Once Upon a Read-a-Thon: Mini Cover Challenge!

This challenge comes courtesy of Bailey from iBBookBlogging:

Question 1:
What is your favorite cover that has been revealed this summer and why? Post a link or picture of the cover if you want.

This was hard! There have been a lot of pretty cover reveals in the past month or so but here's one that I just adore:

I love this cover because it is STUNNING! I love the contrast of the colors and how VIVID they are. And the tree, and the tree's reflection, is gorgeous.

Question 2:
Do you rely on the cover to help you choose whether you want to read a book or not?

Abso-freakin-lutely!! I am extremely visual and I think that having visually attractive covers is super important, ESPECIALLY at the start of a new book series. I have often found myself combing the shelves at Barnes and Noble and I always pick up books when the cover catches my eye. Then I read the synopsis and decide if it's for me. But I am sure there are plenty of books that I have overlooked because their cover did nothing to grab my attention. I find myself drawn to covers with vivid colors or interesting designs.

*REVIEW* Innocent Darkness

Synopsis:

Wish. Love. Desire. Live.

Sixteen-year-old Noli Braddock's hoyden ways land her in an abusive reform school far from home. On mid-summer's eve she wishes to be anyplace but that dreadful school. A mysterious man from the Realm of Faerie rescues her and brings her to the Otherworld, only to reveal that she must be sacrificed, otherwise, the entire Otherworld civilization will perish.

Ohmygoodness... I LOVED this book!!! *squee* That's not to say that it's perfect because it is FAR from it, but I loved the story so much and cannot wait to see what happens next. And at the end of the day, for me at least, my feelings after putting the book down are way more important than anything else. I will caution readers who are looking for more of a steampunk book because to me, this was a tale about the fey with just a few small steampunk elements thrown in. But since I happen to ADORE faerie stories, it totally worked for me.

Innocent Darkness introduces us to Noli, a teenage girl growing up in an oppressive environment. See, Noli doesn't desire to be a "lady", she wants to study, learn, WORK, all manners of inappropriate behavior for a woman of her social class. Noli's adventures land her in a reform school for girls, a school that believes harsh discipline and punishment will mold girls into proper young women. When Noli can take no more abuse, she finds herself making a wish that changes everything...

Noli ends up in the Otherworld with Kevighn, a mysterious and handsome faery who seems to be stalling in his promises to help Noli get home to Los Angeles. Noli soon learns of his deception and is taken to the palace of the High Queen. Meanwhile, Steven, her best friend from the mortal plane, is desperately seeking a way to find Noli and rescue her from the High Queen's clutches. Will he make it in time? And will Noli be able to forgive him when she realizes how much he's kept from her all these years?

I really don't want to spoiler this story for anyone because there were some definite twists and turns! I really, really enjoyed the story. For those who have read the Wicked Lovely Series by Melissa Marr, you will definitely see some similarities. While I didn't like this book as much as that series, it really has a TON of potential. Yes, some of the writing seemed a little unpolished at times and a few transitions were a little jarring, but the story itself was good. And who knows, I read an ARC, some of my minor complaints may have been worked out before the book went to print.

Would I recommend this book? Definitely. ESPECIALLY for fans of faerie books. I really can't speak to the steampunk thing because I haven't read any before this but it didn't seem to focus on that part of it much at all. This is a GOOD story though... there's romance, love, friendship, duty, pain, betrayal, shocking revelations, and sacrifice. It really has something for everyone. Make sure to grab a copy when it releases in August. Enjoy! *XOXO*

Expected publication date: August 8, 2012 by Flux

Once Upon a Read-a-Thon

Yayyyy! I love read-a-thons! I saw something about this one on twitter and decided, why the heck not? I got a couple new tour books today from Around the World Tours so I think a read-a-thon could be just what I need. Plus, there are prizes and who doesn't love prizes?!

For information on the read-a-thon, click here. You can sign up through midnight tonight so it's not too late! Here are the books I'm going to try to read:

Innocent Darkness by Suzanne Lazear

What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

I may add more depending on how I do but it's a solid start! Time to start reading... good luck to other participants and HAPPY, HAPPY READING! *XOXO*

*REVIEW* Over You

Synopsis:

After the grand explosion of her relationship, seventeen-year-old Max Scott developed what every girl in the history of the world has been waiting for: a way to get over being dumped. Now Max is the go-to guru for heartbroken high-school girls all over NYC. But when her ex unexpectedly shows up in her neighborhood, Max’s carefully controlled world starts to unravel. With her clients’ hearts hanging in the balance, Max will have to do the seemingly impossible: get over him once and for all.

Brilliant at bringing humor to the trials and tribulations of the lovestruck, #1 New York Times bestselling authors Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus have crafted a tale that will resonate with any girl who has ever been in love or had her heart broken. It brims with smart observations, features a pitch-perfect teen voice, and will attract fans of Jenny Han, Sarah Mlynowski, and Lauren Barnholdt. Readers are sure to fall head-over-heels for this sharp spin on breaking up, making up, and getting even.

This book was super cute! I really enjoyed it and it's a MEGA fast read, I read it in two sittings! Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus do a wonderful job bringing teenage heartbreak to life in this fantastic YA novel. But not to fret, it's not a dark and angry book but rather a book full of hope and possibility--a book that shows the curing power of moving on.

Over You introduces us to Max, a teenage girl who has turned the worst experience of her life, her first heartbreak, into a successful business. Max helps girls all over the city deal with their broken hearts and get the ultimate revenge against their exes--moving on. Things seem to be going perfectly for Max... until her dreaded ex shows up in her beloved city.

Just as Max plans to finally deal with her unresolved feelings for her ex and move on once and for all, he throws her a curveball that could change everything. As Max unravels, she endangers not only her own happiness, but those of her friends and her clients. Will Max straighten things out in time? Or will her past come back to forever haunt her future?

Again, this book is adorable and I'd recommend it to anyone! Any woman who suffered teenage heartbreak will be able to relate to this book. It seriously took me right back to those times--those times when you thought you would NEVER EVER be okay again. I think the authors did a wonderful job because the characters were believable and I felt like I was hearing a teenage voice which can sometimes be lacking.

In addition to the above, I really enjoyed the character of Ben and found myself rooting for his happily-ever-after throughout the entire book. Yay for Ben! I love good YA boys. He was honest, caring, and REAL. All in all, this was a really cute and quick read. I recommend everyone check it out when it releases in August. Happy Reading! *XOXO*

Expected publication: August 21, 2012 by HarperTeen
*Thanks to Around the World Tours for the ARC*

*REVIEW* Rift

Synopsis:

Chronicling the rise of the Keepers, this is the stunning prequel to Andrea Cremer's internationally bestselling Nightshade trilogy!

Sixteen-year-old Ember Morrow is promised to a group called Conatus after one of their healers saves her mother's life. Once she arrives, Ember finds joy in wielding swords, learning magic, and fighting the encroaching darkness loose in the world. She also finds herself falling in love with her mentor, the dashing, brooding, and powerful Barrow Hess. When the knights realize Eira, one of their leaders, is dabbling in dark magic, Ember and Barrow must choose whether to follow Eira into the nether realm or to pledge their lives to destroying her and her kind.

With action, adventure, magic, and tantalizing sensuality, this book is as fast-paced and breathtaking as the Nightshade novels.

Well... I had really high hopes going into this one because Nightshade is a favorite of mine. (Though don't get me started on the third and final book in that trilogy cause it still ticks me off sometimes!!) Anywho... Rift had a lot to live up to and while I didn't LOVE it, it was another solid book from Andrea Cremer and I will for sure be checking into the rest of these books.

Rift introduces us to Ember, a young girl who desperately wishes to escape the life her father has planned for her. Marriage, homemaking, and raising children may be the life most girls dream of, but for Ember it marks being chained and shackled into an existence she does not want. Ember dreams of far greater things, and sneaks away to practice swordsmanship and fighting skills when she can. While her family dreads the day she must report to Conatus, Ember impatiently waits, hoping Conatus is the beginning of a brand new life...

Turns out, Ember got all she wanted... and MORE. In Conatus, she is able to finally begin to achieve her dreams of becoming a female warrior. And what could be better than being tutored by a sexy knight who makes Ember desire things she never would have imagined herself wanting? The only negative on the horizon is a new evil--an evil that could be more dangerous than anything the Guard has faced before. Will the Guard recognize the danger before it's too late? Or will Ember lose everything?

This book was good. I have to admit that it was a bit slow for me at times and it took me longer to read than I would have predicted, mostly because I found it easy to put it down and walk away from. That being said, I'm finding that I like it more the more I think about it. So while I wasn't in love while reading it, I'm still thinking about it long after I put it down for good.

And Ember? Ember is a FANTASTIC female character. She's independent, stubborn, motivated, and strong of character and mind. I love the way Andrea Cremer writes her female protagonists. Ember is the kind of chick I could see myself hanging out with. And Barrow? YUM! I love strong and supportive males. I'm really curious to see where the story goes now. Bring it, Cremer! :)

TBR PILE Reading Challenge: June Update!

June was a FABULOUS reading month for me. I read 10 books, woot woot! Unfortunately, only two of these counted for the TBR PILE Reading Challenge but I'm making great progress in the challenge so I'm still pleased! Check out the two books that counted for the challenge below:

Torment by Lauren Kate

Passion by Lauren Kate

I have now read 20 books this year towards this challenge. YAYYYY! Knocking books off my TBR pile makes me feel extremely happy. If you'd like to feel this good, think about joining the challenge yourself! Click the link on the right sidebar on my page for more information and happy, happy reading! *XOXO*

Teaser Tuesday: Rift

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading!

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

-Grab your current read
-Open to a random page
-Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title and author, too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

This week's teaser comes from an ARC of Rift by Andrea Cremer:

It gaped at her, swaggering forward. She didn't know if it was trying to speak. Its mouth opened and closed, and sloppy, gibbering sounds emerged. It leaned over her and she couldn't move. A maggot dropped from the rotting flesh of its jaw and squirmed over Ember's cheek. pg. 68

Yayyyy! I LOVED Nightshade and Andrea Cremer is at it again with a prequel set way in the past. While I'm not liking it as much as Nightshade, cause let's face it, that's a tall order to fill, I'm definitely intrigued and am powering through it. Be on the lookout for a review this week! And as always, HAPPY READING! *XOXO*