Books and Swoons: December 2012

2012 Wrap-Up

Hi lovelies Swooners!

So I've been off the grid for the past few weeks but since it been the holidays, I just haven't had the time to even log on and check my inbox. I'm actually scared to go and look it.

I'm currently out of town and not on my own laptop but I wanted to share some of my favorites reads of the year and what I am anxiously waiting for in 2013.

Now this list is only of the books that I just loved and enjoyed. My favorite Reads of 2012:

For my most highly anticipated books for 2013 are (and in order of excitement!):

Now, I have many more books that I am anticipating but this is all I can remember and that have me squealing like the fangirl that I am.

That's it for now since I don't have more time and am not even on my own computer. I hope to get back to regular scheduled programing starting next week. I may not have had time to blog but I have been a reading fiend so I have plenty of reviews to share with you all.

I hope you all have had a happy holiday and have a Happy New Years!

Love,

Jenn

Waiting on Wednesday (#17)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Morning swooners!

This week pre-publication "can't wait to read" selection is:

The Program (Program #1) by Suzanne Young

Expected Release Date: April 30, 2013

Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads

Goodreads Summary: In Sloane's world, true feelings are forbidden, teen suicide is an epidemic, and the only solution is The Program.

Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone. With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane's parent have already lost one child; Sloane knows they'll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who's been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone - but so are their memories.

Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself is with James. He's promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it's getting harder to hide the truth. They are both growing weaker. Depression is setting in. And The Program is coming for them.

Quotes (#17)

Morning Swooners. Happy Monday.

(source)

Let's keep it down. It was a long weekend. Too many people birthdays at the same time.

"Have you ever asked yourself, do monsters make war, or does war make monsters." - Laini Taylor, Daughter of Smoke and Bone

"You get older and you learn there is one sentence just four words long and if you can say it to yourself it offers more comfort than almost any other. It goes like this... Ready?"
"Ready."
"At least I tried." - Ann Brashares, Sisterhood Everlasting

"Do one thing every day that scares you." Eleanor Roosevelt

"No one tells us, girls who don't go on dates, that remembering can be almost as good as what actually happens." - Kathryn Stockett, The Help

That's it for today. I hope everyone has a great day!

Book Promo - Black and White and Dead All Over by Michael Bradley

Black and White and Dead All Over by Michael Bradley

Release Date: August 2, 2012

Publisher: Michael Bradley

Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads

Goodreads Summary: From the author of The Case Files of Doyle & McCraken comes a modern day tale of intrigue and murder. When the skeleton of a teenage girl is uncovered at a construction site in Newark, journalist Brian Wilder must follow a twenty-two year old trail of deceit and lies to uncover the truth behind her death. While still struggling with his own tragic past, Brian uncovers a haunting secret of passion and anger that could threaten to destroy one of the most powerful political families in Delaware.

About the Author, Michael Bradley: Born and raised in southern New Jersey, Michael Bradley is an author and IT consultant, whose frequent travels bring him in touch with a variety of people up and down the east coast. When he isn't on the road, Michael hits the waterways in one of his three kayaks. Being an avid Apple fan, Michael loves to preach the benefits of Apple's Mac OS X and iOS.

Before working in information technology, Michael spent eight years in radio broadcasting, working for station in New Jersey and West Virginia, including the Marconi Award winning WVAQ in Morgantown. Becoming an author has been a lifelong dream for Michael, which was finally realized with the release of his first book in 2012.

Among the writers in which he finds inspiration, Michael favors P.D. James, Raymond Chandler, Leslie Charteris, Simon Brett, and Ian Fleming. He lives in Delaware with his wife, Diane, and their two furry four-legged "kids", Simon and Brandy.

Michael does all of his writing on an Apple iPad 2 with a Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover.

Swoon Thursday (#2)

A weekly meme from YA Bound.

From the book you're currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering.

Shout it out on Twitter with the hashtag #YABound, post it here in the comments, or grab the adorable button above and share it on your blog. The awesome girls over YA Bound and I want to know!

Hi lovelies,

I haven't read anything particularly swoon-worthy but I'm back this week with the swoons.

Broken by A.E. Rought

"I want you to be mine."

Alex's lips brush mine, feather light first contact. I melt into him, whispering his name. He sucks in a breath, stealing mine and I don't care. The couch spins, only Alex holding me to it when his mouth touches mine again, firmer this time, more confident. I don't know where to put my hands, and my hip is driving into his thigh. He must like it all twisted up and awkward. Alex crushes me to him, kissing me like he's waited a thousand years for this moment.

Review: The Future We Left Behind by Mike A. Lancaster

The Future We Left Behind (Point 4) by Mike A. Lancaster
Release Date: November 13, 2012
Publisher: Egmont USA
Source: Egmont USA through Netgalley
Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads

My Rating: 3 put of 5 stars

Synopsis: Thousands of years in the future the divide between humanity and technology has become nearly unrecognizable. Each thought, each action is logged, coded, backed up. Data is as easily exchanged through the fiber-optic-like cables that extend from fingertips as it might be through ordinary conversation. It's a brave new world: A world that the Straker Tapes says is a result of many human "upgrades." But one is sure whether the Straker Tapes are a work of fiction or an eerie peek into an unimaginable past.

Nearly sixteen-year-old Peter Vincent has been raised to believe that everything that has the backward Strakerites cling to is insane - an utter waste of time and potential. Since his father is David Vincent, genius inventor of the artificial bees that saved the world's crop and prevented massive famine, how could peter believe anything else?

But when Peter meets Alpha, a Strakerite his own age, suddenly the theories about society-upgrades don't sound quite so crazy, especially when she shows him evidence that another upgrade is imminent. And worse, there may be a conspiracy by the leaders of the establishment to cover it up. A conspiracy spearheaded by Peter's own father.

Gripping and full of unexpected twists, The Future We Left Behind takes the unsettling questions raised in Human.4, and flips them entirely. What if we knew the very way we live was about to be changed in an instant, and we could stop it? And what if everything we are sure we know is entirely wrong?

This book was a quick read and while I felt like the plot goes at an easy pace, for some reason it took me a while to finish it. I don't know whether or not it was because I was in a book hangover because of The Evolution of Mara Dyer or because I had my occasional bout of ADD.

The main character, Peter Vincent, was a little bit more likeable than the one in Human.4. He is this teenage boy that keeps trying his hardest to please his father but who is also trying to do what he wants to do. He wants a chance to explore and figure things out for himself: to take a literature class instead of all the science courses he is expected to take. To learn more about the world he lives in instead of just believing everything he is told. I think everyone can relate to Peter because who hasn't experienced that or felt the same way; the pressure to live up to their parents' expectations but also being able to make your own decisions and choices.

There were some sci-fi terms and gadgets mentioned in this book that had me a little confused. I'm not much of a sci-fi girl so sometimes I just found myself reading over some parts. There was also a word/saying that really annoyed me for some reason. Peter, Alpha, and Perry said it frequently which leads me to believe that it's sort of a slang that kids and teenagers use. The word is hex. As in "what the hex?" "What the hex are you doing?" I kept thinking to myself that they should just say hell or heck instead.

Overall, I found The Future We Left Behind to be an okay read. I'm curious to see if the author will continue with the series. He left it really open-ended but in a way that if he doesn't, it's okay. I really like how Mr. Lancaster make you wonder about evolution and if things were really like in the books, it would just be plain creepy.

Waiting on Wednesday (#16)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Morning swooners!

This week pre-publication "can't wait to read" selection is:

Etiquette & Espionage (Finishing School #1) by Gail Carriger

Expected Release Date: February 5, 2013

Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads

Etiquette & Espionage (Finishing School, #1)

Goodreads Summary: It's one thing to learn to curtsy properly. It's quite another to learn to curtsy and throw a knife at the same time. Welcome to finishing school.

Fourteen-year-old Sophronia is the bane of her mother's existence. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper etiquette at tea - and god forbid anyone see her atrocious curtsy. Mrs. Temminnick is desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady. She enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.

But little do Sophronia or her mother know that this is a school where ingenious young girls learn to finish, all right - but it's a different kind of finishing. Mademoiselle Geraldine's certainly trains young ladies in the finer arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but also in the other kinds of finishing: the fine arts of death, diversion, deceit, espionage, and the modern weaponries. Sophronia and her friends are going to have rousing first year at school.

First in a four book YA series set 25 years before the Parasol Protectorate but in the same universe.

I first learn about this book from visiting another blog WoW post and I can't wait for this release!

Link me in the comments with your WoW post.

Quotes (#16)

Morning Lovelies. It Monday. Joy. *sigh* I feel like I still haven't embraced adulthood.

"Bad things happen whether you're scared or not, so you might as well not bother being scared. It's a waste of time." - Louise Rozett, Confessions of an Angry Girl (Confessions #1)

"You can build a future out of anything. A scrap, a flicker. The desire to go forward, slowly, one foot at a time." - Lauren Oliver, Pandemonium (Delirium #2)

"Sometimes, Ms. Lane," he said, "one must break with one's past to embrace one's future. It is never an easy thing to do. It is one of the distinguishing characteristics between survivors and victims. Letting go of what was, to survive what is." - Karen Marie Moning, Darkfever (Fever #1)

"Obeying orders just to obey is the mark of a person who has ceased to think. Remember, it is better to suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong." - Ilsa J. Bick, Ashes (Ashes Trilogy #1)

" Change not only was inevitable, but usually brought its own rewards." - Nicholas Sparks, The Last Song

Waiting on Wednesday (#15)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Morning swooners!

This week pre-publication "can't wait to read" selection is:

Through the Ever Night (Under the Never Sky #2) by Veronica Rossi

Expected Release Date: January 8, 2012

Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads

Through the Ever Night (Under the Never Sky, #2)

Goodreads Summary: It's been months since Aria last saw Perry. Months since Perry was named Blood Lord of the Tides, and Aria was charged with an impossible mission. Now, finally, they are about to be reunited. But their reunion is far from perfect. The Tides don't take kindly to Aria, a former Dweller. And with the worsening Aether storms threatening the tribe's precarious existence, Aria begins to fear that leaving Perry behind might be the only way to save them both.

Threatened by false friends, hidden enemies, and powerful temptations, Aria and Perry wonder, Can their love survive through the ever night?

In this second book in her spellbinding Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi combines fantasy and dystopian elements to create a captivating love story as perilous as it is unforgettable.

Only 6 weeks left until this one finally comes out!!

Book Blitz - Flee by Miranda Kavi

Flee by Miranda Kavi

Expected Release Date: December 3, 2012

Publisher: Miranda Kavi

Links: Goodreads

Synopsis: I have to keep it a secret.

Everything was fine, until I met him.

I can't stay away...

Aurora Lockette has a supernatural ability she hides from the world. Gavyn Dhaval is a newly famous actor that shies away from the spotlight. When Aurora and Gavyn literally collide in a fender bender on her first day of law school, they are irresistibly drawn to each other.

When Aurora's secret is revealed, she has no choice but to abandon Gavyn to go into hiding to escape the media frenzy. A secret society of gifted humans contacts her to warn of dark forces that seek to destroy her and everyone she loves.

Aurora must try to understand who and what she is whole she fights to protect herself and her loved ones from a hidden, sinister force.

Author's Bio: Miranda Kavi is a YA and Paranormal/Urban Fantasy author. She has worked as an attorney, an executive recruiter, and an assistant in a biological anthropology lab. She loves scary movies, museums, and is hopelessly addicted to chocolate. She lives in the Houston area with her husband and daughter.

Contact: Website / Facebook / Twitter

Stacking the Shelves (#18)

Stacking the Shelves, which is hosted by Tynga's Reviews, is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This mean you can include books you buy in a physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course, ebooks.

Morning lovelies, I hope everyone is having a good Saturday. It's December! I'm excited because it only a month until several books I've been waiting for are finally released! And I get to go to New York for New Years. Wheee!!

Here's what I got in the past few weeks:

Defy the Stars by Stephanie Parent

Roar and Liv (Under the Never Sky # 0.5) by Veronica Rossi

Keepers of the Zodiac by Sharon Wood

Delirium (Delirium #1) by Lauren Oliver

Defiance (Defiance #1) by C.J. Redwine

I received Defy the Stars for a blog tour stop. Check out my review here.

I bought the novella, Roar and Liv for myself. Review here.

Roar and Liv (Under the Never Sky, #0.5)

I got Keepers of the Zodiac for a blog tour stop. Check out my review here.

I bought myself Delirium. I have the ebook copy but I wanted the hardback as well.

I also got myself Defiance. I totally splurge on myself that day.

At the moment that's all I got, but it definitely enough to keep me busy for a few weeks.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Subscribe to: Posts ( Atom )