latino Blood at her school. Then she meets Luis at Alex’s wedding, and suddenly, she’s tempted to break all her rules.

Getting Nikki to take a chance on a southsider is Luis’s biggest challenge, until he finds himself targeted by Chuy Soto, the new head of the Latino Blood. When Chuy reveals a disturbing secret about Luis’s family, the youngest Fuentes finds himself questioning everything he’s ever believed to be true. Will his feelings for Nikki be enough to stop Luis from entering a dark and violent world and permanently living on the edge?

Review:  CHAIN REACTION lived up to all they hype from the previous books. Sexy, surprising, and satisfying.

I highly recommend CHAIN REACTION by Simone Elkeles to anyone looking for romance, multicultural stories & great characters.

FABLEHAVEN by Brandon Mull

For centuries mystical creatures of all description were gathered into a hidden refuge called Fablehaven to prevent their extinction. The sanctuary survives today as one of the last strongholds of true magic. Enchanting? Absolutely. Exciting? You bet. Safe? Well, actually, quite the opposite.

Kendra and her brother, Seth, have no idea that their grandfather is the current caretaker of Fablehaven. Inside the gated woods, ancient laws keep relative order among greedy trolls, mischievous satyrs, plotting witches, spiteful imps, and jealous fairies. However, when the rules get broken — Seth is a bit too curious and reckless for his own good — powerful forces of evil are unleashed, and Kendra and her brother face the greatest challenge of their lives. To save their family, Fablehaven, and perhaps even the world, Kendra and Seth must find the courage to do what they fear most.

Review:  Perfect story to read aloud. Action, adventure, with magical fairytale language and storytelling. 

I recommend FABLEHAVEN by Brandon Mull to anyone looking for an exciting fantasy tale. Bonus points for fans of fairy tales. 

DREAMLAND by Sarah Dressen

Rogerson Biscoe, with his green eyes and dark curly hair, is absolutely seductive. Before long, sixteen-year-old Caitlin finds herself under his spell. And when he starts to abuse her, she finds she's in too deep to get herself out...

Review:  Realistic portrayal of a difficult topic.

I recommend DREAMLAND by Sarah Dressen to fans of contemporary fiction. Bonus points for tough subjects. 

*Summaries provided by GoodReads

Heart-Breaker Recap

I hope you all had as much fun with my sidekick/funny man week as I did. It was great to get your feedback and discussion about some of my favorite characters. You all are a passionate group, that's for sure.

As I suspected, most of the votes were against me (or, my team, I should say).

Heart-Breaker #1:
Dylan 6%
Logan 19%
Zachary 76%

No surprises here. Zachary didn't make it to the finals of the YA Crush Tournament for nothing. I suspected most votes would go to him, but I'm proud of the Team Logan and also the support for Dylan. :D Totally didn't expect him to get the votes, but glad he did.

Heart-Breaker #2:
Ash 75%
Puck 25%

Also, no surprises here. Ash is a great character, whom I also love dearly. However, I hadn't yet read Summer's Crossing at the point I wrote this post. Oh man, do I love Puck even more or what?

Heartbreaker #3:
Nash 28%
Tod 72%

Aaaaand....holy Tod am I glad he won! :D I suspect this has a lot to do with his potential for being a romantic interest in the next book. Again, pointing to the YA Crush Tournament, I wasn't surprised at this outcome.


So? What can I make of these results?

I stand by my first conclusion: I fall for the wrong freaking dude...most of the time. But that's okay. I'll keep my sidekicks, my funny men, my heartbreakers. If you don't want them, more for me!

Recap: August 29-September 2

It's Soul Screamer's week here on the blog:

MY SOUL TO LOSE by Rachel Vincent

It was supposed to be a fun day, shopping at the mall with her best friend. Then the panic attack started and Kaylee Cavanaugh finds herself screaming, unable to stop. Her secret fears are exposed and it's the worst day of her life.

Until she wakes up in the psychiatric unit.

She tries to convince everyone she's fine--despite the shadows she sees forming around another patient and the urge to scream which comes burbling up again and again. Everyone thinks she's crazy. Everyone except Lydia, that is. Another patient with some special abilities....

Review:  Interesting look into Kaylee's experience at the hospital.

I recommend MY SOUL TO LOSE by Rachel Vincent if you're interested in the Soul Screamers series of haven't yet started.


MY SOUL TO SAVE by Rachel Vincent

When Kaylee Cavanaugh screams, someone dies.

So when teen pop star Eden croaks onstage and Kaylee doesn't wail, she knows something is dead wrong. She can't cry for someone who has no soul.

The last thing Kaylee needs right now is to be skipping school, breaking her dad's ironclad curfew and putting her too-hot-to-be-real boyfriend's loyalty to the test. But starry-eyed teens are trading their souls: a flickering lifetime of fame and fortune in exchange for eternity in the Netherworld—a consequence they can't possibly understand.

Kaylee can't let that happen, even if trying to save their souls means putting her own at risk….

Review:  As interesting and entertaining to read as the first.

I recommend MY SOUL TO SAVE by Rachel Vincent to fans of urban fantasy and creative mythology.

MY SOUL TO KEEP by Rachel Vincent

Kaylee has one addiction: her very hot, very popular boyfriend, Nash. A banshee like Kaylee, Nash understands her like no one else. Nothing can come between them.

Until something does.

Demon breath. No, not the toothpaste-challenged kind. The Netherworld kind. The kind that really can kill you. Somehow the super-addictive substance has made its way to the human world. But how? Kaylee and Nash have to cut off the source and protect their friends—one of whom is already hooked.

And so is someone else…

Review:  Definitely my favorite book in the series (so far ;))!

I recommend MY SOUL TO KEEP by Rachel Vincent to fans of unusual characters (bean sidles), fantasy, and romance.

REAPER by Rachel Vincent

Tod Hudson was a typical teenager. He liked girls, sports, food and tolerated his younger brother, Nash. In fact, he had his whole life in front of him--and due to his bean sidhe heritage, it was going to be a very long life indeed. And then the car accident occurred.

Suddenly Tod's future wasn't so sure, and he had to make a choice. Life... Death... or something Between....

Review: Insightful story about my favorite character.

I recommend REAPER by Rachel Vincent to anyone interested in urban fantasy (no previous reading required).

MY SOUL TO STEAL by Rachel Vincent

Trying to work things out with Nash—her maybe boyfriend—is hard enough for Kaylee Cavanaugh. She can't just pretend nothing happened. But "complicated" doesn't even begin to describe their relationship when his ex-girlfriend transfers to their school, determined to take Nash back.

See, Sabine isn't just an ordinary girl. She's a mara, the living personification of a nightmare. She can read people's fears—and craft them into nightmares while her victims sleep. Feeding from human fear is how she survives.

And Sabine isn't above scaring Kaylee and the entire school to death to get whatever—and whoever—she wants.

Review: Awesome storyline, though heartbreaking to read at times.

I recommend MY SOUL TO STEAL by Rachel Vincent to all fans of urban fantasy, romance, and fun stories.

*Summaries provided by GoodReads

Heart-Breaker #3: Tod Hudson

Last, but absolutely not least, Heart-Breaker #3:

Tod Hudson from SOUL SCREAMERS series by Rachel Vincent

**SPOILER LEVEL:  Moderate (through book 3ish)**

Tod Hudson is your friendly, neighborhood, grim reaper. Okay, so maybe he's not always so friendly, or neighborly, but he is a reaper. He's described as having curly blond hair, bright blue eyes, and "cherubic lips." He was a bean sidle before death, so his eyes do that cool swirly thing too. Tod has a wicked sense of humor and specializes in showing up at the most annoying time. I swear the line, "Damn it, Tod!" is Nash's most uttered phrase.

Oh my Tod, the ways in which I heart you. First, did I mention he's hilarious? He's got that quick witted humor that makes me laugh out loud. If taken seriously, his words would make him sound like a serious jerk, but he's not. Being a reaper takes some emotional strength and I suspect Tod uses humor to deal with it.

Second, Tod may come off as a jerk sometimes, but he's incredibly protective of those he loves. Example, he went to the Netherworld to help save his ex-girlfriend's soul. When he couldn't do it, he spent time with her soul everyday to help keep her sane. Also, have you read REAPER? What is more self-sacrificing than that? Tod wasn't always this protective of Kaylee, but she doesn't need him to be. He's her friend and she can handle herself, for the most part. That said, he's always there to help when she asks and he has become more careful of putting her in danger. He stands up for her against Nash, but doesn't fight her battle for her.

Third, I love the curse potential with his name. "For the love of Tod," "Oh my Tod," "For Tod's sake," "For all that is Tod and holy," are some of my favorites (*not in the books). Honestly, after reading the books, I went around randomly saying "Damn it, Tod!" to all my siblings and friends (*in the books). Hilarious.

Tod hasn't been a romantic interest in the books, but I'm hoping that changes with IF I DIE. He is totally swoonworthy and I'd love to see him with Kaylee. He's not a total bad boy, but not a complete sweep-you-off-your-feet good guy either. He's your hilarious friend that you begin to realize is hot and not such a bad guy to be with.

Let's end with a picture, yes?

Um, yeah. *wins my heart*

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