My BEA 2012 wishlist

I wish I was going to BEA, there are some truly amazing books you can pick up, and I want them! Lol. I really wish they did something like this in Australia. It's also interesting to see how many of these will actually get released in Australia. This is a list of the title's I'd grab if I were there. Check out Publishers Weekly who posted the full list. Which one's do you fancy?

Beta by Rachel Cohn (Disney-Hyperion). The Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlistcoauthor delves into science fiction with the start of a new series.

The Blessed by Tonya Hurley (Simon & Schuster) launches a supernatural romance series that reimagines the martyrdoms of three saints, by the author of ghostgirl.

Crewel by Gennifer Albin (Macmillan/FSG) marks the first in a dystopian trilogy about a girl fighting her powerful destiny.

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken (Disney-Hyperion). Ruby must escape from a government-run “rehabilitation camp” for teens with paranormal powers.

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes (Penguin/Razorbill). The paranormal romance and urban fantasy author Michelle Rowen takes a pseudonym for the launch of a high fantasy series.

False Memory by Dan Krokos (Disney-Hyperion). Miranda wakes up on a park bench with no memories, but discovering that she possesses terrifying powers.

Poison Princess by Kresley Cole (Simon & Schuster). The first YA novel from the author of the Immortals After Dark series (and the first in the Arcana Chronicles) concerns a wealthy Louisiana girl whose life is upended by an apocalyptic event.

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (Scholastic Press). Mystery, romance, and the supernatural suffuse the first in a new four-book series from the author of the Shiver trilogy.

Wake by Amanda Hocking (St. Martin’s Griffin) focuses on three modern-day sirens who cast a spell over the seaside town of Capri.

(no cover)

Deviants by Maureen McGowan (Amazon Children’s Publishing). Book one of the Dust Chronicles is set in a post-apocalyptic world in which a 16-year-old orphan with mutated DNA must protect her younger brother.

Waiting on Wednesday - Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine, that showcases upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. 

                                                                                      
Stormdancer - The Lotus Wars book 1


A DYING LAND 
The Shima Imperium is verging on the brink of environmental collapse; decimated by clockwork industrialization and the machine-worshippers of the Lotus Guild. The skies are red as blood, land choked with toxic pollution, wildlife ravaged by mass extinctions.

AN IMPOSSIBLE QUEST
The hunters of the imperial court are charged by their Shōgun to capture a thunder tiger—a legendary beast, half-eagle, half-tiger. But any fool knows thunder tigers have been extinct for more than a century, and the price of failing the Shōgun is death.

A SIXTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL
Yukiko is a child of the Fox clan, possessed of a hidden gift that would see her executed by the Lotus Guild. Accompanying her father on the Shōgun’s hunt, she finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in Shima’s last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled thunder tiger for company. Even though she can hear his thoughts, even though she saved his life, all she knows for certain is he’d rather see her dead than help her.

But together, the pair will form an indomitable friendship, and rise to challenge the might of an empire.


How awesome does Stormdancer sound? It's billed as 'a dystopian Japanese-inspired Steampunk fantasy'. Sounds like it has something for everyone. Add this one to your TBR I'm sure it's going to be huge! Stormdancer releases in September. Follow Jay at www.misterkristoff.wordpress.com Let me know what you think.

Review - Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Title: Obsidian (Lux book 1)
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Age Group: Young Adult
Release Date: November 29th 2011
Publishers: Entangled Publishing
Available from: Amazon
Amazon UK
The Book Depository
Source: Amazon

Starting over sucks. When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring.... until I spotted my hot neighbour, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up. And then he opened his mouth. Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something...unexpected happens. The hot alien living next door marks me. You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon's touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. If I don't kill him first, that is.

*********

I’ve heard plenty over hype over the last few months about Jennifer L. Armentrout. People have been gushing over her books…and now I understand why. Obsidian is amazing! To say I was impressed is an understatement. I bought Obsidian on my lunch break at work on Thursday, which wasn’t the best idea as I had to keep sneaking in a couple of pages on my phone when no one was looking! I’m surprised my manager didn’t confiscate my phone. I came home and continued to read it on my Kindle and could not put it down!

I loved the first impressions of both Katy and Daemon. Your drawn immediately into their world and they sparks fly instantly. They’re like an explosion, they burn hot and fast and leave you breathless. I can say I haven’t read many YA books where there has been such an intense reaction between two characters. I loved every scene that Katy and Daemon were in. The good and the bad. Katy thinks of herself as rather bland and unassuming, but doesn’t realise she has a hidden feisty side; which Daemon constantly draws out of her. She gives as good as she gets. Then there’s Daemon. Ahh Daemon, Daemon, Daemon. This guy is beyond arrogant, overbearing, cocky, narcissistic and any other similar adjectives you can throw in. So why do we love him? I can’t seem to explain it…he just owns every page. He’s hot, seductive and even though he is all those adjectives, you begin to understand why he is the way he is. He pushes Katy away because he can’t protect his family and her. For him it can only be one or the other. They push each other’s buttons like nobody’s business.

There aren’t many alien books out there and I am always wondering if they can make it work. This is definitely one book where it does. Obsidian is a little like I am Number Four in a couple of ways, but Obsidian is about 500 times better. I loved the whole storyline; aliens from a distant planet trying to make a new life for themselves on a new planet. The action is exciting, the romance scorching. Enthralling and compelling, Obsidian has a powerful and irresistible effect on you. I don’t know what more I can say I just hope I’ve done it justice. Go and buy a copy and lose yourself in the magnificent world Jennifer L. Armentrout has created. You’ll be joining the Daemon Black band wagon once you’ve read it, I’m sure.

5/5

Review - Immortal City by Scott Speer

Title: Immortal City (Immortal City book 1)
Author: Scott Speer
Age Group: Young Adult
Release Date: April 4th 2012
Publishers: Razorbill AU
Available from: Amazon
Amazon UK
Book Depository
the Nile
Source: Penguin Au


We pay them to protect us.  And we're their biggest fans.They are our celebrities, and we worship them with paparazzi and endless gossip and speculation.  To us, they are glamour.  To them, we're an assignment.  Their job is to guard us-that is, those of us who can afford them . . . Because the only thing stronger than a Guardian Angel is the rule they must obey.

So what happens when one of them falls for one of us?

In the City Angels, the rules are about to be broken.

************

I enjoyed the twin POV's from our heroine Maddy and hero Jackson, who is the worlds biggest Angel and is on the cusp of being granted Guardianship. He is youngest Angel in history to receive Guardianship, and his life has been lived in the public eye. Paparazzi constantly follow him, his every move is reported to the masses and they lap it up.

Maddy is the poor girl who works in her uncles diner. She's just trying to get through life and stay off everyone's radar. Then a chance meeting brings them together. From the beginning you know their relationship is not going to be easy. Maddy's life is a bit like Cinderella, just without the evil Stepmother and Stepsisters. 

I had a little trouble getting into Immortal City. At first I found the characters to be shallow and immature. The angel mythology is completely different to what we're used to. Angels are worshiped as the worlds celebrities, starring in movies and ad campaigns. To me the book had a feel of Clueless meets the supernatural.  The second half of the book is where it gets interesting. We find out more about Maddy and Jackson's families and how they have a history they knew nothing about. Although I guessed pretty quickly it didn't stop me from reading the book as there were other questions that I wanted answers to. There is a sub plot containing a murder mystery that is going to rock both their worlds.

The conclusion is thrilling, with the perpetrator of the murders being someone I did not guess. I'd recommend Immortal City if you're after something different. I'm looking forward to seeing where the author takes this story.

3.5/5

Review - Fever by Lauren DeStefano

Title: Fever (The Chemical Garden Trilogy book 2)
Author: Lauren DeStefano
Age Group: Young Adult
Release Date: March 1st 2012
Publishers: HarperCollins Aus
Available from: Amazon
Amazon UK
Book Depository
The NileSource: HarperCollins


Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but danger is never far behind.

Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago - surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness.

The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous - and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion...by any means necessary.

In the sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price - now that she has more to lose than ever.

_________

Wither was one of my favourite books last year, especially in the dystopian genre, and I can say I loved Fever just as much. For me I think it may even surpass Wither. I was trapped in the pages, trying to read them as fast as I could. I was eager and apprehensive at the same time, wanting to know what happened to Rhine and Gabriel. No sooner have they escaped from the compound where they were living, only to be trapped once again. This time it's in a perverted type of carnival that is run by Madame Soleski. In this carnival there is no happiness. Madame collects girls and names them after colours. The girls provide the 'entertainment' to men who visit the carnival. We meet a host of characters while Rhine and Gabriel are forced to stay there, one of which is a deformed little girl, Maddie. She is definitely a great addition to the story and she provides a lot of the entertainment while reading. 

Fever does move rather slowly and this left me frustrated at times because I just wanted to find out what was going on. Just when you think they've escaped the worst something else happens, and this helped build up my emotions. I was constantly filled with despair, anger, and a feeling of hopelessness. It left me on the edge of my seat. Even though Rhine has escaped with Gabriel I'm not sure she knows about her feelings for him or Linden. I really admire Rhine and her strength. After all she's been through she still has a core of steel. She has been focused entirely on finding her brother, even with the many obstacles that are placed in her way. I love Gabriel, but he's a little weak, I want him to find his backbone! 

I don't know how to describe Lauren DeStefano's writing, besides beautiful. She has a way of describing things that always leaves me stunned. How can one person have so much talent? I can't wait for the third book. The ending left me with a sense of OMG, and I can't wait to see how Rhine's story ends.  

5/5