#002 Wishful Wednesday featuring The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda

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

Wishful Wesnesday is my own version of "Waiting On Wednesday". Every two weeks, I'll pick a topic or a genre and list a few upcoming books that I'm anticipating the release for. This week, it's going to be a special "book spot" for The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda. Feel free to join in, grab the banner, and/or share your WoW or Desperately Wanting Wednesday lists with me.

I thought I'd shake things up a bit here at the blog and do smething a little different. Since I really enjoyed reading Andrew Fukuda's new young adult novel The Hunt I thought I'd share a little audio snippet of it courtesy of Macmillian Audio.

The Hunt
by Andrew Fukuda
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Expected Publication: May 8, 2012
Pages: 293
Age Demographic: Young Adult
amazon | b&n

Don’t Sweat. Don’t Laugh. Don’t draw attention to yourself. And most of all, whatever you do, do not fall in love with one of them.

Gene is different from everyone else around him. He can’t run with lightning speed, sunlight doesn’t hurt him and he doesn’t have an unquenchable lust for blood. Gene is a human, and he knows the rules. Keep the truth a secret. It’s the only way to stay alive in a world of night—a world where humans are considered a delicacy and hunted for their blood.

When he’s chosen for a once in a lifetime opportunity to hunt the last remaining humans, Gene’s carefully constructed life begins to crumble around him. He’s thrust into the path of a girl who makes him feel things he never thought possible—and into a ruthless pack of hunters whose suspicions about his true nature are growing. Now that Gene has finally found something worth fighting for, his need to survive is stronger than ever—but is it worth the cost of his humanity?

* Summary taken from Goodreads.

Audiobook Snippet



Want to purchase

The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda?

You can do so by visiting my Amazon Store and adding them to your shopping cart. While you're there, feel free to look around, you might find something else you want. I hope you enjoyed the "book spot" and audio excerpt from The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda. You can find my review for The Hunt here for your viewing pleasure. If you haven't read it yet, then I definitely suggest you pick up a copy for yourself or even for someone else if you think they'll like it.

ABOUT ANDREW FUKUDA


Website || Twitter || Facebook || Goodreads


Born in Manhattan and raised in Hong Kong, Andrew Fukuda is half-Chinese, half-Japanese. After earning a bachelor's degree in history from Cornell University, Fukuda worked in Manhattan's Chinatown with the immigrant teen community. That experience led to the writing of Crossing, his debut novel that was selected by ALA Booklist as an Editor's Choice, Top Ten First Novel, and Top Ten Crime Novel in 2010. His second novel, The Hunt, the first in a new series, was bought at auction by St. Martin's Press and will be published in May 2012. Before becoming a full time writer, Fukuda was a criminal prosecutor for seven years. He currently resides on Long Island, New York, with his family.


Author information taken from her .

{ The ARC of The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda was provided by ATW ARC Tours, in exchange for an honest review which I have provided. No money exchanged hands, I review books for fun because I love to read. I am not interested in monetary gain. Any piece of this ARC that was or wasn't quoted, is not part of the finished product and should not be perceived as such. Instead, you should compare and check it against a finished copy once it is released.}

Book Review: Fated by Alyson Noel

Fated
by Alyson Noel
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Expected Publication: May 22, 2012
Pages: 368
Age Demographic: Young Adult
amazon | b&n

Lately strange things have been happening to Daire Santos. Animals follow her, crows mock her, and glowing people appear out of nowhere. Worried that Daire is having a nervous breakdown, her mother packs her off to stay in the dusty plains of Enchantment, New Mexico with a grandmother she’s never met.

There she crosses paths with Dace, a gorgeous guy with unearthly blue eyes who she’s encountered before...but only in her dreams. And she’ll get to know her grandmother—a woman who recognizes Daire’s bizarre episodes for what they are. A call to her true destiny as a Soul Seeker, one who can navigate between the worlds of the living and the dead. Her grandmother immediately begins teaching her to harness her powers—but it’s an art that must be mastered quickly. Because Dace’s brother is an evil shape-shifter who’s out to steal her powers. Now Daire must embrace her fate as a Soul Seeker and find out if Dace is one guy she’s meant to be with...or if he’s allied with the enemy she’s destined to destroy.

* Summary taken from Goodreads.

❝My Thoughts❞

Fated is a mysteriously intriguing novel about a young girl who discovers she has the power to walk between the world of the living and the dead. Daire Santos has noticed some strange happenings around her, crows have been mocking her, animals have started following her around a lot, and people have started showing up mysteriously out of nowhere. When her mother starts taking notice of these weird things and starts worrying after her daughters mental well being, she decides that it might be better for Daire to send her off to stay with her grandmother she's never met before, to live in Enchanted New Mexico. Once out there, Daire meets Dace, a sweet and charming guy with unearthly blue eyes that seem familiar to her, only in her dreams. As Daire becomes closer to Paloma, her grandmother, she soon learns the truth of her destiny.

Daire Santos is a Soul Seeker who is able to traverse between the world of the living and of the dead. Almost as soon as she discovers this hidden gift, she is tasked with learning how to harness her new found powers. This is something that Daire has to master pretty quickly because Dace's brother, an evil shapeshifter, is vying for her power and will stop at nothing to claim it for his own. Daire has no choice, but to embrace her power and seek the answers to whether or not Dace is the one she's meant to be with or if he's with the enemy she's meant to destroy. The story that develops between these two quickly starts to turn into a story of love and trust.

At first glance of the premise for Fated, the story itself seems to be quite promising. Alyson Noel's idea behind the Soul Seekers is intriguing and definitely attention grabbing, if nothing else. Readers will find themselves wanting to gobble up as many details as they can, regarding the history and the mythology behind how the Soul Seekers came about and what exactly they can and can't do with their powers, and why it's important to never let evil shapeshifters steal them. Daire is a likable and easy character to connect with. It was admirable to see how brave and determined to take on her destiny of being a Soul Seeker, despite the few annoying flaws she did possess.

Dace is a wonderfully developed and charming character, of his own merit. He has such a warm and likable disposition about him and it's endearing to see just how much he does does really care for Daire. Their romance is sweet and fun to read about and readers will either enjoy them or not. Cade, on the other hand, had this alluring bad boy swagger going on that appealed to me on a more personal level. There's just something about a swoon worthy and irresistably bad boy that gets my blood to pumping.

Those who found themselves enjoying Alyson Noel's previous paranormal romance series The Immortals, are sure to enjoy this novel quite a bit as it explores new territory and brings a whole new world of mythology to the table in the form of animals and spirits. It is chalked full of wonderfully fun mystery, interestingly developed mythology behind the Soul Seekers making them and the Native Americans one of the more interesting aspects of the novel, and beautiful magical enchantment. It is quite an enjoyable and light read, for those who are looking for something easy to read.

Want to pre-order a copy

of Fated by Alsyon Noel?

You can do so by visiting my Amazon Store and adding them to your shopping cart. While you're there, feel free to look around, you might find something else you want. I hope you enjoyed the review for Fated and you decide to give it a chance. If you haven't read it, then I encourage you to pick up a copy for yourself or even for someone else, if you think they'll like it.

ABOUT ALYSON NOEL

Website || Twitter || Blog || Goodreads

Alyson Noël is the #1 New York Times best selling, award-winning, author of FAKING 19, ART GEEKS AND PROM QUEENS, LAGUNA COVE, FLY ME TO THE MOON, KISS & BLOG, SAVING ZOË, CRUEL SUMMER, FOREVER SUMMER (a LAGUNA COVE/CRUEL SUMMER 2-in-1), the IMMORTALS series including: EVERMORE, BLUE MOON, SHADOWLAND, DARK FLAME, NIGHT STAR, and EVERLASTING, the IMMORTALS spin-off, RILEY BLOOM series including RADIANCE, SHIMMER, DREAMLAND, & WHISPER (04.26.12), with short stories appearing in the anthologies FIRST KISS (THEN TELL), KISSES FROM HELL, & DEAR BULLY. She is currently working on a new series for teens, SOUL SEEKERS, including: FATED, ECHO, MYSTIC, & HORIZON. Book 1, FATED, is set to debut in May 2012.

Author information taken from her Goodreads.

{ This audiobook and ARC was provided by Macmillian Audio and ATW ARC Tours, in exchange for an honest review which I have provided. No money exchanged hands, I review books for fun because I love to read. I am not interested in monetary gain. Any piece of this ARC that was or wasn't quoted, is not part of the finished product and should not be perceived as such. Instead, you should compare and check it against a finished copy once it is released.}

Splash Into Summer Hop - Giveaway featuring Tempest by Julie Cross

Welcome to the Splash Into Summer Hop!
Hosted by: I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Page Turner's Blog!
May the odds be ever in your favor!

I have such an amazing time-travel, super romantic, and very emotional prize in store for you today. One lucky person (oooh la la) will win a super shiny ARC of Tempest by Julie Cross.

This is one of the BEST.BOOKS.EVER.WRITTEN. But, don't take my word for it, take Molli's @ Once Upon A Prolouge who absolutely adored it so much that she couldn't stop gushing about it. Here, check out her awesome review for Tempest.

And just for to quench your curiosity some more about the book, here's a little info on it for you!

Tempest by Julie Cross The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun. That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future. Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities. But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler. Recruit… or kill him. Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world. Summary taken from Goodreads.

Was that enough to wet your splashin' summer palate?!

The only thing you need to know about this giveaway is that it's easy-peasy to enter. Just be 13 years or older, from the US (sorry International's I'm still thinking up something for you guys!), and reply to the email that I send you (if you're one lucky soul winner...see what I did there?! lol) within 48 hours and you're totally good to go!

So, start fillin' out that Rafflecopter below! Oh, and good luck!!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Don't forget there's tons of other blogs you'll want to hop on through!

Book Review: The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda

The Hunt
by Andrew Fukuda
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Expected Publication: May 8, 2012
Pages: 304
Age Demographic: Young Adult
amazon | b&n

Don’t Sweat. Don’t Laugh. Don’t draw attention to yourself. And most of all, whatever you do, do not fall in love with one of them.

Gene is different from everyone else around him. He can’t run with lightning speed, sunlight doesn’t hurt him and he doesn’t have an unquenchable lust for blood. Gene is a human, and he knows the rules. Keep the truth a secret. It’s the only way to stay alive in a world of night—a world where humans are considered a delicacy and hunted for their blood.

When he’s chosen for a once in a lifetime opportunity to hunt the last remaining humans, Gene’s carefully constructed life begins to crumble around him. He’s thrust into the path of a girl who makes him feel things he never thought possible—and into a ruthless pack of hunters whose suspicions about his true nature are growing. Now that Gene has finally found something worth fighting for, his need to survive is stronger than ever—but is it worth the cost of his humanity?

* Summary taken from Goodreads.

❝My Thoughts❞

The Hunt is one of the most gritty, riveting, keep you on the edge of your seat books released this year. It's dangerously addicting and incredibly hard to put down until the last page has been read. It's quite a puzzle to be pieced together as it progresses, but it is bold, daring, and full of dangerous intrigue. The characters are just as confusing as the brilliantly crafted world they are living in, but as the two go hand in hand they are pretty spectacular to read about. Andrew Fukuda has penned such an extraoridinary chill-inducing tale of deception, lies, betrayal, love, and dangerous emotions mixed in with some extremely amazing kickass action sequences. This is such an irresistable book for any dystopian lover.



It seems as if the world Andrew Fukuda has depicted, has been spun upside down and left in suspension, where down is up and up is different. There is one human working to infiltrate the vampire world. He may or may not make it out alive, if he is found out. This is where you don't breathe, you don't sweat, you don't cough or sneeze, or do anything that would attract attention to you. Gene's family has been wiped out completely by the vampires and he has been on his own for quite some time using everything his father taught him for survival means necessary, before he became infected and died. Soon everything changes and the world takes on a darker more sinsister edge to it sharper than before, when he's ordered to hunt the last of the humans for sport.



The Hunt's pages are filled with wonderful irony and mystery. Vampires equal evolved beings, while helpers (humans) are the animals. It's sort of monster with weird quirks and facets versus helpers who translate as animals -more lowly creatures. The paranormal aspect of this novel was written exceptionally well and wonderfully developed throughout. The vampires within the story seemed to have unique oringinality of their own, possessing strange quirks and personality as disgusting as the drooling, nasty, and repulsing creatures they represent. Another thing that was interesting about them, is that they are functioning civil evolved beings, who go to work, go to school, and function just as well as any human would despite their weird quirks.



There are some dangerously frightening moments and chill inducing tension in the atmosphere that leave emotions running sky high. Wonderfully original and uncoventionally creative and clever, The Hunt is a disturbingly dark and deceptively twisted portrayal of the post-apocalytic world ran by vampires and one lone human left on his own to fight for his own kind. Fans of much darker and terrifying dystopian novels such as Partials and The Hunger Games will be absolutely blown away by the sheer force of this novel and the incredible cliffhanger that will have them anticipating the sequel.

Want to purchase a copy of The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda?

You can do so by visiting my Amazon Store and adding them to your shopping cart. While you're there, feel free to look around, you might find something else you want. I hope you enjoyed my review for The Hunt by Andrew FukudaI definitely suggest you pick up a copy for yourself or even for someone else, if you think they'll like it.

ABOUT ANDREW FUKUDA


Website || Twitter || Facebook || Goodreads


Born in Manhattan and raised in Hong Kong, Andrew Fukuda is half-Chinese, half-Japanese. After earning a bachelor's degree in history from Cornell University, Fukuda worked in Manhattan's Chinatown with the immigrant teen community. That experience led to the writing of Crossing, his debut novel that was selected by ALA Booklist as an Editor's Choice, Top Ten First Novel, and Top Ten Crime Novel in 2010. His second novel, The Hunt, the first in a new series, was bought at auction by St. Martin's Press and will be published in May 2012. Before becoming a full time writer, Fukuda was a criminal prosecutor for seven years. He currently resides on Long Island, New York, with his family.


Author information taken from her .

{ This ARC was provided by ATW ARC Tours, in exchange for an honest review which I have provided. No money exchanged hands, I review books for fun because I love to read. I am not interested in monetary gain. Any piece of this ARC that was or wasn't quoted, is not part of the finished product and should not be perceived as such. Instead, you should compare and check it against a finished copy once it is released.}

Book Review: Shattered Dreams by Ellie James

Shattered Dreams
by Ellie James
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: December 6, 2011
Pages: 352
Age Demographic: Young Adult
amazon | b&n

Sixteen-year-old Trinity Monsour wants nothing more than to live a normal life. But that isn’t as easy as it seems. Trinity is different. She is special. She sees visions, and for those she’s seen, it’s already too late.

Trinity arrives on her aunt’s doorstep in New Orleans with virtually no knowledge of her mysterious heritage. She begins settling into life at a new school and even starts making friends. But all too quickly her dreams accelerate; twisted, terrifying visions of a girl locked in a dark room. And when the head cheerleader, Jessica, goes missing, Trinity knows she has no choice but to step forward with what she’s seen.

But people believe that Trinity has information about Jessica’s disappearance not because of a dream, but because she is involved. She is kind-of dating Jessica’s ex-boyfriend, Chase, and Jessica did pull a nasty prank on Trinity. Revenge seems like the likeliest scenario.

Nothing prepares Trinity for the dark odyssey that ensues while searching for Jessica, including the surprising romance she finds with Chase, or the shocking truths she learns, not just about the girl who has gone missing, but the past that has been hidden from her.

* Summary taken from Goodreads.

❝My Thoughts❞

Shattered Dreams is a beautifully written engaging mystical paranormal, sure to please fans of this genre. Brimming with suspense, intrigue, and magical romance it's an enchanting and delightful read. Ellie James simply pulls out all of the stops with this debut novel. The world building is creative and amazingly stunning, the characters are interesting and likable, and the blossoming romance is sweet and charming. The visual imagery and sultry location of this novel is entrancing and sets the tone right away for a wonderfully compelling story of betrayal, love, mystery, and vicious pranks pulled.

Trinity is a delightfully brave, intuitive, and caring young herione. She's sweet, charming, wonderfully funny, and wants to be normal most of all. She gets these mysterious visions of people and by the time she gets them it's too late to really do anything about them. As the story progresses, her dreams start to become more twisted and haunting, as images of a young girl locked in a dark room begin to push their way to the surface. It isn't until Jessica, the head cheerleader of her school, goes missing that Trinity has no other choice but to come forward with the information on what she's been seeing in her dreams.

Because Trinity is dating Chase, Jessica's ex-boyfriend and knows that Jessica has pulled a nasty prank on her, it seems like revenge is the likely scenario. People start to believe that Trinity has more information on Jessica's whereabout's and could possibly be involved in her disappearance, because she's trying to get back at her for pulling such a nasty prank on her. Although she may not be prepared for the hard truths that she uncovers about her heritage, the surprisingly sweet romance that blossoms between her and Chase, or the shocking secrets she discovers Trinity has an amazingly tough exterior and isn't afraid of being disliked and will stand up for herself and others against the popular crowd. While it may seem like Chase is a bit possessive, broody, and incredibly mysterious he is still sweet, caring, and brave when it comes to Trinity. He's willing to stand by her through everything and protect her, as much as he can. It's sweet and charming to watch the connection grow and and flourish between these two.

The deep symbolism in the cross that Chase wears, Trinity's dragonfly necklace, and her name was an interesting aspect of the story. The characters are well developed and the writing is strong and enjoyable. Shattered Dreams is full of unexpected twists and turns that readers will not be expecting. The only qualms that I personally may have had with it, is that sometimes the plot twists may have a tendency to leave readers a little confused at times. Other than that, Ellie James pens a highly engaging murder mystery with a touch of paranormal that will leave readers craving more. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys young adult paranormal mystery and romance novels. It's a promising debut with an even more promising sequel on the way that readers will not want to miss out on.

Want to purchase Shattered Dreams by Ellie James?

You can do so by visiting my Amazon Store and adding them to your shopping cart. While you're there, feel free to look around, you might find something else you want. I hope you enjoyed reading my review of Shattered Dreams. I definitely suggest you pick up a copy for yourself or even for someone else, if you think they'll like it.

ABOUT ELLIE JAMES

Website || Twitter || Facebook || Goodreads

Ellie James believes in dreams, destiny, and possibility. A native of south Louisiana, she grew up immersed in legend, surrounded by history and drenched in mystery. She penned her first work of fiction at six, turning to suspense three years later with Jacquie and the Swamp. Even before graduating from the LSU Manship School of Journalism, Ellie always had a tragic poem, tender story, or intriguing mystery for her friends, a trait that has continued as her fascination with danger, adventure, love, and the unexplained has grown.

Ellie now splits her time between exploring story worlds and creating her own adventures with her husband and their two children.

You can visit Ellie James at her blog

Author information taken from her Goodreads.

Book Review: Torn by Amanda Hocking

Torn
by Amanda Hocking
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: February 28, 2012
Pages: 336
Age Demographic: Young Adult
amazon | b&n

When Wendy Everly first discovers the truth about herself—that she’s a changeling switched at birth—she knows her life will never be the same. Now she’s about to learn that there’s more to the story…

She shares a closer connection to her Vittra rivals than she ever imagined—and they’ll stop at nothing to lure her to their side. With the threat of war looming, her only hope of saving the Trylle is to master her magical powers—and marry an equally powerful royal. But that means walking away from Finn, her handsome bodyguard who’s strictly off limits…and Loki, a Vittra prince with whom she shares a growing attraction.

Torn between her heart and her people, between love and duty, Wendy must decide her fate. If she makes the wrong choice, she could lose everything, and everybody, she’s ever wanted…in both worlds.

As a special gift to readers, this book contains a new, never-before-published bonus story, “One Day, Three Ways,” set in the magical world of the Trylle.

* Summary taken from Goodreads.

❝My Thoughts❞

Torn allows readers to step back into the dark mystical entrancing world of the Trylle. Wendy Everly has just learned the truth about who she is, a changeling who was switched at birth. Her life will never be the same again, after this self-discovery. She struggles in many ways, torn between making decisions regarding her heart and the people she cares deeply for, her love and the duty that she's found herself bound to, and the decision of what her fate will be. In many ways, it is endearing and a little heartbreaking to watch her overcome certain things and tackle others with strength and growing resilience.

Her character grows and becomes much more developed as she soon realizes that she shares more of a connection with the Vittra than she ever expected to share. In order to save the Trylle she'll have to learn how to harness the magical powers that she possesses, as well as marry an equally powerful Royal. All of this will come at a high cost to Wendy, because it means walking away from two people who mean a great deal to her, Finn and Loki with whom she shares a blossoming attraction to. If she isn't careful, she could potentially lose everything by making the wrong the choice, affecting both worlds in a devastating blow.

Amanda Hocking pens an incredibly fascinating, unique, and original tale of folk lore and magical realms sure to wow and stun readers. Her world building skills are simply mesmerizing and equally entrancing, as they set amazingly high standards for other books in this genre to live up to. The world of the Trylle is beautiful and dark, sprinkled with light peeking in through the nooks and cracks. It's a world brimming with so much emotion and some of the most imaginative action packed thrill seeking battle scenes, I've ever read. There's more light shed on the growing history of the Trylle, Wendy's mother's actions and cool almost cruel tough love, and insight behind the inner-workings of the Trylle themselves. The Troll lore is exciting and invigorating, providing more information on the magical trolls and why they separated into two warring kingdoms pitted against one another.

The characters in Torn are so much more interesting and intriguing, as they grow stronger and become more developed. I found it interesting the back-story given on Flora (Wendy's mother), explaining her coolness and the treatment of her daughter. In some ways, it made me sympathize with her as a reader and almost sort of find her likable, to an extent. Matt was incredibly delightful to get to know, as he was such a supportive brother to Wendy in so many ways that made him amazing. It was nice to see how the smaller supportive characters fit into the story and had a place of their own, while also still preserving their own relevance to the story being told.

I found Loki to be just completely irresistible and very swoon worthy. He's just incredibly sweet and sardonic in such a fun way that kind of makes you want to root for him. He's just full of so much willful bad boy charm that it was charming to get to know him and to see his connection with Wendy slowly grow over time. There's a bit of a love triangle almost set-up perfectly here, as readers watch the relationship between Wendy and Finn start to take a turn for the worst, unraveling painfully. It's heartbreaking and you can't help, but feel for them both as they both try and deal with it in their own ways. It's easy to see how both Finn and Loki could be good for her in many different ways for different reasons. Finn is different in this installment to the trilogy, where he's pulling away from Wendy and putting distance between them because he's bound to his people and his duty.

In many ways, Torn, is a highly engaging novel with many breath taking thrills and adventure to light the way for readers, keeping them on the edge of their seats with deeply riveting twists and turns and an endless supply of unpredictability. It just simply surpassed any expectations that I might have personally had for it and turned into such an amazing page-turner of awesome. Incredibly imaginative, Amanda Hocking creates a world in which the reader will want to immerse themselves into and never leave.

Want to purchase Amanda Hocking's Books?

You can do so by visiting my Amazon Store and adding them to your shopping cart. While you're there, feel free to look around, you might find something else you want. This is something new that I'm trying out, so thank you so much for helping me out and for supporting me and my blog. I hope you enjoyed the review and the books, if you've already read them. If you haven't, then I definitely suggest you pick up a copy for yourself or even for someone else, if you think they'll like them.

{ This ARC was provided by St. Martin's Press, in exchange for an honest review which I have provided. No money exchanged hands, I review books for fun because I love to read. I am not interested in monetary gain. Any piece of this ARC that was or wasn't quoted, is not part of the finished product and should not be perceived as such. Instead, you should compare and check it against a finished copy once it is released.}

Book Review: Wake by Amanda Hocking

Wake
by Amanda Hocking
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Expected Publication: August 7, 2012
Pages: 320
Age Demographic: Young Adult
Received via: ATW ARC Tours
amazon | b&n

Amanda Hocking takes you deep into a new world with the first book in the Watersong series.

Beautiful. Fearless. Dangerous. They're the kind of girls you envy; the kind of girls you want to hate. Strangers in town for the summer, Penn, Thea, and Lexi have caught everyone's attention, including the eye of practical Harper. But it's her sister, Gemma, they've chosen to be part of their group.

Sixteen-year-old Gemma seems to have it all - carefree, pretty, and falling in love with the boy next door. But her greatest passion has always been the water. She craves late night swims under the stars, where she can be alone yet belong to the sea. Lately she's had company. Penn, Thea, and Lexi spend their nights dancing, singing, and partying on the cove--and one night Gemma joins them. When she wakes up groggy on the beach the next morning, she knows something has changed.

Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. As she uncovers the truth about her new mythical powers, Gemma is forced to choose between staying with those she loves or entering a dark world brimming with unimaginable secrets.

* Summary taken from Goodreads.

❝My Thoughts❞

Wake is a breath taking vividly imaginative magical tale of mystery and intrigue. The sweet serene world that Amanda Hocking creates, is delightful to explore filled with memorable characters who possess interesting quirks, sinister sirens who won't take no for an answer, and danger filled excitement. She has penned a wonderful blend of underwater mythology with just the right tinge of paranormal, weaving a beautiful balance of realistic contemporary issues between the two main characters. The plot is chalk full of intense drama and interesting situations that Gemma and Harper both find themselves in. There's wonderful romance and humor sprinkled throughout the novel that make it even more enjoyable and engaging.

Amanda Hocking's wonderfully crafted world building skills are strong, stunning, and will keep readers entranced. She's mixed a beautiful captivating, suspenseful feel to her story by giving an imaginative enthralling nod to Greek mythology, introducing her own original spin giving it a modern edge. It's a world that's rich and dark, full of compelling mystery, and unimaginable secrets. The mysterious girls of summer are fearless, deceptive, and dangerous. Their beauty is the kind most envy, yet they harbor a darker seductive secret of their own that affects the lives of a few of the locals gone missing. They are predators of their own disguise, sirens, that have chosen Gemma to be part of their group whether she wants to or not.

I enjoyed the atmosphere that Amanda Hocking crafted so beautifully, her sparkling descriptions reflecting Gemma's love of water. It made it easier to sink into the world and really enjoy it. Gemma is beautiful and carefree, so full of vibrant life, and tenderly falling in love with the boy next door. So full of sweet earnest vulnerability, she's such a delightful character to get to know. It was a joy to witness the honest relationship that she shares with her sister, Harper.

Harper is more practical than her sister, wonderfully strong and independent caring a great deal about her family. She tackles the role of caretaker, putting them before herself and her own needs, and being incredibly unafraid to stand up for them and unyieldingly loyal. She's made sacrifices for their benefit more than her own and even though she has her moments, she really does have her family's best interests at heart. She wants the best for them and she will stop at nothing to keep them all together and from falling apart. Though it's slow building, it is sweet to watch her start living her life, letting herself have a summer romance with a handsome swoon worthy guy on the docks that usually annoys her, and trying to save her sister's life.

Wake is full of breathless heart pounding action, mystery, and intrigue. It's intensely gripping and will keep readers on the edge of their cliffs, ending with a cliff-hanger that will have them screaming in anticipation for more. It's an epic adventure of love and survival, family loyalty, intermingled with a sprinkling of vibrant Greek mythology, and the ultimate choice of sacrifice. I would recommend this to anyone who is a fan of mythical under-water-adventures, dark compelling fantasy, and wonderful author's like Elizabeth Fama, Anna Banks, and Anne Greenwood Brown.

{ This ARC was provided by ATW ARC Tours, in exchange for an honest review which I have provided. No money exchanged hands, I review books for fun because I love to read. I am not interested in monetary gain. Any piece of this ARC that was/wasn't quoted, is not part of the finished product and should not be perceived as such.}

#015 In My Mailbox Featuring Books For Review

In My Mailbox or IMM was originally inspired by Althea of Pop Culture Junkie and is now hosted by the lovely Kristi at The Story Siren where you talk about the books you received in the mail, via the stacks of your library, recent purchases, ARC's or any books that you might have received for review, etc.

This vlog is about a week and a half's worth of review books and ARC's for various tours and whatnot, so enjoy!

ARC'S & REVIEW BOOKS RECEIVED: Ascend by Amanda Hocking Wake by Amanda Hocking Elemental by Emily White Storm of Arranon by R.E. Sheahan Buffy and the Heroine's Journey by Valerie Estelle Frankel Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers Original Sin by Lisa Desrochers Glimmer by Pheobe Kitanidis Thumped by Megan McCafferty Arise by Tara Hudson Endlessly by Kiersten White Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock Special thanks to HarperTeen, Spencer Hill Press, St. Martin's Press, TorTeen, ATW ARC Tours, R.E. Sheahan and Valerie Frankel.

Don't forget: You still have time to enter my giveaway for THE IMMORTAL RULES by Julie Kagawa. You definitely don't want to miss out on this amazing novel. Just click the banner above to go to the post and fill out the Rafflecopter for a chance to win. You never, you might just get lucky. GOOD LUCK!!! :D :D :D

#013 In My Mailbox featuring Books For Review

Basically, In My Mailbox or IMM was originally inspired by Althea of Pop Culture Junkie and is now hosted by the lovely Kristi over at The Story Siren where you talk about the awesome books that you received in the mail, via the stacks of your local library, recent purchases, ARC's or any books that you might have received for review, etc.

This vlog is about two weeks worth of review books and ARC's for various tours and whatnot, so enjoy!

ARC'S & REVIEW BOOKS RECEIVED: The Springsweet by Saundra Mitchell A Temptation of Angels by Michelle Zink Torn by Amanda Hocking ;; Review for Switched (The Trylle, Book #1) Embrace by Jessica Shirvington This Beautiful Life by Helen Schulman Losing Clementine by Ashley Ream Special thanks to St. Martin's Griffin, HarperCollins, Soucebooks Fire, TLC Book Tours, and ATW ARC Tours.

Featured Book Review: Switched by Amanda Hocking - Book 1 in the Trylle Trilogy

Switched
By Amanda Hocking
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publish Date: January 3, 2012
Format: Hardback, pp 336
Age Demographic: Young Adult
b&n // amazon

"I try to think of the days that led up to that one to see if I missed something about her, but I have no memory of her before then. I have some memories of my childhood, and I can even remember my dad, who died when I was five, but not her." (pp ;; 01)

When Wendy Everly was six-years-old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. It isn't until eleven years later that Wendy finds out her mother might've been telling the truth.

With the help of Finn Holmes, Wendy finds herself in a world she never knew existed - and it's one she's not sure if she wants to be a part of.

*Summary taken from Goodreads.

❝My Thoughts❞

Switched is an alluring, richly beautiful blend of dark gothic fantasy meets fairytale. It is a powerfully seductive and suspenseful paranormal romance, that is cleverly written, and gives a unique twist to the magical fantasy realms Hocking creates. Her words bring life to the pages, with stunning imagery that puts readers right inside the pages. She creates a world of memorable characters that possess flawless traits, which sets them apart from other characters in most young adult paranormal romance novels. They are richly developed character's that are compelling and likable, yet sympathetic to readers. They will leave readers wanting the best for them.

Wendy is a wonderfully strong female anti-heroine unlike any other I've read in young adult fiction, which is a breath of fresh air. It is interesting to see her struggle with all of the obstacles that cross her path and then have to shoulder responsibilities no one her age, should have to do and do it all with beautiful strength and courage. The character growth that Hocking applies to Wendy throughout this book, is extremely well executed. She does a phenomenal job at tapping into that emotional well of fear, mystery, intrigue, and the greater responsibility that weighs upon her shoulders. She has a whole new world to discover that comes along with duty, honor, sacrifice, and destiny.

Finn Holmes, is a marvelously written mysteriously sexy guardian that is tasked with keeping her safe and returning her to her rightful home. For months he has been doing this, until he reveals his true identity to Wendy. He is not human and just as her mother feared, she isn't either.

The way in which Hocking handles this development in plot, is wonderfully masterful and the emotional relationship that she slowly works to build between these two, is beautifully realistic and fantastically written. They way it progressed, was captivating as it showcased strong qualities and interesting quirks. It seemed as if they were two halves of a whole coming together and it was incredibly heart-breaking and filled with beautiful passion, angst and longing.

Incredible character arcs are fleshed out, with beautiful storytelling abilities. Her villains are wildly dark and thrilling. They are mysteriously alluring individuals capable of danger unlike any other reader's will discover in young adult literature. The level of world building, including this breath-taking new realm of paranormal fantasy that she's created will have reader's clamoring for more. Her unique and clever decision to tell such a dark and compelling magical fantasy filled tale full of trolls versus the usual vampires and werewolves, makes her stand out apart from the usual paranormal novels on shelves. This world is both frightening as it is beautiful, which makes it so beguiling and filled with dark illustrious seductive charm. There is danger, heart-stopping action, and intrigue that fill the wonderful pages of this novel. Readers will simply not be able to put it down until the last page has been turned.

There seems to be underlying hints of psychological darkness that sort of shadows the story being told, which gives it another edge. There are incredible amounts of mystery and deeply hidden secrets that begin to unravel as the story progresses, that will keep readers engaged. With cleverly written characters, unique storylines that will hook readers, and elaborately rich dark and compelling characters Switched is a book that readers will be unable to put down. Readers who enjoy dark fantasies involving the paranormal such as Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, the brilliant writing style of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, or the beautiful dark gothic richness of Margaret Stohl's Beautiful Creatures are sure to enjoy the dark and wonderfully lush magical realms of The Trylle.

Favorite Quote

"For a moment, I couldn't breathe or move. All I could see was the painting of me. The broken shards of glass glinting in the moonlight. My beautiful dress, which appeared stark white by the light of the moon, with the slit of blood in the side. The vast darkness that went on beyond the balcony, and the horrified look on my face as I reached for it."
{pp ;; 275-76}

❝Watch The Trailer...❞

{ This ARC was provided by St. Martin's Press, in exchange for an honest review which I have provided. No money exchanged hands, I review books for fun because I love to read. I am not interested in monetary gain. Any piece of this ARC that was or wasn't quoted, is not part of the finished product and should not be perceived as such. Instead, you should compare and check it against a finished copy once it is released.}