On My Wishlist (#2)

On My Wishlist is an awesome weekly meme hosted by Book Chick City that runs every Saturday.  It's a place where you can put up all the books you're desperate to read, but haven't actually bought them yet.  They can be old, new or forthcoming.    And, even better, everyone can join in with too, because there's a Mr Linky so you can put your post up.  All you have to do is click on the link below:

Ah, still loving this meme.  But now there's even more books I want!  Oops!  Oh well, here's what's On My Wishlist this week!

Wither

Series: The Chemical Garden Trilogy, Book One

By: Lauren DeStefano

Found: On Recovering Potter Addict's Blog
Published: f

Synopsis From Goodreads:

Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.
When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home.
But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limted time she has left.

This looks so good: another brilliant-looking, if slightly scary, dystopia book.  Want this so much!

The Iron King

Series: The Iron Fey, Book One

By: Julie Kagawa

Found: On I Want To Read That's Blog

Published: February 2010

Synopsis From Goodreads:
Meghan Chase has a secret destiny—one she could never have imagined…

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school…or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth—that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face…and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

I've been seeing this one on everyone's blog, and I am desperate to read it!  It looks amazing, and like a totally new take on the fairy genre.  Plus, loving the cover!

Once a Witch

Series: Witch, Book One

By: Carolyn MacCullough

Found: On Gripped Into Books' Website

Published: 6^th September 2010

Hardcover                                    Paperback

Synopsis From Goodreads:

Tamsin Greene comes from a long line of witches, and she was supposed to be one of the most Talented among them. But Tamsin's magic never showed up. Now seventeen, Tamsin attends boarding school in Manhattan, far from her family. But when a handsome young professor mistakes her for her very Talented sister, Tamsin agrees to find a lost family heirloom for him. The search—and the stranger—will prove to be more sinister than they first appeared, ultimately sending Tamsin on a treasure hunt through time that will unlock the secret of her true identity, unearth the sins of her family, and unleash a power so vengeful that it could destroy them all. This is a spellbinding display of storytelling that will exhilarate, enthrall, and thoroughly enchant.

This looks amazing.  I love the sound of the Talented, and how Tamsin has to go on a quest to get her magic.  Plus, the covers are beautiful!  I'm not sure which one I like most...  I think I'm leaning towards the paperback.  Which do you think's better?

Feed

Series: Newsflesh, Book One

By: Mira Grant

Found: On All About {n}'s Blog

Published: 3^rd June 2010

Synopsis From Goodreads:

In 2014, two experimental viruses—a genetically engineered flu strain designed by Dr. Alexander Kellis, intended to act as a cure for the common cold, and a cancer-killing strain of Marburg, known as "Marburg Amberlee"—escaped the lab and combined to form a single airborne pathogen that swept around the world in a matter of days. It cured cancer. It stopped a thousand cold and flu viruses in their tracks.
It raised the dead.
Millions died in the chaos that followed. The summer of 2014 was dubbed "The Rising," and only the lessons learned from a thousand zombie movies allowed mankind to survive. Even then, the world was changed forever. The mainstream media fell, Internet news acquired an undeniable new legitimacy, and the CDC rose to a new level of power.
Set twenty years after the Rising, the Newsflesh trilogy follows a team of bloggers, led by Georgia and Shaun Mason, as they search for the brutal truths behind the infection. Danger, deceit, and betrayal lurk around every corner, as does the hardest question of them all:
When will you rise?

OMG!  This looks absolutely amazing!  And the cover: 'The Good News: We Survived.  The Bad News: So Did They.'  Whoa.  Plus, it has blogging in!  I'm sold!

Wake Unto Me

By: Lisa Cach

Found: On Supernatural Snark's Blog

Published: 31^st March 2011

Synopsis From Goodreads:

A haunted castle, a handsome young man dead for four hundred years, one heck of a scary portrait of a witch, and a treasure hunt -- not to mention a princess for a roommate! -- all await 15 year old American girl Caitlyn Monahan when she earns a scholarship to a French boarding school.
There are secrets behind the stone walls of Chateau de la Fortune, buried for centuries along with the mystery of who killed Raphael, the charming ghost who visits Caitlyn at night. But as Caitlyn unearths the history of the castle, nothing scares her as badly as the secret she learns about herself, and the reason she was chosen to come to the Fortune School.
And nothing breaks her heart as badly as falling in love with a dead guy.

This looks amazing, and I can't wait for it to come out!  Plus, the cover: love it, gorgeous and ghostly. 

Nightshade

Series: Nightshade, Book One/Witches War Series, Book One

By: Andrea Cremer

Found: On Amazon

Published: 28^th December 2010

Paperback                                      Hardcover

Synopsis From Goodreads:

Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything--including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?

This looks brilliant, and once again, loving the cover and the little quote: 'She can control her pack.  But not her heart.'  Gorgeous colours, and an amazing-looking book!

My Soul to Take

Series: Soul Screamers, Book One

By: Rachel Vincent

Found: On I Want To Read That

Published:

2009                                   2011

Synopsis From Goodreads:

She doesn't see dead people, but…

She senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally.

Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about her need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who'll be next…

I've heard lots of amazing reviews about this series, and I want to read it so much!  Plus, I've been told by Sammee (I Want to Read That) that if you like Vampire Academy, you'll like this series.  Well, I love Richelle Mead's writing, so I'm sure I'd love this one.  All I need to do now is buy it!  And, I love this new cover: I think I prefer it to the old one.

So, that's what's On My Wishlist this week.  Sorry it's a little late, but yesterday was hectic...  Okay, not exactly true: I was too busy reading Last Sacrifice.  It's too good to put down!

Anyway, what's on your wishlist?

In My Mailbox (#3)

In My Mailbox was created by Kristi at The Story Siren.  It's the perfect way to see who's reading and reviewing what.  Awesome!

 

I ordered these before my madness at the library, but they just came the other day.  I was very pleased, but I'm running out of room.  My bookshelf is a fairly decent library now! 

 

Anyway, here's what I got:

 

Bought:

 

 

Delirium by Lauren Oliver (Goodreads | Amazon)

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.
But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

Need by Carrie Jones (Goodreads | Amazon)

Captivate by Carrie Jones (Goodreads | Amazon)

Entice by Carrie Jones (Goodreads | Amazon)

(Review of Need) Zara White suspects there's a freaky guy semi-stalking her. She's also obsessed with phobias. And it's true, she hasn't exactly been herself since her stepfather died. But exiling her to shivery Maine to live with her grandmother? That seems a bit extreme. The move is supposed to help her stay sane...but Zara's pretty sure her mom just can't deal with her right now.
She couldn't be more wrong. Turns out the semi-stalker is not a figment of Zara's overactive imagination. In fact, he's still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust. There's something not right - not human - in this sleepy Maine town, and all signs point to Zara.

Before I Say Goodbye by Gabriella Ambrosio (Goodreads | Amazon | Red House)

One morning in Jerusalem, two girls begin their day, not knowing that this day might be their last. For Palestinian Dima and Israeli Myriam, the situation in the Middle East has a direct effect on their everyday life and this book, told in the vivid style of TV shows like 24, will take you into their world. Page-turning, shocking and thought-provoking stuff.

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins (Goodreads | Amazon)

Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father--an elusive European warlock--only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters. By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire student on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.
As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.

Matched by Ally Condie (Goodreads | Amazon | Waterstones)

On her seventeenth birthday, Cassia meets her Match. Society dictates he is her perfect partner for life. Except he's not. In Cassia's society, Officials decide who people love. How many children they have. Where they work. When they die. But, as Cassia finds herself falling in love with another boy, she is determined to make some choices of her own. And that's when her whole world begins to unravel...

They all look great, and I especially can't wait to get my hands on them, especially the Need series, Before I Say Goodbye and Hex Hall.  I've already started Delirium, and so far it's great!

What did everyone else get this week?

P.S.  All the reviews are from Goodreads, except for Before I Say Goobye and Hex Hall.  I couldn't find blurbs I liked for them on Goodreads, so dug around for alternatives. 

Vampire Academy – Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

Publisher: Penguin Razor Bill

Format: Paperback

Published: 2010

Number of Pages: 480

Book: Bought

Genre: Dark Romance, Action, Fantasy, YA

Old Paperback | Hardcover | New Paperback

Warning: Contains Spoilers From Previous Books

Rose’s life will never be her own.

Rose Hathaway has been outrunning death ever since she swore to be the protector of her best friend, Lissa, no matter what.

She’s finally made it back to the haven of St. Vladimir’s but with Dimitri, the boy she once loved, stalking her, Rose can only run so far.

She failed to kill him when she had a chance, and now her worst fears are about to come true.  Dimitri has tasted her blood, and she knows in her heart that he is hunting her.  And if Rose won’t join him, he won’t rest until he has silenced her... forever.

Review:

I honestly don’t know what to say about this other than Richelle Mead has done it again.  She’s created another book that made me go on an emotional-rollercoaster, and race to get to the end.  But this is the penultimate in the series from the POV of Rose!  So, at the same time, I really, really didn’t want to finish!  I think I’m a Vampire Academy addict.

It picks up where Blood Promise finished: Rose is back at the relative-safety of St. Vladimir’s; back with Lissa.  It’s graduation, which means leaving school and having to go out into the real world.  But, unlike she thought, Rose hasn’t killed Dimitri.  And now he’s stalking her.  She knows that leaving the academy and its magical wards that keep the undead, evil Strigoi out. 

 So: Dimitri is after Rose; she’s promised Adrian that she’ll give their relationship a real try, even though she knows that she still loves Dimitri; and on top of it all, there’s the huge problem of whether all of Rose’s antics have damaged her chances of being assigned to Lissa as her guardian...

And, of course, there are the usual mad-Rose schemes - actually, they're even more insane than normal.  One of them is her plan to 'save' Dimitri, and she's prepared to go to any lengths to do it...  But, I can't say anymore without giving the story away, so you'll just have to read it.

Back to the review; overall: amazing.

Once again, I have to say how much I love Rose.  She’s brilliant.  I can’t say what it is about her, but she’s got to be one of my favourite heroines ever.  Sassy, smart-mouthed, and badass, she takes everything on with a snarky comment or two.  But, underneath all the sarcasm, it’s obvious that’s had to mature a lot.  After everything she’s seen and done... well, I think it’s changed her forever, and her heart has definitely been broken once or twice.  And yet, even then, she’s funny and strong.  I have no idea how she does it, but I love her for it!  It’s impossible not to.

As for Lissa and Christian, well, they obviously still love each other, but after all the mayhem Avery caused in Blood Promise, they broke up.  It broke my heart: they’re perfect together!  But, Lissa, of course, is sweet and strong as ever, fitting in perfectly with both Academy and Royal Court life.  Lissa always seemed to be a little... unstable, I guess is the word, constantly leaning on Rose.  Now, she's absolutely brilliant, grown-up, living up to her royal heritage and Rose even leans on her at times.

Now, Adrian: I love him.  Even knowing that Rose ran over to Russia for Dimitri, he still loves her – and I mean really loves her.  He’s so sweet, and you can see how hard he tries to change for Rose.  And, despite all the effects spirit has on him, he is a really good guy.  Plus, he’s grown up too, all for Rose.  Though, he does still have his sarcastic moments, which I love.  Did I mention how sweet he was?

Again, written absolutely brilliantly, and just as addictive as ever, Spirit Bound definitely didn’t let me down.  Actually, parts of the plot were complete surprises to me – and I’m normally really good at guessing twists.  I’m not ashamed to say that it made me cry again, before making me laugh the next minute. 

I love this series, and it’s become one of my favourite ever: I really, really don’t want it to end!  So, we have tears, laughter, twists, sarcasm, surprises, unbelievable cliffhangers and incredible characters.  Completely extraordinary, I honestly can’t recommend it enough.  I swear, this series just seems to get better and better as it goes along.  Honestly can’t wait for Last Sacrifice, even if it does mean no more Rose: I just need to know what happens next!

I’m off to fetch my copy of Last Sacrifice now.

Quick note on the cover: I love the new paperback, mainly because of the little quote on it: 'That which is dead doesn't always stay dead...'  But I do love the hardcover, though I'm not entirely sure who it's meant to be...?  What do you think?

Star Rating:
5 Out of 5

Read this book if you liked:

Vampire Academy: Vampire Academy, Frostbite, Shadow Kiss, Blood Promise by Richelle Mead

House of Night by P.C. and Kristin Cast

The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare

Challenges It's Taking Part In:

100 Books in a Year Reading Challenge 2011 (Hosted by Book Chick City)

Horror and Urban Fantasy Reading Challenge 2011 (Hosted by Book Chick City)

Vampire Challenge 2011 (Hosted by Parajunkee's View)

Waiting On Wednesday (#3)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, and it's a weekly meme all about the books that are coming out soon that we really can't wait to read.

This is my WoW this week, and it's made up of three books, all of which will be published on 1^st March 2011, or during March sometime!

Angelfire

By: Courtney Allison Moulton

Published: 1^st March 2011

Synopsis From Boarders:

This debut, the first novel in a trilogy, is achingly romantic, terrifying, and filled with blistering action.
When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers - monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell - she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul.
A mysterious boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Now that Ellie's powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her - an assassin who has already killed her once.
While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper-hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to ignite the End of Days and to destroy Ellie's soul, ending her rebirth cycle forever. Now, she must face an army of Bastian's most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives - including truths that may be too frightening to remember.

I've heard brilliant things about this book, and have been waiting for it for ages!  I can't wait for it to come out: it looks amazing, and a new take on the whole angel-theme.  Can't wait! 

PUBLISHED: 1^st March 2011

Falling Under

By: Gwen Hayes

Published: March 2o11

Synopsis From Boarders:

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.

This looks incredible.  Totally amazing.  And, I just love this cover!  So dark, simple and beautiful.  Perfect!  What does everyone else think of it?

PUBLISHED: March 2011

My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece

By: Annabel Pitcher

Published: 1^st March 2011

Synopsis From Boarders:

Ten-year-old Jamie Matthews has just moved to the Lake District with his Dad and his teenage sister, Jasmine for a 'Fresh New Start'. Five years ago his sister's twin, Rose, was blown up by a terrorist bomb. His parents are wrecked by their grief, Jasmine turns to piercing, pink hair and stops eating. The family falls apart. But Jamie hasn't cried in all that time. To him Rose is just a distant memory. Jamie is far more interested in his cat, Roger, his birthday Spiderman T-shirt, and in keeping his new friend Sunya a secret from his dad. And in his deep longing and unshakeable belief that his Mum will come back to the family she walked out on months ago. When he sees a TV advert for a talent show, he feels certain that this will change everything and bring them all back together once and for all.

This seems so sweet and childlike.  I don't know about everyone else, but I actually like books told from young children's points of view: the way they see things is completely different from the way teenagers or adults do.  The cover is sweet, but if I hadn't seen the blurb, I'm not sure what I would have thought...  I don't know.

PUBLISHED: 1^st March 2011

So, that's my current list.  What does everyone else want this week?

Teaser Tuesday (#1)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Here are the rules:

Grab your current read

Open to a random page

Share two (2) “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 & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teasers this week are from Vampire Academy: Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead.  I couldn't decide on one, and I know I'll be on another book by next Tuesday, so here are a few of my favourite quotes:

From Chapter Ten, Page 168:

Finally, those idiots - and yes, I had no qualms about calling my friends idiots when they were acting that way - had left the building.

From Chapter Eleven, Page 185:

"I'm not interested in putting clothes on here," Adrian called as he steered me away.

"Watch it," I warned through gritted teeth, "or you might be the one with the wineglass in your face."

From Chapter Twelve, Page 200:

"Hey," I shot back at him.  "I know you're made at me, but with Christian here, we really don't need anyone else making snide comments."

"I don't know," said Christian.  "For something like this, you actully might need two people."

From Chapter Thirteen, Page 216:

I took it as a sign of my multitasking skills that I was able to alphabetize and spy at the same time.

Hope these teasers do Vampire Academy justice: this is my first teaser-post!  Does anyone else have any teasers to share?

X Marks the Spot (The X Files #1) by Les Martin

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Format: Paperback

Published: 1996

Created and Based on the Teleplay By: Chris Carter

Number of Pages: 118

Book: Borrowed (From Library)

Genre: Sci-Fi, YA

Class of the Doomed.

The FBI thinks Fox Mulder is weird - or worse.  He keeps insisting that aliens are running amok on earth.  His lovely and level-headed partner, Agent Dana Scully, is supposed to keep him in line.  But that's hard to do when they're investigating an Oregon high school class full of corpses and the walking dead.

Yes, Mulder's theories about the class of '89 are beyond strange.  But in a world where minds are turned off like lights, bodies blossom with otherworldly scars, and the night explodes with blinding evil, Fox Mulder may not be weird at all.  He may just be the one with the answers nobody's ready to hear...

Review:

Ok, I’ll admit that the main reason I picked this up is because it was the only book starting with ‘X’ that I could find.  I’ve seen some of the series on TV, but haven’t really followed it so much, even though I really like it.

This book was... really good actually.  Strange, kind of scary and full of weird events, this book had me hooked.  Also, it set the scene really well, without sending me into information overdrive.

‘Spooky Mulder’ is obsessed with the unusual cases: The X Files.  This fixation worries the FBI, especially as they think he’d go to any lengths to get the truth.  So they send by-the-book agent, Dana Scully, to keep an eye on him.  Together, the two go to a small town where bizarre deaths are cropping up: all from the same high school class.  Little do the FBI know that Mulder is very, very convincing, especially as his theories seem to be the only ones that make sense...

Mulder’s brilliant.  He doesn’t care what anyone thinks – even though some of them believe he’s insane – and he’s intuitive, frighteningly so at points.  His conviction that aliens are walking among us sometimes makes him slightly blind to other options, but as the book goes on you find out why he’s so certain, and it really makes you understand him more.  So, all in all, he’s a brilliant, smart, if slightly ‘spooky’ character.

Scully’s more down to earth, and her ideas more practical.  Sometimes she wasn’t all that open minded, but Mulder can be pretty convincing.  She’s cool, level-headed and smart: pretty much what you want in a lead girl.

Overall, a book that, honestly, I loved.  It was short, addictive and spooky, full of alien-abduction-theories and defensive locals.  The characters were great, strong and believable.  Yeah, I’m not exactly a fan of Sci-Fi, but The X Files is one in this genre that I really like, and would happily either read or watch again.

Star Rating:
4 Out of 5

Read This Book If You Liked:

The X Files TV Show

Daniel X by James Patterson

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

Challenges It's Taking Part In:

100 Books in a Year Reading Challenge 2011 (Hosted by Book Chick City)
A-Z Reading Challenge (Hosted by Book Junky)
Horror and Urban Fantasy Reading Challenge 2011 (Hosted by Book Chick City)