Teaser Tuesday (22)

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'm really supposed to be reading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, since that's our current book club read, but I'm really not enjoying it very much. It's boring me. Definitely not my type of book. So on Friday (Canada Day!), I decided to relax and read what I've been dying to start: Passion by Lauren Kate! Now I'm here to share a teaser with you:

**SPOILERS if you haven't read TORMENT!!!**

In the end, when the Outcast had approached her, Daniel and the others had stared at Luce like she was the one who owed them something.
You are our entrance into Heaven, the Outcast had told her. The price. What had that meant?




It's sort of a recap of what happened at the end of TORMENT, but with insight. I had a lot of trouble choosing a teaser because of the way the characters jump through time. I don't know, it was hard to choose though! I hope you like what I decided on. I love the way this is written so far. It's told through both Luce and Daniel's POVs. I like how we get to see some of what Daniel feels as they travel back through Luce's previous lives. Can't wait to finish it!

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

In My Mailbox (22)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme that gives bloggers a chance to share what books they've received in the last week. It's hosted by The Story Siren and you can find out more info about it here.



Thank goodness that Canada Post is up and running again! I'm not really one to pay much attention to politics, but I'm glad everything got relatively sorted out. And now I have books to show you all!!

Bought from Chapters' Buy 3, Get 1 Free promo
Die For Me by Amy Plum {Goodreads | Book Depository}
Wither by Lauren DeStefano {Goodreads | Book Depository}
The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, & June by Robin Benway {Goodreads | Book Depository}
Ape House by Sara Gruen {Goodreads | Book Depository}

Bought from The Book Depository
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka {Goodreads | Book Depository}
Stardust by Neil Gaiman {Goodreads | Book Depository}

Yes, Chapters/Indigo had a sale and of course I had to buy some books! I was smart, though. I bought two books that I've read and loved, but had yet to buy my own finished, hard copies of them. Check out my reviews of Wither and Die For Me.

The picture book is for my future classroom. I used it religiously for two weeks of placement and it provided a lot of teachable moments, so I had to get it. I also have been meaning to read STARDUST for a while. I loved the movie and want to see how different the book is (I hear: very, but better).

What did you get this week?

Hallowed Cover Reveal

I loved UNEARTHLY when I read an egalley of it from NetGalley in November. I preordered it instantly and anxiously awaited it's release date in the beginning of January. Check out how much I loved it by reading my review here.

Cynthia Hand was able to reveal the cover for her second novel, and sequel to UNEARTHLY, on her blog recently. Unfortunately the cover had been leaked so it wasn't brand new to everyone, but it was to me! The title of the second novel in the Unearthly series is HALLOWED, and here is the awesome cover:

I love the blue, it's a really nice shade. And, like Cynthia commented on her blog, "it will be all silvery and shiny like the UNEARTHLY cover wass, so this image won't really do it justice." I really love the font that is used for the title. It's so swirly and curvy and pretty.

And, as I usually do, here is the cover for UNEARTHLY so you can compare:

I'll stick the synopsis here at the end so those who haven't read UNEARTHLY don't have to worry about reading spoilers.

**Warning, SPOILERS if you have not read UNEARTHLY yet!**

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought. Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

Described by Richelle Mead as “utterly captivating,” Unearthly received outstanding reviews, garnered accolades from New York Times bestselling authors, and was named an Indie Next Pick. In this heart-wrenching sequel, Cynthia Hand expertly captures the all-consuming joy of first love—and the agony of loss. This beautifully woven tale will appeal to fans of Lauren Kate, Becca Fitzpatrick, and Aprilynne Pike.

From Goodreads

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!

Waiting on Wednesday (26)

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that showcases upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating!
I first heard about it from PageTurnersBlog.




My Waiting on Wednesday this week:
Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris
Publication Date: July 12, 2011

Synopsis:
Someone's been a very bad zombie.

Kate Grable is horrified to find out that the football coach has given the team steroids. Worse yet, the steroids are having an unexpected effect, turning hot gridiron hunks into mindless flesh-eating zombies. No one is safe--not her cute crush Aaron, not her dorky brother, Jonah . . . not even Kate!

She's got to find an antidote--before her entire high school ends up eating each other. So Kate, her best girlfriend, Rocky, and Aaron stage a frantic battle to save their town. . . and stay hormonally human.

From Goodreads

That cover is so awesome with the frosted lips! This sounds like a silly book about zombies and I think it would a fun, short (only 200 pages) read. I've never really read a zombie book before!

We also can't forget about Maggie Stiefvater's Forever that also comes out on July 12! See my WoW post here where I gush about how excited I am for that. You can also stop by here to watch the Forever trailer (made by Maggie herself) and preorder a copy from The Book Depository.



What upcoming releases are you waiting on this week?

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.

In My Mailbox (21)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme that gives bloggers a chance to share what books they've received in the last week. It's hosted by The Story Siren and you can find out more info about it here.



This week, I got the rest of my book club books, and a couple review books in ebook format from authors. I'm excited to read them all!

Bought
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak {Goodreads | Book Depository}
We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver {Goodreads | Book Depository}
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith Goodreads | Book Depository}

For Review
True Intentions by Lisa Kuehne {Goodreads}
Dragon's Pupils: The Sword Guest by Martin Chu Shui {Goodreads}
Winterborne by Augusta Blythe {Goodreads}
Thanks to the authors for the ebook review copies!

Luckily, I got my book club books before the Canada Post strike hit Ottawa. Unfortunately, all my other lovely books won't be able to reach me for a while! Here's hoping this strike doesn't last long so all of us Canadians don't need to wait too long for our books!

What did you get in your mailbox this week?

On My Wishlist (13)

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where you list all the books you desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. It's also an event that you can join in with too - Mr Linky is always at the ready for you to link your own 'On My Wishlist' post. If you want to know more click here.

Since I missed doing my Waiting on Wednesday feature last week, what's On My Wishlist this week is the books I was going to feature in my WoW.

On My Wishlist this week:

The Lost Crown by Sarah Miller
Publish Date: June 14, 2011

Synopsis:
Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia. Like the fingers on a hand--first headstrong Olga; then Tatiana, the tallest; Maria the most hopeful for a ring; and Anastasia, the smallest. These are the daughters of Tsar Nicholas II, grand dutchesses living a life steeped in tradition and priviledge. They are each on the brink of starting their own lives, at the mercy of royal matchmakers. The summer of 1914 is that precious last wink of time when they can still be sisters together--sisters that link arms and laugh, sisters that share their dreams and worries, and flirt with the officers of their imperial yacht.
But in a gunshot the future changes for these sisters and for Russia.

As World War I ignites across Europe, political unrest sweeps Russia. First dissent, then disorder, mutiny, and revolution. For Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia, the end of their girlhood together is colliding with the end of more than they ever imagined.

At the same time hopeful and hopeless, naive and wise, the voices of these sisters become a chorus singing the final song of Imperial Russia. Impeccably researched and utterly fascinating, this novel by acclaimed author Sarah Miller recounts the final days of Imperial Russia with lyricism, criticism and true compassion.
From Goodreads

I'm not usually a big fan of historical fiction, but I was when I was younger. One of my favourite books was My Anastasia by Sharon Stewart, which I read several times. I'd love to read a different story of the Romanovs!

Hourglass by Myra McEntire
Publish Date: June 14, 2011

Synopsis:
One hour to rewrite the past . . .

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.

Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Full of atmosphere, mystery, and romance, Hourglass merges the very best of the paranormal and science-fiction genres in a seductive, remarkable young adult debut.
From Goodreads

What I think sounds good about HOURGLASS is how the main character has these visions and is trying to cure them. Most stories where the character has visions, it's this secret burden they shoulder silently. Not only are these visions not secret, but the story seems to be centred around them and where they drive the characters. Also, it's by a Debut Author!

What's on your wishlist this week?