Review: Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Title: Starcrossed
Author: Josephine Angelini
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publish Date: May 31, 2011
Genre: YA, mythology
Pages: 496
Source: From author for review
Series: Starcrossed Trilogy
1. Starcrossed
2. Dreamless (expected pub 2012)
3. Untitled (expected pub 2013)

Synopsis:
How do you defy destiny?

Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

From Goodreads

I’m a big fan of ancient Greek mythology. I’ve even taken a full year university course devoted entirely to ancient Greek and Roman mythology. It’s the type of stuff that’s right up my alley. So of course, a YA romance that incorporates mythology caught my eye. Especially because it’s the story of Helen of Troy, which is one of my favourite stories (I swear I’ll read the entire Iliad someday soon!). Add to that the fact that it is also a Romeo and Juliet type story and and I’m there.

I loved STARCROSSED so much. I loved that I was familiar with the mythology, but there was also a great twist on it. The characters in the novel are descendants of Greek Gods, but they are divided into four Houses. That’s where the R&J story line comes in, because The Furies (Greek deities of vengeance) send the demigods in a murderous fervour whenever members of separate Houses encounter one another. I’m sure you’re wondering “If Helen and Lucas are thrown into a murderous fervour whenever they’re near the other one, how there is romance at all?” but you have to read it to figure that one out.

I’ve always been a sucker for a good romance, and STARCROSSED is no exception. My Helen-and-Lucas song soon became “As Long As You’re There,” an original song from the TV show, Glee (Check it out on Youtube here). It speaks true to their relationship for me. They can’t keep away from each other, and when they are together they feel like it’s right. They’re drawn together, which is obvious from the constant hand-holding.

I really enjoyed Lucas’s family. They are a big group of siblings, cousins, parents, aunts, and uncles. Hector was definitely one of my favourites. He’s Lucas’s cousin and the tough guy out of them all, but you also get the idea that he’s a big softie on the inside. I love that. There are so many more characters in the story, and they all bring something different. It’s really a great cast of characters, and I felt something different for each one of them. I just love that I felt something about them. When I read something and feel nothing for any of the secondary characters, it makes me think that there wasn’t enough attention given to developing them and I think it’s important to make sure the reader feels something for them. Otherwise, it seems pointless to have them if they’re just part of the background. I hope that made sense.

Overall, I loved the way Josie took the familiar ancient mythology and the Shakespeare story that we know and love and twisted them together to make something entirely new and fully captivating. I can’t wait to see where she takes the story of Helen and Lucas in the rest of the trilogy. Dreamless comes out in 2012, and I’ll be anxiously awaiting it!

Thanks so much to Josie herself for sending me an ARC for review!



Make sure to check back at the beginning of August: I'll be participating in the Summer Giveaway Hop hosted by Kathy at I Am A Read, Not A Writer, and you could win a copy of STARCROSSED or another fabulous YA novel!

Teaser Tuesday (21)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should be Reading. Just do the following:

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

DO NOT INCLUDE SPOILERS (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away, so that you don't ruin the book for others)

Share the title and author so that other participants can add the book to their TBR list is they like your teasers!

I haven't been able to read too much or post any teasers in a while, so I'm setting up posts in advance so I can give you teasers of what I'm reading. This week, I'm giving you a teaser from Josephine Angelini's Starcrossed! I'm not very far in, but it's really great writing so far! Here's my teaser:

Lucas was holding her by the wrists to keep her hands away from his neck, she realized. They were locked in a stalemate, and if she could get her fingers half an inch closer, she could reach his throat.





This is the first meeting between Lucas and Helen, the two main characters. I haven't learned yet where the hatred comes from or why Helen feels like she has to kill Lucas, but I'm excited to find out!

Feel free to share your teasers! I'd love to see what you're reading.

Review: Die For Me by Amy Plum

Title: Die For Me
Author: Amy Plum
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publish Date: May 10, 2011
Genre: YA, paranormal
Pages: 352
Source: From publisher through NetGalley
Series: Revenants
1. Die For Me
2. Untitled (expected pub 2012)

Synopsis:
My life had always been blissfully, wonderfully normal. But it only took one moment to change everything.

Suddenly, my sister, Georgia, and I were orphans. We put our lives into storage and moved to Paris to live with my grandparents. And I knew my shattered heart, my shattered life, would never feel normal again. Then I met Vincent.

Mysterious, sexy, and unnervingly charming, Vincent Delacroix appeared out of nowhere and swept me off my feet. Just like that, I was in danger of losing my heart all over again. But I was ready to let it happen.

Of course, nothing is ever that easy. Because Vincent is no normal human. He has a terrifying destiny, one that puts his life at risk every day. He also has enemies . . . immortal, murderous enemies who are determined to destroy him and all of his kind.

While I'm fighting to piece together the remnants of my life, can I risk putting my heart—as well as my life and my family's—in jeopardy for a chance at love?

From Goodreads

Kate just had her life fall apart around her, and she’s coping the best way she knows how: secluding herself in her little bubble where she can protect herself, and her heart, so that she can’t be hurt again. She cuts herself off from her friends in New York, and spends her days wandering Paris museums or sitting at the Café Saint-Lucie reading her favourite classic novels. Then things start happening: she sees this handsome, mysterious guy in several different places, then she sees him rescue a suicidal girl, she almost gets crushed by falling building, she sees people sword-fighting in tunnels, and other odd and impossible things. And somehow, they’re all centred around this mysterious guy: Vincent. Even though her brain tells her to run away, her heart has other plans.

I really loved this book. It’s a totally different take on paranormal and I’ve never read a book like it before. Amy created an amazing paranormal world that’s just as mysterious and complicated as any other you’ve read about, but hers has sexy, French boys, too. There was heartbreak and danger and hope and fear all wrapped together, and it created the perfect balance so that I was never bored with it.

I liked Kate as a main character. Although she felt this constant pull to want to be with Vincent, she also knew how to use her brain. It wasn’t like she dropped everything to be with him, because she’d experienced a lot of loss recently and was guarding her heart. I think that made her more of a 3D character rather than the typical, flat, run-into-his-arms-even-though-it’s-a-bad-idea girl. Don’t misunderstand me, she wanted to run into his arms even though it was a bad idea, but she knew to be smart with her heart and be safe at the same time. This made her an awesome character for me.

The other characters were great, too. Georgia, Kate’s sister, was a totally different character from Kate. She was out every night partying it up and dealing with the loss of their parents in her own way. She was the popular girl who had lots of friends and was very outgoing, totally opposite from Kate. Then there was Vincent, the love interest. He was very secretive around Kate, which was understandable, given that he has a big secret. But when Kate asked him to be honest with her, he did his best to tell her what she wanted to know and let her make her own decisions from there. He definitely won brownie points with me for that. A few of the other characters also settled into a special place in my heart: Jules, because of his constant flirting with Kate and upbeat mood (once you get to know him); Charlotte, because she was a cute character who was a good friend to Kate when she needed it; and Mamie, Kate’s grandmother, because of her wisdom and faith in love, that helped Kate throughout the book.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes paranormal romances, but are looking for something other than vampires, werewolves, or angels. Amy puts a new spin on paranormal, and her romance is not so cliché as some YA novels recently. DIE FOR ME really is a great adventure in a beautiful city, and you’ll finish the book content, but also hungry for more. It comes out May 5, 2011 in the UK, New Zealand, and Australia, and May 10, 2011 elsewhere. Make sure you grab a copy!

Preorder now!

Teaser Tuesday (15)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should be Reading. Just do the following:

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

DO NOT INCLUDE SPOILERS (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away, so that you don't ruin the book for others)

Share the title and author so that other participants can add the book to their TBR list is they like your teasers!

Like I said last week, I’m giving you a teaser from Amy Plum’s debut novel, Die for Me! I’m so in love with Vincent right now. Just... so in love. (translation: I’m really enjoying this book! It’s a great debut and the concept is awesome so far.) Here’s my teaser:

Just as I left my safe little nook against the wall and stepped around my table, a huge crash came from behind me, and I was knocked flat onto the ground. I could feel my knee stinging and lifted my head to see blood on the ground beneath my face.




What was the crash?? Well, Die for Me comes out on May 10, 2011 (just over a month!) so you’ll have to make sure you pick up a copy when it comes out. (Or you can preorder it here!)

I’m really loving the characters in this book, not only Kate and Vincent, but also Kate’s sister Georgia, and Vincent’s friends. I love Kate and Georgia’s relationship, which is clearly strengthened because they lost their parents. But they’re also closer than sisters, they’re best friends, and I love to see that in sisters.

Feel free to share your teasers in the comments. I’d love to see what you’re reading!

Review: Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Title: Wither
Author: Lauren DeStefano
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publish Date: March 22, 2011
Genre: YA, dystopian
Pages: 356
Series: The Chemical Garden Trilogy
1. Wither
2. Untitled
3. Untitled

Synopsis:
What if you knew exactly when you would die?

Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home.

But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limted time she has left.

From Goodreads

I loved this story. I’ve realized recently that I’m becoming a fan of dystopian stories, which I’ve never read until now. I suppose it has something to do with the fact that there are so many of them coming out right now, but either way, I’m quickly becoming addicted. WITHER is a great story about Rhine, a 16-year-old girl who is abducted and taken to a grand estate to be the bride of some rich, young man. While here, she experiences sister wives, attendants, domestics, a comfortable room, a life free of danger and a man who loves her. But all she can think is: I need to get out. And I don’t blame her. Aside from the close bonds she forms with Jenna, one of her sister wives, and Gabriel, an attendant she becomes attracted to, Rhine can only think about her twin brother who is now alone and probably heartbroken without her.

Lauren’s writing is magical. She knows just the right words to use to make me feel everything Rhine feels. The emotions were portrayed amazingly. I could never imagine being in any position like Rhine's, but I could sympathize with her because of the way Lauren wrote. She made me feel like I was there with Rhine the whole time - that whatever Rhine went through, I went through it, too. And it hurt to watch poor Rhine cry through the night or stand in front of her father-in-law in fear, knowing I couldn’t do anything to help her! When those emotions are pulled out of me when reading a book, I know that the author is an amazing writer.

The whole concept of the story was great. I loved the way Lauren didn’t feel the need to take the first hundred pages explaining the world. Slowly, but surely, we learned about Rhine’s world and how things worked there. There were also a couple flashbacks so we could see the way Rhine and her brother Rowan were living before she was swept up by the Gatherers. I prefer this way of learning about the dystopian world because it doesn’t make the beginning drag and it prevents a lot of information from being thrown at you all at once, which can be overwhelming and also boring.

If I didn’t love a character in this book, then I hated them with as much passion. There were not many characters who were just kind of there and didn’t make me feel for them in any way. They all felt like real people to me. The one character who I couldn’t decide whether to love or hate was Linden, Rhine’s husband. I really wanted to hate him because it was his fault Rhine was stuck in that estate in the first place, but he didn’t make it easy. He was such a sweet, fragile young man, and as you learn later on… well you’ll have to read it yourself if you want to know why it’s hard to hate Linden Ashby. Even Rhine found it hard to hate him eventually...

Ok, I need to talk about Gabriel. I really liked him as a love interest for Rhine. The weird thing is that he wasn’t actually in a lot of the book as a character, but he was very often there as an idea or a thought. Let me explain. Even though Rhine and Gabriel didn’t interact a lot, Rhine thought of him often. For example, if she didn’t see him for a while, she worried about him. There were always occasions where Rhine was thinking about Gabriel even though he wasn’t around her very much. I think that’s what made me like them together so much: the fact that he was sort of a light in this dark place for her. I really hope their relationship grows in the next book.

I was happy with the way this book ended. I am so ready for the next book to come out, although I can’t find any information about it anywhere. Even though I finished this book over a week ago, I still find myself thinking about it and what is going to happen next. What if he...? Will she...? Does he...? So many questions that I can’t finish because I want to avoid spoiling it for you all! Seriously, if you’re into any kind of dystopians that also include romance, pick this one up when it comes out next Tuesday. You don’t want to miss it.

As a bonus, VLC Productions and Simon & Schuster just released the book trailer for WITHER yesterday. Check it out here.

Can't wait much longer? Preorder WITHER from The Book Depository!

Review: Haven by Kristi Cook

Title: Haven
Author: Kristi Cook
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publish Date: February 22, 2011
Genre: YA, paranormal
Pages: 416

Synopsis:
One month into her junior year, sixteen-year-old Violet McKenna transfers to the Winterhaven School in New York’s Hudson Valley, inexplicably drawn to the boarding school with high hopes. Leaving Atlanta behind, she’s looking forward to a fresh start--a new school, and new classmates who will not know her deepest, darkest secret, the one she’s tried to hide all her life: strange, foreboding visions of the future.

But Winterhaven has secrets of its own, secrets that run far deeper than Violet’s. Everyone there--every student, every teacher--has psychic abilities, 'gifts and talents,' they like to call them. Once the initial shock of discovery wears off, Violet realizes that the school is a safe haven for people like her. Soon, Violet has a new circle of friends, a new life, and maybe even a boyfriend--Aidan Gray, perhaps the smartest, hottest guy at Winterhaven.

Only there’s more to Aidan than meets the eye--much, much more. And once she learns the horrible truth, there’s no turning back from her destiny. Their destiny. Together, Violet and Aidan must face a common enemy--if only they can do so without destroying each other first.

From Goodreads

When Violet’s stepmother gets a new job in New York, she’s given the choice to stay in Atlanta with her Gran or move to New York and basically start over. As soon as she sees the flyer for Winterhaven, her mind is made up. She knows that this school is where she belongs, she just doesn’t know why. She makes new friends and eventually starts to understand her new school. Then there’s Aidan Gray. She can’t help but feel the “Aidan Effect” each time he is within proximity of her - which is at least two classes every day. As much as she feels afraid of him for some reason, she also can’t seem to stay away from him.

I loved all of Kristi’s characters. Each character had their own “talent or gift,” but each also had their own personality to go along with it. Having so many supporting characters, it’s amazing that none of them really resembled one another - each was individual in their own way and either had their own charm or... not. To me, all of Violet’s friends seemed like true friends, the kinds you want to be friends with. They worried about her when she had a vision and were supportive of her when she needed them. There was definitely great characterization in this book.

The relationship between Aidan and Violet was fun to be a part of. I think that their relationship was really believable. If Aidan was being a jerk or being secretive or whatever, Violet took offense to it. Most girls would. Depending on the circumstances, most girls won’t be mad one second and then all “I’m so sorry I didn’t mean it” the next like you see in some books. It sometimes happens in reality, yes, but when you see it too often in books it’s irritating. Violet and Aidan had issues and they were more or less realistic, considering the fact that they’re at a school for people with psychic gifts. But that’s besides the point.

Another thing I liked about this book is that it had all the best parts of other books rolled into one. There were moments where I was like “hey, I recognize this...” and it would remind me of Twilight or Fallen or Angelfire. But it’s not as if Kristi stole any ideas (Angelfire just came out one week before Haven), they were just familiar and all these parts pulled HAVEN together perfectly.

I loved the way the story unraveled towards the end. I don’t want to give anything away, but the world that Kristi created and the paths she put her characters on were original and well thought out. I sometimes felt like I knew what was going to happen because Violet has visions and she's adamant that they always come true, but even the visions can be misleading and I didn’t know what was going to happen. But I enjoyed it all to the very end!

HAVEN is a great debut novel for Kristi Cook. She has definitely made a name for herself in the YA community. I really hope that she writes a sequel because, even though the story ended nicely, there are still so many places she could take Violet and Aidan. There are a lot of unanswered questions and it would also be nice to find some answers. Kristi said that she hopes there’s a sequel as well, but she’s not sure yet. Let’s all cross our fingers that we get to see more of Violet and Aidan!

If you'd like to read Haven, pick up a copy for yourself!

Teaser Tuesday (12)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should be Reading. Just do the following:

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

DO NOT INCLUDE SPOILERS (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away, so that you don't ruin the book for others)

Share the title and author so that other participants can add the book to their TBR list is they like your teasers!

So, I just finished reading Wither on Sunday night, but I haven’t picked up a new book yet and I still wanted to use it as a teaser. So here is my teaser from Lauren DeStefano’s Wither:

“What is is?” Cecily says. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s the virus,” Vaughn says. I supposed he’s trying to sound remorseful but all I see is a giant cartoon snake flicking his tongue. Jenna’s life is nothing to him.





Oh man, it’s so sad when Jenna gets sick. I don’t really want to say much about it right now and spoil anything, but it was a very emotional book! Lauren DeStefano made sure that you as a reader could really feel the emotions of her characters. It was beautifully written.

I hope to get a review written and posted soon, but I’m also very busy with school so I apologize if it takes me a little longer than normal!

Feel free to share links to your teasers. I’d love to see what you’re reading!

Teaser Tuesday (11)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should be Reading. Just do the following:

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

DO NOT INCLUDE SPOILERS (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away, so that you don't ruin the book for others)

Share the title and author so that other participants can add the book to their TBR list is they like your teasers!

My teaser this week comes from Kristi Cook’s debut novel, Haven. I just got it last Tuesday when it came out and so far it’s pretty great! Here’s my teaser:

And then I could have sworn I heard a voice in my head - Aidan’s voice. We’ve all got something to hide, it said, as clearly as if it had been spoken aloud, as if it was replying to my thoughts.





At a school for people with psychic gifts and talents, you know it’s gotta happen! I’m really enjoying this story. One thing I especially love is how Kristi based Aidan, the main male character, on Hayden Christensen. Look here and here to see what Kristi’s Aidan looks like, and drool over him! Yummy! It’s a great picture to have in your head while reading. I’m looking forward to seeing where this book goes and how Violet and Aidan’s relationship continues to grow.

Feel free to share links to your teasers. I’d love to see what you’re reading!

Review & Giveaway!: Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

Title: Angelfire
Author: Courtney Allison Moulton
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publish Date: February 15, 2011
Genre: YA, paranormal
Pages: 291 (Kindle edition)
Series: Angelfire Trilogy
1. Angelfire
2. Wings of the Wicked (expected pub 2012)
3. Hymns to the Fallen (expected pub 2013)

Synopsis:
This debut, the first novel in a trilogy, is achingly romantic, terrifying, and filled with blistering action.

When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers - monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell - she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul.

A mysterious boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Now that Ellie's powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her - an assassin who has already killed her once.

While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper-hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to ignite the End of Days and to destroy Ellie's soul, ending her rebirth cycle forever. Now, she must face an army of Bastian's most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives - including truths that may be too frightening to remember.

From Goodreads

I’ve had this title sitting on my computer for awhile now, and it wasn’t until I started following Courtney on Twitter and she started posting doodles from her book that I finally decided I needed to read this book (check out her Twitpic to see said doodles). Some of the doodles were so funny and accompanied by quotes, and it just drew me in. Angelfire was moved up to the top of my TBR list. I’m so glad I did that. I thought this book was amazingly well written, with characters that were more than just a name on the page. They have depth and feelings and I fell in love with all of them.

Ellie's Audi A4 (and my dream car!)

Ellie is a rich, spoiled girl with rich, spoiled friends. She lives in a big house in a rich neighbourhood, her friends get DJs for their parties, and she gets an Audi A4 for her birthday. However, this doesn’t make Ellie a character that is stuck up or whiny, and she doesn’t have the perfect white-picket-fence family. Courtney gives her characters depth, regardless of what the stereotype may be. Ellie really is a strong, female character and it’s wonderful to see that in YA. Then there’s Will, who is my new character crush. I just think he’s so great. You have to read this book just so you can fall in love with Will and his bad-assness-that-really-is-only-a-cover-for-his-sweetness.

Courtney really knows how to write some damn good fight scenes, too. They were so detailed and thought out that I could see them playing out in my mind easily. They really got my pulse going as I read and waited anxiously to see who would come out of the battle alive. Not only did she write good fight scenes, she wrote good one-liners, too! I loved some of the lines she gave to Ellie (see my Teaser Tuesday post). There was more than one occasion where I burst out laughing or snickered and got funny looks from around me (sometimes, I’d be on the bus and just start smiling like an idiot because I was trying to hold in the giggles).

One other that thing I really liked was the detail that Courtney included when explaining all the inner workings of the world that Ellie had become a part of. To someone like me, who really isn’t religious in any way, shape, or form, it was really useful to get a good, detailed explanation of all the concepts Courtney included in her story. Her way of interpreting angels and demons is really different from the other angel stories I’ve read, and I really like that. It’s an angel story that doesn’t centre on the angel aspect, I guess.

I think it’s really important the way Ellie is trying to keep up her relationship with her mom and her friends. It sets a good example for girls who either get a new boyfriend, or start a new hobby, or whatever it is they do that may separate them from their friends. Even though Ellie is trying to save the world and her own life, she knows that her friends and family are important parts of her life and she doesn’t want to give that up.

Overall, this is one book I really enjoyed. It wrapped up nicely (the last line was perfect), but you can also tell that it’s leading up to more. I’m really interested to see where Courtney takes Ellie and Will to next and how Ellie is going to manage her newfound life with her old one. I think it’ll be pretty exciting. Book 2, Wings of the Wicked comes out in 2012!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and HarperTeen for the eARC!

GIVEAWAY!!

So I’m really excited to be hosting my first ever giveaway!! I loved Angelfire so much, that I want to share that love with someone else. Here’s the rules:

• One person will win one copy of Angelfire, shipped from The Book Depository.
• You don’t have to be a follower, but I’d appreciate it if you took a look around. You might find something you like.
• This is open INTERNATIONALLY to anywhere The Book Depository ships (Check here)
• Must be 13 years of age or older.
• If you spread the word, it will gain you one extra entry (Twitter, Facebook, sidebar, etc.)
• This giveaway runs until February 15 (release day!)

The winner will be chosen randomly by random.org. He/she will be contact on February 16 by email and will have 48 hours to respond. If they haven’t responded by this time, I will choose another winner.
GOOD LUCK!

Teaser Tuesday (9)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should be Reading. Just do the following:

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

DO NOT INCLUDE SPOILERS (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away, so that you don't ruin the book for others)

Share the title and author so that other participants can add the book to their TBR list is they like your teasers!

My teaser this week is from Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton. I am currently reading an eGalley from NetGalley and I’m loving it so far. Some of the lines Courtney gave to Ellie, the main character, are just to die for. I’ve found myself laughing quite a bit in this story. I want to share some of the funny with you, so my teaser tuesday this week includes a few different lines. Here’s my teasers:

“I’m going to get tetanus in there,” I grumbled.
“Don’t go rolling in piles of dirt and rusty nails and you’ll be fine.”
“You’re an ass.”
pg. 69

“It was just Nathaniel, anyway.”
“Oh, that’s so cute,” I said, pinching his cheek. “He shopped for you. You’re, like, biffles.”
pg. 97

Click to see larger

That last one had me cracking up. Do people actually use the word “biffles” in real life?? It’d be funny if they did. I've also added a doodle that Courtney posted to her TwitPic a little while back illustrating that very scene. It's so cute. You should check out her other doodles, too!

These are only a couple of the lines that had me laughing. I feel like I can hear Ellie’s sarcasm in my head, and that makes it so much better. Another thing that I love is how Ellie keeps calling Will different names, such as Batman and a ninja. She also names her car, Marshmallow. Are you curious? Intrigued? I hope so. Angelfire comes out on February 15, 2011 and you have to get a copy. I know I will.

Feel free to share links to your teasers! I’d love to see what you’re reading.

Teaser Tuesday (7)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should be Reading. Just do the following:

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

DO NOT INCLUDE SPOILERS (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away, so that you don't ruin the book for others)

Share the title and author so that other participants can add the book to their TBR list is they like your teasers!

My teaser this week comes from the much anticipated Delirium by Lauren Oliver. I’m about halfway through and really enjoying it. Here’s my teaser:

Grace’s life fell apart because of a single word: sympathizer. My world exploded because of a different word: suicide.
Correction: That was the first time my world exploded.





I love that we’re finally getting into the romance part of this story! I’m a sucker for romance and there's not much in the beginning. The book starts out by teaching us about the world in which Delirium is set, through the eyes of Lena. It’s really different because there's segregation, the sympathizers, the regulators, the cure, and so on. It’s a really interesting read so far and I’m excited to see where Lauren Oliver is going to take the story.

Feel free to share links to your teasers! I’d love to see what you’re reading.

Review: Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Title: Unearthly
Author: Cynthia Hand
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publish Date: January 4, 2011
Pages: 448

Synopsis:
In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees. . .

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what it is, though, isn't easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place--and out of place, at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.

As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make--between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

From Goodreads

I've recently found out that I can't avoid angel stories because they have this huge, overpowering appeal to me. This one, I absolutely loved. It was different than the others I've read, because the angel is the narrator. Most of the YA paranormal/fantasy books I've read have consisted of the human female and the paranormal male with whom she falls in love.

This story starts with Clara, who has just recently found out that she's a quarter angel. She's been having weird visions, which her mother tells her are clues to her purpose. These clues eventually lead her and her family to the beautiful Wyoming mountains. She becomes really wrapped up in Christian and it seems like any overactive high school crush. The story really gets good when summer comes along and Clara starts to worry about whether or not she's going to be ready to fulfill her purpose.

Insert Tucker. Oh, Tucker, how I love you so much. Talk about sexy cowboy! He starts off as a bit of an ass who seems to enjoy pushing Clara's buttons. By the time the summer comes around, you get to see his softer side, and my goodness is he sweet. I don't want to tell you too much about him, but I'm team Tucker all the way!

The last four to five chapters are absolutely amazing. By the time I got to this point, I didn't want to stop reading for anything. I even tried reading through my lecture, but I realized that was really stupid and put it away (very, VERY reluctantly). Cynthia Hand inserts at least three pretty big twists near the end, and they are so great. I can't give anything away, obviously, but good luck putting it down near the end.

I definitely recommend this one to anyone who has recently fallen in love with angel stories. Unearthly is different in the sense that the narrator isn't the typical damsel in distress, which is a great change. Overall, this is now on my favourite reads list. I can't wait until it comes out so that I can hold it in my hands and read it all over again.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the digital ARC!

Teaser Tuesday!

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should be Reading. Just do the following:

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

DO NOT INCLUDE SPOILERS (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away, so that you don't ruin the book for others)

Share the title and author so that other participants can add the book to their TBR list is they like your
teasers!

My first ever teaser come from Unearthly by Cynthia Hand. I'm currently reading a digital galley of it from NetGalley.

She stood up too, and took a step back, giving me some space, nodding slightly as if she completely understood what I was going through. Like she knew that she was unraveling everything.





I'm really enjoying this story. I'm not yet halfway through, but I think I'll like it until the end and will probably invest in a copy when it comes out on January 4, 2011.

I hope you all enjoyed my first Teaser Tuesday! I sure did :)