(M) Prophecy Girl by Cecily White

Reading Level: Ages 13 and up
Paperback: 368 Pages
Release Date: April 2, 2013
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Narration: First Person: Amelie
Genre: Paranormal/Demons
Challenge: Paranormal

Angel Academy Series:
Book One: Prophecy Girl
Book Two: Unknown
Book Three: Unknown

Order On Amazon: Paperback
                              Kindle
Order On Barnes and Noble:
Paperback and Nook

Author's
Goodreads  Website  Twitter

Goodreads Synopsis:

Amelie Bennett. . . . Ending the world, one prophecy at a time. 

I was born to slay Crossworld demons. Big black flappy ones, little green squirmy ones. Unfortunately, the only thing getting slain these days is my social life. With my high school under attack, combat classes intensifying, and Academy instructors dropping right and left, I can barely get my homework done, let alone score a bondmate before prom. Then he shows up. Jackson Smith-Hailey. Unspeakably hot, hopelessly unattainable, and dangerous in all the right ways. Sure, he’s my trainer. And okay, maybe he hates me. Doesn’t mean I’ll ignore the wicked Guardian chemistry between us. It’s crazy! Every time I’m with him, my powers explode. Awesome, right? Wrong. Now my teachers think I’m the murderous Graymason destined to bring down our whole race of angelbloods. Everyone in New Orleans is hunting me. The people I trusted want me dead. Jack and I have five days to solve the murders, prevent a vampire uprising, and thwart the pesky prophecy foretelling his death by my hand. Shouldn’t be too difficult. Getting it done without falling in love. . . that might take a miracle.

My Mini Review:

Feelings after reading this book? Perplexed. Confused. Flabbergasted. I could barely keep up with the story and some things just didn't make a lick of sense. Although the protagonist was strong at times and had a great sense of humor, she clearly lacked in the decision making department. She acted downright idiotic at times and was way too reckless for my tastes. As they say, there's a fine line between bravery and stupidity, and unfortunately, she crossed it more than once. I didn't mind (too much) her instant connection with Jackson, but her infatuation with him as the story progressed grated on my nerves. At every fork of the road, no matter if she was doing something as mundane as brushing her hair or running away from things that were trying to kill her, she always had Jackson on her mind, wondering if he approved of her actions or berating herself for acting like a complete fool in front of him. Which she did pretty often. The comedy was hilarious and actually induced a feel laughs from me now and then, however, there were some times I wished the protagonist would stop taking everything as a joke. I loved the idea and concept of the novel, I just wish it was better executed. 

Heroine- 2/5
Romance- 2/5
Action- 3.5/5
Comedy- 4/5 
The jokes were funny, but I wished she took some of the situations more....seriously.
Writing- 4/5
I had no issues with the writing style.
Overall- 2.5/5

In My Mailbox (7) / Stacking The Shelves (2)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren to showcase new books and ebooks that we have aquired over the past week.

Stacking The Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tygna's Reviews that allows us to share all of the amazing books we've added to our shelves! This includes books in any form. For example, books from the library, paperback, hardcover, or ebooks!

Books I've gotten in the past three weeks! 

Too lazy to link them all up to Goodreads at the moment, sorry for the inconvenience! *Looks away ashamed*

For My Bookshelf: 

The Dark Light by Sara Walsh Article 5 by Kristen Simmons ( Review ) Shadow Falls: The Beginning by C. C. Hunter Fated by Alyson Noel (Won)
For My Kindle:
Prophecy Girl by Cecily White Apollyon by Jennifer Armentrout Winter Queen by Amber Argyle The Secret by Taryn A. Taylor The Elite by Kiera Cass Chosen At Nightfall by C. C. Hunter The Fate of Destiny by Danielle Bourdon (Free) A Shade of Blood by Bella Forrest (Sent by Author) ( Review ) Darkness Kindled by Samantha Young Reaper by Emily Goodwin (Free) Kiss of Fire by Rebecca Ethington (Free) Tempest Revealed by Tracy Deebs (Netgalley)

How about you? What did you get in your mailbox last week?

Skylark by Meagan Spooner

Reading Level: Ages 13 and up
Hardcover: 344 pages
Release Date: August 1, 2012
Publisher: Carolrhoda Books
Narration: First Person: Lark
Genre: Dystopian/Fantasy
Challenge: None

Skylark Series:
Book One: Skylark
Book Two: Shadowlark (2013)
Book Three: The Leaden Sky (2014)

Order on Amazon: Hardcover
                              Kindle

Order on Barnes and Noble: Hardcover

Author's
Goodreads  Website  Twitter  Facebook

 Amazon Summary:

Vis in magia, in vita vi.

In magic there is power, and in power, life. 

For fifteen years, Lark Ainsley waited for the day when her Resource would be harvested and she would finally be an adult. After the harvest she expected a small role in the regular, orderly operation of the City within the Wall. She expected to do her part to maintain the refuge for the last survivors of the Wars. She expected to be a tiny cog in the larger clockwork of the city. Lark did not expect to become the City's power supply.For fifteen years, Lark Ainsley believed in a lie. Now she must escape the only world she's ever known…or face a fate more unimaginable than death.

My Review:

*This review was originally posted in September 2012, 

so I apologize if it sucks as bad as I think it does. xD

Skylark is an unique and original novel with a story line that I've never encountered before. It seems like the majority of YA novels nowadays have the same plot with little to no variation at all. Sexy, paranormal bad boy who has never been tempted by girls before notices the quiet and ordinary new girl in town. Girl and boy have instant connection and fall in love. Boy denies that he's in love and stays away from girl because of some paranormal reason or conflict. In the end, love conquers all and they both live happily ever after. After a while of reading the same thing repetitively, this novel was like taking a well needed breath of fresh air.

After hearing nothing but raving reviews for this book, I finally decided to open it up and give it a try. Sixteen year old Lark Ainsley wants nothing more but to fit in with everyone else and be harvested, a technique used to draw energy (Also known as Resource) out of a human body to convert to energy for the purpose of powering the city. In the city that she lives in, most kids are harvested around the age of ten, but Lark, being the oldest whose ever went without being harvested, feels left out and alone. Finally, the day comes when she's one of the few chosen to "serve" her city. However, she soon discovers that being harvested isn't all that it's made out to be. Her whole world is flipped upside down within the matter of days and she soon learns that everything she's ever known was a complete lie.

In my opinion, I found the beginning of this novel to be kind of slow paced. I loved Meagan's descriptive and flowy form of writing. but for some reason, I wasn't able to get sucked into the world Lark resided in. However, when Lark escapes and goes on her journey to find the Iron Wood, things get a bit more interesting. I admired the way that Meagan wrote Lark's feelings and discoveries when she left her city behind and entered the real world. When Lark described the sky and the earth, I felt as if I was looking through Lark's eyes and seeing the world for the first time. 

In the beginning of her journey, Lark reminded me of a damsel in distress just waiting for Owen to sweep in and save her like a knight in shining armor. I really don't like weak protagonists, so I was getting annoyed to say at the least. However, Lark grows in character throughout the novel and learns to face her problems instead of running away from them. She learns to fight for everyone and everything she loves in her own special way, no matter the consequences. 

Overall, I had mixed feelings about this book. Skylark is not a novel I would reread over and over again, but I definitely enjoyed my time with it. Not totally sure if I'll be reading the sequel yet, but I'm still considering it. This might be an obsess worthy novel for someone else, and in which case I encourage you to give it a try.

Rating: 3/5

Click to Watch Book Trailer

Feature and Follow (29)

Feature and Follow is a weekly meme hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee!

Preferred Follow Method: Either Networked Blogs, Bloglovin, or GFC. :D

If you could follow me on Facebook or Twitter, I would be happy to return the favor.

Just leave your links below! :D

Question: 

Is there a song that reminds you of a book? 

Or vise versa? What is the song and book?

Answer:

Well I always listen to music when I read books to block out my surroundings, but I don't usually pay attention to what song I'm listening to. It's just kind of.....there. I guess the last song that really jumped out at me and hit me in the face was Demons by Imagine Dragons. I just happened to come across it one day while rereading Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins, and in my head, it felt like two puzzle pieces magically falling into place. They coexisted in perfect harmony, and for some reason, I had to resist the urge to get up and wave my hands around in the air like a crazy person.

Waiting On Wednesday (27)

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we can't wait to get our hands on!

This week's WoW is The Oathbreaker's Shadow by Amy McCulloch.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Fifteen-year-old Raim lives in a world where you tie a knot for every promise that you make. Break that promise and you are scarred for life, and cast out into the desert.

Raim has worn a simple knot around his wrist for as long as he can remember. No one knows where it came from, and which promise of his it symbolises, but he barely thinks about it at all—not since becoming the most promising young fighter ever to train for the elite Yun guard. But on the most important day of his life, when he binds his life to his best friend (and future king) Khareh, the string bursts into flames and sears a dark mark into his skin.

Scarred now as an oath-breaker, Raim has two options: run, or be killed.

A gripping YA action-adventure fantasy, the first part of a planned duology.

My Thoughts:

Boo! I got rejected by Netgalley for this one, but that might just be because it's from a UK publisher. Not sure how it all works, but I figured I'd give it a shot. I really hope The Oathbreaker's Shadow has the same release date in the US, because this one looks so freaking epic! When I first caught a glimpse of this cover, my eyes skimmed over the....mummy thing in the background. Or is it supposed to be his shadow? I don't know, but it totally creeps me out now that I look at it. Probably going to have to take the cover flap off so I don't feel like I'm being watched while reading. xD Ahhh, I'm so weird. 

Extra Information:

Release Date: June 6, 2013 (UK) Not sure if it's the same for U.S.

Hardcover: 416 Pages

Publisher: Random House Children's Publishers

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Duology

How about you? What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

A Shade of Blood by Bella Forrest

Reading Level: Ages 13 and up
Paperback: 320 Pages
Release Date: April 8, 2013
Publisher: Self Published
Narration: First Person:
Sofia, Derek, Ben, Lucas
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Challenge: Paranormal Challenge
Source: Sent By Author

A Shade of Vampire Series:
Book One: A Shade of Vampire
Book Two: A Shade of Blood
Book Three: A Castle of Sand (5/13)
Book Four: Unknown (6/13)

Order On Amazon: Paperback
                              Kindle

Author's
Goodreads  Website

 

Goodreads Synopsis:

Having been delighted by the Christmas best-selling debut, A Shade Of Vampire, readers are begging for more.

In A Shade Of Blood, Bella Forrest transports you deeper into a unique, enthralling and beautifully sensitive story.
Prepare to be lost in its pages…

When Sofia Claremont was kidnapped to a sunless island, uncharted by any map and ruled by the most powerful vampire coven on the planet, she believed she’d forever be a captive of its dark ruler, Derek Novak.

Now, after months of surviving an endless night, the morning sun may soon rise again for Sofia. Something has possessed Derek’s heart and he offers her a gift no human slave has ever been given in the history of his cursed island: escape.

High school, prom and a chance to move on with her life now await her.

But will she be able to forget the horrors that steal her sleep away at night? … and the feelings that haunt her for that tormented prince of darkness?

My Review:

*There may be some minor spoilers included in this review.

When Bella asked me to review her second book, A Shade of Blood, I jumped at the offer, even though I promised myself earlier that I wouldn't accept any more review requests until I got caught up on my ever growing pile of schoolwork. What can I say? I have a weak will when it comes to books. xD Although I wasn't completely mind blown by A Shade of Vampire, I found the premise to be pretty unique compared to your usual vampire lore. 

If I ever saw that cover in a store, I wouldn't be able to resist buying it, or at the very least, picking it up and reading the synopsis. I love every single thing about it, especially the elegant design surrounding the title. The contrasting shades of blue and the lightning bolt striking the island gives the novel a sort of ominous and haunting feel. Even though the previous cover theme wasn't horrible to look at, it was nothing compared to what it is now. To be honest, these covers look more professional than those created by big publishing companies.

In the first book, I felt that things, especially the relationship between Sofia and Derek, progressed just a little too fast to be considered believable. However, since the novel only spanned about 149 pages, I understood why important events had to be rushed a little quicker than usual. Prior to reading A Shade of Blood, I was hoping for more background information on how the mysterious island the vampires labeled "The Shade" came to be. As well as a stronger foundation and much needed development for the seemingly instant connection the main characters had when they first met.

In A Shade Of Vampire, Sofia was portrayed to be compassionate, loving, and entirely dependent on her best friend/life long crush, Ben. She did whatever he asked her to do, no questions asked, and followed him everywhere he went. However, even though she answered to Ben's every beck and call, despite the fact that he treated her like garbage and took advantage of her more often than not, you could see that she had that inner spark of strength, that once kindled, could grow into something extraordinary. 

I was pleasantly surprised to see so much character development! Her time at the Shade made her stronger and braver, because not only did she have to find a way to survive on an island chock full of bloodthirsty vampires, but she also had to somehow look after the innocent human girls around her, who just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. When she arrived back home with Ben in tow, she didn't put up with his BS any longer, much to Ben's dismay. However, although I did enjoy watching Sofia change for the better, there were still some things I was a bit skeptical about. Bella painted Sofia out to be this kind hearted Samaritan, yet when she saw one of her friends about to get raped right in front of her, she decided to ignore the issue and deal with it later.

This novel, or this whole series so far I should say, focused on the romance, with a bit of action mixed in now and then. To me, I would choose a seat gripping action novel over a tear jerking love story any day. But hey, that's just my opinion. I was never bored with the story line, but at the same time, I wasn't just dying to know what happened next. Interesting, but not riveting. I skimmed a few pages now and then, but that only happened once or twice. I enjoyed reading up on the history of The Shade, and was happy that many of the questions I asked myself in Book One, were answered fully throughout this novel.

There were two love interests, but you couldn't label it a love triangle, because it was obvious who she was going to pick from the very start. Ben annoyed me almost every time he uttered a word, mostly because he took Sofia for granted and only made a move on her, because he felt like he was losing her to Derek. He always referred to Sofia as his. As if she belonged solely to him, like some high tech toy whose only purpose was to entertain him. There were times when I saw that glimpse of goodness within him, but overall, I didn't really like him.

With Sofia absent, Derek veered closer towards his vampiric nature and came close to losing himself to the darkness festering within him. In fact, he did let go of his humanity once, and I was a little disappointed when Sofia brought the good out of him as soon as she arrived on the scene. That may sound kind of mean, but all the characters made such a big fuss about him losing himself to the darkness. I guess I was just expecting for it to take a lot more effort on Sofia's part to bring him back to the light. However, I did enjoy how much their relationship developed! Instead of being blinded by their affection for one another, they both had their doubts and their fears just like any other normal person would.

However, out of all of the improvements in this novel, I would have to say that the most impressive of them all was Bella's dramatic change in writing style. Not saying that I thought her writing style was bad in A Shade of Vampire, in fact, it was great, especially for a self published author. But the way Bella strung sentences seamlessly together in A Shade of Blood was simply magical. Her novel was completely devoid of stilted, awkward sentences. Onto the dislikes. I'm not sure if it's only because I'm reading out of a draft copy or if it's like that in all the Ebooks, but the sentences were off every couple of pages. Letters and words were jumbled together, and I had a hard time figuring out what the sentence was really trying to say. Usually, I don't have a problem with spelling errors, but these were major and detracted from my overall enjoyment of an otherwise great novel.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by how A Shade of Blood turned out. The first book in the series had tremendous potential, and Bella exceeded all of my expectations in the second. The relationship between Derek and Sofia developed a lot and didn't feel rushed or unrealistic like it was in the first installment. If your a fan of all things paranormal and are looking for a romance driven read, be sure to check out this series as soon as possible!

*An ARC was provided by the author 
in exchange for an honest and thoughtful review.

Cover- 6/5
Heroine- 4.5/5
Romance- 4.5/5
Action- 3.5/5
Writing- 4/5
Overall- 4.5/5

Breaking Point by Kristen Simmons

Reading Level: Ages 12 and up
Hardcover: 400 Pages
Release Date: February 12, 2013
Publisher: Tor Teen
Narration: First Person: Ember
Genre: Dystopian
Challenge: Dystopian
Source: Library

Article 5 Series
Book One: Article 5
Book Two: Breaking Point
Book Three: Unknwon

Order On Amazon: Hardcover
                              Kindle
Order On Barnes and Noble:
Hardcover and Nook

Author's
Goodreads  Website  Twitter  Facebook

Goodreads Synopsis:

The second installment in Kristen Simmons's 

fast-paced, gripping YA dystopian series.

After faking their deaths to escape from prison, Ember Miller and Chase Jennings have only one goal: to lay low until the Federal Bureau of Reformation forgets they ever existed.

Near-celebrities now for the increasingly sensationalized tales of their struggles with the government, Ember and Chase are recognized and taken in by the Resistance—an underground organization working to systematically take down the government. At headquarters, all eyes are on the sniper, an anonymous assassin taking out FBR soldiers one by one. Rumors are flying about the sniper’s true identity, and Ember and Chase welcome the diversion….

Until the government posts its most-wanted list, and their number one suspect is Ember herself.

Orders are shoot to kill, and soldiers are cleared to fire on suspicion alone. Suddenly Ember can’t even step onto the street without fear of being recognized, and “laying low” is a joke. Even members of the Resistance are starting to look at her sideways.

With Chase urging her to run, Ember must decide: Go into hiding…or fight back?

My Review:

Breaking Point had so much potential! It breaks my heart to see a novel, written by such an obviously talented author, go to waste solely because of one poorly executed character. Even though I wasn't completely blown away by the first novel, Article 5, I enjoyed it nonetheless and was eagerly awaiting the moment when I would be able to check the sequel out from the library. The only problem I had with Article 5, or one of the major problems I should say, was with the main character, Ember. To me, the protagonist is the most important aspect of a novel. Very rarely will I even contemplate reading a book when I know that the main character will be an annoying, sniveling mess. However, I had faith in Kristen's remarkable writing style, and decided that I would look on the bright side of things for once. The worse the character, the more development that can happen, right? I prayed and prayed to the book gods that Kristen would be able to build Ember's character to the point where I didn't have to cringe every other page from the downright stupidity of her actions.

Now onto the actual review. Ember. *Shakes head sadly* What are we going to do with you? I see what the author is trying to accomplish. Making Ember out to be this compassionate, benevolent hero who is willing to assist any helpless civilian, even if it means risking her own life in the process. And yes, when this sort of scene happens in other novels, I either A. Start tearing up and end up having to remind myself that this isn't really happening. Or B. Fist pump the air, because she or he was gutsy enough to do something that no one else had the courage to do. However, I never got the sense of soul wrenching sorrow or heartfelt pride whenever Ember did something defined as "heroic." I don't know if I'm being prejudice, because I disliked her so much in the first novel. Or because of another reason entirely.

She seemed to believe that her way of thinking was infallible. That if everything happened the way she wanted things to happen, nothing could possibly go awry. That everyone would hold hands and skip off to their own freaking happily ever after. The only attribute that I even remotely liked about her was that she wasn't afraid to fight back physically when necessary. If she didn't have this one tiny saving grace, I would've gave up on her before this novel even began.

The romance in Breaking Point gave me a "Meh" feeling. Surprisingly, I found the interactions between Chase and Ember in the previous novel to be more compelling and entertaining than that of it's sequel. Although I still liked Chase as a character in Breaking Point, I didn't really feel the connection Chase and Ember supposedly had. At least not as much as I felt in the first novel. It seemed like Chase's sole purpose was to protect Ember with his life, which is great and everything, but their relationship was still lacking that extra "oomph" I was looking for. Yeah, they kissed and came close to having sex. Whopee. Even after two whole novels, I still stand firmly with the belief that Ember will never be good enough to be with someone as loyal as Chase. 

Loved the writing style. This was probably one of the main reasons I kept reading this series. I never had trouble understanding the point Kristen was trying to drive across and everything flowed nicely and evenly. She inserted flashbacks flawlessly, so that they blended into the script and actually corresponded with the story, rather than sticking random memories throughout the book as many authors do. Although it took me approximately a week to finish the whole book, it definitely wasn't because I found it lacking in the action department. Sadly, I've been slowing down on my reading and reviewing due to Regents and SAT Preps. *Gag*  Anyways, there was always something exciting going on, and I never stumbled on a dull moment, even though many of the supposed "Twists" were predictable.

Overall, Breaking Point had a lot of potential, but unfortunately, fell flat. The major, major problem I have with this whole series, is the hypocritical, impulsive protagonist. I did see a slight amount of character development as the novel progressed, but not nearly enough to satisfy me. The action was fast paced, and if I didn't have to worry about school the next day, I probably would've devoured it in one sitting. Will I be reading the last installment? Yes. I recommend Breaking Point to those who are drawn to the Dystopian genre and can stomach the ramblings of an annoying protagonist.

Heroine- 2/5
A tiny bit of character development but not nearly enough.
Romance- 2.5/5
Action- 4/5
Comedy- N/A
Writing- 5/5 Loved the flashbacks!
Overall- 3/5

Book Blast + Giveaway: Moonlit by Jadie Jones

About The Book:

Moonlit Eighteen-year-old Tanzy Hightower knows horses, has grown up with them on Wildwood Farm. She also knows not to venture beyond the trees that line the pasture. Things happen out there that can’t be explained. Or undone. Worse, no one but she and the horses can see what lurks in the shadows of the woods. When a moonlit ride turns into a terrifying chase, Tanzy is left to question everything, from the freak accident that killed her father to the very blood in her veins. Broken and confused, she turns to Lucas, a scarred, beautiful stranger, and to Vanessa, a charming new friend who has everything Tanzy doesn’t. But why do they seem to know more about her than she knows herself?

Find The Book:

( Amazon Kindle ! Amazon ! Goodreads ! WiDo Publishing ! Barnes & Noble )

Prologue 

The first anniversary of my father’s death was even harder on my mother. Back then, I thought she was haunted most by what she didn’t know. I refused to blame her when she raged above me on our staircase that night, drunk and sad and angry. When she made me promise I’d never ride again. When she hurled a half-full bottle of vodka at my face and it exploded on the wooden stairs at my feet. I hadn’t tried to get out of the way. She had just missed. I wanted to tell her that knowledge was no solace, that what you know can burn inside you until there’s nothing left but guilt and ash. I also wanted to protect her from losing the only piece of him she had left. So I didn’t say a word.  

Praise

"Virginia's trees look like they're burning. Most of them blaze crimson or gold, but some still have a chokehold on their green. I wish they'd give it up already. Leaves are more beautiful when they're dying." And so Moonlit begins. From here the story rolls from one twist to another with many vivid characters whose motives are hard to predict. I found myself being suspicious of everyone, wanting to tell Tanzy to be very careful. The deeper I fell into the plot, the more questions kept rising to the surface. But not to worry, all of my questions were answered. Appropriate for all ages, if you love paranormal fantasy mixed with suspense, mystery and other-worldly romance, you'll love this novel! ~Author Julie Ford  

About The Author: Janie Jones

Georgia native Jadie Jones first began working for a horse farm at twelve years old, her love of horses matched only by her love of books. She went on to acquire a B.A. in equine business management, and worked for competitive horse farms along the east coast. The need to write followed wherever she went. She currently coaches a hunt seat equitation team that competes in the Interscholastic Equestrian Association, and lives with her family in the foothills of north Georgia. When she's not working on the next installment of the Moonlit series, she is either in the saddle or exploring the great outdoors with her daughter. Moonlit is her first book.

Find The Author:
( Blog ! Facebook ! Twitter ! Pinterest )

Book Blast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 5/5/13

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

Book Blitz + Giveaway: Sworn to Raise by Terah Edun

About The Book:
Release Date: April 10, 2013
Genre: YA Fantasy

Seventeen-year-old Ciardis has grown up in poverty, a cleaner in a small vale on the outskirts of the kingdom. But beneath her kingdom’s seemingly idyllic surface lies a hidden secret. Whispers of an inept crown Prince are growing ever louder—intensified by the five year anniversary of the soulbond initiations.

Amidst scandalous whispers, Ciardis finds herself chosen to train for the Companion’s Guild. She leaves her home and sets off on a personal journey to become a Court Companion. A position she’d never thought possible for a lowly servant to obtain, she must prove that she has the skills to attract a Patron.

But she must master those skills quickly. If the legends are true, only Ciardis can harness the power to raise a Prince in an Imperial Court sworn to bring him down.

This sensational series debut melds intricate storylines with remarkable characters and unforgettable magic. Sworn To Raise is ideal for fans of Kristin Cashore, Michelle Sagara, and Maria Snyder.

Find The Book:

( Goodreads ! Amazon )

About The Author:

Terah Edun is an international development professional and author/lover of all things Young Adult Fantasy fiction. She is a native Georgian, adoptive Washingtonian, unrepentant expat currently living in South Sudan, brilliant dreamer, lover of dogs and not-so-closet geek. Her first novel, Red Madrassa, was released on November 8th and her second novel, Sworn to Raise, comes out in April 2013.

Find The Author:

( Goodreads ! Website ! Twitter ! Facebook )

Excerpt:

Ciardis sat and dropped her hands into her lap, ready for anything, as long as she found out what her talent was, if any. Sarah took off her spectacles and tucked back behind her ears the wisps of hair that were fluttering in her face. Then she straightened up and put her hands on either side of Ciardis's face.

            "Hmm," she said after five long minutes. Ciardis frowned. There'd been no magic spark or rustling winds or anything.

Where was the magical flash of power? Wasn’t that how you could tell a mage from a mundane? Ciardis hoped the lack of magical excitement didn’t mean anything. Perhaps Sarah’s empathic touch wasn’t meant to be a visual demonstration?

Ciardis peered anxiously at Sarah's face, hoping for a clue.

            "I don't believe it," Sarah whispered finally. In a slightly louder voice, she asked, "What did you say your full name was?"

            "Ciardis Rafaela Vane."

Sarah said quickly, "And it is your true name, registered by the hands of your mother and father?"

            Ciardis nodded anxiously. "They went to the birth archives in the town and everything. Named me after the town, in a way. At least, that's what I've been told."

            "Then someone misled you. Or deliberately lied." Sarah stared at her intently and abruptly stood, "Come with me now!"

They rushed out of Ciardis's room and into the dorm hallway, Sarah clasping Ciardis's hand as they ran. They passed through three different corridors along the way. Ciardis barely saw a glimpse of the intricate artwork and beautiful statues in the halls as she rushed around corners – trying to keep up with Sarah’s fast pace. Soon they came to an abrupt stop in front of a large door. At the top of the door in scrolled letters was inscribed, “The Companions Library”. As they entered, Sarah asked in a hoarse whisper, "Do you recall what the first part of my mage gift is?"

            Ciardis nodded and said, "A photographic memory." She tried to ignore the trembling in Sarah's hands as the archivist led her through the bookcases. For her part Sarah would stop in the middle of the library aisles and turn in a circle while pulling Ciardis with her.

Occasionally Sarah’s hand would tighten on Ciardis's as she cast her gaze around her like a bloodhound on the hunt. Sarah was searching with her magic for something…what exactly that was Ciardis couldn’t say. Seeing the girl’s confusion Sarah explained, “I’m sending out feelers from my mage core in different directions hoping to sense the manuscript that most feels like your mage core.”

“My mage core?” questioned Ciardis, “I have one?”

“Oh, most definitely,” said Sarah in a grim tone, “I would question how you didn’t know about it before this.”

            After a few minutes of this, Sarah instructed Ciardis in a whisper, "The imprints that I’m sending feelers out for are like markers. If it's in a book, I can trace the marker back to its source. With my memory and the imprint trail, I never forget where I've placed a book."

After a moment of silence she continued, "Your imprint reminds me strongly of a book I read long ago, as a child. If I'm right, there hasn't been a Companion trainee of your type in more than thirty years."

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Cover Reveals

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
Release Date: August 27, 2013
Hardcover: 336 Pages
Series: Throne of Glass #2

An assassin’s loyalties are always in doubt. But her heart never wavers.

After a year of hard labor in the Salt Mines of Endovier, eighteen-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien has won the king's contest to become the new royal assassin. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown – a secret she hides from even her most intimate confidantes.

Keeping up the deadly charade—while pretending to do the king's bidding—will test her in frightening new ways, especially when she's given a task that could jeopardize everything she's come to care for. And there are far more dangerous forces gathering on the horizon -- forces that threaten to destroy her entire world, and will surely force Celaena to make a choice.

Where do the assassin’s loyalties lie, and who is she most willing to fight for?

The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa
Release Date: October 22, 2013
Series: Call of The Forgotten #2

 In the real world, when you vanish into thin air for a week, people tend to notice.

After his unexpected journey into the lands of the fey, Ethan Chase just wants to get back to normal. Well, as "normal" as you can be when you see faeries every day of your life. Suddenly the former loner with the bad reputation has someone to try for-his girlfriend, Kenzie. Never mind that he's forbidden to see her again.

But when your name is Ethan Chase and your sister is one of the most powerful faeries in the Nevernever, "normal" simply isn't to be. For Ethan's nephew, Keirran, is missing, and may be on the verge of doing something unthinkable in the name of saving his own love. Something that will fracture the human and faery worlds forever, and give rise to the dangerous fey known as the Forgotten. As Ethan's and Keirran's fates entwine and Keirran slips further into darkness, Ethan's next choice may decide the fate of them all.

Sentinel by Jennifer Armentrout
Release Date: December 10, 2013
Series: Covenant #5

There is no synopsis 

available at this time.

A Shard of Ice by Alivia Anders

Release Date: April 14, 2014

Series: The Black Symphony Saga #1

Their souls, reawakened.

When 13-year-old Lilix Morgan is found alive and floating on a bed of ice at sea, everyone counts it a miracle. Kidnapped nearly four weeks earlier, she remembers nothing of her mysterious abduction. When she tries to remember what happened, she hears only a melody – a faint and delicate set of notes, strung together in a tune she doesn’t understand.

Their power, unmatched.

A year later and desperate to put the lingering nightmares of her past behind her, Lilix crosses the country to enroll at Baelmorte Academy, aiming to become the violinist she once dreamt of. Things seem to be finally going well, and Lilix settles into a routine of sheet music and inspiration among new friends.

Then the dreams start.

The melody and night terrors she thought she’d left behind return with a vengeance, threatening to ruin her fragile version of normalcy. Then an unlikely ally tells her that she isn’t alone. That there are others just like her, fighting to hide their own shocking truths from coming to light. That they know who she is, and what she’s been through. Now, accompanied by four other girls, Lilix discovers her nightmares are larger than a single trauma; they’re a window to a hidden part of her soul, a place of immense power with a destiny that cannot be ignored.

Their battle, is only beginning.

With this knowledge comes a new and frightening reality. For Lilix has been reawakened to stop an age-old enemy, one thought to have been destroyed centuries ago. Trapped by her destiny, Lilix is torn between what feels right and what she remembers. Her memories tell her of a star-crossed love waiting to be reunited, of friendships and trust broken in the past. But can she save that love when reality brings her an enemy, and an evil that will be the undoing of them all if they don’t destroy it?

Feature and Follow (29)

Feature and Follow is a weekly meme hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee!

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Just leave your links below! :D

Question:

We are about to see a lot of posts & tweets about reader conventions, 

RT, BEA, ALA, and many more are starting soon. 

Which one would you love to attend? Where and why?

Answer:

Even though I've been blogging for a decent amount of time now, I still feel like a newbie when it comes to these types of questions. I've heard about these events, well some of these events, from certain authors who are going to be making a guest appearance there. But other than that, Nada. I know absolutely nothing about any of these conventions, besides the obvious of course which is that it has something to do with books. I'm still not all that sure I would go even if I was invited, because I'm pretty shy when it comes to strangers. I'd probably be the one rocking back and forth in a secluded corner rather than doing whatever your supposed to do at these things. xD