Title: Poison
Author: Bridget Zinn (web | twitter)
Genre: Fantasy YA
Amazon | Goodreads
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Release date: March 12, 2013
Challenge: Debut Author Challenge
Source: NetGalley (Thanks Disney Hyperion!)Summary: Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction—which means she’s the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom’s future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend.
But, for the first time ever, her poisoned dart . . . misses.
Now a fugitive instead of a hero, Kyra is caught in a game of hide-and-seek with the king’s army and her potioner ex-boyfriend, Hal. At least she’s not alone. She’s armed with her vital potions, a too-cute pig, and Fred, the charming adventurer she can’t stop thinking about. Kyra is determined to get herself a second chance (at murder), but will she be able to find and defeat the princess before Hal and the army find her?
Kyra is not your typical murderer, and she’s certainly no damsel-in-distress—she’s the lovable and quick-witted hero of this romantic novel that has all the right ingredients to make teen girls swoon.
Book Review: Poison by Bridget Zinn
Book Review | Eleanor & Park | Rainbow Rowell
I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell Published by St. Martin's Griffin on February 26, 2013
Genres: Contemporary YA, Young Adult
Pages: 328
Format: eARC
Source: the publisher via NetGalley
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Goodreads
TWO MISFITS. ONE EXTRAORDINARY LOVE. It’s 1986 and two star-crossed teens are smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love–and just how hard it pulled you under. A cross between the iconic ’80s movie Sixteen Candles and the classic coming-of-age novel Looking for Alaska, Eleanor & Park is a brilliantly written young adult novel.
Audiobook Review: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
Title: Clockwork Angel
Author: Cassandra Clare (web | twitter)
Narrator: Jennifer Ehle
Series: Infernal Devices #1
Amazon | Goodreads | Audible
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books (print), Simon & Schuster Audio (audio)
Release date: August 31, 2010
Challenge: Audiobook Challenge, TBR Challenge
Source: Bought it
Summary: Magic is dangerous—but love is more dangerous still.
When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London’s Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.
Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What’s more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa’s power for his own.
Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm’s length . . . everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world. . . . and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.
Book Review | Me, Him, Them, and It | Caela Carter
I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Me, Him, Them, and It by Caela Carter Published by Bloomsbury on February 26, 2013
Genres: Contemporary YA, Pregnancy, Young Adult
Pages: 310
Format: eARC
Source: the publisher via NetGalley
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Goodreads
ME is Evelyn Jones, 16, a valedictorian hopeful who’s been playing bad girl to piss off THEM, her cold, distant parents. HIM is Todd, Evelyn’s secret un-boyfriend, who she thought she was just using for sex – until she accidentally fell in love with him. But before Evelyn gets a chance to tell Todd how she feels, something much more important comes up. IT. IT is a fetus. Evelyn is pregnant – and when Todd turns his back on her, Evelyn has no idea who to turn to. Can a cheating father, a stiff, cold mother, a pissed-off BFF, and a (thankfully!) loving aunt with adopted girls of her own help Evelyn make the heart-wrenching decisions that follow?
Book Review: Mastiff by Tamora Pierce
Title: Mastiff
Author: Tamora Pierce
Series: Beka Cooper, #3
Genre: Fantasy YA
Amazon | Goodreads
Publisher: Random House BFYR
Release date: October 25, 2011
Challenge: 2013 TBR Challenge
Source: Own it
Summary: The Legend of Beka Cooper gives Tamora Pierce’s fans exactly what they want—a smart and savvy heroine making a name for herself on the mean streets of Tortall’s Lower City—while offering plenty of appeal for new readers as well.
Beka and her friends will face their greatest and most important challenge ever when the young heir to the kingdom vanishes. They will be sent out of Corus on a trail that appears and disappears, following a twisting road throughout Tortall. It will be her greatest Hunt—if she can survive the very powerful people who do not want her to succeed in her goal.
Audiobook Review | Cinder | Marissa Meyer + Rebecca Soler
Cinder by Marissa Meyer Narrator: Rebecca Soler
Series: The Lunar Chronicles #1
Published by Macmillan Audio on January 3, 2012
Genres: Dystopian YA, Science Fiction
Length: 10 hours, 6 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Also in this series: Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, Fairest
Also by this author: Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, Fairest
Source: Audible
Amazon • Audible • Goodreads
Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl…
Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.
Book Review | The Cadet of Tildor | Alex Lidell
I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Cadet of Tildor by Alex Lidell Published by Dial Books for Young Readers on January 10, 2013
Genres: Fantasy YA, Young Adult
Pages: 408
Format: eARC
Source: the publisher via NetGalley
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Goodreads
There is a new king on the throne of Tildor. Currents of political unrest sweep the country as two warring crime families seek power, angling to exploit the young Crown’s inexperience. At the Academy of Tildor, the training ground for elite soldiers, Cadet Renee de Winter struggles to keep up with her male peers. But when her mentor, a notorious commander recalled from active duty to teach at the Academy, is kidnapped to fight in illegal gladiator games, Renee and her best friend Alec find themselves thrust into a world rife with crime, sorting through a maze of political intrigue, and struggling to resolve what they want, what is legal, and what is right.
Book Review: The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Title: The False Prince
Author: Jennifer A. Nielsen
Series: The Ascendance Trilogy #1
Genre: Fantasy YA
Publisher: Scholastic
Release date: April 1, 2012
Challenge: TBR Challenge
Summary: In a discontent kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king’s long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince. Four orphans are recruited to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner’s motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword’s point — he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. But Sage’s rivals have their own agendas as well.
As Sage moves from a rundown orphanage to Conner’s sumptuous palace, layer upon layer of treachery and deceit unfold, until finally, a truth is revealed that, in the end, may very well prove more dangerous than all of the lies taken together.
An extraordinary adventure filled with danger and action, lies and deadly truths that will have readers clinging to the edge of their seats.
Bout of Books 6.0: Final Tally
I’m so excited to be participating in Bout of Books 6.0! I’ve never participated in one before, so even though I know it’s going to be a little hard to find lots of time to read, I’m still looking forward to giving it a go and reading in whatever spare time I can find this week. I’ll be updating this post every day with the progress!
UPDATE: Here’s my final tally!!!
Reading Time
Goals
- I want to read 4 books during this bout. I know that doesn’t sound like a lot, but trust me: the last time I read more than 1 book a week–before this week that just passed–was months ago. This is a big challenge for me.
- Participate in at least one Twitter chat.
- Comment on at least 10 blogs participating in the challenge
Books I’ll Be Reading
The False Prince: The Ascendance Trilogy #1 by Jennifer A. Nielsen Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally Just One Day by Gayle Forman Prodigy: Legend #2 by Marie Lu (this one’s a reread before I write my review) Graceling by Kristin Cashore (I’m in the process of a readalong, so I might pick this one up for a chapter or two. I’m listing it here, but I’m near the end and only have to read 5 chapters this week, so I won’t be finishing it during the bout) An Echo in the Bone: Outlander #7 by Diana Gabaldon (I’ve been listening to this one for a few weeks now, and I’ll still be listening to it this week)
Updates
Monday
Number of books I’ve read today: One thing you should know: I’m not going to be finishing books in a day this time around. It’s hard for me to do that during the week. But I’ve read 26 chapters of THE FALSE PRINCE and I listened to 5 chapters of AN ECHO IN THE BONE (they are loooong!)
Total number of books I’ve read: Well, none totally yet. 🙂
Books: THE FALSE PRINCE by Jennifer Nielsen and AN ECHO IN THE BONE by Diana Gabaldon
Tuesday
Number of books I’ve read today: Still plugging away at the same two books. I read 12 chapters of THE FALSE PRINCE and listened to another 4 chapters of AN ECHO IN THE BONE. PLUS!! I got JUST ONE DAY in the mail yesterday. I WILL BE READING IT NEXT HOLLA!
Total number of books I’ve read: I can’t wait until the answer to this question ISN’T “none”
Books: Same ones as yesterday
Wednesday
Number of books I’ve read today: HUZZAH! I have finished one!! THE FALSE PRINCE = complete. Woot! I read the last 10 chapters of this one today, and I listened to another 4 chapters of AN ECHO IN THE BONE. Now I’m starting JUST ONE DAY. *diesdiesdies*
Total number of books I’ve read: 1!!!
Books: THE FALSE PRINCE, AN ECHO IN THE BONE, and JUST ONE DAY
Thursday
Number of books I’ve read today: OMG I started JUST ONE DAY and I am IN LOVE. Still listening to AN ECHO IN THE BONE. Guys? About the Outlander books: Young Ian Murray is one of my favorite characters in this series.
Total number of books I’ve read: One and a half. And I’m closer to the end of AN ECHO IN THE BONE than I realized. I listen to about an hour every day, and I have about two hours left.
Books: JUST ONE DAY, AN ECHO IN THE BONE
Friday
Number of books I’ve read today: I am SOCLOSE to the end of JUST ONE DAY, but am exhausted. I have about 15 chapters to go. And, as usual, listening to AEitB.
Total number of books I’ve read: Still only finished 1, but I’m very close to finishing another.
Books: JUST ONE DAY, AN ECHO IN THE BONE
Saturday
Number of books I’ve read today: I FINISHED JUST ONE DAY. It was amazing/wonderful/emotional/lovely. Started STEALING PARKER, and am about 60 pages in and still reading. No audio today.
Total number of books I’ve read: 2! Huzzah!
Books: JUST ONE DAY, STEALING PARKER
Sunday
Number of books I’ve read today: I finished STEALING PARKER and started rereading PRODIGY (75 pages in). Guys, I finished strong, I think.
Total number of books I’ve read: 3. Woot!
Books: I read all or part of the following books during this bout: THE FALSE PRINCE, JUST ONE DAY, STEALING PARKER, PRODIGY, and AN ECHO IN THE BONE. Not too shabby for me, friends. 🙂
—————–
The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 7th and runs through Sunday, January 13th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 6.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. – From the Bout of Books 6.0 team
Bout of Books 6.0: IT’S ON–Update!
I’m so excited to be participating in Bout of Books 6.0! I’ve never participated in one before, so even though I know it’s going to be a little hard to find lots of time to read, I’m still looking forward to giving it a go and reading in whatever spare time I can find this week. I’ll be updating this post every day with the progress!
Reading Time
Goals
- I want to read 4 books during this bout. I know that doesn’t sound like a lot, but trust me: the last time I read more than 1 book a week–before this week that just passed–was months ago. This is a big challenge for me.
- Participate in at least one Twitter chat.
- Comment on at least 10 blogs participating in the challenge
Books I’ll Be Reading
The False Prince: The Ascendance Trilogy #1 by Jennifer A. Nielsen Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally Just One Day by Gayle Forman Prodigy: Legend #2 by Marie Lu (this one’s a reread before I write my review) Graceling by Kristin Cashore (I’m in the process of a readalong, so I might pick this one up for a chapter or two. I’m listing it here, but I’m near the end and only have to read 5 chapters this week, so I won’t be finishing it during the bout) An Echo in the Bone: Outlander #7 by Diana Gabaldon (I’ve been listening to this one for a few weeks now, and I’ll still be listening to it this week)
Updates
Monday
Number of books I’ve read today: One thing you should know: I’m not going to be finishing books in a day this time around. It’s hard for me to do that during the week. But I’ve read 26 chapters of THE FALSE PRINCE and I listened to 5 chapters of AN ECHO IN THE BONE (they are loooong!)
Total number of books I’ve read: Well, none totally yet. 🙂
Books: THE FALSE PRINCE by Jennifer Nielsen and AN ECHO IN THE BONE by Diana Gabaldon
Tuesday
Number of books I’ve read today: Still plugging away at the same two books. I read 12 chapters of THE FALSE PRINCE and listened to another 4 chapters of AN ECHO IN THE BONE. PLUS!! I got JUST ONE DAY in the mail yesterday. I WILL BE READING IT NEXT HOLLA!
Total number of books I’ve read: I can’t wait until the answer to this question ISN’T “none”
Books: Same ones as yesterday
Wednesday
Number of books I’ve read today: HUZZAH! I have finished one!! THE FALSE PRINCE = complete. Woot! I read the last 10 chapters of this one today, and I listened to another 4 chapters of AN ECHO IN THE BONE. Now I’m starting JUST ONE DAY. *diesdiesdies*
Total number of books I’ve read: 1!!!
Books: THE FALSE PRINCE, AN ECHO IN THE BONE, and JUST ONE DAY
Thursday
Number of books I’ve read today: OMG I started JUST ONE DAY and I am IN LOVE. Still listening to AN ECHO IN THE BONE. Guys? About the Outlander books: Young Ian Murray is one of my favorite characters in this series.
Total number of books I’ve read: One and a half. And I’m closer to the end of AN ECHO IN THE BONE than I realized. I listen to about an hour every day, and I have about two hours left.
Books: JUST ONE DAY, AN ECHO IN THE BONE
Friday
Number of books I’ve read today: I am SOCLOSE to the end of JUST ONE DAY, but am exhausted. I have about 15 chapters to go. And, as usual, listening to AEitB.
Total number of books I’ve read: Still only finished 1, but I’m very close to finishing another.
Books: JUST ONE DAY, AN ECHO IN THE BONE
Saturday
Number of books I’ve read today: I FINISHED JUST ONE DAY. It was amazing/wonderful/emotional/lovely. Started STEALING PARKER, and am about 60 pages in and still reading. No audio today.
Total number of books I’ve read: 2! Huzzah!
Books: JUST ONE DAY, STEALING PARKER
Sunday
Number of books I’ve read today:
Total number of books I’ve read:
Books:
—————–
The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 7th and runs through Sunday, January 13th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 6.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. – From the Bout of Books 6.0 team
