2011 Debut Author Challenge

The 2011 Debut Author challenge is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. The purpose of the challenge is to read at least 12 young-adult books released this year by debut authors. The deadline to sign up is March 1, 2011. To find out more detailed information and how to sign-up (hurry! the deadline is tomorrow!), visit the main challenge post at The Story Siren.

Some of the books I have or plan to read and review for the challenge:
1. A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford [review]
2. The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver [review]
3. Falling Under by Gwen Hayes [review]
4. Divergent by Veronica Roth [review]
5. The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab
6. Clarity by Kim Harrington
7. Die for Me by Amy Plum [review]
8. Blood Red Road by Moira Young
9. Burn Bright by Marianne de Pierres [review]
10. Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton
11. Legend by Marie Lu [review]
12. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin [mini-reivew]
13. Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout [review]
14. Waterfall by Lisa Tawn Bergren [review to come]
15. Winter's Shadow by M.J. Hearle [review]
16. The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder [review]
17. Blood Song by Rhiannon Hart [review]
18. Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson [mini-review]
19. The Marked Son by Shea Berkley [review]
20. The Bridge by Jane Higgins
21. Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez

TBR:
-The Returning by Christine Hinwood

Review: Recovery Road by Blake Nelson

Title: Recovery Road
Author: Blake Nelson
Pages: 310 (ARC copy)
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Release Date: March 8, 2011

From acclaimed author Blake Nelson, the story of girl meets boy...in rehab.

Madeline is sent away to Spring Meadows to help with a drinking and rage problem she has. It's a pretty intense place, but there is the weekly movie night in town--where Madeline meets Stewart, who's at another rehab place nearby. They fall for each other during a really crazy time in their lives. Madeline gets out and tries to get back on her feet, waiting for Stewart to join her. When he does, though, it's not the ideal recovery world Madeline dreamed of. Both of them still have serious problems. And Stewart's are only getting worse....

My Thoughts: Recovery Road is the story of Madeline, who is recovering from heavy drinking and partying and anger issues. The story takes place over the course of about three to four years, and through the book we get glimpses of how she is dealing with her issues and what she is doing to improve her life. Recovery is not always easy though, and we see that with Madeline and with the people she befriends at the rehab in Spring Meadows.

From the cover and the summary, I thought Recovery Road was going to be a love story, and while there is some romance here and there, it's not the main focus. It's about Madeline first and foremost. Her life and her recovery. If you're wondering about the romance, I will say that it's NOT all sunshine and rainbows. But, and although I felt Madeline fell in love with Stewart (the boy she met at rehab) rather quickly, my favorite parts in the book would have to be when Madeline was at Spring Meadows with Stewart.

As I mentioned, the book goes through a couple of years of Madeline's life. Because of this we're not always given the full details. Such as Madeline's life before and when she came to Spring Meadows or the story behind Stewart's situation and his problems. It's not hard to imagine, especially with what is revealed in the book; however, I wouldn't have minded more details about the characters' situations and explanations for their behaviors.

The ending of the book isn't want I expected or wanted, but there is some hope. For Madeline, at least. Recovery Road gives us a look into the life of Madeline during her gradual recovery, and I would recommend it to those looking for a fast-paced read about real issues that aren't solved simply and easily.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

ARC provided by Scholastic Press through GoodReads.

In My Mailbox #38

In My Mailbox was created by Kristi at The Story Siren, inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie.

Borrowed:
Good Oil by Laura Buzo

For Review:
Divergent by Veronica Roth from HarperCollins Publishers UK!

Library & Ebook:
Dreamfever (Fever, #4) by Karen Marie Moning
Shadowfever (Fever, #5) by Karen Marie Moning

Already finished Dreamfever and Shadowfever, and... AHH!! I loved it. The series really does get better with each book. I'm impressed, and Shadowfever was crazy! So many twists and turns. Never knew what to expect. I definitely plan on buying the entire series; it's one of my favorites now. BarronsBarrons! <3 I cannot wait for the spin-off books!

I borrowed Good Oil from a friend. I'll be reading it for the Aussie YA Challenge! It will be my second Aussie book for the challenge. The first book, A Little Wanting Song by Cath Crowley, I still haven't gotten around to writing a review, but I will! Might need to reread it though (which I'm completely fine with because I loved it).

And finally... I received an ARC of Divergent by Veronica Roth! After getting the chance to read The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta last year, Divergent became the book I wanted to read the most in 2011. I'm extremely excited and really hope it lives up to my expectations. Huge thanks goes out to Ben & Clare from Independent Thinking at HarperCollins Publishers in the UK! You guys are awesome!

Okay, that's it for this week! Hope you all have a great reading day. :)

Review: Falling Under by Gwen Hayes

Title: Falling Under
Author: Gwen Hayes
Pages: 324 (ARC copy)
Publisher: New American Library
Release Date: March 1, 2011

Theia Alderson has always led a sheltered life in the small California town of Serendipity Falls. But when a devastatingly handsome boy appears in the halls of her school, Theia knows she's seen Haden before- not around town, but in her dreams.

As the Haden of both the night and the day beckons her closer one moment and pushes her away the next, the only thing Theia knows for sure is that the incredible pull she feels towards him is stronger than her fear.

And when she discovers what Haden truly is, Theia's not sure if she wants to resist him, even if the cost is her soul.

My Thoughts: It all starts when Theia sees a burning man fall from the sky. After that she begins having strange and creepy dreams about a boy she's never seen before. Things become even weirder when she finds out he's the newest student in school. For some reason, he acts cold towards her, treating her the opposite of how he does in her dreams. She can't figure him out, and although she knows there's something not quite right about him, she can't stop herself from getting close to him.

I thought the first half of Falling Under was similar to what is seen in a lot of YA paranormals. There's the underconfident girl (Theia), who is drawn to the new, mysterious boy (Haden) at school. And even though the new boy seems to be interested in her as well, he's not exactly nice to her and tells her to stay away. But she can't and neither can he. Sound familiar? Well, I think that's why it was a bit of a struggle for me getting through the beginning of the book.

While the first half didn't stand out to me, I thought the last half of the story made up for it. Things started getting interesting the moment Haden revealed what he was and his purpose for being there. I don't believe I've read a YA paranormal with that type of paranormal creature. It explained why Haden treated Theia the way he did. The last part of the book wasn't quite perfect though. The entire book was a bit fast paced, and I was fine with that, but I would have liked to learn more about Haden's world near the end. Overall, I liked what we did get.

After finishing the book, there were some things I was left wondering about like Why was Theia immune to Haden's Lure? and How do Theia and Haden adjust? If there's a sequel, which I really hope there is, I will definitely check it out.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

ARC provided by Different Area Codes Book Tour.

Born At Midnight Winner

My first giveaway is now over! The winner of the Born At Midnight ARC by C.C. Hunter is...

Beckie at Bittersweet Enchantment

Congratulations to Beckie! I've already emailed her. Thank you to everyone who entered. I hope to have another giveaway in the future.

Waiting on Wednesday (22)

I haven't done a WoW post in awhile. Last September, I made a post of my top 5 most anticipated books for 2011, and I realized that as of January 2011 I've been lucky enough to have read 4 of those books already. The only book I haven't read from that list will be this week's WoW post. :)

Title: Divergent (first in a trilogy)
Author: Veronica Roth
Release Date: May 3, 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen Books 

"In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves...or it might destroy her.

Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the YA scene with the first book in the Divergent series—dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance."

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme created by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Book News: Melina Marchetta

This is kind of old news, but I decided to make a post, since I don't believe I've seen any talk about it in the blog world.

If you're a Melina Marchetta fan like me, you've probably heard that there will be a sequel to her fantasy novel Finnikin of the Rock.

"I’m working on Froi, who I introduced in Finnikin of the Rock. Very hard work because he did something pretty despicable in Finnikin and it’ difficult beginning with an incredibly flawed and sometimes amoral character. It takes place three years after the end of Finnikin..." (from Persnickety Snark's interview)

That interview was from March 2010. She hadn't said much more than that until late December 2010, when she updated the news section on her website.

"My major focus for the last four months has been working on Froi of the Exiles which is the sequel to Finnikin. I handed in first draft just before Christmas. Unavoidably, it has one of those cliff hanger endings that people either love or hate, but it will be followed soon after by Quintana of Charyn. Inspired by those lads in Lumatere, I've pledged in blood that there will be no more than a year between the release of both novels. For those who have read Finnikin, Froi's story picks up three years later. There's a batch of new characters but the world of Lumatere is still important to the story, especially Lucian of the Monts."

So not only will there be a sequel (Froi of the Exiles), but there will also be a third book (Quintana of Charyn)! That was something I was not expecting. It's very exciting because I love Finnikin of the Rock. It's is my second favorite Melina Marchetta book. The characters and the story were just amazing, and I cannot wait to revisit old characters and meet the new ones. I wasn't really interested in reading fantasy before I read Finnikin. I decided to read it only because she wrote it and I loved her other books. So now I have more of an open mind when it comes to fantasy books thanks to Melina Marchetta. :)

Anyway, there wasn't any mention of release dates, but I really really hope Froi is released by 2012, which would make Quintana's release year 2013. I'm only hoping for that because I'm dying to read Froi's story and I can't imagine waiting till 2013! D: And here's hoping Candlewick, the US publisher, releases both at the same time their released in Australia. Hey, I can dream.

That's it for the Melina Marchetta book news! :D

In My Mailbox #37

In My Mailbox was created by Kristi at The Story Siren, inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie.

For Review:
Falling Under [ARC] by Gwen Hayes from Different Area Codes Book Tour.

Library:
Bloodfever (Fever, #2) by Karen Marie Moning
Faefever (Fever, #3) by Karen Marie Moning
The Blue Girl by Charles de Lint

I'm about to start Falling Under. I can't even remember the summary, but that's okay. I like going into a book not knowing what to expect. ;) I've been challenged to read The Blue Girl, so I will be reading that hopefully sometime next week. For the past week, I've been so distracted with the Fever series, which I'm almost done reading. Out of the first three books, Faefever is my favorite. (And I'm loving the cover of the hardcover edition.) Just two more books to go! I really hope the waiting list at the library goes by quickly for the final book because I have a feeling I'm going to desperately need it as soon as I'm done with the fourth book. I'm #19 on the list right now. @_@;; *waits and waits*

Well, that's about all I have to say about my IMM this week. I'll end the post with this...

I currently have a US giveaway running for an ARC of Born At Midnight by C.C. Hunter that ends next week. Click here to enter the giveaway. If you're interested! There's not many entries so far.

ARC Giveaway: Born At Midnight

Title: Born At Midnight (Shadow Falls, #1)
Author: C.C. Hunter
Release Date: March 29, 2011
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Kylie Galen has had a lot of crap tossed in her lap. Her parents are getting a divorce. Her boyfriend broke up with her because she wouldn't put out. Her grandmother died and now Kylie's acquired a stalker. Unfortunately, she's the only one who seems to be able to see the stalker. And that gets her sent to a psychologist's sofa. The kooky psychologist gets Kylie sent to Shadow Falls Camp. Kylie and her parents think it's a camp for troubled teens. They thought wrong. It's a camp of supernaturals: vampires, werewolves, fairies, witches and shape shifters. And if she believes the camp leader, Kylie is one of them, too.

I won an advanced reader's copy of Born At Midnight through a GoodReads giveaway. I've already read and reviewed it, so now I'm giving it away. Read the list below to find out how to enter.

Giveaway Info:

• Open to US residents. (If you have someone living here who can send it to you, that's fine.)
• You do NOT have to be a blog follower.
• Ends February 18 at 11:59 PM EST.
• To enter, fill out this form. GIVEAWAY CLOSED.

Good luck! I'll announce and contact the winner after the giveaway ends. :)

Review: The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver

Title: The Demon Trapper's Daughter
Author: Jana Oliver
Pages: 340 (ARC copy)
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: February 1, 2011

Riley Blackthorne just needs a chance to prove herself – and that’s exactly what the demons are counting on…

Seventeen-year-old Riley, the only daughter of legendary Demon Trapper, Paul Blackthorne, has always dreamed of following in her father's footsteps. The good news is, with human society seriously disrupted by economic upheaval and Lucifer increasing the number of demons in all major cities, Atlanta’s local Trappers’ Guild needs all the help they can get – even from a girl. When she’s not keeping up with her homework or trying to manage her growing crush on fellow apprentice, Simon, Riley’s out saving distressed citizens from foul-mouthed little devils – Grade One Hellspawn only, of course, per the strict rules of the Guild. Life’s about as normal as can be for the average demon-trapping teen.

But then a Grade Five Geo-Fiend crashes Riley’s routine assignment at a library, jeopardizing her life and her chosen livelihood. And, as if that wasn’t bad enough, sudden tragedy strikes the Trappers’ Guild, spinning Riley down a more dangerous path than she ever could have imagined. As her whole world crashes down around her, who can Riley trust with her heart – and her life?

My Thoughts: After reading some reviews, I wasn’t sure whether or not I would like this book. I heard some unappealing things about the characters, especially Riley. I also heard that the romance included a love-triangle. (Actually, it was scarier than that because the reviews made it sound like a love-square.) I don’t enjoy reading a book where I dislike the main character all the way through, and it’s rare that I like a love-triangle or anything more than that. So it just seemed the book wasn't going to work out for me. But I'm so glad I gave this book a chance because this was a case where my experience with the book ended up being completely different from those reviews I read.

UK edition

The Demon Trapper's Daughter is about seventeen-year-old Riley Blackthorne, who wants to be a Demon Trapper like her father. Riley does as much as she can to prove that she's capable of taking care of herself by holding her own against the demons and the males that dominate the Trapper world she chooses to live in. She isn't perfect though. She makes mistakes and some poor decisions, but she's strong and smart enough to make up for it when it really counts. Some may not like Riley's attitude towards Denver Beck, her father's twenty-two-year-old apprentice, but I think her feelings are pretty justified. She had a huge crush on Beck a few years back, and it seems he went about rejecting her by being a complete ass jerk. I also believe Riley's envious of all the time Beck gets to be around her father, who has been too busy with demon trapping lately to spend quality time with his daughter. The good thing is Riley and Beck's relationship improves little by little through the book. Another thing I liked was that the book also included chapters from Beck's perspective. I really enjoyed his character. He's funny, loyal, and protective. He's been through a whole lot more than most people his age. It was refreshing seeing the world viewed by an adult in a YA book, even though this book didn't exactly feel like a YA.

The book was definitely more focused on aspects other than romance, which I'm glad for. It's true, though, that it sounds like there's going to be love-triangle or potentially even a love-square. At this point, I'm all for Riley and Beck! I'm really liking their development together. However, right now, there's a romance between Riley and Simon. Simon’s another fellow Demon Trapper. He's 20 years old and a really nice, good-looking guy. I can understand the appeal, but I admit I wasn't quite feeling their relationship. It moved a bit too fast, and I felt Simon was lacking that extra special something that would have made him stand out. It didn’t help that there were other, more interesting guys like Beck and the mysterious Ori, who I think could be possible love-interests for Riley. I think Riley and Simon would be better off as friends, but I'm sure there will be (and I’m hoping for) more development in the next book between Riley and all the guys, so we'll see. ;)

I decided to only mention the characters and the relationships in this review, since those two things are the most important to me when it comes to determining if I like a book. (And if I kept going, this review would never end.) I will say though that the ending wasn't what I expected, and I wish it went just a tiny bit slower because there was a lot to take in with all the scene changes. Other than that I thought The Demon Trapper's Daughter was a great start to the series, and I cannot wait to read the next book Soul Thief!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Note: This book is titled Forsaken in the UK.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

In My Mailbox #36

In My Mailbox was created by Kristi at The Story Siren, inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie.

Library:
A Little Wanting Song by Cath Crowley
Darkfever (Fever, #1) by Karen Marie Moning
My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger

For Review / Won
Blood Destiny (The Blood Curse Series, #1) by Tessa Dawn from GoodReads.
Recovery Road [ARC] by Blake Nelson from GoodReads.

I've already finished reading all these books, except A Little Wanting Song. That book is for the Aussie YA Challenge. Finally getting around to reading an Aussie book! My Most Excellent Year was for another challenge; it was a cute read.

Through GoodReads, I received two books: Recovery Road and Blood Destiny. Recovery Road was a quick read. I didn't hate it or love it. But I did feel a bit disappointed because it wasn't anything like what I expected it to be. Blood Destiny is an adult vampire book, and it was an okay read as well. (One thing that really bugged me was that all the guys had long hair. Long hair on guys creeps me out! haha) I do think the series has potential. However, I wouldn't recommend reading it if you're not into very graphic and gory violence. If you can handle that, though, and you're looking for a new adult vampire series from an indie author, then you should check it out.

Lastly...Darkfever. Over the past couple of weeks, I've seen this series everywhere! And it didn't help that my GoodReads buddies were reading the books as well. Since I really wanted to know what was up, I picked it up from the library. So far so good. I heard the last three or two books were the best, so we'll see! I'm curious to find out how it all ends.

That's it for this week. :)