Wishful Wednesday: Tiny Pretty Things by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton

Wishful Wednesday was inspired by Waiting on Wednesday and Desperately Wanting Wednesday by Breaking the Spine and Parajunkee.

Wishful Wednesday is my own little version of "Waiting On Wednesday". Every week, I'll pick an upcoming book that I'm anticipating the release for and showcase it here on the blog. This week, that book is going to be Tiny Pretty Things by a couple of talented new to me author's Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton. 

Black Swan meets Pretty Little Liars?! Um, yeah I think it's pretty safe to say I'll definitely be tearing into this one for sure. I'm all in for a soapy, drama fueled, crazy ride full of emotional backstabbing, manipulation, lies, sacrifice, and enemies. This looks like lots of fun!

Tiny Pretty Things by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton

Expected Publication: May 26, 2015

Publisher: HarperTeen

Age Demographic: YA Contemporary
Pages: 448

Black Swan meets Pretty Little Liars in this soapy, drama-packed novel featuring diverse characters who will do anything to be the prima at their elite ballet school.

Gigi, Bette, and June, three top students at an exclusive Manhattan ballet school, have seen their fair share of drama. Free-spirited new girl Gigi just wants to dance—but the very act might kill her. Privileged New Yorker Bette's desire to escape the shadow of her ballet star sister brings out a dangerous edge in her. And perfectionist June needs to land a lead role this year or her controlling mother will put an end to her dancing dreams forever. When every dancer is both friend and foe, the girls will sacrifice, manipulate, and backstab to be the best of the best.

To PreOrder Tiny Pretty Things by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton visit Amazon & Barnes&Noble!

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Sona Charaipotra is an entertainment and lifestyle journalist published by the New York Times, People, Parade, ABC News, MSN.com, iVillage.com. Sona received her MFA in Writing for Children from the New School. Thanks to a Masters from New York University (where her thesis project was developed for the screen by MTV Films), Sona is a strong believer that three-act structure can work in fiction, too. She is the co-founder of CAKE Literary, and her first novel, TINY PRETTY THINGS (with co-author Dhonielle Clayton), hits shelves Summer 2015 via HarperTeen. Find her on the web at SonaCharaipotra.com or CAKELiterary.com.

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Dhonielle Clayton was born in the suburbs of Washington, DC and spent her childhood Saturdays at the comic book store with her father and most evenings hiding beneath her grandmother’s dining room table with a stack of books. She earned a BA in English at Wake Forest University. She was an English teacher for three years and worked with educational curriculum. Being surrounded by children, Dhonielle re-discovered her love of children’s literature and earned a masters in children’s and young adult literature from Hollins University. Currently, she is working on both middle grade and young adult novel projects. She moved to NYC where she earned her MFA at the New School's MFA Program. She is co-founder of CAKE Literary, a literary development studio committed to bringing diversity to high concept content..

Wishful Wednesday: Things We Know By Heart by Jessi Kirby

Wishful Wednesday was inspired by Waiting on Wednesday and Desperately Wanting Wednesday by Breaking the Spine and Parajunkee.

Wishful Wednesday is my own little version of "Waiting On Wednesday". Every week, I'll pick an upcoming book that I'm anticipating the release for and showcase it here on the blog. This week, that book is going to be Things We Know By Heart by the super  beautiful and talented Jessi Kirby. 

This is going to be one of those books that just gives me ALL THE FEELS and drags my feelings all around like a crazy rollercoaster. I love really great emotionally, well written, and meaningful books that are filled with life lesson's, learning to let go, and discovering new things - just embracing life and always believing in hope. That's pretty much what Golden was for me and I have no doubts that I'll love Things We Know By Heart just as much if not more!

Things We Know By Heart by Jessi Kirby

Expected Publication: April 21, 2015

Publisher: HarperTeen

Age Demographic: YA Contemporary
Pages: 304

When Quinn Sullivan meets the recipient of her boyfriend’s donated heart, the two form an unexpected connection.

After Quinn loses her boyfriend, Trent, in an accident their junior year, she reaches out to the recipients of his donated organs in hopes of picking up the pieces of her now-unrecognizable life. She hears back from some of them, but the person who received Trent’s heart has remained silent. The essence of a person, she has always believed, is in the heart. If she finds Trent’s, then maybe she can have peace once and for all.

Risking everything in order to finally lay her memories to rest, Quinn goes outside the system to track down nineteen-year-old Colton Thomas—a guy whose life has been forever changed by this priceless gift. But what starts as an accidental run-in quickly develops into more, sparking an undeniable attraction. She doesn't want to give in to it—especially since he has no idea how they're connected—but their time together has made Quinn feel alive again. No matter how hard she’s falling for Colton, each beat of his heart reminds her of all she’s lost…and all that remains at stake.

To PreOrder a copy of Things We Know By Heart by Jessi Kirby visit Amazon & Barnes&Noble!

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Jessi Kirby is a former English teacher and librarian. She lives in Orange County, CA with her husband and two kids, where she writes stories and runs the beach every day. Well, almost every day.

She has written three other YA contemporary books, In Honor, Golden, and Moonglass. She will be releasing Things We Know By Heart in April.

You can also find her here on Goodreads.

Book Review: Red Queen (Red Queen #1) by Victoria Aveyard

Red Queen (Red Queen #1)

Victoria Aveyard

Published: February 10, 2015

Publisher: HarperTeen

Age Demographic: YA Dystopia Fantasy

Pages: 320

The poverty stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers.

To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change.

Mare finds herself working in the Silver Palace, at the centre of those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control.

But power is a dangerous game. And in this world divided by blood, who will win?

To PreOrder Red Queen (Read Queen #1) by Victoria Aveyard please visit: Amazon & Barnes&Noble

(Note: I received an eGalley of this book via the publisher through Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review which I have posted here on the blog and on Goodreads.)

Red Queen was an incredibly fantastic and entertaining read, that definitely kept me enthralled with the story, the twist of plot, and the characters all the way through. THAT ENDING! I can say that I'm absolutely pleased that I never truly saw it coming, because it made it that much more amazing. And yet, I had this constant little niggling in the back of my brain the whole entire time reading this book, that maybe just maybe...but, spoilers. Victoria Aveyard has truly managed to blow me away with the first installment of the Red Queen trilogy and I can't wait to see what's going to happen in the next book to come. No, I NEED TO KNOW NOW! 

I don't even now how to describe it properly, it's like this really awesome mish-mash of Red Rising by the immensely talented Pierce Brown and the X-Men that's set in this castle where the Silver's train to do battle and fight in the war. The girls who have grown up in this environment and vying for their hand in marriage to one of these two Prince's, are just as catty as some of the girls in The Vampire Academy and Mean Girls are. It's just a brilliant concept all together and it's wonderfully written and equal parts intriguing. Tie all of that together and throw in a lowly Red girl who is so much more than she or anyone else expected her to be and you have one hell of an amazing book on your hands. Mare Barrows has this amazing ability, that is most assuredly a mistake, but in her case it could turn out to be the thing that promises hope for her people. It could possibly be the thing that saves her life and so many more from perishing or being held down, slaves to the Silver's for the rest of their natural born years.

Mare's world is filled with insufferable amounts of pain, terror, and hopelessness. Victoria Aveyard does a marvelous job at showcasing that, allowing you to feel what it's like to be so held down and kept under the thumb of the Silver's through Mare's eyes. It will make you thankful for the simple freedoms that you have, once you see everything they've had to endure from being conscripted into the war at an early age, from the loss of family and friends to the almost unbearable situations most Reds find themselves in. Mare isn't the type of girl who just falls in line and does what she's told like the good little girl. She is just as fiery and rebellious as she can be. She isn't afraid to stand up for her beliefs and she sacrifices so much of who she is for the people that she loves. Mare isn't without her faults though, she makes a lot of mistakes by trusting the wrong people, thinking that she can use them, without realizing that she's been used herself. Her self-pity wasn't something that I adored about her, but it was something that made her human and I can accept that much. 

For me, one of the best things about this book was the lack of a true love triangle, where she loses both her head and her heart to either one of the Prince's. That's not to say that Mare didn't somewhat show her heart or have these gut twisting feelings for one of them, because she did. She was just smart enough not to let it engulf her, she kept her wits about her and made sure that she did what she was there to do. For the most part, the romance and the actual plot of the story worked very well together and I was happy to see that what love story we were given didn't over step it's boundaries. It was simply enough to satisfy and that's all it needs to be for right now.

All of the characters in Red Queen, were fascinating as well as entertaining in my opinion. They all contributed wonderful things to the story in their own ways. Some of them a little more memorable than other's, but each one uniquely interesting and crackling to life with their own flaws and abilities to either win you over or not. I love Cal, he's such an amazing character in such an impossible situation. He knows that change needs to come about, yet he's bound by his duties as the Prince and heir to his father's crown one day, that he has to carry out orders as his father would. Yet, he's the one who saw to it that Mare wasn't conscripted, that she was given a job in the Castle. He liked her, was drawn to her because she saw something different in him, didn't recognize him as the King's son. The sparks and the tension that ignited between both Cal and Mare was enough to put me on their team for a while. 

Maven, on the other, he is a Prince of a different kind. He is a character that I found myself liking, despite the fact that everything inside of me was screaming that I shouldn't trust me as I was reading. I suppose I really shouldn't have been all that surprised with the ending of it, but I think there's still a part of me that wants to believe that he's not quite as evil as he's turned out to be. I want to believe that deep down inside of him, is the Prince that Mare believed there was good in. And yet, with that ending, I just don't even know. 

Kilorn. He's so much akin to Jacob in the Twilight series, that I don't even know how to feel about him. I feel incredibly conflicted, because I felt all of these feelings for him all through out the book and yet, there at the end there was even more. It's almost maddening to me in a way, because as anyone can tell you I'm pretty much not the biggest Jacob fan in the world. I loved him as Bella's best friend, but anything beyond was big fat NO for me. With Kilorn, there's just so much passion, incredible strength, and an immense streak of stubbornness that it's almost insane. He gives me ALL THESE FEELINGS, more so than Cal and I can't decide what or who I want for Mare at the moment.

What I think I want, overall, is for Mare to choose herself and her people. I want her to choose the path that she finds herself taking and I want to see the hope come alive for her people. I want to see her remain strong in her beliefs and do anything for that change she wants to see in her world, even if it means going to her grave for the cause. 

The wonderful element of betrayal and the misplaced trust in people that shouldn't have been necessarily trusted, was a big thing showcased throughout Red Queen and it brought about interesting surprises and revealed more lies and manipulation than I could have ever imagined. I was very pleasantly surprised as I sat reading the pages of this incredibly captivating book. There may have been a little bit of foreshadowing, but it wasn't enough that it bothered when I finally figured out one particular thing that's revealed at the end of the novel. For this to have been Victoria Aveyard's debut YA novel, I have to say that I'm definitely impressed with her writing style, the imaginings of her world, and such a vast array of entertaining and interesting characters. The action and suspense of this novel, left me clinging to the edge of my seat wanting so much more.

I'm operating on feels here guys and this book has ALL OF THEM!

Victoria Aveyard

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Victoria Aveyard is a screenwriter/YA author who likes books and lists. This site is the nexus of her universe.

Her YA debut novel RED QUEEN will be published Winter 2015 from HarperTeen at HarperCollins. She's repped by the incomparable Suzie Townsend at New Leaf Literary & Media, Inc. 

The genres she's into include YA, Fantasy, Historical, Adventure, Apocalyptic - if people are dying, she's buying.

Book Review: Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White

Illusions of Fate
Kiersten White

Illusions of Fate

Kiersten White

Published: September 9, 2014

Publisher: HarperTeen

Age Demographic: YA Historical Fantasy

Pages: 288

Downton Abbey meets Cassandra Clare in this lush, romantic fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White.

“I did my best to keep you from crossing paths with this world. And I shall do my best to protect you now that you have.”

Jessamin has been an outcast since she moved from her island home of Melei to the dreary country of Albion. Everything changes when she meets Finn, a gorgeous, enigmatic young lord who introduces her to the secret world of Albion’s nobility, a world that has everything Jessamin doesn’t—power, money, status…and magic. But Finn has secrets of his own, dangerous secrets that the vicious Lord Downpike will do anything to possess. Unless Jessamin, armed only with her wits and her determination, can stop him.

Kiersten White captured readers’ hearts with her New York Times bestselling Paranormalcy trilogy and its effortless mix of magic and real-world teenage humor. She returns to that winning combination of wit, charm, and enchantment in Illusions of Fate, a sparkling and romantic new novel perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare, The Madman’s Daughter, and Libba Bray.

To PreOrder Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White 

please visit: Amazon & B&N

(I received an ARC of Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White, via ATW ARC Tours in exchange for an honest review, which I have posted on Goodreads.)

Absolutely thrilling and beautifully written, Illusions of Fate , will captivate and wow readers with it's beautiful setting and wonderfully imaginative characters. You'll be swept up in a beautifully lush romantic atmosphere and brilliant shining characters that will tease and tantalize you, as you turn the pages. This world is gorgeously magical and compelling, that you won't be able to put it down until you have finished the last page. It's been said that Illusions of Fate is like Downton Abbey meets Cassandra Clare, but I think it's surpasses that in so many ways. The wit and enchanting charm that this young adult novel possesses, will definitely work its magic on readers by keeping them entranced in this amazing world.

I love how headstrong and likable, Jessamine truly is. She's such a determined and strong willed character that it's hard not to admire her and to want to cheer her on, as she works hard to obtain what she's working towards. She's your typical young adult and she has a lot of burden on her shoulders. She also comes off a tad bit judgmental, but who isn't at that age? I really admire the realistic way that White wrote her, which showcased her likable qualities as well as her flaws that were frustrating at best, such as being stubborn for stubborn's sake. 

The side characters, like Eleanor are also just as wonderfully vivid and memorable as Jessamine is. There are many fantastic qualities about them that make them all likable, fun, and wonderfully easy to connect with. Finn, is hands down, probably one of my favorite characters in this book. Ahhh, he was just so amazing in so many ways, and I completely fell in love with him. I love how he was so determined to stand against the war, he didn't just fall in line with the majority. He stood up for what he believed in and he didn't care whether anyone knew it or whether it would end up hurting him at a later date. Strength and bravery like that are definitely good qualities to have in my book.

The romantic sparks between Jessamine and Finn ended up being as charming and endearing, as I hoped it was going to be. Once Jessamine let go of her stubborn streak and they really came together and left a smile on my face. And just how romantic was that whole shadow thing? These two just seemed to work better together, than they did apart on their own and it was so sweet to see their relationship grow and flourish and become so much strong as the story went on. No words, I just want to draw hearts around them, because they made mine smile. 

I admired the way that Kiersten White was able to brilliantly stitch together the political and racial issues of that time so flawlessly, in such a way that it blended seamlessly with the magical fantasy aspect of this novel. It gave the plot a bit of edge and amped up the tension. Illusions of Fate is a richly lush and beautiful mysteriously written young adult novel, that I would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys paranormal fantasy romance and the Victorian era. It's not heavy on the historical side, but it has just the right amount mingled with witty banter, colorful characters with charming quirks, and a gorgeous atmosphere that readers will definitely want to sink into.

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Kiersten White is the New York Times best-selling author of Paranormalcy and Supernaturally. She is also known for giving the most awkward hugs in the world. You should probably opt for one of her books over one of her hugs, but then again, maybe you like awkward hugs.

Kiersten enjoys writing flirting scenes, and fighting scenes, and sometimes she write scenes that fall somewhere in between the two, but only if she can't avoid it.

Wishful Wednesday featuring No Place To Fall by Jaye Robin Brown

Wishful Wednesday was inspired by Waiting on Wednesday and Desperately Wanting Wednesday by Breaking the Spine and Parajunkee.

Wishful Wednesday is my own little version of "Waiting On Wednesday". Every week, I'll pick an upcoming book that I'm anticipating the release for and showcase it here on the blog. This week, that book is going to be a new debut young adult novel,  No Place To Fall by the talented Jaye Robin Brown. I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am for this book to be out, so that I can binge read it in one sitting. I LOVE BOOKS LIKE THESE. Books like these give me all kinds of feels and I love the idea of a main character having to choose between her dream and the people she loves, throw in a little bit of self-discovery and some romance and you've got me hook, line and sinker. 

No Place To Fall by Jaye Robin Brown

Expected Publication: December 9, 2014

Publisher: HarperTeen

Age Demographic: YA Contemporary
Pages: 368

Amber Vaughn is a good girl. She sings solos at church, babysits her nephew after school, and spends every Friday night hanging out at her best friend Devon’s house. It’s only when Amber goes exploring in the woods near her home, singing camp songs with the hikers she meets on the Appalachian Trail, that she feels free—and when the bigger world feels just a little bit more in reach.

When Amber learns about an audition at the North Carolina School of the Arts, she decides that her dream—to sing on bigger stages—could also be her ticket to a new life. Devon’s older (and unavailable) brother, Will, helps Amber prepare for her one chance to try out for the hypercompetitive arts school. But the more time Will and Amber spend together, the more complicated their relationship becomes . . . and Amber starts to wonder if she’s such a good girl, after all.

Then, in an afternoon, the bottom drops out of her family’s world—and Amber is faced with an impossible choice between her promise as an artist and the people she loves. Amber always thought she knew what a good girl would do. But between “right” and “wrong,” there’s a whole world of possibilities.

To PreOrder a copy of No Place To Fall by Jaye Robin Brown visit Amazon & Barnes&Noble!

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Jaye Robin Brown, or Jro to her friends, lives and writes in the mountains north of Asheville, North Carolina. She is fond of horses, dogs, the absurd and the ironic. When not writing, you can find her in the art room of the high school where she teaches or roaming the mountains searching for inspiration.

Her debut young adult novel, NO PLACE TO FALL, comes out in the fall of 2014 from Harper Teen. It's about dreams, singing, friendship, love, betrayal, family, and mistakes. It's also a love song to small town girls and mountain music, both of which shape the area that Jaye now calls home. 

Wishful Wednesday featuring A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray

Wishful Wednesday was inspired by Waiting on Wednesday and Desperately Wanting Wednesday by Breaking the Spine and Parajunkee.

Wishful Wednesday is my own little version of "Waiting On Wednesday". Every week, I'll pick an upcoming book that I'm anticipating the release for and showcase it here on the blog. This week, that book is going to be A Thousand Pieces of You by the epicly talented and freaking amazing Claudia Gray. 

Okay, seriously...I CANNOT WAIT FOR THIS BOOK! I JUST...AHHHH!

Orphan Black meets Cloud Atlas!!!! WTF?! Ohmahgosh, guys. I HAVE TO HAVE THIS NOW! I mean, you don't even understand. This is going to be all kinds of epic and give me all kinds of feels. How can it not, when the main character is chasing down the man who killed her father through multiple dimensions. MULTIPLE DIMENSIONS, PEOPLE! 

And, just look at the cover. aljdflajdfalkdjfa! 

A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray

Expected Publication: November 4, 2014

Publisher: HarperTeen

Age Demographic: YA Sci-Fi Thriller
Pages: 368

Every Day meets Cloud Atlas in this heart-racing, space- and time-bending, epic new trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray.

Marguerite Caine’s physicist parents are known for their radical scientific achievements. Their most astonishing invention: the Firebird, which allows users to jump into parallel universes, some vastly altered from our own. But when Marguerite’s father is murdered, the killer—her parent’s handsome and enigmatic assistant Paul—escapes into another dimension before the law can touch him.

Marguerite can’t let the man who destroyed her family go free, and she races after Paul through different universes, where their lives entangle in increasingly familiar ways. With each encounter she begins to question Paul’s guilt—and her own heart. Soon she discovers the truth behind her father’s death is more sinister than she ever could have imagined.

A Thousand Pieces of You explores a reality where we witness the countless other lives we might lead in an amazingly intricate multiverse, and ask whether, amid infinite possibilities, one love can endure.

To PreOrder a copy of A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray visit Amazon & Barnes&Noble!

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Claudia Gray is not her real name. She didn't choose a pseudonym because her real name is unpleasant (it isn't), because she'd always dreamed of calling herself this (she hasn't) or even because she's hiding from the remnants of that international diamond-smuggling cartel she smashed in 2003 (Interpol has taken care of them). In short, she took a pseudonym for no real reason whatsoever. Sometimes this is actually the best reason to do things.

She lives in New Orleans. So far, in life, she's been a disc jockey, a lawyer, a journalist and an extremely bad waitress, just to name a few. She especially likes to spend time traveling, hiking, reading and listening to music. More than anything else, she enjoys writing.

Wishful Wednesday featuring The Jewel by Amy Ewing

Wishful Wednesday was inspired by Waiting on Wednesday and Desperately Wanting Wednesday by Breaking the Spine and Parajunkee.

Wishful Wednesday is my own little version of "Waiting On Wednesday". Every two weeks or so, I'll pick a topic or genre and list a few upcoming books (or book) that I'm anticipating the release for. This week, that book is going to be The Jewel by Amy Ewing. I have been so excited for this book, since I read the amazing synopsis for it on Goodreads. I'm not too crazy with the idea of it being compared to The Selection, but if it's anything like The Handmaid's Tale, holy crap whoa - I am so there! Ahh, it just look like it's going to be so good. The synopsis alone, just gives me chills. Oh my gosh, look at that cover. JUST LOOK AT IT. I can't...I just can't. Gah! So pretty.

The Jewel by Amy Ewing

Expected Publication: September 2, 2014

Publisher: HarperTeen

Age Demographic: YA Histoical Fantasy
Pages: 258

The Selection meets The Handmaid's Tale in this darkly riveting debut filled with twists and turns, where all that glitters may not be gold.

The Jewel means wealth, the Jewel means beauty—but for Violet, the Jewel means servitude. Born and raised in the Marsh, Violet finds herself living in the Jewel as a servant at the estate of the Duchess of the Lake. Addressed only by her number—#197—Violet is quickly thrown into the royal way of life. But behind its opulent and glittering facade, the Jewel hides its cruel and brutal truth, filled with violence, manipulation, and death.

Violet must accept the ugly realities of her life . . . all while trying to stay alive. But before she can accept her fate, Violet meets a handsome boy who is also under the Duchess's control, and a forbidden love erupts. But their illicit affair has consequences, which will cost them both more than they bargained for. And toeing the line between being calculating and rebellious, Violet must decide what, and who, she is willing to risk for her own freedom.

To PreOrder a copy of The Jewel by Amy Ewing visit Amazon & Barnes&Noble!

Places to find Amy Ewing:

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BOOK REVIEW: THIS STRANGE AND FAMILIAR PLACE (SO CLOSE TO YOU #2) BY RACHEL CARTER

This Strange and Familiar Place 
by Rachel Carter

Published: July 2, 2013

Publisher: HarperTEEN

Age Demographic: YA Sci-Fi Fantasy

Pages: 272

These are the things of which Lydia is now certain:

The Montauk Project has been experimenting with time travel for years.

The Project's subjects are "recruits" from across time, recruits like Wes, Lydia's ally, friend, and love.

The Project is now responsible for the disappearance of two members of her family...

The conspiracy theorists were right about the Montauk Project all along. In this sequel to So Close to You, they're coming for Lydia next.

To Purchase This Strange Familiar Place by 

Rachel Carter: Amazon

This Strange and Familiar Place was such an enthralling and compelling read for me. I really enjoyed the build up of reality and time travel that blended so seamlessly. Rachel Carter's world is such an intriguing one to delve into. Her characters are truly fantastic and complex, the world she creates for them is interesting, and the plot arc is definitely adventurous. I found myself gravitating to Lydia, the most, though out the novel.

Beautifully written and definitely inspired, this world is phenomenal. The characters are alive and vibrant on the pages, the adventure is definitely there, and the twists will definitely sock you in the gut. You really won't see them coming at all! Which, is probably one of the best things about this book. It's just knock your socks off amazing.

If you want to read a time travel story that is definitely hectic and full of chaos, danger, and an enthralling world of intrigue, then I would definitely suggest this series to you. You really can't wrong with it at all. The attention to detail, the build up and transition in the world and the super electric twists thrown out at you, will all definitely have you hanging on the edge of your seat for sure. Carter leaves no stone un-turned, as she delves deeper into Wes' past, showing you glimpses of who he was, versus who he has become. Trust me, this is page-turning-phenomenal!

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Rachel Carter is a young adult writer and her debut novel, So Close to You, is the start of a three book series with HarperTeen.

Also, it's about time travel. Which she loves. Along with vampires, werewolves, epic Russian historical romances, and movies starring Ryan Gosling.

AUTHORS ARE ROCKSTARS: FEATURING LEIGH FALLON'S CARRIER SERIES

Carrier of the Mark was one of the very first ARC requests that I was approved for from HarperTEEN and I remember being extremely excited! I had such high hopes for this bright new shining debut and Leigh Fallon did not disappoint. It was so incredibly easy to fall into the deep intoxicating and beautifully created world that she so originally put forth in an amazing debut novel. I gobbled this entire book up greedily in a matter of hours and instantly wanted more. CRAVED MORE! No, I knew that I had to have more and I didn't want to be kept waiting. This was such a super fantastic world to get sucked into and I cannot wait to get my hands on a copy of the sequel, Shadow of the Mark so that I can see what happens next in this phenomenally gripping and intensely captivating series. I know that no matter happens, Leigh Fallon is not going to let me down whatsoever. She has such a fantastic way of weaving mythology and realism together, where they blend so effortlessly and you follow along with the natural ebb and flow of the story she's telling. She writes with so much passion, depth, and beauty that it's hard not to fall in love with whatever story she's spinning to life. Plus, she is one of the sweetest, most amazing, and nicest authors that I've had the pleasure of speaking with via email. I absolutely love her to pieces and I admire her talent, more than anything, to tell a story and captivate you until the end leaving you...CRAVING MORE!

So, yes, in my book LEIGH FALLON IS A ROCKSTAR!!!

Which, is why I am so super excited and stoked to have such a fierce author here on my blog today talking a little bit about the mythology behind the Carrier series. Be prepared to be wowed, amazed, stunned, and captivated as she takes you behind the scenes of the Carrier series. If you have not yet read this book, then you are definitely going to want to pick it up for sure. I cannot stress enough how amazing it is!

Creating the Mythology in the Carrier Series
by Leigh Fallon

I drew my initial inspiration for the beautiful Irish countryside, and in particular, the pretty town of Kinsale, it’s filled with ancient buildings, historical sites, and crumbling castles. I then delved into my childhood, to all my school tours that brought me to amazing historical sites around Ireland and in my hometown of Dublin. There were some places in particular that stayed with me. Trinity College, Christchurch, and Newgrange, to name a few.

Then I did a bit of research into Ireland’s pagan history and ancient celtic mythology and realized that many of the sites I’d loved as a child had ties to stories of the Goddess Danu. She was the mother of the Tuatha Dé Danann. Danu represents birth and beginnings. She is thought of as the goddess who came before everything else. She represents light and dark and giving and receiving. She is Mother Nature in many respects.

To the Celts, Tuatha de Danann, Danu’s children have to struggle against their enemies, the evil Fomorians, whose own “Mother Goddess” is Domnu. Irish lore contains many tales of the struggle between the Children of Domnu, representing darkness and chaos, and the Children of Danu, representing light and order.

In Carrier, I took the story of Danu and the Tuatha Dé Danann and played with it a little. I had it that Danu gifted each of her human children one of her powers, earth, air, fire, and water. Each of her children would bear ‘The Mark’ symbolizing their power and lineage. Then instead of having separate Children of Domnu representing the dark side of their powers, I had the Tuatha Dé Danann being both, representing the internal struggle of the power they hold the and pull of the light and the dark. I introduced the ancient druids (I adore the old stories of druidism in Ireland) who took on the role of protecting and guiding the Tuatha Dé Danann in their struggle to choose light over dark, and to achieve their ultimate goal, aligning the elements of earth to restore harmony in the absence of their mother, Danu.


As we all know, humans, in most cases, are deeply flawed, and I loved the idea of teens struggling with the usual issues along with out of control gifts that really belong in the hands of the gods. It all leads to oodles of trouble, but there’s a lot of fun to be had along the way.

Carrier of the Mark (Carrier #1)

"Their love was meant to be."

When Megan Rosenberg moves to Ireland, everything in her life seems to fall into place. After growing up in America, she's surprised to find herself feeling at home in her new school. She connects with a group of friends, and she is instantly drawn to darkly handsome Adam DeRÍs.

But Megan is about to discover that her feelings for Adam are tied to a fate that was sealed long ago—and that the passion and power that brought them together could be their ultimate destruction.


Shadow of the Mark (Carrier #2)

"Their love could destroy them all."

Through the ages, Marked Ones have harnessed the powers of the four elements: Water, Fire, Earth, and Air. Much about the elements is shrouded in mystery, but one thing is certain: A relationship between two Marked Ones has the potential to cause widespread devastation.

Megan and Adam—Air and Water—are determined to defy the risks.

But the power that swirls inside Megan is growing in twisted ways. And the closer she is to Adam, the closer Megan comes to unleashing a dark force that could spell destruction for the entire Marked line.

Visit these places below to purchase these beauties:

IndieBound  Amazon B&N  BAM   Book Depository

Leigh Fallon was born in South Africa, raised in Dublin, Ireland and moved to Cork in her 20’s. While living in beautiful Kinsale, Co Cork she discovered a love of writing. She writes mainly for the young adult market. Her debut novel, The Carrier of the Mark, prompted her to abandon her ‘riveting’ career in corporate treasury and she has been writing ever since. She has another three books in the Carrier series and a few other projects she's working on. Her family and she now share their time between Ireland and the US.

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Book Review: Pivot Point by Kasie West

Pivot Point
Author: Kasie West
Published: February 12, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 352
Age Demographic: YA
Genre: Sci-Fi Paranormal
ARC Received for Review from: ATW ARC Tours

Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier . . .

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.

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Pivot Point is a wonderfully compelling and highly engaging novel. Definitely a head spinner, it will suck reader's into the story, leaving them gasping at every twist and turn. Kasie West has written a stunning new young adult debut novel, that is sure to entertain and wow fans of the genre. Filled with murder, mystery, suspense, and intrigue, Pivot Point will leave reader's speechless with its captivating premise and amazing brilliance.

West pens a novel dripping with so much originality and intriguing plot twists, that reader's will simply not want to put it down until they've reached the end. Emotionally engaging, the characters are wonderfully developed, likable, and easy to relate to. Addison is an amazing character that is intuitive, funny, vulnerable, and wonderfully clever. It's incredibly easy to connect with this vivacious and strongly written, yet incredibly complex character. She's undeniably selfless and the kind of character that won't back down from impossible situations once she is faced with them. Instead, she meets them head on and weathers the storm, whatever it may be.

The clever spins on what the future grasps and the past and/or present consists of, is also one of the strongest and best elements about this novel. It lends the book most of its charm and appeal. Getting to see both the para-world and the norm-world set up against one another almost as if you were seeing both sides of the coin being tossed in the air, is part of what makes this book so amazingly rich in its depth, plot, and complex premise. The heartache and unexpected twists and turns that won't be expected, is what will leave reader's aching for more. Pivot Point is a painfully beautifully written young adult novel, that is probably one of the best the year has to offer. It is absolutely unputdownable amazing! Reader's will not want to miss out on this heartstopping story.

I write YA. I eat Junior Mints. Sometimes I go crazy and do both at the same time. My debut novel, PIVOT POINT, will be published by HarperTeen on February 12, 2013, followed by its sequel in 2014. I also have a contemporary, The Distance Between Us, coming out in the Fall of 2013 with HarperTeen. My agent is the talented and funny Michelle Wolfson.

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